We are currently reading this to Cooper and Bailey before bedtime. It is the easiest Don Quixote to read I have come across and other than the long boring songs at Chrysostom's funeral it is going along rather well and the children seem to be enjoying it. I have to replace all the 'asses' with 'mules', and we are only on Chapter 20, but so far so good. I had a literature professor in college whom absolutely loved this book, said he read it every year. He was one of my favorite professors at LC and he convinced me into changing my major to literature for exactly two weeks. I have tried every year since to read Don Quixote, I may actually succeed this year.
My sister-in-law recommended this book and I bought it used for $2 on amazon. (Oh, how I miss you dear sweet amazon.com). I enjoyed this book which is strange to admit, it was like a car wreck. I just wanted to get closer and closer and I couldn't look away. Our ranting on about it spurred Ward's curiosity and he is about to finish it. I highly recommend you read this book if you are into weird, fascinating fiction.
I just finished this book. I think we bought it because Ward wanted to read it but I got around to it first. I have always thought Steve Martin was hit or miss, but overall I would say that I enjoy him. My father saw Steve Martin open for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (whom are mentioned often in this book) at the Cellar Door in Washington, DC in the early 70s, drugs have clouded his memory as to exactly when. He told me this story often about Martin wearing an arrow on his head and holding onto a Banjo that he always started to play, then stopped to tell a joke and never actually played the Banjo during his act though he later played with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for a song or two. This book was a quick read and I found it enjoyable to think that a comedian would struggle so much to be funny and well liked. The book isn't amazing but it was worth a read and a recommendation.
-june
5 comments:
So are you saying you have an elementary version of Don Quixote? I would love to get my hands on one of those. I have tried and tried to read it and I am always lured away by something more intellectual, like Geek Love.
I am jealous of your cover. Mine is boring. (blue and orange, no pictures)
As for Stevie boy, I think most people who perform want to be liked,--even more than I do.
Try-Water for Elephants or
Atonement or The Red Tent
And I heard (from a good source) that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is really good.
It is just the easiest translation I have come across to date, it isn't necessarily elementary though. It is a huge book and we got it from B&N pretty cheap. We started reading A Series of Unfortunate Events to them but then decided to read Don Quixote while we can still read to them anything we want.
I will look into your suggestions, thanks.
-june
Don't forget about Cadillac Desert.
Shame on me, but I probably read less than one book a year. Sad, I know. Something happened to me during the high school years and I just stopped reading. By the way, Julie and I did start the Lemony Snicket series and found them enjoyable, though we only made it to about book 4. I think my favorite fiction (from my notably tiny library) is Catch 22. One of the few books I've read more than once.
Anyway, here's another couple that are probably right up Ward's alley and are highly regarded by more respected readers than me.
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
http://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0743270754/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211425821&sr=1-1
And The Universe in a Nutshell
http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Nutshell-Stephen-William-Hawking/dp/055380202X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211426138&sr=1-1
Cadillac Desert is on the wishlist, I haven't forgotten and the clutter book too.
I have never read Catch 22 but we have a copy somewhere. We own a lot of books and I love to read but I won't read anything I hate, so if I begin a book and it bores or lets me down, I will stop.
My cover of Geek Love looks like that except is has a $3.99 Goodwill sticker on it, I paid $2 for it.
I second Team of Rivals-someone gave it to me as a gift, who was that again...
Anyway, I am a Lincoln/Civil War junkie, and I really enjoyed it.
When our oldest two were young we used to read every night. I loved it. When I read James and the Giant Peach to them it was so fun, I made up goofy voices for all of the characters (there are A LOT), then we started the Little House books, ah, the good old days.
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