good friends

I completed rereading (or listening to) three very good friends this past week. Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, and Anne’s House of Dreams were consumed by audio and text. It’s fascinating to me how I relate to the books differently today then when I first read them as a “girl child” of eleven. Then I could scarcely understand Anne “as a BA”, let alone Anne as a mum herself. I think that Anne of the Island is my most favourite volume, though her House of Dreams strikes a chord and is most likely why I really enjoyed our short stay in Bar Harbour this summer (was it only a few months ago?)

I still prefer the paper in my hand but it is a pleasant new experience to lay with a warm compress over my eyes (which I need to do in these cruel dry winter months) and still be able to “read”. While my new little one is small and does offer warmth (which books do not), I think a well loved paperback will win any time.

One nice advantage to Librivox has been my random “browsing” of the shelves and discovering books I have yet to read or are unable to as they aren’t carried by my local library and I aways hate interlibrary loan. Through this I had a chance to listen to a most wonderful Marion Zimmer Bradley story, The Color of Space. Sure not all the readers will have me excited but I enjoyed this story a good deal. It was also an advantage to listening to it on my iPod because I couldn’t go any faster than the reader and I was always curious to see what happened next. It’s a fun story and I urge you to check it out.

It turns out that last week I read the wrong Emma! I’m sure if any of you are Austen fans you’re laughing your heads off at me. You see, I was trying to be good and not get lost in the stacks (browsing) at the Uni so I rushed in, typed “emma” into the opac and the first result with a book “on the shelves” had it’s call number scribbled down and I scrambled in and out of the stacks. Melanie is such a dear and didn’t say a word but was probably perplexed at my initial summary …. I’m not sad I read the wrong one for I’ve found another cherished friend, but it is amusing nonetheless. I have since taken out the Austen novel Emma as well as have downloaded the audiobook, but have yet to surpass chapter one, since we aren’t off to the movies or chinese food tonight (I’ll cook) we’ll see where this heads.

I wish you a happy Monday and joyous reading.

• Category: books