Jhaniel's Book-Filled Weekend

Yes, I had a lovely book-filled weekend.

Friday night I read 'The Game' by Diana Wynne Jones--yes I'm hooked on her books right now--and it is by far my favorite of her books so far. I loved every moment of it. I was extremely sad to return it to the library the next day, and have made Lathspell swear to read it ASAP. I now believe in the mythosphere ;)

On Saturday I finally went to visit the big state library, which is two stories high and so large it looks like a museum from the outside. I borrowed six books, I believe. My grandmother and I walked all the way there, which took a while but was very fun, as the weather was very pleasant. You wouldn't believe the strange, enormous trees that grow out here. I desperately want to climb one.

Anyway, back to the library. Um, well, I spent about three hours there just browsing. I found a complete book of Sherlock Holmes stories (which I didn't borrow because I've already read them all), but spent about twenty minutes leafing through the pages looking at all the illustrations, because the book had all the original Strand magazine illustrations. They were all very, very good.

There were many fantasy books I had never heard of before, and I leafed through quite a few in the hopes of finding something interesting, but alas, my quest was in vain. My method of searching for good new fantasy is to

1) Read the first chapter. Usually it'll be so stylistically horrible that I put the book back on the shelf right then and there, but if it isn't, then

2) I flip quickly through the pages. Now, this may seem like cheating and reading ahead, but I only read a page every so often, and have found this wise. Because 9 times out of 10 I'll discover some immorality or other rottenness in the book hidden later on, which would have given me a nasty surprise later if I had read the book from front to back.

And all these books failed either at step 1 or step 2 of my searching process. Sad, isn't it?

But an enjoyable library trip nonetheless. And then I had to walk back to the apartment carrying all the books I borrowed.

Right now I'm reading 'Mutiny on the Bounty', and though I only just completed chapter 2, it's shaping up to be an excellent read. I'm already half in love with Fletcher Christian ;)

Oh, before I forget, I also finished 'Tarzan of the Apes'. And this may destroy my credibility as a literature reader forever, but I must say that prefer the Disney film! *cringe* It's sad, I know. But I just couldn't care much for Tarzan and his friends in the book, while I do in the film . . . I guess I feel the movie's more effective. Oh, well. Forgive me if you can.

I found a nifty quote in 'Tarzan' but I forgot to bring it with me to school today to type down. So I'll have to post it later.

Sunday: I just stayed at home and read. And at last, I finished 'The Brothers Karamazov'! A bewildering book, but with a rather lovely ending, I think. Lise seriously scared me. I am very happy I finished it at last, but I think that I still prefer 'Crime and Punishment' and 'The Idiot'.

And now, here I am at school, ready for another week of work. And I truly am ready, this week. My books rejuvenated me over the weekend, and now I'm ready for anything!

PS: Ah, I almost forgot. The next few installments of my new short story are ready, so next chance I have I will post the next one or two.

PPS: Yesterday I also was a hero and saved a baby gecko which had fallen into the bathtub. I coaxed him into my hands and carried him down to the bushes in the courtyard, where I released him. Hope the little guy survives out there, he was quite adorable. Inside the apartment his eyes were round black disks, but in the sunlight his pupil shrank so there was only a black slit, and the rest of his eye was golden. It was enchanting.