Reading Notes March (2)

Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
This was in the reading notes of a blog I follow and because it mentioned my favorite novel (The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald), I ordered it from the library.  It was fun to read, meandering and opinionated.  I really liked what she said about the Blue Flower, I don't know many people who love the novel.  There were other things she said that I didn't like or agree with, but it was fun to read all her opinions (she doesn't like Austin, but actually I sort of like the fact that she doesn't, even though I do).  Got some ideas of things to read, including A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf.  I haven't read much of Woolf's non-fiction, even though I read all her novels some years ago.  Nowadays I am drawn to memoirs, familiar essays, people telling me about their lives and what they think about and do, especially what they learn.  So this seems like it might be just right.

The premise of the book is that Hill decided to spend a year reading books she already owned.  Her house was filled with books, and some she hadn't read, some she wanted to reread.  What really struck me was how much she rereads, and the way she describes a slow and careful reading.  It is so different from the way I read: fast and with permission to skim and skip as I see fit.  Which is a perfectly good way of reading, but now I want to try the other way.  So maybe I should reread the Blue Flower as a start and some Woolfe.  She also talks about the importance with some authors (but not others) of the order in which you read their books, which I was thinking about in my last book notes.  I liked that.  She ends the book with a list of the 40 books she would choose if she could only have those for the rest of her life.  I'm adding some to my list.  But it does occur to me that I should look also think about reading some of the books I already have and haven't read. 

Indigo by Alice Hoffman
This is a middle grade fairy tale and I liked it.  It is short and simply told, but has depth.  It is probably something that would be good to read again, so that I can learn more of how its done and I also want to look for more of her work.  For me, it wasn't perfect, and I need to think about why and try to identify something that I think is. 

Still reading
The Spark by Kristine Barnett
A woman helps her autistic son and lots of other kids by encouraging their passions and signature strengths.  It is amazing and I'm loving it, but stopped reading in the middle while a friend is getting ahold of it so that we can read it together.  (Tap, tap, tap...)

 Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
 I've been off parenting books for so long, but now I'm not, and this comes recommended.  I like it and it's already helping me get a better perspective on my parenting.  I hope to do a lot more with it.  If anyone has read it and wants to discuss please let me know.

I often feel lonely in my reading.  There are incredible things in books and it would be so great to discuss them with someone whose just read the same.  But sometimes I find that even when I've read the same thing as someone, its still hard to have an in-depth conversation about it, more than "O, I really liked the part when ...".  I'd like to be able to really digest things with others.  Anyhow, I like writing these notes.