A Love Letter

Dear Public Library,

I'm so sorry I've let the love between us die. The siren song of myriad Chicago bookstores led me astray. You've been good to me for years, and what do I do? I leave you stranded on the street corner as I give the cold shoulder on my way to the nearest Borders.

How could I forget all the good times we've had? The years of Book-it where I got to read all I want and earn free pizza. The hot Saturday afternoons where I would enter your air-conditioned halls and pick out books for the summer reading program. You gave me free internet when I had no computer. You helped me prepare for high school, college, and my GREs.

Oh public library, without you I would have never discovered the glory of Leon Uris, the fun of the American Girl Series, the mystery of Victoria Holt, or the beauty of Wordsworth. Sans my library goodness time, I would never had my themed reading summers during college: the Japanese theatre during WWII, the wives and children of Henry VIII, and history of the Jewish population in Europe.

So I'm sorry for all of the lost time - the years we've spent apart. But I am here to make amends. I visited you today, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I can't wait to start my new biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. I look forward to renewing our relationship and being the good friends that we once used to be.

I heart you public library, don't you ever forget it.

Love,

Katy

A Variation of Success

This my friends, is not my first blog. I started my first in 2006, failed again in spring of 2007, and didn't find the wherewithal to stick with writing posts until my third, and current, blog. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the process. I just found myself quite often faced with change and challenge, and my blog did not land high on my "Important Things to Do" list.

However, I have grown quite fond of my current "Katy the Train" blog, and am glad that I have continued to post fairly regularly. So much, in fact, that I have been branching out and now also write two additional blogs...I know, crazy, right?

The first new blog is a team effort with my big sis. While we've, sadly, fallen behind a little lately, these posts are dedicated to what Em and I do best - make fun of things. We're quite good at it and decided to bestow upon the world our opinion of all things ridiculous. Oh yes, we're just getting started with The Snark Sisters.

My second effort is brand spankin' new as of last night. I've decided to channel my love of all things literary into a new blog of book reviews. I've moved my review of Eat Pray Love there as my first entry as this was the blog post that reminded me how much I like to dissect and talk about books. Hence, Tea and a Book, named after a C.S. Lewis quote that I love (you'll have to check out the blog to see the quote!!). I can't guarantee wild success as this is a larger time commitment than the other blogs, but I'm excited to work on the entries and see where it goes!! Books suggestions are very welcome - especially fiction, as I don't seem to read very much of that.

Well, my friends, that's all for now.

Eat. Pray. Love. Gag.

So, after years of being told "You HAVE to read this book," I finally gave in and read Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I was hesitant, as when I worked at Barnes & Noble in DC, most women would inevitably buy this in tandem with "The Secret." While immensely popular, they both just sort of screamed chick flick in-a-book, and those who know me know how I feel about chick flicks...other than Pride & Prejudice...that's a different case entirely. I'm more of a "If it bleeds, we can kill it," kind of girl as opposed to "You had me at hello."

So, with caution, I started to read Eat Pray Love. Now, a caveat to this post is that I have never been in love with someone so much that I would do anything for them. I've had strong feelings for others, but never "in love." I've also never been through a divorce, painful or not. So, unlike most women my age, who have had at least one serious, committed relationship by the age of 26, I was coming at this from a very different perspective. I was reading this as a spectator to those sort of emotions, but very much interested in the travel that she accomplished during her year in Italy, India, and Indonesia.

And to that end, I was not disappointed. Her sassy descriptions of the people and places she visit are unendingly entertaining and her prose style is very visual and precise. One can feel like you're sitting at the table with her as she struggles to learn Italian, or grasp the meaning of some of the mantras at the Ashram, and etc., etc. You find yourself in the bathroom with her in the middle of the night as she sobs over what she may have lost by divorcing her husband and during the ensuing depression.

However, I found myself, overall, never really emotionally connected to the book itself. There was no suspense, no wondering how the story would end - it was obvious from the start that her fairy tale ending would come true. I would find myself on the brink of feeling her pain until it turned into the equivalent of a sitcom ending - the bad stuff is shoved aside my some heartfelt moment. She consistently got her way and had everything she touched turn to success. The sacchariness of it all made it hard for me to follow her on a journey when it was laughs from the outset.

Yes, there was mention of doubt, depression, suicidal tendencies, guilt, and all of those other negative emotions that were quickly eclipsed by the next method of reaching God, or finding the best pizza in Italy. The quicksilver change of emotions did not lend itself rather to a journey, but more a spastic attempt at finding meaning through whatever path she possibly could.

I don't mean to sound over-harsh, but I had to read the book in segments, as I would become frustrated and overwhelmed by the sheer preachiness of the book at times. While I applaud the author for her frank, brutal assessment of her life, I never felt for her. Her pain was a vehicle for her writing, but even when she achieved her goals, it didn't feel like an accomplishment, because all along, I felt like she was already there.

Rewind (my life in bulletpoints)

Since Thanksgiving I've...

• had three close friends become engaged in one weekend (add those to the two that were engaged in the few weeks before - yes, that totals 5!)
• made one trip to the Chicago Emergency Veterinary Services (but Sugar's all better now)
• seen one performance of The Nutcracker with me Dad (keeping the tradition alive)
• read 8 great books (which means I haven't been getting much sleep)
• burned through 23 tealight candles (mmm...apple cinnamon for the holidays)
• decorated one apartment for Christmas (my tree changes colors)
• signed over 60 Christmas cards (not all have been mailed)
• written one essay in French (know how to say "gold fever" en francais? I do.)
• seen the the temperature dip to 9 degrees more than 3 times
• spent one hour sitting on the Megabus on the Indiana Toll Road (after waiting for it for an hour when it was late)
• downloaded two albums on iTunes (and rediscovered my love of Enya)
• thought about blogging every day (but just now got around to it)

Bisoux

~K

Try not to cry when you know...

I had read reviews of the book and was intrigued...

I entered the bookstore never intending to buy it...

I read the dedication page standing in the biography aisle...

I purchased it immediately and left the store...

I eyed it during work, wishing I was reading it instead...

I went home, talked on the phone, made some dinner, and cleaned...

I settled down late to read a few chapters...

I read about the struggle of growing up in Cambodia...

The violence, the terror, and willfullness of the Khmer Rouge...

The struggle of a young girl and the obedience her culture demanded...

I read her story of abuse and forced prostitution...

Of the pain, the filth, and the terror...

I listened to her speak of escape, shame, and the difficulty of recovery...

I followed her as she rose above it, and began to help others...

I felt her disgust at the increased violence that girls as young as five face every day...

Of the blind eye turned by the government and the corruption at every corner...

I read of her journey to overcome and the generosity of others...

Two hours later I had finished the book...eight hours later, I can't get it out of my mind.

American Girl

So, this Friday, I did what every typical twenty-something single girl does - I attended the opening of the new American Girl store.

Yes, you read right, American Girl. Me, one of the least girly, doll-loving people I know. I had some Cabbage Patches in my day, and so did my sis. But instead of carrying them around or putting them in a stroller, we created scenarios like "Cabbage Patch Hospital" or "Cabbage Patch Kidnapping." I'm pretty sure our mom was a little concerned more than once.

However, we both were big readers and did in fact read most of the American Girl series during our local library's summer reading program. If I remember correctly, Em always preferred Molly, a spunky girl growing up in World War II America. I preferred Felicity, the fourth girl in the series whose story is set during the America Revolution. The books were well-written and being the history buff that I am, I enjoyed the facts about the time period included in at the end.
Em and I used the receive the catalogues in the mail when we were little and it was always fun to look through.

That said, I'm still slightly scared by the phenomenon that is the American Girl Doll empire.

Last Friday, however, I put my fear of the American Girl store aside and attended the opening of the huge (and I mean huge) new store in Water Tower Place on Michigan Ave. Seriously, it was like walking into a different world. Two stories and I don't know how many square feet later, I had seen an entire section dedicated to just the "historical" dolls, an AG photo booth, two more sections of "baby" dolls, then on the second floor, I witnessed a doll salon, doll craft area, doll hospital, doll sweets cafe (with doll-sized treats), and a restaurant that sported doll size chairs so a little girl could eat with her American Girl.

I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way, my jaw literally dropped. The concept of a recession was nowhere to be seen inside this new store as parents indulged their fashionable daughters' need for dolls and accessories. I don't necessarily say this with a negative tone. Most of the little girls I saw where very well behaved - no tantrums, no crying - but they were genuinely dedicated to their dolls and equally protective. My favorite was a girl watching her dolls face get cleaned at the doll hospital - she was very concerned and kept a watchful eye on the doll like any good parent.

And, while part of me was overwhelmed and slightly horrified by the sheer number of doll items surrounding me at every turn, overall, it was a pretty cool experience. After awhile, I went and picked out a few things for my AG-crazy cousins, and then made my way over to the area where Felicity and her accessories were displayed...I still coveted the green riding habit that she wore, even after all these years...who knew?

But as I grabbed my goody bag and headed out, I realized that inside that store was a complete fantasy land for little girls and their moms...or the several indulgent dads I had just left behind. And I wondered what the attraction was...for me, I had always loved the books and the stories that had been created. I saw no one that night carrying around any of the books behind the dolls, something I find a little sad.

At the end of the night, I shook off the saccharine sweetness of the American Girl Store and hit up a Borders to get some equilibrium. I'm definitely glad, however, that I got a peek inside the new store and the pure craziness that is the American Girl empire.

Anglophilia and such

I (heart) England. I loved studying there and experiencing London. I loved the chance to travel around the country and see Stonehenge's ancientness, pretend I was in a Jane Austen novel in Bath, and make a pilgrimage to Thomas a Becket's tomb. And while the country is currently struggling with both a bad economy and increasing violence, I still take comfort in my memories of living there.

In fact, whenever I need "easy" reading - books for fun on a Friday night or something for my daily commute, I find myself reaching for some historical fiction - British style.

I'm usually in the middle of several books and right now the list is:

-Cromwell by Antonia Frasier
-The Years of Extermination (Nazi Germany and the Jews 1939-1945) by Saul Friedlander
-The Story of French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau
-Doomsday Men (The Real Dr. Strangelove and the Dream of the Superweapon) by P.D. Smith

Not really what one would call "light" reading. But you couldn't pry my history books from me with a crow bar - others have tried, all have failed.

But every once awhile, I just need something that's fun, witty, and easy.

Thus, my recent addiction to two authors that write great historical mysteries with smart, sassy women as the main protaganist. Both sets of books are set in Regency England and are extremely well-written. I've gotten my Mom addicted to them as well.

The first author, Tasha Alexander, is a fellow Domer. The second author, Deanna Raybourn, has her own blog and is also a self-professed Anglophile. Both authors are obviously well-read themselves and write with knowledge of the events and culture of the time in which they set their stories. Plus the writing is brilliant and I can never put the book down without having finished it!!!

Raybourn's blog is particularly entertaining, and at times, completely random. And while I usually have GB on the brain, there are countries all over the world that I yet to explore - either through books or on a plane.

This point was especially brought home after my attempts to play this game. Don't blame me when you get frustrated:)

The kicker - you have to spell them right - I knew Azerbaijan existed, I just couldn't spell it:)

"I cannot live without books."

Yeah, preach it Thomas Jefferson, I feel exactly the same way. Or as Katherine Hepburn said, "What in the world would we do without our libraries?" Well, I can answer that question - like I can't seem to stop doing, we would end up spending a large chunk of our paycheck at Barnes & Noble each week, that's what we would do.

But in all seriousness, "Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." (Thanks Mark Twain!)

I spent this past weekend in Indy, and part of that time was out in my grandmother's barn looking through the books that I had left there to pick out some that I would take back home. I have about 8 boxes of books still in storage and only managed to make it through a few. Nonetheless it was like Christmas! I had forgotten a few that I hadn't seen since grad school and boy, was it exciting! I only ended up taking about 30 back with me, but hopefully those 30 will keep me out of Barnes & Noble for awhile. Except for the fact that AS I'M WRITING this, I just received an e-mail coupon....curse you B&N!!

You see, books have become almost an obsession. I read all genres, but my favorite are the history and travel writing books. I can never get enough. In my apartment, I now have 4 bookshelves that are bulging with books, a desk that is covered in books, books on my nightstand, books in front of my nightsand, stacks of books on my coffee table, and books in the kitchen for awhile, but I moved those - my kitchen isn't that big. I think my cat may start feeling displaced fairly soon. I've acquired this multitude of books through my career as a liberal arts major, grad school, and my ill-conceived idea of working part-time at a bookstore in DC with the intention of making money...ahahaha.

Some, however, I've kept since childhood, and others I seem to have multiple editions when I forgot that I already owned it, or simply couldn't wait to read it a second time. All of them come with good memories, though, even the ones I may have bemoaned while still in school.

I recently finished for the sixth or seventh time Leon Uris' Exodus. I had been a fan of his work since reading QBVII in junior high, but until the summer of 2005, had never read what is probably his most popular work. Upon its release in 1958, it became the biggest bestseller in the United States since Gone with the Wind. Focused upon the founding of the state of Israel, Exodus is amazing for its seamless integration of fictional characters and true historic events. I bought this book while I was an intern at Wolf Trap Opera. I started reading it late during a tech week, and since the next day was my day off, I figured I would read until I couldn't keep my eyes open. That turned out to be 7AM - the book was so good, I read through the night to finish it. I LOVE it when I find a book that good. Stumbling downstairs afterwards, Ann, the owner of the house where I was staying, just shook her head and started laughing - she had already seen the pile of books that I had brought with me for the summer and knew exactly what I had been up to.

I guess the moral of this story is that I hear from most people I know that they simply don't have the time to read or don't find it entertaining. When I recover from the shock of this statement, my only feeling is pity. Regardless off the type of books one prefers, I always feel that reading allows one to escape for a while, learn something new, or just be entertained by a story that is not your own. I saw a billboard sign while I was home that said 1 out 5 people in Indiana cannot read this sign. I think that is extremely sad. I truly think that reading brings countless joys and I could not imagine life without it.

But, always use caution, because as Mark Twain notes, "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."