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Friday
Jan302009
Beating the winter blahs
Idea #1 for beating those winter blahs:
Read a great book that takes place somewhere warm and exotic. My brother Matt gave me this beautiful vintage edition of Out of Africa for Christmas this year (Modern Library edition 1952. It even came with an old folded up portrait of Isak Dinesen from a 1950s magazine tucked in the back pages) and it has helped me breeze through January as I gobble up morsels of vicarious sun and beautiful words every night before bed. {Thank you, Matt. Such a thoughtful gift.}
I loved this passage about an orphaned pet antelope they have on the farm. It could easily be speaking to me, or you, or one of my children:
"Oh, Lulu," I thought, "I know that you are marvellously strong and that you can leap higher than your own height. You are furious with us now, you wish that we were all dead, and indeed we should be so if you could be bothered to kill us [well, maybe not that killing part...]. But the trouble is not as you think now, that we have put up obstacles too high for you to jump, and how could we possibly do that, you great leaper? It is that we have put up no obstacles at all. The great strength is in you, Lulu, and the obstacles are within you as well, and the thing is, that the fullness of time has not yet come." (p. 72)Have a great weekend, you great leapers. G and I are off to the Andrew Bird concert at the Orpheum tonight. So so excited.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Reader Comments (6)
I love old books and that one is a beauty! Have fun tonight!!!
Is this on your goodreads? Because really, I can't think book review unless I am on goodreads.
ooh, what a lovely passage. Thanks A!
Out of Africa is one of my favorites. So beautiful.
I love Isak Dinesen and especially "Babbette's Feast." This is on my least, too, and I'll take you up on that story in particular.
I love anyone who gives old editions of great books. Can he be my new brother, too?