tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14213868822592628982011-12-14T15:29:24.497-05:00Being bookish doesn't mean you are snooty or boring. We're Claire and Tiffany - we share middle names, childhood memories, and this space for thoughts on all things literary.tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.comBlogger3511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-3807037751324227062011-12-14T15:23:00.002-05:002011-12-14T15:26:01.449-05:00

Aw, shit. I'm in love with Alejandro Escovedo right now. Here's a super awesome clip of him playing "Castanets" with Ryan Adams. (How fracking good does Ryan Adams look, btw? Seriously, I've seen him in concert. To use a cliche, the man is DYNAMIC. You really can't take your eyes off him.) Ale's live albums are so great because he always manages to re-arrange them in new context. I'm

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-69727404807694953652011-12-08T15:26:00.003-05:002011-12-08T22:44:01.678-05:00

Bless the engineering library (The Duderstadt, affectionately known as "The Dude"). I work in The Dude Tuesday through Thursday and recently discovered the recreational reading section. It has an impressive inventory (apparently, they outsource the book selection to a local company - which is kinda crazy, non?) and sometimes I take my break down there, huddled between the Murakami and Michael

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-9282775117456871872011-11-14T11:37:00.004-05:002011-11-14T11:39:43.385-05:00

At the gym, I am reading... In bed, I am reading... At my desk, I am reading xo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-85774655215003968872011-11-10T15:00:00.002-05:002011-11-10T15:01:27.362-05:00

I don't mean, you know... VIBING. Did I just make that sound dirty? (Curious how that happened.) Anyway. Continuing with all the music I've been getting, El-P has come into the mix. El-P is sort of aggressive, and insane. Thanks for thinking of me, S! Amy Chua, Tiger Mom, is also aggressive and insane. "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother." Pair with El-P's "I'll Sleep When You're Dead."

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-77111332611767680312011-11-09T00:27:00.001-05:002011-11-09T00:28:08.441-05:00

Ah! I'm dropping in to say that if there's a book you should read now before the movie comes out next year... it's "The Hunger Games." Okay, so maybe it's three books. I read the first book over my birthday weekend in New York, then spent an ungodly amount of time - maybe 4 months - on the waiting list for the second book in the series at the Ann Arbor District Library. I finally got the third

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-18703719957024050592011-10-02T16:25:00.003-04:002011-11-10T19:43:38.989-05:00

--from Slate.com.  Claire emailed me that she's reading "1984" just as I came across this illustration depicting a guide to scifi novels. I wouldn't have thought to put Orwell or Bradbury in that category, but now that I see this snarky, helpful trajectory of choosing scifi books,  I guess they do belong because they're not firmly rooted in reality. Does this mean utopian literature is

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-10289881435968925332011-09-30T21:12:00.010-04:002011-11-10T19:45:29.599-05:00

My man W texted me that the movie adaptation of "Moneyball" premiered September 23rd at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. That place is really fucking book. I saw Mos Def and Talib Kweli there two years (!) ago. I can't imagine a better place to start off a world press tour about the As than the Paramount Theatre. I also can't believe I never wrote about how I read most of Michael Lewis'

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-17136517039346948992011-09-12T19:57:00.000-04:002011-09-12T19:57:54.602-04:00

Just a snippit of what I'm currently reading for class. I'm taking a videogame & learning class through the School of Ed, in case you can't tell. I'm playing Braid for school this semester. Don't hate. xoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-62510443302998413442011-09-04T18:25:00.000-04:002011-09-04T18:25:17.357-04:00

I've just finished "Freedom" which I got as a birthday gift, which should surprise no one, since I only talk about it every other post. You will never feel the same way about people named Patty or Walter again. They seem like simple names, don't they? And yet in this novel they stand for an immense amount of yearnings (of sex, money, goodness, obligation...) carried through the generations.

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-65992962628715704012011-07-29T21:34:00.000-04:002011-07-29T21:34:46.329-04:00

On my list! People keep talking about them. I've been meaning to read "The Hunger Games" for forever now but it's always checked out at the library (and as my friend J pointed out, makes her want to read it even MORE), Claire is just starting it.... and she kindly pointed out it's $8 paperback. Fine. I will use my hard earned money to support good YA novels. I'm currently reading: And yeah,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-73944445294239552882011-07-26T22:39:00.007-04:002011-10-29T11:05:54.294-04:00

"Birds fly the whole world over, but always, no matter what, find their way back home." There are so few times when I tell you to put down whatever frivolous thing you're doing and run immediately to your nearest friends-of-the-library or used bookstore and buy a book. But, I'm telling you now. Put down your Strawberry Pop Tarts. Or your Red Stripe. Now is the time for action, folks. I just

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-22298766128903292542011-07-24T19:07:00.003-04:002011-11-10T19:47:24.275-05:00

It's been balls hot in Boston these past few days - this east coast heat wave has made me into a great big sweatball. Good thing I've been cooling off at pools and eating vegan ice cream by the quart. I've been wanting to write about the hot mess that was the Pulitzer's decision to give Jennifer Egan the award in fiction writing for "A Visit From The Goon Squad." The book is okay. It tries...

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-88595735812086004222011-07-06T22:22:00.006-04:002011-11-10T19:51:14.786-05:00

I just finished "Matterhorn" -- basically, reading this book gave me nightmares. You're thrown into the middle of the Vietnam War by way of a leech inside a very angry urethra, which means no piss can come out, which means, from my understanding of complicated chemistry, THE BODY WILL EXPLODE. And of course, there is no medevac (helicopter) available (and no one willing to send it), a lack of

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-75567769142418178852011-06-30T20:54:00.002-04:002011-06-30T20:55:29.319-04:00

I just got back from a weekend in New Orleans, where I attended the annual American Library Association conference and went to dinner with a bunch of progressive librarians. What do librarians do at conventions? Well, there's a lot of discussion on the industry -- how will it survive in the age of eBooks? Should they adopt business practices for non-profits? How do you curate and grow a

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-20055464605649255722011-05-31T01:13:00.001-04:002011-05-31T01:21:13.605-04:00

  As a vegan, I thought reading Jon Safran Foer's "Eating Animals" would be mostly a repeat of information I already knew. Which was sort of true -- Foer does a good job of summing up a lot of the environmental factors that make modern husbandry so dangerous to our environment. Like Pollan, Foer stresses the pollution and deeply unnatural circumstances "farming" now propagates -- both on land and

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-72894392849655349562011-05-26T12:02:00.002-04:002011-06-28T15:29:52.786-04:00

Are you judging me for the Sheryl Crow? Please. Can you really not sing along with all the words to "All I Wanna Do" or "My Favorite Mistake" or the best song ever, "If It Makes You Happy"??? Plus, the library is where you check out all the embarrassing stuff you would never, ever buy/get caught with in real life. Unless you write a blog and are shameless. By the way, see how my question mark

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-64271827263199691432011-05-08T12:06:00.001-04:002011-05-08T12:07:04.272-04:00

What I'm doing these days: 1. Getting rid of my allergies 2. Reading trashy books: (This was pretty bad. I stole it from my friend J's bookshelf.... but the dog narrating the book's name was super similar to Ender (Enzo) and he even sort of looked like him) (I am waiting to be impressed.... but mainly I want to watch the movie starring Anne Hathaway) 3. Borrowing music from the library

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-57975798081874264822011-05-01T14:29:00.001-04:002011-05-01T14:29:32.510-04:00

I am not crazy.... I just really want a micro pig for a pet. I hear they are clean and well-behaved. In other news, remember my need for funny books? How did I miss that Tina Fey came out with "Bossypants" recently? Surprisingly, I'm not a huge fan of 30 Rock but I do find it enjoyable when I watch snippets (but Baldwins scare me) and I've heard this book is sort of a fist-pump-y

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-28740917298559099152011-04-26T22:42:00.000-04:002011-04-26T22:42:20.907-04:00

In the midst of paper writing, co-chairing a panel at a conference, and trying desperately to sublet my lame midwest apartment, I remembered that the best things in life are sometimes furry, lazy, and sleepy. And maybe made of dreams. See? What's this? A dog that reads "Harry Potter?" Why do I find this so amusing? I did not even pose this, I swear. Ender just happens to have incredible taste.

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-86026832369727460702011-04-13T19:39:00.001-04:002011-04-14T00:22:14.971-04:00

For my complex website design class, I had to make a website using Google App Engine (which is free!) -  you can use a blend of python, JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX, html/css, etc, to build your site. Anyway, I made my page really pretty (not really, but I like the color scheme) and there were all these requirements for our site. It had to have links, it had to have a list, and store data, and rating

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-75777375095354705912011-04-06T07:32:00.003-04:002011-04-06T07:51:31.590-04:00

I read a trashy Christian romance novel, "Sweet Baklava" and predicted what might happen? Right, I forgot, too. In case you wanted a refresher of what I would have rather wasted my time with: attributed to DINE.TO Well, let's just say I was right. Everything ends up fine and religious in the end. The mom even becomes responsible after Paula the Protagonist lends her a million billion dollars

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-27159871611685970382011-04-01T23:46:00.002-04:002011-04-04T23:36:16.062-04:00

I need a few recommendations for funny books. I was looking at the bookshelf at 3 am the other night and wanted something funny, because it's so sad being up at 3 am, knowing you have to wake up in five hours. I decided reading "House of Mirth" would make me even sadder. I wanted something breezy, but I don't own very many happy books and I'm in great need. No, please do not recommend me David

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-82419375700737605012011-03-28T23:37:00.001-04:002011-03-29T10:00:07.906-04:00

I finished reading "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy yesterday night around 1:30 am and then proceeded to be freaked out until about 4 am. I can't help it; when I get into a book, I get into it. Have you read? You must. It's so good, so frightening, and just the way a dystopian novel should be: a bit of threat, the last threads of hope, and completely guttural. The premise of the book is so simple:

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-59635802697987429202011-03-21T22:22:00.001-04:002011-03-21T22:23:28.744-04:00

I recently received an email asking me what I was reading on my Amazon Kindle, specifically. I'm pretty embarrassed to admit that I'm actually reading a trashy Christian romance novel. This wasn't exactly on purpose, and I might have to do some explaining. So, last week I thought it would be really thoughtful of me to vacuum my apartment's dining room. Unfortunately, I also decided it would be a

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-82397970066079542762011-03-08T14:17:00.003-05:002011-03-08T14:24:22.004-05:00

I have converted. Or, almost. I won a Amazon Kindle today, and I feel conflicted! I swore I would never use one. I feel so comfortable carrying/hugging a book. But. I know, right? It's like it fits in the palm of your hands....You wouldn't complain if someone gave you one. xoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-75196880313430788792011-02-18T20:28:00.008-05:002011-03-11T07:58:27.016-05:00

If my bike weighs about 50 pounds (K or J, do you know how much my bike frame actually is?) and I weigh 125 pounds, and I travel um slowly on a bike (say 15 miles per hour), at what point will the midwestern wind knock me over? Today I biked. Well, I bike every day, but today it was GLORIOUS and in the 40s!!!!!!! (I've actually biked in blizzard conditions which is NOT recommended.) Today was the

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-26357722918440531482011-02-17T10:34:00.007-05:002011-02-17T19:20:07.314-05:00

I feel indifferent after reading Kundera's "Unbearable Lightness of Being," which is perhaps the worst thing you can say to a book that tries so hard to uncover so much. It's not effective because there's no strong central character to identify with; they're all lost in their own ways and nothing seems to metaphorically tie them together in their search for "being," either in their discoveries

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-64351675030509948012011-01-31T16:08:00.006-05:002011-01-31T16:46:01.563-05:00

I think I'm supposed to feel all the complexities that a cheater may face in "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," and I suppose I could. But here, listen: "To assuage Tereza's sufferings, [Tomas] married her...and gave her a puppy." Which, I mean, sure, I like presents to alleviate 'suffering' as well, but Tomas is a cheating ass. Marriage sounds like a bad idea under these circumstances, but

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-53337537582692524782011-01-30T21:53:00.004-05:002011-01-30T22:04:13.562-05:00

Aw, this makes me happy. East Oakland now has it's very own library branch! I'm almost never that far into the town except for A's games, so I had no idea that construction was even going on! There's a lot of unfortunate, shitty, situations in the east side of town, so I hope this brings some much needed optimism and opportunity into the neighborhood.On a random note, sometimes I'm in a

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-60386321945495492892011-01-29T22:53:00.007-05:002011-01-29T23:12:12.510-05:00

I've only really ever seen the iconic rainbow striped cover of "Franny and Zooey" (it's the version I currently own, stolen from Claire, and sitting on my desk) so it was sort of a delightful find when I searched for the book online and found all these other designs. This book broke my heart, but in a very different way "The Year of Magical Thinking" did. Instead of loss of people or memories,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-26367659489727568052011-01-21T15:53:00.001-05:002011-01-21T15:53:48.073-05:00

 This book is soul-crushing. But so honest. And written so beautifully, with raw emotion and discovery. You’re with her as she struggles to make sense of the all-consuming grief she feels after the sudden death of her husband, who was her heart and whole reason for being. I highly recommend this book, by candlelight, or by the seep of light through your plane window as everyone sleeps like

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-63425712107202215452011-01-05T13:20:00.007-05:002011-01-05T22:07:46.913-05:00

The single most valuable piece of advice I have ever received from a professor on writing essays was: "Stay true to the author's intent." I come back to this thought often -- how guilty are we, as interpreters, to project our own feelings onto a text and imbue it with unintended meanings? There's a difference between making tenuous connections stronger versus creating theories with a personal

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-76060134530158229612011-01-04T21:17:00.011-05:002011-01-04T21:26:18.996-05:00

Does anyone else get anxiety when presented with a bookstore giftcard? Too many options, I don't know what to do! I never get new books, so this is sort of strange.... here's what I'm looking at. Let me know if you have suggestions. Hardcover books are out (no matter how badly I want to read it.... this includes "Freedom" by J. Franzen). xoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-74625734876900034142011-01-03T02:50:00.005-05:002011-01-04T21:29:35.060-05:00

Just because I think this is a great song by a great band that always manages to use the three minutes they have in a song to capture all the feelings I have about religion, love, and hopelessness. Tall order, short song. Feel free to listen to "Hot Soft Light" here as well.Lately I have been super fascinated with conversion narratives. In my last post, I mentioned that I was reading "The

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-69821681747044522292010-12-08T19:45:00.006-05:002010-12-09T22:57:20.272-05:00

I've just begun "The Archivist" by Martha Cooley -- a gift from S while she was here helping me settle into the midwest. I sort of thought I would hate it because it feels like a Victorian novel: very slow paced with a lot of descriptions. This is a book of little stories, not as they occur, but as they happened. Nevertheless, it's easy to read and it makes me really crave some T.S. Eliot. The

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-52062313982810590722010-11-07T01:03:00.009-04:002010-11-18T22:59:42.139-05:00

Lots of urban planning reading lately. Really liked this portion of the biography I read on Frederick Law Olmstead, who, along with Calvert Vaux, designed and maintained Central Park. I imagine I would hate working with Olmstead, and I sort of love how Vaux is just like, right, I'll work with you, will you stop being an asshole to me because I love Central Park? And no one remembers Vaux. So

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-20702219409983195552010-10-31T17:21:00.007-04:002010-10-31T17:42:15.467-04:00

Haunted corn ma(i)zes, good food, good friends/fam... Ann Arbor almost didn't seem like the mid-west. To quote TV on the Radio, yes, of course there are miracles. xx t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-68721239544915275422010-10-19T19:46:00.003-04:002010-10-19T19:53:41.938-04:00

Half-marathon medal, you. You, half-marathon medal. (Don't be too impressed, everyone gets one, along with that shiny cape thing.) I haven't really moved in about two days, though. It's been difficult. Been eating lots of bread and vegan cookies and local beer instead. Claire, I've left two bottles in the fridge for you! Come to Ann Arbor already.xx tPS Went to FOUR music stores trying to buy The

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-18105624618157895332010-10-11T22:34:00.003-04:002010-10-11T22:43:47.027-04:00

So, as you can see, Gerry and I were already talking about Harry Potter and then all of a sudden, bam! My life is changed. As you can see. I couldn't even spacebar (verb, not noun) fast enough. All right, I've got group evaluations to do, and if I get them done in the next two hours, I can sleep before midnight, which is good for my last run before the half-marathon on Sunday. In the words of

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-65033205859019811962010-09-26T23:21:00.015-04:002010-10-11T11:37:45.752-04:00

I accidentally ended up running 8.4 miles with my friend K today. We meant to go for a really easy stroll because we're both (pretending) to train for the Detroit Half-Marathon that's coming up in... um, three weeks. CRAP! Anyway, we have yet to do a double digit run, or you know, actually run at all lately. Today was perfect running weather and we just kept running till we saw Whole Foods and

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-45397176165792854612010-09-24T22:16:00.012-04:002010-09-25T13:40:48.275-04:00

Grad school means a lot less time for pleasure reading, which explains my snail's pace for "American Pastoral." I wake up at 7 am and go to bed at 1 or 2 am :( I've gone through my 400 allotted free printing pages provided by the school, and I've only been in school for TWO WEEKS. How is this possible? Here's some reading I've been doing for school. It's actually pretty interesting. "Eat,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-84523344556058767932010-08-31T09:09:00.005-04:002010-08-31T09:43:49.806-04:00

This is how I do:xx t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-55337418965689192152010-08-30T09:31:00.009-04:002010-08-31T09:13:58.186-04:00

I've been obsessed with Jonathan Franzen ever since Times' wrote an article on him. It's an illuminating piece, and I really like articles that take you through a writer's methodology. The story focuses primarily on Franzen's latest novel, "Freedom," and the painstakingly slowwww pace at which he writes. It appears that Franzen is also easily distracted; he takes his computer's wireless card out,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-71270386983294663032010-08-29T14:21:00.011-04:002010-08-29T22:46:05.088-04:00

What's cool about Ann Arbor is that there is a pretty strong sense of buying local and seasonally. Also it helps that my friends (66% of them, or in other words 2/3. Two friends, people. I've been here a week.) in Ann Arbor are pretty environmentally conscious and compost and recycle, etc. I actually got PLASTIC SHAMED by my friend Jackie at Target because I bought a plastic bin for my laundry. I

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-15087620153154113552010-08-29T13:58:00.007-04:002010-08-29T17:28:23.972-04:00

Well, I'm here. I'm just starting "American Pastoral" (Philip Roth) which I actually bought at a Friends of the Library bookstore before going to China! It's been crazy hectic moving my entire life out to the midwest, but I did it. I'm just putting the finishing touches on my room. It's the first time in six years that I've had a full sized bed. The past few years I've been sleeping in a twin bed

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-84812662678508318312010-08-17T10:52:00.001-04:002010-08-17T10:55:13.259-04:00

Alain de Botton (see previous post) tweets. So does Chuck Palahniuk. So I was going to do some bored-at-work research (the best kind!) on writers who tweet. But looks like someone's already done it, and it's a pretty comprehensive list. Check it: Mashable's Literary Tweets, 100+ of the Best Authors on Twitter, and Nonfiction Tweets: 70+ Authors to Follow on Twitter lol

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-45808804324004396582010-08-17T10:36:00.000-04:002010-08-17T10:36:20.366-04:00

Instead of a fairy godmother, I would like a fairy godreader who resides in the UK and sends me pretty books once in a while with a magical flick of her wand. I would ask for, politely, Alain de Botton's How Proust Can Change Your Life first. Then Zadie Smith's White Teeth, the colorful one. UK version US version "Reading anything by de Botton I feel a serenity descend upon me. His

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-62511383826649644662010-08-15T14:29:00.014-04:002010-08-15T15:18:01.324-04:00

Well, I officially feel like I'm in my 'twenties.' My mid-twenties. Ah!Also, thank you CLAIRE, for actually listening to me whine about wanting to eat a macaroon while I was in China. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Had to break the vegan thing but so worth it :) Also, there used to be a fourth line of pink macaroons but those was devoured by my family of six before the picture was taken.Two of

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-69940233396450234442010-08-12T14:14:00.014-04:002010-08-12T14:37:15.774-04:00

Where I've been reading lately. My backyard! I read under this huge tree that Ender likes to piss on. It smells wonderful. And that's doggy shampoo on the table. And Faulkner. See how the wicker chair has no cushion for your butt? I believe Ender peed on those, so now we just sit in pain. (It's actually not that bad.)Another thing about California summers: in season fruits!! We have several apple

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-45976146512653477572010-08-11T16:39:00.001-04:002010-08-17T10:53:04.033-04:00

Call me a list whore, but how did this slip under our radar? New Yorker's Summer Fiction: 20 Under 40

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-1747366168520694502010-08-11T16:33:00.003-04:002010-08-11T16:37:09.937-04:00

I attended a reading by this woman and fell in love. Her new book Great House is coming out in October. Must. Reserve. Now. A sypnosis from GoodReads (just joined, you should too!): A powerful, soaring novel about a stolen desk that contains the secrets, and becomes the obsession, of the lives it passes through. Okay so it sounds pedestrian, but I'm sure it's not really just about an old desk.

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-30254730899493045072010-08-10T23:14:00.001-04:002010-08-10T23:15:00.679-04:00

*giggles* www.awkwardfamilypetphotos.com P.S. Why thank you, Blogger, for sizing all my uploads perfectly.

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-38049347822807247292010-08-09T13:09:00.005-04:002010-08-09T13:14:57.745-04:00

Do you remember how to order school pictures in elementary school? They send you an array of bookmarks, ID tags, rulers, and other shenanigans along with your school pictures. We've been cleaning house and my little sister found a bunch of third grade pictures of herself. And she promptly gifted me with her face. On a bookmark.I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH.xx t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-59748741134880056522010-08-08T19:15:00.010-04:002010-08-11T02:37:42.541-04:00

"Hardball" author Sara ParetskyUgh - don't you hate it when you're being generous and willing to go with the flow... and all of a sudden you feel like you're being taken advantage of? That this other person is asking for way too much? That's what happened with "Hardball." It's not like the story isn't tightly written (if not a little too Dickensonian for me.... everything turns out to be so

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-26728143426130540182010-08-04T22:02:00.010-04:002010-08-04T22:30:44.858-04:00

I had to put down "Valis" by Philip K. Dick because I had had enough. It takes too much brain power to plow through a book about insanity and philosophy. It's one or another. There's a reason I don't read Carl Jung in the summer. My brain is mush from summer laziness. (I totally just remembered I read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" during summer a few years ago, and that is ALSO

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-62921548371286081092010-07-27T17:08:00.011-04:002010-08-02T18:26:02.931-04:00

Claire was wondering, what's the deal with "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"? Why is everyone buzzing about it? I think the reason is recently there's been talk that it's going to be turned into an American film. The Swedish version already exists, and it's been widely praised, so there's no real reason to remake the film, except that the American market is bigger, and perhaps more easily

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-14019539048964255552010-07-22T18:43:00.011-04:002010-07-25T01:39:43.092-04:00

Chabon (left), Diaz (right)Everyone's facebook status reads "Inception blows my mind! Crazy!" and on, and on. So even a nonfilm watcher like myself is suddenly interested in writer/director/producer Christopher Nolan and the discussions that are going on about the plot and actors, as well as the more theoretical dialogue about the auteur theory, which -- briefly-- states that the director's

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-67133097984423118622010-07-21T20:11:00.003-04:002010-07-22T19:47:09.817-04:00

...with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? I've had at least three conversations about it this week - about the movie, about the book, or the author - and see at least one person on the subway everyday with either this or The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I'm backed up on books (currently Chuck Palahniuk) so can't pick this up...but someone please tell me, is it worth all the hype? Is it

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-54554627803295900522010-07-18T02:11:00.016-04:002010-07-20T00:49:41.196-04:00

A successful trip to the library! And checky here what I found: an autographed copy of "Drown" by Junot Diaz! Unfortunately, someone's written in the book with things like, "ID with Rafa" and translations of Spanish words like entiendes. Things you don't necessarily need translating in the context Diaz provides, even for non-Spanish speakers like myself. Also, at some point, you have to stop

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-75846733213750254242010-07-17T12:54:00.006-04:002010-07-25T01:41:00.022-04:00

You've been forewarned. I have about a month to abuse the Saratoga Library... if I can find my library card. In the meanwhile, NPR has compiled an awesome list of summer reads, including cookbooks, and pop science. You know that the Chinese government makes you put a deposit down for borrowing western books? And that in their university libraries you cannot check out western books unless you're a

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-7522750968595373622010-06-24T13:10:00.001-04:002010-06-24T13:33:09.370-04:00

I missed this and am incredibly sad about it. Bret Easton Ellis AND Candance Bushnell in the same room?? Where was I? He was promoting his new book, Imperial Bedrooms, sequel to Less Than Zero at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square two nights ago. Which I haven't read yet but it's definitely on the to-read list. American Psycho was incredibly enGROSSing and I couldn't put it down last summer. It

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-4576650471608448152010-06-23T22:17:00.003-04:002010-06-23T22:24:43.979-04:00

While I was unemployed, I needed to keep myself going with some creative projects. One of them was submitting to the Strand Tote Bag Contest. No, this is not my design (I wish!) but the one that won first place, and I'm glad it did too. So cute!! Love the water bottle and Metro card. The designer's name is Zak Foster and you can check out his website here.

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-59667101406699039222010-06-21T13:56:00.004-04:002010-06-21T13:59:12.136-04:00

Eye candy! (New work from Pentagram)

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-90193715377231424512010-02-09T16:25:00.003-05:002010-02-09T16:32:52.485-05:00

T left for China. It is a sad day. I hope you had a safe flight. Think of me when you eat wontons.

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-84160225486172565842010-01-28T16:14:00.004-05:002010-01-28T16:26:15.010-05:00

I've read three Murakami novels in the past few weeks, and I think he really is best when he gets to the heart of the matter without all the frou frou technical aspects of writing. It's the same story -- where does love live in our consciousness? -- but from different sensitivities. "Kafka on the Shore" really didn't do it for me -- too meta and referential to past literatures. It felt more like

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-43180288917221635652010-01-28T13:43:00.006-05:002010-01-28T13:49:54.219-05:00

I've always loved how sturdy Salinger's books were, both physically and emotionally. They really do just hold up over time, don't they? That iconic small, palm-hold-able novel with the rainbow stripes diagonally at top. Never read "Franny and Zooey" but "Nine Stories" remains one of my favorite short story collections of all time.Sad news, then, that such a beloved author has passed away. Read

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-81235468880055550022010-01-26T00:03:00.004-05:002010-01-26T00:09:31.615-05:00

T, this is how I knew that tidbit about not naming your pig Napoleon. You didn't even ask! These were on an awesome clearance at Barnes & Noble on a rainy day.DID YOU KNOW that when telephone area codes were first assigned, New York, the largest city in the country (and hence the one most frequently called), was given 212 because it took the least amount of time to dial on a rotary phone?From

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-72168801163729587142010-01-25T23:54:00.004-05:002010-01-26T00:02:07.792-05:00

Aw, 300 posts!I'm RB (re-blogging) this one, from EW.com:Pushreviewed by Margot MifflinLike a starker, black urban version of Dorothy Allison's Bastard Out of Carolina, Push is the painfully graphic story of a battered child named Precious Jones, who bears her father's babies first at 12 and again at 16. Suffering abuse by both parents and serving as a virtual slave to her apartment-bound,

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-40463557746388363602009-12-31T23:24:00.004-05:002009-12-31T23:32:50.461-05:00

Could it be? YES! "The Baby-Sitters Club" defined my childhood reading experience. Ann M. Martin and Scholastic are revamping the series and even introducing a pre-quel! Awesome. Read the article at The New York Times.Happy 2010! Going to watch "500 Days of Summer."xoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-73851609748216722422009-12-22T18:08:00.010-05:002009-12-22T18:33:41.014-05:00

... I'm disappointed! I thought he'd be more edgy. I don't know, maybe some Toni Morrison or Isabel Allende in there. The president's choices kind of reminds me of men who like to read, but don't understand the point of literature. Literature for literature's sake. Read the full article here.-t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-13230367863132594052009-12-22T18:05:00.004-05:002009-12-22T18:20:15.268-05:00

Well, Borders was having a favorite paperbacks buy 1 get the 2nd 50% off sale for the holidays. I had told myself that I wasn't going to buy any books for awhile, because I have no room for all of them, and was going to check out books from the library instead - but how could I resist...there were so many good reads right there, looking irresistible on the table, calling out my name. So I bought

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-40631328128311380702009-12-19T00:26:00.010-05:002009-12-22T23:26:18.114-05:00

The most stolen books from bookstores. Funny how they all appeal to what punk-ass James Dean wannabes wanna read, huh? The ever elusive Eugenides is actually interviewed in this short, charming article from The New York Times.calling it a night! tiffany

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-55934788255770358182009-12-07T23:37:00.002-05:002009-12-07T23:43:31.681-05:00

I wanted to follow up on T's last post with photos of Muffin getting her haircut by my mom. She was so good for the camera!PS. T, you're reading The Shipping News? Did I ever tell you about how boring that movie was? Hopefully the book's much better. Introspection doesn't always translate very well onscreen.PPS. There was SNOW in the Santa Cruz mountains today. California's catching a cold.xoxo,C

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-57509440098178529242009-12-07T02:55:00.007-05:002009-12-07T03:19:49.350-05:00

In my most recent search for decent coffee in California (I miss you Porto Rico coffee!), I totally remembered that I read a pretty bad book called "Ground Up" (by Michael Idov, a slate.com writer) a few months ago. I wish it was one of those breezy, fluffy reads, but it totally pretended to be significant and symbolic toward the end. Nooo. That's always the downfall. Embrace the fluff. Let

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-70215232634723992932009-12-07T01:41:00.008-05:002009-12-07T02:52:38.994-05:00

Gourevitch speaks about the U.N.'s frustratingly paternalistic view of the Rwandan court system:"The Rwandan government regarded the UN's decision to keep its resources [evidence] to itself as an insult. The very existence of the UN court [International Criminal Tribunal] implied that the Rwandan judiciary was incapable of reaching just verdicts, and seemed to dismiss in advance any trials that

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-88930987539778296552009-12-05T15:25:00.006-05:002009-12-05T15:46:11.176-05:00

Talking about a memorial in Nyarubuye, Rwanda, where unburied dead are displayed:"...I doubted the necessity of seeing the victims in order fully to confront the crime. The aesthetic assault of the macabre creates excitement and emotion, but does the spectacle really serve our understanding of the wrong?... Even as we look at atrocity, we find ways to regard it as unreal. and the more we look,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-16171279897816848192009-12-05T00:08:00.006-05:002009-12-05T00:22:46.260-05:00

In an effort to practice driving, my mom and I have been going on random errands together. Today we visited Marshall's. (I am not a very good driver. Yet. I'm working on it.) Remember when I announced the National Book Award winners and expressed my interested in reading "The First Tycoon"? Well, the discount gods heard my thunderous cry and I found a hardcover copy at Marshall's for ten dollars!

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-4631841296833975652009-12-04T20:47:00.003-05:002009-12-04T20:50:55.954-05:00

Yay, some morning commute reading material. Haruki Murakami's After Dark.And I got a mini Bodum French Press. Now I just need some coffee beans. Exciting!xo,C

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-17191701098902463642009-12-02T02:26:00.005-05:002009-12-02T02:34:07.959-05:00

DvF enjoyed this book so much she's sponsoring it on dailylit.com. Go to dailylit.com to read "Madame de Stael: The First Modern Women" in its entirety until January 2010. Sponsored by wrap-dress inventor and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Pretty cool.currently listening to:Never Ending Math EquationModest Mousexoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-48530827861197010302009-11-29T16:48:00.006-05:002009-11-30T01:47:16.342-05:00

Idlewild Bookstore in NYCRight before I came back to California, Claire and I hit up Idlewild Bookstore in New York. (It's named after the JFK Airport, not anything literary or cute. I asked the cashier.) So much was on sale for four or five bucks. Awesome. Shipped back the following: "Heat," (which I mention here), "The Shipping News," and "We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-64425978559903661622009-11-19T00:54:00.010-05:002009-11-19T02:46:08.130-05:00

Some of my favorite MCs. :) Because I couldn't come up with yet another graphic for Jeff Chang."Can't Stop Won't Stop" can be so overwhelming. Jeff Chang belatedly asks near the end of the book: "What does it mean to be a member of the hip hop generation?" Truthfully, it's not clear. I'm not even sure who the hip hop generation is -- is it a continual state of mind? Did the generation fade with

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-53150525620580260962009-11-19T00:20:00.006-05:002009-11-19T00:37:52.435-05:00

New National Book Award winners. I'm not incredibly interested in the fiction winner, "Let the Great World Spin" for whatever reason (bad title?) but "The First Tycoon" totally has me hooked. You know how I feel about biographies: LOVE THEM (see: Oppenheimer). And my most recent forays into the trashy world of Upper East Siders/Old Money via Gossip Girl has made me really want to know about the

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-21697038571801253512009-11-18T23:52:00.006-05:002009-11-19T12:39:26.798-05:00

"Man Walks Into a Room" by Nicole Krauss (author of "The History of Love", highly recommended -- I actually attended a reading by Krauss at The New School a month ago, and she disappointingly did NOT mention her husband Jonathan Safran Foer, but did speak generously about her children and motherhood and hope and hopelessness and being Jewish and a New Yorker, and the reading from her next book

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-66876527303342750132009-11-15T23:54:00.007-05:002009-11-16T00:39:32.334-05:00

Author of "Can't Stop Won't Stop" Jeff ChangI kind of want to give up on "Can't Stop Won't Stop" by Jeff Chang. Not because I don't think the subject matter isn't important or that it isn't interesting. What I'm gathering is that Chang is using hip hop as a vehicle to explore cultural tensions and representation of communities of color. How does the rise of hip hop reflect and also effect the

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-60085154307096736172009-11-12T18:02:00.007-05:002009-11-12T18:09:55.028-05:00

So instead, he draws on old books. Spines of books. It's awesome.Read Mike Stilkey's interview here.Long time no see,Claire

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-7951824821938573162009-11-12T02:57:00.007-05:002009-11-13T22:54:33.580-05:00

In case you couldn't tell, I'm back in the bay. Enjoying wide open roads and coffees that cost less than $2. Reading-wise, here's a quick summary of my latest reads."Heat" Great writing and an easy read, but I may be tiring of the restaurant industry exposes. I would choose this over Bourdain, but that may be because I think Bourdain is a tool."Green Collar Economy" One of those books you read

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-48047933736582149632009-09-22T23:20:00.003-04:002009-09-22T23:27:32.941-04:00

Remember when I read "Brick Lane"? Didn't love it. Just saw the movie; LOVED IT. It's finally got the "quietly beautiful" feel it wants to be.xx, t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-57533778983424902712009-09-16T16:13:00.009-04:002009-09-16T16:56:32.744-04:00

Actually, not true. Just long time, so lazy.A picture update, captioned:"Saving Fish From Drowning" by Amy Tan. Tan is funny! Not bittersweet funny, not funny in retrospect, but narrative-wise."Veganomicon" by Isa Chandra Hoskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. Ah-maz-ing. I've made several recipes and they've all been fantastic. Thanks to my big sis for the birthday present. Up next: trying to make

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-62710541745664256762009-08-12T19:53:00.003-04:002009-08-12T19:58:10.837-04:00

Check out my contribution to RACEWIRE.ORG."Whose Barrio? Q & A with Directors Ed Morales and Laura Rivera" Whose Barrio? is a documentary that was screened last week at the New York International Latino Film Festival. The film is a great primer for those who want to learn about the basics of gentrification. The displacement of one community, usually low-income ethnic groups, by structural

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-60721716675917991512009-07-19T22:59:00.006-04:002009-08-12T19:52:32.226-04:00

In California, trees grow in shopping carts. For real, I found this near a park in San Jose: a little plant growing out of an abandoned shopping cart. I'm finally back from California, where I majorly de-stressed myself by hanging out with my fair-haired boyfriend Ender and finishing up "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" which I.... didn't hate. I didn't love it like Claire did, either.I think Betty

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-20014393490380800062009-07-04T23:24:00.004-04:002009-07-04T23:38:34.553-04:00

Mickey D's takeover of France! And basically the end of French culture. Excerpt from "Au Revoir to All That Food: Food, Wine, and the End of France" by Michael Steinberger, as posted on Slate.com. Check it out, it's pretty fascinating, and since I've been in foodie book mode lately, I hope the Brooklyn library will still accept my library card holding request despite my having had T.S. Eliot's "

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-68853916030546130152009-06-30T14:02:00.012-04:002009-11-12T02:45:05.946-05:00

Three reviews, get ready:Malcon Gladwell's "Outliers." FASCINATING. I was really surprised at the empathy and detail Gladwell's research shows in how culture shapes us and how the smallest differences, or things you may normally discount like birth month in determining pro-hockey players or linguistic structure in learning math, play an enormous difference down the line. Even greater than that,

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-25761292539004574502009-06-29T15:43:00.003-04:002009-07-01T19:09:29.182-04:00

Typical. I go to return books, come back with an ungodly amount of shit.Take heed:Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (even though I didn't like "The Tipping Point." GOD. I'm such an impulse shopper)Raw Food Life Force Energy by Natalia RoseIt's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower by Michela WrongThe Hip Hop Wars by Tricia RoseCircus / Britney SpearsGeorge Clinton and his Gangsters of

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-82765909298641997612009-06-28T22:08:00.006-04:002009-06-28T22:53:10.776-04:00

Today was a slow day at the restaurant, which meant I had ample time to finish reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma." It's a little ironic reading a book about the food industry while working in it, but it was as intentional as author Pollan reading Peter Singer's "Animal Liberation" while dining on steak. Anyway, this book is a must-read for everyone. The food industry's infrastructure, much like New

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-19031082709083611802009-06-23T13:13:00.007-04:002009-11-12T02:51:09.708-05:00

I didn't blog about it, but I finished "Journal of a Novel: the East of Eden letters" a few days ago and began "The Omnivore's Dilemma." It occurs to me now that my reading habits are a lot like my dating habits. Anyway. I want to stress that I have never enjoyed reading someone else's journal SO MUCH. Except for maybe Anais Nin and all her slutty, sexy ways.This journal was especially poignant

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-31257396158629469352009-06-20T10:50:00.002-04:002009-06-20T10:55:13.166-04:00

"Cristina Nehring’s literary and historical enquiry into the nature of love is an ardent polemic for a more difficult, vital image of passion she feels we have lost."-Katie Roiphe's new book review about A Vindication of Love: Reclaiming Romance for the 21st Century from HarperCollinsRead the review.

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-69704131553349683962009-06-19T10:47:00.008-04:002009-06-19T12:03:46.466-04:00

A common conception of New York City is that it is expensive. This is not true - at least it doesn't have to be. With a little bit of sleuthing and common sense, you can survive in the Big Apple comfortably with plenty to eat, do, and see. And when you are lonely, there are always the skyscrapers, the rivers, the museums, and the sheer number of people to keep you company.First of all, I love

clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04018218769735442491noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-48535154724910738672009-06-19T09:13:00.002-04:002009-06-19T09:17:41.704-04:00

"I truly do not care about a book once it is finished. Any money or fame that results has no connection in my feeling with the book. The book dies a real death for me when I write the last word. I have a little sorrow and then go on to a new book which is alive."- Steinbeck, "Journal of a Novel"Going to the MET with my first grade babies!!xoxo t

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-16685586209186750372009-06-18T12:35:00.007-04:002009-06-18T12:41:42.540-04:00

Got my ducks all in a row...Turns out in addition to my charming personality, I am also an excellent bountiful strawberry farmer! Spent the day in Newburg (upstate) and strawberry picked, played with peacocks, goats, and swans and many many first graders. Nearly done with Steinbeck despite a 16 hour workday yesterday. :(currently listening to:Party of Two (obsessed with this song. Listen to it

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1421386882259262898.post-41707546438244315422009-06-16T23:05:00.005-04:002009-06-16T23:12:44.328-04:00

Summer is almost upon me! It's already started for Claire, but I have seven more days of teaching before summer break officially begins.I went to the library to pick up my requested copy of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and some other stuff that caught my eye...And then I saw some freebie bookmarks the library was giving away... and so I broke out my crayons...And now I have a cool bookmark :)I'm

tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07490488273483920126noreply@blogger.com1