Weekend reading...
I am delighted to note that The 10 Best Books of 2006 according to the New York Times includes The Emperor's Children and Special Topics in Calamity Physics. Now, if only, I could get my hands on these books...
The Winter Issue of the Quarterly Conversation is out. I particularly liked Matthew Cheney's essay What is Appropriate (it also reminded me that I am still going to read Reading Lolita in Tehran - been wanting to, for a long time)
In the latest theme out on New Writing 14 - Abroad - Hermione Lee writes about her Manhattan Days. I liked her taxi driver conversations!
The Story of French - the New York Times review:
Arguments are as much a part of French as the acute accent and the nasal “n.” Since the 17th century, it has been treated by French speakers less as a language than as a work of art, something worthy of constant analysis and curatorial devotion.I've always wondered why French is offered as a second language option in a country like India (yeah I hear the ex-French colony bit). My French teacher (who also happened to be my class 11 teacher) once made me compere an entire stage show in French. I understood about half of what I spoke (her script) and I bet not a soul in the audience had a clue what was happening on stage!
“Debates about grammar rules and acceptable vocabulary are part of the intellectual landscape and a regular topic of small talk among francophones of all classes and origins — a bit like movies in Anglo-American culture,” the authors write.
Today is Karthigai Deepam, the festival of lights. And I am taking quick lessons
That's all folks!
I generally don't advertise about my business. I couldn't resist this:
>Now, if only, I could get my hands
> on these books...
I started my own book business to help people get books from US faster.
If you really need them, I can help you get them in 5 working days.
-- Rajesh Babu
Posted by
Rajesh Babu |
11:20 PM, December 04, 2006
Thanks for the link Rajesh but a kind friend has already promised me both books.
Posted by
Echo/Lavanya |
8:41 PM, December 06, 2006
Have been an iregular and silent reader on your blog..
Reading Lolita in Tehran - Picked up this one a year back..Gives a perspective into the lives of women there but doesn't have too much insight into literary perspectives.I for one found a lot of descriptiveness a seemingly.A longwinded paragraph describing a brooch on a student's blouse is a case in point.There were other such examples too but I guess I could be overanalyzing.
But it did give an insight into the two conflicting worlds which Iranian women find themselves in.
Posted by
Vidya |
10:48 AM, December 15, 2006