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What I’m Reading Wednesday: The Moon by Whale Light by Diane Ackerman and Stories by Rob Cham

I love Ackerman’s A Natural History of the Senses, and I was just hoping I could stumble upon a book of hers one day in Booksale, and I kid you not, I found this gem a few minutes later, which is a little miracle right there, because I rarely see her books in Booksale. I got it and savored it while waiting for the doctor in the hospital because of an asthma attack and found that Ms. Ackerman’s beautiful way with words helped me breathe a bit easier.

Like this bit:

Tonight the moon is invisible, darkness itself has nearly vanished, and the known world, which we map with families, routines, and newspapers, floats somewhere beyond the horizon. Traveling to a strange new landscape is a kind of romance. You become intensely aware of the world where you are, but also oblivious to the rest of the world at the same time. Like love, travel makes you innocent again.

I’m not really fond of bats, or crocodiles, and I’m a bit scared of whales, but she writes with giddy enthusiasm that you can’t help but feel affection and even a sense of connection with said animals. She also reveals how her childhood was like, how she talked to herself often (enough to have their neighbor inform her mother), how she tried to convince a cousin to fly like a bird using a towel tucked into his shirt, how they made a gruesome concoction of unmentionable fluids which they planned on having their friend drink to see if he’ll die for it, and other quirky anecdotes.

I also love this part about living dangerously and learning to fly:

Being ecstatic means being flung out of your usual self. When you’re enraptured , your senses are upright and saluting. But there is also a state when perception doesn’t work, consciousness vanishes like the gorgeous fever it is, and you feel free of all mind-body constraints, suddenly so free of them you don’t perceive yourself as being free, but vigilant, a seeing eye without judgment, history or emotion. It’s that shudder out of time, the central moment in so many sports, that one often feels, and perhaps becomes addicted to, while doing something dangerous.

Best savored slowly.

P.S. S also lent me her Rob Cham comics, which I also plan to finish in a bit. Thanks S! :)

Posted by rainbowramareads

pixlr shelf on Flickr.

What I’m Reading (or rather, What I Read in 2011) Wednesday:

“Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook” Anthony Bourdain
“Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven” Susan Jane Gilman
“Dark Star Safari” Paul Theroux
“Maggie the Mechanic” Jaime Hernandez
“The Girl From H.O.P.P.E.R.S.” Jaime Hernandez
“Perla La Loca” Jaime Hernandez
“The Hunger Games” Suzanne Collins
“Anastasia Absolutely” Lois Lowry
“Anastasia Has the Answers” Lois Lowry
“Fresh Air Fiend” Paul Theroux
“Strange Piece of Paradise” Terri Jentz
“The Happy Isles of the Oceania” Paul Theroux
“Jarhead” Anthony Swofford
“Mystic River” Dennis Lehane
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Stieg Larsson
“Lush Life” Richard Price
“On Writing” Stephen King
“Little Things” Jeffrey Brown
“The Collected Works of T.S. Spivet” Reif Larsen
“Solanin” Inio Asano
“Odds Are Good” Bruce Coville
“My Boring-Ass Life” Kevin Smith
“A Game of Thrones” George RR Martin
“A Clash of Kings” George RR Martin
“City of Glass” Paul Auster
“City of Glass” Paul Auster (graphic novel adaptation)
“Nocturnes” Kazuo Ishiguro
“The Elephant Vanishes” Haruki Murakami
“South of the Border, West of the Sun” Haruki Murakami
“After Dark” Haruki Murakami
“A Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” Haruki Murakami
“Maus 1” Art Spiegelman
“Maus 2” Art Spiegelman
“Shortcomings” Adrian Tomine
“I Slept With Joey Ramone: A Punk Rock Family Memoir” Mickey Leigh with Legs McNeil
“Clapton” Eric Clapton
“Role Models” John Waters

“Wilson” Daniel Clowes

“Melvin Monster” John Stanley
“What It Is” Lynda Barry
“A Visit From The Good Squad” Jennifer Egan
“Tokyo Vice” Jake Adelstein
“Bossypants” Tina Fey

“Red Colored Elegy” Seichi Hayashi
“Pretty Little Liars” Sara Shepard (on ebook)
“PLL: Flawless” Sara Shepard (on ebook)
“PLL: Perfect” Sara Shepard (on ebook)

Notable for 2011:

“City of Glass” by Paul Auster
A friend asked me what I was currently reading and I said “City of Glass” by Paul Auster. She went, “NO WAY. I’m reading that right now.” Yes, this book is alive and sentient. Beware.

“I Slept With Joey Ramone: A Punk Rock Family Memoir” Mickey Leigh with Legs McNeil
Do you remember rock n’ roll radio? 100% guaranteed to make you cry in the last 80 pages.

“Role Models” John Waters
Just the most fun memoir I read this year.

“A Visit From the Goon Squad” Jennifer Egan
Lives up to the hype.

“The Collected Works of T.S. Spivet” Reif Larsen
Like a Wes Anderson movie. Just provide your own soundtrack.

“Shortcomings” Adrian Tomine
Finally got my hands on my own copy after 48 years.

“The Happy Isles of the Oceania” Paul Theroux
My favorite book of his so far.

“My Boring-Ass Life” Kevin Smith
Read entirely during MRT rides. Violent reactions from other passengers: 1, a senior citizen. She was appalled, then curious.

Pretty Little Liars Books
The first books read on epub format. Oh, Jess, I don’t think we’re in Sweet Valley anymore! You know what needs its own epub format? The Sweet Dreams classic “P.S. I Love You”.

Reading forecast for 2012: more epub, less print. I don’t have enough space in my house for more books! Also - I’m very pleasantly surprised with how quickly I have taken to reading on a tablet. Downside (though, not really) - now have more books on the digital shelf to keep me occupied for the next year. Not that that’s stopping me from acquiring more titles. Admit it - the acquisition is more fun than the actual reading.

Posted by hastyteenflick

What I’m Reading Wednesday: Magazine-O-Rama!

I’m broke but I’m happy because I got myself some excellent magazines from Kinokuniya, Singapore. Frankie and Lula kept badgering me with their prettiness, so I got both. I also saw this magazine I haven’t seen before called Oh Comely (strange name, but a bit forgettable—at least for me, since I kept referring to it as the Oh something magazine) from UK which reminds me of Frankie (layout, photos, tone, whimsical smattering of various topics and clean, sans serif typography inside) and a more masculine version of Frankie called Smith Journal (which reminded me of Cabinet/Esopus/Monocle/Nylon Guys).

Spent a pretty good chunk of the day smelling them with my eyes closed. I collect magazines I’m in love with and I think I can almost distinguish each favorite brand by smell.

Mmm, magazines.

Posted by rainbowramareads

What I’m Reading Wednesday: An Illustrated Life by Danny Gregory

My favorite aunt sent me another Danny Gregory book! Words aren’t enough to describe how much I love his other book, The Creative License. His books are the right blend of revelatory and inspirational. I have just taken a peek at this new book (because I’m sleepy) but I’m already in love with it. :)

Posted by rainbowramareads

What I’m Reading Wednesday - City of Glass by Paul Auster

Paul Auster is one of those writers on my list of authors I Haven’t Read But Need To Get Around To Reading. For the longest time I have been daunted by him for some reason, despite raves from friends whose taste I consider impeccable. A co-worker lent me her graphic novel adaptation of “City of Glass”, then the actual novel which I began reading on the MRT ride home.

I love it when Authors I Haven’t Read But Need to Get Around To Reading quickly become Authors I Can’t Believe I Waited This Long To Read. “City Of Glass” is a wild and trippy ride. I can’t wait to see what happens next, though the developments so far are bizarre and mind-boggling.

—-

submitted by hastyteenflick

What I’m Reading Wednesday: Strange Things Sometimes Still happen-Fairy Tales From Around The World edited by Angela Carter

I got really excited when I spotted this book in Booksale and had to have it. It is, after all, edited by THE Angela Carter and are international fairy tales, something that I am enamored with. I am in conflict though, with my uneasiness about the rampant misogyny (folktales stem from women’s experience, as per the foreword) and my adoration for Angela Carter and fairy tales. Hans Christian Andersen it’s not.

Posted by rainbowramareads

What I’m Reading Wednesdays

A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman

Lovely, lovely book. I’m planning to get A Natural History of Love next, never mind that I’m the most unromantic person ever. I love how this woman writes.

I don’t like writing in my books, so I put a Post-It on every line that I really liked and would like to go back to after reading the entire book.  Turns out I liked a lot of things, lol.

What I’m Reading Wednesday: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

I first heard about Dave Eggers through a friend of mine who always had a smile when he reads this book. Few days later, we talked about our reading list and he told me about Egger’s semi-fictional autobiography, which got me interested about it.  Then, I found out about McSweeney’s, and now I wanted the book so much but only Fully Booked carried it at the time.

Last year, my other friend got an extra copy and she decided to hand one over to me. :D I can’t wait to start! There’s even rules and suggestions for the enjoyment of the book.