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Monday, March 30, 2009

real life

Whew! only 15 more books from 2008 to go. As I look them over, I realize how few books of nonfiction I read last year. Not including the totally crazy Mia Tyler autobiography (which I will not be reviewing here), I read four and they were memoirs. A few of the comic collections I read had auto-bio bits, but I didn't delve into any nonfiction subject beyond internet reading and maybe a few magazine articles. Though you can't tell from the sidebar, 2009 is shaping up to be a much better year for nonfiction. Right now I am reading a book about the eye, and I have a few more science-y history books stacked and waiting.

I think I ought to add this one to the list, don't you? Bug girl certainly makes a case for it.
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Longtime readers and friends may have noticed that I let my brother's birthday yesterday go unremarked upon here. I certainly felt the unfinished business of his life press about my shoulders and face and spent parts of the day wishing with that raw feeling that is so much angrier than wishing that he was here to get my card and my love. Mostly though, I spent his birthday nourishing myself and my tiny family, did some maintenance of myself and my home and reveled in all the personal work I have done the past five years or so.

It was almost enough.

5 comments:

Sara said...

I'm sending you a hug, girly!

I forget if I told you about it but I read an AWESOME memoir last year, The Lost by Daniel Mendelsohn (sp?) Our friend Dan is a writer in New York and he grew up aware that part of his family died in the Holocaust, but it was never discussed openly. He decides to do some research try to find out what happened. It's fascinating, horrifying, touching... a total page-turner!

Carrie said...

Thanks Sara.

Amanda said...

No fair holding out on us with the unreviewed Mia Tyler!

On a more reverent and serious note, yesterday sounds tough...but also like a good solid day of moving forward while reflecting back. I am sure your brother would approve.

Carrie said...

Inside all the "love yourself as you are" claptrap, the Mia Tyler book really gave insight into her mother (famous groupie Cydrinda Foxe) and, somewhat inadvertently, showed the results of being raised in an incredibly hate and sadness-filled environment.

You can borrow it for plane/train reading if you want to...

Anonymous said...

Yes! Please read the Perfect Red book--I'll be very interested to see if you like it too.