RuthG raises a toast for a fruitful 2010!

start a 43t group to exchange "great books" info (read all 13 entries…)
Africa 3 years ago

Right now my reading has me in Africa! In today’s mail I received a copy of The Syringa Tree, a novel by the South African Pamela Gien. My brother heard Gien interviewed on NPR, thought of me & bought me a copy-isn’t that sweet? The story has been a very successful play-won an Obie in 2001—& now the playwright has adapted it into a novel that has been well reviewed.

I won’t start it, though, till I finish the African novel I’m currently rereading: Little Boys Come from the Stars by Emmanuel Dongala. Wonderful story set in central Africa, told from a young boy’s point of view.

I’m crazy-busy & my new job starts next week, so no outside-of-work reading for me till Monday. But then, during the reading portion of my train-commute time each day, I’m going to feel like I’m traveling in Africa! Yay!

Sep 25, 2006, 11:33AM PDT | 18 cheers


Comments:

Hawk~ wishes everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year! CHEERS!

You must be so excited

with your new job looming! I hope they realize how lucky they are to be getting you on their team.

Keep the recommendations coming, Ruth! You have a good track record. :)

I just recently finished Eggers’ A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Worth reading for the writing style alone.

Sep 25, 2006, 01:14PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 4 cheers

RuthG raises a toast for a fruitful 2010!

Unfortunately

I’m a little too overwhelmed to be excited, since finishing my leftover freelance projects will keep me working extra hours at home all through October. Argh. But I’m in Africa in my work life too, actually-my current project is an academic book on African guerrilla movements! Definitely interesting. So I’m still alive, but I’d have to say that the excitement is latent at this point. :)

I haven’t read Staggering Genius yet—may have to find it in the library soon! Thanks.

Sep 25, 2006, 08:44PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 7 cheers

Hawk~ wishes everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year! CHEERS!

When I first read your comment...

...I was thinking “gorilla.” Can you imagine the images that went through my mind? Gorilla movements? lol

Ok, I’ve had my coffee now… and I would be quite interested in your guerrilla project! I have a double-volume work at home entitled War In The Shadows, a history of guerrilla warfare. Your project sounds like a good companion piece.

Sep 26, 2006, 08:54AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 1 cheer

RuthG raises a toast for a fruitful 2010!

It will be called

African Guerrillas: Raging against the Machine, published by Lynne Rienner. (Interesting company—their books focus heavily on international issues.) The essays (by various authors) are mostly quite well written, & I’m learning a lot about Darfur, Liberia, Sierra Leone, etc.

Sep 26, 2006, 09:16AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 5 cheers

Hawk~ wishes everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year! CHEERS!

Thanks, RuthG

If you think about it, please let me know when it’s published. It sounds very interesting.

Sep 26, 2006, 12:52PM PDT | Respond to this 1 cheer

poonanny

Sounds so wonderful

Your books sound sooooo wonderful Ruth. I haven’t read anything about Africa since finishing the Poisonwood Bible, which I absolutely loved! I love learning about the world through fiction. I know you’re swamped right now, believe me, I know the feeling, but I try to remember sometimes that as difficult as this journey is, I am also living a dream of mine. Sometimes I forget that in the mosh, mush and crunch of time. I am reminding myself to stop for just a moment and breath in the day, this life, and the magic of being a creative person in a world so so in need of creative beings. Good work. I am also SUPER excited about your new job.

xxoo

P

Sep 25, 2006, 08:53PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this

RuthG raises a toast for a fruitful 2010!

I love

learning about the world through fiction too. For a couple of years in the 1980s I systematically read South African novels (& nonfiction books too, but mostly fiction), till I felt as if I would recognize the landscape & even the food when I got there someday. Now when I see a film set there, or read another book, it feels almost like going home, though I still haven’t gotten to travel there.

Your thoughts on the big picture of our lives are exactly what I needed just now—thanks so much for this encouraging reminder! Hugs to you.

Sep 25, 2006, 09:26PM PDT | Respond to this 4 cheers

T

That's one of the things...

...I love so much about books; they can take you anywhere. During the school year I don’t travel so much, and whenever the feeling of just wanting to get away from it all hits me, I turn to the travel section of our local library for comfort! It’s gotten me through some rough times. :D

Oh, and best of luck with the new job, it’s so exciting and I really hope your first day (as well as all your other days there) goes well!

Sep 27, 2006, 09:41AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 4 cheers

RuthG raises a toast for a fruitful 2010!

I'm taking a quick break from Angola

(the unhappy story of UNITA guerrillas) to say thanks for your good wishes! :-)

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

(Yay Emily Dickinson!)

Sep 27, 2006, 09:47AM PDT | Respond to this 3 cheers


RuthG has gotten 18 cheers on this entry.

 

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