About tattoos (see this entry if you haven't yet), I just want y'all to know I have no intention of getting the biblio phile tattoo or any others. I have always wanted one, or several, but do not get them because I am a universal blood donor - and if I get tattoo'd I will no longer be able to donate blood. So they tell me. This is one of the few tangible things I can do to help the world, and I do it as often as possible. So, a dragon curled around a breast is something I'll just have to continue to do without. Or a line of print down an arm.
Right now I'm reading Mary Gordon's new book, Pearl: A Novel. I am a serious devotée of Gordon's, have read all of her previous books. The one called The Other Side helped me understand the Irish side of my family, made sense of things that had baffled me most of my life. It's too bad she didn't write it before most of the baffling people were dead, but still, it was a relief to finally see what the deal had been. This is perhaps the best one yet, in my opinion. I've read only one review, some time ago, don't remember where, and it was very cranky. I am tightly gripped, could barely stand to close the covers of the book last night and put myself under the covers of the bed. Even knowing I'd have to get up early this morning and resume the life of a teacher. Spring break spoiled me. It's a big book, but not big enough. I can't bear the thought of it ending. I'll report in once I've finished it. Any other Gordon readers out there?
4 comments:
I've never read her work. Maybe when you've read more Mueller you'll post an entry about her?
Good for you on not tatooing. What you have to give is much more important. I can not give blood because I have MS.
I will look into Gordon's books. I am always looking for a good read. I am currently reading "The Secret of Hurricanes" by...Why?! Theresa Williams!! A very good read. And I currently finished a book on tape: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon. It deals with a 16 year old with Asperger's Syndrome, a condition similar to Autism. It was fascinating.
I am beholden to Mary Gordon for a retort I stole from her. During an interview with T. Gross on NPR's "Fresh Air," Mary Gordon was asked to describe her relationship with the Roman Catholic Church. Earlier in the interview Mary Gordon talked about attending Sunday Mass, but also about her disgust with the official Church's harsh anti-abortion stand, so Teri Gross wanted further clarification. Mary Gordon said: "I love the Church, BUT NOTHING BELOW THE WAIST!" If you are handicapped with a pre-Vatican II parochial education, you remember well the phrase "nothing below the waist." It was the nice little moral mantra that adolescents were taught about sexual morality between unmarried heterosexuals (if you were homosexual, absolutely NOTHING was allowed either above or below the waist). Mary Gordon's retort is so perfect in capturing the love/hate relationship reasonable Catholics have with this Church. We embrace the Church's teachings on charity, social responsibility, human dignity -- but find its sexual morality primative and harmful. I've used "nothing below the waist" many times in describing my own attitudes toward this Vatican and its minions.
Great quote from joe!
V
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