Thursday, July 13, 2006

ohfunboringnessblah.

I know I need to update my blog, because it feels like time, and I just have no excuse.

I have been doing a lot of entertaining at my lovely Roeland Park abode, and my futon, I can now report, has been slept on by multiple people. Having visitors is way funner than not, since it means drinking more and eating out, two oft-forgotten pleasures. Also, good company!

In other news, I completed two books in as many days (though one I had been working on for a while). First, The Devil Wears Prada, which blew. A lot of you are probably like, what, ruth, could you have been thinking? Well, I'll tell you what I was thinking. I was thinking that Bridget Jones's Diary is hysterical, and it's summer, and one can only keep up this cultural elitism in 100 degree heat for so long. I also thought that since my coworker wanted me to read it, I had to. Now, reading DWP was worse than the Da Vinci Code fiasco, where I also succumbed to pressure, not only from friends, but also my internal "i am such an effing snob that i can't deign to read this bestselling novel" barometer.

Actually, there was nothing fiasco-worthy about the Da Vinci Code. I found it acceptably enjoyable, and it allowed me to rather snobbishly relive my French and Italian travels.

The DWP, though, was unpardonably awful and truly stupid. My mother has been pressuring me to go see the movie with her, which I may consider doing but only because I love air conditioning and popcorn. But before I do that, well, I need to watch La Dolce Vita which I received by mail yesterday. And then probably hear about why Fellini isn't all he's cracked up to be from my smarty-pants boyfriend, who is kinda famous now.

Sincerely yours,

Ms. Snotty-pants

P.S. The other book I finished was not the Da Vinci Code, which I read after it had only been on the best seller list for a year or so. So like, 2004 maybe. Anyway, I read Peter Orner's new book, The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo, which I found moderately excellent. In any case, here's hoping Orner can parlay the Brangelina-Namibia craze into bestsellerhood, as his book is set in Namibia.

4 comments:

Dug said...

Could your next book be House of Leaves? Please? I really do think it's excellent. After all, what other books can you think of that have a stripper named "Thumper" in them.

ruth said...

don't worry, doug, i totally have it on hold at the library. and i'm next too!! however, i also have _by night in chile_ by roberto bolano on hold, and i'm next with that too. it will be a contest.

Dug said...

what's your feeling about purchasing books vs. borrowing or buying used?

I've been trying to come to terms with the fact that I need to pay full price for the more indy/lesser known stuff I like and borrow/buy used/steal the books that make it on a bestseller list.

ruth said...

well, my books come from 3 places: the library (most common), thrift stores/garage sales, abebooks.com for the harder to find stuff that i feel compelled to own, which is, to be honest, not much. because you don't know if you have to own it until you've read it, and then, you've already read it so why buy it?
but, what can't your library find you? i figure, now that i'm no longer in school and the roads surrounding my apartment are in terrible condition, the only thing my tax dollars are paying for is books and my local librarians' time.