Vertigo, Reading Without Walls, and Jane Eyre: Last Week In Review (42)

It's April already. How is that even possible? It seems as if life is speeding past me. Last week, I managed to finish a few books: The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray on audio; South and West: From a Notebook; and Around the World in 80 Tales.

I've had a hard time deciding what I should read next. I'm still reading The Global Novel by Adam Kirsch, which is really interesting. I also have a strong urge to re-read Jane Eyre after watching To Walk Invisible. I thought I would have trouble tracking my old copy down. After all, it's been some time since I visited Thornfield, but my copy was sitting on my bookshelf, clearly waiting on me to dust it off and begin reading. Here's a picture of my twenty-year-old paperback book. It's held up pretty well over the years.

Another book I'm going to start reading/listening to is An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter. This is the third book in the Hawthorne series, but my first by Hunter. 


Now to what I watched last week. I watched the season finale of The Mindy Project. And, honestly, I still don't know whether to breakup with the show or not. Some weeks it's good, others not so much. I also watched Vertigo with James Stuart and  Kim Novak. It was my first time watching this classic film. And if you're in to old movies, definitely check it out.

I also watched the first episode of the sixth season of Call the Midwife. I had stopped watching the show a few seasons ago for no particular reason. I guess I just forgot when it was on. Thank God for Netflix. The first five season are there, so I have some binge watching to do.

Now for the exciting news, at least for me. I ordered a new bookshelf. I couldn't find the exact model of  the existing bookshelves we already have. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one will be a close enough match. I'll have pictures next week if everything goes as planned.

Here are a few things happening in April that I think you might find noteworthy:

In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, Signature has teamed up with Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group to create The Writer’s Guide to Poetry. The guide is available as a free download that will heighten a reader’s appreciation for the art form and inspire the aspiring poet to pick up their pen. The Writer’s Guide to Poetry features essays from 11 award-winning poets such as Anne Lamott, Dorothea Lasky, Iain Thomas, Susan Wooldridge, and others who share insights into the art and craft of poetry. The guide also contains artist Nathan Gelgud’s illustrations of poems by Margaret Atwood, Allen Ginsberg, and Madeleine L’Engle. Highlights from the guide include:

• Advice on how to overcome imposter syndrome from Iain Thomas
• Anne Lamott on the devils of perfectionism
• Important tips on "telling it slant” from Jill Bialosky
• Tyler Knott Gregson on “finding the ache and letting it sing”
• and much more

Reading Without Walls

A month-long, nation-wide program to promote diversity in reading, inspired by National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Gene Luen Yang and his ambassadorial platform. Thousands of schools, libraries, bookstores, and comics stores are joining in to help celebrate Reading Without Walls. 

This month, Gene is challenging us all to: 

Read a book about a character who doesn't look or live like you.

Read a book in a format you don't typically read -- graphic novels, poetry, audiobooks, plays.

Read a book about a new subject you don't know much about. 

And we'll be sharing our thoughts with the #readingwithoutwalls hashtag on social media.

That's all for now. I hope wherever you are it feels like Spring and have something great to read.