Decided to take it easy today with a little walk to the park and beach at the end of the peninsula where we’re staying. Along the way, “little libraries” offered free books. For many years now, we’ve built an ebook library we can carry with us everywhere. Right now, Dwight is reading a novel downloaded from Amazon, while I’ve checked out my novel online from the Hennepin County Library back home.
Category: Read
Room with a view
As planned, we’re spending two nights at a comfortable lodge, relaxing. On a friend’s recommendation, today I bought ‘Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods,’ an unusual visual depiction of Tokyo far from the FOMO of the over-touristed world. I actually had to put it aside because it transported me to Japan too effectively; since I’m currently in New Zealand, I’ve returned to ‘The Luminaries,’ set in 19th-century New Zealand.
Prince library card: I’ll leave home without it
Walking near the Downtown library, I stopped in and picked up a limited-edition Prince library card on impulse. As I continued my walk, I quickly realized it’s destined to lie in a drawer—I’ll never actually use it. I primarily check out eBooks to read on my phone, tablet, or Kindle, and even when I borrow physical books, my phone serves as my digital card.
Meeting our shadows on a bridge
On our Sunday morning walk, the low sun drew out long shadows, bringing to mind Haruki Murakami’s exploration of the subject. I’d recently read both “Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” and its core-story reworking, “The City and its Uncertain Walls.” In both novels, the protagonist is detached from his shadow, making me wonder: how long would it actually take me to realize mine was gone?
Book and Biscotti
While Dwight baked these almond biscotti, I stretched out on the couch with a novel I’d checked out from the library on my Kindle, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant. The Remains of the Day is still my favorite, but none of his novels has disappointed. Early samples of the biscotti didn’t disappoint either.
Overthinking LEGO
These LEGO parts arrived to brighten up this rainy day. I’ll use them to experiment with building vehicle front ends. In the past I’ve steered (!) away from cars and trucks, but this injects variety and I’ll learn stuff. Also arrived today via Kindle, borrowed from the Hennepin County Library, “LEGO and Philosophy”: philosophy professors…… Continue reading Overthinking LEGO
A Benefit of Travel
Today I’m reading about the opening up of Japan to the world from 1853 to 1873: Western gunboat diplomacy, the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, the beginning of the Meiji era, a time of rapid change and modernization. This period keeps popping up on my Japan travels, it’s interesting.
Light Sunday Reading
Started into a new biography of J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI and its precursor through six presidents from 1924 up to his death in 1972. I expect the book will help me to better understand divisions in today’s America and reinforce my belief we mustn’t regress to the 1950’s.
Common Themes
On Tuesday I posted about “Men Without Women” prompting a friend to ask which author—Murakami (2014) or Hemingway (1927)? She correctly surmised Murakami. Today, continued my temporary couch potato life by reading Hemingway’s. It’s no accident Murakami used the title.
Tuning Out
A nasty cold has an upside: reading. Yesterday, I finally finished a book of short stories, “Men Without Women.” Today, cover to cover, a page-turner novel, “Sweet Bean Paste.”