Ye shall know them by their similes and metaphors…good writers, that is.

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. ~Anaïs Nin

I’m starting a list of perfect similes and metaphors, ones that stopped me in my tracks. They are the words and phrases that delight, emphasize, and stun a reader and add to the joy of reading. Here are the first three:

John Seabrook’s description in The New Yorker, Dec.21 and 29, 2009 issue of architect Zaha Hadid’s hands as chilled as cutlery in an airplane’s galley."

Joseph O’Neill in his novel Netherland: “The yellow commuter train ran through canal-crossed fields as dull as graph paper.”

Colum McCann, on The New York Times Opinion Page, December 27, 2009 “I would walk the length of Dun Laoghaire pier - a moving corduroy of sea waves in front of me."

I’d love to have you add to this list simply by responding to this post or by e-mail to barbara1037@gmail.com.

84, Charing Cross Road

Any book lover with a fondness for first editions, rare books, and leather bindings is probably familiar with 84, Charing Cross Road. The address is the title of a true story told in a series of letters between Helene Hanff, a writer living in Manhattan, and Frank Doel, seller of rare and secondhand books at Marks and Co. in London.

The letters started in 1949 when Ms. Hanff sent Marks and Co. a list of secondhand books she wanted. She says, “I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble’s grimy, marked-up school-boy copies.”

Through the twenty-year correspondence the reader watches the development of a delightful and often poignant friendship between Hanff and Doel. I was reminded of the book last night as I caught the end of the movie on television which featured Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins as Helene Hanff and Frank Doel and Judi Dench as Mrs. Doel. When I took my yellowed paperback version from my bookcase, I saw that I’d bought my copy in June of 1987 at a bookstore in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Helene Hanff’s dream was to visit London. Like her, it had been one of my wishes, too.

(Note: Editions published in the U.S. omit the comma after 84.)

Same language, different vocabulary

I pulled out the dictionary today when I came across the word ”kerb” in an English novel. From the context, I knew it meant “curb,” the stone separation between a street and a sidewalk.

Had I been using “curb” all these years when I should have written “kerb?” Or are the two words just another example of the differences between British English and American English?

According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary, “curb” is a check or restraint; “kerb” is a stone edging to a pavement or a raised path,

The Random House College Dictionary, however, defines “curb” as a rim of concrete or joined stones forming an edge for a sidewalk. It defines “kerb” simply as a curb. Nothing further.

Lately, I’ve been watching quite a few old BBC television shows and find the differences in the British and American versions of the English language quite interesting.

If you’re now thinking “She ought to get a life,” I might say, “Don’t be so cheeky!”

Okay? O.K.

When I moved to Albany in 1995, one of the first places I visited was Lindenwald, the home of Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States. Lindenwald is located about 35 miles from Albany in the Town of Kinderhook. I learned a great deal that day but the most interesting to me was the derivation of one of our most popular responses.

It seems that while he lived in Kinderhook before he was elected president, Van Buren was given the sobriquet of “Old Kinderhook” and, as such, sometimes initialed requests, documents and other papers with the abbreviation, “O. K.” When he moved to Washington, D.C., he often continued to sign informal papers the same way. “O.K” became popular and that’s how “okay” or “O.K” came to be part of our language.

You might hear other explanations for “okay,” but most people have come to accept the Van Buren story.

For a look at Lindenwald and a tour of its many rooms, visit the National Park Service website. Better yet, if you’re anywhere near New York’s Capital District, go and see this wonderful home.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

If you’re passionate about books, you must read Steve Quinn’s article about the little seaside town of Sidney, British Columbia, population 11,000. It’s dubbed Canada’s only Booktown because of its collection of twelve independently owned bookshops, each with its own style.

Here is Sidney’s Beacon Books’ Reader’s Bill of Rights.

The right to not read
The right to skip pages
The right to not finish
The right to re-read
The right to read anything
The right to escapism
The right to read anywhere
The right to browse
The right to read out loud
The right to not defend your tastes

Russo Redux

Once disappointed, I tread lightly. That was my thought when I saw that Richard Russo had published a new novel, “That Old Cape Magic.” I’d read and enjoyed “Straight Man,” “Risk Pool” (my favorite Russo book) and “Empire Falls.” When “Bridge of Sighs” came out I was eager to read that, too,

My friends and I have often discussed the reasons why critics heap praise on a novelist’s latest, even if it doesn’t measure up to his or her previous works. That’s what I think happened with “Bridge of Sighs.” Tedious, too long, and lousy editing made it a chore to finish. Now along comes “That Old Cape Magic” which flew to number two on this week’s New York Times Bestseller List in the first week of publication. Critics praise it, of course. After all, “Empire Falls” won the Pulitzer Prize a few years ago.

But Janet Maslin’s review in the August 9th edition of the New York Times confirmed my hesitancy. So I will pass it up. Here’s an excerpt from her review. To read it in its entirety, go to www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/books/10maslin.html.

It’s Summer at the Cape, but This Is No Vacation
“That Old Cape Magic” is the only Richard Russo novel that has its own theme song. It’s also the only Russo book that needs one. And Mr. Russo supplies enough props, picture postcards and pratfalls to underscore the fragility of his latest venture. Its main character, the autobiographical-sounding Jack Griffin, feels adrift after having lived in the worlds of both moviemaking and academia and is no longer sure where his heart or his talents lie. This entertaining but facile book suggests that Mr. Russo is himself contemplating those same questions.

Changing Genres

If asked to choose just one genre, I’d read literary fiction. I’ve learned, however, that it’s a good idea to sample the other treats on the table. Now, it seems I might be getting hooked on mysteries and thrillers.

Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a wonderful read. (I’ve heard that his second novel, The Girl Who Played with Fire, is even better. So it will go on my list.) Larrson is a very good writer. He developed an intriguing plot with well defined characters. Lisbeth Salander, the “girl” of the title, is a computer hacker who teams up with Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, to find out the truth about a teenage girl who disappeared thirty years ago. The book combines a family saga and corporate intrigue.

I’ve just finished The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. I think the reason I picked it up is that it takes place in 1945 in Barcelona, a place on my “to visit” list. To quote Booklist, it is “part detective story, part boy’s adventure, part romance, fantasy and gothic horror.” I enjoyed the book very much and was especially in awe of the intricacies of the plot and how expertly Zafron wove the details.

P. D. James, “widely acknowledged as the greatest contemporary writer of classic crime” (The London Sunday Times) is the author of fifteen crime novels. Recently some friends were discussing what a good writer she is. Though I’ve read two of her crime novels and have probably seen a couple that were dramatized on PBS, I’ve decided to add her and her protagonist, Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard, to the growing pile of books by my bedside.

And a couple of years ago, after hearing it reviewed on the radio, I read Tess Gerritsen’s The Mephisto Club which I thoroughly enjoyed. Fans of the mystery novel have their favorites. Whether it’s Agatha Christie or Josephine Tey or Anne Perry or James Patterson, the stories provide hours of entertainment. And it’s fun trying to guess the outcomes.

What books mean the most to you?

Thanks go to my friend Lois for telling me about this question that’s going around on Facebook. Name 15 books that will always stick with you. Rules: Don't take too long to think about it - just 15 minutes to list fifteen books you've read that you remember for various reasons. Here’s my quick list. (Yes, I know it’s more than 15, but the list would be even longer if I had more than 15 minutes.)

You Can't Go Home Again - Thomas Wolfe
Moving On - Larry McMurtry
Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
Time and Again - Jack Finney
Crossing to Safety - Wallace Stegner
The Shipping News - Annie Proulx
The Transit of Venus - Shirley Hazzard
Many Masters-Many Lives - Brian Weiss, MD
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind - Dr. Joseph Murphy
The Risk Pool - Richard Russo
The Other America - Michael Harrington
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Loving Frank - Nancy Horan
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Lethem
The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery

“What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times. And you were there.”

When news of Walter Cronkite's death was announced yesterday, I thought of these words that he spoke at the end of “You Are There,” a CBS show broadcast on Sunday afternoons during the 1950s that recreated historic events such as the Battle of the Alamo and the Hindenburg disaster. The events were reported as breaking news with the main characters speaking directly to the camera.

I recall that line of Cronkite’s, especially when I want to reinforce the fact that both important and seemingly non-important days change history.

Another Chapter

Everyday, it seems, I come across another online site pertaining to books. In just the last week, for example, I received something from NPR Book Notes, Powell’s Books, Random House, The American Library Association’s Book List, Oprah’s Book Club. There’s also Shelfari, Goodreads, Living Social and Daily Lit. And I’d guess there are hundreds more professional sites as well as a long list of book bloggers like me.

So I have decided to go back to my original idea for this blog and focus on language. Perhaps it’s the teacher in me or perhaps the days of diagramming sentences are instilled deep in my memory. But I am constantly intrigued by the English language - its origins, its past and current usage, and how it’s been beautifully expressed by wonderful authors.

For example, have you ever heard of “famine ridges”? I hadn’t, until I read that they refer to the fields formed by the abandoned potato crops during the Irish famine that began in 1845.

I'll still express my opinions about books, of course. Especially when the writing makes you think or learn, or laugh or cry. Or when you hate to turn to that last page.

If you have ideas or suggestions, please feel free to comment. If you can’t access “post a comment,” you may send an email to barbara37@gmail.com.

Summer Reading - Bestsellers? Classics? Both?

“I just finished reading Finding Nemo to my dolly. I told her it was a classic.” Maeve Wilson, 5 years old.

Not quite. But the concept’s there. Classics stand the test of time because of their universal themes that touch us emotionally and intellectually. Though Dickens, Austen and Tolstoy may first come to mind, 20th century literature includes a long and diverse list of books now considered classics. Book stores frequently display them as suggestions for summer reading.

Beginning in June every year, newspapers and magazines publish lists of books ideal for taking on vacation. From their lists you get the idea that the ideal book to take to the beach is a commercial best seller or an escapist novel, or a well-honed mystery. James Patterson, Jodi Picoult, and Nelson DeMille, as well as the list of nonfiction books - history, biographies, and travel memoirs - make you want to grab the suntan lotion and head outside.

Enter a book store, however, and you’ll find another kind of summer reading. These are the books you’ll find on tables often marked recommended for high school or college-bound students. Book stores also display piles of paperbacks generally acknowledged as some of the best books of the past, and mark the tables as recommended for summer reading. The two suggestions for summer reading frequently overlap. They include such 20th century classics as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Regardless of the choice of books to read this summer, there is no better place than a comfortable chair in a wonderful location for delving into a book that will be remembered beyond summer.

My summer reading? I just finished Wallace Stegner’s Crossing to Safety, a story of a friendship between two married couples, and I’m about to start a current best seller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a mystery by Stieg Larrson.

Page One, again?

I don’t usually read a book more than once, knowing that there are so many wonderful books waiting to be opened and enjoyed for the first time. I did, however, re-read Annie Proulx’s The Shipping News a second time because I loved the way she drew the characters and their lives in Newfoundland.

Some Thoughts on the Pleasures of Being a Re-Reader by Verlyn Klinkenborg in the May 29th issue of The New York Times is convincing. Maybe I’ll go back to the Thomas Wolfe novels that I loved many years ago. What books would you choose?

Tattered Pages

Before my move from Albany last July, I had to part with some of my books and artwork. Fortunately, I discovered Tattered Pages in Glenmont, a wonderful store that sells used books. I had envisioned a musty place with cartons of books all around the floor. To my surprise and delight I found a cheerful and bright place full of wonderful books. If you’re in the Capital District, I suggest you stop in and browse and visit with Trish Eldridge, the manager, and one of her furry friends.

Here’s the website where you’ll find lots of wonderful information: http://tatteredpages365.webs.com.

What's next?

How do you decide what to read next? Do you check out bestseller lists? Pulitzer Prize or Man Booker Prize winners? Read book reviews? Get recommendations from friends? Wander among the library shelves or meander through a bookstore?

Here’s another option: 501 Must-Read Books. This 544-page paperback, first published in England in 2006 by Bounty Books, is divided into eight sections: children’s fiction, classic fiction, history, memoirs, modern fiction, science fiction, thrillers, and travel. It is intelligently written and beautifully designed with wonderful photos and art work.

As the introduction states, "This comprehensive guide will inspire you to read more widely than you could have imagined." You won’t be able to put it down! You’ll grab a pencil and start making your list.

And it’s inexpensive. Amazon.com sells the hardcover for $14.99 but you can find the paperback version for much less.

Usborne Books & More for Children

I thought I’d only become acquainted with Usborne Books & More just a year ago. That was when Trish Wilson, my daughter, became an independent educational consultant for this U.K.-based children’s book publisher. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I’d actually bought an Usborne Book for my granddaughter while I was traveling in Scotland in 2006.

The book was Princess Stories and Maeve loved it! While Trish was reading it to her one day, Maeve pointed out that the little yellow duck hiding on each page was the same little yellow duck from her Goldilocks and the Three Bears book (also given to her by me). Maeve ran to her room, got the book, and sure enough, she was right. I have since found out that Stephen Cartwright puts the duck on every page of the books he illustrates.

When Trish discovered the Usborne Books business opportunity last year it clicked that her family already owned some of these wonderful books!

Today, Usborne Books are popular in this country because they are award-winning, wonderfully illustrated educational and entertaining books for children, from infants through high school. The line includes picture books, easy readers, classics, a wide range of reference books (which are internet-linked), and books for teens.

Though some Usborne Books may be found in traditional book stores, the majority are sold through home shows and school and library book fairs to parents, grandparents, and educators who want to see children develop a love of reading.

The entire Usborne Books catalogue may be seen at www.BestBooksForKids.net.

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” - Walt Disney

"Never read a book through merely because you have begun it."

This quote from John Witherspoon is an apt one for me today.

Have you ever begun a book but did not want to continue? Did a little voice scold you because you were taught to finish what you started? Did you obey that voice and struggle on? Or did you decide that there are just too many other books that you’d enjoy much more? This afternoon I made the decision to put down John Updike’s In the Beauty of the Lilies.

When Updike died recently, newspapers were full of praise for his many works. I hadn’t read any of his books in years, so when I saw In the Beauty of the Lilies at a book sale, I picked it up. But now it’s in my recycle pile, as I have a stack of other books ready to be opened.

I'd like to hear what book or books you may have started but not finished.

Where was the proofreader?

If you've had the experience of reading something that contained typos and cried, "Where was the proofreader?" you'll understand my reaction when my friend Chris W. noticed that yesterday I incorrectly stated Richard Russo's Pulitizer Prize winner Empire Falls as Empire of the Falls. And Laura D. caught my error when I wrote "less but wonderful books" when I meant "less than wonderful books." My thanks to both.

A New Page

Welcome to my blog about reading, writing, books, and language.

Like so many life-long readers, I cannot imagine a day without a book, a newspaper or a magazine. As a child, the Brooklyn Public Library on Nostrand Avenue was my introduction to the world of books and to the joy of discovering new worlds. I recall the first book I ever purchased: Little Rose of the Mesa by Madeline Brandeis. I was in the fourth grade. I’ve often wondered if that book was the seed that sprouted my life-long love of the West.

Many years and many books later, reading is an even more important part of my life. As I grow older, however, I have become more discriminating about the books I read. There’s no time to waste on the less but wonderful books. But sometimes I’m fooled.

Bridge of Sighs for example, by Richard Russo, which received high praise at its release in 2007. As I’m an admirer of the author who received a Pulitzer Prize for his Empire of the Falls, I attended his talk when he appeared at SUNY Albany to promote Bridge of Sighs. I bought a copy and asked him to autograph it. It was a big disappointment, however. Not only did the beginning promise more than it delivered, it was much too long due to a lack of efficient editing.

Though I’m not a professional book reviewer, I will use this blog to voice my opinions about the world of words. I hope you’ll express your own opinions and offer suggestions for topics. If you have trouble replying to the blog, please email me at www.barbara1037@gmail.com

Today’s quote is from Mark Twain:
"Classic": A book which people praise but don't read.