(I finished ‘Black Beauty’ over the weekend, and in the end, I did enjoy it. I think the horse-narrative grew on me (and maybe it was better written as the book went on?), and it was sweet to see the story come almost full-circle at the end. Predictable, but sweet.)
‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ – Oscar Wilde. My first foray into the fabulous world of Mr Wilde (aside from a desk calendar of brilliantly assured quotes) and my expectations are high. I’ve seen the film and enjoyed it, so am hoping the book is even better. So far, I’m enjoying it, but some of the lengthy monologues are tough going when I’m reading just before bed!
A little bit of there’s-nothing-on-the-telly light reading: the August issue of InStyle magazine. Beautiful fashion, but so inaccessible and unaffordable. Sigh. Oh well, a girl can dream, right?
‘Dinner in a Basket’ – Judith Cullen, and ‘Seasoned Islands’ – Shaun Rankin. Yup. I am reading my birthday cookbooks. I will drool over each page and my mind will whir ahead to a time when I can try each one. I will scratch my head and wonder what I can substitute for red mullet and mackerel, and I will hunt down the market ingredients required by Judith Cullen. Oh yes. I shall.
Tiny has given up on choosing his nightly stories; since he’s been walking more confidently, he’s started to circle the books when we lay them on the ground. It’s almost like he’s corralling a herd into a pen, or waiting for the right moment to strike the weakest of the bunch. So Tall and I have been doing the choosing, based on what we feel like reading on the night. These are the books in current circulation, but I think it’s time for another change.
Tall, Short, Tiny & a Pickle 