In the High Peaks
















Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Yeah, a Fun Rant, and More Book Sale Finds

Please skip down about four or five paragraphs if you prefer to skip the extreme frustration of an American citizen who has never seen a political situation as stupid as the one this country faces now. Thank you.

American politics are in a shambles for the moment, though the American People have spoken loudly and clearly, in the vast majority, for balance and compromise. The stock market keeps tumbling, our investments decrease in value. Gee whiz! Thanks so much, Congress, for helping our economy go down the tubes!

But why on earth would our politicians listen to the American people? After all, who are we but mere cogs in the machinery? We pay our taxes to the hilt, send our sons and daughters to fight in wars we don't want without cease or interruption, and, yes, we expect our Medicare and Social Security benefits, which we have fully paid for for decades and decades, you Congressional lunatics! You want to take the benefits away? Then give us our money back!

John Boehner, Speaker of the House, is not in control of his party (Republican) at the moment, which is turning the political mill into a quagmire.

I am "madder than a wet hen," as my farm-raised mother always says. Now tell me, what is so bad about compromise, you silly people who refuse to give an inch?

Did you call your member of Congress today?

Sigh. Breathe in. Breathe out.

NEW TOPIC:
Book Sale Finds:

I have not found many titles that I long for this year. This is partly due to book sorting exhaustion. But, even so, when our town librarian realized I wanted a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's most recent novel, The Lacuna, she set a nice hardcover edition aside for me. How nice of her! It's funny: On Sunday Ken and I were talking about books, and we discussed how we've both wanted to read The Lacuna and haven't had a chance to. We're both huge fans of Kingsolver. Ken says he has loved everything he's ever read by her, and he's even read The Bean Trees, one of her early books, which I haven't. We both LOVED The Poisonwood Bible--what an incredible experience it is to read that extraordinary creation. And we both loved The Prodigal Summer, set in the southern Appalachian mountains. I adored it and would love to read it again. These books are WORKS OF ART.

Today I also grabbed a paperback edition of Saturday by Ian McEwan, another of my favorite writers. I've always been sorry I haven't read this one, because it interested me.

4 comments:

  1. sorry about the situation in us it seems like a simple soultion to what htye have to do here from uk looking in but sure it is much harder as lines so divided ,some great finds ,all the best stu

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  2. I'm a big Kingsolver fan, too. "The Poisonwood Bible" is one of my all-time favorites. I've also read "The Bean Trees" and "Prodigal Summer," but not "The Lacuna." I'll have to check that one out.

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  3. MJ,
    I had a lovely time visiting your blog, and I think, based on your reading experience, that you will really like The Lacuna.

    Thanks for visiting!

    Judith

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  4. The Lacuna is the only Kingsolver book which I have read and I really enjoyed it. I'll have to get around to the Poisonwood Bible, I must be about the only person not to have read it yet.

    Couldn't agree with you more about the politicians. We all deserve better so-called leaders.

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