Literary adventures on a weekend

I used to be a vivid reader. However the last couple of months reading has been replaced by work, mainly, by adjustments to new places and other interesting activities.

This weekend however was completely dedicated to books. It started when I coincidently stumbled into a bookstore (of course, you know. One always find oneself in a book store out of a sudden, like the rabbit's hole thing). I had a small look around, picked one book. Picked another and before I knew it I had my arms full of literary adventures I am dying to take.

Mh. My ratio told me quickly that I better should not spend about 100 quid on books. At a time.

Which made me sit down in the sofas for a while to shortlist a few. 

I took a glance into each baby and decided for three books, which should be enough at a time, also given the fact that I am still "dating" Mr Fitzgerald - but hey, we are not on exclusive terms ;-)That is why Mr Coelho could come home either. Aleph it is this time. I have not started so far.

The love of the last Tycoon - western, is the second work by F Scott Fitzgerald which I got my hands and eyes on, and I am through about one third.

I will not give any clues about the plot here, nor will I pin an opinion here just yet, all I can say so far is, that I am impressed by the authors ability to vividly describe the scenes; and somehow also his honesty. However, I am not sure whether I remember it correctly, but I think this was Fitzgerald's last piece, which also has not been finished since he died before he could. 

Wow. So his last words here are his last words. 

Further I have chosen an essay which has been written by a German Author called Stefan Bollmann. Frauen die lesen, sind gefaehrlich (English version here). It is about reading women in art and art history. Elke Heidenreich wrote a spectacular preface to an informative book with large illustrations and wonderfully detailed background info. 

This book is a quick read for people with a desire for understanding the reading behaviour of women and their depiction in art throughout the centuries. I am almost through already and can recommend this book to an audience with a small affinity for art, non-fiction and sociology.

I bought another book which is more a quick read, for women. Think Bridget Jones, think she turns pregnant, think she can write, than you might have Ildiko von Kuerthy's book. Some witty lines caught me immediately when I had a quick look in there; find abstract and information here; in the end it was probably a bit too much for someone who is not expecting a baby, but anyhow, it still is written with a lot of creativity and humor making me smile more than once or twice.

Therefore this weekend I have turned a few pages. It has been good to be back in the literary world, a moment of one's own, with one or the other moment of lifting my head, detach from the text, look up and stare into the horizon, thinking of the words when having read something really true / spectacular / interesting / life changing. I love that.