Unlike most Sundays, I haven’t thought much about reading or writing: after feeling unsettled and spaced out last week, I came back feeling distinctly jaded, not helped by a summer bug that is making me feel tired and sleepy. In addition, and cheering me up tremendously, my granddaughter and her parents are staying for the week and I am trying to get in as much time as possible with them, and am ignoring all calls to duty, whatever they are! We did spent some time in a bookshop today, and bought a pile of children’s books as well as poetry books for son: well, there was the added incentive of a 25% off in Borders (thanks to the Guardian). So, the hoard included The Poetry Review, Martin Espada’s The Republic of Poetry , which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, John Kinsella’s Shades of the Sublime and Beautiful as well as W.G. Sebald’s Austerlitz. All of these of course will leave my house at the end of the week, so having looked at the Sebald I have decided I must buy another copy as I am intrigued by what the book is about : a one man’s odyssey throught he dark ages of European history’.
Reading-wise the week has been lean, a couple of stories only, and I am now halfway Coetzee’s Disgrace, which I had hoped to finish today but given all the entertainment of granddaughter and family and bookshops, I haven’t done much reading this weekend. I think we all suffer from those ‘light phases’ when we feel life and family take priority…
51stories 
I’ve been meaning to read Disgrace! Looking forward to reading what you think of it.
By: kelskels on August 17, 2008
at 6:09 pm
Oh, I love Disgrace. I’ll be curious to hear what you think of it.
By: frumiousb on August 17, 2008
at 7:28 pm
‘Disgrace’ is going on my list as well because it’s just come up in my book group planning. I’ve not read any Coetzee before, so it’ll be a new venture completely.
By: Ann Darnton (Table Talk) on August 17, 2008
at 7:42 pm
You have the perfect reason for a reading respite, so just relax and enjoy it 🙂
I’ve never read Coetzee, either, so I’ll look forward to your review (whenever you get ’round to it!)
Enjoy your family time! I hope the coming weeks will be less stressful for you.
By: Becca on August 17, 2008
at 8:35 pm
It sounds like you are having a nice visit with your family. Hopefully things will continue to look up for you. Have a great week!
By: literaryfeline on August 17, 2008
at 10:47 pm
You have a nice blog:)
By: Carolina Maine on August 18, 2008
at 12:07 am
I have not read much poetry lately. I will get back to it soon.
Do check out my Sunday Salon posts 😀
SS 1: Review of The Dark Child
SS 2: Musings about books
By: gautami tripathy on August 18, 2008
at 12:56 am
“Disgrace” is the only Coetzee I’ve read so far, but I thought it was wonderful. It made me immediately want to read up on what’s been going on in South Africa post-apartheid. I found it terribly disturbing, but excellent all at once. I’m very interested to hear what you think.
By: Lisa Kenney on August 18, 2008
at 5:10 am
kelskels: love it so far! Great, sparse, writing. (No link to your site?)
frumkious b: see previous: I have now bought a book of essays by Coetzee…
Becca: thank you! Yes, family must have priority every so often and am greatly enjoying it 🙂
Ann Darnton: Yes, definitely, you must read it – I’ll try and do a review quickly – once finished!
literary feline: I am enjoying this visit thoroughly
Caroine Maine: thank you
LIsa Kenney: I think it is beautifully written: very sparse. I will let you know what I think once finished, however I have now bought a collection of Coetzee’s essays as well: he is very readable and I’d like to read his views on other authors.
By: seachanges on August 18, 2008
at 4:41 pm
Given the last week of summer class and grading, I had only finished the remains of Anna Karenina. I was reading Austen for the weekend.
By: Matt on August 18, 2008
at 11:11 pm
Matt: good for you keeping up with Austen in a busy weekend! I am beating myself for not keeping up with the Russians… something has to give! I really think you’re doing so well with keeping at them!
By: seachanges on August 19, 2008
at 8:13 pm