What I'm Reading.

I'm reading two books right now.  One in San Francisco, one in Maryland (where I'm spending quite a bit of my time these days.)  They're both good, but very different.  I highly recommend each, if for different reasons.  I'm also thrilled to finally have The Lacuna in my hot little hands, I've been waiting a long time to get it in paper back.  Having been very patient, it's good to finally be reading it.  I love most of Barbara Kingsolver's books, and Poisonwood Bible is one of my all-time favorites.

Silent Spring.

There are a handful of moments in my life where I can look back and say, “There.  That’s where it changed.”  They don’t come along often, and at the time we are rarely able to recognize them.  One such moment was picking up Silent Spring when I was in sixth grade.  We had to write a paper about a figure in twentieth century American history.  I chose Rachel Carson, and by the end of sixth grade, I'd read each Silent Spring, and all four of the Sea books from cover to cover.

Silent Spring captured my imagination and introduced me to an entire new world.  At the time, I felt a heaviness, that, even today, I have not been able to shake.  The book was published decades ago, but Rachel Carson’s influence on modern environmentalism is still felt, her writings still deeply relevant, and her warnings eerily prescient.

If you haven’t read it, for whatever reason, I strongly urge you to find a copy (or come over to my house, and borrow one of my editions) and read at least the first chapter, which is heart-breaking and exquisite.  Carson was an extraordinary woman with a lovely way of infusing science with deep emotion and passion.  She remains a hero of mine and the person with whom I credit my deep commitment to environmentalism.

Somewhere.

My sweetie and I went to see Somewhere yesterday.  We both adored it.  And I loved Stephen Dorff.  (Sophia Coppola really knows how to pick her muses, and how to put together a knock-out cast.)  It's a beautiful film; really captures the feel of Los Angeles-- in a biting and clever (but not mean) sort of way.  Heartwarming, lovely look to it, and fabulous script.  You find yourself rooting for the least-likely type of hero.  And assuming that everything works out okay.  I highly recommend.

 

 Sophia Coppola's best since Lost in Translation.   For me, it hit all the same emotional notes.

Judy Bonds.

I never met her, but she was a huge inspiration to me, and I am saddened by her passing.  She will be so incredibly missed.  And we must fight harder in her absence.  Rest in Strength, Judy.

Kiki Smith.

One of my favorite living and working artists today, and a remarkable woman.  I adore her and her whimsy and the way she weaves in themes of women artists' lives.  I was lucky enough to see her show at the Brooklyn Museum in person last year.

Pretty phenomenal, no?

 

a piece from Kiki Smith' Sojourn

 

Kiki Smith's Fawn

Mary Oliver.

Is outstanding.  If you don't know her poetry, please do yourself a favor, and go out and buy (any) one of her volumes.  Or come over to my house and borrow some.  I received American Primitive for Christmas, but I probably own another half dozen collections or so.

...I am touching a few leaves. 
I am noticing the way the yellow butterflies
move together, in a twinkling cloud, over the field.
And I am thinking: maybe just looking and listening
is the real work.
Maybe the world, without us, is the real poem...
– Mary Oliver

And I say to my heart: rave on.
– Mary Oliver

Le sigh.

Red Canna.

A birthday gift from my dad years and years ago, which recently and finally found it’s way to my home after years of storage.  I really, really love it (I've seen the original in real life a couple of times).  And it matches the red motif in my apartment really beautifully.

Georgia O'Keefe is one of my favorites of all time, and I was extremely lucky about ten years ago to go to the museum dedicated to her in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I highly recommend going if you're ever in the area.  I also recently saw her work at the Amon Carter Museum in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Louise Bourgeois.

I’m not sure if I have anything more to add to what the Guardian had to say, but great celebration and gratitude is in order for the extraordinary Louise Bourgeois.  She lived such an amazing life and created some of my favorite sculpture of all time.  Her work engaged with some of the great themes of women’s lives and reveals an emotional vulnerability of which I am in awe.

I am deeply fortunate to have some of her pieces in my city-- on the roof garden of SFMoMA.  If you're in San Francisco, I strongly recommend going to see her piece, right in front of the Blue Bottle Coffee kiosk.

I was also lucky to see her work in Tokyo at Ropponggi Hills.

Farewell, beautiful woman.  And so many thanks for the incredible body of work you leave behind; I treasure so dearly the experience of witnessing your work.

What I'm Reading.

The Year of The Flood, by Margaret Atwood.

It is, as anticipated, outstanding.  I’ve loved her since I read Lady Oracle by senior year of high school (it changed my life!).  I’ve read Cat’s Eye (one of my top ten favorite novels of all time!) and Surfacing twice, and I loved Oryx and Crake.  I've also devoured several of her other novels, all of which I've adored, to varying degrees.  I'm slowly working my way through all of her poetry and short fiction as well.  She’s so smart and her books are so brilliantly written, and her books have shone such a bright light into my life as a reader. 

It’s been a slow journey through the book so far, but I feel that no one does speculative fiction and magical realism quite like Ms. Atwood.  She imbues the story, setting and characters with her particular brand of politics in a clever and humorous way.  For those of us who share her views, Atwood offers a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge.  Which I happen to love.  I also love all varieties of speculation on potential utopianist leftist societies.  And post-apocalyptic anything.  So this is right up my alley.  I’m only about halfway through, but I’m enjoying the ride.

What are you reading?  What should I read next?