Book Chatter

Welcome to Moby Dick Monday! This is where we read four pages a day and then post about what we’ve read. Consider it an adventure of sorts!

My Story Re-Cap:

This week’s reading takes us through the various descriptions of Moby Dick as described by Ishmael.

For, it was not so much his uncommon bulk that so much distinguished him from other sperm whales, but, as was elsewhere thrown out— a peculiar snow-white wrinkled forehead, and a high, pyramidical white hump. These are his prominent features; the tokens whereby, even in the limitless, uncharted seas, he revealed his identity, at a long distance to those that knew him.

The rest of his body was so streaked, and spotted, and marbled, with the same shrouded hue, that, in the end, he had gained his distinctive appellation of the White Whale; a name indeed, literally justified by his vivid aspect, when seen gliding at high noon through a dark blue sea, leaving a milky-wake of creamy foam all spangled with golden gleamings.

What I just shared with you pretty much says it all yet Melville takes an additional 29 pages to drive the point home. Yes, Moby is known as the White Whale and at times he is seen with an ethereal glow. I get it!

My Rambling Thoughts:

As I was going through this week’s reading, all I could think of is that scene from Back to School where Sam Kinison is screaming at Rodney Dangerfield, “Say it! Just say it!” A lot of what Melville includes is quite lovely but thirty pages of the same thing, said in twenty different ways. UGH!

Here’s the video clip to give you an idea of what I was feeling while reading this week. The part that I mentioned is right around 2:18.

Reading Along With Me:

Jill/Softdrink of Fizzy Thoughts
Jill of RhapsodyinBooks
Dar of Peeking Between the Pages
Eva of A Striped Armchair
Wisteria from Bookworm’s Dinner
Gavin from Page247
Claire from kiss a cloud
Sandra from Fresh Ink Books

For those that are participating, share your post links in comments. What do you think so far? Oh, and if anyone wants to join us just leave me a message below.

It’s. Sunday. Already.

It’s been a busy weekend as I was out of town and just got back a little bit ago. We took a short trip to Palm Desert. It wasn’t quite long enough as we left on New Year’s Day. Perhaps we should have left the day before but I didn’t want to be on the road with all of the holiday traffic. We visited with family, we ate, I read, and we ate some more. Let me tell you, eating is highly overrated. In a week, remind me that I said that as I am doing another round of The Game On Diet. I know. I’m a glutton for punishment.

In between my eat-fest, I did manage to buy this beautiful little book:

The Brontë Sisters (Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights & Agnes Grey)

Monday is my last day off and then I am back at work. I am so not looking forward to going back. We are in the middle of some sort of re-org. I had to change offices right before the holiday so who knows what they have up their sleeves this time. I lost my personal office space. No more carpet picnics for me. I’m very sad about that. I have a much bigger space now but it’s a CUBE and well, a cubical just isn’t the same as having a door to close whenever I feel like it. I suppose I’ll make do. Oh and the worst of it is that they wouldn’t allow me to take my bookshelf so I have no place to put my books. That’s hitting a girl where it hurts.

So, in anticipation of a horrible work week, I am going to spend Monday being a slug, well, except for my 20-minutes of required Game-On exercise. I am finishing up Finn for my book club meeting which is this Thursday. I am also reading The Things That Keep Us Here, Moby Dick (cannot forget that!) and I am beginning The Awakening.

Hope you all had a great weekend. I just cannot believe that my two weeks off are coming to an end.

Chatting with friends about books and life…