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I’ve done two of these so far but I promised Melody so humor me if you will, by reading more about me. Okay? Oh, and be sure to stop by Melody’s blog so you can see the questions she answered.

Here’s what she asked:

Who is your idol? It can be anyone and doesn’t have to be a celebrity or a public figure.

Um…a certain runner, writer, Japanese guy named Haruki Murakami. One day, he decided to write a novel and he had no idea that he would have the followers that he does today… or this weird, stalker girl named Ti, following him all over Facebook. Notice how I called myself a girl. I kill myself sometimes.

If you could be someone famous, who would you be?

I don’t think I would model myself after anyone out there now, but I would be a famous writer.

What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

I love The Big Bang Theory, Seinfeld, The Wonder Years and I hate to say it… sometimes I watch Roseanne. I know! You thought so much more of me. I am beginning to watch Downton, too. I have watched a couple of episodes and it’s really good. As for movies, I have several that I watch over and over again, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink (see a theme here?), Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Tootsie, Arthur (the original), The Goodbye Girl (original), Some Like it Hot, When Harry Met Sally, Jaws…and the list goes on.

Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Why?

HP. I never got into the Rings. Never.

Popcorn: Sweet or Salty? Why?

Salty. I do not like sweets too much although since I have gone gluten-free, I crave sweets more than I used to.

Facebook or Twitter? Why?

Facebook. I feel as if I have real conversations there and that I am not just screaming into a room with a lot of people talking over me.

What are your pet peeves?

One big one is when people continue to use their phones at the movies once the movie has begun. This is such an issue with me, that I no longer go to the movies. Put your damn phone away or stay home!

Where do you like to go for vacation?

In my mind, I like beach vacations but when I actually get there, I get irritated with sand and it being everywhere. So I think the ideal place to vacation is a fun city, close to the beach so I can gaze at it from afar, and then do super fun things all day long.

What are the most wonderful memories that you had last year?

Oh, too many to list, but they are all simple things like my daughter helping me make pancakes or learning how to make scrambled eggs. My son growing as a basketball player and becoming a more aggressive player with every season. Stuff like that.

What’s your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving. Sad, but I like the food part. Oh, and the togetherness.

Would you read a book that’s received lots of hype and positive reviews, even though the story line isn’t what you like to read?

Yes, I would. Yes, I have.

Thanks, Melody!

The Cat’s Table
By Michael Ondaatje
(Knopf, Hardcover, 9780307700117, October 2011, 288pp.)

The Short of It:

An intimate, deeply introspective coming-of-age tale with a bit of adventure thrown in.

The Rest of It:

Years ago, I read The English Patient and the act of reading it, physically pained me. Back then, I was a reader, but not a serious reader and I didn’t have much patience for picking a book apart to get its meaning. So when I heard that Ondaatje had a new book out, I snapped it up for two reasons. Because it sounded really, really good, and because I wanted to give this author another shot.

The story takes play aboard the ocean liner Oronsay, as it makes its 1954 voyage from Ceylon to England. On board, is Michael, age 11 who for the most part, is making the 3-week trip by himself. For a boy his age, a trip like this is nothing but an adventure and so when he is seated at the “Cat’s” table, which is the less desirable dining location and the opposite of the Captain’s table, he sees nothing wrong with it. In fact, this is where he meets other boys his age, Cassius (the troublemaker) and Ramadhin (a thoughtful, but rather sickly boy).

The passages on the ship are delicately handled, in that what appears to be brief, inconsequential exchanges, are in fact life-changing interactions that shape and form these boys on their way to adulthood. It should be noted, that I did not see it this way until finishing the book and taking several weeks to think about these characters. At first, the story seemed unremarkable to me except that it takes place on a ship which is not the usually setting for a coming-of-age story. The setting immediately pulls you in, but Michael’s role as observer grows tiresome, until you begin to hear him speak as adult.

I am glad that I waited to write this review, as my feelings about the book have changed numerous times. It’s a beautifully written novel, almost lyrical at times but it’s the type of novel that reads easy, almost too easy only for you to realize later (in my case, much later) that you enjoyed the book quite a bit. If you like subtle, deeply introspective stories, then you will enjoy this one.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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