Andare, Partire, Tornare

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books and kittens, kittens and books

I finished Lady Chatterly�s Lover, but I don�t think I�ll be picking up any more Lawrence after talking with Swoop and reading GoodSandwich�s guestbook entry. There are lots of other, better things out there to read, and Lawrence�s prose isn�t exactly deathless, although every once in a while, he�d shock me by producing a gorgeously succinct line that just worked beautifully. I didn�t hate the book, exactly, but I don�t feel the need for more of his books at all.

I also finished Cetaganda, by Lois McMaster Bujold. I enjoyed it tremendously, and can�t figure out why Bujoldistas wouldn�t like it as much � for me, it works much better than the highly flawed Warrior�s Apprentice, which is tons of fun but requires a real effort for me to suspend my willing disbelief. I also can�t buy Elena�s growth from sheltered Barrayaran girl (albeit one with martial arts skills) to kick-ass space warrior, especially since it seems to take only a few weeks. It�s all part of the Miles effect, where everybody around him isn�t allowed to be mediocre, but I always have trouble swallowing it, especially in this book.

Anyway, Cetaganda. I liked the focus on a society driven to tinker, tinker, tinker with genetics, to see what sort of civilization they�d produce. I mentally shelve it as a fluffier take on the issues that are so brilliantly examined in C.J. Cherryh�s Cyteen, except Cetagandan genetics seems primarily interested in looks, not on personality. It was loads of fun, and I did stay up too late to finish it. Now the only Bujold book I need is Mirror Dance, which I can�t seem to find anywhere and which seems to be quite the pricy paperback on Amazon, so I�m wondering if it�s out of print, or if I was somehow looking at the trade paperback or hardback price for it. Have to go look on Abebooks.com.

I don�t get to partake in the long weekend, because of our organization�s annual meeting, although we do get the 12th off in compensation. But I won�t be at the �Mart for this weekend and the next, thank goodness. I need the breather. Although it�s quite likely that I�ll be there for an adoption fair one of those Saturdays, so maybe I shouldn�t relax just yet. The kittens, by the way, are doing quite nicely, and I�m getting a little too attatched to Dexter, who is the purriest of the both of them. I need to resist the kitten cuteness, but it�s hard when they�re being such adorable little tater tots.

12:59 p.m. - 2004-06-30

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