A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

I've tried to read Moore before (that rhymes) and had felt her writing to be quite dark, if I remember correctly. This book, however, was a smooth read - some dark, yes, but not so much that it feels overshadowed. Her writing is brilliant, and quite obscure.

"Tassie Keltjin, the daughter of a gentleman farmer, has come to a university town as a student. When at twenty she takes a job as a part-time nanny for a glamorous and mysterious family, she finds herself drawn deeper into their world and forever changed."

Rich, layered, her descriptions quite colorful and odd - I loved this book, and I only wish she had gone deeper into the characters. What seemed like unimportant persons in the book turned out to be integral to the main character. And the ending, too quick. I definitely recommend this read.

the lace reader by brunonia barry

This is another book that you gifted to me, and in the end, I loved it.
The first few pages had me wondering if it was a little hokey, but Barry is an extremely talented writer, and I was eager to open the pages and fall into the story each and every evening.

"Brunonia Barry dreamt she saw a prophecy in a piece of lace, a vision so potent she spun it into a novel. The Lace Reader retains the strange magic of a vivid dream, though Barry's portrayal of modern-day Salem, Massachusetts--with its fascinating cast of eccentrics--is reportedly spot-on. Some of its stranger residents include generations of Whitney women, with a gift for seeing the future in the lace they make. Towner Whitney, back to Salem from self-imposed exile on the West Coast, has plans for recuperation that evaporate with her great-aunt Eva's mysterious drowning. Fighting fear from a traumatic adolescence she can barely remember, Towner digs in for answers. But questions compound with the disappearance of a young woman under the thrall of a local fire-and-brimstone preacher, whose history of violence against Whitney women makes the situation personal for Towner. Her role in cop John Rafferty's investigation sparks a tentative romance. And as they scramble to avert disaster, the past that had slipped through the gaps in Towner's memory explodes into the present with a violence that capsizes her concept of truth. Readers will look back at the story in a new light, picking out the clues in this complex, lovely piece of work."

This describes it to a tee. What seems a simple story, upon reflection at the end, turns out to be quite complex. I treasured each moment with this book.

the memory palace by mira bartok

a heart wrenching, well written memoir by mira bartok, and the story of her schizophrenic and homeless mother. bartok and her sister spent seventeen years hoping that their mother would never find them - her schizophrenia caused her to obsess over both of her daughters lives - calling them fifty times a day or more, appearing unannounced at their jobs and homes, threatening them if they suggested that she get treatment for her illness and violently attacking them.

at age forty, a car accident left bartok with a debilitating brain injury - she retrained herself to draw and write, but her memories were lost to her. when she learns that her mother has terminal cancer, her sister and her decide to visit their mother before it's too late - bartok begins to connect with memories she fears were lost for good.

haunting, tragic, and deeply moving.

It has been a while since I read anything of note. I keep starting things and stopping. And I am still reading Anna Karenina which is wonderful but I read it in pieces. Demonglass is a YA read. I try to keep up with some things for that age. It was okay. Last Night at the Lobster was interesting. O'Nan is a very good writer. This is a story that takes place over the span of one night. The manager of a Red Lobster on the last night before it closes is trying to get through the last shift with a snowstorm, an ex, and a staff that is mostly going to be unemployed the next day. I feel indifferent about it. Boneshaker was a lot of fun. Sort of a steampunk zombie story. Seattle has been overtaken by a yellow fog that turns people into zombies. The survivors of the initial fog have walled off the city to keep everything in. A young mother goes in after her son and adventure ensues. Highly entertaining but not life changing. I really need to buckle down and read something great.

mourning diary by roland barthes

it has been some time since i've posted and it's been some time since i've finished a book. and so, finally, i finished reading mourning diary by roland barthes last night.

the day after his mother died, in october 1977, he began a diary of mourning. for nearly two years, he took notes on index cards and reflected on his loss.

they are a unique study of grief...snippets of thoughts and feelings, intimate, and sad.

The Bhagavad Gita translated by Eknath Easwaran

"The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Eknath Easwaran's reliable, readable version has consistently been the best-selling translation.

Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in it's historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts, and notes and a glossary explain Sanskrit terms.

The Bhagavad Gita opens, dramatically, on a battlefield, as the warrior Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life.

But, as Easwaran points out, the Gita is not what it seems - it's not a dialogue between two mythical figures at the dawn of Indian history. "The battlefield is a perfect backdrop, but the Gita's subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage" to live a life that is meaningful, fulfilling and worthwhile."

I loved it, and found it very easy to read - Easwaran sets up each chapter, giving you a clear sense of what is happening, and the meaning behind the words. It's beautiful, and inspiring. I highly recommend it.

A Path with Heart: Jack Kornfield

"Perhaps the most important book yet written on meditation, the process of inner transformation, and the integration of spiritual practice into our American way of life. A Path with Heart brings alive one by one the challenges of spiritual living in the modern world. Written by a teacher, psychologist, and meditation master of international renown, this warm, inspiring, and expert book touches on a wide range of essential issues including many rarely addressed in spiritual books. From compassion, addiction, and psychological and emotional healing, to dealing with problems involving relationships and sexuality, to the creation of a Zen-like simplicity and balance in all facets of life, it speaks to the concerns of many modern spiritual seekers, both those beginning on the path and those with years of experience."

It's a beautiful, beautiful book. Take your time to read it, and perhaps use the guided meditations - Kornfield writes with his heart, and many times during this book, I felt my heart connect.