Hiking, Reading, Studying-Hooray!

Thank you Ange for inviting me to your lovely cottage! For my dear readers, here is a picture of me in the forest near Val Morin. My friends and I hiked down a really steep ravine in an attempt to see what we thought was a waterfall. It is there below me but doesn't really show up in the picture. I had a fantastic weekend staying near Lac Raymond-it was my first time in the area but I hope it's not my last.

I have not yet finished Minima Moralia, I ended up putting it aside so that I could read Les Particules Elementaires by Michel Houellebecq. This is the second Houellebecq novel that I've read. I doubt his name is familiar to my anglophone readers even though he has been translated into English. Francophone readers might know who he is. His books are dark, depressing and somewhat offensive-just the kind of book that I like! This one was fascinating, but I don't recommend reading it if you happen to be unemployed and feeling down about the recession or life in general. This book will not make you feel any better!

Here is a NEWS-type item for the Montrealers with an interest in Greek and Roman Mythology. My good friends over at Laodamia Press are now offering classes in Mythology, Latin and Greek. Their prices are very reasonable and they are now registering for two classes: "Introduction to Mythology" and "The Tragedies of Euripides". Both classes will be taught by Dr. Erez Natanblut, a former Queen's University prof. who recently moved back to his hometown of Montreal. You can find more information on their Web site here.

Delightfully Dry

Alas, no pictures today! I am two chapters away from finishing Dry: a Memoir by Augusten Burroughs. Many of you might be familiar with him as the bestselling author of Running With Scissors. This is my first foray into the world of Augusten Burroughs and I absolutely love it. His book is everything that I look for in a good read: complex characters, unique descriptions, a well-paced plot. As well, I love that there are many details in this book that can only be described as uncomfortable and politically incorrect. Burroughs is a fearless writer who confesses his own profound vulnerability while being totally in control of his craft.

Dry starts when Burroughs is 24 years old. He lives in Manhattan and makes a lot of money working in advertising even though his formal education ended in elementary school. Besides a lack of schooling, he explains that at the age of 13, his mother gave him away to her lunatic psychiatrist who adopted him. He then lived a life of "squalor, pedophiles, no school and free pills." It is no surprise then to learn that at 24, despite having a successful career, Burroughs is also an alcoholic. The book follows him through his adventures being forced into rehab and his recovery afterwards. It is full of eccentric characters and unique life perspectives. I can't wait to finish it to see if the ending is as satisfying as the rest of the novel.

I have checked out a few sites that question whether this book is a true memoir because the details of Burrough's life seem so extraordinary and almost unbelievable. I also checked out his Web site and read what he has to say about these criticisms. I won't quote him verbatim but he basically says that the people criticizing his book come from privileged backgrounds and find his life hard to believe because they are so distanced from his reality. I love the idea that this is a memoir, but if a few details are embellished, who cares? It's still a great read.

That is all for today dears!
ciao
xx

C-R-A-W-L-I-N-G Along

I am presently reading Success by Martin Amis. 'Tis a lovely, messed up book full of profanity.

Life crawls at a snail's pace of late.

Song: Of Montreal-Id Engager