THE SECRET GARDEN *

"One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live for ever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvellous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange
unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun--which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands of years. One knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone's eyes."

The beginning of chapter twenty-one of Frances Hoddgson Burnett's classic 1911 children's book is perhaps the only passage worthy of my time. Reading it for the first time in my life (and now, as, well, at least an older child--come on, I'm still a kid!), I guess I expected what I got. It was childish and dull, thank goodness I was able to, in the later chapters, start skimming the text and still know exactly what was happening. In any case, this passage was just great and so full of feeling -- thank you Frances for that at least! It made me smile and feel warm inside, something akin to those great Czech liquors I've tasted...

My suggestion: Don't read it, unless you've got a daughter you're reading to, or you're required to do so because, oh, I don't know, you're going on a children's theatre tour of the show and perhaps you're a good, responsible artist and for the sake of your craft you're going to do your homework.

METROLAND **

“The easy answer is, you know when you’re in love, because there’s no way you can doubt it, any more than you can doubt when your house is on fire. That’s the trouble, though: try to describe the phenomenon and you get either a tautology or a metaphor. Does anyone feel any more that they are walking on air? Or do they merely feel as they think they would feel if they were walking on air? Or do they merely think they ought to feel as if they are walking on air?”

This strange coming-of-age story by Julian Barnes follows this protagonist throughout his life as he journeys through Paris and meets all sorts of people (read: women). In any case, it was something to pass the time and I got a good passage out of it.

My suggestion: Only if you're on a desert island and you're allowed four (not the standard three) items should you bring it along. But hey, what are used book sales for if not for strange, cheap paperbacks?

EARLIER READS

THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE
John Irving
****
Excellent. Rich. Fun.

KISS ME LIKE A STRANGER
Gene Wilder
*****
Intelligent and witty. An honest and encouraging read -- lots of
information on the craft of acting from one of the comedic masters.
A must, for everyone. I don't care who you are -- he writes for
people. It's a book people want to read. It's about LIFE, which
nobody writes about, at least, not that I've found until Wilder's text.

THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES
Tom Wolfe
***
A fast, albeit long, mystery novel from the man in the white
suit. Hell, I would NEVER want to spend a day in jail after some of
his (probably kind) descriptions.

IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS
Tim O'Brien
**
Too bad, because I had expected a lot more from the author of
"THE THINGS THEY CARRIED." A simple mystery story that really isn't
that inviting or exciting -- I didn't care what happened to her, or
him for that matter.