Finally, I have finished that book! For the past few weeks I have been struggling through a book of nonfiction: The Child that Books Built by Francis Spufford.
At first, I identified with him in the details of a book lover's life - the palpable silence that falls over a house when every inhabitant is absorbed in a book. Things like that. And I also rather enjoyed his Jungian discussions of the forest as the necessary uncertainty in childhood stories and fairytales.
But soon the book turned into a sort of autobiography through his book phases and I lost interest, but, unusually for me, kept plodding through to the end. Ah well. Over now.
I bought it over a year ago because of the title and because the cover image was one of Archimboldo's overcreative images called The Librarian - a man made of books. He was what, the Dali of the 17th-18th C.?
Goodness me, in the past week, we have lost Il Papa, Prince Rainier, and some American novelist.
Is Prince Charles's already-jinxed marriage to Camilla to be sandwiched between a papal and a state funeral? Dear me. It bodes ill for the couple.
Anyone noticed how sneaky they were with the public? First, they announced the wedding and that she would be princess consort and merely Duchess of Cornwall (the Prince's own duchy which funds his private life with MRS Parker-Bowles). That smoothed us all over for a while.
Now they are telling us that she will be called HRH, and to top it all, Princess of Wales - which means whoever William marries will be bereft of that title...no such thing as a Dowager Princess, is there?
They've practically already hinted to us that she'll be Queen next! Spare us...
Verbal exchange coming home today:
[Eric barking wildly as he does when anyone enters or exits the house]
Me: It's alright Eric, only me! [more barking] Er du vitless Ericur? (Are you crazy Eric? in Icelandic)
Suzy: What?
Me: Er du vitless, Ericur?
Suzy: What?
(Then I explained.)
He is, I believe, Michael's nephew's dog which they are dogsitting for a couple of weeks. In a burst of goodwill this morning, he followed me up to my room with my breakfast tray. Usually he just pretends I'm not there unless I'm in the kitchen, when he comes in to wag and make eyes at me. He's a funny-looking old (?) with floppy, bat-like ears and his eyes are close together. He's good until he does his old donkey bark.
Well, I shall take my sehr verlassen self and get some sleep for my third day at the picture library. Oh yes, my German improved much through translating captions today. It is such a silly language, no offense to anyone. I love the way they make compound words, which literally translated come out hilarious.
Right, am off for real this time.
P.S. If you liked the Overheard in New York website, I might start my own Overheard at No. 33 comments. M & S say the funniest things to each other sometimes.
6 comments:
I was at dinner with a bunch of Italians last night (I always am) and they had a theory that the date clash of the Papal funeral/royal wedding is the Catholic's church long-awaited revenge on Henry VIII, he he.
I was at dinner with a bunch of Italians last night (I always am) and they had a theory that the date clash of the Papal funeral/royal wedding is the Catholic's church long-awaited revenge on Henry VIII, he he.
You should do your own overheard at 33. It could be quite funny. I did enjoy the little diddy about the dog. And its true, do many things have happened lately.
I had no idea you spoke Icelandic, thats cool
Hey miss multilingual,
I am trying to catch up on your blog, it might take a while, i got really behind.
Talk about German, I am reading a German novel. A lot of words are coming back to me. Yeah!! maybe we'll speak german next time....
vanessa
Nej, nein, ochi...I don't speak Icelandic, or German, or Greek, but I fling out bits of them from time to time, that's all.
Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut.
I think I know more Icelandic now, though, because I've been spending time with Amma (my grandma), and she's forgotten the little Greek she did know...and the year I took at uni went in one ear and out the other. All I can do is read and write it, which is what I'd taught myself years ago anyway. Blah. BUT we all gotta love languages, n'est-ce pas?
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