Monday, January 14, 2008

Post Secret

I'll probably have time to write a better blog later today, but I'm phoning it in this morning just in case.


You need to visit this site every week. http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

People send these arty postcards with their deepest - and sometimes not so deep - secrets on them, and some of them get published on the site. There are also a few Post Secret books that have been published as well. I've paged through them in the bookstore occasionally, so sometime I should actually buy one.

Sidenote - I was thinking last night about my reading patterns. I generally go to Borders to browse, but end up buying about 5 books to last me about 2 months. Why not go to a library? I have a love-hate relationship with libraries, seeing as I can count the number of times I used my college library on both hands (using each hand only once. I don't know if that metaphor works). That's another post.


I think maybe I should start buying my favorite authors in bulk and read through their collected works as a private reading project this year. I did this with Philip Roth in college, which culminated into a 30 page paper discussing trends in his novels, short stories and memoirs; I got independent study credit for it, and the kicker is it was truly enjoyable. Maybe I can pick up the John Irvings that I haven't read yet, reread some favorites, and write a little essay on him. Okay, maybe not that far, but it would be nice to have a focused reading project.


I'd have to buy them online, to get better prices. No use paying $15 for a book at Borders when I can get a decent used one for $1 from an Amazon Marketplace. Tip of the day.


So there's that,


Laura


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

AAAAHHHH! PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT! One of the funniest books I've read in my entire life! I thought I would choke on his story of going to the meatmarket to buy liver and later sitting down and realizing he fucked the family dinner!

Laura said...

AAAAHHHH! I'm so glad you know that book! I love it! There are parts of it that even make me cry - like when he talks about how he wants to be a man like his dad, who comes home on a Sunday from playing softball, the sweat making rivulets in his dirt-stained skin. Something like that. It made me weepy.

And who can forget the liver-vagina?

You should read one of his short story books - Goodbye Columbus and Other Short Stories. "The Conversion of the Jews" and "Eli, the Fanatic" will make you cry. I should just copy those two and send them to you. Yay Beav!

Anonymous said...

I think I read "Goodbye Columbus" and "The Conversion of the Jews". It's just been so long ago....late '60's or '70's.