Books books books!

I like books. I also like buying things that are inexpensive.

I was at Chapters last week looking for a hot pink Bible (!!) and I found one that was terrific. But alas, it was $40 and that seemed a little steep for something that could almost fit in my back pocket.

So I checked out this online bookstore called Better World Books that I had bookmarked months ago but never really looked at... I found the same Bible for $20. Then I found out that international shipping is only $4 regardless of the destination. Then I also learned that they use carbon-free shipping (which I'm not exactly clear on but I know it's better for the environment) and a portion of the money I spend on every single book goes towards charities that focus on worldwide literacy, etc. So it was basically a triple-whammy and I got super excited and felt excellent whipping out my credit card for a package of goodness that will arrive in 7-10 days and is $15 cheaper in total than the same thing Chapters offered (without much customer service, may I add..).

So pretty much what I'm saying is forget about Chapters. Except for magazines because they're pretty cheap anyways. Even though my annual bill for my Elle Canada subscription is only $12 for 12 issues. As for books though, I'm totally sold on this site. The link is http://www.betterworldbooks.com/

And in case you're wondering about what their selection could possibly be like if they're so cheap, check out this photo of their warehouse. Crazy.





Also, get your hands on "Hallelujah" by Kate Voegele. She has the voice I've always dreamed of. And in case you like theatre, Les Miserables is playing at the Arts Club and it looks great. Bard on the Beach is doing Othello and three others this summer; their link is to your right. I really like recommending things, apparantly.

"before we fall asleep..."

We’re all busy. Meditating monks in their cells are busy. That’s adult life, filled to the ceiling with things that need doing. (It seems only children and the elderly aren’t plagued by lack of time—and notice how they enjoy their books, how their lives fill their eyes.) But every person has a space next to where they sleep, whether a patch of pavement or a fine bedside table. In that space, at night, a book can glow. And in those moments of docile wakefulness, when we begin to let go of the day, then is the perfect time to pick up a book and be someone else, somewhere else, for a few minutes, a few pages, before we fall asleep...


I'm far to busy to write anymore, but this is from Yaan Martel's letter to Stephen Harper. He sends him a book every two weeks and you can see them all if you click on the appropriately titled link somewhere to your right.

In six weeks I never have to sit in a lecture hall again and then hopefully I'll get back to this thing because life will be exciting and full of beaches and skydiving or something.

The Library

I never go to the library.

I know this sounds strange, and you're probably thinking, "but Amanda! You're mildly nerdy, sort of bookish and reclusive! You love to learn! How do you avoid the library?!" Well, let me tell you. I like buying books because I highlight the crap out of them and then lend them to friends. Plus, having a bookshelf full of things I've read (I've read my height in books in the past two years!) makes me look intellegent and well-balanced (foolery!).

But alas, I'm now a poor college kid and I can't afford to buy lovelies such as Moby Dick, Hard Times, Pride and Prejudice, Treasure Island, etc etc (I did though; it's the "I'm clearly an English major" kind of spending problem). So, after racking up a serious bill at the bookstore, I ventured into the library, hanging my head in shame.

I didn't make it to the books, though: I was incredibly distracted by the shelves of DVDs and CDs! There are occasionally good DVDs like SNL's Best of Christopher Walken and 2001: A Space Oddysey, but what's even greater is the indie music collection! I've found Tegan & Sara, Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire, Metric, Tokyo Police Club, etc. I got far too excited to be in a library so I got out my card and swipe swipe swiped - and it sure felt nice not to punch in a pin or sign a receipt.

So, for any poor people out there who love books, never fear! Take all of the money you would spend on music, movies, and rentals and spend it all on books and highlight away! Then just mosey on down to the library and get your media fix there.

This is great news for me. I'm listening to Franz Ferdinand for free while I make my book wishlist (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is next up!). I know you're probably thinking, "Amanda, after this very nerdy blog entry, didn't you ever think just to borrow books from the library as well?" Well, I could do that. But let's face it, when you have a literary spending problem, baby steps are key, and forfeiting my Chapters bill isn't something I'm ready to put on my plate just yet.

Life of Pie by Yaan Martel

"For the love you bring wont mean a thing unless you sing, sing sing sing!" - Travis


The first time I heard about Yaan Martel was in English 11 when his novel Life of Pie was one of my reading options; I didn't choose it. But last year, his name was in the papers because he vowed to send Stephen Harper a book every two weeks as a response to how the Prime Minister cut funding to the arts in Canada. You can read the letters he sends with each book online and so I did; I loved the way he wrote and so I finally picked up a copy of Life of Pie and loved it like fireworks.

It's a fairly quick read even though the book looks a little chubby. Martel introduces the protagonist, Pi, as an Indian boy who is the child of a zookeeper and a bit confused about what he believes. Pi becomes stranded on a lifeboat with animals as company, and he narrates what the months are like as they pass.

It's an interesting plot, because it's really a book about hardly any action - the boy sits and the animals sit and the sun shines - but it's so easy to engage in. Plus, it's had one of the better endings I've read in a book lately, and if you read it you'll understand why.

http://wwwh.whatisstephenharperreading.ca
Life of Pi at Chapters.ca

Interesting things

This week's heavy rotation list:

-Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
-Apple-raspberry pie
-Modest Mouse's most recent album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
-Season 3 of Friends
-Strawberry candles
-Literary essays from Lit 12

I don't feel the need to elaborate upon any of these items because I think they speak for themselves, but I do think that if you aren't reading a book, if you haven't baked in some time, if you need some new music, if your television is lonely, if your house is smelly, or if you need a good laugh, invest your rainy evenings in the things I invest my rainy evenings in. That way, you'll love the weather that you used to hate.

"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe, Life Goals

I just finished an American Literature course at SFU - the title was "The Career of Deviance in American Literature," which meant we did a lot of readings involving strange people, strange events, and strange crimes. Subsequently, I feel very well read because not only did we cover a lot of material, we covered a lot of incredibly difficult and complex material. I'm talking Melville, James, Hawthorne, Lippard, Thoreau, and POE.

Edgar Allan Poe was one of my favorite writers (surpassed only by Herman Melville and his novella, "Bartleby, the Scrivener") because he's dark and twisted and exemplifies perversity (not the sexual kind) and deviance perfectly. His short story, "The Black Cat," may very well be the best short story I've ever read.

It's only five pages, I'll love you more than bacon if you read it.

http://www.online-literature.com/poe/24/


Also, I've been thinking more about my future and my temporary dislike of school. I've decided to quit being foolish, so my plans of being an astronaut and whatever else I brainstormed are going down the drain faster than Avril's career. However, I have made a list of things I would like to accomplish, preferrably in the next few years. My Life Goals are:

-Travel to India and other parts of Asia
-Learn sign language and Braille
-Learn to Banghra dance
-Punch somebody in the face
-Paint something humungous on the concrete in the Bog so it shows up on Google satellite

I have a feeling the first thing that will happen will be the punch because I've never been in a fight and I watch Fight Club constantly, I have quite a bit of sass, and I know some very annoying people - one in particular. Melville would say that he is "an intolerable incubus." This is why everybody should read Melville.

W.B. Yeats

Last semester I had enormous issues registering for courses at SFU because it's difficult to get into the small upper division English courses. I ended up taking a British Literature (from 1900-1945) course and LOVED it, probably more than any other English course I've taken except for the pre-1900 American Literature class I'm in now (I actually took it for the same reason as the last). Not only did my professor look like Dr. House, he was remarkably smart and sure knew how to plan a course. We read work from several different authors, but my favorite was W.B. Yeats. After reading his Complete Works, I fell in love with his writing and now consider him to be my favorite poet after William Shakespeare (the prologue to Romeo and Juliet just does it for me...). I found this poem and read it over and over again before posting it on my fridge and giving to to everyone I knew. It's definatly my favorite poem of all time, including anything by Shakespeare. There's something dark about it and something light about it; it is completely real and not trying to be romantic but it is quite possibly one of the most romantic poems ever written. If this makes sense at all, this poem reminds me of an oil painting done with rich warm tones, or a campfire by a lake with the stars shining.

"When You Are Old"

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)

The Canterbury Tales, Even Pidgeons go to Heaven, The Kitchen

Unfortunatly, I plan on destroying my afternoon by writing a paper about the Canterbury Tales, and although I enjoyed reading parts of it, I do NOT want to write ten pages on why the Nun's Priest's Tale is funny, mostly because it wasn't. It was a parable about a chicken and a rooster and bluntly comments on male and female gender roles. I dislike Medival comedy, ten page papers, barnyard animals, and gender roles. Especially gender roles. I've been learning about gender roles since my first year at SFU and the only thing I've ever taken away from such lessons is that I am a girl and that is why I act like a girl. Regardless of my dislike for sections of the Canterbury Tales, I suggest that if you have a half hour, Google search the Wife of Bath prologue and tale and give it a quick read through (find the modern translation, I'm sure you'd hate the Old English more than myself.) because she is actually funny, and is a totally fresh and wild break from what has been written about women over the years.

Also, I have two more suggestions pour vous, since it's the weekend and I'm sure most people that read this aren't going out to party (because that's boring). They are:

One of the nominated short animated films from the Oscars is called "Even pidgeons go to heaven" and I know I've mentioned it before although I don't remember the details I gave. WATCH IT! It's ten minutes and super cute, super funny, etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agRX7w-2xRE

Also, there's this great local band called The Kitchen (don't try and Google that, what a nightmare) that I saw live last fall at the SFU pub (they played with Stabilo and it was incredible). They have a really fantastic funk vibe and are very well put together. You can listen to three of their songs at their Myspace ("Flow" is my favorite). http://www.myspace.com/kitchenmusic



Also, HI MIRIAM! I have your umbrella, you left it in the car today :)

There Will Be Blood, Melville

I dislike initial blog posts because there's this unspoken need to introduce yourself to the people who already know you. I'm not going to do this.

It's sunny today and I ate bacon and I don't want to research bullying or the Canturbury Tales or George Lippard or Measure for Measure, so I made a blog that I'll get bored of in a few weeks and throw away, but whatevz.

I saw There Will be Blood and it's so minty fresh it should come with it's own mini breath strips. It makes me super stoked for the Oscars, and I don't know how my papers are going to get written while I'm busy watching Gone Baby Gone and Michael Clayton this weekend. Go see it! It's not about oil, it's about ying and yang and Daniel Day Lewis is my new it-man.

Also, get your hands on Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener". It's a short story that I adore, and the blog title is from it. It'll blow your mind, I'm sure.