Hi JoAnn, two others also said I slipped off their feed for a while but I don’t know why either. Hmm. It seems you’ve been pretty busy to post once a week but it’s always good to see your posts whenever they come. I hope you continue.
I think I received good context by listening to Huck Finn first before James but the story wasn’t my favorite. I liked parts here & there and the idea of the story — but other parts were too much. And a bit harsh to hear. See what you think.
I’ve been watching some of the Miami tennis Open. Steamy there. We’re having one last snow flurry before temps rise this week. Enjoy your reading.

James sounds like a great read, but I’d like to reread Huck Finn first. Don’t think I liked it much when I was in school, but I like your idea of listening.

Hope your snow has melted by now and spring has arrived in your corner of the world. Happy Easter!

Hi Tracy, good points. I sort of agree: best not to change anyone’s words in a book. As you say: you have the option to read it or not, but it’s as the author intended it to be at the time. The Tom Sawyer book in 1876 and Huck Finn in 1884 seem a bit a world apart. One seems much more complex than the other. I think I’m done with them now but good to revisit one last time.
Interesting about your blog posts. I don’t know how you used to fit in all those posts. It seems more manageable now. Do not stress. But I know what you mean – it can feel like that.
I hope you can get into your garden soon. I feel like warmer temps will soon be here. Enjoy!

Thanks Jane, great comments. I’m enjoying the True Grit audio so far, love Tartt’s reading of it. Glad you liked it.
You read a lot of quality books so have much to post. Your posts are always fun to read — informative too. You seem to flourish with seat-of-your pants posts!
And I think we have had the same response to Twain’s books (and the King & Duke parts!): I liked Tom Sawyer but had trouble liking HF.
I wonder if Towles was trying for a modern-day HF story? I look forward to your review of The Lincoln Highway, which is one I haven’t read yet.
Have a great week — I’ll see if I can post anything from the road. lol.

I love it when you include dog pictures.

About blogging, in my ideal world, I would write a review for every book I read (which I did do for about five years when I first started blogging), I would have a monthly post to list my reading for the month, and I would have two or three posts a month on short stories, and some miscellaneous posts like Six Degrees of Separation or Top Ten Tuesdays. That is beyond me now, and I am retired. So I just try to do what I can, and not stress about it. The not stressing about it is not working so well but that is still my goal. If I do a short story post it is always on Wednesday. Otherwise, whenever I can get a post together is when it goes out. Very much still a work in progress.

Re Twain’s books, I think I must have read both The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but I have no memory of it. Now, at this point, I would not read Huckleberry Finn, but I might read Tom Sawyer. Personally I would not change the words in a book; either read it as is or just don’t read it. But everyone has a right to their own opinion.

Survey question: schedule???? I really only post when I realize it has been way too long since my last post or I have something I absolutely, positively have to share. Mostly it is completely haphazard, seat of the pants, and somewhat stream of consciousness. If my readers are lucky, I take the time to proof it and correct my many typos, but not always!

I loved Tom Sawyer when I read it as a kid. I didn’t like Huck Finn when I tried it–most was over my head without the charm of TS, and the King and Duke parts were mind-numbing and I skimmed them. I listened to it roughly 15 years ago and did like it and appreciate it for the role it has had in American lit. But, I’m not sure it has the legs to really survive the time of time much longer.

I recently finished Lincoln Highway and near the end was struck by the notion that it was sort of a modern-day (circa 1950s) version of HF. I need to think about that some more and may blog about it if I can really wrap my head around it, but I don’t feel the need to revisit HF again myself.

Best wishes for a great trip and hope you find some time to read some good stuff!

Thanks Rachel, I hope to take post some photos when we get to SoCal. Should be a long drive but we are excited to get there. If we can just get out of the snow here, lol. The closer April comes, the more the snowflakes want to fly.
It’s good how you post regularly. I enjoy hearing about your reads & area.
I think Huck Finn tried my patience (though I’m glad I made it thru), so I hope Everett’s novel James will be better! I’ve heard it’s a bit brutal but worth it.
Enjoy your week. & happy reading.

I never read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and I don’t plan to. I think it would try my patience! I’m interested in hearing what you think of Percival Everett’s James. Another blogger read it and enjoyed it recently.

I do loosely plan posts. I plan on Sunday Post every week and then I have reviews I pencil in if all goes well. Sometimes I’ll do up a Top Ten Tuesday for a change if I like the topic for the week.

I hope you have fun on your trip, Susan! You’ll have to share some photos!

Ha Sam, Yeah blog posting doesn’t pay well so it’s best not to make it feel like a job. Staying flexible is a good way to think about it. You post a lot! But you finish more books than most so that figures. I’m just staying afloat posting once a week and I guess it works for what time I have.
The novel James could be a rough humdinger. You’ve mentioned Clinch’s book and Huck’s Pap seems a very rough character. Clinch seems a good author and I’d especially like to read his recent novel I think called The General and Julia about Ulysses Grant and his wife. I’m on the library list for it. Have you seen that one? I need to take a break from Huck for awhile but plan to read James maybe before summer. Happy reading & posting!

Thanks Haze. We have two Labradors (one young, one old) and they are fun but spoiled. 🙂 Usually I can get them to nap in the afternoons. They are coming on our road trip, ha.
If you’re ever looking for a chunkster book to read, try out The Goldfinch. I liked it quite a bit! It’s long but so good. I’m waiting for Tartt’s next book. lol.
Have a great week.