A Real Bookstore

Got up to MA a bit early yesterday (for a family birthday dinner in Westborough) so I came across, and visited, the Tatnuck Bookseller.

Since Ray Bradbury's recent passing, I vowed to pick up a compilation of short stories; he was (arguably) the first science fiction author I read ("S is for Space" and "The Illustrated Man" courtesy of Scholastic Books, sold though my catholic school) and perhaps the first adult author as well. And though the physical books I owned have been long lost, his stories resonate through my memory, and I have come to believe that some part of my moral compass is advised by Mr. Bradbury.

So I picked up a newish compilation, A Pleasure to Burn, short stories that prefigured Farenheit 451. I also found Louise Erdrich's Tracks on the bargain rack (I've read and enjoyed a few of her books, but not a rabid reader) as well as a book of related short stores, Tales of the Ten Lost Tribes by Tamar Yellin - a complete shot in the dark (I was looking for short story compilations for summer reading). It feels nice to have a couple of physical books I can tuck into a bag for a trip, an outing, or a lazy afternoon. I'd hit the library, but my reading is so sporadic and opportunistic - I rarely finish a book in a week or two that a borrowed book would require. 

It has been so long since I went book browsing. I do not shop much (for anything); the last few "I really want to read that" books went straight to my iPad, occasionally I will place an Amazon order. Tatnuck is a lovely independent (by all appearances) bookstore with a nice cafe, selection of gifts, summer reading racks, etc.

That being said, the floorspace devoted to books was a lot smaller than perhaps once upon a time, and the selection limited (perhaps a half dozen titles by Mr. Bradbury out of his dozens of published works) - one can see the allure of the "get anything you want" juggernaut amazon, or the instant gratification of the eBook.

What's on My Bookshelf...

A quick survey of things I've been reading (or have on my reading list) - in lieu of actual blog posts...

Last time I was up at Kripalu, I picked up two books by folks I worked with up there.

Recovering My Voice: A Memoir of Chaos, Spirituality, and Hope by Aruni Nan Futuronsky. Aruni facilitated a week-long workshop, really liked her energy, and the book blurb sounded interesting.

Zen Life by Daniel Levin. I've done YogaDance with Dan both up at Kripalu and at West Hartford Yoga, and am in love with his energy. The kind of book one might leave in a bathroom, on a coffee table, or by one's mat and digest in little bites.

Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth. Every third person I come across in the yoga / healing world seems to mention this book. Bout time I read it.

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg. A copy came along with my fee when I saw Sharon speak recently at West Hartford Yoga. A really nice primer on mindfulness and meditation techniques - and comes with a CD with some led meditation sessions.

Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia. I normally do not pick up this sort of thing (spoken word artists are often less endearing in print) but it was clearance at Border's so what the heck. Birbiglia charms me when I come across him on This American Life and The Moth.

Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving. Since Updike passed on, Irving and Tracy Kidder are my two remaining "must read" authors. I'll be seeing him at the CT Forum next month, so better get this read between now and then. At 554 pages, it's not light reading!

Teaching Yoga by Mark Stephens. I don't really need it but Amazon tossed it in front of me when I needed one more thing to get free shipping. If I ever sit down to read through it, I am sure I'll pick something up.

Yoga Body (Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana) by Judith Lasater. I worked with Dr. Lasater last year when she visited West Hartford Yoga, liked how she approached practice and anatomy, and found this book at Border's closing sale. It's full of great anatomical drawings and linkages between asana and anatomy. Probably a good backup reference text, and worth a refresher read through next time I'm bored. Joins my Anatomy workbook / notes (Ellen Heed) and Leslie Kaminoff's Yoga Anatomy in what is becoming a pretty solid yoga library.

I've also downloaded the Kindle App for my iPad - have not purchase anything significant yet - but I suspect the day will come. Maybe Tina Fey's new book "Bossypants" - seems like a perfect test!

RIP Alex the Parrot

Alex the parrot has passed away. "Here was a bird that in many ways did better at language than chimps."

Odd coincidence; Zippy is reading Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation, and as he's reading, I get little snippets, anecdotes, and comments - related to our dogs, dogs in general, an argument he had with his dad about animal intelligence, you name it. Just now, he started talking about a smart parrot. I recalled reading a story about a parrot that recently died. (Zippy avoids the media, so has not stumbled across the story yet) Of course its the same parrot.

Weird serendipity.

Thinking in Pictures - Temple Grandin

My train reading. I picked up (3) books by Ms. Grandin at Amazon....at the suggestion of our couples counselor, who compared Zippy's need for a calm, controlled living environment to Ms. Grandin's work with autism. I left the others back at the house for Zippy.

I cannot tell you how much that concept / insight has helped me so far - it made me look at Zippy's energy and needs much differently. I guess I've always seen it as different than my own needs (and probably less good) - but really its just different without a value. And instead of trying to react to Zippy, I need to kind of work with him proactively to make our shared environment and my interactions with him less abrasive, less agitating.

Mother Teresa's Crisis of Faith

An article in Time magazine, online here.

A new book, by Mother Teresa's postulator - Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, has some pretty incredible revelations. In short, "...for the last nearly half-century of her life she felt no presence of God whatsoever - or, as the book's compiler and editor, the Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, writes, "neither in her heart or in the eucharist."

Wow. As a seeker myself this is haunting, and quite beautiful. It is one thing to be touched by the divine and to toil in the glow of certainty. To have lived the life she lived with such doubts, such yearning.....

Definitely on my reading list....