SUMMER READING LIST, A START

the twilight saga continues, unfortunately -- and unexpectedly -- for 'looking good in pants.' on sunday afternoon, i ran into wayne bund (PLEASE watch this video) on my way to the skidmore bluffs where i intended to slog through to the end of book one. wayne seemed disappointed that i'd not liked it better as he loved the series himself, and suggested that i watch the first two movies on dvd, see the third when it comes out at the theater, then read book four, which he had appreciated above all the others.

i was excited to reward myself with the first movie last night after finally finishing the book (the "page turner" parts of which came only after turning about 350 pages). sadly, twilight somehow managed to be even less charming on screen than on the page. put through the screenplay machine, the story lost its connection to the mood of the rustic northwest, an element of the book that was redeeming at least in its analogues to my own experience. banality of banalities, i know. so i should stop. but i think i'm going to read breaking dawn for wayne. i streamed the first half of "new moon" today at work.

in the meantime, even though summer has decided to retreat from portland for the time being, i've decided not to delay the 'looking good in pants' summer reading list any longer. or at least the first part it.

in this particular order for now, and provided easy affordable access to each title:

1. 『インディヴィジュアル・プロジェクション』("individual projection" or "private screening," maybe), kazushige abe

2. day for night, frederick reiken

3. the canal, lee rourke -- had to do something new from melville house. please don't buy the used copy at powell's beaverton before i get there on thursday.

4. the particular sadness of lemon cake, aimee bender -- update, 6/17, or maybe not. probably not. the museum of innocence, maybe. but there's still no paperback, and the thing's just so BIG.

5. 『砂の女』(the woman in the dunes), kobo abe -- don't know how i managed to get away with not reading this until now.

those should keep me busy enough until the first part of july. i'm hoping to translate a couple of yumiko kurahashi short stories this summer and serialize them here for your critique.

there were almost a dozen eggs in the fridge that needed to be used before thursday, so i made some shakshuka (sans cheese) even though i'd already eaten. it's great reheated, but it's absolutely unbelievable when it's fresh and the egg yolks still run when you pierce them. just imagine that smittenkitchen.com is in my blogroll until i get around to lining one up.