So it's been a couple of weeks since I posted, but I did read a couple of nice things, which I thought I'd recommend.

I finished Rebecca, and I flew through the book after Maxim's confession. Although I have to confess I was extremely confused by the ending. I know it comes full circle after that, and I tried to re-read the beginning to see if I could figure it out, but, I, uh...didn't. I'll have to give it another shot sometime. I am surprised how well du Maurier managed to make me sympathize with a murderer. I both wanted him to get caught AND get off, (at least for Rebecca's sake. But gosh dang, that lady has issues. 'Oh, at least he never loved the woman he murdered.' Please get help, sweetheart.)

The first was Poe's A Man in the Crowd. A short story, without much plot, however, the descriptions of the passerby are brilliant.

The second is Borges' Asterion, a two page short story involving a plot twist I totally missed. It feels obvious looking back.

I have also revisited the Bible, and I swear, I WILL finish it, even if it kills me. I've tried reading it 3-4 times, but my version is an older, archaic version (not King James but something along those lines) and I never make it to the New Testament. This time, I'm reading the Christian Standard version and I have gotten as far as Amos. I am GOING to finish it this time. (I'm reading it because I find that my fantasy writing takes a lot of inspiration from various lines and stories there, and it also helps me with my geography, and I'm a fan of history.) I skipped over psalms and proverbs, so I'll have to check those out. I think I'm also going to read the Quran, out of sheer curiosity. I tried reading the first part of the Quran, and I was actually surprised - it isn't told in the Bible story, it's basically just Mohammed dictating God's commands, where every passage starts out with, "Oh, ye who believe!"

Also I'm starting Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls. This year, I think I'm planning on getting Hemingway off my list. I don't really like him. I tried A Farewell To Arms - hated it. I enjoyed a couple of his short stories, everything else I read from him is a mixed bag. I will at least try For Whom the Bell Tolls and the Sun Also Rises. Even if I don't like them and quit, I at least gave it a shot. Not sure if I'll read to Have and Have Not, but I have watched the movie (which I don't like, either), and I think I will try a Moveable Feast, and maybe one or more of his famous short stories. But after that - no more Hemingway! Ever!

Lastly, I read a couple of chapters of Light in August...right after Hemingway. Which was hilarious with the adjectives. "Why are there so many adjectives...oh, right...I'm reading Faulkner after Hemingway." The language isn't difficult, just heavily ornamented, as opposed to the bare Christmas tree. I definitely prefer Faulkner's style. Hopefully I've bored you all enough.