How many have you read?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/204478/?q=/name:0/type:0/range:0/page:1

I'm at 27... good thing I have one more year of English-majoring to get that number up!

Beach Reads!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106650177

Go vote! I had SUCH a hard time deciding... only ten?

I've done it

I've MadMen'ed myself. Thank you to the Lipp sisters at Basket of Kisses for tipping me off to this! Go here to do it to yourself... I'm still not done playing ;0

Oh, Sylvia

http://jwes.tumblr.com/post/137507085/haleywordeater-maidmarian-highcontrast

Revolutionary Road

I picked up a copy of this earlier in the year when the film first came out in theaters. I'm a big believer in reading the book before seeing the movie... I know I'll want to read the book eventually, and I don't want the plot to be spoiled!

I truly enjoyed the book. I think Richard Yates was a gifted writer with a keen eye for the often tragically beautiful American psychological landscape. The book had overtones of Mad Men, which is one of my favorite shows (this blog, entirely devoted to the AMC golden child, is a daily read). However, it seems that Matt Weiner, Mad Men's creator had never heard of the book.

Unfortuneately, the movie just didn't do it for me. I loved the actors (how could anyone not adore seeing Kate and Leo reunited in a cute white clapboard house in the NYC suburbs?) but it didn't capture the spirit of the book. Also, I think the producers of Mad Men are correct in playing up the glamour of the era as they focus on the serious issues. A lot of that mystique went by the wayside in the film. Not much to say other than that if you didn't enjoy the movie or haven't seen it, I encourage you to turn to the book instead!

(fairly) recent reads

Finished Jen Lancaster's Pretty in Plaid. Did not fail to please... but I think I've read too many Jen books because her humor didn't seem as outrageous to me in this book... maybe because it focused on a younger and less snappy period of her life and temperment, but I fear that I'm becoming used to her attitude. No worries because today she requested to FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER. I think I've arrived ;)

Finished Lydia Peelle's Reasons For and Advantages of

Breathing. This was a pre-release read, but I encourage you all to take a look when it comes out on the 21st. She's a beautiful new writer from Nashville who has a way of capturing both the

spirit of nature and humanity. These are

short stories, which I don't normally turn to, but I promise this are easily-digested and not at all prosaic-- will not dissapoint.

It's not as silly as it sounds, but I also finished Phyllis Reynold's Naylor's Intensely Alice. I've been reading this series since childhood and feel like Alice is part friend, part sister, and part me. I don't expect many of you will pick up this book, just being

honest in my sharing :)

Bon reading :)

-ACL

Another Lovely Weekend on the Cape

A little sunburned from boat-cruising and the 80 degree temps in Boston on Sunday during the Sail Boston exhibit of "the tall ships," I've returned from quite a nice weekend.

In between changing a tire outside the Vineyard Vines store on Saturday night, glasses of wine in the hottub on Friday and a late lunch at the lovely Miel Brasserie on the water at the Boston Intercontinental Hotel on Sunday, I concentraed on magazine reading this weekend, zipping through New York magazine's Summer issue and the August issues of Vogue and Vanity Fair. My favorite Vanity Fair item in its partial form here... I'll admit to being choosey about my subway reading in fear of the judgmental eyes of other passengers!

Listening to...

Regina Spektor. She's been a favorite of mine since I became obsessed with 2007's Fidelty and Samson, from her debut album. Her new one, Far, is a must-listen. And equally brilliant.

A Meditative Post

CAUTION LONG AND SLIGHTLY SELF-INVOLVED, PONDERING POST AHEAD

When I first started my blog, I had very little idea of what I actually wanted it to be. Primarily, I knew I wanted a place from which I would conduct a dialogue with the other blog writers who I began to follow last summer.

I also was ready for my own outlet; I've never been a committed journaler or diarist, but while doing some soul-searching last summer/fall, I kept a beautiful Cath Kidston notebook turned planner turned thougt collector until it was full of notes, quotes, musings and information from my life that I had deemed important enough to write down at some point. Essentially, it was an inspiration notebook; I guess it loosely fits into the "journal" category. Maybe more of the "disorganized scrapbook" one.

I think this notebook was the genesis of this blog. Except that the notebook was private. This endeavor, inherently, is not. However, my blog is anonymous to my readers and a complete secret to my friends and damily, and true to my borderline-perfectionist nature, I believe it will reamin this way until I have it just the way I want it. Now, I realize a blog is an ever-evolving thing, and I don't know if the kind of stasis I desire can be found with this sort of an outlet.

Either way, this blog will continue to evolve and change as I want it to-- because it's my digital version of that gorgeous notebook. So I ask you to bear with me; hang in there as the image and content of this blog change to become what they are meant to be.

I hope to be more candid, straight-forward, and focused (in my own way) with this project in the upcoming months *when I have the time!*

PS The name of my domain and the bloggy-provider I user are subject to change as well. I am not satisfied with either at the moment, but I'm brainstorming.