At long last I'm done.

I finally finished Musashi today.  It was a long read. This was the longest book I’ve ever read in my whole life, and I’m old. It was a subject matter I’m not particularly drawn to. But, I’m ever so glad I did. First of all the challenge was something I wanted to challenge myself with. It’s easy to read books you are familiar with, but one out of your comfort zone is not so easy. I love that Jenners was honouring her dad by reading this, he had good taste and a tremendous amount of patience, I don’t know of any man, other than my boys, who would have read such a lengthy book. (the males in my social circle are not readers). So while I found this long and most of all I found the book was really heavy to carry around with me I really enjoyed the challenge and the fact that I completed it, albeit late.  I'm going to link you to Jenners blog.  She writes a wonderful review of the last book of nine in the epic story. Throughout the book though many images floated to my mind.  Many times I felt like Homer Simpson who couldn't concentrate on what's at hand.  Images of Ninja's entered, and Monty Python's search for the Holy Grail all that nonesense.  And yet it really was a good read, a lot of killing and miscommunication, but interesting nonetheless. So now that I'm so into samurai's I must watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles again, and the Last Samurai, and... and I have this weird craving for rice cakes and sake.  So tomorrow I can continue the Lotus Eaters, it's not nearly as long a book as Musashi.

In Honour of June Cleaver...

The Beavers Mom

Do you remember June Cleaver, I do. We didn't have a T.V. when I was growing up, so watching the Beaver was something I did when I was nursing my first son. He seemed to really enjoy that music and relaxed and nursed well. This was a trying experience for me, although well worth it, trying. Anyway, we recently lost June Cleaver, Barbara Billingsley, how sad. I always loved her dresses, would that I could look that put together anytime, let alone while I was cleaning out the fireplace. As Jenny says, "I hope you changed out of your P.J.s..." I do really change out of them,reluctantly but I do, although I got on the bus the other day and a lady around my age or older got on with her p.j.'s on. But that's Hamilton for you, they say big cities are weird, trust me you ain't seen nothing yet, if you haven't gotten on the Barton Bus in Hamilton, such and education you couldn't pay for.

So in honour of June Cleaver, I can't dress like her, I'm too large, so I'm reading Sleeping With Ward Cleaver. Mary Boofan recently posted a review on this book and it stuck in my mind, and quite honestly my arms are killing me from reading Musashi, I need a little light reading. I was so ticked with my husband the other day, I thought, "Ward wouldn't do that"... and so I order myself a treat, it arrived today. I'll be packing light for my trip tomorrow.

Book photo from the book I own.

Musashi Read a Long

I should have posted my review on October 11th for our read a long, but quite honestly with cooking the Turkey and making the pies, and running to the bathroom (still have issues), I just couldn't think well. So I thought in the peace of the morning with my coffee in hand thoughts will just come pouring out to me. Just to remind you I'm a natural blonde. I'm enjoying this book more than I expected. I can put it down though, if only because it's so heavy. I don't find it's one of those books, at the moment, that you stay up to read. So my son is at home on reading week, and I'm wondering how is it that he seems to know so much about this book and Musashi. I've never seen him read it, (I would have, it's a big book). I know he's into Chinese/ Japanese cultural studies and perhaps that's it, but then this morning I'm scanning the web for something else, and thought I'll just scan for Musashi. Well it's also a video game. Need I say more.

I won't bore you with my review, you can read wonderfully worded and researched ones at Life... with books and At Home with Books Jenners and Alyce are wonderfully creative book review artists, which I am not. But I know what I like. Book two proves to be an interesting journey for the characters we met in book one. Our hero, Musashi continues to find himself,albeit a little violently, a little more humble, but still seeking, as is Otsu who is still searching for him. This part could have been a sit com situation, like on Lucy or Seinfeld. My search this morning was for a map of Japan of this time and that's how I stumbled on the video game. I need to have a recipe for these things to keep, who's who straight and where are they. I particularly like how the "homes of fun" are called tea houses.

Musashi, read a long... book 1, Earth

Today was to be my first review post for our read a long of Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa. Jenners over at life with books is our hostess. I'm linking you in, because all I really can say is "what she said". I'm enjoying this book, never expected it to be this easy to read, and yes it's rather long, but somehow it doesn't seem overwhelming. I enjoy reading historical fiction, and I needed to get out of the Tudors for awhile. My headeaches slowed my reading down, but I'll be back on track for book two.