People Reading

January 9, 2012 Monday afternoon -- Reading Kilmister and Stockett -- Queensland, Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:46:00 +0000

On a boat ripping across the Coral Sea, heading shore-ward after a visit to the reef
Reading White Line Fever, by Lemmy Kilmister while her mother reads The Help, by Katheryn Stockett. She got the book from her boyfriend for Christmas. Her mother picked up her book at Costco. Their favorite books are, respectively, Scar Tissue, by Anthony Kied, a biography about the Red Hot Chili Peppers, for its honesty, and Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, for its descriptions.
After we got off the boat I headed over to the library. In the trees around library, thousands of fruit bats hang upside down chattering to each other in high pitched squeaks. At sunset, the bats emerge from the trees and cover the whole sky. Near the city lagoon, you can lay on your back and see hundreds of bats overhead.
The librarian I talked to recommended the following Queensland authors: Xavier Herbert, who writes about Queensland history and Treziese Percy, who writes children's books.

December 31, 2011, Saturday night -- Sydney, Australia -- Reading F. Scott Fitzgerald

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Just before sunset on the brink of the new year
Waiting for the fireworks (that are so spectacular people start camping out along the harbor at 6am on the 31st), and reading The Great Gatsby. The Australian film director, Baz Luhrmann, who did Strictly Ballroom, is filming it in Manly, a suburb of Sydney. Leonardo DiCaprio is in town.

Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice, or maybe The Lord of the Rings.

Happy New Year!

Picture: Tim Hunter Source: The Sunday Telegraph

October 9, Sunday afternoon -- Reading Chris Adrian

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:13:00 +0000

At Buena Vista Park during Litquake
Chris Adrian reading Chris Adrian.
To an audience of literati and fairies
I vote for more picnic readings.

October 4, Tuesday morning -- Reading Robert Crais

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:07:00 +0000

"I know it's rude, but I can't help myself," she said, casting a look at her breakfast partner.
At a cafe in Glen Park, reading Stalking the Angel, by Robert Crais. She usually reads on her Kindle (her breakfast partner gave it to her, so he can't mind her reading too much), but a coworker happened upon this book and gave it to her, knowing that Robert Crais is one of her favorite authors.
Favorite book? She doesn't have one. "I like all books," she said.

September 25, Sunday morning -- Reading Joseph Heller

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Having brunch in the Dogpatch
and reading Catch-22, by Joseph Heller. She loves reading old copies of books and a friend gave her this for her birthday last year. It's a little big to carry around, so she hasn't been reading as much lately -- she likes to read only one book at a time.

Her favorite book is Still Life with Woodpecker, by Tom Robbins.

In her free time -- she's a professional organizer (meaning creating systems to keep your house or office organized) -- she likes making ice cream. In fact, she has a rule that she doesn't bring store-bought ice cream into the house. She described to me recipes involving custard and the challenge of rainbow sherbet. On her to-buy list is The Perfect Scoop, written by David Lebovitz, photographed by Lara Hata.

(the cocktail is a whiskey express ... whiskey + espresso + other things -- at Serpentine)

September 19, Monday afternoon -- Reading Raymond Chandler

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:12:00 +0000

In Dolores Park, in weather warm enough to read in
Reading The Big Sleep, a crime novel by Raymond Chandler. The movie was good so he wanted to read the book.

He just finished reading (and recommends) The Cry of the Owl, a psychological thriller by Patricia Highsmith.

If he were to write his own book it would be about autism and creativity.

I'm wishing for a whole week of weather nice enough to read in.

August 14, Sunday afternoon -- Reading, or actually, Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:42:00 +0000

This is my sister and she's actually awake, thinking about The Best American Science and Nature Writing, edited by Freeman Dyson and Tim Folger.
We're on vacation at home in Montana with the family, and she's reading before she helps my dad rearrange his beehive. Dad picked the right child to ask for help with the bees. I would have said yes, but grudgingly. My sister, who majored in Neuroscience, when weighing things, puts scientific curiosity above the risk of getting stung.

No bee stings were sustained.

August 13, Saturday morning -- Reading Aldous Huxley

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:38:00 +0000

At the Helena, Montana farmers market

His favorite book of all time is Coraline, by Neil Gaiman.

August 10, Wednesday night -- Reading Max Brooks

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Checking IDs at Zeitgeist, the biker bar in the Mission District.
Reading World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks, the son of Mel Brooks.

I asked him what his favorite book is. Do comic books count? He asked. Yes, of course they do. Then it's Swamp Thing, a DC Comic written by Alan Moore.

Right now he's also reading Snow Crash, a cyberpunk novel by William Gibson. He likes everything by William Gibson. When people walk through the door of Zeitgieist they have been commenting on that book, and also on World War Z, as well. They've both been getting a lot of comments, he said.

August 6, Saturday afternoon -- Reading El Maestro

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:37:00 +0000

In the Mission District

Reading El Maestro, Volume 2.

July 25, Monday afternoon -- Reading John Gardner

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Across the street from where I live, my new neighbor who just moved here from North Carolina

Standing in the sun, reading On becoming a Novelist, by John Gardner, with a forward by Raymond Carver. He writes poetry and has just started writing a novel. It's about drug wars and a future where children are vaccinated against becoming drug addicts and the state controls everything.

His favorite author is Robert Jordan, who wrote the Wheel of Time fantasy series.

June 23, Thursday afternoon -- Reading Michael Jan Friedman.

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:39:00 +0000

Outside the MoMa in downtown San Francisco
Reading The Wolf Man: Hunter's Moon, by Michael Jan Friedman. He likes science fiction. His favorite book is The Point Man, a thriller by Steve Englehart, who used to be a comic book writer, then holed himself up on an island in the Mediterranean called Majorca (off the coast of Spain) and wrote this. The book is about a Vietnam War veteran who has been called to fight demons.

June 21, Tuesday evening -- Mandelieu la Napoule, France -- Reading P.D. James

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:18:00 +0000

In Mandelieu la Napoule, where the view is dominated not only by the 15 million dollar yachts that bob about on the sea, just out of swimming reach, but also by this 14th century castle -- a medieval fortress turned non-profit art foundation.
Reading Meurtres en soutane (Death in Holy Orders), by P.D. James.
She enjoys, among other things, crime novels and spiritual books, written by the authors Michael Connelly, Minette Walters, Eckhart Tolle, and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.

This is the last of the readers I was able to photograph in France. Thank you for vicariously sharing my vacation with me. Tomorrow I'll begin posting photos from San Francisco again.

June 20, Monday afternoon -- Cannes, France -- The library on the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:16:00 +0000

Pages a la Plage -- Pages on the Beach -- June 15 through September 15, 2011, open every day from ten o'clock until six o'clock, with a varied collection of books: novels, essays, mangas, cook books.

They even had a shelf of books written in English. Among others were Blindman's Bluff, by Faye Kellerman, Wine and War: The French, The Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure, by Don and Petie Kladstrup; Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane; Bare Bones, by Kathy Reichs; Cadillac Beach, by Tim Dorsey; Farenheit 9/11, by Michael Moore; Twenties Girl, by Sophie Kinsella; and Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts.

Anyone can use the library, the just have to show their ID and leave a 10 euro deposit. Books can be kept for up to 48-hours.

I checked out Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, which had English and French translations on alternate pages. Somehow, the French translation was always much longer than the English. I do not know why.

June 20, Monday afternoon -- Cannes, France -- Reading Christian Guéry

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:20:00 +0000

In Cannes, where you can do your studying on the beach
Reading Justices à l'écran: Questiones Judiciares, for school. She is a law student and has an exam in June and another in October.

When she's reading for fun, her favorite author is Paulo Coelho.

June 18, Saturday afternoon -- Monaco -- Reading Jo Nesbo

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0000

On the beach in Monaco

Reading The Leopard, a detective novel by the Norwegian author, Jo Nesbo.

No further questions.

It's not so difficult to find readers on the Riviera. Books are almost as numerous as gelato cones. What is difficult is finding readers who are either not topless women or reading near topless women, or both. Because I looked like a tourist (white, white skin and backpack), I was always a little shy about pulling out my camera amidst the topless women who, while seemingly fine with their nudity on the beach, might have had a problem with it being documented in someone's vacation photos.

June 17, Friday afternoon -- Menton, France -- Reading Raphaël Confiant

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:01:00 +0000

On the shore of the Mediterranean
Reading L'Allée des Soupirs, a novel by the French novelist, Raphaël CONFIANT.

Some of her favorite books and authors are the French author, Alexandre JARDIN, who wrote Des Gens Très Biens (Very Nice People); the Belgian author, Amélie NOTHOMB, who wrote Stupeur et Tremblement (Fear and Trembling); the American author, Marilyn FRENCH, who wrote Le Père (Our Father) and Toilette Pour Femme (Women's Room); and the French author, Benoîte GROULT who wrote La Touche étoile (Key Star - not sure about this translation).

The capital letters are her own, when she wrote the names into my notebook. I believe this is, in an International world, intended to signify surname when it otherwise might not be obvious -- some cultures write surnames before given names.)

If she were to write her own book, it would be about the lives of peasants and the work of the land.

June 16, Thursday afternoon -- Sospel, France -- Reading a collection of stories

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:06:00 +0000

In the little vacation town of Sospel, France

where, if you look up, you may see

dish washing gloves

or a reader

"Madame," I yelled. "Excusez-moi, Madame?"
A woman in a neighboring balcony got her attention for me.
"Excusez-moi, il me demande, quel est le titre de votre livre?"

Unfortunately, my French is not that good, because she was confused. From our exchange, which I abandoned before it became too painful, I learned simply that she was reading a collection of short stories.
I don't know if they are mystery stories, bible stories, biographies or what...but still more interesting than dish washing gloves.

June 13, Monday evening -- St. Martin Vesubie, France -- Reading Mr. Blague (Mr. Joke)

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:17:00 +0000

In the town of St. Martin Vesubie, where the grocery and the post office were closed, on Monday, in celebration of the religious holiday Pentecost.

Sitting on the steps across the road from his house and reading Mister Blague (Mr. Joke).

Q: How do you spot a Belgian at the airport?
A: He's the one throwing bread to the airplanes.

Q: How come the Belgians have fries and the Emirates have petrol?
A: Because on the day of creation of the world, the Belgians got to pick first.

The trough he has his feet crossed over is the town river, which has been channeled to run from the top of the town through the bottom. In the center of town three little boys deposited little boats into the irrigation channel and let them run down to the bottom. These same boys were angelically reading in the town bookshop earlier in the day....but their mother wouldn't let me photograph them for the Internet. I was surprised at how finicky the French were about appearing on the internet. I was turned down at least five times on my trip, more so than here in San Francisco.

June 12, Sunday morning -- Roure, France -- Reading Robert Merle

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:33:00 +0000

In the hamlet of Roure, a three hour walk along a circular ridge line from Roubion

On Sunday morning, standing on the front porch,

enjoying the morning air and reading L'Isle (The Island), by the French novelist, Robert Merle. It's about a ship in which there's a mutiny and the British crew realizes if they return home, they'll be hanged, so they re-stock and find a deserted island.
His favorite book is Le Comte de Monte Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo), by Alexandre Dumas, which he's read twice. Recently he was reading a biography of Cleopatra. He likes historical books with adventure.
When he was young he aspired to be a writer, but when he read Dumas, he gave up on being a writer. He decided he could never write that well. Now, he would rather just read.

He is from Avignon and is living with his brother here for a few months, building a wall in the mountains.

June 11, Saturday morning -- Roubion, France -- Reading about sheep

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Over the fields and through the woods from Beuil is the 12th-century village of Roubion, perched high on the rocks. Back in the days of feudal lords, villages were strategically built on high ground to protect themselves from attack. It's easier to defend when your enemy is approaching from below.

Shortly before lunch time we approached on this vertiginous little path...and we came in peace, with hopes of a docile exchange of Euros for cheese and salami sandwiches, and a cold drink - easily done.

The town displayed the work of the Italian painter and sculptor, Imelda Bassanello. Her work adorned the doorway of the town's communal bread oven, and, nestled in with the stone walls, were painted wood carvings of a girl with a dog, a boy with a goat...
and this painting of a little boy daydreaming with a book.
It's hard for me to read the title, but it looks like Histoire de la Fontaine du Mouton, which means History of the Fountain of the Sheep. I'm not sure if fountain is the right word.

June 10, Friday evening -- Beuil, France -- Reading author unknown

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:03:00 +0000

These next few posts will be from France, where I hiked for a week through the Alps down to the Mediterranean.

The first stop was the village of Beuil, population 500

In Beuil, at the terminus of a twisty, historic street, betwixt the Mayor's office and a grassy hill, I learned that the French no longer call their libraries bibliothèques. They call them, appropriately, médiathèques. I waited on the front porch of the médiathèque , peering in at the books, magazines, and DVDs, for about a half hour during business hours, but it remained closed. In the small villages, many businesses, including the post office, the mayor's office, the library, even the bakery, are only open for a few hours a week, and then, only when they want to be....

In Beuil I found this reader perched in a flower box

on the Rue Napoléon III (the town was annexed by Napoléon's armies)

It's a quiet place to read. In tiny villages like Beuil, the streets are narrow, so villagers don't drive through town -- they park in the town parking lot.

book untitled

June 6, Tuesday afternoon -- Reading Greg Iles

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:45:00 +0000

On a rainy day in downtown San Francisco
Reading Dead Sleep, by Greg Iles. She bought it from the crack addict down the street. Greg Iles is an author she was interested in reading and it was only fifty cents. It's a suspense novel about a photo journalist who is trying to find out who murdered her twin sister, who she finds painted nude in a one of a series of portraits. The other women in the portraits, she discovers, have been murdered, too.

Before this she read The World According to Garp. She loves John Irving. She also really loves Cormac McCarthy. His novel, The Crossing, is one of her favorite books.

Life has been difficult for her lately due to a foot injury (she had to lift her dog off her lap so she could move her foot while we were talking). She writes stories herself, what she describes as imaginative fiction.

Thanks and good luck.

May 23, Monday morning -- Reading Michael Crummey

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Chillin' with her Kindle on a sunny day in Noe Valley
Reading Galore, by Michael Crummey. It's about a whale that gets washed ashore in Newfoundland and when they cut open the belly they find a man inside, and he's alive. The book was recommended to her by Amazon based on her past purchases. When I asked her what she have purchased that would have prompted that suggestion -- fishing books? adventure books? Moby Dick? -- she said she had no idea what kind of algorithm they're using, but that she really likes the book.

On her favorites list are Roald Dahl's adult books, especially the short story collection The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, which contains both fiction and nonfiction about his life -- he was a fighter pilot in addition to having written great books like James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

(pardon the photos....I some how got some jelly-like stuff on my camera lens)

May 5, Thursday evening -- Reading Robert Chambers

noreply@blogger.com (Sonya) — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:22:00 +0000

Waiting for a friend on Valencia Street in the Mission District
Reading Participatory Workshops: A Sourcebook of 21 Sets of Ideas and Activities, before she returns to Southeast Asia where she will teach women how to give leadership workshops to young women. These young women are at-risk, for human trafficking and other crimes or in need of guidance.

I asked her about the young women's reading preferences and if she recommends books to them in her leadership training and she said that, unfortunately, the books they are able to read are limited. They do not live in urban areas and many books haven't been translated into their native languages. Many now have the Harry Potter books available to them, but it's limited. So, they read mostly locally produced comic-like books, similar in format to the Archie comics, though about all different subjects, that they rent at stores.

We talked about how lucky we are that, as English speakers, we have so many books available to us. I also asked her about her thoughts on how e-books could increase the availability of books in translation. Of course, there would be the challenge of providing e-readers, but she did say that the organization One Laptop Per Child has given some children laptops in the region. These laptops are designed for education are not connected to the internet, but are connected to each other and the children learn computer skills and collaborate with each other.

Her favorite book is The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai.

Within the next ten years, how will the availability of books and translations change, with technology? Maybe we'll donate our old iPhones so kids all over can read books that have been translated by volunteers?