There and Back Again Collection Poster

0-10 — Home once again, with the spoils of travel. The pocketbook on the right is filled with contemporary fiction from Politics & Prose, a wonderful independent volume shop in Washington, D.C. The box on the left contains my treasures from 2d Story Books, a rare & used book dealer whose warehouse is located in the suburb of Rockville, Maryland (SSB has a more than polished retail outlet in downtown D.C.)

Now that Spanish Lit Month is winding downwardly, and Women's Lit in Translation Month is gearing up, I really should get busy on those reviews. Later all, I want to exist ready for Simon and Kaggsy'due south 1976 Lodge, don't I? Wait!!! Are these events already over? Are you lot saying information technology's non August?What happened to August? And September? It can'tpossibly be Oct, can it, with November beginning tomorrow? Oh, Halloween horrors! Have I been in a time warp or something?

Well, the reply to my not-rhetorical question is — yep! At the all-time of times, it's difficult to stay focused down hither in the U.S. of A.'s semi-tropics, a land of palm copse, sunshine and delightful concoctions embellished with little pinkish umbrellas and chunks of tropical fruit. And these, dear readers, have not been the best of times for your scribe. For several months I'd been staring at a surgery engagement, elective stuff, nothing also serious and certainly not life-threatening, but even so . . . . Yuck! Doctors! Needles! Nasty medicines! Like the complete ex-professional that I sometimes pretend to be, notwithstanding, I decided to make productive use of both my pre- and mail-surgery time.Never waste a minute, that's my motto! (which explains those wonderfully invigorating filing days, driving effectually urban Washington at 11:45 P.Thou. in search of a post office where I could date postage my cursory, thereby proving information technology was "filed" on its due date. Ah, retentiveness …) I made a swell lilliputian filigree of my putative belatedly summertime and early fall activities. While waiting for my surgery engagement (which didn't worry me at all; non one fiddling bit)I'd catch up on writing reviews and participate in a limited way in the blogging events I mentioned above. I'd do my medical thing, or, rather, have it done to me, then use my recovery catamenia to terminate reading my diverse Challenge books; consummate my zoom art history classes; and (finally) become started on that intensive Castilian review I'd been contemplating for some time (zip like getting a grip on something other than the present tense, is there?) Seriously. I really, honestly thought I'd be doing all these things. As I mind to the sounds of your gentle laughter, vibrating through cyber infinite, I'll draw a merciful drapery over these severely delusional plans. In reality I spent Baronial and September sitting on my nice, shady lanai reading escapist lit of some blazon or other (Elizabeth Mitt, anyone? bHer Cass Neary serial is a great & very creepy read). And October? Well, I passed much of October sleeping, taking extra strength tylenol and watching some seriously skilful tv set. In my more than intellectual moments I as well dipped into and out of diverse bookish blogs, since it'southward a well established fact that information technology'south much, much easier to read & comment on other people's posts than to write one'due south own reviews.

Aside from the fact that I've now almost recovered, October did offer a bright spot in the form of a return trip to Washington, D.C. (my doctor'southward located there), which happens to be an area where I'd lived for many years and that I however dear in many respects. Although I visited Washington tardily last spring, astringent covid restrictions were still the social club of the twenty-four hours and most of the museums remained closed. Since the area's vaccination rates were up, and many attractions were now reopening, I decided to arrive a few days early to enjoy the sights and sample some ethnic fare (although not the rival of many cities, D.C. does have a wide variety of ethnic cuisines; it seems to become a new one every fourth dimension there'southward a new world crisis. During this visit, I noticed that 1 of the Maryland suburbs at present has an Uyghur restaurant). I hate to pack, so I usually just throw a few things in a handbag:

0-3 — Oops! Approximate I really shouldn't have packed the cat! Doesn't Maxine look similar a type of avant-garde, alive action sweater? Not to worry, however, I DID evict her from her new napping spot before zipping the bag . . . .

I of my very beginning stops when I'm in the Washington area is always Second Story Books' warehouse, located in Rockville, Maryland, just a stone'southward throw from downtown D.C. I've written most Second Story before (because I've visited many times) merely its wonders never pall.

This photo gives only a faint idea of the store'due south huge size. Notice the "All Books 50% Off" sign. That'south half off 2nd Story's marked down prices! A little lolly goes a long way at Second Story Books! And — they'll even throw in a box or a bag, depending on the size of the purchase!

Luckily, the interior is organized by subject. Fiction has its own very big section, semi-organized by authors' final names. On my last visit, I never made it past the letter "H." This fourth dimension I'thou determined to be more disciplined!

As you can encounter, a trip to SSB'due south warehouse is alike to a treasure chase, as you never know just what y'all'll discover; naturally, some visits are more fruitful than others, depending on turnover. This time I hitting the jackpot (hence the inundation box in my offset photo) equally I constitute numerous novels by Penelope Lively, Anita Brookner and Louis Begley (an American writer I've been addicted of in the past), forth with some unexpected things such as works by Laurie Colwin (brought to my attention by Jacquiwine's contempo & excellent review of her work). I was a footling disappointed not to detect much by Louis Auchincloss, one of my favorite authors when I'thou in the mood for a traditional, well-written tale of life among my country'southward elite just — in that location's ever the side by side visit! (A notation to those who may exist visiting D.C. but staying closer to downtown, Second Story also has a shop inside the city proper, in a very lovely and walkable expanse. The setting is more than genteel and the selection is great but IMO prices are a bit higher.)

A minor portion of my riches from SSB's warehouse. The swain on the left seems to be having 2d thoughts about being function of the shield wall at Hastings, doesn't he?

0-4 — Although they were rather scarce, I also establish a few Virago Modern Classics. Ivy Litvinov, an English writer who married into the upper reaches of Soviet club, looks very interesting, as does this (previously unknown to me) piece of work by Miles Franklin.

After rooting around Second Story Books for several blissful hours, the post-obit twenty-four hour period it was off to D.C.'due south great independent bookstore, Politics & Prose. When I commencement moved to Washington in the mid-1980s, there were a cracking many wonderful small bookstores catering to a variety of tastes. Although many of these have disappeared, Politics & Prose seems to exist thriving.

Conveniently located virtually a metro stop, P&P is absolutely not to be missed for volume loving visitors to D.C.! Stocking literary fiction, the latest all-time sellers and offerings from indy presses, P&P too makes major efforts to recognize BIPOC voices too.

0-1 — *A pocket-sized portion of P&P'due south interior . . . the coffee house is downstairs.*

0-2 — My treasures from P&P: Jonathan Franzen's Crossroads; Elizabeth Bowen's Collected Stories; Donna Tartt's The Little Friend (a replacement copy for an old read); Kathryn Davis and Evelio Rosero from, respectively, the always interesting Grey Wolf and New Directions publishers and last, but far from to the lowest degree, Drifts and The Talented Miss Farwell, a couple of fun, impulse purchases.

I can never totally skip the museums when I'grand in D.C. and this trip was no exception. Thankfully, well-nigh museums take reopened and while the number of visitors seemed a little down to me, life is returning. Nothing's sadder than an art museum with no visitors to look at the paintings.

A street view of the National Galley (courtesy of Mr. Janakay), my favorite museum in the entire universe! Although I always visited occasionally when I worked a couple of blocks away, I really began to haunt the place after I began my second career as an art history educatee. But a quick visit this time, a single afternoon, to say "hello" to some of my old favorites . . . .

0-3 — If you lot're lucky plenty to accept admission to some of Europe'due south keen museums, well, y'all tin can see a Leonardo. If you're in the Americas (due north or south) your 1 shot is this oil portrait of Ginerva de' Benci, acquired past the NGA from Liechtenstein'south royal family in the mid-1960s . . . rumor has it that the regal sellers needed some extra cash for a son's nuptials!

0-6 — *I love this fantastical, demon-haunted landscape (The Temptation of Saint Anthony) painted by an anonymous creative person of the 16th century.*

0-8 — *Mr.Janakay, on the other manus, favors the rationality and drama of Rembrandt's The Mill (painted in the 1650's).*

The following day it was off to the Phillips Collection, which bills itself as "America's outset museum of mod art." The Phillips began life in the 1920s every bit the private art collection of Duncan Phillips, who had admission to one of America's great steel fortunes. Working from an eclectic definition of "modern" (his collection contains an El Greco), Phillips used his impeccable gustation and individual fortune to build an amazing, not-to-be missed drove.

*The Phillips Collection is still housed in part in the original brownstone, which is located in one of the most scenic parts of the city . . . .*

Between one affair and some other, it had been some time since my last visit to the Phillips. I was a picayune disappointed to see that much of the drove had been temporarily rearranged to accommodate some new exhibitions merely — non to worry! Everything was still on view, even if located in an unfamiliar spot.

0-4 — Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party, the favorite painting of all who visit. I'm not much of a Renoir fan, but even grumpy sometime me agrees it'south quite the masterpiece. Its new, temporary space somewhat dampens its bear on but even so it packs quite a wallop!

0-7 — Part of the original brownstone, the music room is still used for chamber music concerts (it was the site of Glenn Gould's American debut in 1955). If you look hard, you can only encounter Renoir'due south Boating Political party in the left rear of the room (usually it'southward upstairs in the new annex, with an entire wall to itself).

I of my personal favorites in a museum filled with smashing fine art, Franz Marc'due south Deer in the Forest I. It was painted in 1913, when Marc was at the elevation of his powers. Killed at Verdun in 1916, Marc was later denounced by the Nazi regime as one of the and then-called "degenerate" artists.

After so much fine art, and so many books, it was time for a fiddling nature viewing. Before the yucky medical stuff, I did have a couple of wonderful afternoons in the Maryland countryside, checking out a few of my old birding spots:

*This spot in Montgomery Canton Maryland is always lovely, merely I've never seen it looking so gorgeous. One of Mr. J's very best nature shots IMO!*

Finally, after a few days of recovery, information technology was time to return home . . . .

*I know I'm dwelling when I see my own little palm tree . . .*

0-11 — *My, Pooh Bear's certainly been decorated while I've been abroad . . . . wonder which one of these she liked best?*

ulrichcoliould.blogspot.com

Source: https://youmightaswellread.com/2021/10/31/there-and-back-again-with-books-and-art-along-the-way/

There and Back Again Collection Poster

0 Response to "There and Back Again Collection Poster"

Postar um comentário

Iklan Atas Artikel

Iklan Tengah Artikel 1

Iklan Tengah Artikel 2

Iklan Bawah Artikel