It’s Wednesday and that can mean just one thing – making and reading!!
On the making front – there was a bit of unraveling this week. My yarn selection for Ysolda’s shawl was not good. I worked “clue one” with no problems, but “clue two” is where the problems arose. There are some slipped stitches with the yarn on carried on the right side of the fabric – but my yarn choice did not show this at all in a pleasing way. So, it has been frogged and while I swatch with a few other yarns, I am working on my “in process” Ravelry queue – which is a very good thing! This means I am finally almost to the halfway point on this project!
I also cut out a bird – in a bit of a “muslin” flannel to see how this works. Stay tuned for this stitching to unfold.
As you can see, even with failure – the making still progresses!
This week’s reading had some very interesting results!
In the, “wow this took me a long time to read” category: Tenth of December by George Saunders. This is a collection of short stories that were not quick reads at all. This was not a quick read for me because I needed to think about each story after finishing it. It was at times hard to understand without a bit of thought – and at times upsetting, at times humorous, and at all times compelling. The first and last stories were by far my favorite – but maybe because I understood them best? I gave this book 4-stars – Saunders is an amazing wordsmith!
Last year, I read and LOVED The Story and I have been fascinated by it ever since so when I found Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How they Communicate – Discoveries from A Secret World I thought I would find answers to many questions I had, and while I enjoyed it – it was too much a blend of supposition and fact. And, sometimes it was hard to figure out fact from fiction. However, it was a book that held my attention, so I gave it 3-stars.
A book I do not recommend is The Ruined House. The story revolves around egocentric Andy Cohen and the slow destruction of life as he knows it. The entire book is full of almost over-kill on details until the end. And, then with no logical explanation – life is somehow miraculously and perfectly restored for Cohen. Originally, I gave this book 2 stars, but have downgraded my review to 1-star (and really, I’d love to give it a half a star, but Goodreads does not have that option!)
Finally, the winner of the week is Louise Erdrich’s The Round House. This is a beautifully told story surrounding an absolutely horrific act and what happens because of that act. The story is told from the perspective of Joe, the son of a judge in a tribal court. The book is powerful, moving, and gives a look into life on an Ojibwe Reservation in North Dakota. 5-stars and I highly recommend!
That is what I have for the week – what about you? What’s on your radar this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share today, please leave your link below!
I seem to be in a serious non-fiction zone right now but I also have two fiction books that I want to get back to soon. My Ravelry queue could use some attention too. Happy Wednesday
More unraveling for me this week than knitting…and not a lot of reading either. Must be the January weather….
The only unraveling I’ve had to do this week was ripping and reknitting a hat crown because I could see that something was off in the colorwork. Somehow it took me until the last round to realize that I’d completely misunderstood one tiny (but very important) direction!
I started reading “The Understory” earlier this week when my hold finally came up from the library and I have been absolutely loving it. Thank you for that recommendation! I will add “The Round House” to my TBR list; I’ve really enjoyed Louise Erdrich in the past, so I’m sure it will be a good read for me, too.
There’s never anything wrong with slowly savoring a book. 😉 Louise Erdrich is one of my favorite authors. I love all of her books! Love your gray project. It is subtle and interesting and I can’t wait to see it finished. 🙂
I just frogged an almost sock and put the yarn away as I discovered a serious mistake or two. But I’m two rows into the correct version with a “new” yarn from the stash.
Hm. Louise Erdrich needs to be on my TBR list! That sounds like a great book.
My preference is always nonfiction so I’m giving myself a little bar to hurdle: read one fiction title per month – January’s: The Folded Clock; gotta finish cause it’s due in about 10-12 days.
Your reads and reviews are always so interesting…one of these days I’ll probably read more fiction, again.
Looking forward to the muslin bird…
Cheers~
Louise Erdrich is such a great writer, I’m glad hers was a big hit for you. I started another Stopover sweater this week – hooray!
The Round House is a great read. I have passed on some of Erdrich’s books though. Sounds as if you figured out the gray shawl project. Always good to know when a project works and when it doesn’t. It is all knitting, as we say. I too am looking forward to seeing what the muslin bird brings. Happy Wednesday.
I’ve only read LaRose and did love it. I’ll have to put Roundhouse on my TBR. Knitting…what’s that? 🙂 Actually I’ve been picking at the baby blanket but my thumbs have been killing me!
Wow, Wednesdays come FAST when you try to have something new to share! you sure do – lots going on in the making and reading … and yep, even when it’s not all forward progress, it’s still good! I think that’s Winter Forest up above – it’s lovely!
I’ve read a few Louise Erdrich’s books but not this one. Adding to my TBR!
It’s a shame the yarn and pattern didn’t get along. The yarn is GORGEOUS!
Louise Erdrich is always best when slowly read as she tells an elegant story that is to be opened bit by bit. As with Kym, she has long been one of my favorites. Good luck with your making progress. Forward and backward is always the name of the game. It’s the process!
Love your reading recommendations and will be adding some books and skipping some others. Lovely knitting and hope you knit more than you unknit.
I liked other books by Erdrich and I look forward to giving this one a go.