Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday with an almost-completed Hitchhiker.
I ran out of the main Dream in Color that I was using before the Hitchhiker was big enough to suit me. I rummaged through my stash and came up with some unidentified purple that I think matches fairly well. I started knitting with it, but then decided I didn't like the abrupt change and unraveled almost four inches. I thought about alternating two rows of the Dream in Color and the purple before switching to all purple, and I think I like it. Just a few more teeth to go with the purple, then blocking and sewing on beads, and it will be done.
I'm excited to have this almost finished and even more excited to wear it.
I also had a pretty good week in reading. I woke up Sunday night and was unable to get back to sleep, so I perused one of my libraries and downloaded an audiobook. I had never heard of it and chose it completely at random, but what a lucky choice I made! Summerwater by Sarah Moss is unlike anything I've read before and it was extraordinary. It was only 4.5 hours long, and I became so engrossed in it that I stayed awake to finish listening. Sure, I was tired, but the reading experience was worth feeling a little sleepy. I immediately downloaded one of the author's other books, Ghost Wall, and searched hither and yon for a copy of another one, The Tidal Zone. I'm happy to say that a physical copy of Tidal Zone is on its way to me from Toledo, Ohio. It can't get here fast enough; hurry up USPS!
Janelle was kind enough to let me know that the author of Owls of the Eastern Ice is giving a talk via zoom. I've been reading the book for a while, but I've gotten a little stalled with it. I miss author talks, and I think hearing Jonathan Slaght speak about Blakiston's Fish Owls and his fieldwork will make this book feel more personal. Another book-related thing I'm excited about!
What are you making and reading and excited about this week?
Those colors! Gorgeous! I like how you are blending it in, perfect transition! (and how many teeth do you like your Hitchhiker to have?)
ReplyDeleteI liked Ghost Wall and have gotten on the waitlist for Summerwater! Thank you!
Oooh, that purple is so lovely with the pink! I approve of your blending, even if it did mean some unraveling (but props to you for keeping with the unraveled theme!).
ReplyDeleteI am completely unfamiliar with the books and author you discovered, so it sounds like it's time for me to go down a little book rabbit hole!
Oh yes, the purple blended in with the Dream in Color seems perfect Bonny! Sarah Moss is also a new author to me! And your author talk sounds like fun - almost like the old times!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book recommendations, Bonny. I am going to look those up today. I think your instincts for transitioning the purple were perfect! It's so nice when that happens, isn't it? I just finished A Long Petal of the Sea, and I enjoyed it and learned a lot about the Spanish civil war and the immigration to Chile. I hope you are not getting another blast of snow this week. I noticed that some parts of NJ were, and I thought of you and wondered if you would be doing more shoveling this week. I hope not!
ReplyDeleteSarah Moss is one of my favorite authors!! Lucky you to be just starting on a journey with her! It's funny that you should stumble upon her during a sleepless night. Many of her books have themes of sleeplessness.
ReplyDeleteShe was interviewed about this book at the Edinburgh Book Festival summer 2020. The interview is here: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/media-gallery/item/sarah-moss-unhappy-campers
You must read (in this order): Night Waking, Bodies of Light, & Signs for Lost Children. They are sort of an exploration of women entering into formalized medical practice from the late 1800's.
She is also one of the reasons we made a trip to Iceland because of her Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland and Night Waking.
I'm surprised you found a copy of Tidal Zone in the US. It was never released her. I picked up my copy at Daunt Books in London.
Remember travel....:(
I hadn't heard of Sarah Moss before I randomly downloaded Summerwater the other night, but I feel lucky to have stumbled upon her. It's always amazing to me that even though I'm able to immediately download (some) books from Amazon or the library, it's still quite a struggle to get books from international authors. Amazon's reach hasn't yet put everything in Kindle format, nor do they always import physical books. I don't know what the copyright issues are between Europe and the US, but at times like this when I'm searching for all of Sarah Moss' back catalog, I realize how surprisingly isolated (reading-wise) we still are in the US.
DeleteI was lucky enough to find a copy of The Tidal Zone through Abebooks, and based on your very helpful recommendations, I will start my search for Night Waking, Bodies of Light, & Signs for Lost Children. Thanks so much for the link to her talk at EBF; I really appreciate all the wonderful information you've provided me!
edit: never released here
ReplyDeleteI'm on the hold list at my library for Summerwater. (I'm actually #1 on the list, now, so I'm sure it will show up soon.) I really liked Ghost Wall. I think Sarah Moss is just a master at the art of spare writing. No words are ever wasted; no unnecessary words are ever added. And I really like the way you're incorporating the purple yarn into your Hitchhiker. It's going to be wonderful! XO
ReplyDeleteOooh, I like that!! The purple is a great color. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the way you are adding in that purple, it's striking! I've added Summerwater to my reading list, thank you for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteLove those colors together and it's going to be beautiful when you are finished!
ReplyDeleteThe purple is a nice addition to the hitchhiker. It is fun when one can find just the right yarn solution right in the stash. I can't wait to see it with beads. Lucky finds from the library make my day. Despite the insomnia, I'm glad you happened onto this book. I've never heard of the author or the book.
ReplyDeleteThat hitchhiker makes me think of a beautiful winter sunrise! And I just got the Goodreads notification of your review of Summerwater - I can't wait to listen to it!
ReplyDeleteI love the reds, oranges and purples in your Hitchhiker. I agree that it looks like a winter sunrise!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I'm looking forward to wearing in the next day or two.
DeleteI think the purple ending is gonna be perfect! and there's a relatively short wait for Summerwater at my library. thank you!
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