Well entertained

Friday, 9:12 pm

By Kate

Aug

24

2007

Planning ahead...tomorrow is supposed to be so hot that it’ll be unfit for man and beast. I think it will be a hibernation sort of day and I might even turn on the AC. I can do hot, but not hot and humid. That totally defeats me. So, with that in mind, I went to the library this evening and I now have:

1. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. This book was recommended by one of the lad’s friends who was also a devoted Harry Potter fan. She thought I’d like it and so I shall try it. The movie comes out in early December, I think. This is the first book of His Dark Materials trilogy.

2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. J liked this series and recommended it. It’s been on my list for a while and now seems like a good time. Time travel and romance involved. What’s not to like?

3. The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy Boston. I read this book when I was a kid. All I remember is that I was fascinated. Captivated, even. It had all the right elements...a big old English manor, weird topiaries, ghostly children, and some mystery. The books in the series have become classics over time and now I’d like to read them again from an adult perspective. I was delighted to discover that the author’s home is now a museum of sorts—The Manor—it was the home that Boston used in her Green Knowe series. So it’s kind of nice to have visuals of the landscape, not that my imagination was lacking in the matter.

This must be my summer for fantasy and children’s books. I finished the Harry Potter series a couple of weeks ago and now I’m ready for more.

I also finally have my hot little mitts on a movie I’ve been wanting to view for ages. Babette’s Feast. It’s a foreign film based on an Isak Dineson short story. Babette is, apparently, a housekeeper/cook for two older and devout sisters who believe that one’s soul is saved through self-denial. Babette wins the lottery and decides to spend her winnings on shopping for and preparing the most lavish and sensuous meal that the village has ever seen (or imagined) and it throws everyone into a righteous tizzy because, I gather, they’re a little afraid they might actually like it. From what I’ve heard, the film makes one’s mouth water most desperately. ;)

Guess this weekend will be all about entertainment.