Do you use twitter and like A Song of Ice and Fire?...

Did you know there are character twitter accounts? They are quite funny, so if you need something to tide you over before the dvds or next season of Game of Thrones starts, or the books, check them out. I started a list ( A Song of Ice and Fire Characters) on my regular account (sawcatis my book related account). Its not complete, but I'll add more once they do the next follow friday posts.

Mundane Things

I feel like I've hit "The Wall" with reading. After I finished my last library book, I've had trouble making time to read.

So What I'm reading:
Eiffel's Tower by Jill Jonnes for Paris in July
Reign of the Nightmare Prince by Mike Phillips


I'm fixing to start rereading Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell for a readalong in the Historical Fiction group at Shelfari, and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell for a readalong at The Heroine's Bookshelf (link in the sidebar ---> ). I think my reading eyes are too big for my time available.


I also joined Paperback Swap last week. Had the great luck of two of my first 10 being on wish lists already, and a third grabbed right after posting. I poked around and found a few others wish listed that I own and might not care to keep, so seems to be promising (so long as the post office doesn't lose anything). I'll rotate things out and send to the library after a while. I should be getting Sarum and Midnight Never Come from others. If you use and want to add me or see what I'm offering, look me up as sawcat

The past is a foreign language

Over at Shelfari's Who Doesn't Love a Classic group, Jennifer of Lit Endeavors started a discussion of reading in a foreign language, and it got me thinking. I took four years of french in junior high and high school.  It must have sunk in as I was able to test out of the language requirement at my BS school, and passed the requirement for my MA program. But I've not really done much with it other wise.  Although I did impress myself, when a couple years ago when I rented one of Eddie Izzard's dvds, I understood the joke in french he did at the end of the show.

So I think I'm going to take my own suggested I put in the discussion thread.  Find a YA book or book and try reading them in French, then move on to classic or more adult oriented titles once I got the hang of it.  I've decided that the Harry Potter series would be a good one. Between reading the American versions, the audio books, movies, and the plan to get the British versions, I know it pretty well so should probably be able to reference and follow it pretty well in French. Although looking on Ebay I see a LOTR set and a collection of some classic French works at reasonable prices.

So anyone else read in French or not your native language? Or have a suggestion on something for me to try in French?

The true benefit of checking out e-books from the library...

Some people would probably say that the true benefit of checking out e-books from the library versus real books is that you get them right away, or if a hold comes in, you don't have to go down to the library to pick it up.

But really, the true perk of checking out e-books is that you don't have the temptation of the library book sale section. Sure you may only spend $5 on the five books you get, but these deals are much harder to resist. But then, I did find Year of Wonders, and unread copies of Practical Magic and The Surgeon (which I had already picked up used, but paid as much for that one book in poorer condition as the five I got today), so shouldn't complain too much.