it's...

I hadn't had a proper summer read yet, and well, now I have. Stumbled upon Jostein Gaarder, author of perhaps my favorite book Sophie's World, and on the very first page

You can read about the Hubble Space Telescope at
http://hubblesite.org

Sold! And as Lyssa commented, it has a very pretty cover.

So what of the book now that I've read it? There's an enchanting love story -- mystery? -- here that I can't help but enjoy. It's all untidily wrapped up as a letter from a dead father to the son he never got to know. Oh, and did I mention the Hubble Space telescope? So many emotional touchstones that I feel I'm willing to forgive it flaws others couldn't. Honestly, it's not that well written (or is it poorly translated?) especially since I know there is the capability of so much more from other works. But the story I love, and really, I tend to fall so completely for a good story I can't see much else on a first read anyways.

I'd say it's a shame that it's written with such simple prose, but then again, the real shame is with my not having read it a decade younger. Beautiful imagery even if it's heavy-handed to the point of being obstinate. How can one not fall for a beautiful, mysterious girl always carrying a bag of oranges? Unless I suddenly find myself waking up tomorrow a young romantic with no memory of reading this, it'll be on my book shelf. The rest of you can just decide for yourselves. I'm satisfied I've not spared you any inkling of insight into it. (And the cover is quite pretty.)

Had a very good weekend. Kate & Lyssa flew in from New York. Anne & Dan flew in from D.C. Ross was back from... everywhere. And locals - Sip, Mike, Annie, Tim, Pat - to boot. It was so great to see everyone. BBQ in the yard yesterday and Tim and Mia stopped by. Evanston Fireworks. And now we're off to Milwaukee for Summerfest and the Great Dave Wecsler Search^TM... then back to focusing on work for a while.

Tim discovered Antagonie-Lite, the little bit of fun Pat and I had been having at his movie reviews' expense. Of course Tim promptly put us out of business.

I'm still waiting for those B&W pictures of Albuquerque to come back... beginning to wonder if they were so horribly mis-exposed that any will come back at all. Wolf Camera, don't get on my bad side.