Ship THIS!

www.style.com

I finished The Shipping News last night, after a laborious amount of time spent perusing the pages. It took until about halfway into the book to really start to like the jerky stop-and-start style of the author and constant use of verbs in the present tense, but once I was accustomed to it, I quite liked the story. I was sure all along that I had read it before, but I think I read some of it, more than likely succumbing to the desire for an easier read.

I liked it because it spoke of home: of going home; of settling in some new place; of the affinity most of us have for the comfort of our home. Reminded me somewhat of my journey; of my adventure. These images, found at style.com from Ralph Lauren's spring/summer 2010 line remind me of this laid back, sea-loving style.

Some snipits...

Wondered which had changed the most, place or self? It was a strong place.

page 34

Bunny ran up to the house, thumb and forefinger pinched together.
"Aunt, the sky is the biggest thing in the world. Guess what's the littlest?"
"I don't know my dear. What?"
"This." And extended her finger to show a minute grain of sand.
"I want to see." Sunshine charged up and the particle of sand was lost in a hurricane of breath.
"No, no, no," said the Aunt, seizing Bunny's balled fist. "There's more without number. There's enough sand for everybody."

page 111

They looked at each other's hands, proving the eye's affinity for the ring finger; both saw gold. Knew at least one thing about each other.

page 128

"...You know Bunny, that there cannot be a dog that lives in water."
"Dennis says there's water dogs," sobbed Bunny.
"He means another kind of dog. A real live dog, like Warren" --no, Warren was dead-- "a live dog who can swim, who swims in the water and brings dead ducks to hunters." Christ, was everything dead?

page 150

The man had a passion for fruit. Quoyle remembered purple-brown seckle pears the size and shape of figs, his father taking the meat off with pecking bites, the smell of fruit in their house, litter of cores and peels in the ashtrays, the grape cluster skeletons, peach stones like hens' brains on the windowsill, the glove of banana peel on the car dashboard.

page 166

(God, that reminds me so much of my Nonno.) The fish plant man got a word in. "They used to say 'A man's set up in life if he's got a pig, a punt and a potato patch.' What doe they say now? Every man for himself."
"That's right," said Billy. "It's chasing the money and buying plastic speedboats and snowmobiles and funny dogs from the mainland. It's hanging around the bars, it's murders and stealing. It's tearing off your clothes and pretending you're loony. It used to be a happy life here. See, it was joyful. It was a joyful life."

page 200

(reminds me of Stuff White People Like!)

There's two ways of living here now. There's the old way, look out for your family, die where you was born, fish, cut your wood, keep a garden, make do with what you got. Then there's the new way. Work out, have a job, somebody tell you what to do, commute, your brother's in South Africa, your mother's in Regina, buy every goddamn cockadoodle piece of Japanese crap you can. Leave home. Go look for work. And some has a hard time of it.

page 286

(this last one is priceless. "...your brother's in South Africa"...how hilarious is that? And true now. I love it)

Here's wishing you all
good literary experiences
and huge tax returns ;)