Saturday, February 23, 2008


Photo: Home made apple pie, lovingly created by yours truly and Joshua in honour of Daddy's long anticipated return.

And secondly, for, like, the first time ever, I have been tagged for a meme thingy. My sister, Sasha, picked me for a book meme, something that suits me down to the ground, except that my head's been all scattered lately, and I can't seem to focus on a book for more than a page or two. I had just finished reading Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth, a very enjoyable book, and it's taken me this long to choose and start reading my next book, Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy. I have listened to the first 1/6th of this book on my ipod, while at the gym, but I wanted to read it too, for no really logical reason, except that I am enjoying the story, and the words.

The instructions were to turn to page 123, go down 5 sentences then post the next 3 sentences. The passage I came up with from AK reads, (you got off lightly; Tolstoy is the master of the very long sentence that is so out of fashion these days):

'Dolly dear, I am so, so unhappy!" she whispered guiltily. And the sweet tear-stained face hid itself in the folds of Dolly's dress.

As if tears were the necessary lubricant without which the machine of mutual confidence could not work properly between the sisters, after having a cry they started talking of indifferent matters, and in doing so understood one another.


I like this passage very much. Coincidentally, it is about the nature of sisters; Kitty is heartbroken, and making herself sick over it, and Dolly has gone up to 'talk' with her. But in that way of sisters, they know what the other is feeling without words, and they never talk about the problem (of Kitty turning down a very nice suitor and then being dumped by the dishonourable man she thought she prefered), but, in talking about other stuff, they both come away knowing the full situation.

We don't get to talk as often as I'd like, but I hope my sisters know how much they mean to me!

I won't be tagging anyone, but if you're reading a good book and want to share a couple of sentences, I'd love to hear about it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've just finished reading the Pillars of the Earth's sequel, World without Earth - it has the same 'can't possibly tear myself away' magic. luv, Sarah

Emma said...

Hi Sarah! I am planning on getting World Without End, but have passed my book budget for this month. I read Pillars in a week, so I know exactly the magic you are talking about.

meggie said...

I have just done this meme. It is rather interesting. I enjoyed your quote.