Book Update

I couldn't get through Mrs. Dred Scott. I still get that feeling of defeat when I can't finish a book, like I'm some sort of literary failure. But here's the thing about books like Mrs. Dred. If you can't use primary sources for a biography, it seems that you simply have a lot of guessing about how life would have been. Ms. Vandervelde had a lot of great information about Harriet Scott's owners but this didn't translate into a lot of information about Harriet. I did learn about the Minnesota territory, but as that wasn't my aim, I can't truly appreciate the information I gained. There was one piece of information I did get that was cool. My Grandmother on my father's side was born in Pipestone, MN. I learned that Pipestone is named for the red stone that Native Americans used to make peace pipes. I had no idea! We never visited Pipestone as kids. Check out their website. They have a lot of information about the town and the history of the quarry. http://www.pipestoneminnesota.com

I am now reading a book called Sicilian Tragedee by Ottavio Cappellani. It met the incredibly high standards I have for selecting a book at the library. It has an interesting cover and was in the new book section. I get to feel a little smug about it because it was translated from Italian. I've never read any Italian books. Stay tuned for more details and enjoy your day!

Random Thoughts II

It's another day where I have so many thoughts and so little time!

• Can I turn my family into vegetarians without anyone noticing?
• Are we jealous because the Somali pirates have found a way to beat the recession?
• Are Peeps any less nutritious than Lucky Charms?
• How long is too long to play video games?
• How young is too young for a cell phone?
• Where are Drake and Josh and Carly's parents?
• How much longer before my Claritin kicks in?!?!?!

Enjoy your day!