Spy

Author: Ted Bell

Waste of my time. Sorry, Dad.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author: Stieg Larsson

A brilliant finale to one of the best trilogies I've ever read. I am so sad my time with Blomkvist and Lisbeth is over.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Author: Thomas Hardy

I am so far behind on my book posts so these are all going to be short...

I don't know why but I've been into classic books lately. Maybe because they are mostly about times so far past that it's like walking through another world.

I recently read an article asking the question if "classic" books were written today would they still be considered "classics." I don't know the answer to that but I thought it was interesting.

I really enjoyed this story despite all the formalities and strange awkward behavior but I guess that's just how it was back then.

Cupcake Destroyer: Jack's 3rd Birthday

Well I know for a fact that this will be the quietest birthday Jack will every have. Just Papa and Jack chillin out. We started our day out @ Chamblee Farmers Market, we picked some fresh heirloom tomatoes, corn, fennel, and fresh butter beans. Also grabbed some pickled okra and muscandine jam. Next it was off to Toys R Us. Amazingly I found Thomas the Train named Emily, which we had been looking for months now. Lastly we stopped at Publix for a cupcake, which I think you will see that he enjoyed very much. Once he gets up from his nap, it will be off to the pool. Enjoy the video.

The great Toad in a Hole I know there are many names for this great breakfast treat but any other will not do. Jack enjoyed his very first this morning and ate every bit of it. Some of you might be wondering why so long, well I don't really have an answer to that.

The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

No, I never read this high school, although I'm sure I was supposed to. This book is referenced a few times in The Tender Bar so I decided it must be necessary for me to read it now.

I loved it, but I've been into the classic stuff these days anyway. There's something about how uncomplicated and simple that period of time seemed to me, at least in the context of this story. People did what they wanted without much forethought of the consequences. Carefree. Seemingly jobless yet with an endless supply of money. Nothing to do but socialize and play tennis.

Perhaps I'm just envious.

Fox cubs

So we have a fox birthing den in our backyard. I caught the cubs playing this morning just outside of the den. Enjoy

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Author: Stieg Larsson

Where the first book seemed to take about a week and a half to wrap up, the last page of this one snuck right up and slapped me in the face. Shockingly abrupt. So abrupt that when I had about two pages left I actually thought I must be physically missing some pages. I was cursing the airport in Amsterdam for selling me a bunk copy.

Wrong. Cliffhanger.

And also opposite of its predecessor, this story took off from the first page without all the getting to know you pleasantries. It's a great story with lots of new details about the main character and very well executed on the plot front. It's still hard for me to keep track of all the Swedish names and decide up front who's important to remember and who's not and I definitely don't care about the routes through Sweden which each character takes. But those are minor complaints for a pretty good payoff.

The last book in the series comes out in May so I suspect it will make my summer reading list. I'm quite sad Mr. Larsson is dead - it would have been great to see more stories about Lisbeth Salander and I think it would have been nice for him to know how popular his books have become - he never had a chance to enjoy his international success.