Books I read on my (long!) plane journeys:
Woman’s Best Friend, women writers on the dogs in their lives, edited by Megan McMorris, forward by Pam Houston. I stumbled over this looking for another Pam Houston book. Obviously written just for me (woman, check. Dog lover, check. Writer, check) and I love reading essays on journeys since you can stop and start. There are many beauties in this collection, including a piece from Susan Cheever on a Dachshund named Cutie, and one about a stray named Hyena. A favorite line, from "Seven Reasons Not To Get a Dog," by Marion Winik: "Your aesthetic standards will collapse. At the beginning of every creative writing class I teach, I forbid students to write about their pets." And of course, there she is, writing about pets. Which is really the whole goal of dogs, in my opinion, to turn everything you think upside down. Very good reading for my fellow dog fanatics.
And one for the foodies, who have probably already read this one: Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, by Thomas McNamee. This one kept me company through three hours of delay on the Dallas tarmac. I knew a little bit about Alice Waters, but was not aware that she was so central to the local and organic foods movement in America. The story is a great one for anyone who loves food and the restaurant industry, and the writing makes it that much better.
Ach! Our DFW tarmac is so embarrassing! Never come to or through here without planning to wait for something–thunder, lightening, long lunch breaks, whatever. Arrgh.
Isn’t Alice Waters fabulous? I would never have found her without my chef husband, she’s something of a goddess to him I think! All that luscious luscious food….drool.
For some reason today when I was on Amazon, all these dog books kept leaping out at me. On my list are “Three Dog Night,” “Merle’s Door,” “Bad Dogs Have More Fun,” “Amazing Gracie” and “The Dog Who Rescues Cats, The True Story of Ginny.” I ordered some and put some on my wishlist (but don’t tell my cats!)
As for your missing notebooks, I think you’re just meant to let them go. I have that same sinking feeling when I lose something important, but at the same time I have the feeling it was meant to be. Doesn’t always make me feel better, though.
Julie, it’s a really busy airport and in a thunderstorm zone. As long as you’re prepared, it’s not too terrible. Luckily, I ate a nice lunch before hand.
Robyn, yeah. I’m going to Chez Panisse next summer when RWA is in San Francisco, I think. What a kick.
You’re right, Gabrielle. Letting things go. Life is impermanent. Why do I always have so much trouble remembering that? (Because we want it to be permanent.)