 Barbecues and Books Some people are in or attending parades this weekend, others may be visiting cemeteries to honor fallen loved ones. Many will be traveling. The beach or mountains or parks or even the desert beckon with their call of a summer holiday weekend. What you are doing? For me, it’s rest and relaxation. That means a couple of parties, one a barbecue gathering, and some solid reading. But I am not designating this weekend one of my Great Weekend Reads—twice a year is enough for that kind of intense planning—but I have already set in motion my plans and the work necessary to pull them off with little difficulty. That means when you read this most of those plans will be fond memories. I sometimes wonder if on holiday weekends like this most of you incorporate reading into them. With outdoor activities and get-togethers a major part of a long summer weekend sitting down for a couple of quiet reading hours can be difficult to do for many of us unless you have specifically planned for that time. I have. The large barbecue party is Sunday afternoon and evening. Monday noon is a small but special gathering of friends in town for some simple al fresco dining on my patio and a couple of hours of chat. Other than the dish I am bringing to each—my green salad for the barbecue and an avocado-cucumber chilled soup to the luncheon—I am not doing much cooking. I plan to spend more time reading*, walking, and swimming than anything else—if I feel like it. I have no goals to meet, nothing that has to be done, nowhere I have to go. In other words, a perfect long weekend. Happy Reading, everyone! * My current books: The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macalay, The Lost Cyclist by David V. Herlihy, Extremes: Surviving the World’s Harshest Environments by Nick Middleton, and The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family by Mary S. Lovell. Upcoming Book Festivals: The Pub House: Many of the classics you might know about, and others that are probably unknown to you, can be found here in editions that include annotations that put the novels in their historical and cultural surroundings and provide rich meanings the authors used to draw on for their work. In The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, for example, the contextual material includes contemporary reviews, stage excerpts, and “historical documents on criminality and degeneracy.” Cranford, a nineteenth-century novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, has been thrice adapted for BBC productions. In this reprint, the novel is enhanced by the addition of the author’s letters, excerpts from texts read by the characters, illustrations from both the novel and contemporary periodicals, and other Victorian writings on industrialization, etiquette, and domestic life. The cover designs are very well done with a classic simplicity that reflects the timeless quality of the stories. Even if you already own some of these books, it is worthwhile to consider adding some of these lovely editions. Imaging Books & Reading: Of Interest: Until next week, read well, read often and read on!
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