East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck has been a favorite author of mine since I read Of Mice and Men in high school. Since moving to California it has been a treat to read more of his books and to connect the landscapes he writes about with an area that we are gradually becoming familiar with. I have been reading East of Eden off and on over the last two months and finished it earlier today. In East of Eden, Steinbeck delves deeply into the concepts of good and evil. Good and evil appear to be relatively clearly defined initially in the book but as the story develops it becomes more and more clear that those boundaries are fuzzy; characters conceived of in one way early on change markedly over the course of the novel. Throughout I really enjoyed the writing but was put off initially by some of the characters who felt a bit two dimensional. Steinbeck's approach is very deliberate throughout though and the apparent clarity early on sets the stage for what follows. I realize I sound a bit like a literary critic here but am simply trying to give the gist without giving anything away. Definitely recommended.

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran

This story is very reminiscent of our daughter Lena's school. The kids invent a special place called Roxaboxen, complete with ice cream shops and traffic cops, where they spend their days at play. Lena says she likes how they make so many houses.

The Great Blueness and Other Predicaments by Arnold Lobel

"Long ago there were no colors in the world at all." So begins Arnold Lobel's story about a wizard who invents colors. A really sweet book.

Mr. Mead and his Garden by John Vernon Lord

Mr. Mead loves to garden but is constantly struggling with slugs and snails. His solution is to throw them over his garden wall until his neighbors begin to complain about the mountains of invertebrates. With the help of a crow Mr. Mead comes up with a solution to lure his unwanted companions to a new home. Great illustrations and story.

Lobster Moths by Diane Redfield Massie

This is a really really cute children's book about a scientist who studies lobster moths and his cat who likes to eat them. The two friends go through a metamorphosis that leads them into a host of troubles. The illustrations are great and the story really fun. Can't wait to look for more at the library by Diane Massie!

Where water comes together with other water by Raymond Carver

This last weekend we spent a fantastic day along Pescadero Creek in the Santa Cruz mountains. Our time along the water reminded me of a favorite poem of mine by Raymond Carver and when we came back I dug it up. It is copied below, in part to remind me to track down the collection next time we're at the library or bookstore.

where water comes together with other water
by raymond carver

I love creeks and the music they make.
And rills, in glades and meadows, before
they have a chance to become creeks.
I may even love them best of all
for their secrecy. I almost forgot
to say something about the source!
Can anything be more wonderful than a spring?
But the big streams have my heart too.
And the places streams flow into rivers.
The open mouths of rivers where they join the sea.
The places where water comes together
with other water. Those places stand out
in my mind like holy places.
But these coastal rivers!
I love them the way some men love horses
or glamorous women. I have a thing
for this cold swift water.
Just looking at it makes my blood run
and my skin tingle. I could sit
and watch these rivers for hours.
Not one of them like any other.
I'm 45 years old today.
Would anyone believe it if I said
I was once 35?
My heart empty and sere at 35!
Five more years had to pass
before it began to flow again.
I'll take all the time I please this afternoon
before leaving my place alongside this river.
It pleases me, loving rivers.
Loving them all the way back
to their source.
Loving everything that increases me.

Singing Shijimi Clams by Naomi Kojima

Vanessa, Leon & Izze just sent this great book to us. I was sold before even opening the cover - c'mon it's about clams for crying out loud! It turned out to a be a really cute book about an aging witch and her cat who attempt to make miso soup with clams but are dissuaded by the sound of the peaceful snoring of the clams. When the clams finally awake they are quite upset to not to be at home, and so the gang works all together to raise money to get them back safe and sound.