Sarah's Books - Used & Rare

The last day of the month. Now that it's almost over, I can't believe I thought I had to "get through" January. It occurred to me yesterday that I have rarely in my life wanted time to pass quickly, or wanted to do anything to speed the passing of the days. In fact the days usually seem so rich and full that I want time to move more slowly. But here I seem to have willed away an entire month. And I am in a hurry for what? I know not.

The choice from The Reader's Encyclopedia, today, is necessarily short. Only half of one page for the Xs. I will note just one, here:

Xantippe. Wife of the philosopher Socrates. Her bad temper shown toward her husband has rendered her name proverbial for a conjugal scold.

Be she as foul as was Florentius' love,
As old as Sibyl, and as curst and shrewd
As Socrates' Xanthippe, or a worse,
She moves me not.

- Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew, i.2. (p.1230)

The entries for Xanthus (one of Achilles' horses) and Xerxes are good, too. As the end draws near I find I don't want to finish the book. I do see at the very end there's a nice errata section - that could add another day to my reading. Hm.

Speaking of reading (as if I ever do anything else), one more note from Gauguin's Journals:

"I regard the historians as very honest fellows, but how embarrassed they must be when they have to pick and choose out of all that heap. For my part, it seems to me if I consulted history I should do one stupid thing after another." (p.179)

Van Wyck Brooks must have loved that, when he came across it, while translating. Another book note: my friend Vicky brought me the third Anne Truitt book yesterday, after reading that I needed (wanted) a copy - she had just priced one to put out on her shelves. And my car is in the shop. And she was coming to Bangor anyway so she dropped it off. I read over half of it last night. John La Farge will have to wait a litte longer for my attention. Thanks, Vicky!

In other news, good news, BIG NEWS, my lovely and talented sister Kate just started a blog. If anyone wants to shimmy on over there and keep her company, please do so. She could use a few friendly and welcoming comments - her very first blog post is up right now. Hint hint...