Sunday 20 November 2011

Sunday Salon: Caution! Thesis in Progress.



We're finally at that magical stage, folks, when the months of reading and thinking and changing directions and reading some more is coming to fruition: the real writing of my thesis. Don't get me wrong, I've been banging away on the keyboard for quite a few months now but now I can feel it all pulling together. It's making sense. It's going in a logical progression. I can see the map to the finish line. Thank Gawd. I'm taking December to focus exclusively on final write up (yay for supportive bosses!!) so hopefully by the time new year rolls around I will be all but done. That just means being a hermit for a month. Wish me luck.

In other news, it is time for Le Grande Book Club Nominations. Although I already have far too many ideas (I have a list of 7 possibles, limit per person is 2) I would like to humbly ask you to suggest others or give feedback on my choices so far. The list is:
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
The Submission by Amy Waldman
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
The Marriage Plot by Jeffry Eugenides
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Also, it was my birthday this month so hubby took me to Sun Moon Lake here in Taiwan to celebrate. It was startlingly beautiful so I wanted to share a few pics here with you...

Sun Moon Lake
The lake at dawn

Sun Moon Lake
Heading off for a day up the mountain

Sun Moon Lake
Looking across the lake

Sun Moon Lake
Coming down the mountain on the gondola


Hope everyone is well and enjoying November!

6 comments:

  1. Well, I'm sorry we won't see around for much, but I will wish you luck. Luck! :)

    As for books, I haven't read any, but have heard good things about the Eggers and Eugenides books. My wife read the Eggers and she has read Eugenides in the past. To be honest, I haven't heard of the others.

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  2. Good luck wrapping up the thesis!

    I haven't read any of the books listed, so I can't really make a recommendation. I do have Case Histories on my shelf, and I've heard great things about it.

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  3. Good luck with your thesis. I haven't read any of the books in your list, but I have a copy of The Marriage Plot. Can't wait to dive into it. :)

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  4. Beautiful pictures! I've only read Case Histories from your list but I love all of Atkinson's books. It might not be as "literary" as some of your others as it's more of a mystery but she is a fantastic writer.
    My favorite book of the year is Pigeon English, which was one of the Man Booker shortlists.

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  5. Oh my goodness what a wonderful lake. After seeing the pictures I yearn to go. Happy birthday!

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  6. I don't know about the books. But Sun Moon lake looks great and the pictures too!

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