I Am a Cat by Natsume Sōseki read-a-long (part 1)

I am a cat. As yet I have no name. [p.5]

I started reading I Am a Cat (Wagahai wa Neko dearu) during the 24 hour read-a-thon and finished part 1 on October 31st. I’m reading this classic from 1905-1906 for the Japanese Literature Read-a-long. I wish I had the edition shown on Wikipedia, because I absolutely love that cover! But the picture on my ‘complete edition’ resembles my own cat Juno, so I am happy with that as well :)

What do I think of the book so far? Unfortunately I read the preface first, so there wasn’t much to find out for myself :\ This way I knew beforehand that the first chapter had been written as a short story, to be published in the journal Hototogisu. Originally it was not meant to be a book at all! But one of the the magazine editors persuaded the author to expand it into a novel because of its success.

I’ll let the introduction introduce the story ;)

[..] though Sōseki’s total book is held together by the continuing theme of a nameless cat’s observations of upper-middle-class Japanese society of the Meiji period, the essence of the book resides in the humor and sardonic truth of those various observations, not in the development of the story.

The preface also gave away that the voice of the cat gets more and more human. I recognized that in the following quote from the 3rd (and last) chapter of volume 1:

The more that humans show me sympathy, the more I am inclined to forget that I am a cat. Feeling that I am now closer to humans than to cats, the idea of rallying my own race in an effort to wrest supremacy from the bipeds no longer has the least appeal. [..] Moreover, I have developed, indeed evolved, to such an extent that there are now times when I think of myself as just another human in the human world.

Reading that, a relation to the song I Am a Kitten became apparent. Momus wrote the piece of music originally in French for the Japanese pop star Kahimi Karie. The booklet of his 20 Vodka Jellies cd even acknowledges that it owes something to this “excellent novel”.

The song is about a cat falling in love with a human being (= impossible love). I don’t think that’s going to happen in Natsume’s story, but you never know ;) Here’s Momus singing I Am a Kitten (in English), while you read along. We’ll save Kahimi’s performance for another time ;)

And though I’d love to be loved
The gods ordained it that
You were made a human being
And I turned out a cat
(I am a kitten)
[complete lyrics]

Back to the novel. I’m not really sure what to think of it. Of course it’s interesting to read about Japanese intellectuals and their surroundings in early 20th century — seen through the eyes of a cat. But how realistic is it? And what is there to ‘learn’ about Japan it if I can’t determine that? Okay, I admit to not having a taste for satire. And yes, I’m embarrased to say so; it’s like confessing to not having a sense of humor — in other words being a sourpuss :\

Anywho. Aside from the above, I am not able to identify with the cat, even though it is portrayed lifelike (that is to say: the way we humans perceive feline characters). And this time it can’t be designated my shortcoming because in Barbara Gowdy’s book The White Bone I actually imagined I was the elephant Mud.

Am I not enjoying the read-a-long of I Am a Cat? Oh yes I am! :)

I really had to laugh about a scene where ‘the cat’ — I am going to baptize it Neko here and now — gets its jaw stuck in a rice cake. I transcribed part of it for a mini challenge in the 24 hour read-a-thon, but it actually goes on for several pages and it is very evocative.

I guess this novel, for me, is about cherishing specific quotes; I’ve jotted many down in my notebook. In my blogpost about the graphic novel Coraline I have already talked about reading synchronisity on the basis of some similar quotes. But I was also affected by a scene in which ‘Neko’ finds Rickshaw Blacky sunbathing in his garden. This part reminded me very much of our belated tomcat Jumbo (who was HUGE and named Jumbo because of that by the animal shelter when he was only a few weeks old). He was a shy guy btw, not some bully like the cat of the rickshaw owner ;)

[..] and there I saw an enormous cat fast asleep on a bed of withered chrysanthemums, which his weight had flattened down. [..] there he was, stretched out at full length and snoring loudly. I was amazed at the daring courage that permitted him, a tresspasser, to sleep so unconcernedly in someone else’s garden. He was a pure black cat. The sun of earliest afternoon was pouring its most brilliant rays upon him, and it seemed as invisible flames were blazing out from his glossy fur. He had a magnificent physique; the physique, one might say, of the Emperor of Catdom. [p.9-10]

In conclusion I just think the cat(s) in the story interest me, and not so much the storylines about the people. Yes, I am a cat person :)

For surely even humans will not flourish forever. I think it best to wait in patience for the Day of the Cats. [p.7]

Part 2 of I Am a Cat needs to be read (and reviewed) before December 15th and the final part in the middle of January 2010. To be continued…

Note: I had a hard time deciding whether I should write Natsume Sōseki or Sōseki Natsume. The Western way would be Sōseki Natsume, since Natsume is the writer’s last name. But the Japanese put their family names first. In the end I considered decisive that 1) in my museum profession author and creator names are usually documented in the way the person presents him-/herself publicly and 2) that is probably also why I know the author by the name Natsume Sōseki best myself.

Quickpicnicbento #87

Today’s bento-for-two was assembled in a hurry before going on a 16 km (10 mile) hike across the Kampina nature reserve (walking from Boxtel to Oisterwijk). The picture was taken quickly too — there was no time to mess around with furoshiki’s etc. because Mr Gnoe and I wanted to be on our way before the cleaning lady arrived ;)

(So the clear background has nothing to do with your picture preferences, elm@! ;)

We threw together some edamame (with African peper) and salsa picante as dip for a veggie nugget. Mini wiener sandwich rolls with garden cress, two boiled eggs, and a small bag of cashews to put in between the mini bread rolls. It may not look too great but it actually was quite good; kept us on our feet when we got tired & hungry.

The hike was wonderful, even though the weather could have been better; it was foggy and we even had some rain. Photos of our day can be found on Flickr. Today was extra special because for the first time in my life I have seen real life wild cranes! They are beautiful birds! Let’s hope they bring us luck, like the Japanese believe :)

I want to use the opportunity for a progress report on my 100 Mile Fitness Challenge. Last update was on the first day of autumn (Wednesday October 21st), when I had managed a total of 7 miles. My main ‘workout’ activities since then have been yoga, some cycling, walking around our city canal and last Sunday I danced A LOT on the Shabushabu, Oruutaichi, La Veuve Moustachue and maho+thaidisco concert in Rotterdam. I must have been swinging uninterrupted for at least two hours! It definitely was a great night out :)

I’m down to a total of 37 miles! And in only three weeks, since I didn’t join the challenge before October 20th. With 7 1/2 more weeks left of 2009, it must be possible to walk those 100 miles before January 1st!

Some strange coincidences happening this week. Today we met just one party of other hikers — including someone of my yoga group! That’s weird since the Kampina is in a whole different province. And the concert on Sunday attracted a maximum of 50 people… among which a former best friend of my brother I hadn’t seen in years! Holland really isn’t that small LOL! Many things happen in threes… what chance occurence will happen in the next few days???

Hello Japan! November Mission

Yay, it’s time for another Hello Japan! mini challenge! I had hoped for something music related because we’re going to see Kishino Yui-chi (a.k.a. La Veuve Moustachue) & Oorutaichi next Sunday — but the actual mini mission is quite as good:

This month the task is simply to eat Japanese food, take a picture if possible, and tell us about what you ate. You can go to a Japanese restaurant, or make something at home. It can be a favourite dish, or you can challenge yourself to try something new.

Ha! I can think of several ways to accomplish my mission. For one it gives me a great excuse to buy this book I have been drewling over have my eyes on: The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving by Hiroshi Nagashima (thanks to sherimiya of Happy Little Bento who let the Want! Want! Want! ghost out of the closet)!

But maybe I shouldn’t give away the options I’m contemplating? :\ I could do them all! And who knows… maybe on Sunday there’ll be some Japanese snacks at the concert! :)

To all participants: itadakimasu!

Culture Day Bento #85

Today is Japanese Culture Day — and statistically also the best day of the year in Japan regarding weather. Well, we’ve had some strange weather here on the other side of the globe: cold, autumn sun, rain and hard winds all taking turns. Culture Day is celebrated as such since 1948 but it was already a national holiday in 1868; November 3rd being the birthday of the great Meiji Emperor.

Bento #85 is not about Japanese culture, and not really about Dutch culture either. But it is about heritage! It is stuffed with Indonesian food, and of course the Dutch have a colonial history in the (Dutch) East Indies. So does my family… :\ As a result you can wake me up anytime just for some good asian food! I guess the hardest part of becoming a vegetarian was that I wouldn’t be able to eat anymore saté, rendang, or ajam pedis… :( I’ve drafted a blogpost about my search for vegetarian lemper some time ago — I hope to finish it soon ;)

Now, about today’s bento.

Upper tier

• Asian salad of white cabbage, red and yellow bell pepper, fennel, gherkin and a soy dressing (adapted from Culinette)
• sweet red pepper
• red Batavia lettuce
• nasi goreng with leek and onion
• shiitake mushroom

Lower tier

• boiled egg with African peper spices on gherkin slices
• parsley
• lettuce
• emping (in a container I borrowed from my aunt to test its size)

We also had some leftover tumis cabbage & tofu, but I didn’t think that would taste to great cold. Although most Indonesian dishes can very well be eaten at room temperature! They’re best when they have had some time to rest anyway, so that the flavors get a chance to blend.

BTW I did eat this bento in my museum office — does that count for Culture Day? ;)

CSA (& organic): cabbage, fennel, sweet red pepper, Batavia lettuce, leek, parsley.
Organic: onion, shiitake mushroom, egg.

Sōkō Bentō #82 (Frost Descent)

I’m a bit late with posting my bento of Thursday October 22th: Sōkō Bentō.

In Japan certain days have special names to mark the changes in season. Sōkō 霜降, on October 23rd, is one of these 24 sekki: Frost Descent (the descent of temperature and appearance of frost). Well, Thursday was indeed cold. But we’ve actually had some night frost earlier in the month! Of course, I’m situated on the other side of the globe to Japan ;)

Living in accordance to the seasons comes so naturally to Japanese / Asian people. I  really wish I had it in me too — which I experienced even more strongly when I read The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery, my favourite read of 2008! Unfortunately I don’t think it is something one could learn :(

Anyway, it’s obvious I got my date wrong… I thought I had read somewhere this year’s Sōkō was on the 22nd but I can’t retrace it. For people who are more well-informed about Japan than I am and believe I also got the name wrong: please let me know what you think Frost Descent is called! I actually came across several names and decided to rely on Wikipedia ;) Others terms include Shousetsu (しょうせつ) and Shimo Ori.

Now, what’s the contents of bento #82?
Clockwise…

Upper tier
Salad of different types of lettuce, tomato and meikaas (‘May cheese’ a very young cheese of 1-7 days; it tastes a bit like halloumi), which is vegetarian because of its microbial rennet made of mushrooms. On top a watercress leaf and some parsley. Next to that a roasted orange squash dish with red onion and pepita’s (pumpkin seeds).

Lower tier
Sweet & spicy couscous with cinnamon and cranberries, sprinkled with some more parsley. Two un-sulphuretted apricots with an almond inside for the bite, a container of roasted almonds as couscous topping and some big capers.

Quite a lot of whites because of frost descend :) Pumpkin and apricot being fall products, some red berries heralding winter. Of course the young cheese is quite out of tune here, but it can be conceived as the pureness of cold nights & early frost. Likewise, the texture of couscous reminds me of snow or hoarfrost.

CSA (& organic): lettuce, tomato, pumpkin, parsley.
Organic: watercress, red onion, apricots.

This post is dedicated to elm@, who prefers my bento blogs to the bookish things I write about. I hope she’ll find this one satisfactory ;)

Readathon prep: last minute additions

I know the correct spelling of Dewey’s 24 hour read-a-thon, but from now on I’m going to write it without the negative signs: readathon — because it is so much quicker to type! I’m really exited because I’ve got less than an hour to go before the readathon starts at 14:00 Amsterdam time. Last minute preparations have started! And some last minute additions, as you can see in the picture…

And yes, that includes the side table! We’ve had our eyes on this for a long time now but today I really really need it! :) So I went by the furniture shop this morning, after I had my hair cut. I als picked up another book: Silk by Alessandro Baricco (in Dutch: Zijde). I already told you that I liked to add it to my pile of readathon books and I had to go to the bookshop anyway… because I had lost the bookmark I wanted to use for my current read: I Am a Cat (Natsume Soseki). I got so frustrated by it that I decided to buy the exact same bookmark again: a Japanese white-eye bird made by Hiroshige. But then I found an even better marker of a black cat in autumn! It is by Hishida Shunso — I have not heard of the artist before, have you?

I hate losing favourite bookmarks, but this proves it can be a good thing too ;) Have you heard of our adventurous bookmark from Cappadocia?

Well, I’d better stop blogging and get the rest of my preparations done… See you in a bit!

Een mooi gevulde tas (week 43)

• Spitskool
• Andijvie
• Tomaten (uit Schalkwijk)
• Bospeen
• Rode bataviasla
• Koriander

Perfect, want a.s. zaterdag komt er bezoek mahjong spelen en het menu ligt al klaar: wortel-gembersoep (met koriander), kooltaart en herfstsalade. Tjee, dat doet me eraan denken dat ik vast azukibonen in de week moet gaan zetten… Want ik ga voor die dag een spannend experiment aan: groene-theemuffins met rodebonenpuree die helemaal ‘from scratch’ worden gemaakt! Te beginnen met tsubushi-an (grove rode bonenpasta).

[fluister] Ik zal maar bekennen dat ik voor de zekerheid ook een blik heb ingeslagen ;)

ETA @#^!$%$# Waarom kan ik nu dat succesrecept voor kooltaart nergens meer vinden??? :(

Strangers by Taichi Yamada

I notice I’m recommending Strangers (Ijintachi to no natsu or 異人たちとの夏) by Taichi Yamada a LOT. Other readers’ feelings are mixed — some love it as much as I do, others find it disappointing. I read it in 2005 and immediately wrote an extremely enthusiastic email to my online bookgroup, the Boekgrrls. For now I am just going to recycle my Dutch review here on Graasland, but I hope to get around to translating it in English sometime! Maybe after I have finished my current read: Be With You by Takuji Ichikawa — which reminds me of Strangers. I don’t know why I’m thinking about Yamada’s book so much these days, I also wrote about it relating to my first ‘Hello Japan!‘ mini mission… I even feel like re-reading Sttrangers, something I really never do.

*** The following text is (mostly) in Dutch but you’ll find some English recommendations by famous authors at the end! ***

Ik heb weer een boek gelezen waarvan ik zeker weet dat hij hoog eindigt in mijn top-10 van dit jaar: Strangers, van Taichi Yamada. Een PRACHTIG boek! Het is mooi geschreven, spannend en ontroerend. Het is me lang niet gebeurd dat ik in de trein bijna zat te huilen…

Het is een slim concept: Hideo Harada, tv-scriptschrijver, verloor op 12-jarige leeftijd zijn ouders maar komt 36 jaar later een stel tegen dat sprekend op hen lijkt — even oud als zijn ouders toen ze verongelukten. Niet alleen is dat intrigerend, spannend (‘wat is hier aan de hand?’) en ontroerend, maar ook een erg aantrekkelijke gedachte voor lezers die zelf geen ouders meer hebben. Toch krijg je nooit het idee dat het een verkooptruc is: het is gewoon een mooi, integer verhaal.

Om jullie een indruk te geven hierbij een citaat over ouderschap:

They were there for me, and though by all appearances they spent the day between my visits busy with their own work and play, it seemed quite possible that all time other than the time they spent with me was for them a void in which neither of them actually existed.

Voor veel kinderen bestaan de ouders niet (meer) wanneer ze uit hun blikveld verdwenen zijn.

Ik wens te geloven dat dit de verhaal de schrijver werkelijk is overkomen :-) Niet voor niks lijkt de achternaam Harada sprekend op die van auteur Yamada en schreef hij verschillende filmscripts. Maar ik zeg ‘wens’, want werkelijk geloven doe ik het natuurlijk niet. De suggestie vind ik daarentegen geweldig. Dat Taichi Yamada verder maar weinig romans schreef draagt aan die illusie bij. Strangers is in ieder geval de enige die in het Engels vertaald is: in 2003, 26 jaar na uitkomen.

In de flaptekst wordt het boek vergeleken met Paul Auster en Haruki Murakami. De vergelijking met Paul Auster komt volgens mij door de vlotte, filmachtige stijl. Het verhaal leest als een trein — een echte pageturner. En dat hebben beide ook gemeen met Murakami; die schrijft (be)vreemde verhalen die je bij de kladden grijpen en meesleuren. Zijn hoofdpersonen zijn bovendien vaak enigszins passieve, geïsoleerde ‘einzelgangers’ die bovennatuurlijke dingen meemaken met onbekenden — strangers.

De titel van het boek, Strangers, slaat volgens mij op het idee dat het niet altijd logisch is wie vreemden en wie bekenden zijn. Het verhaal bevat verschillende aanknopingspunten. Als Hideo op bezoek is geweest bij zijn (vermeende) ouders nodigen ze hem opnieuw uit met de woorden

Don’t be a stranger, now.

En doordat deze vreemden zo op zijn ouders lijken, voelt hij zich geweldig vertrouwd bij hen — zo veilig heeft hij zich sinds zijn kindertijd niet meer gevoeld. Van zijn eigen ouders zou je kunnen zeggen dat ze vreemden zijn omdat ze op zijn twaalfde overleden – en in hoeverre ken je je ouders als kind op die leeftijd? Hideo is vervreemd geraakt van zijn eigen vrouw en zoon, terwijl een collega hem misschien het meest na staat van alle anderen. En dan de buurvrouw uit zijn flatgebouw, Kei: ook een vreemde die in enkele dagen volledig met zijn leven verweven is.

Tja, voor mezelf heb ik nog wat notities gemaakt maar die verklappen wellicht teveel of zijn juist te nietszeggend voor jullie ;-) Het moge duidelijk zijn dat ik dit boek van harte aanbeveel als spannend, lekker-weglezend kwaliteitsvoer of zoiets ;-) Dit boek is een parel! Lof dus ook voor de vertaler: Wayne P. Lammers, want zonder hem had ik er nooit kennis van genomen en het is zijn taal. Nu allemaal naar de boekhandel om Strangers te kopen, zodat Yamada’s roman uit 1992 ook vertaald zal worden! Ik denk dat ik voor het eerst van mijn leven maar eens een bedelbrief aan de uitgever moet schrijven :-)

Groet, Gnoe

PS. Voor wie mij nu nog niet gelooft typ ik hier bij hoge uitzondering nogmaals de aanbevelingen van twee gewaardeerde schrijvers over.

David Mitchell:

Highly recommended. A cerebral and haunting ghost story, which completely wrong-footed me.

Bret Easton Ellis:

An eerie ghost story written with hypnotic clarity: quickly paced, intelligent and haunting with passages of acute psychological insight into the relationship between children and their parents, which is also what makes this fascinating book so moving.

Dark Water… (Hello Japan!)

The task this month is to read or watch something scary, spooky, or suspenseful, and Japanese of course!

Immediately after I had read about this 1st Hello Japan! mini-challenge on October 2nd, I ran to to the video store and rented the dvd of Dark Water, a horror movie directed by Hideo Nakata. It has been on my wish list for a long time — I guess ever since I saw Nakata’s 4 movie cycle of Ringu (or Ring). Now, you need to know I am not really a scary-movie-grrl… I can manage maybe 3 of ‘em a year ;) But I was fascinated by Ringu, especially compared to the not-so-impressive The Ring, an American remake by ‘Pirate of the Caribbean’ Gore Verbinski. I found the Japanese original really chilling. I still shudder when I think back  — without spoiling anything — to a certain scene in a well, or how  ‘the girl’ moved… Even though many years have passed since I saw it!

The American version did absolutely nothing to me. I guess Japanese film language is much more frightening! ;)

But I am getting sidetracked… It wasn’t Ringu I watched for the mini challenge, but Dark Water, or Honogurai mizu no soko kara (I love the sound of those Japanese titles ;)

Dark Water got rehashed in the US as well, by Walter Salles. I thought the main character was played by Jodie Foster, but it appears I’m confusing her with Jennifer Connelly — what on earth made that happen? A while ago I started watching the remake on tv, until I remembered my experiences with The Ring — and decided I should wait until I had seen the Japanese original.

A woman and her young daughter move to an eerie, run-down apartment building pending the decision of guardianship after a divorce. The ceiling of their ‘new’ flat has an active, dark leak. In the upstairs apartment, which appears to be the source of the leakage, used to live another young girl that went missing more than a year before…

I enjoyed watching Dark Water. It find it an entertaining movie, even though I was never terrified during the film, just a little tensed sometimes. The story is more… gross, and above all SAD. Because of that it made me think of a book I like a lot: Strangers, by Taichi Yamada. I didn’t find that ghost story horrifying either — and it moved me to tears. I figure there’s a certain distinction between Japanese ghost movies and horror, in which tragedy plays a main part!

I really love the idea of these Japan related mini missions and plan to do all of them. When do you think our host tanabata will challenge us to go to Japan?? :))

Looking back on September (Sunday Salon October 4th 2009)

The Sunday Salon is a virtual gathering of booklovers on the web, where they blog about bookish things of the past week, visit each others weblogs, oh — and read ;)

Let’s start this Salon post with a confession: I have been a bad grrl and bought 3 more books for myself!

• I Am a Cat (Natsume Soseki)
• The Old Capital (Yasunari Kawabata)
• The Housekeeper and the Professor (Yoko Ogawa)

I’ve got a great excuse though: I joined the new online Japanese Literature Book Group and Read-along at In Spring It Is The Dawn — and these are the first books on the agenda. I am really looking forward to it!

Another fun thing to do over there is this months Hello Japan! mini mission:

Read or watch something scary, spooky, or suspenseful, and Japanese of course!

Since I have enough to read already I decided to rent a movie that has been on my wishlist for a long time now: Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara), by Hideo Nakata. You might have heard of the American remake with Jodie Foster, but I prefered to see the original. I’ll tell you why in my upcoming review post! It was a nice Friday night activity to surprise Mr Gnoe with, especially with the stormy autumn weather that has set in :)

But back to bookish things. For the last three months of 2009 I am also participating in the Set It Yourself Challenge (SIY) #10. Just to keep the pressure on my challenges: I have listed all 5 books I need to read before the end of this year:

• The Chosen (Chaim Potok)
• The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
• The Pillowbook (Sei Shonagon)
• The Sea, the Sea (Iris Murdoch)
• The Old Capital (Yasunari Kawabata)

I have joined this Bookcrossing challenge before in 2008 and 2009; succeeding twice, failing once…

Speaking of Bookcrossing: I made a first attempt at the Bookcrossing monthly readathon. But instead of 24 I read for 15 hours and 8 in the last week of September. So technically I failed but I am actually quite proud of the result because it was an awfully busy week. You can read about my thoughts concerning the readathon in Friday’s post. Now I am really looking forward to the autumnal 24 hour read-a-thon of October 24th! I am already making a list of books and snacks to lock myself in with :)

Partly thanks to the readathon I finished more books in September than I usually read in a month:

• Vlinder in de wind (Butterfly in the Wind) by Rei Kimura (reviewed)
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (review pending), #4 on the list of Banned and Challenged Classics
• Het pauperparadijs (Pauper Paradise) by Suzanna Jansen (no review planned)
• Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (review pending)

Current book: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Wednesday’s update post will tell you why I picked this book. I am ‘buddy reading’ with two Boekgrrls: MaaikeB and Manon, so one of these days I should mail them my thoughts so far!

Another exciting thing going on this week is BAFAB! Buy A Friend A Book. One of my favourite reads of the past years is on its way to a long time friend that is on a busy schedule at the moment. I’ll give the book a chance to arrive for a few days longer, so I can’t say more! ;)
Do you BAFAB?

Challenges / Bookgroups etc.

Progress update on my challenges that I have not yet mentioned above:

• Japanese Challenge (Aug 2009-Mar 2010): read and reviewed 1/1
  (✔ finished, but intent on reading more)
• Classics Challenge (2009, entree level): read 3/6, reviewed 0/6
• What’s In A Name Challenge (2009): read 6/6, reviewed 3/6
• Personal 2008-2009 Challenge: read 8/12
• SIY Challenge #10 (Oct-Dec 2009): read 0/5

Current Bookgroup reads:

• Boekgrrls September book: Away, by Amy Bloom (read and reviewed in Dutch on the mailing list)
• Boekgrrls October book: Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates (read, to be reviewed)
• Japanese Literature Book Group for November 30th: The Old Capital, by Yasunari Kawabata (TBR)
• Japanese Literature Read-along for November 15th: I Am A Cat (part I), by Natsume Soseki (TBR)

That’s it for now. I need to get up my review of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird a.s.a.p. so that I can send this Bookcrossing book along to the next reader. Better get on with it!