14 Days to Christmas!

Teaser Tuesday: A Personal Odyssey

Most of the people I had seen were black, everywhere I went. In reading the Sunday comics, I was not bothered by the fact that the characters were almost always white, but I could not understand why some of these characters had yellow hair.

-- A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell. I like this passage because it is sums up a kid's perceptions of the world.

It also makes me laugh because I have "yellow" hair and have always thought that expression funny ever since I read Yeats's "For Anne Gregory" that concludes:

. . . only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair. 

I've read Sowell's columns and am impressed by him as a commentator, but I've never read his books.I decided to start with his memoirs to learn a little more of his backstory before reading his substantive books.



Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event. 

15 Days to Christmas!

Mailbox Monday

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here).

Suko's Notebook is hosting in December. Please visit her lovely and thoughtful blog.

I got one very beautiful and wonderful book last week from the OSU Press.



Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People by Robert and Martha Manning.

This is a terrific book! It is oversized and full of gorgeous pictures of hiking trails all over the world. There are descriptions of the hikes and the amenities (or lack of) along the routes. It is the perfect combination of practical guide and inspiration.

This would be a first-rate gift for any hiker or arm-chair traveler! 

16 Days to Christmas!