Teaser Tuesdays -- 27 September 2011



Since the Hubs retirement, we have been having a bit of a time remembering what day it is since we are perpetually on "flex" time -- I had to look at the calendar to see if it really was Tuesday! Heaven help me when Daylight Savings Time rolls around -- somebody really should do something about that, BTW!

 Ok, well, here is today's Teaser, again, from "Duane's Depressed" by Larry McMurtry.

"He walked straight over to Tenth Street, where he knew there was a good bike shop; within an hour he had spent five thousand dollars on a top-of-the-line bicycle, complete with helmet, biking shoes, goggles, night lights, water bottles, side packs and a dog seat.  He bought shorts, gloves, a windbreaker, and various little trail packs of high-energy foods. He bought a tool kit to repair his bike, and an excellent pump for the tires.  He bought an odometer and even a little device that would measure his pulse and his heartbeat as he rode.  The young couple who ran the store had been looking lonely when Duane came in, but were looking extremely happy as they totaled up his  purchases."

Ok, maybe that wasn't the most compelling teaser but it was a turning point in Duane's depression -- I will say no more except that at this point in time, this book was tailor made for me.  It is funny, even though I am not sure if it is supposed to be, it is addressing a number of things that I am feeling at this time -- coincidence that Duane and I are the same age?  At any rate, the book is zipping along nicely -- yesterday I had a hard time putting it down but if you are going to follow suit and read it I would suggest you start with "The Last Picture Show" and "Texasville" for the complete backstory -- it will make more sense even though the book is standing alone nicely.

21 September 2011

Happy first day of autumn! It is a gorgeous day here, waiting for a cool front to blow through and maybe a chance of a shower! Ok, now on with WWW Wednesday for today.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading "Duane's Depressed" by Larry McMurtry.  I am also trying to read "Aunt Dimity's Good Deed" by Nancy Atherton at the same time but I am not too good at reading two books at one time.

What did  you recently finish reading?

I recently finished "An Amish Christmas" by Cynthia Keller.

What do you think you will read next?

I am thinking that something by Sarah Waters -- possibly "Night Watch" will be on the list. Obviously, this will be after I finish the Aunt Dimity book.

Teaser Tuesdays -- 20 September 2011

Teaser Tuesdays hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading.  This is my teaser for this week.  It is from "Duane's Depressed" by Larry McMurtry, page 101.


By the time she drove the half mile to the Dairy Queen there were already six pickups parked in front of it.  A cluster of oilmen, wanting to postpone their day's work as long as possible, sat at the long table in the rear of the room.  Karla rarely hit the Dairy Queen that early -- when she swept in, in her  bathrobe, several of the oilmen looked at her askance.  :What's the matter, J.T., never seen a woman in a bathrobe?" she asked one who was pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Gotta love McMurtry, gotta love Dairy Queen -- ah, Texas has a culture all its own and it is alive and well in this book.

13 September 2011

Teaser Tuesdays  is hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.  Here is mine for this Tuesday.


Then, pleased with his decision and even rather enjoying the crisp cut  of the norther, Duane took the first walk of his new life, a short one of some three quarters of a mile along a dirt road to his office.  His departure was observed only by Willy, the grandson Julie had presented them with only a few days prior to her seventeenth birthday; now Willy was nine.

 This excerpt is from Duane's Depressed by Larry McMurtry, page 12.

8 September 2011

Booking Through Thursday has posed the following questions --

What are you reading now?
Would you recommend it?
And what is next?


I am currently finishing up "Aunt Dimity and the Duke" by Nancy Atherton.  It is the second in the Aunt Dimity series that consists of about fifteen titles.

I would recommend this book but I would rather recommend the series. I didn't realize this was a series and read one of the books sort of in the middle of the series.  It was stand alone, as they all are, but it is much nicer beginning at the beginning because they do build on each other.

As far as what is next, it would be an obvious choice to read the third in the series but I might take a break and do something else.  Sitting on my bookshelf calling out to me each time I walk by is a copy of "When the Light Goes Out" by Larry McMurtry.  It is the sequel to "Duane's Depressed" which I haven't read.   Hmm..in reading the back of the book, it describes "Duane's Depressed" as "one of McMurtry's most moving novels" -- Texas Monthly.  So, maybe I shouldn't skip over that one -- I might miss something.  So, in answer to the question -- I am not sure but I will let you know!