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Tuesday 23 February 2010

The Artistic Mother



There comes a point when one must decide what is more important: eating or reading?

Recently I seem to be happening across so many books I long not just to borrow from the library, but to own for long enough to sit on a shelf above my desk and inspire me daily thereafter. Which would not be a problem were it not for the fact that I really rather must keep these thighs as well padded as they are, and occasionally pop a morsel or two into the permanently open mouth of my very own chickadee. 

You  see Darlings, I believe in literary serendipity: that books will find you when you need them most, and today The Artistic Mother found me at a time when it seems I am almost permanently pre-occupied by the struggle between personal creative ambition and the constant, nagging guilt that somehow my (financially essential) working life compromises my ability to be the kind of contented, focused and devoted Mother, a single-parented child should be guaranteed. 

And so, because for every problem I encounter in life, for every dubious emotion I ever feel, I seek affirmation or solution between the pages of a book, it seems I am helpless to resist another addition to my self-help shelf. As we speak The Artistic Mother is making the arduous journey from America to Liverpool, and I have no doubt, (because sadly I never doubt the written word), that a little spoon of life-changing medicine will thud through my postbox any day now. 

Tis an addiction. My name is Alison May and I am addicted to books.
Tis an addiction. My name is Alison May and as a direct consequence of my addiction to books, I live on beans on toast, spiced up with a splash of worcester sauce. Or marmite. Or a sprinkle of cheese if I'm feeling flush!

Ugh. I ache to write housekeeping poetry and instead I ramble on about cheese. Too many big issues packed into one tiny post. 
 Forgive me, I know not what I do.

9 comments:

Carlie said...

Am going straight to Amazon to add it to my own absurdly immense wishlist. Looks brilliant.

And here's to strange little food addictions, brought on us by literature! I have them too.

Judy said...

Oh! I simply MUST HAVE this book!

I hope it doesn't matter that my baby is 25. Personal Identification isn't required to buy books yet, is it?

I am a grandma, addicted to books and silly craft projects made from recycled bits.

Me! said...

I hope you're fetting a bit out of this! Got me, too! We'll have to have a discussion group after they all arrive!
~Debbi

Jenifir said...

This looks like yet another title of interest for me -fully supporting who I hope I already am. As a fellow book-oholic, I have coined the term literative fallacy related to the term nomative fallacy. The nomative fallacy is a term coined by psycholoists to describe the situation were doctors simply naming a disease does not in fact cure it. The literative fallacy is when we have a book that is about a certain poblem and we think it will solve the said problem and even possesing such a book (without even reading) will work.

www.MaisonStGermain.com said...

LOL I blogged about this same thing saying that I was addicted to books too. But I don't borrow them. I need them to be there for me at any given time:) And I want to thank you (I think) for sharing with us the newest and greatest list of great books because I always seem to order most of them. I will be checking out this book too.
~Debra
Blog: Capers of the vintage vixens

Dinahsoar said...

I'd say you are better off with your beans on toast and books rather than sumptuous fare, no time to read and a bank full of money. Those of us who read your blog love your take on life-- vicariously we are able to be a wee part of it via these blog pages. We are cheering you on, hoping all of your dreams come true.

Susan at Charm of the Carolines said...

Eating or Reading? What a delemma! I wouldn't be able to decide!

Susan

Kelly said...

Beans on toast is perfectly acceptable fare when one is reading such fabulous books!

LissyLou said...

ooo now i do like the look/sound of that!!

Puttery Post!

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