Needleworkers are readers. I surveyed some needleworkers to see what they are reading and got this from Janet Perry, of Napa Needlepoint and Nuts-about-Needlepoint.
I am reading War & Peace in the new translation (out in November 2007) by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volkonsky. I’ve read it four times before, so it’s not as if I don’t know what happens, but this translation is SO good, so fresh, and so compelling I can finally see why so many people think it’s the greatest novel ever written.
I have loved this novel since I first read it in college; it’s so wonderfully sunny. It always makes me happy because I love the characters so much, and this translation really brings their personalities out. I’m loving every minute of it.
When I was in college a professor came to talk about another book and the only thing I remember about the lecture was that his family in Russia lived near the Tolstoys in the country, and every summer they would read War & Peace out loud. He said they “celebrated the on-going life with a good book.”
That’s about the best description of where novels can take you I’ve ever heard.
As for stitching, today I bought wools for two new projects. One will be a needlepoint version of a Pennsylvania quilt called Philadephia Pavement. I saw it in a magazine and am going to do it as a pillow. The second piece is a four-way Bargello I’m going to teach to my ANG chapter.
Now off to read for a bit before bed!
I read before bed, too. A good book motivates me to go to bed early so I have extra time to read.
I’ve never read War and Peace, but I have read some of Tolstoy’s short stories and Anna Karenina. I confess I do not care for Anna Karenina, so have not been motivated to try War and Peace. Until now. It’s “wonderfully sunny”? Janet “loves the characters”? Really?! Well, all right then. Maybe I’ll give it a go. I know we have a copy around here somewhere.
Any other War and Peace fans out there?
Categories: Needle and ThREAD
