Six Ways To Tell That No, Les Misérables Is Not, Technically, Over Yet, Despite Your Best Efforts To Leave Halfway Through:
1. There was no intermission, just a lowered curtain upon which was written “SAFETY CURTAIN.”
2. You’ve only been there for an hour and a half.
3. There was no curtain call.
4. Half of the audience is still in their seats.
5. You haven’t yet heard half of the two songs that you’re actually familiar with.
6. Nor has anyone yet jumped in the river, which you vaguely recall happening this one time in the movie.
That’s about all you’ll need to know to survive in London. That, and there is a decent Mexican restaurant on or perhaps near Leicester Square. And also, don’t be surprised when, although it appears to be a relatively clean city with regards to graffiti and garbage, it actually makes the inside of your nose dirty, like when you’ve been gardening or hiking or generally outside in a dusty place all day. Good times!
I had heard these rumors, presumably perpetuated by Londoners, that the London sky is a distinct Londony color. I don’t buy it, but in the aforementioned Londoners’ defense, I did see very little of it. Nothing like pouring-down rain to gauge how you really feel about a new city. Which is to say: I liked it a lot, and I wish that London: The Biography had not been the worst book I’ve ever read, because it may have otherwise added to my enjoyment instead of making me dread reading another book about London, which I’m now compelled to do and, ergo, about which I am quite conflicted. Maybe it was one of those books that you’re supposed to read only after going to London at least once, but that horse has already left the building.
Luckily, I picked up some pretty new books when I popped round to Persephone Books whilst in London yesterday (yes, I have been practicing saying that, and slip it into conversation whenever possible). And then I bought Stephan some flowers to give to me for our second anniversary (yesterday). He’s so thoughtful—and they were just the kind that I wanted!
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My mother-in-law loves Persephone Books and has bought me a few of them. I have to confess, however, that they are still on my bookshelves along with all the other books in my house that I have not gotten around to reading. Drat that library! (It keeps me from reading my own books!)
I had the same problem! I actually had to boycott the library and start the 101 Books campaign (reading all of the books we own that I haven’t read). That kind of fell by the wayside when we moved and put most of our books in storage, though, hence me being stuck in the mid-20s. Have you read Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman? One of my all-time favorites: a book about books. It even made the take-to-England cut!