Unraveled, Week 14/2023

Happy Wednesday, friends! I've been mixed up about what day of the week it is for the past couple of days (I think because Sunday was so busy with cleaning and laundry and getting caught up on being at home). But I am certain that it's Wednesday today -- which means it's time to link up with Kat and the Unravelers!

After picking up my Love Note again when we got home and made quick work of the rest of the body. Yesterday I also knit the collar (after spending about half an hour on Monday evening picking out the waste yarn from the provisional cast on -- it turns out that mohair will stick to everything, including cotton, so I had to pull it out a bit at a time rather than just yanking it out). I was a bit worried about whether I could get the collar over my head, despite binding off really loosely, but it was fine.

Further evidence of my lack of selfie skills

I've now started the first sleeve and have gotten about four inches knit. I've decided to knit full-length sleeves, because I figured if it's cold enough that I want to wear a mohair sweater, short sleeves aren't going to cut it. This will be my main focus until it's done, which I don't expect to take very long, though the yarn for my pattern commission arrived earlier in the week and I'm busy swatching at the moment.

I finished two more books before we left Florida (for a total of five books finished -- not bad for less than two weeks!).

At the last Read With Us Zoom, we closed by recommending a book, and Kat raved about the forthcoming No Two Persons. I immediately went to NetGalley to request a copy and was approved the next day. I would call this book a series of interconnected short stories; while some characters pop up a couple of times, each chapter can stand on its own, and each tells the story of an individual with their own struggles who is touched in some way by the power of a book. The book within the book is what ties these stories together (so beautifully illustrated on the cover), and the work as a whole is a beautiful tribute to the power of the written word and its ability to connect people with very different backgrounds. I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in return for an honest review. I gave it 4 stars.

After listening to the recent Novel Pairings episode about it, I decided to reread Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This is not a new book; I read it the first time in fifth grade for English class, though all I really remembered was that it was how I learned about sharecropping and how it kept people of color in poverty. It was really worthwhile to reread it as an adult who knows more about the history of the time period and in the context of more recent discussions about race and discrimination. Told from the point of view of Cassie, it tells the story of the Logan family, their struggles against racism, and the ongoing challenges to keep the land they own. I'm actually quite amazed that my school assigned it in fifth grade; there are some very scenes in this book that were upsetting to me now, as an adult. But this slim volume has a lot to teach. I gave it 4 stars.

I am currently reading (in addition to the Outlander brick) Homesick, which is on the Women's Prize long list. I've got about 40 pages left to read, so I should finish it today or tomorrow.

Tonight is the start of Passover, so we'll be gathered with family to enjoy a big meal. And today we're supposed to see a high temperature in the mid-80s -- our air conditioning is on and I'll be wearing a t-shirt for my run this morning! I hope it's a good day for you, even if your weather isn't quite as nice.