February. Cold wind, dirty snow and broken hearts–all wrapped up in one grey month.
Time to turn our backs on the weather and curl up with a good book.
Starting with: The Principles of Uncertainty (The Penguin Press, 2007) by Maira Kalman

The Principles of Uncertainty is a diary of sorts, a year in Kalman’s life documented in scribbles, drawings, photographs, quotes. As such it has an intimate feel to it, like you’re peaking into someone’s personal journal:

Described by the New York Times as “a children’s book for adults”, The Principles of Uncertainty is an easy and enjoyable read. In fact, Times writer Ariel Levy compares it to a bag of candy:
“…no one is saying you have to eat this whole bag of jellybeans in one sitting. Consume one here, one there, bypass the sicky-sweet ones, and the pages of this book add up to the kind of thing Kalman likes so much to paint: an odd treasure.”
That said — there is not much good about February, and not even Kalman can make it so. Her essay “The Impossibility of February” is a bizarrely funny melodrama–starting with a man skating on salt, his death and an inevitable trail of sadness, madness, illness, family foibles, and ultimately, forgiveness:

See how “The Impossibility of February” ends at: http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/the-impossibility-of-february/
Or better yet, treat yourself to a copy of the book and a piece of chocolate cake:

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Reading the obituaries to gain perspective – perhaps not every day but certainly a wonderful way to obtain perspective on what’s important.
A well-written obit is a thing of beauty, the New York Times & Globe&Mail does them well…otherwise they are just dreck.
why were you up at 5am, think i will curl up for the month of feb. mom
Mom, I will curl up with you!
No one is saying you have to eat the whole bag of jelly beans in one sitting…..but no one is saying you can’t either. That coming from someone with little restraint when it comes to candy or chocolate!
Yes! And it’s actually wasteful not to eat that pan of brownies (or bag of candy!) in one sitting…right?
D0 you own this book mom
Yes! I shall lend it to you in return for some tourtiere!
I have this book laying around somewhere … I have to find it! Such a nice post by the way!
Thanks! This book is a bit like comfort food for me…
On 2 February 2013 08:06, Lost and Found Books