Reading Again

My school reading has stopped for the semester. I have a huge paper due 5/6 and very little time to actually work on it. I have 1 more class left and will not do the reading (just like the last 2 week). Since I won't be graded on it and am sweating the paper severely, I feel more than justified in this decision.

I've started on my list of "books I will read when I get the chance." This list is forever changing, but I've started with John, by Cynthia Lennon. I wouldn't usually read this, since who cares about John's ex-wife? But I saw it at the supermarket and bought it with some stuff for work, so I knew I'd get reimbursed.

The books starts about Cynthia, and her family. It was boring at first (I mean, who really cares about John's ex-wife??), but I was hooked after the first 3 pages. It's a rare look at the world the Beatles came from. It shows post-war England and Liverpool, with rationing and mandatory state service, and the lack of opportunity for the working class youth.

I just got to the part where John and Cynthia got together. He was a hooligan and was told to sit behind her in drawing class. He always borrowed pencils and brushes from her, and the 2 were an unlikely pair. She said he didn't seem afraid of anyone, which to me seems immensely cool. He also had a terrible temper, breaking into a yelling tantrum when he wasn't happy. He made her choose him over everything else (including school and her own family).

The most moving excerpt so far (I'm on page 12) was in the into by Julian Lennon. He said he always wanted to be a part of his father's life but was always cut out. When he did see his dad, he felt rejected and intimidated. "Intimidated" seems like such a terrible way to make your kid feel.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on that... or not. Next on my list is Stephen Colbert's "I Am America (And So Can You." After that, I want a DVD to teach me gypsy jazz guitar so I can play more like Django Reinhardt, my 2nd favorite guitar player ever.