Ruiz de Burton and Ondaatje
Waiting around for a flight in the Oslo airport this past week, I bought two books (depressing how rarely I actually manage to go to a "real" bookstore these days).
First, I was looking through a rack of Modern Library Classics, and picked up a book called The Squatter and the Don by Marķa Amparo Ruiz De Burton. I had never heard of the author or the book before, but reading the blurp and skimming a few pages, I was intrigued by this romance written and set at the time of the annexation of California. I bought the book, and it is now in pile of reading for the summer. Has anyone read this book?
Secondly, on my way out of the store, I nearly had a heart attack, when my eyes fell on a beautiful hardcover edition of a book entitled Divisadero... I thought my weak eyes were playing tricks on me, as the author's name looked like Michael Ondaatje, but as I picked up the book with trembling hands, I realised that my eyes had not failed me. A new book by Ondaatje! Reader's heaven! I had no idea that he had written a new novel. His other books have been nothing short of fantastic, so this one is sitting in my briefcase, and I will begin the reading tomorrow on the train.