Tuesday, July 6, 2010

WOMEN RULE

Mom, I learned a new word this week and I just knew you'd love it.

Gynecocracy.

What you raised us in, yes? And not something it appears Provo High was keen to teach me about. Humph.

(Oh! Humph! Humph reminds me of what I've been reading a bit of lately: Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. Humph is a major part of how the camel got his hump, O Best Beloved. If you haven't read those jewels in a while I strongly urge you to dig in. When I was a kid and liked to read before bed I would pad out to the bookshelves looking for something to entertain me. Sometimes I'd have my dad come downstairs and choose a book for me. Unfortunately, the pickings were slim for a ten-year-old. Jesus the Christ and The Egyptian among other bulky texts didn't appeal to me. So I went back to Just So Stories again and again. Mom's copy had an illustration for each chapter, and I remember the elephant one to be especially cute. It's been, gosh, about 15 years at least since I've read this bit of Kipling, and I'm glad that it's been that long. Now I'm old enough to appreciate what a terrific writer he is, er, was. Back then I liked the creative stories and the fact that there was a picture now and then (I'm a very visual creature, O Best Beloved.) But the writing in this book is dazzling.)

Cheers.

1 comment:

Ryan said...

charlotte perkins gilman is smiling down from her hot air ballon. we should be so lucky!