just let him read vonnegut

Dear God,
Please make sure my letters of recommendation got to their respective university admissions offices on time.
Love,
Ginny

I received a postcard from Columbia, stating my application and fee had been received. Hurray! Wait ... there aren't any little check marks next to "transcript" and "letters of recommendation." I'm hoping this is an issue of organization, not one of my documents not arriving. I spent a lot of today browsing blogs, and I've got a nice little collection going in my Google Reader. I've basically read enough to know this is the field I want to work in, but I'm going to have to work my butt off catching up. Part of that involves reading "trendy," newer books, like "The Witch of Portobello" and "The Da Vinci Code." I know I've already mentioned this, but after reading bookish people's snubs of the latter, I almost cringe thinking about associating myself with the book. I never wanted to, but I'm just assuming the people who dislike it aren't judging it without having read it themselves. And like I said, I got a hardback for 99 cents. But I'm starting with the former, having never read "The Alchemist" or hardly any other such "trendy" book. My version of a trendy book includes things like "The Lovely Bones," "The Da Vinci Code," "Tuesdays With Morrie" -- basically the books that spend an eternity on the bestseller list.

When I became interested in "Portobello," I wasn't aware it was becoming a trend. I saw it in the mini Borders and just liked the way the cover looked and read. "How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves--even if we are unsure of who we are?" the inside flap queries. I figured I'd run across it eventually, and suddenly my mother was on a mission to find this book cheap. She must've asked me a dozen times how to spell Paulo Coelho -- and I still can't remember if it's LH or HL. Maybe if I pronounce it "coal hoe." I've been saying "co ell o," but I don't know if that's right. Maybe I'm just burnt out, but I got bored reading reviews of this book. I'm almost bored writing about it. Maybe that's because I thought "The Alchemist" looked boring. Yeah, yeah, "don't judge ... "

One I have judged already is "Shadow of the Dolls." Apparently a modern writer got hold of Susann's first draft of a sequel for Anne and Neely, and lo, sequel city. I was wary after reading that it took place in the '80s, but with the girls just 10 years older -- that's more than a "liberty," it's heresy. Still curious, though, I read through the first few pages on Amazon. I was turned off simply because the first scene starred Neely, and I was appalled by references to liposuction and Godiva. Not to mention "Cardio, schmardio." Gag me with a spoon.

I'm no Sophie Kinsella fanatic, and I don't read science fiction. I'm embarrassed to go through a check-out line with romance novels, so when I'm feeling generous I order them from Amazon to send to my best friend, who lives far away. The universities asking for my recently read books was the kick in the pants I needed to dive into "Lamb" and "Valley of the Dolls." I want to boast a diverse library and be able to say I've read and been enlightened by some important books. I don't want to get sucked in by "trendy," but it may be a while before I conquer "Mein Kampf." Likewise with words. I guess I'm just a girl on a mission to make up for all the intellectual stimulation I missed out on in the past 10 years -- wasting my time trying to nurture doomed and destructive relationships with guys who were lucky to finish high school.

I'm not saying I want to be a book snob per se, for I'm certainly in no place to discuss Pushkin or Kahlil Gibran. But maybe I can weave some oxymoronic "respectable trendy" into my library and not get caught in headlights.