I'm trying to convince L. that he ought to read the Patrick O'Brian series but he keeps getting distracted by the prospect of going out to buy cable boosters and things of that nature. We watched Master and Commander on Christmas eve and he seemed interested, so I intend to keep after him. R. bought him Mark Kurlansky's Salt since he enjoyed Cod a few years back, and S. got him an almanac and a hiking guidebook.

S. gave me Alberto Manguel's A Reading Diary and I thought about getting it a companion, Nick Hornby's Polysyllabic Spree. But when I was at the mall this morning shopping for S.'s birthday, I decided to save my Christmas money since the skinny little thing was $18. I checked online when I got home and it's supposed to list at $14. I really hate Books-a-Million.

Yesterday I finished To the Lighthouse and read a couple of chapters in The Island at the Center of the World. I was worried I might not actually get it finished until sometime next year, but the end is definitely within sight now. I'm sure the library will be happy to get it back. I started The Surgeon's Mate this morning.

S. and I have read no mythology over the break, but maybe we'll get back on track in a day or two. We've both had colds and many distractions. I can't decide if I want to continue with Apollodorus, though. He's awfully dry compared to Ovid.