cat nap

i've been watching this clip over and over for the past week.  

It's kind of like Penelope and me napping, but more fuzzy and less stripey. 

ten thousand saints

We are divided and united by battles: both publically and internally.  Eleanor Henderson’s bold, debut novel, Ten Thousand Saints illustrates just that.  In this empathetic coming of age story, reminiscent of Bank’s Rule of the Bone and Lethem’s The Fortress of Solitude, we’re introduced to Jude.  Adopted as an infant by hippies in the 70s he’s one of the restless youth found marginalized in lush, idyllic Vermont.  Jude’s usual comfort and calm, found in getting high with his best friend, Teddy, is suddenly upended when Teddy dies of an overdose.  Jude’s relationship with family and drugs dramatically shifts.  He’s moved to pre-Giuliani New York City with his pot-dealing dad and stumbles upon hardcore music through Sunday matinees at CB's.  Searching for comfort, forgiveness, and an explanation for Teddy's death, Jude becomes deeply involved in the Straight Edge scene and Krishna's teachings.

Ten Thousand Saints is told through a series of struggles, which fray and bring a handful of  well-developed characters together in the most natural, yet random ways.  Through death and a new, unexpected life, a group of people become family.   The struggles, failings and good intentions that clearly and heartachingly manifest within each character and generation solidifies a foundation that will define Henderson as a master storyteller.