Sunday, February 16, 2014

Kelly's Book 2.14: Detroit City is the Place to Be

Dear Jenny,

I'm still one post behind -- I have finished reading On Writing but I haven't written about it yet -- but I've just started this book, so I thought I would write the preview. I'm a wild woman, you know... I mix it up. (Also, maybe lazy... it's easier to write these preview posts than the re-caps.)

I think you recommended this book to me... I don't think that you had read it, but that you had read about it. And I bought it with our TBR winnings last year. So that's fun!

So far I have enjoyed some of the Detroit "insider knowledge" that makes me feel like an insider for already having it. For instance, Detroiters take a certain civic pride in knowing that there is, in fact, no place called "South Detroit" as referenced in Journey's song, "Don't Stop Believing." [2] (South Detroit? That would be Windsor.) And the term "party store" is explained in a footnote as "Our term for liquor stores in metropolitan Detroit" [23]. (I had not heard that term until I met Bill, but have since found that everyone here says it -- I always thought a "party store" was a place to buy buy streamers and balloons, but Detroiters know what *really* makes a party.) (Yup... It's booze.)

I have lived in the Detroit area for almost two years (time flies, eh?) and honestly have no idea how the city could pull itself out of its mess, but this author claims he's going to look beyond what's gone wrong (a common topic for books and articles) and shine a light on how the future could be better. I look forward to reading that. And, of course, I'll keep ya posted.

love,
kelly

3 comments:

  1. I absolutely totally think of a party store as a place to buy streamers and balloons. That's funny---I mean, it makes perfect sense! But then what do they call the place where you buy streamers and balloons? Wouldn't it be great if they called in the liquor store. haha!

    I think I did hear about that book on NPR. I will be interested to see how it is. I am delighted that you are approaching almost 2 years in CA. I've seen you more in the past 2 years than in the previous 10 combined! So yay for that, my friend.

    I also like the preview posts. No pressure. Hah.

    J

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here's a question for you: when you post the book covers, do you always try to post the one that's the same as the one you are reading? I usually do, but every great once in a while, I will pick a different one if I like it better. The last time I changed the cover on you, it was for Purple Hibiscus. I liked the one I posted far better than the one I actually read.

    Also, ToBX brackets are going to go up sometime this week. Whee!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Okay. Just asked Bill -- a place where you buy streamers and whatnot is a party *supply* store (he gave me a weird look -- I said, "Well, you wouldn't call it a 'party store,' right?" He said, "No. That's where you buy beer." Heh.)

    In Atlanta, liquor stores are called "package stores," which I totally thought meant shipping supplies when I first moved there. Then I got used to it, moved to CA, and there was a shipping supply store in town called "The Package Store" that I thought was a liquor store at first. Ha!

    As for book covers, I post the cover of the book that I have. (If it's a pBook, I often actually take a photo of my very book -- just didn't do it this time because I was on a plane when I posted this) Never occurred to me to pick a better one! :)

    ToBX Brackets! Wheeee! (Meanwhile, I've gotten a bit bogged down... I'm on track to complete 11, but probably won't get further than that.)

    ReplyDelete