The Sassy Steel Magnolia
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  • Archives

  • June30th

    Persian Poetry.

    Posted in: gypsy, moonlight, My Bookshelf, Scheherazade

    I could spend hours pouring through the various translations of Omar Khayyam’s poems. Originally written in Persian, the most famous translation is by Edward FitzGerald titled The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám.

    Omar wrote about 1,000 poems and FitzGerald translated (and re-translated) hundreds of them in his 5 edition collection, in the 19th century. Various other translations have been derived throughout the years – each offering a glimpse of varying interpretations for both the reader and the translators.

    On this lovely little Thursday, I thought I’d share a few of Omar’s poems with you.  Enjoy!

    VII
    Come, fill the Cup, and in the fire of Spring 
    Your Winter-garment of Repentance fling: 
    The Bird of Time has but a little way 
    To flutter–and the Bird is on the Wing.

    ~

    XXVIII
    With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow, 
    And with mine own hand wrought to make it grow; 
    And this was all the Harvest that I reap’d– 
    “I came like Water, and like Wind I go.”

    ~

    XXXV
    Then to the lip of this poor earthen Urn
    I lean’d, the Secret of my Life to learn:
    And Lip to Lip it murmur’d–”While you live
    Drink!–for, once dead, you never shall return.”

    ~

    LXVIII
    We are no other than a moving row 
    Of Magic Shadow-shapes that come and go 
    Round with the Sun-illumined Lantern held 
    In Midnight by the Master of the Show.

    ~

    All of the above are translations from FitzGerald, with the following interpretation from Len Bracken’s Persian Love. (It’s one of my top 3 favorites!)

    Drink wine, it’s what remains of the harvest of youth—the season of roses and wine and drunken friends. Be happy for a moment, that moment’s your life.

    Now isn’t that quite the thought to send you off for the weekend? I think so, too. To read more of Omar’s poetry you can pick up a copy on Amazon, scroll through FitzGerald’s translations here, or take a look at Bracken’s interpretations here.

    :: love & magic ~ jennie b ::

    *Fun fact: If you have seen the movie Unfaithful, the Len Bracken verse above is the one Connie reads from the book Paul directed her to pick up, read, and take with her.

    photos: bing

  • March31st

    My Bookshelf – Little Red Encyclopedia

    Posted in: Elegance, luxury, moonlight, My Bookshelf

    I haven’t always been the most diligent with my Book of the Month posts. My apologies for that. However, because of this I have opted to change the category simply to My Bookshelf. All former Book of the Month posts are still available and I hope to update with a new book on My Bookshelf as often as possible. (Which you would think to be easy as I am currently reading 4 different books!)

    I’m beyond thrilled to introduce you to one of the newest books on My Bookshelf, although it hasn’t quite made it to the literal shelf as I have not been able to put it down and carry it with me everywhere I go.  And I think you might do the same ….

    –

    Jessica Kerwin Jenkin’s

    Encyclopedia of the Exquisite

    Inside these pages lies a wealth of information I had never been privy too before. I catch myself soaking up every last word. From practical to fantastical, the Encyclopedia of the Exquisite has 100 entries on topics ranging from Amorini and Putti, the Countess de Castiglione, Divans, Fireworks, Giochi D’Acqua, and  Milk Baths, to Painted Ladies, Tea, Wanderers, and many more in between.

    Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, and published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, takes a cue from the exotic encyclopedias of the 16th century, which brimmed with mysterious artifacts, focusing on the elegant, the rare, the commonplace and the delightful. A compendium of luxury that merges whimsy and practicality, the book traipses through all the fine arts, showcasing every sphere of style: fashion, food, travel, home, garden and beauty.

    This is truly one of those books where you find yourself eagerly flipping the pages, caught by mini-glimpses of times passed, creating whimsical fantasies of your own, and lusting to learn more. *Because as we all know, smart is always sexy.

    It’s the kind of Encyclopedia you wish your parents would’ve made you read as “punishment” in younger days. It’s easy to flip through to a certain topic or read cover to cover – each chapter an individual and all filled with tidbits you may have never known before. (example: I never knew a thing about crickets other than they were noise making bugs, now … I’m quite impressed with the little creatures.)

    I could honestly continue on and on about how much I adore this book and all the magical, mystical, wondrous, glamorous, fanciful, theatrical, educational, EXQUISITE things surrounding it, but I believe this statement from Jenkin’s Web site sums it up best:

    Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is a lifestyle guide for the Francophile and the Anglomaniac, the gourmet and the style maven, the armchair traveler and the art-lover. It’s an homage to the esoteric world of glamour that doesn’t require much spending, but makes us feel rich.

    Need I say more? As always, you can pick up a copy right away at The SSM eStore under My Bookshelf. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

    -•-

    *Pssst … Jenkins is already hard at work on a SECOND book! Visit her at her Web site for brief doses of Exquisite-ness and more information. You can also catch her on Twitter & Facebook.

  • December21st

    Book of the Month 12/10

    Posted in: holiday, My Bookshelf

    I’m sure you are guess I would chose a Holiday themed book for this month’s Book of the Month. And if indeed you were, you my friend are correct. I did opt to go for a Holiday Book, but probably not one you might have guessed. This book has stayed with me since my childhood and hands down has always been one of my favorite stories surrounding the Season. It’s not really your typical Christmas Story and it definitely wasn’t about your run-of-the-mill Christmas Pageant.

    It’s the story of the Herdmans … and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever … by Barbara Robinson.

    The best summary of the book can be found on it’s back cover. I thought re-writing one, but nothing covers it as well as this:

    The Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, smoke cigars, swear, and hit little kids. So no one is prepared when this outlaw family invades church one Sunday and decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant.

    None of the Herdmans has ever heard the Christmas story before. Their interpretation of the tale – the Wise Men are a bunch of dirty spies and Herod needs a good beating – has a lot of people up in arms. But it will make this year’s pageant the most unusual anyone has seen and, just possibly, the best one ever.

    - Harper Trophy

    Each year I revisit with the Herdmans. I’ve gone through quite a few copies of this book as eventually the pages fall out or I lose one here and there, but I always have one on my shelf. Besides, its good to pick up a children’s book every now and then. Gives you something to believe in.

    I still love the images in my mind of the Herdmans banging their garage door up and down and running underneath it seeing if they can make it. And the crazy wild cat they have as a pet. And Imogene at the end of the pageant. She’s my kind of Mary….and this is my kind of Christmas Story.

    “Hey! Unto you a child is born!” – Gladys Herdman

    -•-

    To pick up a copy of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, visit The Sassy Steel Magnolia eSTORE. *And if you’re a more traditional Holiday story kind of person, you can order a copy of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol there, too!

    photo: wikipedia

  • November30th

    Book[s] of the Month 11/10

    Posted in: build-a-home, inspiration, My Bookshelf

    My Sister has always told me I will have the best coffee table in America.

    It’s safe to agree with her on that. I have a slight obsession with coffee table books. And although I don’t exactly own the coffee table currently being used where I live, I am constantly stocking up on coffee table books to place in my future home [ que build-a-home here ].  For as many stands I have holding books of literature, I have an equal number storing my coffee table books and view both as equally important.

    While great works of literature inspire you with great writing, engrossing stories, motivational quips and the like, coffee table books provide me with visual stimulation – a chance to explore a different world, step back into loved memories, tap into an instant source of endless inspiration. That’s why I chose to dedicate this month’s Book of the Month to a few of my favorite Coffee Books in my collection.

    Whether on my night stand, coffee table, in my bathroom, on a shelve – these books all represent a part of me and my aspirations. I love that at any given moment you can flip to one of the 101 Greatest American Poems, become entranced by Pablo Neruda, or laugh at the quick witted Mary Phillips Designs….

    …. or see some of the sights from my college days in Oxford, Mississippi through Wyatt Water’s incredible watercolors, or glance at Gil Elvgren’s amazing pin-up works [secret confession - I've always wanted to be an old fashioned pin-up like the girls in Gil's book] …

    …or catch a bit of the Spirit of India, maybe add a touch of Province Style, or even fall in love with my latest addition to my coffee table book collection – Romantic Style.

    Whatever the reason may be, I simply adore each and every one of my coffee table books. [and this is only a tiny fraction of them] They’re not only inspiring in their own ways, but great conversation starters, key insights as to the owners, and always lovely Christmas presents!

    Taschen publishes some of the best coffee table books on the market but you can find awesome deals at the bargain tables at Barnes & Noble. (keep an eye out for discounted Taschen books – score!) Regardless of where you get one, make sure it represents something about you. More than a book of pretty pictures and the like, a really good coffee table book is an extension of the owner – a story … of past, present, or hopeful future.

    Books Featured Above :
    101 Great American Poems by The America Poetry & Literacy Project
    Taschen Icon Series: Province Style
    Why Limit Happy to an Hour? by Mary Phillips
    Gil Elvgren: The Complete Pin-ups by Taschen
    Love Poems by Pablo Neruda
    An Oxford Sketchbook – Watercolors by Wyatt Waters
    Romantic Style by Selina Lake
    Spirit of India by Gill Davies

    *As always, you can pick up a copy of any of the above books in The SSM eStore [you know how I like to make it easy for you] and dress up your coffee table (or side table or bathroom stand or kitchen counter or…where eva) today!

  • October28th

    Book of the Month : 10/10

    Posted in: motivation, My Bookshelf, working girl

    Call it self-help, call it a business book. Call it a guide to advertising you, call it a get your ass in gear motivator. Call it whatever you want, just as long as it’s sitting on your bookshelf. Because no matter what,

    It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be.

    by Paul Arden – this month’s Book of the Month – is a great addition to any library, no matter the reader’s field of scope. Filled with invaluable tid-bits of advice from one of the top guns in the world of advertising, Arden offers the most basic, original and logical answers to some of life’s everyday questions. Whether you are starting out in the real world or you’ve been around the block a few times, every now and then we all need a little extra push of motivation to get to where you want to be.

    As with any book that falls into this genre, the answers and passages may seem a bit obvious, but aren’t all questions easy when you know the answers? Sometimes you need to ask yourself the simplest of questions and realize the answers aren’t as difficult as you may at first perceive them to be.

    Start being wrong and anything is possible. – Paul Arden

    With humor and relativity, Arden walks you up the staircase to success – or actually how to get yourself off your bum and get going. A quick read intertwined with various quips throughout, it won’t take long to cruise through the pages. You may even find yourself jotting down notes here and there of how to take Arden’s words and put them in place in your own matters.

    Of all the various books I’ve read in sales, marketing, motivation, etc. this one is by far in my Top 3. Below is one of my favorite exerts from the book – the fact that it deals with one of my favorite icons might be an added bonus – but I think you’ll find it quite agreeable.

    Another favorite line from the book:

    If you get stuck, draw with a different pen. – Paul Arden

    Simple enough, right? But do you realize the effects of one tiny change like that can resonate for years? Because they can. And the book? The book’s filled with one-liners like that. Just a little something to get you thinking – few tools to help you really give ‘em something worth talking about around the water cooler.

    In the case you may be thinking a book like this is silly or a waste of your time….there’s a chapter titled ” Don’t Be Afraid Of Silly Ideas. ” in there to cover that too. ;)

    –

    Pick up a copy of It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden in The SSM eStore today and get reading. You’ve got places to go, ladies [ & gents ] so let’s get it crackin!

    *My apologies for missing last month’s Book of the Month. It happens. I’ll try my hardest not to skip another month! Thanks for always understanding.

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