Ann Patty

Ann Patty's memoir of learning Latin in her retirement.

Her musings on the process of learning Latin and how it tied in with or reminded her of earlier parts of her life were interesting.

However, as a former editor herself, she really should have got someone to cast an eye over her work. Nouns don't have a first person singular and first person plural (I think she meant nominative singular and nominative plural) and she should know the difference between 'hoard' and 'horde'.

And although she comes across as a driven, self-reflective but on the whole likeable woman, she did come perilously close to suggesting a gay male friend is an accessory every sophisticated New York woman should have.… (more)

When the professor reminds her that studying Latin is a lot of work, she answers ”To keep my brain, and thus myself, alive” (249-250)

Ann Patty communicates her passion for Latin full of enthusiasm. For her, it is not only an art for young and old but also a tool for aging graciously. The author's study of Latin is inspired by her mother’s love for the language and her own determination to avoid aging as her mother did, to never let age or marital life obliterate her passion, as occurred with her mother.
She is aware that besides being food for the brain, Latin is also a language linked to her past and linked to our past throughout millennia, perpetually "undead."

“How concise Latin is! The language, like Roman architecture, is sturdy, carefully fitted together, built to withstand the incursions of time. Roman edifices and bridges have weathered millennia, one heavy stone placed next to or atop another, their mortar the architectural equivalent of declensions and conjugations. Everything fits snugly, compactly. That’s what gives the language its ponderous feel and its grandeur.” (453)… (more)

DNF. Am ~60 pages into this one, and while I'm fairly well enjoying the memoir aspect of it, the Latin stuff is mind-numbing. Not because I'm not interested or because I don't care for Latin or anything--it's just that Patty's lengthy discussions of the ins and outs of the language are dry dry dry and seem to assume some knowledge of the language. She's not explaining things fully enough to really follow her discussions of the cases and declensions and so on and those discussions go on too long and in too much detail for someone who doesn't understand what she's on about. Bummed about this one, as the memoir/language study combo seemed like an excellent fit for me.… (more)

This seemed like a good book, but I went off to Iceland and had to return it to the library (someone else had a hold, and I’m not abusing my override powers).

I got a few chapters in, and probably would’ve finished it eventually. The basic premise: Divorced and enjoying an earlier-than-expected, less-than-voluntary retirement, editor Ann Patty takes up a college Latin course to rekindle her lifelong love of words -- and to keep her mind busy. The text bounces between personal narrative, linguistic fun, and the nitty-gritty of Latin grammar. Knowing Latin well enough (it was more or less my college major) the explanations of Latin were a little repetitive.

I’m putting a pin in this one because I’m in more of a fiction mood, but I do want to see where else she goes. Although if the book doesn’t move past the basic premise I outlined, it’s never getting finished…… (more)