From top to bottom: One Hundred Years of Solitude--Gabriel Garcia MarquezThe Rose Garden--Maeve Brennan
Becoming a Writer--Dorthea Brande
New Moon--Stephanie Meyer
Rabbit, Run and Rabbit Redux--John Updike
The Time Traveler's Wife--Audrey Niffenegger
Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip, Vol. 4--Tove Jansson
(not pictured, as it is in transit) The Long Embrace: Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved--Judith Freeman
(also not pictured, as it was forgotten) In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed--Carl Honore
My stack is tall, but what has been actually read so far is more along the lines of the short stack.
One Hundred Years...I read this book about a dozen years ago and about all I remembered was that I liked it well enough. I never kept the names of the characters straight but that doesn't feel wrong. It's a very dreamlike book so I felt fine floating on through. The last 50 pages are worth the price of admission, to be sure.
The Rose Garden...I've stammered and stalled with this one. It's a collection of short stories and I think I've started the second one three times now. On the New Yorker Fiction podcast in December (if I remember rightly), I heard a brilliant story authored by Brennan. I think I just need to get in the mood for snooty wealthy folks.
Becoming a Writer...Ummm...it's a dream I've had since about 3rd grade but I'm lacking on the talent side. I ordered this online and now that I've done a quick flip through I think I may have owned this about 25 years ago, the last time I thought seriously about writing. Ha ha.
New Moon...I thought Twilight was mediocre (it all has to do with that "Becoming a Writer" thing; I feel I could do better). However, I decided to just go along for the ride (a nice, fluffy ride) and enjoy it. This book felt like a giant lead-up to the episode, which I'm sure I'll zoom through sometime this fall.
Rabbits...When Updike passed on while I was doing my research on women's roles in the mid-20th century, I realized these might be a fun read. They are coming along on vacation and I'm excited.
Time Traveler...I actually know nothing about this book but when I was seeing buzz about it in bloggyland, I wrote it down on my massive list of "to read". I hope to start and finish it before school starts (oh!).
Moomin...Can never go wrong with dear Moomin. I need to be more Moominmamma-like: unflappable, kind, and wise.
The Long Embrace...How am I going to get through all these books this summer?! I'm hoping this one arrives before vacation since I'd like to be able to switch it up with Updike. I adore Chandler and this has been on the aforementioned "to read" list for about a year and a half now. This sorta-kinda biography gets mixed reviews but I think I'll still like it.
Slowness...Hmmm...this book is not quite what I expected. I'm about 80% finished and it is the most breezily written book. It races along from snippet to snippet, which I find quite funny for a book about slowness. I was hoping for a book that was more about techniques for finding space in one's day. I guess every book can't be a winner, eh?
What are you reading? Can you add to my "to read" list?
8 comments:
I'm going with some classics (which I've never read, since English was not my language of instruction): Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, The Catcher in the Rye and probably a couple of books in French as well... And I am almost done with the Sookie Stackhouse Series. Light reading about vampires for adults only ;-)
I am reading "Men to Match My Mountains" it is a book that my grandfather gave my mom when she moved from NJ to CA. and my mom has been trying to get me to read for ever. I am finally digging into it and wondering why it took me so long.
my other two reads-
the no cry sleep solution
(making me feel less guilty that I don't let my baby cry it out- does it seem backwards to anyone else that I have to feel guilty for snuggling my baby at night?)
Feeding the whole family- I am kinda excited about this one- recipes to feed all of us including the wee one. I want a good eater in the house and am hoping I can get a jump start now. we'll see huh?
I always get great ideas on what to read when I see your reading lists. :) I have a stack of books to bring along on our trip: The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks, Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. And... I might sneak in New Moon or Eclipse, if there's room. ;-)
good list! you´ve given me some good ideas! happy reading!
Oh, I love book reviews! These are some good ones... I'll jot these down!
looks like a great summer list!!
love that!!
One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera are my all time favorite books. I felt the same way about One Hundred years, hard to keep track of characters names and a very dream like feel to it. Loved it!
I'm currently reading Women with Big Eyes and also have Where the Heart Is and The Secret Lives of Bees on my list.
You won't be sorry about Time Traveler's Wife.
I just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. Awesome, but sometimes difficult reading for emotional/moral reasons.
I just started the last book in His Dark Materials. I've been eating those books up.
I read Snowflower and the Secret Fan before that. Also darn good. And really interesting with the Chinese foot binding and cultural stuff.
I've been reading alot of books with issues of women and oppression and such lately. hm.
What did I read before that? Oh, finally read A Homemade Life. My reading list is looooong.
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