Books! I'd much rather here about everyone's book preferences than their beer preferences.
What was the best thing you read last year?
I have to say, I had a rotten year of reading. I read lots of adoption books, but they were homework. I re-read a lot of my favs--The Bridget Jones and Thursday Next books are always a safe bet and I can't go wrong with Austen or Shakespeare or Wodehouse. I re-read a lot of Russian authors... But the new books I bought (mostly when I was in England over the summer) were just rubbish. They were uninspired and uninspiring. The writing was weak. They just left me irritated that I'd wasted time, money and postage on them. And, this was the case with book after book after book.
So, help me out. I'm an avid reader. I enjoy a wide range of books--classics to chic lit, biographies and histories to mysteries, foreign translations to the backs of cereal boxes. Has anyone read anything clever recently?
I'm about to start David McCullough's 1776, which I'm sure will be brill, (he's another author I count on) but I'll need something for after. My friend Jen has sent me a load of paperbacks that I'm SO looking forward to getting! Talk about manna in the wilderness. What can you reccommend to keep me busy between 1776 and Jen's package?
(You know they say that your brain stagnates between the ages of 30 and 40. Do you really want the burden of adding to my mental stagnation?)
26 December 2006
a better "B"
11 comments:
kate, i know someone that might be able to give you some answers but probably not this week. her blog is "halfpint house". what you have in common--loves to read and reads widely, lived in colorado springs about 10 yrs. they have been at covenant seminary about 1 1/2 yrs. she homeschools her girls that are old enough, takes some courses, has an interesting blog, writes and is in the middle of moving from campus housing to a regular house. i'm sure she could make good suggestions. i'm hoping to meet her one of these days. we just keep missing each other.
i like your comments to dawn. martha
As I Lay Dying by Faulkner. A long time favorite, a dark satire.
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller was a favourite of mine last year. All my friends are raving about the new(ish) Shakepeare book "Will of the World." And of course, my other go to girl (besides Ms. Austen) is LM Montgomery.
From one avid reader to another here is my list that inspires me!
I know this much is True by Wally Lamb
Fall On Your Knees By Anne-Marie McDonald (this is a MUST read)
The Way the Crow Flies By Anne-Marie McDonald
Goodnight Mr Tom (great for older kids too)
A spoonful of Jam (great for older kids too)
Future Housewives of America
personally I would start with the second one in the list (Fall On Your Knees) as it is thrilling, thoughtful and full of sybolism.
Hi Kate. I have enjoyed several of Ayn Rand's books, including Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and We The Living.
Thanks for visiting my site! I have been enjoying yours now for a while. You have a great sense of humor and I really enjoy hearing about your life in St. Pete.
Ooo...my fingers are itching to hit the amazon icon now. Thanks to you all!
I agree totally with Lea about Ayn Rand. Not the best idealogically, but boy does she tell an engrossing story. Currently, I am reading The Bourne Identity by Ludlum and it is so much better than the movie and just as gripping. I've been rereading some Kundera recently and really enjoying that as well - if you haven't read his work, knowing your Czech history, you'd like it. Happy reading until the box arrives (and there were 2 books in your package you should get soon too).
Hi Kate. I know this is not related to your latest post but I don't know your email address. We will be in Moscow and Volgograd when we are in Russia next, sorry to say. I have always wanted to visit St. Pete and it makes me very sad to be this close and not make there. Hopefully we will return with our sons one day and get to do a little vacationing there.
Someone recently recommended the Nanny Diaries to me. I also just read an article that said that Bridget Jones is going to have a baby in her next book.
Talked to a friend tonight who is reading something like Julie and Julia, about a lady who went to NYC to be an actress but ended up working as a temp. In desperation, she decided to make every single recipe in the Julia Childs cookbook in one year. My friend said the lady is really far left, so you have to read past some of the tirades about republicans, but I thought it sounded kind of interesting...
kate, i bumped into a list you might enjoy reading. it was on half pint house's husband's list of books he read all year. he is a student at covenant seminary but had all kinds of books in the list incl. some fiction (less than he had wanted thanks to his courses). his blog is "second drafts". he is very brief and to the point in his comments:) since i don't know your taste in books, i'll let you read it. they worked at the nav. camp for about 10 yrs. right after college. i've enjoyed their blogs a lot. martha
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