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To Do: Summer Reading
The heavy fog has returned to San Francisco today. It’s the first black-turtleneck-day of the summer! Perfect for some cozy reading at home. My friend, Margaret, asked me to put together some book suggestions:
What I’m Reading:
- Pox Americana – A grim subject but excellently written. Rob bought this after all the smallpox references in the HBO John Adam’s series.
- The Joy of Living – Buddhist principles put in the perspective of quantum science and cognitive psychology. This one is passed on from my dad. I really like it so far.
- Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer – Another good history book passed on from Rob (I think via my mom?). It’s a juicy read.
- Yiddish Policemen’s Union – Perhaps more interesting in concept than in execution, but still a fun novel. I liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay better.
- The Fig Eater – It is on the bedside table but I haven’t started it yet.
- The Making of the Atomic Bomb – Rob is reading this currently, passed on from a co-worker. I’ll probably get to it after him.
Favorite Summer Standbys:
- A Room With a View – Books about traveling are perfect for the summer. This is a classic to be followed with watching the Merchant Ivory film.
- My Family and Other Animals – So adorable and funny. This book makes you want to pick up your bags and move to a pink cottage by the sea.
- Out of Africa – One of my all time favorite books. This one makes you want to move to an African farm.
- Pride and Prejudice – I caught an hour of the long BBC version on TV last night, including the pond scene. I need to re-read this again soon.
- A Passage to India – I’ve had Indian food twice in three days, it might be time to give this another read too.
What are you reading right now?
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I just watched Out of Africa, so I may need to add that to my reading list…
Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
House of Mirth (Edith Wharton)
Angle of Repose (Wallace Stegner)
Just finished (and thoroughly enjoyed):
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
I loved the unusual perspective in Zusak’s book, and I admire how Steinbeck’s writing is equal parts panache and raw emotion. I highly recommend both reads.
Out of Africa has been on my list of must-reads for a while. I think it just got bumped up a notch by your reviews!
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote (currently reading)
The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand (next in line)
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini (just finished, sooooo good)
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger (one of my favorite books)
p.s. I love when you do posts like this because I find out about books/movies/etc. that I’ve never heard of before. Thanks!
I’m reading Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell right now – just finished reading about 100 pages about John Wilkes Booth, so its ironic that one of your listed books is about this. Next on my list is The Grapes Of Wrath. Room With A View is actually on my list for this summer as well, but after plowing through Howard’s End last year, I don’t know if I have it in me right now to read another Forster. 🙂
Currently reading:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Johnathan Safran Foer, the story of a boys journey post 9/11.
Well Always Have Paris and Provence by Patricia and Walter Wells, one of my favorite new genres that combines memoirs with recipes.
Just finished:
Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch, dark story of Charleston debutantes who find that life is not everything society tells you its going to be.
If you enjoyed Out of Africa, I recommend Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton by Sara Wheeler.
Classic summer read:
Tales of the Anglo nobility in Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.
And for fall/back to school, my favorite modern classic of all time:
The Secret History by Donna Tartt, which I describe as The Great Gatsby in a mash-up with Crime and Punishment.
I’m currently reading Eat, Pray, Love and really do love it! Next on my bedside table is the Secret Life of Bees. Thanks for all the great suggestions!
I’m presently reading The Half Inch Prophecy by William Sears… very interesting, so far.
I’m struggling to finish Cannery Row. Such a short book, but I think after going from barely reading to going through 10 books in a row that I might have hit a wall. And I’m trying to decide what to read next. The Omnivore’s Dilemma is on my nightstand, but it’s so big I keep thinking maybe I’ll put it off a little longer.
Thanks everyone!
-Margaret
I’m reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” right now. I absolutely love the narrator!