With shady park benches and sandy beaches beckoning, if you’re taking some relaxation time this summer, don’t forget to bring along a good read. For those of you who aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve given you some help by asking some of your favorite PBS and THIRTEEN personalities to recommend some books that they were reading this summer.
Here’s what they had to say — share some of your picks below:
Gwen Ifill, Washington Week
“Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead is perfect for summer! It’s a coming of age story that never gets told — one of young black men trying to sort out who they are — boys who have all of the advantages that a middle class existence can bring, including summers in Sag Harbor. It is funny, engaging and makes you care.”
Jim Lehrer, PBS NewsHour
“No summer would be complete without reading a novel by the Belgian-born Georges Simenon, who spent most of his writing life in Paris. He wrote more than 500 novels, including a few set in the U.S. where he lived briefly in the 1950’s. I would recommend Red Lights, which has recently been published in paperback. Simenon was the master of the small psychological jewel. Be my summer guest.”
Tavis Smiley, Tavis Smiley
“Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity by Tim Wise. Tim Wise’s critical examination about the notion of a post-racial America in the age of Obama proves once again why he is one of the leading voices on matters of race and social justice. .”
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Faces of America
“My choice is, and always is, Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. For those who have read it already, read it again. It is the richest novel and bears numerous re-readings. For those who haven’t read it yet, get a copy, and enjoy!”
Lidia Bastianich, Lidia’s Italy
“Sociology on the Menu by Alan Beardsworth and Teresa Keil is a great book addressing the sociology of food and why we eat what we eat. It’s about why we make the choices we do when it comes to food, and how the social, communal aspect of food developed, and continues to evolve and change. The book also discusses the subjects of eating out, as well as changing conceptions of diet and health food anxieties and scares. Overall, it’s a great, thought provoking read!”
Rafael Pi Roman, New Jersey Capitol Report
“Chilean-born poet and novelist Roberto Bolano who died in 2003 at the age of 50, is one of the greatest Latin American writers of the post “Boom” era (of the post Garcia Marquez, Vargas Llosa, Cortazar and Fuentes era, that is). His last novel, 2666, published posthumously in 2004, is a 900 page opus made up of five seemingly unconnected stories that ultimately do connect in the living nightmare that is contemporary Juarez, Mexico (Santa Teresa in the novel) . Reading any of Bolano’s work is rewarding but reading 2666 is an unforgettable, haunting experience. 2666 is a masterpiece, a modern day Dante’s Inferno (with no Paradiso in sight). It’s gut wrenching but you’ll thank me for recommending it to you.”
Neal Shapiro, WNET.ORG President & CEO
“Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis: I’m blessed to be a father three times over and I’m still finding my way. The Great Gatsby: It’s the best novel I’ve ever read and having just read Danielle Ganek’s new book, I wanted to read Fitzgerald again. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: I’ve seen hundreds of film noirs and read dozens of stories with detectives and journalists on the case, but never one set in Sweden…until now. ”
Elmo, Sesame Street
“One of my favorite books is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein because ever since I read this, I think about everything trees and growing things do to make the world wonderful.”
Bill Baker, WNET.ORG President Emeritus
“My family spends summers on our island off the coast of Canada (the subject of my book Lighthouse Island published by Ruder Finn), where there are no roads, electricity, or running water, but plenty of time to read. This year I’m reading A History of God by Karen Armstrong, a look at how 4,000 years of Jewish, Islamic, and Christian seekers have influenced one another and tried to define what God is. I’m also reading The Gift of Giving by Michael Lynberg, which asks how each of us can live the fullest possible life. Finally, I’m making my way through Settled in the Wild by Susan Hand Shetterly, a collection of gorgeous essays about life amidst the natural splendor of Maine.”
Responses to "THIRTEEN’s Summer Reading List"
I’m reading “Game Change” – the gossipy and highly entertaining book behind the scenes of the 2008 presidential election. Yeah, its political junk, what’s better for summer reading than that?
Lush Life
Moby Dick
Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon by Sheila Weller
Tinkers by Paul Harding
Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor by Brad Gooch
My favorite book so far this summer is NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED by E.J. Copperman. It’s a funny, quirky, not at all depressing mystery novel with some ghosts thrown in, set on the Jersey Shore and including characters who aren’t one-dimensional. I highly recommend it. Great literature? Not necessarily, but it’s summer–who’s reading The Brothers Karamazov?
I am reading
Alex Detail’s Revolution by Darren Campo
The Journey Home by Olaf Olafson
I just finished a smart, well written suspense novel by Dan Chaon, whose earlier novel, “You Remind me of Me,”I enjoyed a lot. This new one is called “Await Your Reply,” and it starts with a bang–a young man riding in the car with his father, headed to the hospital to have his hand sewn back on–and never lets up. There are different strands to this story, and when they join up into one plot, it’s brilliant. Definitely recommend it for a tense summer read.
I am reading a stunning biography of Albert Camus called Camus A Romance. Here is the author’s website (http://www.Camusaromance.com. It gets into some undiscovered details of his life and it a lot of fun to read. I had no idea that Camus was such a big part of my life until I read this. Crazy but true.
Just finished A Fierce Radiance, by Lauren Belfer – a novel set during WW II and built around the development of penicillin and its “cousins.” What I appreciated most was the attention to detail – it made me feel like I was there with the main characters and really emphasized the period in which the novel takes place.
Now, on to Phillip Pullman’s “The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ.” A thoughtful, entertaining novel. But I worry this author is going to find himself on the wrong end of a Catholic “fatwa” if he keeps writing stuff like this!
The best book I have read so far this summer was Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. But I also really enjoyed The Three Weissmans of Westport and One Good Dog. All kind of heart-warming, I must admit. Guess I’m just in a warm-hearted mood. I also really enjoyed Eaarth, which, rather than heart-warming was about global warming, but even that had a positive side. I recommend them all.
Suite Francaise by Irene Neverosky
Fire in The Blood ” ”
Little Bird in Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates
The Girl who played with Fire by Stieg Larrson
All of these books were wonderful summer reads.
i am reading: Twilight at the World of Tomorrow …Genius, Madness, Murder and the 1939 World’s Fair on the Brink of War by James Mauro
The Last Stand, by Nathaniel Philbrick, a detailed account of the fabled Custer’s Last Stand, detailing the errors and assumptions on both sides that went into making it not only a last stand for Custer and the 7th Cavalry, but also for the Sitting Bull and the Lakota.
I just read Audrey Niffenegger’s Her Fearful Symmetry. It’s just as engrossing ar The Time Traveller’s Wife–another great read. Niffenegger has a gift for understanding the complexities of love and loss. I also picked up my teenager’s book to check out what he is reading: Graveyard by Neil Gaiman. There are some surprising parallels with Niffenegger…..
Reginald Hill’s “The Price of Butcher’s Meat”, the latest in the Dalziel/Pascoe murder mystery series; all three of Stieg Larssen’s novels; and “Plastic Fantastic”, a book about a case of scientific fraud at Bell Labs.
I’m the Executive Director of Behind the Book, a NYC literacy nonprofit, and I spend my summer reading young adult novels for our middle and high school programs. Here are some of my favorites: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia about three sisters who spend the summer of 1968 in Oakland, CA with the mother who abandoned them. I also am hooked on The Hunger Games trilogy, written by Suzanne Collins and Matt de la Pena’s Mexican White Boy. I also liked Ten Mile River by Paul Griffin, Efrain’s Secret by Sofia Quintero, It’s Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, and Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick. I also read a lot of picture books and I and I Bob Marley by Tony Medina is great as is anything by Marthe Jocelyn. Check out our website for more ideas…www.BehindtheBook.org
I have finished The KNOWN WORLD by Edward P.Jones.
It is excellent . Mr. Jones has won the Pulitzer.
Also DISGRACE by J.M. Coetzee is amazing..
Our mystery analysis group is discussing Larsson’s the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Totally wonderful book!
I’m reading two books right now: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott and Just As Am I by Billy Graham. Both wonderful, and totally different, christian-conversion testimonies.
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo and the next two books in Stieg Larsson’s “Millenium Trilogy”
Luis Alberto Urrea’s “Into the Beautiful North” will make you laugh, cry, and cheer on the characters as they search for hope. A quick, delightful read. Take it to the beach!
Read “The Strain” by Guillermo DelToro and let your hair stand on end. Excellent NYC vampire story. First of a trilogy.
The Selected Works of T. F. Spivet, by Reif Larsen. Fiction about a 12-year-old map prodigy, studded with amazing marginalia. Moving, intricate and unique!
Finally finished (after a year) The Gir With the Dragon Tattoo.
Thoroughly enjoyed Anna Quindlen’s latest – One True Thing
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton was a guilty pleasure a la Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels.
I’m reading A Lesson Before Dying. My fifteen year old niece was assigned the book as summer reading and I thought it would be interesting to read it with her.
Awakening to the Spirit World: The Shamanic Path of Direct Revelation by Sandra Ingerman & Hank Wesselman is a fascinating exploration into the myriad ways that people around the world and throughout the ages have accessed and continue to access direct experiences of knowing beyond the five senses. The authors, both seasoned shamanic practitioners, take the reader on a journey that includes making deep connection with nature, our dreams, the power of ceremony and engaging with the inner meaning of our life and death. The book opens new doors inviting further inquiry.
Fat Chick, a novel.
Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”. Dostoyevsky has woven a delicious intricacy of rural pre -USSR life that even as it is gossipy and details the pettiness of human nature surprises at each turn of the page! I find myself going back to contemplate the subtle but profound afterthought that it evokes. Quite rightly a classic and further helped by the movie of the same name!
“Finny”, a coming of age novel, recently published by Random House, by Justin Kramon, was one of the books I’ve enjoyed so far this summer.
I just started “The Help”, by Kathryn Stockett. At first I was a little put off by a young white woman writing about what it was like to be a black maid in Mississippi at the beginning of the civil rights movement, but I find that I have become completely engrossed, and unable to venture out into this beautiful day because I just want to see what becomes of the outlandish idea – to tell the truth about the relationships between the races back when the truth could hardly be acknowledged by women whose lives were intimately entwined, and mysteriously unknown to one another. The white women are also diminished by the lies and scant meaning of their lives, in a time before feminism took root, and when sisterhood was unknown. A tale of courage and the audacity of standing against the lies of a society riddled and ruined by hate and shame.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander.
A compelling must read for anyone interested in social justice.
I am reading The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet…by David Mitchell not exactly a beach book but well worth the effort. Beautiful language and commentary on the highs and lows we human are capable of reaching…Stick with it..
I am reading in Spanish “Al son de almendra” by Mayra Montero, about a gang war in Habana in 1957, also “The Help” and I am really enjoying both. The Help show me the sisterhood of women and the pettiness of others.
Keeper by Kathi Appelt, Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
I’m reading my way through the Hamish MacBeth mystery series by M.C. Beaton and the Botswana mystery series (that begins with “The #1 Ladies Detective Agency”) by Alastair McCall Smith. But that’s just the light stuff. I’m also reading in my usual interests in history, art and jewelry. I just finished “Manahatta” by Eric Sanderson, “God’s Secretaries” by Adam Nicolson (about the translation of the King James Bible) and “The Perfect Summer, England 1911″ by his sister Juliet Nicolson, as well as “Roman Britain and Early England: 55 BC to 871 AD” by Peter Blair, “The Inheritance of Rome” by Chris Wickham and “Medieval Jewelry in Europe 1100-1500″ by Marion Campbell. And I’m about to start “The Island at the Center of the World” by Russell Shorto.
Massie’s “Nicholas and Alexandra” for my brain, C.J. Box’s “Below Zero” and Pete Nelson;s “I Thought You Were Dead” for fun. Up next, “Savages & Scoundrels–The Untold Story of America’s Road to Empire Through Indian Territory” by Paul VanDevelder.
I finally caught up with some terrific books that had passed me by: The Book Thief, The Help, Let the Great World Spin, The Alchemist, Pillars of the Earth, Tinkers, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Brain Rules by John Median, The Death and Life of the Great American School System (Diane Ravitch) and right now, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Enjoying every sentence. Check out Shelfari.com to keep track of your books!
“The Blackbird House”: Alice Hoffman
“Eat, Pray, Love” Elizabeth Gilbert
I recommend: TIME by Eva Hoffman. This is a very thought provoking book.
Just finished, and loved, “One Day,” by David Nicholls and am now reading “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest,” by Stieg Larsson. Another recent read I enjoyed is “The Island Under the Sea,” by Isabel Allende.
I am currently reading “A Peculiar Grace” by Jeffrey Lent. I read his book “Lost Nation” last year which I really enjoyed. The previous book I read was “Sleepless” by Charlie Huston. Great read.
Loving “When Skateboards Will Be Free” by SaÏd Sayrafiezadeh. At the same time, reading Tracy McMillian’s “I Love You And I’m Leaving You Anyway.” Sayrafiezadeh’s memoir is far more cleaver and engaging.
I am reading the Pulitzer Prize winner, Lenin’s Tomb by David Remnick. It’s about the fall of the Soviet Union by a man who lived in Russia during that terribly exciting time. It’s a page turner.
Just finished Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain. As always, honest, acerbic, and laugh out loud funny. Might be more for industry people. Not as accesible as Kitchen Confidential to the layman.
OK Folks:
I read all the usual: The #1 Ladies Detective Agency, The Girl Who Played with Fire, the Help, even Let the Great World Spin, Brooklyn, and I loved Wolf Hall.
However, we need to be connected to the world around us. After all, if not us, who?
I strongly recommend The Wise Men and the World They Made by Walter Isaacson about how the Cold War came to be and take the form it did; The Second World by Parag Khanna about how emerging powers are defining the new global world including the Baltic countries and the new Europe, Central Asia, and Latin America; and Paradise Beneath Her Feet by Isabel Coleman about how women are transforming the Middle East. READ! Don’t Stop Here NYC
READ^ NYC Don’t Stop Here!
Susan Orlean’s “The Orchid Thief” is the ultimate summer read. Orlean’s a wonderful story teller. She mixes humor, history and tabloid fantasy in her orchid odyssey into the South Florida’s swamp to hunt for the elusive, endangered ghost orchid. Her guide is the eccentric plant poacher John Laroche, the namesake character who’s just as hilarious and kooky as he is the Einstein of orchids. Needless to say, “The Orchid Thief” is an addictive, entertaining read. After you finish the book, you’ll want to buy an orchid and watch “Adaptation,” the brilliant movie inspired by the book. For the adventurous reader, you might want to go explore the wacky world of Fakahatchee, the “Amazon of North America.”
I’m dearly enjoying the ability to spend time falling into books for fun – rather than for homework. I’ve eaten up the Stieg Larsson trilogy and loved them all but mostly the last, cheering and shrieking as I read. Feels like one long book that was split into 3. Now I’m missing the characters and wanting more! I’ve also just finished The Help, enjoying yelling at some of the society women for the poor life choices they make. Next up is Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson, the follow-up from Three Cups of Tea.
I’m reading David Goodwillie’s memoir Seemed Like A Good Idea At the Time. It proves, I think, a talented and smart writer can put some wrong turns in life to memorabe and quite often funny use. I still have half a book to go and I’m glad about that.
I have absolutely fallen for this chap, Wilkie Collins. He was a friend of Charles Dickens. Woman in White and Moonstone where wonderful. His command of the English language is breath taking. Kinda set me back on other books for a bit. They seem boring to me.
I just finished Zeitoun by Dave Eggars. I started reading it after watching Tavis Smiley’s program on New Orleans. I found it to be both heartbreaking and uplifting. This firsthand account of the days before and after Katrina is more powerful than the images we saw in the aftermath of Katrina. It reads like fiction, but unfortunately, it’s not.
I just finished Three cups of Tea, and found it totally engrosing. Since I am both a writer and an omniverous reader (For fun ,Dick Francis, and for intelligent diversion Tony Hillerman are two favorits.), I am always catching uo. I just finished Jennifer Lee Carrell’s, Interred with their Bones, and I think it’s wonderful — but only if you’re familiar with Shakespeare. Now I’m enjoying Living to tell the Tale, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s beautifully poetic and mystical autobiography, and Jame’s Douglass’ amazing eye-opener, J.F.K. and the Unspeakable.
I just finished a Lesson Before Dying and think it’s one of the most touching novels I’ve read in ages.
I highly recommend reading it.
Just Kids by Patti Smith–a memoir about her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe, it’s a coming-of-age story that follows two artists as they struggle (but also have a lot of fun) finding themselves, their voices, and their media. It’s also a wonderful portrait of NYC in the late 1960s and 1970s with a supporting cast of characters ranging from Andy Warhol to Sam Shepard.
Re-reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John LeCarre. British winters are a great improvement to the weather of last week. Also LeCarre’s vocabulary on spycraft is so wonderful, and his plotting is without peer. Smiley’s People next. Goody.
Read Clive Cussler’s The Chase, The Wreaker and the Spy; Andy McDermott’s The Hunt for Atlantis, The Tomb of Hercules, and The Secret of Excalibur and Thomas Greanias The Atlantis Revelations and The Promised War
My summer read has been the complete trilogy of Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl…..” series – simply fascinating! I wasn’t able to put any of the books down, so I had to read them serially on my Kindle until I regretfully came to the very end. Fortunately, the film of the ‘middle’ thriller – “The Girl who played with Fire” – came to my local theater last week, so I was able to enjoy a very good cinematic rendition of the book to a first-rate film.
The Glass Castle, Say You’re One of Them, Those Who Save Us, Brooklyn, Three Cups of Tea.
And of course, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (saw the movie first and was stunned by it then read the book. Now I’ve seen The Girl Who Played with Fire so will read that too.)
Tom Rachman’s superb first novel The Imperfectionists (he’s the real thing); Dan Okrent’s Last Call; 61 Hours by Lee Child; Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez).
Just after reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave and hungry for something more to read — equally intense — my 10-year old son happened to discover “Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History” in our attic. As he started Maus II with his head on one side of the couch, I began Maus I with my head resting on the opposite side of the couch. Each time we bumped feet, he’d leak some of the events in Maus II. We’ve talked a lot about the books since we both finished them last week and I think we’ll continue to do so for the rest of the summer. I’m glad to have shared this experience with him.
The Brothers Karamazov–a little light summer reading, what else?
The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer
Ford County Stories John Grisham
Best short stories I have read in a long time.
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Keeping The House by Ellen Barker
Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain
The Road to Wellville by T.C. Boyle
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
March by Geraldine Brooks
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Jim The Boy by Tony Earley
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
World Without End by Ken Follett
Metropolis by Elizabeth Gaffney
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
The Importance of Being Kennedy by Laurie Graham
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Astors by Lucy Kavaler
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
My Dream of You y Nauala O’Faolain
Little Children y Tom Perrotta
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve
Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper
The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper
How to Talk to a Widower by Jonathan Tropper
Fortune’s Children by Arthur Vanderbilt
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
The Hole We’re In by Gabrielle Zevin
I’m almost finished A Country of Vast Designs, James K Polk, The Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent by Robert W. Merry. I saw it in the new books section of the Amityville Public Library and was intriqued by the idea of reading a whole book about an American president that hardly anybody knows anything about. I’ve really enjoyed reading about the 1840s which was an eventful time in American history. The dream of Manifest Destiny was accomplished with great conflict during the administration of this strange, unimposing but very persistant little man.
In addition to revisiting ANNA KARENINA,I’m reading ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK by Piper Kerman. IShe provides quite an insight into our penal system.Lastly, DUSTY,
In addition to revisiting ANNA KARENINA,I’m reading ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK by Piper Kerman. She provides quite an insight into our penal system.Lastly, DUSTY,Queen Of The Postmods by Annie J. Randall is a wonderful academic treatment of the life and career of Dusty Springfield.
I am reading Oliver Sacks’ “A Leg to Stand On” (intriguing and insightful as are all of his books), “Ten Minutes from Home” by Beth Greenfield ( poignant and a look at a teen’s reaction to a family tragedy) and Lisa See’s “Peony in Love”( draws one into a new culture).
I have recently read and recommend “Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri who wrote “The Namesake” and “The Perfect Man” by Naeem Murr. Both books were beautifully constructed.
Just finished GAME CHANGE, which I really enjoyed. Now wading through NIXON AND KISSINGER – and beginning to find it very interesting and informative. I recommend both books but the latter is certainly not light summer reading!
Thanks for the list; I appreciate the suggestions. Some I’ve already read and it’s been a great reading summer
A summer reading list? What a treat! Just jumped into Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead and so I am delighted to find myself on the same page as Gwen Ifill. Planning to follow this with a terrific biography that I have waited to savor–Robin D. G. Kelley’s Thelonious Monk-The Life and Times of an American Original.
I have been unemployed since March and thus have had plenty of time to read. These are some of the books which I have enjoyed recently:
The Lion-Nelson DeMille
61 Hours-Lee Child
The Unnamed-Joshua Ferris
Ordinary Thunderstorms-William Boyd
I am currently reading You Never Give Me Your Money(The Beatles After The Breakup)-Peter Doggett
The nicest surprise of my summer is Olive Kitterige by Elizabeth Strout, an intesting colection of short stories in which the main character, Olive presents in each. The stories are poignant and lasting. I also read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana deRosnay a fictional account of the Fench deportation overnight of the Jews to the Germans. It is narrated by a child who surrived and an adult with ties to a French family. In that theme I read The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaefer. Again, a fictional account of the German occupation of the Guernsey Island during WWII. It demonstrated the trying circumstances the citizens endured and how the arts sustained them. And finally the Help by Katryn Stockett,which I too found offensive at early read, but became engrossed with the characterizations and the loved that developed between the women regardless of the generation.Currently my reads are The Corner of Bitter and Seeet by Jamie Ford and Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton. My profession is emotionall demanding, my reading is refreshing and generally heart warming.
I am currently reading “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson. It’s extremely moving and inspiring.
“Mr Pip” by Lloyd Jones pays homage to Dicken’s Great Expectations as well as tells a wonderful yet bittersweet story of a young girl living on an island that is being ravaged by civil war. How does one cope when all is lost? Lloyd Jones shows us the sacrifices and stories that one has to make in order to continue living and finding love when all is lost. “Mr Pip” also narrates the consequences of colonization and the misunderstandings among the islanders.
Freefall by Joseph Stiglitz
Dangerously Funny by David Bianculli about The Smothers Brothers
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson – I’m an unrepentant Lisbeth Salander/Kalle Blomquist junkie
Home Game by Michael Lewis – even a person with no children laughed out loud while reading this one.
I love reading. I love the feel of a book in my hands as I turn the pages, and how I can put it down to do something else and come right back to find it there withouth having to turn it on with a switch from some computer program or have to worry about some battery running low – I just simply open it with my hands and read. Read anywhere, anytime, and how ever I want to sit. Let the book rest on my lap for a breather or a thought.
And, there is nothing finer than breezing through a library or an antique bookstore, thumbing through the shelves and picking up something someone else read long ago and having a common thread, a connection, to those that read the same story, holding the same book that I am now holding – we are forever connected to the author and the story, and the experience.
This past weekened I bought an old hardcovered book, ‘Kim’ by Rudyard Kipling, at the Salvation Army (Bronx) and I will begin with this.
And continue with: the Anne Of Green Gables Series #1 through #5 (I’m looking for #6 Anne of Engleside); and hopefully finish the summer with ‘The Crown And The Cross’ by Frank G. Slaughter (a 1959 First Edition bought at the Salvation Army).
And in between, take a moment to read a story from a collection of short stories from, again, a 1957 Howard Haycraft and John Beecroft two-volume set of ‘A Treasujry of Great Mysteries’ with the likes of Daphne du Maurier, Eric Ambler, Raymond Chandler, Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, and several other great mystery writers.
But, however one chooses to enjoy a story or an adventure, wether through technology, or the old fashion print, the one true common thread is to Read. Read, read and read.
Now, I need to find that #6 Anne of Ingleside!
I remain,
Sincerely,
Norma Iris Montalvo
I love reading. I love the feel of a book in my hands as I turn the pages, and how I can put it down to do something else and come right back to find it there without having to turn it on with a switch from some computer program or have to worry about some battery running low – I just simply open it with my hands and read. Read anywhere, anytime, and how ever I want to sit. Let the book rest on my lap for a breather or a thought.
And, there is nothing finer than breezing through a library or an antique bookstore, thumbing through the shelves and picking up something someone else read long ago and having a common thread, a connection, to those that read the same story, holding the same book that I am now holding – we are forever connected to the author and the story, and the experience.
This past weekend I bought an old hardcover book, ‘Kim’ by Rudyard Kipling, at the Salvation Army (Bronx) and I will begin with this.
And continue with: the Anne Of Green Gables Series #1 through #5 (I’m looking for #6 Anne of Ingleside); and hopefully finish the summer with ‘The Crown And The Cross’ by Frank G. Slaughter (a 1959 First Edition bought at the Salvation Army).
And in between, take a moment to read a story from a collection of short stories from, again, a 1957 Howard Haycraft and John Beecroft two-volume set of ‘A Treasury of Great Mysteries’ with the likes of Daphne du Maurier, Eric Ambler, Raymond Chandler, Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, and several other great mystery writers.
But, however one chooses to enjoy a story or an adventure, whether through technology, or the old fashion print, the one true common thread is to Read. Read, read and read.
Now, I need to find that #6 Anne of Ingleside!
I remain,
Sincerely,
Norma Iris Montalvo
I’m reading Driftless by David Rhodes and enjoying it immensely.
I am reading “The Hemingses of Montecello” by Annette Gorden-Reed, which would have benefited from scrupulous editing; nonetheless, the book is riveting. As never before, I’ve been made aware of the culture of plantation slavery in Thomas Jefferson’s time.
I’ve also read and enjoyed”The Other Queen” by Phillippa Gregory, “The Lady in the Tower.” by Alison Weir and “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantell (I guess I’m on a Tudor kick).
Country Driving…a journey through China by Peter Hessler … stayed in this weekend to escape the heat and read this most enjoyable account of life in China. Felt I’d been away myself.
A great and belated discovery: A Death in the Family … James Agee … beautiful
I’m reading “The Girl Who….” (all three and hoping for the 4th) as well as “”Cutting for Stone” and the Blossom Street series from Debbie Macomber.
‘The Glass Castle: A Memoir’ by Jeanette Walls
Serves to remind us that our past can be overcome, children are incredibly resilient (perhaps some of us coddle ours a bit too much), and just how much of our feelings about life are dictated by our perception. It’s a darn good read too!
I am reading Jeff Chang´s Can´t Stop Won´t Stop
My Life with Picasso by Francoise Gilot, Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin, and The Lakeshore Express by Sue Miller
I have nearly finished “The Last Empress” by Hannah Pakula, the story of Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the development of modern China. A very important book, I am going slowly and taking notes – it replaces a class in eastern history, and of course, incorporates our own recent past.
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot – Amazing, fascinating, incredible.
“Handling Sin” by Michael Malone – for the 4th time! An American slant on ‘Don Quixote’, set in the South. Hilarious!
“Metzger’s Dog” by Thomas Perry – Another favorite.
A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
I just finished reading “Whistling Vivaldi” a brilliant book about the subtle effects of stereotypes. Just brilliant!
Just finished the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson and I enjoyed all of them. Just started reading The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore-fascinating.
I am on a reading tear, especially since my only A/C is in a room without a TV (sorry PBS). Sarah’s Key, The Zookeeper’s Wife, The Man in the Sharkskin Suit, Septembers of Shiraz. White Oleander was incredible. Blessings by Anna Quindlen, Keeping Faith by J. Picoult. Just started While I Was Gone.
I can’t put down A RACE OF DEVILS by Ken Schultz. This hot-off-the-press book, set in New York City after it is devastated by a nuclear attack in 2061, offers a cautionary tale that explores what America may look like someday if the current movement to eradicate God from our culture and politics is successful. Great read but right now I think only available through amazon.
A Race Of Devils by Ken Schultz us a great read. A fascinating read set in the year 2061. An intriguing book that offers a great perspective on the movement to iradicate God from from our culture and politics following a nuclear attack. Available on Amazon.
Just finished Harlan Coben’s “Long Lost” – not the first of his I’ve read and certainly not the last. A riveting whodunnit that I thought I figured out before 1/2 way through, but Coben throws in surprise twists that are funny and fun. Just now I’m about 1/3 of the way through “The Girl With the Dradon Tattoo” – the beginning of the series and it deserves its best-seller status. Occasionally confusing with the Swedish place names and the British translation spellings, it is nevertheless a well told tale with interesting and sympathetic characters. So far anyway. If anyone is still looking for a good read after perusing this long list ahead of me, may I include anything by Carl Hiassen – especially “Skinny Dip”.
I am revisiting some favorites this summer Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison; The Siicilan by Mario Puzo and Rough Amusements by Ben Neihart.
The People of the Book a fantastic historical novel that connects all of us everywhere.
Strength in What Remains was one of the most uplifting books I’ve read since Cutting For Stone. Great human interest stories of perserverance and the desire to heal people. For brain candy, read Jackie Collins latest fluff.
Since purchasing a Kindle, my reading habits have decreased. Books somehow have a sensuality that one doesn’t experience holding a Kindle. However, my library fines have decreased dramatically!
I”m reading “The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything” by Fr. James Martin. It’s delightful, and written in a very clear manner. However, it’s balanced with humor and wonderful “real-life” examples!
I am reading:
Why New Orleans Matters by Tom Paizza
and on a lighter note:
Last Words by George Carlin with Tony Hendra.
I attended the tribute @ NYPL with Whoopi Goldberg @ host. the author Tony Hendra spoke of how he and George Carlin had been working on George’s “autobiograohy” since 1993.
George did not want a “typical” autobiography (typically!) – so they worked on it for fifteen years.
Sadly Carlin passed before seeing the book published.
His co-author finished it as his friend would have wanted. “Last Words” is a wrenching story of Carlin’s life from birth (literally) to his final years.
A fine tribute and even better read!
I am reading Robert Massie’s PETER THE GREAT, His Life and World in anticipation of a trip to St. Petersburg next year. I’ve also read THERE ONCE LIVED A WOMAN WHO TRIED TO KILL HER NEIGHBOR’S BABY: Scary Fairy Tales from Russia by Ludmila Petrushevskaya – a collection of stories of strange, unexplainable happenings. And a new author for me: Sarah Waters – FINGERSMITH, a great tale of deception and duplicity set in Dickens’ like London.
I read the most amazing story ever and because of the historical accuracy, asked myself could this be true. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame Smith. What a ride this book will take you on. Imagine that the author suggests that the story is told from The Secret Journal of Abe Lincolm himself. Mr. Grahame Smith claims to have found this 140 years old journal. I certainly asked many questions as to the validity of this story – concluding that some of the vampire tales just might be true. You decide.