Reading?

[GrayMatterWife]

What's everybody been reading this summer? Fun, trashy romances or heavy stuff you've got to conquer for college classes? Politics or pulp? History or "historical" fiction?

I'll start! I've been reading a random smattering of topics (including "Render Unto Caesar" and "Promiscuities"--how random is THAT?), but right now I'm reading "Heart of Darkness." Even though I was an English major, I have never read anything by Joseph Conrad. My hubbie has been bugging me to read this for years (one of his favorite movies, "Apocolypse Now," is sort of a re-telling of "Heart of Darkness"). So I've decided to get on the ball and conquer this one.

What's on everyone else's book menu?

[MrsK]

Wow. How did you miss Heart of Darkness? I must have read that three times in college -- never liked it. In fact, by senior year I was avoiding classes that had it on the syllabus. However, the men in my classes loved that book. I wonder if it's just a guy thing. The book really lacks female characters and the women in the book are widely drawn as demons and virgins. Perhaps that's why I didn't like it. You'll have to let me know what you think.

I'm reading "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao." It's been slow going because I'm busy working and preparing for the move and frankly I'm just too tired to read. But it's engaging enough when I think to pick it up.

[Chrisada]

Write now I'm reading Taming the Spirited Child. Time to get this two-year-old under control! I've also been reading books on the Tudors and The Last Empress of China. Finished reading The Power of Now by Eckert Tolbert a little while ago.

[McPants]

Leaving out academic literature that no-one cares about:

Zola - L'assommoir (love the gritty naturalist classics)
Faulks - A fool's alphabet (okay but certainly not one of the author's finest works)
Faulks - Engelby (excellent read, highly recommended)
Adiga - The white tiger (thought it was alright, but certainly not worthy of the Booker prize)
Naipaul - A house for mr Biswas (loved it, absolutely hilarious at times, )
Murakami - Kafka on the shore (amazing, can't get enough of Murakami at the moment)

[Momo]

The Family Jeff Sharlet. I go early and read it in the car whilst waiting for DS1 & DD1 to get out of school.

[oceanchild]

I am currently reading "Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church's Betrayal of American Nuns" (Briggs). I have a particular interest in this topic but am finding the book rather repetitive.

I recently finished "America America" (Canin), which is a lovely new fiction that I enjoyed a lot. And before that I read a couple books of Colorado history. I like having some background about where I'm living.

Oh I'm a big fan of Heart of Darkness. I'll be curious to hear what you think. I just finished Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. I'm still deciding what I thought of it. There were elements I did not care for, but it's sticking with me in a good way. I'm in the market for a good recommendation for my next book so I look forward to hearing what everyone else is reading.

[Ladybug]

Two new female saints have nudged their way into my heart this summer.

Saint Gianna Molla -- wife, mother, doctor. A modern female, MARRIED saint

The story of a soul -- St.Therese of Lisieux who I love!! Another modern female saint. I *heart* the little way of St. Therese. I'm now reading a biography called Everything is grace, The Life and the Way of Therese of Lisieux which examines her spirtuality in the context of her life.

I signed up for some online classes offered through the STEP program at Notre Dame including a book group discussing St. Augustine's The Confessions. Even with the modern translations I find his language a bit...difficult. I'm hoping the dicussion group will help carry me through it. I am very curious since it's a singular book in that it's the only book addressed directly to God...well, other than Judy Blume's book.

I'm reading People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and starting Replay by Ken Grimwood. I've got I'm Not the New Me by Wendy McClure lined up for brain candy (she is the one who put the 1970s Weight Watchers recipe cards on her blog or something). I'm also reading Raising Your Spirited Child to try to figure out how to do just that without duct-taping said child to the wall in her bedroom.

[L.Jane]

I just joined the library here and have a list of books I am going to check out. So far I have been reading fiction and non fiction that appeals to me. The ones I have enjoyed are:

The 19th Wife: David Ebershoff
Sarah's Key: Tatiana de Rosnay
Those who save us: Jenna Blum
The secret life of bees: Sue Monk Kidd
Dreaming in Color: Charlotte Vale-Allen


Autobiography:
Three little Words: Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Stealing love, Confessions of a dognapper: Mary A. Fischer

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm on a Ken Follett phase: Pillars of the Earth, World Without End.

[Michele]

I'm reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I read the Sookie Stackhouse books this summer too (Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris).

[Rapunzel]

So far I've read (in the last two months):

Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts (history/biography) - I started that over the winter and put it down until recently
The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz (fiction - and very good - understated)
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (autobiography)
Protecting the Gift by Gavin De Becker (parenting)
Parenting the Strong Willed Child by Rex Forehand and Nicholas Long (parenting)
Public Enemies by Bryan Burrough (history) - not yet finished with this one; it's what I'm currently reading

The next books on my list (and currently sitting in my nightstand):

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (historical fiction)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (heavy fiction)
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (self-described as a "memoir")
Shogun by James Clavell (fiction)

[DCJenn]

Reading Lolita in Tehran was GREAT.

This summer I've read:

The Widow Cliquot (and thought Nellie and Julie the ENTIRE time- it's the biography of the Widow Cliquot who after her husband died at a very young age took the Cliquot vineyards and turned them into the power champagne house.) Great beach read.

When I thought I was going to London I got The Mystery Readers Walks in London which was really fun. Of course, I didn't get to London so...

I'm working my way through Eat, Pray, Love with Jenn Patel's voice in my head.

I read Finger Lickin' 15 for my brain candy- it's the next one in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.

I have The Family all lined up, I've been flipping through Ted Allen's cookbook and fell in love with the recipes in The Vegan Tropical Cook. Talk about some Fabo salad options!

After I read The Family, I'm going to have to find some more brain candy.

I also have The Family Tree Murders or something that I grabbed because I'm working on the family tree stuff so I thought that was perfect! Haven't started it yet.

I also got a book Place Names of San Antonio when I was researching the house (had to find pictures of the original porch for the grant application for the historic district). Turns out my street was named after the first Mayor Callaghan. The major Callaghan Road which runs through large sections of town was named after his son.

Jenn

[Rapunzel]

Oh! I almost forgot that I also read books 1-7 of the Sisters Grimm series this summer! My daughters love that series and I decided to read it. It's really cute.