Recommended Reading: July 2008
Last month, through a series of fortunate incidents, I was able to pour through FOUR books in a single month. This used to be the norm for me, but in the past few years, I've been lucky to finish our book club selections in the same month it was introduced. With all this extra time, I was very thankful to have your suggestions for books to read on this site (and in person). Keep the suggestions coming! You never know when you may find yourself with a few moments and BOOKLESS. I don't want you to have to turn to the back of the cereal box for material.
Please be sure to add the title, author's name, and a brief description of the book, your thoughts and comments.
Please be sure to add the title, author's name, and a brief description of the book, your thoughts and comments.
This month I read my first books by Jodi Picoult. I know, I think I might be the last person on earth to finally make her literary acquaintance. I read "My Sister's Keeper" and "Plain Truth" - loved them both. If you haven't read them, I'd highly recommend them both.
I just about finished reading David Sedaris' latest book "When You Are Engulfed In Flames". Several times I've found myself laughing out loud. I've offered to read some of the passages aloud to Marty, but shockingly, he's turned me down.
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Another memoir...INFIDEL by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. This woman, born in 1969, is about the same age as many of the women in this bookclub. I kept thinking of that when I was reading this book. How girls' and women's lives were so different here in the US. This is her story of being born in Somalia, a Muslim, and the many trials she faced growing up and as an adult. She became a very controversial political figure, pioneering for women's rights. I found her writing a little wordy, but was thoroughly intrigued by her story. Worth reading...in my opinion.
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Chris Bohjalian has done it again. SKELETONS AT THE FEAST is historical fiction, based on a actual diary from World War II. Good characterization and good plot. Bahjalian is majorly guilty of the run-on sentence, which drives me crazy, but I still really enjoyed the book!
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Kathleen Tessaro. The Flirt. This is a SUMMER red, because itis SUMMER. Based on the premise that there is a secret agency in London that the elite pay to flirt with their wives to make them happier. It is a little RACY, like this month's wine, but I loved her writing style and found her sarcasm and wit enjoyable.
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Can you tell what I am doing this summer? I have another historical fiction to recommend. Knowing I have an upcoming to trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, a friend suggested I read THE KITCHEN BOY by Robert Alexander. It is the story of the last days of Nicholas and Alexandra, after they had been imprisoned during the Russian Revolution. An old Russian immigrant relays the story of his role in the Romanov household to his granddaughter before he dies. Good reading...and I learned something!
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Have you read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts?
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Shantaram/Gregory-David-Roberts/e/9780312330538/?itm=1
I first heard about this book from Kim a few months ago, and finally got around to reading it. It was intimidating to start, mostly because it's weighty at just over 900 pages. I like books that are easy to hold when reading in bed, and something of that size gives me hand cramps. I'm a bit of a baby that way.
The book was excellent - a long story, filled with images of Bombay, well-developed characters, and an engaging story. The story winds around and comes full circle several times. I'd recommend this one. As long as you can manage the hand cramps.
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