In January (18 jan 2006 to be exact) I wrote a post in the form of a book list including some books I thought you should read and some books I wanted to read. See my friend Heath makes these new years resolutions and actually tries to keep them (crazy huh?) and I was going to do that too but then I forgot. So really the only measure I have of how much I've accomplished this year is my book list from January. And so with the year coming quickly to a close I thought I'd take a look back (I can't believe it was Jan. when I wrote that ... seems like yesterday!) and evaluate my literary progress so I can catch up really fast if I need to before next January gets here. And I'll make a new book list for ya.
Completed:
1) Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel ... check out blog dated 29 Sept 2006 for more details
2) Asylum by Patrick McGrath - eh ... so so
3) Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown - people need to get over the controversy bc Angels and Demons was so much better ... plus the movie was too long and sucky
Started but not finished :
1) Naked by David Sedaris - it's short stories so it's not like I keep getting pulled back by the plot you know?
2) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros - the book smells strongly of incense and I get a headache sometimes trying to read it
No Attempt Yet:
1) Motorcycles Diaries by Che Guevarra - I totally forgot this was on the list
Not so bad 50% completed. I mean yeah sure if were a test I wouldv'e failed but I at least get partial credit for starting 2 right?
Ok now on to review some other ones I've read. By category and with commentary of course...
Young Adult Fiction: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - I liked it. Interesting voice and subject matter. And a good solid hint of sarcasm.
Random: The Hottest State by Ethan Hawke - Yes like Ethan Hawke the actor ... I know, right? I never would've guessed that he wrote a book either. But he did and in a strange way it is reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye I think. although it has been quite a while since I've read that book.
Spiritual: Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Again refer to post dated 29 Sept 2006
Autobiographical: The Glass Castle - Really really good and interesting. These peoples lives are so ... crazy. You'll definitely swing between thinking these parents are super cool and then being angry with them for being so blind.
Educational: Hide this Spanish Book 101 - yep get all the dirty words you ever wanted to know right here folks
Political/Biographical/Cultural: The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad - This book gave me such an insight into what life is really like in Afghanistan particularly for the women. I think all Americans should have to read it just to get a feel for how different, and hard, things are there ... but actually some people would take it and try to use it as a proof that "we're better than they are" so maybe that's not such a good idea.
Currently Reading: I was actually trying to decide between Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathbane and The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl but now I am thinking I should go ahead and finish up some of those "uncompletes" from above ...
I also read a large portion of The Human Brain Coloring Book by Diamond, Scheibel and Elson and although it has a lot of really interesting tidbits, I wouldn't particularly recommend it as a pleasure read ... plus it takes a really long time to color.
Books I'd like to read:
1) Love in the time of cholera by Gabriel García Márquez - I started it once a while back but then got swamped with school work
2) One hundred years of solitude by the same guy - I also have a large portion of this read but need to finish it ... sometimes I get bogged down in all that magical realism
3) Through Painted Deserts by Don Miller - Megyn laughed so much while she was reading it and I need a good laugh
4) I Dream of Microwaves by Imad Rahman - It's a book of short stories I bought as a text before I had to drop my creative/fiction writing class last spring to take bio-stupid-ology and I just never got around to reading it.
That's it for now ... I'm sure I'm forgetting some as I always do. But that's ok, forgetting is what I do
2 comments:
i've read speak and kaffir boy. both good books for insight of inner workings of young adult brains/emotions.
have you read fast food nation yet? theres a young adult (easy reader) nonfiction book called chew on this: everything you don't want to know about fast food.
s' good.
i'm reading about 'tassels' in velvet elvis.
what can i say mames? i'm proud. very very proud of you.
i'll have to now post a similar thing about books I've read/want to read on my blog.
are our blogs going to continue on like this? stealing inspiration from one another? ah well.
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