Summer vacation...HA! I've had college finals that were more relaxing than this summer has been! Due to my numerous years in public school, both as a student and educator, I still gauge my year by the "public education" timetable. Does anyone else do that? Do you start to feel antsy around the end of May, like you need a break? Do you find yourself sitting at work spending lots of time looking longingly out the window? Or do you find yourself frantically buying cartfuls of school supplies for school age children you don't have around the middle of August? I start to crave new sturdy shoes, a clean sparkly backpack, and a fun autumn outfit this time of year. I'm afraid I'm forever a slave to my years in public school...but I digress.
Although this has been a long, hot summer, I have had some fabulous reading experiences (even though I average 1/2 a page every night before falling into a sound, deep sleep). We are going to view this blog as a "Show and Tell" and everyone gets a turn. I'm going to share my favorite 3 summer reads and then it is your turn so be thinking...
1) Peace Like A River (by Leif Enger)...really love this book. I actually read it for the second time this summer and loved it even more. You don't find writing like this in very many "grown-up" books anymore. It is a beautiful, thought provoking story. My number 1 recommendation.
2) Kira-Kira (by Cynthia Kadohata): This book just won the 2005 Newbery Award. I thought this book was interesting from a very historical perspective. It is definitely worth reading just for its unusual perspective and take on a group of Americans we probably don't know much about.
3) Al Capone Does My Shirts (by Gennifer Choldenko): This novel was a 2005 Newbery Honoree. Again, a very unusual novel about a boy growing up on Alcatraz Island back in the 1940's. It is an interesting read and although it is supposed to be "children's fiction", I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under the age of 13-14 years old.
Well, there you have it. I have a soft spot for Young Adult literature...again, back to my years in public schools. Now it is your turn...besides the big, thick Harry Potter #6 book that is gathering dust on my night stand, I have nothing to read. What would YOU recommend? (And I know...I will read Harry Potter. I already had Carrie tell my the highlights so I could just get on with my life. But I promise to read it...eventually.)
5 comments:
This summer I decided I would begin my life's quest of reading as much QUALITY, CLASSIC literature as I can. I don't want to be on my death-bed and think "Oh, crap! I never read Farewell to Arms! What IS it about, anyway?... I guess I'll never know... Conk. (that's the sound of me dying)." I'm beginning with all of the books I was supposed to read in school, but never did because we moved so much... no two schools have the same curriculum. (You'd think I'd have read double the literature, but it didn't work that way. I never had to learn times tables or memorize any state capitols either.)
Anywho... I read The Old Man and The Sea by Hemingway while on vacation and LOVED it! There is a reason why classic literature is classic. The themes that run along the lines of human nature - something everyone in the human race can relate to - is worth while and darn good reading in my opinion. It's something I can really sink my teeth into. OK, more info than you needed. Have you checked out Zookeenee's site that helps you pick a book? www.nothingupmysleeve.blogspot.com
Thanks for the suggestions Amy! I am always looking for a good book!
I HAVE to give the literary shout out to Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. But there's not much I can say, other than if you need to talk about it...to process it...then give me a call.
I am reading "A Tale of Two Cities" again, two pages a day, this summer. I so love this book. I love Charles Dickens...
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night" is totally fascinating! Written from the perspective of an autistic teenage boy...super good.
Gregory Maguire wrote "Wicked" and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister". Good, maybe start with "Confessions" although if you read "Wicked" I'd like to talk about it...kind of weird and I can't believe they could make a musical out of it...
That's it for now...I don't have much time to read in the summer...do this again when it gets cold and dark outside!
Loved "Peace Like a River", and I would strongly recommend "I know why the caged bird sings", by Maya Angelou. I also recently finished Katherine Graham's autobiography, which is a long one, but definitely a must-read for any woman. Very interesting.
Have you read "Gift of the Sea" by Ann Morrow Lindbergh?? It's a great summer read. It is one I return to frequently.
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