One of my favorite things to do is to read. There are always piles of books in my office and nightstand. One of my goals this year is to attempt to read at least one book a week. This is what I’ve read or am reading right now:
- The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel
- War Of Art by Stephen Pressfield
- Glitter & Glue by Kelly Corrigan
- A Constellation Of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
- Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Martin
- Frances & Bernard by Carlene Bauer
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
- Tell The Wolves I Am Home by Carol Brunt
What are you reading? I’d love to hear your suggestions.
IMAGE: BOOK STACKS BY SIMON_SEES VIA FLICKR UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Honestly not much. Not besides blogs and IT books. I’ve been reading Everything that Remains by the bloggers The Minimalists. My reading progression has slowed to a complete halt since elementary school. I get distracted mid-way. Lol. IT’s bad. Happy Friday Rudri! -Iva
I understand how it is hard to find time to squeeze in some reading. Glad you are still able to read blogs. Are there any that you recommend?
Loved the Constellation of Vital Phenomena! Just read The Rosie Project, about a geneticist with ausberger’s syndrome who wants to find a wife and has a 32 page questionaire to quantify his candidates. Funny and touching, and interesting.
Linda,
I added Constellation of Vital Phenomena based on your recommendation. It is an interesting read so far. I just finished Circle of Wives, By Alice LaPlante. Plot thinned out at the end, but she is great when it comes to developing characters. Each character sticks with you in some way. I will definitely put The Rosie Project on my list. Thanks for both suggestions.
I love posts like this! I’m currently switching between two books: Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch and Ann Patchett’s This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. Both are great. I’ve been on a good reading roll lately!
Thanks, Kristen. Both of your suggestions are on my bookshelf. I love Ann Patchett and look forward to reading her non-fiction essays. The Goldfinch is receiving some rave reviews… I need to carve out some time to commit to such a long book. Thanks for your insight. It is always a pleasure to “see” you in my space.
I just finished the Maze Runner series and loved it.
Tiffany: What is this series about? Curious about it. Thanks!
Your’s looks like a great list, I am adding a couple of those to my own!
I just finished Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander, Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff, and The Spire by Richard North Patterson.
I am currently rereading Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East by Baird T. Spaulding, The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, and Beloved by Toni Morrison.
A few of the ones sill in my queue: The name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfus and Nilola Tesla; Imagination and the Man that Invented the 20th Century by Sean Patrick.
Eclectic… yes, I know.
Roma,
This is a diverse list and you will have to keep me posted on what reads you recommend. I love Margaret Atwood and own a few Toni Morrison books, but haven’t tackled them yet. I love the variety in your list. Thanks for sharing.
I’m enjoying a stack of literary magazines right now. I usually subscribe to a new lit mag each year, but I decided to buy at least one copy of a different magazine each month this year instead. There are SO many great short stories, essays, biographies, poems, etc to devour in each magazine. I’m loving it! My current pile includes:
Tin House
The Literary Review
The Quotable
Four Chambers Press
Granta
Slice
Silk Road
Arete
The Best of the Strand Magazine
Neon
Innovate
Some of these are available in ebook format for a fraction of the price! I bought a few Kindle editions on Amazon 🙂
Thanks, Windy! I know you are excavating short stories right now and I love that you are delving in with these literary magazine. I am looking forward to hearing what short stories captured your attention.
Love your list and will check out a few that have caught my eye — thanks much : )
Here is my list:
The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls
Half-broke Horses: A True Life Story by Jeanette Walls
Mrs. Lincoln’s Housekeeper by Jennifer Chiaverini
I Got Schooled by M. Night Shyamalan (in process)
The Quilter’s Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini (in process)
Watershed (to be published) by Trish Dolasinski (revision #5)
Trish: This sounds like a great list. I know you’ve talked about how much you enjoyed Mrs. Lincoln’s Housekeeper. I will definitely add that to my list. Thanks.
I am reading a book of Robert Frost’s poems. I am reading Game of Thrones: A Song of Fire and Ice, by George R.R. Martin. This is the first series I have committed to reading since I read Tolkien’s and Lewis’s trilogies years ago. I don’t do as much pleasure reading as I used to, or as much as I would like to. I read blogs 🙂
Most of my reading time goes toward reading: Principles of Environmental Science. It is a textbook for my Human Ecology class.
Robin:
I love how you are carving time out for poetry. I’ve recently become a fan of David Whyte. I think you will enjoy his poems. I admire your ability to read Tolkien’s work. I loved the movies, but did not have the patience to move through his books.
Thanks for your input.
I absolutely sobbed at the end of “Me Before You”. Just finished “Forgive the Moon” which was recommended in a nonfiction book I was reading.
Oh yes, Susan. The ending of Me Before You gripped me as well. My daughter walked in as I was bawling and expressed her concern. Forgive The Moon is a title I am unfamiliar with, but will check out the summary on Amazon. Thanks!
Great that you are getting to read these! Enjoy 🙂 I struggle with time and it’s hard to keep up with the books I want to read.
Let’s see, actually started, I’ve got Your Four Year Old and The Blue Jay’s Dance.
Sarah:
I hope you enjoy The Blue Jay’s Dance. You will have to fill me in on what you think about it. Happy reading!
Lofty goal! Good luck. Let us know which of those that you are reading you recommend.
I am currently reading a book called “Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture,” which follows a Guyanese-American girl through her journey to Guyana, England, and India to understand herself and her culture better through her ancestors. Very interesting, especially to me, being a Guyanese-American girl myself. 🙂
Sunita,
This sounds like a great read. I am definitely going to put it on my must-read list. I will definitely update my favorites on the blog. Do you have any other recommendations? Thanks!
I love this post. I read it last week but didn’t have a chance to respond. I just started Louise Erdrich’s The Round House and am really enjoying it. I’m trying to read more classics as well, and I have The Grapes of Wrath and Howard’s End on my nightstand. I’ve started both. Enjoying, but The Round House is my favorite read at the moment.
I read Round House last year, Cecilia, and I enjoyed her descriptions and palpable imagery. Sometimes I got too distracted by the number of characters, but overall I found it a lyrical read.
I cannot wait for your review of Grapes of Wrath.