Sunday, August 14, 2011

Turning pages

A brief selection of my summer reading.
Last week, I found myself splayed on the sofa one afternoon after work, windows open, dog barking, house a mess, and run sidelined for the afternoon. Why? I was finishing a book. And I refused to put it down until I was done.

Ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I'm a year-round book geek. But there's just something about summer and endless reading that goes together like peanut butter and jelly. (Milk and chocolate? My credit card and a shoe store?)

I've made heavy use of the Chicago Public Library's book request service this summer, plowing my way through more than a dozen books since the end of May. I won't pretend I'm reading super-intellectual books, But after a semester at seminary, I decided to sideline the deep stuff and bury my nose in Jodi Picoult, Anne Brashares, Jennifer Weiner and Sara Gruen. I've also tried to knock off a fair share of YA books (word to Maureen Johnson!), Tina Fey's autobiography, and some nonfiction thrown in, too.

So that's what I've been reading. What about you? Do you dive into a certain type of books in the summer? Or is it a 12-months-a-year affair? Anything you're dying to recommend?

8 comments:

Emilie said...

Have you read anything by Pat Conroy? I read South of Broad earlier this year and am reading Beach Music now. Since I started reading Beach Music , four people have told me it is their favorite book ever. I understand why.

Megan said...

I am a 12 month, 365 days, all year long reader! :) You have such a wonderful list of books!! I really want to read Tina Fey's book!! Right now I am making my way through the Harry Potter books.
xo

Noodles said...

Oooh, girls!

Em: I've only read Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy and loved it, if for no other reason than the fact that it has the world's best opening line ever: "I wear the ring."

Ms. M: Run, do not walk to Tina Fey's book. Well, after you finish HP. :)

Melaina25 said...

Bossypants is SOOO good! Have you read Kristen Gore's "Sammy's Hill" yet?

The Modern Gal said...

Seeing as I'm Tina's doppelganger, I've been wanting to take credit for how awesome Bossypants is. It's been two months since I read it, and I'm already ready to read it again.

I actually use summer to tackle some heavier reading since I'm not as bogged down with work. Or at least reading I presume to be heavier. Like Room (have you read that one? If not READ IT.) I thought that one would be a bear because of the subject matter, but I plowed through it in about two days. I'm currently reading Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven because I thought that might also be a tougher one, but I'm finding that because it's a sort of travelogue, it's been a good summer read.

If you want a more summery type summer read, try All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. It's like a Real Housewives season in a book.

Noodles said...

Oh man, you guys are rocking my world. Adding a lot of these to my Amazon list (it's how I track what books to check out of the library!)
Thanks!

Erin said...

I'm almost strictly a non-fiction, predominantly summer reader. I like to read outside, not in my house. If I read in my house, I fall asleep.

Do you do the non-fiction? I am cheating a bit because I read this one for a class, but Rebecca Traister's Big Girls Don't Cry is a pretty interesting behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 election from the feminist perspective. It made me fall in love with Hillary Clinton all over again.

I know someone who would lend you a copy if you're interested.

Kelly said...

I can back up the Room recommendation. It was AMAZING.

Also, we need to be in the same city, because I have a lot of those books and I don't charge late fees.