I'm getting a bit worried for this year's 50 book challenge. It is almost June and I'm a little under halfway there. In theory this pace should be fine to finish, but there are still some crazy months left - months where I know I won't have much time to read.
BUT, I think I discovered my problem. I'm currently slogging through a very well-written book (Suite Francaise) about WWII. The book before that was about WWII as well. The one before that - suicide. I have been reading a lot of great books this year but the majority of them are well, depressing. And there is enough depressing stuff out there at the moment - and if you doubt me just go get gas!
So, dear blogland, I'm entertaining ideas for some new reading material to balance out the list. I'm looking for comedic, light-hearted, uplifting books (which isn't to say that bad things can't happen but you know what I mean). If there is chick lit you love let me know. If there is a Narnia-esque series out there, tell me about it. I need a break from high tragedy books. Summer is coming and my reading list is far to serious!
This is also a wonderful opportunity for any lurkers out there to post a comment - sometimes I wonder if I'm just talking to myself out here! (Naturally, I talk to myself plenty so I guess it isn't awful if my blog is that way too, but I'd like to know who is reading.
Thank you in advance dear blogland - and I promise, Argentina pictures are coming soon!
7 comments:
Ok, I don't know if you've seen the art film Persepolis or if you allow cartoon books like Maus on your list, but Persepolis I and II are pretty fun. They're about the Revolution in Iran and a girl who grows up there and then gets sent to Germany, so it's a serious topic but the author finds humor in everything, so it's a short and light read despite the subject matter.
Then a *really* light and funny and short book which will pick you up is _Funny in Farsi_, about an Iranian immigrant to America. It's a great book about the often hilarious mishaps that occur when people move to the States.
I'm sure you've already read them, but the Wizard of Earthsea trilogy is a fantasy series a la Narnia and others. But I'll bet you *haven't* read _Below the Root_, _And All Between_ and _Until the Celebration_, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder... they're fantasy books I read as a teen and they're really good and I was the only person I knew who had ever read them. The problem might be finding them, but I looked on Amazon.com for them and they showed up right away. If you do get and read them, tell me how you like them, nobody I know has ever read them!
Ok, this is like the longest comment I've ever written here so I'll end it here. Post more pics from Argentina!!!!!!!
I'm no help on the fantasy genre, but here are some books I've read recently & liked:
* The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory)
* Prep (Curtis Sittenfeld)
* Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)
* The Overachievers (Alexandra Robbins)
* The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
* A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) (ok, this is depressing, but it's soooo good - I read it once a year!)
* Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Gregory Maguire) (actually, this is fantasy, with political commentary woven in!)
I love my Lisa Scottoline books- mysterys that involve women lawyers - they are fun and quick and engrossing.
I also enjoy Dennis Lehane (he wrote Mystic River, gone baby gone, and many others),
and I just finished James Frey's new "Bright Shiny Morning" which is really good.
I can share my list with you of what I've read if you are interested. Let me know! :)
A nice little book to enjoy is For One More Day by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie) It is a quick read and gives you plenty to think about.
My new favorite author is Fannie Flagg. Anything by her will do right by you!
How about some more trashy Janet evonavich - I read some of her older ones now too! LOVE THEM!!
David Sedaris has a new one - I love all his others, but especially Me Talk Pretty One Day. I've also enjoyed mysteries by Julia Spencer-Fleming, which feature an Episcopal priest as the heroine (deeply flawed heroine, but that's okay). Happy reading!
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