Although my summer vacation is a mere five days old, already I have been a good reader. In theory, this is the summer in which I will actually begin work on my "murder mystery" novel, which isn't really quite a murder mystery at all. Consequently, all reading activities are officially classified as "studying".
I am providing reviews for the books I read, since I was solicitous for reviews and recommendations myself. (I'll still take more, if anyone has ideas.)
The first book I read was Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by (I think) Laila Lalani. I picked it up because the title was marvelous, and it seemed like it was about Muslims (which it was, I guess), and there's a lot that I still don't understand about Islam. My view would be that the best part about the book was the title. This book gave me hope for my own novel being published, and I wouldn't categorize myself as naturally hopeful.
I also read The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields, on the recommendation of my dearest Kristen. (If you come to visit me here in Virginia, I'll probably do something exciting like take you to the library. That's what happened to Kristen, anyway.) This book was richly constructed, both in prose and overall structure. I guess this makes sense, since it won a Pulitzer Prize and all. I would read more of her work, enthusiastically.
I also finished the audio recording of Maeve Binchy's Circle of Friends. The radio stations around here are abysmal, and books on tape are my way of entertaining myself in the car these days. I chose this book because I'd seen the movie ages ago, and remembered being unsatisfied with it. Now I know why I was unsatisfied. They changed the ending. Stupid, stupid movies. You won't find any mouth-watering language in this book, but if you're stuck with awful radio stations, it's not a bad listen on tape, especially if you like listening to Irish people talk for sixteen odd hours. It's also full of Important Moral Lessons. And there are lots of nuns in it! I like nuns.
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Thanks for the advice! I'm guessing that the Culpeper library has about a fifty percent chance of carrying it.
I went on a Michael Chabon kick; I like knowing that a Pittsburgh writer can go on to win the Pulitzer. It gives me hope.
Believe the hype on Chabon. He really is good.
I finished House of Many Gods by Kiana Davenport, which was okay, but littered with hokey dialogue and characters I couldn't seem to care about. And After, as recommended by Richard. It was good. I'd make students read it.
And now I'm midway through Man Walks into a Room by Nicole Krauss, as a follow-up to my J. S. Foer interest earlier in the summer.
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