I read So Big by Edna Ferber - published in 1924. It's so grounding for me to absorb how much things have, and even more so have not, changed over the course of history. There's a whole chapter describing a college experience that runs so parallel to the narrative around academia now. I want to share it with all of my higher ed colleagues.
I also re-read Poisonwood Bible this summer, and I read How To Hide an Empire and loved it! The part about how we can afford to not maintain empires anymore because of synthetic materials blew my mind. Currently having a lot of fun reading Status and Culture by W. David Marx
I haven’t read The Hunt for Red October yet, but my husband told me it’s great. I’m almost finished with The Peacock and the Sparrow and I’m still not sure I understand what this book is about. Makes me nervous for trying to finish THFRO before Thursday!
The best book I read this month, and it was a good reading month, was The Lion Women of Tehran by Marian Kamali. I listened on audio. I learned so much about Iran and gained insight into things that I remember hearing growing up.
I reread The Hunt for Red October. Of all the blockbuster books we’ve read for First Reads Bookclub, this one held up better than the others we read. This is a Cold War novel. I remember reading it because the movie was coming out. The movie is good as well. I wonder if older readers who remember the Cold War enjoyed this novel more than younger readers who aren’t as familiar with it.
I’m interested to read our contemporary spy novel to see how they compare.
Barbara Kingsolver is an amazing novelist. My favorite is Prodigal Summer.
I reread the outsiders to prepare to teach it to a class of high schoolers. I also started a jane austen re read of northanger Abbey and am working through her works.
The best book I read in August was Heart the Lover by Lily King (publishing 9/30). It has a connection to her earlier novel, Writers & Lovers, but they each stand alone. I also loved The River Has Roots by Amar El-Mohtar for more of a literary fairy tale feel.
A three-day weekend with beautiful weather meant I had some extra time for reading outside - my favorite ☺️ I finished John Green’s Everything is Tuberculosis and loved it! I was able to squeeze in a comfort reread of Beth O’Leary’s The Switch (it’s my favorite of her books).
I also added How to Hide an Empire to my (overgrown) TBR - thanks for the recommendation!
I had a fantastic reading month, 19 in total. My favourite was Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I just loved it. I also really enjoyed Show, Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld, the final book in the Shardlake series, a couple of books from the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series, 2 Louise Pennys, my first Elin Hildebrand book (only just discovered her) and Jeanette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mother Died, which just broke my heart.
I'm definitely adding How to Hide an Empire to my TBR list. I also don't often re-read, but I have read the Complete Collection of Winnie-the-Pooh many times in many different book version I can find because I love how simple and profound it is. This month, my teens and I listened to the audible version, and it is so, so good.
Beyond that:
- Heartstopper 5
- Antarctica by Claire Keegan- I didn't love it as much as her other books, but I do loving tapping into short story collections regularly
- Exile (part of the Keepers of the Lost Cities collection I'm reading with my son)
I read So Big by Edna Ferber - published in 1924. It's so grounding for me to absorb how much things have, and even more so have not, changed over the course of history. There's a whole chapter describing a college experience that runs so parallel to the narrative around academia now. I want to share it with all of my higher ed colleagues.
I also re-read Poisonwood Bible this summer, and I read How To Hide an Empire and loved it! The part about how we can afford to not maintain empires anymore because of synthetic materials blew my mind. Currently having a lot of fun reading Status and Culture by W. David Marx
Blew. My. Mind.
I haven’t read The Hunt for Red October yet, but my husband told me it’s great. I’m almost finished with The Peacock and the Sparrow and I’m still not sure I understand what this book is about. Makes me nervous for trying to finish THFRO before Thursday!
The best book I read this month, and it was a good reading month, was The Lion Women of Tehran by Marian Kamali. I listened on audio. I learned so much about Iran and gained insight into things that I remember hearing growing up.
I reread The Hunt for Red October. Of all the blockbuster books we’ve read for First Reads Bookclub, this one held up better than the others we read. This is a Cold War novel. I remember reading it because the movie was coming out. The movie is good as well. I wonder if older readers who remember the Cold War enjoyed this novel more than younger readers who aren’t as familiar with it.
I’m interested to read our contemporary spy novel to see how they compare.
Barbara Kingsolver is an amazing novelist. My favorite is Prodigal Summer.
I reread the outsiders to prepare to teach it to a class of high schoolers. I also started a jane austen re read of northanger Abbey and am working through her works.
I'm currently reading the Outsiders with my daughter (we homeschool). I've never read it, so I finally feel hip.
I remember it being so impactful on me in the 7th grade.
The best book I read in August was Heart the Lover by Lily King (publishing 9/30). It has a connection to her earlier novel, Writers & Lovers, but they each stand alone. I also loved The River Has Roots by Amar El-Mohtar for more of a literary fairy tale feel.
OH I loved Writers & Lovers!!!
I finally had a good reading month. I think the end of the year in publishing will be better than the beginning. I loved:
What’s wrong with men? by Jessa Crispin
Common Ground by J Anthony Lukas
My Other Heart by Emma Strenner
A three-day weekend with beautiful weather meant I had some extra time for reading outside - my favorite ☺️ I finished John Green’s Everything is Tuberculosis and loved it! I was able to squeeze in a comfort reread of Beth O’Leary’s The Switch (it’s my favorite of her books).
I also added How to Hide an Empire to my (overgrown) TBR - thanks for the recommendation!
The Optimist’s Daughter has been on my shelf for ages and you just made it sound so good!! Can’t wait to pick it up.
I had a fantastic reading month, 19 in total. My favourite was Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I just loved it. I also really enjoyed Show, Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld, the final book in the Shardlake series, a couple of books from the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series, 2 Louise Pennys, my first Elin Hildebrand book (only just discovered her) and Jeanette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mother Died, which just broke my heart.
I'm definitely adding How to Hide an Empire to my TBR list. I also don't often re-read, but I have read the Complete Collection of Winnie-the-Pooh many times in many different book version I can find because I love how simple and profound it is. This month, my teens and I listened to the audible version, and it is so, so good.
Beyond that:
- Heartstopper 5
- Antarctica by Claire Keegan- I didn't love it as much as her other books, but I do loving tapping into short story collections regularly
- Exile (part of the Keepers of the Lost Cities collection I'm reading with my son)
- The House in the Cerulean Sea