Friday, June 25, 2010

Summer Reading ~

When I was a kid, I loved reading in the summer. It was such a relief to be able to read for pleasure and not for school. No homework!!! My sister and I always joined the summer reading program at our library. It was one of the few places we could get to on our own...walking or riding our bikes. We lived in town, but with a dad who was working shift work and mostly unwilling to take us anywhere, and a mom who couldn't drive (poor vision) we were basically stranded. So going to the library was a big deal.

The head librarian was Mrs. Charles, and she liked me - but still, she was unwilling to let me check out Gone With The Wind unless I got a note from my mother. And so I did. I think I was in about 5th grade...I sure thought I was something to be reading such racy stuff.

I've always loved reading, so choosing my minor in college was easy...Library Science. ;) These days it's hard for me to get into fiction, but I make an exception for John Grisham. I'm also on the list for House Rules, by Jodi Picoult. Anyone read that?

I rarely buy books, but I keep my library in business. I usually go to Central in Lake Charles. It's so easy to choose a book, request it online, and go pick it up when I get the email that it's waiting. Cool, huh? And, no I don't have a Kindle. I really like the feel of books...you know, turning the pages, holding it in your hand.

So, here's a partial list of some things I've been reading:

Last night I finished Women Food and God by Geneen Roth. It's about emotional eating, and overeating. To me, her approach is both very deep, and yet overly simplified. This has been excerpted in several magazines so chances are you might have read part of it already.


I was anxious to get into Laura Bush's book. She's intriguing, really. I enjoyed the story of how she grew up as an only child and married into the larger than life Bush clan.


Several insightful stories in her book...the story of the car accident (she was at fault) in which a young man died. It happened when she was a teenager. Also, hearing about when the twins were born and she was a young mother. This isn't a page-turner though. Laura writes in much the same way she speaks...measured, and matter of fact, but with sincerity. I'm glad I read it.

I also finished Switch this month. This book is awesome!! It was a fun read and I really learned a lot. Some of their ideas are not new, it's things we've heard before, but these guys - Chip & Dan Heath (brothers) are very cool.


You might not have heard of this one, Making Toast, written by Roger Rosenblatt. When his daughter, Amy - 38 years old, a gifted doctor, mother, and wife - collapsed and died suddenly, he and his wife moved in to help care for the 3 little ones she left behind.

Making Toast is the story of that first year together. It's touching, poignant and even funny - yes, even in tragedy, that are things to smile at. This is a family story, how people who love each other can hold on tight and walk through heartbreaking pain. I loved this book. It's short and a fast read. Run, don't walk, to the library and get it.

And... (you had to know I would) I read Kitty Kelly's unauthorized biography, Oprah. It was fascinating.


I enjoyed it. Every. Single. Word. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

What are you reading this summer???

6 comments:

Lou Ellen said...

Mrs. Charles and the library - our little oasis of peace. She was such a censor...I'd bring up The Shoes of the Fisherman and she said, oh now, honey, this is too much! Rats.

Reading "The Hours", old, deep, movie was interesting. Book club next "Water for Elephants", I know nothing about it except that it was popular. "Olive Kitteridge", won the Pulitzer, makes you think about the impact of one teacher who's a mom, one kind and quirky woman, bittersweet. Ryan loaned me "Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Aspergers". Bought "Raising Brains", about raising smart children for $1 in the clearance corner at Half Price Books. Felt smart doing that. I might start "The Corrections", an old Oprah book next. But James Lee Burke has just written a new one, and get out of my way, I must have it now b/c he is the BEST.

gwen said...

Some great suggestions! I need to go to the library. BUT, stop reading so much and lets go to the water park. I'm getting white!!

Susan said...

OK, water park...on the agenda!!

Vicki's Vicissitudes said...

Well, Susan...I read all the time but bits and pieces of this and that and then eventually I finish something. And yes I do like fiction. But my last finished book was Eat, Pray and Love....great book, I recommend it to everyone. And what I am reading now is And The Righteous Shall Prosper. SO FAR I LOVE IT. I just bought two new books over the internet....it is self help books....because I love those too. Your posts are inspirational.

Susan said...

Thanks Vicki! I'm want to read Eat Pray Love before the movie gets here.

Unknown said...

Hi Lou Ellen
I've been trying to find "Raising Brains" for a long time. Someone at Boarders told me no such book ever existed. Do you have the author's and publisher's name?
thanks,
Debra