A Good Read

I’ve always been an avid reader and have a love for books. Growing up you could always find me curled up with a book and a handful of chocolate kisses, whenever there was time to spare! Nevertheless, my time for pleasure reading diminished in college, and then went almost static when I started working in public accounting. And oh how I have MISSED the delight that comes with starting a new book, reading the last page about 15 minutes in to make sure “it’s all going to end ok”, flipping the crisp pages (sorry Trav and Ash!), and basically losing myself in a good story…..ahhhh.

Anyway, since marrying Trav and watching him devour countless books a month (he’s an attorney folks) I’ve started to make reading a priority again. I was also invited to join a monthly book club, which forces me to set aside time for my favorite hobby.

The rules of book club are simple: there must be good books, good food, and good conversion! We take turns hosting and moderating, and we rotate the type of books we read, which has opened my eyes to some great reads.

So here is a run-down of my 2010 reading list to date. The good, the bad, and the ugly!

1. The Twilight series, by Stephanie Meyer

Ok, so maybe this was on the 2008 reading list, but I had to give it a shout out. It’s a delicious easy read (not one of my book club selections, I should add) and if you have missed out on this craze that’s sweeping the nation, it’s your loss!

2. The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

This is a short read you may have read in high school English. I admit it is a good work of literature, and interesting because the plot describes a young woman’s mental breakdown that is scarily similar to the author’s own life. However, I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and a little bit angry. So read with caution!

3. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

If you haven’t read this book, stop reading my post and go get it! It’s more enjoyable than this blog entry, I promise, and it’s definitely among my top picks of the year. Soon to be a major motion picture too!

4. Before you know Kindness, by Chris Bohjalian

I almost quit book club after this book. The plot is centered on a family in crisis, whose relationships are forever changed when a young girl accidently shoots her animal rights activist father with her uncle’s hunting rifle. I know a lot of folks who praise Chris Bohjalian’s work, but it’s just not for me. Not to mention our book club discussion turned into a heated debate about gun laws in America (being my father’s daughter, you can image what side of the debate I was on.) Two thumbs down on this one.

5. The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy

Another book club pick, and not something that would have normally jumped off the Border’s shelf and into my hands. However, I loved this book! It’s a little slow in the beginning, but the author eventually unfolds a great story set in India that delves into topics such as politics, race, and rights of women—all from a child’s point of view.

6. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway

One of Hemingway’s first major novels, the book is set in Paris and Spain in the 1920’s. Though I wasn’t around when it was first published, I can imagine it was probably quite a racy book for it’s time! The book focuses on a group of literary types (mostly ex-patriots) who appear to be running around Europe drinking, partying, and drinking some more. Similar to The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the book is certainly a critique of the vapid, careless, and immoral culture of the 20s. Not the most thrilling read I’ve ever read, but certainly entertaining. I would especially recommend it to anyone traveling in France or Spain.

7. Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt

A book club selection which holds a particular fondness for me, not only because it was an EXCELLENT read, but also because it was the book of choice the night I hosted at mi casa. (Side note: It is popular to make a meal that is in keeping with the theme of the book. Since Angela’s Ashes is set in Ireland, I did a Potato Bar and Guinness Cupcakes. Big hits!). The book is a memoir told from the perspective of a young Frank McCourt in the 1930s and 1940s. I laughed and I cried, and the book made me realize how incredibly lucky I am to be an American living in modern times. I believe there’s even a movie, for you non-readers out there!

8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

If you don’t know someone reading this book or haven’t seen it all over your local bookstores, see my comment in the discussion re: The Twilight Series. Ok, I’ll repeat it. If you have missed out on this craze, it’s your loss…but you are probably getting more sleep than me because I stayed up waaaay past my bedtime reading this series. Despite its reputation as a page turner, The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (and the subsequent books in the series) has a lot of complex themes, especially about women. Buy it now!

9. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

One of my favorite books of all time! July 11th marked the 50th anniversary of this Pulitzer Prize winning classic, and our book club joined in the celebration by selecting it for our July book. Pick it up, read it again, and I bet you’ll be surprised to learn something new in Ms. Lee’s tale.


10. The Big Short, by Michael Lewis

So you saw The Blindside? You read Liar’s Poker? All Lewis’s work. Michael Lewis is a former investment banker/bond salesman turned journalist. His writing is authentic, and he has the ability to explain the most mundane and complicated topics in such a way that you are waiting for the climax with the turn of the first page. In The Big Short, Lewis tells the story of the current financial crisis by focusing on the eccentric players who created the housing and credit bubble and then watched it crash. It’s a pleasurable work of non-fiction that will entertain even those less financially inclined!