From One Book Lover

My summer reading is progressing deliciously. I continue to savor the wonderful Pride and Prejudice , days after the final words were spoken to me by the lovely Rosamund Pike. I loved that book not just because the audio version was wonderful, but the book itself was amazing. I knew the story from various resources, but each different performance could nowhere nearly match the magic of the original. I suspect I shall re-read this classic more than once in the coming years. Additionally, I think I found another Desert Island Book. But Darcy Love aside (and I mean Elizabeth), I am enjoying the summer. I stay up much later than I should and choose books based on my whim. To date, I have finished the following: Ruined The Burning Page Speaking from Among the Bones The Inexplicable Logic of My Life Big Little Lies Anna Karenina The Lies that Bind My Best Everything Forgotten Bones The Handmaid's Tale Pride and Prejudice I am currently reading: Star Wars: ...

What if we are meant to listen  to classic novels? I asked myself that as Rosamund Pike thrilled me this evening with her reading of Pride and Prejudice , a well-known romance novel with a timeless plot and enjoyable characters. (My personal favorite re-telling is set in India with a cast that included the former Miss World. And elephants. And hijra .)  As I listened to the actress who played Jane in a Hollywood version reading (and appreciate the stuffy and breathy Mr. Collins all the more because of her), I realized the cadence and presentation of the language easily lent itself to audio enjoyment. (Thanks, Audible!) I also thoroughly enjoyed Juliet Stevenson reading  Sense and Sensibility  last year — so much so that I purchased the book to enjoy again.  I have listened to Anna Karenina being read by Maggie Gyllenhaal (but only snippets so far), and was transfixed by the throaty tones of the reader and her obvious affection for the work. David fin...

Summer is in full swing now, and so is summer reading.  Well, it can be.  It should be. (I mean, it's summer!) So, how is your summer reading coming along? My summer reading is ebbing and flowing. When we last met this intrepid reader, I was experiencing a surprising level of book ennui . I could not find my groove. I looked, I skimmed, and yet nothing launched me into the book frenzy I sought. I have completed eight books in seven weeks. Not bad, but I have done better. What am I reading now? The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I read it when it was first released 31 years ago, and it chills me as much — if not more — now than then. This time, I am listening to Claire Danes read it to me, and I am enjoying her narration. When I read the book without her, I still hear her in my head. (Thanks, Claire!) The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes. He makes his case, relentlessly. It's an interesting book, but I think he's trying to trim a bonsai with ...

When it comes to Library Loot, I'm a slacker. Upon reviewing the last few Library Loot articles, I discovered I did not read those books in their entirety. If anything, my eyes are too big for my bookshelf. At any rate, I persist. And who knows: I may read at least one book from this recent looting! First of all, book displays were meant for me to loot. I don't care who the intended audience is, when I'm intrigued, I take a book. The slim volume of Forgotten Bones will be an introduction into slave burial sites — this one in New York. Our past is never very far behind us, and this is an excellent reminder. I also can't wait to delve into the Roanoke settlers mystery — I read about this new book, and about a recent finding announced in the Smithsonian, which makes me very excited. David is a fan of comics, and I thought he'd like to learn more about comic books. Finally, I needed to visit Brooklyn Wainwright again. This will be the third try at read...

I have tried to expand my resources for books. I am a sucker for used books, but it's not always easy to find a reliable, interesting, and affordable used bookstore in the real world. Oh, we always have the online behemoth, and a few other Web favorites, but sometimes you just need a room full of books you haven't yet purchased or borrowed. So began the adventure: choosing the new-to-me bookstore within driving distance. We discovered the lovely Hole in the Wall on a whim, so why not meet Wonder Book and Video ? When I walked in, I knew I came to the right place. This was similar to Acres of Books , may it rest in peace, and Hole in the Wall Books , with narrow corridors of bookshelves. Wonder Book featured lots of narrow corridors that lured book lovers deeper and deeper into the labyrinth. "Chris?" I heard David call once. "Hey honey, I'm in Modern Fiction. Mostly hardbacks and trade paperbacks. To your left." Moments later, he peeked dow...

This week's library loot experience took me to a rarely-visited branch of my library system for a book not for myself. My husband David wanted to read a book by Eckhart Tolle, which was available at a branch of the library he passes in his travels every week. Apparently I never took him into that library, which I find hard to believe, but it could happen. (In a strange alternate universe, but still.) We resolved that issue immediately. I took a lap around the lovely little library, checking out the "new books" section, the audiobook shelves, and the "Friends of the Library Book Sale" shelves. My audible gasp caused at least one patron to turn toward me (sorry!), but as I reached for Arundhati Roy's new release, I couldn't help it. It's a 14-day book, so heaven help me finish it on time, but I'll give it the old college try. (Full disclosure: I began listening to The God of Small Things last year, but stopped after a very short tim...

Entire weekends of reading! Long nights of nothing but book time! It's summer! Woo hoo! Well, don't spill your lemonade, but this year's summer reading is starting off very slowly for me. You'd think that I'd have more than two book under my belt after three weeks of summer reading. Nope, just two. A whopping 461 completed pages. A fabulous 461 pages that includes a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, but still a paltry sum of pages and books. Oh, don't get me wrong: I'm reading. My nightstand reading stack is dwindling, somewhat. I am nearly halfway through Anna Karenina , and I can see the end of  Speaking From Among the Bones  (which I began months ago — yes, months). I'm just not tossing back the books at a breakneck speed as intended. I will continue to plug along, and pick up interesting books along the way. I won't break down, but I will limp along a little slower than anticipated. Wish me luck! What do you do when you experien...