I’ve been tracking my reading on Goodreads this year, which is a new thing; usually I go along with no record of what I read, how many books, what kind, etc. I’m not recording everything, we go through way too many bedtime books with kids for that, but it’s pretty complete. It should be interesting to see what it looks like at the end of the year.
Just finished reading: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. I had to read the description of Fat Charlie’s hangover out loud to my husband. It’s perfect and hilarious and makes it so believable that of course he fell for the woman who cured it. If you think the gods might be crazy, read Anansi Boys for proof. Or just read it for the descriptions.
Currently reading: Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver. You don’t have to be a nature lover to love it, but it will give you new insights into the world around you.
Plan to read next: Probably The Third Circle, Amanda Quick. Part of the Arcane Society series.
In kid reading, we are on book 3 of the Ivy and Bean series. Highly recommend this one for middle grade readers, it’s very fun.
What are you reading? Anything blowing your doors off? Anything you’re looking forward to?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Rebecca Skloot should win a Pulitzer for this–the story of how cancer cells removed from a poor black woman without her knowledge provided the foundation for numerous medical advances, including the polio vaccine–while her family didn’t know anything about it for years. I’m not a big science reader, but this delivers human interest while making you think about medical ethics, class, race, science…Everyone in our book group was wowed.
I actually read a few articles about that case and it is fascinating. The fact that her family wasn’t informed or compensated in any way is appalling, although we’re all benefiting from the results.
I picked up Rob Thurman’s The Grimrose Path about a week ago, and have been saving it until my desk was clear. Desk better be clear by this afternoon.
I also have E.O. Wilson’s Anthill; Kris Reisz recommended it and while it’s a departure from my usual thing I’m looking forward to it.
Anthill, huh? I will have to check that out. Kris has good taste in books. Good luck clearing your desk!
Anthill really does look interesting; here is Barbara Kingsolver’s review of it in the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/books/review/Kingsolver-t.html?_r=1