Friday, June 17, 2011

What Are You Reading?

I'm currently reading another of Jean Auel's series. This is her most recent one, The Land of Painted Caves. Since I bought the Kindle last Fall, I've been a Reader (definitely in caps.) It is just so easy to carry it with me, pick it up and put it down. At the beginning of the year I set myself a goal of reading 50 books. I'm at 26 and working on the 27th book. It is June 17th so I should make the goal. But it isn't so much about making any goal at all as much as it is just enjoying reading. I started the list to help me keep track of what I had read but counting and goals are the American way.

Over in the right hand side bar you will find Goodreads and it lists most of the books I've read and how I rated them. I don't know why all of them aren't listed and it isn't important enough to me to try to figure it out. Not many books get my Five-Star rating and sometimes I'm surprised at a book that does. There are two war novels listed in the Five-Star reads....that really surprised me. A Four-Star rating probably means that I couldn't put the book down until I finished it but a Five-Star means that it lingered around long after I finished it.

Here is my Five-Star list for the first half of 2011:

Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Room by Emma Donoghue
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Matterhorn, A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes

What are you reading?

19 comments:

My Camera World said...

That's most interesting as I just bought the last 2 books and almost thorough the 'Shelters of Stone' and will be starting your book in a few weeks.

I guess we have more in common besides San Miguel and photography.

Have a great day.

Niels

jennifer rose said...

The less-than-inclusive list for May-June 2011:

Say Her Name: A Novel, Francisco Goldman *****

The Dukan Diet: 2 Steps to Lose the Weight, 2 Steps to Keep It Off Forever, Pierre Dukan

Whiter Shades of Pale: The Stuff White People Like, Coast to Coast, from Seattle's Sweaters to Maine's Microbrews, Christian Lander

The Price of Escape, David Unger *****

Down and Delirious in Mexico City: The ztec Metropolis in the Twenty-First Century, Daniel Hernandez

The Pale King, David Foster Wallace *****

Last Train from Cuernavaca, Lucia St. Clair Robson

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin, Erik Larson *****

A Dog's Purpose, W. Bruce Cameron

The Lost Minyan, David M. Gitlitz

Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell

Friendship: An Expose, Joseph Epstein

Steak: One Man's Search for the World's Tastiest Piece of Beef , Mark Schatzker

Snobbery: The American Version, Joseph Epstein

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance: A Memoir, Elna Baker

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, Alexandra Horowitz

New York: The Novel, Edward Rutherford

Argentina: A Traveler's Literary Companion, Jill Gibian

Crazy Loco Love: A Memoir, Victor Villasenor

Manana Forever?: Mexico and the Mexicans, Jorge G. Castaneda

Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City, Greg Grandin

The Lady Matador's Hotel: A Novel, Cristina Garcia;

The Invisible Mountain, Carolina De Robertis

Life in the Damn Tropics: A Novel, David Unger

We Have Your Husband: One Woman's Terrifying Story of a Kidnapping in Mexico (Berkley True Crime), Jayne Garcia Valseca and ….

My Invented Country : A Memoir, Isabel Allende

My Jesus Year, Benjamin Cohen

A Visit from the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egen

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot

Buenos Aires, Moon Handbook, Wayne Bernhardson

Chile, Moon Handbook, Wayne Bernhardson

Billie Mercer said...

Niels, I'm having a hard time sticking with this last book in the series. I'm skipping through the descriptions and reading only the parts that carry the characters. The time period and writing style have lost some of the charm for me. Not sure if I will finish it.

Billie Mercer said...

Jennifer, has anyone ever mentioned to you that you might be an over-achiever? LOL

Let me know what you think of Jane Garcia Valseca's book.

I was facinated with the Henrietta Lack's book and how the author wove the science and family together.

Steve Cotton said...

I am currently reading A Traitor to His Class -- Brand's biography of Franklin Roosevelt. And in print form; not on my Kindle. I brought it down with me two years ago. It has been looming in its tome-sized presence on my coffee table.

He was never one of my favorite presidents. But I have learned to appreciate him more -- along with President Reagan -- through their respective biographies. Maybe we learn as we age.

Unknown said...

Best read thus far in 2011 has been In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family living in Hitler's Berlin. Great historical account of a diplomat family living in Germany in the years before WW2.

Also enjoyed Too Small To Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Wes Stafford, the president of Compassion International. Compelling biography.

Bob Mrotek said...

Billie,

I just finished reading "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything" by Joshua Foer and "Gods, Gachupines and Gringos: A People's History of Mexico" by Richard Grabman, David Bodwell and Joaquín Ramón Herrera.

I recommend them both

Billie Mercer said...

WOW! I'm getting some great ideas for my reading list. Keep 'em coming.

Barb said...

I don't read nearly as much as I used to. This year I've read 3 of Ken Follett's books. Right now I'm reading "Marley and Me." It's much fluffier than what you all are reading, but it sure is entertaining.

Billie Mercer said...

Barb, sometimes after I read a "heavy" book, I look for something a little fluffy. Nothing wrong with fluff.

Billie Mercer said...

Bob, I've been eyeing the Einstein book. Glad to read you recommend it.

Anonymous said...

Instead of a goal of 50 books, I think it would be more logical to set a goal of pages. Fifty books of 100 pages each and 50 books of 500 pages each are hardly comparable. But a page is a page. Of course, then there is the issue of type size.

-- Felipe

Billie Mercer said...

Felipe, ya just like to stir things up, don't you. LOL

pitchertaker said...

Halfway through "True Grit" by Charles Portis. Had to read it after seeing the last movie version (liked it better than the original, far better), and just finished reading "Inside of a Dog" by Alex Horowitz. And before that "Half Broke Horses" by Jeannette Walls.

Billie Mercer said...

Frank, I've got True Grit lined up to read and for the same reason as you.

If you read "Half Broke Horses" now you have to read "The Glass Castle" also by Jeannette Walls.

You are the second person who has mentioned "Inside of a Dog." I guess I'll have to read it too.

Jackie said...

Story of Beautiful Girl is one of the best books that I have read this year.

Patrick said...

Just started The Greator Journey - Americans in Paris by David McCollough. Then back to Texas for Remembering Ben Clayton by Stephan Harrigan.

Shirley Gonzalez-Day said...

If you have not read Love in the Time of Cholera, I highly recommend it.

Anonymous said...

I loved Blood, Bones, and Butter. I loved Still Alice, and Room. Oh--and I finished the new Gypsy Rose Lee biography. It was only fair, IMHO, very repetitive and at times disjointed.

I'm currently reading The Book Thief, which I also love. I'm also reading Will Write for Food and Madre. It's unusual for me to read more than one book at a time, and three is unheard of. I can't remember right now what all I've read lately, but LOTS.

Next up (I think) will be the new Lisa See novel. Also on tap is a new memoir by José Iturriaga, Confieso que he comido.

Billie, if you haven't read Evening, I strongly, strongly recommend it. Did I say strongly?

Cristina