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2013 Reading List
Last night I went to a book launch, but not just any book launch. My good friend, Jenny Milchman (oh, you’ll hear of her) just released her debut novel, Cover of Snow. Isn’t it beautiful?
Her book is a suspense novel about a woman who wakes one morning to discover her husband has committed suicide. Or has he? To find out you’ll have to get the book. See that? You’re hanging on by a thread. Now you have to read it. You might even meet Jenny while your at it because she starts her national book tour next month. She’s packing up her family and traversing the country in their new mini-van complete with working engine bought specifically for the occasion because the last time she traversed the country with her husband and two little kids in their 2005 VW station wagon they broke down in the middle of nowhere during a hail storm. And one cannot break down on one’s national book tour. It wouldn’t be professional. So look for Jenny and her book, which was 13 years in the making, at a bookstore near you.
But I’m not just writing to order you to buy my friend’s book (although that would be nice). I’m writing about reading.
Jenny, the one in the big chair since she’s the guest of honor, with her editor (left) and her agent (right).
Every year for Christmas I order a stack of books from my local bookstore (the one Jenny’s in up there) as my husband’s gift to me. My husband then shows up the day before Christmas, collects the books and deposits them under the tree. The store even gift wraps the books for him so he has no idea what his gift to me even is.
My stack for this year is up top, and it’s a little daunting. I ordered 9 books this year, and every single one of them (almost) is a national best seller or New York Times Book of the Year or a Pulitzer Prize finalist. One is even the Book of the Century. Can you imagine getting that title? That book, The Things They Carried, won so many awards I can’t even list them all here or I’d be over my word count for this post.
What I’m trying to say here is I’m not foolin around. I’m also trying to say I don’t know how I’m going to get through all these books. I can’t possibly read all this. But I bought them anyway because I figured I have a lifetime in which to do it and because my writing instructor recommended them all to me.
My instructor’s book, Blue Suburbia, is on top although I actually bought that one a while ago. (I did order 9 books this year but I don’t know where they all are anymore.) I’m rereading Blue Suburbia though since it’s so good and since it only takes about 2 hours to read. I’m not kidding. Normally I’m an exceedingly slooow reader. It will, in fact, take me the rest of my life to read this stack of books, but since I never know what to read and since I’m tired of reading crappy books, I asked my instructor, Laurie Lico Albanese, for her recommendations.
Then I proceeded to buy them all. I didn’t know what to get and I didn’t have time to go to the bookstore to look for which ones I wanted so I decided it was just easiest to buy them all. Books never really go to waste, and I’ve loved every single book Laurie’s ever recommended. So far she’s 5 and 0. I hope she doesn’t mess it up with this list because I’m relying on her for all my reading needs.
I know got my work cut out for me, but I think I can do this. At least I’m gonna try, and I know where to start. With Jenny.
What are you reading? What books have you loved?
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17 Comments
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I love reading too, but I’m also slow. It’s hard to find time, plus I actually move my lips when I silently read. I can’t not move them. If I don’t then my comprehension goes down. I’m reading The Time Traveler’s Wife right now. It’s different and pretty good. I like to see what other people are reading. I have a list and add too it all the time. Will add what I see here. There is a literary junkies link-up on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. They pose three questions about books and you answer them in a post. I’ve gotten a bunch of book ideas from looking at all those posts. It’s one of my favorites because I love to read so much. Thanks for sharing!
Hey, thank YOU for commenting & leaving all the great info. One thing: Most of what I have here is memoir so if you don’t like memoir I guess you wouldn’t like it but if you do, read away.
In fiction, just finished “Are You Happy Now?” and before that the first two in Ken Follett’s Century trilogy (and what the HELL was I thinking starting a trilogy when the third book isn’t out!?) Just started Molly Greene’s “Mark of the Loon.” In non-fiction just finished “Roberts Ridge” good book, painful read. I’m a slow reader too, just determined.
Make us feel bad why don’t you, smarty pants.
Not so smart, just down with the flu, and reading’s a distraction from trying to cough up my lungs.
Ok, that’s better.
Best of luck! Its been a long time since I read a new book…so far, I’ve been re-reading some old ones on my shelf (yes, I re-read each of my favorites several times!!)
Nothing wrong with that. I want to reread some of my favorites but always think I’ll get to it later.
Best of luck! Its been a long time since I read a new book…so far, I’ve been re-reading some old ones on my shelf (yes, I re-read each of my favorites several times!!)
Nothing wrong with that. I want to reread some of my favorites but always think I’ll get to it later.
The Bloggess’ book is laugh out loud hysterical. I don’t usually read a book more than once (because I have a million books I want to read) – but that one I most certainly will! I’m glad for the recommendations because I read hundreds of books a year. Let me know what you think!
The Bloggess’ book is laugh out loud hysterical. I don’t usually read a book more than once (because I have a million books I want to read) – but that one I most certainly will! I’m glad for the recommendations because I read hundreds of books a year. Let me know what you think!
Hundreds? Of books a YEAR? You are a computer aren’t you? You cannot possibly be human.
Make us feel bad why don’t you, smarty pants.
Hey, thank YOU for commenting & leaving all the great info. One thing: Most of what I have here is memoir so if you don’t like memoir I guess you wouldn’t like it but if you do, read away.
Not so smart, just down with the flu, and reading’s a distraction from trying to cough up my lungs.
Ok, that’s better.