Book Round-Up
Reading this week:
Boy, oh boy, it’s been awhile since I made up a reading list, hasn’t it? Know why? Because all I do is read. And write. A lot of writing going on over here. It’s getting tedious, but I’m through the ugly sections of the book now, thank God. Nothing like staying too long with a gnarly character you’re ready to have leave your headspace and go to Jupiter or anywhere, really, just not my mind, anymore, thank you.
Now, here is a reading list my former boss put together, of her favorites from last summer. And I keep misplacing it. In my purse. Ha. Ha. Yeah. It’s a big purse, get up off my back, would ya? No wonder my arm is killing me, lugging that thing around. Also, may I pause her to say how refreshing it was to have a boss who loved to read? My bosses have never been big readers, not even the ones who edited the books section of the newspaper. Ha! Except for a couple of you, and you know who you are. The End.
(That’s how they say it in the novels.)
So she and I would talk books all the time, and it made me happy. But then one day I realized, my arm was killing me (and of course the tendonitis is in my right arm, which I use all the time, as I am right-handed), and… I realized another thing. Instead of talking books, and checking out books, and shelving, repairing, discarding and ordering books, I wanted to get back to writing books.
So I put in my notice and quit and now we’re all happier. Except for my students, they’re a little irate, but they’ll be fine. I promised I’d send them copies of my books, see? There ya go. One of them wrote me a note that said, “I, too, write books!” and I thought, A kindred spirit, go, go, go authors!
Anyway, back to those titles… If I put it here, it doesn’t matter if I lose it, see? I’ve downloaded “Life of Pi” onto my Kindle, and yes, I did start it, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.
I’m reading all these classics for my book group is why. (“Rebecca,” “Cold Comfort Farm,” “Heart of Darkness.” Am brainiac. But you already knew that.)
Happy reading!!!
— wm
“Dog House: A Love Story” (Carol Prisant)
“Life is So Good” (Richard Glaubman & George Dawson)
“Letter to My Daughter” (Maya Angelo)
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl Who Played with Fire” & “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” (Stieg Larsson)
“Little Bee” (Chris Cleave)
“Life of Pi” (Yann Martel)
, 
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I just finished Wallace Stegner’s 1970s Pulitzer winning novel “The Angle of Repose.” It is dense but good reading; well, better than good. Although — I know lovers of the novel will disagree — I was not happy with his final chapter and the use of a dream as a major episode. I didn’t think it worked as well as he intended. Who am I to criticize this wonderful author’s Pulitzer winner? I admit to vulnerability there. I’ll have to think about it (and ask a friend who studied with Stegner at Stanford what he thinks). I think I didn’t like being fooled by what I thought was real, if, now that I think of it, in a not fully realistic way.
Do you make money on these Amazon links? None of my business, I suppose. I buy locally as much as possible and don’t like Amazon. I don’t question a right to have a revenue connection with Amazon; others do it; The O does it with Powell’s, I think. I just like Broadway Books even if local stores have to charge more. Or Powell’s. But Amazon does offer some good prices.
Good luck with the writing. (Oh: I just started “True Grit.” The author created a great character there, the girl.)
March 15th, 2011 | #
Dan, hey! Thanks for the visit. I’ve never read Stegner, but he’s been recommended to me several times.
I *allegedly* get money if people click and buy from the Amazon links — but I just put them there because I like the way the covers look. I haven’t ever made a cent off the links. (That’s why I dropped Google Ads — they sent me a total of $4.19 one time and that was it, over a period of how many years? Ah, well.) I make a small amount from the BlogHer ads, not much. Good thing I have a day job, oh, wait…
I do sometimes receive free books and products for review, and always (try to, anyway) make sure that I link to my disclaimer. http://wackymommy.org/disclaimer/ But I didn’t get any of these books in the mail, they’re just on my reading list. Have a great un-weekend :) — wm
March 17th, 2011 | #