My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

I knew about the writer, Pat Conroy, because he is a best selling author, but I was most familiar with him because of the movie, The Great Santini,  based on his book.  Over  the summer my book club read his book, South of Broad and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  So when I saw My Reading Life on the Library shelves, I had to check it out.

Mr. Conroy is such an eloquent writer, I found the book very readable and fascinating.  I, of course, adore books, but to read how a famous author describes his love of reading was a revelation.  The chapters about his writing process were interesting.  The book inspired me to branch out, to try reading books I have not considered before or dismissed.  It also inspired me to read War and Peace.  I read Anna Karenina when I was pregnant with my first Child and I have always aspired to read the great War and Peace.  I think it will be my summer selection for 2011!  (Summers are when I do my heavy reading.)

Finally, as a mother, it inspired me to work harder to introduce my children to classic literature.

Note:  The Great Santini is one of my Dad's favorite movies and I have seen it several times, but I have never read the book.  A situation I plan on rectifying as soon as the book comes in on hold at the Library.

You know you are a book nerd when:

*  You read book about books.  (Just finished, My Reading Life by Pat Conroy (More about that to come).  Other favorites are The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, Book Smart by Jane Mallison, and Great Books for Girls by Kathleen Odean.)

*  You routinely carry around two books.  (Just in case you finish one or get tired of one.  You always need a back-up!) 

*  You take a book to read during your T.V. watching time.  (Especially if your husband is controlling the remote.  Honesty, only I can pick a good show.  Besides I can get a page or two read during the commercials.) 

Stock-up on books!

There is a big winter storm coming here in the midwest.  When you are out getting milk and food, be sure to stop by the Library and load up on books.  After all that shoveling, you'll want to curl up with a good book to wait the storm out. 

Two new Young Adult books

I just finished two really great Young Adult books--Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan and Virals by Kathy Reichs.  They were both really good!

In the Immortal Beloved world Immortals are born to Immortal Parents.  The story focus on 400 plus year old Immortal who spend the last 400 years partying to forget what happened to her when she was 10.  Her life takes a dark turn and she finally seeks help.  The heroine is spunky and interesting.  The first chapter was a bit hard to get into, but then it really took off.  I like reading about someone who has been around for 400 years learning to do farm chores on the organic, rehab farm; learning about her magical abilities; and possibly finding love.  This is the first book of a trilogy.  This is not at all like the other Immortals series out there.  I think I like this one better. 

I have read several of Kathy Reichs' books and they are always good, so I was very excited to read her young adult version, Virals.  It has some science, but now that it is for a younger audience, it is easier to get through.  I like the science geeks, but not nerds angle.  The kids investigate a murder and along the way are exposed to a virus and start to gain abilities.  Interesting, well written, and fun.

Parents note:  Both books had nothing I wouldn't want my 13year old to read!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This was one of my book club's picks; I never would have decided to read this on my own.  I couldn't relate to the entire first half of the books, so it was extremely annoying.  I have always wanted to be nothing more than a wife and mother (An old time view in this day and age).  I have always viewed my jobs as a means to an end, not the end itself.  I consider my life's work to be raising my children.  So it is with this life view that I was reading about a woman who didn't want children and wanted to spend a year traveling.  Did I mention that after four days of vacation I start longing for home?  Her description of her divorce was a lot of reading like poor, pity me, poor, pity me, etc.  I kept thinking that it was so nice for her that even after an expensive divorce that she still had the money to travel around the world for a year.  Italy was interesting.  India was hard to get through (I do not sit still well unless I have a book and don't have much interest in meditation), but I'm glad I kept reading, because the final third of the book was wonderful.  Elizabeth Gilbert is about the opposite of me in probably every way, but her discussion of seeking happiness for your self, being in charge of your own happiness, and growing closer to god WAS interesting and worthwhile.

Reading and being a busy Mom

There is a reason why my reading choices usually tend toward the easier side.  It is because I am either so tired I couldn't concentrate on something more demanding or because the kids and my husband interrupt me CONSTANTLY.  It doesn't matter what they were doing before I started reading, as soon as I pick up a book, the question start rolling in.  I'm not complaining--I love being a wife and mother and I love my easy reads.  There will be plenty of time for tackling the heavier reads later.  (I do manage some more adult book from time to time.)  What is important is that I get some time for me somewhere in there and that I am setting a good reading example for my children.

House of the Night - Awakened

This is the latest in the House of the Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  I wasn't all that thrilled with the last book (#6), so it was with trepidation that I picked up this offering.  I must say, it was better, but I am more than ready for the series to end.  This book is #7 and it isn't the final book in the series either.  The last book was really, dark, boring, and depressing, but this one picked up.  Zoey and her Guardian boyfriend Stark have almost put themselves back together after dying and coming back.  Stevie Rae and Rephaim continue to work on and figure out their relationship. 

I picked up the first book because I thought it was about vampires and it mostly isn't.  Yes, the main characters are vampires, but that fact plays very little in the story.  It is mostly about elemental magic and goddess worship that it is about vampires.  The story does talk about choosing good over evil and tying religions together, something I like.  Because of this and because I am obsessive about books and MUST complete all series once I start them (unless I really hate them), means, yes, I will grab up the next book due out in 11/11.