So, basically, I'm a hodgepodge of deliciously good books!!!
It took me a while but I finally got around to reading Unbroken. I finished the book about three weeks ago and I find myself constantly thinking back to this story and the life of Louis Zamperini. The real sign of a good book is wanting to learn more so I just checked out this book as a follow-up!
On a recent trip to visit my parents, I realized I didn't bring anything to read with me. In my world that constitutes an emergency. Since I had to go to Target for a diaper run, I decided to browse their book aisle. It's so unusual for me to actually buy books. It's also pretty unusual for me to read fiction. I took my time choosing and hit the jackpot. This book was FABULOUS! It's set in the late 80's/early 90's when AIDS was new and everyone was terrified. We knew so little back then. I've always been a little fascinated with that time period (and I lived through it!). I passed this book on to a friend who is reading it now and I can't wait to hear someone else's review! I think this would make a great Book Club choice.
On that same trip to Target, I also picked up this book. I hadn't read Kate Morton before but the ending of this book blew me away. I've since read The House at Riverton and I'm now making my way through The Forgotten Garden. Guess I'm on a Fiction roll!
And I've saved the best for last....
Wow. I can't say enough about this book. I don't know about you but I grew up not learning much about The Dust Bowl. I don't know who recommended this book to me (which is too bad) but it really opened my eyes. The book was published in 2006 so maybe some of you have read it? I had a newborn in 2006 so I can understand how I missed it back then. I found it fascinating what people went through, how we humans created such destruction (and so quickly!), that people chose to stay, how people survived such a horrible time. You should see my Google Search History after reading this book.....my quest to know more is limitless. I must live under a rock because I also didn't know that Ken Burns had a documentary out last year called The Dust Bowl (and it's available on Netflix!!!). I can't imagine a better way to follow up this book. Ken even interviews some of the descendants of the "characters" from the book. I was SO excited. I'll be looking for more ways to learn about The Dust Bowl FOR SURE and I'll also be reading more Timothy Egan (my new crush!). If you only choose to read one book this year, read this one. Truly, truly fascinating!
SO you can see why I haven't been blogging. Too many good books, not enough time!
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Other than that, there's been a whole lot of this....
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Clara is OBSESSED (!!!) with Play Doh but it's turned out to be a great thing because both girls play together for 20-30 minutes at a time!
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Love, love, love how Sophie figured out that she could make sand dollars using a circle Play-Doh cutout and the indentation from their little play table! See green example above.
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A fruit snack and busy hands!
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And homework, lots of it, every single night!
Hope you're all well!!! Tell me, what are you reading?
O yes, it's true -- you are what you read! Thanks for the recommendations! I've not been getting much new reading done; basically re-reading and re-reading The Woman In White just because it's been left on my bedside table lol! I'd recommend Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I read the title of your post and my first thought was, "I am nothing." Haha - how pitiful is that? I have never been a big reader but my daughter is a book worm to the nth degree! I think I just can't sit still that long. So, while you are reading instead of blogging, I'm blogging instead of reading! It was fun to hear your thoughts on these books though, and I wonder if Carrie has read any of them.
ReplyDeletePS: I LOVE Play Doh! The smell, the texture, everything. And I make some mean Muppet figures out of that stuff!!! And always a turtle!
Glad you got to read "Unbroken" and found Mr. Zamperini as fascinating as I do!
ReplyDeleteI also read the book by Timothy Egan and liked it.
You learn so much from non fiction!
And Play Doh? I love it too, your girls are growing up so fast!
Audrey,
ReplyDeleteI read the Forgotten Garden recently and I loved it! I couldn't put it down! I had somehow remembered (incorrectly), my Mom not liking it so it took me a while (to get through the rest of the books in my pile), before picking it up. I am glad I did!
My favourite genre is Historical Fiction and two of my favourites are Cuttings For Stone by Abraham Verghesse and The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. I read them last year, but can't say I have a lot to recommend from my recent reads: Escape from camp 14 is one I recently finished a - true story about the labour camps of North Korea, (non-fiction), not very uplifting and rather sickening but good to know about, oh, but I did recently read And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (Kite Runner Author), and LOVED it! Great intergenerational story set between three continents...
I can't believe how big Sophie is getting, she looks all grown up at that little table.
The primos would love to hang out, play-dough is one of Mimi and Benja's favourite pass times as well!
Kisses to all xoxox