March 14, 2013

What am I Reading?


Some bookshelves at the store before I cleaned them up yesterday.

Two of the same question seem to need answers.  What am I reading?

I have a nice sized pile of books guaranteed to stretch my brain, but I’m reading around them.  With a guilty conscience, I may add.  There’s a mountain of Civil War books, there’s a scattering of history, there’s art here or art there, but I reach for the cotton candy.

Mysteries.  I just finished a well written cliff hanger by Dana Stabenow.  I have a couple of new mysteries up beside my bed too.  Before that I read all Elizabeth Moon’s space operas.  They were truly so well written that I never noticed the world around me while I was reading.

Some kind person donated Nancy Pearl’s ”Book Lust,” and “More Book Lust” to the store.  She offers “recommended reading for every mood, moment, and reason.”  I don’t have to have a reason, but I was amused to find she loved many of the cotton candy authors I do.  Elizabeth Cadell will nurture the soul when the body is down with a cold.  DE Stevenson can wrap you around her little finger with her characterizations.  Both now require digging in ABE Books or Alibris to find those volumes that you just have to read.

Pearl also recommends other authors I normally wouldn’t read but now will give them a try because she suggested them.  For instance, I’m not much for modern fiction.  I hate unhappy endings or the early deaths of characters I’ve grown to love.  Non-fiction is a different matter.  I was one of those kids who read backs of cereal boxes, and now today I read almost anything.  I grab at memoirs and journals of women, for instance.  Good travel books too.  Michael Palin ended up being a good author despite himself. 

What am I reading?  Mysteries this week, but who knows what will happen next week.

6 comments:

  1. Sources of good reading:

    1. goodreads.com
    2. your public library? I happen to be a regular borrower, but my library network is on line, and I can find authors, titles, and publishers.

    The "feel goods" are usually on the bookmobile, but I've read all that I want to read. 8)

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  2. You gladden my heart. I am so pleased to think old books find a new loving home. Over the years I have donated many of them here and there.

    These days, most of my finds are stashed on my Kindle. David says that's the best thing he ever bought me. Sure beats the Mink teddy bear he gave me when we first married. He could never understand why it freaked me out.

    Years ago, when I saw a photo of your young self, I knew....she would have been a friend indeed. Dianne

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  3. I have been reading a lot of romance books because they are free for my Kindle. However, I do love a good memoir or autobiography too. And English history is fascinating to me.

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  4. Now that the one woman play on Texas governor Ann Richards is out I'm reading a book on her. Gotta love that woman.

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  5. And I'm trying to finish reading a borrowed Kindle book which will expire soon. Makes it hard to blog. :-)

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  6. Stretch the brain reads. I like that. I read a number of those but I certainly look forward to the "quick reads" you refer to colorfully as "cotton candy." Do you like to include those you hate to confess to, that you feel you should cover with a plain brown cover? I just finished the latest "mommie dearest" written by Shirley MacClaine's daughter. If everything she writes is true, it's a mind boggler!!!! (Shhh! Don't tell anybody I read this!!!!)

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