Summer Reading

[Julie]

After reading the recommendations on the Shelf Talk blog (https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=9339), I thought it would be fun to get some more recommendations from WSB readers (I know lots of us read more than blogs!)

So, to start the ball rolling, here’s what I recommend of my summer reading so far, in no particular order:

–Dreamers of the Day, by Mary Doria Russell

and

Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell

Already reviewed on http://shelftalk.spl.org/2008/07/14/summer-reads-west-seattle-and-southwest-reader-suggestions/

–A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth

Just my kind of summer read: like a very long vacation to an exotic place. It reminds me very much of War & Peace, in that the personal stories of the characters and families are interwoven with the political and historical background of post-partition India, with a dash of Romeo and Juliet thrown in.

–Snake Oil Science: The Truth about Complementary and Alternative Medicine, by R. Barker Russell

This book is an outstanding primer on how to interpret all those conflicting results of medical trials, not only for alternative but also for mainstream medicine. Although the author allows himself the occasional snarky comment, he demonstrates great sympathy for people struggling to evaluate conflicting advice in their search for solutions to chronic conditions, notably pain. He explains why alternative therapies do indeed work, although not usually in the way their adherents believe. We need all adults to understand what constitutes good and bad science research. I think we’d be better off if all doctors, patients, and lawmakers read this book.

–The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson, of Moomintroll fame.

Another summer vacation between the covers of a book, this time a semi-autobiographical evocation of an island summer through the eyes of a child and her grandmother.

–Lavinia, by Ursula K. LeGuin

If escaping to an exotic location isn’t vacation enough, how about another time? LeGuin’s latest retells the story of the end of Virgil’s Aeneid, but from the point of view of Lavinia, the king’s daughter won by Aeneas, whom Virgil only gives a one-line description. LeGuin’s usual beautiful, elegant writing.

Those were the best, so far this summer. They’re all available at the library.

If you’re a patron of Southwest Library, do come and meet the new manager and assistant manager at the Southwest Friends’ informal reception tonight between 6:30 and 7:45 in the upstairs meeting room at the branch. Light refreshments!

Now–what do you recommend of your summer reading?

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[WSMom]

If you have not discovered the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, now is the time to immerse yourself in the tale of high school romance, vampires and werewolves set in Forks, WA. Yes, this is young adult fiction, but let me tell you, these stories are very compelling! This is a great “mother/daughter” book reading opportunity.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/148052?tid=relatedcl

I borrowed my daughters copy of Twilight fully expecting to roll my eyes…I was very surprised to find I couldn’t put the book down and had to read the next two in the series. The fourth and final installment comes out next week (you’ll see lots of moms & daughters at B&N at midnight waiting for their copy).

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[beachdrivegirl]

WSMom!! i just read the first book in the series and loved it! I laughed when a co-workers wife recommended it to me on a trip but then actually read it and had to agree.

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[Ken]

I replaced my library card and until I ask my gf to hide it again, I have been searching the online card catalog like a crack head scanning the sidewalk. I know my addiction is always with me but I binge every few years.

Caught up on C.J Cherryh second and third Foriegner cycles and the last 5 Kim Stanley Robinson books. I have several dozen lined up in my list to get holds on.

The actual Highpoint branch has a dismal selection on the shelf, but it looks like those I request stay on the local shelf until they are requested somewhere else.

Maybe I can fill out the SF and history sections by labor day.

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[Ken]

I really tried to get past the first chapter of the twilight series.

So far I have failed. My gf and stepdaughter say the first one is the hardest to get through.

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[Jeannie]

Julie, I am also a fan of Dreamers of the Day. Russell is a brilliant and engaging writer. Who else could combine a shy Ohio woman, Lawrence of Arabia, an irresistible dachshund, and the establishment of the modern Middle East into one fascinating book? I also recommend her book The Sparrow.

Other recent faves:

Unnatural History of Cypress Parrish, by Elisa Blackwell

The Colour, by Rose Tremain

In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

The Blood of Flowers, by Anita Amirrezvani,

and for laughs about workplace inanities and insanities, Then We Came to the End, by Joshua Ferris

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[Julie]

Ken!!! Another Cherryh addict! Dare I tell you that Conspirator is due out in March, and Ms. Cherryh is at work on Deceiver? But I’m putting dibs on as soon as we’re within the legal time limit at SPL.

One is overcome to encounter a fellow; do have some tea (it’s quite safe ;) )

Cyteen II: Regenesis is scheduled for publication in January, also.

Don’t let your gf hide your library card: it’s the key to all the fabulous online resources on SPL’s website: The OED for free! Oxford Reference! And I find the online Safari tech books invaluable…. best of all, no fines!

KS Robinson: I was on tenterhooks until 60 Days and Counting was published last fall. Gobbled it up, and… wonder what he’s going to do next?

Hmmm. If you manage to flesh out the HP SF shelf, perhaps I’ll have to start hanging out there–seems we share some enthusiasms.

I didn’t mention the only SF I’ve read this summer, because it was a little disappointing, despite a promising premise: Rollback, by Robert Sawyer. Many years after an ET encoded message has been cracked and answered, an answer to the answer is received…in a new code. The premise is, the original code cracker is very old, and is offered a rejuvenation procedure. To avoid spoiling, I’ll not tell what happens next.

Jeannie, yes, The Sparrow is brilliant (and harrowing). I recommend it to all who’ve not read it. I have mixed feelings about the sequel, Children of God. Have you read A Thread of Grace? It’s on my list.

Oh, dear. Well, I asked for recommendations; kind of like an addict asking for more drugs. Can’t wait for more!

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[Julie]

Jeannie, I discovered Susan Palwick last year. Have you read any of hers? From your other recommendations, I think you might like her. I first found Shelter, and I think I still like it best, but so far I like all I’ve read. Shelter takes place in near-future San Francisco–artificial intelligence is a main theme. Fred Rogers (yes, Mr. Rogers) is a character! Beautiful characters. The Necessary Beggar is my next favorite.

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[Jeannie]

I’ll put Palwick on my “must read’ list! I agree about Children of God–the stuff of nightmares! I tried to read A Thread of Grace, but it was too sad – especially since I am the daughter of a Jewish refugee.

Busy people who want to catch up on their reading can download books from the library onto their MP3 players. Listen to a book while you’re exercising! The downside is that you can’t use an iPod–some annoying licensing issue. And not every book is available in audio format. Still, I’ve “read” quite a lot of books this way.

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[Ken]

I read faster than I can listen so I don’t do many audiobooks, but I have decided on a project related to them.

I don’t buy or use any audio with DRM. On general principles I plan to download a couple of books and see if I can develope a process to remove the DRM code so they can be used on an open ipod.

I might post a recipe but I will delete the originals and converted files at the end of the standard time.

Publishers want us to pay multiple times for the same material. I won’t do it.

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[beachdrivegirl]

Audiobooks those are intersting. I tried a couple of those a few years ago when a coworker and I were carpooing and couldnt agree onanything else to listen,too. :) Quite fun and a great compromise. Intersting idea Ken, you will need to keep us posted.

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[WSMom]

How about non-fiction? My husband just finished Tim Weiner’s – Legacy of Ashes, The History of the CIA.

“Legacy of Ashes sets out to show how it has come to pass that the US now lacks the intellignce it will need in the years ahead. It is drawn from the words, the ideas, and the deeds set forth in the files of the American national-security establishment.”

This book is based on recently declassified CIA, White House & State Dept. documents.

My husband found this book to be fascinating and disturbing. It is next on my book list.

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[SuitsarenotBoring]

I am loving Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. A high level Soviet Secret Service officer discovers a serial killer on the loose in the 1950s Soviet Union. The state insists such crime has been eradicated, but he begins to question that as he discovers more dead children – and cracks in the Soviet system he trusts.

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[andrea]

Thank you Julie for starting this post, and others for contributing! Books too are like my crack…I just can’t get enough of reading.

Thus far this summer my favorite book(s) have been by Ivan Doig…a local professor at UW who writes the most eloquent and lyrical stories. I loved Whistling Season and the McCaskill trilogy. I now have an itch to travel to Montana and see this majestic wide open place for the first time.

Another book I just finished is called the Codex by Lev Grossman. I picked it up randomly, and it was one that I just could not put down until I finished it. Its a modern day setting for a search for an ancient manuscript, with futuristic/computer game twists. Sounds weird, but I totally dug it.

I just started reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet, and while I heard great things about it, I am hoping the hype doesn’t kill it for me…we shall see…

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[RainyDay1235]

For Summer I absolutely love re-reading ‘Dandelion Wine’ by Ray Bradbury. It’s like ‘Main Street’ meets ‘The Time Machine’…perfect summer escapism.

Classics:

* East of Eden

* A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

* To Kill a Mockingbird

* Dandelion wine

Recent faves:

* The Book Thief

* Truth & Beauty

* Middlesex

* Wicked

* The Shadow of the Wind

* Independance Day – Husband’s fave

* A Prayer for Owen Meaney – Sister’s fave

I’m looking for some new ones, so I’ll filter through these for sure!

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[Zenguy]

I too liked Middlesex. I thought I knew what it was about and was pleasantly surprised by it.

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[Julie]

I loved the beginning of Shadow of the Wind. It disappointed me in the follow-through, though. It turned into a rather ordinary mystery. I felt the author didn’t really have the courage of his convictions to carry through a beautiful premise.

I felt the same way about Smilla’s Sense of Snow; it seemed something very other-worldly was going on, but it kinda petered out into ordinariness.

But the scene early on in Shadow of the Wind where the boy goes to the city of lost books–that was beautiful!

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[Julie]

My library request queue was shrinking–now it’s growing again!

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[Bayou]

I’ve really been enjoying David Sedaris’s new one, “When you are engulfed in flames”. The previous book I read was Shantaram, ironically while my partner was in India. It was one of the best I’ve read in a long time but I just needed something silly and fun after finishing it.

Another bookworm question- What favorite book(s) have you read repeatedly?

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[Ken]

Free SF books online

http://www.baen.com/library/

Some classics, some new.

Some available in several different formats for download. Most readable on line.

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[Zenguy]

The Tales of the City series, a fun easy read. One of my favorite quotes is in Sure of You…

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

“Pooh!” he whispered.

“Yes Piglet?”

“Nothing” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. I just wanted to be sure of you.”

A. A. Milne

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[flowerpetal]

If I want to reread something I often steer towards anything by Fannie Flagg. She’s a hoot ‘n a holler! During the summer in particular I like to read books that will make me laugh out loud. Ms Flagg can do that with any of her books.

I just picked up Victoria’s Daughters; a bio. of the daughters of Queen Victoria.

Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” is a heavy topic for summer but one of the most well crafted books I have read. Remarkable author, readable in a day and deserving of the Pullitzer recieved last year.

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[Julie]

About once a decade, I reread:

War and Peace

The Lord of the Rings

Jane Austen

I’m also due to reread the Foundation series.

I randomly reread others, especially children’s and YA books which have a special place in my heart (yes, Milne, definitely! and Edith Nesbit).

Ken, you’re cruel!

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[RainyDay1235]

Check to see what your favorite authors recommend for Summer Reading! :)

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/27/summer.books/index.html

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[Anonymous]

Bayou, I love everything David Sedaris does!! Very funny.

I will often reread Catcher in the Rye, as it is my favorite book of all time.

I just read Infidel which was extremely interesting and a powerful story.

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[Author]

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