So I am currently in a moment of inspiration to bring more literature into my life. Perhaps it is because I am now a member of one of the most extensive public library systems in the United States - the Los Angeles Public Library. This means access to thousands of titles which I get to read for free. The free part is what I really like.
Since I joined the library a few weeks ago I have finished two books - Cesar's Way (dog psychology non fiction) and How to Cook a Tart (fiction murder mystery about a cookbook author and her disfunctional family). I also checked out and watched the movie TransAmerica - quite interesting and very strong performance by the lead actress (sorry, I don't know her name.) Right now I am starting the book "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie and I have ordered a hold on the Book "Dune" by Frank Herbert which I can't wait to get my hands on.
The thing about this library system is that though the individual branches are small, there are somewhere around 50 of them all together, so the interlibrary loan is the way to go. The problem is, though I can get my hands on just about anything out there, I don't really know what is out there worth getting my hands on. For the most part, I am a go-to-the-shelf-and-browse kind of person, but I definitely do not plan to travel to all 50 branches to see what's out there. And the library catalogue search has never really been all that helpful to me in randomly searching for inspiring titles. If I already know what I'm looking for, then great tool to have around. If I don't know what I'm looking for, then not so helpful.
This is where you come in... If anyone would be willing to help me in compiling a reading list I would greatly appreciate it. If you wouldn't mind recommending two or three titles of books that you have really enjoyed and a short description of why it was such a good read to you, this will greatly help me. While I'm inspired to read, I want to read as many good books as I can to keep the streak going and keep my interest. They can be fiction or nonfiction, though in truth I'm more likely to go for the fiction first. They can be light or serious, after all, I did enjoy the Nanny Diaries just about as much as I enjoyed Siddhartha. And they can be long or short, so long as they are a page turner.
I have a problem of not reading frequently enough and since it is so spread out I have a hard time getting into the story because I can never really get drawn into the momentum of it. Since I've moved to California, I've gotten into the habit of reading for about 20 minutes or so when I go to bed. I'd like to build on this and I need some great books to keep me coming back for more. Plus, I'm just plain curious to know what it is all of you like to read and who reads what so I know who to discuss which books with as I'm making my way through them.
For what it's worth, if any are interested and are working on your own reading list, some of my favorite books have been The Chronicles of Narnia and The Clan of the Cave Bear series also known as the Children of Earth series by Jean M. Auel which is a fictional anthropological masterpiece that takes place in prehistoric times.
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8 comments:
Hi, Cindy! I found your blog through Lena's (via a couple other ones... funny how you keep clicking on links when the names are familiar from PLU...). I laughed when it turned out you'd moved to LA, as we were down in West LA for almost 4 years before moving back to OR a couple years ago. Lived 2 minutes from LAX for over 2 years... I'm glad you're settling in, and I recommend a trip down to our former neck of the woods if it gets too hot -- it was always comparatively cool because it was so close to the ocean!
Anyway, my recommendation: the Amelia Peabody series of mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. They're about this very spunky woman who travels to Egypt and meets a maverick archeologist... and subsequent adventures. I don't want to give too much away. But there are a whole bunch of them, they're great mysteries and you wind up learning a lot about Egyptology in the process. (Elizabeth Peters is a pen name for a lady who has a Ph.D. in Egyptology from U. of Chicago, one of the top schools in the world in that discipline).
Laura (Ritchie) Gifford -- the freshman roommate!
I really enjoyed Barbara Kingsolver's early works. Like The Bean Trees, Pigs in Heaven, Animal Dreams, etc.
Terri and I are going to read Marcus Borg's Reading the Bible Again for the First Time together--maybe you'd like to join us! I bought a copy for her and I just picked up my copy at the Columbus Library today.
I also really liked Bitterroot Landing and The Rapture of Canaan by Sheri Reynolds. Much to my excitement, I just realized she has a new book I have not read: Firefly Cloak, so I have just reserved it from the library!
Also, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd was also a great book.
The actress in TransAmerica is Felicity Huffman. She's in Desperate Housewives, did Sports Night, and is married to William H. Macy.
Elizabeth Peters is a fun read (besides Amelia, there's Vicky Bliss, Jacqueline Kirby, and the standalones), and the author's real name is Barbara Mertz. Additionally, she also writes under the pen name of Barbara Michaels.
I also really like Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It's very dystopian, but it has hope.
If you want travel writing with a wicked sense of humour (even funnier once you've spent some time in some of those places), Bill Bryson is fantastic. Notes from a Small Island is great, and I'm currently enjoying Neither Here Nor There. Well, now that I've finished Deathly Hallows.
Though I've been bad about it myself of late, I always recommend using Powells' annual Puddly's list. It's a dual list, including the top 50 books as voted that year by the public, and then by the staff. There are some perennial's on it, like LOTR, but it also reflects new/current authors and the NYT booklist, hype, and generally good books that have stood the test of time, or have new relevence. And hey, it's Powells. How can you not like the coolest bookstore the world has to offer--located in good ol' P-town, no less?!
And when in doubt, I always like Will. The Bard has something for every mood (but remember, he was meant to be performed, so reading it can be hard--if you want summaries, Marchette Chute has a good compilation).
The Eight by Katherine Neville
But my browsing tip is to poke around at the bookstore, write down books that look interesting, then search for them online at the library.
I have mommy brain now and can't remember anything I like to read that you might like. Perhaps later.
Thanks everyone for your recommendations.
Laura! Hi! Nice to hear from you. How funny you were down here in LlA for so long. Too bad we missed each other. I will definitely check out the Amelia Peabody series. Egyptology is very much a topic that draws my interest, especially from such a renowned source.
Kristy, I am familiar with Barbara Kingsolver. We read the Poisonwood Bible in a faith and fiction class I took in Seminary. I would love to check out some of her other titles. Actually, I have been hearing a lot lately on NPR about a new book of hers that I have been wanting to get my hands on, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." It's not a fiction book. It's actually about her family's choice to spend a year eating only food which is grown or raised locally or grown by her family. No processed foods. I've heard it is a very interesting insight into food ethics.
Katie, good suggestions. I have read the Handmaid's Tale. I actually read it in our feminist book club we had going up in Tacoma with Hannah and Kat. Yes, very dystopian indeed, but what an amazing book.
Jenny, thanks for the simple, "why didn't I think of that advice?" I will definitely do some browsing at the bookstores to see what is new and interesting out there.
Also, FYI, the church Don and I have been going to has a book club that we just decided to join. This month we will be reading "The Picture of Dorian Grey." So now I have lots of inspiration to keep me going on this exciting reading trip. But my library account online has a book list section that I can save titles to for future reference. So anytime you read something new and inspiring tell me about it and I can add it to my list. Thanks all!
Cindy, that's cool about the church's book club. I hope that is a fun group for you. Interesting that you are reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. Barbie gave me that book for my birthday or Christmas one year and said it was a great book. I started it, but never made it very far. So....I guess you can consider this a recommendation from Barb! =o) Let me know how it is! My copy is probably in the attic at home...lol.
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