Sunday, July 1, 2007

A Literary Dilemma

I finished My Name is Asher Lev this afternoon. Mom, I'm putting it in the mail to you tomorrow. . .so be watching. Annette--you'd really appreciate it, too!

So, here I am left with a literary dilemma. What should my next summer book be? I have to make my selection very carefully as there are a myriad of factors to consider. First, I'm headed out of town next Sunday. . .so I either need to start a short book and try to finish before I leave or try a longer book that will hopefully take me through the next two weeks. I don't really want to be lugging around a 600 page book from here to the Palm Desert Resort and back. . .so one must take into consideration packing limitations. I need something that will hold my attention--even when I'd rather be people watching or playing my new GAMEBOY (which I now have a game for--thanks to my friends at eBay). Romance novels are out of the question, as I'm going through a serious "men are dumb" phase. Anything too self-helpish will probably push me over the inevitable "I need to be better" edge and a book with too much meat won't be able to keep me from magazine perusing for hours on end.

Now, I know lots of you are avid readers. You have brilliant minds and a keen sense of literary genius. I've been to bookstores with some and stood in awe of your book savvy. Others, I've seen flipping pages of books like they were going out of style. As a result of these experiences and an honest book blank, I'm taking suggestions for the next 24 hours. . .help me though this uncertainty!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a couple of suggestions-"The Book Thief" and "The Messenger" both by Markus Zusak, they are very different from each other but both very good. I will get Asher Lev today. It sounds good.

merebuff said...

I would pick up anything by Peter Mayle--he wrote A Year in Provence. Hotel Pastis is a good read; charming, quick, not too meaty, and perfect for a vacation. Because if you are not vacationing at the time, you will become bitterly jealous of people leaving their jobs to open hotels in Southern France.

Anonymous said...

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick. You wont be sorry you read it.

Anonymous said...

I just finished These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner. Once I got started, I couldn't put it down and ignored my children on several occasions. Sorry kids-but it was great!

Anonymous said...

I've always been a firm believer in the three Rs: reading TV Guide, writing TV Guide, and renewing TV Guide.

Unknown said...

I am starting to read "The Skeleton's of Zahara". It's a true story of survival in the African desert. My friends have read and love, so I am following suit. Have fun on vacation!

Mrs. James Quigley said...

I am reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, I just started but I like it so far. I really love Shannon Hale so if you haven't read all of her books yet, pick Goose Girl or Princess Academy first (they are fairy tales, fun, light and easy reads). I am curious to hear what all of your readers are reading....

Mrs. James Quigley said...

I am almost done with Bel Canto and I really love it, I don't know where it is going to end up and I am dying....HOWEVER CAUTION!!! Alert, alert there are a few sketchy parts. But I would just tear out page 225, it will be easier that way, and you won't lose any part of the story. Yikes. Sorry. Good luck.

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