I'm trying to read 50 books by June 4th, 2010. Here we go :)

1) Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

WELCOME!

thanks! this is my new favorite website...i need to make sure visiting it doesn't interfere with my reading!

Emily wrote: "thanks! this is my new favorite website...i need to make sure visiting it doesn't interfere with my reading! "

Good luck with that! This site is sooo addictive. There are so many opportunities on here to explore discussion groups, make new friends and discover new books. Have fun and happy reading :)

Lisa I totally agree with you & right back at you!

2) Matilda, Roald Dahl

I have a soft spot for children's literature... :)

3) Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them, Francine Prose

I find it delightfully ironic that the author's name is Prose :)

4) The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, Carlos Castaneda
I can't wait to finish this and start the sequel!

5) The 3 A.M. Epiphany: Uncommon Writing Exercises That Transform Your Fiction
Not really a book you can 'read', but it's really entertaining and it's helping me to write again!

6) Redeeming Love, A Novel, Francine Rivers
This was recommended to me by a close friend, and she said it changed her life!

7) Jemima J, Jane Green
Great beach read!

8) Light My Fire: My Life with The Doors, Ray Manzarek
A friend got me into their music and the movie "The Doors" inspired me to read this.

9) Three Bags Full, Leonie Swann
I started this in London last year and need to finish it!

10) Half Magic, Edward Eager
Again, my soft spot for children's novels.

11) Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
The first book in a series, it has a very Orwellian feel to it.

12) A Separate Reality, Carlos Castaneda
Here's the sequel to book #4 in my list.

13) Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
Is it cheating if I've already read this? Oh well, I loved it too much not to read it again. :)

14) The Painted Veil, W. Somerset Maugham
Don't know much about this book, but my best friend read it and enjoyed it. I trust her opinion.

15) Homer Price, Robert McClosky
I read this in Mrs. Parker's 3rd Grade class. I still remember the story about the donuts!

16) White Oleander, Janet Finch
Haven't seen the movie, and I'll hold off until I'm done reading this. Oprah likes it, my friend Sam recommended it to me...it has to be good!

Emily wrote: "16) White Oleander, Janet Finch
Haven't seen the movie, and I'll hold off until I'm done reading this. Oprah likes it, my friend Sam recommended it to me...it has to be good!..."

I really liked that book - the character still haunts me when I think of it. I didn't know it was a movie. I think the actresses involved would make or break it.

Fall Semester has started and I can only hope to finish books I'm starting!

17) A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman
I can't get over how interesting this book is, divided into 5 sections for each of the senses and containing many smaller chapters of topics from "Sneezing" in Smell, "Pain" in Touch, and "In Praise of Vanilla" in Taste.

18) East of Eden, John Steinbeck
A classic I've been meaning to get to; my older sister Elizabeth loved this book in high school and I can't wait to see why!

19) This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, Jay Allison & Dan Gediman
In 10th grade I was assigned to write my own TIB essay, and I still remember I wrote my essay on curiosity. What I love about this book is that I know I can open it anywhere, read a great essay, and have a new perspective on things.

Emily wrote: "19) This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, Jay Allison & Dan Gediman
In 10th..."

My mom gave me this book for Christmas a few years ago. I had never heard of the TIB project. I really enjoyed reading the essays here. My favorites were the woman who believed everyone deserved flowers on their grave in gangland LA, and the person who wrote about being nice to your pizza delivery person.

20) Dead Until Dark, Charlaine Harris
This summer I started watching HBO's True Blood, and my sister has the books that inspired the show! So far its a good read, and I'm glad its much more mature than Twilight (I read the first one and didn't like it.)

21) A Natural History of Love, Diane Ackerman
After reading Ackerman's other book (my #17) and DEVOURING it, I ordered this one from a used book website (paperbackswap.com!) and will probably finish it just as quickly!

22) A Son of Thunder, Patrick Henry and the American Republic, Henry Mayer
While I haven't started it yet, this book will be next on my list because I've had it for about three years now and its time I got to it. I'm a direct descendant of Patrick Hentry, so I think its important I read it!