What Are You Reading? August 2011

[Angie]

New thread for a new month! This ongoing discussion is the place to share what you're reading and what you think about it.

[Angie]

I am currently reading Brooke Gladstone’s The Influencing Machine a non-fiction graphic novel about the role of the media in a democratic society. Gladstone hosts the excellent NPR radio show/podcast On the Media, and she uses the graphic novel format to explore the history of the media, as well as examining what the roles and responsibilities of the media should be, and how it has in varying degrees fulfilled and abdicated those roles. I’m about halfway through so far, and I’m not entirely convinced that the graphic novel format is the best way to tell this story, but it does give a more cheeky tone to a topic that could easily become strident. I am enjoying Josh Neufeld’s artwork, with his depiction of Gladstone in a little black dress and kicky boots as the recurring narrator, and featuring illustrated screencaps from TV news.

[Kjennings]

I just finished reading and trying out Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson. Besides the great recipes, the photography is beautiful. The recipes are easy and very tasty. I made the sweet panzanella as well as the carnival cookies and they were both delicious. Even if you are not vegetarian, try a recipe from this book. You won't be sorry. Also, if you like this book, take a look at her blog, 101cookbooks. com

[Jeff]

I just started Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear. It is the second in a trilogy. The first book, Name of the Wind was one the best crafted novels I have read in a long time. Finely crafted prose and a good story fulled by interesting characters. Can't go wrong with that.

However, I just found the newest Pendergast novel, Cold Vengeance by Preston and Child, so I will be dropping everything and flying through it. If you haven't read a Pendergast novel, run, don't walk, to the Library and grab one, I suggest, The cabinet of curiosities, but any are good. Pendergast is a brilliantly executed character. He is an eccentric FBI special agent, think Holmes, who gets involved with unusual cases that boarder on the supernatural, but aren't quite what they appear.

[Kelli]

I just finished reading Jane Eyre. I was worried I wasn't going to enjoy this classic but was pleasantly surprised.

I had to change things up from Jane Eyre however, and am currently reading Tina Fey's Bossypants. I can't quit laughing.

[Kjennings]

I finished reading Cutting for Stone. Loved it even though I complained about how long it was. I really didn't want it to end. Well-written and very detailed. Now I am reading Erik Larson's new book, In the Garden of Beasts. I have read his other books and I am looking forward to reading this one too. It is about an American family in Germany in 1933.

[Dave]

Time to catch you up on my summer reading. I recently read the Hobbit by Tolkein. I thorougly enjoyed it. it was the first time I ever read it. Kind of embarassed to admit that, sice a lot of people have read it multiple times. I was a whole new genre for me, and I play to begin the Lord of the Ring Triology pretty soon.

I also have recently have read, A couple of biographies. Johnny U:the life and times of Johnny Unitas. It was fun to read about his career, but really learnt nothing new about him. And Rob Lowes, "Stories I only Tell my Friends" I enjoyed the authors stories about Life on the West Wing but really ended up not enjoying the rest of the book.

[Lisa]

Jeff wrote: "I just started Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear. It is the second in a trilogy. The first book, Name of the Wind was one the best crafted novels I have read in a long time. Finely crafted prose and a ..."

I have read both of these works and concur. The writting is simply excellent. I found myself re-reading paragraphs just because they were so beautiful. The story is well crafted, though as with any large fantasy works, the start is a bit slow.

I would say this series is just as good(and certainly has the potential to be just as long) as the Song of Fire and Ice series(Game of Thrones.) A must read for any fan of fantasy.

[Kara]

Jeff wrote: "I just started Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear. It is the second in a trilogy. The first book, Name of the Wind was one the best crafted novels I have read in a long time. Finely crafted prose and a ..."

I was first in line at the bookstore to get this book when it released! Thankfully I had only read "The Name of the Wind" five months before so I didn't have a good four year wait like other fans. This series is pretty fantastic.

However, right now I'm reading "The Wizard Heir" by Cinda Williams Chima, who has quickly become one of my new favorite authors in the realms of YA fiction. It's fast paced and keeps your eyes glued to it until your out of breath. And the author has a funny way of making you care about her characters which, in my opinion, is the most important thing when it comes to writing.

[Kelli]

Okay... I finished Bossypants by Tine Fey. It is a great read if you just want something light and funny. I don't think you would expect anything too serious from her.

I've moved on to another book, Native Tongue by Carl Hiaassen. Obviously, I still need to read something humorous and Hiaassen is pretty reliable to produce chuckles.

[Erin]

I am a little late on this, but I have been reading Rebecca Sloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a book about the person from whom HeLa cells originated and how her family dealt with the aftermath. It is a surprisingly interesting, fairly fast paced read. I was hesitant to pick it up thinking it would read too much like a textbook, but that is not that case.

[Angie]

I recently finished two books that share similar themes: the nature of art and audience, and how the obsessive need to create affects familial relationships. In Kevin Wilson’s The Family Fang, siblings Buster and Annie Fang endure a childhood of participation in their parents’ performance art pieces designed less for the acts themselves than for the possible audience reaction (one such piece involves the Fang parents heckling the children as they perform as buskers raising money for their dog’s operation). It is a darkly humorous take on a particularly dysfunctional family.

In Dana Spiotta’s Stone Arabia, Nik Worth is a reclusive musician. After very minor success in two bands as a young man, he has faded into obscurity, creating music only for himself and his limited audience, mainly his sister, Denise. Instead, he creates a massive self-mythology he calls The Chronicles, consisting of volumes of recordings and fake interviews and record reviews.

I really enjoyed both novels. (If you enjoy The Family Fang, be sure to check out Wilson’s even better story collection, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth). I found it interesting to read both of these books back-to-back, considering their very different perspectives on the same subject.

I would be interested to see what others’ recommendations are for other fictional treatments of art—whether it be visual art, music, literature, etc. What are some of your favorites?

[Staci]

My long commute to work allows me to "listen" to books during the time I would usually read. A dear friend introduced me to this author as I had not read him before. Mysteries have always intrigued me since I read my first Nancy Drew book at a young age. This book, Deal Breaker, held the same fascination for me. This is the first in many books with Myron Bolitar, a sports agent. Somehow, his client Christian Steele is accused of murder and in Bolitar's efforts to prove him innocent, the story becomes full of twists, suspense and intrigue. If I share too much, I'd give away the whodunit. I plan to listen or read more of Harlan Coben's books.

[Betty]

I love the books by Harlan Coben and just finished his Live Wire. I was interested to learn that he has written a Young Adult book based on at least one of the characters from this book. I will be going to www.HarlanCoben.com to read a sample chapter. There is a warning not to read the sample until you have read Live Wire as it includes spoilers.

[Andrea]

I have been off-line for a while, but I am currently reading "Wildwood" by Colin Meloy. Young Reader book ages 8-15. Very well written and remeniscient(spelling?) of Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, possibly Frank L. Baum. It is set in present day NW US specifically Portland. A young 12 year old girl sees her 1 year old brother suddenly swept away by a group of crows. She follows them into the "Impassable Wilderness" and adventure ensues. Mr. Meloy is the lead singer and songwriter for the group the Decemberist and his flare for the lyrical is felt throughout. It is wonderful book should be read by all tweens and up alike. Strong Female and Male leads. Very Pacific Northwest in feel.

[Kjennings]

I just started reading Turn of Mind. It is about a woman with alzheimers. She is a person of interest in the murder of her best friend. Investigators have a difficult time questioning her because of her alzheimers. It is written from the viewpoint of the woman with alzheimers which makes for an interesting read.

[Abigail]

I just finished reading the book Divergent by Veronica Roth. It's about a dystopian society and the main character, Beatrice, must make a decision about which faction of the world she wants to belong to. She must decide whether to remain in the faction she has grown up in and is familiar with or if she will go into something new. She also has to learn to handle the challenges that come with being different as well as the challenges that come from the choices she makes. It is the first in a planned trilogy. It is aimed toward young adults and I thought that it was very well written. It was fun and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book coming out!