Summer Reading 2009

As an avid reader, I always look forward to the summer when I can sit back by the pool and eat up some great novels. Last summer I read several books that have become a part of who I am. To me, thats the mark of a great book, if it changes you and makes you think about who you are and what you represent to yourself and society.

Last Year's List:

• Anna Karenina --> Loved it loved it loved it!
• The Kite Runner/1000 Splendid Suns --> Made me think about the plight in the middle east that is often ignored by the american public. People are people, regardless of religion.
• Madame Bovary --> Total complete selfishness. But I still enjoyed it because it made me mad
• The Bean Trees --> Book club book. I liked it a lot, but still prefer The Poision Wood Bible over it. Also read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which reminded me of one of my professors, Patty Kirk, writer in residence at JBU.
• The Twilight Series --> Brain candy!
• We The Living --> First taste of Ayn Rand, it was a delicious and sad journey into human nature. Go read it!
• East of Eden --> Favorite book ever, I think. I couldn't tell you why, but Steinbeck's style is so interesting and different from a lot of other american author's
• Night --> Read it in Germany and wanted to die after. Its kinda sick, but I have a morbid fascination with Hollocaust lit.
• A Moveable Feast --> Read it in Paris. Yummy.
• Queen of the Turtle Derby/The House on First Street -->Julia Reed made me love living in the south even more than I already do and she also made me want to go live in New Orelans for part of my life. Love her!!

Ahh books, where would I be without you? This summer so far (Since May 7th-ish) I've completed 5 books and am working on the 6th. At this rate, I'm hoping to get through 15+ more. I'm going to the beach in a few weeks for a week with a great friend and hopefully that will be a place for lots and lots of reading!!

Summer 2009 Reading List

May

• The Heart is a Lonely Hunter --> I love southern gothic style and this book broke my heart, in a good way, though.
• My Friend Leonard --> Companion book to James Frey's A Million Little Pieces. An interesting memoir about the struggle against addiction of all sorts.
• The Queen of Everything --> Self-discovery adolescent lit. I like it.
• Three Cups of Tea --> non-fiction, set in Pakistan. Love love love it.
• The Fountainhead --> Currently reading it and i love it so far. Ayn Rand sure does make me think.
• Babbitt --> Currently reading, I've laughed out loud several times.

June, July, August

• Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
• A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
• The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
• As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
• Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut
• A Passage to India, by E.M. Forrester
• On the Road, by Jack Kerouac
• Naked Lunch, by William S. Burroughs
• Go Ask Alice, by Unknown
• Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
• Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer
• Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce
• Moby Dick, by Herman Melville
• An American Tradgey, by Theodore Dreiser
• Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

This is my list, but there are a few I could/would drop: Moby Dick, As I lay Dying, and Portrait of the Artist would be the first to go, not because they aren't wonderful pieces of classic literature, but because I have started them all and never finished due to being just a tad bit uninterested.

So now the question: What books have I left off that changed you or that you just really really loved and think everyone needs to read?? I'm open to all genres and all subjects, just give me some suggestions!!

La Vie en Rose...?

I had rose colored glasses once; I traded them in for a pack of ciggarettes.

I read a lot of blogs and find a lot of great one liners that i think either do apply to my life or might possibly apply to my life in the future. I love reading all the mom's blogs in particularily...they crack me up and make me cry usually in the same post. Oh children...the wild nasty crazy beautiful soft little creatures that make people so lovely and nuts all at the same time. I'm sure that some times I will want to pull my hair out and scream and I will remember thinking that I said I would never do that...but I probablly will...but to quote Augusten Burroughs, "Where would we be withour out painful childhoods?"

Kids say the darndest things!

I want to start off by declaring that I LOVE CHILDREN! Little kids and big kids alike, I just love 'em! Today I got to meet the two kids who I will get to babysit for all of next week, a boy who's nine and a girl who's six. They are both absolutely adorable and I think I will have a lot fun watching them. The little boy wanted his momma to tell me all of the rules so that he could be sure and follow them, but he had a wicked little glint in his eye the whole time I was there, so I'm excited to see what he's like away from momma...He told me he wants to swim in my pool and do lots of crafts and his sister agreed, so I think next week should be especially fun because it will include the things I love so much--kids, crafts, and pooling it! Then this evening at work (where I currently sit typing) a regular customer came in, this time bringing her seven year old daughter. She talked my ear off while her mom was tanning and we had a delightful conversation about tanning and birthdays and school and rock painting and school programs...she was a total doll. As she was walking out the door, she asked me, "what was your name again?" (She hadn't asked and didn't know before this) and I told her and asked hers too. I told her it was nice to meet her and that I hoped to see her again soon to which she replied--It was very nice meeting you too, Molly, and I hope to see you in the near future!!--so cute! I can't wait to be a mom someday...kids are just such great little people, so interesting and curious and precious and lovely and plumpy and nice. I love them sometimes more than big people!

The Men Who Tan

There are more men who tan than one might think. Young men, older men, in-between men, they all tan. And regardless of their age, they share very similar characteristics! First of all, single men enjoy tanning. I think it makes them feel younger and hotter and more ready for the dating world. These are the guys with a swagger and a smile every time they walk in. They love it when we remember their names and they usually wink. I guess it doesn't matter that some of them are old enough to be our dads, or even grandpas, but none of them are inappropriate/uncomfortable, just silly single old tan guys who will probably turn out a lot more wrinkled than tan! Then there are the married guys. The older married guys are just as silly as the older single guys, usually. They tan because they are going on vacation and their wives don't want them to fry in the tropical sun. All the older guys are very clean about tanning and almost always towel off the bed after they get out so its not dripping in man-sweat. Score for us girls up front! Last, there are the young married guys. Ugh. They never talk, except to tell us their last name. They have to tan because they too are going on vacation. They do not clean up their sweat, which okay, yes its my job, but common courtesy dictates that wiping up your own sweat is probably safer than not. Then there are the far and few young engaged guys. They are the funnest, because they always want to chat it up about their fiance, who also usually tans here, and about their wedding and their careers and futures, which are promising and full of great things to come! I like them the best. Anyway, just thought I'd share some observations! Have a good one, M.