Gladstone Arbor: Books glorious books

Long ago, I eagerly began a blog of book reviews on Tumblr. It started strong (when I was home from college for winter break) but began to fizzle when the thought of reviewing Benito Cereno and Beowulf became unappealing - imagine that! I am an avid devourer of books and although I'm immersed in the publishing world and fully recognize that written content is in the midst of a mass migration into digital space, I simply love printed pages. I may be the only person under 60 who regularly visits a local library (haven't joined the Highland Park branch yet because I have received many books on loan so far this summer!).

The first thing I did when I got home from school though was traipse into the Waco library that has been newly renovated and rent two books for my week off and my Cabo vacation.

I read Yann Martel's Beatrice and Virgil (he also wrote Life of Pi, which is a fascinating read as well). Finished B&V in a day. It was really different from what I normally read, I typically pick strong female heroines, first person, realism, set in mid-century America, and this was kind of like that but the end was so creepy and you feel that ending creeping up and then out it comes - yikes! It's a thriller. Worth a quick read on the beach.

Then I dove headfirst into The Gravedigger's Daughter, by an author I had always heard of but never read, Joyce Carol Oates. I had no idea when I was checking out my books that both had Holocaust themes but it was strange that two completely different novels by different authors set in different eras involved that.

I loved this book. It was a coming-of-age novel that was depressing but hopeful by the end. Also, this novel had the best ending I've read in a while. Can't wait to read more Joyce.

In the airport bookstore, I convinced my mom to buy Emma Donoghue's novel Room. Because I really wanted to read it. I read essentially the entire book while I was on my flight from Dallas to New York on Friday, talk about a thriller! I was totally enthralled and the four hours flew by. It's been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for a while now.

I had stolen The Lovely Bones from Doyce but stopped reading it for circumstantial reasons. I need a cheerful book.

The rest of my summer reading list looks like this:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Definitely not cheerful but all of my favorite books are slightly depressing (like my #1 White Oleander by Janet Fitch)

Also, Ishmael and Breaking Her Fall were recommended by a friend. The HP "public" pool beckons - I call it the peasant pool because all of my fabulous Highland Park neighbors go to the pool at their club.

Speaking of the pool, sun, and lounging, I'm wishing I was here right now...