21 June 2007

What Are You Reading?





In the process of looking for the last place I left the book I'm reading, it occurred to me that I've got too many going at once, but it does make for an interesting shift in time and space.

Duchess, by Susan Holloway Scott - Historical Fiction about Sarah Churchill and her relationship with Queen Anne, the last of the Tudors

The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - Look below I already raved about this wonderful book on the burning of La Fenice.

Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert - My "beach book" pure fluff of witches and romantic triangles.

Einstein by Walter Isaacson - Picked to be my "should read" book and turning out to be an absolutely fascinating biography.

The Politics of Life by Craig Crawford. I put up an ad on this site as a favor because I like hanging out on Crawfords List It is turning out to be a must read and pass along to the idealistic who want to know how the world really works - Machiavelli updated for the modern world.

Sovereign by C. J. Sansom - This year's annual King Henry VIII but this time as a Matthew Sharklake mystery ... plots abound

Blowfly - Patricia Cornwell - Mystery by a real life CSI. If you haven't been following her character "Scarpetta", pull up an easy chair and start reading.

Scheduled but not yet started: The annual reread list:

Eight Cousins & Rose In Bloom - Louisa May Alcott - My two favorite childhood books that I've been reading for over a half century - Why miss a year now?

Manhunt by James L. Swanson - This is about to be made into an HBO miniseries, so I'll be brushing up on John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln assassination.

Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough - Teddy Roosevelt done by the master biographer.

Maimonides by Sherwin Nuland - The great Jewish writer but with the perspective of when he lived in a sultan's court living in a Moslem world.

Rumpole by John Mortimer - For anyone who loves a mystery, watched the BBC series, and fallen in love with "She Who Must Be Obeyed!!!"

This whole list subject to instant change given a good recommendation by anyone. So what are you reading?

P. S. Mo reminded me. The last Harry Potter already on order and will be read instantly when it arrives.

Accidentally did a Thursday Thirteen even when I wasn't planning to.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good morning Jamie. Some very good recommendations; lots of books and authors I'd not heard of.

Anonymous said...

Jamie...
you put this subject up just to make me come to someone's personal blog.... didn't you... :)

I don't get to do as much reading as I'd like due to my fair.... but here is the short list I am hoping to get through....

just started.... The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

next book for book club (which I picked)...
Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller

and book for new book club starting in Sept.
Middlesex (yes, we know Oprah's doing it too) by Jeffrey Eugenides

I give usually give non-fiction a rest in the summer....

Durward Discussion said...

Actually planned this one as an easy out because I was having trouble with a subject. Love your list, I'll have to check into them, particularly the Notes on A Scandal if you picked it.

Mo and The Purries said...

I just finished re-reading Book 6 of the Harry Potter series last night, to prep for Book 7's release.
A blurb on it will be up on The Mo Show later today!

Let me know how you liked Blow Fly.... while it was like visiting old friends, the story line with Lucy bugged me. Sorry, pun not really intended...

katherine. said...

I'm rereading a collection of short stories by Pam Houston titled, "Coyboys Are My Weakness"

A friend gave me a book I am suppose to be reading called, "Captivating" by John and Staci Eldredge.

I too am waiting on HP7.

Marilyn said...

I didn't preorder Harry Potter. I'm hoping a relative did and they'll lend it to me when they are done with it... It's either that or I have to go on the library waiting list, which I might do as a backup anyway.

I'm busy reading a whole series of "young adult' fantasy novels.

Linda said...

Sad to say I haven't read an entire book in way too long. I would like to try reading on my 16-hour shifts on Sunday but every time I get to a good part 911 rings and throws me totally off track!

Callie Ann said...

I need to start reading books again. Seems like all I do now is read blogs. But it's so much fun. Have a good TT even thou it's Friday now.

eProf2 said...

Nice reading list, Jamie. I can only read one book at a time usually with four, five, or six stacked up to be read next.

I had two very nice things happen to me recently: the first was my nine year old granddaughter reading to me from her Harry Potter book; and, to visit the new Redding, CA, library, which has a used bookstore inside. I bought six books and three cd's for $22. They included John Dean's last two books, Sarah Bradford's The Reluctant King, two novels, and several cook books. What an incredible resource for the folks of Shasta County. I only wish our local library had such a bookstore as I like to keep those books I've read on my library bookshelves. Happy reading!