Don't be shocked. Even though I'm a new and somewhat temporary FSAHM (fakeout stay at home mom), my domestic skills are at their nadir. Though, I did make dinner thrice last week, which I feel is just enough to make me a helpful member of our family team without actually becoming socially 35. Everytime I do something like clean up (and when I say "clean" I mean "straighten"), make dinner or pack up a little lunch, I tell hub I get an A in housewifery (say it in your head "house-wiff-ery"...or out loud, if you want, I'm not here to judge you). All this is my way of saying that at least for a month or two, the law life is a thing of the past, and now I hang out with our baby a lot, which means my days consist of cuddling, nursing, changing diapers, walking around our neighborhood a lot, gushing over her with nonsense songs about the cutest baby on planet earth, and then when she sleeps, I read other people's blogs and do embarrassing home workout videos. If that's too honest for you, I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to be genuine with the internets. So FSAHM life is awesome, but I'm working on avoiding mushbrain.
Consequently, I now commence this year's version of S!R!E! (Summer! Reading! Extravaganza!) only now it's called L&L. That's right. Literature and Lactation. So, tell me what to read. I'm looking for audio books, books I can find at the local library in less than 5 minutes, books you have and want to lend me, books I can find used on Amazon.com for less than five bucks, and books that can be read and easily enjoyed in 20 minute increments. Catch the vision? If you say anyone that rhymes with Refanie Reyer, I'll eat rotten pea soup and barf it in your favorite shoe (no offense to my many readers who are fans of hers) and no Nicholas Sparks either, mmkay? I'm looking for fun, light reads, and preferred but not required is some element of absurdity, a la World According to Garp. Lead me, guide me, recommend beside me...
20 comments:
Um, great idea...please come book borrow shopping at my house, AND I will get to see you and your cute baby. WHATDAYA THINK?
A.) Try the Jasper Fforde books, starting with The Eyre Affair.
B.) Are you on GoodReads?
C.) David Sedaris and Nick Hornby
D.) For the frivolous and fun: Jemima J by Jane Green, anything by Sophie Kinsella, A Promising Man by Elizabeth Young.
I got lots more, but I'll leave it at that.
I like David Sedaris and Sophie Kinsella also. Just light, fun reads. I am also looking for some good books and was waiting for your new S!R!E! post to guide me.
Charlott: I think yes! I'm there. Right now. Look out your window. just kidding.
Azucar: Thanks for the suggestions! Yes, I'm on goodreads, but so far it's just helped me decide what NOT to read as I've cracked up over what people hated. I'll keep investigating.
I have plenty of Sophie Kinsella books and I have two David Sedaris books if you want to borrow them. I think Sophie Kinsella is sometimes slow but I usually laugh out loud a few times while I am reading them and they are mindless summer reading - which I like (but I'm easy to please . . .) Also, I think you would like David Sedaris, if you haven't read him yet. It's funny. It is broken down into short segments so it fits the bill for your 20 minute, easily digestable (is that a word? haha) requirement and it's funny. I'm leaving for Australia on Saturday but I'll be in SLC at least twice this week if you want me to bring up anything (I think that is where you live). Just let me know :-)
I loved the book "These Is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner (I have it and can lend it to you). I also loved "Sister of My Heart" by Chitra Divakaruni (own it, but it's currently on loan to my sister on the same reading program as you!). The "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith is fun but I don't own any of those. I've really liked Shannon Hale lately--she writes young adult fiction (reworked fairy tales that didn't make it to the Disney big-screen) but don't own those either.
Read my books. Oh wait, they aren't published yet. Crap.
You should try A Series of Unfortunate Events. The writing is really clever, they are fast, easy reads, and they are entertaining.
I read a lot of middle grade and YA because it's easy to read twenty-minutes at a time. Faulkner, not so much.
StumbleUpon led me to this cool link with free audiobooks
of the classics.
I am reading "Annotated Alice: 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.'"
Although, I have to ask, why read when you can watch the box?
well then. since teenage vampire don't please you.....
i also must suggest dear david sedaris.
also, though this book isn't particularly "light" it is a fast read- "the house of the scorpion". i believe it is also cheap on amazon.
also, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time is very good. although i finished convinced i suffer from some form of autism.
i did a lot of reading as a sub teacher, but some of my favorites are very embarassing (not as bad as stephanie meyer, but close)
oh one more "speak" by laurie hals anderson is good, and often amusing.
so i will end now. happy reading
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris is a fabulous read, and it does come on tape. You might even be able to find it at the local library. If not, you can borrow my copy. :) You probably know they are short stories, so they are perfect for a quick read.
great suggestions, team! I love David Sedaris. And all the suggestions that were on amazon for less than a dollar are on their way to my house as I type! Also, the public library has a startling number of Sophie Kinsella books on tape, which i think is funny. Reading for pleasure is a treat in general, but especially for those of us who have survived two years of forced, avoid-humiliation-driven reading for law school.
I haven't read any other comments and this post cracked me up...so here goes I will recommend beside me. You may have read all of these because that is how you roll!
1. Speaking of John Irvine and the World According to Garp (which I lurve), he wrote another novel titled: A Widow for a Year. Love it...love his writing...love everything about the man!!
2. The Memory Keeper's Daughter. It received mixed reviews but I liked it.
3. The Tender Bar - a rockin memoir.
4. The Hours - if you have not read this you really should. It is, as usual, so much better than the movie!!
That is all I got...and I have all these books...lunch and book exchange Thurday please :)
Well, if you want RL&L Russian Literature and Lactation, and want to join me in my endeavors, I am definitely reading 8 Russian novels this summer including
Crime and Punishment
Anna Karenina
The Idiot
Dead Souls
Evgeniy Onegin
Master and Margarita
Dr. Zhivago
and some Chekov.
Yeah, let me know if you want in!
Hmmm--most of the stuff I read is not, unfortunately, light reading. I know that sounds snotty, but there you are. However, if I never see another Russian writer again, I will die a happy woman. I thought Crime and Punishment was the very worst, most pessimistic novel ever written (sorry, Ashley). And I hate books on tape, for some reason. But you might find the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters interesting--Derek Jacoby played him in a BBC series. Diane Mott Davidson's mysteries are fun, but read them in order starting with "Catering to Nobody." For really light reading, I read trashy biographies (like Monica Lewinsky, Grace Kelly and Princess Di). My favorite novel, though, is Below the Salt by Thomas Costain. Try abebooks.com for used stuff.
I highly recommend the Tales of Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card. He's a genius! Also, just want to let you know I totally agree with your thoughts on the(rhymes with Skylight) series. The next person who tells me she is "a really good writer" I'm seriously going to punch in the face. I mean, sure it's entertaining and sure she's made a gazillion dollars or whatever, but let's call it what it is people (I'm not going to say what it is because I believe in karma).
during my summer of lactation last year, i read all of the harry potter's in reverse order (except for number 7, which i read at the end). i highly recommend it.
i now read in 20 minutes increments because i mostly just read on the bus ... i'll try to think of some books it has worked for.
also, i want you to know that, thanks to reading this post, i had a nightmare that i was taking a law school final and talking about "zeniths" and "nadirs." seriously. THANKS.
Is Mrs. Clark really Kamie? That sounds like a Kamie thing to say. HA HA HA! However, Kamie braved War and Peace, so prolly not. If we're going Russia, go straight for Brothers Karamazov. One of the best books I've ever read. However, Crime and Punishment gives me anxiety and Anna Karenina really pisses me off. :)
First-- GRATS on Baby! She finally came!
Second--careful with Russian literature. It is not easy to read in 20 minute increments, let alone an entire month of free time. While it is good, it takes about 200 pages to get into and another 500 to fully comprehend. Best of the bunch? The Brothers Karamazov.
Third--books you must read for levity:
"Anonymous Lawyer"
Anything by David Sedaris
Fourth--books you must read to remember what it was like to read JK Rowling:
the "Temeraire" series by Naomi Novik. Imagine Horatio Hornblower meets Harry Potter.
Fifth--books you must read, period:
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time"
"Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman
"Cry the Beloved Country"
That is all. Congrats again!
I've been lurking here for a bit. Found you off of the Summerill Surf. You funny lady.
Anyway I'd thought I'd put my two cent (kind of like Fity Cent but probably not as hip) in. Jodi Picoult has a few books that I enjoy. My favorite two are My Sisters Keeper and Nineteen Minutes. But her others are good also. I also just read Five Quarters of the Orange which was good. It's by the author of Chocolat. Which I haven't read but intend to now.
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