How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation
Ever since the summer started I've been nose-deep in a book. It's been glorious!!! I finished The Year of Pleasures (Elizabeth Berg) and then The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger), Sea Glass (Anita Shreve), and The Devil Wears Prada (who cares). I've also discovered Terry Pratchett. Wow!
A guy at my church is a huge Pratchett fan and told me about him several years ago. (Thank you, Greg T.!) I tucked the name away, mentally, and never went searching for it. Then I hit the Scholastic book sale (a semi-annual, throw-caution-to-the-wind-these-books-are-50%-off! orgy) and found TWO children's books by Pratchett. Oh, wow. He's intelligent, laugh-out-loud funny, biting, sarcastic, insightful, and even subtle. I decided I've GOT to have the Discworld series. All, oh, thirty or so books. (I think.) Now THAT would be a good summer.
So the big hits so far are Time Traveler's Wife and The Wee Free Men (one of the Pratchett books). Both very absorbing. The Year of Pleasures was really nice - it's a good title to take to the beach, in case you're looking for that sort of thing. Sea Glass was typical Shreve - good characterization, decent plot, not as good as The Pilot's Wife but still okay. The Devil Wears Prada was only mildly interesting. Maybe you'd like it if you were a Gucci-wearin', stiletto-totterin' Yankee who thinks there is no civilization outside of New York City, but whoever the author is, she's no Tom Wolfe. Even The Nanny Diaries was better - more insightful, better dialogue and descriptions. More wit.
Okay. That's my opinion. We welcome yours.
P.S. Is there anyone out there who knows how to make a certain font your default when you compose a blog entry for blogger? I'd like just to start typing and have my words appear in Trebuchet every time. But they're always LucidaGrande unless I highlight and change. All words of advice welcome!
A guy at my church is a huge Pratchett fan and told me about him several years ago. (Thank you, Greg T.!) I tucked the name away, mentally, and never went searching for it. Then I hit the Scholastic book sale (a semi-annual, throw-caution-to-the-wind-these-books-are-50%-off! orgy) and found TWO children's books by Pratchett. Oh, wow. He's intelligent, laugh-out-loud funny, biting, sarcastic, insightful, and even subtle. I decided I've GOT to have the Discworld series. All, oh, thirty or so books. (I think.) Now THAT would be a good summer.
So the big hits so far are Time Traveler's Wife and The Wee Free Men (one of the Pratchett books). Both very absorbing. The Year of Pleasures was really nice - it's a good title to take to the beach, in case you're looking for that sort of thing. Sea Glass was typical Shreve - good characterization, decent plot, not as good as The Pilot's Wife but still okay. The Devil Wears Prada was only mildly interesting. Maybe you'd like it if you were a Gucci-wearin', stiletto-totterin' Yankee who thinks there is no civilization outside of New York City, but whoever the author is, she's no Tom Wolfe. Even The Nanny Diaries was better - more insightful, better dialogue and descriptions. More wit.
Okay. That's my opinion. We welcome yours.
P.S. Is there anyone out there who knows how to make a certain font your default when you compose a blog entry for blogger? I'd like just to start typing and have my words appear in Trebuchet every time. But they're always LucidaGrande unless I highlight and change. All words of advice welcome!
posted by Mamabird @ 6:37 AM
4 Comments:
At 11:13 AM,
Crissy said…
I read The Time Traveler's Wife last year and loved it. Bought copies for my mom and both sisters a week later.
My first Elizabeth Berg experience was yesterday. I read The Art of Mending, and really enjoyed it.
I've never read Shreve, though I have two of her titles on my shelf. Sea Glass is one of them. I have a couple of weeks of down time coming up so I'm creating a list of books I'd like to pick up before then. Maybe add The Pilot's Wife and The Year of Pleasures.
Crissy
At 7:44 PM,
Mamabird said…
Oh, Crissy, you've just GOTTA read The Pilot's Wife! But be warned - do NOT start it at 10:00p.m. on a school night! (grin) You'll be really red-eyed and grouchy the next morning...
My first Elizabeth Berg novel was "The Pull of the Moon." I was hooked. She's one of the few authors whose books I buy hardcover without even bothering to read the jacket. I've never been disappointed.
Sounds like we have similar reading tastes! Have any suggestions for me?
BTW - are you in WA? I think I have read your blog (if you are who I think you are).
Karen
At 10:17 AM,
Crissy said…
I'm going to the library today, Karen, and I'll make sure I pick up The Pilot's Wife.
A couple of books I've really loved lately have been Five Quarters of the Orange (Joanne Harris) and Going Coastal (Wendy French) which was laugh out loud funny. Also Not Fade Away (Peter Barton and Laurence Shames). This was both sad and beautiful.
It's good to see you blogging more! Happy reading this summer.
Crissy
(from Washington)
At 10:42 AM,
Crissy said…
I thought of a few more titles you might enjoy...
The River (Tricia Wastvedt)
Mrs. Kimble (Jennifer Haigh)
A Year of Wonder (Geraldine Brooks)
Blackbird House (Alice Hoffman)
I loved each of these books.
Crissy
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