Bookworms

Honest, the above photo is not staged. Both Things enjoy a good book. They get that from their parents! But, lately, I've struggled to find that "good book" that I enjoy. And it isn't for lack of trying

First, I tried to read a book that came highly recommended by a friend. The Little Classroom with the Big Personality by Fran Hunnisett. The topic is something near and dear to my heart so I thought for sure I could get through this very short, but non fiction book. Nope, half way through a page, my eyes would get heavy, my arms would get weak and I'd be ready to fall asleep. I think it is a psychological carry over from my college days where I had to read various textbooks. I just couldn't get past my issues about it being nonfiction. So, I set the book aside and started to read another book, recommended by yet another friend.

This book, Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, proved to be a good book. It would make a great book for a book club discussion. So that I could sit there and rant about the basic premise of the book. You simply DO NOT GIVE away your child...no matter what disability that child is born with. With that being the premise of the rest of the story, and me being so passionately opposed to the actions taken by the central male character....well, for the next 400 pages I really didn't care how much sadness he endured...he had brought it on himself by changing the course of his life and that of his wife's through his selfish act. Yeah, yeah yeah, tell us what you REALLY thought of the book Martha! :)

The third book I tried to read this past month was called Wicked by Gregory Maguire. It is another book that falls outside of my preferred genre of either murder/mystery or chick lit. This one was labeled by the library as science fiction/fantasy. I figured since I was familiar with the basic concept of the story (just who is the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz, and how did she get to be that way?) I could muddle through it in hopes of expanding my pretty narrow reading scope . I tried. I really did. But, then I got sidetracked with moving and the worries of that and I just didn't have the energy left to work through reading a book that is written in a style signficantly different from what I am used to. And, with 40 some others waiting patiently at the library for their chance at reading this book, I returned it without finishing it. Perhaps once the dust settles on our move I will try again. I was liking what I was reading. I just found it required more concentration and effort than I could spare right now.

Friday, I grabbed a book from the new fiction section of the library based solely on its cover and title: Tuscany for Beginners. On the cover is a comment from Candace Bushnell (author of Sex in the City) that says "Absolutely hysterical, I could not put it down." I figured I was at least back in my own comfort zone for reading. We shall see how this one goes...