I'm sure that many of you are simply dying to know my progress on my 2009 Reading List - ok I'm sure most of you forgot completely about my little reading series, so that's why I'm writing about it now. To remind you. And also because I am one of those glasses wearing little girls that curls up in bed at night to immerse herself in the latest literary saga and wants to tell everyone in the world about how mindblowingly amazing it was the next day. Normal people would do this with Lost or So You Think You Can Dance because they know that other people are actually interested in those sorts of things. But I have come to terms with the fact that I'm really not that normal, so I'm ok with talking about things like character development instead of Paula getting kicked off of American Idol (which, by the way, what was up with that?! harsh, to say the least).
To update: I started my Reading List back in May and have read a few books off of that list, but I've gotten so many great recommendations on books and authors from all of you fabulous readers, that I've gone off on a MAJOR rabbit trail recently! I finished Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott and was supposed to start The Kite Runner, but I ended up reading through The Partly Cloudy Patriot, a collection of short stories by Sarah Vowell, and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Both were fantastic. I mean, burst-out-laughing-sobbing-tears-make-you-want-to-drop-everything-and-move-to-anywhere fantastic.
My sweet mother-in-law recently sent me the book she's reading for her book club, and since I grew up around dogs she thought I'd be interested in it. And I am. In fact, this is the best book I've read this year. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski is about a boy and his dogs. Its also about silence. And sound. And language, particularly the deep language between people and their animals. Its classic Americana as its very, very best. I'm only a third of the way through it so far (its 500 pages people!) so I'll write a review when I've finished it in about five hundred years...
So here's my updated list, along with my recent additions. Its coming along!
Blink – Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison
Tribes – Seth Godin
Purple Cow – Seth Godin
Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki
Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott
Traveling Mercies – Anne Lamott
Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Never Eat Alone – Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
The Sound and The Fury – William Faulknor
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
The Power of a Praying Wife – Stormie Omartian
Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
The Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski (in progress)
I've absolutely loved all of the recommendations that you guys have left in the comments! I'm always looking for great reads and amazing authors, so if you have something in mind, definitely let me know and I'll check it out!
Hugs,
Erin
5 comments
Erin - @Rylee I’ll definitely have to check our Water for Elephants – thanks so much for the suggestion!
Susan Solo - Love this list! I think I’ll add the Story of Edgar Sawtelle to my list, too. I’m in the middle of Eat, Pray, Love right now. I’m also in the middle of 7 Habits – that one I’ve been stalling on for so long that I might have to start over! Oops.
Rylee Sundquist - I am a fellow nerdy girl with glasses and lots of pillows that support my reading habits. Things Fall Apart is very good. So is the Kite Runner. I have one more for you – Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
Dennis Bullock - Reading is so great!
Carolyn Egerszegi - You’ve got a great reading list going here. I love that “Things Fall Apart” is on it. What a terrific story. I read it in university and still remember it. Another story from the same African literature course I took was called “Oroonoko; or, The Royal Slave” which was amazing and I’ve never forgot it. I also LOVED “Eat, Pray, Love” so it was was the first thing I thought of to suggest to you, but then I saw you’ve read it. So… I’d love to suggest something else to you: “I Know This Much Is True” by Wally Lamb. It’s amazing. Wally Lamb is a wonderful author. Anyway, sorry for the novel here and have fun with the reading! Oh… and LOL that you’re only half way through “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. Ironic don’t you think? (btw – I love your blog and don’t comment much but visit daily. Thanks for all the wonderful photography tips and inspiration!)