Welcome to 2009. Today is the first day that we are officially back to the usual schedule since AH was off work all last week. I've been thinking a lot about things that I might want to make priorities in this new year and one of them is more time with my nose in a book. Not sure what happened last year, but I didn't read anywhere near as much as I usually do. So, I've begun a list of books that I want to read in 2009 and here is where you come in....I need some input. If you have a book or books that you have read (doesn't matter when) that really meant something to you, would you share them with me? I love to hear what books you'v read and why they moved you. I'm really looking for depth here, not just "it was good". I want books that made you open your mind or heart...you know what I mean. Here is my list so far,in no particular order:
The Essential Ghandi - Louis Fischer
Peace is in Every Step - Thich Nhat Hanh
A Mercy - Toni Morrison
The Graveyard Book - Nail Gaiman
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout
The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson
Grace Notes - Bernard MacLaverty
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - Barbara Kingsolver (LOVE her)
Alice's Tulips - Sandra Dallas
The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barberry
The Hour I First Believed - Wally Lamb
Any comments, reviews, opinions on any of the list? Which one should I read first? I've included the Amazon links for your reference, but part of this resolution, if I want to call it that, is making better use of my library. While I have nothing whatsoever against supporting authors with my dollars, I do it WAY too much and really, why not use the library?
So, to recap, any comments about the books on my list and other suggestions for books to add. Please?
Thank you!
I recommend:
Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul
Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss MD
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (if you can stomach it, it's pretty graphic but very very interesting)
Posted by: Lori | January 06, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Bonjour. I can't think of anything life changing - I liked Eat Pray Love and The Far Pavillions is a favorite...
Posted by: wenders | January 06, 2009 at 04:28 PM
I check out your blog for book recommendations! Nice of you to ask for feedback.
Before I forget, I read THE KNITTING CIRCLE and both of Khaled Hosseini's novels because of your blog. Loved all three books.
On your list, I've read ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MINERAL. Great book to read if you've started to receive seed catalogs for next spring. The book will make you crave asparagus.
I've read a couple terrific books lately. RUN by Ann Patchett appealed to me a lot. (The book was written in 2006, I think, and the author writes about seeing an Obama 2012 sign at Harvard.) I also liked a new non-fiction book called HOME GIRL by Judith Matloff about a woman and her husband moving into West Harlem and fixing up their place. I suspect you might like both of these books.
May you have lots of time to read in 2009!
Posted by: Mary | January 08, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Some books that resonated with me:
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks
Posted by: Mary D. | January 09, 2009 at 01:08 PM