Monday, June 6, 2011

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a bookish meme hosted by Book Journey. It's where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It's a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over via the link above and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.


Books Read Last Week (click on titles for review):
The Religious Body by Catherine Aird
The After House by Mary Roberts Rinehart
The Caravaggio Books by Bernard Peterson

Currently Reading:
The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time by David L Ulin: Expanding on a 2009 essay, Ulin, former book review editor of the Los Angeles Times, addresses the act of reading and its place in our information overloaded age. Ulin relies mainly on his own experiences as a loyal reader--specifically a recent attempt to reread The Great Gatsby alongside his son Noah's high school English class--which goes devastatingly wrong ("You'd fail if you were in my class," Noah pronounces). Ulin uses this incident to frame the larger narrative, fluently addressing the art and craft of literature, the reader's participation, the writer and the writing--and the act of rereading. He addresses in greater depth distractions from reading, specifically the ever-present seductions of technology, and the experience of reading on a screen. Moving toward an optimistic note, Ulin argues that technology can enlarge us, citing Rick Moody and Jennifer Egan as writers who embrace this ever-changing landscape. Ulin's short book not only puts forth a strong and passionate case for reading but also compiles a reading list of writers and critics (e.g., Anne Fadiman, Joan Didion, David Shields) who have influenced Ulin and who are well worth reading. [Publishers Weekly]


Books that spark my interest:
The House of Paper by Carlos Maria Dominguez
The Secret of Lost Things: A Novel by Sheridan Hay
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills
Oscar Wilde & the Vampire Murders by Gyles Brandreth
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell
Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dinesen

6 comments:

Sherrie said...

Hi Bev,
Sounds like you had a good reading week. The Lost Art of Reading is going on my TBR list. Sounds like an interesting book. Have a great day!

Sherrie
Just Books

Marce said...

Your upcoming choices sparked my interest also.

My Post

http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-are-we-are-reading-best-of-2011.html

Shirley said...

You have several interesting books to choose from. The Savage Garden sounds familiar and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox sounds good. Enjoy, whatever you choose.

My Bookshelf

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

The Lost Art Of Reading sounds interesting! Have a good week :)

dollycas aka Lori said...

My youngest is graduating this Saturday!Will need a huge box of Kleenex, it's like the end of an era.

HAPPY READING!!!!!

Jennifer said...

My son graduated this weekend as well and I am exhausted. I hope you have a wonderful week and enjoy your reading. My Monday: http://www.rundpinne.com/2011/06/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-42.html