I'm Out

Have come to the conclusion that I am not a blogger. I much prefer reading all of your entries than I do actually writing my own. I love love love reading & talking about what I am reading, but not enough to blog. Its been fun & I appreciate those of you who have taken the time to read & comment, but I'm outta here. I will happily leave my words of wisdom on your blogs instead of my own. Thanks!

Whoa... finished the book

Just finished The Hour I First Believed. Is anyone else reading this? Any thoughts? First of all, its a whole lotta book -- 750 pages. Not sure what I think yet. If you are reading the book keep reading so we can discuss. Only 3 more weeks until we cyber chat about it... I'll be a better moderator I promise!

I have to begin this post by saying how happy I am in my life. I have a wonderful husband, an incredible child, a snuggly dog, amazing friends & family, you get the picture. I wanted to start off saying that so you are not scared of the rest of my post. I have entered sort of a nonfiction/dark reading time in my life. Lately I have been reading a lot about human rights, refugees, war, and genocide. Maybe it is because I am so grateful for all I have or maybe because I realize how fragile it is; how easy it would be for me to be somewhere else, future uncertain, peace nonexistent. Not trying to bum you out on NYE, instead I hope to inspire you to read about what is really going on in the world. We can't hope to change it if we don't know what's out there. So crack open the bubbly and crack open a new book!

           (If you have any book suggestions for this genre please comment)

I LOVE THIS MAN

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

      

I just finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and it is maybe the BEST book I've ever read. I have been reading a lot of quality books lately, but none as creative and beautifully written as this. I just finished the last sentence and I am literally crushed that its over. Please please please read this book. It is truly incredible.

From the back cover...

By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Grave Digger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down. 

Have You Started Reading????

Our January book is The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. Have you started reading yet? 

Top 10 Lists

With the end of the year right around the corner I thought it would be fun to hear everyone's top 10 lists for the year. It can be anything. What made you happy in 2008?

10. A super fun surprise party thrown by my husband

9. James Franco in Milk

8. Radiohead

7. Morning Joe on MSNBC 

6. Morning Joe in my espresso maker 

5. Tina Fey

4. My mac

3. Lots of new Patagonia keeping me warm & happy

2. the election 

1. Staying home and watching Ben become more hilarious each day

***** Have to amend this****** The Book Thief (see post above) is now my 1-10

Tougher Reading

So as my son & his cuz run and dance around my sister's basement I feel free to blog... I'll write all my posts today then take another month off.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I read The Forever War by Dexter Filkins. It is his "diary" of his time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Needless to say, there are some rough parts to that book. It is a really good read and I learned a lot.

I am also finishing The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright. Jane and I had seen this author speak about this book almost 2 years ago. Lawrence Wright has done an incredible amount of research to give his readers insight into the inception of Al-Qaeda. I always hesitated in picking this book up because I thought it would be dry and difficult to follow. I was so wrong. This book reads like a spy novel (sadly, its not fictional). I feel so much more informed about what is going on in the world and how we got there. 

My next goal is to read about the people we hear the least about: The women and children caught in these conflicts.

I have a whole list of books centered around conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I can publish it if anyone is interested. I appreciate the book recommendations that you have given me and they are all on my list.

(J-- I plan to read Thousand Splendid Suns for the next book).