It’s Monday, Where am I Reading-01/28/11

Boy am I behind, not really in my reading…well maybe a little, but in my blogging.  Even though I am no longer working, I am amazed how much time life takes, along with managing my pain, doctor visits, pain management group, etc.

Throw in a visit with my daughter and granddaughter and things get really hectic.  This morning, after another terrible night of sleep due to both prednisone and sleeping with my granddaughter….parenting is for people much younger than me….I found myself practically collapsing from lack of sleep.  My DH said if I got Ally dressed, he would take her to town to visit and have an outing with her and let me sleep.  YIPPEE…..so after they left, I unplugged the phone, put a sign on our front door not to knock, and laid down to finish up my book and sleep. 

Which brings me to Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Nzogi Adichie, her debut novel.  This is the second author this year that I read a debut novel.  I found the book very moving.  As a Catholic, I found the descriptions of the main character’s father so sad, and definitely not at all like any Catholic father’s that I know..BUT the book was set in Nigeria, and different cultures are just that….different.  My parents were a bit abusive, but nothing like the father in this book, so don’t read it if you cannot handle descriptions of horrifying behavior on the part of the father.  It reminds me that America really is that shining hill by the sea or whatever that Ronald Reagan quote is….I wish I could remember another book written by one of the lost boys of….crap I cannot even remember which African country…that I read a few years ago.  That book was another that made me realize how lucky we are to live in this country, even with all our problems.

I am giving this book a 4.  A very good book, but it did not really change my perspective or hit me personally as I like a book to before I give it a grade 5.  But then of course it may change someone else’s life or perspective…. I would definitely recommend it.

I actually found this book by chance at the library because I was looking for a book recommended by www.smallworldreads.com , by an author who starts with an A.   I am glad our library did not have that book and my eyes fell upon this one while looking for it.

I did finish Cimmaron Rose, but cannot even remember what it was about, that’s how tired I am right now or what kind of grade I would give it.

Life is ridiculously busy right now, so I am not going to even start another book for a few weeks.  Happy Reading.

It was Monday…..yesterday

This week I have been sewing a lot.  I did finish Still Missing.  It was one of those books I sort of wish I had not read.  Entertaining enough, but …..ugh, I hated the ending.

I started on Cimmaron Rose, recommended by the same friend who recommended Water for Elephants.  She reads a lof of James Burke, so when I found him at our local library, I added him to my list.  So far I am enjoying it.  It is set in Texas, where my father was born.  I have only visited Texas twice, once at age 5 and once at age 16.  We were driving in the pouring down Texas rain straining to hear the radio and Nixon resigning.  Yes that is the last time I was in Texas.  I was in the back seat and my parents were in the front.  We had driven from California to Kansas City, Missouri for my older brother’s first marriage.  We took the opportunity to drive down through Oklahoma and on to Texas to visit my parents relatives.  I was the only one with them, being the youngest child. 

Anyway the library was closed yesterday, so I need to go the minute I finish Cimmaron Rose because it is my last book from my last trip.  Need to start a new list of books to check out!

It’s Monday Where am I reading…. and what??

The Challenge is Where am I reading, not What!!  I got a bit mixed up on that one!  I have not posted in a few weeks, but finished the 19th Wife AND Water for Elephants, my new favorite book! 

The 19th wife was based in Missouri, Iowa, Utah  and Nevada.  I though t was a very interesting book and entertaining book.  The story line went back and forth between present day and pioneer days.

Water for Elephants was recommended by a friend who said it was her favorite book of all time.  It was definitely one of those total thought provoking books for me, and I don’t even like the circus!!  I really do enjoy historical books that have a good story line and to be funny now and then helps too!  I highly recommend Water for Elephants.

I also finished Waking Up in Dixie, an easy read about a southern gentleman whose stroke caused life change for him and his family.  It was pretty light, but I enjoyed it.  Just the right thing after Water for Elephants.  This was of course based in Georgia.

My current read is Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  It is set in the Pacific Northwest, but I think a fictiticous town.  It is written in first person and is about a woman who is abducted and her subsequent dealing with the fallout.  So far it has grabbed me, but I started it last night after taking a sleeping pill, so I probably need to reread a few pages!

This is a busy week for me.  Valentine’s Day today and trying to make a nice dessert because we are having leftovers made into stir-fry tonight.  Tomorrow is a doctor’s appointment, Thursday is my normal pain management group AND my tax appointment! 

So it’s off to start working on my taxes, after making a nice dessert.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Monday, what am I reading?

I had a migraine yesterday with the accompanying sick to my stomach feeling.  So I laid around a lot and managed to finish this week both The Lost Quilter AND The 19th Wife.  Both were very good, I would give both a 4 out of 5.  This is also why I am a day late!

The Lost Quilter was set in South Carolina right before and the beginning of the Civil War.  It as quite interesing reading about sites around and including where my youngest daughter lives in Port Royal.

The 19th Wife was very interesting following both Ann Eliza, wife of Brigham Young and a current day mystery murder.  I found both stories highly entertaining.  

I am ready to move on to Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  This one of my good friends favorite book of all time…. so I have pretty high expectations!

It’s Monday, What Am I Reading?

Well I gave up on 2 book this week:  Before Women Had Wings by Connie Fowler.  Halfway through I realized I had already read this book.  Then I started Katherine the Queen by Linda Porter.  I checked this out at the library.  I did not have a list of books to find, so I just went to the new book section.  I do enjoy books written during the 1500’s (Pillars of the Earth, World Without End) or was that the 1600’s?  Anyway Katherine the Queen is just too dry for me. 

So my choices from the library are The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell or The Lost Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini.   The last Cornwell book I tried to read was so dark and weird, I wondered what happened to this author that I usually enjoy.  Of course I cannot remember the name of it…

I think I will start The Lost Quilter.  It is set in South Carolina where my yongest daughter and her family live.

I talked to a friend yesterday from Florida who is vacationing for the week at Hilton Head Island.  We did a lot of “book talking”.  So this book just seems to fit into where my head is at these days.  

My parents were way ahead of their time in that TV watching was not a regular event in our house.  So I was a voracious reader as a child.  Unfortunately we did not have a lot of money so I reread the same books over and over.  I will never forget the first time I walked into the library at Zane Junior High in Eureka, California in the fall of 1971.  I looked around in wonder at all the books that were available to me.  I started in the A’s and read some really good books by the same author…. I wish I could remember the name of that author now!  In the subsequent years there our library was burned down TWICE by I believe two different disturbed boys. 

How did I get on that?  The other wonderful thing about junior high was meeting my DH (yes 7th grade!), and making some really good friends who were so incredibly important to me in my junior high and high school years.  I wish I was a writer, I have a book in my head about our friendships and the things we went through in the 70s.  Who knows, maybe someday?

Time to get up and get going on my day.  One problem with not having a job anymore after 32 years of working outside the home is I really need to work on my routines.  So this morning, once again, I purchased and dowloaded the weekly chore chart from http://www.motivatedmoms.com/.  I have a weekly chore chart that basically assigns a room a day, but I really like this chore chart as another way to stay on top of things.