Monday, May 08, 2017

It's Monday 5/8! What Are You Reading?

Wow, what a week I had! It was basically book nirvana - a reader's paradise! I left on Thursday to attend Booktopia in Vermont, hosted by the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester. My mother and I attended Booktopia in 2015, and she came with me again this time. I will post a summary of the weekend and the amazing authors once I catch up at home, but in the meantime, you can check out my post from two years ago. Because of my chronic illness, I am physically exhausted today - totally wiped out from the weekend - but still on an emotional and intellectual high from spending the weekend with so many wonderful and interesting people who love books as much as I do, not to mention getting to know some incredibly talented (and fun!) authors. It was an incredible experience (again).

So, it was an extremely busy week for me, but as always, I made time for reading - first finishing up my Booktopia reading and then moving onto other great books. Here's what my family read last week:
  • I finished Books for Living by Will Schwalbe, the best-selling author of The End of Your Life Book Club (which I still need to read!). This second book about books is a series of essays about books and life - each chapter focuses on one book and one thing he learned from it. The books run the gamut from classics to children's books to old nonfiction to modern novels and more. I dog-eared dozens of pages for quotes, names of books I want to read, and more and thoroughly enjoyed every chapter. I got to meet him this weekend, and we bonded over remembering loved ones who've died through the books they loved. He was just as good a speaker as he is a writer, and I was thrilled to meet him and hear him talk about his book.
  • I started another Booktopia book, The World To Come by Jim Shepherd, a book of short stories. I only had time to read a few of the stories before I had to set it aside, but I enjoyed those, and I do plan to finish the book. Many of the stories are based on real-life historical disasters but focused on the details of fictional people involved and their thoughts and feelings. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the stories.
  • This weekend, I had to FINALLY set aside my Booktopia reading to get started on my next review book for Shelf Awareness, Everybody's Son by Thrity Umrigar, due out May 6. I requested this one special because I loved the author's earlier book, The Space Between Us, and this latest novel is living up to my high expectations. It's about a young black boy from the projects who is fostered and then adopted by a wealthy white family in the suburbs...but there is a whole lot more to it than that. I am completely engrossed so far.
  • On audio, I finished another Booktopia book, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney, a novel about an elderly woman taking a very long walk around Manhattan on New Year's Eve 1984 and recalling her long and interesting life, from the 1920's to the present day. It is based on the real-life story of advertising icon Margaret Fishback. I started reading the book and finished it on audio, and by the end, Lillian felt like an old friend, and I could hear her voice in my head for days! The author, Kathleen Rooney, was delightful and her story of writing the novel was fascinating.
  • On my way home yesterday, even though I was completely exhausted, I was looking forward to listening to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas on audio in my car. It's a YA novel about a black teen girl whose friend dies in front of her after being shot by police. It is just as powerful and amazing as everyone has been saying (I was crying as I drove!), and it really did make the long miles fly by for me last night. I can't wait to hear what happens next.
  • My husband, Ken, is reading one of my review books that was released last week: Crime Song by David Swinson, a sequel to The Second Girl. Both feature PI Frank Marr, a retired cop who was forced to leave early due to his addictions.
  • Jamie, 22, says he is on a science fiction kick! He is/was reading Columbus Day, book 1 in the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson, a series about an outer space war where the Earth is unsure of who are enemies and who are allies. I wonder if our recent viewing of the TV show Colony is influencing his reading choices! I'm not sure if he's finished it yet.
Reviews to come on ALL of these wonderful books! Here's what I posted on the blog last week - just two posts, but I am surprised I even managed that before I left:
TV Tuesday: Chewing Gum - a quirky, fun, irreverent British comedy

Fiction Review: The Leavers by Lisa Ko - a boy caught between two cultures & families

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

What are you and your family reading this week?  

You can also follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page

My mom and I at Booktopia in Northshire Bookstore
 

26 comments:

  1. Booktopia sounds awesome and well worth being exhausted for. You have me marking Books for Living to read and pursue buying. I see Nise has given it 4 stars so double recommendation.

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    1. It was awesome! And so was Books for Living. Very thoughtful and thought-provoking. I was especially moved by his chapter of reading to keep the memory of a loved one alive. Hope you enjoy it, too!

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  2. On my drive to Booktopia I was listening to Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck, narrated by Casandra Campbell. After hearing Ms. Shattuck talk about her book, her impetus for writing it, and listening to a bit more today, I decided this is a book I need to read in its physical format. Seeing the written word, I feel will provide a deeper appreciation for this book. I may go back to the audio after listening as I was enjoying Ms. Campbell's voice. Each character comes alive in this fine audio production.

    I have just started Barkskins by Annie Proulx (Audio) narrated by Robert Petkoff and am reading an advance reading copy of Miraculous Mysteries: Locked Room Mysteries and Impossible Crimes, a British Library Crime Classic.

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    1. I also listened to Women in the Castle on audio and agree the narrator was excellent. But I know what you mean about the reading the paper book, too. When I had a chance to talk to Jessica this weekend, it turned out I had missed an important point in the book - probably got distracted while listening!

      The Annie Proulx book sounds great - I have heard such good things about it.

      Enjoy your books this week!

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  3. Oooh, a new book by Thrity Umrigar! I loved The Space Between Us and enjoyed a few of her other books. I'm putting Everybody's Son on my summer/beach reading list!

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    1. It is SO good so far! Really grabbed me right from the first page. And, as usual, a very thought-provoking book, too.

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  4. So happy Booktopia was fun!!! I love Thrity Umrigar too.

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    1. This new novel of hers is amazing - I am totally engrossed.

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  5. Thanks for sharing some adult reads too, Sue, and I hope you find the energy to tell more about your Booktopia time. The weekend must have been wonderful. There's lots of talk about The Hate U Give, and it's on my list!

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    1. The Hate U Give is SO powerful & the audio is excellent.

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  6. I still need to get a copy of the Hate U Give. It was another busy week but I did manage to finish some books. Come see what I'm reading.

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    1. The Hate U Give is excellent - definitely give it a read (or a listen - the audio is great)

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  7. Sounds like an amazing weekend, I have the End of your Life Book Club on my shelf to read and Thrity Umrigar is one of my favorite authors. I'm excited to read her newest books (and I have the Space Between Us) on my shelf to read too!

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    1. Will Schwalbe was so great in person, Tanya! I have The End of Your Life Book Club on my Kindle now, but I think I want the actual book. My copy of Books for Living is filled with dog-eared pages! Thrity's latest novel is amazing - very powerful and thought-provoking.

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  8. It was such a pleasure seeing you at Booktopia Sue. This was such a wonderful group of authors and I loved hearing Will speak about books and their connections. I am reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind which is fantastic. I'm also reading Victor's book Edgar and Lucy.

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    1. Great to see you, too, Joan! Oh, Edgar and Lucy was SO good!! And wasn't Victor amazing? I hope you got to hear him read a bit of his book - his background in theater really showed!

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  9. Booktopia sounds so fun, but so tiring! I am glad you loved The Hate U Give as much as I did; it's such a wonderful novel.

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    1. ha ha - yes, Helen, that pretty much sums it up! It was amazing but really exhausting, too. I am in the middle of The Hate U Give on audio and loving it.

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  10. I'm glad you and your mom had a great time at Booktopia. I am in the middle of listening to The Hate You Give. It really is stunning.

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    1. Isn't it amazing, Cherlee? I am totally engrossed in it...and it made me cry while driving down the NJ Turnpike!

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  11. I'm halfway through Books for Living and really enjoying it--I imagine the author would be an excellent and entertaining public speaker. Cool that you got to chat with him. I'm coming away from this book with a list of books that I must read!

    Glad you liked the Lillian Boxfish--someday soon I'll be wandering NYC with her too.

    Happy reading.

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    1. Yes, he was, Jane! Very entertaining & interesting. He talked about how important it is to ask people what they're reading...so I sent a link to this post yesterday, and he loved it! I also have a long list of books to read and quotes to write down from his book.

      And ha ha about Lillian Boxfish - my mom said the same thing! She loves NYC (lives nearby in CT) and really identified with Lillian :)

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  12. I remember you talking about Booktopia last year, right?! And I was jealous then and I'm jealous now :)

    Happy reading this week!

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    1. 2 years ago, Kellee - last year it was scheduled on Mother's Day when we normally get the whole family together at my mom's. We were glad to be able to go again this year!

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  13. I received a copy of Lilian Boxfish takes a walk - and hoping to read it over the summer.

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    1. It's wonderful, Myra! Hope you enjoy it!

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