Summer Reading

Some of my favorite memories of summer 
include visits to the library and afternoons
spent with my nose in a book 
(because it's too hot to do anything else).

The Chronicles of Prydain Boxed Set

My favorite series as a child was the Prydain
Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander.  I think I read 
that series every summer for a good 5 or 6 years.
(Incidentally, I was greatly disappointed in Disney's version of
The Black Cauldron but I have hopes that a different
producer will pick up on this series one of these days!)

Lately I've been playing around on Good Reads,
a website that tracks what you've been reading, 
allows for discussions with friends and others,
 and so on.   There is no way for me to get 
the thousands of books that I've read 
onto my virtual shelves but I have been
adding in some of my more memorable ones
here and there.  
(I am listed as Morning Latte if you are a reader and would like to be a friend on there)
So far, I've found the neatest feature of Good Reads
is how it gives recommendations based on 
what you've read in the past.

I'm not sure what my fascination with WWII history is
these days but I've been doing a lot of reading in this
area.  Two good books I've read lately are:

The Pianist 
(basis for the movie with Adrian Brody)

By Diane Ackerman: The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story
The Zookeeper's Wife

Both were amazing but I especially recommend
(if you enjoy history)
The Zookeeper's Wife, the true account of a 
Polish married couple who ran the Warsaw Zoo.
Though the war took their animals, they found another
way to serve the people of Poland--helping 
over 300 Jews to escape right under the noses of 
the enemy

MyLifeinFranceCover.jpg
This past spring, I found Julia Child's
My Life In France an interesting read as well.

I don't always read such serious books, but I do
prefer to be challenged in my reading.  
Years ago, I had no interest in biographies, history 
and the classics, but now they are my favorites.
I guess I just feel they are a better use of my time.


Slightly lighter, I'm now reading The Heart Mender,
a story of a widowed American woman who
finds a German sailor washed up on the shore.
It's based on true events and contains actual pictures
that the author himself found but I believe he did  
"fictionalize" portions of it--I'm not that far into it yet
to know.  There is a short video above or click on 
the link if you would like to learn more.

Have you found any good reads this summer?

Comments

Deborah said…
Lovely blog. happy to have found you!
Katy Cameron said…
Hmm, I vacillate between serious and light hearted depending on how work is going (and how much my head hurts at bedtime when I do all my reading lol) I have a couple of Rizzoli and Isles books to try next on my pile. I do have an addiction for old fashioned mysteries though
OH wow-- Lloyd ALexander. That brings back such memories! I LOVED those books.