Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Virtual Night Stand

I've got a Borders gift card burning a hole in my pocket. I have a hard time using it because I have so many books in my night stand wanting to be read. I guess it doesn't hurt to buy a few more and add them to the pile. Currently, on my night stand...


Franny and Zooey
by J.D. Salinger

A friend of mine gave this to me on my birthday. He loves it and I know the book means a lot to him. I started to read it and had to put it down because I had to keep up with my books for the class that I took this fall. Now that I have sworn off all reading that is 'assigned' to me, I hope to get back to this book.

The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver

At my holiday party, a friend saw this on my bookshelf and was excited to talk to me about one of her favorite books. I hope she wasn't too disappointed, but I hadn't read a word of it. It sits on my shelf, lent to me by a friend who bought her copy in Ireland. She loves it too and when I finish it, I have two friends will want to chat about the book.

A People's History of the United States
by Howard Zinn

This is a reread for me. I read this book about 12 years ago and I was browsing my shelves a few weeks ago and pulled it out. Something about this time in our own American lives that made me think it was time to revisit some of the hard truths and stories that lie in our past. If you haven't read this book, you should.


These books should keep me busy for at least two months...(I'm kind of a slow reader)...but that doesn't stop me from wanting to browse the bookshelves at Borders and add these books to the pile...

The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope
by Jonathan Alter

It could be that I like Jonathan Alter and think he is wicked smart when I watch him discuss politics on MSNBC. It could be that my grandfather couldn't talk about FDR without crying just a little. It could also be that Barack Obama was reading this book and I want to be a little like Barack Obama. Who knows, but I am going to buy this book tonight.

When You Are Engulfed in Flames
by David Sedaris

I bought Holidays on Ice for a friend for Christmas because I love to reread it each holiday season. It never fails to make me laugh, but it reminded me that I had not purchased David Sedaris's new book. It has been out for many months and I was very excited when it came out, but again, bogged down with 'assigned' reading.

So, these books should keep me busy for awhile. However, there is always the chance that I will be distracted and add some other books to this list.

3 comments:

Carm said...

I loved Poisonwood Bible too. It's been ages since I've read it. I have been in a two month reading slump. Sheesh. I was on such a roll for awhile there. I'm stuck on two book club books and unwilling to start others until those ones are done. Sigh. I have an amazing and exciting to-read stack by my bed. I think I'll have to add a couple of your suggestions, if not to my stack, at least to my "Goodreads to-read list."

Anonymous said...

I LOVED Poisonwood Bible! She's one of my favorite authors. I have read Fanny and Zoe. I thought it was OK. Good. Not one of my favorites, but I felt like I should read it and like it because J.D. Salinger wrote Catcher in the Rye, which I did like a lot.

Aaron said...

I love listening to David Sedaris when he is on "This American Life." I haven't read any of his books, but maybe I will have to add him to my reading list.