I mentioned earlier that I planned to give you a low down on the method to my madness of how I go about choosing what books I read and why. I figured there was no better time to do that then this months edition of Whats On Your Night Stand? hosted by 5 Minutes For Books.
98% of the books I read come by recommendations from other bloggers/word of mouth. I admit I am a mainstream reader and read what everyone else is reading. I've read so many great books in the last few months just from reviews of other bloggers or simply going through other peoples to read piles. I also feel that I have to catch up with previous top reads from the past couple of years, as I really slacked off in the reading department. Having no T.V. other than watching DVD's these past few months, has tripled my reading progress.
I also have joined the Classics Book Club and have broadened my horizons by re reading some oldies but goodies and reading some oldies that I hadn't read before. I'm trying to read at least 2 classics a month. This month was Little Women.
There was a meme type list going around facebook a few months ago that had 100 books listed that asked you to cross off how many you have read. Most of the books were classics and some that are modern classics. I had read quite a few of the classics listed, but didn't feel that they really counted since it was so long ago. At the time I did the meme, I could only honestly list 23 of the 100. I felt really ashamed with that number and have made a goal to read at least 50 of the 100 on the list this year. I'm at 39 now. I will say that some of the books on that list I have no real desire to read War and Peace- uhm thanks but no thanks.
Now for what's on the nightstand for June-
-Everyone is Beautiful- I'm on the waiting list at the library and crossing my fingers I get it before next week so I can join 5 Minutes for Books on the discussion.
-Atonement by Iwan McEwan
-The Great Gatsby - I'm debating on whether I want to read this one for my classics read, as there's so many others that I know are better. I did read it in high school and think that may be that's good enough.
-The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night Time Written from the perspective of a high functioning autistic boy.
-Undress Me In The Temples of Heaven -A travel memoir to China that didn't go as planned.
-The Grapes of Wrath -Classic read of surviving the dust bowl.
That should get me through the month of June. I can't wait to see what everyone else is reading.
8 comments:
Atonement was my first Ian McEwan read, and now I've got three more of his on my TBR pile... that's how good he is.
I'm kind of in the same boat, went back and re-read some classics (including The Great Gatsby) and have a bunch more Fitzgerald on my shelf to show for it.
Happy reading in June.
I love reading about how/why you select what you read.
I enjoyed Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven. I never reviewed it, but I listened to the Audiobook of the Curious Incident. . . . It was really great to listen to it in that way -- maybe better than reading it would have been.
If you don't get Everyone is Beautiful by next week, you can still jump in. We'll leave it open a bit. You'll definitely be able to read it quickly when you do get it.
My husband read Curious Incident, and really adored it...but then promptly lost it (he read it while on a business trip), so I haven't gotten to it yet. I'm in the same boat about Everyone is Beautiful, so I've got my fingers crossed for you!
I'm waiting for EIB too. Loved Curious Incident.
All of your June reads are on my wish list...except for Grapes of Wrath - somehow missed it through school and haven't ever felt deprived!
The first time I saw Undress Me In The Temples of Heaven in a bookstore, I walked by it and was like, "Whaaatt?"
But after reading the synopsis it sounds interesting.
oo loved hearing about how you picked your books! Have fun reading this month :-)
I would say, nix the Great Gatsby, especially if you read it in high school. I read it in college and didn't think it was all that great. Maybe as a literary commentary, sure, but as an enjoyable read? Not so much.
I'll have to look into this Temples of Heaven. Sounds interesting and I love reading about other cultures!
The Moon In the Mango Tree is on my wish list!
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