[Note: This was my third day in a row of writing for an hour in the morning before going online! I’ve decided to use the graphic to the right to continue to post my progress toward 30 consecutive days of building this and later new writing habits.]
I love Sundays! I was going to write, “especially in the summer,” but that’s not true. I love Sundays in the fall and winter and spring, too. With Sunday morning comes the expansive feeling of having hours ahead of me to think, to tinker, to shop for groceries with my husband, to spend time with my family, and to cook. What I look forward to most, however, is Sunday reading. Sunday is a day when I dip into the stacks of potential novels from the library that I’ve collected throughout the week, eager to see what surprises and new friends await me there.
What are you reading this summer? Here are a few fiction titles I’ve read, am reading, and plan to read, along with pithy seven-word reviews:
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski
Ecco, 2009 (reprint edition)
Haunting, graceful tale of love and loyalty. (more here)
Tell Us We’re Home, by Marina Budhos
Atheneum, 2010
Review: Three outsiders seek belonging, understanding and friendship. (more here; also see the recent New York Times Magazine essay on why adults are turning to children’s and young adult fiction)
Shadow Tag, by Louise Erdrich
Harper Collins, 2010
Review: A family’s intense, heart-breaking journey toward resolution.
The Hungry Season, by T. Greenwood
Kensington Books, 2010
I am in the process of reading this and will probably finish today, but here is my review thus far: Lucid prose tells a sensual, well-paced story.
Next on my book shelf: Re-read The Hours, by Michael Cunningham, paying particular attention to how he handles the three POVs and time lines.
Congrats! – It’s not for writing, though I think I should start a habitat for that to, but I started a habitat of reading at least 10 pages per day of The Dragon Knight. Some of these titles look like good reads – which would you recommend reading first?
What do you think of The Dragon Knight so far? One of the best things I did a couple of years ago was get back into the habit of reading. I never stopped reading, not really, but not until I decided to re-read all of the Harry Potter books (and read a couple for the first time), so that I could discuss them with my son before he left for college, did I start carving out long stretches of time for reading in the way I did as a child. It’s been heaven!
In terms of which to read first, it would depend on the reader’s mood, I think. I just realized, looking at the books I listed, that Sawtelle, Shadow Tag,, and The Hungry Season are all very emotionally intense books. Even a little draining, so unless one is in the mood for that sort of thing, Tell Us We’re Home is a bit more upbeat.
Have you read Tamsin, by Peter Beagle? http://www.peterbeagle.com/books/tamsin/ For some reason I think you’d like it. 😉
First, sorry for saying habitat instead of habit – brain fried : P. Anyway, The Dragon Knight is really great, it’s the second book from the Dragon and the George. The only thing is, I’ve been reading alot of books lately that are quick and straight to the point, were Gordon R. Dickson writes in detail. So, I have to slow down a bit – something I no longer use to.
I haven’t read Tamsin, but after reading the webpage I have to get it! I’ll also pick up a copy of Tell US We’re Home to start with.
Fried brain is my state du jour. 🙂
I think I’ll read The Dragon and the George soon. I love getting book suggestions, especially for titles I wouldn’t necessarily find on my own!
If you need help finding the Dragon and the George (it was published in the 1950’s), just let me know – but I know amazon has it for sure : ).