February Reading

booksread

Read = 7

Total 2013 = 14

Goal 53 – 14 = 39 left to go

I got through a few books in the Month of February.   Several thrillers that had to do with dysfunctional teenagers.  I’m not entirely sure how I got on the kick of psychotic teenagers, but I flew through these few novels.

The Dinner by Herman Koch
An International bestseller originally written in Dutch that is set in Amsterdam over the course of a dinner as a disturbing story slowly unfolds between a family.

Defending Jacob by William Landy
A story that is somewhat reminiscent of school children murder mysteries that raises the question of how far would one go to protect or believe the innocence of their child.

Both of these books were riveting, but also disturbing.  I’m not too sure if it was a good idea to read both at the same time because I now have their plots kind of confused in my head.

Other things that I read last month

Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden

The only documented prisoner born in the prison camps of North Korea to have knowingly escaped.  Crazy story.

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

Essays by Nora Ephron on aging and being a woman.  Smart, witty, funny, lovely.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Book set in San Francisco.  Love story with a twist.

The Invisible Circus by Jennifer Egan

I loved this book, but felt that it could have been edited down slightly.  Phoebe goes on a search for some personal truths following the suicide of her older sister.

Tenth of December by George Saunders
Short dark stories.

Things That I Am Currently Reading

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

L. Ron Hubbard freaks me out.  Scientologists freak me out.  This book freaks me out.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

I keep starting this and then stopping it.  I can’t get into it, but I will keep on trying.

Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomon

Finished the first chapter on deafness, it rambled on a little too long which has left me hesitant to start the other bits.

Electronics All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies by Doug Lowe

New nerd obsession.  Probably not meant to be read straight through, but I am doing it anyways because I find it all fascinating.

What I Want to Read

The End of Your Life Book Club by Wil Schwabe

Still haven’t gotten to this one.  I had to take a break from the dying people stories after ‘Me Before You’.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

Short stories.  Supposed to be good.

Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

I would be more excited to read this book if Sheryl was the mother of Adam Sandberg, but I guess I need to form some opinion of her ‘manifesto’ before I can choose to not live by it.

Any Nora Ephron
Cover of "I Feel Bad About My Neck"

She is wonderful.  She is funny.  She is no longer with us and that is a shame because I would love to read her stuff continually   I wish I could write like her.  She is my idol.