My Week In Books
For a while here on Fridays, I did Top 10 lists of books in various categories, but then, I started to run out of categories. So I just tried doing book reviews, but those didn’t always work if I wasn’t ready to review or had more than one book to throw up here. So I’m going to try a new Friday dealio – “My Week In Books.” I’ll share books I’m reading and a bit about what I think so far . . . or my review if I finished one or two . . . and then I hope you’ll do the same. 🙂
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So this week, I pushed through a book that I’ve been slow to finish – Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight. I love Kingsolver’s work, but this one was just hard for me to get started on. The last 150 pages of the book flew – pardon the pun – but the first 200 . . . goodness, they were hard to sink into. That said, I love the message of the book, love the setting (near my own home), love the characterization. . . I just think it might have needed tightening at the front end.
A book I did LOVE from start to finish was Mildred D. Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. From the moment that Cassie first agitated me (because I am much like her) with her impatience and innocent ignorance to the last scene where I held my breath as I read as quickly as I could. Taylor’s writing is poetic and powerful, and the story she tells both masterfully written and painfully realistic.
I am also savoring two books slowly – The Fisherman by Chigozie Obioma and Life In General by Becca Rowan. Obioma’s book is luxurious with language and tells of the adventures and struggles of four young Nigerian boys. It hasn’t even been released yet, and it’s winning great awards. Rowan’s book is a collection of brief essays that are poignant, honest, and witty. Just a lovely read for when you want to ponder, settle in, and consider.
Finally, last night, I picked up The Known World by Edward P. Jones again after a long time away. I’m starting over because, well, I love the book but just couldn’t let myself slip into when I started it before. The writing here, too, is rich and elegant, and the story hard but beautiful, too. I’ll keep you posted on this one.
Your turn – what are you reading this week?