Reading is a passion of mine year round, but I seem to find more time to read in the summer than any other season of the year. I feel sure most of you do as well. Here is my reading list for this summer---will note if I have read the book or not---have not read most of them or they wouldn’t be on my list.
THE IMPERFECTIONISTS---love the name of this book and it has received good reviews---about an English newspaper based in Rome and the people who work there.
FIFTH AVENUE, 5 A.M. AND THE DAWN OF THE AMERICAN WOMAN---by Sam Wasson. Read all about the making of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the original little black dress and how this movie changed attitudes towards women in America in the early ‘60’s.
THE FACEBOOK EFFECT---Kirkpatrick says that Facebook is more important than Google in our future---saw him on CNBC last week and it looks fascinating for anyone interested in the power of the Internet and social networking.
THE SECRET LIVES OF SOMERSET MAUGHAM--- I have always been a fan of Syrie Maugham’s design work and a fan of Maugham’s books, I cannot wait to read this book. Apparently, HE was not very fond of HER.
HITCH 22---just bought this on my iPad---am not a huge fan of Christopher Hitchens by any means, but decided to read it to see what in the world makes him tick.
SOLAR----I never miss reading a book by Ian McEwan and I have read this one. I must say that it is my least favorite of all his books. If you haven’t read any of them, read Enduring Love, Saturday, or Atonement unless you think you can relate to a very obnoxious, narcissistic slob who is the main character of Solar. Not sure what McEwan is up to with this book. Would love to visit with him about it. The reason I love McEwan’s work is that there is always a good plot/story with engaging characters. Reading this book was a slog for me as I simply could not relate to the characters.
A GREAT UNRECORDED HISTORY: A NEW LOOK AT THE LIFE OF E. M. FORSTER---two of my all time favorite books and movies are Howard’s End and Room with a View by Forster. This could be an interesting biography.
THE DEPTFORD TRILOGY---by Robertson Davies---ok, I should have read this years ago!, but as one reviewer said “Robertson is the best writer I never heard of”, so quite honestly, I missed this completely until a dear friend of mine who knows how particular I am about writing and story, gave me this trilogy a couple of months ago when I was visiting her in San Francisco. I have just finished Fifth Business, the first in the trilogy as well as The Manticore. Am halfway through World of Wonders. Davies is a wonderful writer in the tradition of Evelyn Waugh with his descriptions of a particular society.
THE BIG SHORT---this book has received fantastic reviews, and I recently talked to a friend who said he could not put it down. Obviously, it’s about our recent financial meltdown.
TOO BIG TO FAIL---by Andrew Sorkin is also supposed to be fascinating---I read the excerpt in Vanity Fair---no wonder HBO is making a movie based on this book. I found the excerpt to be incredibly frightening. We truly were on the brink of the largest financial disaster in history.
A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD---by Jennifer Eagan. I admire her writing style which is quite unique. I loved Look at Me, The Invisible Circus and The Keep----all are quite different. She is the least formulaic contemporary writer I know of.
Happy reading!
Jan