Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Five: Books!

Jan over at Revgalblogpals has this Friday Five game for us:

I hope some of you received books for Christmas presents; I did and have been reading ever since. Then I discovered a new author from those recommendations that pop up on Amazon.com. Instead of buying those books, I've been checking them out at the library, which will not help Amazon's future recommendations for me at all.



So tell us what you're reading, what you would and would not recommend--five books or authors! And if you don't want to do that freestyle, here are some questions:


1. What books have you recently read? Tell us your opinion of them.
I did not receive books for Christmas, but I did receive gift cards, and am making use of them (both for real and ebooks).
I recently read a children's book called "Forge," the second in a series by Laurie Anderson, about two African-american young people seeking their own freedom at the time of the U.S. Revoluationary War.  The first book is "Chains," and features a young girl, Isabelle, who was supposed to be set free in her master's will, but was not.  The second book follows more closely her friend, "Curzon," who ends up fighting with the troops at Valley Forge."  (I also read the third Chet and Bernie mystery, "To Fetch a Thief"; very fun, and told from the dog's point of view.)  I just finished re-reading A Wrinkle in Time as well...

2. What books are awaiting your available time to be read?
I have an e-wish list that includes "Mennonite in a Little Black Dress," "Room," "The Grace of Silence," among others....

3. Have any books been recently recommended?
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by a new member of my book group.
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand (just recommended at Saturday Bible Study)
Eat, Pray, Love (no, I haven't read it yet, or, seen the movie.)

4. What genre of books are your favorite, along with some titles and/or authors you like best?
For fun, I love a good mystery.  I also love young adult novels these days and memoirs.  I'm fascinated by memoirs:  is everyone writing a memoir, or what?  I always love a good novel.  I've been re-reading some of the "Little House" books lately.

5. What have you read lately that you have a strong urge to recommend? (or to condemn)
I really liked "Forge", as you can tell.  I also read "The Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay".  Though it wasn't perfect, I thought it was beautifully written.

9 comments:

LoieJ said...

I bought Eat, Pray, Love, but before I read it, I saw the movie. I didn't like the movie, nor was I drawn to the character. Now I don't want to read it either.

Rev. Pink Dragon said...

A Wrinkle in Time... I LOVE that series. I just got a few books in the series that stems from that, Meet the Austins, etc. M. L'engle is one of my favorites for her fiction.

Barbara B. said...

I think you would LOVE "The Elegance of the Hedgehog"!

Wendy said...

As I mentioned in my post, I just started re-reading A Wrinkle in Time. Yay for L'Engle!!

I'd love to teach a class in memoir sometime. We always do a unit on it in freshman comp, but I'd love to do a whole English/Creative Writing crossover that would explore what memoir means, issues of Fact vs. Truth, why we read/write them, and then offer the opportunity for students to write pieces themselves.

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

memoirs... and memoirs about dog's lives are popular too! does the popularity & prevalence of these speak to our need for narratives that shape us? where indeed does the narrative of faith fit in? mmm... *sigh*

Diane M. Roth said...

Hotcup, I have been asking some of the same questions about memoirs.... we should talk. (sit down for a cup of coffee?)

Jan said...

I'm taking your young adult recommendations seriously and plan to read them. "Elegance--" is a good book! I only saw the movie for "Eat, Pray, Love." So glad you got gift cards for Christmas!

Terri said...

It took me awhile to get into Elegance of the Hedghog, but once I did, I really enjoyed it! Also, I did like "Eat, Pray, Love" - but I have not seen the movie, nor will I until it ends up on television for free (I think the movie doesn't do the book justice). In the book I appreciated her journey from sorrow to prayer to love because it mirrored a bit what my life was (is) like...and compelled me to start meditating again. Of course I would have loved to have had her contract to travel and get paid for moving through my grief....LOL

But I have heard its the sort of book one likes or not....not much gray...

Pastor Joelle said...

All these mystery lovers! Never care much for it myself. too impatient I think