I love to read. I didn’t really have a good book mentor growing up, though. I just read whatever I could get my hands on. So instead of classics and meaningful, childhood literature, there was a lot of Amelia Bedelia, Ramona Quimby, and Sweet Valley Twins. And yes, later it was Sweet Valley High. I still can’t hear the name Lila without thinking of snobby Lila Fowler which leads to red-headed Enid, sensible Elizabeth and Bruce Patman (who bears a strange resemblance to Tony Danza in my head.)
I was planning a post about some books I have read this year, but then I thought “Oh wait. I haven’t read any books this year.” Any. I’ve read paragraphs. And maybe even a few chapters here and there. Unless I can count Dora Goes to the Beach. But I don’t think I can. So I was planning to reflect on some of the words I’ve read this year that have been meaningful to me. Then I checked out my friend Kari‘s blog and saw that she wrote a post about the books she’s read. There were 13 of them…for January. Total, she has read 152 books. In a year. True business. I do not lie. I think she might be my hero. If I remember correctly, the entire Sweet Valley High series is about 152 books long. Not that I would know that.
So even though my repertoire is not nearly as impressive, here are a few books I have started and intend to finish this year.
Among my short list is a daily devotional by Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins. I intend to continue to pick that one up from time to time. It should be called a “from time-to-time devotional”.
Another is Choosing Rest and was written by a local author, Sally Breedlove. I’ve been in the process of reading it for several years now. I’ve not read it in order, which is sort of against all things I believe in (books should be read from beginning to end. There is to be no checking the last page to see if it ends well. Just as movies should be watched in the order intended by the creator ie: Star Wars Episode IV should always come before Episode I because that’s the way it was intended. But I digress.)
I have a fond affection for Jane Austen. I read Pride and Prejudice a long time ago, then re-read it a few years ago and had a renewed love for the English language as well as a tendency to say things like “fond affection”. So I’ve recently picked up Emma and look so forward to getting to know her.
Spinning Straw into Gold is a book I ordered this past summer and am most excited by it. It is by Jane Gould and the sub-title is What Fairy Tales Reveal About the Transformations in a Woman’s Life. And since I spend a lot of time with princesses these days, this is a fascinating read so far. I’ve only read the first 2 chapters…but it oozes with quotable quotes.
There are a few other books I have picked up this year, but the covers weren’t nearly as colorful and wouldn’t have looked good in the photo above. I feel the need to confess that, what with all the warnings about judging and all.
Kari says
January 8, 2008 at 10:06 PMWhile Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen book, I think Emma is actually her best book. Fun times for you!
Megan says
January 8, 2008 at 10:17 PMHi Emily,
I have absolutely nothing to contribute to your post on books other than I remember well the Sweet Valley High series….which reminded me of the Babysitters Club (were you a fan?)–some good literature there!
I just wanted to introduce myself because I came across your blog maybe about a month ago (I can’t really remember now the rabbit trail that brought me here) and have been loving it. You write so well and I feel like I can relate to a lot of your thought processes. Anyway, I had included a link to your blog on mine and discovered today that that is considered rude in the blogging world without getting permission. So here I am, delurking, to see if you mind that if I link to you? And to say hi and love your blog!
Heidi (minnesotamom.wordpress.com) says
January 8, 2008 at 11:17 PMI totally remember Sweet Valley Twins and High. Lila headed up that group of girls who wore purple. If I remember correctly, Jessica was a part of that clique for awhile. Sad, the things I remember about the trash I read when I was young!
I read Emma (in college?) and found it incredibly boring…it’s the only book of Jane Austen’s I’ve read, and it probably will remain that way. While I adore the movies made from her books, I have to admit that Emma seemed to drag ON and ON. Maybe I just got used to the fluff of the Sweet Valley and Babysitter’s Club genre, where things were always resolved neatly in about 200 pages. Perhaps those “nutritious as a Twinkie” books are also why I didn’t read fiction for 6 years. At any rate, I’m always open to suggestions!
chickadee says
January 8, 2008 at 11:40 PMi love emma. last year, i rather ambitiously, decided i’d do a post a month on the books i read. i started off well, but somehow got distracted and never finished. i always have hopes of keeping up with the books i’ve read each year and never do. sigh. maybe this year. thanks for the reminder.
The Nester says
January 9, 2008 at 7:46 AMI loved the part about the book covers not looking very good on you blog. That really spoke to me. See you in a couple hours!
emily says
January 9, 2008 at 6:39 PMHi Megan!
Thanks for the many compliments and the link…so you’re supposed to ask people if you can do that? I had no idea. Lurk and link away as far as I’m concerned 🙂 Hope to see you here again…
cath says
January 9, 2008 at 8:54 PMOk, first of all – who told you that Ramona Quimby was NOT classical literature…because in my mind it is. Of course, that could be why Miss Hen never liked me.
I love Mr. Darcy and therefore am sure that Emma is a good read as well.
I look forward to reading your book about princesses as I now live with two of my very own.
emily says
January 9, 2008 at 9:07 PMMiss Hen never liked you? aww…poor cath. I can’t think of her without also thinking of Hester Prynne.
emily says
January 9, 2008 at 9:08 PMyikes, i just realized how that sounds. you know what i mean…you know what i mean, right?
Aubrey says
January 10, 2008 at 1:06 PMI didn’t know it was rude to put links on my blog without permission either–do you mind if I put yours on mine? I also like how you write–you’re entertaining and your house looks just as lovely as your sister’s, and I love looking at your photos.
I am a voracious (more like addicted) reader and have read several of Jane Austen’s works, but Emma’s one of her earlier works and is a little slow (kind of like this comment), but I really like Persuasion–it’s my favorite.
Aubrey says
January 10, 2008 at 1:38 PMI lived in Ogden when I was first married, but now we live in Kaysville–it’s only 15 minutes south of Ogden. I wasn’t a huge fan of living there.
If I went on Oprah–would they do my hair and make-up for me? I’m really sick of doing my own hair these days, but it doesn’t really matter because I don’t get out very often.
Aubrey says
January 10, 2008 at 1:40 PMDo you know someone in Ogden? Lately I’ve been wishing I was where you are–we’ve had non-stop snow since Dec 1. It probably sounds nice, but it’s really not after awhile.
cath says
January 10, 2008 at 8:52 PMOf course I know what you mean, but it is funny to just read that sentence :).
Loreluca says
January 12, 2008 at 10:36 AMI can’t remember the last time I read a WHOLE book, but I remember the last time I picked one up was in 2005, when I was pregnant with Connor and I’d ride the train to Chicago on interpreting assignments. I was able to read for 1 hour two times a day. I would read all the way to my car. I was almost run over a couple of times. I LOVE reading… but i don’t expect to have time for a book until Connor is 10 or more… Until then, please feel free to share your readings in your blog!