1200households

Looking for a good book recommendation?  While we can’t make any promises that you’ll like what we’re reading, we’re happy to share our reading list with you… which may or may not include witty side commentary where appropriate.  In the absence of high speed internet and cable entertainment, reading quickly becomes a favorite pastime.  Just like it used to be.

You may notice some repeats on this list.  Give us a break, we’re working with a limited selection… and just think, you might get multiple perspectives on the same book!  Lucky you.

Currently being read:

Amy Pickering: Twilight…

• Almost done with Super Freakonmics Amy picked up Twilight as a fast and entertaining beach read…
• Super Freakonomics by Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner: Amy who was wishy-washy about her first pick has taken up reading Super Freakonmics.  Apparently she is also still working on the first book.  In response to the praise of “Wow, you’re reading two books at a time.” Amy quipped, “OR not reading both…”   Amy loves style of the freakonmics books and couldn’t resist it when she saw it show up on the shelf.  We’ll see if the “Super” lives up to its name.
• Red Earth and Pouring Rain by Vikram Chandra: Amy is just starting this book so she couldn’t give us any more info other than that she is skeptical she’ll be able to finish it because of the work she’ll be swamped starting with training this coming Monday.  But we’ll see.

Sara Piaskowy: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

• Heralded as one of the classic love stories our time high expectations abound.  The first 30 pages seemed a bit of a let down as the daily trappings of Dr. Urbino seemed nothing out of the ordinary.  However, at page 57 the book took an incredibly unexpected turn and hooked the reader like a skilled fisherman.
• Slow Man by J.M. Coetzee:  Sara also just started her book so she can’t comment on whether she likes it or not.  The basic summary is a story about a guy who loses his leg in a car accident and how he adapts to life.  In any case, Sara is excited because she really like the other book she read by J.M. Coetzee titled Elizabeth Costello.  Also, coming from the US where the pace of life can be dizzying, reading a book called Slow Man sounds really intriguing… especially when in Africa where life moves to rhythm of a slower beat.
  • Slowman was, in a word, interesting.  It’s slightly somber beginning tone continued throughout the book.  The main character’s stubbornness and aversion to change was frustrating at times.  The best part of the book was when the main character from another J.M. Coetzee novel Elizabeth Costello makes an appearance.  Elizabeth’s commentary on life and pearls of wisdom make for excellent sound bites!

Mia Mattioli: Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz

• Devouring books one at a time, Mia is on to Conferdates in the Attic which was at one point recommended reading for the entire incoming class at  University of Georgia.
• Three Junes by Julia Glass was the next book Mia took up to read.  Starting out on a Greek Island, it at first reminded Mia of her recent honeymoon.  However, the death of the main character’s husband as well as continued deaths in the characters family was enough to make Mia not want to finish the book.  In fact, one night she stopped with only three pages left simply because she didn’t like it!  Needless to say this was not a book she will be listing as a must read…
• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: Mia is currently 120 pages into this 600 page epic novel.  The million dollar question is will she finish?  According to Mia, it is a true page turner and so far is living up to the good reviews and hype of the book.  The book is a crime novel and is the first of three in the Millennium Trilogy published after the death of the author who was a Swedish journalist, writer, and political activist.  Mia loves novels and the escape they provide from the pressures of real life.  She likes to pick books based on reviews and best seller lists in the San Francisco Chronicle and New York Times.  Sounds a like a good plan!
  • Mia finished this book with gusto, but was not very happy with the story as a whole.  To her it seemed lacking in a way and she is not keen to read the other books in this trilogy.

Angela Harris: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

• Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel: Angela is just getting into this fantastic love story based around food.  It’s all about cooking… but not just any cooking; cooking where the emotions of the cook get folded into the recipe causing the food have interesting affects on the those who eat it.  After just finishing the twisted teenage love story, Twilight, Angela hopes this book will appeal to a little more refined taste.  She does report, however, that the main character’s favorite recipe sounds disgusting.  Admittedly, that not bode well for the rest of the story, but we’ll let you know how it all turns out.
  • Congrats to Angela for finishing her first read, Like Water for Chocolate.  Her response to the story was that she was unimpressed and thought it was kind of weird.  This surprised the others in the group who have also read it and really liked it.  C’est la vie.  Understandably, at present Angela is taking a little break before choosing her next book.

Micheal Harris:  Three cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin

• The whole reading the same physical book at the same time as someone else proved to be a little more inconvenient than anticipated. Anyone else not surprised?  Michael has since moved on to best-seller Three Cups of Tea which chronicles the real story of Greg Mortensen and his endeavor to build schools in the highlands of Pakistan.  According to Michael, he likes learning the back story to the drama that currently engulfs the region.  It’s very eye-opening.

• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: Mia’s book selection sounded so appealing Michael couldn’t help but jump on the band wagon.  Instead of starting his own book, Michael stealthily reads Mia’s book when she’s not around…  Waste not, want not.  There were no further comments from the book thief.