Currently reading
Villette
Unknown Quantity: A Real and Imaginary History of Algebra
A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena: A Novel
Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West
It speaks well to the author's skill that I ignored my husband for hours and simply could not put this book down -- reading it in a single evening -- when I've known how the story ends since watching the Ken Burns special in junior high...and I'm 32 years old. The writing is superlative, especially for such a well-worn topic. Bravo, Mr. Rarick!
Death Comes to Pemberley
I have not read any other of James' work so I came in with few preconceptions. I know this sort of homage can be dreadful, so as a huge P & P fan, I was wary. Fellow readers, I absolutely loved it.
The History of Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
This was a lovely little read. Aside from giving me new things to explore in mathematics, it was great to make the acquaintance of Oxford's "Very Short Introduction" books. I am definitely game to read more titles in this series.
The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories
This book made me hungry! A wonderful addition to the shelves of any Laura Ingalls fan.
Dear John
Sometimes you need deep fried Twinkies. And sometimes you need a Nicholas Sparks novel. Capiche?
Unfortunate Emigrants: Narratives of the Donner Party
A most intriguing compilation and by a librarian to boot! Pick this one up if you spent hours playing "Oregon Trail" in the late 80s and you had the secret desire to play pioneer.
The Time Traveler's Wife
I just read this book because for some reason, I knew that I really wanted to see the movie, and I therefore knew that I'd better read the book first. Oh. My. God. I don't remember the last time a book made me sob. Read it, people, and savor it.
Crimson Petal and the White
What an enjoyable read this was. If you need some summer "just for fun," reading, I definitely recommend this one. Faber's atmospheric re-creation of the seamier side of Victorian London is delicious.
Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement
This was an interesting read, sort of how my reading earlier this year of Anne Coulter's latest book was "interesting." If you've ever wondered why the Duggar family is so popular, well, here you go. Some of it is disturbing, to say the least, particularly with respect to some of the teachings on domestic violence. One assumes or at least hopes that those views are not representative of such families as a whole.
Working Class Women In The Academy
I started this a while ago, and it's proving to be a good read. There is a lot in here that I relate to, and I think it would have been really useful to have read this at the beginning of my college career instead of 6 years later. This volume is basically individual narratives, so I think a good companion volume would help, one that tied all the theory and application together. (I must really mean that, because the last time I asked the universe to give me more academic theoretical writing was like, never.)
Dark Half, The
When I originally encountered a friend's copy of this book in 6th grade, the cover and its description made me think that it was boring. That impression stuck with me until this week. Judging a book by its cover is stupid, but in a way, it's a good thing that I didn't read it back then. I probably would've never gone to sleep with the light off again. If you need a good, scary read, pick "The Dark Half" up without delay. If you're feeling really brave, pick up "The Dark Half" AND go rent Hitchcock's "The Birds."
Jude the Obscure (Dover Thrift Editions)
Boy, was this depressing. It was very good but very bleak (as one might surmise from the so very uplifting title). I did meet one of the most revolting characters I've ever encountered, so that was interesting. And I found the 'yearning for learning' theme quite compelling. I'm sure that I disagree with Hardy on some fundamental points regarding the human condition, but nevermind -- 'twas a good, quite entertaining read.
Harry Potter, Special Edition (6 Volumes)
I don't have this particular set, but I do have the individual titles in it. I just figured this was more efficient than listing each one separately. Like the other 2.3 billion people who also love Harry Potter, I am eagerly waiting for the Deathly Hallows (pre-ordered from Amazon, tee-hee).
I Is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan
Journalist Kathy Gannon was the first Western reporter inside Kabul after the U.S. started bombing following 9/11. This account provides a glimpse of her 18 years reporting for the AP on Pakistan and Afghanistan, and she has a detailed account of the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Normally I avoid contemporary political non-fiction. I picked this one up because the author's stepdaughter is a former roommate and close friend of mine. Once I started, however, the book captured me in entirely on its own. I am nearly done and highly recommend it to anyone who seeks a bit more understanding as to what is going on in Afghanistan and by extension, the "War on Terror." It is short, compelling, highly readable, and it leaves you sick to realize how much history can repeat itself.
Other Worlds of Isacc Asimov
I'm a sucker for short fiction, and this little anthology is loads of fun! To my scifi-loving friends, I highly recommend it if you can find it. And if you can't, let me know and we'll arrange a lending by post (which, incidentally, is how I read "[b:Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince|1|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)|J.K. Rowling|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515PAWDZTEL._SL75_.jpg|2962987]").
