Summer reading reminds of Miss
Hawk’s third grade class, when she told us we had to read over the summer
or we would fall behind in fourth grade.
I got a “U” for unsatisfactory in
cursive handwriting in third grade. So, I was already traumatized, and the
reading list did me in. I don’t remember what we read but I know I finished it
the first week we were on vacation.
There is something relaxing about
reading a book, especially when you’re relaxing on the beach. So, over four
decades later I still select books to read over the summer so I don’t fall
behind.
I know, you won’t be shocked –
since I am your resident nerd – but some of the books I have read (and are
sharing with you today) are work related.
The three books that are in my nerd
category are:
- The Oz Principle
- Talk Like Ted
- Do the KIND Thing
The Oz Principle was given to me by a former Children’s
Specialized Hospital employee who thought I would enjoy it. It is all about
challenging your beliefs about individual and organizational accountability.
Talk Like Ted is about the secrets of public speaking. Although
I do a lot of public speaking, the State Chamber Chair will require me to speak
to groups outside of health care. So, this book will definitely help me step up
my game.
Do the KIND Thing is written by the Founder and CEO of KIND,
the company that makes those incredible granola bars. The thing that caught me
about this book is not only that I love those little bars but the cover had the
following words in a circle “Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, and Live
Passionately.”
That was it! I was in. See after
turning the age of 50, I have started to wonder: I know I work hard and am
always busy, but am I truly paying attention to all aspects of my life? I don’t
think it is possible to run full throttle in all areas at the same time,
but I don’t want to wake up at the age of 60 and say, “Where the heck did the
last decade go????”
I’m a pretty frequent customer of
Amazon, so I went to the site to check out their
summer reading list to add a little FUN to my summer reading.
My first Kindle purchase this
season was The Vacationers. It’s a
story of a family vacation to celebrate the parents’ 35th wedding
anniversary. It seems interesting but the cover caught my eye, so I’ll let you
know when I’m done how it was.
My second purchase was Beautiful Ruins because it is set in
Italy and that is where I celebrated my BIG birthday last year.
On my radar for later in the
summer is Sue Grafton’s new book X.
It comes out on August 25 and I am impatiently waiting for the launch!
Since the summer months are in
full swing, I’m going to need some recommendations. So, what are you
reading this summer, and why?
Also, if anyone wants to borrow
the Janet Evanovich hard cover books with Stephanie Plum – I think I have
almost all of them!!! I am always in for a good book swap!
11 comments:
I'm currently reading "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins. Complete page turner (or screen swiper) so far!!!
I read Pines by Blake Crouch which is a really interesting suspense/thriller about a town that is a little different, almost like Stephen King's Undaer the Dome. It is the first book of the Wayward Pines series that spawned the TV show of the same name. I just started reading Wayward which is the second book in the series.
A "cult" read is The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. The title alone explains what the book is about. You will literally want to discard everything that you own.
I’m never without a book (and Janet Evanovich is always a fun laugh). My recent favorites have been One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. One of the authors I fall back on for a light and quick read is Sarah Addison Allen. She writes reality based books with just enough fantasy to make you dream – it’s not “fine literature” but fits the bill for a relaxing read. Happy Reading!
I had started reading "Beautiful Ruins" but coudn't get into it so I stopped. Might to to try it again.
I take after my mother and grandmother in that I'm a big bookworm myself. Lately, I have found I'm hooked to books about and centered around dogs. I love "Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul" and I'm currently reading "Chicken Soup for the Soul - My Dog's Life." Both are full of stories dog lover's shared about their beloved pets.
I've previously read and would reccoemnd Nick Trout's "The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs," or especially Bruce Cameron's, "A Dog's Journey," and "A Dog's Purpose."
Lighter reading, but reminds us dog lovers of how much we love our four-legged friends.
I just started reading, "Becoming the Beach Boys" written by James Murphy, a veterinarian who is married to my cousin. One book reviewer stated, "The main goal of Becoming the Beach Boys is to examine the band’s earliest years to clear up the multitudinous misconceptions about that era." We so proud of Jim's talent - in an Annapolis, MD community theater he starred as Jake in Neil Simon's play, "Jake's Women" and had lead roles in independent films: Boxing Day and 6 Nonsmokers.
I belong to a book club and one of our favorites is Defending Jacob by William Landay. This one is about a lawyer who has to defend his 15 year old son. Another favorite but hard to take (especially if you have a teenaged son) was We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. This one is a little wordy at first but was one of our best discussions!
Happy reading!!
Diane
I just read, "Blink", and The Power of Habit, which I loved, and "All the Light We Cannot See",which was physically painful at times, and left me feeling very sad. I'm reading "Goldfinch" now...it's just OK, so I'm getting ready to read the last chapter to see if i like how it ends...if not it goes back to the library. Cued up on my kindle are "The Story of Jacob","Nightingale" and "The Invention of Wings". I love summer reading!
I forgot one really good one: "One More Step" by Bonner Paddock. An especially good read for those people training for the NYC marathon. It's about the first man with Cerebral Palsy to hike Mount Kilimanjaro and complete the Iron man in Kona....and all to raise money for his local CP center.
I just finished "The Vacationers." It was pretty good. Tracy Brogans "Crazy Little Thing" is a recent read that I totally LOVED!!
I've read Penguin and Pinecone several times this summer already. My daughter loves it. :)
I love to hear what people are reading and/or recommend!
A few of my recommendations:
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (great book for anyone who runs and/or is a physical therapist)
- Mirror to America by historian (and an amazing man whom I admire greatly) John Hope Franklin
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving - you can't help but fall in love with the main character
- Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - we've all read it, but it never gets old!
- Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read)
- Black Boy by Richard Wright (one of my favorites)
- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (a beautiful surprise)
- The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho are both great books for club book as they are relatively short but will no doubt lead to great discussions
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