- Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? by James Shapiro. Shapiro's consensus, oddly enough, is that William Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. (A lot of people don't buy that.)
- Home, by Marilynne Robinson. I read her Gilead a couple of years ago. This book takes a minor character and plot line from that novel and retells it from that characters point of view.
- The Taqwacores, by Michael Muhammad Knight. It's been described as a Muslim Catcher in the Rye. Who could resist a description like that?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
What Else Will You Be Reading this Summer?
I always look forward to the end of the school year because it means that I'll have time to do a little reading. Books that I have piled up so far include:
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I have to admit that, despite not having started any of my assigned summer reading books (okay, it's still June), I have started my summer reading. First, I'm rereading Gone with the Wind, which should take me a while. I really wanted to read it in the middle of last year but I didn't have time. Then, I'm going to read Catch-22 because it keeps showing up in Sporcle literature quizzes and I haven't read it yet. After that I might read 1984 because it seems interesting. After that, I'll read whatever else catches my eye!
ReplyDelete-Beverly Naigles
Beverly Naigles, I adore you.
ReplyDeleteHaha and hooray for unstructured summer reading! I just finished Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - and I'll leave it at - you haveeeeeeeeeeeeee to read it! Emphasis on the the 'HAVE to'.
- Samantha Mairson <3
I'll be reading three books for AP Euro this summer in addition to the three books for English. I've finished A Moon for the Misbegotten and Goldengrove already in an attempt to finish the assigned summer reading as quickly as possible to allow time to read a book of my choice! Besides the book Sam recommended, does anyone have any books that caught their attention? I hope everyone's having a great summer, by the way!
ReplyDeleteI just ordered a copy of Eoin Colfer's _And Another Thing_, the sixth book in the _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ trilogy by the late Douglas Adams. For anyone who likes science and/or engineering, fiction, science fiction, and comedy, this trilogy is the pleasure reading for you!
ReplyDelete-- Sol Boucher
I just finished The Kite Runner and it was awesome. I'm starting Numbers now. It looks really interesting so far (I'm actually only 5 pages in though). I also want to read some books by Jodi Picoult - I have read My Sister's Keeper and it was my favorite book ever, so now I'm trying to decide which one of her many other books to read (Vanishing Acts, Nineteen Minutes, or Handle With Care?)
ReplyDelete~Stephanie Knowlton
I'm also reading the books for AP Euro, like Olivia. But before I started any of the required reading, I finished In Cold Blood, because we were assigned a part of it to read in English at the end of the year. I really enjoyed it, and I was fascinated by the whole non-fiction novel idea. I want to read more, not just about crime, but about anything really. Any one know of any??
ReplyDeleteI'm also going to read some Sherlock Holmes and I have a Mysterious Press anthology of short stories, as anything from either of those can be read in a day, and won't distract me too much from what we’re actually being graded on!
I can’t say I’ll miss summer reading in college. I have a laundry list of books I’d love to read (to which everything Thomas Hardy and several things Francine Prose have been added), but times so squeezed during the school year, you can’t get much pleasure reading done.
Besides the required books for Honors English, I want to read a few of the books on the extra credit reading sheet which everyone received at the end of the school year.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I plan on reading Stephen King's novel Carrie. I saw the movie a few years ago with my older brother, and I was SCARED OUT OF MY MIND, so now I want to see how the book compares to the film. As weird and creepy as it may sound, I love uberscary-suspenseful-murder-horror-gore-books, (the kind that make me afraid to walk around my own house or even fall asleep at night) so if I come across any of those this summer, I'll definitely be reading them. The scarier, the better.
I also am dying to read Water for Elephants, since the movie version of this novel is coming out very soon starring ROBERT PATTINSON! I want to be able to have read the book before I watch the movie, for comparison purposes. Sam: it's great to hear that you thought so highly of the book! Maybe we can go watch the movie together and drool over Rob! ;)
- Liz Elliott
Well, I decided to save a couple bucks and buy my summer reading books used off Amazon at the beginning of the summer. Of course it would have worked out a lot better if during the end of the school year I had decided to get the Summer Reading Assignment from you instead of assuming that the assignments would remain the same from year to year. It really wasn’t the brightest moment of my life. So basically I’ll be spending the next two weeks reading Enchanted Night by Steven Millhauser and In The Beauty of the Lilies by John Updike while waiting for Goldengrove and The Return of the Native to be sent my house.
ReplyDeleteBesides that I just recently finished reading Switching Time by Richard Baer, which is a true story about a woman with 17 different personalities. The book was really intense, and pretty disturbing, but I’m fascinated by the mind’s ability to react to different situations so I greatly enjoyed it.
I’ll also probably read Comfortably Numb by Charles Barber. It’s about how pharmaceutical companies continuously look for new reasons to create drugs to medicate the population of United States and how the majority of psychologists don’t look for the underlying issues causing the difficulties in people’s lives. They often just put the temporary bandage of a drug to cover it up.
Finally the last book I’m planning on reading is We Feel Fine by Sep Kamvar and Jonathan Harris. Ok, I’ll admit, to untrained eye, it looks like a giant book of pictures. But there is a ton of information on each page, so it’s going to take me awhile.
--Melissa Kenney
So whenever I'm feeling uninspired or bored or hopeless (feelings that should never be felt in the summer!), I pick up my favorite book and reread it. I'll be doing that this summer, but only because I think it will be a comforting thing to do right before the whirlwind of senior year really kicks into gear. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks does that for me. No matter how many times I read it, it is just as interesting as the first time. When I finish it, I feel like starting it back up right away. It might be sappy, but the message of love and hope it brings along with it, makes it the most touching book I have ever read. I'm scared to see the movie because I don't want to ruin how much the book means to me. Hopefully that won't happen. I'm excited to read this and a few other books that catch my eye throughout the summer!
ReplyDelete-Sarah Anischik
I have so many books on my reading list that it makes me sad because I know I won't be able to read them all before the summer is over. I'm the kind of person who loves to reread books as well as the new books. For instance, for the past three summers, I've been wanting to reread the Harry Potter series but I haven't gotten to them during any of the summers. I'm hoping to get to read The Passage this summer. I've already read A Blue So Deep which was nothing I thought it would be, but still good, and I'm reading The Missing Girl at the current moment. It's a little weird. I'm not sure how I like it yet, but I'll keep reading to fins out.
ReplyDeleteI went to Barnes & Nobel at the end of June to buy the Required Reading books and to look for any books that might catch my eye. I used to be an avid fantasy reader in middle school, but I lost momentum around my freshman year and I've really struggled to regain interest. I'd like to say I've amassed a myriad of new books to pore over under the summer sun, but I really haven't. Thank you guys for reminding me of the suggested reading list, I will definitely be downloading that and checking out some of the titles in an attempt to get back into books!
ReplyDeleteThe only times I've really had time to sit down and read were while travelling. While on my way to Maine to visit colleges and spend a week with my cousins, I read through the "Wicked" series by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié. There are four installments in the series, each composed of an average of 300 pages. The plot is an enticing mixture of fantasy and horror, bringing the dark legacy of the witches and warlocks of old into the present, with awe-inspiring results. After the tragic death of her parents and only friend, a teenager named Holly is catapulted into an intergenerational fued between her late family and a vicious group of blood cultists.
It sounds pretty nerdy, I agree, but Holder and Viguié sure as heck know how to make a nerdy plot totally immersive and awesome. Their writing is simultaneously lucid and elaborate, every scene is sculpted out in perfect detail.
Does anyone else find reading easier and faster when accompanied by a good iPod playlist? I know I never could've pumped out 1200 pages in 10 hours without my tunes :)
-Billy Sprout
BILLY - HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY READ WITH MUSIC?! My brother is the same way. I have tried to read and listen to my iPod at the same time, and all I can focus on is singing along with the lyrics. Props to you for being able to do that.
ReplyDelete- Liz Elliott
Liz- I'm not really sure how, it just seems like familiar music is a really good source of white noise to help me concentrate on the book.
ReplyDeleteI've also never felt the urge to sing along with my iPod. Maybe it's a girl thing ;)
Also, feud*
-Billy Sprout
I agree: singing along to an iPod IS probably a girl thing, but I must admit that I HAVE heard my brother belt out Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" once or twice. Haha!
ReplyDelete- Liz Elliott
This summer I want to read Francine Prose’s book Reading Like a Writer, and if there’s time The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest and The Girl Who Played With Fire (not sure if that’s the right order or not). I read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo a couple years ago, right after it came out (and before it blew up!) but I had no idea it was a series. Don’t know if I want to see the movies though, because the books can get pretty creepy, but I’m not a scary movie person. The coolest part about the whole series is that the author, Stieg Larrson died before any of them were published.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Liz, reading with music is tough. I flip between concentrating on one and then the other, and then I just give up completely.
This summer I managed to read both Bernard Cornwall's Crackdown and Wildtrack, Corsair by Clive Cussler, as well as Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight. This was mainly done during my camping trip to New Hampshire and my trip to see my sister in upstate New York. I am hoping to have enough time after the required stuff to reread Tracing the Shadow and read Flight into Darkness both by Sarah Ash. I disagree with Liz and Kelsey, I've never had a problem reading with any noise. It just fades into the background as I get sucked into the book
ReplyDeleteJust curious, why do we need a capcha for a blog?
ReplyDeleteKeeps the naughty spammers away. By the way, Alex, I just visited Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and you may be interested to know that reCAPTCHA was invented by the computer science department there.
ReplyDelete-- Sol Boucher
"dangerous days of daniel x" by james patterson
ReplyDeleterereading "rainbow six" and "without remorse" by tom clancy
plenty of stephen king :)
"one shot" by some author I forget.
"reply" to Kelsey
ReplyDeleteI can read in a room with two screaming kids
or a Christmas party in a room of relatives singing karaoke, badly
I've only read one of the summer reading books so far (A Moon for the Misbegotten, and I loved it) but I've been doing a lot more reading than i anticipated I would be this summer. After going to Boy's State, I started reading political books such as Common Sense by Glenn Beck, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken (which actually bashes Republicans), and I'm about to start Obamanation by Jerome R. Corsi. And to those Obama-lovers out there, I'll have you know that I tried reading Change We Can Believe In, which was an outline of Obama's plan to fix America. I found that A) Obama has barely delivered on any of his promises (which is true for most politicians), and B) it was extremely boring, although I doubt that had anything to do with Obama. Anyone who enjoys politics should look at these books. Now that I've ranted, Any suggestions on which to read first between Goldengrove and The Return of the Native?
ReplyDelete-Troy Ciesco
Troy, you would love a Moon for the Misbegotten: farmers, womanizers and drunken Irishmen!
ReplyDeleteNo comment on the politics, but I'd go with Goldengrove.
I also think its interesting that we seem to divided men vs. women on being able to read with distractions or not. Aside from music, I can never read if the TV's on or if my sister's talking to me. It's especially strange because women are better multi-taskers (don't try to argue this one boys, it’s a proven fact).
Troy, knowing you, i am not surprised that you loved "Moon for the Misbegotten" Kelsey said it plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteDid you write this book? maybe under pseudonym?
Yeah, Josh, right after he got back from the war.
ReplyDeleteI personally can't read a book with distractions, but as I'm reading these posts and writing this I'm listening to music (bluegrass, by the way). Maybe it has something to do with the medium I'm reading from.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think I am going to read Goldengrove this weekend. All these political books get tiring.
Also, I went to post a comment about A Moon for the Misbegotten on that page, but found that I was blown away by the depth of other responses, and that I should have written my comment right after I read the book, instead of a month later. So I guess I'll be reading that for the second time before I start Goldengrove!
ReplyDeleteMy reading this summer is basically taken up by assigned books. I made the mistake of waiting two weeks after school ended to start reading, and now I consider myself behind. For some reason, I decided to read the AP Euro books first. Utopia was a quick read (two days) but The Prince was really boring (I know, I said this on another post). It took me a week to read 100 pages. Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteA Distant Mirror was more interesting, but of course much longer. It took me more than two weeks, but I managed to pull through it. Now I'm on to the AP English books, but I won't have much time to read anything else.
And Troy, I'm seriously considering asking you questions about why you are reading some of those books you mentioned, but I'm restraining myself so far. One more mention of them and you'll probably get a long-winded response from me.
Happy reading!
~ Gregory Naigles ~
Melissa- If you are really fascinated with books regarding Multiple Personality Disorder, then you MUST read Mary Higgins Clark's "All Around the Town". I first read it in 7th grade (I believe) after seeing a televised movie version, and I've reread it now probably three times. I love that book. It is undoubtedly one of the most fantastic books I have read, and I may read it again over the rest of the summer.
ReplyDeleteBesides that, I am not quite sure what I will read besides my script of "Godspell" for an upcoming overnight theater camp I will be participating in. If anybody can suggest any pleasurable easy reads I would be grateful!
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading Nineteen Minutes, and it was one of the most amazing books I think I have ever read. I really hope you got the chance to read it this summer, or at least that you'll have a chance to read it soon. I usually don't read books like Nineteen Minutes, but I was literally blown away. I flew through the book. The plot twists are spectacular, I don't want to give anything away, but the feeling of getting into the minds of all the people that experienced the school shooting was just amazing. Next, I'm going to read The Pact by Jodi Picoult and I'm so excited for it. I think I might have a new favorite author!
-Sarah Anischik
II read above that people have been discussing reading with or without distractions. Kelsey, you said that girls tend to not be able to read with distractions and guys can. I would be outside the norm on this one. I have to have the TV on or music or something. I can 't have it be silent or I will become paranoid that I'm being watched, especially at night.
ReplyDeleteDylan, if you like fiction, sci-fi type books, The Passage by Justin Cronin, as I mentioned above, is an awesome book. I haven't finished reading it, but I'm close and I love it! I can't put it down because I'm always drawn into it. I highly recommend it to sci-fi lovers.
Idiot America by Charles P. Pierce
ReplyDeleteCity of thieves by David Benioff
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
All of these Books are very good and all of them are worth reading, whether you have the time or not.
The only other book I've read this summer is Under the Dome by Stephen King. It was over a thousand pages long and one of the best science fiction books I've read. The ending however was pushed and rushed. Overall it was still a great book though.
ReplyDeleteSarah -
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice! I took it and read Nineteen Minutes. Loved, loved, LOVED it. :) I bought Handle With Care to read next and that looks really good too. I'm very excited to read it ... once I finish my essay. ;)
I wanted to Re-read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, but with 6 books and an essay, they had to wait. I also had to put a book I wasn't finished with yet on hold, The English Assassin by Daniel Silva. But I did get some non-fiction done. Failed States and What We Say Goes, both by Noam Chomsky, were good reads, for anyone who's interested in liberal politics.
ReplyDelete