Making a Literary Life Friday: Pssst!
What are you hearing about the goings on in the book world? Good stuff? What books of summer are you excited about and can't wait to buzzzzzz? We here at the Writers' Group have some picks of our own and we want to hear yours.
Lisa Marnell
It's YA central for me! Now that I'm nearly finished Uglies by Scott Westerfeld - it's an amazing tale - I'll be reading the sequel, Pretties, soon. Then Peeps, Midnighters, gosh he's prolific!
Next, I can't wait to start The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan. I've heard nothing but wonderful praise for this series about a boy who confronts the Greek gods and godesses.
Amy MacKinnon
There are a few books I need to read this summer: Patry's pick Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle, I Still Have It, I Just Can't Remember Where I Put It by Rita Rudner because she me up; and I need to get my hands on a galley of Dennis Lehane's The Given Day, that will be my mission this weekend.
Hannah Roveto
What's new? Scott Heim (We Disappear), Mameve Medwed (Of Men and Their Mothers) and Margot Livesey (The House on Fortune Street) are out and about promoting their books, all of which I highly recommend. They are completely different from each other, so you can move from one to the other without pause and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. At the moment Stephen L. Carter's New England White is being toted everywhere I go, as I am compelled to pack even five minutes in when I can to find out how this unravels! Books on my to-read list this summer include Cynthia Ozick's Dictation, Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth, the posthumous publication by Grace Paley, Fidelity, Gil Adamson's The Outlander, and natch, Tethered. The group saw the last draft of that months ago, and Amy has been teasing us with hints as to what changed across the editing process since. Cannot, cannot wait!
For you quick readers in need of even more suggestions, get Hallie Ephron's 1001 Books for Every Mood. Come on, you can't have read all 1,001 yet, can you? Just a few of the moods listed: Soar, Join the Circus, Blame Your Genes, and Celebrate Friends; this book will be well-thumbed, a good friend with tips on great reads for a long time to come.
Lynne Griffin
Now that my daughter is home from college, the Griffin summer reading challenge is on. Each with our own personal goal and list of must-reads, we read and discuss and recommend books galore. So far the books Caitlin and I have discussed over tea include, March, by Geraldine Brooks, Charity Girl, by Michael Lowenthal and Peace Like a River by Leif Engler (his latest So Brave, Young and Handsome is on my to be read list) .
Others on my to be read shelf include: Away by Amy Bloom, Belong to Me, Marisa des los Santos, The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz.
And here's some book industry news--my daughter got a summer job at our local independent, The Front Street Bookshop. Bookloving runs in the family and she and I wonder if she'll ever come home with a paycheck.
And speaking of the Front Street Bookshop--Hallie Ephron will be there next Friday, June 13 at 7 PM, to talk about 1001 Books for Every Mood. Come see us there.
11 comments:
Amy, I just read the About Me section of your website and was riveted. And then the end. Holy cow.
I can't wait to read this dang book!
Congratulations to you and to everyone in your group.
Aha -- THE HOUSE ON FORTUNE STREET, by Margot Livesey arrived yesterday and I'm plotting and planning for where in my reading lineup I can squeeze it in.
Kira, isn't that the most amazing story?! I have the envelope framed and it hangs next to my desk. Though now that I think about it, it's not actually the most amazing experience like that I've had. The world is bigger than we can imagine.
GARGOYLES is on my TBR pile, though next up is TIME OF MY LIFE, due out in October, by Allison Winn Scotch.
What that means is I read the last sentence of TETHERED last night. Oh, Amy, I will never forget them.
And, Lynne, how lucky is your daughter?! ;)
I'm open to summer suggestions, but do have 2 in mind, one being The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. It was self-pub'd, then got picked up by a major publisher and is getting a lot of talk. Also have The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer on my list. It's a midlife story, group of women trying to find their way back to work/identity after raising children. Haven't read Wolitzer before. Is anyone familiar with her work? Bring on the sandchairs, waves and books :)
Joanne, Sometime in March, Ello (on the sidebar here) at Random Acts of Unkindness did a review of THE TEN YEAR NAP. Just in case this link doesn't post correctly, it's in her archives from March of this year. It was:
http://randomactsofunkindness.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-year-nap-or-how-stay-at-home-moms.html
Thanks, Lisa--I'll check it out.
~Joanne
I'm so pleased you liked the last line, Larramie. It's my favorite. And I forgot to add Margot Livesey to my list. She's brilliant.
Amy, You're very welcome. I mentioned Tethered during my internet radio interview yesterday and the host said she'd heard of it!
Also, can I plug a book I read an advanced copy of called Going Down South, by Bonnie J. Glover. It comes out in July and it's a great story of 3 funny, smart, flawed women--grandmother, mother & daughter. Great book for a hot day and a glass of iced tea.
http://www.amazon.com/Going-Down-South-Bonnie-Glover/dp/0345480910/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213027499&sr=8-1
On my desk I have The Wednesday Sisters, by Meg Waite Clayton, The Sister, by Poppy Adams, and also plan to read Embrace Me, by Lisa Samson.
Hello mate nicce post
Post a Comment