Not much to report. I've gotten sick like Brian. I've been back on the reading bandwagon and wanted to share some of my recent reads. And, I wanted to encourage Mary P. to definitely read Coraline. I find the Tim Burton cartoons a bit creepy too, but after reading the book I think I'll like movie.
So on to books. Over the summer, Brian and I visited a super cute bookstore in Charleston and a kid's book caught our eye - The Mysterious Benedict Society. It was on some local school required reading list and it just looked fun. I finally decided I needed a fun kid's book read, and finished very quickly around New Years. It's in the same vein as Harry Potter with kid's having to save the world, but no magic, just quick thinking. Apparently, it's a trilogy, so I'll have to get the next two soon. (Thankfully, the story wrapped up at the end, so no urgency necessary.)
I had also been meaning to read Water for Elephants for about a year. I had picked it up several times to start, but then got sidetracked by something else before starting it. Well, I finally started it thinking it was going to be more historical than dramatic, but it was sooo good. It followed a guy that joins the circus during the Depression, but it's written as flashbacks because he's now 90-something and in a nursing home. Super quick read, and I don't want to give anything away!
A long time ago, I also read Three Cups of Tea, and have been telling everyone individually to read it, so it just needs a mention. It might be the best nonfiction I've ever read - very inspirational - about an American climber's promise to build a school in rural Pakistan which ends up being more schools, and grows into a nonprofit - The Central Asia Institute.
Right now, I'm reading Obama's Dreams from My Father. So far, so good. I'm only about 100 pages in, but I can't imagine all of a sudden it will get bad. So I'm pre-emptively recommending it. I'm also reading The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which are fairy tales for the "Wizarding" world. It also includes Dumbledore commentary, which makes it even more of a clever Potter spinoff. It might actually be a good introductory for kids that want to read the Potter series, but aren't quite old enough. It's short with 5 fairy tales. I've been just reading the fairy tales one at a time when I feel like it.
Next up will probably be Devil in the White City and The Pillars of the Earth. I'll keep you posted.
