5.22.2014

summer reading

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A month or so ago I was thinking about how so few people read anymore. When's the last time you were having a conversation with someone and they said "I just finished this book and…" or "I'm reading this book about -something-, you should totally check it out it's blowing my mind."? That doesn't happen all that often and it's a shame. It's funny that it's so easy to think that no one reads anymore though, because you're reading this right now, and most of us are reading facebook, twitter, instagram, buzzfeed, snippets of this and that and half baked opinion articles all day long. We as a culture probably read more now than we did 15 years ago but it seems like no one can read anything longer than 500 words. I also thought about how the high school I went to didn't assign me any classics of modern literature, and instead had me read and analyze at least four different Shakespeare plays. Like how is that relevant? And how the hell did I have the gaul to blame my literary ignorance on my HIGH SCHOOL? That was over ten years ago, how lazy of me.

So I made a "summer reading list".

So far I've read Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and Animal Farm by Orwell (which I killed in a day). Currently I'm reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedman, which sadly isn't as dated as it should be considering it's about a woman's place in our culture and was written over 50 years ago. It's pretty amusing to read a book about feminism and then knit though, because very few people realize you can be a feminist and also like cooking dinner, baking cookies and knitting. Feminism shouldn't be the other F word like it seems to be. Next up I have 1984 by Orwell and Cannery Row by Steinbeck.

I've added books I have always wanted to read or thought I should have read, and asked a few friends for their must reads, too. Now I'm asking what are your must reads? Throw some love down in the comments and we'll all know what the next books we want to read will be, I'd love to know what books you'd recommend!

So guys, I just finished reading Animal Farm, you should totally check it out because it blew my mind...


8 comments:

  1. I love Pearl S Buck's "The Good Earth". I have read it multiple times. When I see it at a used book sale, for some reason I pick it up and add it to my collection. Maybe its so I can give one away to a hungry reader like you and still have a copy for myself! You should give it a look.

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    1. Thanks so much, just added it to the list! I looked it up but was careful not to read too much of the synopsis! :)

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  2. Ahhh, there are so many! I just read The Red Tent by Anita Diamant for the second time, and that was awesome. The Hakawati is pretty amazing too.

    And Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness is great. Sorry, I could go on forever. BTW, I love reading your blog- its always so positive and colorful!

    Love from a fellow knitter fiend

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    1. These all sound really cool, how have I never heard of them?! Thanks so much for sharing your list and for the nice words, it makes me so happy knowing people like what I post! :) Knit on!

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  3. I have read Pearl S Buck's "Imperial Woman" multiple times and have found it great each time. (I usually don't read books more than once.)

    I also just finished A.E.W. Mason's "Four Feathers" which was pretty neat. I heard that it is one of the most film adapted books.

    For some easy, lighthearted reading, I found the Anne of Green Gables series quite enjoyable.

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    1. Oh I went to the used book store last night looking for The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck (didn't find it) but I did see Imperial Woman. I should have checked these comments again before I went! I've already added it to my little book scavenger hunt list, any book that makes it past the reading once designation is worth checking out. And I used to love Anne of Green Gables, possibly the first books I ever read that I wasn't required to read for school. Thanks so much!

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  4. "Just Kids" by Patti Smith
    "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt
    "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett
    "The Kite Runner" by ? Can't remember his name
    "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham
    I'd read all of these again for sure.
    Happy summer reading and knitting and canning and finding great beer and bike riding and sewing and spending time with Uzo and Db.

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    1. Thanks Lisa! Man I wish I'd posted this sooner, what a great list of books everyone has shared with me!

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