Hi! It's me, Allison -- finally. I have been wanting to jot down my thoughts about the books I've been reading lately, but it's been so busy here at the Goose Girls house that I've not managed it yet. But now here I am.
Well, just as an introduction, I love to read! I've always loved to read as long as I can remember. I love lots of different kinds of books... I read a lot of the same books as my daughter Abby does (Shannon Hale, The Penderwicks, anything by Deborah Wiles or Kate DiCamillo, Tuck Everlasting, The Secret Garden, Harry Potter, etc.) and I love classics (Dickens, Eliot, Hardy, all the Brontes, Austen, Anna Karenina -- one of my favorites! etc.) and history (mainly David McCullough, but I've dabbled in Nathaniel Philbrick, Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns Goodwin). And there are many wonderful contemporary books that I've loved -- Peace Like a River, Cry, the Beloved Country, I Capture the Castle, and lots of others.
I think my favorite book that I have read lately is Brave Companions by McCullough. It's really a series of essays about many different people and topics and I found it to be fascinating. He is such an insightful historian and has a wonderful way of painting beautiful pictures with words about people. He discusses very interesting people such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Conrad Richter, men involved with the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge, and several others in all different occupations and times. There is also a wonderful chapter on the city of Washington D.C. I highly recommend it, even if you usually don't like to read history. He uses stories that are more compelling than fiction because they are true!
While I was on vacation I re-read My Antonia and O Pioneers by Willa Cather. This was inspired by Brave Companions, because he talks about the woman who inspired the character of Antonia. We were travelling across Nebraska and it was so poetic to be reading these rich stories about the strong women who first settled there.
I just finished Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White and truly enjoyed it. It was the first novel reported to be a suspense and it is certainly suspenseful! Collins was friends with Dickens (whose writing I adore!!) and his style is somewhat similar.
Well, that's it for today. I'm currently reading a book a friend gave me called My Life in France by Julia Child. It is charming! Bon Appetit!
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Great post! Glad to see you on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you two gave me the link to your blog. (I can't wait to backtrack and read some of Abby's posts!) One thing I miss about my summer days in your home is discussing books. I even remember which ones I was reading at that time. And I know you were reading a McCullough one at some point!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned a few of my favorites as well in this post. Tuck Everlasting was one of my top ten as a kid. (Probably is still up there.) I need to reread Peace Like A River - it's been too long and I know I loved it. I remember finishing I Capture the Castle on the beach in Hawaii years ago. Time for a reread there too! And Wilkie Collins is one of my favorite authors. Have you read The Moonstone? I loved it just about as much as The Woman in White. I read The Dead Secret earlier this summer. His character development is amazing.
Anyway, this is a long comment so I will leave it at that! But thanks for sharing some of your favorites. Now I have some to add to my list, after I am done with David Copperfield, that is. (I always like to get referrals from a trusted reader. I don't want to waste my time on a less-than-worthwhile book.) It was great to see you all today! Can't wait until the next time.
P.S. Speaking of rereads, I think it is time for me to pull our Precious Bane again. Wasn't it you who said it was one of your favorites? I would love to suggest it for my neighborhood book group, but I don't think they are much in to classics. Hmm, we'll see how long I last in that club...
P.P.S. I a pretty embarrassed to admit that I have never read Anna Karenina. I may have to pause David Copperfield to read that one. Oh, so many books, so little time. I am sure you and Abby agree!
(Wow, that may be the longest comment you ever get. I know it's the longest one I've ever seen!)
ReplyDeleteI'm not gone yet. What is The Penderwicks? (Rather, WHO are the Penderwicks!?) Sounds charming. I will have to look it up.
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