reading list

It's shocking when I consider how many episodes of The West Wing I've watched lately (soooo obsessed), but I've actually been making my way through books at a pretty good pace too. Did I just stop talking to people at some point? My bad.

This book. I first encountered it as required summer reading as a 9th grader (or 8th grader?). At the time, I was very into historical fiction. While that usually led me to either Revolutionary or Civil War novels, this fictional work about the Roman legionary ordered to crucify Jesus started a mini obsession with Lloyd C. Douglas, a mercifully prolific author. It's not preachy or sanctimonious, but simple and inescapably human. I think it's about the level of an 8th or 9th grader, but I still re-read it at least every two years. 

Jenna suggested this to me, and I read it at the lake. Read it and loved it! I think Anne Lamott and I probably don't have anything in common, but her humor, intelligence, and realism was enough to make me temporarily want to be a writer. Of course, that's probably the point of a book about how to write, but still, to persuade me, it's got to be good. That feeling's since faded, as it should, but the book is worth the time for anyone who simply enjoys reading.

My bible study only meets during the school year, so we decided to do a book club once a month during the summer. I haven't been able to go yet (frustrating schedule), but this was July's book and I read it at the lake too....maybe that's where I stopped talking to people? I found it incredibly interesting - Colleen Campbell's career-driven mind and the quest for balance with marriage and children is something that resonates with most women I know in D.C. Her structure of examining the lives of different saints whose stories illuminate specific chapters of her own life is also a natural, informal way to learn more about some of the most important female saints in the Church.

Ok, I haven't read this book yet, but after ensuring that Wendy would read it at the same time as me, I downloaded it and will start immediately. Why all the hype? This crime novel by Robert Galbraith was heralded as an astonishingly powerful debut novel, and earned Galbraith the title of "new writer to watch." The catch is that Galbraith is a pseudonym for J.K. ROWLING - who, suffice it to say, has proven herself. I wasn't a fan of her A Casual Vacancy, but this book gets fantastic reviews and omg more Rowling I can't wait.

What are you guys reading? Recommendations lately have had a huge success rate, so I'm excited for more!