Summer Reading Continued

For the last three weeks, Josephine and Jacques have been visiting from France.  Phil and I are teaching summer school, enjoying beautiful lovely long dinners, watching a variety of movies, and attending get togethers such as graduation and birthday parties, a fish fry, and cookouts.  All the while, I have also been enjoying a lot of books. In fact, I'm just forming my second  reading list for the summer. This time I have titles from the featured section of the Apple Book Store, recommendations from friends and family, and I have a few possible titles from a new site I'm trying called Good Reads. Finally, by clicking on MY favorite books in my blogger profile, I can see who has also enjoyed a favorite book of mine and then check out their other favorites.

Non-fiction

Mao Zedung by Jonathan Spence - I read this book because after rereading Wild Swans, I was ready to read a bio of Mao. This one (although not great) seemed less bias than Chang's bio that she wrote after Wild Swans.

Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel - Okay, I liked this book for two reasons; first the title is hilarious and secondly, the author and her friends meet at a bar every Friday to discuss life and share laughter. However, I can't really recommend it because Paesel and her friends are a little too stereotypically Californian for me.

America, but Better by Chris Cannon and Brian Calvert - This was hilarious! The book is the "Manifesto of the Canada Party." I thought the authors were spot on in their satire explaining why we should vote for Canada to take over the U.S.

American Gypsy by Oksana Marafioti - I enjoyed this book particularly because we were just discussing the Romani people who live near and in Toulouse, France. My only wish was that the author added more information from the time she moved to Las Vegas to the present.

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick

When We Were the Kennedys by Monica Wood - I liked this book. The Kennedy connection is very small, but I think valid. I like how rich and detailed her memories of the time are written.

How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - This was a very funny book. I was not able to understand some of her British references and metaphors, but this lessened as the book continued. Actually, I was a little put off by some of her first recollections, but I'm glad I stuck with it through the end.

Fiction

These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks - This was a truly wonderful story that was both surprising because it was unpredictable, but also seemed so realistic that it was difficult to determine what was true and what was fiction. I highly recommend this book.