We are fully into summer and there are so many things to do: Hike, brunch on a patio, outdoor concerts, see a baseball game (well, maybe more you than me) and of course, READ. Preferably near a body of water.
In the spirit of putting your goals out there to create accountability, here are three books I’d like to read this summer. E-mail me at the end of September to see how I did.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. This one ticks off one of my annual reading-list boxes, which is to read two science-y books per year. But here’s the thing: I want to learn about science AND be entertained. Bill Bryson’s humorous writing style has kept my attention before (A Brief History of Everything was amazing), so I have high hopes for this one.
Mislaid: A Novel by Nell Zink. Books that are about a time, place, and society I don’t know much about are a hook for me. Also, a complex family drama with tons of characters is a draw. This book, although the reviews are a bit mixed on Ye Olde Amyzahn, has both of those elements, so I’m going to give it a try.
Victory City by Salman Rushdie. I’ve never read anything by Salman Rushdie, as famous as he is for having a jihad declared against him. This description makes me think it’s time to give his actual writing a go, not just read about his life on the run from extremists.
“In the wake of an unimportant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, who begins to speak out of the girl’s mouth. Granting her powers beyond Pampa Kampana’s comprehension, the goddess tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga—“victory city”—the wonder of the world.”
Drop me a note at [email protected] if you have some book ideas to share.
