Saturday, September 01, 2007

Reading - but not blogging - 3 books in one!

I've been so busy these days -but due to illness, I have actually been reading. At least when I was well enough to actually read.

Killer Smile - Lisa Scottoline
I had read this one before and I could remember how it ended. What I didn't remember was how it got from the beginning with Premenstrual {insert guy name here} to the final court room scene. And in my addled state, it was perfect. I was able to follow the book even when I couldn't follow a new TV drama. Not sure that is a ringing endorsement, but it was fun.

Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood
Another book I read before (sensing a theme?), but one that I loved and had always planned to read again. I had borrowed it the first time and re-reading it reminded me why I had put it on my list of books to buy. It has the commentary that you expect from Atwood, character development, and leaves you with something to talk about at the end - will he kill them? will he let them live? what happens if he lets them live? This was my pick for book club - and I was too sick to attend! I still need to discuss this book with people... now I need a new book club. (ha!)

One True Thing - Anna Quindlen
I picked this one up because Owen had kindly removed it from it's resting place in the "books to read" pile and put it on the night stand. I'm not sure what motivated him to do that -but I'm glad he did. Like Oryx & Crake, this is a book that I would re-read. This is a book that made me think about family, duty, and what I want to be. Not necessarily that I want to be anyone in the book, but it got me thinking about how I would handle the same situation. About how I would want to handle it, but also how I think it is more likely that I would. There is one section in the book that has really stood out. Not necessarily because I agree with the guys / girls sentiment, but because it made me think about what it means to deal with something. It is just the act of moving on and helping pick up the pieces or is it the mental process that helps you get to the next day?
"Everyone deals with bad stuff in their own way," Jon added.
"Well, that's the point isn't it, Jon?" I said. "Whenever one of you guys says people deal with bad stuff in their own way, it means you don't deal with it at all. You just wait for it to go away. You don't help, you don't listen. You don't call. You don't write. WE deal with it in our own way. WE deal with it. We girls. We make the meals and clean up the messes and take the crap and listen to you talk about how you are dealing with it in your own way. What way? No way!

1 comment:

Kristin said...

We can talk Oryx and Crake sometime; though, I might want to reread it, too. I refer to it a lot, but it's been many moons (and many books) since I read it.