Recent Adventures in Reading

Over the last couple of months, I've had the chance to finally read a few books that several of my friends had read and recommended. Oddly they both involved animals, from a circus in the first book and from a zoo in the second. I really enjoyed both of them though they were rather different.

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

Jacob's story takes place during and around the travelling circuses in the 1920s. The book moves between the narrator's life in a nursing home as he has grown older and when he was in his 20s in the circus. The book drew me in right away and was a really creative and fun story. The author included a lot of detail and history of the circus of that time and it was actually really interesting to read about. Regrettably there were some graphic scenes periodically, that I wish she had left out, they really were unnecessary. Otherwise though, the story was captivating and I thought really took you back to that time and forced you to imagine what it would have been like to live there. I cannot really say much more as I don't want to give any of the plot away, but I would recommend the book if you are looking for something fun to read.

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Life of Pi came out several years ago and I missed the chance to read it when all of my friends did. Jamie had a copy and it has been sitting on the shelf since we've been married. I thought the beginning of the summer would be a good time to read it and I'm glad I did. It is the story of a young boy and his family that own a zoo in India. They decide to relocate to Canada and on that journey, the ships sinks and Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger for a long time. I don't think I have given too much away, you can find all of that out in the Amazon book review and deducing from the picture on the cover of the book. The author goes into great detail about Pi's religion in the first portion of the book and he really kind of lost me there. I didn't feel that connected to the character yet and just felt like it was too much information. Once they get on the boat, the story picks up pace and is an interesting tale of trying to survive the elements at sea and of imagination to keep him sane while on a boat in the middle of the ocean. I really enjoyed the book a lot, though, as Jamie can attest, I found myself frustrated/angered at the ending of the book. Some would disagree (I think Jamie really enjoyed the ending), but I'm sticking to wishing it had ended differently. It is worth getting to the end for yourself though to see what you think. I would also recommend this one as an interesting read.

I was talking with Jamie's mom and aunt a few weeks ago about Savannah and when they heard I hadn't read "The Book" (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), her mom promptly went to get it and let me borrow it. So I've started reading that for now, I'm only a chapter in so far.

There have been several books on my shelf, some for years now, that I've wanted to read and have either found others that looked more exciting, or was timid to read it because of it's daunting size. One book I have started twice but haven't made it more than 50 pages into before quitting, which is terribly not like me at all! I am determined to read the whole thing though at some point. I decided to put up my list here and maybe that will motivate me to read them and I can report back. Let me know if you have thoughts on any of them or have a recommendation on which one to start first. I'm reading the above mentioned book now and have plans to read a book for a book club after this one, so it might be early fall before starting, but I'm hoping to be motivated to tackle at least one on the list this year.

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (This is the one I've started twice)

All the King's Men - Robert Penn Warren

Confessions of St. Augustine

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

Space Trilogy - C.S. Lewis (Out Of The Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength)