Currently Reading
The Book Thief, Markus Zusak - This book came to me very highly recommended, but it took me a little while to get into it as it was not quite what I was expecting. The book is narrated by death and in the beginning it just seems a bit off-putting. But I am now very into the story of a young German girl living through WWII. It is interesting to read something from this point of view, as most of what I have read from this period have had American or British main characters, or are about the Jewish or other persecuted populations during this time. I am looking forward to finding out how this book ends, and if there is a happy future for our young protagonist.
A Country of Vast Designs, Robert W. Merry - This is a great biography of James K. Polk that I have been reading on and off for awhile. I have long been interested in our 11th President since They Might Be Giants wrote a song about him that came in handy for my AP US History exam in high school. A lot happened in his one-term in office and I'm enjoying learning more about it.
Just Finished
Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay - I love this author. I have been reading his books for a very long time and think that they are wonderful. He writes fantasy books, but they are usually historically based and my interest is always piqued about the time period he writes about. I have loved a number of his other books, which have been loosely based on Spain and the Byzantine Empire among others. This book was about Imperial China and it was great, although I found the pacing to be a bit off. About halfway through, I thought it could end any time, but then the action picked up and with 15 pages to go I wondered how everything could possibly be wrapped up. But the main character's story was completed at least, even if I did have remaining questions about the world at large. I don't know if this will become my favorite of his books, but I definitely liked it a lot and am interested to know more about the real history of this time period.
The Necklace, Cheryl Jarvis - I read this book for the book club I will be attending in Puerto Rico with my mom and one of her friends, so it is not necessarily a book I would have chosen to read on my own. But it was a quick read and I enjoyed it. It is a non-fiction story of 13 women in California who chipped in to buy this crazy expensive diamond necklace together. The woman were loosely acquainted at the beginning, and the story talks about how sharing the necklace affected each of their lives. Mostly it discussed how important it is to have girlfriends, especially as you get older and have families and a million things that take up your time. And that is something I believe to be true at any age.
One Day, David Nicholls - One of Entertainment Weekly's picks for the best books of 2010. It was an interesting set-up in the it followed two people's lives and relationships with one another through writing about their days on one particular date, the date they met in the mid 80's, over the course of 15 or so years. It was easy to track the ups and downs they'd encountered over all the previous days in the year and to see how their relationship changed. I thought it was a good, quick read and alternated between sad and humorous, but I did foresee the ending.
The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke, Suze Orman - I have always been kind of really into saving money and preparing for the future. I started discussing my nest egg when I was 13 or so. But it's something I needed to learn more about as I start planning for my future with my husband. I knew the goals I wanted to reach and the things I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure where to start. So I'm really enjoying this book, which I didn't think I was going to. It's specifically written for my age group and offers clear advice on how to tackle money issues from getting out of credit card debt, to paying off student loans, to saving for a house and starting to think about a retirement fund. I know that doesn't sound crazy fun, but it's been a really useful tool so far and is helping me put a plan in place. Just today I increased my contributions to my 401(k) and opened an IRA account! Woo, responsibility!
Assassination Vacation, Sarah Vowell - This book is enthralling, I cannot put it down, which is odd for me and non-fiction books. The book discusses the author's research of the first three presidential assassinations - Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley - and goes on a pilgrimage of sorts to see the artifacts of these assassinations. It is kind of a bizarre topic, but gosh, she knows her history and I have learned so much. She draws connections between the politics of those days of yore to modern times and now I really want to go around to see all of the historical places she talks about. The author has a very quirky sense of humor and is very engaging. This is not at all a dry history retelling, but is sprinkled with anecdotes and observations and I just could not put it down.
