At any given time, I am reading at least three books. There is usually one in my bag, one in my reading chair, and one by my bed. In addition t0 those three books, there is a stack beside my bed waiting to be moved up to one of those top three positions. I love to read and I love to talk about what I am reading. Unfortunately, my family and friends aren’t always interested. In an attempt to save them from boredom, I will post my thoughts about the books I am reading here in hopes that someone out there is interested and wants to talk about books.
Living, Loving, Learning…
Random thoughts of a fellow human.
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2011 Challenge
My three books at the moment are:
The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
These are really trying to jump into the top three:
Never Work Harder Than Your Students by Robyn R. Jackson
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica
I read the article “Going the Distance” by Chris Ballard in Sports Illustrated last night. It almost made me cry while inspiring me to dust off my running shoes.
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown was the bedtime story for Thomas last night.
I just realized that I never got around to finishing Never Work Harder Than Your Students or Summer Ball I need to get back to those.
Why is it that I am having such a hard time finding time to read books?
My stacks are always full, but my books read doesn’t seem to grow. I feel like I’m reading all the time, but these days it seems most of my reading is online or in magazines and journals.
Right now I’m reading:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle for one of my student book clubs, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly and Ishmael by Daniel Quinn because my nephew< Josh, told me it was his favorite book and that I should read it.
I have to read Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi for my other student book club.
I finished The Ponder Heart by Eudora Welty and How We Think by John Dewey this week.
I still have Summer Ball in one of my reading baskets, but haven’t taken the time to actually read it. I think I have read the first chapter at least 5 times.
I have an ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi on my desk screaming for me to read it. I downloaded The Help to my Kindle yesterday, and I have Pride and Prejudice Jane Austin waiting for me on my Kindle as well.
Even with all these snow days, I can’t seem to get reading done.
I finished A Wrinkle in Time this morning which means I can start Gamer Girl and get it read so that I will be prepared for book club and both literary clubs this week. I can’t wait to get back to Calpurnia Tate to see what is happening with her, but I’m really itching to read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. It is just waiting for me in my Kindle. Oh and I want to read that Shipbreaker ARC too.
It is too bad I can’t get paid to just lie around reading all day every day.
Oh, and I’ve been hearing about Drive by Daniel Pink and want to read it too. I downloaded the free sample to my Kindle today so that I wouldn’t forget that I want to read it.
Finished Gamer Girl. Started The Help this afternoon while Thomas played in his room. I’m going to pick up The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate while Bill watches hockey tonight. I have a few friends who are doing a 100 book challenge this year. I am seriously thinking about joining them. I wonder, do picture books count? I read one of those today. Timothy McFadden and the Robot Babysitter Timothy Bush.
I have joined the 100 Books in 2010 Challenge!
I just logged book # 7. I’m realizing that 7 is a long way from 100.
What’s next?
Cold Sassy Tree for my adult book club.
The Indian in the Cupboard for 4th/5th book club.
Tuck Everlasting for 7th/8th book club.
Blink for my own enjoyment.
Then I also have Drive and The Help waiting for me on my kindle. I really think I’m going to have to start reading faster.
8 down, 92 to go.
Finished The Help. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I am cheating a little. I’m listening to the audiobook of We Are all Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg. It is a great book to be paired with The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I figure if I’m going to catch up and make it to 100 books this year, I’m going to have to take advantage of driving time by listening to audiobooks.
I started reading The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins this week. I figure if I read a few poems each night, I’ll be able to finish it quickly. I have a few poetry anthologies I’m looking forward to rereading this year. (I hope they aren’t all packed under the stairs!)
I am beyond behind on my book club reading, but hopefully will get it done.
I’ve heard several people talking about the book Nurture Shock. I think I might want to read it.
11 down. I think I’m getting into the habit of reading again.
Finished We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg. It was a great book, and a great companion for The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The characters from both of these books are still lingering in my mind.
I read Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. It was the 7th/8th grade literary club pick for this month. It has been at least 5 years since I read it the first time. It was fun to read again.
My family is trying to convince me that I’m cheating by reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid because I was able to read it so quickly.
I picked up The Brimstone Journals by Ron Koertge from the stack by my bed last night. I’m getting the same message from my family on this one, because it is poetry.
I want to get back to Blink, but I’m not sure where it is at this point.
I started Drive last night because when I finished reading Tuck Everlasting at the hockey game, I needed something to read on the way home, and it was next on my kindle.
I wonder if anyone else in the world has reading habits as strange and random as mine.
19 down. I am beginning to feel more confident in my ability to read 100 books in 2010.
I finished The Brimstone Journals quickly. I just saw a review for Koertge’s new book, Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs and think I might like to read it.
Tobi brought home a library book last week, Pieces of Georgia by Jennifer Bryant. She had read a few pages and decided she didn’t like it, but she was convinced I would love it. She was right.
I finished and thoroughly enjoyed it. So many of the things Daniel Pink had to say about motivation lined up so well with my own beliefs that it was encouraging. He also had ideas that pushed my thinking.
While attempting to clean out the files on Bill’s computer, I had some wait time. I picked up a book that Tobi wanted to get rid of, Book of a Thousand Days. I don’t know why I love those retold fairy tales, but I do. I couldn’t put it down until I found out just how it was going to work out to end happily ever after.
So, what is next on my stack? There are so many. I’m listening to Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson on my ipod. A Good Yarn on my car stereo. I am still working my way through Bird by Bird and I picked up another poetry collection, The Art of Dying.
I want to get back to Blink now that I have finished Drive.
I am toying with the idea of starting A Wind in the Door.
Will really wants me to read the second Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
So many books, so little time.
21! I’ve finished 21 books. I thought I might read a book a day over spring break, but I got distracted by my knitting needles. I have finished Winter Girls and A Good Yarn though. Both books were worth a read.
Even though the topic may not be one we all want to read about, I believe all teachers should read Wintergirls. There were parts of this book that made me cringe and parts that made me cry. I wouldn’t recommend this to all teen readers, but it is a book that needed to be written and a story that needed to be told. Laurie Halse Anderson amazes me.
A Good Yarn was just that–a good story. The only problem is that it made me want to knit and cut down on my reading time.
I haven’t picked Bird by Bird back up yet, but will. I’m still working my way through the poetry of Bill Brown in The Art of Dying. I haven’t picked up Blink, A Wind in the Door, or the Wimpy Kid yet. Instead I grabbed Peeled by Joan Bauer off Tobi’s shelf. Elijah of Buxton and Riot by Walter Dean Myers have both made their way to my stack. I’m glad the weekend is coming up. I’m ready for some reading time.
I am also reading Pride and Prejudice on my kindle.
22! I finished Peeled today.
What’s next?
Continue reading the poetry of Bill Brown.
Shelf Life and The Piano Teacher must be read for book club meetings this week!
Then I can get back to my stack.
23! Finished The Art of Dying today.
Must read shelf life. Meeting tomorrow.
24! Finished Shelf Life: Stories by the Book today and enjoyed a great discussion with my 7th and 8th grade book club members.
I’m listening to Speak Laurie Halse Anderson and still reading Pride and Prejudice I think I will start The Piano Teacher on the way to the hockey game tonight.
I am loving this reading habit of mine.
25 and 26 down!!
Finished Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is a book I will recommend to many.
Book club met tonight and I almost finished The Piano Teacher in time. I had to finish up one chapter and the epilogue after returning home. Great discussion. I never would have picked this book up on my own, but I’m glad I read it. It was a compelling story that I didn’t want to put down.
Back to Pride and Prejudice.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the next book club book.
I have a new poetry anthology that Laura gave me tonight.
I should finish listening to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader tomorrow as I drive around town.
27!
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis made me wonder if I haven’t been a dragon lately. I think maybe I should reread this book once a month to keep myself from being a dragon.
After looking over the reading list for book club, I decided to postpone reading Pride and Prejudice until November.
I have started Blink and am working my way through 40 Days with Parker J. Palmer. I need to get started on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn pretty soon.
28.
Where has the month of May gone? I can’t believe I only have one real book to add to my tally for this month. (MUST READ A BOOK TONIGHT!) May has been a month filled with ballgames and band concerts. I just haven’t made time for reading. I carried A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with me everywhere and found time to read it whenever I could. Sadly, it took most of the month. Time to get back on track with my reading, or I will never make my goal of 100 books this year.
So, what are my books right now?
My poetry book: God is a Verb
My audiobook: don’t have one. I need to get to McKay’s to pick one up.
My fiction: I am about to start Riot by Walter Dean Myers.
My nonfiction: How to Read Novels Like a Professor and Blink
My Devotional: 40 Days with Parker J. Palmer
Bedtime Book: Tom Sawyer
29, 30 and 31!
I can’t believe it. I forgot that I finished reading Summer Ball before I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I completely forgot to add it to my list. That makes 29.
I told Tobi I would read Ender’s Game since it was one of her required readings for the summer. I picked it up on my Kindle and finished it today bringing my total to 30.
I forgot that Mom loaned me an audiobook a few months ago. I finished listening to it while running errands this week. Woohoo!
32!
Slowly and steadily I am bringing my total up. If I can just find a way to read 20 books this month, I’ll be doing great. I finished Riot this morning and should finish How to Read Novels Like a Professor today. Just for the fun of it, I think I will finish God is a Verb before I go to bed tonight. So, what’s next on my stack?
poetry: Calling the Planet Home by Jack Troy
audio: I’m heading to the library today to pick out a few for the long drive to Florida
fiction: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
YA: This Side of Paradise by Steven L. Layne
nonfiction: Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog
devotional: 40 Days with Parker J. Palmer
bedtime: Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
I’ve got a few more books lingering around wanting to be read.
A Wind in the Door
Bird by Bird
Traveling Mercies
The Old Man and the Sea
Blink
33, 34, and 35!
I didn’t find as much time to read while I was in Florida as I had hoped I would. I did finish a few books though.
The Queen of the Big Time by Adriana Trigiani
Never Give Up by Joyce Meyer
and
How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
36, 37, and 38.
Sister Bernadette’s Barking Dog, The Road, and Ethan Frome can all be added to my read list. Still behind, but plugging along.
39 down. 61 to go.
I picked up The Hunger Games yesterday and couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait to read Catching Fire.
While working in my classroom, I’ve been listening to Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers. I should finish it today to bring my number up to 40.
40 and 41.
I finished Bad Boy yesterday and Catching Fire this morning.
42.
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani was a great read. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.
43 and 44.
Finished Summer by Edith Wharton and The Gods of Little Pleasures yesterday.
I got out of bed a little early for my walk this morning. Maybe the extra time will allow me to finish Traveling Mercies before I head to work.
poetry: Calling the Planet Home by Jack Troy
audio: Beach Road by James Patterson
fiction: Mudbound
YA: This Side of Paradise by Steven L. Layne
nonfiction: Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
devotional: 40 Days with Parker J. Palmer
bedtime: Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Finished Traveling Mercies. That brings me up to 45.
I almost forgot. I also finished God is a Verb by Marilee Zdenek too. That brings my total to 46.
I’m getting my book bag ready for a week in the mountains. Hoping to get a lot of reading done.
I finished five books while in the mountains and got a good start on another one.
47 – Whale Talk
48 – Shakespeare Bats Cleanup
49 – As We Are Now
50- Mudbound
51- The River Between Us
Still plugging along on my 100 book challenge.
poetry: Calling the Planet Home by Jack Troy
audio: Beach Road by James Patterson
fiction: Run by Ann Patchett
YA: This Side of Paradise by Steven L. Layne
nonfiction: Igniting a Passion for Reading by Steven Layne
devotional: 40 Days with Parker J. Palmer
bedtime: Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
52- This Side of Paradise
53 – Mick Harte Was Here
School started in August and life has been nonstop since. I’ve spent most of my free time running, biking and trying to get healthy. Reading hasn’t been a top priority like it was. Needless to say, I probably won’t be hitting the 100 mark this year.
56 is a lot better than the 25 I read last year though. I’m hoping to finish up a few to get that number up to 60 by the new year. I think 2011 might be the year for me to break 100. Life is getting a little more balanced.
57 – Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I still have a few days to finish a few.
58- Sanctuary by Edith Wharton