New Year, Must Have

I've joined the bandwagon. If you've not yet read "Eat, Pray, Love" you must. It's absolutely fantastic. I can't quite put my finger on why- maybe it's the perfect marriage of food, spirituality, and love... hence, "Eat, Pray, Love". The very Eastern religious experiences are strangely familiar and fresh. If you've not read this yet, pick it up- borrow it- buy it if you have to. It's worth every penny. Once you're done, you'll have a line of people that you'll want to lend it to. I think every woman should read it. As a married woman, I was apprehensive because Elizabeth Gilbert, the author, decides to leave her marriage before this "trek" around the world. She decides that she just doesn't want to be married anymore. I found that so hard to swallow and I appreciate that she didn't delve into how deeply marred her marriage was. She eluded to the fact that both she and her husband were very much to blame for the dissolution of the marriage but didn't spend time in the book rehashing the details. Once I got past the unsettling divorce, the story just swept me away. I think it's what every woman would love to do- have an advance amount of money and travel just to explore the deep recesses of her soul. I have no desire nor reason to leave my marriage at all but I still deeply resonated with her desire to stop what she was doing in life and just experience Pleasure, Prayer, and the balance of the two. For me, this book was a mini vacation- I found great pleasure in it, deep spiritual meaning, and balance as well. So, read it, already!

Oh Jodi!

So, it's been a great while since my last post and I am posting just to keep myself up to date on what I've been reading. I have been reading Jodi Piccoult lately and really enjoying it. I had read "My Sister's Keeper" a while back and really liked it. So, I picked up "The Pact" as my next adventure. She's a very accessible writer. I don't find anything she writes to be lofty or difficult to understand. I am usually instantly engrossed and carried through the story quickly and deftly. I've read 3 of her books now including the two I mentioned earlier and "Vanishing Acts". They are all high drama and well written. The last one I read, "the Pact" was all about teen suicide. Being a teacher, I took this book a little more seriously. After the story itself, there was a Q and A with the author. Apparently many parents, schools, teachers, and students have shown great interest in this book. Some of the parents, school administrators and teachers have been concerned with the subject matter and it's presentation. Students seem to gravitate towards it and I think there's fear in that interest. Many of my students, when I taught at the high school level, struggled with various stages of depression and suicide is something to take very seriously. If anything, I think this book really encourages honesty with those who care about you and the importance of taking suicide or suicidal talk seriously. I recommend Jodi Piccoult to anyone- she's an easy read in the sense that her stories are moving, fast paced, and easily understood. You will not get bogged down with words like vapid and pernicious. :) Not that those words are bad... and not that books that are filled with heavy descriptive language are bad- just sometimes you need something that carries you away and away quickly. Jodi Piccoult will do that. She's an excellent story-teller and an intuitive writer. I definitely recommend "My Sister's Keeper". It is the best of hers that I've read so far. Good Luck! My next post will be on "Water for Elephants" which I'm reading now... after that... "1000 Splendid Suns" by Khalid Husseini- I can't WAIT!

A Rave.

I thought I'd rave about one of my very favorite books just so it might inspire someone to read it. Audrey Niffenegger wrote "The Time Traveler's Wife" and it is truly a fantastic story. It chronicles the life of a man who uncontrollably travels through time and his devoted wife. It may be a bit "Sci-Fi" for some of you but I find it just breathtaking. There's something so raw about it, so genuine. I HIGHLY recommend it. Just give it a try- It's not that big.

The Second rave of the day is for Anita Diamant's "The Red Tent". I read this in one sitting and was out of breath at the end. The power of the women who grace the pages of this novel is so clearly written into their words, their actions. I just loved it. If I was stranded on a desert island- I would definitely include this in my list of must-haves. Read it.

Just to get you started...

A few good reads to get you started... I'm thirsty for a new good book so let me know. If you are interested in Juvenile Fiction, "Pictures of Hollis Woods" is excellent. I know that firsthand- but I also heard that "Zach's Lie" is great too. The Media Specialist at my school HIGHLY recommended that. It's about a little boy who's in the witness protection program. For adult reading, I have loved ¨Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. The first chapters are a bit hard to get into but it's so worth it! I also really enjoy anything by Sue MOnk Kidd- "The Secret Life of Bees" is excellent- I felt as though a friend had moved away at the end. I was so sad to leave those characters. I would say, even better is "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue MOnk Kidd- lovely, moving. Loved it. The next on my list of starter books is "The Pilot's Wife" or anything by Anita Shreve. I also enjoyed "Drowning Ruth" and I'm just starting "The Shadow of the Wind". If you haven't read "Memoirs of a Geisha"- do so before you see the movie... an absolutely beautiful novel! I'm going to try to categorize books so if you are looking for something in particular, you'll know where to look.

Are you Thirsty?

Welcome to the Thirsty Read! To me, a good book is like a tall glass of cool lemonade on a hot, humid, mid August Day. I have created the Thirsty Read for an opportunity to talk about great books, to read excellent recommendations and to rave justly about some of the wonderful stories out there. I am a teacher and an avid reader so keep it clean and enjoy! I don't claim to be an expert on literary prowess however, I definitely have an opinion on a well–written story.