What I'm Reading 2008: February Update
Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.
-Henry David Thoreau
This year I've decided to take Thoreau's advice and will make the time this year to read some of the best books that have been on my mind, or on my shelf, begging to be read. I will keep a running list on my blog of all the books I read this year and will update this entry at the end of each month. I am hoping that this will help me stay on track as I make my book choices over the coming year.
January
1. Jennifer Chiaverini: The New Year’s Quilt
2. Wallace Stegner: Crossing to Safety
3. Zadie Smith: On Beauty
4. Jhumpa Lahiri: The Namesake
February
4. Barbara Ehrenreich: Nickled and Dimed
5. Robert Twigger: Angry White Pyjamas
6. Henry David Thoreau: Walden
7. Marilynne Robinson: Housekeeping
8. Sharon Stasney: Feng Shui Chic
9. Sharon Stasney: Feng Shui Living
10. Sharon Stasney: Feng Shui Your Kitchen
As you can see from above I really immersed myself in Feng Shui in February before starting on the garage. I finally read Walden. I have to say that, while there are chapters that are very worthwhile reading (and have spawned all those quotations we hear and read from Thoreau), there is a lot that is quite tedious in this book. I was feeling very surprised by my reaction and thought I was missing something. However, all the minute details about his life beside Walden Pond and the natural world around him just seemed irrelevant. I can appreciate his level of awareness of living deliberately and attending to details,and also the greatness of his experience. Yet, I came away thinking nature is to be experienced in that detail, not read about. Interesting to read the once, then take a hike in the woods and reread just a few select chapters. I loved Angry White Pajamas. James reccommeded it me and, like all his other suggestions that I have read, this was spot on. Having lived and trained in Japan (and grading to my own black belt there) there was so much to enjoy in this book. Caveat: don't mess with Japanese riot police officers-levels of training you just don't want to provoke!
Related Posts:
My Favorite Things: My iPod
My Favorite Things: Quotations Pt 1: Reading
A Good Book (or Two, or Three...)
So Many Great Unreads
Happy Paddy's Day to you too Rhodell. We just taught Ashley to say this
expression instead of Happy St. Patrick's Day. At first she was confused
but then seemed to love knowing that Irish people have their own special
greeting for this holiday. I often see it written as St Patty's Day here
and I just cringe every time, particularly if I see it written at an"Irish"
pub.
One of the essays in John McPhee's book Uncommon Carriers is titled "Five
Days on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers". I recommend reading that to
supplement your other Thoreau reading.