Summer Reading


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I've been on a reading binge again. It's one of my favorite things.


Last night I finished Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. I picked it up at the airport when we were coming home from Italy after finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which I consumed in a couple days on our trip - definitely worth reading).
She's the author of The Time Traveler's Wife (which I completely loved).


I remember hearing not so great reviews about her newest book but decided to give it a chance. It's a strange tale - life and death and ghosts and in-between places. It's dark. It wasn't one that I would say I really liked - I definitely felt at a certain point I was just wanting to "make it through" - but there's something about it that kept me going and wanting to know how she was going to bring it to a conclusion. Often if I'm in the middle of a book and not enjoying it I'll just set it aside for another time (or just set it aside completely). With Her Fearful Symmetry I did want to know what happened and felt satisfied when I finished it late last night (even though the ending is definitely not what I was expecting).


Another book I have been reading (started before leaving for Italy and decided to leave it home because it's hardback) is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I'm completely fascinated with and engrossed in this non-fiction story and it's not the kind of book I normally find myself reading. It's the story of a woman, her cells, the history of cell research, her family, and the way it's all been weaved together over time. Highly recommended


Up next for me is most likely The Girl Who Played with Fire (the next one in the series following The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) or Little Bee which I picked up this past weekend at the coast.


What have you read lately that you love (or didn't)?


Dottedline


FOLLOW-UP : I see that
Project Life by Becky Higgins is back in stock at Amazon.You can see how I've been approaching this album here and planning to play catch-up (in a non-guilty way) soon.

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275 thoughts

  1. SirScrapalot says…
    07/21/2010

    I'm actually revisiting Eat Pray Love, and recently purchased The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs...hoping to get through both over our upcoming vacation.

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  2. Mary Rogers says…
    07/21/2010

    I have been reading a ton of Jodi Picoult, but decided that I really hate her endings 99% of the time so I am done with her...
    read lots of Koontz this summer - a little scary, a little suspenseful and a whole lot of fun.
    Finally reading Stephen King's - Bag of Bones right now - interesting read - can't put it down and end up staying up way to late reading....not his typical scary, but I love it!!

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  3. Barb says…
    07/21/2010

    This summer I've read The Help and The Sweet By and By...both fabulous. I also read some non-fiction sports (mainly hockey) books that were great, but if you're looking for good fiction, it's probably not your thing.

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  4. Danielle says…
    07/21/2010

    Hard to believe but I read the Great Gatsby for the first time and loved it. Found parts of it to be totally timeless. Now reading Everything's Eventual by Stephen King and next up Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner.

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  5. Ria says…
    07/21/2010

    Ali... Little Bee is an unbelievable read. A book that has for certain left me somewhat of a different person...Isn't that amazing how books can do that! His first book was Incendiary, which my husband read and same was amazing as well. :)

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  6. Karen G says…
    07/21/2010

    I've been on the hunt this last week for a new read, so perfect timing! Thanks for the recs...just may have to hit a bookstore later today! :>

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Dawn says…
    07/21/2010

    Ali, I finished "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" and "Every Last One" in the past two weeks. Both are great reads...the first has a young girl as the protagonist (and there are sequel novels!) and the last is by Anna Quindlen whom I appreciate.

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  8. Sheri D. Maple says…
    07/21/2010

    I have the book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and plan on reading before the end of the summer. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" is a very fascinating story, and hear about the story on Radio Lab (NPR) when it did a program on famous tumors. It does having an interesting question on if a person should be notified when researchers use their cells for medical research. It is ironic how Henrietta unwittingly contributed to the breakthrough in medical research, and her family do not have health insurance

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  9. Theresa says…
    07/21/2010

    What a fun, timely post! I also have been on a reading binge and just read all three books in "The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo" series--so good! The second one was my favorite. I then read "The Forgotten Garden" which was really good as well. Finally, I just finished " The Pillars of the Earth," which I loved and highly recommend. It will probably make my Top 10 book list--and that is saying a lot since I am an avid reader. I am now starting the sequel to that book, "World WIthout End."
    I will be watching the comments for more reading recommendations!

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  10. Ali Edwards says…
    07/21/2010

    I absolutely loved Pillars of the Earth.

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  11. Ali Edwards says…
    07/21/2010

    Great Gatsby is definitely one of my favorites.

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  12. anna says…
    07/21/2010

    Franscine Rivers new book; Her Daughters Hope. i love Rivers, and this one did not disapoint.
    I also read the book Black & White a little bit ago. i have forgotten the author though. Ted something. :)
    And i've been reading in my Bible. Always a good read there.
    a

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  13. Theresa Grdina says…
    07/21/2010

    I have read Little Bee this summer and found it fascinating and irritating at the same time. There is ONE thing that really ticks me off and proves that the book was written by a man...it was definitely worth reading and I am glad that I did. I would be interested in knowing what you think when you finish it.
    I am currently reading Eat, Love, Pray and LOVING it...I am reading it for my book club. Keep the thoughts coming on what you are reading.....love it!

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  14. Theresa Grdina says…
    07/21/2010

    I have read Little Bee this summer and found it fascinating and irritating at the same time. There is ONE thing that really ticks me off and proves that the book was written by a man...it was definitely worth reading and I am glad that I did. I would be interested in knowing what you think when you finish it.
    I am currently reading Eat, Love, Pray and LOVING it...I am reading it for my book club. Keep the thoughts coming on what you are reading.....love it!

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  15. Cele Schaffer says…
    07/21/2010

    Little Bee was so good, I finished it in 2 days and turned back to the first page and read it again! If you have never read Rosamund Pilcher-The Shell Seekers do so now! I am reading another of her books-Coming Home which is very good. Pat Conroy is my favorite author.He wrote Prince of Tides which is really long but excellent.I read his book Beach Music at the beginning of every summer and never tire of it. Happy reading!

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  16. Shellygreninger says…
    07/21/2010

    I Just finished the 3 Millennium books and they are excellent! I also felt the same way about Her Fearful Symmetry, but I can't stand not knowing how a book ends so I had to finish it. I just ordered a Kindle so I am anxious for that to get here so I can load it with new books!

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  17. lisamcg says…
    07/21/2010

    Im currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Its super hard to put down and I find myself wanting to ignore the kids and continue reading for hours.
    I realize that your Italy pictures are overwhelming to you right now. Believe me, I completely understand. But maybe you can just post 5 of your favorites and some background about them. Im DYING to hear how it went. Ive been dilegently checking hoping to catch a glimpse.

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  18. Karen says…
    07/21/2010

    I would highly recommend "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult. I have avoided her other books because she always deals with heavy subjects. But this one was different. It does deal with a teenage boy who is autistic and is being investigated for a crime. Since my son is also autistic I hesitated but it was worth reading. Some of my all-time favorites: "A Girl Named Zippy" by Haven Kimmel. It's a funny and meaningful account of a writer who grew up in the 70s in middle America in a small town and "Fahrenheit 451", a classic but a fantastic, timeless read.

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  19. Ali Edwards says…
    07/21/2010

    I can totally do that...need to actually :). Yours were so inspiring to me Lisa.

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  20. MichelleK says…
    07/21/2010

    Be warned, you will not be able to put down "the girl who played with fire", it is so GOOD....clif hanger at the end...but luckily "the girl who kicked the hornets nest" is out. (currently sitting on my bookself though, I must read it)
    Off to find out more about "little Bee"
    Take care, and happy reading

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  21. Denise Levy says…
    07/21/2010

    I recently read the entire Girl with a Dragon Tattoo trilogy. I couldn't stop and read all three books in about a week and a half. :) I would highly recommend reading the next two in the series. I'm so bummed the author died, I get addicted to authors and I'm sad that those three books are it. I've also heard great things about the Swedish version of the movie.

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  22. Amy says…
    07/21/2010

    I saw a CBS Sunday morning segment about Henrietta Lacks. It is amazing the impact she has had on the world and on medical research. I imagine that her life and cells have gone on to extend many lives. She should really be more well known than she is. I have not read the book, but I will look for it. Thanks!

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  23. Kal Barteski says…
    07/21/2010

    I loved Little Bee! I couldn't put it down! You should try Loving Frank. A Novel. It's a bit of a historical look at Frank Lloyd Wright's love affair. As a fan of his work - I couldn't put it down... and the ending JUST THREW ME.

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  24. Paige says…
    07/21/2010

    I recently read Columbine which was obviously not "light" summer reading but just fascinating and thought-provoking. It focuses on the media's role and mistakes throughout the day of the shooting and then investigation following. Written by a journalist from the area.

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  25. Kayla says…
    07/21/2010

    I just finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who played with Fire! They were my favorite books I have ever read! I just ordered The next book in the trilogy from ebay and am waiting impatiently for it to arrive!

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