summer reading

[dancingyel]

i realized, to my dismay, that my list of things to do over the summer doesn't include any books! i have found a few while browsing amazon, but i need more! so, wise friend list, what books should i try to read over the summer? suggestions of all genres are welcome!

books i think i might want to read:
on food and cooking (harold mcgee)
the legend of sigurd and gudrun (tolkien)
godel, escher, bach (douglas hofstadter)
how doctors think (jerome groopman)
on the line (eric ripert)
blue shoes and happiness (alexander mccall smith)
stumbling on happiness (daniel gilbert)

as you can see, it's a short and eclectic list and could use many more suggestions!

Comments

[linley.livejournal.com]

Recently I enjoyed Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Also Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and Lavinia by Ursula LeGuin. All fiction. The nonfiction I've been reading has all been research, but if you're interested in infectious diseases, creating elements, or gay parenting, I can offer some titles. Oh, and if you would like to read the small press edition of Z's book, he has copies he wants to get rid of.

If you're interested in happiness, you might enjoy the blog The Happiness Project (a book of the same name is in press but not on shelves yet).

[dancingyel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I liked Tipping the Velvet, Fingersmith sounds like it might be similar in style and content. Shall have to give it a try. I tired starting Middlesex at some point in the past and couldn't get through it, but it might be worth re-attempting, since I've heard good things about it from several sources now. And Lavinia sounds awesome! It's nice to find books one hasn't read by authors one loves! Yay!

Gay parenting is actually a fascinating topic, so if you have any recs of engaging books about it, I'd love to take a look.

I'd love a copy of Z's book! I might have to re-read The Odyssey first, though. :) And yeah, I'll ahve to check out the Happiness Project blog...I'd heard about it in the past, but never actually went to look.

Thanks!

[linley.livejournal.com]

Fingersmith is the first of Waters' books I've read. It has a really delicious twist that seriously left me sputtering (I would say more but I don't want to ruin it for you).

In my opinion, Middlesex really starts to get good perhaps a third of the way in, once the narrator is actually born. You could skim up to that point.

We should talk more about what you are interested in regarding gay parenting before I make recommendations.

[dancingyel.livejournal.com]

In my opinion, Middlesex really starts to get good perhaps a third of the way in,

Ah, that might explain why I haven't been able to really get into it. Will definitely have to give it another try.

Re: gay parenting books...I've recently been reading lots of random parenting blogs (unclear why, found one and then just started following several), and have also been on a kick where I read books subtitled things like "My Life as a _____" (fill in the blank). They tend to be things that are pretty specific -- competitive gymnast, waiter, etc. So, the intersection of those 2 is kinda what I'm looking for. :)