Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Books: What My Hands Are Touching These Days. Yours?


I have been reading, really, even though I haven’t written a thing about it. Been busy, as I am sure you are, too.

What am I currently reading?

I am reading The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. I will reserve complete judgement of this book until I am finished (about 75 pages left to go). It’s an often engaging story, actually two separate yet interwined storylines. I am fascinated by lighthouses, and this book is about living on a remote island off the Australian mainland where contact with the rest of the world happens every three months at most. I would love to try living this existence if given the opportunity.

I recently started a book of short stories called The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan. This is what Goodreads has to say about this book:

“An affecting and hope-filled posthumous collection of essays and stories from the talented young Yale graduate whose title essay captured the world's attention in 2012 and turned her into an icon for her generation.

Marina Keegan's star was on the rise when she graduated magna cum laude from Yale in May 2012. She had a play that was to be produced at the New York International Fringe Festival and a job waiting for her at the New Yorker. Tragically, five days after graduation, Marina died in a car crash.”

I am only a few stories in. So far, so very, very good!!!

What did I recently finish?

Yesterday, I finished All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. I have quickly become a huge McCarthy fan after reading Children of God (Can you handle creepy? Soon to be a movie!) last year, and, more recently The Road, which I absolutely LOVED! McCarthy’s prose is sparse, yet luscious, and beautiful, yet masculine. You might think that these adjectives used to describe his writing are mutually exclusive, especially “beautiful, yet masculine”, but you’ll understand what I mean if you’ve read anything like these novels. Next McCarthy in line is No Country for Old Men. A book friend somewhat discourged me from reading it saying he recommends it to his “good guy friends”, and, in his experience, women like “romance and sentiment”. I have somewhat masculine tastes in two things, books and my bedding. I will give it a whirl.

What will I read next?

I will probably read An Untamed State by Roxanne Gay, The Vacationers by Emma Straub, or To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris (which I received as a “first read” from Goodreads, and it is already out and I haven’t lived up to my side of the bargain as of yet).

That’s it for my shelves. What are you reading? Enjoying? Hating? Recommending?

2 comments:

Kathiey's World said...

Hi Gina,
I am going through an unwanted and awful divorce. I have not been reading like I used to. It has been nearly a year since I knew of my new reality and I am beginning to enjoy what I used to love that no longer brought me joy in my pain. I am taking photos again, beginning to cook again and you have inspired me to attempt to find joy in reading again.
Thanks for your post!
Kathiey

Gina said...

Kathy,

It is comments like yours that make me desire to share my love of reading with anyone who is interested in, or appreciates it, as well. I am so very sorry for the extremely difficult experience you are (have been) going through. I have no personal frame of reference except we recently found out two of our oldest friends are divorcing after 26 years. It's not a pretty situation at all, and while I understand there are two sides to every story, one of them is not going to make is through with his/her respect intact. So unfortunate.

I hope you continue to find light, peace, and joy in the things that make you happy. And I am happy for you that it is reading (and cooking) because it is an important part of my life. You take pictures, and I write. We need our outlets and things that inspire, and fulfill our souls. I hope you return again. I promise I will continue to share my reading lists.

All the best going forward,

Gina