31 May 2007

Where did May go?

For twelve years of my life, May was always the busiest month of the year. Orchestra concerts! End-of-the-year tests! A family birthday and Mother's Day in the same week! Why I figured this year would be different, I have no idea... until I realize that I haven't posted here for a full 30 days. There's just something about May.

Anyway, it's almost June and I've signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge to get my own rear into gear. No review copies among this bunch... just fun books which have nevertheless been sitting around in my room for ages. Tell me what you think -- am I too ambitious?

1. Paullina Simons, THE GIRL IN TIMES SQUARE
2. Joan Acocella, TWENTY-EIGHT ARTISTS AND TWO SAINTS
3. J.P. Donleavy, THE GINGER MAN (ML #99)
4. Carole Cadwalladr, THE FAMILY TREE
5. William Styron, SOPHIE'S CHOICE (ML #96)
6. Iris Murdoch, UNDER THE NET (ML #95)
7. Pauls Toutonghi, RED WEATHER
8. Katharine Weber, TRIANGLE
9. David von Drehle, TRIANGLE (nonfic.)
10. Jeannette Walls, THE GLASS CASTLE
11. Jessica Cutler, THE WASHINGTONIENNE: A NOVEL
12. David Mamet, BAMBI VS. GODZILLA
13. David Gilbert, THE NORMALS
14. Adam Rapp, THE YEAR OF ENDLESS SORROWS
15. Henry James, THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

If things are going well by mid-July I may tack on more books... followed by a substantive increase in my commute time in order to finish them. Just kidding.

01 May 2007

Oh. My. Gawd. Becky, Look At Her Book.

I want 'em real thick and verbose
So find that volume double
Boy am I in trouble
Beggin' for a piece of that Dickens
So I'm lookin' at Russian littin'...

So your girlfriend drives a Rolls Royce
Playin' books on tape from James Joyce
But hearin' ain't like readin' in the back of her limo
My anaconda don't want none unless you got books, hon
--"Baby Got Book." Via reading under the covers.