Just read…
Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers and Saints. I read Boxers last weekend. As soon as I finished, I began kicking myself for leaving Saints at work. I am not particularly skilled at talking about graphic novels. When I read a work like Boxers and Saints, I tend to turn the final page and just feel pretty stupefied, unsure of how to comprehend what just happened. However, I am glad I did read them because I traversed out to Harvard Square to see Gene Luen Yang and M.T. Anderson chat, and if I hadn’t read them, I would not have appreciated their discourse as much as I did. I mean, I probably still would have liked it a lot since there are probably not two more charming and brilliant people who could have a chat together, but yeah, it helped.
Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. As a hardcore introvert, I really enjoyed this book. And while I’m not sure extroverts in general would want to read this book, I also thought it was a really interesting application of personality theory; Cain explores introversion in various business, educational, and social settings. It’s really quite fascinating, and she makes a good argument for how introverts are treated in general and provides useful tips to help both the introverted and extroverted level the playing field.
Currently reading…
Curtis Sittenfeld’s Sisterland. I like reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s books, but I’m not sure if I actually like Curtis Sittenfeld’s books. I like her writing. I like that she writes female characters and pays attention, and respect, to her character’s childhoods, teenage years, and young adulthoods. However, I haven’t really read a Sittenfeld that I finished and said, “Yes, that was a fine, fine book.” Maybe The Man of My Dreams, but it’s been years and years since I’ve read it so maybe I would have a different opinion now. Anyway, I am going to have to muscle to finish this before my audiobook expires, but I am really motivated because Favorite Roommate gave it the following review on Goodreads: “I am completely unable to give this a rating right now, because the action the protagonist takes at the end is resonating negatively with me, and I think I would rate it for my feelings rather than merit itself.” WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THAT IS SO AWFUL?? I am almost more invested in this book now. That is probably strange.
Martin W. Sandler’s Imprisoned and Abigail Haas’s Dangerous Girls. These two are brought to you from the department of Required Reading. I am glad to see a book for a young audience about Japanese internment, mostly because I had no idea this happened until I was in college and felt a little deceived by my public education. However, so far, I am almost completely distracted by the atrocious page-turns in this big, shiny book. There’s only so many times you can interrupt sentences with giant double-page spreads on completely different topics, Sandler. Dangerous Girls, on the other hand, has me flipping pages without any qualms whatsoever. It’s a YA crime novel – did the protagonist kill her best friend? If it wasn’t her, then was it her two-timing boyfriend? The creepy stalker? The smarmy, rich Dutch boy who bought the girls drinks all night at the bar? It’s very wtf is going on, a little Gone-Girlsy.
Up Next…
Losing It and Catherine Reef’s The Bronte Sisters. Well, the thing about Required Reading is that it begets more Required Reading. I should probably read these two next, just because I gotta. I had Losing It on my TBR shelf and The Bronte Sisters looks pretty accessible so I won’t complain too much.
George R. R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords. Once I finish up Sisterland I will be in the market for a new audiobook. And while I’ve halted my Game of Thrones madness for a few months now, I just… I just… I don’t know. I might be tired of staving it off. Maybe. I don’t know. It’s the freaking holidays, I’m feeling indulgent. I feel like it might be this or Harry Potter. So let’s just not talk about it.