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I am debating between The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, Rough Country by John Sandford (I have never read anything by him but I liked the title), and Sandra Brown's Where There's Smoke. I also have The Glass Castle but I am not sure I am in the mood to read about someone's bad childhood.
This has been a wicked winter and we just got out of another spell of -30ish temperatures only to have freezing rain, snow, blowing snow, and high winds forecast for tomorrow. Even the pleasure of reading is starting to wear a little thin.
I suppose I will also miss my hair salon appointment. With every south wind we can't get off the driveway. I guess I could clean the house.
I hear ya netwit- but just so you know- the glass castle, while being about as dysfunctional family as you can imagine, was actually (to me at least) not depressing as you might think- it was a great effortless read. I think you would enjoy it. Not to worry.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood.
I read it for an English Lit. class in high school (grade 8, I think it was) but, of course, I don't remember anything about it. I'm a wee bit older now.
I've only just started it -- I'm on page 30 or so -- and it feels very dated. Like me.
That said, it was written well before I was in high school. It was written in 1969. I read it in 1979. It may not be fit for 2011. We'll see.
"Inside The Kingdom" by Carmen Bin Laden. The author is Swiss by birth, the daughter of a Persian mother and a Swiss father and was married to a brother of Osama bin Laden for many years. While she didn't know Osama very well, this easy reading book gives a lot of insight into the bin Laden family, as well as life inside the secretive and repressive Saudi society.
"Inside The Kingdom" by Carmen Bin Laden. The author is Swiss by birth, the daughter of a Persian mother and a Swiss father and was married to a brother of Osama bin Laden for many years. While she didn't know Osama very well, this easy reading book gives a lot of insight into the bin Laden family, as well as life inside the secretive and repressive Saudi society.
Sounds interesting, CB. I've read a lot of books about the cultures in Islamic countries but have yet to read one set in Saudi Arabia. The reason for that is the horror (IMO) of the Wahabis. The Taliban is a Wahabi invention. I can find nothing redeeming in that way of thinking.
Plus, "Persian" usually denotes "Shi'ite" and they are not treated well in Saudi Arabia. They are treated even worse during the Haj. A lot of those male Sunni Saudis are the most repressive people on the planet. Karma is gonna' get them because today's "Day of Rage" is taking flight and it's the women and the Shias in Saudi who are fueling it.
I'm going to read this one. Thanks for mentioning it.
I read that a few years ago and it was really captivating. It's just amazing to read how a woman is NEVER out of her house alone. and so on. just amazing. Inside The Kingdom" by Carmen Bin Laden
Sounds interesting, CB. I've read a lot of books about the cultures in Islamic countries but have yet to read one set in Saudi Arabia. The reason for that is the horror (IMO) of the Wahabis. The Taliban is a Wahabi invention. I can find nothing redeeming in that way of thinking.
Plus, "Persian" usually denotes "Shi'ite" and they are not treated well in Saudi Arabia. They are treated even worse during the Haj. A lot of those male Sunni Saudis are the most repressive people on the planet. Karma is gonna' get them because today's "Day of Rage" is taking flight and it's the women and the Shias in Saudi who are fueling it.
I'm going to read this one. Thanks for mentioning it.
I've read several books about Saudi Arabia, but the one that sticks out (I can't remember the title - it was an old book of many years ago) delved into the history of the country and one of the things that stuck out in my head, was that the old king (Abdullah, I believe), the originator of the current ruling family, had syphilis.
In some ways, I can relate rather easily to conservative Muslims. Minus the propensity for killing your enemies, Mennonites also have a conservative tradition, and in the past, women also had their 'place' and it wasn't in places of leadership. But that is still rather deceptive and doesn't tell the whole story, since among the Mennonites I know, women have always been the power behind the throne, in spite of any appearance to the contrary.
Well, I'm still reading Rebecca and A Prayer for Owen Meany.
I'll be honest with you all: I was not loving Rebecca. I was thinking the narrator was a puny, pathetic doormat and then BAM! The story just became fascinating! I'm pretty enthralled now. Depending on how it ends, I will be recommending this one!
I'm only 4 chapters into A Prayer for Owen Meany, but I'm loving it. The first few chapters made me laugh out loud, which I don't often do while reading.
I'm reading Maeve Binchy's newest Minding Frankie. It's so good, if you like her writing, and Who Do You Think You Are? By Alyse Myers, a very good memoir.
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Even the pleasure of reading is starting to wear a little thin. 
I guess I could clean the house. 
