Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Something about Lit'rature

Summer is here and I want to finally read all of those books that I've been putting off in the name of lack-of-time. Yesterday, I read The Miracle at Speedy Motors which is the latest in The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency series. It was fabulous, as usual. I think that Alexander is starting to wax more and more philosophical in these later ones actually. He skirted the topic of religion several times.

One of my favorite parts was right at the beginning when Mma Ramotswe is thinking about how the address of her Detective Agency is c/o the adjoined auto shop. While her assistant believes that such an address belittles the agency's importance, Mma Ramotswe notes that there is security in being "care of" another. In fact, she says that we should all be "care of" one another. And I thought it was a great idea.

(P.S. If any of you have ideas for me to add to my summer reading list, I'm up for suggestions.)

7 comments:

Deon said...

A book that was recommended to me was "The Color of Water" by James McBride. I don't get to recreational reading much these days. Let me know if you like it.
I have the sequel to "A Girl Named Zippy" somewhere. That's a good read.
You probably already read "Blink".
Old classics are sometimes worth a relook. I like George Elliot and "Adam Beade" or, if you're in the mood for some good old Russian depression, "The Death of Ivan Ilich", which is recommended over "The Gulag Archipelago" or "Brothers Karamazoff" because it is much shorter.
No, no, for summer reading, keep it light. Try "Crocodile on the Sandbank", an Egyptologist/detective book set in Victorian times.
You might look for books on CD for your summer travels. Good luck.

Bran said...

Umm, you should add the many books that you are reading to your good reads account, so when we look at your blog, we know that you have read more than 1 book in the last year....

xister said...

The deed is done. Now you all know what I'm reading.

Portia said...

I agree with Momma, keep it light. For good sci-fi, try the Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMasters Bujold. I'm also digging the Fablehaven books by Brandon Mull right now. I have never read a book by Diana Wynne Jones that I didn't like. For lightish non-fiction, I loved Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough. Sophie's World by Jostien Gaarder is a good light philosophy book to read in the summer.

I think you know how I feel about the Twilight series, and I know you'll make the right decision.

mlh said...

I was just going to say Fablehaven.

jaks said...

I generally approve of Russian authors. This includes, but is not limited to, Ayn Rand (well she's Americanized but still), Dostoevsky, and Pushkin.
Ooh! Or, as a math person, you could read "A Mathematician's Apology" by G.H. Hardy. I found it interesting, particularly after I read the background behind the book.

Ms. T said...

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman is good. I liked it.