I lucked out and found out that my husband had a copy of The World Without Us which I had mentioned wanting to read. I must check his bookshelves more often. However, the copy is for an audible book so I wasn’t sure but went ahead and loaded it up on my iPod.

It’s a bit odd listening to a book and I’m not sure if I like it yet. In particular because I tend to put stickies on pages to remember something for a review later on and I can’t do that now. I’ve been taking a couple of notes but I can imagine that it will be much harder to go back to these after I’m done. I haven’t given up on this though so I’ll keep you posted.

The book itself is thought-provoking. In the intro the author mentions about what the world would be like if humans all of a sudden disappeared? How would the planet go about restoring itself after all the havoc we’ve caused. I know we’ve caused a lot of damages, species gone forever and things like that, but what about the good things we’ve done? What about art and music? Ah, I think this will definitely be a fascinating book to think on as I continue listening to it. I’ll keep you posted.

Now, you’d think my audible book adventures ended there but as I was already in iTunes updating my iPod with some new music, I took a little detour to the area of podcasts. I know, I’m terribly late to this thing but I think I just got hooked! I found some wonderful book podcasts like the NPR Book Tour and Nancy Pearl’s Booklust. I’ve already listened to Tahmima Anam read from her book A Golden Age and Sue Miller read from her book The Senator’s Wife, both now on my TBR list. Do you listen to any podcasts? I’d love to get some of your recommendations so please share.

Oh and in case you were wondering what new music I’m listening to now, I got a few new songs from Molotov, Sia, Feist, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

After doing the non-fiction meme I’ve been thinking/wanting a non-fiction book to read but I can’t find what I want in my stacks. I have quite a few memoirs but I’m not really in the mood for one of those right now. I’d like something more along the line of social issues or current affairs.

I even went to the library yesterday and I had a quick look through the books but nothing on the new shelves really jumped at me, and I didn’t have time to wander in the stacks. You know which non-fiction books I’d like to check out right now? Here are some that I think would be fascinating:

• Comfortably Numb by Charles Barber. A critical look at an overmedicated country.
• Against Happiness by Eric G. Wilson. I read about this book on NPR. I wonder if he’s read Comfortably Numb?
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Have heard such good things about this book.
• The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. Combines science with speculation to take us on an audacious tour of what the planet might be like without us.

I am trying not to splurge right now because there’s a book sale coming up in a couple of weeks so for now I’ll see if I can put one of these on hold at the library.

And, so it’s back to the world of fiction for me. Currently I’m enjoying Immortal by Traci L. Slatton. Hope everyone is enjoying their sunday. I’ll be reading, maybe going to the bookstore and I’ll try to check in with other Sunday Salon readers.