I hope everyone is having a great start of the week. I meant to post last night but we ended up watching a movie instead and after the film I was just looking for some comfort reading to get those images out of my head! We watched The Road based on the book by the same title by Cormac McCarthy. Have you seen the film?
So in my search for some comfort reads I picked up The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and it was exactly what I needed for the moment even though I think I still had a nightmare from the movie.
Anyway what I meant to tell you about yesterday was about my recent library visit. Again, I kept telling myself I was just going to go in to pick up my hold but we all know how that goes. So here’s what I checked out:
- Bad Blood by Lorna Sage. This is the next read for the Slaves of Golconda. It’s a memoir about growing up in postwar provincial Britain. I like this part: “she tells an extraordinary tale of thwarted love, failed religion, and the salvation she found in books.”
- Foreign Correspondence by Geraldine Brooks. As an adolescent Brooks enlisted pen pals from around to the world to offer her a window into their lives and worlds. Twenty years later she tries to find her pen friends. My husband and I first knew each other as pen pals so I can already imagine this book will be a special read.
- Prospect Park West by Amy Sohn. A smart, sexy, satirical peek into the bedrooms and hearts of Brooklyn’s famed Park Slope neighborhood. This sounds like it might be a fun, light read.
- Wonderful World by Javier Calvo. The story of a son trying to make his father proud – by becoming an international criminal. A tale of multiple story lines including a fictional manuscript by Stephen King. This sounds totally quirky, witty and magical.
I still have quite a few other books that I checked out recently so my stacks are definitely piling up. Let’s see what I can get through before I have to return them back.
I don’t think that movie is showing here yet, but I do enjoyed the book. Sounds like you had a fun weekend! 🙂
I had dozens of pen-pals from all over the world when I was a teenager, so I must, must, must get Foreign Correspondence. Love that you and your husband met as pen-pals!
Foreign Correspondence has my interest. Like Melissa, I was a pen pal girl when I was young. I never stuck with it past the age of 10 or 12 (boys distracted me) but it was so much fun at the time. Good luck on getting all these read!
I do like Geraldine Brooks and hope to read more of hers soon. The film sounds a bit too much for my liking.
I have not seen The Road on film yet, but that book stuck with me for days after finishing it. Sounds like you’ve had a productive reading weekend!
I have not read or seen The Road yet. I’m still trying to get myself in the right frame of mind but I suspect there really isn’t a right frame of mind. The Geraldine Brooks book sound wonderful! Be sure to say if it’s good!
Usually I don’t do this, but I would say just go ahead and take Wonderful World back to the library. I had such high expectations for it, and parts are quite good, but there’s something about the attitude towards some of the women that bothered me–and I am rarely bothered by that sort of thing. Maybe it was my frame of mind and you’ll have a different take, but I just couldn’t keep going!
I’m one post too late, but wanted to add an offering to the 1930’s challenge! (And it’s from a fellow Texan.)
I haven’t read The Road yet because I know it will be a dark and disturbing read. I love Viggo Mortensen so I know I will see the movie too at some point. I’m glad you found some lighter reading to help cleanse the dark movie from your mind!
Melody – It’s very good! I do want to read the book but obviously I’ll probably be waiting a good long while before I attempt that one! 🙂
Melissa – So you don’t stay in touch anymore? I used to have quite a few and unfortunately we all lost touch but well at least I did keep the best one 🙂
Sandy – I think it would have been great to have a penpal when I was a kid but yea, I can imagine other interests would have taken over. heehee.
vivienne – Have you read Year of Wonders? That’s the only Brooks I’ve read and I loved it. I have high hopes for this one.
Serena – I can imagine that book having an impact. Even though I sort of new what to expect of the film based on the book reviews it still is something else to see it.
Stefanie – I’d like to read the book but I’m definitely not in the right frame of mind for that kind of read. I promise to report on the Brooks book 🙂
Priscilla – Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t like it but it happens right. I don’t know if I’ll get to the book and it looks a bit more dense than the others. I admit one thing that lured me in was the setting – Barcelona – but maybe I’ll just briefly look through it and see what I think. I’ll let you know!
Shelley – No problem. Which book did you want to recommend? I can always add more to my wishlist 🙂
Kathleen – Viggo is fabulous in the film! I don’t necessarily mind dark films but I guess just not so close to sleep time! haha…
I have THE ROAD on our bookcase (my husband has read it), but I haven’t yet read it. I’m rarely in the mood for dystopia, so I’ve let it sit there.
I generally read the book before seeing the film, but I may reverse the order for this one.
Dawn – I don’t typically seek out dystopian fiction either but I’m kind of surprised at how many dystopian novels I’ve loved. Granted most of them are quite grim. And, I’m with you, I much prefer to read the book first!
Oh really, Geraldine Brookes had penpals? That’s great, love her and I hope this will be a fun trip kind of book.
I read The Road when it first came out and thought it was very good, although very depressing and I wasn’t sure I liked it until I finished. I have the movie in our queue and am interested to see how well it follows the book. And, of course, I love, love, love Viggo!! 😉
I read it when it came out…don’t know if I’m up to the movie or not, but Viggo is definitely a temptation!