I just read Budda in the Attic, by Julie Otsuka...it's wonderful and was so powerfully written that I could barely wait to get back to it each night. I really, really enjoyed it.

Just finished Stephen King's 11/22/63...not a horror/scary book but it is about time travel. SO GOOD.

Also really enjoyed Gone Girl.

And the best book I read last summer was The Kitchen House.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, non-fiction about the building of the world's fair in Chicago in 1893, while a charming serial murderer was on the loose.

Currently reading The Risk Pool by Richard Russo. I love Russo...Empire Falls; Straight Man; The Whore's Child and other short stories.

Ah, summer reading-my favorite topic. Well, except for autumn reading. Or winter reading. Or spring reading...

This summer, alas, I got lost in Westeros. Although I haven't seen the tv version, I decided to give A Game of Thrones a try, since the reviews of both the show and book were so strong. Fantasy is not a genre I ever read but I figured what the heck, if I didn't like the first chapter I could just move on.

Oh my. I started GOT on my summer beach vacation, then snapped up the next 3 books on Amazon and just finished A Dance with Dragons last night. What an incredible saga! The author created such an vivid evocation of a medieval world, which he based on the York and Lancaster era of British history. The characters, the plot, the intricacy of weaving together storylines, totally addictive. For a non-fantasy fan, the magic is woven into the plotlines in such a way that it is integral to the story. I don't know if I want to watch the HBO version; I tend to prefer to keep my own mental images of literary characters. I'll probably cave though, evidently HBO, and George Martin who was involved in the production's writing, did a great job translating the books to visuals so far.

The relatively few other books I managed to fit in (each of those Song of Ice and Fire tomes are thousand page monsters) included 11/22/63, our summer book club assignment. Enjoyed it a lot. I quit reading Stephen King decades ago. A very skillful writer but the horror schtick got old--just when I'd get swept into the story oops there comes a ghost, or a vicious otherworldly murderer or whatever. But this book about time travel was touching, and thought provoking.

I have Gone Girl on my nightstand, and wonder how it will compare to Gillian Flynn's other two books. Those were very, very dark and the protagonists were decidedly not warm n fuzzy characters. Looking forward to starting this one.

I am also ready for Sacre Bleu, which got great reviews. A book about solving Vincent Van Gogh's presumptive murder...interesting premise.

Other recent reads:

Seating Arrangements-stopped reading this one although it got good reviews. About an upper crust family wedding in New England, but I couldn't stand or believe in a single character. Maybe it was just me though, others might like it.

The Underside of Joy-a somewhat soap opera-ish book about a woman whose husband dies suddenly, leaving her to raise his two small children. Then the ex-wife and biomom shows up, and life takes some interesting turns.

The Lifeboat-set around the turn of the century, a young social climber on her honeymoon is set adrift after the ship on which she and her husband are traveling sinks. Quintessential unreliable narrator tale, and I'm a sucker for survival at sea stories.

Girlchild-one of the best, though darkest, books I've read in years. Superbly written story about a girl growing up in a very tough neighborhood near Las Vegas, with a single mom and a lot of obstacles to overcome. Really, really good book.

The Language of Flowers-another book about a girl on her own, quite different style from Girlchild but a warm redemptive ending makes it a little lighter read.

Defending Jacob-wow, this was a page turner! Story of a lawyer father doing what the title says for his son Jacob, who is accused of killing a classmate in his tony suburban high school. Similar to We Need to Talk about Kevin so you're warned...this is definitely nightmare-parenting material. But so well written, kept me riveted till the very end, which had one last shocking plot twist.

The Art of Fielding-I resisted this one for awhile because I'm not a baseball fan and I thought that was most of the plot. Turns out baseball is the framework but there was so much more to this story about a talented young college player who goes into a severe slump. Though it took a bit of a detour mid-book, I really enjoyed the characters and it was definitely worth reading.

An Available Man-a guy who is widowed tries to move on after losing a much loved spouse. Nicely written, gentle book that caught the spirit of the mantra "you don't get over it, you get through it" in someone's life.

Those are the fiction books. Some recent non-fiction I liked:

Would it Kill You to Stop Doing That-A Modern Guide to Manners-hilarious, definitely worth a read and thought provoking underneath a very funny writing style.

Eating Clean for Dummies-pretty much what you'd think from the title. Interesting explanation of food chemistry and tips on how to do better than the standard agrobusiness/big grocery/chain restaurant shopping pattern.

The American Way of Eating-good companion to the book above, the author went undercover at various stops on the agrobusiness/big grocery/chain restaurant cycle in the US, including working at Walmart, Applebees and corporate owned farms. Quite enlightening.

Ninety Days: A Memoir of Recovery-a sequel from Bill Clegg, again pretty self explanatory title.

Father's Day: A Journey into the Mind and Heart of My Extraordinary Son-memoir by a successful author (he wrote Friday Night Lights) about a road trip taken with his twentysomething son. Son, a twin, was born very premature and suffered brain damage leaving him developmentally disabled. His twin brother grew up normally, went on to an Ivy League college and a career as a teacher. The book describes a cross country drive for the father and 'damaged' son to connect, but the author writes about his feelings on raising a child with severe health issues, the son's life and attitudes, etc. Very moving.

Winter King-Henry VII and the Dawn of Tudor England. Oakley, this book's for you! And for everyone else obsessed with this time period. Very deeply researched history of the title character and the world he inhabited, which of course set the stage for the reign of his son.

And last but maybe best:

Wild-this memoir by Cheryl Strayed is a (deservedly) best seller. Strayed spent several months hiking to try to resolve issues in her life following the death of her mother, and the downward spiral that followed for her. Beautifully written and as someone who also lost my mother at about the same age as Strayed, it certainly rang true in so many ways. Great book.

That's probably enough from me for one day! Hope to hear about more good books, you can never have too many waiting in the queue.

Ann

I started Middlemarch and feel i have to read it. It is supposed to be one of the best novels of all time blah blah blah. It is a tough road, so far ... maybe 100 pages in.

I've read mostly British chick-lit this summer, but thanks to Olychick, I've just ordered "Buddha in the Attic" from Amazon. I enjoyed the preview there so much! I can tell this will be a book that I too will not want to put down.

SunnyC - I hope you love it as much as I did. It is such a powerful story and the way she writes is compelling and unique. I'm going to get When the Emperor was Divine. I love this subject; I remember asking my mom about the relocation camps, as she was in Seattle (born and raised) when it happened and I just couldn't understand how people let their neighbors be taken (my mom's answer was that there was so much hate after pearl harbor that it was for the Japanese residents/citizen's own protection). I wondered what happened to all their stuff, their homes and businesses, their pets, etc. Once in a while I learn of the history of some of the fabulous NW Japanese gardens and nurseries and farms and the relocation of their proprietors, during those times. Heartbreaking. Did you read Snow Falling on Cedars, also a great book on the subject?

Starting from the beginning of summer:

the Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin - I really enjoy his books

Jane Eyre by YNW - Took me about eight months to get through it

The Pearl Diver by Jeff Talarigo - Dark story but good

The Road From Coorain by Jill Ker Conway - Very interesting memoir about growing up in Australia

Louisiana Voyages by Martha Field - collection of work by the first full-time news woman at the Times Picayune

The Third Coast by Ted McClelland - Funny travel book probably most appreciated by those of us who live near the Great Lakes

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer - very enjoyable read

Death in Venice and Other Tales By Thomas Mann - good stuff!

Currently reading: Inside the Victorian Home by Judith Flanders

I have added some new ones to my "To read" list thanks to those have posted. Yay!

I just finished Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - really liked it. I just started Quiet, about introverts (can't remember the rest of the title or the author). I read Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Gone Girl, Extra Virginity (about olive oil, even visited an olive oil place mentioned in the book last week in Berkeley while on vacation), Yes, Chef, God's Hotel, and some others I can't remember right now.

Just realized that I typed "YNW" for you know who. Sorry about that!

I am just finishing up My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

It's a great historical fiction book which takes place during the civil war.I live in NOVA so all the places mentioned in the book are very familiar to me. Before that I read Killing Lincoln by Bill O"riely. It kind of tied in with the historical fiction book

Here is a link that might be useful: Mary Sutter

mtnrdredux: To read Middlemarch, here is my advice:

1) Check out Jane Smiley's book "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Novel." This book was written during a time when Smiley was feeling all dried up as a writer. As an exercise for herself she set out to read 100 classics and write about their stories, how they fit in to the history of literature, etc. Anyway, in the book There is a good discussion of Middlemarch that sets the stage for a better reading experience.

THEN 2) Get the DVD of the BBC serialize version of Middlemarch. The dreamy Rufus Sewell plays the nephew. Watch the DVDs. The acting is very good, the sets and costumes are up there with Downton Abbey. The film version is really entertaining.

THEN (and only then) go back to your print copy and enjoy. I think it's a book that needs a little framing, at least for me. I gave some friends this "how to read Middlemarch" advice and it really helped. It can be tough to find a way into but once you do...addiction.

George Eliot was a remarkable woman.

I just ordered a book about dog love stories. It's called Tears and Laughter by Gene Hill.

It's a gift, to bribe someone, a signed copy.

"Money can buy you a pretty good dog, but it can't buy the wag of his tail".