What I'm Reading Now: June 21, 2012

(expectations: 30 women talk about becoming a mother)

started this one this morning, when i was wide awake at 5a.m. i'll finish it tonight. just little vignettes about lessons of parenting, realizing who you are as a person/mother/woman, and understanding motherhood in one's own context. simple and gentle. not beating you over the head with "lessons." just personal stories, in bite-sized snippets.

What I'm Reading Now: May 22, 2012

Actually started this one last week... The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien. It's been on my "to-read" bookshelf (I literally have a bookshelf entirely filled with books I haven't read) for a while, so I thought I'd give it a go. It takes place in South Africa in the 1960s... I can already anticipate the pain and tragedy that ominously looms over a book that must have to deal with apartheid and other difficult topics. So far, it's just some really pretty writing from the perspective of a six year-old girl named Elizabeth.

What I'm Reading Now - May 4, 2012

Finally have another book to read (I was on a quest to find my latest book club pick all week, and ultimately, had enough trouble getting a copy that I changed it to July's book (it comes out in paperback in June), and picked a new title for May so I could start reading again!). Now I'm reading this:

Finny by Justin Kramon. I added it to my to-read list two years ago, and I remember being really excited about it, and then I just never got around to reading it. I snagged a copy on paperbackswap last year, and still never got around to reading it! So, the perfect opportunity has presented itself, and I'm very curious and eager to find out what was so compelling to me about this one, since it's been so long and I don't quite remember! Have you read it? It's Kramon's debut novel, and it has, generally, really strong reviews on Goodreads, among others. Want to read it with me and my online book club? Join us. (you can also just e-mail me: hellerms [at] gmail.)

In other basically unrelated news, four days of commuting without a book to read this week... I ended up mostly quietly listening to music on Pandora... I highly recommend you follow suit and create your own really good Van Morrison station and Fugees station. They will make your mornings/days.

What I'm Reading Now - April 30, 2012

On Friday I finished Swamplandia!, and yesterday, after some peer-pressure from my sister in-law and mother in-law, followed by a near-wrestling match with my MIL over who would pay for it, I finally picked up Bossypants by Tina Fey at the airport, and I'm pretty sure I'll finish it today. I've never laughed so hard out loud so much while reading before. I was uncontrollably giggling just reading the Introduction! Why is she so funny? Follow-up question: why didn't I think of those jokes first?

This is a reading-style deviation for me, as I'm usually a novel reader. But it's a good one, and worth every public giggle. I'm pretty sure everyone on the bus this morning thought I was crazy, until they checked out the cover of my book. Tell me if you haven't read this yet and I'll mail it to you right-stat-now (or after I finish it over lunch).

What I'm Reading Now: February 21, 2012

Actually started this last week, but the photo I self-snapped was not so flattering, so I decided to try again this week.

Yes, I'm late on this series, I know. But I usually hesitate on books that "everyone's reading" and these just didn't call to me. Then suddenly they did. Flew through the first one, and now sucked right into #2. Did you read this series? Did you see the movie(s)? What are you reading these days?

What I'm Reading Now: February 2, 2012

Well, it took me the entire month of January to read The Marriage Plot, so according to Good Reads, I'm one book behind if I want to meet my goal of 25 for 2012. <shakes fist at The Marriage Plot>

Anyway, so now I'm reading two books, not because I'm forcing myself to catch up, but because I am. Bloodroot is for my online book group, and the other, is... just other. And also, Thank You Again, A. You rule.

And yes, I sure did get my nails did yesterday, thanks for noticing!

What are you reading now?

What I'm Reading Now: January 17, 2012

I've missed several of the books I've read for this little series. I don't know what happened! Also, I started this book at the end of December 2011, but only thought about this today, when I'm more than half-way through. Alas, I'll get back on my game. I'm currently reading The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides' new novel. It's interesting. I think my expectations, unfortunately, were for a second coming of Middlesex, which this is not. But Eugenides is such a gifted writer, that even though it's not "the same" it's still a very pleasurable read. I don't as much care about the characters as I did in Middlesex (or as I usually like to when I'm reading), but I'm still entirely compelled by the narrative. This is the first 2012 book for my online virtual book club, Reading Without Borders. In February we'll be reading Bloodroot by Amy Greene. Care to join us? Leave me a comment with your contact info, or shoot me an email. I'm hoping I finish this one with enough time to get another book in this month to keep me on track for my 2012 reading challenge!

Anyway, here I am, sneaking in a few pages in the office!

Photo Project

Does anyone remember this lil' project? Well, aside from my regular updates du nerd, and one other submission, there hasn't been much action. Until now! Yay, Emily! Wanna add your photo/book to the collection (you do, I know you do)? Send it to me (hellerms [at] gmail [dot] com). And now... here's Em, and what she's reading now!

What I'm Reading Now: October 27, 2011

I actually started this one yesterday, but I forgot to post an update. Good thing my trusty new Goodreads widget (on the right-hand side of the ol' blog) is working!

So, I guess first I'll say that I did not mean to read three books with WWII references in a row. I don't have any sort of unhealthy fixation on that time period - it just happened. To that end, I also didn't mean to pick two WWI-related books (Unbroken and Sarah's Key) in a row for my online book club--that was totally accidental. But interesting (at least to me) is that all three books speak to aspects of WWII history about which I knew very little until reading these. Unbroken is about the Pacific war that took place between the U.S. and Japan, and specifically, the American POW experience in Japan. In my in-between book, The Pleasing Hour, which is not actually about WWII, the mother of one of the key supporting characters was shamed by her actions during the War, an experience that shaped both her own future and that of her daughters. That book takes place in France, mainly in Paris and in a small provincial town called Plaire. I am embarrassed to admit that my knowledge of French action during WWII is also limited. And now I'm reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, which also takes place in Paris. While I've only just begun reading, this story is already grabbing me by the throat in terms of its WWII content. It takes place in Paris in both July 1942 and in 2002. In July 1942 the French Police, on German orders, rounded up thousands of Jews in Paris, including somewhere close to 4000 children ages 2-12. They were held in a sports stadium before being taken by train to Auschwitz. The 1942 part of this book tells the fictional story of a little girl who was rounded up during this stain on France's historical record, the event called the Vel' d'Hiv'. The 2002 part is told from the perspective of an America journalist living in Paris who is assigned the task of writing about the Vel' d'Hiv' for its sixtieth commemoration. Something about these two threads will clearly overlap. Another story that handles a part of this many-fingered hand of history about which I know little or nothing. I'm intrigued and hooked, though already, just under 60 pages in, I'm very sad reading about it.

Have you read anything lately that you think would make a good discussion book? Our online book club (linked above) is scheduled through January, but I'm looking for titles to add to our monthly reading list for what will be our second year (!yay!). Suggestions are always welcomed!

What I'm Reading Now: October 17, 2011

First of all, if you haven't read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, I highly highly recommend it. It's non-fiction, a genre of which I'm not usually a great consumer, BUT. This one is a game-changer for me, non-fictionally speaking. First of all, it's a story, not just a retelling of history. And second of all, its subject of focus is one that I didn't know very much about, in spite of knowing and always hearing much about the surrounding history. It's a World War II story, but not about Europe, and not about the Holocaust. It's about the Pacific war waged between the United States and Japan, and specifically about the experience of Ally POWs held captive in Japan. The people come to life, and their stories feel like your grandfather's stories - you just feel so connected to them that it feels like you know them like family. At least, that's how I felt. Most importantly, though, it's just a completely compelling conveyance of a dark period in world history, with a beautiful spirit of humanity to bring it out of the bleakness. I could not put it down.

And then I finished, and I was sad that I was done. So I've picked up another book off my to-read shelf, and while I can anticipate that coming off such a good read, it will be difficult to get into another book quickly, this book has promise... I'm currently reading The Pleasing Hour by Lily King. I don't know where I got it, but it has a range of decent-to-good reviews on Goodreads, and it was honored as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year (1999). So, off I go. What are you reading?

20 Books in 9ish Months

A Quick Summary:

Gun, With Occasional Music - Jonathan Lethem
Bamboo People - Mitali Perkins
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Annie Barrows
Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese
March - Geraldine Brooks
Breathing Underwater - Marie Darrieussecq
The City & The City - China Miéville
If Today Be Sweet - Thrity Umrigar
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Tinkers - Paul Harding
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout
Room - Emma Donoghue
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
The Motel Life - Willy Vlautin
A Short History of Women - Kate Walbert
The Other Side of the Bridge - Mary Lawson
The Borrower - Rebbeca Makkai

(Books tracked via GoodReads, as well as, recently, this project here on the blog.)

What I'm Reading Now: October 10, 2011

I finished The Borrower last week and started up on Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. This is the October book for my virtual book club, Reading Without Borders. I had been waiting for this book to show up either on my Paperback Swap online, or on my hold list at the library, but it hadn't, so I decided to suck it up and buy a copy - it was already a week into October, and this is a long book! There's a great little used-and-new bookshop behind my office called After-Words. I popped in on a lunch break and when I told the man who greeted me what I was looking for, he got a very pleased look on his face and proclaimed that 'boy was I in luck.' Sure enough, someone had just dropped off a used copy that day. It hadn't even been shelved or priced yet. Winner.

In other nerdy news, back in January I set myself a goal via GoodReads to read at least 20 books in 2011. As of last week, I've met my goal and am actually five books ahead of schedule. Nerd: OUT.

What I'm Reading Now: September 27, 2011

Today's my half-birthday - yes, I celebrate my half-birthday. I just realized that by adding the date into this post title, so sorry for that side note, but I feel it warranted acknowledgment. I will never be one of those people who loathes their birthdays.

Anyway, I finished The Other Side of the Bridge last week and really really enjoyed it. Just an absolutely painfully real story of people and relationships. One of the elements of this book that struck me the most was the writing itself. It quite literally took my breath away many times.

And now I'm onto my next read: The Borrower, by Rebecca Makkai.

In other nerdy news, I was contacted by a publisher about a week and a half ago who found my Reading Without Borders blog by way of searching for the title of a book he's involved in. He asked me if I wanted a copy of Zone One to read and review, and I said, why not?! So, I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of this book so I can dig my nails into *real* reviewing! Hopefully, it's actually coming. That could be fun! Speaking of Reading Without Borders, come join us! We're reading Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand for October. Let me know if you'd like to get in on the discussion!

What I'm Reading Now: September 8, 2011

A new month means a new book for my virtual book club, ReadingWithoutBorders (join us!)...

Have you read Crow Lake by Mary Lawson? This is her second book. I'm excited to read and e-discuss...

In other book news, I just snagged two hard cover copies of books that have been on my to-read list for a while at another Borders everything-must-go sale. Each for under $8. The Borrower by Rebbeca Makkai and Bloodroot by Amy Greene. Sad (book stores closing) but sweet (can't beat pretty hard covers for single-digit-dollars!).

What're you reading these days?

Send me photos for my Photo Project.

A New Book Already

I highly recommend The Motel Life which I read in less than 24 hours. A real story, with real characters, and a pace of writing that was like a lighter-mooded Bukowski (read: easier to swallow). Very masculine, but very lyrical at the same time. It was a great change of pace, very entertaining, and while not upbeat in the least, sprinkled with true comedy and charm and whit.

So, I finished that and am on to the next.

Do you use Goodreads? It's basically Facebook for book nerds (so obviously I'm an active "member"). In January I decided, for the first time, to give myself a reading challenge for 2011. I am a good reader, but I often find at the end of the calendar year that I haven't read *as many* books as I thought I did. So via Goodreads I signed myself up for the 2011 Reading Challenge, and set the goal of reading 20 books in the calendar year. According to my tracker, I'm 5 books ahead of schedule! (NERD!)

I recommend Goodreads highly. It's a great way to find books to read, connect with other like-minded readers, track your own reading, record your reading thoughts... I use the "review" option after finishing a book to write something that will help me remember why I liked what I read when I read it. You know how you often remember you loved a book, but can't quite call up the story itself after some time has gone by? You just know you really liked it. This is helpful. Anyway, that's me.

Happy reading!

What I'm Reading Now... August 22, 2011

Started this yesterday... will likely finish tonight. It's a good one.

(more here and here and here)

Photo Project First Submission!

Hooray! Hooray! Callooh! Callay!

Virtual high fives extended to my dear dear AV, who sent me a photo of herself and her book. Bonus virtual high fives and points for reading at work, friend!

Her words: "I got this book last week and I'm just tearing through it. I'm really liking it. Wanna see the hbo series next!"

Don't you want in on this fun fun project, too! Come on! More details here and here. Now, holla at your nerd!

Nerdy Photo Project Attempt #2

'Member this post?

You already know I love reading and being the nerdy nerd mcnerdberg that I am. So, I'm reissuing a call to action on my Photo Project referenced in the link above. And since it elicited a whopping grand total of ZERO responses the first go-around, I have decided to at least start my own gallery o-book photos, because that first inspiring photo made me so happy. Instead of my favorite book, which I'm not sure I could nail down to just one, and none of which, anyway, do I carry in my work bag with me at all times, I have decided I will collect self-portraits of the books I'm currently reading.

If you haven't noticed, I keep a little box on the right-hand side of this blog there ---------------------------> with a log of what I'm currently reading, and a link to more info about it. So I'm going to start adding my little photos there as well. We'll see how this works! Okay, just tried it and can't figure it out, so for now I'll just post a pic each time I start a new book, and maybe eventually I'll sort that out (unless you know... do you?) Anyway, here's my first pic big-style in addition to in the box:

(photo taken on my iPhone)

Now you do it! Send me photos! hellerms[at]gmail[dot]com.

Inspired: Photo Project

I'm such a nerd. This gave me the biggest thrill tonight:

(by --Lulu, via ModCloth on Tumblr)

So thrilled was I, that I thought this could be a great little project! I want to take and collect photos of people/strangers/friends/family/loved ones with their favorite/a great book(s). SO... that said...

...I'd love to see what I can get! Would you take a shot (or have one taken) of you and your favorite tome, or just a book you're into, and email it to me (hellerms [at] gmail [dot] com). I'll post everything! And if I get enough, I'll try to do something more with them/come up with a great contest! Could be fun, no? And if you're as nerdy as I am, and into it enough, forward it along!

Whee! Nerds with their Books!