Sweet Tooth Haven

The Best BeachBooks

Thousands of NPR listeners voted and chose the 100 Best Beach Reads. I'm sure this means different things to different people.  Some readers might prefer an easy, breezy read while kicking back on the beach, other enjoy a good thriller, fantasy, or something that requires even more concentration.  Whatever your choice, check out the final list.  I printed a copy, highlighted the books I've read, and added others to my reading wishlist.

There are many terrific books on the NPR list.  Some of my favorites from the list:

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkein
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Favorites of mine that didn't make it:

• Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
• Mistress of the Art of Death series by Ariana Franklin
• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Waiting for Part Two

Currently I'm awaiting the release of two books.  Both are the second in a trilogy.  If you like fantasy or crime/mystery novels, I recommend both of these books.  However, pick them up at your own peril, soon you'll be wanting more and left waiting like me.

Two years ago I read the wonderful fantasy novel, The Name of the Wind by first-time author Patrick Rothfuss.  I read it knowing it was the first in a trilogy and as soon as I was finished I found myself ready for the next part.  Last April I ordered The Wise Man's Fear (Part 2) for myself and my brother-in-law and reread Name of the Wind while I waited for it to arrive. It never did, and even though I checked Amazon everyday, it took me about a week to realized the release date was indeed April, but of 2010. Oh well, at least I've had something to look forward to for the past year. 

***UPDATE 4/9/2009***  I just read Patrick Rothfuss's blog and it doesn't look like Wise Man's Fear will be out anytime soon. 

Just last week I finished reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larson.  This was the first time I read a novel set entirely in Sweden and I was intrigued.  A disgraced financial reporter, Mikael Blomkvist, is hired by a wealthy octogenarian to look into the mysterious disappearance of a beloved family member.  The trouble is the disappearance happened decades ago and every lead seems to have already been followed to the end.  The narrative switches between Mikael's story and that of the title character until their paths cross.  All three novels are released in the author's native Sweden.  The translated version of the second book,The Girl Who Played With Fire, is already out in England, and while I could purchase it from amazon.co.uk, I'll wait until July.  It's always nice to have a good book to read during the summer.

         

Happy Holiday

"Six to Eight Black Men" by David Sedaris is my favorite story to listen to or read on Christmas.  Here it is in 3 parts from the CD Live at Carnegie Hall.  David Sedaris recently published an updated version of Holidays on Ice that includes this story.  You can also get the book version.  However, for me, the stories are always so much funnier when I listen to him read them.  Enjoy.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Want more? NPR always has a story about David Sedaris's "Santaland Diaries" where he recounts his time as an elf at Macy's.  There is a link to listen to the story.  Link

Pride & Prejudice

For someone who enjoys reading and does it quite often I am not very well read.  Of course I am referring to classic literature.  Yes, I read a little Shakespeare and Dickens in high school, but since then....?  It's a little embarrassing but I've never read any of Jane Austen's novels.  Nor the Bronte sisters.  Nor Sherlock Holmes, Hemingway, or Tolstoy.  I was determined not to purchase books this summer, but I was fortunate to mooch this fabulous copy of Pride and Prejudice.  It has yellowed pages (several in the front are loose) and it has a definite "old book" smell, but look at the cover! 

I so much prefer it to contemporary ones.

       

Of course I already know the characters, plot, and ending having been an adoring fan (to my boyfriend's chagrin) of the BBC miniseries starring Collin Firth.  I even saw the new movie with Keira Knightley although found it not as good as the BBC series.  So, while there are no surprises I am thoroughly enjoying actually reading this novel and plan to try some other classics. 

David Sedaris

I rarely laugh out loud when I read or listen to audio books, but David Sedaris gets me every time.  He was on David Letterman last night and read a bit of his new book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames.  Enjoy.

Summer Reading 2008

Well, the summer 'must read' book lists are starting.  NPR has listed their annual summer picks from independent booksellers.   I've decided that in an effort to save some cash (hopefully for my bike)  I will not buy any new books this summer.  This may prove impossible.  Here's my plan:

1. Avoid bookstores
2. Add books that look interesting to my BookMooch wishlist and wait patiently
3. Read some of the many, many books I have lying around that are currently unread
4. The new David Sedaris book When You Are Engulfed in Flames doesn't count

If you are not a book lover than you just won't understand how difficult this will actually be.  I know there is absolutely no way I'll be short on books to read, but it will still require a strength I'm not sure I have.  Here's a list of unread books in my library.

David Sedaris

Attention David Sedaris fans:  He will be on tour this fall! Check out the schedule here.  For those of you who don't know,  David Sedaris is an author/essayist.  He mostly writes stories about his life and his family.  Reading his stories makes me laugh, listening to him read his stories makes me laugh so hard I cry.  Usually I hear him read on the radio, but last year I bought the The Ultimate David Sedaris CD collection.  Hours and hours of entertainment.  It's the audio versions of all his books, plus live material.  His sister, Amy Sedaris, reads on some of the stories.

In case you need to brush up on your Sedaris:

Books:

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (The newest book)

Holidays on Ice: Stories

Naked

Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays

Audio:

The Ultimate David Sedaris

Amy Sedaris is a force unto herself and makes damn good cupcakes (recipe in her book).  The facial expressions she can make astound me.  Here are links to her book and TV show:

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
Strangers with Candy - The Complete Series
Amy Sedaris Rocks - fan site