Mission

Bibliophiliac is the space where one passionate, voracious reader reflects on books and the reading life. You will find reviews, analysis, links, and reflections on poetry and prose both in and out of the mainstream.

A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. Franz Kafka

Monday, November 2, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



October was a good month for reading, but so packed with duties and deadlines that I never even had time to think about writing reviews and posts, or reading and commenting on other blogs. This makes me sad, because I feel as though my job is squeezing every ounce of energy out of me. That is not the way it's supposed to be!

My reading has been all over the place the last couple of weeks. I read Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, then two books by Haruki Murakami: Norwegian Wood and A Wild Sheep Chase. At that point I was really tempted to keep reading every book Murakami ever wrote. I followed those two up with another Picoult, My Sister's Keeper. Picoult is a popular writer with my high school students, and I'm trying to keep up with them. Then I read some books about making "Zines" to get ideas for my creative writers.

Finally, I wrapped up October with a fantastic page-turner from Tana French, The Likeness, and a non-fiction book by Daniel James Brown, The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party.

Up next: a reread of Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece, Blood Meridian. It's beautiful and devastating at once. The kind of book that makes you want to collar complete strangers and read out loud to them.

It's Monday: What are you reading?

6 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I was kind of surprised to see you reading Picoult but understand why since your students read her work.

bibliophiliac said...

@bermudaonion-She's not a writer I would normally read, but I found the couple of books I did read to be surprisingly engaging. I always try to read at least some of the books my students are talking about.

thecuecard said...

Oh Blood Meridian, I've always wanted to read that. I've read McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses and The Road but I should read more of his. He's definitely a dark master! Now I'm reading Anthony Marra's "A Constellation of Vital Phenomena" for my book club. Cheers.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I must try the McCarthy book if it had that effect on you!

bibliophiliac said...

@thecuecard-I love All the Pretty Horses too! After this book I'll need to read something a little less dark.

bibliophiliac said...

@Deb Nance-the book is unbelievably dark, and violent. But the writing is just so incredibly gorgeous. It's a disturbing combination!