Reading Bonanza

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Will write a post about our adventures on this island, but for now, I'll mention a few fun books that I've been reading....

War & Peace
Li and his father inspired me to start this book. 3/4ths of the book to go! I'm tempted to blurt out certain developments or commentary; however, I don't want to spoil anything for Li.

I love following the characters through different life events and paths. The etiquette of the Russian aristocrats tickles me & the vivid descriptions of war, preparation & battle, are fascinating. Looking forward to future developments...

I enjoy reading this book on the kindle. 1) it's a free version of the book 2) easy to read/transport around the island 3) super easy to look up new military vocabulary (e.g. cossack)

Brave New World
Picked this novel from a list of top 100 books of all time (Modern Library). It's interesting and a quick read - I still like War and Peace better. In a nutshell, it's a futuristic peek at a world that maintains social stability through reproductive, subliminal, and altered-state-inducing technology.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
I have no idea how this book appeared on my Kindle. Good editor and reader reviews? Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book because I learned about the military occupation of the British Channel Islands by the Germans (WW2). Written in the forms of letters to a reporter, it held my attention.

Seeker
Interesting scifi book that won the 2007 Nebula Award and was recommended by my friend, Tosh. Thanks Tosh for writing such excellent reviews of books! Your recommendations haven't let me down. Check out his well-written review of the book (plus others): http://www.toshen.com/book-reviews11.htm

NurtureShock
NPR featured this author awhile ago and the discussion piqued my interest. It's essentially reviewing parenting myths...but don't get any ideas. I will not have kids soon; I just got married.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
Interesting non-fiction book about Percy Fawcett searching for the city of Z, site of an ancient Amazonian civilization that may or may not have existed. This author investigates Fawcett's fate.

Books read/reviewed already on the trip:
  • The Girl Who Played with Fire: great thriller
  • A Short History of Nearly Everything: great science book
  • A Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: great thriller
If you have recommendations, I'm looking for them! Please leave a comment/suggestion in the blog.

Stay tuned...our next post will be about this island.

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