August Book List

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
I'm probably the last person to read this book. It's a novel about a doctor who delivers his own twins one snowy night in the 1960s. When he sees that one of the twins has Down's syndrome, he gives her to his nurse and instructs her to take the baby to a home for special needs people. He then tells his wife that the baby died at birth. The rest of the book is a downward spiral of events set into motion by his split-second decision, but it's not without some hope. I thought it was excellent.

Listening Is An Act of Love, edited by Dave Isay
This book is a collection of transcripts from the StoryCorps project, which travels around the country recording interviews between any two people who want to interview each other. It's fascinating and touching. Highly recommended. My yoga teacher loaned this to me, and she said she's heard some of the interviews (on NPR, I think) and often has to pull over because she's crying by the end of the story. I can definitely see why.

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
The next book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I love this series and think everyone should give it a try. If you like the Mitford books, you'll love these. They're a little like Mitford set in Africa - and I'm learning a lot about African life from them.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Has it only been a month since this came out? It feels like forever. I've blabbed endlessly about this book and Twilight in general, yet I keep thinking of more things to say as my obsession grows. But I don't want to jump into the middle of a discussion here.

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
A companion book to Feeling Sorry for Celia, which I liked a lot. It's also told in letters, e-mails, etc. This one is about three best friends, and their male pen pals who go to another school. It's fun and fluffy, yet makes a statement at the same time.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This is a novel about a dying, reclusive novelist who decides to tell her true life story to a young biographer, who already has her own secrets to keep. It's disturbing and brilliant. All I can say is, if you truly love books and reading, this book is a must.

Books for August: 6
2008 year to date: 62

August Book List

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
I'm probably the last person to read this book. It's a novel about a doctor who delivers his own twins one snowy night in the 1960s. When he sees that one of the twins has Down's syndrome, he gives her to his nurse and instructs her to take the baby to a home for special needs people. He then tells his wife that the baby died at birth. The rest of the book is a downward spiral of events set into motion by his split-second decision, but it's not without some hope. I thought it was excellent.

Listening Is An Act of Love, edited by Dave Isay
This book is a collection of transcripts from the StoryCorps project, which travels around the country recording interviews between any two people who want to interview each other. It's fascinating and touching. Highly recommended. My yoga teacher loaned this to me, and she said she's heard some of the interviews (on NPR, I think) and often has to pull over because she's crying by the end of the story. I can definitely see why.

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
The next book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I love this series and think everyone should give it a try. If you like the Mitford books, you'll love these. They're a little like Mitford set in Africa - and I'm learning a lot about African life from them.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Has it only been a month since this came out? It feels like forever. I've blabbed endlessly about this book and Twilight in general, yet I keep thinking of more things to say as my obsession grows. But I don't want to jump into the middle of a discussion here.

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
A companion book to Feeling Sorry for Celia, which I liked a lot. It's also told in letters, e-mails, etc. This one is about three best friends, and their male pen pals who go to another school. It's fun and fluffy, yet makes a statement at the same time.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
This is a novel about a dying, reclusive novelist who decides to tell her true life story to a young biographer, who already has her own secrets to keep. It's disturbing and brilliant. All I can say is, if you truly love books and reading, this book is a must.

Books for August: 6
2008 year to date: 62