Summer Reading 2010

Do you remember this post that I wrote back in May, when I vowed to read this summer?  Would you believe I read all but 3 of the books in that post?  (I added a few other choices, also).  These ten books in 12 weeks!

This is a BIG DEAL.  Me, saying I'm going to do something and actually doing it!  Don't get me wrong, if I tell a friend or family member I'll do something, I will.  It might take a while, but I'll do it.  But, when it is something I need or want to do, it often is forgotten or pushed aside.

I started to read these two, but quit, because I just couldn't get into them.  I was intimidated by the size of Jodi Piccoult's book, so I put it off, but I will read it eventually.

In my opinion, the best of the bunch was "The Year of Fog".  I could not put it down.  I had to know what was going to happen.  NOW, or sooner.  I finished it in 2 days!  It is about a woman whose fiance goes away for a day, leaving her in charge of his little girl.  She takes her to the beach.  They are walking along the foggy shoreline when the woman is distracted and looks away for a few moments, and the girl vanishes.  That is all I will say about it, but I will tell you that this book will really make you think about how quickly your life can change, and it will make you appreciate what you have and often take for granted.

On the flip side, for me, the worst of the bunch was "The Ten Year Nap".  For me, it was like taking a ten year nap.  SNORE! (Or SUH-NORE! as I like to say).  A book about a bunch of women who stop working when they have children, and don't go back.  They're unfulfilled, empty, lost, and jealous of the working moms.  But, the working moms are also tired, bitter, and unhappy, and jealous of the stay at home moms.  So basically, read this book if you want to be depressed and feel like being a woman = unhappiness.  As much as it annoyed me, I kept reading because I was sure things would work out in the end.  Everyone would realize that whatever their choices, they are just that - their CHOICES, and that things are not as bad as they think, and they should appreciate what they have.  Nope.  Just wallowing in misery until the very last page.  Skip it.

The Sophie Kinsella books, and the Jane Green book were all light, fun reads.  

I enjoyed Firefly Lane, but found it a bit frustrating.  It is about two life-long friends.  One, who becomes a wildly successful reporter/talk show host, but who never finds love or develops many close relationships.  The other, who has a loving husband and 3 children, but never develops her writing talent.  Women who can't have it all.  Seems to be a prevalent book theme for some annoying reason.

I highly recommend "Raising Your Spirited Child", because even though Dylan can't technically be classified as "spirited", according to the book, I still got many useful tips.  I think the author is a genius.  I think I'll do a separate post on this one.

Right now, I am reading "Eat Pray Love".  I am finding it very interesting - reading the book AFTER seeing the movie.  I find myself asking "If I had done the movie, would I have done it that way?"  Maybe I'll do a post on it when I finish, but then again, it is fall now, so don't necessarily be expecting it anytime soon.  My TV shows are going to be starting soon.  (I know.  Pathetic.)

Mommy Books

The past few weeks, I've been getting books from the library, for me to read to Dylan.  I don't spend a lot of time looking for books to check out.  I don't have a lot of time, with Mr. Impatient at my side.  Usually something will just catch my eye - a title, the cover picture, an author - that will make me grab the book.  I very rarely read them before bringing them home, which is nice, because Dylan and I get to experience the book together for the first time.  I've been checking out 7 books a week.  Some are duds, and are only read once.  Some are okay.  This week's pile brought two complete gems that I have to tell you about.


The first, which I read to him on Sunday, is "Mama Says", by Rob D. Walker.  On the book itself, it says "A Book of Love for Mothers and Sons", and that is exactly what it is.  If you have a son, you need this book.  I also think it would be perfect as a gift from a grown man to his mom.  Because I couldn't say it any better, this is how the website describes it...


"In this elegant expression of wisdom and love, mothers around the world share lifes simplest yet important lessons with their sons. With Leo and Diane Dillons magnificent paintings, these moments of sharing are profound, engrossing, and a tender display of hope and trust, strength and support. Each verse presents a different family and is translated into a language related to their culture. Whether Cherokee or Korean or American, true love between parent and child transcends our differences and unites us all."


Before I talk about the second book, I should tell you I don't LOVE my job.  I do what I do, (being a part time nanny), because it allows me to make enough money to stay home with Dylan Wednesday through Friday.  I cherish the time that I am getting to spend with him while he is young.  I try to make that time extra special because I know how fast that time will go.  So, when it is sunny and beautiful on Monday and Tuesday, and cold and rainy on Wednesday, I get a bit grumpy.  Today I decided to hell with the rain, we would enjoy the day anyway.  We went to Barnes & Nobles for story time and to play with the train.  When we got home, we snuggled under a blanket to read "Let's Go On A Mommy Date", by Karen Kingsbury, and I cried while reading it.  By the end, my voice was an octave higher,  the tears were streaming down my cheek, and I had to explain to Dylan that sometimes people cry when they are happy.


"See, time will take you far from here; you're growing way too fast.
All I want is Mommy time to make the moments last.
Something we'll remember so that come some far-off day,
you'll know how much I loved you 'cause we took the time to play."

A Book Review

I told Jim he should write this post, and he said "No, I'd have to be all witty and writery". "Writer-y" - I thought that was pretty witty, but fine, I'll write it, Jim. Jim often has dreams about being unprepared. He dreams he is unprepared at work, and sometimes at school. But, the dream he had a few nights ago, about being unprepared, takes the cake. He dreamt that we had enrolled Dylan in some high falootin, advanced preschool. One day, Dylan wasn't at preschool, but Jim was there, sitting indian style, amidst the preschool geniuses. The teacher was conducting a review of a children's book with the geniuses, going to each child to get their take on the ins and outs of the book. Jim was sweating it out, and going into a panic, and when the teacher got to him, he had to admit, he hadn't read the book. UNPREPARED!! The teacher told him he would have to do a book report on the book, and shamed him in front of the geniuses.

When he told me about the dream, I couldn't stop laughing. I could picture him sitting there, with the beads of sweat dripping down the back of his neck, as he prayed the teacher wouldn't call on him. I could picture the sheepish, embarassed look on his face when he had to mumble "I didn't actually read the book", as the geniuses gasped and shook their head, pitying him for his foolishness. I could picture him, face all red, shuffling his feet, as he asked me to help him with the book report!

When Dylan was about 5 months old I joined a club for moms. They have lots of different activities. One, is a book club, in which they get together once a month to review the book the've all been reading that month. I love books, and all, but when am I gonna find the time to read a book with 100 or more pages? I can't keep up with the magazines I get, or even the blogs I want to read! My idea of a book review, at this point in my life, would go something like this...

Today we are going to review, Good Night Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann.





Yikes! The gorilla stole the zoo keeper's keys! What will happen next?! I'm at the edge of my seat already!


We already get clues that the zoo keeper is absent minded. The keys are color coded! Very ingenious - bet his wife thought of that.


Jim asked me one day, "When you read it to Dylan, what do you call the guy?" "The zoo keeper, what else?", I replied. "He has a name tag, you know", Jim remarked. And I say my husband is not observant. How the heck did I miss that? Oh, and also, what is wrong with Joe's fingers?


The zoo keeper, Joe, doesn't hear a gorilla, elephant, lion, hyena, giraffe, and armadillo walking behind him? Um, okay.


You notice in this picture the wife is on the side of the bed?


In this one, she is in the middle. So, how did the gorilla get in, and steal her pillow, without her noticing? Her husband must really smell when he gets home, for her to not notice a gorilla in bed next to her. He must be pretty hairy, also.




Does the wife wake up the clueless husband, push his sorry ass out of bed, and tell him to take all the animals back to the zoo? No! She does it herself, because she knows, to get things done right, you have to do it yourself. This part, at least, I find to be very realistic.


Does the clueless husband have any idea of his blunder, or of the fact that his wife has saved the day once again? Nope. That Peggy Rathmann knows what she is talking about. Great book. I highly recommend it. (Bet you're wishing you wrote this now, huh, Jim?)