A Week in Books

What I Read Last Week Now this is what I call a good reading week:  One brilliant novel (A Month in the Country...a Booker nominee, a Guardian Fiction Prize winner...could there be a movie adaptation?), one nonfiction book, and two versions of a children's classic from the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read list.  I can't say enough about a Month in the Country. Tom Birkin is a WWI vet, traumatized by the war and a bad marriage, who takes a job in a country church uncovering an old mural. It's a healing summer for Tom, with friendships and work that helps him rethink religion, marriage, and even life. A Month in the Country is a short read, a one-night read even, so I can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't take it on. Somehow, in reading it, after a long string of current novel disappointments, I remembered why I love novels.  I Survived: Five Epic Disasters is a nonfiction takeoff of a very popular new middle grade series of books of fiction based on true disasters. So, a nonfiction version of fiction books based on nonfiction events. (I think I said that right.) The author makes great choices in her selection of disasters, mixing some well-known events (Titanic) with some lesser-known, but equally powerful stories (Blizzard of 1888). These I Survived books fly off the shelves and I can't think of any reason this book won't also.  My online book group is reading Swiss Family Robinson this month. Our leader set me free when she revealed that scholars say there is no one single authoritative version. Okay. So, shall I read the 496 page version, written on a ninth grade reading level? Or shall I go for the 112 page adaptation, written with third graders in mind? Should I choose the 72 page graphic novel? I settled on the last two. And I think I chose wisely. Plenty of action and adventure and quite readable to boot. I'm pretty sure I read some version of this as a child as I've always had a secret longing to live in a treehouse.

What Arrived Last Week Nothing makes me happier than when I receive a book set in France. Nothing except, perhaps, receiving two books set in France. There is just something about scenes from Paris on the cover that completely mesmerizes me. I'm quite certain that I will find both of these books delicious.

What I'm Reading Now I'm almost at the end of The Perfect Score Project and I have to say that I cannot imagine a more perfect book for you if you are interested in aiming at a fabulous score on that oh-so-important test in your near future. Debbie Stier covers everything, takes a look at every possible test-help, shares all the tips-and-tricks she finds. A very good investment of your time and money, for all you you SAT-ers and parents of SAT-ers out there. And Real Fast Food? A big yes. We want to eat things that are good for us, right? And that taste good? And that are easily prepared? Yes, yes, yes.

So what do you have for me? Have you run across something I should be reading? 
How was your Week-in-Books? And what are you reading today?!

What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and recap the past week.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share books that we found in our mailboxes last week. 

 It is now being hosted here.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme Book Journey loves to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme.