What are you reading?
This question is sweet like chocolate, fresh like spring breeze, exciting like unwrapping presents.
The books read and recommended are like invisible emotional threads connecting people. I love to hear what people read and gladly reveal what is on my bedside table. I passionately share my love of reading with the people around me.
"I know this is impossible, but I still wanted to check, one of the students said that you have read all the books in the Literature Circle cupboards," a young colleague asked one day.
"I wish, but no. I have read many, but not all. I guess it is like kids believe that librarians have read all the books in their library," I smile, feeling flattered by the idea.
I wish I could I read them all. I wish I could read all the books recommended by my friends and daughter and Goodreads and newsletters. Knowing the impossibility of the task I carefully choose and select what to put on my to be read pile. I recently added 15 new books to my Kindle. Oh, how challenging it was to decide which to start with. I have read six of them already. I'll share three
Surprise structure:
This was unexpected. Through encyclopedia style entries the author shares her memories, emotions, beliefs, observations, and life as she sees and experiences it.
"It is so much easier to not do something than to do something"
"We use these defining truths to help us stay in lines of ourselves. We think we have to hold on to these labels, we feel comfortable holding on to these labels, but it turns out the labels are removable, you can peel them right off."
~ Amy Krouse Rosenthal
About writing:
"Our tender hopes and dreams, our joy, frailty, grief, fear, longing, desire - every human being is a landscape."
"Anchor yourself somewhere - anywhere - on the page. You are committing, yes - but the commitment is to this tiny corner. One word. One image. One detail. Go ahead. Then see what happens next."
~ Dani Shapiro
Love, books, and life:
"He wanted her to sense the boundless possibilities offered by books. There would always be enough. They would never stop loving their readers."
"The world's rulers should be forced to take a reader's licence. Only when they have read five thousand - no, make that ten thousand - books will they be anywhere qualified to understand humans and how they behave."
"You have to dance the things you cannot explain," Pedru said under his breath. "Ans you have to write the things you cannot express," the old novelist thundered."
~ Nina George
What are you reading?
I'm reading Is That a Fish In Your Ear (essays about translation). I'm reading it very slowly, a chapter here and there over breakfast. I'm also reading Illuminae (fun formatting, story reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica + teenagers) and We Were Here.
ReplyDeleteMy colleague used to have her students journal a letter at a time over the course of a year, inspired by the Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life. I was surprised to later realize that Krause Rosenthal also has a bunch of very sweet picture books out.
Your opening to this piece is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI do not know any of these 3 books and will definitely need to check them out!
I'm currently reading Pax, My Life with the Walter Boys, and A Single Shard. Also Mindset for Learning.
The first two books are something I'd like to read for sure. I've heard about Dani Shapiro but haven't read her and I adore Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
ReplyDeleteDani Shapiro's book keeps popping up everywhere - another summer must read.
ReplyDeleteDani Shapiro's book keeps popping up everywhere - another summer must read.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. My mom recommended it, so I'm determined to finish it. I'm so glad I stopped here, this was a similar topic for my blog post this morning. I added Still Writing to my To Be Read list. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove the quotes you've selected from the books! Reading others words of encouragement is a spark for one's own writing.
ReplyDeleteOne of the drawbacks, not really, of this challenge is that I always end up with a list of new books I want to read. Thanks for adding to my pile.
ReplyDeleteI've used Encyclopedia of An Ordinary Life as a mentor text with students, Terje. I think it's wonderful. Thanks for the other two. Dani Shapiro's book sounds like one for inspiration, and I have The Little Paris Bookshop, but still haven't read it, hopefully someday now that you've shared those interesting quotes. There is a lot to read, I agree! Thanks for sharing these.
ReplyDeleteAll of your books sound interesting, I will have to check them out. Like you said though, which one to start!! I just finished The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. Terje, it was awesome! A beautifully written story about hope and survival! I highly recommend it if you have not read it yet!
ReplyDeleteI read The Little Paris Bookshop and was enthralled. I loved how books were used for healing. The other two books both sound interesting. Putting them on my WTR (want to read) list. And now I need to follow Shapiro's advice to anchor myself somewhere on the page and see what happens. Time to write my slice for tomorrow!
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