Something about the summer winds that give my nose the itch to be buried in a good book (or pressed up against the screen of my trusty Kindle who I adore but have yet to name.  Ideas?).

I’ve had a phenomenal run of books so far this summer that are taking me all around the world.

First stop was England and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson Though it’s been hot outside, this book was like a warm cozy sweater that allowed me to curl up in its pages.

Next I spent some time in Sweden with Stieg Larsson and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and the rest of the trilogy).  I read these books so fast.  I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.  So sad the author is no longer here to share more of his stories with us.  These books are the epitome of good summer reads.

Back home to the States next to spend time with the Richards family showcased in The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall.  I was suspicious at first that this novel was playing off the popularity of the show Big Love, but THIS is a phenomenal book.  Believe the hype.  Funny and poignant are often over-used to describe books, but in this case they both apply.

And that lands me now in Ethiopia where I am getting to know the Praise Twins in Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.  This title is on my book club list for the upcoming year and so I thought I’d dive in.  No way did I think I’d be lucky enough to read six good books in a row, but holy cow this is good.  I’m just about half way through and I already know these will be characters I’ll miss for a long time.

I have no idea what I’m going to read next.  I don’t even want to hope for seven in a row.

Here’s the list my book club voted on for the next year.  Have you read any of these titles?  Which one do you think I should tackle next?

Do you have a book club list or reading list you want to share?  Send me a link, and I’ll be happy to do a wrap up of all the posts.

The Kirtsy book comes out today!

Why am I excited about it? Maybe because a number of lovely women have their writing, photography and general online fantasticness profiled in this anthology of women on the web.

You another reason?

I’m one of the contributors! (I know. Can you believe it?!) I’m even attending a book release party on Thursday night and will have a Sharpie (have you seen their gallery?) on hand to sign copies (and will be looking over my shoulder for Candid Camera the whole time). You’re invited to the party if you’re in the DC area. Seriously.

The piece included only came about because of my addiction to Twitter (who says all addictions are bad?!) and the very cool people I regularly interact with there (are we following each other? If you’re human and not spamming, I follow back–social media is all about relationships, yo). Since it wouldn’t have been possible without them and because you can’t click on a link in a book, I’m rerunning the post here and hope you’ll click away on the links below.

Oh and buy the book too (I don’t make anything off of it). Mine is only one of many resources and eye candy you’ll find in it.

Twitter Speaks: More Than 50 Books that Have Had an Affect on Us
(originally posted August 9, 2008)

It’s summer and I’m on a reading binge again. Our annual trip to the beach followed closely by a weekend of relative solitude (*gasp* imagine?) has given me the chance to get through a few titles at a much faster pace than regular life allows.

Right now I’m finishing up Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins and there are so many great passages/great lines that have made me stop to think about which books have spoken to me the most.

I subscribe to the belief that different books can mean different things to you depending on where you are in your life. Additionally, books can have varying impact on people reading them depending on the events going on in the world or the timing of the publication. For example, while I think On The Road must have been groundbreaking when it was written, I wasn’t as blown away by it having had the experience myself of traveling without a plan–which is a far more common experience today than it was in the Fifties.

This thinking about reading and “the classics” led me to wonder what books had most influenced others. (My favorite section in Newsweek is A Life In Books… the brief interview with an author and the list of the author’s favorite books and the book they felt was most overrated.) With trusty Twitter at my fingertips, I asked the following question to my Tweeps.

What book have you read, other than the bible, that has had the greatest impact on you?

Folks on Twitter (if you’re not on there, you should be) were tremendously forthcoming with titles–so much so that the following list will keep my reading for years. While 140 characters didn’t allow for much more than title and author, I did receive a few notes about why people had selected certain titles. I’m hoping that folks who contributed to the list (or others inspired by this post) might consider writing a post explaining why the book they listed had such an impact on them. I’m fascinated by these stories and always looking for good recommendations.

Someone did come back to me wanting to know which book most influenced me and I do feel an obligation to share that information. Unfortunately, I can’t point to one particular title that has had the most influence. I love books. I always have. Each on it’s own has affected me in one way or another. Do I have favorites? Absolutely. But even those that were difficult to get through have increased my love for words and added to my ability to think in words.

So without further ado, I give you…

Twitter Speaks: More Than 50 Books that Have Had an Affect on Us

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald Mama Tulip

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb Mama Tulip

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb Send Chocolate & Mama Tulip

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides MamaTulip

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Karoli SoCalMom

Happy Hooker by Xaviera Hollander SoCalMom (you wouldn’t believe how it could scare a 14 y.o)

Lamb by Christopher Moore Anissa Mayhew

The Pact by Jodi Picoult Jodifur

19 Minutes Jodi Picoult Jodifur & Hip Mom

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith Jessabean

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Whit & GraceD & Dooblehvay

A Heatbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers Whit

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison Isabel Kallman

Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill Rumford

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Flutter & Hip Mom (this had a huge impact on me too)

Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn NoirBettie

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser Neilochka

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Lola Goetz

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Devra

Foundation by Isaac Asimov YatPundit

Rebecca by Daphne DuMarier Casey Moosh in Indy

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby OpenBookJen

Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Redneck Mommy

Leaves of Grass* by Walt Whitman Redneck Mommy

Lucky by Alice Sebold Flutter

A Separate Peace by John Knowles Samanthia & PunditMom

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyby Douglas Adams Crunchy Carpets

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Kiki Laughs it Off

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Kiki Laughs it Off

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Kiki Laughs it Off

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice Kiki Laughs it Off

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Kiki Laughs it Off

Mullet Madness by Alan Henderson Undomestic Diva

Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera NOLANotes

A Sense of Honor by Jim Webb Gunfighter

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Jodifur

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman Jodifur

The Princess Bride by William Goldman SueBob

A Course in Miracles SueBob

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White Assertagirl

Intermediate Man John Locks tag

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou GraceD

Laura Ingalls Wilder books GraceD

Bias by Bernard Goldberg Kiss My Gumbo

Evidence of Harm by David Kirby To Think

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley SoCal Mom

1984 by George Orwell SoCal Mom

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut SoCal Mom

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien PaullYoung

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn khylek

Death Be Not Proud by John J. Gunther Slouchy

Atonement by Ian McEwan Slouchy

Superior Women by Alice Adams CharmingDriver

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino Linseyk

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard FairlyOddMother

The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen Cindy Fey

How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie Mike Driehorst

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner Pundit Mom

The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles Pundit Mom

Edited on 8/12/08 to add the following titles originally left off because, well, I’m just a dope.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Julie Pippert

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell Julie Pippert

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Julie Pippert

*This book of poetry was given the highest recommendation when Redneck Mommy explained that it virtually got her through the death of her son. It will be next on my list for a number of reasons and I will think of T’s beloved Bug as I soak up Whitman’s words. Thank you T for being willing to share him with us.

It’s summer and I’m on a reading binge again. Our annual trip to the beach followed closely by a weekend of relative solitude (*gasp* imagine?) have given me the chance to get through a few titles at a much faster pace than regular life allows.

Right now I’m finishing up Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins and there are so many great passages/great lines that have made me stop to think about which books have spoken to me the most.

I subscribe to the belief that different books can mean different things to you depending on where you are in your life. Additionally, books can have varying impact on people reading them depending on the events going on in the world or the timing of the publication. For example, while I think On The Road must have been groundbreaking when it was written, I wasn’t as blown away by it having had the experience myself of traveling without a plan–which is a far more common experience today than it was in the Fifties.

This thinking about reading and “the classics” led me to wonder what books had most influenced others. (My favorite section in Newsweek is A Life In Books… the brief interview with an author and the list of the author’s favorite books and the book they felt was most overrated.) With trusty Twitter at my fingertips, I asked the following question to my Tweeps.

What book have you read, other than the bible, that has had the greatest impact on you?

Folks on Twitter (if you’re not on there, you should be) were tremendously forthcoming with titles–so much so that the following list will keep my reading for years. While 140 characters didn’t allow for much more than title and author, I did receive a few notes about why people had selected certain titles. I’m hoping that folks who contributed to the list (or others inspired by this post) might consider writing a post explaining why the book they listed had such an impact on them. I’m fascinated by these stories and am myself always looking for good recommendations.

Someone did come back to me wanting to know which book most influenced me and I do feel an obligation to share that information back. Unfortunately, I can’t point to one particular title that has had the most influence. I love books. I always have. Each on it’s own has affected me in one way or another. Do I have favorites? Absolutely. But even those that were difficult to get through have increased my love for words and added to my ability to think in words.

So without further ado, I give you…

Twitter Speaks: More Than 50 Books that Have Had an Affect on Us

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald Mama Tulip

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb Mama Tulip

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb Send Chocolate & Mama Tulip

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides MamaTulip

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Karoli SoCalMom

Happy Hooker by Xaviera Hollander SoCalMom (you wouldn’t believe how it could scare a 14 y.o)

Lamb by Christopher Moore Anissa Mayhew

The Pact by Jodi Picoult Jodifur

19 Minutes Jodi Picoult Jodifur & Hip Mom

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith Jessabean

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Whit & GraceD & Dooblehvay

A Heatbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers Whit

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison Isabel Kallman

Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill Rumford

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Flutter & Hip Mom

Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn NoirBettie

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser Neilochka

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Lola Goetz

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Devra

Foundation by Isaac Asimov YatPundit

Rebecca by Daphne DuMarier Casey Moosh in Indy

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby OpenBookJen

Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Redneck Mommy

Leaves of Grass* by Walt Whitman Redneck Mommy

Lucky by Alice Sebold Flutter

A Separate Peace by John Knowles Samanthia & PunditMom

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyby Douglas Adams Crunchy Carpets

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Kiki Laughs it Off

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Kiki Laughs it Off

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Kiki Laughs it Off

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice Kiki Laughs it Off

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Kiki Laughs it Off

Mullet Madness by Alan Henderson Undomestic Diva

Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera NOLANotes

A Sense of Honor by Jim Webb Gunfighter

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Jodifur

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman Jodifur

The Princess Bride by William Goldman SueBob

A Course in Miracles SueBob

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White Assertagirl

Intermediate Man John Locks tag

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou GraceD

Laura Ingalls Wilder books GraceD

Bias by Bernard Goldberg Kiss My Gumbo

Evidence of Harm by David Kirby To Think

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley SoCal Mom

1984 by George Orwell SoCal Mom

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut SoCal Mom

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien PaullYoung

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn khylek

Death Be Not Proud by John J. Gunther Slouchy

Atonement by Ian McEwan Slouchy

Superior Women by Alice Adams CharmingDriver

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino Linseyk

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard FairlyOddMother

The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen Cindy Fey

How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie Mike Driehorst

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner Pundit Mom

The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles Pundit Mom

Edited on 8/12/08 to add the following titles originally left off because, well, I’m just a dope.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell Julie Pippert

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell Julie Pippert

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Julie Pippert

*This book of poetry was given the highest recommendation when Redneck Mommy explained that it virtually got her through the death of her son. It will be next on my list for a number of reasons and I will think of T’s beloved Bug as I soak up Whitman’s words. Thank you T for being willing to share him with us.

I love to read.

If you’re a reader and a parent, you know how much less time you have to devote to your precious books since Junior’s arrival. So when a book grabbed me from the first page and took no time to read, I felt I had to share it.

Check out The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I first read about it. Most of this suspense story takes place in Rome (can you say DaVinci Code?) and it involves the intertwining lives of people who may or may not be experiencing flashes of past lives.

I know. Sounds weird, huh? But it wasn’t. I really was sucked in from the first page and read the entire last half of the book in one sitting. Rose did a terrific job of using reincarnation as a hook to unfold the mystery that never felt forced. And while I won’t ruin the ending, you must send me a note once you’re finished with it because I want to discuss it.

So many authors feel like they have to give you the whole story of what happens after the couple rides off in the sunset. Not here. While the mystery is solved there is still so much left that’s unknown. This alone has had me thinking about the book for a few days now.

The Reincarnationist isn’t going to make you any smarter, but it is going to entertain the heck out of you. Check it out. Put it on your list for your holiday reads, because admit it–as much as you love your family, they do get annoying after a while. What better excuse not to have to talk to Aunt Rose about her shingles than a good, fast read you can bury your nose in? Just sayin’.

No time to post. On page 525 of the final Harry Potter. Should be able to go to sleep before dawn. Thanks all for not revealing any of the secrets.

Oh, and about yesterday? I was the one on the right. Though lord knows I wish I could have claimed the boobs on the left. Must remember to ask for the name of the doctor next Bingo night.

Sorry my fellow Strumpets (ala St. Jude), we had new twins born in the “family” and I was with them today. As wonderful and beautiful as they are, it is nice to know I am home now with an actual chance of a good night’s sleep.

So without further ado…

As a distinguished member of The Sporadic Gasbag Roundtable (okay I asked and they said I could join), today is my turn to throw up the caution flags and wave off all unsuspecting consumers of a really stinking book movie or TV show.

I’ve considered my subject all week long, and honestly until just now had thought all media was up for grabs and had planned to steer you clear of last week’s Newsweek cover story, because frankly…is that news? No. And dear editors: Are daughters are NOT that stupid…they see a trainwreck for what it is.

But I have to choose from books, movies and TV, so here it is…

The selection for Mamma’s bookclub last month (I don’t own it I just belong…again I had to beg) was universally voted the least favorite of the year. Please if you will, do not bother with Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross (as opposed to Ann B. Davis).

The story is of said Miss Julia a sixty-something widow in a small southern town who all of the sudden is confronted with her husband’s young boy after he is unceremoniously deposited on her front porch. It follows her “trauma” of trying to figure out how she will face her home town under such embarrassing circumstances, trying to find the boy’s mother, the reappearance of the mother and a custody situation dealing with shifty relatives of the boy’s mom.

Nevermind that out of 117 reviews on Amazon.com it receives four and half stars. There wasn’t a character in the book save the poor little boy who was remotely interesting or sympathetic. Ms. Ross played on every cliche of small southern towns and their inhabitants and traditional and tongue-speaking religious congregations, and then neatly tied it all up with a happy ending in 288 pages. The only thing I can say in its defense is that it was a quick read.

So there you have it. Don’t waste your time. And if this was your favorite book of all time, I’m sorry I disagree. Please feel free to let me know what you loved about it.

**********************************************************************

If you’d like to join the Gasbags, sign up here!

We’re getting to the end of our first review rotation, so now would be a good time to join us!

Previous reviews this season:
The Eleventh
Looking Beyond the Cracked Window
A Droll Way to Look at Things
Miss Keeks
Sven’s Personal Memos
My Beautiful Life
Sweet Perdition
Cheaper Than Therapy
Enema Portal For Groan-ups
Basement Epiphanies
Tom’s Hideaway
A Tykes Progress

It’s the Sporadic Gasbag Roundtable, coming to us this week from our friend Kate.