Books to curl up with Dec 2010 (Click to Listen) or download http://www.box.net/files#/files/0/f/0/1/f_662868909.
We’ve decided to dedicate a second annual show to recommending a few books that would be perfect to curl up with once the holiday houseguests have left. Or in the case of those of us living in central Vermont, to read while we’re snowed in (like the rest of northern New England). Yippee!
And in between the sledding and skiing, we’ve also added a few titles to the list that we’re hoping to read ourselves. We will report on the results later. In the meantime, happy new year and happy reading. May 2011 be full of good books for you.
What we have read and recommend
Hawaii by James Michener – Having had a bad Michener experience in her youth, Lisa Christie never thought she would recomend one of his books. So here it goes. She loved Hawaii. The saga of how the islands formed from the sea, were peopled by Polynesians, and then shaped by New England missionaries, Japanese immigrants, Chinese immigrants and history is full of interesting characters and decisions. One caveat, be prepared to devote a lot of time to this book.
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson — A very comforting book about the English countryside, class conflict and second chances at love. The main character is of another era and delightful – wish we could meet him. This book is lovely, old-fashioned and yet somehow so of-the-moment.
Truly great writing
Let the Great World Spin by Collum McCann – Just an amazing book about life in New York City. Truly great writing and a thought provoking tale of making a life in all kinds of circumstances.
Almost any title in the Penguin Classics Series — They have developed a gorgeous printing of many classics. The beautifully illustrated hardcovers will make you happy just to hold them while you read amazing tales. Titles include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Jane Eyre, with Arabian Nights coming this spring.
What we hope to curl up with soon:
Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff – A look at the life of the woman everyone has heard of but knows so little about.
Read this and send it to a friend
Let’s Take the Long Way Home: A memoir of friendship by Gail Caldwell – A look at friendship and it’s importance told through the sotry of two women – Ms. Caldwell and Caroline Knapp the author of Drinking: a love story. A good book for a good friend.
The Autobiography of Mark Twain – What could be better? The great author Twain writing about the fascinating subject of Twain.
Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell – the latest novel by Mr. Mitchell is well written tale of Japan and Holland.
At Home: a short history of private life by Bill Bryson – Our former across the river neighbor dissects the rooms in his English home and in doing so writes a history of why we live in the dwellings we do.
Coffee and a mystery to boot
On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle – A series of mysteries set in a NYC coffeehouse. If you want to learn a little about coffee while reading a light mystery, this series might be for you.
