March 2011

Books Read:
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
Hector and the Search for Happiness by Fancois Lelord
When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne
Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
The Alchemist: Graphic Novel by Paulo Coelho

You caught me...

I have been mixing in some childrens books just to boost my numbers. Well, not just to boost my numbers. I've enjoyed reading them and all. I've been meaning to read them. Actually, the big debate this month came when Matt told me that I couldn't count a book of poetry as a book read. I totally count it if I've read it cover to cover. I read the final three Winne the Pooh books cover to cover. Most of the poetry was even read aloud, as it should be and much to the cats' delight. I also slipped in a graphic novel but it was The Alchemist and it was very deep and well worth it.

I spent a lot of time on Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres and part of the problem was that it was too close to home. The actual content of the story wasn't but he vast farms and the pretty much the entire setting reminded me of my hometown, which I have never left. It was easy to get caught up in the descriptions of farm life because they were the same things that I heard every day in class. Basically, it was the kind of book that I get caught up in and take, thus, take my time with. However, it was a bit predictable. It's literature, after all. It was easy for me to guess what was going on, or what had gone on as it were.

The shining star of this month, for sure, was Hector and the Search for Happiness. I read reviews of this book and then I came across it in Target and it was the perfect little paperback. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I ordered it through the library and there is was! The same little paperback, perfectly shaped! It was worth the effort. I could not put this book down. Hector is a psychiatrist and he notices that more and more people who should be happy aren't. He decides to travel the world and learn about happiness. He goes to China, a violent African country, and The Country of More. (That's us! We have more psychiatrists AND we are more unhappy!) Hector learns a lot about happiness and I really enjoyed the ride.

I was impressed with all of the reading I got done this month until I started writing this. Now I feel a bit deflated. Next month doesn't look like it's going to be much better. I've joined a book club and the first selection isn't something that I am really looking forward to. I'll try it but I will invoke my reader's rights if I have to: The right not to read.