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Midweek @ Musings: One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four… and Five…

I’m a bit late to the party, but what the heck.  Simon started this bookish round last Friday, and having enjoyed reading about everyone else’s books, I finally decided to post this myself.

1) The book I’m currently reading:

Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks.  The subtitle is “A Novel of the Plague” which admittedly doesn’t sound all that great, but my first dip into it was actually quite promising.  I read Brooks’ American Civil War novel March several years ago, rated it 4 stars, and swore I’d read more of her work.  It’s just taken me a while …

I’m also reading the manuscript of an unpublished novel written by a friend who asked for my critique.  This is a bit daunting, but also fun.  I only hope she finds my comments helpful!

2) The last book I finished:

On Sunday I finished The Invisible Bridge, by Julie Orringer (read my review).  I enjoyed it but my attention flagged towards the end.  I think it suffered from being read too soon after Unbroken.  They are completely different books, but both deal with the harrowing experiences of people during World War II.  I need a break from “war books” for a little while.

3) The next book I want to read:

I have three books vying for my attention, each with very different appeal.  When I’m ready for my next book, I’ll choose the one that’s calling me the loudest:

  • My Antonia, by Willa Cather:  I have enjoyed other books by Cather but have yet to read one of her definitive works.  Plus, it’s a Virago edition.
  • An Artist of the Floating World, by Kazuo Ishiguro: a Booker Prize nominee.  And it’s short.  This could tip the scales in its favor for my next read.
  • The Barn at the End of the World, by Mary Rose O’Reilley:  subtitled, “The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd,” this is a spiritual memoir for a new book group at my Quaker Meeting.  My husband and I both plan to read it, so we’ll need to work out our “custody arrangements”!

4) The last book I bought:

The Land of Green Ginger, by Winifred Holtby:  Virago released South Riding, and then three more Winifred Holtby novels, all with gorgeous new covers.  This is the only one I don’t have, and what can I say?  I gave in to temptation, and I gave thanks for The Book Depository.


5) The last book I was given:

I receive very few books as gifts; I think a lot of people just don’t know what to buy.  Sometimes I get gift cards.  And my husband and daughters gave me a Kindle for Mother’s Day!  Hooray!  But this question is really meant to be about real books, so I must go back to Christmas 2010 when my husband presented me with a lovely first edition of Willa Cather’s A Lost Lady. It turns out this wasn’t my favorite Cather (read my review), but I really appreciate having such a nice old book in my library.


Did you enjoy this post?  Check out what these other bloggers are reading … and post your own!

12 thoughts on “Midweek @ Musings: One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four… and Five…”

  1. Thanks for the link!

    I loved Year of Wonders, and I’m not surprised you had to give into that Winifred Holtby. Hurrah for Virago bringing her back in (although I suspect that it was partly on the back of the tv series…)

    • Verity, I’m sure the South Riding dramatization had much to do with bringing Winifred back. But I’m OK with that if it causes more people to appreciate such a wonderful author! I’m glad to hear you liked Year of Wonders. I’m about 1/3 of the way through now and like it a lot.

  2. These memes are deadly for increasing your level of book lust. I loved South Riding and now you go and point out The Land of Green Ginger! And it’s really difficult to pin down a next read, I don’t blame you for having three to choose from.

    • You’re right about these memes, Darlene! After reading South Riding I decided I simply had to read everything Winifred wrote which, sadly, is only a few books. And I simply must own them all in Virago editions!

  3. Thanks for playing! I have an old VMC of Land of Green Ginger, bought because (a) I loved the title, (b) I loved the cover, and (c) I MUST read something by Winifred Holtby eventually!

    • Simon, thanks for hosting !! As I said to Darlene, I am set on collecting all of Holtby’s VMCs (so yes, you really must read her work). They are harder to come by in the US so I figured rather than wait I would just cave in and order it from The Book Depository.

  4. I got a Kindle a few weeks ago, and I’m pretty much in love. I read South Riding on it, and I’m practically drooling to read Land of Green Ginger. I’m trying to wait so I can justify buying it for myself for my birthday… 🙂

  5. I still have South Riding to read! One day there will be time to do all this.

    This is a great meme, I think Simon has started something.

  6. Laura, my blog is now experiencing the South Riding effect! My review must come up pretty high on Google searches because everyone who searches “Robert Carne illness” or “does Robert Carne die South Riding” seems to be finding their way to my blog! 😉

    I really loved Year of Wonders, but I hated Brooks’ next book, March, with a passion. I look forward to reading your thoughts!

    • Isn’t that effect a funny thing Jo? I’ve had a little kick as well these past few weeks with the series on PBS Masterpiece. It’s fascinating !

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