July 20, 2015 Edition: It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

Okay, I admit it: I’m reading a lot this week. One of the benefits of visiting my parents is that they are both sort of home bodies, which means I have a lot of time devote to reading. As of today, I am reading five (though two are audio.): All the Lovely Bad Ones, They All Looked Up, The Everyday Bible, Serial, & Yes Please

Keep of your “to read list” using www.goodreads.com  

All the Lovely Bad Ones–Mary Downing Hahn (Overdrive ebook)
Prankster siblings Corey and Travis are visiting their Grandmother’s inn for the summer. After hearing of the inn’s supposed haunted history, they play a ghostly prank on a couple of would-be ghost hunters. Only it’s not a prank anymore, and their playful shenanigans have woken up something that should have remained at rest.Recommendation: Fifth grade and up

We All Looked Up–Tommy Wallach

How would your life change if the world was about to end? A blue star appears in the sky, an asteroid named Ardor. At this point in the book, President Obama has just announced that Ardor is likely to collide with Earth with the force of 1 billion nuclear bombs.

…Kevin had pulled out his MacBook and as scouring the web. […]

“What are they saying? Misery asked again, and there was a desperate edge to her voice that sent a shiver down And’s spine. “Kevin, what the f–k are they saying?”

“I was hoping to find something different,” he said, looking up from the screen “They’re saying two-thirds.”

“Two-thirds? Like sixty-six percent?”

“Yeah.”

“So two thirds we all live, and one-third we all die?”

“Kevin hesitated, checked the screen again, then slowly shook his head. “The other way,” he said.

Misery stood up, turned around in place like some kind of cornered animal looking for a way out, then fell down onto her knees and put her head in her hands. Nobody went to comfort her.

The well-written, extremely *human* teenagers Wallach has created, now must face life with a mere two months to live.

Every Day Life Bible—Joyce Meyer

As part of the PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge, I’m supposed to read a book my mom loves.  Unfortunately, my mom is not an avid reader. When I asked her what I should read, we first settled on The Bible, but that’s a big undertaking if I want to fulfill all the other categories on the list. So she narrowed it down to Proverbs  from an edition of the Bible enhanced by Pastor Joyce Meyer. I haven’t started this yet, but it is suddenly at the top of my list since I only have a few more days of visiting with my parents.

Serial podcast, hosted by Sarah Koenig

I know: I’m way behind the times on this, and I’m not sure it counts as “reading,” but it is a text that I’m thoroughly engrossed in. Back when the teachers around the department lunch table were talking about the case of Adnan Sayed, I was busy with reading for other things. But I love listening to audio books on long drives, so I’ve finally gotten around to it.

I just listened to episode 10, and…I don’t know. Did Adnan murder his girlfriend? Why would Jay make up the story? Why didn’t the second trial go as well as the first seemed to be? I guess right now I’m thinking that, regardless of guilt, I think the state’s case is screwed up. Why no forensic investigation? What’s up with the timeline?

I like to listen to Serial in full episodes, so when I have time to listen, but not a full hour, I’ve been listening to:

Seriously: listen to the audio book.

Yes, Please–Amy Poehler (Overdrive Audio)

I LOVE Amy Poehler, (Amy, if you somehow come across this, we should totally hang out sometime) and I feel like the audio version of this book is the only way to experience it. Her guest narrators include Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner, Seth Meyer and I just listened to Patrick Stewart read the chapter, “Plastic Surgery Haiku.”  I’m including an excerpt, because, seriously, how can you not love that?

I laugh, because Poehler is hilarious, but interested readers should not expect a laugh a minute. It’s funny because she’s funny, but this is a memoir. Yes Please! strikes me as an extremely honest book, and I’m surprised at how closely I can relate to her experiences. Like Amy, I feel called to my profession. I’m not an actress, but teaching can be an extremely creative outlet. I often feel like my teaching style is very close to improv. I also love the frankness with which she speaks about what she calls “our demon,” that voice in our heads that tells us we’re “ugly, and fat, and not worthy of love.”

“I had already made a decision early on that I would be a plain girl with lots of personality, and accepting it made everything a lot easier. If you are lucky, there is a moment in your life when you have some say as to what your currency is going to be.”

I made the same decision, Amy, long ago. And I’ve never been sorry I did it. Reading this book, it makes sense that Poehler would begin her Smart Girls community. If anyone reads this book and doesn’t come away feeling either proud to be or proud to know a woman out there, see a cardiologist. I’m pretty sure you lost your heart along the way.

Hello!  Welcome to It’s Monday What Are You Reading?  The meme that we use to share what we read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week.  It’s a great way to see what others are reading and add to your own To Be Read list. 😀  You never know where that next great read may come from!

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