Since it’s June, I thought it high time I join some book-themed challenges. Unfortunately, the one I need most, which is to review all the books you’ve read to date this year, seems not to be offered anywhere. In the meantime, I’ll just add some new books to the pile.
Last year, I signed up for Maggie’s summer reading challenge and failed miserably — I neglected to read any of the three books I’d planned on. This year I plan to succeed in my goal of reading three Southern books before August 15 for the Southern Reading Challenge Three.
(Maggie’s challenge does have some possibility of getting me to review the books in a timely fashion, as she has deadlines for posting each review.)
My intention will be to read:
- The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
- Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
- Flush by Carl Hiaasen
But I admit I may substitute based on library availability and sustained interest levels once I start.
If you have any Southern-themed suggestions, I’m open to them.
I signed up for that too. I’m currently reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett and The Habit of Being: The Collected Letters of Flannery O’Connor. I think To Kill a Mockingbird might be my third, although I reserve the right to change my mind. 🙂
Comment by Amy 06.05.09 @ 2:22 pm@Amy: If you haven’t already read To Kill a Mockingbird, please do! It is amazing and well worth its status as a “modern” classic.
And what a good idea to read letters. I bet that’s a really interesting collection. I look forward to reading your review.
Comment by soe 06.05.09 @ 2:37 pmI have read Mockingbird, but it’s been years–it’s overdue for a revisit.
The letters are fantastic. O’Connor was so intelligent, and had such a wicked sense of humor. Devoutly Catholic, but not blindly so. When preparing to give a talk on The Wholesome Novel to a Catholic women’s group, she wrote to a friend: “I intend to tell them that the reason they find nothing but obscenity in modern fiction is because that is all they know how to recognize.”
Comment by Amy 06.06.09 @ 10:45 amYay! So glad you are participating again!!! The choices are excellent and I do suggest The Help by Kathryn Stockett if you have time! 🙂
Comment by maggie 06.06.09 @ 4:43 pm@maggie: Thanks for the tip. I have to head to the library tomorrow, so I’ll see if they have The Help there.
Comment by soe 06.07.09 @ 12:25 am@Amy: Oh good! And what a great quote from O’Connor. I totally can believe her saying it, based on her writing style, too!
Comment by soe 06.07.09 @ 12:28 amIf substitutions are required, I can recommend Joshilyn Jackson – both Gods in Alabama and The Girl Who Stopped Swimming</em are twisty Southern family tales.
Comment by RandomRanter 06.24.09 @ 2:32 pm@RR: Thanks! I’ve heard good things about Jackson, although I haven’t sampled any of her work.
Comment by soe 06.24.09 @ 3:05 pm