Well Read

My friend Starshine was sweet enough to tag me with a meme, which always helps me to kick-start my writing again.

What book are you reading right now?
Condi: The Life of a Steel Magnolia by Mary Beth Brown. I stumbled across this book at SAM's Wholesale. I enjoy biographies on occasion and I have had a lot of curiosity about Condoleezza Rice. She is a remarkable woman with a interesting history. I'm about one third of the way through and her family has played a huge role in her life. Her family's philosophy on life emphasizes faith and education, which to me are two of the best tools or weapons (depending on how you look at it) to conquer anything.There is no hint of a "victim of society" or entitlement mentality. Her success is based on a strong, abiding faith in God and honest, disciplined hard work.
What was the last book you read on a plane?
I think it was The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde. This is the third book in a series of books based on a blend of mystery, science fiction, classic literature and brilliant puns. The setting is England in a future time. The heroine Thursday Next is a Literary Detective with Special Operations (SpecOps) and her job is to investigate book violations. Fans of classic literature (Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens) will get a kick out of them. Although you can start reading the books anywhere in the series. I highly recommend starting with the first book and going forward to keep all the characters straight. These books are to literature what Frazier was to sitcoms: a thinking person's humor.

Note: I also always take my Newsweek and World Magazines on airplanes. I'm a news junkie and I figure between the two of them I get a fairly balanced view.

What was the last book you read on a roadtrip?
The last book I remember reading on a roadtrip was found in the place we were staying. We had taken a quick overnight trip to meet up with my best friend and her husband. We discovered a great little B&B called Fox Meadows, which I highly recommend. On the bookshelves in our cabin, I stumbled across an out of print poetry book by Leonard Nimoy entitled: You and I. The poetry was simple but striking.

What is the most unusual place you find yourself reading?
Lately, the park. MY HUSBAND and I went to a local park on a Sunday afternoon and he practiced his juggling while I read. It was a perfect day!

What books would you take to keep yourself occupied on a two week vacation to the beach?
Brilliant by Marne Davis Kellogg - This was a Christmas present from a good friend. It's a mystery that sounds like a fun time and looks like a good beach book.


This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley - I bought this a few months ago for inspiration and would like to finally get into it.

The Bible (New Contemporary Version) - I really like this version for its readability. I read the Books of Acts in two days because I couldn't put it down. It makes me want to read my Bible.

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher - This was loaned to me by a friend. It's a big, thick hardback book-perfect for a long beach stay.

I would be curious to see what my friends Laura, Tim and Ann are reading.