Report cards are done, my classroom is organized and almost clean. There is just one week left for kids, but one day is field day, one is our Newbery Book Fair, and one is a trip to Darien Lake. I went to the library tonight to pick up our next book group selection—The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean and found another book top on my list as well as a perennial beach book. Typically I’d bring home only the book group book, but I grabbed all three tonight. Here’s my list for the summer:
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations. . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I saw copies of this in Atlanta in April and it took all my restraint not to buy a copy of it. The library had one tonight so this will be tops on the list.
Light from Heaven by Jan Karon. I’ve read all the Mitford Years novels and liked most of them. This is supposedly the last.
Lizzie’s War by Tim Farrington. I’ve already started this one and like it a lot. Farrington’s first book The Monk Downstairs was one of my favorites a few years ago.
Leeway Cottage by Beth Gutcheon. I’ve read most of her books and like them all. It’s a step above the average beach book.
Shelf Life by Suzanne Strempek Shea. I’m not sure where I picked this up, but it’s the story of a woman who quits her job and goes to work in an independent book store. I love independent book stores and am anxious to hear about her experience–and perhaps find a few new titles to read in the process.
When Jesus Came to Harvard by Harvey Cox. I started this earlier in the year and got too busy to finish it. I really enjoyed what I read of it.
Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor. A new memoir by a religious writer I’ve always wanted to read. My daughter who goes to Columbia Theological Seminary where Taylor teachers occasionally says I’ll really like this book.
house thinking: a room-by-room look at how we live by Winifred Gallagher. I read about this book on a blog and then ordered it from Amazon.
Secrets in the Dark: A Life in Sermons by Frederick Buechner. One of my favorite authors of non-fiction. I’ve never developed a fondness for his fiction, however.
Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America by Karenna Gor Schiff. This book got a rave review from The New York Times. I’ve read enough of it to know I like her style.
Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen. This is our second book group selection for the summer.
Julia & Julia by Julie Powell. I also read a great review of this in The New York Times, and then found it on the bargain table.
Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter. I’ve wanted to read this for a while. I heard an interview with Carter on the Larry King show and it’s been in the pile for some time.
If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern. This is another book I read a good review of; I tried to start it earlier and had a hard time getting into it so it’s probably at the bottom of the list.
So there are more books than there are weeks of vacation and I have, of course, my scrapbook magazines and idea books to read. On the other hand, I can probably read more than one book a week when we go to Chautauqua and when we’re on our trip to Atlanta. It looks a bit overwhelming, but the idea that I could actually have the time to read them is very exciting.
