What’s your ‘guilty pleasure’ summer read? You might prefer Atwood or Bronte or Gladwell during the rest of the year. But when summer hits, are you someone who craves a little literary junk food? Toque is devouring One Day by British author David Nicholls. She also can’t get enough of dusty old Vanity Fair mags left behind from previous years. So, fess up, what are you reading this summer?
Catherine Ford commented:
Who reads just one book at a time? Not in this house and especially not in the summer. Weekends in the mountains, I’m working my way through Elizabeth Georges’ Inspector Thomas Lynley mysteries. Unfortunately, the second-hand bookstore in Canmore (called Second Story Books and it’s in the basement) doesn’t always have her books in the order in which she wrote them. The one I’m reading now has Thomas and Helen not-yet-married while I already know she becomes a murder victim after their marriage.
I’ll read anything by Bill Bryson, as will my husband who has no choice. He actually doesn’t have to “read” Bryson, as I share the good parts with him — and most of his books are good parts — while laughing myself silly and keeping both of us awake. Just finished In A Sunburned Country, another second-hand find.
At home, I’ve just finished the advance reading copy of Brian Brennan’s memoir , called Leaving Dublin: Writing My Way From Ireland to Canada, due to be published next month. Just today I have finally given myself permission to put aside Tony Blair’s self-absorbed, aren’t-I-a-brilliant-politician tome, A Journey. I got to page 100 or so and couldn’t take another page of his self-proclaimed brilliance..
On the lighter side, on my bedside table is another Linsey Davis Marcus Didius Falco novel, set in Imperial Rome, and I’ve just laughed my way through Clinton Kelly’s latest. The star of What Not To Wear has written Oh No She Didn’t: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make And How To Avoid Them.
It’s hysterical and sobering at the same time, when one encounters herself in the pages, albeit I found most of my relatives and some of my friends. My confession? The three style “mistakes” I recognize are: jackets that don’t button, baggy butt pants and matching jewelry. OK, there are four — my addiction to black is apparently a no-no.
toque & canoe commented:
I am just home for a few days, we spent 16 days in Newfoundland, so I read Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky, and then Galore by Michael Crummey and loved them both, both gave me the information I wanted and the amusement as well. fascinating reads. vicky husband.
Julie commented:
The Help – loved it. During the summer I do love hauling out my old stash of Gourmet magazines and reading them in the back yard with something cold and boozy.
Liana Robberecht commented:
What am I reading other than the daily horoscope? well, I am reading Art Culinaire issue #98 , International Magazine in good Taste. this issue spreaks of Terroir, dishes from Vietnam, Meatless dishes ( as crazy as that sounds, no pork?!!!, .. is that possible? ..just kidding) and cooking with syrup. the writing is educational and intersting and the photos are artistic and amazing!!
Kim Flanagan commented:
My bedside table is freshly loaded with- Add more -ing to your life by Gabrielle Bernstein, the new MORE mag, Lit by Mary Karr and The Skinny Bitch books by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman. No more “bitch-ing” after I’m all done. ; xKim
Suzanne commented:
I saw Woody Allen’s ‘Midnight in Paris’ a few weeks ago so I dug out the second-hand copy of Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ that I bought at a garage sale ages ago and never got down to reading. I’ve never appreciated so much the combo of pared-down vocabulary, simple sentence structure and rich insight. At first I missed the ‘juicy’ language but about half way through am realizing that I was missing out by not reading Hemingway. And it makes me want to travel back in time too and drink rich Spanish reds out of a wine skin!
David Tetrault commented:
Just finished reading Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and Dead Zero by Stephen Hunter. Also The Oxford History of the French Revolution. Currently reading Oliver Twist and Transforming Paris: The Life and Labors of Baron Haussman. Not all as dry as it might seem if you like Paris. Of course the Stephen Hunter book was a great way to relax and not be so serious.
Peg Fong commented:
Just reviewed Butterfly’s Child about Cio-Cio San’s son and his life in Illinois. Good summer read, Elisabeth Eaves’ Wanderlust will make you want to grab your passport and jump on a plane. Looking forward to rediscovering Margaret Laurence after visiting Neepawa last week and seeing the Stone Angel in the town’s cemetery.
Katherine Govier commented:
I’m reading MY DRIVER by Maggie Gee. Skims along. Brit mid life woman writer goes to litfest in Kampala and seems to get lost in jungle, not sure, not there yet, but enjoying the ride!