Tuesday Book Club
I’ve seriously been in a non-fiction mood this whole year so far. Maybe it’s because I was writing my own novel into January, and now I’m about to start writing another one next week, as soon as the workmen leave my house and I can think of something clever besides BANG BANG BANG POUND BANG. And later today I will allegedly have a washer and dryer again for the first time in two weeks–I don’t think I’ve ever been so psyched about doing laundry. This is obviously a trick by my husband. Oh, he’s good.
Anyway, my book for this week is another I Ching interpretation by Wu Wei. This time I Ching Wisdom Volume One: Guidance from the Book of Answers. Love the simplicity of it, the clear thinking and clear writing–and love the whole idea of choosing to live the “superior path” as opposed to the inferior one, which is where I seem to know the scenery so well. I love the idea that we can always choose to step back onto the right path, no matter how much time we’ve spent trudging up the wrong one. I think sometimes we feel like it’s too late, we’re done for–whether it’s a habit we want to kick, or a behavior that isn’t very attractive, or some belief or attitude we’re ready to scuttle–and so it’s nice to remember that the reason we get a new day every day is to begin again fresh. Take a shower and start off on the better trail. And bring snacks.
How about you guys? Whatcha been reading this week?
Technorati Tags: Tuesday Book Club, Reading Clubs, Book Clubs, Books, Reading, Wu Wei, I Ching
February 19th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I’m reading Sarah Dessen’s “Dreamland”.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:12 am
In this season of my life, I prefer the alternate reality of fiction to nonfiction, but I am still enjoying vicariously eating my way through Italy with Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love). Thanks for the recommendation. I resonate with her spiritual uncertainty and am anxious to see what she discovers during the prayer leg of her journey.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I finished up The Outlaw Demon Wails(to be reviewed today at my blog)and have now started The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes.
In the non fiction catagory,I’m making some serious progress with The Fortune Cookie Chronicles(you will never look at a Chinese food menu the same way again after finding out the truth about chop suey,fortune cookies and General Tso’s chicken).
Oh,and my Booksfree copy of Twilight arrived and no,I haven’t started it yet but I will,promise:)!
February 19th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Yay, Lady T! ‘Bout time you read Twilight!
Kelley, I’m so glad you’re savoring Eat, Pray, Love! So much to mull over, and there’s no point in rushing.
Katie, do you like it so far?
February 19th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I finally finished The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray. It was good, but left me with a sliver of unsatisfaction. I’ve started Night of the Soul Stealer by Joseph Delaney.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I have had no time to read lately whatsoever. It is very sad. My job, and other responsibilities, are simply killing me. I’m trying to read Love and other uses for duct tape, and I like it a lot, but by the time I get to it in bed at night, I only last a few pages.
How is it that I can be 40 years old, and have created a life for myself that doesn’t allow time for the thing that I most enjoy?
February 19th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
God, Jen, I’m right with you. It’s a total pain in the rear end to be a victim of your own competence.
No reading except picture books this week for the same reason Jen mentions. (Same age, too.) Still listening to “Tree of Smoke,” and even though it is about Vietnam, it’s seriously an awesome novel.
Sigh. Off to finish a proposal.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Jen and Kelly! That’s just wrong! I’m so sorry–I know how you two live and breathe books. Something’s gotta change or you’ll both shrivel up. I hope you can work something out.
Katie Sis, is that because it’s part of a series? Or just because?
February 19th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Kelly, sometimes I think we were separated at birth. I like the “victim of your own competence” way of looking at it. Good luck with the proposal.
Robin, thanks for the support. Working on it, but it’s a SLOW process…
February 19th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I was kind of unsatisfied with the way she wrapped things up. But the series is well worth reading. Maybe she intended to leave some parts of the story to the reader’s imagination.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Read the sixth sweep book and it was my favorite of all of them so far! SOOOO brillient! Then I found out some unsettling info about the series which makes me a wittle unsure of their greatness but I’m not dropping them ever!
February 19th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
I just finished Softwire again and I am on to the next one! So far, pretty good!
February 20th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Oh dear to Jen’s and Kelly’s not having time to read! For them, and selfishly, for the rest of us who want their reading recs too.
I’m losing track of what I’ve been reading when already, which is worrying, but I think I finished Jaclyn Moriarty’s The Spell Book of Listen Taylor (all kinds of weird, and publishing as YA the most bizarre decision, but I still enjoyed it a lot), read and loved The Wednesday Wars, and am now reading both Lynn Flewelling’s The Bone Doll’s Twin and Sherwood Smith’s Over the Sea: CJ’s First Notebook. The latter is fascinating, as she wrote the stories in notebooks starting from the time she was EIGHT (though I think she destroyed them until she got to Junior High and could keep them in a locker, and it’s strangely wonderful and disturbing to read this book, know how much is autobiographical, and be reading the books she’s writing in the same world now she’s in her early fifties.
Oh, and I got the audiobook of Cloud Atlas from the library too. What a mix, eh?
February 20th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I have a feeling that reading week was supposed to be for academic reading, but I’ve been taking advantage of it anyway. So far I’ve read Terry Pratchett’s “The Truth,” William Souder’s “A Plague of Frogs,” and, if it counts as reading, Andy Runton’s “Owly: Flying Lessons.”
February 20th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Nicole, if it’s a book, it counts as reading. Including audio books.
Lady S, what an eclectic reading list this week! That Sherwood Smith one sounds pretty fascinating–don’t we wish we’d all kept diaries from that young? Or maybe not.
Shai, let me know how #2 is. I need to get to that!
Dylan, I love your enthusiasm and loyalty toward that series. Every author would want a reader like you!
Katie Sis, thanks for the info.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
XD oh yes I’m a walking billboard somtimes! o_o If I fall in love with it there’s not a person I know who I wont get to read it! lolz Thanks!
February 21st, 2008 at 8:13 am
Jen and Kelly…
“Life begins at 40.” That means that it is time to make the changes that will give you the time to take care of yourself instead of everyone else. It is definitely a process, but now is when it begins for you, if you let it. And if you do, then things will be better in ten years (or maybe sooner) and will continue to get better after that.