Sunday, December 27, 2009

Free Time Means Reading Time

The couple of days following Christmas proved to be both hectic and relaxing. The chaos came when I decided to accompany B's mom and sister (two fervent bargain hunters and fashionistas in their own right) to an after Christmas sale at Banana Republic. The sale, being 50% off all sale items, proved to be too good for me to stay at home, vegging in front of the TV. Because this sale was SO good, every female in Atlanta flocked to the nearest BR, elbowed their way through crowds throwing cashmere sweaters around in search for the right size, and waited in line for at least an hour to experience the mind blowing discounts. Yes, I was there...yes, I thought I'd faint from the claustrophobia of it all, and yes I survived with just a few cuts and bruises (mentally, if you know what I mean). Nonetheless, I'm happy to be at home, away from the crowds and in the comfort of my new pj's which I plan on living in for the next week. What will I be doing with a week off you might ask? Besides working on listing new items in the shop, I have big plan to catch up on some overdo reading. Here's what's on my list:
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollen

via here

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

via here

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

via here
I can't think of a better way to spend my free time doing something I have so little time to do normally. I'm halfway through the first two books and I highly recommend them (with books like these I'm not worried about the end. I've learned so much from both books already, I'm sure my recommendation will stick when I'm finished).
Now it's your turn...any recommendations in case I finish my list?

18 comments:

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

Just finished The Glass Castle, and I'm now in the middle of Eleanor Roosevelt (volume I). I LOVED Omnivore's Dilemma and highly recommend Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!

Becky said...

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Excellent!

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

I hope you had a fabulous Christmas, Christina! I wish I had known about the BR sale, I might just have braved the crowds for that. My husband has read Three Cups of Tea, and said it is really good. It's on my list. Enjoy your time off reading, my dear. I hope to enjoy a little of that soon ;)

Heather said...

If you like murder mysteries, you definitely need to read In the Woods and The Likeness by Tana French. And my latest read that elbowed it's way into my top 5 is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. TOO good.

Unknown said...

ohmy...I went to that BR sale and it was madness...worth it but sheer madness.

I have so much catching up to do in my reading. Oscar Wao has been collecting dust on my nightstand for months along with some others.

Ginger said...

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Beautiful book.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

O'yes the sale was all over, managed to get some great bargains as well...hehe*
Always great to escape through the pages of a good book! Great new week Christina~
xo*

Sabine, La Marquise des anges said...

very funny as I wanted to mention Barbara KINGSOLVER, sara GRUEN and and C. R ZAFON , as they are among my very fav:) I really really like ANA GAVALDA. I checked , she has been published in english : hunting and gathering (http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Gathering-Anna-Gavalda/dp/B001RNOPMI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262023194&sr=1-1)

as a second french choice I would suggest : The Elegance of the Hedgehog of Muriel BARBERY (http://www.amazon.com/Elegance-Hedgehog-Muriel-Barbery/dp/1933372605/ref=pd_sim_b_6)

Iva Messy said...

I majorly love to read. Reading some of these comments I have to agree with Water for Elephants being a pretty awesome read, although it took me a bit to get into it, but once I did it was smooth sailing to the end. I loved The Glass Castle. LOVED it. Omnivore's Dilemma was fab too as is In Defense of Food. So many great books to read. I wish I was taking the time to read more of them...hopefully this holiday season I will be able to "catch up" some on my reading. I read The Weight of Silence not to long ago and I loved it!! hope you are having a fabulous time Christina!!

Unknown said...

Hope you had a great christmas Christina! Your picks look like good reads. I know I'm not going to have much time for deep and meaningful reading, but I plan to spend some quality time with my new Applique Your Way book that I won from Jenn Causey (yay!)

Stay warm & cosy--I'm all for pajamas!
xo Mary Jo

TERI REES WANG said...

Thanks for the reminder that all your choices are also on my want to list.

Lately, though I have been reading some with a more masculine edge.
Stieg Larsson: The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. Complicated and current.

Sue Grafton: T is for Trespass and U is for Undertow.
A vintage Californian.

Anything by Augusten Burroughs: Dark and witty, short and sarcastic.

Angela said...

I adored Three Cups of Tea! Such a fantastic book.

Aline said...

bookmarked this page for future reading, thank you!! :)

Sam said...

You said it Christina!!! High fives for sitting down and getting lost in a book!!! That's what I've been doing too! I've been reading thrillers and detective novels like they're going out of fashion - such a treat!! These look absolutely fabulous.

Glad to hear you survived Christmas and the BR sale! :)

Diana said...

I just ordered Pollen's digital book and looking forward to his other ones!

Junot Diaz is amazing with his words, you'll almost melt.

christina said...

Great choices! Two of the three are on my list..and I've seriously thought about reading some Michael Pollan. It just makes me a little nervous, because I'm pretty happy in my food-related oblivion.

Sarah said...

The Glass Castle is amazing ... I saw it was recommended above. I just finished PUSH - so beautiful and disturbing all together. It changed the way I think about my role as a teacher.

Samantha said...

Funny. I'm in the middle of The Glass Castle right now. (I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets to books a few years after they were published.)

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