As much as I love photography, I love books and reading. I recently got an Amazon Kindle which I surprisingly love. I have always loved hardcover and trade paperback books. The tactile feel of a new book and of course the smell of the paper. (I never said I was normal.) But when I started reading Elizabeth I: A Novel by Margaret George from the library, I nearly got wrist strain from trying to hold the 688 paged book in bed each night.
If you haven’t discovered Goodreads I highly suggest it for all those who love books and want to discover new ones. Also, I’m a big fan of IndieBound which is the main site for all independent booksellers. Great suggested reading lists for children there as well. A nice alternative to the usual NY Times bestseller lists that are pimped out everywhere.
Here are some of my recent favorite books in case you’re looking for some summer reading book suggestions. My taste in books is kind of all over the place but here goes:
The Story of a Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. (fiction) I was hooked from the very beginning. It’s a combination of period fiction starting in 1968 discussing experiences of two people with combined physical and mental disabilities who have been institutionalized since their youth and the treatment thereof. It’s part love story as well.
What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell. (non-fiction) A compilation of his New Yorker essays divided into 3 parts: 1. Obsessives, Pioneers, and Other Varieties of Minor Genius 2. Theories, Predictions, and Diagnoses 3. Personality, Character, and Intelligence. I especially enjoyed the one on hair dyes.
A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer. (fiction) I enjoyed reading this period book written from a female photographer for Life Magazine during the early 1940′s. Discussion of the war, the discovery of penicillin and a bit of old NYC as well.
Faithful Place by Tania French. (fiction) Couldn’t wait to finish this book, and I mean that in a good way. This mystery takes place in Ireland and covers the gamut of sibling rivalry, jealousy and old loves.
