Had quite a few reading developments in the past few weeks, so I am excited to participate in WWW Wednesday – I definitely want to jump in this week and talk books!
The Three W’s for WWW Wednesday are:
What are you currently reading?
What
did you recently finish reading?
What
do you think you’ll read next?
What are you currently reading?
Currently I am reading Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven. I really liked her other book, All the Bright Places and felt this was an easy one to read at this very BUSY time of year. So far, so good!
ALSO – I am currently listening to Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane. Turns out listening to books works well for me. I spend a lot of time in the car and now I am being entertained with a story. And what a story this one is turning out to be. From Goodreads: A profoundly moving novel about two neighboring families in a suburban town, the bond between their children, a tragedy that reverberates over four decades, the daily intimacies of marriage, and the power of forgiveness.
The story is really told through the eyes of four different characters. They are so well developed I care about each of them – or at least I care to know what is happening with them. Very excited to continue listening to this story.
What did you recently finish reading?
Before that I read look me in the eye, my life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison. This is a reread for me. But I had it out for another post and decided to read the story again. The last time I read this book was five years ago when autism first entered our lives. From Goodreads: It was not until he was forty that an insightful therapist told Robison he had the form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way Robison saw himself—and the world.
Look Me in the Eye is the moving, darkly funny story of growing up with Asperger’s at a time when the diagnosis simply didn’t exist. A born storyteller, Robison takes you inside the head of a boy whom teachers and other adults regarded as “defective,” who could not avail himself of KISS’s endless supply of groupies, and who still has a peculiar aversion to using people’s given names.
Before that I read The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. Told in two different times periods – one story of a group of friends living in 19080’s Chicago during the AIDS epidemic and the other in contemporary time in Paris – we follow two different main characters, again so well developed I harbored so much hope for them. Great story, especially special to me as “Counselor to AIDS patients” was what I wanted to be when I grew up and what I went to school for. But that is a post for another day. Great book.
While I was reading that one, I listened to Olive, Again (the second story of Olive Kitteridge) by Elizabeth Strout and loved it. My goodness, I love Olive Kitteridge. She is a hoot. Olive only occupies some of the chapters of this book. The other chapters are inhibited by characters that live in or are near her town of Crosby, Maine. The characters interconnect at times and all their stories are interesting. Very enjoyable, but it led to a new problem.
Olive, Again was the first audiobook that I listened to – ever. It had all the hang-ups I expected with an audiobook. Not being able to flip back, having no idea how much was still ahead. I couldn’t collect quotes like I enjoy doing in some books. I found myself at the store looking for this book so I could see where I was in my listening and so I could reread parts. And I wonder, with both of my audiobooks, if it is because the books are so good that I want to sit down and read them, even after I have listened to them. I’m going to have to listen to a “meh” book to figure this “I still want to read it” dilemma out.
What do you think you’ll read next?
I don’t know. We are entering into a crazy time of year. The kids finish up with school, Bobby’s birthday, Christmas, Catelyn’s birthday and then New Years. Full tornado of activities ahead. Not sure how much reading or listening time is ahead, but fingers crossed – there will be some!
Thank you Sam at Taking on a World of Words for hosting WWW Wednesday!
So I’m about 2/3 done with Look me in the Eye. Here’s my impression so far. He’s got a lot of great stories to tell, but he’s not that great a story teller. I’m enjoying the book though–I mean up close and personal with KISS, how can you beat that. Last night I read a chapter about how he has a hard time in conversations because he never knows what sort of response is required from him. This is totally me, but it’s also a good reminder that it’s probably Eli too. Susan is going to read the chapter tonight. So. if nothing changes, I’ll give it a mixed review. Great content and some important messages, but I’m not going to call it a great book. It’s weird to read about Augusten’s adventures though a different point of view. It’s like reading a prequel.
I completely agree with you – he’s definitely not the best story teller. When I read the first chapter I totally thought of you, in that I thought he was putting way too much of his adult mind on his three year old self and saying it was his three year old self that was having all this incredible insight, or at least awareness that things weren’t working out well for him on the playground. I wasn’t sure if you were going to drop the book then. Glad you stuck with it. The conversation thing is me too. I never know what to ask or how to respond, and I never think to ask about someone’s family. Completely logical. The lying or making up insane stories is completely Bob – he had Catelyn believing her great grandmother was a moth for years. Catelyn began having an affinity towards moths as she believed him. Now it’s a joke. But I never would have thought Robison’s lying, his pranks, his weird sense of humor as Asperger traits that he seems to wear as part of his diagnosis so proudly. When you asked about the sarcasm yesterday I started thinking about this book. I think Robison can throw out some sarcasm, or at least understand it.
Right. Many of his pranks utilize sarcasm to work. My father has told me my entire life that I was born with a tail. He’s still never changed that story and I asked him about it not too long ago. I once asked the doctor who delivered Sophie if it’s possible to be born with a tail and he looked at me like I was an idiot. I’ve had to heavily temper my sarcasm. People can’t tell when I’m kidding around (convincing liar I guess). I’ve read some Autism blogs where the writer looks at their choices that might be outside of the mainstream (purple chuck taylors) and calls it part of their autism. Because this stuff is all wrapped so tightly into our whole essence, it’s hard to tell where one thing ends and the next one picks up.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the audiobooks! I’ve only ever done audio on books I’ve read before because I would listen at night and fall asleep. I’d set a timer to turn it off so I didnt have to rewind
too far back if I wanted to hear what I missed. Sometimes I just left it😉
I didnt realize or remember two of your kiddos are holiday babies like my girls. Younger’s birthday is today and older is in January. It’s kinda nice to get it all over with, but soooo busy and soooooo stressful. And expensive!🙄
I am! They are not hard to follow at all. I just want to have more time to listen and these two are just so good I want to read them too. I’m hoping this isn’t the case with all of the audiobooks – these ones are just so good.
Yeah, it’s a crazy time of year for sure. Catelyn we call our little tax break baby. I had all C-sections, so she was planned and not due until January 7th I think. But the Dr. did me a favor and did the section on the 31st so we could get the tax break 🙂 There will be a party for her every year of her life (even if it’s not exactly for her).
Cool Doc! Younger was due Christmas, came early thank goodness. Older was due 12/31 and was induced on the 12th but didnt arrive until Friday 13th😱
I guess the audios can come from the library and be “test drives” for actually buying the books😉
But yes! So very busy, so very stressful and oh my gosh – so expensive!!
I am always a bit in awe of your selection of books every week! Meanwhile, I read a whole bunch of graphic novels and a lovely YA. I probably need to weave some more of this though provoking fiction / nonfiction into my life.
Have a great week! Here is my WWW: http://silverbuttonbooks.com/2019/12/18/www-wednesday-december-18-2019/
I don’t know if I would have picked all these great books right in a row but I had two free audio books and those two have been on my TBR – they were so good! Oh, I get so many good book choices from you. Excited to see what you are reading! Have a great week too!
hmm. I’ve need to read Look Me In The Eyes. His brother, and he, lived not far from my Sunderland apartment…anddd I’m very well aware of all of his brother’s books.
Wow, that’s cool! Augusten’s books are way more entertaining – but when Declan was diagnosed from autism I was told to learn about autism from an autistic person, so I chose this one. Robison was diagnosed at 40 and then wrote his story as he made more sense to himself. He definitely has had an interesting life (and it is fun to read how he details bits of his relationship with Augusten having read Running with Scissors and Augusten’s mentions of John in that one).
Just reading Fingers in the Sparkle Jar. It’s the early memoirs of Chris Packham. He’s one of our top TV nature presenters. He has Aspergers. It’s really good.
Oh cool! I’ll have to check that one out!
I recommend the audiobook of The Pleasure Of My Company, written and read by Steve Martin. It’s offbeat but extremely enjoyable (I find Steve Martin’s voice calming). I, and virtually everyone I’ve loaned it too, has immediately replayed it.
Other than All The Strange And Wonderful Things, written by a friend (her 4th novel, 1st with a major publishing house… and 1st I didn’t love), I’ve only read course books this year. Horrible, horrible course books (seriously, uCertify is sloppy and out of date). I don’t know when I’ll return to reading for pleasure.
Oh, wow – yeah. I like Steve Martin too – thanks for the recommendation – I’ll have to check it out!
DON’T get his memoir. It’s horribly depressing, which surprised the heck out of me!! One of his plays, The Underpants, is funny.
I just started The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall. A friend recommended it to me.A group of friends meets monthly for lunch and games and people share books, but this friend did not share this book to the group, just to me. LOL. Not sure why but curious to find out. I think Santa is bringing me a Kindle. The Kindle will also allow me to listen to audio books. You got me thinking about going the audio route. We will see.
Oh boy! I’m curious now too. Oh, a new Kindle is exciting! I am enjoying my audiobooks – wasn’t sure about them but I have really enjoyed the stories I have listened to so far!