What are you reading this summer?

Greetings and happy summer. I hope you are all finding time to read good books. Let's get this blog kicking again. I would like to know what you've all got your noses into this summer. We've had plenty of rainy days, so there's no excuse not to read. Unfortunately, most of my reading has been mandatory, grad school reading. However, I recently started to read Devil in the White City once again. It's so densely packed with information that I've started and stopped about four times. This time, I'm going to do it! Now, it's your turn . . . .

Oldies But Goodies

Please feel free to stop by the library and peruse the old books that have been weeded from the GKHS learning center collection. Although many of them have copyright dates of 1970 and before, they are still valuable books. Some of them are so bad, they're good. Choose from exciting titles like the illustrated Encyclopedia of Exercises, The Complete Guide to Aerobic Dancing, and Jane Fonda's Health Guide for Middle Aged Women. Some of the pictures in these oldies but goodies will keep you entertained for days. But seriously, come take a look. One librarian's trash is another reader's treasure.

This summer's reading list?

As the school year is coming to a close, I hope I'm not the only one looking forward to reading a few books other than those that are curriculum related.  Is anyone here like me getting together a little stack of books to knock out from June til August?  My list is as follows...

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Ordinary People by Judith Guest

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

and any others that my mother-in-law recommends.

What are you guys looking forward to reading this summer?

Nonfiction..it's what's for breakfast

If you're one of the hoards of people who are absolutely in love with all things medical when it comes to TV (anyone up for an episode of House?), you might want to try out The Woman with a Worm in her Head: And Other True Stories of Infectious Disease by Pamela Nagami.
For an infectious disease specialist, she's not a bad writer. I will admit she might give too much background/scientific detail for some...but if you can get through that, her descriptions will make you squirm uncomfortably in your seat (think descriptions of worms tunneling through the body with a possibility of it tunneling through your brain causing death). You'll sweat a bit, get a few uncomfortable chills, feel a bit sick to your stomach and generally never want to travel anywhere ever again after reading certain accounts. How fun!

Pamela Nagami has also written another book called Bitten, which is aptly named but which I don't recommend to a casual reader as her background information can sometimes be the equivalent to a course in Entomology. However, if the worm book hooks you... look it up. The description of ants attacking a baby (the baby lives) still haunts me... and if you like that sort of thing, then you'll love this book.

After reading, you can horrify your friends with detailed accounts and giggle with glee at their discomfort, and in that moment, you'll know for certain that nonfiction rocks.

To see the movie, or not to see the movie?

I just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife per Ms. Wilkins's recommendation and we started talking about the upcoming movie based on the book.  It got me thinking, and thusly, I would like to put out to all of you in the interwebs the following question...  

Do you enjoy watching the movies of books that you have read?

My answer (for all those who care, and even those who don't) is that I generally try to avoid movies of books that I love.  I thought Troy (The Illiad) was fun but not at all respectful to Homer, I thought A Home at the End of the World was the second worst movie of all time (the first being Mortal Kombat II), however, I do think that the movie Whale Rider is extremely close to being just as good as the book.  That's just a sample of my experiences with movies from books, but enough of me, what do you guys and gals think?

Goooooooooooooo GKHS Library Blog Members

You guys rock. Thank you for adding life to our blog. I hope you all post over the summer as well. Let's keep it a rockin' and a rollin' even when school is not. : )

The Literal Literarium

So, I do a lot of reading. I mean a ridiculous amount.
If their is an author I admire, I am compelled to read (and collect first hardcover editions of)everything by that author.
Stephen King, Clive Barker, Anne Rice(before the religious novels), V.C Andrews(those she published before she died) and Augusten Burroughs round out my top faves.

I am reading through my battered copy of Rocky Hororr: From Concept To Cult, by Scott Michaels and David Evans, it chronicles the creation of the original musical which premiered in 1973 to the cult following of the now legendary movie. The book also contains 16 pages of rare making of photos, and is written in a series of esays and interviews with the cast members (except Tim Curry) and the set designer, director, and producer; everyone who was involved is extensively interviewed. great reading if one is either a die-hard rocky fan, misses dressing up on a saturday night(when you felt alright), or is interested in how a musical is adapted to screen.

pleasant somethings people, ----Martin(who does remember doing the time warp--- in the middle of wal-mart).