May: What I Read

I have started listening to Gretchen Rubin's Happier podcast, and it is fantastic. One thing I have embraced -- among many because this podcast is great-- is the idea that it's OK to stop reading a book you don't like.  If I had heard this sooner, I definitely would have made my goal of 14 books because I really wanted to hit 70 this month and here I sit at 69 books.

13. Feminism Unfinished by Dorothy Sue Cobble: This was a work book for sure and I will probably use it in class.  If you are interested in the development of 20th century feminisms, this is a nice, succinct account.

12.  Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline: Meh but a really entertaining meh.

11.  Pretty Ugly by Kirker Butler: A  funny send-up of kiddy pageants but not a lot there.

10.  All the Rage by Courtney Summers:  Not the only young adult book I read this month.  Not the best, either.

9.  Black Dog Summer by Miranda Sherry:  So sad and haunting with a really strange and fascinating plot.

8.  The Children Act by Ian McEwan:  A cool main character and an intricate plot.

7.  All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven:  Now THIS was an awesome YA novel.

6.  Golden State by Stephanie Kegan: Sad and suspenseful-- read it!

5.  In Some Other World, Maybe by Shari Goldhagen: Loved this-- so entertaining and the characters stayed with me.

4.  Funny Girl by Nick Hornby:  Charming and delightful

3.  The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander:  This memoir about losing the love of her life was so, so beautiful and immediate.  I could not put it down.

2.  Listen to Your Mother by Ann Imig:  This book came out of a show of women reading their blogs that started in Madison. I planned to try out for the first show but then Ben had to play golf.  And I am not even still bitter.

1.  Academy Street by Mary Costello:  Oh, wow.  This book reminded me of Maggie Now and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn all grown up.  It was sad and spare and restrained, and I loved every word.