I LOVVVVVE Books

This is what I'm reading right now

I must admit, it is the only book I have read [non-school related] that has taken me almost a year to finish.
It's one that my dad recommended, bribed and bought for me to read.

My dad's a big reader. So am I. And thankful. But he is soooo obsessed with American history books that he sometimes wells up with tears when telling about a great book he just finished.
John Adams being one of them. He loved this book so much that he bribed my sisters and I into reading it for a trip to Washington DC. Ha! Only Liz [dad's favorite] has been diligent to finish reading the book for its reward. I'm sure the fact that she had her husband reading it along with her was encouraging.

Another book he bribed us into reading was 1776, by Dave McCullough, the same author who wrote John Adams. I remember opening that book, about 4 or 5 years ago, and closing it after reading maybe two pages, at most. I could enjoy a good book then, but this book was so incredibly boring, that to read it only for the sake of the reward for finishing it, just wasn't enough to get me through the first chapter.

I have a different love and appreciation for books more now than I did 4 or 5 years ago.
And so when I was offered John Adams to read, I was a little curious. My dad bragged about what a great man he was and that what he did for our country was what no American has really come close to accomplishing what he has for this country.

I'm a little more than half way through, almost a year later. I've read a few other books in the meantime, and every once in awhile pick this one back up again, read about 20 or 30 pages and then set it back down for another couple of weeks. It's not so bad. Boring at times. I think I'm just not a big fan of this author's style of writing. I like dialogue and expressive adjectives of the scenery and people. You don't get that in this book. You get interesting facts, old hand written letters written in very old 1700's style English, and not much dialogue at all. John Adams truly is an impressive man. His pride and courage have kept me enthralled to read more.

To be honest, what's helped me get through some of it is watching the HBO special John Adams on dvd. There's just so much "history book" writing that I feel like I'm in 9th grade again trying to retain as much information as possible without remembering to actually enjoy what I'm reading. I keep thinking that my dad is going to ask me for a book report on what I've read so far.

I'm also reading this.....



.....in between occasional John Adams readings.

Mere Christianity is a very good book. After every chapter, I want to go back and read it again, it's that good!

And I'm reading this too...



.....which I really need to get busy on finishing so that I can be rewarded with seeing the movie!!

I am in a total reading slump. I think I just need to make a special reading corner next to the big and beautiful front window of our apartment set next to my antique side table and topped with a hot cup of coffee. If I had somebody to set this up for me every morning, I would be there every day without complaint.