Sunday, March 30, 2008

Online to-read list

Do you have book recommendations for me? I am stepping up my reading pace, and thought it might be fun to put my to-read list on And So Forth. And maybe some of my readers can do just as good a job as Amazon at telling me what tomes I would enjoy.

The first entry on the list is French Toast by Harriet Welty Rochefort. I got onto it from My Inner French Girl, who is somehow much more up on everything French than I am.

In case you're wondering about my tastes, this is what I'm reading at the moment:

Since my post about reading in public, I have slipped a book into my handbag and have decided I will always have a bag-book en fraçais on me. So recommendations in French are permitted and encouraged -- but they must be slim, light volumes. This is my current French, in-the-purse, read:



My husband didn't care for it, but it was the first literally lightweight book in French that I found, so I decided to give it a try. So far, so good -- although since I don't take much public transportation, progress is markedly slow.


My current bedside volume is a third-time reread:


Not that a few books can define my tastes, but maybe it will give you some ideas!

Recommendation number two has come in from SpacedLaw:


I thank her for the reminder because I have enjoyed other books by Daniel Pennac and have meant to read this one, but kinda sorta forgot about it.

I can't wait to get more recommendations! Remember, the books don't have to be in French. I'm looking for smaller tomes in French to carry around in my handbag, and English for evening reading.

10 comments:

spacedlaw said...

The last French book I read was "Chagrin D'Ecole" by Daniel Pennac and I loved it immensely.

deedee said...

I read French Toast in French and found it so-so. I am reading 2 Barbara Kingsolvers at the same time right now...in English.

Betty Carlson said...

Which ones are you reading, Meredith? The Poisonwood Bible is one of my all-time favorite books, but I'm not sure I've read many of her others.

Betty Carlson said...

spacedlaw, thanks so much for reminding me this book existed! I read about it, but since I didn't have a book list going, I promptly forgot about it -- as I explained above.

spacedlaw said...

I love Barbara Kingslover too!
The Bean Tree and Pigs in Heaven are very good (I discovered her by reading The Poisonwood Bible and got hooked).
Have you read the books of Armistead Maupin? I found them intensely lovable.
In French, books by Michel Quint would be good (and they are small, so easy to carry around in a bag). Try Effroyables Jardins and Aimer à Peine.

Betty Carlson said...

spaced, now that you mention it I think I read the Bean Tree. But I will add your other suggestions to this growing blog post. In fact, the concept is so interesting that I may just leave And So Forth here for the summer -- I would love to stock up a great reading list for my stay in the USA!

Katie Zeller said...

2 that I have just finished:
A Thousand Splendid Suns (Hosseini - the same author as The Kite Runner)
and Five Quarters of Orange (by the same woman who wrote Chocolat)
Both excellent - English, of course!

Betty Carlson said...

Another recommendation from Katie:

'Suite Française', by Irène Némirovsky

Betty Carlson said...

Note to myself: Read French Toast, even if poppy fields found it so-so -- Marjorie's review of it intrigues me.

Betty Carlson said...

Note to myself:

http://catnyp.nypl.org/record=b6196941

Fast food: roadside restaurants in the automobile age