Reading Roundup Update

Well, I finally made it through Eat Pray Love. While it never gave me that can't-bear-to-stop-reading-this-book feeling, it did provide a number of interesting details about Bali culture and Buddhist beliefs. I marked passages that I want to keep—meaning that instead of keeping the whole book in my library, I'll be keeping only certain sentences on my computer for future reference. Once I input those, Eat Pray Love is headed for the Big Sale.

So far I have more than 100 books on the sale shelves my husband set up for me in our dining room. I have hundreds more books awaiting a decision from me, though. It's hard. Because here's the bottom line: I feel deeply connected to my books. Even though the shelves of sale books are an eyesore in our dining room, the very sight of the books as I eat breakfast makes me feel like I'm dining with friends. I feel safe and content and full of possibility. And I feel like I'm betraying our friendship by sacrificing them.

I know. It has to be done and I'll get over it. It just isn't so easy.

On a brighter note, here's what's on the docket for my reading pleasure at the moment:

Bellevue Literary Review

The theme of this issue is "Abilities and Disabilities: The Range of Human Function."

Unaccustomed Earth

The most recent collection of short stories by Pulitzer Prize–winner Jhumpa Lahiri.

Salt: A World History

Fascinating details about human progress and follies by Mark Kurlansky.

Stop Smiling

This is an old issue of the magazine and the theme is "The Downfall of American Publishing." Includes a big homage to Hunter S. Thompson.

ArtNews

This issue features curators and new directions for museums.

The White Bone

A fictional tale about elephant society from Barbara Gowdy.

Silent Thunder

A memoir about acoustic biologist Katy Payne's research into elephant communication.

O The Oprah Magazine

I haven't looked at this mag for quite some time and am delighted at how it integrates reading and books into the lifestyle it promotes. Thank you, Oprah!

Mother Tongue: An American Life in Italy

Wallis Wilde-Menozzi's memoir about moving and acclimating to her husband's hometown of Parma.

That's it. With everything that's going on right now (or really NOT going on), I find it hard to concentrate and truly escape in a book.

Uh-oh. Here comes the pooch. She's ready for an outing. Gotta go.