If you've been following my blog, you're aware of my good fortune earlier this week. I'm not sure what I'll wind up buying with my $50 gift card, but after reviewing my (shhh, the gift card is for Barnes and Noble) Amazon wishlist, I came up with the following:
1. The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson
2. The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg
3. Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan
4. Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
5. Booked to Die by John Dunning
6. Blue Water by A. Manette Ansay
7. The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
8. The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
9. Literacy and Longing in L.A. by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack
10. Growing Girls: The Mother of All Adventures by Jeanne Marie Laskas
11. The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
12. The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra
13. Our Yanks by Margaret Mayhew
Obviously, I can't buy all of these for $50, but it'll be fun to see just how far I can stretch my winnings. Stay tuned! :)
That's quite a list, Lesley! Many of the titles are unfamiliar, but the authors aren't. What fun you have ahead of you! :)
ReplyDeleteI really liked Madonnas of Leningrad> Really, really liked it. I wasn't crazy about Literacy and Longing in L.A. It had some great reflections on books and reading but I didn't like the characters or the plot a heck of a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe Other Side of the Bridge was really good. I read it a couple weeks ago. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, sorry, The Swallows of Kabul is also really good. Overlooked that on my previous read through.
ReplyDeleteI was quite disappointed with The Bookseller of Kabul. Her 'Western society' perspective really coloured the story, I felt. Be curious what you think of it though if you read it.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great choices,Les! I've read "The Bookseller of Kabul" and quite enjoyed it even though, as Nat rightly pointed out, it was from a western journalist's/woman's perspective, also, some have accused her of taking way too many liberties with the facts for the purposes of narrative journalism.
ReplyDelete"Swallows of Kabul" was an excellent read, too.
I've heard wonderful things about "Leave me Alone, I'm Reading" and some not so wonderful things about "Literacy and Longing in LA", but as I haven't read either book myself, it's all hearsay.
Can't wait to see your final picks!
Of all those books, I've only read The Madonnas of Leningrad, but it was a top read of the year. Have fun spending!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you Lesley! I really like some parts of Leave Me Alone I'm Reading, loved the Swallows of Kabul. I recently bought Booked to Die but haven't read it yet. Sounds so good though, doesn't it? The new Elizabeth Berg novel sounds good, too. Looking forward to reading your choices.
ReplyDeleteJoy, it is quite a list, but you should see my real wishlist over at Amazon. Eeek! I don't think I'll ever read all the books I'd like before I die.
ReplyDeleteSassymonkey, good to hear your positive comment about Madonnas of Leningrad. I can't remember where I first heard about it, but something must have piqued my interest. And thanks for your honesty about Literacy & Longing in L.A. Maybe I'll save that one for a library read.
Kailana, I can't wait to read Lawson's book! Have you read Crow Lake? I have (twice) and loved it. Glad to hear The Swallows of Kabul is good, too. :)
Nat & Lotus, oh dear. Maybe The Bookseller of Kabul is another I should save for a library visit. Thanks for helping me narrow down my list!
Lotus, another positive comment for The Swallows of Kabul and a negative for Literacy & Longing. This is really helping me. Thanks!
Nancy, thanks for another positive recommendation for Madonnas of Leningrad. Y'all are helping me narrow down my choices and I truly appreciate it.
Booklogged, thanks! It's fun to hear everyone's thoughts on these books. I'll keep you posted on my final selections.
Yep! I borrowed Crow Lake from a friend and read it. I had to go out and buy it, because it was a keeper! That same friend I talked into buying the new book with her birthday money at the store the other day. Me and her don't normally buy hard covers, but I convinced her that she didn't want to wait. I am very good at book selling. lol
ReplyDeleteKailana, that's the mark of a truly great book. Reading a borrowed copy and still going out to buy your own (and a hardcover, at that!) after you've finished. Glad to hear you enjoyed it so well.
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