A Summer of Reading

This summer has been beautiful for many reasons - we're not yet in 100 degree weather, I get half days on Fridays, and thus have started napping again (napping, I feel so luxe every time I take a nap), and most and best of all, I have so very much time to read.

During the semester, I get to read. I get to read Shakespeare plays, Southern Women writings, literary theory (oh joy), and sometimes I have the brain power afterwards to read a magazine. But, non-class related reading? A thing of fiction. So this summer, I'm soaking it up. Here's what I've read so far:

A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords from A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Marin: Y'all. Have you seen Game of Thrones on HBO? That is where this started. Last summer, I watched, marathon, skipping meals, social events, and personal hygiene to watch the 10 episode HBO series. And it is epic. So, over Christmas Break, I read Game of Thrones (the first book in the series). The characters are so rich and there are so many characters. That can be a little hard to keep up with, but I love these books. ASOS was emotionally exhausting to the point that I am taking a short hiatus before continuing with the 4th book. I recommend this book even if you aren't a fan of fantasy (which I am generally not). Deep characters, fantastic plots. I feel almost like it is really good historical fiction about power, family, honor, love, and a vast array of other things humans deal with.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker: I have read a little bit of Jen Hatmaker before, but this might be my favorite of hers. She is, first of all, hilarious. Reading her book is like having a conversation with a friend. The premise of the book is: she tired of the excess of American culture and what it has done to her heart, so for 7 months she takes a different area of excess (food, clothing, media, etc) and does a 7-related fast for it. It is hilarious and insightful and will ruin your life a little bit. In a good way.

Columbine by Dave Cullen: In the style of In Cold Blood, Cullen examines the Columbine shootings over a decade after they happen. He looks at the days leading up to the shootings, stories of survivors and victims and families, media coverage, police and FBI investigations, and the shooters. The journalistic style of the story, for me, made it less chilling then the situation maybe should have been, but thank goodness because I was emotionally spent after the whirlwind of ASOS. I was 12 when the Columbine shootings occurred, and didn't remember much, but turns out, most of what I remembered was wrong. I found his profile of the shooters and how the media covered the event to be the most interesting.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore: I read this book pretty quickly, but dang, let me just say it is challenging to my thoughts about homelessness and friendship. It is a story about two unlikely friends, an international art dealer from Ft. Worth and a modern day slave and also about God. I cried like 7 times.

Currently reading: Kisses from Katie, In Defense of Food, A Feast of Crows, and always reading The Wisdom of the Enneagram