Summer Reading List 09'

It’s been a while since I made a reading list. Actually, it’s been a while since I actually had the time to read for pleasure. I have been so caught up in “suggested readings” and “mandatory readings” and oodles of newspapers just to keep up to speed during the school week that I forgot how much I loved reading.

About two months ago, I picked up a book- and after the first chapter, I remembered. I remembered how much I love reading. That evening, I went to the bookstore and spent a months worth of rent on books. I have been reading and reading and reading. On planes, in bed, in taxis, I never fail to have a book under my arm. I’m trying to get it all in before September comes around and I have to once again put down my books and pick up my case studies and immerse myself in another type of daily activity.

At the moment though- I’m enjoying my reading. And today, after weeks and weeks of nothing but reading- I have decided to share my list for anyone else who loves reading and has forgotten to do it lately.

I know that the list below is not what one would expect to find on a current MBA student’s “summer reading list” but as I say- to each his own!

I must warn though that there are a number of books I am not the proudest to say I own. These are the “girly books” with curvy text and fluorescent covers. I can’t help it. 1. I like these books. I breeze through them and as I am reading them, I escape- the epitome of “Beach reading” because I wouldn't be caught dead in a meeting with any of these books in hand. Secondly, I am not in the US and therefore, the English sections of the local bookstores are sparse. The only other options I have are airport bookstores in which one can find the “Top Ten International Bestsellers” and every version of Angels and Demons that was ever published. (I’ve read it three times.)

So without further ado, here are all the books I’ve read thus far this summer along with my thoughts. I pretty much enjoyed every single one of them, however uncomplicated they may be;

Marian Keyes- The Other Side of The Story (fun fast read)

Jodi Picoult- Mercy (heavy but good)

Jonathan Safran Foer- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (my favorite book of the summer…even better, in my opinion, than Everything is Illuminated!)

Jennifer Weiner- The Guy Not Taken (don't read this one! It's a collection of short stories…not the greatest!)

Bernhard Schlink- The Reader (slow…the movie is probably better)

Stephenie Meyer- Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn (Twilight is great, gets you hooked, the second and third books are incredibly boring. Breaking Dawn was exciting but Meyer could have cut out about half of it.)

John Grisham- Playing For Pizza, The Innocent Man (pizza was one of the worst books I’ve ever read and the latter was fabulous…its Grisham’s first non-fiction)

Hemingway- The Sun Also Rises (again. Always great.)

David Sedaris- Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (same as the rest of Sedaris’ stuff)

Ann Patchett- The Magician’s Assistant (enthralling)

Julia Glass- Three Junes (a little slow but a good read)

James Collins- Beginner’s Greek (loved it)

Ali Smith- The Accidental (just started it but good so far)

A few further thoughts;

I do wish John Irving would write another book.

I’m glad the twilight series is over.

Recommendations welcome…I’m running out of ideas.