Books, again

Really, if I thought it was the least bit interesting, I'd write about books every day. Since it's not - but since today has been dreary anyway --- let's talk about reading.

I finished Born to Run. And in a new move, I passed it on to my father-in-law who likes non-fiction. I'm curious what response that book's quirkiness will bring from this man who is kind of a riddle to me. (Same guy, by the way, who ran my most recent 5K with me.)

Now reading The Virtue Driven Life, by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R. for spiritual reasons, and Little Dorrit (by Dickens), for friendship reasons. Only friendship could make me pick up another book by Charles Dickens. I'm less than ten chapters in, and have discovered that if I'm in a focused state I can follow the characters. 859 pages plus footnotes and then an 8-hour PBS miniseries to follow if I so desire. Janelle, my buddy, you're lucky it's getting good. And I'm making NO commitment to the miniseries.

Ventured to the library with Joe today to pick up some reading on the Revolutionary War. I am WAY more excited to read this stuff than Joe is. I know next to nothing about that part of our history, other than the gist. Couldn't resist looking at the sale shelves, and picked up The Great Gatsby (which I've read but don't own) and Sarah Morgan, The Civil War Diary of A Southern Woman. Once I plow through Dickens, the Diary, and the Virtues, I have Home Before Morning sitting on my desk. It's a little recommend from my dad and it's "The True Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam." Somehow I'm all swept up in war history, it appears. From the Revolution to the Civil War to Vietnam.

My reading personality took a hit when my friend #1 tried to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and couldn't get into it. Both friend #1 and friend #2 rejected Pride and Prejudice after just a few chapters (but they still want to watch the movie). Friend #2 is reading and (thankfully) appreciating Roots, and plans to pass it to Friend #1 when she's done. Friend #2 is from Canada and doesn't "get" race issues in the U.S. at all. Roots has made her want to read something from the perspective of, say, a southern plantation owner --- to TRY to get how the heck they perceived/justified slavery. If Sarah Morgan, mentioned above, has a friend out there who kept a PRE-Civil War diary about life on a plantation from the perspective of the rich white owner, THAT'S the book I'm after.

Okay? Enough about books for now? What are you reading?