So, lately I’ve done a lot of reading, but not too much blogging. I’ll try to do better next month. I have finished a few books that I’d like to report, however:
Early last week I finished Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This was a very long fantasy/historical novel/romance novel blend which was recommended to me by one of my nephew’s former teachers. It’s the first in a whole series of books with the same characters. I don’t know if I’ll continue on with them or not, as this is outside my normal reading zone. I hope to write in more detail about this book later. It is set in Scotland, which is a plus for me as that country is my new ‘obsession’ it seems.

On Thursday, I finished Always Looking Up – The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Michael J. Fox. This was my book club’s reading selection for May. Our meeting was well attended (almost 100%!) and everyone seemed to like it. More on my thoughts later as well.

Saturday, I finished the second of the “Millenium” series of books by Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Played with Fire. Liked this one a lot too. Glad I read this just as the third book (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest) was coming out, as things are a tangle of loose ends (is that possible? A ‘tangle’ of loose ends? Who cares, I’m leaving it in here.) at the second book’s conclusion. Yes, I already downloaded the third book and am about 20% into it already as well.

Also, I’m “almost finished” with the non-fiction book, The House Divides, a historical work about the years leading up to the Civil War. Learning a lot, but it’s a bit slow going. Became reacquainted with the life and deeds of Andrew Jackson as well while reading this. In fact, I almost picked up the biographical, American Lion while at Borders today, but held back. “Old Hickory” was a total badass…

One funny thing I noted was that in the biographies – on the shelves in alphabetical order by subject – here was this single (though great) book about Andrew Jackson, followed by maybe ten books about Michael Jackson. What does this say about the readers in America…?