Friday, June 12, 2009
Smarty Picks for Cool Summer Reads
By Katie M
Every so often we’ll run a blog that has nothing to do with parental responsibilities! And today’s blog is a collaboration of books that we highly recommend for your reading list this summer! One of my most favorite "mommy-time" activities is reading on the beach. I always pack a book in my beach bag in the hopes of sneaking in a few pages. But...I rarely get to enjoy such indulgences when I'm on the beach with my kids, let alone sit in a beach chair!
So below are some of our picks. It seems like every Smarty Mom we've profiled has read, or is reading, the Twilight series, so perhaps we need to add those to our lists as well. If you have others you can recommend, please post in the comment section below.
Allison T:
Her favorite summer reads are by an author who graduated from WFU, Emily Giffin:
Something Borrowed
Something Blue
Baby Proof
Love The One Your With
Rachel H:
Here are some of her favorites:
The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells
White Oleander, by Janet Fitch
Tuesdays with Morrie, By Mitch Albom
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden
Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay
The Shack, by William P. Young
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Truman Capote
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner
Katie M:
Besides any book by Jodi Picoult, lots of my favorites have come from my book club - they always pick the best reads:
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
The Middle Place, by Kelly Corrigan
The Time Travelers Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
She's Come Undone, by Wally Lamb
The Boleyn Inheritance, by Philippa Gregory
Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan
A Million Little Pieces, by James Frey (sorry Oprah, but I loved this book!)
TODAY is the last day to register for a FREE 1/2 day slot at one of Sawtooth's summer art camps! You must first be a Triad Smarty Pants newsletter subscriber, and then you can click here to register. For more information on this give-away, visit our post about Sawtooth's summer camps. The winner will be announced on Monday, June 15, so be sure to log on that day! Good luck Smarties!
14 comments:
Rachel H, I knew you were super cool.. your favorites list is nearly identical to mine!! Those of you who grew up reading Judy Blume (otherwise known as sheila the great, super fudge, freckle juice, and of course.. are you there god it's me margaret) will be delighted to know she wrote an adult book called Summer Sisters (it is a great beach book!!) and another book you can read over and over and take a little something new from it each time.. Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons (so fun) Thank you TSP for more great ideas!!
Also remember summertime is a great time to start a long chapter book to read aloud with your kids. It works out great for pool checks and sudden thunderstorms!! We've done, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Wizard of Oz, and Charlotte's Web. When we finish each one, we celebrate with a family movie night and talk about the movie versus the book and which we liked more, and how accurate the movie was. I was amazed at the attention to detail my three year old son had when we did Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he caught all the places the Gene Wilder one was wrong, and would exclaim.. that is not how it happened! So funny!
I also LOVED Memoirs of a Geisha. It made me want to visit Japan. Why is it that everything there seems so serene, quiet, and beautiful? I wonder if their children throw tantrums out in the Japanese gardens? ha ha
Random thoughts ... anyway, thanks for the list!
Stephanie, you might also try Snowflower and the Secret Fan, (Lisa See) it is set in China during the "footbinding period" and when I read it, it reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha. The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck.. is another great one Also I loved.. Snow Falling on Cedars (the movie does not compare!!) The Joy luck Club, and The BoneSetter's Daughter (both by Amy Tan)
Also.. I hope everyone is using the library or buying their books used at Edward McKay!!
ohh ohh and 1000 White Women (I read this one last summer and it was fantastic!!)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My book club recently read Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster, it was laugh out loud funny. I also really enjoy the Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club and the other books by Laurie Notaro.
Summer, I agree with you about Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons. Really like that book.
First of all, I'd love to know how Summer has kids and can still find time to read so many books! Share your pointers please! :) Also, several of my college friends recommended "The Help" - no idea who wrote it, but they all loved it. And Allison's picks are all awesome for lazy beach days - they are quick, easy reads.
Can't wait to read some of the books listed here - I will wait for Summer's "how to get your reading done when you have kids" suggestions :) Have a great weekend everyone.
My answer to Maythi is this: keep your book in the bathroom. That is the only time I get privacy!! :)
Dear Anonymous, Please tell me how you get privacy in the bathroom, this is a feat I would very much be able to accomplish.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova... though, it's a bit hefty for a beach read. Great though.
Also, the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon. Could not put those books down!!
I love all the Adriana Trigiani books-her new one, Very Valentine, is a perfect vacation read.
"I cannot live without books."
--Thomas Jefferson
Naomi, I am laughing at your comment because ALL of my book suggestions above are hefty! I don't think I was really focusing on light beach reads when I sent my list to Katie. I just sent my favorites that seem to stick in my mind for days after I finish them. Sorry folks - my list is beach reads when no kids are around to disturb you! :) They are all pretty DEEP!
Forgot about Water for Elephants - GREAT book - thanks for adding that to the list! And yes, Summer -how the heck do get all your reading in????
Maythi - I just got The Help from my mother-in-law for my birthday - it's by Kathryn Stockett - haven't read it yet - hadn't heard about it until I got it - but am excited to hear your great review! BTW - it was so good to meet you the other weekend :)
Katie M
Post a Comment