Recent Reading

I've been working my way through my shelf of books that I need to read before I buy MORE books. Here are two of my recent reads: I almost never read a book because the movie looks interesting, but with The Reader, that's exactly what I did. I wanted to see The Reader in the theater last year, but it just never happened. Then I thought I would just watch it on Netflix (it is indeed downstairs waiting to be watched even now). And then I decided to just go ahead and read it first.

I heard the movie is pretty weird, but the book was actually decent. I do think you can be weirder with books than movies and your reader will stay with you and work through the weirdness.

So the synopsis: Young German boy falls in love with a woman twice his age. They have a relationship and she moves away, quite suddenly. The next time he sees her, he is a law student and she is on trial for war crimes in the concentration camps during WWII. This is where their relationship evolves and grows... and he helps her deal with her terrible secret.

I'd give this book 3.5 stars.

My school book group just read Ann Patchett's Run. Patchett is most notable for writing Bel Canto (which I am currently reading). This was a beautifully told story about an elite family in Boston: white, older dad who used to be Mayor; one troubled, grown, natural son, and two brilliant, adopted black sons. Their lives change dramatically one night in a snowy car accident when they meet family and non family that will redirect the course of each of their lives.

I'd give it 4 stars.