Friday Books

This is Lily.. she and her daddy are reading a book that I sent to her. Sweet!

I'm going to try to remember to use Friday as my "talk about books" day. I expect I'll forget sometimes, but I'll try to be as faithful as my failing memory will allow.

I am currently reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. My one-book-a-year book club is reading this one. We'll meet in October to discuss it. It's my annual cousins' retreat where we eat, laugh, and discuss one book. Once a year. It rocks. So far I am enjoying the book, and I know if I could just get myself to sit down for an extended period and bury myself in it, I'll get hooked. I am only 9% into the book so far. It's good, but I've been distracting myself a lot.

At goodreads(dot)com I joined a "Senior Citizens" group (we still feel young) that decided to do one book per month. We just wrapped up discussion on our second book. It has been so much fun! I enjoy hearing what the other women have to say about the book. Even if it is a book I wasn't crazy about, I enjoy hearing what they came up with and what they think about various characters or plot lines. (Men are welcome,too; they just haven't joined the group yet.)

I find it hard to set the proper timing for when I should read books. I just requested two books from the library; they are for September and October for the above on-line group discussion. But I am also reading Cutting for Stone which will be discussed in October. Cutting for Stone is over 600 pages long! So if the two library books get put on hold for me too soon, they'll be due back before I get to them, and I don't like to re-new, knowing that others are waiting for the same book.

Also, when do I fit in the book for church group? AND the whole congregation has TWO books that we are encouraged to read starting this fall.

Oh, problems, problems. I know. I have really serious ones. Here are the books I need to read in the near future:
Amish Grace by 3 authors whose names I have forgotten: for book discussion group at church in September
Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen for on-line September discussion
Gravesavers by [I forgot] - was the first book chosen for on-line September group, but it is hard to find (out of print, maybe?) - so only those of us who were able to find it are going to read and discuss it.. AND will read the new September book which is Peach Keeper.
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Z-something - for on-line discussion in October
Cutting for Stone by Verghese - for cousins' annual retreat/book discussion in October
Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian - to fit my need for an author whose name begins with X, for my A-Z author challenge which ends in December
and the two books that our whole church congregation has been offered.. one is fat!

I need to turn myself into a hermit and just READ for a solid two months, don't you think?