“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way--things I had no words for.”

~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Friday, October 19, 2012

On the Nightstand

Not everyone can appreciate getting lost in a good book. I have loved books since I was young. I'd go to the public library on a hot summer day and check out an arm load of books which would keep me quietly occupied for the week. Back then, I remember my favorites as pre-teen Judy Blume books (the iconic Are You There God, It's Me Margaret?), the Laura Ingalls Wilder series or anything that told the story of young imagination. I then advanced to tales of young love and angst (Deenie, Lisa Bright and Dark, Go Ask Alice, Forever, My Darling My Hamburger...remember those stories, girls?) Books opened up the world for me as I trudged through the '70's with nothing else better to do, seriously...nothing. Books tended to and occupied me and as a result I developed such a love for reading that even now I feel ill at ease if I don't have something to seek respite with at the end of the day. "Nothing on the nightstand...what the what?!" 

There were several years when I sought advice from books on the trials and tribulations of raising an angst ridden teen aged daughter; How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will TalkGet Our of My Life, But First Could you Drive Me and Cheryl To The Mall?Queen Bees and Wannabes and of course, Reviving Ophelia. Fun, fun, fun...NOT! But the books did help shed a little light on the turmoil we were all going through at the time. Now that my daughter and I both survived that storm and she is  a happy young adult, I have the privilege of reading purely for enjoyment once again.

These are the books I have read this year so far. All of them very good, especially State of Wonder.

I have several others on my wish list at Amazon: Zelda Fitzgerald, Truth and BeautyO PioneersThe Emperor's ChildrenA Moveable Feast, Charmed Circle: Gertrude Stein and CompanyThe Lacuna...oh there are so many!



My current book on the nightstand is the hefty The Art of Eating by MFK Fisher, one of my very favorite authors.



I would love some book suggestions...what's on YOUR nightstand?

1 comment:

  1. Hello Nina, If you enjoyed the Marsh sisters in "Little Women" you may enjoy "The Little Women Letters " by Gabrielle Donnelly.. Modern day life of a family with three sisters who are the Great, Great Granddaughters of Jo Marsh. I actually picked this book up at the Dollar store, for $1.00. Hard bound and I loved it !

    ReplyDelete