Hello, reader…
I forgot to take a picture of our gathering but it was lovely! Each book shared went directly on to my reading list – I think you’ll find them intriguing, too.
Zelda Fitzgerald: Her Voice in Paradise by Sally Cline
FireWoman didn’t know anything about Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald before reading this book. Author and researcher Sally Cline did justice for Zelda in this book with her in-depth research beyond what has been written by previous biographers of Zelda’s life. Cline made pointed comments where she found differences in previous books about Zelda. Cline also goes into great detail with Zelda’s pursuits into writing, paintings, and ballet.
FireWoman cautions that the eBook via Hoopla is rife with missing punctuation, mostly absent periods, and misspellings – all of which made the book difficult to read. But aside from that, it was an excellent read.
Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
A riveting capsule of time in the great outdoors with political commentary from the author. Abbey was a seasonal park ranger in Utah’s Arches National Monument at the time. An adventurer, he went down the Colorado River without a map or life preservers! FireWoman thought it was an exciting read of a history of a time and place.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
A second readthrough for Alas, she shared that she enjoyed all the little insights as the character went along. Lots of pithy comments and observations. She also felt that the author seemed to change direction toward the end, which made for an unsatisfying ending. She’s curious to hear what others think about the ending!
An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris by George Perec
This is a book that was referenced in a memoir that Sierra read last month called, ‘No. 91/92: A Diary of Year on the Bus‘ by Laren Elkin. Perec situated himself in a particular part of Paris for a few days and basically wrote down what he saw….busses that pass by…people that pass by…signage…birds, etc. It’s a kind of snapshot of a day and place in October 1974.
Sierra mentioned that it can be helpful to have the translator’s notes to help provide additional context about Perec…who was a very unusual writer. He wrote another book without the letter ‘E’ apparently!
Perec’s book is free to read here.
Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too Much World by Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo
This is a recently published book by a married couple who identify as highly sensitive people or HSP. Zoe thought it was an easy read – clearly written for the masses – that attempts to define and offer guidance to HSPs. Recommended for readers who are fairly new to the topic.
The Way Through the Woods: On Mushrooming and Mourning by Long Litt Woon
Zoe is halfway through this memoir about a woman’s journey through her grief of the loss of her husband by studying mycology and becoming a mushroom inspector. Zoe loved Woon’s writing style – which feels like sitting over the kitchen table with a really smart, nerdy friend.
Our next gathering will be on Sunday, July 9th at 1pm SLT. Hope to see you then!
The Reading Room 