Best Book of 2006: Hands down, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I went on and on about it during its appearance in the book list and I will continue to do so here. It’s one of those books that make you want to write. A lot of the credit goes to the translator, especially since I’m not inclined to read texts in their original Spanish—even though I can, I don’t get the same enjoyment from them as reading (and close reading) in English. Its climax is an easy one to figure out well before it arrives, but Zafon’s characters more than make up for the easy path he puts in front of his readers.

Worst Book of 2006: The Autobiography of Henry VIII. Margaret George did such a phenomenal job with Mary Magdalene that I had to read something else by her. This book and the book on Mary, Queen of Scots, were absolutely horrendous. I never finished the book on Mary, Queen of Scots, because I just couldn’t stomach it—that’s why it’s absent from the book list. From Anne’s treatment as a witch to Henry’s speculation that Elizabeth might be a witch, the entire story rubbed me the wrong way. I am a staunch Boleyn supporter, so that leads me to . . .

Best Non-Fiction of 2006: Eric W. Ives’ treatment of Anne Boleyn in The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy, although earning him some critics, has delighted me. Finally, someone who’s able to express publicly what I’ve always believed (the book is older with new revisions, and its recent reissue is the first time I’ve come across it). Anne Boleyn was not a witch; she was a person caught in tough circumstances. As queen, Ives is able to demonstrate that Anne was more the suited for the job (never mind her jealousies of Henry—as a love match, the possibility of either spouse getting hurt was inherent, and even if Anne knew what her place should’ve been, she couldn’t help it that she loved the brute). She was a generous patron, a conscientious queen who wanted her recalcitrant subjects to love her, and a powerful woman who was beheaded for political expediency. Had I the chance to choose three noteworthy people to dine with, dead or alive, Anne would be among them.

Best Fiction of 2006: World War Z by Max Brooks. The Shadow of the Wind could’ve repeated here because it’s a wonderful book, but nothing tops near-apocalypse thanks to flesh-eating dead bodies, all started by a little Chinese boy who is bitten while moon fishing. Less a linear novel than a collection of oral histories of the outbreak, world depopulation, and then victory over the enemy called Zack, World War Z creeped me out enough that I was happy to have it out of my apartment when I returned it to my older brother in November. I would literally put heavy objects on top of the book to make sure that if any zombies tried to climb out of there, I’d hear the racket caused by falling objects and be far away from my apartment when they finally left the pages. Yes, I am that pathetic when I want to be frightened. The Battle of Yonkers and the reclamation of the United States (as told by the same character) are particularly good sections of the book. If you’re not interested in reading the book, the synopsis on Wikipedia is pretty damn good—overview of everything from fake vaccines to how Cuba becomes the leading country in the world.

Best Plot-Twist of 2006: Not so much a plot twist but a highly appreciated moment in fake history, the celebrity safe house established in the early days of the Total Panic in World War Z is a hilarious and probably true-to-life section of the book. Holing up on (I believe) Long Island, celebrities of all kinds come together in a fabulous mansion and decide to telecast their bout for survival during the zombie takeover. Of course, ordinary folks see this and attempt to penetrate the fortress—the celebrities’ defenses fall not to mindless cannibals, but men, women and children who just want to escape the threat of a) being eaten alive or b) getting away after getting bitten and then turning into a zombie. Mayhem ensues, with celebrity casualties coming at the hands of their assistants, the people trying to use the mansion for their own protection, and various other (explosive) devices. See, zombie wars would be good for few things, but the annihilation of self-important yet unaccomplished celebrities would be one of the good things.

Worst Plot-Twist of 2006: This distinction has to go to William Trevor’s The Story of Lucy Gault. Even though I am not a mother, I know that, even when you suspect the worst, you look for a kid everywhere. And if you do go abroad for an indefinite amount of time, no justification for love’s sake can convince me that you wouldn’t check in at least once with the property and people you left behind. A beautifully written book, it nonetheless irritated me that there wasn’t even a half-hearted search for the eponymous child. Or that her parents would float around Europe without sending a telegram or two. The contrivances didn’t cause me to put down the book, but they galled me because I believe that Trevor has proven to me (at least in this work—I’m not sure about others) that he doesn’t know how to write women well. All women struck me as stalwart men with breasts who followed their need to punish themselves rather than the sensible path to take. And you know, self-flagellation only goes so far when it comes to advancing the plot.

Best Stephen King Book of 2006: This has to have its own category because I read so much. The award goes to From a Buick 8, where the relationships in the book had me completely convinced even if I don’t believe in inter-dimensional cars (or do I?). I loved all those blokes and how they protected, cared, and worked together. I was sorry when the story ended. I loved the creepy car. I loved the kid who wanted to destroy what might’ve destroyed his dad. It was written in a laid-back, subtle tone that contrasted wildly with the car—and it worked.

Worst Stephen King Book of 2006: Cell. I adore me some zombies, but these were too much. Collective-consciousness live zombies, no less—like the Borg combined with 28 Days Later in order to produce the dullest enemy ever. All this brought to you, of course, by the magic of cell phones. Don’t forget that the survivors were led by a 17-year-old girl who is later gratuitously killed—joy. Overall, this book was a snoozer whose only creepy moment came when the people affected by the Pulse surround the house where our merry band of protagonists is staying.

Best Discovery of 2006: Sarah Vowell, for her dry observations, irreverent wit, guilt complex, and dislike of all things Republican. Thanks, Jon Stewart, for having her as a guest—and thanks, YouTube, for allowing me to see that.

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

I won’t bore you with the details of every book I’ve read since September—truth be told, I’m unsure that I can remember each one, but I shall do my best. Here goes.

Onto the last 2006 book list:

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez
10) The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
11) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Translated by Lucia Graves)
12) The Golden Ass by Apuleius (Translated by Robert Graves)
13) Night Shift by Stephen King
14) Cell by Stephen King
15) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
16) Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George
17) From a Buick 8 by Stephen King
18) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
19) Take the Cannoli: Stories From the New World by Sarah Vowell
20) World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
21) Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
22) Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
23) The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn: The Most Happy by Eric W. Ives
24) Company by Max Barry
25) Skeleton Crew by Stephen King
26) The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)
2) The Years with Laura Diaz by Carlos Fuentes (Translation by Alfred MacAdam)

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Because I am not always the voice of reason, believe it or not.

Since we last visited our intrepid book list, I have completed only two more books. How sad, eh? I had been hoping to be much further along than 19 books read by the time the end of September rolled around, but that’s only as far as I am. Le sigh.

I delved into another Stephen King novel, From a Buick 8, which was infinitely better than Cell, his latest effort. From a Buick 8 was creepy, intriguing, heartwrenching, and heartwarming. King did the same king of job with Pet Sematary, which made me terribly sad and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up late last year. While From a Buick 8 was not as scray as Pet Sematary, King was able to develop characters I genuinely cared about and nearly mourned for when he pulled one little last fright on me at the end of the book. And it was pretty funny at times–my favorite part was when two Pennsylvania state troopers yell like little girls and hug each other in fright. I could see two grown, somewhat jaded men screaming a la Fox Mulder in The X-Files episode, “Jose Chung’s ‘From Outer Space.’” If you’ve seen that episode, you know what I’m talking about; if not, see it if you can. An X-Files classic.

After From a Buick 8, I began a Carlos Fuentes novel, but I’m still working on that one. I then picked up Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. A very charming and slightly sad book, but I have to say that I had it figured out almost immediately. To Haddon’s credit, I wasn’t entirely sure who had killed Wellington, but I did know what had happened to protagonist Christopher’s mother almost instantly. Again, to Haddon’s credit, I believe he wanted the audience to know what had happened before Christopher did. Nevertheless, it was a quick and entertaining read; I enjoyed Christopher as a hero immensely. I was rooting for him, and even after I’ve walked away, I still want him to do spectacular in maths (not a typo here) and in physics. I want him to become that university professor he wants to be since he can’t be an astronaut.

Now, back to Carlos Fuentes, though that will shortly be joined by another Sarah Vowell book and Max Brooks’ latest effort, World War Z (zombies, zombies, zombies!).

Until then . . . Onto the book list:

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez
10) The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
11) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Translated by Lucia Graves)
12) The Golden Ass by Apuleius (Translated by Robert Graves)
13) Night Shift by Stephen King
14) Cell by Stephen King
15) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
16) Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George
17) From a Buick 8 by Stephen King
18) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)
2) The Years with Laura Diaz by Carlos Fuentes (Translation by Alfred MacAdam)

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

In the time the book list has not been updated, I’ve read four books and started another (and no, I have NOT finished Don Quixote–the day I do, I’m buying myself a Coke!). All have been fast reads, and only one can be considered a classic. As I said in my last posting, my next subject of interested would be The Golden Ass, translated by Robert Graves (whose daughter translated my last, gushing book list subject). I then attempted to read some Kate Chopin, and was disappointed to discover that her writing didn’t captivate me as much as it used to when I was an undergrad (but this is B.M.R–Before Medieval/Renassaince). I dropped Kate, then moved onto Stephen King for a bit; I really enjoyed Night Shift (goddamn those vampires from ‘Salems Lot, they scare the shit out of me for some reason), but was meh on Cell. That’s it. Meh. I then read the new Christopher Moore after my weekend in Chicago; not as good as Lamb or Practical Demonkeeping, but still good in its own right. It’s very touching at times, mixed in with Moore’s typical hilarity. I am now currently reading a Margaret George novel on Henry VIII (note how Barnes & Noble lists Will Somers as an actual author–hah!); I read her novel on Mary Mag, and was thrilled at her portrait of a woman who was not a whore–here, she makes Anne Boleyn to be the Great Whore and Witch, which everyone know pisses me the hell off–what the fuck was the poor woman supposed to do!?! Ahem. Anyway, not liking this novel, but plowing through it anyway. It will be added shortly.

Anyway, enough about poor Anne Boleyn. Onto the book list:

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez
10) The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
11) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Translated by Lucia Graves)
12) The Golden Ass by Apuleius (Translated by Robert Graves)
13) Night Shift by Stephen King
14) Cell by Stephen King
15) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)
2) Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

This novel, as I mentioned, was beautiful. In hindsight, the plot would’ve been easy to figure out had I not been so distracted by the vivid descriptions of Barcelona, the humorous interjections of one of the characters, and the desire to see one of the hard-luck cases win for once. Had I been paying closer attention to the construction of the novel, I would’ve guessed the ending far in advance, but I was too taken by the language and the characters to realize that a throwaway line was a clue. The realization that I could’ve figured it out doesn’t dim my view of the book; I commend the author and the translator for drawing me into the life of the book so easily.

This is one of those books that makes you wish you could write like the author does. That makes you want to take up the pen and do some practicing so that the story you sort of know resides in you will finally come out in all its glory.

Lovely, lovely, lovely. That’s the best word there is for it, and I highly recommend The Shadow of the Wind.

Now, though, what to read? So many to choose from, one Don Quixote still lingering in limbo. Hmm . . . onto the book list:

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez
10) The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
11) The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

In my quest to finish Don Quixote, I’ve ended up finishing another book. Can you tell how dedicated I am? This time around, it’s Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America nosing its way past Cervantes. On a recent business trip, I honestly did put effort into reading the adventures of our beloved knight errant, and I made a nice dent into what I have yet to read while waiting in the airport for my delayed flight (four hours, dude). However, when I’m reading on my way to work in the morning, The Express tends to garner my attention a bit more, which is a bit disheartening since it’s just a bunch of AP bulletins slapped together as far as I can tell (though there is some decent local coverage on events and a funny round-up of pithy blog quotes–that’s how it differs from that paragon of journalism, The Michigan Daily). Point is, I’m like Bart Simpson: I can’t promise I’ll try to finish Don Quixote. But I’ll try to try. Onto the book list:

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez
10) The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman
9) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translation by Edith Grossman)

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
7) The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
8) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Saving the World by Julia Alvarez

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrmanl

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Finished:

1) The Last Days of Henry VIII: Conspiracy, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the Dying Tyrant by Robert Hutchinson
2) Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
3) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
4) Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
5) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Re-read:

1) Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Currently Reading:

1) Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Waiting To Be Read (Already Purchased, Got as Gifts, Borrowed from My Boyfriend, or Otherwise Accessible without the Use of Funds, But Not an Assurance That I Will Read These Before I Buy More Books):

1) Lost for Words: Hidden History of Oxford English Dictionary by Lynda Mugglestone
2) Whose Bible Is It?: A History of the Scripture through the Ages by Jaroslav Pelikan
3) Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
4) Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Bart D. Ehrman

©2012 Sonnet 87. All Rights Reserved. Originally published by WordNerd for Sonnet87.com. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.