East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I saw this book in a book list by Anna Quindlen titled " 10 Big Thick Wonderful Books That Could Take You a Whole Summer to Read (but Aren't Beach Books)." Well, I was so engrossed in this book that it only took me two weeks to read. And it is a big, thick, and wonderful book. Wow. READ THIS BOOK. That's all I can say.

The talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

I first read this book several years ago and re-read it last week. I like the whole Ripley series (there are five in all). They are all enjoyable reads because Tom Ripley is a brilliant, fascinating, and repulsive character all at the same time. The movie starring Matt Damon captured Ripley and the story quite well, but I vowed never to watch it again because the murder scenes were gruesome. But I will re-read the books.

Rise and shine by Anna Quindlen

Eh. This book started out okay. It contains enough description for two, maybe even three, books. I didn't really care about the characters. I found myself skimming the last third of the book. The story was boring for a really long time and the wordiness made it even harder to stay engaged. So, yah, you can skip this one! (I would like to note that I do enjoy Quindlen's columns in Newsweek and that I enjoyed her first novel, One True Thing, but I have yet to read another one of her novels that is as good.)

Easier than you think: The small changes that add up to a world of difference

Sometimes I need to think about life differently. So that's why I checked out this book by Richard Carlson, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. Carlson suggests ways to make small adjustments in our lives that will make huge differences in how we experience life. For example, he writes about: being aware of unhelpful thought patterns, resting, listening without interrupting, being fully present, laughing, saying no, and reading (Yay! He challenges us to read just ten pages a day. At this rate, we'll read 3,650 pages a year! Think of how many books we could read!). Overall, this book is encouraging and everything in this book is very practical and inspiring at the same time. There are 39 suggestions, and I read one a day.

Shalom in the home: Smart advice for a peaceful life

I haven't watched this TLC show. I've only seen Rabbi Shmuley Boteach on Oprah. This is a companion book to his TV series. On the show, families request his help and he visits them and helps them work through the problems in their households. Some of the problems the families face: adultery, grief, excessive arguing, and rebellious kids. Some things I learned:

• Kids like boundaries and structure. All families need some spontaneous fun though.
• The home should be a refuge from the world, a place where family members can let down their defenses and find some rest and peace.
• Kids want attention and if all they can get is negative attention, that's what they'll settle for.
• Although Rabbi Shmuley was usually called in because of trouble with the kids, the deeper problem was usually with the quality of the parents' marriage.
• Kids require lots of time, love, attention, and leadership! If they don't find it at home, they'll look for it outside of the home.
  

I'm interested in watching the show now to see what these families look like. I'll file all this information away for my future with or without kids.

The man who was Thursday

It really is incredible how much time there is to read while I wait for the train or for an appointment. Or is it because trains and appointments sometimes arrive/start late? Or maybe I intentionally arrive early in order to read?

Either way, I read this G.K. Chesterton book during those waiting times over the last several weeks. The big question of this book is: who is this Thursday guy? And who are these other guys hanging out with him? There are lots of surprises and everyone turns out to be someone other than who they appear to be. The last 30 pages are particularly crazy. However, this was a dense book, full of lots of long sentences and paragraphs that made me kind of tired. I guess that's what made it a good book to read while I waited because it was okay, but only in little spurts of 5-10 minutes.

Should I give Chesterton another chance? Any recommendations for what I should try?

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

In this book, Albom chronicles his weekly visits with Morrie Schwartz, his college mentor, who is dying. This is one book that I read every year. Last week was my reading for 2007.

Why do I read this book every year? It never fails to bring about a renewed sense of appreciation for the beauty of an ordinary day. It reminds me to step back and re-evaluate my priorities. It asks me to reflect on the person I am and who I would like to become. It makes me consider if I have any unfinished business with anyone (to say: Thank you, I forgive you, Will you forgive me?, I love you). And that is why I read this book every year.