May's Reading List

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I'm always reading at least 3 books at a time. I have loved to read since I can remember or more accurately since I learned how. Filling out my reading log in elementary school was the highlight of my week! Yes, I am a dork. I was also sort of an only child. I have 6 brothers and sisters but they are much older than me. The oldest is 25 years older than me. Therefore, I never lived with any of them but got the benefit of having them around. Plus, I was the youngest so I was the baby and a touch pampered.

How do you entertain yourself when you are an only child?  

You read.

Here's what I've been reading this month:

The Paris Wife is the story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley.  It follows their romance from Chicago to Paris.  The blending of the era of the 20s, the sense of relief from being over the Great War, and their relationship's ups and downs leave you wondering did people really behave this way back then? From the late night parties, the cocaine, and just the sheer excess of it all makes you wonder if they are talking about the 1980s or the 1920s.  Great read but a bit sad to think how much sacrifice the spouse of an artist can go through just to support the person and the art.

The Nest is a wonderful tale of family dysfunction.  What happens when your sibling bankrupts the family's trust that everyone has already spent?  The oldest sibling was able to create a fortune from nothing at the beginning of the dot com explosion but his philandering ways cause not only his fortune but "the nest" to suddenly disappear when he gets into some serious trouble at a family member's wedding.  The story follows how the other siblings manage to stumble through to find a way to survive without "the nest" and reconnect together in the process.

I have loved Dan Brown since his first bestseller, The DaVinci Code.  Origin does not disappoint as it follows Robert Langdon again this time through Spain and a scientific discovery that could threaten to shake the foundations of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  Although the revelation at the end is not as explosive as that found in The DaVinci Code, the intersection of scientific thought, religion, and what those in power will do to prevent the downfall of their religions is entertaining and keeps you wanting more. 

Circling the Sun is the true story of Beryl Markham, a record-setting woman aviator, that grew up in Kenya in the 1920s.  It begins with the family moving to Kenya to make their fortune in the colonies and very quickly after, Beryl's mother leaving her in Kenya with her father while she goes back to England with her sickly brother.  The pain of being left by her mother never leaves her and follows her throughout her childhood into adulthood.  This pain is reinforced by her having to choose between her father or staying in the land she knows.  She becomes one of the first female horse trainers and her boldness make her the center of expat society.  Through a string of relationships, she learns all that she is capable of not only at the horse track but ultimately in flying across the Atlantic.  A true story of bravery and being true to oneself even when it hurts.

What have you been reading?