When I was in school, the only time you would catch me reading for fun would be during the summer and possibly on breaks. After reading text books and academic articles, reading for pleasure never really appealed to me. When summer did hit, I usually could be found reading either a beach read "chick-lit" novel or a cozy mystery. Much to my surprise, I have slowly begun to branch out of those two genres. I've been reading memoirs, crime novels, and (gasp) classic literature. Some of the more interesting books I've read in the past couple months have been Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag by Jennifer Gilbert, and Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard.
(www.rarebookschool.org)
Ever since I watched The Torkelsons and its spin-off Almost Home on Disney Channel back in the 90's, I always wanted to read Jane Eyre. One of the main characters on the show, Dorothy Jane (Olivia Burnette) was trying to encourage Molly (the late Brittany Murphy) that she would love this book since she loved romance novels. Since watching that episode, it's always been on my unofficial bucket list to read.
See, doesn't it sound good? So after 15 years I decided to go for it. Classics and I usually don't get along. I usually quit after a few chapters. But I was determined to finish this. It took me about a month and half (I had to stop frequently as my mind would wander) but I'm so glad I stuck with it. Bronte's writing style was simply beautiful at times. The depth of the characters was also fantastic. Jane and her beloved Mr. Rochester were complex and well written.
(www.goodreads.com)
My supervisor gave me two wonderful presents for my birthday. One was the book I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag by New York event planner Jennifer Gilbert. I had been helping to plan some major events at work recently so it was fitting to read someone else's perspective. Jennifer recounts a horrifying memory that at just 22 and fresh out of college, she was violently stabbed by a man with a screwdriver outside a friend's NYC apartment. This sets up her remarkable tale of coming out of that horrifying experience and eventually founding her own event planning company, Save the Date®. Ms. Gilbert's go-getter attitude allowed her to overcome her tragedy to become a successful business entrepreneur.
Last fall I started watching Mad Men via Netflix. I became fascinated with the 1960s time period. For me, it was a time that seemed so glamorous, yet filled with so much change for the United States. One of the most defining moments of the 60s was the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which the show incorporated during season 3.
(www.nytimes.com)
In 2012, Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly with Martin Dugard released Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot. This is the second book in O'Reilly's "Killing" series (The first being Killing Lincoln released in 2011 and Killing Jesus which will be released later this year). IO'Reilly and Dugard have written this book in more of a novel style rather than a biography or a history book with numerous dates and facts listed. The story started when Kennedy was in World War 2 and ends right after his assassination. I enjoyed learning more about Kennedy, his brother Bobby, his wife Jackie, and his increasing tension and dislike of Vice President, Lyndon B. Johnson. I also got a better glimpse of JFK's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. It's a good read if you're not too familiar with the story or need a refresher from history classes.
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What are you reading? Have your tastes changed over the years?
P.S.If you're not on the social media sight, Goodreads, you're definitely missing out! This sight allows you to search for books by genre, read reviews, and track your reading progress. The progress is my favorite part as it has challenged me to read 50 books this year! Connect with me!
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