Currently reading (August 2024)
BORING NOTE: I set up a What I’m Reading webpage a while back. It’s quick and simple and updated regularly. Every so often, I may have something interesting to say or a time-consuming visual to share. (Hypothetically speaking.) As soon as I update the page with new books, all of the old stuff is gone. I’m trying something new! I’ll keep the webpage (and voting functionality!) so there is one central place to point anyone who happens to want to see it. But I’ll post each as a blog so I’ll have a permanent record. As always, this is a big experiment. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
____________________
An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Here I am! Looking awkward, but so freaking excited!
Due to my waffling and procrastination, I almost let an opportunity to see Doris Kearns Goodwin slip through the cracks. Luckily, I was able to snag a “limited view” seat to the otherwise sold out event. I was not expecting to get my book signed or to have an opportunity to say hi and take an even-more-awkward-than-normal picture. [Giddy squeal]. It was such a delight and the book is fantastic. Technically, I’m not still reading this book. I finished last week — but I let so many doodles pile up so I’m not done done with this book yet.
I can’t move on to my next history book until I finish these doodles. My goal is to be done by LBJ’s birthday — August 27.
11/22/63
by Stephen King
I read this years ago, but I’m rereading it now with my son. Trying to pace myself so I don’t get too far ahead of him, but he’s reading at a maddenly slow pace.* This is about a guy who goes back in time to try to stop Kennedy’s assassination. It was a complete accident that I picked this book to read now. Goes without saying that it’s bizarre to read it at the same time as a non-fiction book where Kennedy has a big role. (Have you read this yet? It’s incredible.)
*In all fairness, he’s been extremely overbooked recently. But still!
The Three-Body Problem
by Cixin Liu; translation by Ken Liu
Picked up this at the library so could pace myself on 11/22/63. Then immediately got a call from my favorite bookstore because the back-ordered book I’ve been dying to read is finally in! Yay! Which brings me to….
Democracy in Retrograde: How to Make Changes Big and Small in Our Country and in Our Lives
by Sami Sage and Emily Amick
Eeek! We have lots to do, America! 🇺🇸
GUESS WHAT?!
Doris Kearns Goodwin and Dick Goodwin (you know… from An Unfinished Love Story (mentioned above) both provided guidance to Stephen King with 11/22/63 (also mentioned above). You can’t even imagine how tickled I was when I discovered that. What are the odds??
Up next:
The Vice President's Black Wife: The Untold Life of Julia Chinn
by Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
I cannot tell you how thrilled I was when I learned about this book! I have been so curious about Julia Chinn (and also Richard Mentor Johnson, but mostly Julia Chinn). There was an excruciating wait at the library for this one, but when it finally came in I had to return it. It’s a new book with a two-week loan limit. Definitely not long enough to finish reading the book I was on at the time… AND doodle my way through this.
Womp-womp.
I have my own copy now, so I’m good to go!
But then:
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey
by Kamala Harris
Full disclosure: this book is supposed to be in the graphic above. Kicking myself that I forgot. Nevertheless, this has been in my pile since last fall. I’m glad I haven’t read it yet, but I’m looking forward to diving in. Although I’m slightly nervous about jinxing anything.
Additional disclosure: I’m already pretty sure I know which three books I’m going to doodle my way through. Feel free to vote anyhow! I’m always collecting new ideas.
More!
You can find all the books I’ve read or am reading this year in my Bookshop:
