The Loud Librarian

My friend Sam, and co-traveler, is a public school librarian (and part-time public librarian). She has a blog, The Loud Librarian-SH! She has written a great editorial on the state of our public libraries. Here's the link: http://theloudlibrariansh.wordpress.com/2014/11/13/tnstaafl/. I encourage you to check it out!

Crazy Librarian Life

Well, I'm sorry to say that the library in which I work has had to lay off 11 fabulous employees from now until the end of the year. It's been a really crazy and emotional week, so I haven't gotten too far in my reading of The Lost Girls of Rome. The book is great, so far, although I'm only on page 55. The translation is fantastic. I've read translated books before, and some are really disappointing. Thank goodness, this is not one of them. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

In the meantime, consider donating to your local libraries! Mine is the Ephrata Public Library, and we need money! There are so many people who don't realize that libraries are an important part of our communities. They are not becoming obsolete, and books are still relevant! But the library is so much more than just books, movies, TV shows, and video games. We had to cancel 122 programs that were scheduled between November 17th and December 31st of this year. 122! That's crazy! Do you know how many people that affects?

So please, even if you don't use your public library, your donation will do so much to help bring back the programs your community needs.

Life Gets In the Way

Sometimes life gets in the way, and we can't do things exactly how (or when) we'd like to. So, I finally managed to pick out a book for Italy. The Lost Girls of Rome, by Donato Carrisi is it! I found 2 books that I wanted to read - that one and The Solitude of Prime Numbers, by Paolo Giordano. Both books sound interesting, and while Susan's choice was Solitude, Sam and I both wanted to travel to Rome. Of course, there's no reason we can't make a return trip to Italy, so maybe we'll read The Solitude of Prime Numbers sometime in the future!

Next Book in the World Tour

The next book along our world tour is....NO IDEA! I think I'd like to visit Italy, so any suggestions would be helpful! If not, I'll come up with something and let you know. In the meantime, hang tight and check back for new news!

What an Undertaking...

I can't believe I've taken on such a project as to read 80 books by 80 authors from 80 different countries. Just finding the books takes a toll! I'm waiting for Susan and Sam to catch up, so that we'll all be reading the same thing (around the same time). I'm sure this will make for better discussions, and hopefully some more views, to this blog. In the meantime, you can check out some of my book reviews on Riffle Books and Goodreads!

Waiting, by Ha Jin -- Book Review

I've posted my review of Waiting! Check it out!

Done Waiting

I have finished Waiting, by Ha Jin. It was a very interesting book, showcasing the culture of China. As I read, I found myself comparing the social and cultural norms to those of the US. As an additional layer was the story of Lin Kong, a man who waits 18 years to divorce his wife, only to find that life isn't as perfect as he would have expected. The last third of the book was dedicated more to Kong's feelings and reflections of his life, than about the divorce of his first wife. It was definitely worth reading, as the writing flowed, but was not flowery or overly descriptive, as some books can be.

Riffle Books

Happy October, everyone! If you are at all interested in seeing what other books I read, or are looking for suggestions, check out Riffle Books! It's a great website (similar to Goodreads and Shelfari); I like to get ideas for books from other members of Riffle, and it's a great way to keep track of books you've read (especially if you read books that are in series, as I do - you'll always know where you left off). I also keep a running tab of books I haven't read, but am interested in reading - I can keep much more organized that way!

New Page - Suggestions!!!

I'd love to have suggestions of books from other readers, so please visit the new page and give me some recommendations! We would be very happy to learn what you're reading, and incorporate that into our worldwide quest!

Waiting...

I am waiting for Sam and Susan to catch up with me. They have to read The Husband's Secret so that we can compare notes and ideas about the book. Ironically, the next book we'll be reading is Waiting, by Ha Jin. This is written by a Chinese author, and takes place on that giant continent. I'll let you  know my thoughts when my travel companions have caught up!

Well, in the past week, I've managed to finish The Husband's Secret, as well as No Rest for the Dead (ed. by David Baldacci), and Queen of Hearts (Rhys Bowen). Since this blog is my around the world books, I'll discuss The Husband's Secret. I thought it was very good, although I had determined the secret fairly on in the book. Moriarty has a way of making the characters seem real, though; they are in no way perfect, they make colossal mistakes, and they don't always have happy endings. I enjoyed reading the book, and couldn't put it down at parts, but I thought the ending was predictable, and would have like to have seen a different twist. I read Big Little Lies before I read The Husband's Secret, and I actually like Big Little Lies better. It could just be that I read that one first; other friends I've talked to read The Husband's Secret first, and preferred that book. She is definitely an author I would read again, and I'm looking forward to her next book coming out.

Great news! I have recruited two friends to join me on my travels! Susan and Sam, my fellow librarians, are going to be reading along with me (and picking out countries and books, too). It'll be great to compare notes and thoughts about the books we read, and to try out some books that we may not have thought to read!

Well, my journey has begun. I started reading The Husband's Secret last night, and I can't put it down! Moriarty has a way of bringing her characters to life. I care about what happens to them, and I want to find out how the book ends...although I don't want to stop reading. It's also making me want to visit Australia, where I've never been. Hmm...a long trip may be in order!

Ok, ok...I have not yet read The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty. I know how popular it is, considering I work in a public library, so I guess it's time I start reading it! Since it takes place in Australia, this will be the first book I read from another country. I'll let you know what I think when I'm done!