Books Purchased:
Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato
Irish Folktales by Henry Glassie and Francine Kass
Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden
Backing into Forward by Jules Feiffer
A Summer of Hummingbirds by Christopher E. G. Benfey
Third Helpings by Calvin Trillin
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Candide by Voltaire
Books Read:
Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis
Round Ireland With a Fridge by Tony Hawks
Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato
Dead End Gene Pool by Wendy Burden
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Alice, Let’s Eat by Calvin Trillin
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
77 Love Sonnets by Garrison Keillor
Previously reviewed: Auntie Mame, The Postmistress, and 77 Love Sonnets
Round Ireland With a Fridge is a very fun travel writing memoir, about a man who takes a bet to hitchhike the full circumference of Ireland with a fridge. I read it in preparation for my trip to Ireland this summer, and it gave me a lot of good ideas of where I’d like to visit. Worth a read if you like travel memoirs and/or Ireland, and especially worth a read if you’re planning a trip there.
I saw Mathilda Savitch for the first time at Barnes and Noble while I was in Michigan last month; it won their Discover Award in 2009. I really enjoyed the unique narrative voice of the main character, Mathilda. I would have enjoyed the book more if it had a stronger ending with more of an emotional impact, I finished the story feeling underwhelmed.
Dead End Gene Pool is a memoir by Wendy Burden about growing up in a wealthy, prestigious (and disfunctional) family (the Vanderbilts). Not a particularly life-changing memoir to read (it isn’t trying to be), but a fun romp that makes for a good summer pick.
I read Diary of a Wimpy Kid to my brother while I was in Michigan (which is why it’s not pictured in the above photo). It’s a very fun book for kids, and Benny loved it. He likes being read to, but doesn’t much like reading on his own. This book changed that completely. He finished the book on his own, and then wanted the other books in the series. My parents got them for him, and he finished them in record speed. So awesome!
Alice, Let’s Eat is the second book in Calvin Trillin’s Tummy Trilogy of food writing essay collections. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first (American Fried), and looking forward to the third – Third Helpings.
I’d never read anything by Muriel Spark before reading The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I enjoyed this short novel a lot, and now I really want to watch the movie adaptation with Maggie Smith. I’d like to read more Muriel Spark as well – does anyone have a recommendation for which of her books I should read next?
You seem to have had a wonderful reading month in April! Congratulations! I am quite excited about the the books ‘A Summer of Hummingbirds’ and ‘Irish Folktales’ in your ‘Books Purchased’ list. Looking forward to reading your reviews of them. ‘Irish Folktales’ reminds me of a book on Celtic mythology that I have. It is also nice to see Voltaire’s ‘Candide’ in your list. Hope you enjoy reading it. Looking forward to reading your review of it too.