I have just finished reading, The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain and thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I am now reading A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway as well. There is a new biography of Hemingway out about the latter part of his life, which I have just ordered. You could sort of say that I am in my “Hemingway Phase” at present.
During the summer I read, In the Garden of the Beasts, by Erik Larson, which I found to be most interesting. I have read several of his books and have enjoyed every one of them.
After I leave my Hemingway Phase I plan to read A Greater Journey by David McCullough. He is another one of my favorites. I have read all of his books with the exception of Truman, the size of which scared me off. If only I had had a history teacher like David McCullough—he makes history come alive.By the way, after filling many bookshelves, I was given a Kindle and although I resisted at first, I am now in love with it. There is nothing like the real book, flipping through the pages, peeking at the ending, underlining, etc. etc, but—when you start to run out of space for the real thing—-an e-book is the answer.
Isn’t Erik Larson terrific! I had the good fortune to hear him when he appeared at the Free Library in Philadelphia this year. He’s an excellent speaker as well as a fascinating writer. He and McCullough are true non-fiction (which is my favorite genre aside from crime/detection) treasures – thoroughly honest in their research and yet rarely a dry paragraph among their books. Antonia Fraser is another favorite. Happy Hemingway!
Response to comment on Kindle
I can’t be without my Kindle. I have Macular Degeneration and am unable to read. The Kindle has a “text to speech” function. It is a computer reading the book and sometimes it has wierd pronunciation but it is worth it. I get the New Yorker, in addition to books, once a week on Kindle. It is truly a life sver.
What a good tip for people with vision problems. Finding more than one way to skin a cat is what makes ElderChicks so special. First we complain (we’re allowed to) and then we carry on by figuring out solutions. So what are you reading, Meg?
I have never taken the time to read comments. Today I did and found a kinship with all of you. Although I am not far from eighty I still work four days a week. I worry how I will be stimlated and kept busy if I retire. I think of volunteering, but what would interest me. I see friends who have retired and wonder what they do. I ask them and they reply I am always busy. At what I inquire? I don’t get much of an answer. I guess in some way we each, in our own way, find the answer it cannot be given to us.
j specter.