What We Read This Month - September Edition

In addition to our other geeky pursuits, the three of us also love to read. Two were English majors and one worked at a bookstore so you can only imagine how much reading takes place in our free time. Becca had the great idea that we share a little bit about what we've read each month. We will keep it to 1-2 of our favorites in case we're exceptionally prolific in any month. Becca and Nikki are also on Goodreads if you want to stalk our literary interests.

Nikki's Reads:

For some reason I read a lot of books this month. In case you're curious a lot equals six. That's definitely some kind of record even though a couple were short reads. In any case, I'm just going to highlight two of the books that I read since they left a pretty strong impression on me.

The first was Gone Girl. I'd heard some hype about this book before it came out and then started seeing it around the city (I live in San Francisco which is quite literary so it's incredibly common to see people reading everywhere. It's a great way to see what book is popular at the moment.). The book was suggested to me as part of a book club challenge so I was excited to give it a shot even though I was very unclear on what it was about. The novel is about a married couple who are getting ready to celebrate their 5th anniversary when the wife suddenly goes missing. All signs point to a kidnapping but as the book goes on, it becomes much more complicated than that. I really liked the way this book unfolded. I went from completely identifying with one of the characters to not really knowing what to think. I also really enjoy mysteries and this one gives you a few opportunities to figure out what's going on.

Another book I loved this month was The Princess Bride. I'm sure you've all seen the movie that came out in the late 80's. It's a hilarious classic and even though I usually read the books that movies are based on, I was very hesitant this time. I had assumed the movie was a funny adaption of the book and that the novel wouldn't have the same humor that the film does. Well, that was completely incorrect. It has all of those jokes and inflections in addition to more in depth back stories for many of the characters. I really love how it says that Westley and Buttercup immediately start bickering once they are reunited. True love conquers all - except for snide remarks and arguments. The author also employs a literary technique that I hadn't seen before. I'm not going to ruin it for you because I think it's one of the things that makes this book so special... just read it. Please. For me.

I'm going to give a little honorary mention to Tuesdays with Morrie. It was definitely suggested to me at a time I needed its message most.

Will's Reads:

I have a condition which I will call...Squirrel Syndrome. It is where I will start reading one book, then see another book which I've been meaning to start, and begin reading that one. So I end up with 4-6 books of varying depths of reading. So...I haven't finished any books this month, but I am currently reading The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (great book if you haven't read this classic),  Me talk pretty one day by David Sedaris, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

I will of course give you updates on these and many other books once I reach the authors picture.

Becca's Reads: 

I'm in much the same boat as Will. September has consisted with me starting 6 different books, but so far, I've only finished one. Of those 6, here are my top 2:

My first September pick, and the only novel I finished, was John Scalzi's debut novel, Old Man's War. A recent sci-fi classic, Hugo award nominee, this was a book that I was ashamed to admit that I hadn't read prior to this month. For those unfamiliar with the work, Old Man's War follows the recruitment, training, and early career of John Perry, a 75-year old retired advertising writer and newly minted Colonial Defense Force recruit. Scalzi's future is one where the protection of mankind's far-flung colonies is entrusted to these aged recruits, who at 65 become qualified to join the CDF and receive restored youth in exchange for their service. How these senior citizens are transformed into soldiers is one of the work's best moments, and while the protagonist is predictably portrayed as the best and brightest soldier in the CDF, the novel grabbed me and I found myself compelled by Perry's story. Scalzi has written three other works in the Old Man's War universe, all of which I plan on reading in the near future, and the work was optioned by Paramount last year for film adaptation.

My second favorite, though currently unfinished, September read is (predictably) J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. Published a whopping three days ago, Rowling's first published novel since the end of the Harry Potter series is a stark departure from the Wizarding World,  but the work is no less compelling and shows that Rowling is truly a master story teller. Focusing on the run up to a parish council election being held in Pagford after the unexpected death of council member Barry Fairbrother, Rowling's latest work is a darkly comic social commentary on the seemingly idyllic English country town. I'm only 175 pages into The Casual Vacancy, but I'm already recommending it to anyone and everyone who will listen to me.

Also reading: Foundation (Asimov), Cloud Atlas (Mitchell), State of Wonder (Patchett), and Boneshaker (Priest).