may: 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17

may: the month of finishing school and moving home to north carolina and then out to houston.
(june has so far been busy busy busy, so i'm a little late in posting this...)

this month i read:

wolf hall, by hilary mantel (the much-talked about historical novel about thomas cromwell and his relationship with king henry the eighth. so…i liked this book and all, but i’ve read a few other historical novels about the era (philippa gregory, mostly) and i didn’t think this was SO much better than those. yet people rave about this book. i don't know - i enjoyed it and it's very well written, but i wouldn't send you rushing out to the bookstore to buy it.)

mandela's way, by richard stengel (i read this for a grad school class and it's one i'll definitely be keeping on my shelf. the author is the man who helped nelson mandela write his autobiography (long walk to freedom), and he has formed a close relationship with mandela. this book takes pieces of advice from mandela and explains how mandela lived out that advice.  a quick read, but very rich - you can read a chapter in 15 minutes, but it really makes you think.)

let the great world spin, by colum mccann (i really, really liked this book.  it's fiction, but a real life even occurs in the middle of it.  the story is told through several inter-connected narrators in new york city in 1974 when philippe petit walked across the world trade towers on a tightrope.  i'd seen the documentary man on wire, which is a must-watch for anyone who likes documentaries.  (eww, i can't believe i just said "must-watch."  but it is.)  this book is an A+.  this article about high school kids in newtown, CT reading the book is very cool.  put this book on your summer reading list!)

word freak, by stefan fatsis (this book follows the author, a sports writer, as he spends a year trying out competitive scrabble. this was a re-read for me, and while i enjoyed it (it was perfect subway reading - short chapters, not a complicated plot line), i remembered it as being better than i thought it was this time around.)

let's explore diabetes with owls, by david sedaris (as always, david sedaris is hilarious. this was my book club's pick for the month and i was glad for an excuse to buy the book. if you don't know any of david sedaris's writing you are missing out. correct that soon.)