november: 30, 31, 32 & 33

in november i read all lady authors, though that wasn't a purposeful choice:

fates and furies, by lauren groff (this was the third morning edition book club pick, so i eagerly found it and read it…and was disappointed.  it's not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but i was not rushing out to tell everyone i knew about this book.  it was…interesting.  the premise is that the first half of the book is the story of a marriage, told from the husband's perspective.  the second half is that marriage told from the wife's perspective, and clearly things are revealed to be different in this telling.  this is one that you are allowed to skip.  redeem yourself, morning edition book club!  i eagerly await your next pick.)

fun home, by alison bechdel (this book got on my radar because it is a graphic novel that has been turned into a broadway musical.  in early november i went to two local independent bookstores that i'd been meaning to check out, and this seemed an excellent book to buy there - since it's not something i'd want to read on a kindle.  i've read several graphic novels and find them a bit cumbersome - i was talking to a friend who is a slow reader, and she loves them because she can marinate on all the pages.  i find them a little hard because i'm used to speeding through books, and that way of reading isn't rewarded when the drawings are just as important as the words.  i liked this book - a beautifully told memoir - and the art is fantastic.  i'm glad i read it!)

circling the sun, by paula mclain (this was our book club pick for november, and it was coincidentally the book my librarian had been encouraging people to read because it was her favorite recent read.  this one didn't quite do it for me.  the time and place - english settlers colonizing africa - was fascinating and must have been an incredibly special way to grow up (if you ignore the colonial issues…), but the action fell a little flat for me.  it made me want to watch out of africa again, but not necessary rave about this book. part of the problem, i think, is that this is a book loosely based on a real person's life…so the author is hemmed in a bit by the real trajectory of the woman's life.)

the glass castle, by jeannette walls (this was a re-read, as we considered it for the all-school summer reading book.  i love this book - i love walls's writing and the story she tells about her childhood is incredible.  this book is sadder than i remembered, but i was once again captivated by it.  i'm glad to have kept it on my shelf.  there's a spate of bad language in this book that may prevent us from using it (argh), but otherwise i think it would be a great read.)