running with scissors

One of my favorite things to do in the whole world is to read. Even the name of this blog is an homage to one of my top 5 books, I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb (I can't figure out how to underline, so I am bolding the titles!). For me, there is nothing like starting a new book and getting lost in the story. I am in a book club and Kellen and Jenna are in a kids book club. I thought I would share some of the books that I have read lately.

Just yesterday I finished reading Running with Scissors, by Augusten Burroughs. It was an extremely disturbing memoir about the author's crazy and totally dysfunctional life growing up with his mother's psychiatrist's family (it was also made into a movie). As a mom, I worry all the time about if I am doing the right thing in the ways that I choose to parent my girls, like will Kellen resent me if I don't let her take horse riding lessons, or is it ok that my almost 5 year old daughter truly thinks that she is a mermaid and that her tail has just not grown in yet, or if I didn't let Riley bang on pots and pans because it gives me a headache is the world losing out on its next musical genius? But after reading this book, I'm not really going to worry anymore. This was a book club book and I am glad I read it but it is not one of my favorite books. That's what is so great about a book club. I have read so many books that if it weren't for book club, I would not have read them, like Memoirs of a Geisha and The Kite Runner, great, great books.

Before Scissors, I reread my all-time favorite book, To Kill A Mockingbird. I think that if everyone in the world read this book that it would be a much better place. I think this book helped shape my moral compass. Its all about learning to walk in someone else's shoes. Best. Book. Ever.

Not long ago, I read the last Harry Potter. I am still in mourning that the HP saga is over and am still hoping that at some point an owl will come to my house and let me know that I really belong at Hogwarts and that there was just some mix-up when I was a child. (maybe that's why Jenna thinks she's a mermaid?) Anyway, J.K. Rowlings is my hero. Sometime soon, I want to read all 7 books back-to-back.

My new favorite author is Phillippa Gregory. She writes historical fiction about the wives of King Henry the VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. Because its historical, I felt like I was learning something while reading some truly fascinating books. My favorites, of the ones I've read, are The Other Boleyn Girl (which is being made into a movie with Scarlett Johannsen and Natalie Portman) and The Constant Princess. So good. I am dying to go to London now.

Kellen, Jenna and I are reading the first Ramona book, Beezus and Ramona, by Beverly Cleary for their book club. When I was little, Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume were my favorite authors and the Ramona books and Fudge books were the best. I am so glad that I get to share them with my girls.

A book is a new adventure...Happy Reading.