~ a better you ~
I have such love for books. Learning to read was probably one of the greatest things that happened to me -- I often take advantage of this skill and need to remind myself that it's definitely a blessing.
In addition to reading, I completely love books themselves. Their feel and smell, the satisfaction of digging into one... yum! I love collecting my favorites, even though they are probably one of the worst things pack and move. I've written before about the many benefits of reading and am definitely an advocate for picking at least one book-related goal for your New Years resolution. In hope of inspiring you to check out a book that interests you, I want to share the books I'm currently reading. Right now I'm working on four (living about a block from a library is definitely a perk):
The Glamour of Grammar by Roy Peter Clark. A former professor declared her love for this book on Facebook and my nerd alarm immediately went off. Yay! A new grammar book! Yes, I am a major dork. In fact, I must have mentioned my excitement about this book more than I realized, because I found it wrapped under the tree this year (thanks, babe!). Let's be honest. Unlike me, most people hate grammar. It's really not a sexy subject. This book focuses on lifting that "ugh" feeling by helping readers better master how they communicate. If I may quote the book jacket itself: "In a world where we communicate more and more through e-mails and text messages, how you use language matters -- even in 140 characters." Who wouldn't want more power over their words? Sign me up.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. This book has been a hit at my office. Even though I had heard of it, I didn't think about actually reading it until a month or two ago. After putting my name in line with 40+ holds at my library, I've finally have the novel in my hands. I've been warned to not read this book alone at night (murder mystery!) and since I'm a complete wimp, I'm taking that warning very seriously.
War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk. Over 1,000 pages, this book is the epic story of one family's involvement in World War II. My coworker recommended its prologue, The Winds of War, a couple months ago. I won't lie... it took me quite awhile to get through the first book (it's dense but wonderful) and I anticipate another month or so to get through this baby, especially since it's being juggled with three others. I highly recommend this book, especially if you're interested in WWII. I can't learn enough about the subject, and even though these books are fictional, they provide an amazing education about the events of the time. The Winds of War was especially awesome because it taught me more about the rise of the Nazi party in Germany and why Hitler became so popular.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I can't even tell you how many times I've heard good things about this book. Three Cups of Tea tells the story of Greg Mortenson's tireless work building schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan, and how education in the area is changing lives. Mr. Mortenson is doing amazing things in our world and is truly inspirational.
Please share your favorite books. I have a running list and LOVE recommendations.