I didn't mean to take such a long break from my Pages From the Past series, but when we went to Florida last winter I forgot to take my old book journal along. Since we've been back, it just never crossed my mind. Anyway, we're up to 2006, so here we go.
Looking back, 2006 was a slow reading year for me, but I'm not surprised. There were three busy teens in the house and their schedules, especially sports, ruled my life!
Memorable Books Read in 2006
FICTION
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
The Accidental by Ali Smith
If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor
Interestingly, none of these titles have stuck with me and I would be hard pressed to offer many details about any of them.
CLASSICS
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
Still a favorite. I've loved many of Cather's novels.
A Room With a View by E.M. Forster
I went on to read Howards End just a month of two later...
Howards End by E.M. Forster
My favorite Forster novel... and on my Classics Club list to reread.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Maybe I should put this is nonfiction instead...
NONFICTION
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, A History by Lewis Buzbee
If books about books appeal to you, you'll love this!
AUDIOBOOKS
by Nora Ephron, narrated by the author
I loved this book and still recommend it frequently. It also lead to a great book club discussion.
by Anne Tyler, narrated by Blair Brown
This book made Anne Tyler an "audio author" for me. I went on to listen to Back When We Were Grownups and The Amateur Marriage shortly afterwards.In retrospect, it's interesting that the fiction titles have largely disappeared from my thoughts and memories. Not so for the rest of the titles on this list.
Have you read any of these books? What were you reading in 2006?
Previous Pages From the Past posts can be found here.
What a fun way to look back at favorite books from the past. I also really liked Snow Flower and Digging to America and of course, In Cold Blood was such a remarkable book.
ReplyDeleteSusie - I still think of Digging to America as one of my favorite Tyler novels.
DeleteIn Cold Blood scared me!! I remember I read it in high school and then later that month babysat my cousins in the country. I was all alone and spent the night - I am not used to all that quiet farm country and my mind started thinking about that book...I was all freaked out in the middle of the night. Lol.
ReplyDeleteErin - Don't think I would have wanted to read In Cold Blood and then have that experience so soon afterwards either! No wonder you were scared, lol!
DeleteI liked the bit in Anne Bogel's book where she said she wished she could see her library borrowing record going back to elementary school! Wouldn't that be interesting?! But failing that I always enjoy looking at my reading journal ... and at yours! :)
ReplyDeleteAudrey - How I would love to see what I checked out of the library way back then! I also wish I had started a reading journal when I was much younger... mine only dates back to 1998.
DeleteSo glad you're doing this again! I love looking back. I've read a couple of these or maybe 3 - Snow Flower, A Room With a View, and I Feel Bad About My Neck. I really liked Snow Flower, but like you, I don't remember much. I think I remember more of the Ephron book.
ReplyDeleteKay - The Ephron book has stuck with me, too, and I'd probably enjoy listening to it again. These posts are such fun to write... not sure why it took me so long to get back to them!
DeleteI've read three from the list which I think quite good. I generally am way behind in the books I get to.
ReplyDeleteMystica - I'm not the best at getting to books right away either. It doesn't matter when they're worth the wait though :)
DeleteGood book list! I’ve read around half of them, and like all of them. My high school English teacher encouraged us to read E.M.Forster, so I did, though I’ve gone back and reread them at least once, and seen the Merchant-Ivory films. All good.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you reading now?
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - Forster was never assigned, or even suggested, in high school as far as I remember, but I've read most of his work. Wouldn't mind rereading both A Room With a View and Howards End... wasn't as wild about Passage to India.
DeleteRight now I'm listening to Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries. Think it has limited appeal, but I must be just the type of nerd it's geared toward! Trying to figure out what to start in print. I'm leaning toward Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart... might be good for the season.
Vicki - I think you'd love the audio of Nora Ephron!
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting to look back at old books!
ReplyDeletePatty - It brings back all kinds of old memories!
DeleteI discovered Room with a View when I was 11 or 12 after stumbling across the movie and fell in love. I really should reread it to see what I think of it as an adult!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I think you're right... A Room with a View is one of those books that improves with age.
DeleteI really liked Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which totally put me into its story & characters. It's perfect for a book club read too. Someday I want to read it again!
ReplyDeleteSusan - I remember being so involved in that story... just wish I could remember more about it. Pretty sure my book club read it, too.
DeleteI really like this series ... I enjoy looking back at my old reading notes too. I'm not at all a Forster fan (didn't even like the movies!), but I know I'm in the minority. It's crazy how quickly I've forgotten the gist of books -- even ones that I loved at the time.
ReplyDeleteBeth F -These posts are such fun to write! I'll have to see what other ideas that old book journal might inspire...
DeleteI've fallen behind with my "Looking Back" posts, which I was faithfully sharing every Friday until we started this road trip. I'm hoping to get back to them next month when we are home again.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I read these books in 2006, but I've read:
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
O Pioneers!
In Cold Blood
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop
I Feel Bad About My Neck
Digging to America
I enjoyed all of them, but my favorites were the Cather and Ephron books.
Les - I'm amazed you find time to blog at all while you're on the road! Cather and Ephron were at the top of my list that year, too :)
DeleteWell, we do have some down time when we're just traveling from place to place. If we arrive by 3:00, we can both get some computer time, which is important for Rod since he's still doing freelance editing. Plus, you will note that I've only posted travel essays for the first 13 days of our trip. We've been on the road for over 46 days, so I have a lot of catching up to do! :)
DeleteThat's right... I know you've mentioned getting to your destination by 3. We never seem to get started as early as we'd like, but like to arrive before dark, especially when we're unfamiliar with the area. That'll be more of challenge as it starts to get dark so early. Good luck catching up ;-)
DeleteSo fun to see a look back at your reading. I do remember that Lisa See book but I think it's probably because I remember it was a big hit in blogland.
ReplyDeleteIliana - I almost think that was See's first novel. I've read one or two of her others.
Delete