It's Sunday, it's Father's Day, and it's raining...again! In fact, it's been dreary all week. I don't even have a lake photo to share today. Nevertheless, we've had several happy days thanks to a visit from my sister-in-law and Twin B coming home for the weekend. Later today we'll have a Father's Day dinner with my parents and siblings.
Finished reading//
by Dani Shapiro, narrated by the author
This book! It's my favorite nonfiction so far this year... I absolutely loved it! Dani Shapiro, a 50-something writer brought up in an Orthodox Jewish community in NYC, takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers that her father was not her biological father. Her entire history and identity seemingly crumbles beneath her. However, it's not what you might think. There is no infidelity involved... it's actually far more complicated and raises many complex questions.
The audio version read by the author is outstanding. I think listening to Shapiro tell her own story is the best way to experience this book, but I got a print copy for my mother (who tore through it in a day) and her reaction was much the same as mine. Read or listen, but do not miss Inheritance!
Current reading//
by William Kent Krueger
This is our next book club selection, but I only managed to read 20% last week. The writing is very good and I'm interested in the story, but it's not unputdownable yet. The goodreads ratings are very high and the blogging community has also embraced it. The beginning may be a little slower than expected, but my hopes are still high.
Listening to//
By: Dani Shapiro
After finishing Inheritance, I immediately downloaded one of Shapiro's earlier memoirs. This short (under 4 hours) audio is described as "an inquiry into how marriage is transformed by time - abraded, strengthened, shaped in miraculous and sometimes terrifying ways by accident and experience." It's another winner and I may go right on to Devotion when I'm done.
On the blog//
This Week's Read: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
The week ahead//
My husband will be traveling most of the week, so I hope to catch up on all the blog posts I've been meaning to write - reviews, a summer reading list, and maybe even the impossible state of my library hold list. We're hoping to get new carpet installed and, if there is more than one rain-free day, I'll finish planting the flowers. (I won't hold my breath!)
How was your week? What have you been reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
We got a little rain last week but could use more of it.
ReplyDeleteA customer loaned me her copy of Inheritance and I loved it as well. My sister and I discovered new-to-us family last year so a lot of the story struck a chord with me. I copied a lot of quotes from that book and sent them to my sister.
Kathy - Your comment makes me want to get hold of a print copy, so I can go back and reread all the wonderful quotes I noted while listening!
DeleteI've heard good things about Ordinary Grace, not that I've ever read it yet. As for the rain, I don't think it's looking very good for the rest of the week. I mowed the lawn yesterday thankfully. It actually was dry in the far back of our yard (which isn't very big, but I still call it "the far back" since it's away from the house).
ReplyDeleteBryan - You're right! I just checked the 7-day forecast and it looks like another week with one single dry, sunny day! This is crazy! We were able to mow the side portion of our front lawn for the first time all year... it's been way too wet. Good luck with your knee MRI tomorrow!
DeleteI have loved Dani Shapiro's books, so Inheritance is on my list.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week, and thanks for visiting my blog. I love the connections in the blogging community, especially now as I face the challenges ahead.
Laurel-Rain Snow - If you're already a Dani Shapiro fan, then you're going to love Inheritance! I read one of her novels, Family Matters, more than a decade ago and have favorable memories, but can't recall anything about plot, etc. Have you read Devotion?
DeleteThis blogging community is such a great place to be. Glad we're all her to offer each other support and talk about our common love of books.
I liked Ordinary Grace a lot, but the mystery aspect of it didn't work as much as the coming-of-age aspect.
ReplyDeleteIf you say this may be your favorite nonfiction read of the year, I'm going to find a copy and read it.
Have a lovely week!
Deb - The boys have just found the dead man, but I'm not 100% sure that will be part of the mystery yet. The writing and characters are keeping me reading though.
DeleteMy reading this year has been nearly 50% nonfiction so far - a record! We'll see if that continues...
I'm hoping we get sunshine this week, I am so tired of the rain! I would love to see the state of your library hold list!
ReplyDeleteAngela - My library hold list is completely out of control! I had multiple holds come in this week and am beginning to panic. Writing the post might actually be therapeutic, lol!
DeleteWe had our first heat wave early in the week. Now the weather is perfect in the 70s with some early morning fog and some clouds. In So Cal this is called the June Gloom. I am glad you found The Inheritance good. I want to read it. Last night we watched Three Identical Strangers, a documentary from 2018 about triplets separated at birth and adopted who find each other at age 19. Similar to but different from Inheritance.
ReplyDeleteJudy - I wanted to see Three Identical Strangers when CNN showed it a couple of months ago, but missed it. Was wishing we had a DVR that evening! I'll have to check if it's available through Netflix or the library. Thanks for reminding me!
DeleteNetflix has it on DVD.
DeleteThanks, Judy. We only have Netflix streaming, so I'll wait for my library to get it.
DeleteI've only read one book by Shapiro (Family History), but have a copy of Devotion, as well as Slow Motion in my TBR stacks. I've pulled Slow Motion off the shelf and will start it this week. I'm also adding Inheritance to my list. Thanks for the inspiration and recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI hope Ordinary Grace picks up for you. I vaguely remember that it was a slower read, but it is still one of my faves.
We finally finished binging on a re-watch of House, MD., so I'm spending more time reading in the evenings. Finished #6 in the Louise Penny series and will continue to read these wonderful mysteries over the next months or two. Getting ready for another road trip (just one week), but need to do some yardwork before we leave. I'd rather play pickleball every day, but the yard has been neglected and it's time to do some pruning and raking (pine needles!). Hope your weather improves!
Les - I ended up finishing Shapiro's Hourglass last night. Had a few hours alone in the car today, so I started Devotion. Looked up Slow Motion and, if I read that one, I'll be progressing backwards through Shapiro's life. I remember reading Family Matters many years ago (a review copy)
DeleteDidn't realize you had another trip coming up so quickly! Where are you headed? I know it will be another exciting adventure!
I started reading Slow Motion last night, but decided it wasn't for me after 60 pages. Too depressing! I'll still give her other books a try since I did enjoy Family Matters.
DeleteWe're just going on a quick little trip up to Washington to a small campground on a river & lake. That will be it until the big trip to San Diego in September. We'll probably be gone for 2 months on that trip.
Les - Reading Shapiro's other memoirs has given me an idea about what happened after her parents' accident... maybe I don't need to relive that rehash that painful time with her. Enjoy your time in Washington!
DeleteIt wasn't so much the accident as the poor choices she made as a young twentysomething-year-old! Thanks, we're looking forward to another getaway.
DeleteI never read Dani Shapiro's books but they do look good. Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne, I hope you do, too. Shapiro's books are very good!
DeleteI've got a copy of Inheritance on my Kindle, but will likely wait until the audio is available at my library. I kind of have to be in the mood for non-fiction. Sorry you've had so much rain. We're deep into the humid season and those cicadas singing outside are about to drive me nuts. Each year they do it and I'm so glad when they go away. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteKay - I think Inheritance will be even better with the audio component! My nonfiction reading is at an all-time high this year (close to 50%) while classics have completely disappeared. I'm going to have to google how long cicada season lasts, lol!
DeleteWe have had that same weather and actually had to turn on the furnace to take the chill off this week. Inheritance sounds great. I have heard many stories of family secrets coming out after DNA testing.
ReplyDeleteNise' - I've heard a lot of DNA test stories, too... this one is just amazing! We could have used the furnace the other night, but I refused to turn it on. Starting to wonder whether there will actually be a summer this year :(
DeleteI loved Inheritance so now must try Hourglass - thanks a lot!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm sick of the rain but we did manage a Cape Cod getaway without rain just wind!
Have a good week.
Diane - Sorry to add to your list ;-) Hourglass was quite as good as Inheeritance for me, but good enough to dive right into Devotion! Glad your Cape Cod retreat was rain-free. My husband and his brother were there with my FIL last week... had rain every other day.
DeleteI’m in the queue for Inheritance at my library, it has gotten such good press.
ReplyDeleteHave a great reading week, Enjoy your evening with family.
Shelleyrae - I hope you love Inheritance, too. What a story!
DeleteRain! Ugh. I'm soooooo sick of it. I remember someone else raving about Inheritance (may have been Kathy). I'd better add it to my list!
ReplyDeleteBeth F - Yes, please add Inheritance to your list! It was wonderful! I finished Hourglass last night and started Devotion in the car today.
DeleteYou already know I'm a fan of the Shapiro books! I just finished reading Virginia Woolf's Flush, her "biography" of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's dog. And it was charming, in the best sense of the word. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteAmy - I'd read quite a few Inheritance reviews, but yours pushed me to actually read the book. Now I'm a fan, too! Finished Hourglass last night and started the audio of Devotion in the car today. Seems like I'm working my way through her life backwards.
DeleteI wish I read more nonfiction. We are having that same rainy weather only today it’s humid, too. Every outside activity has to be decided upon from hour to hour.
ReplyDeletePatty - I'm not sure why my nonfiction reading has increased so much this year. It's pushing 50% at this point - unheard of for me!! It was a beautiful day today, but rain is back in our forecast tomorrow... wonder if the whole summer will be a washout :(
DeleteI've been wanting to read this one! I just picked it up a few weeks ago on sale. Good to know it's a great one.
ReplyDeleteI've been delving into the history of Chernobyl since the miniseries came on on HBO. I've finished Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future by Kate Brown. And am halfway through two others on the same subject.
Heather - You are in for a treat! Inheritance was excellent. Wish we got HBO... the miniseries sounds so good. There is a new nonfiction account of Chernobyl that recently caught my eye, too.
DeleteVicki - So true!! Hope you love Inheritance, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting on Inheritance from the library. Can't wait to get started! I finished Into Thin Air and it was amazing. Krakauer is quite a writer.
ReplyDeleteTina - I agree about Krakauer! Several of his books, including Into Thin Air, have ended up on my annual 'best of' lists. Hope you love Inheritance, too!
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