On March 5th 2012, a million books were given for free in the US and UK in honor of World Book Night. According to their website,
World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks. (http://www.worldbooknight.com/)
I was unaware of this event until a few weeks ago when Cait, over at Linen & Leaves, mentioned it and offered one of the books as a giveaway. I was happy to receive my copy of Zeitoun in the mail yesterday afternoon and so far, I can't put it down. Especially since it seems like only book people are talking about these days is Fifty Shades of Gray, it is refreshing to read something with actual substance and eloquent writing.
Here are the rest this year's selections:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian Sherman Alexie
Wintergirls Laurie Halse Anderson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
Wintergirls Laurie Halse Anderson
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
Friday Night Lights H.G. Bissinger
Kindred Octavia Butler
Ender's Game Orson Scott Card
Little Bee Chris Cleave
The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins
Blood Work Michael Connelly
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz
Because of Winn Dixie Kate DiCamillo
Zeitoun Dave Eggers
Peace Like a River Leif Enger
A Reliable Wife Robert Goolrick
Q is for Quarry Sue Grafton
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
A Prayer for Owen Meany John Irving
The Stand Stephen King
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
The History of Love Nicole Krauss
The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri
The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien
Bel Canto Ann Patchett
My Sister's Keeper Jodi Picoult
Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
Bel Canto Ann Patchett
My Sister's Keeper Jodi Picoult
Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson
The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot
The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls
Just Kids Patti Smith
The Book Thief Markus Zusak
The ones in purple I have read at some point and have generally enjoyed. Although, I didn't particularly care for The Poisonwood Bible or My Sister's Keeper and despite several attempts at The Kite Runner, I have never gotten in to it. However, I would love to tackle a few more from this list.
Have you read any of the above? What would you suggest? Anything you have read recently that isn't on the list?
21 comments:
OK, I need to read Zeitoun now because I had a torrid literary love affair with Dave Eggers in college and devoured all of his books and stories up to What Is The What, and never read past that (though I definitely recommend that one!)
What an awesome event! I used to be such an avid reader but I have only read about 10 books since Emerson was born! Reading this list makes me want to get back to my bookworm roots. I've read several of the books on the list- including The Poisonwood Bible and My Sister's Keeper. You didn't like either one? I think I liked The Poinsonwood Bible because I read it while we are in Africa- right next to the DRC and a lot of the things that were described in the book were still the same- even 50 years later!!
I'm gonna go ahead and risk sounding like your illiterate dumb-as-rocks third cousin and say that I haven't read any of these books. (Roll Tide! Yeehaw Cletus!)
BUT. I did visit the library recently and read an entire book. A funny book, mind you, but I'm still counting it. (We're Just Like You, Only Prettier, by Celia Rivenbark. Please don't defriend me over this.)
I have 'Housekeeping' on my shelf and on several occasions have put it in my bag and carried it around. I think I may have had it with me when I last visited you. Does that count?
I have read some and I have the Maya A book I still need to read!
Yea I don't know if I can read the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. As a Christian, I don't think I can condone that is being pure at all! Anywho... The only thing on that list that I have read is The Hunger Games which I read AFTER seeing the movie and still enjoyed it. I have heard good things about a few of those books for sure. xoxo A-
you have to give the Kite Runner another go its such a good book
Our bookclub read "Little Bee" a few months back and it had mixed reviews. It was well written and an interesting story; however, it was not one of my favorites.
I've got "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" on my list to read this summer.
And say what you will about 50 Shades of Grey...it's this month's book club book and we were all excited to read it. I read it and couldn't put it down :)
I have The Book Thief on my nightstand, but haven't started it yet. I love some good WWII historical fiction!
Wintergirls is good. Actually, I devour anything written by Laurie Halse Anderson. She writes a lot of historical fiction, but Wintergirls is about an eating disorder and is kinda depressing.
i've always wanted to read 'wintergirls.' the sad thing is, i haven't read many on this list. i need to dive into some better literature, as the last few things i've read have been on a more shallow level - i'm craving a good classic!
- l
I agree with you on Poisonwood Bible and My Sister's Keeper-they just weren't my cup of tea. You MUST read A Prayer for Owen Meany-one of my favorites and Bel Canto is really good!
I am starting Anna Karenina for the third time and vow to have it read by end of summer (all 734 small print pages).
I adore Jodi Picoult, and have read The Hunger Games, Winn Dixie and my husband LOVED Friday Night Lights so that is next. Right now I am reading an Elin Hilderbrand book, just light and fun.
Oooo... ok, so I have read Peace Like a River (loved it!), The Poisonwood Bible (didn't get very into it), My Sister's Keeper (loved it), The Lovely Bones (terrified me!!! actually, funny story... at the time I was dating a camp counselor and I sent it to him to read - gosh I am nice! ha!) also have read The Glass Castle (remarkable book! I read it on the plane ride to Ireland!) Right now I am reading The Girl in the Green Sweater by Krystyna Chiger - it's a Holocaust survival story and I cannot put it down!
Have an AWESOME day!!!
How awesome! The Lovely Bones was one of my favorite books a few years back.
The Book Thief is on my ipad/kindle for my next book...when I find time to read that is. It has good reviews and looks pretty interesting with how it is written.
That's awesome! Some great books on the list. Lovely Bones is a sad but great one.
Little Bee is great.
I'm 5 pages away from finishing The Book Thief and it's excellent.
The Lovely Bones is a favorite of mine! Great list...if I ever get a chance to sit down and read again, I will refer back to this:)
i looove reading. when i was younger, i completely devoured books all the time. then i 'grew up' and got too busy for reading. my new years resolution this year was to read more. and by golly it's actually worked. and i'm amazingly happy that i picked it up again.
currently i'm reading 'Imagine'. it's an intriguing on how the creative mind words.
xo
Books are my specialty! I loved: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian because it's such a different perspective; Ender's Game, because it's just so good; The Immortal Life, which tells a really captivating story about the history of medicine, which affects us all; A Prayer for Owen Meany, which is Irving at his best I think; and The Book Thief, which provides a touching perspective.
Eh on A Reliable Wife and Bel Canto (although people love Ann Patchett! I have to keep trying).
I have heard good things about Wintergirls but it's a bit raw (a young adult book dealing with eating disorders, I believe), and almost all the other books are on my list as well.
I love World Book Night! I think it so neat. I actually make "read a book from the U.S. World Book Night 2012" one of the categories for the reading challenge I'm hosting. I remember looking at the list and thinking, "Every one of these books that I've read, I've loved." That list incldues:
- Friday Night Lights
- Ender's Game
- The Hunger Games
- Because of Winn Dixie
- My Sister's Keeper
- The Lovely Bones
- The Glass Castle (actually didn't like this one)
- The Book Thief
And there are several more I've been wanting to read (Poisonwood Bible, Kite Runner, A Reliable Wife, etc.). Maybe I'll add Zeitoun to my list if you like it! :)
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