Summer Reading List: Part the First

I've been on another insane reading kick lately, to the point that I hadn't even touched a television remote for DAYS before I went away on vacation. Since then, I've only used it to click over to Lego Harry Potter on the Wii (don't judge), and the only time I see it happening in the foreseeable future is when I tune in for the Olympics (because I am a total junkie who only gets a hit every two years, so I plan to drink all of it in while I can). 

Since most of my friends are compiling their list of summer books, and I know that you're all just champing at the bit to find out what has been piquing my interest lately, without further ado, here are my current reads:
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- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

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If someone had given me a penny for every time I declared my hatred of this book in high school, I would have been one rich lady. And if they'd taken away a penny for every time that I have declared my undying love for this book since, I would be on literary-induced welfare. About a month ago, I blew $45 over the span of a week by devouring trashy teen paranormal romance novels by the day. I loved them because they were cheap, easy and full of flashy moments. But rereading Wuthering Heights makes me feel like the mom in Bridget Jones -- after a momentary lapse in judgement involving the fancy infomercial guy, I've realized that flash and availability are no match for the substance and foundation on which my personal history is built. Plus, I would pick Heathcliff and Cathy over Christian and Ana in a cagematch, hands down.   

- Therese Raquin by Emile Zola

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My seventy-seven year old co-worker brought this in and insisted that I absolutely had to read it. At first, I put it off because really, didn't I put enough time into old European classics in college? Then she kept asking me about it, so I figured at 300 pages, it was worth a shot. Thank the Sorceress that I did, because this one is like an old-timey literary soap opera -- sex, intrigue, murder and uptight Parisians (my favorite kind!). I'm sure my fellow beach-goers on the Vineyard were impressed by the tattered paper copy of a 135-year old novel, too, so bonus smug bitch points for that.

- This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley

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I was first introduced to Walter Mosley's work during my junior year of college, when I took a course in Contemporary American Mystery Novels. At the time, I tended to equate anything termed "contemporary" with "beach read**", so I have to admit that Devil in a Blue Dress caught me completely by surprise. I found myself not only identifying with, but rooting for, protagonist Easy Rawlins, despite having virtually nothing in common with him besides our shared humanity. The ability to do this is, to me, the sign of a great author, and as such, I snatched up Mosley's short guide to fiction the moment I saw it. Jammed full of tidbits such as (and I am paraphrasing here), "don't be afraid to insult people; no one is reading this but you, and if you ever do get published, screw them if they aren't happy for you", it has yet to disappoint. 

- Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Writing School by The Gotham Writers' Workshop

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If you live in a big city, chances are that you have seen those gaudy yellow "Writing Classes dot com" bins located on street corners next to your local neighborhood news. I'll admit, at the time I bought this book three years ago, I did not equate the two in any way. This actually worked to the book's advantage, because I'm pretty sure that I would not have picked it up had I known its authors were hawking their wares to every Tom, Dick and Harry on the corner. HOWEVER, I can admit when I'm being a judgmental jackass, and this is one of those times. This handy guide is a fabulous resource for those who want to break into writing fiction, but are overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the endeavor and are seeking a place to start. Reminiscent of an intro-level college creative writing class, covering both fiction theory and construct, each chapter also has prompts to get you started and to help translate your thoughts to the page.
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For now, that's it. I'm almost finished with both Wuthering Heights and Therese Raquin, and while I have a strong urge to re-read some other classics (most of which are free on e-readers), there are a number of other, more contemporary reads currently waiting for me on my Nook. In particular, I'm looking forward to Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffen and American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, per my Twitter followers' suggestions, and I swear one of these days I'm going to get back into Game of Thrones (I've been on page 150 of A Clash of Kings for the past three months).

In the meantime, if you've read anything good lately, feel free to leave it in the comments so that everyone can rack up their book budget for the summer!

**Despite this comment, I don't want anyone to get the idea that I'm some kind of book snob in any way. As I've said before, I am actually a big fan of fiction of all varieties, including, but not limited to, so-called "chick lit" and mass-market paperback mysteries. I've read and enjoyed everything from the Shopaholic Series to the Fifty trilogy to Twilight (ok, maybe when I say "enjoyed" the latter I mean, "enjoyed ridiculing", but that's irrelevant). I'm a proponent of the idea that reading is reading, no matter the source material, and that is something that I very strongly promote. So, if you have any recommendations for must-read books that might or might not be considered, "beach trash", send 'em my way!

All For the Nook-y

I'm feeling like total, utter crap today. Which I suppose is an improvement of sorts, as I learned yesterday that the chest pain I've been secretly suspecting is the harbinger of an impending heart attack is actually "acute chest wall pain" brought on by... wait for it... upper body exercise. Suddenly, a little winter cold doesn't seem so bad! The sniffles still suck, though. I'd rather be at home, snuggled up with my fave chicken soup granules (#9), a snuggie and a good book.

Which brings me to my next point. You might have caught it in this post, but Andrew gave me a Nook for Christmas. Despite my assertion that these little electronic devices are the harbinger of doom for the world of print publishing, I have found myself loving mine. Probably similar to the way that I will one day feel about children, but I digress. I do, however, find myself annoyed that I'm suddenly spending so much money on books, particularly when I have two overflowing bookcases with at least an entire shelf's worth of tomes I have yet to read. Back in November, I made a pact with myself that I wouldn't buy any new books until I'd finished reading the ever-growing stack currently serving as a dust bunny brothel, but then this fancy little gadget came waltzing into my life and really, how could I resist?

Heineken green really suits my deathly pallor, no?

Miserly tendencies aside, I find it equally irritating that I've recently read two tales that I want to share with my friends (The Night Circus and Divergent), but since they all have Kindles and I have a Nook, I can't. Barnes and Noble and Amazon utilize two different platform formats for their eBooks, so it's not possible to share your purchases with people outside of your device. Similarly, not all books that you buy feature the "Lend It!" function, so even if I could share with my Amazonian friends, I might not be able to.

WTF, Barnes and Noble?! I understand your business plan and all, but could you kindly stop infringing upon my right to share my purchased literature with other bibliophiles? I'm not the one shelling out $3.99 for copies of mail-order bootlegged books from Amazon; I paid my dues. Let me share my books, damn it!

Of course, for every irritating con, there is an equally laudable pro. I love that I didn't have to lug all 1500 pages of Gone With the Wind (5 stars; worth the hype) around on the T with me anymore; I bought the Nook version and delighted each and every time that I whipped out my slick little eReader: "No, sir; no backaches for me!" I get to make snarky comments in my head about the "poor, unfortunate" paper-copy readers on park benches and at Starbucks counters. Angry Birds has made insufferable conference calls a thing of the past, and I can read any book for free for an hour a day at any Barnes and Noble store. As for my tendency to bend corners and break bindings as reminders of well-loved phrases and/or plot development? A thing of the past, my friend -- the Nook has a bookmark feature and even lets me make important notes such as, "interesting placement of color -- perhaps blue foreshadow?" and, "Love the sentence construction! So delicate!" (I'm a nerd; get over it).

And so, despite my hesitancy (read: need to be dragged kicking and screaming) to abandon the print publishing industry and embrace the 21st century, I must confess that my Nook is a pretty nifty gadget. I'm sure that in time, a lot of the little negatives will go away; Andrew and I have talked about how we suspect B&N will one day begin to offer some kind of deal where if you buy the eBook, you will be able to purchase the paper copy at a steep discount. There have also been murmurings of a universal eBook format afoot, which would make me really happy. Plus, truth be told, if I really love a book, I'm going to buy the hard copy anyway, because a little back-lit electronic box just won't cut it when I'm curled up on the couch, a box of tissues by my side and Gilmore Girls reruns on tv.

It's just not in my nature.

Are you down with the eReader trend? Kindle or Nook? If any of you have Nooks and wanna be friends, let me know!

PS - Congrats to my brother Brendan and his girlfriend, who welcomed their baby girl to the world yesterday! Auntie Caitie loves you all! And good luck to his twin brother Brian (my other brother) and his girlfriend, who will be welcoming their baby girl to the world tomorrow! 

PPS - I'm convinced I am descended from rabbits.

The Boob Tube, Part 2: I Can Get Behind That!

Yesterday, I posted about how depressing this weather has been, and how I have found solace in the arms of the most productive appliance I own: my television. "My programs", as I like to refer to them while ambling about my 1-bedroom apartment in my slippers and robe, peering over my glasses and mumbling to myself about the state of healthcare these days, are sometimes my only tether to "reality". The ones that I mentioned yesterday, though, are only the ones I actually sit down and make the time to watch when they air.

Quite frankly, I find this to be a major nuisance in this age of technology and the modern world. I don't want to have to schedule my tv time in like some commoner (I'm sorry, I just had a Kate Middleton moment). Which brings me to today's topic, which I consider to be the best invention ever, short of internet streaming (which, if you recall, is useless to me until Android lets me stream to my phone).

TV on DVD.

Best.

Thing.

Ever.

And so, for your procrastination/boredom-killing pleasure, I give you: 

Shows that I watch a season behind, because we don't have cable:
(note: if you want to discuss any of these, please take note of my convenient, "currently up to"  notes, as the only thing I hate more than spiders and thunder are Spoilers. Please and thank you!)

Dexter

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I'm really odd, but I personally think Dexter is kind of hot (you know, in a serial killer kind of way). Plus, there is this badass chick at my gym who always ends up ellipticalling next to me, and I swear she's a dead ringer for Deb. I don't want her to beat me up, so I watch her show. 
Currently up to: Through Season 4, meaning I've only seen up through John Lithgowe's season. So don't spoil it!

Mad Men

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A show that involves rampant sexism, men in suits, copious day drinking and women in dresses that hug curves like Jeff Gordon? Yes, please.
Currently up to: Just at the beginning of Season 4 now, which is the one before the last season that just aired.

Gossip Girl

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Three words: I'm Chuck Bass.
Currently up to: Through Season 3, which left Chuck in a foreign country and me incredibly aggravated.

Lie to Me

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Andrew and I started Netflixing Lie to Me after Angela posted about how much she and Eric were enjoying it. We both got sucked into the totally corny story lines, Tim Roth's spastic, tic-like movements, and studying each other's faces while playing Two Truths and a Lie. It turns out alcohol makes it HARDER, rather than easier (you didn't really think we would do that sober, did you?!).
Currently up to: The end of Season 2, which was the last full season.

Damages

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My coworker (the REAL B) suggested that we rent the first season, because apparently he saw a show that was high-stress, high-maintenance and possibly backstabbing and sneaky, and thought of me. Isn't he sweet? ("What do you MEAN this isn't Sarah, Plain and Tall???")
Currently up to: Through Season 2, which was the environmental corporate case. I haven't seen the most recent one, with Martin Short.

Fringe

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Sometimes, I long for the days when Dawson's Creek embodied my life on screen (who the f am I kidding; no, I don't) and Fringe allows me to get my Josh Jackson fix without feeling like a pervert for crushing on what was then a 16-year old or, even worse, watching D2: The Mighty Ducks for the 3,000th time. Also, I don't have to deal with that sniveling moron, James Van der Beek.
Currently up to: The first few episodes of Season 3, with the whole switch-age of the episodes every other one between... you know.

Jersey Shore

Gorilla juicehead wanted for GTL. Cab's heah! DTF in smoosh rm? No Grenades.
Currently up to: Who cares, there's no plot, just good, trashy fun.

And the rain, rain, rain came down, down down....

Well, that's it for today, kids. Don't forget to check out Part One for more of my favorite shows, should you find yourself marooned in the island of your apartment, ready to commit hara-kiri with a food processor if you have to cook one more healthy recipe to occupy yourself.