Well, I almost nearly bombed my August nightstand list by not finishing any of the books I claimed I would read... nearly because I did finish one. I keep telling myself that this lack of reading and blogging is just a passing funk; or perhaps I need a reality check and it's the time of life I am in and thus I should just put an end to it. In reality I don't think it helps that since the spring I have been: juggling: a 15-20 hour a week job, running a house and keeping my family fed, raising a 4 year old, trying to spend time with the love of my life and husband of 9 years, trying to maintain a regular exercise routine... oh and growing our next child (next week marks the 8 month mark).
Whatever the reason my blogging has taken a nose dive. I just can't keep up. Reading is just as bad. I struggle to keep my attention to any book I pick up. I've lost count on the number books (both classic and modern, tough and simple) I've started to read and then lost interest and returned to the library. As noted above, since last month's nightstand post I only finished ONE book, Entwined by Heather Dixon. It's a retelling of a fairytale. It was simple. It was entertaining. It was a light read and I hope to review it some time this fall.
As to the other two books listed in that post... I have nearly finished First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Joseph J. Ellis. I have really enjoyed the book, but find it difficult to slip in time for audio books (e.g. the format this book is in). On the other hand I didn't particularly like The Man of Property by John Galsworthy and I gave up on it around page 80 or 90. I just couldn't care enough about the Forsyte family to persevere. Maybe one day I'll return and finish the book.... We'll see.
As for the coming month...
It's the end of September and by now I should have re-read Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, portions of Plutarch's Lives, and the second chapter of The Passion of the Western Mind for this week's book club. As things stand I believe I'll get the second chapter of TPWM read, but will lose out on the other two.
If I could be so bold as to list what books await me on my nightstand I would make the claim that by this time in October I will have read:
- The Golden Wedge by Maud & Delos Lovelace
- What Cabrillo Found by Maud Hart Lovelace
- They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie
- Tramp for the Lord by Corrie TenBoom
- The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
- Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls by Jonathan Bean
But since I will be heading into my 9th month of pregnancy, wrapping up work before going on maternity leave, AND hosting the 3rd annual Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge on top of everything else I am doing... Yeah I am not going to make any serious claims.
I do hope to at least succeed in another great year for the MHLRC. If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to come back on Saturday when I post the sign-up. It's going to be a fun time -- ready or not!
What about you? Have you had a successful month of reading? What have you read and loved? Or read and tossed aside? Leave me a comment or head over to 5 Minutes for Books to link up your own September Nightstand posting.
