As I look over my list for the year, I must admit this hasn’t been a banner one for life-changing reading experiences. I read some good books, even some great ones, but none that made me fall so deeply in love that I wanted to shout about it from the mountaintops. Luckily, there are many more books to be read in 2012!

There were two primary themes to my reading in 2011: Italy and nonfiction. The first is obvious. I wanted to read as much as I could about the places (both in history and in the present) we were going to visit. The second is a bit surprising, as I’m way more of a fiction reader. Some of them were book club choices and some were related to the Italy trip. Still, a high percentage for me. Now, for the list of books, in the order (more or less) that I read them.

1. The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver – Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors, and while this isn’t my favorite of her books, it is still stunning.
2. Three Junes, by Julia Glass – Gorgeously written, this was a Margareaders selection and the 2002 National Book Award winner.  Not for you if you are into plot-driven books.
3. Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead – This series was my guilty pleasure last winter.  We shared a ski condo in Keystone, and I was often going to bed with the kids in the same room.  I started reading these on my Kindle app so as not to go to sleep at 8:00.  Very fun!
4. The Same Kind of Different as Me, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore – Margareaders selection.  Not my typical book but thought-provoking.
5. Frostbite, by Richelle Mead
6. Shadow Kiss, by Richelle Mead
7. Half-Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls – Very good, but lacked the immediacy and poignancy of The Glass Castle (which is one of my favorite books)
8. Blood Promise, by Richelle Mead
9. Spirit Bound, by Richelle Mead
10. The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh – LOVED this book.  Dreamy, suspenseful, romantic.  Stayed up until 3:00 in the morning to finish.
11. The Last Sacrifice, by Richelle Mead
12. Miss Garnet’s Angel, by Sally Vickers – Vickers does it again with psychological profiles being front and center in a story where Venice becomes a character.  The first of my Italy books for the year.
13. The Food of Love, by Anthony Capella – Delightful Cyrano de Bergerac-esque tale of food and love (two of my favorite topics) in Rome
14. La Bella Lingua, by Dianne Hales – Engaging and entertaining history of the Italian language, which should be known as the language of love.
15. Venice is a Fish, by Tiziano Scarpa – Gorgeous and sensual “guide” to Venice.
16. When in Rome, by Robert Hutchinson – The title is a bit misleading, since it’s the memoir of a journalist’s year writing about the Vatican (which is NOT Rome).  Fascinating nonetheless
17. The Glassblower of Murano, by Marina Fiorato – Historical fiction alternating between the stories of a Murano glassblower in the 1500s and his descendent in the present day
18. The Wedding Officer, by Anthony Capella – Half love story, half harrowing account of WWII as it played out in Naples.  Very different from The Food of Love, but equally as good.
19. The Borgia Bride, by Jeanne Kalogrides – Steamy, fast-paced and with enough history thrown in to make it respectable
20. Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins – Lovely girl meets boy YA novel that takes place in Paris
21. Extra Virgin, by Annie Hawkes – Memoir of a woman who bought a house in Liguria (Italian Riviera) with her sister.  I enjoyed learning the history, culture and lifestyle of this region, particularly the art of making olive oil.  Given that it was a memoir, however, it was oddly distant and impersonal.
22. Leonardo’s Swans, by Karen Essex – My favorite kind of historical fiction – compelling characters in compelling times.  Add to that the obsession over being immortalized by one of the world’s greatest artists and you have a recipe for a great book.
23. The Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Arnim – Four English women, strangers to one another, rent a villa for a month on the Italian Riviera near Portofino.  Since I started reading this book while I was in the Riviera, I found it even more enchanting.  A comedy of manners and errors, and oh so very British, it deserves its place among the classics.
24. Same as it Never Was, by Claire Scovell LaZebnik – Light chicklit that was fun to read but not all that believable of a plot
25. Pompeii, by Robert Harris- I read this whole book on my flight home from Italy this summer. It was both fascinating and gripping. I finished the last ten pages at the baggage claim because I just couldn’t wait to finish it. Yes, I realize that we already know the ending. However, having just been to the ruins of Pompeii and the crater of Vesuvius, I felt the suspense of the novel keenly, and it brought the ruins alive for me.
26. The Messenger of Athens, by Anne Zouroudi – Literary mystery?  Good book and a good writer who was able to make a Greek island believably dreary and desolate
27. The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield – Gothic literary tome, complete with moors and rattling windows
28. The Art of Non-Conformity, by Chris Guillebeau – Who hasn’t heard of this book?  Easy to read and with good points of departure for planning a life you want to lead rather than one that is accepted by others.
29. Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall – Very close to the best book I read this year.  The perfect combination of science, memoir and travelogue.  The book is mind-boggling, funny and intense.  It’s a book about the  human spirit disguised as a running book.
30. My Stroke of Insight, by Jill Bolte Taylor – A brain scientist evaluates her own stroke as it is happening.  When she loses the language/logic center in the left hemisphere, she discovers a peace she never knew existed.  A must read
31. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand – Another Margareaders selection. So many people I know raved about and loved this book, including some of the Margareaders.  No doubt it is a brilliant book, and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the Pacific side of the WWII conflict.  Overall I couldn’t get past the horrors the main character endured, especially since this is a biography.  It didn’t help that I read it in September, which is a tough month for me anyway.  The subject of the book – Louie Zamparelli – was treated with too much emotional distance.  Since I couldn’t understand his feelings, all that was left for me was the treachery of what was done to him.
32. A Week in October, by Elisabeth Subercaseaux – This book’s chapters alternated between a sick woman’s journal recounting an affair she (supposedly) had for a week a few months before her death and that of her husband reading the journal, supposedly without his wife’s knowledge. It was beautifully written and quite cerebral – two characteristics I ordinarily love in a book. However, when you have both an unreliable narrator (the wife’s story in the journal) and an ending that is left too ambiguous, it no longer works for me.
33. Stories I Only Tell My Friends, by Rob Lowe – Before you laugh, I’ll have you know Rob Lowe is a decent writer and this book was NOT ghost written.  If you “came of age” in the eighties in the U.S. you should read this book.  It is juicy without being petty, and I enjoyed being taken back to all of those movies I loved and grew up with.  And yes, I did have Rob plastered all over my wall when I was in the 8th grade.  He had me at Pony Boy.
34. The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone – The winner for my best book of 2011.  This fictional biography of Michelangelo is beautiful, epic, inspiring and unforgettable.  I don’t think further description could do it justice.  I marked so many passages in the book I might as well re-read it.
35. Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles – Highly addictive YA romance
36. The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway – Gorgeous book.  More of a psychological examination of the way war changes people rather than specifically about the siege of Sarajevo
37. Eragon, by Christopher Paolini – When your 8 year-old daughter reads a 600 page book, you need to read it too.  I was so proud of her and she loved it so much.  I liked it, and I can’t believe Paolini was only 15 when he wrote it.  It wasn’t a love-affair however, perhaps because I am a Lord of the Rings and Narnia snob.

Books I read aloud to the kids – not including the hundreds of picture books we read, and I do mean hundreds

1. See You Later, Gladiator – Time Warp Trio series, by Jon Scieszka – The Time Warp Trio series is historical fiction/time travel similar to The Magic Tree House series but with lots of boy (read: bathroom) humor.  I was laughing just as hard as my kids reading these.  Added bonus: when we met Jon at a book signing at the Boulder Bookstore, Jay was able to recall every potty reference in all of the books we read.  So much so that Jon signed one of his books to him as “Stinker.”  TRUE story!
2. Da Wild, Da Crazy, Da Vinci – Time Warp Trio series – For example, in this book we not only learn about da Vinci’s military engineering and mechanical inventions, but also that Thomas Crapper invented the modern flush toilet.
3. Tut, Tut – Time Warp Trio series – This book has an evil character named Hatsnat (pronounced Hotsnot).  Imagine trying to read that name out loud throughout the whole book without laughing.
4. It’s All Greek to Me – Time Warp Trio series – In this book, our trio is plunged into Hades where they confront Zeus, who believes they’ve stolen his lightning-bolt.
5. Tales from the Odyssey, Part 1, by Mary Pope Osborne – I wondered how any author could render a version of The Odyssey that removes some of the wilder *ahem* escapades Odysseus has in his long journey home while still retaining the core and heart of the story.  Leave it to Mary Pope Osborne – she did it.
6. Tales from the Odyssey, Part 2, by Mary Pope Osborne

Thoughts? Any highlights from your own reading year you want to share?

Me (channeling Cruella) and my French Poodle

It was a big week in the Hedlund house.  Em performed in her very first musical – 101 Dalmations.  She was amazing in her role and most importantly, had a blast!  Her enthusiasm was infectious, and we are so proud of her.  Not only that, but after the show I had just enough time to take off her makeup, get her changed and take her to play in her first basketball game of the season.  Even though she must have been tired, she played her little heart out.  Yes, kids can definitely teach us something about joy and commitment.  She loved every minute of both, and to say that I am grateful to have her as my daughter would be an epic understatement.  Without further adieu, here’s the list for the week.

Quotes on Gratitude

“Even after all this time,
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me.”
Look what happens with
A love like that.
It lights the whole sky.” — Hafiz of Persia

“The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” — William James

“The easiest way I have found to humble myself back into a state of peaceful grace is through the act of gratitude.” — Jill Bolte Taylor

Gratitude list for the week ending November 12

1. Em in her play! Such a treat to see all their hard work come together in an amazing performance.
2. Jay coming up behind Em after the play, giving her a big hug and saying, “You were so great!”
3. The Girls Leadership Institute, which is running a month-long program at Em’s school for 2nd and 3rd graders, teaching them how to be strong, stand up and speak up for themselves and others.  It’s a mother-daughter program, and I’m learning as much as she is!
4. My oldest nephew won first place in the Varsity debate tournament and he’s only a freshman!  He’s a chip off the old block (my brother) and his old block (my father)
5. 

   Is there anything as precious as a newborn baby's feet?

   There isn’t much good news coming out of Greece these days, but a close friend of mine became an uncle last Sunday when his sister gave birth to a little boy – Kostakis.  There is nothing like a brand new life to remind you of what really matters.

6. Warm enough weather to take two outdoor runs this week.
7. Take-out food – it’s what kept us alive during this very busy week!
8. The Margareaders (my book club). We had a great discussion about Unbroken at our meeting this week. I’ve never failed to have a blast at our meetings.
9. Watching the gorgeous full moon rising on the horizon.
10. Rocky made friends with two of the sheep that live behind our yard.  It’s so fun to watch them interact.  Now he is trying to dig a hole underneath the fence to reach his new friends.  The llamas, however, are still the mortal enemy.
    

    The presence of a fence and a difference in species poses no barrier to true friendship

What are you grateful for this week?

The beach that is right in front of our apartment in Italy. We are packed and ready to go, and I am beyond grateful!

I have much to be grateful for this week.  Indeed my heart is full as I head into my birthday week.

Quotes on Gratitude

“Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving; make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!” — Amanda Bradley

“And in the end it is not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Whatever with the past has gone, the best is always yet to come.” — Lucy Larcom

Gratitude List for the week ending May 21

1. My fantastic Margareaders friends surprised me at our book club meeting with a few gifts and a flourless chocolate cake – YUM!  I am so blessed that this group has not just found common ground over books but have become true friends as well.
2. Likewise, one of the most interesting book discussions we’ve had at a Margareaders meeting.
3. An amazingly delicious dinner with Phil to celebrate my birthday a little early.  He will not be here on the day of because he has a critical business meeting this week in Europe and has to fly out on Tuesday.  Lucky for him we are going to Italy in three weeks, because this particular meeting is on a yacht in Monaco. 
4. The quality of the light was so stunning yesterday, the first day of sun after a week of rain.  The whole world looked scrubbed.  The mountains are piled high with snow while the grass is green and the lilacs are in bloom down here.
5. Running outside
6. My Italian lessons with Biagio.  I finally realized I wouldn’t have time to learn as much Italian as I’d hoped, so he is teaching me the essentials and forcing me to practice with homework.
7. We are packed for Italy!  Amazing to have it done so soon, but I did not want to be worrying about what to bring at the last minute since we’re trying very hard to pack light.  I am now dreaming of wearing those sundresses and sandals on the beach at sunset…
8. I’ve had an unusual amount of time to read this week (of course, that is why I am way behind on reading/commenting on blogs).  But it’s been nice to get pulled in by books again.
9. Shopping for hats and hair clips with Em.  It’s fun to do “girlie” stuff with her.
10. Jay (5) said to me a few nights ago, “I’m going to be sad when I go to college, because I’ll miss you so much.”

What about you?  What are you grateful for this week?

Quotes on Gratitude

In preparation for our trip to Italy, I’m reading any and all books I can find with an Italian theme.  My current book is La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales.  In the second chapter, she provides a brief history of the development of modern-day Italian from Latin and considers this poem, by non other than St. Francis of Assisi, to be a turning point in the development of la bella lingua.  It seemed more than appropriate as a quote on gratitude for this series as well.

Be praised, My Lord, for Sister Moon and stars

in heaven you formed them–lovely, precious, clear.

Be praised, My Lord, for Brother Wind and air,

and every kind of weather, cloudy, and fair,

by which you give your creatures what they need.

Be praised, My Lord, be praised for Sister Water–

she is so useful, precious, chaste, and humble.

Gratitude List for the week ending April 16

1. YOU! The readers of this blog. You keep me going with your comments, support, encouragement and friendship.
2. Watching my cousin’s daughter (alas, my second cousin) ROCK the role of the Wicked Witch of the West in her high school production of the Wizard of Oz. My daughter was so inspired she made me promise to sign her up for a theater group next year.
3. Meeting with Renegade Lunch Lady Ann Cooper about a plan to increase the number of school lunches eaten at my daughter’s elementary school. Read all about what Ann is doing here. We are fortunate to have her revamping the school lunch program in Boulder Valley School District.
4. Getting carpets cleaned – they look brand new!
5. The fact that my mom let us spend the night at her house so they could dry properly before we inflicted ourselves back on them.
6. A great Margareaders meeting!!
7. Hiking with Rocky
8. We’re getting a tax refund! First time that’s happened in a long time.
9. Beginning one day with three inches of snow on the ground and ending it with sunshine and 60 degrees.
10. The trees are beginning to turn green – little baby leaves.

What are you grateful for this week?

See you next time everyone.

The third meeting of the Margareaders was held last night.  The book of choice for this month?  Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.  I will be honest and say this book did not go over very well with the group.  Less than half of our members came to the meeting (not all because of the book – there were legitimate conflicts, illnesses and so on), and of those of us who participated, only two (myself included) made it past the halfway point.

Why the lackluster response when the book won the 2009 Man Booker Prize and bookstores can barely keep fictionalized accounts of the Tudor period in stock for their flying off the shelves?  Well, it’s a pretty cumbersome read.  The last time it took me this long to finish a book was when I read Anna Karenina, and the similarities don’t stop there.  As with Anna, I found myself constantly referring to the cast of characters because eight tenths of the people are named Thomas (in Anna it was Alexei or Nikolai).  Those that aren’t Thomas are named Henry or Edward.  Also, the material is pretty dense.  Mantel provides excruciating detail over events and settings you wish she’d just gloss over and get to the point already.  If I had not already immersed myself in the characters of this time period through other books and, okay I admit it, The Tudors series on Showtime, I’m pretty sure I would have given up well before reaching the halfway point.  Also, there’s the entertainment factor.  The Guardian said it best by describing Wolf Hall as a “non-frothy” historical novel.  In other words, this is not a historical bodice ripper.  If you’re looking for lustful scenes between King Henry and Anne Boleyn, best to pick up Philippa Gregory.  Mantel can run circles around Gregory in historical accuracy and scholarly writing, but Gregory wins hands down for the “fun factor.”  Finally, and this may be a nit-picky thing, the book is written in third-person present tense, which can be disorienting.  Mantel refers to “he” throughout the book.  Usually “he” referred to Cromwell, but since “he” (Cromwell) was almost always talking to other men, it was hard to keep it straight sometimes.

Having said all that, I did finish the book, and I’m glad I did.  The story of Henry VIII has been told from almost every angle except through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, which is kind of amazing when you consider he was the architect of the king’s divorce from Katherine of Aragon and the reformation of the Church in England.  For that reason alone, I recognize Wolf Hall’s contribution to literature and feel it’s deserving of the awards it has received.  The writing (aside from the POV issue mentioned earlier) is superb and the character of Cromwell exceptionally drawn.  Again, The Guardian gets it right by saying, “Mantel persuasively depicts Thomas Cromwell as one of the most appealing — and, in his own way, enlightened — characters of the period.”

So, do you want the book?  If so, leave a comment anywhere on the blog between now and midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, April 14th OR tweet or retweet this post between now and then.  Every comment and/or tweet will count as an entry.  If you comment on a post other than this one, just put WH at the end of the post so I know you want it to count toward the giveaway.  I’ll announce the winner on Thursday morning, April 15th.  What a better way to spend the 15th than obsessing about taxes, right?

Read or own the book already?  Comment anyway!  Let us know what you thought of the book.  Did anyone else read Wolf Hall for a book club?  I’d be interested in knowing how it was received in other book clubs.

Meanwhile, have a great weekend everyone.

If you happen to be one of the Margareaders or you’ve read the book already, comment anyway!  Tell us what you thought of the book.

Good Luck!

Our group consists of twelve women.  Each of us came to the first meeting knowing some people very well and others not at all.  By the end of the meeting, it’s safe to say we knew each other a LOT better and looked forward to learning more.  There’s nothing quite like lasagna, red wine and margaritas to relax the jaws.

Eventually we got around to discussing our February read – The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  The book takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the sixties and tells the story of three very different women who find themselves – almost by accident – caught up in a plan to tell the stories of black women working as maids/nannies in the homes of white women.  Two of the women are black maids themselves, and one is the white woman who wants to tell their stories and in so doing, create a different kind of future for herself along the way.  The backdrop for this mostly intimate story is the growth of the civil rights movement under Medgar Evars and Martin Luther King, Jr.

We had a lively discussion of the book of course, but what I found even more interesting was how much we each brought our personal experience and background to the discussion.  Our group ranged in upbringing from the original melting pot of New York, the Deep South, California, and sliced white bread middle America (that would be me).  Listening to the breadth of personal stories we told – of one person’s mother who’d worked at San Quentin, a personal encounter with Louis Farrakhan (also me), a black man nervous to be seen speaking with one of us, the family reaction to one of the New Yorkers’ decision to marry a native of New Orleans, and so on – it occurred to me that perhaps we define diversity too narrowly.

Yes, we are twelve people of the same race, gender and even socioeconomic group (now).  And yet… and yet – after our meeting I would be hard-pressed to say we lacked diversity.  We all lamented the difficulty in teaching our children to respect, welcome and celebrate the differences between people while living in an area that is not very (racially) diverse.  I left the discussion feeling optimistic about our ability to do just that.  Every person is full of unique stories.  When we share those stories and listen openly to the stories of others, we learn more about ourselves, others and the collective human experience.  Every time we read, hear or experience something that challenges our thinking, we evolve as individuals.

So bring on the books and the wine!  We say we want an evolution… We-ell ya know, we all want to change the land.*

P.S. In honor of my excitement about the book club, I’ll be giving away my copy of The Help.  Please see the next post for details on how you can win.

* Yes I do know those aren’t the real words to that song.  Artistic license.