Summer Reads...Thus Far

One of the items on my Top Ten Summer To-Do list involved reading for enjoyment.  I am proud to say that I'm actually accomplishing that goal!  For a girl with an attention span of a gnat, that's a big deal.  It probably helps that I've been able to enjoy a few gorgeous afternoons pool-side with my books :-)

Thus far...

I finally finished Push.  It's the book to the movie, "Precious."  There was all this hype over the movie as supposedly, Mariah Carey went without make-up for her role and Oprah was very active in promoting the film.  I bought the book when the movie was released, so obviously I've been "reading" it for a while now.  Some people couldn't handle the book or even the movie--for me, I think I've just become too desensitized to child sexual abuse.  It was boring.  I literally had to make myself finish the book.  But I finally got it done!  Will I watch the movie now?  I have to honestly say, I'm not sure.  The movie would have to be a lot more gripping than the book!

The second book is One Small Boat by Kathy Harrison.  It is the CASA Book Club selection for July.  It's written by a foster mom back East who takes in a little girl that had significant issues...the book tells the story of the child coming out of her shell, making great strides and the emotional journey that follows when the little girl comes up for adoption.  It was a quick read that was actually uplifting!

This next book, The Cider House Rules, took me a while to read.  It is LONG!  Like, 500-some pages of small print LONG. I had a hard time with it in the beginning but everything finally started to click--then I was hooked. It was especially interesting to read about Dr. Larch's perspective on abortion in light of all the legislation taking place right now...but the story also involved soldiers going to war and how their relationships evolve while deployed. Kinda reminded me of some families I've worked with!  Once I finished the book, I rented the DVD.  The movie was very good but I have to admit, some major parts of the story were omitted for the movie and I found it quite frustrating!  But the book is totally worth taking the time to read it :-)

And the last book, The Long Song, I just started.  Based on an online description, "The child of a field slave on the Amity sugar plantation, July lives with her mother until Mrs. Caroline Mortimer, a recently transplanted English widow, decides to move her into the great house and rename her “Marguerite.” Resourceful and mischievous, July soon becomes indispensable to her mistress. Together they live through the bloody Baptist war, followed by the violent and chaotic end of slavery. Taught to read and write so that she can help her mistress run the business, July remains bound to the plantation despite her “freedom.” It is the arrival of a young English overseer, Robert Goodwin, that will dramatically change life in the great house for both July and her mistress. Prompted and provoked by her son’s persistent questioning, July’s resilience and heartbreak are gradually revealed in this extraordinarily powerful story of slavery, revolution, freedom, and love."  I'm not very far into the book but hopefully it's as good as all the reviews say it is!