I’ve been reading.

15Nov11

But I haven’t been blogging. I’m not sure how many hours I spent on airplanes over the last couple months, but it’s more than I care to calculate. The airplane time, coupled with the fab iPad birthday gift have led me to be above average when it comes to the One Book, One Month Challenge. I doubt that will become the norm. Anyhow, here goes, in the order in which I read them…

Quitter by Jon Acuff

 I’ve been a fan of Jon Acuff for awhile now, and this book did not disappoint. Jon (I call him Jon because in my mind we are friends) is really good at integrating his personal experiences with good advice for those who happen to be frustrated with their job/career. This book is all about the journey from a day job to a dream job. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be: Don’t quit your job… yet. (That may or may not be something I need to hear on most Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.)

5/5 stars

All That Is Bitter & Sweet by Ashley Judd

Somewhere along the way, I decided I like to read autobiographies. Honestly, I’m not quite sure why I chose this one. I think it may have been because Amazon recommended it to me. And who questions Amazon? What I didn’t realize until I started this was how much of it would be about Ms. Judd’s (see, I don’t have the same connection with her I have with Jon) social justice work. I knew she was involved in humanitarian efforts, but didn’t realize to what extent. I enjoyed reading about her travels and experiences as an ambassador with Population Services International. The book kind of went back and forth between that and her experiences growing up in the shadows of her famous mom and sister. It was a good read, but I don’t know that I’d consider it a page-turner.

3.5/5 stars

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Who didn’t fall in love with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in the mid-2000s? When I heard there was a new book coming out years later – where Tibby, Bee, Carmen, and Lena were [gasp!] 30 – I knew it was a must-read. I may have cried on an airplane while reading this. (Sorry for the awkwardness, person next to me.) I also yelled, albeit silently, at this book. About halfway through I was really mad. But by the end, all was forgiven and I felt comfortable knowing that these girls’ friendships would live on long after I finished reading.

5/5 stars

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

Can you tell I went through a chick lit phase in August? I read a review of this book in my People magazine. I was compelled to read it after the review. It probably used the phrase “coming of age.” I won’t even pretend it has substance, but it was an enjoyable read. It’s about some girls who move to New York post-college, and all their shenanigans. One girl, in particular is rather frustrated with the number of times she’s been a bridesmaid and complains, in a humorous way, about bridal showers and all the other festivities that accompany weddings. (Right now you are really surprised that I read this, right?)

4/5 stars

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This has been a very popular book over the past several months, so I can pretty much leave it at “what everyone else said.” It’s a fantastic and eye-opening read. Don’t be intimidated by its thickness. After I read the book, I saw the movie and thought it was adapted well. But as usual, the movie can’t quite do the book justice. So if you haven’t read it yet, jump on the bandwagon!

5/5 stars

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh

Tony Hsieh is the CEO of Zappos, and this is his story. I particularly appreciated his drive, passion, and how he persevered when most people would have given up. He basically started with nothing. This dude loves him some Zappos. Much of the story of how Zappos became what it is today has to do with the company’s culture and values. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to work for a company with such a customer-focused, hard-working, yet fun environment. I am guessing most people who read this book will wish they worked for Zappos.

4.5/5 stars

And that, my friends, is all! Up next: the Steve Jobs biography. But it is really long, and I have no airplane trips currently scheduled, so it might be awhile.

(Posted by Steph)

Filed under: autobiographical musings, fiction not otherwise specified., historical fiction., non-fiction., Uncategorized   |  5 Comments