Monday, May 18, 2009

Mondays: Whats up?

Musing Mondays (BIG)





Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child?

My dad was a voracious reader. He used to read us everyday from Hindu Mythology mostly. With lots of illustrations. When we started reading, he bought us whatever we wished for. He even got us subscribed to a few children's magazines. And he made sure we read all those from page to page. He also used to read us from Physics books telling us the basics of it. He in his own story telling way made sciences very easy for us. Maybe that was the reason all three of my brothers branched out into various engineeering streams and I took up Chemistry. (I am PG in Chemistry). However, he always encouraged us to read anything we wished to. Maybe he also kept a tab if we read any porn! Somehow I was not much inclined to read those books. I was too busy reading the classics, Daphne Du Mairier, Ayn Rand etc etc.

My mom too had no lesser role. At night she sat down with us with a book in her hand. She mostly read human interest stories. Readers Digest was one of her favourite magazines. She still reads those so I subscribe for her. I love it when I and my mom read together. Yes, we do miss my dad. But I know he must be pleased looking at us from up there!

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I received the following books:

1) Blasted by Kate Story from the author

Blasted is a story of Ruby Jones, an irreverent, exuberant, and troubled woman who lurches between love affairs and cities. The narrative shifts between generations and geographies, between contemporary life and stories as old as the hill that looms over Ruby’s birthplace.

2) In The Shadow Of The Glacier by Vicki Delany from the author

Delany's intriguing series opener introduces young constable Molly Smith, who almost literally stumbles across a rare murder victim in peaceful Trafalgar, British Columbia.

3) The Mechanics of Falling and other Stories by Catherine Brady from Serena

The perils and thrills of life’s unexpected junctures, and the decisions made as a result, are featured in this enticing, challenging collection.

4) The Perfect Bride by Brenda Joyce from Stacy

5) The Mercy Seller by Brenda Rickman Vantrease from the author

In the fifteenth century, with religious intolerance spreading like wildfire across Europe, English-born Anna Bookman and her grandfather, Finn, earn a living in Prague by illuminating precious books, including forbidden translations of the Bible.
In London, Friar Gabriel dutifully obeys church doctrine by granting pardons . . . for a small fee. But then he is sent undercover on a spying mission to France, where Anna has set up a temporary stall as a bookseller.


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It's Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? is a weekly event hosted by J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog, "to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finish this week."


I finished reading and reviewing:

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji


The Perfect Bride by Brenda Joyce


Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy


The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener (yet to be reviewed)

Currently reading:

Death's Daughter by Amber Benson

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

19 comments:

Amanda said...

I've heard The 19th Wife is supposed to be good. Happy reading!

bermudaonion said...

You had a good book week! I'll be looking for your review of The Mechanics of Falling.

serendipity_viv said...

Your dad sounds like a fabulous person. I have the 19th Wife in pile waiting to be read too.

Laura said...

Both my parents were voracious readers, and my mother's parents also. For birthdays and Christmas I always received books as gifts from them. Before I was born, while my mother was pregnant with me, she enrolled me in a children's book club that mailed one a book or two each month. By the time I was born she already had a pretty good library for me.

My parents did not have much money - we wore hand-me-down clothes and grew a lot of our food in our garden - but they always made sure my brother and I had books, whether it meant allowing us to buy books through the Scholastic and Arrow book clubs, or as we got older, allowing us to walk to the library alone to get books.

When I was 11 my father realized that I had read many of the books the tiny town public library had to offer, so he began taking me to the university library and allowed me to borrow as many books as I liked on his account there. It was heaven!

And of course, before I could read my parents and grandparents read to me. After I became proficient in reading, they recommended books to me.

I do think, though, that a tendency toward reading may be genetic. All 9 of my children have been raised to be readers - I did the same things with them and for them that my parents and grandparents did, yet some are voracious readers and others are not. Two children would rather read than eat or sleep or do anything else. Three children read a lot, but will put down their books in order to do something else. And four *can* read well, but seldom read a book unless compelled to do so. (Those particular 4 are 31 yrs-old, 29 yrs-old, 16 yrs-old, and 7 yrs-old.)

Margaret said...

It's so interesting reading how people came to love reading. My father read to me too.

Vickie said...

I have DEATH'S DAUGHTER on my Wanton Wantin' Book List. I've heard very good things about it. Looking forward to your review.

zetor said...

Oh my physics books you must have all been a very bright family.

Carrie K. said...

I have Vantrease's The Illuminator waiting on my to-read list. Her books all look really good!

Anonymous said...

I have Brenda Joyce on my list of books. Can't remember the title of her book though.

Serena said...

You got some great books...I hope you like The Mechanics of Falling. Happy Reading.

Matt said...

Hope you enjoy The 19th Wife, which reads like non-fiction at the beginning.

We've had similar background growing up. I piked the science track but ended up switching to humanity and became a teacher.

Mary (Bookfan) said...

They all look like good books. Enjoy!

Melody said...

You've got some great books there! Happy reading!

Yvonne said...

Your dad sounds like he was a great person.

Nice mailbox you received this week!

Betty and Boo's Mommy said...

Looking forward to hearing what you think of The 19th Wife ... I absolutely loved it.

Robin M said...

great memories about reading. Thanks for sharing.

Alyce said...

I've never read Streetcar (or seen it either). I look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Anna said...

I'm glad you have good memories about reading. To be honest, I don't remember any of my parents ever reading to me. Now my mom and I share books, and I enjoy it.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Catherine Brady's short stories. Happy reading!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

The Book Resort said...

You parents are amazing!