September was a busy month including a family weekend in the middle and our trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park beginning on the 29th. The trip was amazing, epic and soul nourishing. I will try to squeeze in a post about it. The National Parks of the USA are one of our best national treasures. I am so grateful to have the time and the resources to visit at least one a year and I encourage everyone to do so.
Meanwhile I managed to read a good number of books, the shortest and yet some of the best were four Caldecott Medal winning picture books. I am making a brief study of the illustration styles that were awarded in the 1990s and will do a post on those books when I get through the decade.
Stats:
15 books read. 13 fiction. 7 by women. 3 for My Big Fat Reading Project. 2 memoir. 2 speculative. 3 thriller. 4 picture book.
Countries visited: Russia, Canada, Great Britain, France, USA, Israel.
Authors new to me: Jason Matthews, T Kira Madden, Abby Geni, Heather O'Niell, Alex Michaelides, David Wiesner, Peggy Rathmann, Paul O Zelinsky, Allen Say, Hubert Selby Jr.
Favorite: The Lonely Hearts Hotel
Least Favorite: The Silent Patient
Have you read any of these? What were your favorite books read in September?
Look forward to your review of The Testaments!
ReplyDeleteThat will be my next review!
Deletesome pretty interesting titles. i have a distinct memory of starting "Last EXit.." but never finished it; it was a bit too rough for me... some of the others really sound intriguing...
ReplyDeleteLast Exit was indeed rough. I was not going to read the whole book after reading the first chapter. Then I learned it was a banned book in 1964 and it was Banned Books week so I finished it after all.
DeleteThis is an impressive list of books. I have not read Last Exit to Brooklyn but I saw the film. I remember it being very intense. Did you like the book?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brian. Last Exit was a tough read and I can't say that I "liked" it but it gave me some things to think about that I had not considered before. So not a waste of time.
Deletewow, impressive list! I loved A Moveable Feast! My favorite in September was Quichotte: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/09/30/2019-september-wrap-up/
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emma. I am glad I read A Moveable Feast. It is now one of my favorite Hemingway books. I could tell from your review that you were much impressed by Quichotte. It is on my TBR for good until I read it.
DeleteOnce again, a formidable list! I look forward to your post about your trip.
ReplyDeleteIt was an interesting month of reading, that is for sure. I am working on that trip post-:)
DeleteI'm glad you had a good trip! I haven't read any of your September books but I'm sure I will read The Testaments eventually.
ReplyDeleteI was impressed by The Testaments. Atwood never lets me down. It will be my next review.
DeleteSo many great books! And you read all these before you took your vacation! That's great! If I'd taken a vacation then my books read count would've dropped badly.
ReplyDeleteVacations usually kill my reading but this time I planned ahead. The picture books were quick and easy reading and the bonus was that I had them all on hand when my grand-nieces (5 and 8) came over. They even knew what the Caldecott Award is and especially loved Rapunzel and Officer Buckle.
DeleteI really like Allen Say's books. I've read a few to my kiddos in past years as part of our writing curriculum. He's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy to discover him!
DeleteHaven't read any of those... but I did pick up Red Sparrow on DVD last week!
ReplyDeleteYay!!
DeleteYou had a nice, diverse reading month Judy. I've added a couple from your list to mine.
ReplyDeleteI did and I am glad you found a couple of them to add to your list!
DeleteYou had a nice, diverse reading month Judy. I've added a couple from your list to mine.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my favourite authors - JCO and Margaret Atwood. I haven't read either of those books, though.
ReplyDeleteAnd I remember Officer Buckle from the time that my kids were in school, nice story.
Have a good day!
They are two of my favorites too! Glad you remember Officer Buckle. I was pleased to meet him and his dog.
DeleteYes, they were a great couple.
DeleteAnd I'm not surprised we have the same favourite authors ... ♥
I didn't realize The Lonely Hearts Hotel was that good ... beating out all these others, so I must get to it. I read & liked Heather O'Neill's book The Girl Who Was Saturday Night, which seemed a bit of an autobiographical novel set in Montreal. hmm. I read it for a book club back when I was in a book club.
ReplyDeleteIt was for me. Today I have to figure out how to write a review. I want to read her earlier books. That must have been a pretty cool book club!
DeleteJudy, again I am so pleased you enjoyed your trip and looks like you still had time for plenty of good reading. I'm afraid I haven't read any of these books. Happy reading in October! :-)
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things about blogging is seeing the monthly lists of others even if we have not read the books. Same to you in October!
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