I found this posted on someone's blog and I was intrigued. I have been wanting to read more, and I think this could be a great way for me to read things that I wouldn't normally read. Except I'm going to put a twist on it -- at a minimum, one of these books will be written in French. And without further ado, here is the activity...
Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
A book with a food in the title.
A book with a body of water in the title.
A book with a title (queen, president) in the title.
A book with a plant in the title.
A book with a place name (city, country) in the title.
A book with a music term in the title.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a book in any of these categories?
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I just read Moderato Cantabile for my French class, which would cover the music title... It's a short Duras work, and at first I didn't get anything out of it, but after analyzing the crap out of it in essays, I appreciate the nouveau roman movement very much. It's a quick read, and very, VERY French!
ReplyDeleteI recommend the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. It's a cover-to-cover read, you can't put it down.
ReplyDeleteCheck my blog, there's a link to my book library in the left column. I'm sure there are some matches in there! Does Eat, Pray, Love.......count some where?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendations, y'all! Amy, I just might have to use that book (which would not be a bad thing at all) because the categories I'm having the most trouble with are Food and Body of Water. !!!
ReplyDeleteJamie- I think I'm going to try to read that one; it's on my list now!
And Christy, I'll have to check out your list. Thanks for the heads up!
Keep 'em comin', folks!
ReplyDeleteI definitely can cover the food one for you :) Ruth Reichl (Gourmet's outgoing editor-in-chief/long-time food critic) has written a few memoirs, and I've read two of them: "Comfort Me With Apples" (about becoming a food writer) and "Garlic and Sapphires" (about disguising herself as a restaurant critic). She has a lovely writing style, and I really loved reading them. I'll keep thinking of more. Fun idea!!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add that I LOVE Moderato Cantabile! The movie is also very good, pretty much acts out the book directly.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't read it, Le Petit Prince could go for the 3rd category.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for a plant book...
One of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegon" books (it doesn't say it has to be a REAL body of water!)
And by the way, I'm stealing this and putting it on my blog!! :)
ReplyDeleteOHH FOOD BOOK: The Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteSorry to comment so much!
sorta-food book? "three cups of tea"...its one of my favorite books ever. its about this guy who was mountain climbing k2, got lost and wandered into this remote village in pakistan. he was welcomed by the community and promised to return to build a school. the book is the story of his struggle to build schools in incredibly remote parts of pakistan. its amazing and really inspiring.
ReplyDeleteHaha, too much commenting does not exist -- I love comments!
ReplyDeleteL.F. -- My boyfriend actually already recommended Grapes of Wrath for food, and I was bummed because I've already read it. I contemplated re-reading it, but I think that's cheating. And actually, it's the same with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (one of my favorite books when I was younger and I really want to reread it!) and Le Petit Prince. I'm glad you're joining me on this journey!
Melissa-- I've heard of the "Three Cups of Tea" book and I've been wanting to read it for some time. So even if it doesn't make the food category, I'm planning to read it anyways!
Hillary-- I think I'm going to read one of those! They sound great, and I totally trust your opinion about all things word-y.
I haven't actually read it, embarrassingly, but The Wide Sargasso Sea is supposed to be good (if you've read Jane Eyre - it's the madwoman's side of the story). Only 'body of water' title that comes to mind!
ReplyDeleteOh....Wide Sargasso Sea is excellent!
ReplyDeleteMore ideas! La Symphonie Pastorale by André Gide, The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, and The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway.
ReplyDeleteYay this is so much fun! I may use the Grapes of Wrath... It was summer reading in high school so I didn't read it very well. I feel that I could benefit from another reading of it.
Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain! You can even read it electronically from the Gutenberg Project. www.gutenburg.org/etext/245
ReplyDelete"The Mississippi is well worth reading about."
-Mark Twain
How can you argue with a recommendation like that?
-Bill
And it also has a place name in its title. So can it be a two-for-one? ;-)
Bill - I get that he recommends his own book, but what do other people have to say about it?!
ReplyDeleteEveryone - I am so excited about this, and even more so based on your recommendations. Let me know if any of you want to join me on my reading expedition. :)
Hey Frenchy!
ReplyDeleteThe Mark Twain quote is actually the first sentence of the book. And I used it as a feeble attempt at the kind of humor that Mark Twain popularized. Life on the Mississippi, according to a review I just looked at, said this it was written "in a prose style that is among the greatest in English literature." And it's a great example of "America's most profound chronicler of the human comedy." I'm ready to read it again myself after glancing through it just now. But I have to finish Dickens first... See you soon!