School has been kicking my butt for the past two weeks. If I finished a book since the beginning of the semester, I honestly can’t remember what it is! The great thing about it is that I’ve been earning perfect grades on everything I’ve turned in so far. 2 weeks down and 20 more to go! I’m determined to finish a few of the many books I’m reading. What’s listed below is a combination of both school-related and pleasure reading.
Graphic novels/Comics/Picture books
The Arrival by Shaun Tan. If you haven’t read this beautiful wordless picture book about an immigrant’s passage to a new country, you need to. (required reading)
Blankets by Craig Thompson. I started this book a few days ago but school has kept me so busy that I haven’t been able to finish it. What I read so far is very beautiful and I already know that I need to buy this for my permanent collection.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. Both Fun Home and The Arrival are re-reads for me. It’s interesting to see that my professor is assigning graphic novels to our reading though we haven’t discussed them yet. (required reading)
Short Stories (required reading)
“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I read this short story for the first time a few semesters ago, so this is basically a quick skim for me.
“Cathedral” by Raymond Carver. One of my favorite short stories ever.
“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. I love both Cathedral and Everyday Use for the great characters. Both short stories are great reads.
Novels and Non-Fiction
Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity will Determine Our Future by Linda Darling-Hammond. I read about this book on a teaching blog that I’m subscribed to and after reading the description, I knew that I needed to read this. Darling-Hammond writes about the future of America and its schools if the country is going to have an educational system that prepares and ensures that right of every child to learn.
Plenitude: The New Economics of True Wealth by Juliet B Schor. I found out about Plenitude earlier this year. I hurried and placed it on hold at my local library and the book was just processed and sent to me a few days ago. The book gives a lot of thought about our changing global economy and a few of the steps that we could possibly take to make life better and more productive for us all.
So that’s what I’m reading this week. What are you reading this week?
The Arrival sounds interesting and I’ve been meaning to check out Blankets. I liked Fun Home
I’m reading the 5th Percy Jackson book and somehow ended up starting Under the Tuscan Sun yesterday…
Fun Home is a really good book. I just watched the Percy Jackson movie and loved it! I hope you let me know how Under The Tuscan Sun turns out. Happy reading!
I love the short stories you are reading, and have read them all at some point in school. Right now I am in the middle of a slew of books: Mistress of the Art of Death, The Tudors, Winter World, and Catching Fire. I don’t normally read more than one book at a time, so this is overwhelming and new to me. I am going to have to pick one and stick with it!! I hope that you continue to do awesome in school, and that you have a great week!
I can’t wait to read your thoughts on Catching Fire! I hope you have a great week too!
I’m glad you’re liking Blankets; it’s one of my favorite graphic novels ever. I like it better every time I read it. Looks like lots of good things on your plate this week!
Thanks, Jenny! Blankets is a great read so far. Thompson is pretty talented in conveying emotions through the few words he uses and his images. Have you read anything else by him?
They look like great books! A graphic novel is a good distraction when you’re working hard for school. And very god of you to get perfect grades. Those book will wait, school won’t!
Happy reading, when you get a chance!
Thanks for all the support. It’s like the better my grades, the less I read!Have a great week!
I’m going to have to check out The Arrival. I really loved Tales from Outer Suburbia, and have been meaning to read more of Tan’s works!
Tales From Outer Suburbia is my favorite Tan book. The Arrival is really good and I hope you enjoy it!
Arrival was amazing. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
I just finished it and love it once again this second time around.
I really want to read Blankets. I read Fun Home about six months ago – whew. Lots to talk about there.
“Cathedral” is also one of my favorite short stories. Carver is one of my favorite short story writers. I also teach “Everyday Use” and am always surprised at how much students enjoy discussing the story.
What did you think of Fun Home? “Cathedral” and “Everyday Use” are two of my favorite short stories. I’m glad my professor decided to share them with us. Have a great week!
The Arrival is so amazing isnt it? I loved that book and was so impressed!
Me too! The Arrival was one of the first wordless picture books I’ve ever read.
I’ve got to roam out of the world of YA lit to sharpen my mind! I’m planning to take the GREs soon and I’ve got to up my game plan. For now, I’m reading Good Enough and Vast Fields of Ordinary with the current issue of School Library Journal on the side.
Isn’t blankets amazing!?! I loved it. I’m in the middle of Heresy by S.J. Parris, Incarceron, and Matched.
I hope you enjoy The Arrival, it’s such a gorgeous book!
Ah, Young Goodman Brown
I remember that story! I actually really liked that one…it was pretty good!
I love that you read The Arrival and that you’re reading Blankets
They’re two of my favorite graphics 
I also love that you’re looking at school in the glass half full way with “two weeks down” :p Hope the 20 left go quick for you!!
I hope you make it through the week without too much stress! “Cathedral” is one of my all time favorites but I have never read “Everyday Use”. I’ll have to find it.
I brought “Blankets” home from the library last week but haven’t started it, and I see you’re reading “Plenitude”, can’t wait to see what you think of it.
Congrats on your perfect grades. How awesome that part of your assigned reading is a graphic novel, times have really changed (for the better!).
Great-lookin’ books! I’m excited to see The Arrival and Fun Home on your required reading lists. I loved The Arrival SOOOO much, and Fun Home is on my wishlist.
I’ve never read The Arrival. Will definitely check it out — the cover caught my eye immediately.