Reading Resolution 2011

So far this year, I have read the following. Tried not to give away too many spoilers – just enough to know whether or not you'd like to read the book.

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

Takes place in New York City 1974, when Philip Petitte walks on a tightrope between the Twin Towers. (Watch the documentary "Man on Wire" if you haven't.) The novel is about other characters who are impacted by the act, both directly and indirectly. Great writing, with each chapter following a different character and written in their voice (though some are more relatable/enjoyable than others). Recommended if you like great prose, New York City, character development.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Takes place mainly in London, where an odd set of 21-year-old twins move when the aunt they never met leaves them a flat overlooking a famous (and real) cemetery. The relationship between the sisters is interesting, as are the people they meet, including the aunt's lover and an OCD-to-the-max neighbor. Recommended if you like twins, hauntings, crossword puzzles, predictable twists.

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman

Takes place in San Francisco and New York in 2000. The main characters are two sisters, one a young CEO of a rising dot-com, the other a philosophy grad student and tree hugger (literally). Also follows a big cast of different characters, some more relatable/enjoyable to read about than others, as the older sister's tech company goes public (and her boyfriend's rival company does as well) while the younger sister's job for a rare bookseller focuses on an unusual collection of cookbooks. Recommended if you like reading about the burst of the dot-com bubble with a mix of Jewish heritage and historical recipes.

Away by Amy Bloom

Takes place in the 1920s as a Jewish immigrant from Russia comes to New York after her family is mass-murdered in front of her. Lovely! She starts out as a seamstress for a theater owner until she finds out her daughter may still be alive, then the story follows her horrific experiences and interesting characters she meets as she journeys across the Western Hemisphere to Siberia by way of Seattle, Canada and Alaska. Recommended if you like learning about how horrible it was to be a woman in the 1920s.

Next up: Palo Alto by James Franco, in honor of the Oscars. So I leave you with this, and a link to my favorite snarky gay fashion bloggers, Tom and Lorenzo. If you watch the Oscars, you should definitely follow them on Twitter.