I only read one nonfiction book in January, so my library requests focused on the nonfiction for February. But I have still been craving fiction. I feel like I’ve been reading a lot this week, but I have barely anything to show for it. I’ve been working on Inventing English, which is quite fascinating, but I have still not finished. I guess I can only take so much at once. DNA has been boring me. I did not spend much time with it this week. It’s my monthly project book, so as soon as I finish Inventing English, it will be a priority.

In fiction, I spent a lot of time with A Tale of Two Cities this week. I abandoned it after 100 pages in October, so I forced myself to get through page 100 again, and it is much better once I passed that hump. Now I really want to know how it ends! East of Eden is my slow fiction read: I want to read it in a long stretch, but my goal is to take it slow and savor it. I started and finished a Wodehouse audiobook while I’ve been painting. It was lots of fun. And now I’ve begun some Jules Verne, which is very delightful.

Once again, I’m tempted to do a vlog but since I’m watching a friend’s kids this morning and my son needs to be fed and dress, I’ve got to run.  Besides, I’d like to visit your blogs a today too! How do you vlog-gers have time for it?! How long does it take? What technology do you use? I’m a bit afraid of it.

Finished Books

• Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (about 5 hours audiobook; fiction/short stories).

Currently Reading

Each week, I list my progress so I can see how my reading compares week to week. I did make a little progress on some of these.

My Books

Here are the books I own or downloaded. I’ve been rather horrible at reading my project book this week!

• Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and Their Messages by Karen Lynn Davidson (130 read of 455 pages; nonfiction)
• DNA by James Watson (140 read of 405 pages; nonfiction). My project book.
• A Raisin the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (drama). Not begun yet.

Old Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

• Inventing English: a portable history of the language by Seth Lerer (190 read of 265 pages; nonfiction).
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck (155 read of about 600 pages; fiction). For the Classics Reads Book Group.
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (310 read of 390 pages; fiction). I’m enjoying it!
• A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf. I have not begun.
• Reading in Bed edited by Steven Gilbar (20 read of 150 pages; nonfiction/essays). A collection of essays about our favorite topic: reading. Since this is due at the library soon and it is ILL (not renewable), I ordered my own copy for $4 from Amazon Marketplace!
• I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World by Martin Luther King, Jr. (200 pages; nonfiction/speeches). I have not begun.
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave (nonfiction/memoir). I have not begun.
• Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa (fiction). I have not begun.
• The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata (fiction). I have not begun.

New Library Loot

• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (on part 4 of 10, 11 ½ hours audio; fiction). So much fun!
• Daily Life in Victorian England by Sally Mitchell (nonfiction).
• We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson (children’s nonfiction).
• Japan: A Concise History by Milton Walter Meyer (nonfiction).

Finds

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  Suzanne. Because it sounds so good.
• Jamaica Kincaid, Henrick Ibsen, Henry James. Eva. Because I should read these authors.
• Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Dalloway. Amanda. Because it sounds important.
• Flush by Viriginia Woolf. Savidge Reads. Because it’s an “autobiography” by a dog.
• The Good Women of China by Xinran. Nymeth. Because it sounds important, albeit painful to read.