I guess July was the month of infidelity then, because I’ve finished the three books I set out to read and am moving on.
I wish I could tell you that Madame Bovary was as wonderful as I remembered it being. I can’t tell you that. As you already know if we’re friends on Goodreads (and if we aren’t yet, feel free to send a friend request), I did not enjoy Bovary on this second reading. It dragged. All the characters were irritating–Emma Bovary most of all. I cheered when she died. I don’t remember ever before cheering a character’s death. Awful. I have no idea what it was that I loved about it when I was eighteen.
The Scarlet Letter was equally surprising in that I enjoyed it much more than I expected I would. I liked it when I read it as a high school freshman, but I hadn’t given it much thought, if any, in the past 22 years. Then a neighbor told me she loved it and reread it all the time, that it was so much better as an adult. She was right. It’s a great book. Beautifully written. Give it another try if you haven’t read it since high school either.
I’ve got a few more classics that I downloaded to my Kindle for free, but I’m craving something contemporary next. There’s no room in the budget for something new on the Kindle right now (if only I could somehow cram my shelves full of already purchased paper books onto the Kindle!), since we’re saving to replace my poor dead laptop. That means I’ll have to cowboy up and read a regular old paper book or two one-handed while nursing, risking a sore wrist to do so. Yes, I’m very brave.
Next up, I plan to finish Already Dead by Denis Johnson. I started it ages ago–maybe even a year ago–but life intervened and even though I loved it, I never got past the first 100 or so pages. I’m going to start it again. After that, I’m thinking I’ll finally finish Gilead, which I’ve started and stopped twice already. Life was weird for the past two years, what with all the pregnancies and miscarriages, and I think that affected my reading, so I’m not going to automatically dismiss any book that didn’t hold my attention during that time.
When I can buy a new book or two for the Kindle again, I’m got my eye on this and this.
What are you reading this summer? I’m always open to suggestions.
This is interesting. I hated Madame Bovary when I read it in high school. I didn’t like unsympathetic characters and I found her really stupid. I reread it in the last year or so and found quite funny and a satire on consumer bourgeouis culture. I also hated Anna Karenina when I was young and I got a lot more out of that one on rereading. I may try the Scarlett Letter. I am reading The Girl Who Played with Fire in paper and some old Arsene Lupin mysteries on my iPad.
Yeah, I had a feeling Madame Bovary would not stand up. I had to translate a bunch of short stories by Flaubert in college and I thought some of them were quite nice in French.
I just couldn’t like Gilead, although I did quite like Housekeeping. I admire it, but I don’t like it.
I loved Johnson’s Jesus’ Son.
Have you read Edward P. Jones?
I just finished John Irving’s latest novel, Last Night in Twisted River. While it’s not my favorite of his, I enjoyed it.
I felt the same way about both books. I had to force myself to finish Madame Bovary (and loved it as a teen), and I loved The Scarlet Letter. Interesting.
Hey Cari,
The librarian in me has to ask if you’ve checked your local public library for e-books you can download for free? Up here in B.C. it’s called ‘library-to-go’.
I also enjoy checking in with The Scarlett Letter every few years. Never could quite figure out why Hester let him get away with it…now I understand that too. An incredible tale.
Now that you mention it, I think I often re-read favorite books in summer. I think of them as The Sure Thing (I know I’m gonna like it) – though your experience with Bovary suggests that’s not always the case.
I’ve been re-reading Simenon’s Maigret series and Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey novels.
I reread The Scarlet Letter a couple years ago and thought it was much better than reading it as a teenager, although I still didn’t love it.
If you’re branching out a bit in your reading, may I recommend “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms” by N K Jemison? It utterly blew me away and I’ve been giving it to all my family members as their birthdays roll around.
I’ve been reading Charles Dickens’ ‘A Child’s History of England.’ And, oddly enough, some Zane Grey.
Oh, here are some good ones I’ve enjoyed this summer: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. Right now, I’m listening to, and greatly enjoying The Kitchen House by Katherine Grissom. I always love hearing about good books to put on my list to read.
I’ve been rereading favorite mysteries and YA books this summer. Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey series and some Madeleine L’Engle (which holds up rather well).
Cari, I had so much more time to read when I was nursing for half of my waking hours! That’s a strong argument for breastfeeding all on its own. Sniff sniff, no more nurslings at my house…
I didn’t read Mme Bovary until I was an adult (how can this be recommended high school reading?) and read it in French. I feel like I gave it the best possible chance, and still I wanted to pinch off her head. I’ll give the Scarlet letter another read, I think.
I loved The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, but I’ve been in love with Aimee Bender since The Girl in the Flammable Skirt. Now I’m reading Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart. So far it’s god. I like the speculative fiction angle. After that I think I’ll give The Scarlet Letter another try. I’m always looking for good, free books for my new Kindle.