2009 Reading in Review

I met and then amazingly, surpassed my 52 books in 52 weeks goal - 64 was my grand total. I think I really nurtured this hobby more than any this year, I tell myself that I am good role model for my kids, reading and reading. And then I learn from my fourth grader's teacher that my daughter has to be told to "put her book away" throughout the day as it is distracting her from other things...well, I meant well. Okay, if this is the worst thing...*sigh*



Far and away, my favorite guilty pleasure read of '09 was The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center. A friend picked it up on a fluke and I loved it. So much I bought a new copy for an Christmas gift and shared two other used copies (paperbackswap.com is a great place to get duplicates for little bling). The book is downright funny - authentic and charming. The main character is Jenny, a naive and very pregnant mom, with a pretty absent boyfriend. Sooner than later VERY absent boyfriend, who is a schmuck. The antics are funny, her desperation is so genuine - you are rooting for her and feeling kind of sad for her all at once. It is kind of short and a superfast read - which I always find to be a mixed blessing. I find myself wanting more - and imagining what Jenny might do next.



Another favorite - that was longer and a little deeper, was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. This book touched me - maybe because one of the speaking parts was told from the perspective of Almondine, Edgar's faithful dog. But Edgar was also a sweet boy who really got a crappy hand dealt to him. This was another book I truly enjoyed sharing and purchasing again to share - with some mixed reviews but mostly good. Good news I recently heard from Mr. Wroblewski - via Oprah - is that this book is planned to be one of a threesome - not a trilogy per se, but more backstory from different generations told in three books. I hope Mr. Wroblewski hurries up with this. You know, for me. And he needs to come back to Oconomowoc for a book signing since I missed him TWICE! doh!

And because, this is mostly a knitting blog - I am trying a sweater. Scares the bejesus out of me to start a sweater with my most coveted Plucky Knitter MCN Early Light - but nearly a year of "thinking on it"...it's time. I am knitting the Ingenue by Wendy Bernard (of knit and tonic) from her Custom Knits book. I might even try to knit some short rows - because I wasn't scared enough.



I am almost to the part where the raglan is divided for the arms, and I am thinking I need to make the effort to put it on longer needles so I can try it on before committing to anything. Any advice for me?