Summer Reading List 2017

May has officially arrived, and I may be both excited and sad. I love the end of the semester, but it is hard to know I have three months ahead with no paycheck. That is the way of adjunct faculty members.

Over the summer I get to spend a lot more time writing and reading. I have started compiling my summer reading list (I always buy Amazon gift cards during the spring semester to have on hand to afford my reading habit) and am beginning to look forward to the page-turners I have ahead of me.

The Handmaid's Tale - by: Margaret Atwood

I'm reading this one for fun - plus it is coming out as a Hulu movie, so I want to read it before watching.

Promo Blurb: Set in the near future, it describes life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to, and going beyond, the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population. The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment's calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusions. The Handmaid's Tale is funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing. It is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and a tour de force.

 

J. Golden Kimball - by: Kathryn Jenkins Gordon
 

 I love Kathy Gordon's ability to tell a story, so this one should be great. I may also have to pick up a copy for my dad for Father's Day.  

Promo Blurb: LDS Church history is comprised of the accounts of multitudes of men and women who set the groundwork for the Church. And while there are plenty of ordinary individuals woven into that patchwork of history, there are also a handful of unique individuals who enliven the past and provide inspiration for the future. Known as the “swearing Apostle,” J. Golden Kimball is just such a character, one whose legacy of colorful language is surpassed only by his fierce loyalty to the gospel.

In J. Golden Kimball: The Remarkable Man Behind the Colorful Stories, readers are invited to come to better know this legendary man made famous by his unique humor and powerful testimony. From a chronicle of Kimball’s youthful adventures to the legacy he forged in his more than forty years as a General Authority, gear up for a rollicking ride through the life of one of the liveliest servants of the Lord.

 

Writing the Memoir - by: Judith Barrington

I want to learn to write memoir so I can write some family history things. This book will be a little self-education before attending a class or two at the ANWA conference in September.

Promo Blurb: Since Writing the Memoir came out in early 1997 it has sold roughly 80,000 copies and is consistently praised as "the best book on memoir out there." It is thought-provoking, explanatory, and practical: each chapter ends with writing exercises. It covers everything from questions of truth and ethics to questions of craft and the crucial retrospective voice. An appendix provides information on legal issues.

Judith Barrington, an award-winning memoir writer and acclaimed writing teacher, is attuned to the forces, both external and internal, that work to stop a writer; her tone is respectful of the difficulties and encouraging of taking risks. Her nimble prose, her deep belief in the importance of this genre, and her delight in the rich array of memoirists writing today make this book more than the typical "how-to" creative writing book. In this second edition the author has added new material and reflects on issues raised since Writing the Memoir was written, early in the memoir boom.

 

Romancing Daphne - by: Sarah Eden

Sarah Eden is an amazing writer. I read everything she writes, so I am looking forward to the release of this historical romance in June.  

Promo Blurb: As her first London Season looms before her, the thought of the impending social whirl fills Daphne Lancaster’s timid heart with dread. She hasn’t her sisters’ beauty nor their talent for conversing easily. Even her family’s enviable connections may not be enough to prevent disaster. But Daphne’s misery turns to surprised delight when the first event of her Season brings an unexpected visitor to her door—James Tilburn, whose tender kindness stole her heart in her youth. When the handsome young gentleman expresses his desire to court her, Daphne is elated. Their feelings for each other quickly grow, and it appears that, much to Daphne’s disbelief, her happily ever after is within reach.

Yet nothing is as it seems. The couple finds themselves caught in a tangled web of greed and deceit, leaving James and Daphne to determine whether they are willing to risk everything for true love. “Sarah M. Eden has a knack for just the right pacing in her books while endearing the characters to us and showcasing a more universal human dilemma.”

What books will you be reading this summer? Anything you recommend for me?