New Books!

I haven’t been writing much this week (No NaNoWriMo for me after all, although I’d love to do it), but I have been reading as I put my baby to sleep each night.

I’ve enjoyed reading novels again.  What with all the illness and babies and such around here, it’s been awhile since I’ve really gotten in some good reads.  But this has been nice.  MotherTalk and The Parent Bloggers Network have sponsored some great books in the last few weeks, and I’ve posted my reactions to them over on Review Planet, my sister site:

• The Daring Book for Girls, by Andi Buchannan and Miriam Peskowitz;
• Dangerous Admissions, by Jane O’Conner;
• The Right Words at the Right Time, volume 2, by Marlo Thomas;
• Matrimony, by Joshua Henkin;
• You Look Nice Today: A Novel, by Stanley Bing; and 
• The Other Mother, by Gwendolen Gross (coming soon)

In fact, I’m giving some of them away — if you’re local and you’d like to borrow or keep The Right Words at the Right Time, Matrimony, or The Other Mother, just leave a comment on those posts and I’ll drop ’em off at your house or bring them to a DC Metro Moms Blog playdate soon.  They’re all brand new for 2007 and only read once!

P.S. There’s also a post about Edible Arrangements, my new favorite alternative to sending flowers.  They have some beautiful Thanksgiving arrangements that will make your mouth water….

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Matrimony: Book Review

A novel.  What a lovely respite from our busy days. 

Matrimony, by Joshua Henkin, is what we used to call “a good read.”  It begins with four likable (although not particularly industrious) characters in a small Northeastern college.  Their experiences are interesting and yet somewhat universal; my mind kept flitting back to my own college days as I read the first part of the book.  Henkin’s use of imagery is vivid, and his words, oh his words, go down smoothly as a strawberry milkshake and leave no regrets behind.

I really like this book.

The book progresses with the characters, following the main character, Joshua Wainwright through the years that inevitably follow college, and reintroducing us to his close college friend much later in life.  I won’t give away any more of the plot, but I just want to say that it has been a wonderfully enjoyable read and a nice escape from my everyday work and worries.

I would recommend this book to book clubs, mom groups, and anyone looking for an absorbing read about some interesting, but not stressed-out, characters.  The story sneaks up on you while you’re reading Henkin’ s beautiful words, and

As the author himself says, “Life is what happens when you’re not paying attention.”

This review was done as part of a Mother Talk blogtour and is also posted at Review Planet.