Megan's Book Club

Nope, no baby yet. Three more days. To pass the time today I decided I would post on the many great books I've read (also to pass the time, mostly late at night when sleep wouldn't come) in the past couple of months. The list is pretty random, but I have some great recommendations if you're interested (in no particular order).

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

This is probably my favorite of the whole bunch. I just finished reading this for book club and I LOVED IT! It's written completely as a collection of letters and is about an author who corresponds with a man who lives on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. He tells her about this society that was formed during the time of the German occupation of the island and she becomes interested in writing and publishing something about them. In the process she becomes friends with all of these people and becomes really involved in their lives.

It's interesting, funny, happy and sad all at the same time. I loved that there was nothing trashy in it. It's definitely one I'll be buying for my own collection.


What's So Great About America?
This book was written by an immigrant from India who has lived here for 20 years and is now a citizen. It was written after September 11, and he talks about the reasons why the terrorists did what they did. He presents their point of view, and those of others outside as well as inside of the United States who claim that this country is evil. He talks about his own opinions of the U.S. as well, and certain things he dislikes, but then goes on to affirm the reasons why America IS in fact great and why all of the arguments that the U.S. is evil and what those arguments are based on are absolutely and utterly incorrect. It not only gives a great lesson in the history of our country and those of several others (where relevant), but also reminds us that we are truly blessed to be citizens of this country. I think everyone should read this, and I would especially like to send a copy to Michelle Obama who, during the election stated that for the first time in her adult life she's proud of her country. Yep, that's our First Lady. I won't continue with how I feel about that.


Wake Up to a Happier Life
This is Amanda Dickson's book and it's just another that I simply loved. Simple ways to CHOOSE to be happier no matter what is going on in life. The next book kind of goes along the same lines:


Toss the Guilt and Catch the Joy
Same kind of thing, but she focuses on not worrying so much about things that really don't matter. Great book!


Princess Academy

Everyone has probably heard of this one. I had too, but hadn't read it until last week. It was so cute! Simple and a really quick read, but it had some great themes and a great ending! Well, I thought so anyway. I hear there's a sequel. Does anyone know if that's true?


Recovering Charles
I got this one free with a purchase at Deseret Book. It's by the author of The Wednesday Letters which is also a really great book. This one is about a man who goes to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to try to find his missing father. It's all about forgiveness and understanding, but it also made me want to go back and reread the news stories and see the pictures of what New Orleans was like after the hurricane. Although it's a fictional story, it was really interesting to read about what life might have been like during and after Katrina.


Freakonomics

Another book club read. A lesson on cause and effect in this country and why it may not be what it seems to be. I thought it might be kind of boring, but it wasn't. It really kept my interest and made me look at certain things in a different way.


The Great and Terrible series
This series has six volumes. After I picked up the first last month, I could not put them down. The first book is set in the pre-existence and introduces the characters as brothers and sisters. It's so interesting because of how life there is described. They live in a beautiful city, ruled by God and they now have a choice to make because two plans have been presented. Many choose to follow Lucifer, and it tells about the war in heaven and how Lucifer and his spirits are cast out. The following books follow the characters from the first book during parts of their earth lives and the setting is the last days. The main conflict being war in the Middle East and corruption in the governments there and in the United States that causes disaster here.

These books are fiction, but what happens in them is so possible, and maybe even probable, that it made me start checking off a list in my head of things we still need to be prepared for this kind of a disaster. It was scary to think about things like this actually happening, but inspiring to see how the characters in the book got through it and continued stronger than before. I felt like the prevailing theme was that since the beginning we have had the strength to overcome Evil, and we always will, no matter what happens in the world.

Names of all the books: The Brothers, Where Angles Fall, The Second Sun, Fury and Light, From the End of Heaven, and Clear as the Moon.


The Chosen One
Carol Lynch Williams was one of the organizers of the writing conference I went to this summer. I hadn't heard of this book until I went to the conference and picked it up there. It's about a girl living in a polygamist colony. Interesting to read about how a community like that works, but I guess the most prevalent emotion for me while reading this book was anger because of the way they treated anyone who would not conform. And I felt sad to think that there are children having to accept this. But it was also interesting to get an idea of how the wives felt about each other and their situation, and what the husbands' feelings were towards their wives and also the leadership of their community.


So, aside from three David Baldacci books that I permitted myself to indulge in, I think that's about it. But let me show you what I'm reading now, at the risk of being laughed at:

I know. Totally random. But I'll let you all know what I think about it when I'm done!