Spring Reading Thing

Welcome spring!

Another sign of spring is Callapidder Day's Spring Reading Thing.

Every time a reading challenge rolls around I'm very excited, and then I'm asking myself "why am I excited:"

1. I read all the time, but the challenge makes me read a little more.
2. I'm slightly competitive, but don't sweat it when I don't complete the list.
3. I enjoy making lists, it's a Type A thing, I should seek counseling.
4. If you enjoy reading, you enjoy sharing your books with friends, and blog friends.
5. If you enjoy reading, you are always looking for suggestions.

For whatever reason I'm excited that this year's Spring Reading Thing has rolled around, I'm here, and glad you are as well.

So, now for this season's list. I'm into biographies/memoirs this spring. I'm not exactly going on a biography kick, like my Jane Austen phase, instead there is a stack of nonfiction books that need read, I'm tired of dusting them.

What is it about nonfiction books? This comment has been echoed by many others.

Presently I'm reading ...

Play by Play: Baseball, Radio and Life in the Last Chance League by Neal Conan
Neal Conan is the host of NPR's Talk of the Nation. I enjoy his interview style and thought I would probably enjoy his book, even though I am not a baseball fan. I do not understand baseball, and would rather watch the grass on the ball field grow before watching a game. Though baseball terminology and game statistics are used in the book I tend to gloss over those parts ... well actually my eyes glaze over so I can't even see what I'm reading. However, the book isn't about the game or the statistics, it is about people, there life stories and how they ended up in this league known as the Last Chance League.

My Life as a Furry Red Monster by Kevin Clash, with Garry Brozek
Kevin is the person behind (or is it underneath) Elmo. Have you ever heard him talk? He has a deep voice, not at all Elmo sounding. I'm looking forward to this one, an interesting read ... and it is short. (Sorry, just being honest.)

Fair Game: How a Top CIA Agent Was Betrayed by Her Own Government
You probably remember the news stories, how a CIA agent's cover was blown and the White House accused as the culprit. Hubby is presently reading it and it becomes a little confusing at times. Though she is no longer with the CIA the agency had to review the manuscript before it was published. The Manuscript was published as was, with all the areas the CIA blacked out due to secrecy. The publisher hired a journalist to fill in all the blacked out data, which is read in the Afterward.

***Just as I typed this Hubby came out and started talking about the book. He commented that one of the things you need to remember while reading it is that she is writing from her point of view, and though it is easy to agree with what she is saying we need to remember that there is another side to the story.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
This was on my list in the fall. It isn't a biography, nor memoir, in fact it is cataloged under Reference/Humor ... reference ... nonfiction ... it fits. It is also about punctuation, grammar and punctuation, two of my three writing weak points, the third is spelling.

Living to Tell the Tale by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I place this on my list with trepidation. I'm not sure I will start it, and if I do even more unsure if I will finish it. The last Marquez book I started to read, The General in His Labyrinth, was never finished. However, I think that was more to the fact that I had two young children, one an infant, and no time to read. His books require significant sit down time, we shall see.
*Please excuse my misspelling his name, I can't figure out how to find the characters with all the swishes and sashes.

And ... well there are a few other books I pulled out and thought of putting on the list, but think I will end it here. If I get around to the others, three being the ever present books about children with ADHD ... one of these days ... I'll let you know, until then I'm sticking to the 5 (well 4 since I'm unsure about the last one) above.

Happy reading this spring, I can't wait to read what everyone has picked.