Summer Reading List

I was always the kid who loved school and loved reading.  To be honest, I still am.  Even when I was in high school and everyone dreads school, I still looked forward to it.  Well okay, maybe not every day, but I was always excited for the first day of school every year after a long summer.  I know, I know, I'm weird.  Whatever.  I loved college, and I loved grad school.  Of course, I couldn't wait to be done...but still.  I never hated going to school.  

I taught myself how to read at age four and have basically been buried in a book ever since.  Remember summer reading lists?  I LOVED them.  I would read all the books and always looked forward to the next book.  

In college and grad school, I had to read so much for school that reading for pleasure took a back seat.  I majored in English lit in undergrad and read an absolute ton...but those books weren't always my first choice.  Call me crazy, but I never felt pumped to pick up Sir Gawain and the Green Night.  Whatever.

Then...I went on to get my masters in social work.  Ridiculous amounts of reading ensued...so much so that even I, a super duper speedreader, couldn't get through all of it all the time.  Whew.  

And then, something amazing happened...I graduated from grad school and - gasp - had time again.  You know, for reading.  Fun stuff, not school stuff.  And I've been reading ever since.

So, there's your long, drawn-out intro.  I wanted to share with you my 2009 Summer Reading List:

The Mother Tongue, by Bill Bryson (have any of you read any Bryson before?  If not...seriously, run to your nearest Borders/library/whathaveyou and grab one of his books.  I have read the one where he takes a roadtrip around America - amazing - the one where he takes a trip around Europe - amazing - and the one where he hikes the Appalachian Trail - amazing.  He is so freaking funny that you will laugh out loud while reading.  Seriously.  I promise.  This book is about the English language...and I CAN'T not read something so fantabulous.)

A Million Little Pieces, by James Frey (I am probably the only person who hasn't read this book, after all the Oprah scandal.)

The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards 

The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink (I'm still dying to see the movie)

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Merle's Door, by Ted Kerasote (it's about a dog...naturally I have to read this one)

In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

City of Thieves, by David Benioff

The Almost Moon, by Alice Sebold (Anyone else besides me super excited that they are making The Lovely Bones into a movie??!!  I think I read that book in one day.  It was amazing.)

The Middle Place, by Kelly Corrigan (recommended by one of you lovely bloggers...I can't remember who...)

The City of Falling Angels, by John Berendt (the same guy who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - this one takes place in Venice)

Have you read any of these books?  If so, let me know what you think.  Just don't give anything away.  :)  Also, if you have any further suggestions, comment and let me know what books I absolutely need to read this summer!

And...it goes without saying that the last two Twilight books, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, are on the list.  I have been on the library waitlist for Eclipse for over a month.  Seriously.