I never need an actual excuse to pick up a new book, but it does work out nicely when I can tie a book I am eager to read with an event. I was psyched to hear that Jennifer Egan is coming to Omaha for a free lecture at a local gallery. They often offer cultural events for the community and I need to take advantage of them as they are free very often. The author will be here July 18 and I have already registered for the even. And, as you see, pulled my copy of Manhattan Beach out (it had already been sitting quite near the top of my bedside table anyway). It has now become my 'next book' since I am just pages away from finishing Anthony Quinn's Freya (definitely going to be one of my top ten of the year, by the way).
I read a number of Toni Morrison's novels a very long time ago (when I was in college) and I think it is time to revisit her work in anticipation of seeing the forthcoming documentary about her. You can see the trailer for the movie here. Which book to read, however. I could only get my hands on a few of the books on my shelves--things have been shifted so much in my book room that I am not quite sure where the others are, but it has been so long since I read them, anything I choose will be like reading for the first time in any case. I'm into the theme of female friendships lately, so Sula seems a good choice. I really need to reread Beloved, too. And then there are all the other books that she has written that I never got around to picking up or adding to my book collection. It's exciting that she is the subject of a documentary coming to the big screen!
And, yay, book mail. This showed up in my mailbox last week. The folks at Titan Books kindly sent me a review copy of Rebecca Alexander's newest mystery which is coming out next month. I really enjoyed her first book, A Baby's Bones, so have been eagerly awaiting her follow up novel. A Shroud of Leaves features archaeologist Sage Westfield. The first book was set on the Isle of Wight, and perhaps this one is, too. I shall be picking up the book soon so will find out shortly. It seems a perfect follow up to the Ruth Galloway mystery I just read.
And then--the bookish flavor of the day? I have this curious desire to pick up one of the William Trevor books I bought a few years back. Sometimes some book or author will just pop in my head (or I will read something and it will inspire me to think about a book or author) and there is nothing for it, but to pull a book off my own shelves.
You know how it goes--thinking about books (new books I want to read soon) is almost as good as spending a whole afternoon reading books (at least it is when you are stuck working rather than sitting and reading). Is it too soon to be thinking about the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend?