Books I read in August: 2010

I read some great books in August. I tweeted compliments to my favorite authors and none of them tweeted me back or followed me. And yet, someone called Nice Try, Stalker is following me. Why does the world work like this?

The first book I read this month was Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. 


This is now one of my favorite books. Abraham Verghese is a doctor and the medical commentary in this book is fascinating. He talks about how certain diseases have smells--which is sick. But I have always wondered if doctors diagnosed by smell because I can always tell when my kids are sick by how they smell. The book is about doctors and a set of twins in Ethiopia. The twin boys always sleep with their heads together. That reminds me of how Mary Kate And Ashley Olsen are always leaning on each other, which I think is adorable. (Maybe they are just weak.) You might read this book and be surprised that I would recommend it when I was so traumatized by The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo--it has a lot of gynecology in it. But it's clinical instead of sadistic. I guess that's the difference. It reminds me of John Irving. There were quirky details and the story was moving and meaningful to me because the characters reconcile their unusual family life and make peace with their absent father. I don't really know why I found it meaningful though because I have no plans to make peace with my absent father. Kidding!

Then I read two books by Rob Sheffield. I love Rob Sheffield now and wish we were friends. But I know we won't ever be friends and that makes me sad. Nice try, Stalker. Truly. Talking to Girls about Duran Duran is really fun and good. I don't know if you will like it though--it's sort of just a list of songs and stuff about videos and the 80s and how Rob Sheffield didn't date much. Poor Rob.

 Love is a Mix Tape is even better. Rob's wife died suddenly after they were married for 5 years. They were married around the same time Christian and I got married. They were poor students with no kids, just like were were for the first 4 years of our marriage in the 90s. This book resonated with me. It's all about playlists. I don't know if you know this about me but I love to make playlists or "mix tapes." I don't really like doing anything else as much as I like making playlists. Sometimes when I talk to my mom or a friend I think, "Oh, I had something really exciting to tell you!" And when I remember what it is it's just my playlist that I'm working on--it seems like an exciting activity that people would want to hear about. But they don't. And they shouldn't. It's OK. Some people are into music and some people aren't. I'm into it. It effects me pretty seriously. I don't claim to be into cool music. But the music I like does make me happy, and sometimes sad. I wish I were a rock star. Rock stars are cool.


Only one thing is cooler--Superheroes! Especially the reluctant, noble, spidery type.

I wish I were a super hero, but mostly I want to be a super hero's girlfriend. Although it would be hard sometimes because villains would use me as bait. Spider-Man Blue is Peter Parker's valentine to Gwen Stacy, the woman he loved first and best. Gwen died, just like Rob Sheffield's wife. Rob Sheffield is remarried now and of course Peter Parker went on to find love with Mary Jane. Life goes on.

I am planning to read more books in September.