What I'm Reading

I'm doing pretty well on my goal to read 50 books this year. I'm up to 15 books and have a ton on my to-read list.

Here are a few recent books I've finished.

1. The Year of Living Biblically- A.J. Jacobs



When I first found this book, I thought it would be a light-hearted funny read. Although it was in some respects, it also made me think a lot about the Bible and God in general. The author (who is Jewish, although non-practicing) spends a year living by the rules in the Bible as closely as possible. He stones adulterers (with pebbles) grows out a beard, blows a horn on the first of the month and follows other lesser known rules. He also researches a few other religions and aspects of the Bible. It ended up being quite eye-opening. I went to church growing up and there were things he mentioned in the Bible that I didn't even know about. I've even read the Bible in it's entirety and didn't catch some of the things mentioned in the book.

2. The Overnight Socialite- Birdie Clark



If you want a fun and easy read, then this book fits that to a T. If you've ever seen the movie My Fair Lady or read Pygmalion, then you already know the premis of this book. Less than stellar girl meets "professor" of exceptional breeding and class, he makes a wager he can transform her into a darling of society and they fall in love along the way. It's a modern re-make and predictable, but still a fun read.

3. A Reliable Wife- Robert Goolrick



I'm pretty sure I heard of this book first over at DAR's blog. Like her, I wasn't impressed with the story. I felt like there was too much explanation and backstory in parts of the book and not enough about the present. The story is about a wealthy widower who puts an ad in a newspaper for a reliable wife. There is a twist to the story, which I didn't catch until it was spelled out for me. A decent book, but I don't think it deserves it's bestseller status.

4. Japanland: A Year in Search of Wa- Karin Muller



This is another recommendation from a blogger. The Japanese Life of a Military Wife first posted about it on her blog and I knew I had to read it. I haven't been disappointed! I don't know that much about Japan and the culture of the country, but after reading this book I feel like I have more knowledge than before. The author travels around Japan trying to make a documentary out of different experiences and traditions she encounters, all while trying to understand Japan and find wa(harmony). If you don't know much about Japan, or even if you do, I think you'll like this book.

What are you reading? Any good recommendations?