A Weekend of Reading

I have a little time this afternoon before I have to prepare for our event this evening with Ms. Sara Houghteling, debut author of Pictures at an Exhibition
(which wins the 2009 award for the year's most beautiful cover), so I thought I would sit down and catch up on my blogging.

My husband and I, for the past three weekends, have been traveling to visit friends in New York, going to baby showers, and seeing our respective families. In short, we're a bit worn out.

So, this weekend, I have promised myself that beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning (Saturday) until Sunday at 11 p.m., I will do nothing but read. This is not a punishment I've inflicted upon myself, it is like spending an afternoon at a spa.

Here is what I'm looking forward to reading:

1) I still haven't finished The Girl Who Played With Fire. It's shameful, really. I've been looking forward to this book for months and I can't stay awake long enough to read more than 20 pages. It has nothing to do with the quality of the book. I'm just extraordinarily tired.

2) The Blue Notebook by James Levine. Our Random House rep, Ann Kingman, says this is absolutely amazing and I'm excited to read it.

3) A Jury of Her Peers by Elaine Showalter. A book about books and women writers. Need not say anything further. I was sold at the word "book."

4) Tinkers by Paul Harding. Admittedly, I don't know much about this one, but the great Michelle Filgate at River Run in Portsmouth, NH, recommended it to me, so I'm anxious to pick it up.

5) Little Bee by Chris Cleeve. I seemed to have missed the boat on this one, but it's getting rave reviews from tons of independent booksellers, so naturally, I'm curious to see what the fuss it all about.

There is little to no chance that I will finish all of these books in one weekend, but I hope to at least delve into each one. Wish me luck!

Emily Russo Murtagh