Going Postal

Favorite Books of October

I’ve been a member of Goodreads for the past two and a half years. Last year, I set the goal of reading 50 books, but missed that mark by nine books. For this year, I set the same goal and right on track with only seven more books.

During October, I managed to read seven books. Out of those, I gave three of them a five-star rating. For me, the five-star rating means I couldn’t put the book down and probably stayed up very late to read as much as possible, I felt as if I was in the world of the book, I felt like I learned some new things, and that I would definitely read them (over and over) again. Those are the ones I feel are worthy of an actual review, and not just a star rating.

The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri
Published September 1, 2004 by Mariner Books

The Namesake
Heart-wrenching story that could easily be a true , and probably is based on a people the author knew when she was growing up (but, that’s just my assumption). Leaving your home country for a new one can be difficult and lonely, just as much as growing up first generation can be. With the former, how you grew up still influences your everyday life. However, growing up between two (or more) cultures can be confusing, and make you feel as if you have to sacrifice one for the other. What I loved the most was the exploration of fitting into each culture, and the path Gogol Ganguli took to follow his heart to home.

The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
Published February 25, 2003 by Penguin Books

eyreaffair
Jasper Fforde is now one of my favorite authors. Since reading this book, I have started two other novels of his (not in the same series as they aren’t available through the library yet) and I will probably read all of them.
The first book of the Thursday Next series (there are seven!). It involves some time travel, a bit of cloning, and other “absurdities,” but the main point is that there is a police force dedicated to crimes against literature. Yes, a series of books about books, and how important they are to society. I’m pretty much in Heaven. As you might guess from the title, this book is all about Jane Eyre, and the stealing of characters from books. But, that’s all I will say, you’ll have to go read it yourself (and you should).

Going Postal, Terry Pratchett
published September 28, 2004 by Harper

Going Postal
In one sentence, I would describe this book as a wonderful creation myth for the post office. A convicted swindler, Moist von Lipwig, is offered a second chance at life as the Postmaster of Ankh-Morpork, and we follow him on his journey from continuously trying to figure out a means of escape to figuring out ways to reestablish to the post office to its former glory. The enemy is the Grand Truck clacks communication (a form of text messaging) service. As a person who loves to write letters and creating mail art, I loved this story. At times, I really felt myself wishing that I could step into this world.

Both The Namesake and Going Postal have been made into movies. I have not seen either, yet. But, most likely will when I feel up to it. I tend to be wary of books made into movies (well, the ones I know about), because the movies rarely match up with my imagination.

What are some of your favorite books that you’ve read recently?

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8 thoughts on “Favorite Books of October

  1. Found you through the NaBloPoMo tag. I love Going Postal! I love pretty much all of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, for so many reasons. If you haven’t read any others by him yet, you should – start with Making Money, since that’s the next Moist von Lipwig book. 🙂

    1. Ruth, thank you for stopping by. Going Postal is indeed my first Terry Pratchett novel, but it certainly won’t be the last. Thanks for the tip on where I should start. 🙂

  2. The best book I’ve read recently is one that I’ve reread for about the tenth time, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It has a bit of everything, history, mystery, adventure, suspense and a dash of romance.

  3. I love mysteries and recently read “The Scarlet Macaw” by S. P. Hozy. It’s not a mystery with lots of killing or action but a literary mystery (by which I mean written beautifully, not that it’s about literature.) I really liked it! While driving 13 hours each way recently, I listened to “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” which, for some unknown reason, I’d never read. Excellent, heart-breaking book about the treatment of the Indians at the end of the 1800’s.

    Just FYI…found you through NaBloPoMo. 🙂

    janet

    1. Janet, I’m so glad you did!
      I haven’t read either of those books, but I have read Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog, her autobiography, which references Wounded Knee and tells of the continued mistreatment of the First Nation Tribes by our government and society throughout the ’80s.

      Over the summer, I listened to 1984 on “tape.” That was the first time I listened to a book, at least that I remember.

      1. I never used to listen to books or much else while driving, but I started with a couple of travel-type books (“Under the Tuscan Sun”, which I’d read numerous times already) and then moved on. When driving 6-13 miles, it’s quite nice. 🙂

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