The Secret Handshake.

I recently had one of those great reading moments where the universe seems to align perfectly for the sole purpose of enhancing your engagement with a piece of writing.

Last night, I was reading Every Day Is for the Thief by Teju Cole (the revised version recently reissued by Random House.) It dovetails quite nicely with the novel I finished last week, Americanah by Chimanda Ngozie Adiche. All references of a Nigerian expat returning to Lagos were fresh in my brain. I can see the walls of the compounds, the shady police officers, and the internet cafes, all thanks to Cole and Adiche unknowingly working in tandem. I had a feeling of contentment for having chosen to read the right book at the right time. (It's the little things that make a bibliophile's heart swell.)

Then, I get to a point in the book where the narrator starts analyzing John Updike, the subject of the biography I am currently reading by Adam Begley. So, despite having only read one Updike novel and only being halfway through Begley's book (which is very well done, by the way), I completely understood the references to Updike's style and hometown of Shillington, PA. At this point, I have hit that level of happy where I just have to keep reading because I am having such a great time. I am actually grinning as I turn the pages.

And then the literary powers that be take it to the next level. While I read in the evening, I generally have jazz on in the background. It helps mask the goings on of my neighbors (and prevents me from inadvertently hearing Game of Thrones spoilers) so that I can focus on the task at hand. The narrator in Every Day Is for the Thief is describing how he spends his nights in his bedroom attempting to listen to Giant Steps by John Coltrane over the loud hum of the generators that kick on during the inevitable power outages. And what song should I be listening to at that very moment but Giant Steps by John Coltrane! I kid you, not. My mind was blown. I had to put the novel down and pause to give the moment its due.

This book might have to go on my favorites list for this experience alone. It was like the heavens opened up and the angels sang. It is that moment that every reader dreams of when it seems as if the book were written specifically for you. The author is talking directly to you. You are the target audience. You have gained entrance to the super elite club. You know the secret handshake.

This is why I read.

Thank God for Kid Kits.

I now understand why my parents were so reluctant to allow us to have friends over.

It's exhausting. 

Raina Telgemeier

You have to entertain ("Moooom, they don't want to play with any of my toys anymore. What should we do?!?") You have to play referee. ("He's not sharing!!!"). You are not responsible for just your child anymore. ("Get down from there, please. It's not safe to climb on the balcony.")  You want them to stop eating up all your food. ("Can we have a snack, please?" "Oooo, can I have one, too?!") You just want these kids out of your space as soon as humanly possible. "Okay, kids, it's time for you to go play tag outside. Ready...set...GO!")

Or wait...maybe that's just me. 

The awesomeness of a family friendly apartment complex is the built-in friends. There is always someone for AB to play with. There is  a communal safe space in the courtyard where I can keep an eye (and ear) on her. There are moments where I am filled with joy as I hear their laughter or one of the other kids calling her name as they play hide and seek. Awesome, awesome, awesome. 

But sometimes, outside play just isn't enough. Sometimes, kids want to play with the seemingly new and exotic toys of the other kids. Sometimes, an only child craves the opportunity to play older sibling to other kids. Sometimes, said kid will desire to play hostess only to get quickly overwhelmed to the point where said kid is no longer having fun. 

Very quickly, I had to learn how to navigate this new development in her social life. And I am still struggling with it. The worst thing is that this is what I wanted! This was on my bucket list, to live in a place that is large enough for AB to have her own space and feel comfortable having friends over. Mission accomplished. But be careful what you wish for, right?

I knew that the dozens of Baby Sitter's Club books that I consumed years ago were going to come in handy one day. To ensure my sanity, I had AB and I create our own Kid Kits, one for toys/activites/games and one for snacks. The toys/activities/games are ones that she is not invested in and will not shed tears over if they are broken, used up or lost. The snacks are cheap but healthy and do not leave me feeling that I have to do my grocery shopping for a four children instead of my one kiddo. The kits are refreshed monthly and my stress level and AB's meltdowns have been greatly reduced. 

So, here's to allowing AB to binge read the Geronimo Stilton series (and spinoffs) for who knows what seeds of awesomeness are being planted in her brain that will bear fruit just when she needs them. 

Booklist: Ruby B.!

Last night, while AB & I were chatting, she interrupted herself mid-sentence. Her eyes got as big as saucers as she said very excitedly, "Oh, Mom! I forgot to tell you! At school today we saw that picture! Of that girl! Her name is Ruby! Her last name starts with a B! It's the picture we have!"

I had no idea what picture she was talking about, but for some reason the first word that came out of my mouth was "Bridges?"

"YES! Ruby Bridges!" She jumped up and ran to one of our many bookshelves, searching until she found what she was looking for. She handed me a postcard that has this image on it:

The Problem We All Live With by Norman Rockwell

 

I instantly had a "this is awesome" moment that included the following thoughts:

1. My kid recognized a famous painting. Awesome!
2. My kid's teacher is discussing this famous painting and the story behind it. (Super) awesome!
3. My kid is super psyched about what she learned at school. Awesome!

So, in the spirit of this awesomeness, I decided to make our first booklist of 2013:

  The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles & illustrated by George Ford

 

Norman Rockwell: Storyteller With A Brush by Beverly Gherman

 

Ruby Bridges Goes To School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges

 

Norman Rockwell by Mike Venenzia

Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges

 

Norman Rockwell Coloring Book

Happy Reading!

 

Articles of Interest.

{Image via The Alantic}

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity, and education from around the web:

• 8 Great Picture Book Biographies - Reading Rockets 
• What Grown-Ups Can Learn From Kids Books' - The Atlantic
• Gear for a Stellar First Day of School - Daily Candy
• How to Read a Victorian Novel - Novel Readings
• Back-To-School Blues - My Brown Baby

Happy Reading!

Proud Mama.

The past few weeks have been full of milestones big and small for AB. She successfully completed kindergarten, testing well above grade level. (While I hate the thought of my kindergartener being tested at all, it's a spoonful of sugar that she did well.)

Last week, she completed her Lego Robotics camp, rubbing elbows with 4th and 5th graders and holding her own. She even made a new friend, an 8 year old, whom she would trade books with during free time. (Yay, for bookish nerdy kids!)

In addition, she has completed two summer reading programs, receiving two awesome brand spanking new prize books: Smile by Raina Telgemeier & Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary.  

Proud mama = me.

Therefore, I am ready to let the summer fun of sprinkler dancing, beach excursions, quality time with the grandparents, and book picnics begin.

Book Review: I Had A Favorite Dress

First things first, this book is fabulous for the illustrations alone. (Julia Denos is one of my favorite illustrators. I dare you not to love her work.) When I came across I Had A Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn, I was extremely excited. Way more excited than a grown woman (mother or not) should be about a picture book. A little black girl! Pretty pictures! A crafty mother! Creativity! Happiness! More pretty pictures! I was in love with this book. Thankfully, AB humored me. She agreed that it was a very lovely book and that it might be a good idea to keep it. Her appreciation for the book has increased since she acquired a favorite skirt of her very own that she wears on Saturdays.

I Had A Favorite Dress is about an urban mini-fashionista with a favorite dress that she is,to her dismay, starting to outgrow. Her mother says, "Don't make mountains out of molehills, make molehills out of mountains." The little girl decides to make something out of the dress. So, her mother makes the beloved dress into a shirt. When the little girl tears the sleeve, the mother makes it into a tank top. When school starts, her mother makes it into a skirt. When skirts are deemed "out" and pants 'in", the mother makes it into a scarf. And so on, and so forth, until the little girl is left with nothing but a few scraps of the fabric that used to be her favorite dress. She uses the fabric in a collage of herself wearing her favorite dress, making it possible for her to wear the dress every day of every season.

It's a great story about a little girl being creative and resourceful. It also highlights the seasons (including seasonally appropriate clothing) and days of the week. And, oh yes, it has very pretty pictures. 

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Are Enhanced E-Books Bad For Kids? paidContent
• The End of Brain, Child Magazine - Motherlode
• The World of Beatrix Potter - Steady Mom
• Artists Cover Philadelphia Neighborhood in Color - PSFK
• Lauren Child's New Girl Detective: Ruby Redfort - Telegraph
• The Best Interactive and Pop-Up Books of the Season - New York Times

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Dog Loves Books

Now that AB has discovered the joy of chapter books, she tends not to look at picture books as much. But there was one in particular that caught her eye, Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates. I asked AB why she picked this one up, especially since she hadn't really seemed interested in picture books lately, and she said rather matter-of-factly, "I love dogs and I love books." Fair enough.

Dog Loves Books is a story about a dog who, well, loves books. He loves books so much that he decides to open up a bookstore. He works hard to set up the shop and is really excited for the Grand Opening. Unfortunately, no one comes. He putters around trying to keep busy until he finally gets a potential customer. Yay! But the woman thinks he's operating a tea shop and is not interested in books. After a long wait, another customer arrives. Yay! But the man is only asking for directions. So, to Dog's dismay, his first day is not turning out so great. But then he remembers that the best way to pass the time waiting for customers is to read. So, he gets lost in a few good books. Before he knows it, another customer arrives who is actually looking for a book. And since Dog is such a booklover, he know exactly which on to recommend.

The message of this book is that reading is not just a solitary activity. Sure, we read the books by ourselves, but then, we share it. If we loved a book, we tell everyone we can about it. We cannot shut up about it. We find threads of the books theme throughout our relationships and everyday existence. We benefit from other people being the same way. We love recommendations: blurbs on a book we picked up by chance, a booklist  the school librarian, the book review section of the newspaper, online literary magazines, or you-should-reads from friends/family/acquaintances/strangers. The sharing of a great book is part of the fun.

So, here's a challenge: share a book that you have enjoyed (or that your kiddo has enjoyed) with one other person. Spread the book love.

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• How A Books Is Born - GalleyCat
• Let's Go Reading in the Car - The New York Times
• The Top 10 Education Reforms Mom Congress Wants to See - Parenting
• New Research: Twenty-Something Moms are More Likely to be Single - ModernMom
• 50+ Ways to Explore the Great Artists With Your Kids - Creative With Kids
• Fisticuffs Over the Care and Keeping of Books - Book Riot

Happy Reading!

Articles of Interest.

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Motherhood: Ecstatic, Frenzied and Exhausted - Huffington Post

• 10 Best Books for Thinking Parents - Parenting

• Developing Outdoor Creativity with Your Kids - Patch

• "Why Don't We Have Any Black Kids?": An Education System Divided - New York Times

• The Best Places for Mom Entrepreneurs to Work It - The Mogul Mom

• Dickens, Browning and Lear: What's in a Reputation?- Guardian Books

Happy Reading!

Articles of Interest

A round-up of interesting articles about books, parenting, creativity and education from around the web:

• Are Moms Taking Over the Blogosphere? PSFK

• Writing in the Dark: Confessions of a Literary Night Owl - New York

• Are You Mom Enough? Why Attachment Parenting Drives Some Mothers To Extremes - TIME

• Mothers and More: Books About Families - Reading Rockets

• 11 Secrets of a Creative Mama (a.k.a How to Get Stuff Done w/ a Kid) - Goddess Leonie

• The Kid Lit World Remembers Maurice Sendak - School Library Journal

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Mrs. Noodlekugel

Daniel Pinkwater's Mrs. Noodlekugel lives in a "cute little house" with a "cute little backyard". This is not so much out of the ordinary. However, all this domestic cuteness is surrounded by high rise apartment buildings. Nick and Maxine live with their parents in one of the numerous apartments in one of those tall buildings. Maxine notices the house and backyard from her window. As most city kids presented with green open space would, they decide to figure out a way to get down there. They ask the janitor who explains that the house and yard belong to Mrs. Noodlekugel and you get there by going through the boiler room. But he emphasizes that they should not tell their parents. Later that day, their parents insist that they are not to bother the nice old lady who lives in the house in the back. They are not to go into her yard, and especially not onto her porch. So, of course, Maxine and Nick defy their parents. They must go and see the house, yard, and old lady, for themselves.

They are met by the delightfully kooky Mrs. Noodlekugel , her talking cat Mr. Fuzzface, and four nearly-blind mice. After the kids willingly fess up to their parents about their visit to Mrs. Noodlekugel, they learn that she is their new babysitter. Their parents have used the oldie-but-goodie trick of reverse psychology. The kids go back the next day to bake cookies with Mrs. Noodlekugel. But baking cookies with Mrs. Noodlekugle turns out to be anything but ordinary. 

Mrs. Noodlekugel is a silly and simple story that was easy for AB to follow. It is a great book for kids who are transitioning from easy readers into chapter books. Adam Stower's illustrations were enjoyable, especially his depiction of Mrs. Noodlekugel as a plump grandmotherly type with a polka dot apron, striped socks and red sneakers. What kid wouldn't want to hang out with someone like that all day?

Mrs. Noodlekugel is a lovely new character with a fantastic name (AB gets the giggles each time she says it). We look forward to her next adventures.

Book Review: Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Mrs. Bunny

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Mrs. Bunny translated from the Rabbit by Polly Horvath is a great book. It is a funny book. It is a quirky book. It is an imaginative book. It is a book written by a bunny. (That fact alone should pique your interest.) AB and I spent many nights laughing over the silliness of this story.

Madeline is the responsible daughter of hippy, laid back to the extreme, irresponsible parents. One night while she is at work, her parents are kidnapped by foxes who are trying to ascertain the location of Madeline's uncle, a famous code breaker. After her uncle falls into a coma (and can therefore be of no help), Madeline hires Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, empty nesters who also happen to be detectives, to help her find her parents. Hilarity ensues. The story includes the following: purple platform disco shoes, Prince Charles, a Bunny Council, used dental floss, a Smart car, a hat club, a rubber factory, marmots, an Italian restaurant, gigantic bottoms (AB giggled non-stop over that one), and bunnies dressed like hound dogs.

This book is like old school children's literature. Stories written in an adult way yet including enough creativity and imagination that it was still perfectly suited for children. At times, Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! had a lovely Alice in Wonderland quality to it. I had great fun reading this to AB. The exchanges between the characters were hilarious. I often found myself cracking up as I read. Thankfully, AB didn't mind. In fact, I think it made her enjoy it even more.

My favorite line is some wisdom that Prince Charles shares with Madeline, "The richness of our lives depends on what we are willing to notice and what we are willing to believe."

Indeed.

AB Pic of the Week.

When I was pregnant, this is the image that I often dreamed of:

My little one, lost in a good book. 

"Hey, AB, it's time to go."

"Just one more page, Mom." 

It turns out that dreams do come true.

Book Review - Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life

Confession: I have yet to read a Dickens book in its entirety. (Though I am determined for Bleak House to be my first.)

I love Charles Dickens. I love his style. I love his back story. I love that his pen name was Boz. I love that he is a Victorian author. I love the word "Dickensian". Therefore, I have been in absolute heaven with the festivities going on in honor of he 200th birthday this year. I am fully on board with the Dickens 2012 mania*. When I saw the recent picture book biography, Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, I immediately picked it up. This book was the perfect way for me to share my obsession interest with AB. This book did not disappoint. Mick and Brita are a writing-illustrating duo that also happen to be married with four kids. Their illustrating style is reminiscent of Quentin Blake. (Interesting side note: He included their book, A Ruined House, in a list of his 50 all-time favorite children's books.)

Over the course of a week, this was our read aloud bedtime book. AB helped out by reading the dialogue. The authors use Dickens' own words to describe events in his life. Then using comic strips, they either describe a bit of Victoria Era history (i.e. what is a debtor's prison?) or tie the life event to one of his novels. They give just enough of the plot to get you interested in the book and then encourage you to find out the ending by reading the book yourself. The end pages provide an attractive map of "Dickens' London" including places that were instrumental in his life and prominent in his writings.

I didn't think it was possible, but this book has made me love Dickens even more than before.

*Check out podcast episodes about Dickens from Stuff You Missed In History Class, The Penguin Podcast, & The Guardian Books Podcast.

Book Review: Penny and Her Song

AB is a singer. She sings when she is playing. She sings when she is taking a bath. She sings when she is walking. She sing when she is brushing her teeth. She sings all the time. When she first started doing this, it was endearing. I thought, "Wow, my kid really loves music." The novelty of it soon wore off though as it began to wear off. So, we both identified with Penny and her parents in Kevin Henkes' new chapter book,  Penny and Her Song. AB is a big fan of Kevin Henkes. Her favorites are Chrysanthemum and Sheila the Brave. (Side note: I highly recommend the Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD with Meryl Streep reading Chrysanthemum. It is fantastic. It will really make you want to brush up on your read aloud skills.) The great thing about Kevin Henkes is that his illustrations are so distinct that AB will pick up his book based on recognition of his style, even if it is a new character to her. This is exactly what happened when she saw this book.

Penny is a young mouseling who comes home from school with a song that she can't wait to sing for her parents. But her parents tell her she cannot sing because she will wake up the babies. So she goes into her room to sing her song by herself, but she realizes that it just isn't as much fun without an audience. So she tries singing to herself in the mirror and to her toys, but that doesn't work either. At dinner, she tries to sing her song for her parents again, but they tell her that it is not the right time. Finally, after dinner, she is able to share her song with her family. Soon, everyone joins in (including the babies) and they give an impromptu performance complete with feather boas.

AB loved that there were lyrics that she could make up her own melody for, and I loved the gentle reminder that we need to make time to give our children our full attention as they share their excitement and interests. Sure, that song or dance or fascinating tidbit about lizards may get old after the 50th time. And it is definitely okay to set boundaries of when such sharing is appropriate. But, we need to make sure that we are putting down the smartphone/closing the laptop/turning off the television/putting down the book and shifting our uninterrupted focus to our kids. So, when AB sang Penny's song again (and again and again), I gave her my full attention and even joined in for the last round.

Motherhood is Not a Competition.

I adore the Scary Mommy Manifesto by Jill Smokler. I subscribe to every bullet point; therefore, I will definitely be reading her book, Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, The Bad, and the Scary.

You can read the entire manifesto here, but here are my favorite parts:

• I shall not compete with the mother who effortless bakes from scratch, purees her own baby food, or fashions breathtaking costumes from tissue paper. Motherhood is not a competition. The only ones who lose are the ones who race the fastest.

• I shall shoot the parents of the screaming newborn on the airplane looks of compassion rather than resentment. I am fortunate to be able to ditch the kid upon landing. They however, are not.

• I shall never claim to know everything about any child but my own. (Who still remains a mystery to me.)

• I shall not preach the benefits of breastfeeding or circumcision or home schooling or organic food or co-sleeping or crying it out to a fellow mother who has not asked my opinion. It's none of my damn business.

• I shall remember that no mother is perfect and my children will thrive because, and sometimes even in spite, of me.

Amen!

Book Review: Looking at Lincoln

I am finally reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It has been on my TBR list for awhile. So, I've had Lincoln on the brain lately. AB, eve\r the mini-me, found Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman. (I wish that we found it earlier because it would have been a great addition to the Historical Biographies Booklist: Politicos.)

Looking at Lincoln tells the story of a little girl who is curious about the man whose unusual face is featured on our money. She heads to the library, of course, to satisfy this curiosity. She gives the reader a nice overview of the main points of his life, with a few fun facts and speculations in between. Apparently, Lincoln's favorite opera was the Magic Flute. His favorite dessert was vanilla cake, so perhaps Mrs. Lincoln made it for him on the day he was elected. "But maybe he forgot to eat his slice. He was often too busy thinking to eat." 

The author also makes sure to touch on some of the less pleasant aspects of his presidency, namely, slavery, the Civil War, and his assassination. It would not be a true biography without them. However, she addresses them in a way that I found refreshing. They were not glossed over. She beautifully illustrates prominent African-Americans of the time, former slaves Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. She also depicts what slavery was with an illustration of slaves picking cotton under a harsh sun while a white overseer on horseback yells as he cracks his whip. The slaves pictured include children and women, one of whom has a baby strapped to her back. It is a truly arresting illustration that you don't normally see in a picture book. In addition, there is a soldiers uniform with a bullet hole over the point of the heart, a pistol, and a empty upholstered rocking chair with a stovepipe hat laying beside it.

Maira Kalman's amazing illustrations are a crucial aid to her story telling. Her modern style is a nice change from the traditional illustrations that usually accompany historical picture books. Her writing style is also effective. She never mentions John Wilkes Booth by name, but simply refers to him as a "wretched man who did not want slavery to end." On the other hand, she makes sure the reader knows the name of one of the first soldiers killed in the Civil War. After describing his uniform with the bullet hole, she writes ,"The soldier's name was Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth. Terrible things happen in a war." The numbers of those killed in the Civil War (or any war for that matter), allow a certain dissociation. The numbers are far to large to truly grasp that each and every person killed was somebody's child. That each and every person had a name. That each and every person lived and breathed just as we do today. 

Reading this book with AB forced me to discuss some less pleasant aspects of race and history with her. To explain that her ancestors were slaves. To explain to her that her ancestors were also likely slave owners. I didn't dwell on it, because she is only six. (I mean, it's not like I'm reading Roots to her at bedtime.) But, these are things that I want her to be aware of and I want to be the one to introduce her to them. Yet, at the same time, I do not want to burden her with race. As the black mother of a biracial child, I do not want to skew her perspective of the world to be "black" perspective. So, I struggle with finding the right balance to allow her to find her on way, hopefully as color blind as possible. 

We need more historical picture books that introduce history to younger readers in an interesting factual way that is not overwhelming. Books that encourage curiosity and research. Books that encourage discussion and engagement. Looking at Lincoln is a perfect example of that type of book.

Book Review: The Unruly Queen

AB picked up this gem at the library. She came over to me and said, "Mom, I know you're really going to like this one." She held up The Unruly Queen by E. S. Redmond. The cover alone had me. She's like a punky blend of Eloise and Fancy Nancy. AB and I love quality illustrations, but we have a special place in our hearts for quirkier illustrations of the Tim Burton variety. (Who knew that a preschooler would become so smitten with The Corpse Bride?)

Minerva is an only child of wealthy globetrotting parents. She is a spoiled brat who goes through a nanny a week. However, the 53rd nanny is different. She whips Minerva into shape with some cunning reverse psychology, crowning her the Unruly Queen for being "the single most difficult child to control." Minerva is presented with a beautiful purple crown. She is informed that with this title she is able to live far away on Petulant Peak where her royal subjects will be beasts and monsters who are loud and noisy. Her subjects will, of course, misbehave, just like the Unruly Queen herself. Minerva is none to happy to hear the perks of Petulant Peak and sets out to prove the 53rd nanny wrong about Petulant Peak being the perfect place for Minerva. So, she behaves. She even goes so far as to take a bath and brush her hair. Eventually, she gives up her Unruly Queen crown for her current comforts of butlers and pink satin pajamas.

Aside from the great illustrations and funny story line (written in rhyme!), AB loved that The Unruly Queen is a book about manners. She gravitates toward books of this sort because she enjoys admonishing the characters. Thankfully, she does not act that way with her friends. Yet, I do wish that it translated into a perfectly well-behaved AB. Well, a mother can dream, can't she?

The Program of Serious Reading.

{image via weheartit}

One of my resolutions for 2012 was to read books of a more "serious" nature. (And by "serious", I mean more literary and more difficult. The kinds of books that you would find on a college syllabus, shortlisted for literary awards, and/or written about in The New Yorker.) I started off the year wanting to read harder books. Books that challenged me. Books that I was not able to finish in two days. Granted there is something quite satisfying about the easy books that you can finish in a day. They have a predictable story line written in a rather simple style. While, I do enjoy those books, I found that I read too many of those books. Simply for the fact that I wanted to add yet another title to the books that I read that year. Looking back on that list, I was rather disappointed in myself and The Program of Serious Reading (PSR) was born.

Unfortunately, of the 17 books that I had read so far in 2012, I would only consider two of those books to meet the qualifications of PSR. As a result, I decided that I need to be more structured if this resolution is going to actually be successful. I created a list of books that I intend to read in 2012 (in no particular order)*:

1. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
2. Middlemarch by George Eliot
3. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
4. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
5. A Room With A View by E. M. Forster
6. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
7. The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever
8. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
9. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
10. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

Wish me luck.

*As I reviewed this list I realized that I had only one female author and no authors of color. PSR fail. However, this is not an exhaustive list. It is simply a list of books that I have always wanted to read in their entirety and needed to document for personal accountability . I reserve the right to add/remove titles, of course. :-)