{Lindsay} 41-46

School starting = reading slowing. No pictures for this post cause I don't have time!

First for this batch was The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, pretty much a classic of feminist literature. I was surprised because this book is based on a series of interviews with women Betty did in the middle part of the 20th century, rather than the typical personal experience approach that most of the feminist lit I've been reading takes. Basically, she examines women's fulfillment in housewife roles, how that feeling of fulfillment changed from generation to generation, and explores how marketing and outside (i.e. men's) definition of the role of women in the household made women believe that the role of the housewife is and should be fulfilling for all women. It was written in the 60s, so obviously it's a bit dated, but I definitely found it an interesting read.

Next was The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, a book my dad used to read to me as a kid. I'm taking a class on Young Adult Literature this semester, so my pleasure reading is definitely going to involve a lot more of that and kid's lit. I really didn't remember many of the details in the book, but while reading it I definitely felt a sense of calming familiarity. I don't know if that was the book itself, or the whole idea of playing make-believe that drives the plot. Either way, it definitely brought me back to someplace from my childhood, so I'm glad I decided to read it again after all these years.

Recently I read Craig Ferguson's memoir, American on Purpose. I'm a big fan of Craig in general, and I loved his novel, so I was pretty psyched for this to come out. I was slightly let down, though, because the book kind of rambles along, and he focuses on really minute details where it might have been better to just paint a broader picture. Regardless, as a fan, I enjoyed some of the anecdotes and occasional laugh-out-loud moments of the book.

Yesterday I finished Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy for the second time. I debated counting it, since it's technically for class, but I'm reading it for my final paper, and I got to choose what I wanted to write my final paper on, and all the other choices didn't include reading any novels, so I'm gonna go ahead and give myself some extra reading credit for this one. Basically, if you haven't read this trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass), you are missing out something fierce on a fascinating take on religion, growing up, and Original Sin. I feel like saying anything more will completely fail to do these books justice, so do yourselves a favor and read them. Read Paradise Lost while you're at it, as well, since the trilogy is based primarily off that.

I've currently got a few other books in rotation, but who knows when I'll have time to get all the way through them. Only technically need six more, though, so I'm not really in any rush!