I decided that I wanted to read a REALLY GOOD book. Andrew got me "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson about building schools on a very minamilistic budget and a large timeline. It opened up a fascinating world of rural Pakistan and Afghanistan, all of which I love. As it was written about the course of 15 years, it has my favorite element of international-humanitarin-histroia that keeps me hooked every time.
Worth a read for anyone looking at spending some hard-earned cash on doing some good.
I then had to immediately run out and buy the sequel, "Stones into Schools", although I got distracted and picked up some more of Heather's picks (Heather being the Chapters guru on what books are "good").
A book I requested way back, recommended by Sheileigh Rogers from CBC's The Next Chapter interviewed Catherine Gildiner, the main character and author of her memoir "Too Close to the Falls", a brilliantly funny account of her childhood growing up in Lewiston, NY adjacent to Niagra Falls. Her innocence, sense of adventure, and the relationships she has from work to the Catholic school had me laughing out loud many times. A good easy read, and a very Canadiana feel to it even though it was on the American side of the border. She is mischievious, making it all the more interesting.
Picking up another book that day (it was not enough for me just to let it be for a couple of hours and go back to knitting or cleaning or watching the Olympics...I latched onto the sad "Still Alice", a fictional novel on one woman's first-person perspective as she copes with early-onset Altzhimer's. As a psychologist at Harvard, where she specializes in thinking, thought, the brain and it's capabilities, it becomes the ultimate nemesis for the main character. It also gives insight into what family reactions would be to a mother, a wife, losing her capacity to think, and so forgetting who she is. A crier, but worth reading.
Picked up yet another Heather's pick last weekend, "Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See, who, after reading 90% of the book with complete faith that this woman was actually 100% Chinese, realized she is a halfie and actually LOOKS white. But I still felt it was very well written and researched. Emotional especially having a sister relationship very similar. It is told from the older sister's point of view so I could relate a lot with this book.
This I finished last night...but I don't know what else I will read. I have neglected my knitting in the last 3 weeks, so off to some Stich n'Bitch to get me motivated again.
