I’ve been in a slight reading slump the last week.  It could be the weather which has been nice for DC this time of year and has put me in a summer mood or it could be my picks.  I’m not sure and I’m struggling with what to write about which is part of the reason why I haven’t posted anything the last few days.  Looking back over my list, I’ve read some great books in 2011 but the last week has been lacking.  I wanted to go back to some classics, something I’ve been meaning to do all year, but several books failed to interest me — some for size, some for content.  By week’s end, I decided to abandon the book I was reading, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, for something else.  That something else turned out to be Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Not a classic by any means but highly readable for someone who seemed to want nothing more than brain candy on a Saturday afternoon.  It happens to us all sometimes…

For a change of pace (I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy which I love but I need a break from vampires and other such creatures) and a way to keep my classics intake up, my next choice was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  It’s been years since I’ve read it and I thought it would be a good re-read.  Somehow I’m finding myself annoyed by the March girls.  How did this happen?!  All of them are whiners, yes you too Beth, and Marmee is too perfect.  Way too perfect I tell you!  This makes me sad.  I’m going to push on to the end though because this book has always been a comfort read for me and I can’t leave it feeling the way I am.  I believe it’s a general reflection on the state of my hectic life right now and I’m guessing that when work calms down, projects come to a close, and I can breathe again, that all this foolishness will pass.

So for sticking that out with me, I’m passing on some links which amused me and kept me in love with books even though I didn’t have one to read.

Alan Rickman’s goodbye to Harry Potter letter.

Tony Blair would take Tolkien to a desert isle? Yes, yes he would.

The Hollywood Reporter put together a list of the five best beach books.  I don’t know how this happened, as it hardly ever does, but I want to read all of these books.

2011 Locus Winners. Several books are on my list and several more will be added.  I’ve read more science fiction this year than last but I still feel woefully behind when it comes to this genre.  I was thrilled to see Kraken by China Mieville win best Fantasy novel.  I loved that book!  Two Connie Willis books, Black Out and All Clear will be read this year too.  And A Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and Shades of Milk and Honey are also high on the TBR but, let’s face it, they’ve been there since 2011 started so who knows when I’ll get to them but I will.  I make no promises but considering the sorry state of my reading, these two may jump the list.

Why do we love Jane Austen?  It’s because of tough love.  And she’s an excellent architect too.

Game of Thrones adds new people to the cast for season two.

And since we’ve already mentioned the Lord of the Rings, some pictures from The Hobbit movie.

Writers dish on titles.

Independent bookstores charging for author signings.  This one made me sad even though I understand why it’s happening.