My Summer Reading List

I love my Kindle. Let me say that up front. I also love books, and I have hundreds of them. But I love my Kindle, and this summer I vowed to use it, to wear it out, to put it through its paces. So I thought I would share my summer reading list with you, in the hopes that you would share yours with me. So here’s what I’ve been reading this summer.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand: This is the true story of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was captured and imprisoned by the Japanese in World War II. This is not the kind of book I would normally read, but it grabs you from the outset and doesn’t let you go. It reads like delicious fiction – there is almost no way this can be a true story. But it is.

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes: This is a novel about the Vietnam war, written from the point of view of the soldier on the ground. Again, not the kind of book I would normally read, but this was a game changer for me. It gave me a chance to be empathetic to the plight of American soldiers who fought in this war, with the politics taken out and the reality of the conflict front and center. A beautifully written horror story.

Life by Keith Richards: I couldn’t wait for this book, and it was worth every minute of waiting. Wow. This guy is the real rock star, not his cohort Mick. Keith is the working class guy, the one without a high regard for himself but an undying passion for the music, who leads his band to decades of glory before succumbing to the temptations dangled before any rock star. But while the Stones were hot, they were on fire in a way no other band ever was. That the heat from that flame can still be felt all these years later is testament to their greatness. And this book is testimony to that journey.

Bossypants by Tina Fey: Another book I’ve been waiting for. This one is an uneven ride through one of the great comedic minds of our time. My favorite parts are glimpses into her less-than-glamorous life, which she describes with brilliant self-effacement.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart: This is an amazing book about a love affair set in the near future, where everyone has a device called an apparat, and America is on the brink of default to the Chinese, after a disastrous invasion of Venezuela. The author manages to combine a little science fiction with some poignant musings on love, disconnection and betrayal. Definitely worth your time.

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan: Another amazing book, this one about various people in the music business from the 1970s through 30 years from now. The author makes the connections bristle and sing, weaves this sad but powerful tale with expertise and brilliance. If you have any fondness for the punk scene of the Bay Area in the late 1970s, you will definitely want to read this book. If you don’t, you should still read it. There is plenty in here for everyone.

WEATHER:

Sunny except for patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the upper 80s. West winds 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

EVENTS:

TODAY IN HISTORY (from Wikipedia):

1776 - The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence took place.

1937 - The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 is passed in America, the effect of which is to render marijuana and all its by-products illegal.

1939 - Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd write a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt, urging him to begin the Manhattan project to develop a nuclear weapon.

1943 - World War II: the Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 is rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri and sinks. Lt. John F. Kennedy, future U.S. President, saves all but two of his crew.

1964 - Vietnam War: Gulf of Tonkin incident – North Vietnamese gunboats allegedly fire on the U.S. destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy.

1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.