Reading is Fundamental
I have read two books in the last week. I love books. I love all genres, from biographies to fiction. I have a penchant for quality writing. I guess I am somewhat of a book snob.
I will not read anything by Z.ane or any of the other mainstream modern authors. I read Z.ane's first book and was not impressed with her writing or storytelling abilities. I felt like she was trying to force a wild sex scene into the story instead of letting the scene develop. If she wants to read a well done sex scene, she needs to pick up this book.
I love Walter Mosley for his brilliant character development. I love intense mysteries and used to stay up late reading James Patterson and Stephen King when I was younger. Stephen King's The Stand is a classic.
I love Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. I love Richard Wright. I love Zora Neale Hurston.
My favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. His writing is amazing. He weaves a story like no other. He can take a simple story about love and transform it into a mystical experience. Simply beautiful.
I read stories to my children every night and I hope to pass on the love of quiet time with a good book. What are you reading?
I will not read anything by Z.ane or any of the other mainstream modern authors. I read Z.ane's first book and was not impressed with her writing or storytelling abilities. I felt like she was trying to force a wild sex scene into the story instead of letting the scene develop. If she wants to read a well done sex scene, she needs to pick up this book.
I love Walter Mosley for his brilliant character development. I love intense mysteries and used to stay up late reading James Patterson and Stephen King when I was younger. Stephen King's The Stand is a classic.
I love Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. I love Richard Wright. I love Zora Neale Hurston.
My favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. His writing is amazing. He weaves a story like no other. He can take a simple story about love and transform it into a mystical experience. Simply beautiful.
I read stories to my children every night and I hope to pass on the love of quiet time with a good book. What are you reading?
posted by 1969 at
4:46 AM
29 Comments:
nothing. I think I read too much. I might be addicted. I'm trying to read less and live more. So yes, I actually am reading something but I'm taking my time. The Inheritance of Loss by Anita Desai.
Oh yes also Positively American by Sen. Chuck Schumer. It's o-kay so far.
1969, I see you love DEEP writing. I like some of the mainstream black writers like JD Mason, Gloria Mallette.
I like lighter reading, I read inspirational books for deeper reading.
I love that folks are reading something except for alot of that street lit which is crap.
Oh I forgot, I am reading I Wish I Had A Red Dress by Pearl Cleage. I love her writing and she is an awesome fellow Detroit sista. I met her a couple of years ago.
I agree.. Casanegra was a FABULOUS READ!!!
Right now I'm reading a damn TEXTBOOK.. but its a reason and purpose behind it!!! :)
I also love Walter Mosley. I heard about Blair's book so I guess I have to pick it up now. I think part of my problem is that I am reading 4 very serious books at the moment. Nothing light, fun, sensual. Everything is about politics, genocide, poverty...depressing. I'm going to get Blair's book and the Kite Runner today...THANKS SIS!
I like to read Marquez as well. I've read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" four or five times now.
I can't stand Z.an.e, her writing feels a bit too much like Playboy stories to me.
I thought I was a snobby reader too. Right now I am reading "On My Own Two Feet". It's a book about money and investing. Next I'll read "Measure of A Man" by Sidney Poitier. I usually don't read today's autobiographies because they are nothing but gossip garbage. I feel I might enjoy this book. I'll have to pick up Blair Underwood's book since I've heard nothing but good things about it.
I can't stand Zane's books. The only one I was able to read from cover to cover was "Addicted".
My mom used to read to me when I was young and I loved it. And, I'm an avid reader, now. And you know, my girl Vamps was getting rid of some books in her move. She handed me some Zane books. Man, it's like she's trying to put low-budget porn into print. It just doesn't work. And she over-uses the same words. Not a fan, at all. I'd never read erotic fiction before. I don't really read much fiction, anyway. But, I was disappointed. I'm going to have to check out the one you referenced here.
In looking at some of the authors you mentioned, you might like Esmeralda Santiago and Laura Esquivel.
I'm still on my Mountains Beyond Mountains book. It's really inspiring. Not sure what will be next on my list. Maybe The Uses of Haiti by Farmer, or Shame on a Nation by Kozol.
The Farming of the Bones by Edwidge Danticat. Ok, so my book club is reading it (I haven't officially started it yet), but I hear she is an amazing author.
Ever thought about starting a book club 1969, since you love to read so much? I highly recommend it. It really is a great experience with the right mix of people.
Just finished two books by bloggers.
sould wide shut by m. elayne bowden (poetry)
spanish lullaby by linda dominique grosvenor
now reading:
The Black Students Guide to Success
(This is one of my son's summer reading assignments from me. So I pre read so that he can't just give me some BS book report. Cause I read it too..HA!)
Chosen People by Karen Grigsby Bates (recommended by blackbookreview.wordpress.com)
and
Menopause Made Easy by Dr. Carolle Jean Murat (African American female)
Your Hidden Brain Power by Jaime Nast
i think there is a correlation here with these two! LOL
Onefromphilly, I read Spanish Lullaby too. Dom is one of my writer buddies.
LovelyJD...I used to be in a bookclub and it was great. However, it turned into more of a social outing and "who's hosting, what are we eating". The meetings would run for hours on a Saturday.
After I had the babies, I scaled back on some of my activities and book club had to go. LOL
Shai...I love Pearl Cleage!
BZ...I hear good things about Laura Esquivel....Hmmm.
Roycee....the Kite Runner is on my list of ALLTIME favorite books.
I just got some books from the store last night. I'm going to be reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Animal Farm by George Orwell, To Kill a MockingBird by Harper Lee, and Sleeping with Strangers by Eric Jerome Dickey.
I just finished reading "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" this morning. Second best book I have read this year.
@ 1969 & RD . . . Maybe you can help me out. I read "Fortunate Son" last year and thought that the book ended a chapter too soon. There was too much unfinished business for that book to end where it did.
Zane's books are wack - I think I guessed the ending on the two that I read. Haven't picked up one since. The funny thing is who made her the resident sexpert? All of a sudden I saw her in Essence giving sex tips just cause she wrote an erotic story?!?! Street lit is crap. To me it parallels the wack music that's out now.
I'm on a non-fiction kick now. I'm reading Audacity of Hope now. I finished Blink last week.
I know of one tasteful book of black erotica. It's an anthology call "Erotic Noire". It was published about 15 years ago when I was a sophomore in college. I loved it.
This post was right on point. My favorite thing to do after sleeping (and maybe shopping, and eating..) is to read. I just wrote about the last two books I read: Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley and House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III. I loved House of Sand and Fog in particular. Now I'm chillin out with the Harry Potter books. I'm starting all over cuz it's been a minute since I read one and two. I'm almost finished the first one so I might read The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker since I won't make it to the Library till Saturday. Have you ever read it?
I'm taking note of your list of favorite authors. Some of my are on that list so the rest are bound to be off the hook.
@Onefromphilly... I love the idea of reading a book and making my kids read it. I'm so doing that when I have kids *cough* in the next 15-25 years.
Fresh....I saw that Zane was now giving out sexual advice in Essence. LOL. I too was like...WHAT THE FUDGE? The erotic stuff is crap. IMO.
Mademoiselle M...How could I forget Harry Potter? WOW. You know I am a geek so I already ordered Book 7 and can't wait for it to get here on Friday. I am going to hide out for the entire weekend.
love the music on the page...i too love to read, but i like to read true stories if you will...a good book, i think anyways, is "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown, i truly love that...
you know i have never read anything Zane, don't have the desire to...anyways...imma check the book out
I really like Anne Rice cause her writing was sensual and I don't mean in a sexy way. If she was talking about a cup of coffee she made me want to go make some...but I was afraid mine wouldn't be as good as what she described.
I read really fast and it's pissing me off. Nothing like waiting 2 months for a book and reading it in 2 days.
@ Mademoiselle M
I read Temple of My Familiar quite a few years ago. I believe it is Tashi's story. Tashi is the African girl that Celli's son, from the Color Purple, married. It delves into female circumcision and the practice of doing that to young African girls. It was rather deep. A good read though.
I am in an online book club and I love it! We come together every month and discuss the book in a chat setting.
Books we have read so far:
Audacity of Hope-Barak Obama
Measure of a Man-Sidney Poitier
Girls Night Out (Trash)-Electa Rome Parks.
We all submit book requests for the month then vote on what we want to read.
I will def. suggest Casanegra to the club!
Right now I am reading "Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime" by J. California Cooper. I am really enjoying it. I love the stories. I just finished reading a book about the middle passage by a Canadian historian. It is a fictional book, but he uses history to create the story "The Book of Negroes" by Lawrence Hill. I cried reading it, but it was excellent. I love reading. Ever since I was a child I have loved it. I hear what you are saying about Zane. It is like reading a magazine. It is enjoyable fluff. Although the last piece of fluff that I could recommend to people was "Bling" by Erica Kennedy. Excellent light summer reading. Not too light as to be irrelevant, but not too heavy as to bring you down.
I Tagged You! My blog for details...*sorry*
zane is horrendous. i'm reading Reposition Yourself: Living Life Without Limits by t.d. jakes.
My favorite author is Alice Walker. I just read "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah and really enjoyed. I'm currently reading "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama and I'm enjoying it so far.
I used to read all the time before the kiddies. I'm trying to get back into it.
My favorite author is Toni Morrison. Not currently reading anything... waiting for Stephen L. Carter's - "New England White" to come out.
I'm thirty pages into "Fledgling" by Octavia Butler. Before that, I reread "Caucasia" by Danzy Senna.
And THANK YOU for what you said about Zane. I have also only read part of her first book and wasn't that impressed. I couldn't get through the whole thing because it felt poorly written to me.
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