We're settling in today for a battle with mother nature. She'll win, of course, if she's got a mind to and I'll have to slip and slide into work for the next couple of days. But in the meantime, we'll enjoy some rented movies, chicken and noodles, warm banana bread, and lots of cocoa as well as a full array of movie, plenty of football and piles of books.
I've talked about a few of the books I'm looking forward to in 2011 but barely scratched the surface of what I'm anxiously awaiting. The Millions just added even more to my list with Most Anticipated: The Great 2011 Book Preview.
As I'm loathe to sign up for any more challenges and because trying to force myself to find books to suit challenges is a sure way for me to fail, I haven't signed up for any of the challenges for reading books from other countries. But expanding my reading outside of books written by U.S. authors is one of my priorities this year so I'm asking for your help. Instead of picking up books just because of where they are set or who wrote them, I'm asking for your recommendations, particularly my readers from outside of the U.S. What are the must-reads?
I'm off to make a big pot of oatmeal and raisins to brace us for the day. Then I'm off to settle in with The Gentleman Poet by Kathryn Johnson. What are you reading this week?
Your day sounds perfect! Banana bread!
ReplyDeleteIt has drizzled the whole day here with the entire country covered with rain - floods in some parts of Sri Lanka a few deaths and more devastation. Nature at its worst.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good goal, to read non-U.S. as well as U.S. authors!
ReplyDeleteWe are bracing for that same storm - but I am crossing my fingers for a snow day tomorrow :)
ReplyDeleteI am reading Patti Digh's new book, Creative is a Verb. I am determined to get in touch with my imaginative side in 2011 and this is a great book to help me do that.
Enjoy the snowy day :)
A weekend in with movies, books and comfort food sounds good when the weather is bad -'snap!
ReplyDeleteI've decided on my first ever book challenge for 2011! The History Tapestry Challenge level 2. I'm reading Tudor mysteries this week.
I've just looked at what The Gentleman Poet is about, so I look forward to your review.
MAN banana bread sounds so good! I think I may have to make some this week.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Sunday and stay warm!
You have come up with a great way to cope with Mother Nature! There's no way to beat her so make the best of her as you are! Sometimes an excuse to stay in, read, watch movies and eat is lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day and I'll think if I know of any good books set outside the USA.
Make me a loaf of banana bread too would you??? Sorry that mother nature is acting up in your part of the country!! I spent all day at a powerlifting competition and today I'm just doing laundry, getting caught up with blogs and reviews, making dinner, packing my bag for my trip to San Diego...and I'm hoping to start later tonight 'The girl in the Green Raincoat.'
ReplyDeleteMmmm, cocoa. I might just have to have some of that myself.
ReplyDeleteWe got some snow this weekend as well. Oatmeal cookies sound awesome.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like even though it will be cold out there that you guys will be well fortified and warm all snuggled up and reading and eating banana bread! I hope that you have a great reading week ahead!
ReplyDeleteI am also building a list of book recommendations from around the world (to try read outside Africa and the Middle East).
ReplyDeleteStay safe with the snow - I hear it's a snow day out there for many.
I love cold weather food. It's all good in my book. I indulged in Chocovine and then got a bit of a headache from it. I think the sweetness and I did not mix.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading The House at Riverton when I really should be grading papers. Please don't tell my students! Have you read The Housekeeper and the Professor (Japanese lit)? I have it on my TBR shelf because book bloggers have raved about it so much.
ReplyDeleteLisa, The Housekeeper and The Professor was one of my fav books of 2009. There's a lot of math in it but the characters are wonderful and I even grew to have a greater appreciation for math!
ReplyDeleteAre you guys warm yet? We still have a snowy lawn where I live but nothing in Dallas proper. I'll be sad to see it melt this weekend--especially since it's been gorgeous (but cold) all week and we're forecasted to have rain all weekend. Always works that way, huh?
ReplyDeleteIn terms of reading outside of the US, a blogger used to run a challenge called the Orbis Terranum (or something). Some of my favorites are The God of Small Things (India), The Bone People (New Zealand), Midnight's Children (India), Kafka on the Shore (Japan), Remains of the Day (UK), A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (Germany/Urkaine), The House of the Spirits (Chile?). You've read The Book Thief, right? I could prattle on, but won't. ;)