WHAT I'M READING V. 17 AND A READING RETREAT

This is An Audiobook by Demetri Martin

I believe this is the audio version of his book, 'This is a Book', and I really liked listening to this because Demetri Martin reads it and it felt akin to watching one of his standup shows. In that way, it is less like a book and more like a well-thought out standup routine. It is a collection of random thoughts and ideas, but he thinks about things in such an unusual way that getting involved in his world feels like a much needed exercise for my brain. He is not everyone's style, but he is an out-of-the-box thinker, and I appreciate that.

You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein

This is another book by a comedy writer, and she writes in an autobiographical form, telling stories about her childhood, young adult, and more recent life. I didn't agree with every revelation she unfolds about growing up, but she is a good writer and it was really enjoyable reading her stories.  Besides, I always am interested to learn about the inner workings and work life of a writer.

The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon

This is a science-fiction novel that describes a alternate or futuristic world where we are so taken with our devices, that we rely on them for everything, including our use of words.  It unfolds like a mystery, because the protagonist has discovered her father has gone missing and is trying to track him down. It reveals things about this new world a little bit at a time, and that unveiling of both the world and the mystery has me very interested. I can tell already that the moral of the story is going to be that we need to value our words more, and rely less on technology and electronics, and I am curious to see how this plays out in her story.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I haven't started on this one yet, but it is downloaded on my phone and next on my list after I finish 'The Word Exchange'. I decided to read it after a friend at a reading retreat read a couple of passages aloud from this book. The language was so beautiful and gripping, it made me want to know more.

Last weekend, I attended and facilitated a reading retreat with my friend, Megan. The theme was 'Reading as Sabbath', and it was for people who wanted to take a breath and think and discuss the significance of reading in daily rhythm and as rest, and perhaps even as a part of our redemption. This evening, like the reading panel that we did a couple of months ago, was so good for my spirit - both as rest, and as thrilling inspiration. As soon as I walked into the room, I felt calm and peaceful, and I had the sensation of snuggling under cozy blankets. With a cup of hot tea in hand, we shared quotes, poetry, reading recommendations, and discussed how and why reading was important for our lives, and what it meant to rest in reading, and to be inspired by it. I took so many notes during these discussions, and now I have an entire page worth of other books I want to read. Which is a great thing.