Maggie Shipstead's Seating Arrangements

In this cleverly written social satire, we are given a three day glimpse into the world of an East Coast blue blood dysfunctional family.  It’s Thursday and Winn Van Meter is on his way to his New England summer home for his eldest daughter’s wedding.   The house is filled with too many women including his drunken sister-in-law, her daughter's "bombshell" bridesmaids and his overwhelmingly depressed youngest daughter.   Not a good combination for Winn who is so full of self-pity, because his oldest rival seemingly has kept him out of the island's prestigious golf club for three years, that he starts to consider fulfilling some unfulfilled desires.  Thankfully the author provides different perspectives from several characters and we don't just witness Winn’s cringe-worthy behavior.  In all honesty, I thought this book would be much funnier and it’s not necessarily a compelling storyline however I really enjoyed the way Shipstead writes.  She writes in a descriptive and almost poetic way that you get lost in the book even if you don't like any of the characters. 

You Can't Steal a Free Book

While browsing through Etsy tonight I found an awesome article on mini hand-built libraries.  The article, Little Free Libraries: “You Can’t Steal a Free Book” is posted on the Etsy Blog and talks about these community libraries that resemble large birdhouses with hinged glass doors.  There are over 1,500 Little Free Libraries with more popping up all across the country.  You can even find a Google map of each library's location.  It has me seriously considering my craftsmanship skills because it desperately looks like my neighborhood needs a Little Free Library!

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

A Dog’s Purpose is a fantastic story that contemplates the all-too-human question of “What is our purpose in life?” but from a dog’s perspective.  We follow several reincarnations of a puppy that sometimes lives into old age, and sometimes doesn’t, but each time comes back as a new and different puppy.  This story is definitely heartwarming and sentimental but thankfully not too tearful.  Cameron creates a humorous illustration of a dog’s thoughts, “as far as I have been able to tell, cats do not have a purpose” plus a thoughtful side of our protagonist as he “ponder[s] what it meant that I was a puppy once more.”  If you like dogs even a little bit you’ll love this book. 

Transit of Venus

Today is the day!  June 5th, 2012.  The last Venus Transit until 2117.  I've had this date marked on my calendar for months now so I'm extremly excited it's finally here.  Venus will make first contact at about 6:04 Eastern time.  It will take roughly 6 hours to travel across the upper half of the sun so here in the midwest we won't get to see the final parts of the transit.  And just like every other article I've read, DON'T look directly at the sun!  Here are some safe ways to view the transit.  If clouds will be in your way or you happen to be in the area in which the transit will not be visible, I suggest checking out this live feed of the transit.  Happy Transit Viewing!

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Put together Eat, Pray, Love and A Walk in the Woods plus brutal honesty and you get Wild.  Torn down by her mother's cancer and unexpected death, her own destructive behavior, and the eventual demise of her marriage, Strayed embarks on a solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.  She starts her 3 month trek in Southern California with pennies to live on, too small boots, zero trail experience, and an overly packed and terribly heavy backpack, nicknamed Monster.  In Wild, Strayed intertwines her past experiences that have led her to the PCT and the challenges she faced almost every day on the grueling and lonely hike.  From wild animals, constant thirst and hunger, pain all over, to record snowfall, blistering heat, and descents that cost her toenails, Strayed had one catastrophe after another.  However, she clearly had the determination to accomplish her goal to get from the Mojave to the Bridge of Gods.  This was another great book to follow along with Google Images and has left me with the desire to explore the PCT myself.  Thanks Dad for the suggestion!

Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She’s Thirty by Glamour editors and Pamela Redmond Satran

As a woman in the last year of her twenties, I saw this book, 30 Things, and had to read it.  I don’t have any Need-To-Do-Before-I’m-Thirty lists and I probably won’t be creating one after reading this book, however I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would absolutely recommend it to any woman no matter what her age.  Featuring essays from several women we should all know, from Katie Couric to Maya Angelou to Taylor Swift, each describes how an item on the list speaks to them personally or what 30 means to them.  The wisdom and personal experiences shared are valuable lessons for the rest of us.  It was great to laugh in understanding, to shake my head at memories, and to feel that sting behind my eyes when I realized that others felt a certain way too.  I highly recommend it, it’s a quick read but the list is timeless and one you can refer back to time and again.