Books on My Nightstand

Along with an unruly list of books I would like to read, I also have a pile of books on my night table and dresser just waiting to be read. At the moment I have the following titles in queue: "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose; "Life's Great Lessons" by Hal Urban; "Three Views of Crystal Water" by Katherine Govier; "The Turning" by Tim Winton; "Finding Lily" by Richard Clewes; "Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden; "A Boy of Good Breeding" by Miriam Toews; "The Birth House" by Ami McKay; "Eat, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynn Truss; "Break No Bones" by Kathy Reichs and "The Stone Angel" by Margaret Laurence. That doesn't even include the titles on my bookshelf that I still have yet to read. So many books....so little time. I just love books so much, but between the library books I take out, the gift books I receive and the books I buy for myself, I'm swamped! I put off reading some for a number of reasons. For example - Finding Lily and Three Views of Crystal Water. I met the two authors at an event in the fall and they were so lovely to spend quite a bit of time talking to me about writing. I am now afraid to pick up their works because I don't want the charm to wear off! Another book - The Birth House - I am hesitant to read because I want to so much and don't want to be disappointed! I still have a couple of titles on my bookshelf from Christmas 2005 that I have yet to get to. The last book on my list above is actually a re-read. We studied The Stone Angel in high school and it is a book I want to read again now that I am older, and have what they call perspective! :) I just remember thinking (while we were studying it a way back when) that I should come back to this book when I am older. Well, I'm older now and looking forward to reading it again. As always, I would welcome any discussion or comments on books you are reading or have read.
Cheers!

Keep Toronto Reading February 1-28, 2007

If you live in or near Toronto, February is Keep Toronto Reading Month. This literary undertaking is being sponsored by the Toronto Public Library. You can check out all of the different events being run throughout the month that have been designed to help promote and encourage reading, at their nifty website: Keep Toronto Reading.
I am all for anything that promotes books, reading, writing and literacy, so check it out and see if there is something of interest to you.
Cheers!

Reading List

Here is my current list of books to read. It is long and unruly (okay, it's mildly "ruly" as it is alphabetical by author's first name) and possibly daunting. Some of these books have been on there for far too long. The most recent book to be struck off this list was "Alligator" by Lisa Moore which I loved! It was nominated for the Giller Award in 2005 and was on my list from at least the spring of that year. I had such high expectations as I had heard so much about this book. I sometimes specifically put off reading a book so as not to be disappointed. This happened with Lori Lansen's book "The Girls". I loved her first novel "Rush Home Road" and then had the opportunity to meet her and chat with her. She was just so lovely and gracious and the reading she did from "The Girls" actually brought tears to my eyes. There was no way I was going to read this book because I was so afraid it would let me down, that Lori (we're on a first name basis now...lol) would let me down. Well, our book group chose it as the October 2006 book, so I had to bite the bullet. I loved, loved, loved it. It has become one of my favourite books of all time and, of course, I am kicking myself for being such a chicken! So, here are my books to read list:

Adam Langer - Crossing California
Alice McDermott - Charming Billy
Angie Day - The Way To Someone
Ann Enright - What Are You Like?
Ann Lamott - All New People
Ann Patchett - Bel Canto
Arthur Phillip - Prague
Bill Broder - Taking Care of Cleo
Bruce Bauman - And the Word Was
Carter Clay - Elizabeth Evans
Charles Baxter - The Feast of One
Charles J. Shields - Mockingbird
Cheryl Mendlesohn - Morningside Heights
Christopher Wilson - Cotton
Dante Alighieri - Divine Comedy
Donald Antrim - The Afterlife
Elizabeth Gilbert - Stern Men
Francoise Dorner - The Woman in the Row Behind
Frederick Busch - Girls
Irene Nemirovsky - Suite Francaise
Jane Goodall - Through a Window
John McGahern - By the Lake
Jonathan Coe - Closed Circle
Jonathan Coe - The Rotters Club
Joshlyn Jackson - Between Georgia
Julia Glass - Three Junes
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
Kurt Vonnegut - A Man Without a Country
Larry Brown - Joe
Lawrence Douglas - The Catastrophist
Louann Brizendine - The Female Brain
Louise Redd - Hangover Soup
Lynne Hinton - The Things I Know Best
M. A. Harper - The Worst Day of My Life, So Far
Mark Childress - One Mississippi
Martha McPhee - L'America
Matthew Pearl - Poe Shadow
Nina Solomon - Single Wife
Richard Russo - Straight Man
Robert Cohen - Inspired Sleep
Sheila Kohler - Cracks
Stephen Goodwin - Breaking Her Fall
Susan Straight - Highwire Moon
Tim Flannery - The Weather Makers
Tom Perrotta - Little Children (which has been on my list for ages, I didn't even know it was being made into a movie!)
Umberto Eco - The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana
Wallace Earle Stegner - Angel of Repose
Zadie Smith - On Beauty

I am open to suggestions - what is your favourite book of all time and why should I read it (or add it to my list)? C'mon, make me want to read your favourite book!

Cheers!