6 months worth

Wow... I really can't believe how time flies... work got real busy there, then the holidays, some traveling over the past couple of months, and bam... it's been 6 months later, and I haven't written a thing about all the wonderfulness I've been reading. I'm not even sure I can remember all that I've purused over the past few months, but a few highlights that stick out in my mind are:

Choosing a Jewish Life-An interesting book, designed for "Jews-by-choice" (people converting to Judaism), but as I love learning about all things Jewish, a fun read for me to see how life is different for the non-Jew becoming a Jew.

Through Painted Deserts-Finished this road trip "memoir" by Don Miller. If you haven't read any of his stuff before, you really must get some.

Pride & Predudice-For about the quapatajilionth time. Wonderful... much better than any of the movies, though they all get a "Bravo!" from me.

The Red Tent-Again, pertaining to Jewish culture, but this time, ancient Jewish women's traditions. Very raw, but a riviting read about the bonds of womanhood.

I've also started a book club for the newly released Arthur & George. The based-on-true-story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories). Really, really good... but I haven't gotten far enough in it to give it a proper review yet.

Oh so many more, I'm sure... but it has been 6 months people. I can't remember all 2,407 (slight exaggeration).

Ok, for what's in my bag today. The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.
Sometimes, a decent book takes 4 chapters to really "get into" (the example that comes to mind is A Voice in the Wind... wonderful story, but it took a good half of the book to set the characters up to where you fall in love with them so deeply, that you are complelled to read the sequel). My policy is to give a book 50 pages to impress me. If I'm not riveted by that point, I put it down, figuring I can always pick it up again later and hey, there is way too much good stuff out there to guiltily trudge through something you aren't going to relish.
This is not one of those such cases. The first line is charming.
"Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Now don't be fooled, male readers, by the title, or the rapid referrence to tea. This is a book full of erroding values, death, travel, interferring family, troubled romance, disapproved marriages, lies, deterioration, and choices. If you liked Madame Bovary that you were forced to read in high school, you'll love this.
I won't go any further, so as not to ruin it for you, but check it out, or at the very least, rent the 1996 version of the film, starring Nicole Kidman (that's sure to get you). It's a great story.
Many thanks to Melissa Allen for recommending this, one of my new favorites.