Friday, May 24, 2013

Books I've been reading




  If you enjoy reading real life stories, this book is for you. Jill Ker Conway put together the autobiographies of twenty-five American women whose lives have been remarkable.
   These life stories will stun you, make you laugh, cry and enchant you. I promise you that this book will energize you.
   These autobiographies transport you to different places in the United States in the nineteenth and the twentieth century.Going back in time and being in these women's shoes broadened my outlook and perspectives. I was inspired by their courage, resilience and passions. 
 Their words will entertain you and educate you. Above all, they will fuel your own passions and fill you with hope.
 Before each woman’s story Jill Ker Conway  wrote an essay on the historical context  and a biographical sketch. You will dive into the lives of writers, physicians, scientists, reformers, anthropologists, musicians, artists, and former slaves.
    Some of the women included in this anthology are Margaret Mead, Dorothy Reed Mendenhall, Margaret Floy Washburn, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Maya Angelou, Maxine Hong Kingston, Lucy Larcom, Margaret Bourke-White, Anne Walter Fearn, Margaret Sanger and many others.


 I've been somewhat obsessed with  Emily Dickinson's poetry lately. This is a book of essays on Emily Dickinson's poetry. It has an introduction by Harold Bloom. These essays analyze Dickinson's poems and provide interesting insights into her thoughts, perspectives and life experience. I found it riveting.






   
                                      This is an excellent selection of poems from all over the world. These vivid poems dig deep into the human soul, life and love while expressing an intimate connection to nature. Through metaphors and insightful reflections we are invited to view life as an intriguing journey of possibilities. I enjoyed reading and re-reading this selection and now I look forward to checking more of Roger Housden's poetry anthologies.
  Some of the poets included here are Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, William Wordsworth, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, David Whyte, Antonio Machado, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Rumi and many others. Some of these poems are intoxicating. I feel compelled to read them many times.

                                             


                   
 
               Edited by Catherine Bowman, Word of Mouth is an anthology that includes very different voices. Some of the stories narrated by these poems are shocking and will stay in your head. I am intrigued to read more work by some of these poets because their stories piqued my curiosity. (What I love about anthologies is that they introduce me to writers I've never read before).



I was going to add a list of books I'd like to read but this blog post is too long already. (Some of the books I'm planning to read were written by bloggers I follow). I will write this list on one of my next posts...
Are you planning to read anything in the near future? Would you like to recommend a book?
 Have a beautiful weekend.