Favorite Reads of 2011: A Mid-Year Review

When I was a child I was told that as I grew older the years would begin to flash before my eyes, rushing past so quickly that I'd barely have time to grasp the subtleties that presented themselves before me.  While I agree that time seems to be more hurried, I also have days that seem to (so wonderfully) stretch before me.  Some of these days I'm busy getting in all the things I can't do when working, or spending time with my loved ones, but sometimes I get the chance to sit and read for as long as I wish.

Because I featured my favorite reads at the close of the following year, I felt it only right to provide a little mid-year review of six titles that I just couldn't put down.  I'm also excited to share that I've already read three books more than I did in all of 2010.  Goals!

1. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Mysteries and secrets.  Secrets and mysteries.  I'm kidding, but this novel sucked me in.  I distinctly remember my boyfriend having to pull me out of the groove of the couch I found myself in after not getting off the thing for hours.  In the end, you still have questions.  It was dark and fascinating and an awesome thriller.  All hands for The Thirteenth Tale.

2. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

I don't know if any of you remember, but a while back, Brenna from Literary Musings and I decided to host a little read-along.  The book was a little slow in the beginning, but I soon found that I didn't want to stop reading once I began the second half.  We got some great participation and were able to share our opinions and questions, which made the read even more enjoyable.  Edith Wharton is seriously amazing.

3. Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Another book that I couldn't peel my hands from and one that I mention as a "must read" to any bookworm I encounter.  I have this thing for historical fiction (as you probably already know) and thought this was perfectly entertaining and informative.  The cover art not so much.

4. The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen

I know, I know. I haven't managed to post a review on this one yet.  But it has definitely been one of the best reads of 2011.  The storyline was not quite what I expected and made the novel that much better.  Maybe Milly and Twiss are described as old women who nurse birds back to health, but this title holds so much more.  I found Rasmussen's language authentic and engaging.  I strongly encourage giving this title a chance!

5. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

I finished this novel last night.  And loved it.  I refused to give it up upon finding that the beginning was a little slow.  In the end, I am so glad I stuck with it because not only did I enjoy the historical element of the storyline, but I also really enjoyed the raw expression of emotions and the landscape Kent so delicately describes.  I didn't want this one to end.  

6. Shakespeare by Bill Bryson

Ok, so maybe I read this one during haze that follows the extraction of my wisdom teeth, but somehow I was able to remain attentive enough to finish the whole thing in a sitting.  Bryson is increasingly becoming a go-to when it comes to learning while laughing.


So close to making the list: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath & The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows

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A Review: Shakespeare: World as Stage by Bill Bryson

Shakespeare was my introduction to Bryson’s work after I realized that I could easily grab one of his titles from my public library. Essentially, Bryson’s Shakespeare exists to emphasize the fact that, despite the number of biographies written about Shakespeare, the prolific writer’s life is mostly a mystery. A mystery that's driven thousands of individuals to engage in painstaking research to uncover truth.

Ok, so what’s the difference? How is Bryson any different than the lot of these Shakespeare hounds?

Bryson doesn’t claim to have made any new or shocking discoveries about the writer’s life, and he dispels many common myths along the way. Using keen research skills, which indicate that many biographers often penned false, fairy-tale like situations/conclusions, he emphasizes that most failed to make any factual connections.

The novel’s exploration of people’s fascination with Shakespeare, a playwright among many other accomplished and learned men of his time, is the real subject of the title. Shakespeare’s elusive history is appealing, and begs to be, if not deserves a mostly imagined, and definitely spectacular, background. This is most certain if he is to remain at the epicenter of dramatic interpretation—a playwright of the gods.

And, however subtle, it’s clear that Bryson pokes fun at this hysteria.

Don’t get me wrong. Please refrain from your rotten tomatoes and your apple cores, folks! Bryson didn’t publish this title to say that Shakespeare is a fraud, or a playwright who received undeserved praises; no, he’s simply presenting the reader with snap shots of intense fixations with Shakespeare. In addition, he offers quite a number of facts about Shakespeare’s life through legal documents preserved from this period.

I really enjoyed this title because I have an insatiable want for obscure details of the day-to-day routines in different time periods. He provides many informative and entertaining details about the Elizabethan period. Some facets of this period may even leave the reader wondering how humanity progressed to its present state. It’s especially interesting to understand the development of today’s English, and the acceptance of writing produced during this period, which was devoid of a collective system of punctuation and spelling.

All in all, Bryson’s Shakespeare was fun and informative. I read it quickly and without feeling overwhelmed by tedious details. The reader may walk away learning a little more about Shakespeare’s life (like me), or nothing at all. Either way, you’re sure to get a kick out of this entertaining piece of historical nonfiction.

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