One of my goals in 2012 is to set aside a block of time each and every day to read and I don’t mean read blog posts, though I do love reading those…
Lately I’ve been squeezing in this favorite activity of reading “whenever.”
This “whenever approach” is not working for me very well of late. Therefore, as I pursue my personal challenge to find “balance” this year, I intend to block off at least one hour every single day no matter what to just read.
And I will not feel guilty, even if I go over my allotted reading time!
Before the month of January gets away from me and before getting back to all things cancer and such, I would like to utilize one more blog post to reflect a bit, this time on favorite books I’ve read during the past year, cancer and otherwise.
I’m pretty sure my family probably thinks I read too many cancer books and articles, but they’re rolling their eyes less and less, so I guess they’re getting used to the new me.
My fascination with reading all things cancer reminds me of the tried and true philosophy held by me and many educators which centers around encouraging reluctant readers to read by finding out what they are truly interested in whether it be history, dinosaurs, baseball, animals, insects or as in my case, cancer stuff. I’m not a reluctant reader and it’s not like I don’t enjoy reading about other topics, but cancer has definitely become a subject of primary interest for me for obvious reasons.
Another goal of mine this year is to update the breast cancer resource page on my blog more frequently as well as the grief resource page. I’m not sure if people ever look at those pages, but just in case…
So, I’m asking for input from you, my readers, on this. But we’ll get to that…
Now on to my “best read picks” for the past year… I know these aren’t new hot-off-the press books, but none-the-less they are my picks since I read or re-read them recently.
In the non-cancer category, my favorite read this past year has without a doubt been The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I literally could not put it down once I got started. It happens to be of my favorite genre, memoir, so that might have had something to do with it. It’s a wonderfully honest account about growing up in a dysfunctional family that was anything but normal, but does anyone really have a normal family???
I’m excited to read her next book, Half Broke Horses, which happily I received for Christmas.
In the cancer category, I’ve read some really good ones (please visit my resource page for a list of a few of them), but if I’m going to narrow it down, the two I’d have to pick are Pink Ribbon Blues by Gayle Sulik. And Being Sarah by Sarah Horton. It’s no surprise I personally reviewed them both here on my blog, so please take a look at my posts on each if you’re interested in learning more about these two great books. They are both must reads in my opinion.
In the grief category, a book that I really loved although it was difficult to read is Robin Romm’s The Mercy Papers. It’s a memoir about breast cancer and loss. Parts of it are gut-wrenchingly sad to read, but so worth it. I really like this book because it covers two topics I’m passionate about – breast cancer and losing a loved one to breast cancer. I love the raw honesty this author delivers about the reality of these two topics. I know one reads such words as raw honesty on book jackets all the time, but in this case they fit perfectly.
I have quite a few new books to get me going in 2012. Here are a few of them and over half of them are not about cancer!
Yes, I'm still reading the old-fashioned way by turning actual pages, but maybe that'll change soon...
Another one on my list for sure in the cancer category is The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee. The title alone fascinates me.
Finally, what I’d really appreciate is hearing from you, so hopefully some of you will share your favorites here…
I intend to add some of your suggestions to my own to read list and also to my resource pages, so thank you in advance for sharing your favorites.
Feel free to share in any or all categories below….
What is your favorite “cancer book” you’ve read recently? Or not so recently for that matter?
What is a favorite book of yours on loss or grief?
And just for fun, what’s a favorite book you’ve read recently in any category?
Finally, do you set aside time each day to read?
Thanks for sharing and happy reading!
The trick for me, too, is staying awake!
Ronnie Hughes
Wednesday 25th of January 2012
Ha! Hadn't realised Sarah was posting on this one too. We must look like a pair of Muppets going round reading more or less the same books! Oh well, that goes with having similar opinions on many things, I suppose.
But all time favourite? Like, if for some reason I was leaving the planet and could only take one book with me? Then I'd take 'Wild' by Jay Griffiths. 'Jane Eyre' is one exquisitely told story. 'Wild' is an Odyssey, one of its reviewers calls it a 'raging oratorio'. So to give me energy and passion, and for sheer interestingness and opinionatedness, I'd take 'Wild'. We saw Jay Griffiths last summer. And she said 'One of the reasons I'm doing this event is because the organisers DIDN'T say 'You'll be amongst like-minded people'. Like, why would I want that? I want to be with people I can disagree with. People who will challenge me. 'Like minded is boring'. Jay talks here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJqQxB5T_0g
Ronnie Hughes
Monday 23rd of January 2012
I can't resist a book list!
Favourite cancer book is 'The secret history of the war on cancer' by Debra Davis. Well written and brilliantly researched.
Other favourite cancer book, 'So much for that' a novel by Lionel Shriver. Unputdownable.
On loss and grief, a book I read just before Christmas and will be reviewing on Being Sarah soon 'End of Life' by Mary Jordan and Judy Carole Kauffmann.
Favourite recent book, 'Why be happy when you could be normal?' a memoir by Jeanette Winterson. Had to buy a copy just for me as Sarah wouldn't hand her's over.
Favourite book of the century so far, 'Wild' by Jay Griffiths. Travel, poetry, philosophy, anarchy. A book totally unlike any other.
And favourite book from all the centuries ever, 'Jane Eyre', Charlotte Bronté. Managed not to read it until about 3 years ago, and was awestruck. I'd taken it as a given that Charles Dickens and Jane Austen were the greatest British novelists - and I do still love them both. But I've read Charlotte Bronté now, and so I know how well it's possible for a human being to write.
Nancy
Tuesday 24th of January 2012
Ronnie, I like how you categorized your "picks." And the word, "unputdownable," what a perfect way to describe a favorite! So would you say "Jane Eyre" is your all time favorite of favorites then? Thanks for sharing your picks. I will be waiting for your review of "End of Life."
Being Sarah
Monday 23rd of January 2012
Hi Nancy - thanks very much for the shout out here! And what a great idea for a post. I too loved The Glass Castle - at your recommendation. I also have The Help lined up - saw the film but not read the book yet. "Maladies" is also on my radar but not got it yet.... I sometimes feel I've had enough of cancer books - sigh. But.... On cancer books my all time 'favourite' is Audre Lorde's Cancer Journals. Audre Lorde died of secondary breast cancer in 1992 but wrote this in 1980 after her primary diagnosis, I find it inspiring every time I read it - her anger jumps off the page. Another cancer book - a novel - is Lionel Shriver's So Much For That, a very wry observation on the US healthcare system, and very interesting for me as a UK reader! I'm currently re-reading Jeanette Winterson's memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? - worth it for the title alone! Brilliant, truth and family. Absolutely brilliant, I could quote from every page. Then I'm also re-reading another book (I usually have a couple on the go at one time), is The Morville House by Katherine Swift, a delightful true story and reflections of the author making her garden - so moving I've actually visited the garden (and wrote this blog about it http://beingsarahblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/15/i-come-to-morville/). And finally, maybe of interest to your resource section, I recently met the authors of End of Life, full of resources about death and dying (by Mary Jordan and Judy Carole Kauffmann), in fact Ronnie has written a review of it coming soon on the blog. Well! Didn't mean to write that much Nancy - but then I do love to read too. Great post.
Nancy
Tuesday 24th of January 2012
Being Sarah, Thanks for all the great recommendations. Makes me think how it would be lovely if we could just sit around reading all day long! I recently read "The Cancer Journals" and was pretty amazed by it as well. I will definitely check out "End of Life" at some point. I look forward to Ronnie's post. Thanks again for sharing.
Wendy
Monday 23rd of January 2012
I just recently finished The Emperor of All Maladies and it is fantastic. (my gynecologist and I always have a "what are you reading now?!" conversation at the beginning of my appointments and she recommended it to me) I had it on my nightstand for quite a while before I could bring myself to read it--reading is my escape and escaping into cancer was not something I was ready to do. I'm glad I read it, though--it's a hefty read, but it's really engrossing.
I have a rule--1 trashy novel (Which I love--Steven King, et) means I have to read 1 book that makes me think. I've thought enough with Maladies, so I'm going to try The Hunger Games next. :)
Nancy
Monday 23rd of January 2012
Wendy, It sounds like you have a good rule there. Glad to hear your thoughts on "Maladies." I'll be getting to it eventually. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your "picks!" And I totally understand about that "escape thing!"
Jan Hasak
Sunday 22nd of January 2012
My favorite "cancer book" is "Cancer Vixen" a graphic memoir by Marisa Acocella Marchetto. The book now on my bedstand is "The Help." I saw the movie and just had to read the book, which has many more details. I try to set aside an hour before bedtime to read. It's one of my favorite pastimes, and I'm sure it's one of yours, too. Thanks for posting about these great reads. I hope you are able this year to set aside the time you need to do what you love - read.
Nancy
Monday 23rd of January 2012
Jan, I actually have "The Help" on my stack too. Like you, I also saw the movie. Generally, I don't like to see the movie first, but...Thanks for sharing. And it looks like you aren't the only one recommending "Cancer Vixen."