Read any good books lately?

Thanks for sharing. I recently finished The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. What's your next book?

Odd mom out :)

I just picked up A Million Little Pieces because I was intrigued by My Friend Leonard, but the story line picks up after A Million Little Pieces.

Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone (Vintage) by Rajiv Chandrasekaran

I'm on kind of a political non-fiction kick these days, actually, although I generally tend to read a lot of fiction. I'd like to pick up "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert one of these days, because a lighter read might be kind of nice.

I really enjoyed "eat pray love" as well, despite all the so-so reviews of it, I thought it was pretty durn good.

"A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle

Love Natalie Goldberg - "Wild Mind" and "Writing Down the Bones".

Writing down the bones is my next! I so loved long quiet highway, I can't wait to see what else she's written....

I love anything written by Mary Oliver...especially her nature based poetry. If I were going to call anything a bible it would be a collection of her poems.

I also love Natalie Goldberg. Writing Down the Bones is such a wonderful classic. I met her once at a book signing and she is so lovely. She actually wanted to talk about which book I liked the best and why!

Barbara Kingsolver is also a favorite writer for me. I LOVE her essays...there is a great collection called High Tide in Tucson. I also loved The Poisonwood Bible. It is a fiction book about a family that moves to Africa. Apparently, it took her ten years to write it. It is so well written!

An unusual book I completely loved is The Life of Pi. Anyone else read it?

Liked Eat, Pray Love too. I know it is a little over the top but I really laughed in places. She has a great sense of humor and tells a good story ( even though the beginning was a little whiney).

I am new here and what people read is something I like to talk about. Think I found a good home!

Mary - why did you think Eat, Pray, Love was over the top? I really liked it and it did make me laugh, too. Of course, anything Tolle or about the same ideas is high on my list right now, along with mysteries by Anne Perry.

I just finished "Aphrodites Daughters. Oy. There's some good stuff in there, but really not my cup of tea. I guess I'm just not overtly into Tantra/sexual spirituality or all that stuff. It was a recommended read but I found it actually offensive at some points and hard to relate to. The author would probably think I'm repressed, LOL but I believe a great partnership is not necessarily all about a great sexual connection and some of the women in the book seemed codependent really.

The Poisonwood Bible is so so good. I have read a few other books of Kingsolvers, but this one was the best by far.

I've been meaning to read "writing down the bones". Thanks for the reminder!

Candice, I haven't heard of "Aphrodite's Daughters." What were your specific qualms, out of curiosity?

You know, I liked "Eat, Pray, Love," but it was more of a light, feel-good read rather than anything I found truly transformative or life-changing.

I'm currently reading Michael Ondaatje's new book, "Divisadero," and it's breathtaking, but then again, everything the man pens is pure poetry. :)

About "Aphrodite's Daughters"....well much of the book sites women or men leaving prefectly good marriages to have exciting sexual affairs. And the one marriage they qualify as "good" entails the wife putting up with her cheating husband and some nonsense about how that's real love or union. I'm not against Tantra, per se, but the views in this book seemed extreme. What's worse is that my sister gave it to me knowing it would cause a stir, so I'm left wondering what exactly her point was, LOL

Oh, I have another book recommendation. For women who are interested in their spirituality but aren't into the cheesy/schlocky/woo-woo aspect of most spirituality books, check out my friend Sera Beak's "The Red Book." It's funny, it's brassy, it's bold, it's readable, and it's scholarly while being completely digestible and meaningful. Her website is www.serabeak.com.