Wednesday, March 28, 2007

I'm still reading!

I haven't had time to write about the many great books I've been reading, but I'm going to try to get in the habit of jotting down a few notes.

I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. It's the story of two girls (Lily and Snow Flower) growing up in the Hunan area of China during the 19th century. Despite the fact that they come from different social classes, they are "old sames" or "laotong," because they were both born in the year of the horse, on the same day, had their feet bound on the same day, etc. As laotong, they are joined for a life-long relationship that is supposed to be stronger than marriage. Lily, at age 80, narrates the story, recounting painful memories of childhood (an especially graphic and gruesome story of foot binding), marriage, and her terrible rejection (later reconciliation) of Snow Flower.

It's a great story about the power of sisterhood.

I also recently read and enjoyed Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, You Remind Me of Me by Dan Chaon, and Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose. But right now, I have to get back to work.