Seriously, though. BACK OFF, IRENE.

The other night we went out to dinner with our neighbors and their daughter, who is about a year older than Lucy. It was fun, we ate pizza, we played in the arcade room, we left rather abruptly when everyone at the table melted down because there were NO MORE QUARTERS for the game room (we are apparently the meanest parents EVER for not wanting to spend $85 on a pinball game that appeared to date back to 1978 or a racing game with cartoon bikini-clad women waving the starting flags) and stepped outside into some beautiful evening weather. The restaurant we ate at is in the middle of one of those new hipster pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use developments, so at the end of the street there was (what appeared to be) a nice little lawn where the people living above the shops and restaurants walk their pets or eat picnic lunches or whatever it is the suburban hipsters do these days. (Is there such a thing as suburban hipsters? Are they allowed out of the city limits?)

Seriously, it was (from afar) this lush, green, thick, beautiful grass and was just BEGGING those kids to run and chase each other through it. So we sent them ahead and told them to work off some energy and they took off. Asher, at two months shy of five years old (SHUT UP, I KNOOOOOW), is a much faster runner than the two younger girls and arrived at the grassy area first and – oh, you guys, this really happened – COULDN'T STOP RUNNING when he got there and slipped in some mud and fell into an ENORMOUS, ENORMOUS puddle. Like, really, let's be honest, a SMALL POND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD; a pond that was a FOOT DEEP. It wasn't visible at all from where we were standing, and I am not even kidding you, when he fell there was this HUGE splash, like he'd done a cannonball into a POOL and Dave took off running and Asher was just SITTING there, in a pond, TOTALLY embarrassed and crying and soaking wet but FINE and it was just the most hilarious thing ever. I mean, we didn't laugh in his face or anything! We were kind and compassionate and understanding but we were laughing TO OURSELVES, because it really had been so amusing to watch. It kind of killed the mood, though, if you know what I mean, and we all just walked back to the cars and had to strip Asher down and put a pair of spare underwear and a blanket on him for the ride home.

And so that's understandable, right? An accident, whatever, but laying in bed that night I realized the REAL issue was the fact that we hadn't BATHED him when we got him home, which gives me the heebie jeebies now to think about, seeing as how that little “pond” was probably teeming with hipster dog poo bacteria. Ah, well, immunities, yes? YES?

Technically this is our last week of summer, since we're headed to the beach on Saturday for a week (BACK OFF, HURRICANE IRENE) and Asher starts preschool the following Thursday. WEEP. But before then, I have a whole week of sitting on a beach, likely watching my children fight over a yellow shovel when there are 36 other shovels available POSSIBLY EVEN ANOTHER YELLOW ONE, and maybe reading a book or two, which means it is time for our annual Book Recommendation Post! I'll go first. Since the last time we did this, here are the five books I loved the most:

Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy, by Lisa See
Ok, so this is TWO books but the second is the sequel to the first and if you can have them both at the ready so that you can move directly into number two after finishing number one, you will be SO RELIEVED. This is the story of two women who left their home country of China to come to America and it is absolutely BREATHTAKING. Opened my eyes to a whole different world. The second book takes off where the first one ends and takes place in China instead of America and it is just heartbreaking – but I love everything Lisa See writes, she's amazing. Highly HIGHLY recommend these books.

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand
I hate war books, generally, which is why I avoided reading this for so long. I don't want to hear about aircraft or fighting or invasions – I have no experience with anything military and it all seems to go right over my head and gets me all confused and then I SKIM. This book was different since it was written about ONE MAN and what happens to him during World War II and it was absolutely fascinating. I mean, granted, what ISN'T fascinating about someone who survived in the middle of the ocean for 30 days ON A RAFT? And that's not even the bulk of the story – what this guy went through is mind blowing, and it is really well written and beautiful and I loved it. It ALMOST makes me willing to read Seabiscuit, which was also written by Laura Hillenbrand, but UGH, I have the same feeling about Seabiscuit as I did about this book. I should probably just get over the fact that it's about a HORSE, as this one was about WAR and I ended up completely engrossed in it.

Bossypants, by Tina Fey
What is there to say that the entire Internet hasn't already said? Tina Fey is a hero for women and moms; she's smart and funny and writes extremely well and I love her. I cannot remember the last time Dave read a whole book, but he downloaded this one (I believe it was his first e-book EVER) and read it in a couple of days. He loved it too.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
I am not a mysteries kind of person, but I kind of fell in love with Maisie Dobbs. She's smart and beautiful and her story is intertwined with the story of the job she takes on as a private investigator and I couldn't put it down. It was really well-written, and my only issue was that it seemed TOO SHORT – I would have loved for it to go on for 300 more pages or something.

Moloka'i, by Alan Brennert
I realize that I appear to be reading a lot of stuff that is grounded in actual events (World War II, the beginnings of Red China, etc.) and this book is no exception – it's a fictional account of a woman who was torn from her family at age six (SIX!) and sent to live in a leprosy camp in Hawaii – a leprosy camp that ACTUALLY EXISTED, and does to this very day. Did you know such a thing existed? I did not, and I did not know really anything about leprosy, but this book was FASCINATING in that regard, though a wee bit grotesque, because it turns out leprosy is kind of, well, way more awful than I imagined it was.

OKAY OKAY SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY SIX BOOKS and I am reading TWO right now that I really love and would tell you about but I have PACKING to do, you guys. Your turn! What have you read and loved in the past six months? Other recommendations here and here.

Comments

[Life of a Doctor's Wife]

Oooh all those books sound so GOOD.

I recently read Bossypants and just LOVED it. I expected it to be funny and smart, but it was moving, too. And the bits about being a woman comedian in a male-dominated field were really interesting!

The other book I read recently was The Paris Wife. Which maybe you'd like as well, since it's grounded in real events? It's told from the perspective of Hemingway's first wife, and it was all about what it's like to be married to a great creative mind... and to be transplanted from your home into the middle of Paris in the 20s... and to be surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds of the twentieth century. I really loved learning about what it's like to live in the shadow of genius. It was a fictional account, but it was really beautifully written and well done.

[Megan]

We have similar taste in books and I usually look forward to your book recommendations, but this year everything on your list was already on mine, or I already read it! I agree with your reviews though and think you would like both The Paris Wife (made me want to read Hemingway again) and Seabiscuit. The entire time I read Seabiscuit I thought that I couldn't believe I cared this much about a HORSE!

Also The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was wonderful.

[Moira]

We are like book twins. I just finished Unbroken, and now can't wait to read Seabiscuit. I think Laura Hillenbrand, the author, is from Northern Virginia.

I am currently reading Discovery of Witches. I'm not quite sold, but it's a decent read.

Spoiled by the Fuggirls would be a perfect beach read. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was fascinating (and would keep you on your "actual events" trend.

[Lana]

You realize there are about 7 more Maisie Dobbs books, right? I read the first one, then devoured the rest in a month. They make for great beach reading. Also great curled up on the couch because IRENE is knocking on your door. Not that she will. But. I really liked all the Maisie Dobbs books, they're all good.

[Kristina]

Recently I've really liked: Discovery of Witches, Don't Breathe a Word, Faithful Place (Tana French), The Passage, and The Book Thief (although I think I was the last person in the world to read that one!)

I LOVED Bossypants too and I hope she writes another one.

[Amy]

I loved Little Bee, ROOM, Sarah's Key, The Paris Wife and am currently reading The Dirty Life. All good!

[Deanna]

I loved A Discovery of Witches...it's got vampires and witches, but also TONS of history. It's probably a little heavy for the beach, but maybe for the fall?

Two more that I loved recently: The Lincoln Lawyer and Stay (it's a YA book, and is set at the beach, so good for summer reading). Rules of Civility is next on my to-read list.

[Rbelle]

@Kristina, only if you read The Book Thief less than two weeks ago, because I just finished it myself :) Highly recommend, but have your tissues handy!

I also recommend Sea Biscuit. I am a hard one to win over to nonfiction because it seems to take me longer to get through, but this book had me on the edge of my seat. Literally, I was actually sitting up on the edge of the couch reading one of the racing accounts, I was so tense.

I am very into young adult fiction these days, and recommend "The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale. Also, you said you're not a mystery person, but "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" by PD James is less like the typical who-dunnit and more an introspective character study. I don't know, there's something about James's books that feel a lot more contemplative and "adult" than a lot of other mysteries with some sort of kitschy theme (she bakes! he owns cats!) surrounding the protagonist.

[Kathryn B]

I second The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and also suggest Cutting for Stone. The latter is about Ethiopian twins born of a nun and is really interesting, despite what this sentence may suggest. Also, have you read See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan? You will probably enjoy that, too.

[Jessica]

You should definitely read Seabiscuit. It's amazing. I've never read another book about a horse and generally don't like books about any sport, but I couldn't put it down.

[Someone Being Me]

I recently enjoyed Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley which would probably be a good beach read.

[Jessica]

I just read Divergent, which is a YA dystopian novel but very good! I also loved the Fire and Ice series (Game of Thrones) but they are very long and fantasy based. But a great series!

[Caity]

I really enjoyed Sarah's Key and it seems to go along with the type of books you've been enjoying.

[HereWeGoAJen]

I hope you have a good, hurricane-free vacation. :)

[Debbie]

I like this post. I got so many good ideas from your trip last year. :)

I really loved ROOM and Before I Go to Sleep. Both are kind of thrillers but quick reads. I read ROOM at the beach and loved it but it wasn't exactly light, beach reading. I also really liked The Man in the Rockefeller Suit. If you've ever liked Margaret Atwood, I really liked Year of the Flood. (It apparently picks up after her book Orxy and Crake but is a stand alone book and the word is she is writing a third book with the same plot thread). I've also heard good things about Once Upon a River and am waiting on it from my local library. Can't wait to ready what others suggest.

[ann]

I haven't commented much on your blog before, but since I got so many good reading ideas from your last year's post (thank you for those), I wanted to contribute.

Sofi Oksanen's Purge is a great book. I could not put it down, once i started. It's about a part of the world you might not be that familiar with, but it should take your breath away nonetheless.

[jennibell]

Wow. . .these books all sound amazing. I've only read (o.k. listened to, on audiobook) Seabiscuit. I really have nothing to add to this genre of books. . .but since I do like to read I will try one or more of them. I've heard again and again that The Help is a good read but I'm still on the list at the library for it. And a couple of you mentioned Tina Fey. . .I actually, by accident, paged through Rob Lowe's new book and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the parts I read. That's on the waiting list for me too.
Enjoy your vacay. . .hope the storm doesn't take away your time on the beach.

[Jeninmich]

Game of Thrones series. I usually hate fantasy genre (I hated Lord of the Rings), but this has a great plot with very well developed characters.

[Mary]

Unbroken was the first book I bought once I discovered free Kindle Apps for the computer. I'm with you, FANTASTIC story. The war wasn't the focus, rather the person is the focus. Really really great.

[Wiz]

How did I miss this!! I love your annual book recommendations. I second The Help. It is really good!

[mary]

Unbroken was the first book I bought once I discovered free Kindle Apps for the computer. I'm with you, FANTASTIC story. The war wasn't the focus, rather the person is the focus. Really really great. vd

[Ugg Outlet]

just as long as you get your work done and clear it with your manager.' On the surface policies like this sound like my idea of heaven, as I believe strongly in a good work/life balance, I love to travel, and I'm self-disciplined. But as you'll hear in the piece, how well the policy works depends on the company that institutes it.