Love and Books (A Week in Reading)

I don't believe it was because Valentine's Day started off the week, but I a lot of my reading this week centered around the all-important question of love. Perhaps that's just because it's nearly impossible to write about the human condition without at least touching on love and relationships, or perhaps I was subconsciously looking for some insight. That subconscious is a trickster, I tell you.

I kicked the week off with some thoughts on the compatibility of two bookworms: my husband and I share a common love of books, and I give great weight to that shared interest and the ways in which it brought us together. I then wrapped up the week with a link out to a wonderful piece in Thought Catalog on dating a girl who reads. If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to do so. It's a quick read, but as some commenters suggested, one that every literary girl - and every literary girl's significant other - should be sure to check out.

Between these two posts came some love-laden reading. This week marked the completion of Enough About Love, which I mentioned last week was the first book I've completed on my Sony Reader. I also finished Age of Innocence, which amounted to a witty and engaging commentary on marriage and happiness in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Wharton, you and your continued relevance amaze me. The 19th century is so similar to the 21st, I see. Men and women still do not understand each other, whatever we like to think about progress. Sneaky, sneaky, that commentary is. I'll get around to posting my thoughts on the bok as a whole, but in the meantime, check out my thoughts on Part I, which I posted on Wednesday as part of the read-a-long hosted by bookworm meets bookworm.

And lazy-ol'-me finally got around to posting my review of The Magicians, and was surprised to find from the comments that I was among the minority of people who liked it. Seems the biggest complaint is that it is too similar to Harry Potter AND Narnia. But I thought it was fun. Have you read it? Thoughts?

In case you live under a rock, Borders filed Chapter 11 this week, and is closing tons of stores. In the name of brick-and-mortar stores everywhere, go buy a book today. It's a lovely sunny Sunday. It's perfect bookshopping weather. Me, I'll be searching for a copy of Room, which I've been dying to read, and a copy of Getting Things Done. GTD is totally not my cup of tea, but after Jessica at The Bluestocking Society posted such a rave review, I'm tempted. I need me some more organization in my life. Let's see if this clever David Allen can help me get some.