March 28, 2008

I've found a new author that I really like. It's Tracy Chevalier. I've been listening to audio books lately because I just could not take it anymore that I can't read for leisure during the school year. This way I can put the audio books on my iPod so I can listen to them in the car, during my lunch breaks and my planning periods because I can also do things for work while listening. It's not quite the same as holding a book in my hands and getting lost in the written word, but it's so much better than not getting to read at all.

Anyway, the first book of Tracy Chevalier I listened to was "The Virgin Blue." It was a historical fiction book about the migration of the Huguenots from France to Switzerland. I mean, yes there's a lot more to it than that. It jumps back and forth from the 16th century to present day. But, it was very interesting. It had much more French in it than I remember, but it wasn't enough for me to miss the meaning of anything.

Next, I listened to "Falling Angels" which was set in the beginning of the 20th century in England (outside London). It had a lot of woman's suffrage stuff in it, which was really cool to read about. This one did not jump back and forth between time periods, but it was told from the point of view of 12 characters. So, it did got from character to character and that made it really interesting.

Now, I'm listening to "The Girl With a Pearl Earring." It's set in 17th century Holland. It's about a girl who is forced to become a maid for the famous painter Jans Vermeer because her father lost his eyesight and can no longer work. It's prompted me to go looking for more information on this painter. He painted a lot less than most painters of his time, but his work is fascinating. I've also been looking online for more information about Dutch history. It seems this particular time in Holland is considered the Golden Age. I'm about half way through this book and really enjoying it.

After that there are only two more books she's written that I've not read. "The Lady and the Unicorn" and "Burning Bright." I'm not sure which one I'll get next. I might just go ahead and buy them both from iTunes or Audible so I can listen to one right after the other.

After that I'm going to go back to Barbara Kingsolver. She's got several I've not read yet that I want to read. I'm also doing my best to collect all the paper backs by Daniel Preston and Lincoln Fairchild because it's my goal this summer to make my way through at least most of their novels. I've read three of theirs so far. I also want to read all the books in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series.