Summer Reading 2011

The 10 weeks of summer make such a nice package that it's become my habit to create a theme to my reading.  Maybe I'm just that much of a unit study kind of a person that I want everything to have a common thread.  My theme this year kind of silly (not like the year I only read stuff from Nobel prize winners), but I'm excited that it's almost time for it to start.  I am pushing through the last few books on my nightstand and then I get to begin...

"What's All the Fuss About?"  Summer Reading 2011

...in which I will read all those books that - recently - rippled through our culture to my great ignorance.

1.  Harry Potter. by J.K. Rowling.  Now, someone please tell me, what is the first one in the series and can I borrow your copy?  I wish I could get it on Kindle because I don't think I want to carry these big things around.

  2.  Twilight  by Stephenie Meyer.  A friend gave me the first book for my 40th birthday this year.  Which made me laugh.  I understand Jacob is the most popular boys' name 12 years running in part because of the character in this book.  

   3.  The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.  Maybe my fundamentalist side has cooled off enough that I can read it for what it is.  Which is fiction.  

  4.  The Shack by William Paul Young.  My husband says it takes place in a location where we've vacationed before so it's pretty vivid. And there's something sad about a child. How should I prepare myself?

  5.  The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell.  I read Outliers a couple years ago and it was interesting.  An interesting read may help me stop crying after reading the Shack, yes?

  6.  In Defense of Food:  An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan.  Or some other recent book that exposes the food industry's indescretions.  I've intentionally not read these because I didn't want to have to change the way I lived.  But it's time for me to be a big girl.  

  7.  Love Wins by Rob Bell.  I went to hear him speak about his book last month here in Denver. He was in a very friendly room so it was an enjoyable time.  But I'm curious to see what all the stink is about.  

  8.  Simply Christian by N.T. Wright.  It hasn't caused ripples, but I think it has made a big impact in my circles and it's on my "must read" list for the year so I don't want to go the whole summer without pushing through that list as well.  I'll find any reason I can to read N.T. Wright.

What should I add?  I'll take your suggestions for fairly recent books if you can think of any others that impacted large segments of our culture.

Of course, there will always be Uncle Tom's Cabin...