365 Days of Reading

It's Day 365 of the "What are you reading, and why?" project!! For 365 days, a full year, I posted about what someone was reading (including self, family, friends, and strangers). I discovered this by asking or observing, in a variety of places, including the bookshop, of course, but also the beach, church, homes, and volleyball tournaments.  I focused on print matter--mostly books, but sometimes periodicals, including magazines and literary journals. And, even with all the electronic ways to read, people are still reading books, and, whatever way we read, people are definitely reading and loving it.  What a joy it has been to chat with you all.  And thanks so much to those who commented here, furthering the discussions and sharing recommendations.

Yesterday, I looked back at some of the blog entries at the beginning of the project, to remind myself of its impetus and to make sure I hadn't lost track.  I am math challenged, you know.

I was reminded of the whole chick lit/dick lit thing--equal time for annoying sexist labels--and Julie's suggestion of the more Internet-search friendly term "lad lit," so I will tell you that a man looking for vacation reading walked out of the bookstore yesterday with what we might call lad lit:  Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger (time for a re-read); Songbook, essays on music by Nick Hornby (he would have taken The Wishbones, if we'd had it); and Stranger Than Fiction, a book of short stories by Chuck Palahniuk.  I almost bought the latter myself, as soon as I saw it, riffling through to see if there was a story in it that was the basis of the film Stranger Than Fiction, which I love, but it isn't.

No, now that I realize Palahniuk has an official site called The Cult, I may stay away.  But you can let me know otherwise.  This is the lad who wrote Fight Club.

I may have realized that before, even here in this blog, as info seems to fold like blueberries into the gray batter of my brain when I am writing an entry a day on what people are reading!

And, as far as math challenge goes...I started this project on February 10th, but, here it is, Day 365, on February 8th.  I know there's a reasonable explanation for this...but I already put those muffins in the oven.

Kathleen's brain.

Blueberry muffin.

Blueberry muffin is clearly larger.

Anyhoo, I began the project after watching the film Julie and Julia, and musing on Julie's blog project of cooking Julia Child recipes and blogging about it.  Like random clockwork, the book Julie and Julia turned up in the shop the other day, but I resisted it, leaving it to some other happy customer, as I would also have to resist Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, if it turned up.  One, because I am a lousy cook, and, two, because it would be very, very expensive.

Again, anyhoo, wait...what was the anyhoo?!  Find out tomorrow...!  How's that for a page turner?