Taking suggestions …

Well hello, friends.  It’s been awhile.  And while I would love to recount some of the more interesting aspects of the past three months, I think for now I’ll break back into the blogging scene with a little solicitation for advice.

I love reading.  I have my dad to thank for that.  Without fail he read to me every night as a child.  Dr. Seuss, The Berenstain Bears, Ramona Quimby, Roald Dahl … some of my best memories are of bedtime story time.  To quote Meg Ryan’s character in You’ve Got Mail, “When you read a book as a child, it becomes part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.”  Yes, Kathleen Kelly, I concur.

Unfortunately, higher education seems to beat the love of reading right out of me.  It was that way in college, and grad school followed suit.  However, it’s that time again.  Schoooooool’s … out … for … summer!  Schoooooool’s … out … FOREVER!!!  Which means reading’s back in.

And that’s where you come in.  I need suggestions.  I am audaciously attempting to read nine books before August 14th in hopes of winning a raffle for a $100 gift card to Borders.  Hey, just by signing up I got a free dinner from Noodles & Company.  🙂  Out of the nine, I have to read one biography, one book set in a different country, and one novel.  The rest are my choice.  I am particularly looking for biography suggestions (preferably not 900 page biographies on John Adams or Herbert Hoover, as intriguing as those recommendations are 😉 ), although I am anxious to hear your thoughts on any worthwhile books.

So how ’bout it, friends?  What should I read this summer?