Books, Books & More Books

I'm unofficially declaring this "Book Week" here at A Musing Mom Speaks. Later in the week you'll get the scoop on two books just released. But for today, I'm going to get personal and share with you the contents of my bedside reading pile. It has maintained a good height for the past few months and I have often lost track of where I am in which book (thank goodness for bookmarks, huh). That means that I'm trying to absorb more than my usual dose of daily reading. And that comes from getting many recommendations and reading many glowing book reviews. I should probably just keep a list. But instead I click over to my library's website and place a hold on books as I hear about them or borrow books from those who recommend them. Hence the pile. Here are the current occupants (with commentary):

1. The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren - recently released and a fun read, especially for this time of year. I'm anxious to see how it ends, but not anxious for it to end. Know the feeling? Guess I'm stuck since it's only a novella. May have to get more Susan May Warren books after this.
2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - because everyone is talking about this book and his "10,000 hours" premise. Picked it up today from the library. My thoughts after an initial scan: interesting to a point, but not entirely useful information for a writer mom. Probably an excellent read for those in the business world. However, I expect/hope I'll revise my opinion after further reading, with all the praise it's getting from people in a variety of circles (including moms).
3. Writer Mama by Christina Katz - aha! a book for people just. like. me. Highly useful information, so much that I think I need a copy of my own. I've just used up the last of my 5 renewals on it, so back it goes soon. Love this book!
4. Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing edited by Michelle Ruberg - yeah, another writing book. What can I say? I'm a writer, working on magazine articles. I can use all the help I can get. Which would be why DH gave me this for my birthday...not! He got it because it was on my Amazon wish list. Right, dear?
5. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss - a book on punctuation punctuated by lots of great British humor. A must read for everyone. We could all do better at knowing how and when to use things like a semicolon; it's use has diminished greatly because of a lack of this knowledge. And as you can see, I have not yet commenced a proper reading of this tome. I've only skimmed it enough to know that I need, need, need to read it.
6. The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez - borrowed from my mom. Written by her friend's daughter-in-law. From what I can tell, it's literary fiction, which means it's good to read, as in good for you in a literary way. And since I'm a writer, I need extra doses of literary stuff. After The Christmas Bowl, this moves to the top of the pile, fiction-wise.

Ah, see there? It's an even half-dozen. And since I returned A Life That Says Welcome by Karen Ehman when I picked up Outliers today, I'm keeping a steady pace. Although there is that bag of books a friend handed to me at church yesterday...

Any good books on your bedside? I'm always open for more recommendations. I'm pretty sure the pile could handle a few more without toppling.

Inbox at 6!