It's Monday! What Are You Reading? --2-18-2013

You (my 4 readers) may have noticed that I didn't post a reading update last week.  In short, a close family member has been in the hospital, leaving me incredibly distracted.  I returned to my hometown for a few days to bring cheer to the sick and was able to work on a bit of knitting but little reading.  Knitting still works with a distracted mind.  Reading does not.

I finished Dog on the Cross, and posted a review at Goodreads.

 I would place these stories within the Southern grotesque tradition, and as others have pointed out, Gwyn's style is reminiscent of Hemingway. Fans of Flannery O'Conner will certainly enjoy this collection because it examines faith within a Southern Protestant setting, a setting rather familiar to the author.

Several of the stories are quite memorable for their bizarre content and haunting feel. My favorite story was "The Backsliders," which was one of the few that took place outside the confines of the First Pentecostal Church, but involved several church members. The stories are loosely connected, and major characters in one story make minor appearances in others. When I finished reading the book, I continued to imagine the ways in which these lives intersected in the small town of Perser, Oklahoma.

I don't review everything I read, and I need to get into the habit of doing so more often.

I'm still listening to The Hunchback of Notre Dame and still reading Death of an Expert Witness.

I was able to read Fullmetal Alchamist; Vol. 1 during this hectic week.  Graphic novels require less concentration, and it's easier to find my spot when I get distracted.    I own the first 12 books in the series, and I want to re-read these before purchasing the next ones.

Finally, I plan to start reading some short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald in anticipation of The Great Gatsby coming out this spring.  I've read The Great Gatsby 3 times, and it ranks as one of my favorite books of all time.  It's now time to experience more F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I've enjoyed incorporating short stories into my regular reading routine.  This collection is calling to me from my Kindle: