The books that I reviewed in May of my first blogging year were all very different from each other. There was a mix of non-fiction, historical Southern fiction and contemporary fiction. When I was writing my review for Joan Didion's THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING I remember being uneasy about it because I really didn't like the book. I know many people loved that book, but I just didn't. It was the first time that I felt such a strong negative opinion. Nervously, I posted my thoughts and . . . the world didn't end. Everyone has an opinion and that is the beauty of these book blogs so many of us dedicate so much of ourselves to. We don't all have to have the same opinion or like the same books. There is no right answer.
I also read and reviewed Sue Monk Kidd's THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES. I immediately fell in love with that book and wondered why it took me so long to read it. But the book that really stood out was THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. There was a lot of hype about this book and when I read it I totally got why. This book touched my heart, made me smile and made me cry. A friend recently mentioned to me that she was thinking about reading this book over her summer break and I instantly got a warm feeling all over. That's what this book does. What made it extra special was that after posting my review I received a very sweet email from Garth Stein thanking me for sharing my thoughts. That was the first time I'd been contacted by an author directly and it was a great feeling.
This is only my second Throwback Thursday post here on the blog and I gotta tell you, I'm liking it a lot. Taking the time each month to reminisce about my first year of blogging and where it all started has been eye-opening and insightful. I hope you enjoy it as well. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be back with another Throwback Thursday post next month.
Looking back is a lot of fun, isn't it? And many of us are doing posts that reflect on previous years. I'm so glad that lots of people are taking this 'topic' and interpreting it in their own way. I haven't read any of the books you mentioned, although I've certainly been aware of them. Let's see - in May 2008, my favorite book was On Beulah Height by Reginald Hill. It was one of his Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries. Such a good book. Will look forward to seeing what you share next month.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're enjoying these Throwbacks! I've not read any of the Reginald Hill books either but if you get the chance I would highly recommend The Art of Racing in the Rain. It's a special story. :)
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