This weekend, Cindy T called me and asked me to go to B&N with her to find YA books for an upcoming book talk. While there, we found a pretty interesting looking book on the (adult) shelves, so Cindy picked it up and decided to buy it. After we left, she handed the new book to me, told me to read it first.

That, my fellow readers, is the mark of a true friendship.

Anyhow, while at the Barne (where, of course, I worked during graduate school, master's degree #1), we met up with the coolest girl ever in the aisles. A high-school senior with plans to become a writer, she summarized and reviewed every prospect we picked up. Awesome. Made me miss my job at the high school -- until I remembered my former boss, at least.

It's no excuse, but I'm right in the middle of writing and recording a new record, and I've been ultra delinquent in my book reviewing. But of course, I'm still reading my little heart out. Three great books you should ALL pick up are:

1. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood - I saw Margaret speak in Denver about four years ago at one of my all-time favorite bookstores, The Tattered Cover. Back then, I'd only read the college freshman requisite The Handmaid's Tale (post-apocolytpic story of a society that enslaves women, and one handmaid in particular) and Cat's Eye (traces the lives of three childhood friends, if I'm not mistaken. But forgive me, it's been a while). I knew she was a respected writer, but The Blind Assassin blew me away. It's the story of two sisters that jumps through time and point of view, and is interspersed with a forties sci-fi pulp fiction. Sounds confusing, but it's not. Just beautifully written and intriguing, as opposed to what this fine reviewer, who is so good he/she can review books without reading them thinks.

2. Wonder When You'll Miss Me by Amanda Davis - You've probably heard of Amanda Davis. She was a member of the McSweeney's crowd, with pals like Dave Eggers and Michael Chabon, until she was killed in a plane crash, which is particularly sad because Wonder When You'll Miss Me was her first novel, and it was fantastic. (Basic plot summary: high school kid gets assaulted, extracts bloody revenge and joins the circus. But don't let that scare you away from it).

3. Fraud: Essays by David Rakoff - Apparently, the vast majority of the Interwebs think David Sedaris is funnier than David Rakoff. Pshaw. Despite the similarities of 1) writing essays 2) same first name and 3) batting for the other team, there's not a whole lot to compare between the two. David Rakoff is hilarious, yet erudite. Wait. Make that erudite, yet hilarious. He's like that ultra-bitchy guy in graduate school who you really wanted to befriend but were afraid to talk to, for fear of bringing down a rain of scorn. The great thing about reading is that I can just pretend to be David's friend, and laugh at all his jokes without cluing him into my nerdy, yet unfunny tendencies (which are in direct contrast to his nerdy but funny tendencies. Get it?). I would also like to take this moment to mention that Rakoff is Candadian and my people.


Oh, and one more thing: One new blog you should check out, from one of my all-time favorite book lovers: Lethologica.