A few years' worth of reading

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. A traveling group from Cedar City's Shakespeare Festival performed this at our local high school, and it was fantastic. After we saw it, I came home and read it. Shakespeare is so much fun when you can see it performed, and then it's more fun to read, too.

Antigone. This is embarrassing, but I can't remember if I read the play by Sophocles or the one by Jean Anouilh. We have them both, and I read them both in college. On second thought, it must have been the one by Sophocles, because my copy by Anouilh is in French, and I don't think I've read any significant amount of French since college. (A few pages of the first Harry Potter doesn't count.)

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I think I made it through about a third of this book before giving up. I have little patience for books that I don't enjoy these days, and this one was self-centered, self-indulgent, and annoying.

The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg. So far I haven't met a book by Elizabeth Berg that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

The Samaritan Bueno by Jack Weyland. I hadn't read a Jack Weyland book for many years. I didn't mind reading this one.

365 Nights: A Memoir of Intimacy by Charla Muller. This was mildly interesting, which is not as interesting as you might think it would be.

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. I loved this book. Brady Udall is a very good writer. (Some people have found parts of it offensive, though, so you've been warned.)

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. I read this out loud to the three youngest. It was fun to read it again after many years.

So Brave, Young, and Handsome by Leif Enger. I didn't finish this. Enger is a really good writer, and I loved Peace Like a River, and Jon and Zed liked this newer one, but I couldn't finish it. Probably my fault.

The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine. This was mostly fascinating. It kind of fizzled at the end, which may be just because there isn't a lot known about hormones during and after menopause. In spite of that, I recommend it.

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley. I don't remember this very well. I'm not even sure why I read it.

Player One by Douglas Coupland. This is not my favorite book by Douglas Coupland, but I love all books by him. So far, anyway.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I read this out loud to the kids. I was surprised by how annoying they found Anne. I think she's hilarious.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Read this aloud to the younger kids. It's brilliant. I recommend the annotated version to all adults, although I didn't read those to the kids.

The Semi-Detached House by Emily Eden. I love Emily Eden! She should be more famous than she apparently is.

Invisible by Lorena McCourtney. I read this on my phone (the Kindle version is free!) and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. It's total fluff, but fun.

Anthem by Ayn Rand. Jon is appalled that it took me so long to get to this. It's tiny and a very quick, worthwhile read.

Lady Susan by Jane Austen. I only vaguely remember reading this. I'm sorry.

Your Chariot Awaits by Lorena McCourtney. Another piece of enjoyable fluff. I like that her protagonists are older women.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. Fascinating! And now I know why my kids are never going to be concert pianists.

The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg. I don't remember this very well.

The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller. I liked this until the end. The end seemed kind of cheap or something.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. I was always intrigued by the title of this book, but then Lillian and I listened to it on a car trip, and I didn't like it. I don't remember why.

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. This was amusing and pleasant. I think.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. It took me a little while to get into this, but I like it.

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale. The Austenland books are fluff, but I love them. So fun! There's a movie version of the first book coming out this year, and I'm excited!