The words "summer reading" call up contradictory feelings for me. On the one hand are memories of required reading lists and feelings of obligation, resentment, and, as summer crept on towards fall and the start of school, despair at ever finishing all of the reading and finding something meaningful to say about it in an analytical paper. On the other hand are more pleasant memories of desultory and dilettante wandering and reading in the stacks of my neighborhood library, the oscillating fans rustling the pages of each new book I discovered, and of seemingly endless afternoons on the porch swing immersed in another world. Sometimes, to my surprise and delight, a book from the required reading list would migrate to the pleasure list . . .
This summer, the book discussion group at my yoga studio is reading the novel The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri about the lives of the inhabitants of a Bombay apartment building and the death of Vishnu, their odd-job man. Suri's allusions to Hindu mythology and religious texts have led me to some fascinating nonfiction reading. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism by Linda Johnson is a comprehensive overview of the history, philosophy, and traditions of this ancient religion. The material is easy to read and understand yet not reductive, and the book easily lends itself to browsing. The Bhagavad Gita translated by Stephen Mitchell is a poetic rendering of one of the greatest spiritual books of all time. Mitchell's translation makes timeless the conversation between the warrior Arjuna and his spiritual guide, Krishna. Their conversation takes place on a battlefield as Arjuna finds he must fight a battle against members of his own family. Krishna shows Arjuna the possibility of wisdom and freedom that lie within reach of all who can renounce the fruits of their actions. I hope to eventually read Ralph Waldo Emerson's and Henry David Thoreau's reflections on the Gita.
What does summer reading mean to you? What are you reading this summer, especially nonfiction?
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I just finished The Perfect Summer: England 1911 by Juliet Nicholson. Nicholson views different portions of English society in chapters comprising about two weeks each. Many famous names appear, including a beleaguered Winston Churchill, who has to contend with fires, strikes, and skewering from the press. An enjoyable read!
ReplyDeleteLove is a mix tape: Life and Loss, One song at a time
ReplyDeleteBy: Rob Sheffield
I love music, which is what drew me to this book. The author takes the reader through his journey of life. He talks about how music becomes part of our personal histories and how much it impacts our lives. One of the coolest things about this book is that the author describes certain songs as old friends. He uses fifteen mix tapes to tell the story of his brief time with his late wife Renee. He attributes so many of his experiences to music and talks about the coolness of a mix tape. Part of what drew me to this was the nostalgia of the mix tape.
There is one section in the book where the author takes you back to his childhood. He recounts a memory from his childhood when he and his dad try to make an entire tape of “Hey Jude” by the Beatles. They wanted to see if they could loop the song to last for that long. Sheffield goes on to explain some of the different reasons each of us would make a mix tape. There is the Party Tape, the Radio Tape or the Break Up Tape. He talks about several other reasons we would take the time to make a mix tape. Personally, I have made tapes for many of these reasons. This chapter of the book really took me back to my adolescence. “Hey Jude” is old, dear personal friend of mine also.