The Pages of Wrath

Well, my goal this summer was to read five books, and I have finally made some headway.

1. Twilight at the World of Tomorrow (James Mauro)

I love any book about New York City, especially at its peak (1920s - 1960s). I love any book about the World's Fairs. Therefore, when I saw this book in Vanity Fair, I knew I had to read it ASAP. I bought it the day before we left for vacation, and I finished reading it just the other day. It was a decent read, but I have some complaints. First, it was not the best written history book I've ever read. After taking classes in graduate school about how to read and write scholarship, I was not impressed by Mauro, who is a journalist by trade. Second, there was not enough description. I couldn't envision things until I either got further through the book, or looked up a picture online. Finally, this book really wanted to be Erik Larson's "Devil in the White City," and it fell quite short. The tag lines are quite similar, both promising murder and such at the fair. However, in "Twilight at the World of Tomorrow," there was one murder and one bombing, the latter happening 3/4 of the way through the book. He was going in too many different directions for me to be invested in any one story. I really enjoyed the parts about Albert Einstein, and I would have liked to have read more about him, but that could be saved for another work all together. All in all, a good read, but Mauro is no Larson.

2. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)

I am, traditionally, not a fast reader. Sure, I inhaled Harry Potter, but that's different. It took me three months to read "Gone With the Wind" in middle school. It's a long book, but THREE MONTHS? Seriously. I was reading it for so long that at the end of eighth grade, it was part of my bio at the awards night. I also, being a history major and preferring non-fiction, have missed out on a great many American and English texts. This is why I'm reading Jess' list. Tonight I finished "The Grapes of Wrath," which was easily one of the best books I've read in years. This also took me three months, but there was a lot going on. It illustrated the struggles of Okies during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl so well that I plan on assigning this book when I get the chance. I don't know why no one made me read this earlier. I have one complaint, in that one of the major characters disappears from the book and his fate or future is never explained. That being said, I plan on reading more Steinbeck soon, possibly "East of Eden" so I can watch the movie. I am a firm believer in reading the book prior to watching the film.

I have not picked new books to read yet. I usually read a non-fiction and fiction book simultaneously, especially if I'm on a reading-for-pleasure kick like I am now. My non-fiction pick will probably be something by David McCullough (Truman or John Adams...), while my fiction pick is absolutely up in the air. If you have a suggestion, please comment.

My blog has seen some serious action lately. Nice.

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- I'm peachy.