Why do we thank God on Fridays? Shouldn't we be thanking Him on Sundays?

Let's Go Clubbing: So, as promised, I am doing the online book club thingiemabob. This came about because I noticed a trend when I'd mention that I am in several book clubs and I would receive wistful comments from folks wishing they were in a book club. Well, here's your chance. This how it will work. I am throwing out 3 book suggestions - the one the gets the most votes by Midnight, Central Time, Monday, March 19th is the selection. We will discuss the book via comments April 30th (I will throw out a post that day with some questions to get things going). I'd like this to be a No Holds Barred discussion - except for flaming or name calling, everyone should feel free to express themselves. And I do mean "everyone" - this is open to anyone who wants to join. I've seen other online book clubs before but, they've always seemed to be compromised of people who actually belonged to the blog itself. For this one, all you have to do is leave a comment. So, here are the selections:

1. Tripping the Prom Queen by Susan Shapiro Barash
2. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
3. Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture by Ariel Levy

After the selection is made, I'll update my sidebar with details. I am a little nervous about this - Average Jane has posted before regarding her Limited Influence, which I completely relate to. I've never been one to throw a party and have hundreds of people show up. But I figure I'll try this once, if no one "shows up", then I just won't do it again. No harm, no foul - right? Well, except for my Priceless Pride, which is quite sensitive. .... sniff.....

Gooooooooooals: I've often been asked how I find time to read. Not to sound obnoxious or obvious, but I make time for books. Since Arun began his coup d' tat on our lives, several of my hobbies flew out the window. I don't make jewelry any longer. I don't do raku or pottery. I don't watch as much TV (which I don't miss because seriously? How many people can Jack Bauer torture before it becomes ho hum?) I don't knit nearly as much as I used to. I really don't read as much, either. But I still do read. I would feel stagnant, if I didn't and I don't know how else to explain that. I suspect once NewKid joins forces with Arun in obtaining complete World Domination, I will have even less time to read - at least for awhile until we work out some sort of Peace Treaty (aka Nap Schedule). So, to make myself feel better that I won't have as much time for books, I've compiled my list of books to read before the NewKid arriveth. They are:
The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner (started last night)
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Rules of the Wild: A Novel of Africa by Francesca Marciano
Bookends by Jane Green
Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography, by Benazir Bhutto (I just realized this is an autobiography, so I am not counting on any impartiality from this. Very disappointed, actually)
Waiting by Ha Jin
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Portrait in Sepia by Isabelle Allende
Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman

For me, this list is pretty ambitious because it doesn't include spontaneous reads I'll pick up along the way nor does it doesn't include any book club selections. I guess I am hoping by putting this in print, that will spur me to keep my nose to the grindstone and not get lazy. Also, I noticed that quite a few of these had "A Novel" in their titles. Why? What's the point? What's the difference between a book and a novel? And how did I come by these titles? I have a revolving door built just for me at the Dusty Bookshelf in Lawrence KS - I read books, sell them there, then buy some more. Most of these selections are ones I had lying around and most of them are authors that I have read before and particularly enjoyed.

A Fine Balance, A Fine Read: I just finished A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry last night. Wow. Let me rephrase that. WOW. Beautiful. Haunting. Sad. Compelling. Interesting. Educational. This book covers the stories of four characters living in India during the mid-70s during a time in which Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declares a State of Emergency and in its name, countless human rights violations were committed. I am not sure I can say much that would do this book proper justice. It certainly had what I refer to as The Linger Factor. After I finished it, I sat thinking about it for awhile. When I woke up at 5 am and couldn't get back to sleep, I thought about it some more. I thought about it AGAIN while in the shower. Then later, while I was doing my hair and makeup, I pondered even more points, turn of events and the title (which had so much meaning). This book was not an easy read. The author delves into deep detail on each of the main characters back stories. It was tough going because these people did not live happy lives. However, it was important to the overall theme of the book that you truly get inside each of the characters heads so that you fully understand the reasoning and the extent of their actions and choices. To not give the full history on each of them would have made some of the events appear to be melodramatic and it would have been all too easy to paint certain characters as selfish or even villainous in their choices. Instead, it was heartbreaking, because you understood and could feel the humanity of these characters. You knew them and your heart sank and soared with each various plot point. As in life, nothing was black and white with this book. Again with the "wow".