Books I'm Reading

Since this blog also serves as my one-woman book club, I figured it was time to reveal all the books I am reading.  I am an avid reader.  I majored in English simply because I knew it meant I could read all the time.  I love books, I love finding used bookstores that I can go and explore and find some really cool stuff.  Lately, I have noticed my reading tends to stay in eras.  There was a point in time when I was obsessed with reading the great classics of Austin, Faulkner, Hawthorne, Dickens.  Then I moved on to fantasy epics from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and even (hate to admit it) the Twilight series.  Now I am discovering the works of black novelist, theorist, and the wonder of black autobiographies.

I've always been a fan of Toni Morrison, and I have pledge to find every novel she has written and to read them in order.  So far I have all the books except for Jazz and Paradise, and I hope to begin reading The Bluest Eye soon.  To me, Alice Walker's The Color Purple is a masterpiece that everyone should read before they leave this Earth.  But the book that really inspired me to explore more about African American authors was Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.  The imagery, the tragedy, and ultimate transcendence of Hurston's heroine Janie had a lasting effect on me.  Therefore, since first reading this book in high school I have developed a fascination with all things involving the Harlem Renaissance.

While this fascination has been growing for a long time, I have recently acquired a small library of notable works from this era and am excited to begin reading these classics.  First up I will be reading James Baldwin's Go Tell It on the Mountain.  I have always wanted to read something from Baldwin, and I figured I should start with his first and most famous work.  Also, to stay relevant with what's going on in modern literature, I am also reading Bernice McFadden's Glorious; which is a novel set during this time period. 

So I will give periodic updates on how I am coming along with these books, and since I am always picking up new or used books, I will probably post about some other books I have had my eye on as well. 

Is there anything you are currently reading that you would like to tell me about?  Have you read any of the books I have listed? Do you even like to read? What's your favorite book? These are the things I want to know!!!

xoxo,

theINTELLECT