WWW Wednesday – 14 September 2016

WWW is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over at Taking On a World of Words. You can join in by commenting on Sam’s post, and answering three questions.

Currently Reading:

Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex HaleyI don’t have as much time to read this week as I would like, and so far, I have only made it to page 140. Roots is a story spanning generations about a man – and his descendents – who is captured in 18th century Gambia and sold into slavery in the American colonies. I am 9 pages away from the moment where he is kidnapped; Kunta Kinte is currently a young Mandinka man enjoying life in his village. I hate what is to come for him.

Just finished:

 

Sailor Moon, Volume 1 by Naoko Takeuchi – My daughter is reading these as well. Good, cheesy fun.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness – You can find my review here.

What’s Next:

 

A Darker Shade of Magic and A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab – I’ve heard that books published under Victoria Schwab are YA, and book published under V.E. Schwab are adult, so I am curious what sets these apart from her YA work and makes them adult fantasy fiction.

What is coming up next on your reading list? 

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Read Watch Play #2

A round up of bookish and non-bookish entertainment going on in my home this week.

What I’m watching:

The Little Prince  (Netflix)

The overall reviews of this remake of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved classic, Le Petit Prince, seem to be lukewarm, but we loved it. The two styles of animation to separate out the storylines worked so well together!

The Little Prince is more of a movie within a movie. The storyline drawn from the book is brought to the screen via stop-motion animation, and provides some of the most captivating and magical animation of the movie. The other storyline, that of a little girl living an overly scheduled life who happens to move in next to the Aviator one summer, is done with CGI animation. The contrast is striking, and it works splendidly.

What I’m playing:

Four Square

The last time I played four square, I was probably in middle school. I’m not going to say how long ago that was! It was one of my favorite childhood recess games, so it is delightful to see my daughter excited about it now. M learned how to play at summer camp this year, and it has been a fun family game in the driveway this week!

What I’m eating:

Italian Orzo Spinach Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Deliciousness. This soup was so yummy, and easy to make. Head over to Gimme Some Oven to find the recipe. We used the same Delallo brand whole wheat orzo that she used, and it worked really well. I like whole-wheat orzo in soup, it has a slightly heartier feel to it, and doesn’t turn mushy as quickly. Plus, it’s healthier for you!

Currently Reading:

Started the Sailor Moon manga series.

WWW Wednesday – 31 August 2016

WWW is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over at Taking On a World of Words. You can join in by commenting on Sam’s post, and answering three questions.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading two books, that couldn’t be more different from each other.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier – “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Who doesn’t know that line? Rebecca has been languishing on my TBR shelf for years and years. I am only about 25 pages in, and I love the atmosphere that Daphne du Maurier creates, right from the very beginning. I already have a chill of anticipation as to what is to come.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander – Hands down, this is one of the most important nonfiction books that I have read this year. With only one chapter remaining, it has been a slow, thought-provoking book that I have read as part of a local discussion series called Educate to Engage, a group that has also created the hashtag #NoMoreBystanding. Michelle has constructed a thorough, convincing, passionate account of how the American criminal justice system, triggered by the creation and design of the War on Drugs, has become an institution of oppression towards African-Americans and people of color. The book is filled with detailed facts, arguments and studies to back up the basic premise. It is not an easy read, but it has helped give me the words to talk about a subject that has always been deeply unsettling to me.

What have you recently finished?

Winter by Marissa Meyer – I loved this book! I thought it was the best one of the whole series. When I started Lunar Chronicles, I enjoyed the first book, Cinder, but didn’t love it. Here, at the end of the series, all of the characters have captured my heart. I didn’t want it to end. Marissa Meyer created a fascinating world with captivating people, it was such a fun read.

What are you reading next?

It’s a toss-up between two books:

   

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín – This is the Sepember selection for my book club, but I am not sure if I will be able to get to it in time for our meeting. I am not extremely motivated to read it right now, especially since the reviews I have heard are only average.

Sailor Moon Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi – My daughter is beginning to express an interest in Sailor Moon manga, so I thought it would be a great time to re-read these books! This will probably be what I pick up next.