My current reading list

For a long time, I've wanted to keep a book journal. I didn't really realize that people did this until I joined an on-line reading group several years ago for classical literature. It was a great group, but I had a hard time keeping up with it, due to all my school obligations and reading. Several people in the group kept book journals (some hardcopy and some online), listing what they read and the dates, as well as their thoughts on the book. Many used their book journals as a reference to remind themselves what they had and hadn't read.

This year so far, I've been reading Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe. At first, I had a hard time with it. I found the writing style and organization difficult: no chapters or breaks in prose, unusual punctuating and grammar. Also, I found the story slow at first. But in the last week or so, it's really picked-up for me, and I'm excited to finish it. I'm going to try and read for 30 minutes or so before bedtimes this week. I think I'm also eager to move on to other books. I've purchased several since the holidays, and I borrowed one from the library this week. (I couldn't resist the library book. It was finally there, and I've been wanting to read it for a long time) It's so frustrating being only able to read one novel at a time, and so slowly on top of it, with all the academic reading I need to do. Having said that, there is also a lot of academic reading I'd like to do. I'm thinking of having two books going at one time: one leisure and one academic.

My current TBR pile:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (library book)
Better Off by Eric Bende
The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
1776 by David McCullough

Of course, there's more, but that's what's on my radar at the moment.