Jan 30

I'm going to be very quiet for awhile …

By Ann Kingman Uncategorized Add comments


I’ve been stockpiling some books for a very “special” occasion … and now that day is here. Tomorrow morning (well, yesterday, by the time you read this) I am going in for some major oral surgery. The surgeon told me to take a week off of work afterwards, and that I wouldn’t feel like talking for several days. (As you can imagine, my husband is not really heartbroken about this part).

I’ve known about this for awhile, so I’ve been laying in a supply of books to read while I recover. First up is The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. I’ve already started this, and it’s fantastic — even better than the first book in the series, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which I loved.

Next in the lineup is The Likeness by Tana French. I loved her first book, In The Woods, and I’ve heard that this is great, too. I love mysteries and also anything set in Ireland, so this series is a natural for me.

I also have two other books I’ve wanted to read for a long time: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, and The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

By then, I hope to be off the pain medication and ready to tackle a very special book. It’s a manuscript, so I’ll have to read it on my Sony Reader, but I just can’t wait for the physical book to be ready. It won’t be out till Fall, so that would be quite a long wait. And really … I’m not even sure if I can tell you about it yet. But here’s a hint: it’s by one of my all-time favorite authors, a man who wrote an amazing book that has a title which starts with “Prince” and ends with “Tides”. I’ve been waiting for this novel for many, many years.

So that’s my plan. We’ll see how many of these books I actually get through, but I’m quite looking forward to my recovery. It’s almost enough to make tomorrow morning’s surgery seem not quite so bad …
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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Where possible, titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson, Knopf hardcover (coming Summer 2009)
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, Knopf hardcover
The Likeness by Tana French, Viking hardcover
In the Woods by Tana French, Pengin trade paperback
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, Harper Collins hardover
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, Europa Editions trade paperback

(all information is for the U.S. editions).

image credit: estherase via Flickr

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  • http://www.litchick.typepad.com Melanie

    Sorry to hear you’ll be out of commission. Hope you have a speedy & pain free recovery. That’s a great list – I’m jealous you have the Girl sequel! And I enjoyed the Likeness even more than the In the Woods. Happy reading.

  • http://www.litchick.typepad.com Melanie

    Sorry to hear you’ll be out of commission. Hope you have a speedy & pain free recovery. That’s a great list – I’m jealous you have the Girl sequel! And I enjoyed the Likeness even more than the In the Woods. Happy reading.

  • http://crbh-ruminations.blogspot.com/ Carla

    Oh golly, I hope all goes well. There is nothing like having a stack of books to read and the time to read them. I’m envious of the time but not the reason. My reading seems to take it slow in the winter months. I’m a more of summer reader in my hammock. Take care and enjoy Edgar Sawtelle.

  • http://crbh-ruminations.blogspot.com/ Carla

    Oh golly, I hope all goes well. There is nothing like having a stack of books to read and the time to read them. I’m envious of the time but not the reason. My reading seems to take it slow in the winter months. I’m a more of summer reader in my hammock. Take care and enjoy Edgar Sawtelle.

  • Suzanne

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery….
    It sounds like your are making lemonade out of the lemons you have been given – good for you.
    (I’ve had two oral surgeries in the last year so I literally feel your pain — good luck)

  • Suzanne

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery….
    It sounds like your are making lemonade out of the lemons you have been given – good for you.
    (I’ve had two oral surgeries in the last year so I literally feel your pain — good luck)

  • http://www.thespottedduck.com Shelley Greenberg

    Good luck with your surgery, Ann! I’m sure you’ll do fine. I’m actually a little jealous that you get to take a week off to just read and rest. :)

    I just finished Edgar Sawtelle a few weeks ago (per Books on the Night Stand’s recommendation) and it is fantastic. Hope you’ll tell us what you think of it!

  • http://www.thespottedduck.com Shelley Greenberg

    Good luck with your surgery, Ann! I’m sure you’ll do fine. I’m actually a little jealous that you get to take a week off to just read and rest. :)

    I just finished Edgar Sawtelle a few weeks ago (per Books on the Night Stand’s recommendation) and it is fantastic. Hope you’ll tell us what you think of it!

  • http://prairieprogressive.com Tim

    Best of luck Ann. Even the words “oral surgery” make me want go go into a fetal position — and it’s hard to read a book that way.

  • http://prairieprogressive.com Tim

    Best of luck Ann. Even the words “oral surgery” make me want go go into a fetal position — and it’s hard to read a book that way.

  • http://www.thebookladysblog.com Rebecca @ The Book Lady’s Blog

    Hope everything goes well, Ann. It looks like you have a great reading list planned out. I’m so jealous that you’re diving into the new Stieg Larsson. I can’t wait for that one…

  • http://www.thebookladysblog.com Rebecca @ The Book Lady’s Blog

    Hope everything goes well, Ann. It looks like you have a great reading list planned out. I’m so jealous that you’re diving into the new Stieg Larsson. I can’t wait for that one…

  • http://1330v.blogspot.com Vasilly

    I hope everything goes okay. At least you have a great stack of books to keep you company. Take care!

  • http://1330v.blogspot.com Vasilly

    I hope everything goes okay. At least you have a great stack of books to keep you company. Take care!

  • http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com Kathy

    I hope all went well.

  • http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com Kathy

    I hope all went well.

  • http://kristinasfavorites.blogspot.com Kristina

    Get well soon! I have The Likeness and Edgar Sawtelle on my pile as well. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

  • http://kristinasfavorites.blogspot.com Kristina

    Get well soon! I have The Likeness and Edgar Sawtelle on my pile as well. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

  • Graceann

    Ouchie! I hope your recovery is swift and as pain-free as possible, and that the painkillers allow you to remember the books you read. Cuddle up!

  • Graceann

    Ouchie! I hope your recovery is swift and as pain-free as possible, and that the painkillers allow you to remember the books you read. Cuddle up!

  • Jennifer

    Good luck with the surgery and I wish you a speedy recovery, Ann! I’m almost jealous that you get a week of quality reading time in….almost. But I suppose if you have to have the surgery you might as well find a way to try and enjoy it. I just read Elegance of the Hedgehog so I’ll be watching for your review!

  • Jennifer

    Good luck with the surgery and I wish you a speedy recovery, Ann! I’m almost jealous that you get a week of quality reading time in….almost. But I suppose if you have to have the surgery you might as well find a way to try and enjoy it. I just read Elegance of the Hedgehog so I’ll be watching for your review!

  • http://robaroundbooks.com Rob Burdock

    Ann – Just wanted to wish you all of the very best for your op. I’m sure everything will go fine and then it’s bookish ‘party time’! :o )

    Oh and make sure you make sure you make full use of your husband’s ‘carrying and fetching’ ability while you’re recovering :o )

  • http://robaroundbooks.com Rob Burdock

    Ann – Just wanted to wish you all of the very best for your op. I’m sure everything will go fine and then it’s bookish ‘party time’! :o )

    Oh and make sure you make sure you make full use of your husband’s ‘carrying and fetching’ ability while you’re recovering :o )

  • http://notenoughbookshelves.blogspot.com Alexa

    oh feel better and enjoy your books :)

  • http://notenoughbookshelves.blogspot.com Alexa

    oh feel better and enjoy your books :)

  • Susan

    AAAcckkk! All these comments and not one mentions the new PAT CONROY!!!!!!

    I mean, I hope you are feeling better and all that, but good grief, Pat Conroy! You might know I drove 3 hours to introduce him at a Writers Institute event in Albany when I lived in Boston–I am only sorry he was so sick while he was here…..

    I hope it is awesome and that your stack of books gets you through your recovery as smoothly as possible. Feel better!

    Can I read the 2nd Larsson bfore I read the first?

  • Susan

    AAAcckkk! All these comments and not one mentions the new PAT CONROY!!!!!!

    I mean, I hope you are feeling better and all that, but good grief, Pat Conroy! You might know I drove 3 hours to introduce him at a Writers Institute event in Albany when I lived in Boston–I am only sorry he was so sick while he was here…..

    I hope it is awesome and that your stack of books gets you through your recovery as smoothly as possible. Feel better!

    Can I read the 2nd Larsson bfore I read the first?

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Thank you everyone! The recovery has been going OK so far. I have indeed been getting lots of reading done — finished The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Likeness, and Edgar Sawtelle. I don’t think Elegance of the Hedgehog is meant to be read while on painkillers, so I will tackle that later. Currently reading Stewart O’Nan’s SONG FOR THE MISSING.

    Susan, I had to LOL, because I was wondering the same thing about the Conroy — thought maybe I was being too obscure!

    You can indeed read the 2nd Stieg Larsson without having read the 1st, but it will spoil the 1st for you. So if you think you want to read Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, start there. It’s worth it.

  • http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

    Thank you everyone! The recovery has been going OK so far. I have indeed been getting lots of reading done — finished The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Likeness, and Edgar Sawtelle. I don’t think Elegance of the Hedgehog is meant to be read while on painkillers, so I will tackle that later. Currently reading Stewart O’Nan’s SONG FOR THE MISSING.

    Susan, I had to LOL, because I was wondering the same thing about the Conroy — thought maybe I was being too obscure!

    You can indeed read the 2nd Stieg Larsson without having read the 1st, but it will spoil the 1st for you. So if you think you want to read Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, start there. It’s worth it.

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