≡ Menu

Currently | I Like Big Biographies

currently february 16 2014

Time and Place // 8:20 a.m. at my desk at home (for the third weekend in a row!)

Eating and Drinking // A banana and black tea

Reading // After finishing four books in a single weekend, I spent most of this week with a chunkster (720 pages!) of a biography, Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith. I don’t always love biographies (sometimes they are too dry for me), but I absolutely adored this one. I’m excited to post some thoughts on it this week. Last night I also finished Busted by Wendy Ruderman and Barbara Laker, a chronicle of how the two reporters exposed corruption in the Philadelphia police department and earned a Pulitzer Prize. I loved that one too! Again this week, I’m not sure what I will pick up next, maybe A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.

Watching // House of Cards is back! I can’t believe the end of the first episode… but that’s all I’ll say about it.

Listening // My (embarrassing) favorite song at the moment is “Timber” by Pitbull and Kesha. It’s the first song I pick every time I’m listening to Spotify’s Mood Booster playlist.

Making // I tried a new recipe for cream cheese brownies last weekend and they turned out amazing. I am already craving more.

Blogging // This week I shared a little more about the Harry Potter scarf my sister got me for Christmas and linked to a podcast where I was interviewed. This week, I’m hoping to have two reviews, one of Elizabeth the Queen and one of Trapped Under the Sea by Neil Swidey, which is out on Tuesday.

Hating and Loving // Bonus points if you guessed I was going to say “weather” for this one! We had an unexpected blizzard on Thursday (no warning for forecasters, it was so strange), but then it warmed up to like 26 degrees yesterday. That was amazing. I’m hoping the “warm” temperatures we’ve been promised for the week actually materialize.

Loving // I got to spend a little bit of time this week digging back through the archives at the newspaper where I work doing research for news story. It’s always really fun to see little bits of history through those stories.

Anticipating // I have another crazy busy week at work, but I’m excited for most of the things that are already scheduled . And evenings this week should be a little less hectic, which is definitely a blessing.

Happy Sunday, everyone! What are you reading today?

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • bookmammal February 16, 2014, 9:17 am

    I’m a big fan of “big biographies”–and the biggest I’ve read is actually a work in progress–Robert Caro’s multi-volume series on Lyndon Johnson. So far he’s completed four of the five volumes–I’m anxiously awaiting #5, but I think it’ll be a few more years. What a fascinating figure LBJ is–I don’t admire him, but I find him incredibly interesting.
    Also–I just added Busted to my TBR list–sounds like it’s right up my alley!
    Enjoy your Sunday!

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 8:53 pm

      I don’t’ read a ton of big biographies, but now that I loved Elizabeth the Queen so much I want to try a few more. I ordered a new book on Hillary Clinton that may be my next one.

      Busted was super interesting — out in March!

      • Care February 17, 2014, 11:18 am

        Have you ever read any McCullough? His Truman was wonderful. Which reminds me that I have read part 2 of his John Adams.

        • Care February 17, 2014, 11:19 am

          that I must get to part 2! youknowwhatImean….

          • Kim February 20, 2014, 8:27 pm

            Nope, I’ve never read McCullough. My grandpa had his John Adams biography that I’m curious to read now.

  • bermudaonion (Kathy) February 16, 2014, 9:28 am

    I like memoirs a lot but don’t always love biographies.

    26 degrees was a warming trend? We had snow and I was over it in no time. We’re supposed to hit the 70s this week and I’m so looking forward to it.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 8:54 pm

      Lol, yes, 26 is warm when it’s been below zero for what feels like forever (ok, probably only a few weeks). We’re getting close to 40 this upcoming week, which I am SO EXCITED about.

  • Kelly from Readlately.com February 16, 2014, 9:44 am

    I’m reading A Tale for the Time Being now and I think it’ll be the perfect foil for the big chunkster you’ve been reading. It’s light and conversational and engaging. It’ll suck you in without too much thinking required! Enjoy it.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 8:58 pm

      That sounds like exactly what I want! I need something that’s on the lighter side, at least writing-wise.

  • Sandy February 16, 2014, 10:25 am

    My Lord, I wish I could read as half as fast as you do. A book that long would take me weeks. I do like biographies if they are well-written. I love a good true story. And YES YES YES to House of Cards!!! We have to watch episode 13 of season 1 and then we will start 2. A friend of mine said the first episode was a doozy.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 8:59 pm

      I’m surprised I read it as fast as I did, honestly. I thought it would take longer, but it was just so engaging I kept finding little chunks of time to read.

  • Vasilly February 16, 2014, 10:31 am

    Yeah Timber is on repeat around here too. 🙂 You finished four books this weekend? That’s amazing. I hope you do pick up A Tale for the Time Being next. Your brownies look so good! It makes me want to make some. 😉

    Today I’m digging into a few graphic novels and some non-fiction books. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 8:59 pm

      No, just two this weekend. Four last weekend, which was sort of amazing. I made more brownies tonight… so good 🙂

  • Athira February 16, 2014, 10:47 am

    We had the blizzard too but since we don’t get much snow here, we actually enjoyed it a lot. The books you’re reading sound pretty good!

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

      We didn’t get more snow, oddly, just a lot of blowing winds that are pretty terrible out on the prairie. Spring can’t come soon enough!

  • Jess - A Book Hoarder February 16, 2014, 1:38 pm

    I’m glad you can admit to listening to Timber. I feel the same way. My husband harasses me about it but I can’t get enoughy of the song at the moment.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

      It’s my current “dance around like a crazy person” song. Love it.

  • Diane@BibliophilebytheSea February 16, 2014, 5:49 pm

    (4) books in one weekend — you wild and crazy bibliophile:)

    I prefer memoirs over biographies, but have enjoyed the Bios I tried on the Clintons, Obama and Kennedys.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 9:01 pm

      I’ve been cooling a bit on memoirs, I think. I haven’t read as many lately — they need a good hook for me to be interested.

  • Bryan G. Robinson February 16, 2014, 5:59 pm

    I just saw a photo of your cats and it reminded me I forgot to comment here earlier. We haven’t gotten to the American House of Cards yet, but loved the British one. Some day. Tonight I think we’re watching Despicable Me 2 because after this winter we need the humor.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 9:02 pm

      I just binged through the rest of S2 this afternoon. Man, it’s a dark and twisty show. I’ve heard the British version is even more dark and twisty. I’m excited to watch it after I give myself a little break.

  • Kailana February 16, 2014, 7:24 pm

    I haven’t really read ‘chunksters’ lately. I just can’t keep the attention span no matter how much I like the book. 🙁 I kind of hate it.

    • Kim February 16, 2014, 9:02 pm

      I hate when that happens too! I haven’t had a good chunkster in awhile, so this was fun. There’s something satisfying about carrying around a big book for awhile.

  • Care February 17, 2014, 11:16 am

    I’ve so gotten away from biographies. I do like history about people. I keep saying I will read the one on Virginia Woolf that I own, but it keeps getting pushed out of the way by shorter books.
    And I so had to laugh, “but then it warmed up to like 26 degrees yesterday” – yikes. We have a gloriously sunny 20 degrees right now. The only thing I appreciate is that the snow-slush can’t make my car dirty when its this cold.

  • Katie @ Doing Dewey February 18, 2014, 3:27 pm

    Wow, that is a huge biography! I haven’t read many chunksters since I started blogging, but I’d like to make time for some this year. I could believe the end of the first House of Cards episode either! Usually I don’t go for dark books or shows, but for some reason, I just can’t get enough of that one.

    • Kim February 20, 2014, 8:28 pm

      I feel like House of Cards should make me cynical about politics, but it’s just so soapy and crazy that I can’t hate on it.

  • Allison @ The Book Wheel February 20, 2014, 12:21 am

    Boo for blizzards! But yay for biographies. I love a good chunkster about someone’s life.