Book Season

I love books, and while browsing on Amazon.com, I noticed how many great book releases are happening in September. It’s a great month for book lovers everywhere, no matter what your taste.

The Ones I’m looking forward to: 

1) Audrey Niffenegger, author of one of my all-time favorite novels, The Time Traveler’s Wife, finally releases her first new book in 5 years, Her Fearful Symmetry. (Sept 29.)

2) Craig Ferguson, one of my favorite goofy late night TV personalities wrote a book which is sure to be funny and sad- The host struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction for years. American on Purpose: the Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot hits bookstores Sept 22.

3) I didn’t love The Da Vinci Code. It was okay. Angels and Demons I almost loved.  Sept. 15. Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, featuring Robert Langdon will be available to the public. Seeing as how the pre-order is the #1 book on Amazon.com, I’m sure it will follow in Da Vinci’s footsteps to become a major success.

4) In college, I stayed up late to read Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz. It was an inspiration to my life. After that I read his Across Painted Deserts and Searching for God Knows What (this one is the best over all).  His next book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years comes out Sept. 29.

5) Catching Fire released Sept 1.

None of those up your alley? Well don’t worry Nicholas Sparks, Alexander McCall Smith, Mitch Albom, Margaret Atwood and Stephen King are releasing new novels while Ted Kennedy’s memoir True Compass gets released on the 14. Glenn Beck’s new book, Arguing with Idiots, also comes out this month- Sept. 22.

Happy Reading.

“my father believed in redemption”

The Last Kennedy

I’ve been impressed (this rarely happens) with how the media  has handled Ted Kennedy’s death.  If you know anything about Kennedy, you know his political career was far from a fairy tale. I expected all of the turmoil to be glossed over as it often is when a political figure or entertainer dies, but so far what I’ve read has shown Kennedy truthfully- a flawed, yet influential and well-loved senator.

Even though I didn’t agree with all of his political stances, I do admire one thing in particular- his consistent fight for the things he believed in, despite his failed presidential campaigns and a lot of personal drama. He remained active on those issues until the end, showing him to possess incredible courage to stand for what he thought was right.

Some of the best articles I’ve read about Sen. Kennedy:

Time- Ted Kennedy in his own words

NPR- A bio in 9 minutes

CNN-  Can anyone in the senate match Ted Kennedy’s clout?

ABC Good Morning America- McCain on Kennedy

And for the record, I don’t think Health Care will pass this year, despite rumors of a renewed push to honor Kennedy’s life-long passion.