January

I have been disloyal to the name of the blog and have neglected to post any recent writing... Well, there hasn't been much recent writing. I am working on a short story right now, and we'll see where that winds up.

It is January. And it's cold! I don't think I said much about Christmas. It was wonderful to be home with the family. I should post some pictures of the break, but I'm feeling pleasantly relaxed and lazy and don't really want to.

I'm going to go cook myself some food. I apologize for the lackluster blogging. I have been restless lately and I don't write much when I'm restless. I am waiting for lightning blots to rain from heaven. What would you like me to post?

Recommended

I have a rather serious addiction to books. I set aside grocery money every week to stalk the book sections of Deseret Industries and the Catholic Thrift Shoppe. I love used books. It is fantastic, of course, to find a used book in mint condition for cheap, but sometimes it is more fun to find a clearly well loved copy. I have also found recommendations of a creative writing I took this fall to be superb.

As of lately, down time at work has afforded a fair deal of free time to read. So, here goes some recommendations of recently (as in the past few months) read books.

I am an ardent lover of poetry. For those who share a similar love I recommend:

• The McSweeney's Book of Poets Picking Poets
  
• Poetry 180, Billy Collins
• Good Poems, Garrison Keillor

I have recently discovered the short story. For those learning to love it try these short stories in particular and others from the collections in which they are found:

• "Keith," The Hotel Eden, Ron Carlson
• "Note To Sixth Grade Self," How To Breathe Underwater, Julie Orringer
• "A Temporary Matter," The New Granta Book of the American Short Story, Jhumpa Lahiri'

For those interested in creative nonfiction:

• In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction, Annie Dillard

And lastly, the novel. Here is where I ask for recommendations. It has been too long since I was entirely engrossed in a novel. I did try a few of the popular reads, like Memoirs of a Geisha and The Kite Runner. I would recommend the latter, as for Memoirs of a Geisha, it was beautifully written, but a frustrating plot. Any suggestions of purely engrossing novels?