off my bookshelf Jan 2011

In 2011 I decided that I wanted to read more. I already read a lot but over the past few years much of what I have been reading has been decided by university professors rather than by myself. So for 2011 I decided that I wanted to read a minimum of 52 books, at least one per week. In order to help me keep track of what I have been reading I have decided to post a monthly log of my progress. So, here is what has been off my bookshelf this month...

I love Jane Austen. I decided that I would like to read all six of her novels back to back this year. I am just finishing Emma. If I had to choose a place and time where I could have been born this would have been it, late 18th - early 19th century England. As a teen I was very nearly obsessed with all things English. I am definately an Anglophile. While most blogs I look at seem to have a fascination with France and all things vintage French (and I do love these things as well); my heart really is in England...

Continuing with the English theme... Monarchy gives a great general overview of the British monarchy (obviously) from the Tudors to the Windsors. It's a good easy read...as is Bryson's book. Bryson decides to travel through England by public transit and describes some of the changes that have taken place since his first trip in the 70s. While I enjoyed this book I did get a little upset by some of the descriptions of the "americanization" that is happening in some places (such as replacing small quaint high street shops with outside of town malls). When I finished it I had to switch back to Austen to replenish my pastoral, romantic notions.

I usually like to read more than one book at a time, just to satisfy my many moods. So while I love getting my British fix, sometimes I need a change...

I also love food writing or as Anthony Bourdain calls it: food porn. I love reading Anthony Bourdain and I hadn't read this one yet (I have previously read Kitchen Confidential and Medium Raw). I don't know why I love reading Bourdain I guess it is because he is very informal, direct and he doesn't try to be politically correct; I love that. (While I personally love reading his works I would give a warning to anyone sensitive to swearing and/or people saying what they think and I don't really think any subject is taboo with Bourdain).

I got this for Christmas and have been reading it from cover to cover...

My boys recieved some "ologies" for Christmas and we have been reading through them this month.

My eight year old REALLY loves them, especially Monsterology. We have had to have a few discussions about how they are just stories as they are written like old scientific journals...very cool.

I have also been reading these with my eight year old. He is studying the Canadian Provinces in school for Social Studies and was learning about food that is produced in different regions...I thought it would be a good time to introduce him to reading cook books...and he actually enjoyed them. I am determined to have all my children in love with good food and knowing what to do with it before they leave home.

and as I mentioned in the original "off my bookshelf" last April...I have a bit of a magazine fetish. These are a few of my favourites. I have collected a large stack of the British Edition of Country Living magazine and I often encourage my husband to take a look at them so he can visualize what I would like my life to look like...

What have you been reading this month?