What am I reading?

It seems as if I've been checking out a lot of books from the library recently, so I gathered them up to make sure that I could find them all. Success! I haven't lost any although one is overdue. Just for my own curiosity's sake, I've summed up what I've been reading (or at least browsing) these days.

The Backyard Lumberjack by Frank and Stephen Philbrick.
Ward's family does a lot of tree trimming, felling, and log splitting, so I was curious to see how their methods compared to what was in this book. Ward read more of this book than I did, and one of the interesting facts he found in it was that different regions stack their wood differently.

My Dog May Be A Genius by Jack Prelutsky
This is one of several books I checked out in honor of National Poetry Month during April. 
Jack Prelutsky was the first ever U.S. Children's Poet Laureate and his books never disappoint. The poems in this book were humorous and clever, and James Stevenson's illustrations accompanying them were just right.

Edgar Allan Poe's Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems by J. Patrick Lewis
This children's book caught my attention because the title contained two of my favorite subjects--Edgar Allan Poe and math puzzles. The book uses classic poems to inspire other poems that have a math puzzle in them. I only wish that Wally and Theo were younger because this is just the kind of book that we enjoyed together as a family while they were growing up. Maybe the next time that we are all together, for old time's sake, we'll read a few these poems. Then we'll put on our thinking caps and solve the puzzles.

Picnic, Lightning by Billy Collins
Billy Collins has also been a U.S. Poet Laureate, but for adults. He is the master of describing every day scenes in free verse poetry. I don't always understand free verse poetry and much of it sounds the same to me. However, the poems in this book are different and I liked most of them. 

Fully Woolly by Ellen Warwick
My interest in this kid's book of wool projects was inspired by the recent Sheep and Wool Festival I went to. The projects are of various difficultly levels and none of them seem too simplistic for an adult even though they were designed for children. I hope to use some of the ideas from this book soon.

Clean Cuisine by Ivy and Andrew Larson
I usually avoid diet/eating advice books because most of them swear that their way is the only way and use "science" to prove that they are right. However, I picked this book up on an impulse one day when my joints were hurting because it is an anti-inflammatory program. Turns out that I really like it because it fits with my basic philosophies for most things--"Everything in moderation" and "Variety is the spice of life." So far, I am in the middle of reading the nutrient discussions and find that most of it makes a lot of sense to me. I don't know if I will follow the program outlined in the latter part of the book, but for now it's not a bad idea to be reminded that leafy greens are really good for you.

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
This was the most recent book that my book club read. The Aviator's Wife is historical fiction about Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles Lindbergh-the first person to fly across the Atlantic. The book is fiction but most everything in it is based on historical facts. The fiction parts are when the author fills in what she thinks might have been the private thoughts and conversations that were not recorded in the books and diaries of the Lindberghs.  The group as a whole, including me, found the book very good--well written with very interesting subject matter. Charles Lindbergh was not always a likeable person, so it was not always a pleasant read. However, it was compelling.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
This is the current month's selection for my book club. It is a novel about differences of cultures and family styles. It begins when two families meet after both adopt a baby from Korea that arrive on the same day. All of the families live in the US, but one of them has recent roots in Iran. I haven't gotten very far, but so far I like it. I'll let you know the final verdict once I've finished.

Lots of Limericks selected by Myra Livingston
This is a book of limericks selected by Myra Livingston. It is for children, so you won't find any ditties like, "There once was a man from Nantucket..." in here. It was a fun read.

Charleston--Fodor's In Focus
We're in the early stages of planning a family vacation and this book caught my eye with regards to that. A friend recently moved to Charleston, SC, so I wanted to learn more about the area. I plan to visit there sometime whether it is this year or not.

So there you have it--a little of this and a little of that. I wonder what will catch my eye this week at the library? What are you reading these days?