"Just Kids," a memoir by Patti Smith

"Just Kids," is a memoir from one of our favorite rocker chicks, Patti Smith, who is really a sensitive, poetic, old hippie of a soul. It chronicles her early life, her intimate relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe, and her evolution as an artist in New York City during the late 60's and into the 70's. What struck me most about this book was Patti's intensely human and humble voice-- I related to her spirit so much and felt like I was talking to an old friend the whole time I was reading the book. Patti captured New York as it moved from the 60's to the 70's, and the amazing thing is that I could visualize and hear it all in the way she writes about it, full of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and humanity. She writes about living on the streets, living in the Chelsea Hotel, her encounters with Janis Joplin, and the Andy Warhol scene. The most beautiful element of this story is her life with Mapplethorpe, and how they grew up together, supporting each other as artists. Truly, I think this is the best friendship I've ever read on the written page, and it brought me to tears at the end. I feel like I know Patti and Robert now, and I even see New York in a different way after reading this book.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I won't go into a synopsis but it is a magical book. She writes in a way that breaks some of the conventions of prose, capitalizing dialogue spoken by some of the characters to emphasize the realness of the things they speak of, as if they are objects instead of ideas or memories. It makes the experiences of these characters more real to me. It reminded me a lot of poetry where the poet makes their own rules, and it was a huge surprise to see when I first began reading the book. I love the way she has recurrent themes in the story, images, ideas, fears, etc, that resurface again and again as the story goes on. It is perfectly woven. But you don't have to take my word for it! A la Reading Rainbow, and read it for yourself!

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

My cooperating teacher from student teaching highly recommended this book to me, telling me how much students love the book - even the male students! I decided to save it for summer reading, but now that I've read it, I wish I would have taught it.

The story is set in South Carolina in the 1960's and follows 14-year-old Lily Owens as she runs away from an abusive father with her housekeeper, Rosaleen (Lily's white and Rosaleen is black). It gives great insight into the south during the Civil Rights movement - something I wasn't expecting from what I'd assumed would be a light-hearted read. Where Lily and Rosaleen end up is at a honey farm run by three sisters - three of the most touching and colorful characters in any book I've read in a long time. The book gives just the right amount of information about how a honey farm works in order to not get bogged down with technical terms and keep the average person interested. It made me way more appreciative of honey and the people and bees who make it! During Lily's stay at the honey farm, she also learns the truth surrounding her mother's death, something that had been a mystery she was piecing together. Kidd could have made these revelations touchy-feely and precious, but instead she made them real and gut-wrenchingly honest.

I read this book in three days - it's a total summer read without being fluffy. If you've read it before, I hope you agree with me! If you haven't read it, the library has TONS of copies of it.

The Maeve Chronicles. The Passion of Mary Magdalen by Elizabeth Cunningham

A book that makes me feel like a Goddess. It follows Maeve, (mary magdalen) (also ps, my new baby girl name) a daughter raised by 8 warrior witch mothers, love story with Esus (jesus before he was jesus). So beautiful. Religious only in the way by telling the story of Jesus and Maeves own religions. Maeve believed in the stars, water, land, fruits, smells, birds. Jesus, well you probably know his story but if you dont it explains some of the events that happened through the eyes of his Goddess worshipping lover, Maeve. Because of this book, I'm putting into action a Goddess party where we will drink wine, eat bread, figs and cheese and dance, paint and tarot read. Let the Goddess worshipping begin!!

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hey favorites!! i thought this could be a great way to share the stories that we love. just put up the book with a little info about it and let the sharing begin!!