I got six great books for Christmas—all nonfiction—and I can’t wait to start reading all of them. But I have to finish Flat, Hot, and Crowded for our book group meeting on Friday. I’m finding it slower going than Friedman’s previous three books, all of which I loved. I think it’s because it’s more science than politics or history, and I clearly don’t have the same interest in science as I do in the other two. I’ll be done by Friday though.
But I did start one new book, and I can heartily recommend it: Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the Storycorps Project. The Storycorps began in 2003 in New York City and has now expanded through mobile units across the United States. Its goal is to collect everyday stories of the lives of ordinary Americans. The stories in this collection are anything but ordinary. They are inspiring, touching, tender, funny, and sometimes sad. I’ve been reading it while I work out. It’s a perfect book for commuters, exercisers, people waiting for appointments . . . because each story is just a few pages long. It reminds me a bit of This I Believe, another collection of pieces from an NPR program that I love. I’ve read all of Volume I and have Volume 2 on my nightstand. All three books are worth your time.