Reading is my longest-standing, and also my favorite, hobby.  I literally can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love to curl up with a good book.  Here are my reads for September, 2011…

The Tiger’s Wife, by Tea Obrecht – I finally got around to reading this one and it certainly lived up to the hype in my opinion.  Beautifully written, with a gripping story and evocative language – I couldn’t put it down.  I found the plot about the tiger’s wife to be the best part of the book, but I also loved the grandfather’s stories about the deathless man.  The “modern” characters – Natalia, Zora, and the diggers – were less interesting to me, but overall it was a wonderful book and completely worth reading.

The Magicians, by Lev Grossman – I probably wouldn’t have picked this up if I hadn’t heard amazing things about the sequel, The Magician King.  And in fact, if I had read The Magicians when it first came out – before The Magician King was released to widespread acclaim – I don’t know that I would bother to continue with the series.  The Magicians was okay, humorous in parts, but not particularly creative.  I felt that it piggy-backed on other, better books in its genre.  Still, it was not a bad read and I liked the underlying thesis that you need to be whole and happy yourself, and that “magic” isn’t going to fix your problems for you.  I’m looking forward to reading The Magician King, and we’ll see if my opinion of The Magicians changes after I read the sequel.

The Soldier’s Wife, by Margaret Leroy – Lush and moving story of a Guernsey islander who falls in love with a German soldier during the Occupation from 1940-45.  I didn’t care for the protagonist at first, but she grew on me as she became stronger and more committed to her values.  The ending was a tear-jerker and beautifully written.

Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy – This is an old favorite, but the first time I read the translation by Richard Pevear and Larisa Volokhonsky.  I love their work and was impressed, as always, with how readable they make the Russian classics.  The story of the forbidden love between Anna and Count Vronsky, and the counterpoint socially acceptable (but no less real) love between country squire Levin and his wife Kitty, is sweet, sad and moving.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin, by Erik Larson – Profoundly disturbing account of the American Ambassador to Germany, William Dodd, and his family, and what they observed in Berlin in the early 1930s, right after Hitler’s ascension to power.  There are times when you are shocked at the Dodds’ naivete – but trying to keep in mind that the reader has the benefit of 20-20 hindsight – and times when you’re proud of them for standing up for what is right, especially when they start to realize that not only is the Germany of the 1930s a scary place, but it’s a serious threat to peace.  This account is particularly interesting in the way that it shows how it was possible for Hitler to establish his hold over Germany without anyone stepping in and intervening.  Highly recommended, especially for history buffs.

I had a little bit lighter of a September in terms of the pure number of books I read, but Anna Karenina is quite the chunkster.  I started it earlier in the summer and kept putting it down to read other books – usually library books that couldn’t be renewed, because they had a waiting list.  I finally was able to finish it (although it wasn’t my first time through), but it took a chunk out of my September reading time.  Worth it, though!  I probably spent the same amount of actual time reading – had another long train trip! – but read fewer, longer books.  It was a great month of reading – I enjoyed everything I read this month, particularly toward the end of the month.  Looking forward to plenty of reading time in October!