Well, I can finally add myself to the long list of folks who have read and enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. This is just one of many reasons that I love having a book discussion group. As the moderator, I read every book through to the end, but sometimes it's less interesting than others. This was a great book to settle down on the couch with, have a cup of coffee and get the dog to snuggle at my feet.

After a devastating split from her husband, Elizabeth Gilbert decided to spend a year traveling to the 3 I's - Italy, India, and Indonesia - with plans to write a book about her experiences. Italy is devoted to the pleasure of  leisurely exploration and food indulgences. An ashram in India provides time for the spirit, inward thought, and discovery of herself and her place in the world. In Indonesia, Liz spends time with the medicine man who had told her she would come back and visit with him one day, and finds love. Eat, Pray, Love is an engaging look at Gilbert's experiences from that year, thought provoking, and filled with humor. I'm still waiting to see the movie (yes, I too get on the list at the library).

The snow is snowing all around. When I look out the library windows there are big, fat, wet flakes pouring from the sky. The trees are covered. The grass is covered. My car is covered. Thank goodness I just bought a new snow brush! Whenever it gets this snowy and cold, I start thinking about survival books. There's just something about flurries that renews my appreciation for the heated indoors.

 One book I remember from a number of years ago is Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read. The true story of an Uruguay rugby team whose plane crashed in the South American Andes mountains, there were 45 people on the plane, but only 16 made it off the mountain alive. Those who survived were subject to the harshest conditions the snowy mountains could offer, a small supply of food that dwindled to nothing, and finally the horrifying choice of cannibalism or death. Alive is gripping, emotional and visceral, presenting the worst and best in humanity. Not recommended for timid or tender readers.

Hello 2011! After a busy holiday season, it's time to start thinking about all the great books we'll be reading this year. You have probably realized that I love to read, and this year I've decided to motivate myself even further with the 2011 Book Reading Challenge from Goodreads. If you would like to be part of this year's challenge, it's free to join Goodreads. Or just use a pen and paper to keep a list of everything you read. My goal is to read 100 books, but you can choose any number you want. Remember, it's your personal goal.

The Reference and User Services division of the American Library Association "annually recognizes the best books in eight genres: adrenaline (including suspense, thriller and adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and women’s fiction." If you're looking for some ideas of what to read, their 2011 Genre Fiction Reading List is a good place to start. I'm listing the winners here, but check out the RUSA Blog for a full list of winners, read-alikes and those books that made the short list.

 Let me know if you join the challenge!

Adrenaline: “The Nearest Exit" by Olen Steinhauer
Fantasy: “Under Heaven” by Guy Gavriel Kay
Historical Fiction: “The Invisible Bridge” by Julie Orringer
Horror: “The Dead Path” by Stephen M. Irwin
Mystery: “Bury Your Dead” by Louise Penny
Romance: “A Matter of Class” by Mary Balogh
Science Fiction: “The Dervish House” by Ian McDonald
Women’s Fiction: “Solomon’s Oak” by Jo-Ann Mapson