Orange July is less than a week away, and I still have to make some decisions on what I plan on reading. During Orange January, I was so busy planning the event that I didn’t get much reading done. This will not be the case for Orange July with 18 Orange books waiting on my shelves.
The Choices
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman
The Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo
The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant
When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant
The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman
The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt
What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt
Great House by Nicole Krauss
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Afterwards by Karen Seiffert
Larry’s Party by Carol Shields
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan
The Personal History of Rachel Dupree by Ann Weisgarber
The Definites
I will start Orange July with Swamplandia! and Great House. I usually read 4-5 books a month, so that leaves me a few choices to make. What do you suggest I read? Please leave your comment in the space below – and thanks for your help!
The Magic Lasso 
Jun 26, 2011 @ 20:06:44
Purple Hibiscus is a lovely and short book, so you could fit it in easily 🙂
Jun 26, 2011 @ 21:31:27
I loved Purple Hibiscus, The Mammoth Cheese, The Earth Hums in B Flat, The Invention of Everything Else and The Magician’s Assistant. I wasn’t wild about Larry’s Party, What I Loved or Great House. So there’s my two cents! Enjoy your reading.
Jun 26, 2011 @ 23:02:36
Add my vote for Purple Hibiscus! I haven’t read all the books on your list but of the 7 I have read, it’s my fave. I also enjoyed The Earth Hums in B Flat. Black Water Rising is an unusual Orange nominee in that it’s a suspense/crime/thriller, but I read it last July and found it a good fit for summer reading.
I didn’t care much for What I Loved or Concise Chinese….
I’d like to see what you think of Swamplandia! as I’m still on the fence about reading it !!
Jun 26, 2011 @ 23:33:42
I also have Black Water Rising and Baba Segi’s Wives to read next month for Orange July! I was just putting up my list together yesterday and will post about it sometime this week. Thanks for hosting!
I haven’t read any of the above, but if I had to choose, it would be Purple Hibiscus, The Magician’s Assistant, and The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. Can’t wait to see what you eventually choose!
Jun 27, 2011 @ 00:53:37
And Purple Hibiscus shoots into the lead! :o)
Jun 27, 2011 @ 06:21:37
HA! Your pile looks a lot like mine: tottering! LOL!
I have to add to everyone else’s recommendation for Purple Hibiscus…terrific read. I have Scotsboro in my stacks too…so many good books!!
Jun 27, 2011 @ 10:31:21
I’ve only read Swamplandia! from your list, and I didn’t much care for the story myself. But if you read The Magician’s Assistant, I’d love to know what you think of it.
Jun 27, 2011 @ 19:42:54
Thanks everyone for your comments. Definitely looks like I need to nudge Purple Hibiscus up the “must read” pile. =)
Jun 29, 2011 @ 09:00:03
Yup, yup, Purple Hibiscus. The only other one of your stack that I’ve read was Scottsboro, and I was a little disappointed in it.
Jun 29, 2011 @ 22:12:37
Great House by Nicole Krauss and The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett ! I love both the authors.
Jul 03, 2011 @ 02:54:15
I loved “The Concise Chinese – English Dictionary…” Here are a few of my thoughts 🙂
http://snow-feathers.blogspot.com/2010/11/call-me-z.html