Introductions

Greetings fellow book nerds! I'm Shannon and I read. A lot. Everything. Fiction, non-fiction, religion, biographies, essays, poetry - you name it. I am an accountant by profession but I have an English degree from a small, private Iowa college. Strange, you might think. Accounting and literature don't really mix. I graduated with my degree in English and quickly realized there aren't a lot of professions (aside from middle school teacher) for English majors in Iowa. So I went back to school and got an accounting degree and have been bringing home the bacon ever since.

My mom instilled a love of books in me at a very young age. At around age 10, she started me on my very first reading curriculum. The reading list consisted of Jane Eyre, Heidi and Little Women. These were books, she said, every little girl should read. And to this day they are some of my favorites.

I was an avid reader throughout childhood and high school. I was always reading something independently on top of my usual school work load. Upon graduation from high school, I was posed with the problem of choosing a college major. All the advisers and counselors said to just take classes that interested you the first year and a major will present itself eventually. I took literature classes. Our college had what was called a "May Term". It was a short three week term in May (obviously) in which each student took one blow off course for a couple hours each morning and spent the rest of the day working on their tans and blood alcohol levels. Popular classes were "History of Film", "Learning Piano" and "History of Rock 'N Roll". My freshman year I took an intensive course in a small un-air conditioned room on the works of Flannery O'Connor and loved every minute.

As my college years progressed, however, I became somewhat disenchanted with my chosen major. This probably had less to do with a diminishing in my love of books and more to do with certain literature professors I was forced to take who pushed their super conservative ideals on the students through their lectures.

Following graduation, I took a break from reading for the first time in my life. Not long. Maybe a couple years. I had been "read out", so to speak, in college. And I wasn't sure yet if I enjoyed my new college taught ability to analyze and pick apart everything I read looking for themes and symbolism.

Eventually, however, the desire to read grew again. And has been growing ever since. My readings are eclectic and wide spread. I have been trying to go back and read many classics that my schooling failed to cover interspersed with modern bestsellers and quirky picks that have tickled my fancy.

Here you will find reviews and synopsises of the books I am reading. I may, from time to time, post on favorites I have read pre-blog. I'm sure I will also post on authors I like and don't like, literature news items I come across and the such. Perhaps you will find my reviews helpful and be drawn to read a book I've recommended. Or perhaps you would like to recommend a book you think I would enjoy. By all means, drop me a line. Until then, happy reading!