DJ's book shelf discussion

I am fumbling around on this, learning as I go. I'd like to use this site to talk about various books I've read and enjoyed and to hear about what you've been enjoying in your reading. Feel free to comment.

I'm hoping I can find a book that several of us have read that we can make a few comments about. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know.

Sounds good DJ -- thanks for setting this up. Let's see what discussion we can generate. :-)

I'm trying to read Joseph J. Ellis's American Sphinx The Character of Thomas Jefferson as part of the Summer Challenge, and I'm finding it just very slow going. I'm starting to play games with myself now. Like "Okay, if you read 20 pages of this book, you can read 50 pages in another book you REALLY like."

Any suggestions to make getting through this easier? I'm usually a big history fan, but this book just doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. But I want to finish it by 8/31 so I get the 30 points. Arghhh!

Krista, when I'm stuck with an unreadable book I often read the last chapter ( to heck with continuity), and a chapter in the middle, and go back to where I left off. Sort of the dip and swing. I figure I can always reread (scan)the parts I read earlier if I need to.

I always hope for photos or reproductions of portraits so I can stare at ol' Twinkle-toes to get some idea of why he was such a dry stick before going back to the text.