(no subject)

I do the Christmas thing because my family does. I went through guilt for several years, because I don't have the proper religious belief that would warrant recognizing it, but, though it creeps me out, I've deemed it ok to do because I'm not alone in celebrating it merely as a gift-giving situation. Plus, it would hurt too many people in my family to completely reject it.

However, there are things I will not do and things I believe there should be ettiquette to govern. I want to see how off the wall I am though, so regardless of your belief/celebration situation, offer me your thoughts on these:

[Poll #387807]

Book recommendations?

Lately, I've not been reading as much as was normal for me about a year ago, chiefly because I have not yet mastered simultaneous reading and knitting. I used to read about 4-6 books a month. I'm good to be doing a book each month now.

Part of the problem though is that I'm not falling in love with the things I am reading. I'm wading through the things on my shelves I haven't read yet, and not feeling anything click.

So please recommend a book to me.

Some background info: I'm not big on genre fiction at all. My favorite authors are Carol Shields, A.S. Byatt, Margaret Atwood, Edith Wharton, Nick Hornby, Jeffrey Euginedes, etc. I have recently read:

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (liked it)
Elizabeth Costello by JM Coetzee (didn't quite know what to think)
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (actually felt it painful to read in spots)
Brick Lane by Monica Ali (Ok, but could have been better)
The Rainbow by DH Lawrence (was ok)
Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (loved it)

My amazon recs are failing me. Help!