Some reading recommendations...

I have read a good amount of books since I got to Corinto. Peace Corps Volunteers have a great informal book exchange system going so I almost always have a supply of recommended books to be reading. Whenever we get together we usually bring a book or two we have just read and trade with others. Since most Peace Corps volunteers in Nicaragua dont have TVs (although most Nicaraguans do) we end up doing a lot of reading! Anyways, since its the Christmas season and people are thinking about what they want to give or recieve I thought Id put down the books that Ive read in Corinto for some ideas. I honestly liked all of the books Ive read except one.

Here are the books Ive read, in order of when I read them (and yes, I do keep a list):

The Blood of Brothers by Stephen Kinzer
This is a book about the war here in Nicaragua during the 1980s between the Sandinistas and the Contras (aka U.S. Government). Its a really good read for anyone that is thinking about visiting me or is curious what exactly happened here in Nicaragua during the 80s.

The Best American Non-Required Reading 2006 by Various Authors
This was a gift to me before I left for Nicaragua and I really enjoyed it. Editors pick out random reading material such as newspaper articles, short stories, graduation speeches or blog entries and compile them into this book. The 2006 edition was great and Im sure the 2007 edition would be just as good. Its great as a book to just pick up and read whenever, you dont need to read them in order.

Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins
This book is really interesting for anyone interested in international politics, especially U.S. work in developing countries. It is the true story of a guy who says he ended up screwing over a lot of developing countries while working for the U.S. government all in the name of helping developing countries. Im not sure I believe everything in the book, but nonetheless it is a very interesting read.

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
This was also a gift before I left. It took a while to get into but turned into some of the best writing and storytelling I have ever read in a novel. Its such a unique story thats written in a wierd style but I would definitly recommend it to anyone interested in something a little different.

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
The best book that Ive read here. It is the story of a Harvard doctor that opens a clinic in rural Haiti. It is very well written and the story solidified my desire to get a Masters in Public Health and work in international public health when I am done with Peace Corps.

Lost in Transmission by Jonathan Harley
Ive been told this book is out of print, but if you can find it, its definitly worth the read. Its about an Australian journalist that gets posted to the Indian subcontinent in 2000. As the events of 9/11 unfold he is assigned to Afghanistan and other countries in the area. He weaves the current news stories of the day with his own struggle as a person adapting to living and working in India and Afghanistan. Since its written by an Australian, it also offers a different perspective on those events.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Ive been told there is a movie from this book. The book, although a bit depressing it is a very well written and well informed novel about an Indian family that has moved to the United States. Maybe I just like all the books that are about foreigners adapting in a new country, but the story and characters are very real which make this a very interesting read.

Naked by David Sedaris
A typical David Sedaris book with different disconnected stories about his life growing up. It is definitly funny and an easy read. Its a good beach or brainless book, but it doesnt have a lot of meat to it.

Dreams of my Father by Barack Obama
This is the first book by Obama before he hit the national political stage. For that exact reason it is a compelling book. His words are not glossed over by fears of how it might affect his campaigns. He talks candidly about his views, angers and drug use. I feel like I got an idea of how he thinks which is an important thing to know about a presidential candidate. And besides all that, his story of growing up is just plain interesting with a Kenyan father and a Kansan mother and growing up in Hawaii, Indonesia and L.A.

The Things they Carried by Tim OBrien
I had wanted to read this book for a while and Im glad I finally did. It is about the Vietnam war. OBrien is a very skilled writer and writes this book not as a continuous story but different fragments of one big complicated story. OBrien is a Vietnam veteran and I feel like I got a better idea the experience as a young man in war and now as an older man struggling with his memories. Its a quick read and I definitely recommend it.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini
This is the second book by the author of The Kite Runner. I cant say if this was better or worse than the Kite Runner but its woth the read. It follows the story of two women in Afghanistan and the impossible lives that they are leading. It gives good insight into the history of Afghanistan although much of the story is very depressing.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Since I work trying to convince Nicaraguan adolescents to live healthily, I thought that this book was very useful. It describes the phenomenon of how trends or behaviors change. It is very anecdotal so its an easy read and the information is valuable to anyone, no matter where you work or live.

Hawaii by James Michner
This book was 1034 pages so its a bit of a time investment. That being said, I am super glad I read it. Michner writes historical novels that are full histories of a region. In this case he starts in Hawaii with how the volcanoes were formed, moving to the story of the first inhabitants of the islands and how they got there. The majority of the story involves the missionaries and other immigrants that came to the islands over the years between the early 1800s and 1900s and how they shaped the history of the islands. I read the first half of this book, set it down for a couple of weeks and then read the second half. Its a committment but well worth it.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Anyone that lives in Chicago should read this book. It is the true story of a serial murderer in Chicago during the time of the worlds fair in Chicago. I have lived in the Chicago area my whole life but didnt really know anything about the worlds fair or this murderer. They both are fascinating stories. Larson did tons of research and writes this book like a novel using dialogues from the real life diaries of the people in the book.

All I really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
This was the one book I didnt really like. A little corny for me. But I read it because I picked it up to see what it was about and when I realized it was crap, I was on page 50. The book only had 190 pages so I thought, what the hell, Ill just finish it. And thats how it got on this list, but I dont recommend it. Unless of course you like corny, which some people do and thats ok...

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling
I had never read a Harry Potter book nor seen a movie so I felt like I was finally in the loop on pop culture. Everyone knows about this book so Ill just say, if youve been avoiding Harry Potter, dont, you should read this, its a fun read.

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
I hear that this is a popular TV show in the States now. But I guarantee the book is better. It follows a west Texas football team through a season in the 80s. It talks about race, economics and the dynamics of a football team. A good read that kind of made me want to play high school sports again.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Ditto.

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
Ive never seen the movie but the book was great. Apparently the commercial fishing industry is really interesting and I never knew! It is a very interesting story of a boat lost at sea but it also give info on storm systems, rescue operations, the fishing industry, and the ocean.

The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith
Quick easy fun read. Its about a womens detective agency in Africa and small simple stories that result. It is a book series but you dont need to read them in order.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Im not going to lie, I borrowed this book because it had the word elephant in the title and I love elephants. It doesnt have much to do with elephants but the story is still great. It is about an old man in a nursing home who is recalling his memories as a young orphaned man working with a travelling circus. The world of a travelling circus in the 1930s is really fascinating and the author definitely did her work finding out all the details about that life. This is one of my very recommended books.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
If you want to know what using all sorts of crazy drugs is like but dont actually want to use them, just read this book. It is written as one big trip in Las Vegas in the 70s. I enjoyed reading it but Im not sure everyone would.

The Firm by John Grisham
A page turner. Somehow Ive never read this extremely popular book but Im glad I did! Ive read other Grisham books and he always knows how to weave together a great story. Also recommended, but everyone has probably already read it!

Anyways, those are my recommendations for Xmas gifts. Im trying to be in the christmas spirit here, but 90 degree weather makes it tough. But Im not complaining, Im worried about the freezing cold when I get home! See everyone soon!