More Good Reads

So, Chris has passed the gauntlet.  Yup, I had to open my big mouth.  Actually, I have been enjoying the books I've been reading outside of book club books.  One I found very interesting was "In Montmartre: Picasso, Matisse and the Birth of Modernism in Paris 1900 - 1910"  (Whey, what a title!) by Sue Roe.  It continued along the vein of "The Greater Journey" by David McCullough - yes Debbie G, I am glad you selected that book for us to read! - focusing on the "neighborhood" that most of the artists inhabited.  It also tied in with "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain, a historical fiction book which focused on Ernest Hemmingway during his "Paris years" which were a similar timeframe.  These books all included a few of the same noted characters so I felt more connected to these individuals and got a clearer notion of what life was really like at the turn of the 20th century.  I learned that I like Matisse's work but am not fond of Picasso's, although I have a much better understanding of the importance of his work, what he was trying to achieve and how he developed his ideas.

Not all of my reading has been so scholarly.  On the lighter side, I've also enjoyed "Chasing Cezanne" by Peter Mayle, "Funny Girl" by Nick Hornby and "Then Again" by Diane Keaton.  A couple of these I checked out online using the Overdrive app as audio books and enjoyed listening to the stories read by actors who were well trained in correct voice and accents which really brought books story to life.  Based on Chris' recommendation, I am just going to start listening to "Being Mortal".