Every summer (or school break) I try to set aside some time to read books that have nothing to do with my life in academia. Even though I’m an English major, I do not read a lot of fiction during the school year because my focus is rhetoric and composition not literature. So, I usually spend most of my off time reading fiction and not classics. I’m an equal opportunity reader, so I love a good chick lit novel and in 2011 I was all into Emily Giffin’s novels. I’m a HUGE historical fiction reader and I went through a major Tudor family phase. Oh and every since one of my good friends told me about Beverly Jenkins I’ve been slowly making my way through her novels. I even let someone convince me to read the Fifty Shades of Grey series last summer and because I HAVE to finish a series when I start one I forced myself through them despite my raised eyebrows lol.
Needless to say, I enjoy reading fiction after spending months consumed with theoretical texts. After reading a few novels, I decided to pick up a non-fiction book that I purchased after one of my favorite mommy bloggers posted about it. I decided to make The Girls Who Went Away one of my last non-dissertation related books and so far I’m happy I did. From an academic perspective, I’m enjoying hearing the voices of women who were silenced. Since I study feminist theory, it was easy for me to connect with the book’s desire to give these women a platform for their voices to be heard. As a mother, I am completely heartbroken for these women. I seriously have put the book down a few times and walked away because I become extremely emotional reading it. I started the book five days ago and I can typically read a 300+ book in one day… two now that I’m a mom but it’s taking me a lot longer. Mr. S was surprised when I told him I had to limit myself to one chapter that day because in his words “you usually read a book in 15 minutes” lol.
If you’re still making your summer reading list, I highly recommend The Girls Who Went Away. It gives a totally different perspective when it comes to adoption.
