No Rest for the Literate

I'm starting A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (A double-recommendation! Thanks to Uncle Mr Bill and Auntie Fran). Of the 2 books E offered me for my next task, this one was at my local bookstore when I popped in this afternoon. I know absolutely nothing about it and haven't read The Kite Runner either so it's my introduction to this author. I'll have an interim review in about a week, I'd say.

I'm also starting Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg. It hasn't been recommended by anyone - so isn't officially a LitGirls task - but it is the next reading for my bookclub, which meets next weekend. I listened, during my years (and years) as a performance studies undergraduate, to various recordings of Ginsberg reading Howl, but haven't returned to it since, nor read any of the other poems in the collection. I've always struggled with reading poetry, much preferring to listen to it be read by someone who's taken the time to get the rhythms and stresses right (and yes, if that's Stephen Fry, I won't complain). But I'm really looking forward to getting into this Beat Generation classic. Of course, if anyone knows where I can access any online audio files of Ginsberg's readings, I'd appreciate that, too.

xoxo