The Year of the Kindle...So Far

With my recent work travelling binge, my Kindle has become a valued companion.  I often can't bring myself to boot up my laptop during the three hour flight between D.C. and Houston, so I read instead.  I'm also usually pretty spent after a 12 hour day at the office, so I unwind with a book in the hotel room.  Packing up two or three extra books a trip can be heavy - especially, when I prefer to sneak in an extra one or two pairs of shoes into my already overpacked luggage.  I've found my Kindle to be the perfect answer.

This year I've already logged quite a few digital page miles.  Here's a recap of what I've read so far:

The Hunger Games Trilogy:  The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay - these were recommended by fellow Manic Mommy Tracy during November's Escape.  Once I finished The Hunger Games, I knocked out Catching Fire and Mockingjay back to back.  I really enjoyed the series.  I've heard rumors that a movie is in the works - I'm prepared to be disappointed again by the big screen interpretation of a good book.

365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life - Every once in a while (like lately), I feel the need to get grounded and hear stories about how other's made an impact in the world, or in their own life.  365 Thank Yous was a very touching memoir about how one man made a pact to write a personal thank you each day for an entire year.  It reminded me about the importance of being grateful for the little things in life, and how a handwritten note can still mean a great deal.

Left Neglected - I was blown away by Lisa Genova's Still Alice last year and couldn't wait for her next book.  Left Neglected was downloaded as soon as it came out and was one of those books that I couldn't put down.  Genova has a way of describing a medical condition with such clarity, but I'm most amazed by how she can capture the impact to the surrounding family members while still writing in the first person.  She has become one of my favorite authors.

The 4 Hour Work Week - I had to see what all the hype was about.  Is a 4 hour work week really possible?  The suggestions in this book are really good, but just like author Timothy Ferriss suggests, a four hour work week requires the ability to completely alter your interaction with others and how you process your work.  As a person who is required by my corporation to capture every hour of my time for billing and audit purposes, a four hour work week wouldn't really be feasible in my current position.  I did capture a few time saving ideas, but overall I couldn't see myself implementing the ENTIRE approach.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Another one where I had to see for myself if a book was up to all the buzz.  When I downloaded, I was in Houston and had just received an email from our daughter's teacher about a behavior issue.  Guilty-Mom Syndrome kicked in and I started to question whether we were being to soft and accommodating in our child-rearing.  Amy Chua's book was really enlightening and I was happy to see that she was able to describe the ups and downs of her approach.  While I didn't rush out to buy a violin for J, I think that I needed a little more Tiger Mother thrown in to balance things out.

Do you have an e-reader?  Any recommendations for a good download?