Reading and reading

Being unemployed, I have had a good amount of time to delve into some books--all from the San Francisco Public Library, most requested, then sent to my branch library for pick-up.  Whatever did we do before we could request books online?  Here in San Francisco, we have a population that uses its library, oftentimes new titles can have a wait list of 80 or more people.  But it doesn't take long for the books to come to me as the library buys multiple copies.

So, on my reading list right now are:
The Tell Tale Brain, V. S. Ramachandran--fascinating look at how our brains evolved.  It does get a big medical at times, but is overall a good read.

206 Bones, Kathy Reichs--the only of Reichs' books that I have not yet read.  She is the one that the show Bones is based on.  The books are quick reads, delve quite a bit into forensics and have no characters from the show, thank goodness...even though I enjoy Bones, I wouldn't want to read books that are the show in print form.

Packing for Mars and Bonk, Mary Roach--I am catching up on my Mary Roach after seeing her lecture earlier this month at the California Academy of Sciences Nightlife.  Bonk is about sex research and Packing for Mars about the questions we'd all like to ask about space travel.  Roach is irreverent and fun, her lecture was fantastic.  As is Nightlife at the Academy of Sciences, the weekly cocktail party at the California Academy of Sciences for those of drinking age.  Highly recommend it if you find yourself in San Francisco on a Thursday night.   Fun to walk through the Academy, the aquarium with a cocktail in hand!

The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook, Matt Dunn--very funny fiction about a man who has let himself "go" during his ten-year relationship with a woman who has let him go and run off to Tibet.  He, thanks to his local TV star friend, gets himself back in shape.  I'm about a quarter of the way into it.

So, that's on my reading table these days, what's on yours?  What can you recommend?  My request list at the library is always needing new material!

My Favorite Place in the 'Hood

A sunny day!  Hooray!  I gathered up my book and heading across the street to my favorite reading perch, the Big Wooden Box Thing Near Pier 41:

 I love reading here.  The views are million-dollar, it's sunny and oddly uncrowded, even when Fisherman's Wharf is busy.  I discovered it when I first moved to the city and worked on Alcatraz as the boats we went out on were right next to it at Pier 41.  Many days I would arrive early to spend time here...can it really be 15 years since those days?

The book:

The Best American Science Writing 2010.  I enjoy non-fiction and this series is fantastic for an overview of the year's best science writing.  Geeky but fascinating.

However, the reading was not to be today as the wind was fierce, a risk one takes on a pier in the Bay. 

Whitecaps:

It's not always so frothy, thank goodness! 

So I said hello to the sea lion neighbors and headed home: