Hot Holiday Laziness

No, not that kind of hot. It's a hot (80F and only 9 a.m.) and humid (65%) Memorial Day in my neck of the woods. I am unmotivated to do anything but fight the dog and cat for access to an air conditioning vent (hooray for central air!). They like to lay right in front of them, hogging all the cool air for their furry tummies and blocking it from reaching the rest of the room. And of course they follow me around so no matter what room I go to, eventually one of them blocks the vent. I've been reading Bookforum's April/May issue and today I ask, have you read Samuel Beckett or A.M. Homes? I know it is a special Beckett year and there have been articles about him everywhere but I have not been interested until I read Salman Rushdie's essay on him (sorry, not available online) in which he encourages readers to surrender. Okay. I've seen Waiting for Godot acted on stage long ago and enjoyed it but it did not inspire me to pursue Beckett as playwright or novelist. If you have read Beckett, what book would you recommend as a good place to start? Same for A.M. Homes. For some reason I have not been interested in her work until I read the review of her new book This Book Will Save Your Life. Supposedly this book is a little different from her others according to the reviewer. If you have read Homes, should I start with her new book or try one of her others first? Your feedback and suggestions are very much appreciated.