We're in Maine, on something of an extended vacation. Vacation for us means we don't do anything but work and play with the kids. It's been pretty grand, but frankly I'm surprised I haven't done as much reading as I expected. Maybe it's because the kids are obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and we watch it every night. I've also spent time getting my butt kicked at Scrabble, as usual. Playing Scrabble with my husband is exactly no fun at all. A Woman in Jerusalem by A.B. Yehoshua I love Yehoshua. Reading him you know you're in the hands of a great master. That said, this book is a bit slighter than recent ones. How I Came Into My Inheritance by Dorothy Gallagher Don't let the last name fool you, she's the daughter of Jewish reds from Russia and writes a truly hilarious memoir of her childhood. The Law of Dreams by Peter Behrens You all know I have a soft spot for sweeping historical fiction. No Direction Home by Marisa Silver I like this book, a sweet rambling story. I didn't, however, buy the love story for a minute. The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner Stegner is really one of the greats. I love his fiction. The English Teacher by Lily King An interesting novel with a loathsome main character. The Dissident by Nell Freudenberger This is a fine novel, but I truly loved some of her stories. The Verificationist by Donald Antrim It says more about me than him, but as soon as people started flying I lost interest. Shutterbabe: Adventures in Love and War by Deborah Copaken Kogan Okay, she's my friend, but this book is a delight.