What Are You Reading? February 2012

I can't remember if I've done this before on this blog; if I have, it's been quite a while. I'll describe what I'm currently reading. Please feel free to share in the comments what you're reading.

I'm currently juggling three books:

1. Inside the Victorian Home--This is research for my WIP, Scattered Seasons. The book goes through the typical English Victorian home room-by-room and describes its functions and furnishings. For the Victorians, cleanliness was a path to a good character. Too bad they had to contend with bedbugs and severe air pollution. (There's a reason the Victorians draped everything in multiple sheets; there was so much soot in the air they had to wash their hairbrushes every day. Blech!)

2. Don't Be Such a Scientist--Written by a scientist-turned-filmmaker, this book shows how presenting information isn't enough; communication requires a certain amount of entertainment to hook the reader's interest. Storytelling is an excellent way to do this; unfortunately, scientists supposedly make lousy storytellers.

3. Infoquake--This book has been sitting in my TBR pile for years; I finally picked it up to read during my morning workout today because I'd misplaced my Kindle. (Don't worry; it was in my son's backpack. I put there last night when we were at the library.) It's about a group of people who produce programs that help run the human body. They start a rumor about a bioterrorist attack as a way to gain an edge over their competitors. When I left off, it appeared that the rumors were true....

So, what are you reading? Would you recommend it? I'll respond to comments as time permits.