Running and Hedgehogs

Well, I hit something after doing this once before and it all went away. It's not like I just started with a computer. I don't know what my problem is. Here we go again.
Read Run by Ann Patchett. A little disappointing. A little too politically correct and I figured out about halfway through what was going to happen ultimately.
Then I just had to have The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Not sure what I read that convinced me, but I had to run right out and buy it. After the first couple of chapters all I could think was VERBOSE AND PRETENTIOUS. (did I spell that right?) I could hardly get through the first few chapters, too philosophical for my tastes, but low and behold, the main character mentioned two of her favorite authors, Connelly and Mankell (!!!) and I knew I had to keep slogging on. It gets better, but it certainly bursts my bubble of self-delusion about how well-read I am. Oh, well, I think that's good every now and then - to make you question your image of your self.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Well, I sped through The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Love the character of Lisbeth Salander. I've tried to analyze why and the only thing I can come up with is that she kicks butt and always manages to come out on top. The mini-super-hero. The author, Stieg Larson, has one more in the triogy to come out. He actually died in 2004. I'm sorry that there won't be anymore books coming from him.
I don't know what it is right now with me reading Swedish authors. I didn't plan it that way. The only problem I had with TGWtDT is that there is a plethora of Swedish names. I realized halfway through that I should have made myself a cheat sheet with the characters. Since I can't pronounce a lot of the names I didn't differentiate between them enough to keep them straight. Too many S names, etc.
Well, that's all for now.

I'm gliding along again, reading Henning Mankel's Before the Frost - Kurt Wallander again. Don't know why I am fixated on these stories. I think there are a few more out there available but haven't really checked. I will need to read something else and give it a rest. It's funny how the more you read and talk about books, the more you NEED them. I keep updating my Amazon wish list. I keep hearing about new authors or new books by old favorites. I keep thinking about the Elegance of the Hedgehog. Don't know why that appeals to me, but I need to hold off buying anymore and make a dent in the 10,000 or so books I have sitting around that I haven't read yet.
P.S. What am I hitting on the keyboard that is italicizing everything? My nails are too long and sometimes I type with the tips of my fingers instead of the pads which makes for a slippery, slidey action on the keys. Maybe I need my keyboard with foam or something on it so the nails wouldn't skitter off.