the wobbly bookstack

'Beauty' Giveaway Winner

2010-09-01T18:42:00.000-04:00

The winner of Robin McKinley' Beauty is Heather. Congratulations and thanks for participating! I hope you enjoy the book. Please shoot me a message and let me know how to get it to you.

Keep an eye peeled, as I will be doing another giveaway in late October/early November (right around the time of my Blogoversary).

Reminder: Giveaway

2010-08-30T08:56:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder, because I don't want it getting lost in other posts - if you would like a copy of Robin McKinley's Beauty, be sure to comment in this post by August 31st. I'll draw a winner on September 1st.

Musing Mondays (Aug. 30)

2010-08-30T08:45:00.001-04:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Should Be Reading by MizB. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

How often do you actually put into practice what you learn from reading nonfiction books (if you read nonfiction, that is)?

I can't say that often happens, but I think it's more because of the type of non-fiction I read. Most of it falls into the category of history or biography, and it's because I'm interested in a time period or person, so the chances of putting something directly into practice doesn't generally translate. If I do read some other non-fiction book, it's probably because I have a specific task or project in mind, so then I would use the information I've learned. MizB made the point that knowledge for the sake of knowledge is not always the best of things, and I do agree with that. In that sense, I probably use the information I've read in my histories and biographies more than I think, if I stop to look at it. Not in any practical manner (I'm not planning to conquer any nations, gain a crown, or go live on a pioneer homestead anytime soon!), but I can cite events and the consequences of them in discussions or arguments, recognize the comforts we take for granted, become interested in crafts and occupations that are no longer considered "necessary" for daily life, and, seeing how human nature really doesn't change, maybe gain a bit more understanding about the world we live in today. Does that make me a better person? Maybe not. But if I take that awareness and understanding and use it to treat others better - and insist on being treated better in return - it serves a purpose. If I can make someone happy with a gift of a craft I've learned, that's a good use of my time. And, at the very least, I can hold up my end of a conversation. :)

Guess maybe I do use this information more than I'd originally thought.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Aug. 25)

2010-08-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Causing your uncle's sister to inflate like the Goodyear Blimp and float off over the city is not the best way to stay under the magical radar, especially when your every move is already under scrutiny because you are the Boy Who Lived, but then, Aunt Marge sort of had it coming.

Since finding out that he was a wizard, Harry has faced Voldemort, a basilisk, an overly-helpful House Elf, and Professor Snape. This year, he runs away from home and is followed by a large, vicious dog, finds out that the man held responsible for his parents' deaths is free once again, and has to learn how to keep those lovely Dementors at bay. Oh yes, there's also the Divination professor who keeps predicting his death every time she sees him and a bit of a mystery surrounding the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Just who is Remus J. Lupin, anyway?

One of my more favorite books in the series, I'll be enjoying my trip back to Hogwarts this week.

The Cousins' War

2010-08-23T11:35:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading the second book in Philippa Gregory's The Cousins' War series. It's a trilogy of books about England's War of the Roses, told from the perspective of the women who were at the center of it. The first, The White Queen, was about Elizabeth Woodville, who married Edward IV. It tells of her life, from the time she first meets the young king, through her retirement to a country house, and agreeing to marry her daughter to Henry Tudor after his victory over Richard III. I've read other novels about Elizabeth, and this one seemed to take the middle road. She was portrayed as power-hungry but not an absolute bitch, realistic but also a woman who was genuinely in love with her husband. I wasn't blown away by the book, but it was entertaining, and I did feel some connection and sympathy for her, especially after Edward passed away and she lost her sons. (For those of you who don't recognize the names, this was the mother of the famous Princes in the Tower, who "disappeared" after their uncle Richard III took power. His name has been made infamous for allegedly killing the boys, but Shakespeare wasn't an historian, and he was also writing during Tudor reign.)

The second book is The Red Queen, and is about the life of Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor. In most books, she is a minor character, someone shown to be very pious, and fairly two-dimensional. This book gives her the center stage, but I'm not sure that's really much of a blessing. She certainly is devout, she does everything with the thought of putting her son on the throne, and she spends much of her life wondering why Elizabeth Woodville should have been favored and not her. There was room to make her a sympathetic character, but I never felt any connection toward Margaret. Actually, I spent much of the book wanting to just slap her. She whined and sulked about not getting favor, despite her mantra that she was "God's chosen handmaiden", never believed that her actions could account for her circumstances (after all, she was following the will of God, so anything she did was blessed), and would probably have been happiest if she had been condemned to death as a martyr. For all that, her greatest ambition, as she mentions several times, is to be able to sign her name "Margaret Regina" - as a queen.

I don't doubt that Margaret Beaufort (who seems to have "forgotten" that the Beauforts were legitimatized on the grounds that neither they nor their descendants seek the throne) was as ambitious as portrayed. And I know that she was incredibly devout. But that ambition and devotion seems to have sucked any likable aspects out of her personality.

The last book in the trilogy is said to be The White Princess. If I had to guess, as I've not seen anything on it, I would say it is about Elizabeth of York. This was the eldest child of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville and married Henry Tudor . She may best be known as the mother of Henry VIII and the grandmother of Elizabeth I.

Am I sorry I've read these? Well, no. It's historically accurate, in terms of dates, battles, and family connections. It takes a few liberties, as any historical-fiction does, in imagining private conversations, motives, and of course, who really did order the Princes to be killed. I also will admit to a bit of bias coming into the series - the Plantagents are my favorite royals, and I never cared overly much for the Tudors, with the exception of Henry VIII, who seems to me to take after his Plantagenet grandfather in a lot of ways. So, I sort of expected to not like Margaret very much; what surprised me was in not being able to care enough about her to especially dislike her. I just found her to be more annoying than not, and wished someone would finally listen to her and shut her up in an abbey somewhere. Let's hope that Elizabeth of York shows a bit more character.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Aug. 18)

2010-08-18T08:51:00.001-04:00

I'll tell you, it was very difficult, but I held off on racing through the series after last Wednesday. So, today's choice is the second in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This is not my least favorite, but it isn't among the top three I most enjoy in the series. I'd probably stick it somewhere in the middle. It starts the Harry/Ginny infatuation mess, which doesn't earn many points with me (in case you didn't know, I never liked that pairing, and still don't), but it did redeem itself by introducing us to Gilderoy Lockhart, one of the most ridiculous, conceited, flamboyant, and entertaining characters I've ever read about. Oh, and we can't forget about Dobby, can we? Any character who loves socks as much as he does has to be welcome. :)

Giveaway

2010-08-17T20:35:00.002-04:00

So, remember how I said I ordered some books the other day? Well, they arrived today, and it seems I goofed and somehow ended up ordering two copies of Beauty. I could return it, but I really love this book so much, and want to share it, that I thought I'd offer it up here, instead. So, if you would like it, post a comment here by Tuesday, August 31st. On September 1st, I'll draw a winner.

A strange imprisonment: Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.

When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, "Cannot a Beast be tamed?"

Robin McKinley's beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple: Beauty and the Beast.

Book Buying

2010-08-14T14:15:00.001-04:00

I ordered a few books this morning. The reason for that (as if I really do need one) is because yesterday was Friday the Thirteenth. It was a pretty ugly one, one of those "anything that can go wrong, will" days, on top of being a typically busy summer day, so I was in a charcoal grey mood when I got out of work. I went home, settled down to a bit of reading, installed a couple of new games on the laptop, and did a bit of knitting, all in an effort to calm down and recover the sunny mood I'd started the day with. It wasn't until I was in bed around 10:30 last night that I realized it was August 13th. My mother's birthday. Oops.

Therefore, this morning I sent her a gift card from Amazon, something I knew she'd appreciate because she got a Kindle for Christmas last year (she tried to steal mine, but I wasn't letting Marius go home with anyone!). While I was there, I figured I might as well get myself a few books. Like how I justify that?

I did check, but the Kindle selection is still a wee bit thin on the fantasy stuff, unless you like the Series Which Shall Not Be Named or ones like it, so I opted for some "physical books", which will be here on Tuesday (on a side note, it looks as though Amazon has added another shipping option for those who have a Prime membership - free 2nd- day, $3.99 next day, and a $15.99 Sunday delivery available today. I suppose if you absolutely, positively, gotta have it....).

All the books I got are by Robin McKinley. Three of them are old favorites, and if it weren't for the fact that I am planning to trot out Rowling's Trio for the next month and a half, at least one of them would be up for next Wednesday's reading. As it is, all four will simply be tossed onto the TBR stack.

First up, a replacement copy of one of my favorite stories - Beauty. Unfortunately, they've changed the cover art, and I don't like the new one quite as well as my faded and tattered copy. Still, it had become a little too tattered, and had recently done a convincing Humpty Dumpty act, despite my best efforts to keep it together. (This is the old artwork, btw) The book is a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast". Beauty (whose given name is Honour) is the youngest daughter of a widower. He had been extremely successful, until just recently, when he lost everything due to a shipwreck. He is forced to sell off everything and take his three daughters Grace, Hope, and Beauty up north and work as a wheelwright. the family is now poor, but they are together, and they do find some happiness. Word comes that one of the lost ships has made it back to port. The merchant goes back to take care of things, is lost in a storm on his way back, and ends up at... you guessed it, an enchanted castle. The next morning, he takes a single rose for Beauty, which triggers the whole "you stole from me, your life is forfeit, your daughter may take your place" scenario we are familiar with. It is well-told and holds up nicely over the years. It was first published in 1978 and I came across it in the mid-80s. In several ways, the Disney movie reminds me of this book - the strength of the character, her love of books, a certain charm to the entire story. In case you haven't figured it out, I'd recommend it. :)

The next two are books I read back in grade school, and remember enjoying a fair bit. The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown. I seem to have stronger recollections of Hero, but I know I liked both. they both take place in the fictional land of Damar. The first is about a girl named, of all things, Harry Crewe. She's an orphan who is kidnapped by the Hillfolk (shadowy, secretive people who are often on the outs with the Homelanders) and trained as a top fighter. The second takes place years later. Aerin is a princess, but that doesn't make her life easy. She has grown up being told that her mother "died of shame" because she was female, and she ends up finding little niches for herself to keep out of the way of others. She stumbles into fighting dragons. These are not majestic creatures; they are miserable pests, about the size of a dog. Aerin makes a name for herself as a dragon-slayer, and people soon discover there is more to the girl than they thought.

The last book is one I haven't read before, called Sunshine. On the surface, it is a vampire book, but reviews seem to lean more toward the vampires being a part of the story, but not the main ingredient. From what I gather, it seems to be more of a coming-of-age tale about a young woman. Here's hoping it is worthwhile.

The best part of all this was getting in on a 4-for-3 deal. Not that I begrudge paying for books, but if you can get a freebie, it's that much sweeter. I'll probably start with Beauty, since I've had the story in my head for a bit, and maybe move on to Rose Daughter, which is also the "Beauty and the Beast" story, but very different. Then I think I'll travel to Damar, and finally venture into the post-apocalyptic world of Sunshine. But who knows? That could all change by Tuesday when they arrive. ;)

Whimsical Wednesdays (Aug. 11)

2010-08-11T09:14:00.000-04:00

So, this week, I've decided to pull Mr. Harry Potter and Friends down off the shelf. It's been a while since I've really read the books, so I think it's time.

I don't suppose I really need to explain the plot of this one. If you haven't read it, you've probably seen the movie, or know someone who has waxed enthusiastic over it and maybe used you as a sounding board for trying to figure out the reasons why this character acted a certain way, what mysterious objects were meant to be found, and who was falling in love with whom (although most of that comes later in the series). Instead, I will just give a few reasons why I enjoy the books.

First of all, they are well-written. Unlike another recently popular series, which shall remain nameless, these have obviously been carefully crafted in terms of grammar, syntax, and basic word construction. It's hard to lose yourself in a story if your high school English teacher is constantly popping up in your head to correct some error in the word flow. But beyond that, the story is well done. The characters are well-thought out, the settings are fully crafted, and the plot is a unique spin on the classic "hero theme". It isn't a moral tale, so characters aren't black and white; they have nuances and difficulty in making what they think is the right decisions.

Maybe part of it is also that I would have loved to have gone to a school like Hogwarts when I was that age... oh, who am I kidding? I'd still love to find a way into that world! Until I receive my owl, discover The Leaky Cauldron, or stumble upon Hogsmeade, this is the closest I can get. And that can be kind of magical, too. :)

What I've been reading

2010-08-10T10:27:00.000-04:00

Last night, I finished The Discovery of France by Graham Robb. It took a while to read, for me, not because it was difficult (although I did get a little confused from time to time with some of the geography and clan names), but because it is not your typical "guidebook" or even a typical history book.

We all think we know France. After all, it had been the cultural center of Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Any court worth its salt spoke French. And you didn't lightly enter into any actions which might piss off the King of France. But what we really know is the France of the court and scholars of Paris. There was an enormous countryside that existed beyond the boundaries of the city where the residents didn't consider themselves to be French, didn't speak the language, and often showed their disdain by killing tax collectors, saying they had no authority over them. Even as late as the 1800s, cartographers took their lives in their hands in going out to map the countryside. They were thought to be sorcerers and beaten to death.

But it isn't all battle and gore. There are some wonderful nuggets that Robb unearthed, such as languages that flourished into the twentieth century, customs that sustained people for hundreds of years, and a sense of identity that refused to be subsumed by a national state. Robb traveled about on bicycle - 14,000 miles - because he felt the nuances of geography and people was missed when traveling at the faster rate of trains or automobiles. This was the closest approximation he could get to the carriages of old and it shows. You really get a feel for what life must have been like as the government extended its reach across the lands it owned and made them lands that they held.

If you have any interest in history, geography, and how politics shapes both, this is definitely a worthwhile read.

Still making my way through Shakespeare. At the moment, I'm working on two plays at a time, so as to catch up to the rest of the group. This makes for a bit of jumbling at times, which is my excuse for not writing anything about it. I'd likely only confuse myself further, and totally bore all of you! ;) I've just about finished Love's Labour's Lost, which I am enjoying, and embarking on Romeo and Juliet, which I have to admit, is not one of my favorites. I did read this in high school, as I'm sure many others did, and I can't say I was all that impressed. I had a good teacher, who managed to keep things from becoming rote and boring, but I would much rather read Antigone than about the Montagues and the Capulets. Then again, maybe it'll improve for having been sitting for so long.

I've also pulled out Philippa Gregory's book The White Queen in anticipation of her new book in this series, The Red Queen. The first focused on Elizabeth Woodville, who was the wife of Edward IV. The second book is about Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, the founder of the Tudors. Most books I've read relegate Margaret to a background role, making her somewhat two-dimensional: the distant matriarch, paragon of piety, and overly ambitious for her son. I've no doubt that she was all of these things, but surely there are other facets to her personality that have been skipped. I hope this book will make her a bit more human.

So, that's what has been occupying me for the last week or so. Tomorrow will be Whimsical Wednesday, so I'll take a step back for that. I've also, in the spirit of Green Gables and Little House, started working on holiday gifts. Yes, I know it's only August, but when needles start clicking, you'd be surprised how fast that creeps up on you. So, I've been picking up yarn to make hats, mittens, socks, etc., as well as dusting off my drop spindle, and hope that by next year I'll be able to produce yarn that is not so slubby and I can hand someone something and be able to say, "I spun the yarn and knitted this myself". Everyone needs a goal, right? :)

Happy reading!

I guess it's a sign of the times.

2010-08-07T08:58:00.000-04:00

Some people just insist on making things difficult for everyone. I've been receiving a large amount of spam comments here, which is not only annoying, when I think it might be an intelligent response to a post, but also time-consuming, as each one has to be individually removed. That being the case, I've decided to go to moderated comments. I check in here pretty much every day, even if I don't post, so I'll get comments up as soon as possible, after getting rid of the undesirables. Hopefully this will get things back to posts and comments that are relevant to the blog.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Aug. 4)

2010-08-04T08:00:00.027-04:00

This week, I have two books: the second and third books in 'The Martha Years' series of Little House books. Both are fairly short, so it shouldn't take long to read them, and I've really been itching to get at them all week!

The first book, Little House in the Highlands, introduced Martha Morse and her family. The Far Side of the Loch picks up a few weeks or so later. Martha is the youngest of her family, and has to find ways to occupy herself while her brothers are at school and her sister is learning how to run a household. Introduce one pet hedgehog. Not something I'd consider, but I can see where it might provide some amusement.

The third book, Down to the Bonny Glen, is about a slightly more grown-up Martha. Like most girls at that time, she did not go to school, but she was expected to learn to read and do enough ciphering to keep the household accounts when she grew up. There was no need, according to her father, for her to learn much of history or any languages; it just wasn't necessary. Instead, she has a governess. But she'd rather be out playing on the moors than cooped up in the house.

As I said before, these are fairly simple books, written for a younger audience, but they are still fun, so I think I'll have an enjoyable couple of hours with them. Then the hunt will begin for the last book in this series.

Longing for a time gone by

2010-07-30T10:34:00.001-04:00

Over the late winter and spring, I read through the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Right now, I am in the middle of the Green Gables series (or should it be called the Anne series? I'm never quite sure) by L.M. Montgomery. I have also, thanks to Ryan, discovered the several companion series to Little House. There are a few sets of books, unfortunately now only available in bookstores as abridged versions, although if you are willing to do some hunting, you can find the originals, about Laura's great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother. They are written for children and, having only read the first of the 'Martha Years' books, seem to try and imitate the style of Wilder's stories. (Martha Morse Tucker was Laura's great-grandmother, and grew up in Scotland.) I have managed to get the first three books of the series, but must finish my weekly Shakespeare before I let myself get distracted with them. Too bad I've been less controlled about that with the Green Gables books!

Reading these stories, I find myself wishing I could have lived in a time when things were more simple. People seemed to appreciate things more, not just items, which they often did without, but gestures. Bringing a basket of jams, cheese, bread, and maybe a small handmade item was just something you did for those in need. Holidays were more about being together than what gifts you received (and those gifts were, for the most part, handmade and greatly appreciated). Maybe that's why I keep going back to them.

I will admit, though, that there are some things I do not miss. The first being the restrictions placed on women - the majority could not read, and those who were taught were only given enough to be able to keep the household accounts (generally the "upper class"), also they had no real rights, going from the "authority" of a father or brother to that of a husband, sometimes without much choice in the matter. A few, strong-minded women remained unmarried and held their own property, but that also carried a stigma. After all, a woman's purpose was to be a wife and mother! The second would be the wardrobe - I love my skirts, and tend to wear them almost exclusively over pants, but it's my choice. And, as we are in the middle of one of the warmest, most humid summers I can remember in a long time, I would not enjoy having to wear all the extra layers deemed to be decent by these ladies. Petticoats, corsets, high collars, and don't even think about cutting your hair no matter what the weather? No, thank you.

So, maybe the trick isn't to wish I was back in these "days of yore", but to take the spirit of them into now; to enjoy the family and friends around me, to appreciate what I have, and what I can give.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Jul. 28)

2010-07-28T09:35:00.001-04:00

I had planned to continue with the Anne of Green Gables series, having read through the first three already, and I'm just about finished with the fourth (Windy Poplars, probably my least favorite of the eight), but I think that'll change. Instead, I intend to curl up with Rex Stout's Prisoner's Base, my favorite of the Nero Wolfe books. I first came to the books through the A&E series starring Timothy Hutton and Maury Chaykin. I read that Mr. Chaykin passed away yesterday, on his 61st birthday, so this will be a sort of tribute. Tomorrow the DVDs come out and I'll watch some of my favorite episodes.

The story centers around Priscilla Eads, a young heiress who will take control of a vast fortune in one week. She attempts to convince Wolfe to let her board at his house, but he refuses. The young woman leaves and is later found murdered. Archie Goodwin, who has a streak of gallantry, blames himself for the death (since he was unable to find a secure location for her), and storms off to solve the case on his own. In the process, he gets himself arrested and Wolfe dragged down to the station as a material witness. No one forces Wolfe from his brownstone, let alone hauls him to a police station, without serious consequences. Wolfe claims Archie as his client and bullies the DA into letting them both go. Now it's a matter of pride to solve the case.

After this, I'll drop back into Shakespeare, hitting two epic poems he wrote while the theaters were closed, due to the plague. Cheery, no? ;)

Whimsical Wednesdays (Jul. 21)

2010-07-21T13:38:00.000-04:00

It's been several months since I've done this, and it's nice to get back to it. After reading the Little House series a while back, I've been thinking about this other series, just a little further forward in time. Having watched the mini-series over the last week has me wanting to read these books again that much more.

I was first introduced to Anne when I was about ten or eleven - the same age as the character in this book. Like so many before me, I fell under its spell immediately. As I had while reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's books, I wished I could have experienced the time, although in reality, I probably would have gotten myself into a lot of trouble, not being the most tractable of girls. :)

Over the years, I've read this series a number of times. Each time, I find myself relating to different characters, or Anne herself, as I've aged and encountered different things in my life. Several things haven't changed, however - I still find myself thinking Anne would be a wonderful friend, I absolutely adore Matthew, and still harbor a little crush on Gilbert. I suppose you need to hold on to something like that.

So, I'll visit Avonlea this evening, and likely continue with the rest of the series over the next few weeks. It'll be a nice departure from Shakespeare and the formation of France into a unified country. :D

Shakespeare in a Year

2010-07-19T08:13:00.005-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I'm going to give this a shot. This post is basically so I have a place to link up any posts I make about various plays or poems. I'll give each one its own post, or at least a mention, depending on how well I enjoyed/understood it. I'm sure there will be a few that fall into the second category. :)

Comedies and Tragedies

A Midsummer Night's Dream
As You Like It
Romeo and Juliet

Histories

Richard II

Poetry

The Rape of Lucrece
Venus and Adonis

The need to read?

2010-07-17T19:32:00.001-04:00

All right, it might not sound as sexy as the tag line from "Top Gun", but I'm not sure I can picture Tom Cruise saying it my way, either in or out of character. Can you?

My recent sabbatical from books has got me thinking - and we all know how dangerous that can be! - why do you read? Is it because it's something you "have" to (i.e. classwork, career, etc.), something "everyone else has read", so you figure you ought to as well, so you can keep up with the conversation, or because cracking open a book, whatever it might be, is cheaper than therapy and has kept you from a life of crime? Or, maybe I really am alone in that last category. ;)

I've never been much on television. I just don't "get" the popular sitcoms and precious few dramas. Sometimes, it's read or just stare at the wall. And if you do that for too long, the rest of the family starts getting nervous. The fact that I had an imagination that was constantly dreaming up new worlds probably helped in my love of good stories. While not quite as extreme, I can relate pretty well to L.M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley. I get busy, and life does get in the way, but I do feel better when I can make time to sit with one of my favorite stories.

Anyway, these are just a few random thoughts going through my head, in part because I will be starting on the "Shakespeare in a Year" challenge tomorrow, as well as having just seen the mini-series of "Anne of Green Gables" on PBS. It's got me thinking I might dig out my old series and dust it off for the upcoming Whimsical Wednesdays, although that does seem a bit too planned out. Still, it's been a while since I've read it. As for Shakespeare, it's looking as though Richard II will be the choice for the group this week, so I think I'll also pull out A Midsummer Night's Dream as one of the "catch-up" readings. I don't think I want to dive into two serious works at the same time.

I really am alive

2010-07-16T10:37:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid I've been a horrible blogger, and an even worse reader, these past few months. One thing after another kept coming up, and I sort of stopped updating any of my blogs. I apologize to you all.

I am back, though, and will make every attempt to keep up on it this time, maybe just a little less ambitiously. Instead of stressing over writing something every day, I'll probably post a few times a week, chiming in on Musing Mondays here and there, keeping my Whimsical Wednesdays, and updating on whatever my current read may be.

Since my reading ground to a painful halt for a while, I decided to admit defeat on some reading challenges. I just don't have the funds to purchase that many books right now, either, which irks me more than you can imagine. I'm keeping the Buck a Book Challenge, and have joined the Shakespeare in a Year Challenge that began on June 1, 2010. I've got a few plays to catch up on, but I think I can do it. It runs until May 31, 2011. I had inherited the Complete Works of Shakespeare from my grandmother (along with boxes of other books), and it seems a shame for them to just sit on the shelf. Other than high school, I've read few of his plays and poetry. Like it or loathe it, I've always been a bit curious to see if the hype lives up to the actual reading.

Also, in case you were wondering, the Olympic Blanket was a resounding fail. I got the blocks all knit, but the construction has resulted in a horrible mess. I guess that's what I get for rushing so much. I do still want to do a giveaway, and I have something on the burner, but I'll wait a bit until saying anything more.

Hope everyone is doing well and that your bookshelves are never empty! See you in and among the stacks!

Whimsical Wednesdays (Mar. 17)

2010-03-17T12:37:00.003-04:00

Whimsical Wednesdays is my personal departure from my Current Reads list. For one evening each week, I go back to a book I enjoyed as a child, teen, or young adult, and spend some time revisiting favorite characters or authors. Sometimes they are classics, other times it's something quirky that just caught my fancy.

First off, Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Everyone's a little Irish today, especially after 5:00, right? :D Hope you have a fun time, however you celebrate, and just remember to do it safely.

I've been hanging out in bed or on the couch for the last couple of days, and am finally feeling better, except for a cough which does not want to quit. As long as I'm still, it stays at bay, but when I start doing something around the house, it picks up again. Guess that's an excuse to slack off on the chores for a bit? ;)

Since today is Wednesday, I thought it'd be fun to show a few pics from my favorite book as a little girl. In response to Monday's post, Kaye said that she loved the cover from Raggedy Ann Stories and would like to see some of the artwork inside. That's a great idea. It's a combination of color and black & white drawings that I think are very charming. I flipped through the book and took a few pictures, and want to share them today. Hope you like them!

Even rag dolls have trouble thinking at times, especially if they have a little tear in their head that causes their thoughts to leak out with their stuffing!

Marcella having a lovely tea party with all her dolls.

Poor Raggedy got a trip through the washpot and ringer, but she never lost her smile.

A kind gentleman borrows Raggedy Ann, and creates copies of her, so everyone can have their very own to love. Each one has a heart that says "I love you", which mimics the candy heart sewn into the original Raggedy owned by Marcella.

Musing Mondays (Mar. 15)

2010-03-15T13:26:00.002-04:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about picture books.

Do you have a favourite picture book, either from your own childhood, or reading to you children?

This should be interesting, since I'm currently high as a kite on flu meds (yep, I got it again. Thought that was why I got the shot, but apparently, someone forgot to pass the info along to my immune system). Well, let's give this a whirl.

I honestly can't say I have a lot of picture books that I remember from my childhood, but there are a few I can recall. With a few exceptions, most of them came along later, in the form of reading to my youngest brother or children I babysat. So, following Rebecca's lead, I thought I'd do a pic-spam of my favorites. If you've met me, or talked to me at all about my childhood, you'll know that my all-time favorite doll growing up was my Raggedy Ann. In fact, I still have my "Annie", and if anyone ever finds a way to make inanimate objects speak, I'm done for, because she knows ALL my secrets! So, it's no surprise that one of my most treasured (and somewhat battered) books is my copy of Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle.

The majority of these, obviously, are geared toward children, although I'd argue that Dr. Seuss is best understood once you have a few years behind you, and even then, he takes more reading to fully appreciate, but I love including Griffin & Sabine, both because it is a wonderful story, but also because the artwork is simply stunning and shows that picture books can be for adults, too. The Trolls and Gnomes just had to be there because of my love of fantasy.

Musing Mondays (Mar. 8)

2010-03-08T15:51:00.001-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

Do you prefer books with a dust jacket? What do you do with your dust jacket while reading? Leave it on or take it off? (Question courtesy of Kim from Page after Page)

Honestly, I'm not all that bothered by dust jackets. There are times when I do purchase hardcovers, either because they are part of a set or simply because I'm impatient about waiting for the paperback to come out. It is a nice way to protect the book, while it's sitting on the shelf (or stair, table, or pile, as the case may be). I probably should take them off when reading, since they do tend to get a bit ragged from holding the book, but I'd almost rather that than have the actual cover get damaged. Besides, it shows that the books are read, often more than once, if the cover has a bit of wear, rather than looking as though I simply bought the books for show and never crack the covers. :)

When I was a kid, I used to commit the horrible sin of using the flap of the jacket as a bookmark, so some of my older books have slight tears or bends in them. Well, at least I wasn't dogearring the pages. I've since invested in a number of bookmarks, so I always have a ready one for anything I'm reading. In fact, even on the few occasions I've left a book store without a book (yeah, I think it happened once), I still pick up a bookmark. I love having different ones to fit whatever I might be reading, whether they are heavy cardstock, leather, or metal, but that's probably a topic for another Monday Musing, isn't it? ;)

Whimsical Wednesdays (Mar. 3)

2010-03-03T10:30:00.000-05:00

I know I usually do something totally different on Wednesdays, but one since a couple of the books on my Currently Reads list are pretty fanciful and whimsical, I think I'm going to stick with Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows for tonight. As well as I think I know the story (having grown up on Disney's animated tale, as well as seeing a few others over the years), I've never actually read it, so I'm kind of enjoying this chance to fill in a bit of missing childhood. Besides, how much more whimsical can you get than a community made up of a toad, mole, rat, badger, and assorted nasty weasels? :)

We're slated for some more snow tonight (it's actually just beginning now), so I'll be tucked in, nice and warm, with a mug of hot cocoa or tea and maybe a pumpkin whoopie pie (not really much on sweets, but OMG! these are yummy!), my cat in my lap, and the weather shut out. Not a bad way to get over the hump, is it?

The Olympics are over, so back to the books

2010-03-01T14:13:00.003-05:00

The flame was extinguished in Vancouver last night, and, despite my best effort, I came up short on finishing my blanket. A few things that were beyond my control caused me to fall behind, and I just couldn't make up the difference. Still, it's well over half-way done, and I'm hoping to finish it up early next week, so keep an eye out for a picture and post to leave a comment, if you'd like to enter the giveaway.

In the meantime, it's time for me to get back to my TBR stack, which is threatening to reach taller than me (and is about as steady on its feet as I can be!). I'm a wee bit behind on my Celebrate the Author, needing to catch up on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, (this also doubles for an entry for What's In A Name, thankfully) as well as getting ready to start The Wind in the Willows (which also fills a slot for What's In A Name) for this month.

I'm also very anxious to start on the new series I've picked up (well, the first couple of books, anyway) by Jack Whyte, beginning with The Skystone. I haven't read an in-depth book about the Arthurian story since Stephen Lawhead's books. I've sort of skimmed the backs of the books, and it looks like this one tells the story of Arthur's great-grandfathers, Roman soldiers in Britain. I'm really looking forward to it.

Anyway, that's how my week is starting out. Hope yours is going well, too.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Feb. 24)

2010-02-24T09:08:00.001-05:00

Audio books. I've decided to take a break from watching the tube (thank you, DVR!) and plugging in to listen to a few volumes of one of my favorite series from childhood - The Chronicles of Narnia. I don't remember when I first read these, although I couldn't have been much more than six or seven, but they have been an annual treat ever since. Much like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I think the story changes as you grow older, have more experiences, and learn more about yourself and the world, so it isn't really a children's book so much as it is a book for the child within us. I generally prefer print, but the audio versions are truly lovely, with some amazing actors giving voice to C.S. Lewis' characters - among my favorite characterizations are Kenneth Branagh reading The Magician's Nephew, Jeremy Northam reading The Silver Chair (oh, his Puddleglum!), and Patrick Stewart reading The Last Battle (arguably my least favorite of the series). I doubt I'll get through all seven books tonight, something I could do if reading my print copies, but there's always tomorrow; the weather outside is slated to be a bit frightful, so staying in will be the order of the day (yeah, I can only paraphrase cheesy holiday songs so far). And having these favorite stories read to me will allow me to indulge in my need for something literary while still letting me manipulate my sticks and string.

Now, on to the new books I mentioned - I had a bit of a windfall last week, and since things have been a bit crazy here the last month or so, I decided to splurge a bit and get myself a few books. Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles had been recommended to me, and since I love Arthurian tales, I figured I'd give it a shot. The first three books in the series (which seems to be a fairly long one. woohoo!) arrived at my door: The Skystone, The Singing Sword, and The Eagles' Brood. I can't wait until Monday to start them.

So, that's where things stand here. I hope you all are getting over the hump this week in good form and that you have a wonderful rest of the week.

An award for me? and a new meme

2010-02-23T09:18:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, this took me pleasantly by surprise, particularly since I've been absent from Blogland the last few weeks, never mind my commenting. Going on past accomplishments and expectation for the future, perhaps. ;) So, that being said, Ryan, thank you so very much. It's always nice to have someone poke their head in and acknowledge your thoughts, whether they agree or not. I'm lucky enough to have some people who do that.

Apparently, there are a few rules here, and, being a good girl, I will follow them.

1) Link back to the blog/blogger who nominated you.
2) Paste the picture of the award in your award post
3) Nominate bloggers you think deliver great comments to your blog
4) E-mail/post/tweet or do whatever you need to do to inform these bloggers they have been nominated for an award.

I have to mention Lyon, Laurel, Nise', and Kaye. I get a lot of people passing by, whether they see a post in a meme or just stop out of curiosity, but you ladies have left some wonderful, thoughtful comments, and I appreciate it very much.

Of course, I can't leave out Ryan. Whatever is going on, you generally have something to say, even if it's just a quick check-in to let me know you've read the post. Thank you so much, both for your comments and for thinking of me for this award. :D

OK, now that the mushy stuff is over, time for some fun. Usually, I'd be doing the Teaser Tuesdays, but since I'm taking a break until next week (and I've got to tell you, my wrists will thank me when the Olympics are over!), I thought I'd find something different to fill the spot. I think we have a winner:

Literary Lusts is a meme hosted by Elena over at With Extra Pulp, wherein we discuss any literary characters we may have developed a crush on.

I honestly can't say there are many characters I've developed a crush on, so I probably won't do this on a weekly basis, but there are definitely a few I simply adore. If I squint my eyes and look a little sideways, I could probably pass a few off as crushes, at least for the purpose of this, anyway. ;)

I suppose there are the usual characters - Mr. Darcy (the novel version, please. Colin Firth is a great actor, but I really don't like his portrayal. And yes, I know that I am inviting the wrath of fandom down on my head with that statement; so be it.), Mr. Rochester, or possibly Heathcliff (I suppose in his way, he is brooding and romantic), but I'm going to step outside of the conventional romantic heroes and choose a character I've adored for years - Marius de Romanus from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. He first appeared in The Vampire Lestat as a minor character, then moved more to the fore in Queen of the Damned, and getting his own story in Blood and Gold. I have to admit, I never cared much for Lestat, finding him to be too much of an attention whore, I guess, but Marius was different. Maybe it's that he was older than a lot of the other vampires (he was almost forty when he was made), or that his loves are books, history, and the arts (things I also love), but I was immediately drawn to him.

The fact that he is so flawed, personally, makes him even more wonderful. He has a love of life and states several times that he does not want to die, yet he falls into despair at losing companions - most of whom he had driven off, himself, for one reason or another, usually in quarreling over dominance. Being alone is one of the worst things for him, and a scene where he debated making a blood drinker of the painter Botticelli was wonderful. He can be vicious when the situation calls for it, but also incredibly tender and protective toward others, either "younger" blood drinkers or mortals. Not to mention, he's physically gorgeous, a trait that seems to be shared by all the vampires. Not sure if only handsome people are chosen or if they become more beautiful once they receive the blood, but they are all dazzling.

So, there is my admission of a literary crush. Sort of. ;)

Musing Mondays (Feb. 22)

2010-02-22T09:27:00.001-05:00

I haven't been doing a lot of reading during the Olympics, but I don't want to abandon the Stack, so we'll toss out Rebecca's weekly question.

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

Do you keep all the books you ever buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don’t want to keep?

I think we sort of covered this a while back on a question about using the library. I love to have books around me. Most of them are ones that I adore and read over and over again, but some are ones that I found interesting and think I might want to look over again, others are collectibles, and I even have a few textbooks that I've hung on to.

Once in a while, you do come across a book that just doesn't do it for you. Sometimes I'll set it aside and come back to it another time. I have found some that I enjoyed after letting them sit and mellow a bit, but other times, we just aren't going to be a good fit, no matter how many times I try to read them. This isn't necessarily a fault of either the book or me, it just happens. When I get a book like that, I always find a good home for it, either a family member, friend, or into a local book bin. One way or another, I know that someone will come across it, enjoy it, and both book and reader will be happy (because we all know that a book is never truly happy until it has been read, enjoyed, and read again, right?).

As I mentioned, I'm not reading much while the Winter Games are going on, working hard to get my blanket done. It's a little more than half-way there, and I'm hoping to have it finished by next Sunday. Keep an eye out next week, as I'll be posting for the giveaway of it.

Still here

2010-02-14T15:01:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't blame you all if you stop checking in here. There have been some rather shaky moments in and around the Bookstack the last couple of weeks, and it's kept me both from posting here and really getting any reading (or anything else, for that matter) done. To be honest, the next two weeks don't look all that promising for working through the TBR pile, as I am heavily involved in the Knitting Olympics over at Ravelry, but there's a silver lining for all of you about that. Once the Olympics are over and I have a completed blanket, I will be giving it away here, because March can still be chilly and unpredictable, and you often need something to curl up under while reading that latest book. I'll post a picture of it, once completed (target date is Feb. 28th - the final day of the Olympics), but I can tell you that it is made up of maroons, purples, and blues, if you're curious about the color scheme.

Just so this isn't completely a book-free post, I did manage to finish The Borgias and Their Enemies. It was pretty interesting, mainly in that I hadn't realized just how many children Rodrigo had. Everyone knows about Cesare and Lucrecia, but there were a couple other boys, as well, all of whom he acknowledged and kept with him, first at his residence as a Cardinal and later in the Papal Palace. Cozy.

Even if I'm not reading too much in the next couple of weeks, I'll still try to check in here a bit more regularly. Hope you all are having a good weekend, that the recent storms battering the East Coast haven't taken too much of a toll on people, and that you have a good upcoming week.

Whoops!

2010-01-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry to have semi-disappeared, folks. I had some things come up Wednesday that kept me hopping here at home for a bit, and then I got slightly distracted in planning my project for the Knitting Olympics (a crazy undertaking in which you try to complete a project during the Winter Games - casting on during the Opening Ceremonies and finishing by the time the flame is extinguished), so I haven't been doing a lot of Internet interaction. I did find some time to curl up and read a bit, finishing the Little House books (and still saying that The First Four Years makes me wish I could reach through the pages to help Laura and Manly somehow), as well as Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography by William Anderson. All of them are pretty short, quick reads, and I was pretty happy with the pictures in the Anderson bio. There are a few of the Ingalls family, Laura and Manly, Rose as a child, Pa's violin (the music geek in me *squee'd* at that!), and a few other keepsakes from her family. Seriously thinking about going out to the museum at Rocky Ridge Farm one day.

Tonight, I'm starting on The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519 by Christopher Hibbert. Quite a change of pace, don't you think? Still, the book has been calling to me since I picked it up, and I think it'll be interesting. Whatever you might think of the Borgia family, they definitely had an impact on not only Italy, but the entire Western world. This is also the time period I'm particularly interested in, so it fits on several levels.

I haven't forgotten about my reviews, but I'd rather wait until I'm home to do them, so I have the books in front of me. There are a few passages I'd like to mention, and I want to make sure I get them right.

Hope you all are having a good weekend, and if you're like me here in New England, that you're staying warm!

Whimsical Wednesdays (Jan. 27)

2010-01-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

This week, I'm finishing up the series I started last Wednesday. I've been sort of cruising along with these and am now up to the eighth in the series - These Happy Golden Years. As much as I love Little House in the Big Woods, I think this one was always my absolute favorite. Maybe it's Laura finally getting a bit back on Nellie, maybe it's her romance with Almanzo, or the fact that the family is finally doing well and prospering. Or, maybe it's that it was the last book Laura wrote in the grouping. If you go on to read The First Four Years, there is a definite change in the feel of it. I think I remember reading somewhere that it was written after Almanzo passed away, so that could certainly have something to do with it. Not to mention, the times she was writing about, fictionalized as they are, were not all that happy or easy for the young couple.

So, that'll keep me busy tonight. Tomorrow I'll get back to the more serious stuff on the TBR list. I think the Borgias are becoming rather insistant.

Oh, and I also haven't forgotten that I was going to write a little review for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (needed for the challenge) and that Lyon was curious about Zombies of the Gene Pool. I'll get to both of those either tomorrow or over the weekend. Promise. :)

Teaser Tuesdays (Jan. 26)

2010-01-26T08:13:00.001-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser:

"Samuel Wesley may have been a clergyman by trade (and his sons John and Charles Wesley would later be credited with founding the Methodist movement), but you can't say that he was a stereo-typical dour preacher. At least we hope he wasn't too serious when he composed Maggots: Poems on Several Subjects, Never Before Addressed (1685)."

p. 81, Under the Covers and Between the Sheets by C. Alan Joyce and Sarah Janssen

For the record, I think I'll probably give Rev. Wesley's poetry a pass, but if anyone is brave enough (and can find a copy) to try it, I'd be very curious as to what your reaction is. ;)

Musing Mondays (Jan. 25)

2010-01-25T08:22:00.000-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

Where do you keep any books borrowed from friends or the library? Do they live with your own collection, or do you keep them separate? Do you monitor them in anyway.

It's actually rare that I borrow books. Usually, I'm the one lending them out, although that doesn't occur too often, either! When I do borrow a book, it's something that I am going to read right away, so it isn't sitting on the shelf for a long time. Once I've finished it, it's returned to the lender the next time I see them, so there isn't a big chance that it'll get confused with my books. Still, I do keep it out on its own, mainly so I don't forget to grab it when I head off to see that person.

Once I get my library set up, I probably will keep borrowed books on the table near my chair, rather than put them up on a shelf. If I were a library user, I'd probably designate a "borrowed book" area, but as I've stated before, I don't frequent the library because they keep wanting their books back, and I hate that! ;) If I ever start borrowing large numbers of books, I'll definitely come up with some sort of monitoring system to remember who lent me what, and when. Or what I've lent out. For now, it's a simple enough thing to keep it in my head (especially since there is so little else there! ;D)

New read

2010-01-23T17:48:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the second post today, gang, but I need some help. I've been looking over my TBR stack all day and just can't decide on something. This is a huge crisis!!!

From the books I have up, what would you choose for me? The only one that is off the table at the moment is The Red Rose and the White: The Wars of the Roses, because I've lent it out. Everything else is readily available. So, pick your poison and I'll abide by your choices.

(Ryan, I already know what you'd choose, so give me something else for now, k? ;D)

I want to be a character in a novel

2010-01-23T10:20:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd be finishing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society last night, and I'm almost done, but I find that the closer I get, the slower I am reading. This isn't any flaw in the story, simply that I don't want to come to the end of this book! That seems to be the case with something that I enjoy that much - either I race through it to see what happens or I drag my feet so that I don't have to leave the world created between the covers.

Realizing what I was doing, it got me thinking (uh-oh, we all know what trouble can occur when people like me start to think!) about how often over the years I've wished I could just step into the pages of a story. The actual books don't really matter, as everyone will have their own list of books they'd love to do this with, characters they'd like to become, or just to be themselves and interact with the characters they've come to love so dearly. I certainly wouldn't presume to impose my list on anyone, and some of them now sound so cheeseball-corny that it would make me blush to admit them. The sentiment is what really matters, I think, don't you?

I once read a short story by Terry McGarry called Spell Check where this was actually possible. The character was a copy editor who ended up getting some "special" green FaberCastell pencils that allowed her to enter stories as she wrote corrections on them. She was still herself, but she could, to some extent, interact with the characters, or simply observe what was happening. Barring finding a magical wardrobe, Platform 9 3/4, or whatever other means authors have used to transport people from our world to theirs, that sounds like a cool way to do it.

This, of course, leads to the question: What makes a story something you want to join in? I guess the short answer is in being able to identify with the characters. But there has to be something more, because there are numerous books I've found characters to identify with, but I don't necessarily want to cozy up to them, except in passing while I'm reading. The setting helps, whether it's something fantastical (Narnia, Wonderland, Camelot, or the Wizarding World, to name a few) or something more mundane that has simply vanished with time. There are many people, places, and things we can only know now through the pages of books, and even the most in-depth descriptions don't always satisfy our desire to know what it must have really been like. Or maybe it's the idea that these characters are always there, even when no one else is. You can always depend on the people on the pages to be there for you, no matter what.

I've often wondered why I am so drawn to one book over another, and I've never been able to completely put my finger on it. A lot of times, I am not alone, especially if the book is a best-seller, but to be honest, I rarely read things on the best-seller's lists. Yes, I do wander across them from time to time, but usually long after the buzz has crested, but that's all right. I rather enjoy striking out into the less-traveled paths, reading the things that aren't as well-publicized. lol. That makes me sound like a bit of a snob, doesn't it? Anything but. Lyon remarked in a comment, not long ago, that we are often reluctant to leave our comfort zones. The context was a bit different, but the sentiment works here. I tend to stick to genres, authors, and characters I already know, for the most part. I suppose a lot of readers do this, but every now and then, it is nice to go outside of that circle and try something new. That was the case in GLPPPS, and I'm glad I finally gave in to all the people who had been recommending it.

I seem to have gotten a bit off track, here, so let me see if I can go back to the original thought - what was it again? Oh, yes, why we become so engrossed in certain stories that we wish there were some way to step through the pages. Humans are storytellers, and we've all been engrossed by tales, whether it was sitting around a campfire or the holiday table, and we've all known someone who could suck you right in, whether it was a hair-raising ghost story or the laugh-until-your-sides-hurt tale about the time Uncle Max put the frogs in Great-Aunt Ruby's bed. Some people just tell good stories.

Funny, I keep looking for something more to it than that, but it's what I keep coming back to. And all I do in the meantime is ramble on like some silly fool. I guess that's a sign to wrap it up and just ask you all for your thoughts. I'm sure someone out there is better suited to give a reason than I am. After all, I'm just a silly little woman who likes to get lost in the pages of books. So, what do I know? ;)

Tick another one off

2010-01-22T06:00:00.009-05:00

Not being someone who does things by half, I've really missed not burying myself in books last year. I can't remember what caused me to feel a bit out of sorts with reading, but it's definitely gone now. :)

I finished Eleanor the Queen last night. It was a pretty light read, which I knew picking it up, and pretty much hit the highlights of her life. Still, it gave a fair impression of what a strong woman she was, more remarkable because she lived in a time when women were supposed to be quiet, demure, submissive, and always defer to the men. Not to say she didn't have her life shaped by them, but to the best of her abilities, she stood up for her beliefs and didn't cave. It's also fun, sometimes, to read a fictional account, because you get to peep into people's heads and see what they might have been thinking in different situations.

I was very tempted to grab another book to put into rotation, but decided instead to devote my attention to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was a bit slow getting into, maybe because I had to switch gears on the time frame and format (it's written all as letters between the various characters), but now that I'm into it, I really am loving it. It's a sweet story.

Not much else, really. It's pretty quiet around here and I figure I'll keep from shaking the Bookstack a bit after my rant yesterday. Probably come up with something else at some point to make waves about, though. ;)

Hope you all have a great Friday!

For the love of knowledge

2010-01-20T21:01:00.001-05:00

This is something of a spin-off from my How lucky are we? post last week. A few comments were made about the fact that, despite a wealth of books and other reading materials (for this purpose, I'll include magazines, online articles, etc.), ignorance is still growing, and more and more of us are turning away from books for the instant bombardment of television, movies, and video games. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy all of those things, and yes, I do have some cross-over favorites from book to visual, but even something like that cannot replace actually holding a story in my hands and being able to picture the look, sound, and feel of characters and landscapes. That some people don't wish to do this, and would rather have it served up to them out of someone else's head, is a sad thing.

What's worse, is that it means that we're raising a nation (possibly a world) of people who have little or no imagination, or at least are unable to think outside of the box. We keep hearing that the next industrial revolution is upon us. People are needed who can come up with new innovations to bring technology and industry into the 21st century. But if all you know how to do is receive pre-programmed images and sound bites, how can you come up with these new ideas?

Additionally, what happens to new literature, if all you have is a generation of people who can recite the plotlines from every episode of House or Grey's Anatomy and can beat Halo without breaking a sweat, but have no idea of what even constitutes a great novel (and no, it does not necessarily mean that legions of teens swoon over the main character and later shell out untold amounts for movie-related merchandise)? There is a saying that not all readers write, but all writers read. In order to know how to craft a world, bring characters to life, and create something that people (and yourself, for that matter) actually care about, you have to be well-read. There's really no way around it.

Being well-read, in my opinion, doesn't mean you have to sit down with one of those "Must Read Before You Die" lists of books. Anyone who does any amount of reading has probably seen those memes, and it's fun to check off which books you've read, which are on your TBR list, and which you've never even heard of before. Those lists can be pretty subjective, however, and as someone who considers herself to be well-read, I've seen some where I've only ticked half a dozen titles out of a possible fifty or one hundred. I'd rather leave those lists behind and chart my own course, which I'm actually capable of doing, since I've read all my life. Funny how that works, isn't it? And you never know how those interests will come about. My seventh-grade Science teacher once used the Egyptians' practice of mummification as an example of how preservatives worked. That led to reading about some of the more famous mummies, which led to a general history of the time, and a love of history, in general. I'm not a science geek, but that teacher noticed my interest and suddenly "happened to come across" some books on history and culture of that time period. He wasn't going to begrudge my interest simply because it didn't match his class. Twenty-five years later (yeah, I know I just dated myself), I still remember that teacher as one of my favorites ever.

I have eight nieces and nephews, ranging in age from a year up to thirteen. It's become my practice to give each of them a book for Christmas. The older ones now make up lists for me, so that I have something to choose from and there is at least an appearance of surprise. Yes, I try to choose things that are popular and match their general interests, but I also look for books that have stood the passage of time. I remember one of my nephews telling me that his father had taken him and his brother to see The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe when it came out. I mentioned that it was based on a book and the line got very quiet. Then he whispered, "There's a book?" Guess what he got that year? And before they'd even eaten, he'd started reading, his only concern to me was if he'd know when he finished each book before starting the next (it was one of those large volumes with all seven in one). His mother told me he'd finished the series by New Year's Day, at which point his brother claimed it and started to read.

A few months ago, I was in the bookstore and overheard a pair of high school students talking with a clerk. They had an assignment to write a paper on someone, living or dead, with the only requirement being that the book used could not be an autobiography. After making numerous suggestions (they had never even heard of such historical figures as Winston Churchill, Queen Mary, Vlad the Impaler - after being told who he was, that produced a disgusted, "We can't do it on him! It's supposed to be about a real person, and vampires aren't real!"), he finally said in defeat, "Why don't you just Google someone, then you don't even have to read a book". I'll admit that I was laughing to myself and with the clerk (even being impish enough to suggest Oscar Wilde as a topic), but I was also pretty appalled at their lack of knowledge. All right, maybe you don't know what Churchill or Queen Mary were famous for, specifically, but to not even recognize the names?

Oh, as to the assignment, they eventually decided on a very slim paperback about Reese Witherspoon to use for the report. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that class.

I could probably go on and on about this, and I know that to talk about how we, as a society, should read more is basically "preaching to the choir", so I'll wrap it up. Thanks for letting me get up on my soapbox for a bit. :)

Whimisical Wednesdays (Jan. 20)

2010-01-20T06:00:00.036-05:00

This week, I decided to reach way back to my young childhood days and pull out the first in Laura Ingalls Wilder's series Little House in the Big Woods. I remember being absolutely fascinated with these books as a little girl (not so much with the television show, but that's another topic), and I think that they, along with L.M. Montgomery's Anne series, had much to do with kindling my love of handcrafting.

These books are a slightly fictionalized version of the Ingalls' actual life, but still enjoyable. And anyone wanting to know what really happened can always find some biographies. Wilder was writing for children, so she chose to condense some timelines, a few characters, and give a few events some more dramatic flair. That's what writers do, isn't it?

This book takes place in the forests of Wisconsin, before they made the famous trek in covered wagon out to the prairies in the Dakotas. It can be a rough area, but it's still considered to be near enough East so as to be part of "civilization". And, whatever the tough times, a real sense of community and family love comes through the story; Laura and Mary are very happy girls who are secure in the knowledge that they are loved. Not a bad message, if you ask me.

Teaser Tuesdays (Jan. 19)

2010-01-19T08:27:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser:

"Never mind. Give it to me. I will lay it aside safely and you shall wear it when you are older," said the lady governess.

Still Marie did not move; so the lady governess went near and attempted to unclasp the necklace; and the good, meek little eldest Child of France ducked her smooth little head and set her sharp little teeth in the lady governess's hand and bit it hard.

p. 82, Eleanor the Queen by Norah Lofts

OK, I cheated a bit and added a couple sentences so the "lady governess" could have her whole speech. It was the least I could do after she got bit. ;)

Musing Mondays (Jan. 18)

2010-01-18T06:00:00.008-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

When is it inappropriate to read in front of others? Is it ever appropriate?

I think it depends on the situation, really. If you're sitting in a waiting room, for example, I think it's fine to read. Of course, the exception is if you might be there for support, and the other person is a bit nervous, then you should focus on them.

As far as generally reading when others are around, it pretty much varies on who the person(s) are. I've had times when I've hung out with friends, they might be watching something on television, I'll be reading (usually something light, so I can keep part of my attention on what's happening around me), and we're all happy. That doesn't happen all the time, and only with certain people. Usually, if I'm with people I know (unless everyone has a book on hand), I don't read in front of others, but... talk *gasp*. Often times, the conversation is about books, though! :D

How lucky are we?

2010-01-16T13:32:00.006-05:00

I was moving a few things around last night, and I came across a book I think I may have mentioned before - The Book on the Bookshelf. That book is primarily about how shelves and storage for books evolved as books themselves changed and became more readily available. That thought got into my head, rubbed elbows with some bits and pieces from other books I've read - both historical fiction and histories - and then went to sleep for the night. What emerged today was the idea that we are really incredibly lucky as readers, in terms of the time that we live in. Up until fairly recently, books were only for the rich. Originally handwritten, and even after printed books became more common, to own one or more books was a definite luxury.

Today, we think nothing of going into a bookstore, borrowing them from the library, ordering them online, or even grabbing a few titles at the supermarket or pharmacy. To be honest, you'd be hard put to get away from books these days. Even the most casual reader likely has a dozen or so on a shelf or scattered about the home. And that doesn't even touch on the subject of audiobooks and digital books for e-readers, iPods, and computers.

We're often told that 'knowledge is power', and you can get that from reading. As amazing as it sounds, that was a big part of the objection toward making books more accessible to the average person. Those in power (and we're talking mainly about the Church here, since even a lot of the ruling class were shaky with their letters and relied on clerks and scribes for reading and writing letters and household accounts) weren't too keen on the idea of information being handed over to those under their thumbs. I mean, if you can read up on the law, do you really need a lawyer? OK, that's a silly example, since we all know that tax codes were purposefully written so that you had to study for years just to know that no one will ever truly understand what they mean. Still, you get the idea.

Fortunately, progress won out and we are the most recent beneficiaries of it. Yes, there are areas of the world that still restrict what is available for reading, and I hope that will one day end, but for me, in my little corner of the world, there is virtually no subject that I cannot read about, if I so choose, from millennia-old sagas to the latest steampunk story, and everything in-between. And I've got to tell you, after going through three copies of Ovid's Metamorphoses, I picked up the Kindle edition for Marius. It saves on replacing the book yet again, but it also makes me giggle a bit to wonder what he might think about me reading such an ancient work on an e-reader. :)

Believe me, with the wealth of books around me, both in my home, as well as those in stores, libraries, etc., I do forget just how lucky I am sometimes. But then it'll come back to me with a jolt, usually when reading something where a person treasures that one slim volume above all other possessions, and I remember just how lucky we really are.

Setting up for weekend reading

2010-01-15T08:28:00.004-05:00

Well, I'll be working this weekend, so it's actually going to be night reading, but you get the idea.

I finished reading The Adventures of Alianore Audley last night and was very tempted to go back and start it over again. I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical when my reading group first chose this, but I was very pleasantly surprised once I started reading. Alianore is sarcastic, modern, and quite independent (despite constantly saying that she wants out of Intelligence and just wants to be a "proper knight's wife and lady"). Her relationship with her husband could easily fit into any modern novel, so it's easy to connect with her. And I have to say, I don't think I've laughed over a book so hard in quite a long time.

So, moving on to something else, as the only other "active" book I had going was The Silmarillion, which I am taking at a very leisurely pace, so expect to see that hang out on the list for a while, I pulled The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society out for the What's In A Name? 3 challenge and Eleanor the Queen for variety. I was tempted to start on the Borgias, but think I will save them for when I'm actually off on a weekend so I can really cozy up with Rodrigo and his brood.

Hope you all have a great weekend and get lots of reading done!

Book acquisitions

2010-01-14T18:29:00.002-05:00

I spent the day almost completely computer-free, which was nice, although I do miss connecting with my friends in Cyberland. It was a productive day, nonetheless. I hit a craft store for some felt to make cases for my Tarot decks and then went to Borders. I'd received a gift card for Christmas and felt the time was right to transform it into books (isn't it amazing how that works?).

I picked up two books from my Wishlist: Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory by Roy Blount Jr. and The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519 by Christopher Hibbert. That killed the card. While I was browsing for Blount's book, I saw a copy of Under the Covers and Between the Sheets: Facts and Trivia about the World's Greatest Books by C. Alan Joyce and Sarah Jenssen, and decided it had to come home with me.

I'm still giggling over the title of Alphabet Juice because I can be that sophmoric, and I'm thinking that the bio on the Borgias will be some cozy reading. The last looks to be some behind-the-scenes tidbits about authors, the books they wrote (and how they were originally meant to end), the books they didn't write (or died before finishing), and why it isn't good to expect people to honor your wishes to destroy your papers when you make a living scribbling stories (although it's a very good thing for us that people did disregard those wishes). Seems like a fun little read. Of course, I haven't started any of them, as I had a date with my sewing machine to turn the sheets of felt I bought into little pouches. But I had the books propped up in front of me so I could enjoy the shiny-new goodness of them. ;)

Hope you all had a lovely day!

Whimsical Wednesday (Jan. 13)

2010-01-13T06:00:00.051-05:00

This week, I'm dropping in on a sci-fi con where the fans take the characters very seriously with Sharyn McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun. So much so, in fact, that a prominent author is murdered after some outbursts and insulting comments. Well, there's always more to it than that, isn't there? And Appin Dungannon (no, really, that's his name) is well-known for being... slightly less than cordial to both fans and fellow writers alike. So, who wanted him dead? Well, starting with the letter 'A'....

It ends up falling to Dr. James O. Mega (I never said this was highbrow), another author at the con, to solve the mystery. It sounds hokey, and at times it can be, but it's also rather funny, showing just how ridiculous and fun a con can be. One of my favorite scenes is the Trekkie wedding where the bridesmaids carry tricorders that are actually stud finders. Hehe. I wonder if those actually work?

Since I've read this a number of times before, and it really isn't a long book, I may move on to the loose sequel Zombies of the Gene Pool.

This one is also based on the world of science fiction, but it is set in eastern Tennessee. Dr. Mega and his girlfriend are asked to accompany a friend for the digging up of a time capsule. Erik Giles had been part of a group of writers back in the fifties, some of whom had gone on to become rather famous. When the group gets together, once again, murder pops up around Jay. Not quite as satirical and biting as Bimbos, but still a fun way to kill a few hours.

Teaser Tuesdays (Jan. 12)

2010-01-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser:

"On the title page was a picture of Edward III picking up the Countess of Salisbury's garter. (This incident led to the founding of the Order of the Garter, with its famous motto Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense, which can be translated as Just Because A Woman's Garter Falls Down It Doesn't Mean That The King Is Bonking Her.)"

p. 93, The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright

Musing Mondays (Jan. 11)

2010-01-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about tidy bookshelves. Are your bookshelves strictly books only? Or have knick-knacks invaded? Do your shelves also shelve DVDs? Photos? Why not snap a photo – I’m sure we all like to spy on other’s shelves!

I wish I had some lovely photos to share of bookshelves filled with books, but I'm afraid that isn't the case. Right now, my books are mainly in boxes or piled up on the steps leading to the attic. Finding what I next want to read can be as difficult, at times, as making heads or tails of Finnegans Wake! I do have a room planned to be a reading room, and will have shelves on three of the walls (the fourth having a door and window), and I promise that when that is finally done, there will be photos, celebrations, and a tickertape parade!

In all likelihood, I won't have knick-knacks mixed in, but I do think I might hang a picture or two at the cross-braces (anyone ever see the old A&E series Nero Wolfe? He had that on the bookshelves of the office, and it looked rather nice). In the meantime, I literally am reading from several wobbly bookstacks!

Weekend update

2010-01-10T19:54:00.001-05:00

Sorry to be a bit late with this post (which I promise is more light-hearted than my last one!). It's been a frigid weekend here, as is the case with most of the country, and I've been curled up with a book or movie, blanket, and a steaming mug of hot cocoa or tea. Oh, yes, and watching the Patriots lose, but we won't go into that, right now, if you don't mind.

I finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club and can honestly say that I enjoyed it from start to finish. I read a blurb comparing it to Steel Magnolias, but set in New York. I think that's an appropriate place to start in describing it. Friendships and relationships between women of several different generations, all centered in and around a yarn shop. The women all come from very different backgrounds and situations, and in the normal scheme of things, probably wouldn't have become friends. But they are united by a common ground - a love of knitting. (And I promise that I will not go with the bad pun about "the group being knit together from different threads" or anything like that. ;D) There are ups and downs, and some of it does get a bit sad, but it's all quite believable, and I found myself wishing I could walk into Walker and Daughter on a Friday night, pull out my needles, and join in on the conversation.

I also started on The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright. This is for a reading group, and OMG! Only a few pages in and I was laughing out loud. Alianore is a spy for Edward IV and not your typical demure and submissive 15th century woman. She has a sharp wit, a quick brain, and an acid tongue. And she isn't afraid to use them. It's a relatively short book (only 200 pages or so), and seems to go very quickly. As the Plantagenets are my favorite royal family, I think I'll enjoy this very much. Expect something quoted from this book for the Tuesday Teasers!

More than entertainment

2010-01-07T15:39:00.001-05:00

Thursdays seem to be a day for me to do a lot of thinking, possibly because I'm home from work and have the time to do just that - think. It usually heads around to some book I've read, a character I found a connection with, or maybe a situation I could relate to. I also have time to really take time to read other blogs (not that I don't during the rest of the week, but I can really mull over what has been posted on these days) and either take away something new to think about or wonder at the similarities in my own thoughts. Today, I read a post at Ryan's blog, old man sutton, that got me off on a thought trail of my own.

I've long kept a paper journal, since I like to look back at what a particular day might have held or just have a place to put down the maelstrom that makes up my thoughts. I also keep a blank book for quotes that have special meaning for me, seem to be of some importance, or simply strike my funny bone. Ryan was talking about some stuff in a book that resonated, and that got me thinking about some of the quotes I've kept that have helped me or just gave me another way of looking at things. Sometimes you can find a few sentences in a book that make a ho-hum read really worthwhile. At the risk of getting mushy or wibbling (I promise, I'll clean it up), I thought I'd share some.

"You know- pansy for thoughtfulness, yew for sorrow, bay for glory, dock for tomorrow? Roses are for love. Not forget-me-not, honeysuckle, silly sweethearts' love, but the love that makes you and keeps you whole, love that gets you through the worst your life'll give you and that pours out of you when you're given the best instead."

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

"Wheresoever she was, there was Eden."

The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain

Both of these are quite simply things that make me smile just reading them over again. I am a huge fan of McKinley's book Beauty (and if you haven't read it, I highly recommend it), which was a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. That's a pretty universal theme in terms of love and acceptance on its own, and I could probably write a long post about that, as well as have a lovely discussion with others about it, but that's another post for another time. Rose Daughter is also the Beauty and the Beast story, with McKinley coming back to it twenty years later, creating new characters and new situations for the story to unfold. It's a good book, although it didn't strike quite the same chord as its predecessor, but that one quote stopped me when I first read it years ago. We all are looking for love and I think the way this describes the type of love we want is wonderful. I know everyone can get their own meaning from quotes or phrases, but this one is something of the standard I've set for what I want in life.

As for the Mark Twain quote, well, that one actually made me cry, after having laughed through much of the rest of the book. I hate doing spoilers, but I can't very well explain how touching this one is without doing so, so read on at your own risk. The line is Adam's eulogy for Eve. What makes it so much more wonderful is that it is a paraphrase of a comment Twain made about his own wife: Wheresoever Livy was, that was home. Twain is best known for his biting wit, satire, and (let's face it) not-so-nice commentary on others of his time. But that quote (and really, the later 'entries' in Adam's diary) show a very different side, the one that was completely, utterly, and totally in love with his wife. Just from the point of a woman wanting someone to care about her like that, how could you not be affected by that line?

Not that I'm always on about the mushy, romantic stuff, though. I think we've all read something by Barbara Taylor Bradford at some point (well, many of us, anyway), and I have scribbled in my book a line from A Woman of Substance that stood out from the rest of the soap opera story (don't send the hate mail. I actually liked the book, just saying it isn't really that realistic, IMHO).

"We are each the authors of our own lives. We live in what we have created. There is no way to shift the blame and no one else to accept the accolades."

A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Sometimes just reading something like that can help me to remember that I am responsible for my own happiness and success. Yes, we interact with others and they can have an impact on us, but ultimately, the person you end up with at the end of the day is yourself, so you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say, "I'm going to make my own life, not just wait for someone else to make it for me." That isn't always the easiest thing, and ironically, it's sometimes harder to accept when you've done something good than it is the bad. To quote from the movie All About Eve, "We are all born into this world with our own little horns intact, and if we don't blow them, who will?" So, yes, take the bad with the good and own up to them both.

All right, I promise I will be back to my regular talking about specific books on the next post. But as I've said before, for me, books are about more than just being entertained. I learn a lot from them, both about specific places, people, or crafts, but also about myself. And maybe everyone who sees themselves as Elizabeth Bennett, Harry Potter, or Scarlet O'Hara is doing the same thing, whether they realize it or not.

I'm almost finished with The Friday Night Knitting Club, so look for something about that this weekend.

Celebrate the Author reads

2010-01-07T09:33:00.002-05:00

Using this post to keep track of the books I read for the Celebrate the Author challenge.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll (January)

Whimsical Wednesdays (Jan. 6)

2010-01-06T09:25:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the first Whimsical Wednesday of the new year! And I do have something quite whimsical planned for this evening when I curl up with my reading - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll.

Whimsical Wednesdays is my personal departure from my Current Reads list. For one evening each week, I go back to a book I enjoyed as a child, teen, or young adult, and spend some time revisiting favorite characters or authors. Sometimes they are classics, other times it's something quirky that just caught my fancy.

I have lost track of the number of times I've read these books over the years. I first received a copy of Alice when I was five. When asked what I thought of it, my review was, "It was good, but very obvious that the Caterpillar was smoking hallucinogenic drugs." Thus my mode of book reviewing was set.

I think what I love about these stories is that they work for all ages. I know a lot of people who think of them as children's books, and yes, they can be read and enjoyed by little ones. But if you go back, there is a lot more to them than a simple tale of a girl who dreams about falling down a rabbit hole or passing through a mirror into another world. They are also Carroll's commentary on how children were expected to behave as small adults, without having the 'rulebook' or experience to show them how. The amazing thing, at least to me, is that it's possible to relate to Alice, no matter what your age is. As a child, I understood wanting to behave like someone older than I was and to 'not be treated like a child', despite still being just that. The older I get, the more I wish I could step into the stories and tell Alice that it's all right to be a little girl. We're all in such a hurry to grow up and we really don't understand how wonderful it is to be a child and enjoy the excitement and wonder of discovery. The days when you really believed you could tumble down a rabbit hole after a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and carrying a pocket watch.

Maybe part of the appeal of these (and other stories in the same vein) is our desire to recapture that wonder and belief. They say that youth is wasted on the young, and in part, that may be true. But I think that if we really want it, we can keep that feeling and delight throughout our lives. I still haven't found the 'rulebook' on being an adult, but I'm sure it doesn't contain anything about losing your sense of wonder simply because you reach a certain birthday. It takes a bit of work, but then, anything worth believing usually does.

Happy reading!

Let the challenges begin

2010-01-05T20:18:00.000-05:00

Here we are, almost a week into January, so it's time for me to start on some of the books for the challenges I've decided to do this year, as well as my book group reading. Tomorrow is Whimsical Wednesday here, and I plan to knock out my January author. Well, one of the books I've chosen for that, anyway. My pick was Lewis Carroll, and I'm reading the two Alice books. These aren't new reads, as they have been treasured favorites since I was five, but I seem to find something new in them each time I read. I'm not sure if I'm just seeing things I missed before, if it has to do with being at different stages in my life, or (most likely) the fact that Carroll was simply a master storyteller and put so many meanings into these books. I'm not saying they are the new Holy Grail, but countless dissertations have been written about them, and who am I to argue? Whatever the case, I love the books and look forward to visiting Wonderland again for a short time.

I'll probably hold off on The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for right now, as I want to finish up The Friday Night Knitting Club (which I am enjoying enormously and have almost finished) and do need to start The Adventures of Alianore Audley for my book group. None of these look to be terribly long or arduous reads, so I shouldn't have any problems there. And there's always The Silmarillion to fall back on, should I want something a bit more... studious.

I hope these early days in January are presenting you with pleasant reading, whatever your book of choice may be.

Teaser Tuesdays (Jan. 5)

2010-01-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser:

Very warily they dwelt in the wooded lands south of Teiglin; but when a year had passed since Túrin fled from Doriath, Beleg came upon their lair by night. It chanced that at that time Túrin was gone from the camp; and the outlaws seized Beleg and bound him, and treated him cruelly, for they feared him as a spy of the King of Doriath.

p. 202, The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

Musing Mondays (Jan. 4)

2010-01-04T13:05:00.002-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

With the New Year here already, do you have any reading resolutions or goals (challenges aside) for 2010? Perhaps a new author? Genre? Want to read more non-fiction? Write more reviews?

My main goal for this coming year is really to read consistantly. With work, family, and other things tugging at me, I fall into periods where I read heavily and others where I don't pick up a book for days on end. I'm not looking to set any records for books read in a year, but a nice, even pace of one or two a week would make me happy.

I tend to have a fairly varied collection on my shelves, so I'm not really looking at wanting/needing to add new authors or genres. Since I have this blog now, a few reviews would be nice, but I don't think I'll ever do anything formal. That just isn't my style, so it'll be more along the line of, "Here's what it was, here's my take on it, and be prepared for some sarcasm and humor." As long as I make a few people smile, I'll be happy.

First "finish" of the New Year

2010-01-02T17:27:00.001-05:00

Well, I started this last week, but I finished it yesterday, so it technically qualifies for this year, right? Anyway, I said I'd give my thoughts on Jane Bites Back when I was done, so here they are.

It really was light reading, but I sort of expected that. Jane Austen is 234 years old, living in Brakeston, NY, and owns a bookstore called Flypapers. Since she really can't go around using her real name and not attract all sorts of attention, she calls herself Jane Fairfax, which if I remember correctly, was a character in Emma. Cute tie-in by Ford. She's also been trying to get a novel published, and after 116 rejections, it's picked up. Nobody in Brakeston knows what she is, until (cue ominous music) the vampire who 'turned' her shows up - none other than Lord George Gordon Byron (who is now going by the name of Brian George). The rest of the story is pretty much Jane trying to balance her new-found fame as a novelist, keeping Byron from snacking on her shop assistant and the builder in town who has been in love with her for quite some time, and dodging the attacks of a very rabid Charlotte Brontë supporter.

Did I enjoy it? Well, yes, for what it was, but it isn't something that I'd go rushing around, insisting that everyone read it. And that slight lack of enthusiasm had nothing to do with the use of famous literary personalities in some of the main roles, it just wasn't an overly-captivating book. There's a blurb at the end of the book saying that a sequel is in the works - Jane Goes Batty - but I don't know that I'll be picking it up. It could be fun beach reading, but that's about it. I'll have to see how my TBR stack looks when it actually hits the shelves.

Happy New Year, 2010!

2009-12-31T11:07:00.041-05:00

There are still a few more hours to go before we say good-bye to 2009 here, so it's a nice time to look back over the past year and forward to what is coming up. This is a rather new blog, started a little over a month ago, but I've enjoyed sharing my reading tastes with Blogland and am so very happy that some of you have found them interesting enough that you check back regularly. It always makes me smile to see that someone thought enough of what I've written to leave a comment, whether you agree with my thoughts/opinions or not. Thank you all!

I'm going to keep this post for tracking the books I read over 2010, mainly in list form, although if I find I had something witty to say about any of them, I'll link to that particular post. It's really for my own info, as I tend to get forgetful about whether or not I've read something months ago, with such a large pile of books staring me in the face. One of the pitfalls of getting older. ;) There'll be a link on the sidebar to this, so feel free to check back periodically and watch the list (hopefully) grow. Who knows what will actually end up on it by this time next year! Since I've also joined the "A Buck A Book" Reading Challenge, where you pay yourself one dollar for each book you finish between January 1st and December 31st, I'll put a running total at the bottom of the list.

Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright
Eleanor the Queen by Norah Lofts
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Under the Covers and Between the Sheets: Facts and Trivia about the World's Greatest Books by C. Alan Joyce and Sarah Janssen
Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography by William Anderson
The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519 by Christopher Hibbert
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
The Bishop at the Lake by Andrew M. Greeley
The Archbishop in Andalusia by Andrew M. Greeley
Little House in the Highlands by Melissa Wiley
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Prisoner's Base by Rex Stout
Richard II by William Shakespeare
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare
Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery
As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
The Far Side of the Loch by Melissa Wiley
Down to the Bonny Glen by Melissa Wiley
The Discovery of France by Graham Robb
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Beauty by Robin McKinley
Twelve Fair Kingdoms by Suzette Haden Elgin
The Grand Jubilee by Suzette Haden Elgin
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
And Then There'll Be Fireworks by Suzette Haden Elgin
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

Book Earnings: $53

Whimsical Wednesdays (Dec. 30)

2009-12-30T08:54:00.001-05:00

Tonight's WW reading is definitely not an old favorite, but I couldn't resist. When I got home last night, there were a couple packages from Amazon tucked into the door. One was a Zelda game for my DS (because yes, I grew up on Nintendo and think they're fun), and the other was my copy of Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford. How nice! Just in time for my reading tonight. I didn't peep into it at all last night, as I was busy reading The Friday Night Knitting Club (I hadn't hit the passage I used for my teaser yesterday and I really wanted to know the story behind Cat's dress!), but I did look at the first couple of pages this morning before heading out the door, and it looks promising. We're in a cold spell right now, although the winds have thankfully died down from what they were last night (60mph or so), so it'll be perfect to curl up with this. I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen's books and it seems as though Ford treats her with respect and a little humor. I'm sure Austen would approve (OK, she may not have ever thought of herself starring in a book as a vampire, but I don't think she would mind someone having a little fun with her reputation, do you?). I know I don't do detailed reviews like many others in Blogland do, but I'll be sure to type up my thoughts on this one.

I really can't believe the year is almost over. I have a copy of The Adventures of Alianore Audley by Brian Wainwright coming in today, which I will start this weekend for a reading group, as well as the two Alice books by Lewis Carroll for a challenge. 2010 promises to be a bustling year in terms of all the books I hope to read, as well as a few stitching projects I have planned (I also do counted cross-stitch, and have been woefully neglectful of two items). Since winter has finally arrived, it's a great time to take stock of what I'd like to accomplish and get things lined up. Well, in theory, at least. We all know that most plans made at New Year's fall apart before St. Patrick's Day, but I never give up being optimistic about it. Of course, having announced those plans to all and sundry here online, it gives that much more incentive to not let them slide, doesn't it? So, we shall see.

Enjoy your reading, everyone, whatever it may be!

Rasputin's Revenge? More like Lupa's Lump

2009-12-29T08:59:00.002-05:00

I finished reading Rasputin's Revenge by John Lescroart last night. I can't say I was overly impressed with it, which was a bit of a disappointment, as I had liked Son of Holmes fairly well. The scenes with Auguste Lupa, Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Watson were all right, but they were a bit too scarce to keep my interest. The narrator was Jules Girard, who also narrated the first book. While that one was fresh and kept moving, this one seemed to plod along and just get bogged down too much. I'm not sorry I read it, but I don't think I'll be adding it to any lists of favorites.

For the moment, I won't be adding a third book to my rotation (especially as tomorrow is Whimsical Wednesday and I'll be taking a break with something a little silly). I'm just getting into the story of The Friday Night Knitting Club, and liking it, and The Silmarillion is coming along, as well, although much more slowly. Still, it's quite interesting and I am very much in awe of Tolkien's mind. I was a fan of his storytelling abilities before but this is something else. It makes me wonder just what I was thinking when I said, "Yeah, I think I can write."

I had said I won't be participating in any other reading challenges than the two I've currently signed up for, but these look like they could be fun and I just wanted to pass the word along in case someone else wanted to give them a try:

The Neil Gaiman Challenge over at Rebecca's blog (Just One More Page...)
The Terry Pratchett 2010 Challenge, hosted by Marg at ReadingAdventures

Enjoy your Tuesday, everyone.

Teaser Tuesdays (Dec. 28)

2009-12-29T08:27:00.004-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teasers:

The gown itself was a rather delicate affair, fitted repeatedly on Cat's slender frame, to hug every curve and shimmy over her body as she walked. The bodice was a low V, all the way down to the middle of Cat's abdomen (already toned, but Georgia knew she'd been hitting the gym harder than usual), the two sections over the bust pulled together by only three skinny knit bands.

page 180, The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

I'm done adding challenges. Really.

2009-12-27T10:02:00.002-05:00

I wasn't going to do any other challenges than the Celebrate the Author one, but I tripped across one that is short, interesting, and should be easy to fit in. At least, I hope it will be. It's the What's In A Name? 3 Challenge being hosted by Beth Fish.

In a nutshell, between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010 read one book from each of the following six catagories:

1. A book with a food in the title.

2. A book with a body of water in the title.

3. A book with a title (King, Madam, Prime Minister, etc.) in the title.

4. A book with a plant in the title.

5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title.

6. A book with a music term in the title.

Here's my list:
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
3. Mistress of the Monarchy; The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster by Alison Weir
4. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
5. Byzantium by Stephen R. Lawhead
6. The Songcatcher by Sharyn McCrumb

Should be fun!

Let's get back to it

2009-12-26T11:41:00.000-05:00

Happy post-holidays, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends. I suppose we are still in the holiday season, as New Year's Day is looming on the horizon (and the retailers have already started putting out Valentine's candy. I popped into the supermarket for a few things on Christmas Eve, and they already had the Christmas stuff cleared and Valentine's stuff up on the shelves. Sheesh!), but the main crush is over.

I started in on the second Auguste Lupa book by John Lescroart, Rasputin's Revenge a couple nights ago. I'm not sure that I like this as much as I did Son of Holmes, but it's still early on, so I'll try to reserve judgment. It just seems a little more forced than the first book did, but maybe it's just that the setting is a little more bleak. I should finish it in another day or so, as it's really a fairly short novel. Lupa has just appeared, so maybe he'll spice things up a bit. And his legendary father, Sherlock Holmes, is also slated to join the cast; I'm hoping that will be a lot more interesting.

In an effort to put something a little more "fluffy" (if that's the right term) in the rotation, I pulled out The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. This has been languishing in my TBR Stack for almost a year, and I figured it was time for it to see the light of day. Should make for a nice balance to The Silmarillion, which is definitely not "fluffy" by any stretch of the imagination. I am enjoying it, although I may read it in smaller doses.

The holidays brought a bit of cash my way, and I am very much debating picking up a few things on my Wishlist. The Vampire Is Just Not That Into You has been tickling my funnybone since I first read about it, as is Alphabet Juice. The weekend is staring me in the face, with all the post-holiday sales happening, so I might make a trip to the local Borders and see what I can find. Because, yeah, I really do need more books added to the TBR Stack. It's looking a bit organized and not too wobbly right now, and we can't have that, can we?

Happy reading!

Whimsical Wednesdays (Dec. 23)

2009-12-23T09:06:00.003-05:00

And what will I be reading tonight? Well, in honor of the holiday week (Yule having been celebrated Monday and Christmas coming up on Friday), I thought I'd go with Jeff Guinn's first book of "The Christmas Chronicles" - The Autobiography of Santa Claus. Actually, it was a toss-up between that and Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve (Awesome book, by the way. Made me laugh throughout most of it and actually made me cry at the end.), but the holidayishness (creating my own words, sue me) won out.

This book is very short and a very quick read. Depending on what time I finish, what else I plan to do for the evening, and how much in the holiday mood I am, I might read the rest of the books in the series - How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas and The Great Santa Search. I've read the Mrs. Claus book before. It's about how, while Santa is in the New World trying to get Christmas established there, his wife heads to England and takes on Cromwell. It's a cute way of blending the fanciful in with actual historical events. I have not read the third book, although I'd picked it up to round out the series. My basic understanding of it is that some media outlet is trying to find the 'real' Santa and he has to prove himself. Sort of a 'Miracle on 34th Street' for today. I'm sort of a purist on that story (I even refuse to watch any version of the movie except the 1947 version with Edmund Gwenn), so we'll see how that goes.

In any event, I plan on a pleasant evening of reading, a steaming mug of Spiced Apple Chai (I'm rather addicted to that stuff), a few oatmeal cranberry cookies someone baked for me, and my kitty curled up in my lap. I'll deal with the wrapping tomorrow.

Teaser Tuesdays (Dec. 22)

2009-12-22T20:08:00.001-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Cheating slightly, and using the book I finished last night, as I didn't want to use Merlin again and haven't started the others (beyond the first couple of pages) and don't want to spoil myself! :)

My teaser:

"The big man stood for a moment framed in the doorway, looking at the assemblage. There was a moment of silence, and then I jumped up and performed the introductions. Only Henri seemed ill at ease, while the others nodded cautiously and Fritz went to get another round of beers."

p. 45, Son of Holmes by John Lescroart

You're reading what?

2009-12-22T13:10:00.001-05:00

If you are a bookworm, you have probably been asked that at some point by those who are not big readers. It seems to happen to me almost every time I tell someone what my Current Reads are. (The follow-up is generally, "You're reading how many?", as I usually have at least two, if not three, books going at any one time. Still, I've had that reaction from self-professed bookworms, as well, who just aren't able to process more than one book at a time, so I guess that's something all-together different.) I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as most of the books on my Current Reads, TBR pile, and Wishlist are not really the mainstream, New York Times Bestsellers. Nothing against Nora Roberts or Jodi Picoult, but I'm just not into that. I really am the kind of girl who reads The History by Herodotus for kicks (he's an absolute riot, too, should you be inclined to try it) and James Joyce's Finnegans Wake just out of curiosity. I did finish it, although I'll be damned if I could tell you a thing about it, other than that it made me want to drink. A lot.

So, when the stuff you're reading for fun and enjoyment look more like the 'required reading' list for students, how do you explain it? Often, I give a little shrug and self-depricating smile and say, "Well, I'm kind of a nerd". Pretty much quiets the majority. If someone presses, I'll explain my love of history, words, or puzzles (Oh yeah, I also am a fan of logic puzzles and usually do them in pen. That might sound a little impressive, but it pales beside my grandmother, who used to do the New York Times crossword in felt tip and never crossed anything out.). It doesn't make people understand, but it does make me sound as though there is a grand purpose to my reading choices.

The truth is, I love to read and I love to learn. I've been out of formal school for *mumblemumble* years, but it doesn't mean I have learned it all. Trust me when I say that there is so much more to learn. Most of the subjects I'm interested in, I know enough to know that I don't know very much. I believe in reading a story for the escape-factor it can provide, and I grew up on Narnia, Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, L.M. Montgomery, and Jane Austen, to name a few, but I also love that you can learn about almost anything by picking up a book and sitting down with it. Just go into the local library or bookstore. You can find topics as diverse as 'How to Make Macrame Plantholders' (in case you never went to summer camp) to 'The Process of Mummification' (everyone needs a hobby) to 'The Origins of the Universe' (Stephen Hawking's number for clarifying concepts not included) and more. The point is, if someone has thought of it, there is probably a book written about it. And if anyone can argue that the original person didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about, there will be books of opposing theories written, lines will be drawn in the sand, and a whole movement will be started, all recorded in its own little section of the library or store. Neat, huh?

I'm not always reading serious stuff, and I have my fair share of goofy books on the shelf (Ever seen the one about the elf prince who hasn't had sex in about 200 years and falls for a thirty-something married lawyer? It's called - wait for it - Elf Defense. No, really), but I guess I'm just someone who thinks, "I'd like something fun" and picks up Ovid.

What can I say, I'm kind of a nerd.

Blizzard = lots of reading

2009-12-21T11:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Winter Solstice, everyone. I ended up smack-dab in the thick of the storm that hit the east coast yesterday. We had a blizzard warning put up, and they actually got it right. Ended up with a little under two feet of snow, although most drifts are at least three feet and the piles where snow was shovelled or plowed are a good four to five feet high. For an area which does not often get snow, it is truly looking like a winter wonderland today.

Being as they didn't want anyone out on the roads unless absolutely necessary (and most people followed that, except for a few idiots who think that 4-wheel drive makes them invincible), we didn't open and I got a day off from work. That meant I had plenty of time for reading. Even more, I finished Richard III. I have to say that I really enjoyed reading it. There were a few appendices at the back, one of which was an argument about the whole Princes in the Tower and who could have been responsible for their demise. It was interesting and gave some good arguments for both sides of the story - either Richard or Henry being responsible. Since I greatly admire Richard and have never really cared much for Henry VII (although I do like his son, the famous - or infamous - Henry VIII), it goes without saying that I'd prefer the culprit to be Henry, and I do think that is the case, but there are some facts brought up here that cast a shadow on Richard, and they really can't be ignored. Either way, I don't think we'll ever know for certain and the argument will continue.

I have several books planned to start in January, including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass for the Celebrate the Authors Reading Challenge, and The Adventures of Alianore Audley for a reading group on Goodreads, so I'm going to sit back a bit and do some fun reading for the rest of the calendar year. The first of these is Son of Holmes by John Lescroart. This is a mystery and involves a character named Auguste Lupa, a detective reputed to be the son of the legendary Sherlock Holmes (it's also been suggested that Lupa is another alias for the equally legendary Nero Wolfe, as there have been numerous arguments posed that Wolfe is Holmes' son). It's a simple book, but entertaining. I'd read it years ago and just found a copy again, along with the sequel Rasputin's Revenge, which I have not read yet.

I also am going to start The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, which I am afraid to say I have not read before. I read The Hobbit as a child and later enjoyed The Lord of the Rings, but that was as far as I got with Tolkien. I'm going to take this time to make up for that lapse.

Of course, I'll toss in something quick and fun on Wednesday, but these should take me through the week, at which time I'll look for my final grouping of books for 2009 (can you believe it's almost over?).

Hope you all are doing well, and surviving the last bit of holiday madness.

Hot cocoa, sugar cookies, and a trek through the 1400s

2009-12-17T19:05:00.000-05:00

I had really wanted peanut butter cookies, but the bakery didn't have any. Hmph. So I went with the old stand-by of sugar cookies and also grabbed some oatmeal raisin, because they go so well with tea. But, since the mercury was hovering at 20F and the wind was making it feel even colder, it was definitely a hot cocoa and sugar cookie kind of day.

Since I was off from work and it was so horrid outside, I spent the bulk of the day making some serious time with Richard. I've sort of been neglecting him for a few weeks and wanted to make up for it. In my first post here, I mentioned that I've always admired him, and I have to say that the more I read about him, the more that admiration grows. If Edward had charm, charisma, and stunning good looks (at least, while he was younger), Richard had determination and management skills that are nothing short of amazing. I'm not saying the man was a saint, because honestly, politics haven't changed that much, and you don't make it to the top and stay there for any length of time just because you were a good person. But to the extent possible, I think he was a good person.

I'm just reaching the point where big brother George screwed up for the last time. Whatever his faults, and Richard certainly didn't approve of his actions, it's admirable to see how he tries to stand up to Edward to spare George. Of course, we all know how that ended, but he continually shows himself as someone who stands by his convictions.

Well, I should be reaching the turning point soon - Edward's death and his proclamation that Richard be named as Protector until the Prince comes of age. I've read several historical-fictions about how the fur flies because of this (Elizabeth's family was not all that happy about that decision), and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out in a non-fiction format, instead of trying to draw sympathy out for one side or the other.

Hope your libraries are providing you with pleasant reading, everyone, and that you are weathering whatever weather you have well!

And the vampire craze continues

2009-12-16T11:46:00.003-05:00

I will admit, the somewhat recent spate of books dragging Jane Austen's characters into the world of the supernatural has left me a bit cold. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies left me out, as I'm not really a big fan of that particular segment of the undead, turning Col. Brandon into a seamonster made me bristle, and Darcy as a vampire after he marries Elizabeth? Bah, I think I'll pass.

So, it was a bit of a surprise to me when I saw mention of a new book (actually, it's being released on the 29th) that takes things a little bit further. Instead of mucking around with Ms. Austen's characters and stories, she is the vampire. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford looks to be intelligent and witty, not going for the obvious gags. Something about it has pulled me in, and I pre-ordered a copy, so we'll see what I think of it when it arrives (possibly in time for that week's Whimical Wednesdays). At best, it'll be something to chuckle over. At worst, it'll take a short flight across the room, as Twilight did. Fortunately, paperbacks don't do that much damage to the walls.

I have Terra to thank for the other vampire book, which is currently on my Wishlist. The Vampire Is Just Not That Into You by Vlad Mezrich really does sound hilarious. It's something of a 'how-to' for getting a vampire to fall in love with you... and keep from ending up as a late-night snack. Definitely light reading and meant for a laugh, but it looks fun enough that I will keep an eye out for it at the store. Thanks again, Terra!

Whimsical Wednesdays (Dec. 16)

2009-12-16T09:24:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I'm choosing The Complete Book of Gnomes by Wil Huygen. It's a single volume, containing the books Gnomes and Secrets of the Gnomes. I've had this copy for years but I never get tired of the artwork (by Rien Poortvliet), which is really quite beautiful. The stories, especially in the first half, are a bit silly, but it is meant to be somewhat frivolous. The second half of the book is a bit more serious, with the gnomes taking the authors into their world to show them that humans have to start taking responsibility for their messes and just what they could experience if they took the time to really see the world around them. The stories are couched in enough whimsy and cuteness to keep them from being too preachy, though.

These books have been around for about 30 years, but there's something timeless about them. I think it may be the little corner of us who believed that gnomes, elves, and fairies were there, just out of sight when we were little, or that dolls and stuffed animals really did come to life when no one was looking. Not much different from the legions of people who are running all over London trying to find Platform 9 3/4 and that phonebooth that takes you to the Ministry of Magic, is it? (I'm still waiting for my owl telling me that I've been accepted to Hogwarts, by the way.)

And this is also reminding me of a fun little book my brother had as a baby, The Troll Book by Michael Berenstain. He used to love looking at the pictures, also fairly well-drawn, and I can remember thinking it was a cute story. Certainly a very different take on the way we normally think of trolls, that's for sure!

Teaser Tuesdays (Dec. 15)

2009-12-15T19:17:00.002-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser:

"I do not remember catching her up to sit before me in the saddle, although they say I did - coming at her on the run and leaning low to sweep her away with me in a wild and joyous ride. I only remember her arms around my neck and her lips on mine as we galloped along the sparkling lakeshore, the horse's hoofs striking up showers of diamonds for us."

p. 184, Merlin (Book Two of The Pendragon Cycle) by Stephen R. Lawhead

Sometimes you've gotta give yourself a kick in the butt

2009-12-15T09:18:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling a bit stale the last few days, which I'm sure is a combination of the weather, recovering from my illness, and the usual holiday stress, but I was looking over some of my posts and it seems to be creeping into my writing, as well. Sorry 'bout that, folks. You've got plenty of blogs you can go check out, and the fact that you stop here means a lot, so I want to keep things as interesting as possible.

Today is Teaser Tuesday, which I will post later today, as I am currently away from my books, but I'll find something fun and catchy for you all, I promise. In the meantime, I thought I'd write about something that usually gets people fired up on one side or the other. I'm talking about e-readers.

Whether it is Sony's Reader, Barnes & Noble's nook, Amazon's Kindle, or one of the numerous other models out there, e-readers are becoming more and more common. I've heard some decry them as absolute evil which will bring about the death of 'real' books. Others say that technology is the future and that using these items is an environmentally sound way of keeping a library.

As for me, I'm probably somewhere in the middle. I love my physical library and nothing could convince me to get rid of it or stop adding to it. There is something very comforting about having a book in your hands, feeling the pages under your fingers, and the weight of it in your lap. Add to it the distinctive smell of a leather binding, and you have an experience that no electronic format can match.

There is something nice about being able to carry 100 or more books around in something the size of a large paperback and know that I can read virtually anything I want, whenever I want, too. I've had the Kindle for almost two years and do enjoy it. Although I can, and do, download books from Amazon, most of the content on it is from a wonderful place called Feedbooks, which provides free books that are in public domain. I've been using it to put digital copies of those books I love best and have older physical copies that I want to keep from being damaged from toting around to the hairdresser's or on a trip. Mixed in with those are a few more contemporary books that I either haven't found in the bookstore or simply found to be cheaper in the e-format and wasn't so in love with it that I had to have a copy for my bookshelf.

I understand those who simply don't want to get into reading on any sort of device. It's a little strange at first, although I did adapt fairly quickly and now just see the words on the 'page', and I don't think it means the demise of the paper book. For centuries, a library of books has been a mark of distinction to fade away. And too many of us feel a thrill when we take hold of an old copy of something to not want to pass that love along. Will the paper book eventually go away? Probably, much in the way that scrolls were eventually replaced by folios and bound books and handwritten volumes were replaced by those made on printing presses. But I think that will be a long time coming.

It really comes down to being able to enjoy a good story, right? So, does it really matter if it's told around a campfire, read off paper, or formed on a screen as long as people continue to love to hear stories? So, maybe we can learn to give a little room to both our ever-expanding physical libraries and this newer electronic version.

Chipping away at the shopping

2009-12-14T09:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Well, maybe 'happy' is too optimistic a word, but it sounds a lot better than 'Hey, Monday's here again, and I hope it isn't too horrible for you to contemplate'. That's just too much of a mouthful.

The weekend ended up being too nasty to go out shopping at all, with Saturday being bitterly cold and Sunday being rainy and windy, so I stayed in and made some time with my doomed Duke of York. I have to keep reminding myself just how young he was during all of this, because he seemed so competent, calm, and commanding. It really makes me wonder just what he would have accomplished if Henry Tudor had not been successful.

I also got in touch with my brother and talked to his kids about what they might want for Christmas. See, Auntie Erin always sends books, but as they live in Florida, I'm not always sure which ones they have. I made them give me a few suggestions, just so there is a little bit of a surprise.

This morning, I hopped over to Amazon and arranged for some wrapped packages to be delivered. Most of them were pretty easy - the oldest wanting a copy of The Lord of the Rings, my niece has started reading The Magic Tree House books, and the baby loving anything to do with cars. The eleven year-old, however, provided a little bit of a challenge. It seems that he borrowed Twilight from the library and enjoyed it, so his first request was the second book in the series. I tried, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so I looked around and found some of the Percy Jackson books, instead. They've been getting good reviews, even being compared to Harry Potter (although most say they aren't quite as well-written as Rowling's books), so I am now thinking I might pick up one or two for myself. We'll see, since the TBR and Wishlists are already overflowing.

Still, that's a big chunk of my gifts out of the way. Now I just have my sisters' kids to pick up, and I'll probably do that Wednesday when I go to Borders. Still not sure just what I'll be getting, but it'll be fun to browse the kiddy shelves for a while. And while I'm at it, we all know I'll find something for myself. ;)

Don't blink, you might miss it

2009-12-11T14:11:00.001-05:00

I'm still waffling around to find something else to add on to my Current Reads to balance out my biography of Richard III. I would be most grateful for any recommendations you all might have for what you turn to when you just have the pale blues and need to read something fun.

I did find a new book that I've put on my Wishlist, and I might have to pick it up soon and shift it to the TBR pile. It's called Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences; With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory by Roy Blount, Jr. I love books about language and how words and phrases evolved, but really? I mean, the title alone makes me want to grab it up and devour it. The title gives the impression of something fun and maybe a little bit snarky, which is exactly the type of thing I like.

The only other book I might pull out, which for some reason was not put up on my TBR list, is Robin McKinley's Spindle's End, which several friends have raved about and I keep meaning to read. McKinley's book, Beauty, is one of my favorites, so it should be interesting to see what she does with the Sleeping Beauty story.

Sorry for the short post today, folks. I'm sort of at a loss as to where the week has gone. It seems like I was just getting started, and now it's the weekend again. It promises to be a chilly one, too, so I'm sure there will be much time spent curled up on the couch with the cat in my lap, a cup of tea and a few nibbles at my side, and a book of some sort to pass the time. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and that you are able to do whatever makes you most happy.

Thursday blahs

2009-12-10T17:01:00.002-05:00

I finished reading the last story in The Elementals today. As is the generally the case when I read things like this, I am feeling a bit listless and pensive. I guess that's a sign that a book has made a strong impact on you, right? Whatever the case, it has given me a lot to think about.

I'm looking at my Current Reads list and *gasp* there is only one book there! This never happens, as I really do need more than one genre to balance out my different moods. Yes, I am back to reading about Richard, and enjoying the book a lot, but there is no denying that it is serious stuff. Let's face it - the life of a 15th century prince in a time of war and rebellion is not the most uplifting of subjects, especially when you consider how said prince's life ends. I definitely need something to counter that.

The problem I'm facing, though, is that nothing on my shelves looks appealing. Anne Rice is wonderful, but I've taken in enough of her over the last few days. Jane Austen, bless her and keep her, is feeling a bit too staid. The things I could possibly be interested in are on my Wishlist and, by definition, not in my possession right now. What's a lost bookworm to do?

Well, there will be a trip to Borders to grab holiday gifts for the nieces and nephews, either this weekend (weather permitting) or next Wednesday (monthly meeting of our NaNo group), so I am going to throw it out to those of you who visit: what suggestions would you make to prop up my meager reading list? I'm pretty open to most genres, with the exception of horror, cheesy romance, and Westerns. Those three just don't do it for me. Something lighthearted or adventurous would be great, and I have no problems with getting pulled into a series. I'm just at a loss right now and my TBR list is heavily stacked in favor of more along the lines of the doomed Richard, Duke of York.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Dec. 9)

2009-12-09T10:25:00.003-05:00

I finished up The Greener Shore: A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia by Morgan Llywelyn last night. It was enjoyable, as all of Llywelyn's books are, but I thought it was a little bit lighter than Druids, which remains on my Top Twenty list of favorite books (I used to have a Top Ten, but as the years go by, I find more books I absolutely adore and am loathe to demote any favorites, so the list grows to accomodate them). I'm not sure if it was just the length of time between the writing of the two or that I haven't read Druids in a while, and so was a little out of touch with Ainvar, Briga, and the others. This copy was borrowed from my mother, and I'll have to return it soon, but I did enjoy it well enough that I'll be picking up my own copy for my shelves.

For my whimsy this week, I plan to stick with Llywelyn, taking out my old copy of The Elementals. This is a collection of short stories - one for each of the four elements - that appear to be unconnected until you reach the end. They are each powerful and can stand alone, however, as well as being somewhat cautionary tales of what may happen (or is already happening) to the world and humanity if we don't change our ways. I have a fondness for stories of this nature, being a huge fan of Piers Anthony's Geodyssey series (well worth reading, by the way), and think the warnings only add another layer to the stories, which are good enough to stand on their own as simple entertainment.

The fact that we are in the middle of a huge storm right now, full of rain and wind (I'm on the coast, so I'm ducking the many inches of snow others are getting out of this) only makes it more appropriate. My solid house and a few candles lit to make things cozy will round out the presence of the elements as I curl up with this book tonight.

Teaser Tuesdays (Dec. 8)

2009-12-08T17:37:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teasers:

Khayman gave a loud cry before he could stop himself. And his cry rang out over the stillness of the valley. So she had taken her lover.

p. 223, The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

My one and only challenge for the coming year (probably)

2009-12-08T09:33:00.006-05:00

I don't normally participate in reading challenges, not because they aren't interesting, but because my tastes and habits change from day to day, and locking into something over a six- or twelve-month period is a bit too restrictive for me. I end up abandoning it and then feel pitiful for not completing it.

I did trip across one for 2010 that I think I will attempt, however. It is fairly loose in the guidelines and broad enough to encompass any and all reading tastes. Best of all, I can cull virtually everything from my shelf of favorites or from the monstrous TBR stacks looming around the house (trust me, the list on the sidebar is just a small portion and really what I'm thinking I might want to read first. It's a never-ending cycle).

So, what is this wonder challenge? It's called Celebrate the Author and is hosted at Becky's Book Reviews (click on the link for all the details). Basically, it's twelve books, twelve authors, one born in each month of the year. But you can read in any order, any genre, as long as you cover each month with a birthday. Hey, if nothing else, it'll cover my Whimsical Wednesdays once a month, right?

Here's my list of authors and books. I do, however, reserve the right to swap another book out if something happens to catch my eye.

January - Lewis Carroll (1/27/1832): Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass
February - Jules Verne (2/8/1828): Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
March - Kenneth Grahame (3/9/1859): The Wind in the Willows
April - Washington Irving (4/2/1783): The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
May - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (5/22/1859): A Study in Scarlet
June - Brian Jacques (6/15/1939): Redwall
July - Emily Brontë (7/30/1818): Wuthering Heights
August - Piers Anthony (8/6/1934): Tatham Mound
September - Roald Dahl (9/13/1916): Switch Bitch
October - Oscar Wilde (10/16/1854): The Picture of Dorian Gray
November - Louisa May Alcott (11/29/1832): Little Women and Little Men
December - Cornelia Funke (12/10/1958): Inkheart

Altered books - yea or nay?

2009-12-07T13:11:00.002-05:00

This isn't quite about reading, but it's something that strikes a definite chord in me, and I thought others who love reading and love books might have an opinion about, as well. One of the crafting techniques I seem to see a lot of these days is that of altered books. I'm not talking about the blank books that people decorate and are often used as journals. I don't have much in the way of visually artistic talents, but I think that's actually pretty cool and have seen some amazing things. I'm refering to taking an actual book - fiction or non-fiction, usually something picked up at a second-hand store or garage sale, that is then cut, glued, stamped, etc. to make it something all together different from its original purpose.

I have some friends who would consider themselves to be bookworms, as well as crafters, and they see no problem with taking an old book and 'gussying it up'. It wasn't as though they were going to read it, after all.

For me, it just seems like sacrilege. I was taught from a very young age to respect books. They were cherished possessions in each of my grandparents' homes, something to be passed down, and to be enjoyed. My tastes are not identical to those of my family members, but I respect them, especially since many of these older volumes were purchased at some sacrifice. Mass market paperbacks have made reading material easily available to us, and we often forget what a luxury books were to our grandparents.

So, I'm curious to know where you stand on it. Do you think it's fine and a perfect solution for that forgotten tome? Or would you rather play with blank pages and save the printed ones for reading?

Musing Mondays (Dec. 7)

2009-12-07T08:51:00.002-05:00

Musing Mondays is hosted over at Just One More Page... by Rebecca. Check out what people have to say about the various questions she poses.

For the regular library patrons among us: do you have your own idea of what constitutes proper library etiquette? Is there anything you always try to do? Anything you hate when others do?

I will admit that I rarely go to the public library in town, not because I dislike the institution, can't find anything of interest, or hate being around others looking for entertainment or information. I spent many happy hours in public and school libraries growing up. They were places of refuge and wonder. My main reason for not going now is that I hate having to give up possession of a book, and so would rather purchase them and build my own library.

That having been said, there still are things that bother me when I do venture in (or remember from my younger days). A little conversation is not a problem. We all spent time working on projects with others and you do have to converse while checking things. Most places have an area set aside for people to work at tables and you expect a bit of buzz in that area. Just keep it appropriate.

If you take a book down and then can't remember where to re-shelve it, that's fine, but please put it on one of the carts or tables designated for that. Don't just shove it back on a shelf, wherever you happen to be.

Virtually every cell phone has a feature that lets you put it on 'Silent' or 'Vibrate'. If you don't know how to access that on yours, suck it up, pull out the manual, and find it. Thanks.

Most things really should fall under the heading of Common Sense, but when dealing with the public in any form, I'm often reminded that 'Common sense is not all that common'. Most of us spend so much time isolated in our little bubbles, with earbuds plugged in to our favorite music, that we really forget there are others around us who are impacted by our sounds and actions. Have I ever been guilty of any of these things? Well, sure. We're all human and we all forget where we are sometimes, but I try to be considerate. And when it comes to books, I have a long-held love of them that makes me automatically respect them - no dog-earring pages, no breaking spines, no smearing food or drink.

Maybe it's time to make Common Sense a little more common.

The sequel you wish would be written

2009-12-05T14:57:00.003-05:00

If you could pick any stand-alone novel, not something from a series, and say, "I wish a sequel could be written", what would it be?

Like me, you'd probably have a list of books, right? Thought so. But if I could pick just one, it'd probably be an Anne Rice novel that was supposed to have a sequel but never did. I'm talking about The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned. Rice actually ended it with the words, "THE ADVENTURES OF RAMSES THE DAMNED WILL CONTINUE", but for one reason or another, she never wrote that continuation.

The story is about the famous Ramses the Great, who was never actually mumified, but had obtained a wonderous elixir which allowed him to live forever. To maintain this life, he only needed the rays of the sun. The "mummy" that was discovered was really a substitute, and Ramses disappeared into time. When he became weary, he had a crypt built for himself and closed himself away from the sun, thereby sleeping through the centuries.

He's awakened in Edwardian times and falls in love with the daughter of the man who "discovered" him. Taking on the name 'Reginald Ramsey' and passing himself off as an Egyptologist, he attempts to create a life for himself with Julie Stratford.

All right, I guess that sounds a lot like something from a cheesy romance novel, and yes, it could be taken that way, but there's a lot more to it. It's actually a good novel, slightly horrific in the way these fantastic things are passed off so casually and make you think it could be possible, and ultimately entertaining.

The only problem was that there were a lot of things left hanging, since I believe the sequel was originally planned. What really happened to all the people who were touched by the ancient king and his elixir? Oh, and did I mention that Cleopatra was also revived, and that she had been involved with Ramses thousands of years ago?

The chances of this book being written now are probably slim, but I still think about it once in a while, especially on a rainy Saturday afternoon. And, I know I've mentioned several of Rice's books lately, and I am a huge fan of hers, but I don't quite put her on a pedestal and think she is infallible. I actually could write quite a bit about the way she tied the vampires and the Mayfair Witches together, where she was going with it, and where she left it, but that really would be another post, entirely.

Yuletide gifts from me to... me

2009-12-04T09:49:00.003-05:00

Every year I ask family and friends for books. I even write out a list of what I want by title and author to make it easier for them, as I don't usually read the Bestseller's List and they might not be as familiar with the things that make my bookshelf happy. And every year I get gift cards to Borders, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Don't get me wrong, that's a wonderful thing in and of itself, but there is something about unwrapping a package and finding that new story just waiting for you to dive in. So, the last year or two, I've taken the matter into my own hands and purchased a few things for myself that I set aside until Yule. And just to make it a bit more festive, I wrap them (which also makes it harder to peep into them early!). There is no surprise about it, but that's all right. I love the anticipation of knowing one or more books are waiting for me.

Sometimes my family does surprise me and come up with something I might have missed. My father did that a few years ago, finding a lovely little book The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski. (And, isn't that the coolest dust jacket cover?) It is all about how books evolved over the years - from baskets of scrolls to their modern form, how and why they have been stored, sorted, and cared for over the years, and the evolution of the bookshelf to meet the demands of storing books correctly. Sounds a bit dry, but Petroski has a pleasant style that keeps things moving and from devolving into a sleep-inducing lecture hall. Most often, though, they are too afraid of not getting the right thing, I am handed a card with the instructions to "get whatever you want".

For those of us who love books, have definite tastes that may or may not be in the mainstream, I wondered if you find yourselves in similar situations of people not quite knowing what to get you. Do people simply resort to a gift card or have they found things that you might not have caught and surprised you into taking your reading in a new direction? It's easy to get settled into a particular genre or follow a specific author, because we know that we will most likely enjoy the book, but there are so many things out there that I am always wondering what I might be missing. Sometimes it takes a happy accident like my father's gift to nudge me out of familiar territory and try something a little different.

Oh, as for current reads, I'm going to backtrack a little and start The Vampire Armand tonight, which gives me some more time with Anne Rice's wonderful creations. That Marius figures largely into it helps, too. ;)

Something to sink your teeth into

2009-12-03T09:35:00.001-05:00

All right, I know that's total cornball, but you really can't write about a vampire book without at least one cheesy joke. I promise that'll be the only one.

I finished Maguire's take on Cinderella late yesterday afternoon. I read fairly fast, but this is a pretty quick read in and of itself, so it's easily a one-day read. I wasn't really feeling like struggling with the Druids as they carve out a home in Hibernia, nor was I up to reading about Richard heading into Scotland to subdue the Scots yet again. Yes, they're both great topics, but I needed something a little easier. While gazing at my shelves, one book jumped out at me - Blood and Gold by Anne Rice, the story of my favorite blood drinker, Marius.

I got the first few chapters read last night before the book started feeling too heavy (I did mention that I still get tired easily), and I turned in. Today is a rather stormy day. Perfect for staying in, curling up on the couch with a mug of tea, and just read. And that is what I plan to do. I am going to hang out with Marius as he tells his life story to Thorne and let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, these wondrous, monstrous, incredible beings could be real.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Dec. 2)

2009-12-02T10:04:00.003-05:00

Whimsical Wednesdays is my personal departure from my Current Reads list. For one evening each week, I go back to a book I enjoyed as a child, teen, or young adult, and spend some time revisiting favorite characters or authors. Sometimes they are classics, other times it's something quirky that just caught my fancy.

First, I'm sorry I haven't been here in almost a week. I'd fully intended to do some rambling about a couple things over the weekend, but that fogginess I felt on Friday persisted and I woke up on Saturday feeling incredibly ill. Fever, chills, aches that made me cry, the whole nine-yards of *shudder* H1N1. I didn't really get out of bed until yesterday afternoon and am still easily tired. But I do feel human again, which is a nice thing, and I think I am definitely on the mend.

As my concentration is still vague, I guess it's appropriate that I not try anything too serious or studious, which means poor Richard will have to wait a few more days on the coffee table before I can discover the details of his marriage to Anne Neville. Well, he's waited over 500 years, so I doubt a few days will make much difference at this point, right?

On to the whimsy. Before falling ill, I had thought about reading Gregory Maguire's novel Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister again, since I hadn't done so in a while. I think it's an even better idea now.

Having grown up in the Disney Age, and maybe having been fortunate enough to read Hans Christian Anderson and The Brothers Grimm, we're all pretty familiar with the basic story of Cinderella. A beautiful girl, the wicked stepmother, the ugly stepsisters, the prince who saves her from a life of drudgery. Very neat and tidy, right? But real life isn't like that at all, at least, not the way Maguire tells it.

From Wikipedia:

The story follows Iris, the plain younger daughter of Margarethe Fisher, as she takes care of her mentally-challenged older sister Ruth and her stepsister Clara. Having fled from England to Haarlem, Iris is slightly at odds with the world and often contemplates the value of beauty and ugliness. While caring for her sisters and keeping the peace between Clara and Margarethe, Iris develops a painter's eye and spends time apprenticing with a local painter known as The Master, and his apprentice, Caspar.

On the verge of losing everything after a sudden drop in their stock market, Margarethe devises a plan for Iris and Ruth to attend the ball being held in honor of the Dowager Queen of France and her godson, the Prince of Marsillac. She leaves out Clara because she knows full well that if the girl wed the prince, she would abandon her family and they'd end up in the poorhouse. While at the ball, Ruth does the unthinkable for jealousy and love of Clara and Master. That night the fairy tale of Cinderella and her pumpkin carriage is spun, and the next morning her prince comes to collect her.

It isn't just a 'simple fairy story'. It can be read at several levels, but right now, I'll stick to just an enjoyable retelling of a treasured classic. No singing mice, no fairy godmother waving a wand and transforming a pumpkin into a coach. But there is something magical about it each and every time I sit down with this book that keeps me coming back.

Happy reading, everyone!

Getting ready for the weekend

2009-11-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

I work every other weekend, and I'm happy to say that I will be off this weekend, which means plenty of time to spend lost in the pages of one or more books. I rather enjoyed taking a break from the bigger tomes on Wednesday and think maybe I'll do that every week. Sort of a 'guilty pleasures' thing.

Anyway, after digesting the squash, turnip, cranberry sauce, and stuffing, I got back into the histoical fiction. I think I've decided that I don't care much for The King's Grace and may retire it for a bit. I'm not certain if it's because I'm just overdosed on the series or if the character is not to my liking. Either way, I've got others calling out from my TBR stack that I think will be more enjoyable to swap out with the bio of Richard III (which I am enjoying very much, by the way).

I think I might either start The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywelyn (which I snagged from my mother yesterday after dinner) or maybe re-read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire, which is definitely a fantastic book. I'll have to decide tonight when I sit down to start reading.

Sorry for the short post, but I'm afraid the rain coming down is making me a bit foggy, as well. I'm sure that I'll have more to babble about over the weekend. Enjoy your Friday, everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:36:00.001-05:00

I'm just about to whip up some cranberry sauce and then hop in the car to join the family for dinner. Before I do that, though, I wanted to wish everyone in the States a very Happy Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful day, enjoy the parades, football, or what have you, and I hope that you don't sink too far into a tryptophan coma from too much turkey! ;)

To those of you who are not indulging in our Annual Pig-Out, have a lovely Thursday. I'll catch you all tomorrow.

Whimsical Wednesdays (Nov. 25)

2009-11-25T12:48:00.003-05:00

This story is not about a portly fellow living at the North Pole in a toy factory with a bunch of elves and flying reindeer. Yes, he delivers toys and dedicates himself to making children happy, but it is somewhat removed from both the Christian tales and the popular commerical images. The baby Claus is found abandoned in the Forest of Burzee and is brought up by a collection of fairies, sprites, old gods, and animals. In short, a group of Immortals who make it their business to teach this young human to be the best he can be and make the world a little better than when he left it.

It isn't as heavy-handed as it sounds, though. Trust me, I am one of the original Grinches when it comes to the holidays, so for me to enjoy this, it has to be a good story. I actually discovered the story through a Rankin & Bass animated program - you know, the ones who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Claus, etc. - and saw on the opening credits that it was based on a book by Baum. Having grown up reading the Oz books, I tracked down a copy. It was a little tough, but definitely worth it.

I guess that's all just a long-winded way of saying that I'm taking it a little easy tonight with my reading. Sometimes you have to go back and remember just why we developed a love of reading and books. Yes, it is wonderful to learn about people and places who are either long gone or far away, but for me, reading has always been about stepping into another world, suspending my disbelief, and entering the fantastical realm of someone else's creation. Places where cats can appear and disappear at will, a magical world can be found through a wardrobe, Hobbits and dwarves band together to search for treasure, and an orphan can grow up to be the hero of an entire magical community. That is what creates a love of books in a child and, I think, keeps us coming back to them throughout our lives.

Teaser Tuesdays (Nov. 24)

2009-11-24T21:08:00.002-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teasers:
"It is this intimate association with the city of York which, preserved in the municipal archives, most vividly reveals Richard's life and work in the North.

York, second only to London in dignity and population, was then and for some years to come at the zenith of its medieval greatness."

- p. 154, Richard the Third, by Paul Murray Kendall

Always have to finish?

2009-11-23T22:41:00.004-05:00

Maybe it’s a holdover from the days when our parents told us we had to finish everything on the plate, color all the pages in the book, and not walk away from something half-done. Or maybe I’m just a little OCD and as insatiably curious as a little kid trying to figure out what’s in the big box under the tree. Whatever the reason, I just have to finish a book, even if it turns out to be something I can’t stand.

There have been times where it’s paid off. That story that takes the first fifty pages just to describe what’s on the bedside table suddenly takes off and you spend the next 400 pages trying to catch your breath at the dizzying exploits of the main characters. And when you come to the end, you are tempted to go back to the beginning and start over, just to lose yourself in the world again. Most likely, you head off to search out other books by that author, hoping to recreate the feeling with new characters. And thus, dedicated followings of readers are born.

The only time I can actually think of not finishing a book, and as the Literary Gods are my witness, I tried three times, was with Twilight. Three times I started to read and three times I turned it into a projectile missile when I threw it aside in disgust. Now, I will defend with my dying breath the right of fans to claim this is the best series ever written, that Stephanie Meyers should be canonized, and that Bella and Edward are the Most Perfect Couple ever to grace the pages of a book. There must be something that has caused these books to resonate with so many people. By the same token, I reserve the right to say that hearing all these girls say they want to be “just like Bella” and have a boyfriend “just like Edward” scares the ever-lovin’ daylights out of me. And no, it has nothing to do with him being a vampire. I absolutely adore vampire tales, and the opportunity to have a new twist put on one is always welcome. Making these vamps “sparkle” caused me to cringe but probably wouldn’t have been the deciding factor. Glorifying a stalker? Yeah, that’s a little over the line for me.

This isn’t meant to be a rant against Twilight, though. It’s simply to explore the reasons for “having” to finish a book, once it is started. I can remember the collection of horror novels that went around with my friends in junior high and high school. Some of them gave me nightmares for weeks, but I read every blessed page. Maybe I was hoping that someone would get rid of the terrorizing band of flesh-eating-zombie-vampire-seamonsters and the little town would recover. Maybe I was trying to conquer my absolute inability to deal with violence. Whatever the reason, I read them all, even though the result was always the same – the flesh-eating-zombie-vampire-seamonsters killed everyone in the town and slunk back into the depths of the lake/swamp/ocean to wait for the next group of unsuspecting people and I slept with the lights on and learned to dive into bed from about three feet away for a month.

There have been books that I've set aside for one reason or another, mainly because they fall into the catagory of "I can't stand the main character/plot/style right now", but I still end up picking it up and either starting over (if it's been a good while) or plowing on from where I dropped it. Maybe I feel justified in complaining about how little I enjoyed it if I put my time in to finish it. I honestly can't say what the reason is, I just know that I have to do it. Which means that I'll probably grit my teeth, have a stiff drink (or three), and at some point give Twilight a fourth chance. Unless that means I have to take in the entire series. I'm not sure I can do that.

I suppose I should ease up on the need to finish every book I start. After all, there is only so much time to enjoy reading and my TBR stack seems to grow weekly. I should just devote my time to those stories that are entertaining and enjoyable, right? Of course I should. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go finish this story about a wandering band of brain-slurping-multi-tentacled Cyclops who have come down from the mountains to terrorize the high school ski team. Right after I turn on all the lights.

Tackling the TBR Pile

2009-11-23T13:10:00.002-05:00

Reading time has been a bit scarce lately. Not sure just what caused it, but the imortant thing is to fix it. I've discovered Goodreads, which has done a lot, both in terms of books I'd read and loved and new titles to discover. My beloved Kindle, Marius, has also helped.

I rediscovered a wonderful book from my teen years - Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. It is a little dated, having been written in the fifties, but still a good story. That and The King's Grey Mare by Rosemary Hawley Jarman were my introduction to what has become one of my favorite historical periods and families - the Plantagenets. Yes, the Tudors might get better press, but I prefer the dynasty that came before. In truth, there are three whom I particularly love - Eleanor of Aquitaine, John of Gaunt (and his mistress, Kathrine Swynford), and Richard III. Yeah, I know, the big, bad, boogeyman uncle who killed the poor Princes in the Tower. Well, I've read arguments for and against it, and I'm not so sure he did it. In any event, I think he was a very interesting person, and it's my Favorite Dead Monarchs List, so he stays. :)

My current reads are something of a mixed bag. The King's Grace is all right, but a bit sluggish. I also think that Grace Plantagenet is a bit limiting as a main character; not as though she can go running around London and the English countryside. I did enjoy the previous two in the series, however, so I'll see if this picks up any. The biography of Richard is much more interesting. Kendall's style is easy to read, moves right along, and doesn't get bogged down in the "dates are everything" listing that makes it seem more like a textbook. I was a bit nervous that it might end up putting me to sleep by the time I hit Page 3, but that is not the case, at all.

I do think that I will venture into something a bit more "fluffy" after this, and leave Medieval Europe behind for a while, but we'll see how I feel once I finish these two books. For now, I'm enjoying my time in the 15th century.

This is sort of a short post, but it's more of an intro/here's where we start type of thing. Once I get into my groove, I'll probably write more. Or not, you never know. In the meantime, I'm off to catch up on what is happening in Blogland, who is making a splash, and what they are reading. You never know when I'll hear about that next great book I just HAVE to read.