An Award --

Becky from Operation Actually Read Bible and other cool challenges awarded my blog the Your Blog Is Fabulous award. What a gal Becky is! Thanks! Recipients are encouraged to write five things that you are addicted to and then pass it on to five other blogs.

Here's my list:

1. My granddaughter
2. Reading/listening to books
3. Signing up for challenges
4. Scrapbooking
5. Spending time as Transportation Team coordinator for my church

Here are my five blog friends who I'm passing this onto:

http://www.samsbookblog.blogspot.com/ (Sam)

http://www.melissaparcel.blogspot.com/ (Melissa)

http://literaryfeline.com/ (Wendy)

http://www.hiddenplace.wordpress.com/ (Heather)

http://www.bookaroundthestates.blogspot.com (Bonnie)

#6
Title: The Things They Carried
Author: Tim O’Brien
Genre: Literature
Challenges: 100+, A-Z, Audiobook, London Olympics, New Author, Read and Review, Support Your Local Library, Around the World in 80 Books, Bang Bang, Book Awards, New Classics
Rating: A
CTs/No. of Hours: 6/7.5
Published: 1990
Dates read: 1/27/09 - 1/30/09
Read by: Tom Stechschulte

From the back cover - “The Things They Carried, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, won France’s prestigious Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize. Tim O’Brien’s much-lauded book is at once a novel, a memoir, and a collection of short stories. Critics agree that it is also firmly entrenched in the canon of great war literature.

The soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War carried much more than weapons and the gear necessary for survival. They carried love letters, pictures of girlfriends, and newly formed memories that would fundamentally change their perceptions of reality. This affecting novel is about these men, the war they fought, and the power of storytelling to mend the terrible, life-altering rift that war leaves in its wake.”

The Vietnam era is mine, sayeth yours truly. My fellow classmates fought in this war, I corresponded with a couple guys and lost a friend to it in his youth. His name appears on the Wall. Yet, I knew little about the intimate details and this book gives insight to what the men went through -- days full of gore, care, love, hate, descriptive that changed their hearts forever. Am looking forward to another book by this new-to-me author. As the NY Times says -- “A marvel of storytelling … (this book) matters not only to the reader interest in Vietnam, but to anyone interested in the craft of writing as well.”

#5
Title: Lord Jim
Author: Joseph Conrad
Genre: Literature
Challenges: 100+, A-Z, Audiobook, London Olympics, Seconds, Read and Review, Support Your Local Library, Around the World in 80 Books, 1% Well-Read
Rating: C
CTs/No. of Hours: 14/16
Published: 1899
Dates read: 1/2/09 - 1/26/09
Read by: Steven Crosley

From the back cover - “From his many years on the high seas as a mariner, mate, and captain, Joseph Conrad created unique works, including Heart of Darkness, that have left an indelible mark on world literature. First published in 1899, his haunting novel Lord Jim is both a riveting sea adventure and fascinating portrait of a unique outcast from civilization.

One long evening, over cigars and brandy, the seasoned sea captain, Marlow, recalls the life of a handsome young first mate who loses his ship and his honor, but becomes a god. As his friends listen and question, the powerful and eloquent story of Lord Jim unfolds.

Joseph Conrad’s novels are timeless. The images he creates in Lord Jim, of man’s struggle to maintain a balance between morality and human weakness, have been echoes in countless other novels and major motion pictures. Narrator Steven Crossley provides the perfect voice to convey both the worldly-wise Marlow and the brilliant but deeply flawed Jim.”

I couldn’t get into this story. Sorry. I remember Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer were of similar interest to me. Reading these latter stories in my teens and Lord Jim now haven’t changed me over the years.

#4
Title: Mister Pip
Author: Lloyd Jones
Genre: Fiction
Challenges: 100+, A-Z, Audiobook, Book Awards, London Olympics, New Author, Read and Review, Support Your Local Library, Around the World in 80 Books
Rating: A+
CTs/No. of Hours: 7/7.5
Published: 2006
Dates read: 1/11/09 - 1/26/09
Read by: Susan Lyons

From the back cover - “Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Lloyd Jones’ Mister Pip is set on a tiny copper-rich island off the coast of New Guinea embattled by revolution. In this modern tragedy, Jones chronicles modernity’s creeping advance on an indigenous population through the eyes of a young girl.

Confused and afraid, 13-year-old Matilda watches as all the foreigners flee her homeland, all except the beguiling white man Mr. Tom Christian Watts. A bit of a puzzle to the town’s children, Mr. Watts encourages them to patch up their schoolhouse. There he introduces Matilda and her friends to Mr. Charles Dicks and begins reading Great Expectations to them. Dickens’ classic helps spark their imaginations and gives them hope even as rebel forces loom on the horizon.

A moving tribute to the joys of finding new friends and visiting new places through literature, Mister Pip is a triumph. Susan Lyons’ magnificent performance captures all the tragedy and optimism in Matilda’s story.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which won the Commonwealth Award in 2007 and for good reason. Not only did I gain a renewed appreciation of Dickens’ work but also that of Lloyd Jones, a new-to-me author from New Zealand. It’s a wondering-what-will-happen-next story and one which I think will become a new classic.

#3
Title: The Blue Lagoon
Author: Henry De Vere Stacpoole
Genre: Y/A
Challenges: 100+, Seconds, Book-a-Week, A-Z, Read & Review, Support Your Local Library, Around the World in 80 Books
Rating: B+
Published: 1908
Dates read: 1/19/09 - 1/21/09

I initially wanted to read this because it’s a second book by this author. I thought it was due at the library today (1/21/09) and stayed up until 3a.m. this morning to finish it. It helped that I’d had a cup of coffee at a late luncheon yesterday.

Yes -- this is the story upon which the movie is based and starred Brooke Shields in 1980. It was also a remake of the 1949 British film starring Jean Simmons. Stacpoole is a story-teller’s story teller. He combines high adventure with an idyllic setting on a small island east of the Marquesas Islands adds some foreshadowing of events to come and produces a sweet story of young love and how to survive in a primordial world. If you love sea adventures, romance and happy endings, this is the book for you. Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesdays!

from Silent Battleground by D. M. Ulmer, p. 62, Chapter 6 -

"Hello, Dave Zane speaking," came a distant voice.

"Hello yourself. Eric Danis, here."

"I know that. I'd recognize that old sandpaper voice anywhere. How are you old buddy?"

The relief in Dave's voice said much. His friend had survived. A custom of their generation precluded emotional announcements.

"Figured I'd find you at the Digs, Dave."

This book is one I'm reading for the Bang Bang challenge. With elements of Hunt for Red October, US submaries go to war after a Soviet nuclear attack on America.

To order this book go to: PatriotMediaPublishing.com

BECKY'S OPERATION ACTUALLY READ THE BIBLE (PERPETUAL)

Join Becky and a host of others in Operation Actually Read the Bible Challenge.

go to: http://operationreadbible.blogspot.com/ and check out different approaches to accomplishing this awesome feat!

To see what I'm doing check the side bar ->->->

Monday, January 12, 2009 -- I began reading The Daily Bible on 1/1/09 and haven't missed a day yet (by the grace of God). In addition to this daily read I also participate in BFS (Bible Fellowship Study). This year (my first year) we're studying Moses which is in Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus. I'm thoroughly enjoying my time in the group -- listening to the lecture, spending moments with my breakout group and lunching with them once a month at someone's home.

A book of fiction based upon the Genesis story of Dinah (pronounced Deena), the sister of Joseph and their brothers is The Rent Tent by Anita Diament.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - I'm bopping right along with Genesis and am almost done with it and Leviticus, a book from BSF. Leviticus is so interesting with the laws and regulations God set forth for the Israelites. Their purification laws made them presentable to give all sorts of offerings, pleasing to the Lord, as atonement for their sins. Now we have Christ who's paid for our sins by dying on the cross. We always tie in the New Testament with the Old Testament and see the correlation between the two and to understand the foreshadowing of the coming of Christ.

Rob's 100 Shots of Short Stories

What an excellent way to get your daily dose of short prose! And a prepetual challenge at that. To see the details of what Rob's got cooking go to http://robaroundbooks.com/ and click on Rob's Challenges.

And here's my first shot:

~~ from Lunch Hour Stories, 2008 Very Short Story Anthology featuring the Winners of Our Annual Very Short Story Contest, editor Nina Bayer's Issue 32 begins with Demonstration by Helen Sears.

It begins,"Judith held a mango in front of her at breast level. Seated across a circle of starched white damask, I watched my friend of twenty years." Judith has promised to tell her friend something of the past. However, in this story that does not happen -- only the preparation of the mango takes place. I was ready for a longer short story or maybe even a full length book given the way Sears pulled me in with her promise of more to come. C'est la vie!

Title: The Conservationist
Author: Nadine Gordimer
Genre: Fiction
Challenges: Book Awards
Rating: C
CTs/No. of Hours: 6/9
Published: 1974
Dates read: 12/22/08 - 1/10/08
Read by: Nadia May

From the back cover - “Mehring is rich. An industrialist, not yet fifty, he is also attractive to women. He has all the privileges and possessions that South Africa has to offer, but his possessions refuse to remain objects. His wife, son, and mistress leave him; his foreman and workers become increasingly indifferent to his stewardship; even the land rises up, as drought, then flood, destroy his farm.

Nadine Gordimer, winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, paints a fascinating portrait of a man both reckless and calculating, a “conservationist” left only with the possibility of self-preservation, a subtle and detailed study of the forces and relationships that seethe in South Africa today.”

I can’t add to this description as I couldn’t make heads or tails of what this story was about. Yet, Gordimer won the Booker in 1974 for this book.

Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fantasy
Challenges: Genre
Rating: B+
CTs/No. of Hours: 13/16 hrs. 23 min.
Published: 2007
Dates read: 12/22/08 - 1/2/08
Read by: Ilyana Kadushin

From the back cover - “As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob -- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?”

Set in Forks, Washington, this is the third in the series and Meyer does well with some back story about a number of the characters, Native American werewolf and old country vampire alike. You go away wondering whether these stories are true. .

JENN'S 2009 TBR LITE CHALLENGE 1/1/09 - 12/31/09

Go to - http://tbrlite.wordpress.com/ and see what Jenn has in store for us this year. I've chosen Option B which means I'll be reading 6 books from my tbr shelf within the next 12 months. Sounds great Jenn. Thanks!

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY 1/1/09 - 12/31/09

J. Kaye is at it again and has come up with an unusual and simple way to read those library books. You have choices as to how many you can do in a year. So see her - http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/ I've chosen to read 12. She says I can up this at any time. Looking forward to doing even more than this!

HISTORIA'S SHAKESPEARE CHALLENGE 1/1/09 - 12/31/09

Historia is doing her Biblioshakespeare thing again! Join us in a variety of ways of getting to know him. I've chosen to read twelve of his plays (one for each month). You may get a bigger kick out of reading something else by him or about him. See Historia for details - http://biblioshake.blogspot.com/

NEW AUTHOR CHALLENGE 1/1/09 - 12/31/09

Get together with a great bunch of readers at http://www.literaryescapism.com/

and read some new authors this year. I've opted to do 25 but check out the other choices and have fun in the process!

BECKY'S A - Z CHALLENGE 1/1/09 - 12/31/09

Join Becky and the other readers at http://atozchallenge.blogspot.com and choose from a number of options. I've chosen Option A and will attempt to read 26 books by an author from each letter of the alphabet.

BOOKCROSSING'S LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC CHALLENGE

Join Katrina and the rest of the gang and read books from countries who are participating in the London 2012 Olympics. There are about 202 countries! That's a lot of books. For more information contact Katrina at http://katrinareads.blogspot.com and enjoy!

J. KAYE'S AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE

Listen to 12 audio books from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. For more details go to http://j-kaye-book-blogspot.com