Well I guess the party is over.....

Looks like the wild 4 for 3 sale that been going on at Borders most of the summer is over!

So I'm REALLY glad now I took one more drink from the well when my July 10% day was about to expire and picked up 4 more...

The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman (of Practical Magic fame - a book I thoroughly enjoyed, by the way).

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (I should have read something by Octavia a LONG time ago -- so I was doggoned if I was going to pass on this chance!)

Zorro by Isable Allende (I loved The House of the Spirits and I've always loved the character of Zorro -- so I'm looking forward to this one!)

The Odyssey by Homer, Translated by Robert Fagles - (I have always liked The Odyssey much more than The Iliad - which to me is just another story of men behaving badly and I can get that on the news every day.

I've never had the chance to really read the whole thing -- just abridged prose versions. And I have a real soft spot for the clever Odysseus - love a man that can think on his feet! So I'm looking forward to this!)

And while the party may be over, the after party appears to be rockin' on -- last time I was in the store, the 3 for 2 sale was still on! So check it out -- there's still a chance for a deal on a new read!

Anatomy of a Rose: Exploring the Secret Life of Flowers by Sharman Apt Russell

Delphinium.
Red Skyrocket (or it's formal name: Ipomopsis Aggregata).
Philodendron Selloum (The only plant I've ever been able to grow!).
La Reina de la Noche (Queen of the Night).
Monkshood.
Pale Lousewort (Wait a minute - didn't I date him once?).
Elephant's Head.

I like to think that a person is a reader because they simply love words. (As a child, I used to read the dictionary as if it were a novel - an illuminating mystery of words.) And with such delicious words for the waving stems we so often pass with hardly a notice how can a reader not fall head first into Anatomy of a Rose: Exploring the Secret Life of Flowers by Sharman Apt Russell.

Words aside, in a collection of sixteen essays ostensively about plants, Sharman reminds us that we are not the center of the universe, no matter what we think.

The life of flowers she gently lays bare for our blind eyes to see (the second essay titled "The Blind Voyeur" in fact instructs the reader on how much we will never see - because there is a whole spectrum of colors that we literally cannot see - intended for the sight of bees) exist not to delight us but to accomplish that most important of tasks in an organism's life - reproduction.

And oh what a task that is. Enticement. Deception. Destruction. Dissolution. Delight. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

Sharman's descriptions of the "romantic" strategies of plants, is delightfully and resolutely scientific. But reading the facts of a plant's life brought to my mind the last line L.L. Cool J. says in his song "Back Seat of My Jeep" - the question "Everything is sexual?".

Oh yeah.

No wonder the lecture on the parts of the flower is school's first tentative attempt at the birds and the bees.

Sharman brings back the memory of that old school days lesson in her essay on the parts of the flower (I love the Parts of a Flower illustration in the book -- I recognized it at once from grade school!), gives a quick lesson on vision or the lack there of, speaks of time, competion and cooperation.

And it's not just botany. Zoology, paleontology, climatology all get a turn in the sun the sunflowers turn to. (Speaking of climate - she caught me off guard with her reference to that terrible summer here in the Midwest a few years ago when so many died.) Sharman's pose is so accessible that you pause sometimes surprised to realize that you're reading science - and plenty of it!

It gets 5 roses from me (or 5 thorns if you're that kind of person). Do yourself a favor this summer, grab a copy and settle down for a glimpse of that secret world all around us.

Ideally in a garden.

(An absolute aside: I LOVED the feel of this book! As you can see above it has a lovely cover and, at only 4 3/4 inches by 7 1/4 inches, fits the hand like a glove. But the feel of the cover is absolutely lux! I don't know how they did it, but the cover has a soft feel that makes you just want to hold it. A lovely plus!)

I've been bad....

VERY bad!

However, it had to happen. I just could not resist that 3 for 2 /4 for 3 deal that's going on at Borders right now! So yesterday I went buckwild and left with 8 books!

And what did I buy?

3 for 2: I let my frustrated inner physicist go free and brought the following:

A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking

The Elegant Universe - Brian Greene

The Fabric of the Cosmos - Brian Greene


4 for 3: Ranging the world:

The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress - Dai Sijie

My Name is Red - Orhan Pamuk

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed - Jared Diamond

Now it was not a total triumph. I had intended to by Beloved by Toni Morrison - but there were no copies left!

So am I done buying? Come on, you know better!

And the next book is...

After all my angst about picking my next book, it actually turned out to be a no brainer.

As I was restacking my books, I picked up Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky, opened it and started reading the first few pages almost without thought.

I heard an interview with the author back when the book was first published and he made the topic sound so interesting I always wanted to read the book. When I saw that the paperback was being offered as one of the 3 for 2 choices as Borders, I couldn't help snapping it up.

So Salt it is. I'll remember not to look back.

So what's next?.....

So now that I have finished Anatomy of a Rose - what's next?

I'm back in that, unexplainable uncomfortable position of having to chose something to read.

I'm not sure why these days that becomes a process fault with anxiety. In my youth, grabbing a book and settling in to read it was as simple as breathing. Now, when I think of what to read next, I feel as if on this decision the future of humankind rests.

Maybe it's the fact that, unlike when I was young, I don't have all the time in the world to read. All those numerous things that make claim to my time now -- work, parents that need a hand, errands that have to be run when I'm not doing the first two, school work(yeah, yeah, I'm just plain crazy on THAT one!) and, I admit it, far too much TV watching and Gameboy playing!--just were not factors when it was MY parents that did all the worrying!

I guess the above just makes me feel like my time is a precious as gold -- and that I should treat the spending of it just so (which begs the question of why I waste any of that currency on TV!).

Whew! Just typing all that make me feel better! And feeling a lot more at ease at plucking a new choice from that pile of books on my floor!

Yes I Finally Finished...

Anatomy of a Rose. (Actually, finished about a week ago.)

My thoughts on it up coming....

In brief - I liked it and recommend it.

Okay, Borders is EVIL!!!!!

At least to my bank account!

It wasn't enough that they've had this buy 3 get the 3rd book free deal going on for the last few months. No, they have to up the ante -- now they have some books as part of a buy 4 get 1 free!

And not just selected "newer" books (and a very good selection of newer books!) -- they've got the same deal going in their bargain book area!

Needless to say, I was down right woozy with the possibilities as I browsed through their deal offerings! I had to keep my head and remind myself that, no matter what I might hope, I still have to eat and I can't eat books!

Anyway, if you have a Borders nearby, go by and check it out! It's a good bet that you'll find among the deal books, books you've been saying - "Gee, I wanted to read that!”.

What book would YOU want to be the last to read before you die?

It was a reader's cornucopia yesterday in the Trib. Along with the magazine article, they had one entitled More Books to Die For, asking readers what book they would want to be the last they read before they die. The question is based on a quote from a character in the TV series "Lost" who carries around with him the book he wants to be the last to read before he buys the big one!

Lots of interesting choices from the man on the street! (I especially like the toss off from the guy from Oak Lawn!) Check it out here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0606140382jun15,1,4309166.story

Once again, you'll have to register to see the story.

Now the important question -- what book would you want to be the last to read before you die?

I'm going to have to give that one a bit of thought! So many books but only one crack at being last!

50 Best Magazines - According to the Chicago Trib Anyway

Boy, talk about synchronicity! Just as I add magazines to my online reading discussion one of my home town papers - the Chicago Tribune - had a big article yesterday listing their 50 best magazines for the year.

I was happy to see present favorites on the list, but maybe more interesting to me, was to see past old friends that I have not purchased in a great while on the list! (I can't remember the last time I seriously looked at a Self magazine - I who used to be a subscriber!)

Of course, part and parcel to best of lists, I was in turns baffled, amused and intrigued by the choices, and somewhat appalled by those mags overlooked (if one of their stated intents was for the list to be a conversation starter why isn't BUST on it -- an eclectic, hard to pigeonhole little mag if ever there was one!).

Anyway, take a look at what they think is the best of mags at the following link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-0606140373jun15,1,4243630.story

Be forewarned that you will probably have to register to see the article. Registration however is free and not very long.

What's in the mag docket now?

While I do have my absolute favorites when it comes to magazines - those I pick up every month pretty much without fail - I buy lots of others in any given month depending on the articles offered.

Right now I'm finishing up a set of articles in the June 12 U.S. News and World Report (definitely NOT one of my favorites -- but every now and then they manage to pry some of my hard earned cash out of my pocket) on the 7 reasons not to retire. They proved to be better than the usual US News fare -- too short by half, of course, but full of interesting thoughts on, and reason for, keeping in the game after the age of retirement.

It's probably off the stands by now (The Barbara's Bookstore I love to buy my mags at has a lousy magazine distributor - but it means that sometimes, they don't end up swapping out their mags until the last minute and I'm pretty sure that's was when I purchased this one!), but if you happen to be sitting somewhere waiting and see it lying there take a look.

Magazine Junkie!

Recently I've realized that that's just what I am!

I love magazines. Looking at the pile of them in my room that need to be cleared out, I realized that mags are really my most consistent reading. They go with me into the john in the morning and inform my day before I've even hit the shower!

That being the case, I'm going to start taking about my magazine reading here too. Yeah, it was supposed to be all about books, but really it's all about reading of all kinds -- and the pleasure it brings.

So it's books and mags baby! Books and mags!

Schools out!....

And reading what I want -- not what I've gotta -- is in!

The first book I grabbed last night? Anatomy of a Rose - Exploring the secret Life of Flowers by Sharman Apt Russell.

By the by, what's up with that? Even roses have a secret life? : - /

Class reading.....

Okay, I don't usually recommend technical reading -- unless you're having sleeping problems!

However, I have to say that the text book for the class I'm taking now is unusually good. It's not quite the sleeper that so many information systems related books are, and the material is very down to earth and practical. The text is clearly written and there is no skimping on examples.

All and all, one of the better computer texts I've encountered. So if you work with requirements of any kind, check it out!

I'm back! (Kind of.....)

Yeah, I know. I've been MIA for quite a few weeks. It seems that family visiting (My awesome oldest nephew for about 3 weeks!) and taking a class (with a heavy reading load of it's own) is NOT conducive to reading for pleasure!

But of course, not being able to settle down to read (or finish reading) has not stopped me from buying new books! I have, in fact, a stack of them huddled in a Borders bag (the worst recent mistake of my life - getting a Border's member's card!). I'm thinking of starting a runner on the blog listing what's in my reading pipeline -- if I can figure out how it's done!

Anyway, I hope to be posting somewhat more regularly -- and I think I'm going to broaden my ramblings.

So much to read -- so little time!

Still reading.....

Yes I'm still slogging through Everyday Grace.

This is not a slam on the book -- just because a book doesn't grab you may not be so much a comment on the book as a reflection of where you are at this point in your life.

The question in my mind is -- do I bale on this one for now (who knows, I may come back to this same book 6 weeks or 6 months from now and find that it now speaks to me) or do I hang in there and keep reading?

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Well, I was going to write some long post reviewing this book. But the more I thought about it the more I felt that really, hasn't enough been written about this book? It's been out since, what, 2003 and been written about, discussed, dissed, praised and puzzled over ad nausem! Under these circumstances, what more can I add?

So I'll just say this about the Code - its a RGT! That's my short hand for Rippin' Good Tale! Dan Brown pulls off what I call -- the Indiana Jones trick.

Let me explain. Way back when, I, my sister and a couple of good friends went to see the sneak of Raiders of the Lost Ark. We were already hardcore Speilberg and Lucas fans by that time -- but we were also deeply skeptical about the premise of this movie. I mean, come on, these two gentlemen had made their names on action movies - Jaws, Star Wars, yada! What the he** were they doing or thinking making a move about - oh bring on the boredom - an archeologist! Didn't they spend their days on their knees in the dirt with a brush? Oh yeah -- that was going to bring folks rushing into the theatre. NOT!

Still, we were true believers. And like all true believers, we were ready to give the benefit of the doubt. However, as healthy believers (A species, these days, becoming rarer and rarer), we continued expressing our doubts regarding this little movie venture even as we settled into our seats. What we figured we'd see was some National Geographic type semi-educational film.

What we saw was -- well you know the rest (Or you've been living in a cave for the last 30 years - in which case you probably aren't reading this blog - if anyone is!). Archeology NEVER looked so good! (Well until now - when you can pull yourself away from your latest book check out Digging for the Truth on the History Channel - Go Josh!)

But I digress.....

What we were treated to by Messers Speilberg and Lucas was a flat out, no holds barred, in your face adventure rollercoster ride which left us breathless and yelling for more! (Don't be cheeky - I AM talking about the movie.)

And while Brown may not have succeeded quite that well, he has certainly created a story that gives a symbologist and a cryptographer a credible turn as Mission Impossible intellectuals. He makes the many Perils of Pauline escapes actually seem more than plausible and, amazingly, well within the skill sets of the characters. No mean feat, if you think about it.

And thinking about it, or thinking it through is the key to the action in this book. Almost every chapter poses a new puzzle or, even more interesting, a new spin on a puzzle which appeared to be already solved! Yet for all the puzzles artistic and textual in this book, Brown is smart enough not to drag out the revelation of their answers. He's obviously wise enough to know that while just about all humans are fascinated by a puzzle, not all of them have the wit or the patience to figure them out! I admit to a deep bias when it comes to this book -- I'm an ex art, theology major with a love of words and their many possible meanings as well. So Brown pretty much had me at the first description of his main character's profession. (A professor of Religious Symbology? I think I'm in love! ) But I was pleasantly surprised at how well he spins his story making just the right blend of geeky supposition and conspiracy action to keep both the mind and the plot moving along.


Brown does stumble a bit when he starts "implying" romance when it's totally unnecessary. That being said, if you haven't already, ignore all the hype and read the book!

As for all the "controversy" surrounding the premise of the book -- I've two comments.

1. IT'S A NOVEL PEOPLE!!!! And for those of you that don't appear to own a dictionary, this from my copy of Webster's New World College Dictionary (4th ed.), "novel, adj, a relatively long fictional prose narrative with a more or less complex plot of pattern of events, about actions, feelings, motives, etc. of a group of characters" The key word in that definition being "fictional".

It’s meant to be enjoyed as a story – not treated as a historical document! But if it makes you think a bit out of the box – hey, all the better!

2. I'm no fan of Opus Dei, but after all the bellyaching I'd heard, after I read the book I didn't think the characters associated with that group were necessarily badly portrayed. The story gives a clear understanding of the motivations of just about all the characters ( Still to the end, I was a little cloudy on what was up with at least one of them) and I have to say, I came away from the book with some sympathy for just about everyone involved.


Like I said, read it – you won’t have misspent your money. (And do yourself a favor and get the illustrated version -- it's even more fun seeing pictures of the locations and paintings sited in the book.)

And that is that for the Code! (Yikes! It WAS a long post! : - O )

And the next book is (Or appears to be).....

Everyday Grace by Marianne Williamson.

Now, mind you, this was not the book I'd kind of had in mind when I was looking around to decide what to read next. I actually have 3 new acquistions from which I was contemplating choosing.

But there it was, top on a pile of books (and piles of books are the norm on my floor), a small book I brought about a year ago. Handsome cover (a painting by Nicolaes Maes, Young Girl Peeling Apples) and a size easy on the hand.

Before I knew it I'd plucked it from the pile and, cracking the cover at last, started reading.

So we'll see how it goes. I'm not ashamed to say that I can be a faithless reader, changing horses in mid-stream if my mind goes wandering!

Hitting speed bumps and bouncing (Ow!) over them....

The bad news is that I was sick all last week - hence no posting!

The good news is that I still managed to finish my second book - The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown.

Review to come!

The Enlightened Heart - Edited by Stephen Mitchell

Okay. It's been awhile since the old girl did a book report. Of ANY kind!

And what's a book review but a gussied up book report? So where do I start?

I have to say that half way through The Enlightened Heart, I thought to myself what an unlikely book this was to start with. I've never been a poetry reader - unless it was assigned, or I happened to come across one that caught my eye in a magazine.

I have always been a fiction novel reader for the most part - through I never met a Arthur C. Clarke or Isaac Asimov short story I didn't like! (Or Anne McCaffery, etc. Looks like fantasy and sci-fic short fiction rocks the house with me!) But I have to say, I enjoyed this one. Not in the sense of a read that takes you to a totally different place. But because it was such a different type of reading experience for me.

The Enlightened Heart consists of verses from 49 different writers or sources. They include authors or sources that were familiar to me, at the very least by name (Emily Dickinson, the Book of Psalms, Walt Whitman) and those I have never heard of (Kukai, Kabir, George Herbert).

In looking at some of the names on the back of the book (all authors and sources are listed there) you can be forgiven for saying to yourself "What the heck is D. H. Lawrence doing listed in a book of Sacred Poetry?”. But every poem/verse in this book speaks to, or reflects upon the concept of God or what to make of life in a spiritual context.

I love the choice from William Shakespeare, a verse from the Tempest, which includes the line "We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded by a sleep" It is the contemplation of that life rounded by a sleep that all these authors/sources are reflecting on.

The editors choices range from the very short to the, perhaps overlong, (Rilke, I must say, I found both long and downright boring). But long or short, boring or no, I found food for thought in all of them, those I felt I understood and those I frankly did not. And getting the chance to sample from so many different spiritual traditions and viewpoints was definitely refreshing!

Looking at the ones I post-it flagged to remember (my book is a bristle with them!), I see I tend towards the more universal thoughts - no dogmatist I! ; - ) Admittedly, this book is light on the dark night of the soul poems that might challenge a bit more. That being said, I still recommend you pick it up if you're ready to have your mind pricked just a bit on both the poetic and spiritual tip. It left me thinking I would like to read more of some of these authors poetry.

It was a pleasant way to start my reading journey!

Ground Rules....

Okay, I'm not just "technically" finished -- I'm finished! Biographical and bibliographical notes and all! So while I mull over what I think of this book -- a few blog ground rules:


1. Okay, you already know this, but I'm no pro! So my reviews will be as much about how I felt about the book as whether or not I thought the book was well written, or so derivative, or not the author's best work or yada, yada, yada -- you get the idea! If you're craving that kind of thing - I've placed a link to the NY Times book review page under Links to the left. Just remember - you gotta register!


2. When ever possible, I will place a pic of the book I'm reviewing, whether I thought it was good or bad, in the review. Personally, I always like to see what the book looks like -- just in case I decide I would like to read it, I know what I'm looking for!

Full Disclosure: Most of the time it will be an affiliate link image to Amazon -- my favorite online book store! But in the interest of fairness, I will have links to other online booksellers as well under my Links section. If the bookseller has an affiliate program, it will be an affiliate link. If not it will just be an old-fashioned url link. Yeah I know, how retro but what can you do? ; - ) Feel free to let me know via comments, if you have a favorite bookstore (online or not) that has a website. I'll check it out and try to add it to my Links section. I have to say that I do favor sites I have actually had successful dealings with.

3. I won't just be bloggin' 'bout books. If I come across an interesting magazine or newspaper article that I think is worth mentioning, it will appear here!

4. To repeat -- I'm not a pro, this is not a job! So my post will be occasional at best. I'll try to be timely with my reviews -- but hey, as an instructor of mine once stated "Life happens!" ; - )

Well I think that about does it! Let the fun begin! ; - )

I DID IT!!!!!

I finished! Hurray!!!!!

(Well, technically, I finished - I'm still reading the notes at the end - but does that really count?)

Yeah, I know what you're thinking -- so she finished a 174 page book -- whoopee with a small w!
But considering how I've been going about this so far -- well I consider it a triumph!

And now on to the review! I'm going to give myself a day or so to think about the book before I start typing!

Excuses, Excuses......

Okay, one would think that for someone who in her youth, could plow through practically a book a day, that 26 books in a year would be nothing.

NOT!!!!!!

First of all, it took forever for me to settle on a book to start with! Me, with so many books in my now smaller space, me with so many books in this smaller space that I have yet to read! It is a testament to how tenative I have become -- even to the point of being unable to commit to a single book! Not a good thing!

Anyway, I finally decided on The Enlightened Heart - An Anthology of Sacred Poetry, Edited by Stephen Mitchell. Frankly it seemed a good bet -- it is small, only 171 pages with biographical notes, bibliographical notes, translator notes and acknowledgments! I figured I could breeze through it.

NOT!!!!

One, I find that, unlike my younger days, when I had all the time in the world to loose myself in words, these days that time must be stolen from the rest of my life. It's proving to be a thieving I'm not good at!

Second, unlike my younger days, the distractions of other amusements is greater by far that when I was young and TV channels totaled 5 at best!

I must confess -- part of the issue is that I am addicted to the Harvest Moon Gameboy game! I'm not sure why -- perhaps it is the relatively straight-line process of reaching goals that the game provides. A very different experience from real life! But playing it has been eating up time for reading -- and there is the crux of the matter!

But game obsessions is whole other issue! Let's stay focused on the book. I'm finding poetry to be a much more challenging read than I had imagined. Horrors! -- it actually tends to make you pause and think! I'm also being introduced to poets I have never heard of, or writers I never knew were poets -- and that is a very good thing!

With all the distractions, I am moving ahead. I'm 2/3s of the way through, so hopefully I will be ready to post my reflections on this book very soon!

I'm in trouble already!!!!!! : - (

Okay -- I haven't even gotten half way through the month and already I'm behind! I haven't even started a new book -- lest than all come close to finishing one!

What is my response to being so seriously tardy already in my book reading endeavor? Well the old American way -- skating the rules! (Actually, can you really skate the rules when you make the rules?) I may just review something I read over the holidays.

Not exactly the intent of the exercise but, what the hell - at least I actually read it recently!

However I do have five more days before the 1st self imposed deadline -- time enough to read something! (At least it was in my youth!)

So who knows -- if the job from hell will behave itself for a bit, and if I pull my eyes away from the life sucking TV, I might still be able to do an honest job of it!

Stay tuned.....

26 Reviews

Yeah, it's not just 26 books read. It will also be 26 book reviews.

Now on this one I don't swear to do Pulitzer Prize work. The review might just be one line (i.e. Hated it!) or, if so moved, a latest King Kong sized epic.

Either way, there will be a review!

Now I just have to read something!

26 Books

26 books. That's how many I hope to read this year. 1 every two weeks.

Now admittedly, if you think about it, that's not a lot. But for someone like me, who used to be an avid reader but who somehow, over the last few years has become less and less so, it would be quite a triumph.

The question is -- can I rediscover the just plain joy of reading? That actually physical pleasure of moving the eyes across the page and taking each word into the brain?

That's where this blog comes in. It's my attempt to keep myself honest and answerable. After all if you're sharing the experience with the world (so to speak), it's not just a personal failure if it doesn't happen.

At least that's how I'm playing it for my monkey mind!