Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Book Reviews

    “Don’t let mental blocks control you. Set yourself free. Confront your fear and turn the mental blocks into building blocks.” 
― RoopleenWords to inspire the winner in YOU
        I have completed two books which I have not reviewed yet.  One was for my bookclub with my church. We read  "The Age of Desire" by Jennie Fields.  It is about Edith Wharton, author of many well known books, "The Age of Innocence", "The House of Mirth", "Ethan Frome" and more.  Apparently Mrs. Wharton, living in the Victorian Age was somewhat sexually deprived!  If you want to find out whether she overcame this condition, you will have to read the book!!!  I realized I have never read anything by Wharton, and now that I know a whole lot more about her, not sure I want to! She was not always a very nice person....and I don't mean morally.  She was from a wealthy background and, typical of the times, thought nothing of those who spent their lifetimes taking care of her.  It is well written and easy to read...does tell a great deal of the period and other persons of the time...Henry James, for one.  He and Edith were big friends.

Book Cover for "Age of Reason"
      The other book I "read" recently was an audio book...."The Muse" by Jesse Burton.  Jesse Burton is a young English author and actress.  This is her second book....her first being "The Miniaturist" a tale about a young girl soon to be wed to a wealthy merchant in 1686 Amsterdam. (I have read it also and liked it very much..a peculiar book, but holds your interest.) "The Muse" is a modern-day novel about Odelle Bastien, a young girl form Trinidad coming to London-1967 seeking work.  I had a bit of trouble getting into the plot at the beginning, but soon became totally wrapped up in the story. It shifts back and forth from the present (1967) to rural Spain in 1936.  There is intrigue, art, literature, and politics all wrapped up in a very good story.  This is one that I think I would have enjoyed reading rather than listening to...and may still!  Jesse Burton seems to get better with her writing....looking forward to more from her.

Book Cover for "The Muse"




Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Books! Books! Books!!

     I love to read...I usually have two or three books going at the same time.  I have a Kindle which I love...I am kind of a tightwad so I only "buy" books that cost...Nothing!!  And there are a lot of books out there that do qualify as free that are very good.  There are also a lot of books that are not so great.  I usually look at the genre and the recommendations!  So all and all, I probably have 75-80 books on my Kindle...unread!
     On the other hand, I love old-fashioned hardback backs or paperbacks...the written word on paper!!  But again, my tightwadedness keeps me from buying many books.  Fortunately...there is the Public Library!!  Every where we have lived, one of the first things we do is to get a free library card to be able to check out free library books!  I don't know if other countries have Free Libraries, but that institution is certainly one of the greatest perks of living in the United States!
     And I don't always have to read the most recent books.  I am currently reading a book that was published about nine years ago.  It is by one of my favorite writers...Alice Hoffman.  I just discovered her about three years ago...she has written at least forty books and I am working my way through all of them.

"The Probable Future" by Alice Hoffman
     I highly recommend her books to anyone who enjoys a good read and is kind of into fantasy/human nature.
     My choices of literature are very eclectic!  I love historical fiction, scifi, good mysteries, human interest, biographies...all kinds of stuff.  And, one thing I discovered in my senior years, that if a book doesn't grab me in the first 25-30 pages, I quit it!  I used to feel that if I started a book, I HAD to finish it!  No more...life is too short!!  Oh, and one thing I learned early...do not bend down the corners of books to save your place!  Use a bookmark!!
 

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Let's Talk Books

I have been very negligent on "reporting" about books I have read lately!  So I am going to devote this blog to just that!

I have very eclectic taste in literature...I usually prefer fiction to non-fiction, but I do like biographies and some fiction about historical issues.  I like fantasy, scifi, historical fiction, human interest, mysteries, the classics, poetry...the list goes on!

Recently I have read the following:
  • The Leopard by Jo Nesbo...the almost good replacement author for Stieg Larson of "The Girl Who...." fame.  A good Nordic/Scandinavian author whose work I highly recommend.*****

  • The Third Floor by Judi Loren Grace....a book that I read from my Kindle Fire (which I really love, not just for reading but for every thing else)  This book took me back to a period of time I could relate with....a story about a young girl who becomes pregnant in the late '50's/early'60's (not sure which) and goes to an "unwed" mothers' home to deliver and give the baby up for adoption...I am not sure if it is based on a true story, but it does read very realistically!  *****

  • Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.....a book I had picked up at my church's book trade table....a theme of great interest to me...the Holocaust.  Again, I highly recommend it!!*****

  • And I am now reading Stephen King's 11/22/63...Yes, I am a Stephen King fan!  I have read almost all of his books...he is, as you know, a very prolific writer!! I am in awe of his ability to take  common, everyday events and "twist" them into tales of intrigue!!  This "little" novel is 845 pages long and I am on page 246 so I will have to report back on it in a few days!  The scariest thing about King's books, to me. is that they are physically dangerous!  I read in bed at night and usually get very sleepy before I am through.  I have been known to drop off and have the book fall on my face!  With books the size of his, that is a danger!!!!!





Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Hot! Hot! HOT!

Did I mention it is hot???  7:30 PM Texas time and it is still nearly 103 by our thermometer!  We are so dry; everything is really burning up...my big fear is some smoking fool will toss a cigarette out a vehicle window and poof!  There we go!!!!

We are up at 6:30AM...take our morning walk...come home and I am in the house for the remainder of the day with the air conditioning on for the rest of the day!  I would not have made a very good pioneer!!  Although I am pretty sure I lived in Texas long ago in another life...so maybe I was tougher then!

While staying in and trying to keep cool, I have gotten quite a bit of reading and sewing done.   One book I just finished and really enjoyed was Walter Mosley's "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey".  I have read some of Mosley's  light mysteries with Easy Rawlins and they are entertaining, but this book is much deeper...has wonderful, memorable characters,  and what a descriptive and yet comfortable style he has in his writing.

Another book I have just finished is "Deep South" by Nevada Barr.  She has written many books about her character Anna (I am drawing a blank on the last name) who is a Park Ranger.  Anna is always stationed at a different park and has a mystery/murder to solve!!  I enjoy Barr's style...again just good, wholesome light reading but hard to put down!

My Quilt "Aurora Borealis" for the guild challenge...not quite finished!
My studioQ group met Monday...as always, had a great time...mucho laughing.  We are getting ready to have our own display at the guild quilt show in September.  Last meeting I had shown how to do a few zentangles, and now most are as addicted as I am so we are each making one for a collage to display as well as many of our artistic endeavors!!!  Here are a few of our "show and tell" items.

Sue's Batik Challenge

Bethany's scarf made from scrap yarn, thread etc

Kay's fabric Zentangle heart

Our first Zentangle collage attempt


Saturday, October 23, 2010

Musings on This and That

"No individual raindrop considers itself responsible for the flood!"  Anonymous 

I like this quote...since it is anonymous...I think I will claim it!  I finished reading "South of Broad" by Pat Conroy ("Prince of Tides" author) and found it to be very good...a little of "The Big Chill" feel to it on a little different topic. 

And I am now reading "The Postmistress" by Sarah Blake.  I've not read anything by her before but will try to find more of her books....really good.  It takes place in a small seaport town off Cape Cod and Europe at the very beginning of WWII..1941 to be exact, before we entered the war officially.  I highly recommend it to all...just for the value of remembering what occurred in that time frame...the persecution of the Jews and our country's fear of anything "different" (immigrants from Germany, Japan, etc).  With the current feelings towards Muslims and illegals, we need to recall the error of our ways sixty years ago against those who were innocent of any crimes just because fear existed.  Unfortunately, it seems to me that even with all our sophisticated technology and supposed enlightened intelligence, we are still in the dark ages as to our compassion and understanding of other cultures and beliefs....a very closed minded attitude prevails, I am afraid! 

What I really want to do is to go to DC next week and participate in John Stewart's Rally for the Return of Sanity!!!!  That is certainly needed in this country!!

On a more cheerful note...had a great time playing poker last night with our buddies...I was actually ahead at one time, and almost broke even!  And...Texas Rangers are World Series bound!  TCU won their game tonight against Air Force.....and....my alma mater, Missouri, tromped on #1, Oklahoma for the first time in 12 years!
Go, Frogs!!!

Rainy day here in our part of Texas...the North Crowley band was to play at Regionals for UIL today; I haven't heard whether they got a chance to or not....will talk to the kids tomorrow.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Finally a cool day in Texas!

"I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work!" Thomas Edison

Yesterday....105!  Today...79!  And Monday when we were in Granbury, our car temperature showed 113!  I don't think I hae ever seen a themometer read that high!

I just watched a short video that one of my quilter friends had put out on Facebook...It was an interview by Susan Shie at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, England.  Susan's website is http://www.turtlemoon.com/ and her blog is http://www.susanshie.blogspot.com/ .  I didn't see the interview on either yet but I bet it will show up soon.  I am interested in her technique more than I am in her final product...although it is very interesting, it is just a little way out for me.  But she is a marvelously creative spirit!!  I would love to take her workshop sometime.

I just finished reading "A Reliable Wife"...it is touted as a Gothic novel and, although it is set up similar to that genre, it is more contemporarily written.  It takes place in winter, Wisconsin, 1907...a gentleman puts an ad in the Chicago paper for a reliable wife and as it is described..."she is anything but reliable"!  It is written by Robert Goolrick, author of "The End of the World As We Know It".  This is his first fiction novel and is a very intriguing read.

I am now starting "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver...a book sent to me by one of my "blogger buddies" after I had mentioned I had not read it.  I think it will travel well with me as we head out.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Going International!!!

         "Knowledge speaks, but Wisdon listens!"  Jimi Hendrix

In addition to our daily crossword puzzles, the Tuesday newspaper has an additional quiz.  Today's "test" was to finish "famous Quotes".  Although we weren't real successful, I really liked some of the quotes so am going to add them to my "quote of the blog" list.  The above....Jimi Hendrix...who knew he could be so deep???

I just finished reading "Moonlight in Odessa" by Janet Skeslien Charles....and we are not talking Odessa, Texas!  This is her first novel and I am looking forward to more from her.  It was really good...one of those "okay, what next!!"  kind of books...not a mystery, just human interest story but gave  a really good aspect of life in post communist Russia/Ukraine.  The author had lived there for two years and her writing certainly reads authentic!  A warning...guys, no automatic  weapons/ bombings/ violence...so you might not care for it as much as we gals!

The book I just finished right before this one was "The Children's Book" by A.S. Byatt.  She is a new author to me and I would read her again...not a  first novel.  This book takes place in England at the end of the 19th century into the 20th, around the time of the first World War.  Very good also... descriptive of the time period...historical fiction...and full of quirky characters...but as with many British authors, a little to wordy at times...sometimes TMI!!!  I am a pretty good scanner though so can move a story right along!

My last International thought is the Netflix we watched the other night..."Invictus".  A movie about South Africa and Nelson Mandela when he first became president...how he got the country to get excited together over their National Rugby team...I highly recommend it!  I still do not understand rugby...seems a little odd to me.   I may have to check out the procedures on the 'net sometime!

Trinity Valley Guild Meeting Friday..am going to show my "Chinese Coin" quilt.  No meeting in September as our quilt show is at that time.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Some Accomplishments....Finally!!

"Know that every human being must cross a very narrow bridge.  What is most important is not to be overcome by fear."    Rebbe Nachman of Bratslav, 1772-1810

This quote comes from book I just finished.  "Day After Night" by Anita Diamant.   After reading several mediocre books (except for Alice Hoffman's) it was really good to read a very moving book.  It takes place in a dentention camp in Palestine in 1945...based on true events.  The book revolves around four young women in particular but many others also as they try to overcome their horrible experiences in Europe and trying to get to live in Israel.  I highly recommend it for all!!



Monday, I am hosting the Studio Q meeting.  This meeting will be in place of our January meeting although it is February 1.  Then we will have another meeting the last Monday of February...our usual meeting time.  Because we have two meetings coming up, we did two "recipes" this month.  The first one..on the left is for the topic "The Color or Shape of Pain"...and the second one..on the right is for "Earth Awareness".  I guess I didn't have to have both done and will probably not show both on Monday as I think the second one is really for our later meeting.

Usually the host of the meeting does a demonstration of some kind...I am going to do some monoprinting on a gelatin block!  It is an activity out of the August/September "Quilting Arts" magazine.  I made my gelatin block today....pretty cool!  I am going to practice printing on Friday and will post some pictures so you can see what it looks like.

Busy week coming up....Tomorrow we go to play poker with our poker pals; Saturday, Andrea is coming over and we are going to go to the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo..it is a matinee showing, then everyone is coming back here for dinner and to celebrate Marti's birthday which is next Monday.

And the weather is due for a change....it has been nice..in the 60's, but tomorrow it is supposed to be rainy and get cold.  We usually have some bad weather during the stock sho time.  Saturday it is supposed to be sunny but cold..high in low 40s!  That may not seem cold to some, but it is to us!!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Living in Birdland!


If you click on this picture to enlarge it, you will see three Painted buntings...one on the window, one on the feeder, and one on the vise below the feeder! These are all male (I had to read up on them) so I am hoping their lady friends are around too, perhaps building the nests! They are so pretty to watch...we are just inundated with birds this spring: cardinals, mockingbirds, sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, bluejays, doves, barn swallows, purple martins....a few hummingbirds (there will be more at the end of the summer)...and of course, our local pair of road runners who visit us nearly daily. Then we always have a variety of those just passing through....robins, cedar waxwings, meadowlarks. Now if we can figure out a way to get the redwing blackbirds to move on without scaring everyone else away, we will have it made! The blackbirds are such pigs! And they keep the little guys from the feeders!!
I have a pair of mocking birds busily building a nest right outside my studio window in a yaupon tree. I am marking progress, looking forward to the "family's" arrival! Mockingbirds are such good parents! Very devoted to their young!
On the sewing side of things, I am working on my Inner City. I did machine quilt the blocks because I discovered as I was pulling the paper out from the back, I guess I was a little too vigorous and also pulled out some seams!! But I have decided to hand quilt the red border so will post it when finished. And am working on my Series of wheels...this assignment is on using the computer to create a fabric picture which I have done before but not to this extent. Will also post it when further along.
I am finishing Ann Packer's "Song Without Words".... kind of a downer...the last three books I have read have been rather depressing...I am going to the library tomorrow and must find something lighter for a change!!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

We need rain!!

It is really dry here in our part of Texas. The forecast is for rain...so everyone, cross your fingers that we will get a lot!! If we don't, I fear for the wildfires that pop up because it is really windy, too. And there are always some fool out there who flicks cigarettes ashes out the car window...or even the whole cigarette butt!

Today I worked on books for my quilting guild library. Several months ago a dear friend and member passed away from cancer and she was quite the avid book collector! She left all her quilting books to the guild. Many of the books were already in our library (of which I am the librarian) so we put the duplicates in our annual book sale. The others, about 100, are to be added to our inventory, so that is what I have been doing. Thank goodness for spread sheets! I can just add and merge the new titles and info into the old.

This evening, daughter Marti, son Graham, grands, Kathleen and Colin came out for dinner and to see the pics of our trip. We grilled salmon...from the Christmas present of Alaskan salmon my brother sent. Yummy!!! Then we put the CD in the tv and watched a slide show of pics. After about 15 minutes, the grands drifted away...one to read, the other to play on the computer. I'll admit, I do get carried away on the number of pics I take, alway with the idea I will delete many, but somehow, can never decide which to delete!!

Daughter Andrea in California just sent an email about her plan to do the three-day Walk for the Cure in San Francisco next October. She needs to raise her money for the walk and has sent out a very nice email to that effect. If anyone would like to help her, just let me know and I will pass her info on to you.

And I am now registered on the Quilting Bloggers, an International group of people. So I am hoping to start getting some response to my efforts! I think I am ready to put myself out there, so will send my blog address to a group of my friends and family!

Friday, March 6, 2009

TGIF

I don't know why "TGIF" is important to me....since retiring, all days are about the same...really wonderful! Who knew I would be so busy after quiting work!

Today, I went to a memorial service for my friend, Anne's husband Bob. It was held at the chapel on TCU campus...very pretty building; I had not been there before. The reception afterwards was very crowded so we of studio Q didn't stay around. There were six of us there and five of us went to lunch at Blue Mesa...my favorite Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth; much more like New Mexican food compared to Texmex.

Then I went to the library to get my card renewed. I had gotten on the internet last week to renew my books and I couldn't do so as my card had expired!! All that means is every two years or so they want to check to see if you are at the same address, etc. I am reading "The Widows of Eastwick" by John Updike now...very amusing! I think I appreciate it better than the "The Witches..." but it has been quite a while since I read that.

My brother Jack in Illinois called last night ..we talked quite awhile. I haven't spoken to him for a long time. Sandi, his wife has gotten on "My Face" but I wasn't able to look at her albums she has on there. I will have to email her and ask how to get on. Fran is enjoying her computer (my cousin who had stroke about a year ago). I need to email her and send her some pictures of our trip to California.

On that trip we also visited the Saguaro National Forest outside of Tucson and the Joshua Tree Nat'l Park in California. I'll post a couple of pics from there.

This is from the Saguaro National Forest.



And this picture is a Joshua Tree...looks nothing like what I thought a Joshual tree really looked like! They are all over Southern California...desert areas.