Hello All!
I happened across "Plainsong" when I was channel-surfing this evening, and though often we don't want to watch our favorite books turned into films, I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did--it had an excellent cast that included Aidan Quinn, America Ferrara, Rachel Griffiths and Megan Follows, and the adaptation was true to the spirit of the book. I was hoping to see more of Megan Follows, as it seems most of her work is in Canada, but her work in a small role was good in the movie. There were definitely parts left out from the book, but as most film adaptations (movie or made for TV) have a time limit, that is to be expected. I also thought the actors who played the older farm brothers were good, and those that played the young Guthrie boys were excellent, as many of the story transitions came from them.
Plainsong by Kent Haruf is one of my absolute favorite books. A lot happens in a very steady paced plot, with characters that seem low-key, but live their lives trying to be the best people they can be. The characters have a quiet strength to them.
I can't recommend the book highly enough; it's one I think everyone should read. And the film adaptation is pretty good too.
Happy Reading!
Patti
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
Hello All,
What an outstanding book We Are the Ship is. The illustrations are absolutely amazing, I can't get over how beautiful they are. The text is wonderful too; it gives a lot of information in a very interesting, conversational way. I couldn't quite name the style, but the author did that for me in his Author's Note: "I chose to present the voice of the narrator as a collective voice, the voice of every player, the voice of we." It's perfect for this book.
I knew very little about the Negro League before reading this book, but I have always loved baseball. In Detroit, the Detroit Tigers have been playing a game every year the last few years in honor of the Negro League, wearing the uniform of the Detroit Stars for that game. Despite this, I had no idea how popular the League was in its heyday, with both black and white fans, and how it was acknowledged for a very long time that the Negro League players were every bit as good, and some better, than the white players playing major league baseball.
In addition to both the 2009 Coretta Scott King Awards for author (winner) AND illustrator (honor), this book also won the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Medal from the American Library Association. "The Sibert Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year."
I can't recommend this stunningly beautiful book enough to all ages, both for the illustrations and for the writing!
Happy Reading!
Patti
What an outstanding book We Are the Ship is. The illustrations are absolutely amazing, I can't get over how beautiful they are. The text is wonderful too; it gives a lot of information in a very interesting, conversational way. I couldn't quite name the style, but the author did that for me in his Author's Note: "I chose to present the voice of the narrator as a collective voice, the voice of every player, the voice of we." It's perfect for this book.
I knew very little about the Negro League before reading this book, but I have always loved baseball. In Detroit, the Detroit Tigers have been playing a game every year the last few years in honor of the Negro League, wearing the uniform of the Detroit Stars for that game. Despite this, I had no idea how popular the League was in its heyday, with both black and white fans, and how it was acknowledged for a very long time that the Negro League players were every bit as good, and some better, than the white players playing major league baseball.
In addition to both the 2009 Coretta Scott King Awards for author (winner) AND illustrator (honor), this book also won the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Medal from the American Library Association. "The Sibert Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year."
I can't recommend this stunningly beautiful book enough to all ages, both for the illustrations and for the writing!
Happy Reading!
Patti
Monday, February 9, 2009
Shanghai Moon by S. J. Rozan
Hello All,
What a terrific book, with wonderful storytelling. S. J. Rozan has long been one of my favorite authors, and this book was well worth waiting for. It's been about six years or so since the last entry in the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series.
What made this so wonderful to me was that Rozan tells two stories. The reader gets the PI novel with Lydia & Bill, but also an interesting historical story told in letters about Jewish emigrants to Shanghai just before WWII. Rosalie and her brother Paul are young people who leave Europe as Austria is invaded by Germany. On their journey to Shanghai, they are befriended by a Chinese gentleman named Kai-Rong. The friendship continues in Shanghai, as Rosalie and Paul go through some tough times adjusting to their new surroundings. Friendship turns to romance, and despite cultural differences, Rosalie and Kai-Rong marry. This story is told through letters Rosalie writes to her mother; not all the letters are sent, as the situation in Europe evolves, but Rosalie continues to write.
Lydia is hired by an old friend, another detective, to assist in a case using her connections in the Chinese community in New York. The case involves recovering assets from WWII, the Jewish community in Shangai, and missing jewelry, specifically a piece called the Shanghai Moon. Lydia's detective friend, Joel, is killed during the course of the case, and although she is fired, Lydia, now assisted by Bill, pursues Joel's murder and the missing jewelry.
Again, this book is terrific, and involved, and very, very interesting. I enjoyed all that I learned while reading it, and Rozan told two wonderful stories within one book. Very, very highly recommended.
Happy Reading!
Patti
What a terrific book, with wonderful storytelling. S. J. Rozan has long been one of my favorite authors, and this book was well worth waiting for. It's been about six years or so since the last entry in the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series.
What made this so wonderful to me was that Rozan tells two stories. The reader gets the PI novel with Lydia & Bill, but also an interesting historical story told in letters about Jewish emigrants to Shanghai just before WWII. Rosalie and her brother Paul are young people who leave Europe as Austria is invaded by Germany. On their journey to Shanghai, they are befriended by a Chinese gentleman named Kai-Rong. The friendship continues in Shanghai, as Rosalie and Paul go through some tough times adjusting to their new surroundings. Friendship turns to romance, and despite cultural differences, Rosalie and Kai-Rong marry. This story is told through letters Rosalie writes to her mother; not all the letters are sent, as the situation in Europe evolves, but Rosalie continues to write.
Lydia is hired by an old friend, another detective, to assist in a case using her connections in the Chinese community in New York. The case involves recovering assets from WWII, the Jewish community in Shangai, and missing jewelry, specifically a piece called the Shanghai Moon. Lydia's detective friend, Joel, is killed during the course of the case, and although she is fired, Lydia, now assisted by Bill, pursues Joel's murder and the missing jewelry.
Again, this book is terrific, and involved, and very, very interesting. I enjoyed all that I learned while reading it, and Rozan told two wonderful stories within one book. Very, very highly recommended.
Happy Reading!
Patti
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
I Miss Reading & Blogging!
Hello All!
The end is near! The end of my long commute days, that is. We are moving from Chandler, AZ to Tucson, AZ, at the end of this week. This will cut my almost 2 hour commute (one way) to about 1/2 an hour. Ahhhh.
I have not had time, or really the concentration, to do much reading and therefore, much blogging. I've been mostly rereading, or reading comfort reads (see previous post). Right now I'm rereading Winter & Night by S. J. Rozan in preparation for reading her new book Shanghai Moon.
But all sorts of things are happening out in the book world--things that I can't follow up on until we move and get unpacked. The American Library Association announced numerous awards they gave out at their Midwinter Convention; those I'm most interested in are the Printz, for Young Adults, and the Newbery, for Children's Literature (the Newbery tends to skew to the higher elementary to middle school readers)--the awards can be found here.
The Edgar Allan Poe Award nominees were posted also; I'm not thrilled with the list overall, just my own opinion, but here again I'd like to read the Young Adult nominees .
And then there's my endless To Be Read list--every time I look at that, I feel there's something I want to sit down and read right now. And I don't want to think about the agony I'm going to go through unpacking my own books, some of which have been in storage for over a year and a half. Whether I've read them or not, I'm sure I'm going to want to sit right down and read almost every one I unpack! Due to my driving schedule, I've already cut back on my TV watching quite a bit; hopefully I can stay out of the habit to get into the habit of using that time to read starting next week (along with an exercise program, off topic for this blog).
I am thoroughly excited about setting up a new, bigger home with my husband, and getting to know our new town of Tucson. But I also look forward to getting back into a regular schedule that includes a regular amount of reading time.
I look forward to blogging about the above soon!
Happy Reading!
Patti
The end is near! The end of my long commute days, that is. We are moving from Chandler, AZ to Tucson, AZ, at the end of this week. This will cut my almost 2 hour commute (one way) to about 1/2 an hour. Ahhhh.
I have not had time, or really the concentration, to do much reading and therefore, much blogging. I've been mostly rereading, or reading comfort reads (see previous post). Right now I'm rereading Winter & Night by S. J. Rozan in preparation for reading her new book Shanghai Moon.
But all sorts of things are happening out in the book world--things that I can't follow up on until we move and get unpacked. The American Library Association announced numerous awards they gave out at their Midwinter Convention; those I'm most interested in are the Printz, for Young Adults, and the Newbery, for Children's Literature (the Newbery tends to skew to the higher elementary to middle school readers)--the awards can be found here.
The Edgar Allan Poe Award nominees were posted also; I'm not thrilled with the list overall, just my own opinion, but here again I'd like to read the Young Adult nominees .
And then there's my endless To Be Read list--every time I look at that, I feel there's something I want to sit down and read right now. And I don't want to think about the agony I'm going to go through unpacking my own books, some of which have been in storage for over a year and a half. Whether I've read them or not, I'm sure I'm going to want to sit right down and read almost every one I unpack! Due to my driving schedule, I've already cut back on my TV watching quite a bit; hopefully I can stay out of the habit to get into the habit of using that time to read starting next week (along with an exercise program, off topic for this blog).
I am thoroughly excited about setting up a new, bigger home with my husband, and getting to know our new town of Tucson. But I also look forward to getting back into a regular schedule that includes a regular amount of reading time.
I look forward to blogging about the above soon!
Happy Reading!
Patti
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Thank Goodness for Comfort Reads!
Hello All!
As I have mentioned before, I started a new job with the Valencia Branch Library in Tucson on Dec. 1. Currently, my commute is not quite 2 hours each way, 5 days a week, and we are moving from Chandler, AZ to Tucson in 2 weeks. My reading time is very limited, and done usually during my quick breakfast, or before falling asleep at night.
Hence, comfort reads, which for me also include rereads. Before Christmas I reread Charlotte Macleod's Rest You Merry, which does get one into a humorous mood for the holidays. Since then, I've read Jeff Cohen's It Happened One Knife, reread Anne George's Murder on a Girl's Night Out, and am currently reading both Suzann Ledbetter's Halfway to Half Way, and Louise Penny's A Rule Against Murder (US title is The Murder Stone). Murder on a Girl's Night Out really hit the spot, but unfortunately it doesn't look as if Murder on a Bad Hair Day (2nd in the series) is available through my library system--I'll just have to wait until I unpack it, by which point, I may not need comfort reads as much. Halfway to Half Way is hitting the spot, with some screwball humor in it, and characters I enjoy. As I've also been working my way through another of Charlotte Macleod's series, Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn, I have The Recycled Citizen ready to go.
I'm reading A Rule Against Murder this weekend in preparation for Louise Penny's visit to Poisoned Pen on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to that evening!
I define comfort reads as those books that make me feel better, that have characters that I can relax with, and plots that are good, but that I'm also able to keep up with if I have pick up and put down a book frequently (or infrequently, as time permits). I am a bit stressed right now, between a new job, commuting and preparing for a move, but I also always have a need to read, and to have found books to get one through the tough times when there isn't really time for reading is wonderful.
Sorry if this post wanders a bit--I may refine it a bit later on. Until then, I hope you have comfort reads available to you, should you need them.
Please feel free to share your comfort reads in a comment below!
Happy Reading!
Patti
As I have mentioned before, I started a new job with the Valencia Branch Library in Tucson on Dec. 1. Currently, my commute is not quite 2 hours each way, 5 days a week, and we are moving from Chandler, AZ to Tucson in 2 weeks. My reading time is very limited, and done usually during my quick breakfast, or before falling asleep at night.
Hence, comfort reads, which for me also include rereads. Before Christmas I reread Charlotte Macleod's Rest You Merry, which does get one into a humorous mood for the holidays. Since then, I've read Jeff Cohen's It Happened One Knife, reread Anne George's Murder on a Girl's Night Out, and am currently reading both Suzann Ledbetter's Halfway to Half Way, and Louise Penny's A Rule Against Murder (US title is The Murder Stone). Murder on a Girl's Night Out really hit the spot, but unfortunately it doesn't look as if Murder on a Bad Hair Day (2nd in the series) is available through my library system--I'll just have to wait until I unpack it, by which point, I may not need comfort reads as much. Halfway to Half Way is hitting the spot, with some screwball humor in it, and characters I enjoy. As I've also been working my way through another of Charlotte Macleod's series, Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn, I have The Recycled Citizen ready to go.
I'm reading A Rule Against Murder this weekend in preparation for Louise Penny's visit to Poisoned Pen on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to that evening!
I define comfort reads as those books that make me feel better, that have characters that I can relax with, and plots that are good, but that I'm also able to keep up with if I have pick up and put down a book frequently (or infrequently, as time permits). I am a bit stressed right now, between a new job, commuting and preparing for a move, but I also always have a need to read, and to have found books to get one through the tough times when there isn't really time for reading is wonderful.
Sorry if this post wanders a bit--I may refine it a bit later on. Until then, I hope you have comfort reads available to you, should you need them.
Please feel free to share your comfort reads in a comment below!
Happy Reading!
Patti
Thursday, January 1, 2009
My Favorite Books of 2008 (long post)
Hello All!
January 1, and time to post my favorite books of 2008. I have no major criteria for choosing a favorite book--it should stay with me, be a book I want to share with others, and a book that I loved for one reason or another. I have included some short reviews from my Goodreads account, but I only started writing them in the last few months. The books are listed in the order that I read them, and include author, title, publication date and genre:
Balzo, Sandra Grounds for Murder (2007) MYS
Hockensmith, Steven On the Wrong Track (2007) MYS/W
Traviss, Karen Crossing the Line (2004) SF
Penny, Louise The Cruelest Month (2008) MYS
Turner, Nancy E. These Is My Words (1998) FIC
Traviss, Karen The World Before (2005) SF
Selznick, Brian The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) JFIC
Balliett, Blue Chasing Vermeer (2004) JMYS
Stanley, Michael A Carrion Death (2008) MYS
Wyman, Willard High Country (2005) WEST
Allen, Sarah A. The Sugar Queen (2008) FIC
Greenwood, Kerry Heavenly Pleasures (2005) MYS
Alexie, Sherman The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian(2007) YA Chandler, Raymond The Lady in the Lake (1943) MYS
Jacobs, Kate The Friday Night Knitting Club (2007) FIC
I loved this book and the mix of women in the knitting club. I also enjoyed the relationship that the main character, Georgia, had with her daughter, Dakota. I'm glad that the author chose to look inside each character's life, not just writing from the main character's point of view. I think this way, women readers can find one or more characters to identify with. As someone who is who still feels new to Arizona after being here a year, I'm trying to find new women friends (I have met several, but 2 are moving away soon), so I found this book somewhat inspiring in that regard.
Dallas, Sandra Tallgrass (2007) FIC/W
This book won the Western Spur Award for Best Short Novel in 2008. I thought it was wonderful, and the story reminded me of To Kill A Mockingbird. Rennie Stroud is a 12 or 13 year old girl who has to grow up a little more quickly as a Japanese internment camp is built next to her family's sugar beet farm. Her family is more tolerant than many of those in their small town, and Rennie learns a lot. I'm having a hard time describing this book (at least right now), but it is wonderful and interesting, and definitely award-winning. Sandra Dallas is a wonderful writer.
Harris, C. S. When Gods Die (2006) MYS
I enjoyed this book, partially because it lived up to what I'd read about it (a good historical mystery), and partially because it takes place during one of my favorite time periods, the Regency in England (approximately 1811-1820, though I may be off slightly). Sebastian St. Cyr had gone through quite a time previous to this novel, not enough of which is revealed, for me. But it leads to him being called into sensitive situations in society, such as when the Prince Regent finds a dead woman in the Brighton Pavilion during a party. The search for the answer leads Sebastian all over London, in both high and low society, showing demonstrating his detecting skills and intelligence. I really enjoyed the character of Sebastian, but would like to have known the full story how he got involved in solving situations in Regency society. A very enjoyable historical mystery with an intriguing main character.
Shaffer, Mary Ann & Annie Barrows The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2008) FIC
I LOVED this book!!! I want to move to Guernsey (the Guernsey of 1946, that is), and befriend these characters! I think my favorite is the protagonist, Julie, but I also loved several of the very strong women living on the island, helping themselves and their neighbors get through WWII. Guernsey is part of the Channel Islands in the English Channel, located very close to the coast of France. It was occupied by the Germans during the war, and I'm always amazed to read about the strength of character people under occupation have, whether I'm reading fiction or nonfiction. I always doubt I could handle what so many people did and do while under occupation, but maybe I could. The occupation is a strong underlying theme, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is also very much about friendship, especially the friendship between those who are booklovers. I LOVED this book!!!
Harris, C. S. What Angels Fear (2005) MYS
Ahhhh, this book filled in the blanks of When Gods Die. This is what I get for reading them out of order--which I HATE to do. I have no idea how it happened, but I'm managing to get past it :).
I loved this book as much as Harris's second title. I like the character of Sebastian, his relationships with Kat and young Tom, and how he doggedly follows through on a case. He is the accused in this book, allegedly raping and killing a young actress, and managing to escape arrest, decides to find the killer himself. Sebastian is a former intelligence officer in the war with France, so he puts all his training, and his own strong sense of deduction to work. There are two more in this series, and I am looking forward to reading them very much.
Alexander, Tasha A Fatal Waltz (2008) MYS
I loved this book! It was exactly what I was looking for this week! This is the third title in Tasha Alexander's series about Lady Emily Ashton and Colin Hargreaves, and both the writing and the characters have grown over the series. A Fatal Waltz starts with a country house party, where the host is shot and killed, and the story travels to London and on to Vienna. Colin is supportive of Emily's investigations (something new & different in mysteries!), and they are both in Vienna, working on different cases that eventually converge. Emily was befriended by Cecile du Lac in the first book of this series, an older woman who lives a life of her own choosing, due to being a widow and her own strong personality. Emily has learned a lot from her and they are great friends. This is where I believe Emily has learned to trust her own deductive reasoning, and also learning lessons from Colin, who is an investigator in his own right. I enjoy the main characters, the growth they've gone through, their intellect and deductive skills, and their relationship. I also enjoy the secondary characters--there are a good variety of them, and strong, interesting friendships.
Shepard, Adam Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream (2008) NF
This was an amazingly well written book, written by a young man who attempted a very interesting experiment. Adam Shepard decides to see if the American dream can be achieved from a certain set of circumstances--a train ticket to a southern large city, $25.00, the clothes on his back, and a duffle bag. Shepard travels by train to Charleston, South Carolina, and makes his way to a local homeless shelter. He works for as day laborer for awhile, and finds a good job as with a moving company.
Shepard is clear that a strong opposition to Barbara Ehrenriech's books Nickel and Dimed, and Bait and Switch lead to his experiment of finding out whether the American dream is still possible. Read this book to find out what Adam is able to achieve.
I believe that this book would definitely be appropriate for young adult or teen readers, as it is quite inspirational, and gives some pretty good advice. It's a good read for adults also, and I think that many readers will come away with ideas to handle their money in our current economy.
What an amazing year of books for me, and a surprising variety to me. It’s interesting as a reader to find out that you like different books than you anticipate, and it makes being a reader that much more wonderful.
I hope that 2009 is as wonderful for you as it is for me, and may we all find amazing, interesting, exciting and special books that really speak to us, or touch us in a particular way.
Happy New Year, and Happy Reading!
Patti
January 1, and time to post my favorite books of 2008. I have no major criteria for choosing a favorite book--it should stay with me, be a book I want to share with others, and a book that I loved for one reason or another. I have included some short reviews from my Goodreads account, but I only started writing them in the last few months. The books are listed in the order that I read them, and include author, title, publication date and genre:
Balzo, Sandra Grounds for Murder (2007) MYS
Hockensmith, Steven On the Wrong Track (2007) MYS/W
Traviss, Karen Crossing the Line (2004) SF
Penny, Louise The Cruelest Month (2008) MYS
Turner, Nancy E. These Is My Words (1998) FIC
Traviss, Karen The World Before (2005) SF
Selznick, Brian The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) JFIC
Balliett, Blue Chasing Vermeer (2004) JMYS
Stanley, Michael A Carrion Death (2008) MYS
Wyman, Willard High Country (2005) WEST
Allen, Sarah A. The Sugar Queen (2008) FIC
Greenwood, Kerry Heavenly Pleasures (2005) MYS
Alexie, Sherman The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian(2007) YA Chandler, Raymond The Lady in the Lake (1943) MYS
Jacobs, Kate The Friday Night Knitting Club (2007) FIC
I loved this book and the mix of women in the knitting club. I also enjoyed the relationship that the main character, Georgia, had with her daughter, Dakota. I'm glad that the author chose to look inside each character's life, not just writing from the main character's point of view. I think this way, women readers can find one or more characters to identify with. As someone who is who still feels new to Arizona after being here a year, I'm trying to find new women friends (I have met several, but 2 are moving away soon), so I found this book somewhat inspiring in that regard.
Dallas, Sandra Tallgrass (2007) FIC/W
This book won the Western Spur Award for Best Short Novel in 2008. I thought it was wonderful, and the story reminded me of To Kill A Mockingbird. Rennie Stroud is a 12 or 13 year old girl who has to grow up a little more quickly as a Japanese internment camp is built next to her family's sugar beet farm. Her family is more tolerant than many of those in their small town, and Rennie learns a lot. I'm having a hard time describing this book (at least right now), but it is wonderful and interesting, and definitely award-winning. Sandra Dallas is a wonderful writer.
Harris, C. S. When Gods Die (2006) MYS
I enjoyed this book, partially because it lived up to what I'd read about it (a good historical mystery), and partially because it takes place during one of my favorite time periods, the Regency in England (approximately 1811-1820, though I may be off slightly). Sebastian St. Cyr had gone through quite a time previous to this novel, not enough of which is revealed, for me. But it leads to him being called into sensitive situations in society, such as when the Prince Regent finds a dead woman in the Brighton Pavilion during a party. The search for the answer leads Sebastian all over London, in both high and low society, showing demonstrating his detecting skills and intelligence. I really enjoyed the character of Sebastian, but would like to have known the full story how he got involved in solving situations in Regency society. A very enjoyable historical mystery with an intriguing main character.
Shaffer, Mary Ann & Annie Barrows The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2008) FIC
I LOVED this book!!! I want to move to Guernsey (the Guernsey of 1946, that is), and befriend these characters! I think my favorite is the protagonist, Julie, but I also loved several of the very strong women living on the island, helping themselves and their neighbors get through WWII. Guernsey is part of the Channel Islands in the English Channel, located very close to the coast of France. It was occupied by the Germans during the war, and I'm always amazed to read about the strength of character people under occupation have, whether I'm reading fiction or nonfiction. I always doubt I could handle what so many people did and do while under occupation, but maybe I could. The occupation is a strong underlying theme, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is also very much about friendship, especially the friendship between those who are booklovers. I LOVED this book!!!
Harris, C. S. What Angels Fear (2005) MYS
Ahhhh, this book filled in the blanks of When Gods Die. This is what I get for reading them out of order--which I HATE to do. I have no idea how it happened, but I'm managing to get past it :).
I loved this book as much as Harris's second title. I like the character of Sebastian, his relationships with Kat and young Tom, and how he doggedly follows through on a case. He is the accused in this book, allegedly raping and killing a young actress, and managing to escape arrest, decides to find the killer himself. Sebastian is a former intelligence officer in the war with France, so he puts all his training, and his own strong sense of deduction to work. There are two more in this series, and I am looking forward to reading them very much.
Alexander, Tasha A Fatal Waltz (2008) MYS
I loved this book! It was exactly what I was looking for this week! This is the third title in Tasha Alexander's series about Lady Emily Ashton and Colin Hargreaves, and both the writing and the characters have grown over the series. A Fatal Waltz starts with a country house party, where the host is shot and killed, and the story travels to London and on to Vienna. Colin is supportive of Emily's investigations (something new & different in mysteries!), and they are both in Vienna, working on different cases that eventually converge. Emily was befriended by Cecile du Lac in the first book of this series, an older woman who lives a life of her own choosing, due to being a widow and her own strong personality. Emily has learned a lot from her and they are great friends. This is where I believe Emily has learned to trust her own deductive reasoning, and also learning lessons from Colin, who is an investigator in his own right. I enjoy the main characters, the growth they've gone through, their intellect and deductive skills, and their relationship. I also enjoy the secondary characters--there are a good variety of them, and strong, interesting friendships.
Shepard, Adam Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream (2008) NF
This was an amazingly well written book, written by a young man who attempted a very interesting experiment. Adam Shepard decides to see if the American dream can be achieved from a certain set of circumstances--a train ticket to a southern large city, $25.00, the clothes on his back, and a duffle bag. Shepard travels by train to Charleston, South Carolina, and makes his way to a local homeless shelter. He works for as day laborer for awhile, and finds a good job as with a moving company.
Shepard is clear that a strong opposition to Barbara Ehrenriech's books Nickel and Dimed, and Bait and Switch lead to his experiment of finding out whether the American dream is still possible. Read this book to find out what Adam is able to achieve.
I believe that this book would definitely be appropriate for young adult or teen readers, as it is quite inspirational, and gives some pretty good advice. It's a good read for adults also, and I think that many readers will come away with ideas to handle their money in our current economy.
What an amazing year of books for me, and a surprising variety to me. It’s interesting as a reader to find out that you like different books than you anticipate, and it makes being a reader that much more wonderful.
I hope that 2009 is as wonderful for you as it is for me, and may we all find amazing, interesting, exciting and special books that really speak to us, or touch us in a particular way.
Happy New Year, and Happy Reading!
Patti
Saturday, December 20, 2008
New Job & Books
Hello All!
I started my new position at the Valencia Branch of the Pima County Public Library on December 1, which I hope will explain my lack of posts.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my primary responsibility is Young Adult or Teen Services. I'm excited to be learning a new area of librarianship (I have previously served children and adults), and to be getting to know the teens that use the Valencia Library.
My workday includes a 2 hour commute at this time, so my reading time is next to nothing right now. Since starting work, I have read two YA novels, Edenville Owls by Robert B. Parker and Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein, both of which I enjoyed, and look forward to booktalking to teens. At home (I read the YA novels at lunch at work), I reread Charlotte Macleod's The Plain Old Man and just finished State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy. I recommend State of the Onion for those readers who like cozies with an edge. This week, for the holidays, I'm rereading Rest You Merry by Charlotte Macleod,which I read almost every year.
You may be wondering why I'm not listening to audiobooks on my long commute. I've never been a big audiobook listener, and those I've enjoyed in the past have been nonfiction, such as Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes and several by Bill Bryson, whose sarcastic humor I adore. I thought I'd start listening to YA books while commuting, so I started Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and while it wasn't bad, I didn't find that listening to it was my first choice when I got into the car. I'll try something else soon, or go back to Bill Bryson :) -- in the meantime, I have a Garrison Keillor Christmas CD for this week.
You may also be wondering when we are moving to Tucson, and the answer to that question is around the end of January. We have found a terrific apartment in Marana, which borders the north side of Tucson.
Next weekend, in between the holidays when my husband will be on a camping trip, I will spend a good deal of that time reading--two set aside for then are Death's Half Acre by Margaret Maron and It Happened One Knife by Jeffrey Cohen. On or after December 31, I will be posting my Favorites of 2008!
So, a new job and a new place--it's quite a way to end one year and start another! Life is very good!
Season's Readings to All!!!
Patti
I started my new position at the Valencia Branch of the Pima County Public Library on December 1, which I hope will explain my lack of posts.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my primary responsibility is Young Adult or Teen Services. I'm excited to be learning a new area of librarianship (I have previously served children and adults), and to be getting to know the teens that use the Valencia Library.
My workday includes a 2 hour commute at this time, so my reading time is next to nothing right now. Since starting work, I have read two YA novels, Edenville Owls by Robert B. Parker and Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein, both of which I enjoyed, and look forward to booktalking to teens. At home (I read the YA novels at lunch at work), I reread Charlotte Macleod's The Plain Old Man and just finished State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy. I recommend State of the Onion for those readers who like cozies with an edge. This week, for the holidays, I'm rereading Rest You Merry by Charlotte Macleod,which I read almost every year.
You may be wondering why I'm not listening to audiobooks on my long commute. I've never been a big audiobook listener, and those I've enjoyed in the past have been nonfiction, such as Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes and several by Bill Bryson, whose sarcastic humor I adore. I thought I'd start listening to YA books while commuting, so I started Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and while it wasn't bad, I didn't find that listening to it was my first choice when I got into the car. I'll try something else soon, or go back to Bill Bryson :) -- in the meantime, I have a Garrison Keillor Christmas CD for this week.
You may also be wondering when we are moving to Tucson, and the answer to that question is around the end of January. We have found a terrific apartment in Marana, which borders the north side of Tucson.
Next weekend, in between the holidays when my husband will be on a camping trip, I will spend a good deal of that time reading--two set aside for then are Death's Half Acre by Margaret Maron and It Happened One Knife by Jeffrey Cohen. On or after December 31, I will be posting my Favorites of 2008!
So, a new job and a new place--it's quite a way to end one year and start another! Life is very good!
Season's Readings to All!!!
Patti
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