Biological Penates

The university concept

VIA «The house-tree by Tatiana Bilbao»

Tent on a tree

VIA «Children's dream have realised»

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the coming-of-age story of Francis Nolan an American girl living in Brooklyn with her family in the early 1900's. This story spans her childhood and teen years, and covers the family's history from 1900 to about 1918. Both of her parents have lived in America their whole lives, but her mother's family is of Austrian descent and her father's family is of Irish descent. Her father, Johnny Nolan, loves to sing and drink, and that is really about all. He doesn't have a steady job, so her mother, Katie Nolan, cleans to make ends meet. While Francie doesn't have a lot she never seems to be too aware of the hardships her family faces.

Francie loves to read and write, and she aspires to be a writer. Her father moves her to a nicer school where richer kids go so she will have more opportunities. She goes the library often and reads several books every day. For one year she tries to keep a journal, but fails. Later on in life Francie's love of reading really pays off for her and helps her find a job where she earns more money per week than her parents did combined every week. This book is a joy to read for a lover of books because there are so many long passages about the importance of education, of reading, and about the joy Francie experiences when she goes into the world of books. I saw a lot of myself in Francie because of that, and also in her teenage years when she tries to spite her mother just for the sake of showing she is grown-up and idolizes her father in spite of his flaws.

The audio version I listened to was narrated by Kate Burton. She did a great job of having different voices for each character and had the early American and immigrant accents down perfectly. I have to say I'm always a little put off by the different character voices some readers do, but I got used to her quickly and looked forward to being read to by her. There was some musical interludes on the audio I listened to, mostly between each book (there are five books each spanning a different time period and with a different focus) which I found extremely strange, but I suppose it provided a nice break between readings. It's a very long audiobook, fifteen hours total, and took me quite awhile to finish but I found that it was a great book to leave and come back to after a few days.

The best thing about A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is that you spend so much time with the characters in different parts of their lives that by the end of the book you really feel like you knew them and what they went through. This was a great book to read after The Jungle, which I read earlier this year, because it shows a more rose colored picture of early American immigration and what was seen as important to those people. That's not to say the book is without heartache--- because their is plenty of it. At least three times I started to cry while listening to this book at work because Betty Smith wrote such believable characters that you really empathized with them, and because Kate Burton did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life on audio.

I give this book and the audio version an A.

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Hi Geeks,

You may notice that the lovely badge with the tree is no longer posted anywhere on this site. You know the one I'm talking about? It had a tree, a book, and the words "Dewey's Weekly Geeks." We received an email asking us if we had permission from the artist to use the artwork. Rather than researching fair use and contacting the artist, we're taking the easy way out and removing it from everywhere it was used on the site.

Please...if you have it posted anywhere on your site, will you either remove it or replace it? We wouldn't want you to get an email, too!

Thank you!

This week's assignment involved cookbooks. And I discovered that it's entirely possible to create a (very diverse) menu from your posts!

Appetizer

Trisha discusses an interesting cookbook: The Original White House Cook Book: Cooking, Toilet and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-Giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts Worth Knowing, Etc. Etc.: A Comprehensive Cyclopedia of Information for the Home. So while I have no appetizer recipe to offer, I figure that book is enough to whet your appetite for what is to come.

Soup

Kim shares pictures of her cookbook collection, mentions her favorites and ends with a link to recipe for a yummy looking chicken tortilla soup.

Gavin discusses Middle Eastern cookbooks and offers up a recipe for Pumpkin Soup.

Come to find out, Claire is married to a chef (lucky!). Her beautiful post features photos of handwritten recipes and books that "evoke a sense of place." And bonus...we get a recipe from her husband, Chef J, for Seafood Miso Soup.

Main Dish

Frances focuses on two of her favorite cookbooks, and provides a recipe for some delicious looking meatballs (I don't even like meatballs and these looked tempting).

Vegetarians might prefer Erotic Horizon's recipe for Rice and Peas, while carb-o-holic's (like me) need to go check out Rikki's post with a recipe for Bucatini alla Carbonara.

Dessert

Care's choice of cookbook cracked me up. No recipe, but I'm sure if you track down this cookbook you'll find something you like:

Jackie (of Literary Escapism) introduces us to her other website, Open Source Cook, and then gives us a recipe for Strawberry Pastries.

And if you still haven't found a recipe that interests you, I bet Debbie could suggest one (or two or ten thousand!).

*****

A few other things...

If you haven't read this post about the sad demise of our beloved tree, please go read it. When I was working on the round-up, I noticed a few trees still out there...so please, do us a favor and take down the tree.

And just a reminder that tomorrow (4/18) is the Read-a-thon, so there will be no Weekly Geeks. If you are suffering withdrawals, feel free to go participate in a past week that you might have missed. Otherwise, we will see you next week!

Hello fellow readers! I can't believe it but I only have four more days until Thanksgiving Break and I register for classes this week. I'm extremely ready for this semester to be over with. I don't know what's up but this semester has gotten me in such a funk as far as reading, blogging, and general attitude goes. I've gotten more in touch with other things I love though, like art and music. I'm so looking forward to a week off so I can get a rest and some good reading and blogging in before winter break.

I've actually been spending quite a bit of time on blogging lately, but it's been the behind the scenes stuff you don't know about. I'm trying to figure out how to improve the sound on my vlogs using Audacity, which is why there haven't been any vlogs recently. I hate that buzzing sound the built-in camera makes on my laptop. I also recently got Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, and I've been trying to figure out design stuff and how to edit some comics I want to post on here. And I've been considering moving to Wordpress.org-- which is a nightmare to even think about but I feel I would be happier there. If anyone knows about any good guides I could use for any of the above topics please let me know!

This week was all about writing as I (still) try to catch up on National Novel Writing Month. I did a video update and shared some of what I have. I also talked about the essay Walking With an Essayist and wrote a review of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

How was your week?

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

Leif Reads is a monthly feature I work on with Aths of Reading on a Rainy Day. Each month we choose a book that covers an environmental topic and discuss these topics and the book.

I've really enjoyed reading Coop this month because it's fitting in nicely with a long term comic I'm working on about sustainable agriculture. If you haven't noticed I've been thinking a lot about the disconnect that has happened between Americans and their food. While it's great that Michael Perry is able to live on his family's farm and teach his children about how food is grown and made I'm starting to realize that most people have never even set foot on a farm. A couple of weekends ago I went to an organic farm to do some volunteer work through an Iowa City organization called Local Foods Connection. Even though I grew up on a farm and around agriculture this farm was in a completely different league. I was amazed by the variety of produce they grew and the methods they used. The farm I visited started everything in a greenhouse and then moved it to a field.

If you have the ability to visit a farm or do some work with a farmer I would encourage you to do so. Next time you're at a farmer's market talk to the farmers there and find out what methods they use to grow their produce. It saddens me when I hear people talk about how lettuce comes from the bag. They don't realize that the lettuce in their bag was grown in Mexico and shipped to a plant where it was bagged and then shipped to their grocery store. They don't realize that the food they're putting in their mouths has gone through miles and miles of travel to reach them. They have no idea who is on the other side of that lettuce.

Even if you're not into gardening, visiting farms or farmer's markets, you might find it fruitful to grow a little something. I don't have my own yard but we're working on growing some things on our patio. Even if you don't have the option to do that, if you live in an apartment with one window you too can grow something. Jason and I are growing coneflowers, sunflowers, basil, and a few other things on our kitchen counter. It's set by a window and we water it every once in awhile. We planted all of these things just a few weeks ago and as you can see they are growing like crazy. If nothing else it's an exercise in understanding. Children often grow something small as part of their science classes in elementary school, but adults can learn from growing a flower in their kitchen to. It will help you understand that everything starts somewhere, even the book I'm reading came from a tree.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

I do like a nice book cover, but I don't give them nearly as much thought as Jana at the Broke and Bookish so my list won't be as in-depth or interesting as hers. Mine aren't in any order either because I'm just putting them in as I think of them basically.

There were times when I was reading The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova where I just couldn't help but stop reading and look at the cover. This is truly one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. I love the darkness of the background and how the image changes for you as you read the book and find out more about the story. The text is great as well, kind of a mix between old and new, which is something the book plays with a lot. Also, I know this isn't part of the cover and I don't know what the books that have been released look like, but on my ARC the binding is gold and looks quite nice on my shelf.

One of the most effective ways to sell books is probably to have them cover out instead of binding out. If it wasn't for that, I never would have seen The Impostor's Daughter by Laurie Sandell this weekend. I was attracted to this cover because of the bright colors, fun font style, and the mystery about why she's covering her face with a picture of her dad. I picked up the book and read the back cover, thought it looked interesting so I opened it up to find it was a graphic novel! I was really excited to find a graphic novel in memoir form because I loved Persepolis so I bought it right away.

This cover is really simple and white, with a great brightly covered image that totally sums up the message of this book. It looks comicy, but still empowering. This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson is probably one of my favorite covers from books I've read this summer. Every time I see the librarian with her cape I smile and I realized something a little different about the picture every time I look at it. For instance, it took me awhile to realize that those were books she was flying out of.

I think part of the reason I read Sunflowers by Sheramy Bundrick was that every time I looked at it I said "Pretty!" I love Sunflowers and Vincent Van Gogh's art and I think it was really effective to do a close up of one painting rather than try to fill the cover with an entire painting. The white text allows the image to speak for itself, and those who know Van Gogh will be immediately attracted just by recognition. Plus I just love green and yellow.

I buy children's books all the time even though I have no children and I'm not a teacher nor do I want to be one. Part of it started when I was a reading tutor and it's just kind of carried on since then. One day I'll have kids to share some of these beautiful children's books with and one I can't wait to share is The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. This was a staff pick at a store once and the artwork is just beautiful. I was attracted by the little red haired boy who sticks out amongst the green and blue of the natural scene behind him.

I still haven't read Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman but every time I walk by the cover I get the urge to start it. It is so simple, most of his covers are, but it just looks interesting. The image reminds of a children's reference book about dinosaurs with all of the labels on it. I love dinosaurs so I'm attracted to that. And I like how the author's name and the title are the same size and sandwich the image.

I just had to add one more children's book to this list. Boris and Bella, authored by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated but Gris Grimly is just a great cover. It's Tim Burton-esque and creepy. Normally when you see a male and female name on a book you assume they are in love, but this is not the case with Boris and Bella. We can tell from the image that these ghouls obviously do not like each other. I also like the purple and black for a creepier story like this one, plus the text fits perfectly.

I haven't read Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart yet, but I intend to soon because the book sounds great to me. I love this cover because it combines and simple colorless photograph with a tiffany blue colored box for text, and then the box is topped with a bow like one from Tiffany would be. I just think that was a really cute idea and I love the simple color scheme of this book.

I read this book a week ago and I think it has a pretty neat cover. This cover of Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman really embodies Rita's personality. The orange and green are bright and fun, which is just like her attitude. I also like the map at the top of the cover that shows all the different places she goes to and how she's constantly traveling back and forth. Plus I like that they used a photograph for a travel narrative because it let's you feel like you're in on their trip a little bit.

My last cover is the 50th Anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It's beautiful. The color scheme is really unique, you don't see that deep, wine red on books very often, and it let's the green of the tree really pop. I have the older lavender version right now and I have been lusting after this book ever since I saw it. I also love the text they use on this cover, a slanted print that looks almost like a child's handwriting.

I actually learned a lot about myself by doing this, I appears that I'm really attracted to colors or white covers with a single image on them. Who knew! What are you attracted to in covers?

What Writing Ten Novels in Nine Years Has Taught Me

1) I’ve learned that I only have 2 hands. Writing a book takes as long as it takes, regardless of how long my editor or agent may think it should actually take me; I believe they have learned to deal with this. I will not drive back to school to deliver a forgotten book or PE bag. My children have learned to deal with it. I thought I’d be on the NYT list after my first book. I’ve learned to deal with it. I can only work as hard or as fast as my two hands will allow me. This will only change if I somehow manage to clone myself. I’m still learning how to deal with that.

2) I’ve learned that frozen vegetables are OK, regardless of what my mother thinks. Same goes for ordering gifts online and making cakes out of a box.

3) I’ve learned that there will be times when I will see my gift as a blessing and adore every word that flies from my fingertips. There will also be times when I will view this very same gift with derision, calling every word drivel, and every page a waste of a good tree. From this, I’ve learned that writing is a lot like the stock market: there will always be ups and downs, and you have to be in it for the long haul to be able to reap any benefits.

4) I’ve learned that crying is a good thing. If I’m doing that while writing an emotional scene, then I’m doing it right. Laughing is good, too, as long as it’s supposed to be funny.

5) I’ve learned that sitting with bad posture for extended lengths of time while absorbed in writing a novel can seriously damage your back. And the prospect of having needles inserted into spine to relieve pain can actually be a welcome thought.

6) I’ve learned that there are mean people out there; people who apparently have nothing better to do than write inane or bad reviews on Amazon or elsewhere; I’ve also learned that they are wonderful and generous people out there who take the time to write and let me know how much they’ve enjoyed my books; I’ve learned that good friends, fans and family are a nice buffer between me and the mean people and to try and spend more time with them. Voodoo dolls help, too.

7) I’ve learned that grocery shopping is overrated. My ability to concentrate on the manuscript at hand is indirectly proportional to how stocked my pantry is. Procrastinating by snacking is one of my favorite activities. So is shopping online. My husband is threatening to enroll me in a three-step program for the latter. I simply tell him that I don’t have time—I’m too busy procrastinating and shopping!

8) I’ve learned that my writing is not a hobby. It’s a calling and something I feel compelled to do. If I ever devote this kind of time, money and energy to a hobby, I want somebody to shoot me or have me committed.

9) I’ve learned that summer vacation is as much for me as it is for my children if not more so. I’ve learned that they live in a veritable country club for most of the year (with a personal maid, chauffeur, chef, social planner and personal secretary) and that she needs a break. I’ve learned to turn a deaf ear to their plea for lounging by the pool all day and put them to work. My daughter will be updating my database for my mailing list this summer and my son will become more acquainted with the washing machine and vacuum cleaner. There will also be the nirvana of all mothers: Summer Camp.

10) I’ve learned that the word ‘no’ is actually a word I can become comfortable with saying. I can almost say that I have at times enjoyed the feeling of it rolling off my tongue.

11) I have learned that no matter how many times it happens, I’m always touched by the kind words in a fan letter.

12) I’ve learned that despite good sales, good reviews, kind fan mail and awards, there will still be times when I look down at the page I’ve just written and say to myself, “this sucks.”

13) I’ve learned that with every novel, I’ve learned something new. Gained more confidence. Gotten better. Found new ways to express myself or tell a story. But it has never, ever become easier. Like my father used to tell me, if it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

14) I’ve learned that despite all the ups and downs, there is nothing in my life that I would change. Except, maybe, the size of my hips and the annoying habit my family has of needing to be fed every day.

15) I’ve learned that blogging on a virtual tour is hard work! Trying to say something new and different for each blog leads one to make a list of lessons learned in the hopes that she might enlighten others and even maybe be a little bit entertaining.

Thank you, Karen! Check back tomorrow for my review of Karen's latest novel, The Lost Hours.

Pump Up Your Book Promotion

“We take books to the virtual level!”

www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

When I created my blog, I did so because I have a strong love of reading, and wanted to share my love of books, and the books themselves, with my friends and loved ones. And the best way to celebrate, I think, is to recognize some of my favorite books...and to give them away!

All of the books pictured will be given to one lucky person. It so happens that the majority of these books were books I read a long with the online book club I belong to, Pageturners. We've been a group for over six years now. They are some of my very best friends! I think I enjoyed these books so much because of the discussions they generated.

There are over 20 books in this giveaway:

The Memory Keeper's Daughter
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Valley of the Dolls
The Bookseller of Kabul
The Mercy of Thin Air
Full of Grace
Under the Tuscan Sun
The Secret Life of Bees
Mrs. Kimble
Living History
A Gift Upon the Shore
Second Glance
A Million Little Pieces
Measure of A Man
Two Old Woman
The Time Traveler's Wife
Kite Runner
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Son of A Witch
The Sound and the Fury
A Light in August
As I Lay Dying

The Rules:

1. To be entered, comment on this post. Your email address must be included in the comment or you will be disqualified.
2. For an extra entry, blog about it. Be sure to include a link to your blog post in your comment.
3. For an extra entry, tweet about it. You will receive a point for each time you tweet (one per day max), but you must post a link to your tweet.

This Monday I was a very busy crafter. Because of that I didn't get quite as much reading done as I normally would, but I was doing something bookish all the same. I got this idea from Living With Lindsay so if you would like to do this craft you should go over to her blog to find out how. Basically it is a foam wreath covered in pages ripped from a book. This took me about three and a half hours. On her blog it says her materials cost $2. Mine were a little more than that. I actually had to buy a glue gun and glue because I didn't have any, that cost me $5. I don't have a Dollar Tree around here so I had to go to Michael's to find the wreath (it was a last resort though, believe me). My foam wreath cost about $5. I already had a book I purchased at a used book store several years ago about the Rothschilds. I never read it and I probably never would have so I didn't feel too bad about ripping it up. So overall the actual wreath cost me $5.

This was really easy to make! Anyone can do it, but watch out for glue gun burns!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? This is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being reading, and the books to be finish this week. It was created by J.Kaye's Book Blog, so stop by and join in!

Last week was a rough week for me as far as reading goes. I started the Game On Diet and I feel most of my free time last week was spent preparing meals. Then the 4th of July rolled around, and my son's 4th birthday, and all my free time was zapped! So, while I only completed one book, I'm close to completing a few more.

Completed Last Week

Darling Jim: A Novel by Christian Moerk (audiobook)

Currently Reading

The Poet by Michael Connelly (about 20 pages from the end. GREAT book)

Books to Read this Week

A Short History of Women: A Novel

by Kate Walbert
How Perfect Is That

by Sarah Bird
The Castaways

by Erin Hilderbrand
The Crying Tree

by Naseem Rakha
Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single

by Heather McElhatton

So, what will you be reading this week?

I picked up Memory of Trees for no other reason than the subtitle A Daughter's Story of a Family Farm. I love reading about farms and agriculture, but it's rare that I see a story from the point of view of a daughter. I was especially intrigued because that is what I mostly write about-- Iowa agriculture from a daughter's point of view. Gayla Marty writes about her family's Minnesota farm during the sixties and seventies. She watches as the farms around her become more industrial and watches her own family's farm come to an end. She punctuates the end of each section with a little vignette on a tree from her life. The book is nonfiction, but its really poetry.

"North, east, south, west. North is the pasture behind the barn and the lane along the fence that leads the cows to the woods. East are the railroad tracks and highway. South is town, three miles away. You can see the white towers of the mill across the swamp and fields. West is Gramma's house, which is also Uncle and Auntie's; just beyond it is the woodshed, then the orchard, then the creek flowing under the road into the swamp. In springtime the creek is swollen, the swamp turns into a lake a quarter mile wide" (4).

I love stories about the Midwest but I never see them and I certainly never see them done well. Marty captures the essence of rural Midwest life so well it almost brought me to tears. I've always wanted a book that showed me my life and this was it. The one book that really captured it all for me. I had an extremely intense connection with this book because Marty was able to get the time and place of her story exactly right. By the end of the book I felt like I grew up with her.

Her exploration of place goes beyond the Midwest to farms in Switzerland and Tanzania where she traveled late in high school and early in college. She sees everything through the eyes of a farmer's daughter, and because I shared that bond with her I felt like I saw these places in the most realistic way.

There were a few issues. I thought the book was a little too slow in parts, although overall I thought the pacing was right on and the slowness fit well with the location. Most of my other problems were with Marty's decisions, which have nothing to do with the writing and really nothing to do with her either. It was more about me projecting my own desires onto her life.

This is a book I seem to be recommending to everyone lately even though I have a feeling not everyone will love it. If you're a farmer's daughter though, and you love that about yourself, I really think this is a must read.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

Today for our Memory Monday guest, I have Gale! She's an author with a really interesting back story! Check out her bio and hear her talk about childhood favorites!:) Here is a link to her blog- http://www.galeminchew.bravejournal.com

My Bio:

Gale Minchew is a licensed psychologist who resides in East Texas with her husband and two children. In her professional practice, Dr. Minchew specializes in issues related to children and families. However, over the past couple of years, she has consulted with adults and children who have experienced a broad range of paranormal phenomena, as well.

Over the past 14 years, Dr. Minchew has written several works of fiction, in addition to completing a dissertation. While she has become adept at technical writing through her professional practice, Dr. Minchew’s heart is with young adult fiction. She strives to provide a cross-over experience that engenders the creativity and interest the adult population craves while upholding some of the core values that are so lacking in many of the current works of young adult fiction on the market. Shadows of Destiny is Dr. Minchew’s first published fiction novel.

The Sidewalk Ends Here…

I don’t remember any books from my childhood. At least, that’s what I thought. When I first tried to conger up memories of reading, I drew a complete blank. Yes, I couldn’t think of one single book! So, I decided to delve a little further into my mind and came up with the cute teddy bear board book my mom read to me as a toddler, Cinderella, and The Princess and the Pea. I still have that little teddy bear book and will always cherish it. But, can that really be all I remember reading as a child? Pulling those memories from the frayed edges of my mind soon buried me under a wave of book covers and authors. Oh! What about the Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal? I read that series incessantly during my teen years. I remember spending so much money on those books…and it became a challenge…buying, reading, and arranging all those books on my shelf in chronological order. Then, a little further back I remembered some required reading from middle school…Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume and the life and writings of Edgar Allen Poe. I admit, I didn’t care for Judy Blume, but I was fascinated with Edgar Allen Poe…The Raven, The Tell Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, The Pit and the Pendulum, and so on. But, I still wonder why they had Poe as required reading for a 13 year old! It was probably my fascination with Poe that led to my interest in crime/suspense/mystery novels. So, it was only logical that by high school, I had moved on to Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Anne Rice.

I continued to ponder the books I read as a child and found that with all the authors, titles, and genres flowing through my mind, I continuously returned to fourth grade. It was a magical year, I suppose…a time for trading stickers with my friends, staying out of the clutches of boys chasing girls on the playground, and my first introduction to poetry. Now, I admit I would have done almost anything to not go outside for recess, as you can imagine! Quite coincidentally, my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Joyce Sigler, had an exciting project for me and a friend in lieu of play time. At recess, she would tape a large sheet of white paper on the wall and place the overhead projector in just the right spot for maximum size. She would then place a transparency on the overhead glass, and my friend and I would carefully trace the letters and drawings onto the plain white paper. That simple job made me feel important! And, unbeknownst to me at the time, I learned about poetry and how to make that funny little lower case ‘a’. I mean, who really writes an ‘a’ like that? Ultimately, I ended up reading the entire book from which the transparencies were made. What an exciting experience at such an impressionable time in my young life!

You may wonder what poetry could possibly fill a fourth grader with so much excitement. This poetry was magical, complete with funny drawings…a book filled of stories such as Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out, a crocodile who went to the dentist, and little Peggy Ann McKay who was so sick she could not go to school today! Yes, Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein became my favorite book that year. That year became one of my most memorable years in school and, by my estimation, served as a catalyst for my growing love of books.

I now share Mr. Silverstein’s books with my own children. Not only Where the Sidewalk Ends, but A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, and The Giving Tree, as well. Will my fourth grader have the same memories about reading these books as I have? Probably not, but I hope to make an impression as great as that given to me all those years ago by one very special fourth grade teacher and Shel Silverstein!

What a fun post Gale!! I'm pretty much the only person I know who didn't love Shel Silverstein growing up, and I tried to read him a while ago and... eh. Still don't love. But I loved hearing your story! And even though I don't love Shel, his are definitely books I'll have for my future kids! Thanks so much for guesting for me today!

Snow has finally blanketed the fair Iowa City, just in time to lock me inside my house to study. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I won't be doing that today as the literary magazine I'm on is having a big meeting today and it could go for several hours. Hopefully I still manage to finish at least one paper today!

I had a party last night and several friends came over to play games and eat cookies. I made 100 cookies! Including the cookies Kim talked about at Sophisticated Dorkiness. They were delicious, a big hit. I actually used hugs and kisses for mine, and I think I preferred the hugs but I'm a sucker for white chocolate. The party was especially great because there was freshly fallen snow, cookies and warm drinks, a bright Christmas tree, and lots of laughter with good friends. It was very atmospheric, I would say. If someone from the outside were to look into our frosty windows I think they would smile at the good time we had.

I also got 500 Handmade Books from my friend Michael as an engagement/Christmas present, which was lovely. Although there is a book I saw in there that had human hair on it, which I thought was odd. It was one of the first books I looked at so I'm interested to see what can top that. In all reality, I'm really excited about bookbinding right now. Michael and I are taking a bookbinding class next semester and on Friday I went to see what students in the University of Iowa's Center for the Book made this past semester. There were so many amazing books, paper, and boxes that I feel I couldn't have seen everything even though I walked through it all. I hope some of my projects turn out as beautiful as the ones on display. I'm sure you can all expect posts about that next semester!

I'm off to continue writing about Sarah Silverman and eat some breakfast (brunch?).

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.

After I finished The Lightning Thief, the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, I couldn't wait to move forward with the series to see where it went. I bought The Sea of Monsters

almost immediately after finishing the first book, but it's taken me a few months to get to it. At the beginning of this book Percy returns to Camp Half-Blood to discover that something has gone wrong. The tree guarding the camp is dying, which means the camp is ultra vulnerable. No one is sure why this is happening, but they do know that since it started weird things have been happening at camp and someone needs to do something about it. The solution is the Golden Fleece and Percy, being Percy, knows that he needs to find it.

One of the things I didn't like about The Lightning Thief was that it used some pop culture references that in my opinion are already dead (Hilary Duff? Seriously?). In The Sea of Monsters, Riordan seems to have gotten away from that, which I appreciated. On the other hand, The Lightning Thief started in on the action right away which I think is a perfect way to start a book like this. The second book in the series did start quickly, but it took me a little bit longer to get absorbed in the story. In fact, I'm not sure I ever really was absorbed in the story. There was no moment where I was on my toes wondering what was going to happen. I thought it was little predictable. When you create a character like Percy Jackson who can do superhuman things and has superhuman abilities you have to work extra hard to make us believe he has flaws, that he can fail. That just didn't happen in this book. If I don't think Percy Jackson has flaws, then how am I supposed to convince myself he might fail?

I did really enjoy the changes I saw in Annabeth this time around though. She seemed stronger than last time, more believable. I think Annabeth is actually my favorite character in the series, not Percy, who can be so bullheaded he doesn't even see how much Annabeth helps him. He appreciates her, but without Annabeth he wouldn't be able to do a lot of the things he pulls off. There were some nice moments in this book as well. I like how Percy's dad's absence is played out in this book and how he talks about him knowing that he does care about him. Even though his dad is a god that doesn't mean Percy isn't bothered by the fact he never sees him. There was also a nice message about being yourself and not caring what others think or say about you, which I think is a common thread in the Percy Jackson series especially since he is dyslexic and has ADD as well.

Overall I was a little disappointed with this one and I hope the next one in the series is better. I'm giving this one a C.

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This week's Booking Through Thursday is all of these questions!

1. Favorite childhood book?
Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes was my favorite picture book. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery was my favorite chapter bok.

2. What are you reading right now?
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, The Best American Essays 2008, and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion.

4. Bad book habit?
Putting them down on the table with the spine up.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
The Catcher in the Rye, About a Mountain by John D'Agata, Sleeping Naked is Green by Vanessa Farguharson, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Yes, I have a nook.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Several, although lately I've been focusing more on one at a time.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Oh yeah, I read a lot more and I'm more conscious about what I think while I'm reading.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not very often.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Genres I know I can count on like literary nonfiction, graphic novels, young adult series, and classics.

13. Can you read on the bus?
Yeah I do it all the time.

14. Favorite place to read?
Outside as long as I don't have the sun to my back.

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'll lend to anyone I'm friends with.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I used to but now I use bookmarks and sticky notes.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Often.

18. Not even with text books?
Still do it here.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English though I can read some French.

20. What makes you love a book?
Strong female characters, strong characters of any kind, detailed description but not flowery language.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I come away from a book thinking it either changed the way I look at something or helped me learn a lot about a subject or life.

22. Favorite genre?
Literary nonfiction.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Current literary fiction.

24. Favorite biography?
Wild Child: Life with Jim Morrison by Linda Ashcroft.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I've read fitness walking books and study books.

26. Favorite cookbook?
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

28. Favorite reading snack?
Popcorn or oranges.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I think I expected too much from it.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Depends on the critic. I usually agree with book reviews from the Believer. Bookmarks is more touch and go.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I feel that I always give reasons for why I don't like a book so I don't mind giving negative reviews. I try to find something good even in books I dont like.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Dutch.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Middlemarch by George Eliot.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

35. Favorite Poet?
Emily Dickinson.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I didn't have a library card until last week (I know, I know!) but including the university library I would say about 3 or 4.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Frequently when I was younger, which is why I didn't get a library card again until last week.

38. Favorite fictional character?
I have way too many! One I always remember fondly is Marcus in About a Boy by Nick Hornby.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
Lydia Gwilt from Armadale by Wilkie Collins.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Some literary nonfiction and historical fiction.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Three or four months probably.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Most recently I have been very challenged by Surviving Paradise. Not sure if I'll finish it or not.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Noise, other conversations, my own nagging thoughts.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Jane Eyre! The PBS version.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I wasn't too fond of The Lightning Thief.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Oh boy, no clue. Definitely upwards $150 dollars.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not that often, surprisingly.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Boring plot.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I like to keep them on shelves, but in no particular order.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I prefer to keep them.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Gone With the Wind, even though I said I'd read it by the end of the summer.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
I can name an essay that made me angry. Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
I wasn't sure if I'd like Candy Girl by Diablo Cody and really enjoyed it.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere by Jan Morris.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
The Luxe series.

Did any of my answers surprise you?

Terrence Malick: The Tree of Life

Everyone loves a recluse, especially when they pop out of the woodwork with masterpieces such asBadlandsandThe New Worldevery seven-years or so. Terrence Malick's latest, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, sets to be just as beautiful, poetic and complex as his previous films and early buzz has Malick tipped to take home the top prize, 32-years after his first Palme d'Or nomination forDays Of Heaven.
Julia Leigh: Sleeping Beauty

Oscar-winning director Jane Campion presents this erotic retelling of the classic fairytale. Australian beauty Emily Browning swaps the samurai sword and school girl outfit ofSucker Punchto play a college student drawn into a mysterious, hidden world of prostitution. Written and directed by Australian novelist Julia Leigh, this is a triumph of female filmmaking and the poignant, beautifully crafted story should appeal to the A-List jury.
Nicolas Winding Refn: Drive

The black sheep, or black Cadillac rather, of the finalists isDrive; an action movie with art house sensibilities. It stars international film festival favourite Ryan Gosling as a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman and discovers a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. It doesn't sound like the usual Palme d'Or fare, which is exactly why it might work. It also stars Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston and Oscar Isaac.
Lars Von Trier: Melancholia

Von Trier blew everyone away with his sexually graphic and emotionally horrific filmAntichristat last year's Cannes, which divided critics and audiences alike. His latest and eighth Palme d'Or nominated filmMelancholialooks to be a safer bet with Kristen Dunst and renowned French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg starring as sisters who find their relationship challenged as a nearby planet threatens to collide into the Earth.

Pedro Almodóvar: La Piel que Habito (The Skin that I Inhabit)

Bizarre. That's the first word that springs to mind when watching excerpts from acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's latest about a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) on the hunt for the men who raped his daughter. Part horror, part thriller, all parts dramatic, this is one of the more left-field, artistic offerings amongst the 20 finalists.

Takashi Miike: Ichemei (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai)

The prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker's newbie will be the first 3D feature to compete in Cannes and is a re-imagining of Masaki Kobayashi's 1962 filmHarakiri. With over 70 titles to his name, Miike's films range from violent and bizarre to dramatic and family-friendly, with this being his first to screen at the famous festival. It's an outside chance to take home any of the major prizes since its biggest coup was getting selected for competition in the first place.
Out of competition films to keep an eye on throughout the course of the festival are Australian serial-killer dramaSnowtown, the controversial Princess Diana documentaryUnlawful Killingand Oscar-winner Gus Van Sant's latestRestless, starring talented Aussie actress Mia Wasikowka. The Cannes film festival wraps on May 22. In the meantime, I suggest you check out theRestlesstrailer below because, put simply, it looks amazing.

VIA That Cannes-do spirit

The interconnected domes

VIA «National Ecological Institute in South Korea»

This semester has been absolutely crazy. I'm working at the library, I have a writing internship with a nonprofit, I'm volunteering at the Women's Resource and Action Center, I'm taking 6 classes (16 hours), and I'm living off campus for the first time. In short, I am exhausted. All of this running around has definitely been getting in the way of my reading time. Last night I sat down and read a graphic memoir, The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell

, just to feel like I'd read something. One of my friends told me I should be Wonder Woman for Halloween because she can't imagine how I manage to get all of this stuff done, and I'm wondering how I manage to do it too. I'm planning on changing my work schedule in a week though, so hopefully that will give me a little bit more free time. At the very least I shouldn't have to wake up so early every day.

One great thing about my job though is that it gives me time to read. Sort of. I started listening to audiobooks at work in addition to my favorite podcasts and I've finished two books so far, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

by David Sedaris and Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son by Michael Chabon. I really enjoy the experience of listening to an author read his or her work and so far that is the only experience I've had with audiobooks. Over the summer I listened to a Bill Bryson book that he narrated. I've decided to mix things up a little bit though, and I got the audiobook for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This is obviously not narrated by her and it's also about twice the length of any other podcast I have listened to. Fifteen hours, I actually had to download two separate files from Audible. I never really thought I'd be an audibook person, but with the job I have now I'm grateful for them because I'm getting paid but also getting some reading done.

But I must say, listening to an audiobook is just not the same as reading a physical book. When I'm done with an audiobook I just add it to my list of books read this year, write a review, and that's it. But when I finish a physical book I actually feel a sense of accomplishment. I can put the book back on the shelf, or drop it back off at the library. I get to feel the relaxing experience of reading. Of sitting on the couch with a good book in my hands. I get to watch as the pages dwindle down until I'm only 50 pages from the end, 30, 15, 5, 1. That is so exciting. On my iPod I see I have four hours left, or two, or fifteen minutes, but I just don't get that same sense of putting the book back on the shelf. I don't have anything against audiobooks, I really need them in my life right now because otherwise I would be getting zero reading done, but I do miss being able to sit down and read, read, read.

How do you feel about audiobooks versus physical books?

I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you make a purchase using one of my links I will earn a small percentage which will then go back into this blog.