One day I will have a house with enough room to have a fabulous bookshelf that will hold all of my fave reads. But right now I take advantage of the public library. Shame on me, but I have been going to the Rocky River Public Library for years and avoiding my own. The main reason for this was when I first moved to Lakewood the library was small and had very little to choose from, especially in the realm of books on tape. I just got in the habit of going to RRPL because they had everything I needed. Recently, I have been reading about and driving past the newly renovated Lakewood Public Library and telling myself that I need to support my community's library. Today I got a cool mailing about all the library has to offer. And I stumbled upon this:
Knit & Lit Book Club
Here’s a new kind of book club for both the knit-a-holic and the incurable bibliophile. Lynda Tuennerman will get us started with the first book selection. After that, meetings will grow organically like a long, long scarf as members make suggestions for books and needlework projects. We’ll keep our hands and minds busy on the third Tuesday of every month, sharing literary insights and personal projects. To register, please call 226-8275 ext. 127.
How fun is this?! Combining two of my favorite hobbies. Even the next book selection sounds cool:
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Library Meeting Room
I'm not normally a fan of book clubs, but this one piqued my interest. Who wants to join me??
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Beach Music
Wow. I love Pat Conroy. His could be some of the best writing I have ever read. He even has status in my top ten books with Prince of Tides (movie was good, but the book blew it away). His books are quite long, full of details, and never once am I bored. I finally read a second of his books, Beach Music, and for 768 pages, I never once wished for it to end. So much happened, and yet I was never confused or uncertain of the big picture. I was sucked in from the first sentence and still glued to every page until the last word. Some sentences were so beautiful, I found myself reading them two and three times just to absorb their meaning and beauty. Read this gem and you will understand what I mean:
"Pale light still held Waterford in the hot palm of the backsliding day. Late April is that time of year when light seems to melt into the river and touch the blossoms of the transfigured trees; it made the town seem tenderly kissed with regret as the river moved away from the fading sun."
Magnificence. The story begins with the fact that Jack McCall's wife has recently committed suicide and he blames everyone, including himself. He's angry with her family, his family and all their friends and decides to flee from South Carolina to Rome. His daughter, Leah, is two when they leave and remembers nothing of her mother or her life in Waterford. Rome is her home, yet she longs to know the rest of her family. Through a series of events, Jack returns home to be with his dying mother. Once there he must confront his anger and allow those closest to him to reconcile and learn to cope with the loss of Shyla, his wife, and soon-to-be-gone, Lucy, his mother. Shyla's parents are desperate to make amends with Jack. When their daughter died, they sued Jack for custody of Leah. Thankfully he won, but the scar ran so deep and forced his exit to Rome. While Shyla's parents never approved of their daughter's marriage in the first place, they being Jewish and the McCalls being Catholic, there was never a clear understanding beyond the surface of differing religions that made sense for the disapproval. The story takes us to World War II Poland where Shyla's parents endured unspeakable hardship courtesy of the Nazis. Jack also learn to cop with his alcoholic father and a mother that simply loved him "the best that she knew how." I could continue on and on with more of the plot, but I think it's fair to leave the rest to a new reader. There is just so much more I could say, but it could take hours and reading Conroy's writing will be much more enjoyable than mine!
___________
* * * *-1/2 *
"Pale light still held Waterford in the hot palm of the backsliding day. Late April is that time of year when light seems to melt into the river and touch the blossoms of the transfigured trees; it made the town seem tenderly kissed with regret as the river moved away from the fading sun."
Magnificence. The story begins with the fact that Jack McCall's wife has recently committed suicide and he blames everyone, including himself. He's angry with her family, his family and all their friends and decides to flee from South Carolina to Rome. His daughter, Leah, is two when they leave and remembers nothing of her mother or her life in Waterford. Rome is her home, yet she longs to know the rest of her family. Through a series of events, Jack returns home to be with his dying mother. Once there he must confront his anger and allow those closest to him to reconcile and learn to cope with the loss of Shyla, his wife, and soon-to-be-gone, Lucy, his mother. Shyla's parents are desperate to make amends with Jack. When their daughter died, they sued Jack for custody of Leah. Thankfully he won, but the scar ran so deep and forced his exit to Rome. While Shyla's parents never approved of their daughter's marriage in the first place, they being Jewish and the McCalls being Catholic, there was never a clear understanding beyond the surface of differing religions that made sense for the disapproval. The story takes us to World War II Poland where Shyla's parents endured unspeakable hardship courtesy of the Nazis. Jack also learn to cop with his alcoholic father and a mother that simply loved him "the best that she knew how." I could continue on and on with more of the plot, but I think it's fair to leave the rest to a new reader. There is just so much more I could say, but it could take hours and reading Conroy's writing will be much more enjoyable than mine!
___________
* * * *-1/2 *
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
I found a new thing
I admit. I can be a follower. Especially in this fun world of blogging. I'm always looking for fun new things to post since lately it's taking me WAY to long to finish a book. I've been seeing a lot of other bloggers have a tab or section on their blog called something like "100 things about me." And I thought it took a long time to read a book...oh boy, how long would it take to come up with that much about moi??
Then I found it. My new pal, Jeane, over at Dog Ear Diary and I have been corresponding about memes. She has a great section in her blog about this new (at least to me) modern game of tag. So I did some research on exactly what a meme is. First, the word is pronounced to rhyme with "dream" or "seem." In the context of blogging, a meme is a list of questions you read somewhere else that you would like to answer. Hopefully others will see your list and want to answer for themselves, and so on. In looking around for a definition, I found a great site to spark more ideas. Jeane also said she gets her book-related memes from here.
Instead of taking a lifetime to think of 100 things about myself, this meme will do the trick for now. Read on and consider yourself tagged!
Six Random Things About Me
1. There are three words in the English language that I actually detest: fondle, moist and morsel. Say any of them and you either want to gag or swallow. It's very hard for me to describe cake.
2. I love to be alone. Sometimes I fear this to be a problem. And I am never bored. Ever.
3. I have no patience for an adult with a lisp and/or speech impediment. If you are over the age of five and don't have a medical problem, get speech therapy. I know someone who can help.
4. I'm probably the only human being who doesn't like potatoes. And no, not even french fries.
5. I sucked my thumb until I was thirteen. Gave it up for Lent.
6. Lately I'm wondering what it would take for me to completely switch majors and become an art restorer. Or an archaeologist. Do I really have to go back to school??
That was fun! Stay tuned...
Then I found it. My new pal, Jeane, over at Dog Ear Diary and I have been corresponding about memes. She has a great section in her blog about this new (at least to me) modern game of tag. So I did some research on exactly what a meme is. First, the word is pronounced to rhyme with "dream" or "seem." In the context of blogging, a meme is a list of questions you read somewhere else that you would like to answer. Hopefully others will see your list and want to answer for themselves, and so on. In looking around for a definition, I found a great site to spark more ideas. Jeane also said she gets her book-related memes from here.
Instead of taking a lifetime to think of 100 things about myself, this meme will do the trick for now. Read on and consider yourself tagged!
Six Random Things About Me
1. There are three words in the English language that I actually detest: fondle, moist and morsel. Say any of them and you either want to gag or swallow. It's very hard for me to describe cake.
2. I love to be alone. Sometimes I fear this to be a problem. And I am never bored. Ever.
3. I have no patience for an adult with a lisp and/or speech impediment. If you are over the age of five and don't have a medical problem, get speech therapy. I know someone who can help.
4. I'm probably the only human being who doesn't like potatoes. And no, not even french fries.
5. I sucked my thumb until I was thirteen. Gave it up for Lent.
6. Lately I'm wondering what it would take for me to completely switch majors and become an art restorer. Or an archaeologist. Do I really have to go back to school??
That was fun! Stay tuned...
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