Christie's Treasure Trove

My favorite for the week is from The Beautiful and Damned. I'm not sure why, but I really like this quote. It's a somewhat subtle, though descriptive, way of depicting the falling in love of a man with a woman.

"She was a sun, radiant, growing, gathering light and storing it- then after an eternity pouring it forth in a glance, the fragment of a sentence, to that part of him that cherished all beauty and illusion" (61).

Cindy's Reading

New stuff:
I finished "Look Me in the Eye" on Saturday. So, I needed new books. Luckily, the library had some waiting for me. :) I had requested two that I heard about on NPR, and though I will peruse them, I don't think my brain can focus on the brain food provided there. :) The books are:
"The Art of Ill Will" which is the history of political cartoons, featuring over 200 of them from the colonial period to current day. I struggled with political cartoons in US History, so I thought this might help me to understand them better. Of course, I was on vacation at the time I requested the book... Oh, well.
The other is a parenting book: "Beyond Timeout". I am hoping for more insight to share with parents that are struggling, but who has time to read boring parenting books? Maybe this one will be different, and I will find something to help. :)
I am more focused on reading "Intuition", which is required reading for my Science class. It has a slow story line, and a lot of characters to sort through. I don't know, if it wasn't required, I would likely put it down and move onto something else. I am not much for science lab stuff, and unless there is something else going on, I fear it will be a long book to get through.
Oh, I am close to the end of the "Judge and Jury" audio book, and so picked up "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to listen to. At least in the car, I will not have much to think about. :)
Besides these, Ruth and I are reading "The Wizard Of Oz". We had a long conversation the other day about Dorthy's shoes. In the book they are silver, and that bothered Ruth because the movie has her in ruby slippers. But, all I could consider is that the movie was the first one in color, and they wanted something to really stand out. Ruth pulled out a book she owned, one of those condensed classics for kids, and showed me that the picture on the front of that book showed the ruby slippers. But, upon investigation, even in her book, Dorothy has silver slippers to wear.
Ah, well, I must go and finish some school stuff. I have a Tuesday Treasure, but will post that later, if I have time. :)

Ruth's Reading

I am reading Goosebumps "The Girl Who Cried Monster" by RL Stine. I chose it because I like Goosebumps books. I had to pick a new chapter book at school and this was the first one I touched, so I am reading it.

Karen's got another new book!

I finally went to the library today, so I have some new reading material. I decided to go for a different subject this time, besides film. I have a couple of top 100 books lined up that Christie has checked out, but I think I'll start with a book I got which is Josser: the Secret Life of a Circus Girl by Nell Stroud. I haven't started it yet, but I am about to. It's the memoir of a girl who ran away with the circus (sound familiar?).

Christie's Manifest Monday

I am still reading The Beautiful and Damned. I got quite a bit read this weekened and will hopefully have the book done by the end of this week. Now that I've had some time to sit down and read without the lure of sleep, I'm enjoying the story quite a bit more. Hopefully I'll stay disciplined this week and keep the TV watching down and the quiet reading time up.

Friday

I've really slacked off this week in terms of posting. Sorry! I'm not going to try to catch up, and all I have for today is that I haven't finished anything. I haven't even touched the Conversations book in a while, and probably will just return it without finishing it, even though I was really enjoying it. I can always go back to it later. I'm still working on Thunderstruck. Hopefully I will finish it by next Friday. Have a good weekend!

Christie's Unfinished Friday

Nope, haven't finished any books this week. Seriously, though, I'm going to try to do a lot of reading this weekend... you know, instead of plopping in front of that stupid television. :)

Happy Reading!

Christie's Top 100

I'm still reading The Beautiful and Damned. I've been really tired in the evenings lately, so I haven't read as much as I'd like before going to bed/sleep. I'm just about through with the second chapter, but I'm moving slowly.

Like I said before, I'm having trouble focusing on the storyline and characters. This could be because of my exhaustion, but I'm really trying harder to pay attention while I read and get as much out of it as I can.

Combined: Top 100 and Wordy

Ruth and I began "The Wizard of Oz". We are up to chapter 3, which has Dorothy starting off on the yellow brick road. It is just not the same with out the squeaky "Follow the Yellow Brick Road' being sung by the munchkins. :) But, it is introducing us to new words, and it is fun!

Words:
cyclone: a storm or system of winds that rotates about a center of low atmospheric pressure, advances at a speed of 20 to 30 miles (about 30 to 50 kilometers) an hour, and often brings heavy rain
gaunt: excessively thin and angular
stern: forbidding or gloomy in appearance
solemn: marked by grave sedateness and earnest sobriety
dismally: showing or causing gloom or depression
sward: a portion of ground covered with grass

These are all from The Wizard of Oz, and looked up in the Merriam- Webster dictionary online.

Wordy

I'm still behind......it's been a busy week. All day long I thought it was Tuesday!

I do have one wordy which I found interesting. In the book Rabbit Run, Harry has to return home to pick up some clothes. One of the items mentioned are "suntans". I wondered, are "suntans" khakis? I googled. And found this article from The New York Times circa 2000. The whole story was about flat front verses pleated front pants. Really, who knew??

From the article: "Looking for a little historical perspective, I asked John Weitz, the 77-year-old designer, about pleats versus flat-front.
''Obviously, it all goes in circles,'' he said. ''The modern-day circle started after the war, when the men came back wearing what are now unfortunately known as chinos but were then called suntans, because they were a tan pant and they were flat.'' Until then, Mr. Weitz continued, ''the only people who wore flat pants were the upper classes. You saw them in Brooks Brothers and the Ivy League. The rest of the country wore great big pleated pants in a rather bad imitation of the Duke of Windsor.''

So, now you know. Aren't you glad?

Christie's Wordies

From The Beautiful and Damned:

1. peripatetic (vi): a person who walks from place to place; travelling especially on foot

2. fillip (xx): bonus; anything that tends to arouse

3. sophistry (4): sophism- a deliberately invalid argument used to deceive

4. esoteric (37): understood only by a chosen few

5. withal (48): however; nevertheless

Christie's Treasure Trove

It's been awhile since I've read it, but my favorite of the week is the book This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. I can't remember a lot of details, but I do know that it made an impact on me when I read it. It's about spiritual warfare that occurs within a small community. It can be kind of a scary read at times, but it is also incredibly moving and inspiring... at least it was for me.

From the back cover: "Not since The Screwtape Letters has there been a novel with as much insight into spiritual warfare and the necessity of prayer. Fast-moving, riveting reading ranking with the best thrillers on the bookshelf." (Hmm, guess I'll be checking out The Screwtape Letters.)

I wouldn't recommend it just yet for the youngest reader of our group, but I think everyone else could probably get something out of it- even if you've already read it.

Cindy is behind too

But, hey, I'll catch up sometime....
In the mean time:
I am reading for fun: "Look Me In the Eye", and listening to "Judge and Jury". (I did not finish "The Last King" but decided the sleepy tale told in soft Scottish brogue was not suitable for driving...)
I like how John Robison describes wanting to fit in to social groups, but never quite making it work. I can not tell how often I mirror that desire.

Judge and Jury is by James Patterson, and I have to say it is nice to have a book that does not require a pen and paper to take notes. :)

I am still reading Intuition, and it will become a school book tomorrow. Which leads me to other school books: "Essentials of Research Methods in Psychology" and "Real Science". I know that text books are not much fun, but they are part of my reading life, so I thought I would add them. :)

Ruth and I will be starting the Wizard of Oz this week. I know it is much different than the movie or the play, and I hope she is not as disappointed as I was the first time I read it. I'll get Ruth caught up here as well, maybe tomorrow...

Still behind.....will I ever catch up??

Happy Tuesday! I am still reading Rabbit Run but now I actually want to finish it to see where the story ends. Rabbit is a confused young man with some crazy family.

No quotes or favorites to mention yet. I'll see if I can think of something and post it later.

Karen's reading something new

I am still working on the Conversations book, though I haven't done much with it in the last week. But I also started Thunderstruck by Erik Larson. I read one of his other books Devil in the White City, which was really good. Christie said this one isn't as good but it was something she had lying around the house so I grabbed it since I haven't been able to get to the library. Hopefully I will this week, though, and maybe will get one of the top 100 books. We'll see. In the meantime, I will stick with what I have.

Christie's Manifest Monday

I am (still) reading The Beautiful and Damned. I didn't get much done over the weekend, but it was worth it because I was visiting with Mom! I'm having a bit of trouble focusing on the story line and it may partly be the format of the book, but it also could just be that I've been a bit scatter brained lately. I'll get into it as things settle down after the awesome, busy weekend!

Christie Finally Finished!

I finished Flags of Our Fathers at the beginning of this week. It was really good and I learned quite a bit. If you're looking to know more about one of the most famous, reprinted photos in the country, definitely check out this book- there may be some facts you think you know that will change after reading. You may also learn, like I did, some things about World War II that you'd never learned before.

I definitely recommend this book, although I know it's not a genre most people are interested in.

And now I'm off to get ready for a day with Mum! I hope everyone has an awesome weekend.

Happy Reading!

Christie's Top 100

Yay, I'm finally reading a Top 100 Book on a Thursday! I haven't actually started the book part yet, I've only read the introductions, because I haven't had much reading time the past few days. But I'm in the process of starting The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Amazingly, they didn't have Rabbit, Run in the library- one copy was checked out and one was "in transit," whatever that means. So I moved on to the next-next Top 100 Book on the list.

Like Mom, I am also glad to see Ruth participating in the blog! I'm glad she and Aunt Cindy found a Top 100 Book to read together... Mom didn't say anything, but she looked up a Top 100 Book list for kids and maybe she could pass that info on to Auntie Cindy? :)

Happy Reading!

Kathy Catches Up

Well, not really. I'm just going to post about today's theme--Top 100. I'm still reading Rabbit, Run by John Updike. If I have enough down time this weekend, I'll finish it though not by tomorrow to report.

Instead I would like to officially welcome Ruth to the blog! There is nothing like reading a good book and I'm so glad she is joining us. I've had a really hectic week or I would have commented on her earlier post. I hope you enjoy Wizard of Oz. Frank Baum wrote several Oz books and I loved every single one of them when I was growing up. Gee, I wonder when they will remake THAT movie?? Or use one of the other books in the series.

I also liked Cindy's idea of keeping notepaper nearby for writing down vocabulary words. I know I see them when I'm reading but then I forget when it's time to post. I think it's because it's been so long since I was a student. Which is another reason why I'm enjoying this blog. I get to hear what others are reading and learn a little something new.

Cindy and Ruth's Top 100 Thursday

Arriving today will be our top 100 book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I have read this before, but it was eons ago, and I think Ruth might enjoy it, especially coupled with cuddling up with her mom and sharing in it together. :)
The bonus: when we are done, we will be going to see the play which will be put on by the high school drama club.

Words words words

~dilettante--A dabbler in an art or a field of knowledge. See Synonyms at amateur.

~dalliance--a trifling away of time, dawdling; amorous toying, flirtation

~magnanimous--generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness; high-minded; noble

Cindy's Wordy Wednesday

I feel pretty dumb this week! Look how many words I had to look up! (Oh and I added a book to my reading list- "Intuition", it is a school book, but a novel, so I thought I would trick myself into reading it for fun.)

From "The Last King of Scotland":
prestidigitation: sleight of hand used in performing magic tricks
I rewound and listened to this at least twice before trying to write it down. What a crazy word for such a simple thing....

From "Intuition":
prurient : marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire ; especially : marked by, arousing, or appealing to sexual desire
postdoc : one engaged in postdoctoral study or research
factotums :1 : a person having many diverse activities or responsibilities 2 : a general servant

From "Look Me In The Eye":
actinic: of, relating to, resulting from, or exhibiting chemical charges produced by radiant energy especially in the visible and ultraviolet parts of the spectrum

I use Merriam-Webster Dictionary online for my look ups. That way I can hear the word as well as see it.


I am finding myself with a note paper at hand when sitting to read in the living room. I might normally gloss over words, figuring out what they mean through the storyline. But, then I now have to be more aware, since I want to share with all of you.

Ruth's Wordy Wednesday

Brooch- an ornament that is held by a pin or clasp and is worn at or near the neck
This was in "Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball".

Christie's Wordies

From Flags of Our Fathers:

1. prefecture (133): a way a country divides up land; state or territory

2. obfuscating (224): making obscure or unclear

3. bereft (230): hurt by irreplaceable items and circumstances; pained by the loss of someone

4. bibulous (285): given to or marked by the consumption of alcohol

Christie's Treasure Trove

"You learn there's an awful lot you can do

while having the hell scared out of you."

~Corpsman Langley, from Flags of Our Fathers (p. 159)

I know it's not at all the way he meant it, but when I read this quote I thought about how much more you can accomplish by removing sin ("hell") from your life and replacing it with God. This process can be nearly as scary as what the boys went through at Iwo Jima, although in a totally different way. It's hard to give everything up to God, all the earthly things we are so used to doing and being, but it's amazing what you can do ("an awful lot you can do") once you start to shed sin and follow in the Lord's light.

Ruth is Reading

"Enchanted Tales" by Disney. I got it from Grama. So far, it is just Peter Pan for my favorite. I am a big fan of Peter Pan because I love everything about him. He's kind and helpful and everything else.
At school I am reading "Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball". I just started so I am on page 2. I chose it because it is near St. Patrick's Day and I am Irish.

Karen

I'm still reading the Conversations book. I should have gone to the library today, but I didn't. Maybe Christie has something around that I can read in addition to this because it's going to take a long time to finish. I'm really enjoying it though. I would just like to have something with a story, some nice fiction something or other. We'll see...

Kathy's Manifest Monday

This week I am going on a mini-vacation to Virginia! Yippee!! I'm not planning to start a new book. Instead I am going to finish Rabbit, Run by John Updike. I also need to read Where Angels Fear to Tread because it is due back at the library next week. It's heavy so I don't know if I want to pack it to fly. We'll see!

Welcome back, Cindy!! If you can't get into Midnight's Children, I recommend starting another one of the top 100. I didn't read it either. Good for Christie to finish it. I'll try again another time.

Grama mentioned she is reading Patricia Cornwell's new Scarpetta book. I told her we want to hear about all kinds of books people are reading. Beth told me she was reading "The Shack". I wonder if she finished and how she liked it.......

Christie's Manifest Monday

I am still reading Flags of Our Fathers, but plan to complete it today. I will be taking the next Top 100 book, Rabbit, Run by John Updike, out of the library either today or tomorrow. And because it is not very long, I'll probably also take the next-next Top 100 book out, which is The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

In case I go reading-crazy this next week, which I doubt because I'll have company (YAY!), and finish these two books before the next Manifest Monday, here are some brief descriptions:

Rabbit, Run: It depicts five months in the life of a 26-year-old former high school basketball player named Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, and his attempts to escape the constraints of his life (Wikipedia). Mom also mentioned a bit about this book in her last Manifest Monday, as she's already started it.

The Beautiful and the Damned: It tells the story of Anthony Patch (a 1920s socialite and presumptive heir to a tycoon's fortune), the relationship with his wife Gloria, his service in the army, and alcoholism. The novel provides an excellent portrait of the Eastern elite as the Jazz Age begins its ascent, engulfing all classes into what will soon be known as Cafe Society (Wikipedia).

Cindy's Manifest Monday

I am reading for fun this week. :) No textbooks allowed. :)

I have started "Look Me In The Eye" by John Elder Robinson. He is Augesten Buroughs older brother, and this is his memoir about growing up with Asperger's. He was not diagnosed until he was at least 40, or so his brother says in "Running With Scissors". I am looking forward to reading this book.

Also, I have gotten a new audio book for the week: "The Last King Of Scotland", by Giles Foden. I know this is a movie with Forest Whittaker in it, but I slept through most of it. The back describes how Garrigan becomes the dictator of Uganda's personal physician. If I recall, the man, Garrigan, has a battle within himself over how he is contributing to the brutalness of the dictator. In any case, it is an unabridged version with 11 discs (about 14 hours). I might make it about halfway through this week. :) I don't have a lot of car time allotted, so we will see.

I think I might change my 100 list book. I just cannot seem to get into "Midnight's Children", I am still on page 46. UGH!

Sorry

My Internet has been down all week. I am still reading the same hard copy of what I was reading. Although, I did finish "The Forests of the Night" audio book.
In any case, I will rejoin the group again on Monday. That is one of the nice things about the new format, you can jump in where you are. :)

Me Neither

I haven't finished anything either. Though, as much as I'm sitting around at work today, I bet I could get pretty close. Well, maybe not quite since it is about 700 pages. But still. It's bad enough I am stuck in an office for eight hours. Sitting down. Staring at a computer screen. But to have nothing to do...Oh wait, there is still a whole lot of alphabetizing of files to do...yay! Actually, I really am pretty excited about that. Anyway, this has nothing to do with reading, so I'll go. Have a good weekend!

I'm Not Finished Either

Still working on The Creative Call. And Rabbit, Run. The book was written in the 50's. Maybe John Updike is responsible for some of the confusion of the 60's.....just wondering. This analytical stuff is HARD!

For those of you who live in big places with big libraries, here's a story. I went to borrow Where Angels Fear to Tread but they didn't have it in the library. So, I had to order it through the inter-library loan program. Jeanne Wolfe called and told me it had come and to pick it up. When I went to get the book, she apologized and told me the only way she could get it was in an anthology of Foster's books. So, I'll have to look and see if another one is on the list while I have this big, fat book of stories. I don't think you could get that kind of service everywhere.

Of course, some of you do live near the Library of Congress. I'll bet they have every book you need.........if you could get in there!

Christie's Unfinished Friday

I have not finished Flags of Our Fathers yet, but I am determined to get through it this weekend. Although I'll be celebrating my birthday, I also hope to spend a lot of the weekend relaxing- especially on Sunday.

If I succeed in finishing it, on Monday I'll get to the library to get the next Top 100 Book, which is Rabbit, Run by John Updike.

Happy reading over the weekend!

Thursday

I'm not reading a top 100 either. I'm still working on that film book. It's pretty long, but I think I can handle reading another book on top of that one. So as soon as I get a chance to go to the library I plan on picking the next couple of top 100 books, along with a couple more film related books as well probably. Thanks to unlce Tim for letting me have his library card! I guess I should work on getting my own...

Since this is a boring post, I'll add a little to it. I counted how many books on the top 100 list that I have read (including the two I have just read) and, unless I miscounted, it comes to 14. That is not a lot. But it does include the longest book on the list, as Christie pointed out--Lord of the Rings. Chances are, I will make the eff0rt to read it again, though. I have been meaning to for a while. Anyway, Til tomorrow, happy reading!

Thursday Top 100

I put aside Main Street for now in favor of Rabbit, Run by John Updike. I'm not loving it. What's with these Top 100? Are they all tragic somehow?? I get that Updike wrote descriptively, in such a way that you truly meet Harry Angstrom, the main character. But I can't help but wonder why I would want to.

On the other hand, the book describes a place and time in history. The other day, Mike (Dad) and I argued about the value of reading fiction. I argued that fiction reflects history. Main Street is a reflection of Sinclair Lewis' attitude toward small town America in the early part of the 20th century. John Updike wrestles with the sexual revolution and freedom that creates the culture of the 1960's.

I don't find it particularly appealing but I do get a sense of Rabbit's confusion. I have lots more of Rabbit, Run to read. I AM going to finish it. I'll let you know my final opinion next week.

Christie's Top 100

I am not reading a Top 100 Book again this week, as I'm still reading Flags of Our Fathers. However, I thought I'd share some "fun" facts about the Top 100 List that I figured out when I was bored one day at work... hmm, which is most days at work, haha.

If you were to read all the books, you would read approximately 37,549 pages of text, depending on the book versions (meaning publication date, text size, etc).

The shortest book on the list is (#21) Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, at just 80 pages.

The longest book on the list is (#40) The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, at 1216 pages total. Although it is published as one book, many people know it as being split into three parts. For a book that comes in one huge "chunk," Ayn Rand's (#92) Atlas Shrugged is the next longest at 1200 pages.

The most common page count is 256, with seven books with that number of pages.

I hope you enjoyed these "fun" facts! Happy Reading!

More movie stuff...

These are a couple film terms I had never heard of that keep coming up in my current book:

-rush(aka dailies)--the prints of takes (of the camera footage) from one day's shooting, usually without correction or editing, for examination by the director before the next day's shooting

-test--ok, couldn't find a definition, but they use it in terms of giving an actor a test before they cast them...maybe it has something to do with having them perform a scene on set to see how they do or something...

Christie's Wordies

From Flags of Our Fathers:

* attrition (60): wearing down to weaken or destroy; erosion by fiction

* pugnacious (63): tough and callous by virtue of experience

* atoll (95): island of coral that encircles a lagoon partially or completely

* venerate(d) (105): regard with feelings of respect

* elan (108): spirit; zeal; ardor

Tuesday and Wednesday

I planned to submit my Tuesday quote last night--but my dear husband hogged the computer looking at State Championship photos. I let him. He was so excited!

Here's a quote from The Creative Call:

"It is not for us to question how God will use our gifts. It is instead our responsibility to realize that God gave us our talents to use for a purpose, his purpose, and it's not important that we understand what that purpose is before we start becoming productive artists. What is important is that we accept the talents God gave us, develop them, honor them, use them, and not bury them."

One of the challenges I face is needing to know--somehow--what the purpose is for using my talents. It's been a real stumbling block for me. But, maybe, instead I should just "do it". Enjoy those gifts and let God do His part as he sees fit.

For Wordy Wednesday:

Offering: (noun) something offered in worship or devotion, as to God.

Late Again

And, once again I am late on the posting train. Looks like I'm not the only one who didn't get to it yesterday though. I have no excuse, I'm on the computer all day and night basically. Anyway, I'll make up for it now. This is a quote I found on the train on the way to work from my Conversations book, it is from an interview with Frank Capra who directed films like It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

"Without an audience, a film is something in a can, something incomplete, like an unread book. It just lies there, dead. Do not underestimate the power and the ability and the intelligence of an audience. A thousand pairs of eyes and ears seem to react to stimuli much faster and smarter than any one pair of eyes and ears. This is what it is all about--the peope-to-people communication from the people on the screen to the people in the audience."

I liked this quote because it is exactly the same thing in theatre. In my Ideas in Performance class that I took last year, we talked a lot about this kind of stuff--mainly, why we do theatre. And among the many answers to that question is the recurring theme of the audience. Without it, there's no point. Capra puts into words the main reason anyone does any type of entertainment, and that is for the audience.

Be back later with my Wednesday post!

Christie's Treasure Trove

My quotes this week are from a book called Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. The book brings inspiration through the discussions between a mentor and his pupil in the last months of the mentor's life. I'm sure there are many more quotes besides these, but these are the ones I wrote down the first time I read the book. I definitely recommend reading this book, as well as The Five People You Meet in Heaven, also by Mitch Albom, for some inspiration on how to live a good life.

The Quotes:

"Without love, we are birds with broken wings."

"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

Monday!

Hey all! I am now reading a book called (deep breath) Conversations with the Great Moviemakers of Hollywood's Golden Age at the American Film Institute by George Stevens Jr. The title pretty much says it all--it's a collection of interviews with filmmakers, including directors, cameramen, writers and producers, who started in film at the beginning or close to it. The conversations are from the 70s and 80s mostly, and they talk a lot about what it was like being in the film business in the early days and how it has changed--for good or, for most of them, bad. It's a really great look into film from the perspective of some of the major innovators and creators from its major formative years. That's it!

Kathy's Monday

Good Monday Morning! I am still reading The Creative Call. I'm about halfway through. It's a terrific book if you want to understand more about God's hand in our creativity. I always have several books I'm "reading". I enjoyed hearing more about Christie's Bible study books. When I have the (spiritual) energy, I read "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. It's a daily devotional that carries a really big punch. I also agree recorded books count. What are you listening to, Cindy?

I am also reading Rabbit, Run by John Updike. I've put Main Street aside for now. As I mentioned last week, I've committed to reading the 100 books during lunch rather than watch Martha Stewart. I'll pick up Where Angels Fear to Tread from the library later this week.

Do we all have stacks of books to read?

Christie's Manifest Monday

I am still reading Flags of Our Fathers. I didn't get as much read this weekend as I had hoped to, but I am through the first two chapters- which means I've learned about the flagraisers and how they grew up and also a bit about Japan's role in the war and why we went there to fight. I've already learned some new things and really look forward to learning more.

Because it is reading, I will mention that I'm also reading the Bible. I'm using Max Lucado's Inspriational Study Bible and am trying to read it at least once a week, normally on Sundays. In addition to that, I'm reading Designing a Woman's Life, by Judith Couchman, which is a devotional/Bible study guide. The study guide is really great and makes me want to read the Bible more and more; I'm really enjoying it. And I might as well add the Billy Graham Daily Devotional as well, because I read from that, well, daily. :)

As I've exemplified in the above paragraph, it's okay to share all the things you're reading- even if you aren't reading them everyday. You don't necessarily have to give details, but it's cool to see all the stuff that makes up your reading during the week.

In relation, and in response to Aunt Cindy, I think it's definitely okay to share any books on tape/CD that you are listening to. It may not have pages, but it's like a book for busy people and I think it should count!

Cindy's Not Finished

But, I am getting there.

Hey, does a book on CD count for reading? Just curious, because if so, I should probably add the one I have in the car, although it is in the car, and other than "Forest" I can not recall the title... But, I will be done that one by next week. Oh, and I am about half way though "Running With Scissors" and got another couple of pages done in "Midnight's Children". My classes will be done on Wednesday, so you can be sure there will be some "fun" reading happening. :) I kind of can not wait for summer, and pulling out my lounge chair, grabbing some water, and a good book!

But until then, I am not finished anything yet.

Reading Machine

I wish I could tally up the number of books I have read since January, because it's a little insane. But in a good way, of course. I worked all day yesterday so I didn't post, but I will now. What was it? Top 100 books. I'm with Christie, the last one I read was Where Angels Fear to Tread. No more explanation there.

Finished Fridays...I finished the book I mentioned earlier that I was reading, which was The Secret Language of Film by Jean-Claude Carriere. I finished that last night. It was interesting, and started two conversations with strangers on the metro. One guy saw it and asked if I knew anything about the film festival in DC that started on Wendesday. And another saw it and just went off on how it looks like an interesting book and he write about the arts and this and that and do I know about the American Film Institute etc. Which actually ended well because he told me that there was an AFI based in Silver Spring, Maryland, which I did not know. I've been trying to find out more about film in the area, but couldn't find much of use, so that is really good to know. Anyway, this is totally off the subject, so I'll leave it at that. Happy reading!

Finished Friday for Kathy

Like Christie, I haven't finished any book this week but I have become more aware of the books I am reading. I'm about half way through Creative Call. This book requires alot of contemplation. I'm using it during my journaling/meditative time in the morning. I also read more of Main Street as I planned during lunch yesterday. Maybe next week I'll conquer it!

I really like this new format. Thanks to everyone who contributed this week! Maybe we will have new readers soon!

Christie's Finished Friday

I didn't finish any books this week, but I'm hoping to make good headway on Flags of Our Fathers this weekend. "See" you all on Monday!

Happy Reading!

Midnight's Children

I'm still reading this top 100 book. I wish I could say I have more time to actually read. I am at page 44, and I moved the book back to the car. Unfortunately, I am also listening to a book on CD, and so I forgot that I wanted to read this top 100.
Maybe next week, I will have made progress. :)

Main Street

I haven't given up reading this book. I am just struggling with finding time to read it! This morning I decided I would commit my lunch break to reading the Top 100 instead of watching Martha Stewart.

Part of the challenge for me is I am not a lover of the main character, Carol. I think she represents the worst of college educated people who come to small towns and then peer down their noses at the society they are trying to integrate into. She reminds me of the "flatlanders" that come to Vermont and want to change what is here to their liking rather than embrace the positive qualities that already exist.

I read the introduction on the copy of the book that I have so it helped me to understand Sinclair Lewis and his message of the time. I'll finish the book soon. Maybe I will get a better sense of its message as I read further on.

Top 100 Books

I don't think any of us are actively reading a Top 100 Book right now, so either skip today or share about one you have read in full or even just in part.

The most recent Top 100 Book I've read, and finished, was Where Angels Fear to Tread, by E. M. Forster. It was quite a quick read and the fast-pace begins the moment you start the book. It jumps right into the story line and moves quickly from there to the end.

It's about an English woman whose husband dies and so she travels with a friend to Italy to get away. Her husband's family is very snooty, and I came under the impression that she needed a break. While she's there she meets and Italian man, who is not very high in society, and decides to marry him. They talk about loving each other, that that's why they marry, but I think each of them have different reasons than that.

If you want to knock a Top 100 Book of the list, this is certainly a quick read. But be careful not to read too fast or you might miss some of the deeper stuff that is definitely present, though not visible to the skimming eye.

Catch-up

So, I don't want to break the rules or anything, but since I didn't post yesterday, I'm going to share quickly a couple books I have read lately that I really enjoyed. There is an author named Malcolm Gladwell and I just read two of his books: The Tipping Point and Outliers. His third one is called Blink and I would really like to read that at some point too. They are really interesting, and I don't want to really get into it now, but you should definitely check them out.

Now for today's subject. Actually, I will tie in my previous book recommendations with this part. Malcolm Gladwell defines the following as such:

tipping point: "the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point."
outlier: (roughly) people who do not fit into our normal understanding of achievement

That gives you a vague idea of what the books are about, but basically he goes into detail, in the first one, about how a small thing can set off a huge trend or social/economic/etc. "virus" as he refers to it. The second is about the different natures of people and how we all function contribute differently to society. A lot of cool research and studies involved.

Christie's Word for Wednesday

From Where Angels Fear to Tread:

curate: a person authorized to conduct religious worship
fatuous: devoid of intelligence; obnoxiously stupid

From Flags of Our Fathers:

burgher: a member of the middle class

cindy- word #1

From my Child and Adolescent Psychology text in reference to how parents find themselves adjusting their parenting style during their child's teen years.:

egalitarian -
asserting, resulting from, or characterized by belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social life.

Compliments of Dictionary.com

Kathy's Treasure Trove

Even though this post is very late on Tuesday, I knew immediately what quote I would use to share today. It is from the book "Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The book is filled with memorable quotes but I wrote this one down when I first read the book several years ago.

"To ask how little, not how much, can I get along with. To say--is it necessary?"

Anne Morrow Lindbergh left her husband and children at home to take some time by herself to write at a beach house. She reflected on being a woman, wife, and mother in a book that has become a classic. When I read this quote, my mind was transformed. How little can I get along with? The older I get, the more pared down I become in my desires. I ask myself more often if something is really worthy of my time and energy.

Cindy's treasure trove #1

Ah, quotes from a book...
Hmmm, will I recall a good one?
Let me try...

If I must choose one, this week, it would be from "Running With Scissors". Int he first few pages, the author, Augusten Buroughs, is recalling a time when his mother is dressing up and going out. She has on high heels and he says "...it's like she borrowed some other lady's feet."

Now, i know that is a weird quote to consider, but you must realize that around here shoes make a difference in our day to day life. Going with out them is something that I recall even when we lived in Enfield and Dad would try to tell me I would get worms from going into the barn without them. Or when I would run out to the mailbox, even with snow on the ground. It made me recall days of Alice trying to get me to understand how expensive socks are (when you must by them for 9 people), and brought to current life when I try to tell Ruth the same.
I know that if I put my shoes on, Sam gets excited. the other day, Debra noticed I had a pair on and asked me where I was going.

I guess for me, the idea of wearing shoes is the idea of conforming. For Deidre, the mother, I wonder if it was the same. That she should wear a certain item to try to signify what she was doing, and where she was going. Sometimes, in life we must conform to a certain standard, whether we care to keep it long term.
It makes me consider this: when I choose my shoes, I have very specific ideas about them. they have to feel a certain way on my feet, they should be just enough to show I care about myself, and yet they need to be practical and comfortable.
If I am wearing shoes that do not show who I am, then it would I appear I an "borrowing some other lady's feet".
Did that make sense?

Christie's Treasure Trove

I just finished Where Angels Fear to Tread this past Sunday and this was a quote from the book that I liked and wrote down:

"... human love and love of truth sometimes

conquer where love of beauty fails."

I like it because, to me, it says that loving something beautiful in appearance is not always (and probably rarely) the way to go. You have to love a little deeper- find the things that make us human, that make us real and sincere.

The Secret Language of Film

Hey! Technically it's Tuesday now, but only just. And I do want to participate in this new format, so I'll just give a quick post. I am currently reading a book called The Secret Language of Film by Jean Claude Carriere, who is a writer/playwright/screenwriter. Basically the book is a look into Carriere's extensive opinions and insights about modern film and how it has evolved and adapted since its emergence in the early 20th century. So far it seems to be a pretty negative view on film today in terms of the techniques being used and the approach to telling stories on screen. It is interesting, but so far it has been a lot about how unrealistic film is, though I can't quite get the feel of whether or not he is complaining about that or just stating the fact. He is making a lot of observations that most people notice about movies, but he also makes connections and conclusions about various things that I would never have thought of. What is nice is that he has made references to things that I never would have known about except that I took an International Cinema class last year, which I wasn't crazy about but it is nice that I have some basic knowledge of some of the things he is talking about. I am really hoping to expand my knowledge about film in as many ways as possible and I have another book about it lined up to read next. It is something I am so interested in, but have very little knowledge about and am going to really try to get more familiar with the prominent players in film as well as the history and the process. That's it! Glad to see what everyone else is reading and I look forward to seeing what you all have to post for the rest of the week.

Kathy is reading "The Creative Call"

I've read "The Creative Call" by Janice Elsheimer before but I am working on it again. The author's website describes the book this way:


"Many of us long to live more creativity— to use our God-given talents— but don’t know how to begin. We know we’re missing out on an important part of who we are meant to be by not practicing our art, but our lives seem too busy and exhausting to make room for any kind of artistic practice. By seeing our gifts as a spiritual connection to God, and by looking at the practice of those gifts as part of our spiritual growth, we can make the time to become the more creative people we were born to be." (www.jelsheimer.com)

As my job has become more stressful, I have become more keenly aware of my need and desire to take on the creative life I believe God has intended for me. "The Creative Call" is this Christian author's response to "The Artist Way" by Julia Cameron.

Cindy's First Manifest Monday

I suppose I could post about the wonder textbooks that I HAVE to read, but I won't. :)

I might post about the several books I am reading to increase my success as a Home Visitor. Nah.

I could post that I am reading, slowly, but surely, my way through Midnight's Children. But, I won't.

This is my current favorite reading book:

My last book of the summer was "Wolf at the Table", which was also written by Augesten Burroughs. It captured me.

I guess I knew he had other books, but didn't take the time to find them. Then, last week, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, and this guy's brother was highlighted. Then, of course, I went and read the brother's blog. Long story short, I realized that I was missing out on this book, and wanted to check it out. So, I did, from the library. :)

This is a memoir about a boy's life with a crazy mother, and how he copes with her crazy psychiatrist. The writing style is easy to read, even when the content is not. The author describes his thoughts and the fine details of his memories. Things like certain smells, and behaviors that made him feel "normal".

I guess there is a movie by the same title. I may check it out sometime. But, for now, I should get some more school stuff done so I can read my book this afternoon.

Christie's Manifest Monday

Today I am going to start Flags of Our Fathers. (I finished Where Angels Fear to Tread over the weekend).

Flags of Our Fathers was written by James Bradley, with assistance from Ron Powers. It delineates the lives of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima from the time they enlisted in the military to the time they raised the flag, and all the struggle in between.

James Bradley is the son of John Bradley, who was one of the six who raised the flag. John Bradley had kept many mementos, such as photographs and letters, from the war and his son used these documents to create this tribute.

This book was recommended to me by several people and I'm looking forward to learning more about the truth behind the flag raising at Iwo Jima, which because of that famous photograph has become of the most memorable moments in war history.