book-a-rama

This Old Thing?: The Endless Steppe

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:54:00 +0000

When I saw The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig on my shelf, I knew it was perfect for today. See that through my window? That's snow. Snow! The cover of The Endless Steppe is appropriate for the day.

There was another reason I chose it though. With the Buy Books for the Holidays campaign underway, we're starting to think of books for our loved ones. My parents bought me this book for Christmas when I was a teen. I've kept it all these years, I loved it so much. Esther tells of her experience of living in a work camp in Siberia during World War II. She was Jewish and her family very wealthy but after the Russian occupation all that changed. Even though Esther and I are different people, I related to her. She had the same teen angst I had. She worried about her looks, she had a crush, and a frenemy. Of course, these trials are small in comparison to the harshness of life in the camp. After all this time, so much of it stands out in my mind. I really should reread it.

If you have a young person in your life, I encourage you to find The Endless Steppe and buy it for them.

Friday Bookish Buzz: 'Tis the Season

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:04:00 +0000

We're supposed to be getting some rough weather today. I hope it won't be snow. With Halloween over, I'm thinking about Christmas already. Are you? I have a few holiday related items in this week's buzz.

*If you're a book blogger, you might want to sign up for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. This is my first time participating. Should be fun!

*Buy Books for the Holidays is up and running again. I'll be signing up this time. I have lots of book ideas for my family and buds.

*No bums on the ferry in BC, so don't go looking.

*Did you hear? Nicole from Linus's Blanket has a show on Blog Talk Radio: That's How I Blog.

*Are school libraries and librarians becoming extinct?

*I saw a few of these Penguin Classics at the bookstore and nearly ruined the covers with my drool. Meet the cover designer on Design*Sponge.

*Well, that's one way to avoid the word "banning" though why shouldn't our children read controversial books?

*You don't have to wait for the movie. You can see New Moon in a condensed version- now with Barbies!

*Did Penguin sell out? I don't know but I love those mugs and these postcards.

*Etsy Love: For smart girls, you or someone you know, Smart Girls Are Cool Button or Magnets from Pure Vintage Gold's Shop.

Have a great weekend!

Confections of a Closet Master Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado:Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:30:00 +0000

Confections of a Closet Master Baker is the day in the life of a popular bakery owner. Gesine Bullock-Prado never imagined herself as a professional baker. When her sister, Sandra, hit the big time and started her own production company, Gesine headed to Hollywood to help out. She was successful, making big deals and meeting celebrities, and also unhappy. She felt incomplete.

So Gesine started doing what she loved. She baked. And baked and baked. This didn't make her popular in the land of liposuction. So after a trip to Vermont, she decided to move there and open her own bakery. There were bumps along the way but she found happiness doing what she is most passionate about.

My confession: I requested this book from Shelf Awareness because of the cover (chocooooolate!). I had no idea what it was about. I think I was into the second chapter before I realized that the author is Sandra Bullock's sister (duh) even though she talks about her in the first chapter. I was hooked though by Gesine's breezy writing style. It was like talking to a broad at a bar who just happens to have a killer cheesecake recipe.

Gesine recounts her childhood obsession with sweet confections. Her mother was a fabulous baker of German goodies but believed they should be enjoyed only on special occasions. Gesine couldn't understand why her mother was so against the chemical filled treats from the supermarket until she opened the bakery. It's not just a snack, it's an experience. There ain't nothing like the real thing, baby. Running a bakery has been bittersweet. Many of the goods she makes were made by her mom who died of cancer a few years ago.

Confections is an interesting mix of memoir and cookbook. While Gesine tells us how she got where she is, she offers us her recipes to try ourselves. She's unapologetic about her ingredients. It's butter and eggs or nothing. Although I sometimes found the narrative meandered a bit, it's forgivable when the writer has such a passion for the topic. And she's funny. For me, that's the best kind of non-fiction.

I'm going to put this one on the cookbook shelf. I really want to try that Espresso Cheesecake recipe. Be warned. If you are on a diet, you will be tempted.

Recommended

PS- I liked this Book Trailer. I got to see the bakery I had been reading about.

Confections of a Closet Master Baker Trailer from Raymond Prado on Vimeo.

French Milk by Lucy Knisley: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:24:00 +0000

I read French Milk by Lucy Knisley during the 24 Hour Read-a-thon when I needed something quick and light. I enjoyed it so much I read it in one sitting.

I never read graphic novels. I haven't had much experience with them and most of the ones at the library just didn't appeal to me. French Milk was something different. Lucy was just finishing up her schooling and thinking about the future when she took a trip to Paris with her Mom. And what a trip! They spent 6 weeks exploring Paris with an apartment as their base. They could come and go as they pleased and really marinate in the French culture. I was so jealous. French Milk is the illustrated journal she kept during this trip.

They wandered around looking at the sites and art, eating, shopping, sleeping and just enjoying themselves. It wasn't all fun and games though. Lucy couldn't help thinking about her future. She reminded me of myself at 22; a ball of indecision just wanting to get out on my own. (I'm still a ball of indecision.) She has moody moments where she draws manatees all day.

I enjoyed this book so much, I want to save my money and take my girl to Paris for a month when she's 22!

So I loved my very first graphic novel. I loved the style and the format. I'd like to read more like French Milk. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Thanks to my local library for carrying this book!

Challenge Roundup for October 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:05:00 +0000

Another month, another challenge complete. I actually picked up my reading pace and finished the RIP 4 Challenge just in time.

*Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Sept)
*Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal (Oct)
*We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Oct)
*Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (Oct)
*Short Stories by Daphne DuMaurier

I read just one book for The 3rd Canadian Book Challenge this month, The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.

Lastly, I'm joining the Women Unbound Challenge. I try not to join too many challenges but this one speaks to me. I'm not sure whether I'm going to be a Philogynist or a Bluestocking. I haven't made my list yet but I do want to read Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte.

The ladies on the Women Unbound blog have a meme for participants:

1. What does feminism mean to you? Does it have to do with the work sphere? The social sphere? How you dress? How you act?
2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
3. What do you consider the biggest obstacle women face in the world today? Has that obstacle changed over time, or does it basically remain the same?

1. These are some big questions. I guess feminism to me means promoting the freedom and rights of women around the world. Men and women are different, yes, but equal. Both sexes have a right to happiness without one dominating the other. It doesn't matter how you choose to leave your life as long as it's the life you've chosen and not forced upon you by someone else.

2. According to my own definition then yes I am. The word itself often conjures up negative stereotypes that are unfair. I think one can be a feminist without sacrificing one's femininity.

3. It might be controversial but I think women themselves can be the biggest obstacle. I wish that women could be more accepting of one another. No matter what choices you make, there will always be people out there ready to criticize you. And often those people are female. Someone always thinks they can do it better or their way is the right way. There are so many important women's issues that we should be focusing on. All that energy wasted picking on each other could be used to help each other. Your issue might not be my issue but I should support you because it's a "women's issue".

I hope that made sense.

So that was my month in challenges. How was yours? Please leave a link.

Dracula by Bram Stoker: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:07:00 +0000

Just for fun this week I downloaded Simply Audiobook's free (for October) version of Bram Stoker's Dracula . It is Halloween after all and what better way to get in the spirit than read an old gothic horror story.

You know who Dracula is so I won't go into the details. In the novel, we meet the famous vampire in Romania before he travels to England and causes a lot of trouble for our group of heros: Jonathan and Mina Harker, Lucy Westerna, Van Helsing and company. The group chases Dracula over England and back to the Carpathians trying to destroy the monster before he changes more victims into the undead.

The story is told through letters, diaries and newspaper clippings. I found that Jonathan's diary of his time in the Carpathians to be the most interesting part of the book. It was very atmospheric. Stoker built up a great deal of tension. Jonathan is trapped in the castle while he watches the bizarre behaviour of the Count and slowly realizes that he is living with a monster.

Then when the story comes to England it loses some of that intensity. It's all about protecting the women-folk. I do have to give Stoker credit for Mina's character. He could have made her completely helpless but she does hold her own and even gets to use a gun. Though it is obvious what he and Victorian men think of women. The English ladies are "pure" (even the married ones) but when changed by the Count they are "voluptuous" and the men are both appalled and attracted. They just couldn't handle a sexually aggressive female. ("Is that an ankle?" *Riots. Looting!!*)

If the women get sexy as vampires, Dracula is painted quite differently. He's monstrous. And he can change form: a bat, a wolf, mist. Take that Edward Cullen! Dracula's a bad ass. He's the big bad foreigner come to steal the women.We could go on and on about Victorian's xenophobic tendencies and other hang ups but let's focus on the fun parts.

Dracula is over the top melodrama with the gasping and the swooning. No wonder it's been adapted for stage and screen even a ballet, not to mention parodied over and over again. That's what makes it so entertaining. You just got to go with it. If nothing else, it's a glimpse into the past at the beginning of the vampire fixation.

Friday Bookish Buzz: Boo!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Trick or Treat! All ready for the little monsters tomorrow? I hope so. I wonder if there is any spooky news in the book world this week.

*Stephen King to write comic book called American Vampire. Scary!

*American Price War on books will hurt readers, not to mention writers.

*Do you think Philip Roth is right? Is the novel dead? I think he's a glass half empty guy.

*Scholastic causes controversy with Luv Ya Bunches.

*Feel like a little shopping? Romance lover? Harlequin converts vintage cover art into stationary.

*Etsy Love. I think this is a pin for many of us: The Problem with Bookstores button. Or I Like Bookworms by Bean Forest's shop.

Have a great spooky weekend!

Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:09:00 +0000

When we last saw our heroine, things were bleak. She was alone again, naturally. In Rises the Night, the vampires are in half-time and Victoria Gardella has nothing to do except mope. Max has disappeared as well and even Sebastian has flown the coop.

But then *VAMPIRES* and Victoria starts getting her grove back. Rumour has it that a vampire named Nedas has found a mysterious object that can raise an army of the undead. Nedas needs to get to Rome to activate his new toy and uses his human followers, the Tutela, to help him get there. The Tutela bring the vampires humans to feed upon which makes them the supernatural equivalent of the Pizza Dude. Who hasn't called for take out when there's more important stuff to do?

Victoria tries to infiltrate the Tutela and is surprised to see some familiar faces among the potential followers. Could it be Lord Byron? Or Sebastian "Let Me Help You Out of That Pelisse" Vioget? Even though she's investigating and killing vampires, she's distracted by Sebastian, especially since he keeps turning up everywhere. Like Italy. They take some time out to "express their feelings" *ahem* because there's always time for that. And where is Max anyway?

Once again Colleen Gleason's Gardella Chronicles is both fun and heart pounding. Victoria does less flirting behind fans and more staking of vampires than in The Rest Falls Away. She has nothing to lose now. She's become more focused on her job. Still, she is a woman and when Sebastian's around- look out!

It was a little slow at first but once it picked up; I wanted to read right to the end. Things get tidied up but there are still plenty of unresolved issues for The Bleeding Dusk.

Recommended.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:41:00 +0000

Shirley Jackson knew how to creep people out. Just read The Lottery and see what I mean. She knew how to make readers uncomfortable and squirmy. We Have Always Lived in the Castle does that beautifully.

Mary Katherine, Merricat, is 18 years old and lives in an old house with her sister Constance and Uncle Julian. The rest of her family are dead. How is revealed throughout the story.

Most of her time is spent in the house except for the couple days a week she goes into the village to buy groceries. The trips are nerve wracking. The people seem to hate her. There is no love lost between them. Merricat wishes them all dead.

It's been this way for years but Merricat feels that things are about to change. One day there is a knock on the door and Merricat's fears come true.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a weird tale but in a good way. It's clear from the beginning that 'that girl ain't right'. Merricat is 18 but acts more like a 12 year old. She also has some strange habits and murderous thoughts. I wondered how reliable she was as the narrator. How much of what's happening is real? Could the villagers really be that bonkers?

I read that Shirley Jackson was agoraphobic. I can believe it if she put her fears into this book. When Merricat is away from the house, there is a sense of urgency to get back to it. The reader breathes a sigh of relief that she made it back safely. Constance and Uncle Julian never leave and even the few visitors they get are received with a lot of fuss and bother. Merricat has difficulties letting other people into the house, which is how all the trouble starts when Charles arrives.

Not that Charles is innocent. The moment he steps in I could see dollar signs in his eyes. Poor Constance is so lonely, she'd befriend the devil if he knocked. When relatively normal (you know except for the greed part) Charles stays in the house, we get to really feel the oddness of their situation. Uncle Julian rambles a lot like Walter from Fringe, at least he did to me. He's never been the same since 'that day' and Merricat's strangeness becomes more pronounced. Constance manages it all with a smile and a "silly Merricat" but she isn't unaffected by the charms of normality.

Even though the surprise near the end wasn't all that surprising, I definitely enjoyed the story.

Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:02:00 +0000

In Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal, Pinky lost her mother when she was an infant and now lives with her grandmother and uncle and his family. While her grandmother loves her, the same can't be said for Auntie Savita. She takes every opportunity to remind Pinky that she doesn't belong there.

From the outside, the Mittal family seems like a blessed family but appearances are deceiving. Every night a bathroom door must be locked to keep an evil spirit from reeking havoc upon them all. One night Pinky opens the door and lets out not only a ghost but family secrets and shames.

I don't think Haunting Bombay was for me. There were some beautifully written sections. I wished that the whole book had been like that but there was a lot of extraneous information that could have been culled with tighter editing. I felt that it dragged down the pace of the story.

I also found that I couldn't get attached to Pinky. This might have been because of the writing style which wandered in and out of the heads of every character. I had trouble keeping track of whose point of view I was reading.

If I couldn't love Pinky, I didn't feel the same about Nimish, the cousin and crush of Pinky. He's an interesting boy. He walks around reading aloud from his history books and it usually pertains to what is happening in the room at the time. He's also hopelessly in love with the girl next door. He's my pick for best character in the book.

Most of what I had read before about India involved the poor of India. Haunting Bombay was an interesting look at the upper class of the country after the Partition. I also enjoyed reading about a part of India I never knew about: the hijras.

My thanks to TLC Book Tours for the review copy. For more opinions, see the blog tour schedule.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood: Buddy Read with Kailana

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:51:00 +0000

This The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood discussion is continued from Kaila na's The Written World.

The Year of the Flood is a sequel to Oryx and Crake where the world's population has been wiped out by a man made plague. Toby and Ren are one of the few alive: Ren, locked in the sex club and Toby survives in a spa where they worked.

_____________________________________________________________

continued...

Chris: I know, that's the scary thing. When in the future, do you think this was supposed to be?

Kelly: You know, I would love to say way way down the road, but it is quite plausible to be not so far into the future at all. We have all ready started manipulating the science that is presented in the book, so it probably won't be all that long before we can do the things in the book. It all comes down to what will we do when the technology is available. I am with gene manipulation to a degree. I understand it for curing diseases, but when is it too much... That's the real issue here. So, I can see this being a problem very soon. What do you think?

Chris: I think that what Atwood is trying to warn us about. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should. It's like Jurassic Park- look what happens when the dinosaurs come back, we're dino chow! Scientists need to use common sense. The Corporations also had a lot of blame in what happens. That is another part of the book that has a basis in our time.

Kelly: Corporations are scary, you know. I appreciated how Atwood uses them to rule the world. In many ways they do in today's world. One of the scenes that really made me think, though, was when Toby's mother got sick and died even though she was a health food fanatic. Healthy eating is the way of the world right now, but do we always know exactly what we are using? Toby's mother bought into the craze and didn't even question that what she was taking to make her healthy was actually what was making her sick. This could tie into the medical world and over-prescribing of pills, too. People don't question things because they are told they are good for them, so they just turn a blind eye, so to speak.

Chris: Yes, and a company with a lot of money can do or say whatever they want. Who can stand up to them?

Kelly: Especially when they run everything that could possibly stand in their way. It was a bit extreme. Who really needs sheep in every colour of the rainbow, for example? It was science just for the sake of being able to do science. One thing that I found myself paying attention to as the novel progressed is the saints. When they first were mentioned I just read the names and carried on, but then I started to recognize the names. What did you think about the fact she uses not just saints from history, but she has sainted some great people from our own generation? I am sure I missed a bunch. I plan to go through and look them all up.

Chris: For the Gardeners, I would think they would be able to relate to those people than they would some of the traditional saints. While I recognized some, I didn't know who they all were either. Again it shows how good a leader Adam One was.

Kelly: I agree. Was there anything that jumped out at you as you were reading that you felt you were going to have to mention in the review?

Chris: One thing that disturbed me was how the girls' treated their sexuality as a commodity. It was something they could barter with. They seemed so disconnected from it. I also wanted to talk about the hymns. I'm not one to read songs in books so I skimmed over most of them but in the afterword, Atwood talks about how someone set the hymns to music. She even says she wouldn't mind people singing them. I think it would freak me out to hear those songs being sung knowing where they came from!

Kelly: I skimmed over the hymns, too. I actually had heard about them being set to music. I could be mistaken, but I think as part of her tour they are performed... As to the sex as a commodity, that is something that seems to be getting more and more common in society, so it is easy to see it being even more casual in the future. It's rather horrible, really. The future could be really scary. The whole idea behind the book is to scare, I think. Did you think like that, or was it just me?

Chris: I think that is what is so interesting about dystopian novels. It seems so extreme yet so plausible. It's a warning at the same time to us now not to let things get to that point.

Kelly: I hope we don't get to that point! Did you like the book overall?

Chris: I did. Maybe not as much as Oryx & Crake though.

Kelly: I looked it up. I read Oryx & Crake in 2003, so I don't remember it so well. It wasn't until the novel progressed that I started to make the connection with the characters and remembered what happened in the previous novel.

Chris: So did you like it?

Kelly: Once I got into it, yes. It took me a while, though. I had to get caught up in the characters and story. Once I did, though, it was good. I can't remember her other book well enough to compare them. There is a lot to talk about, we could be here forever, but do you think there is anything we haven't mentioned that we really should?

Chris: I can't think of much else, can you?

Kelly: I think we are good. Anything else and we run the risk of spoiling the book for others. It was fun, though.

Chris: Yeah, we'll have to do it again.

Kelly: We will! I really like buddy reviews.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you Kelly for reading The Year of the Flood with me.

Thanks to Random House for the review copy.

Chris vs Martha: Pumpkin Man

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:46:00 +0000

People seemed to like last week's Chris vs Martha so I'll post one this week too. This one isn't quite as delicious as the last one.

These were pretty easy. You just need some basic sewing and hot glue gun skills. The materials needed are inexpensive as well. If you'd like to make your own Martha Stewart has the instructions on her site. These were created by Jennifer Murphy. She makes the cutest little critters.

Chris

VS

Martha

Definitely doable though mine looks not quite as polished as Martha's. Give them a try yourself.

Hour 24: Good Morning or Good Night

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:09:00 +0000

So my last update was my last hour. I read a little more but by 2 am I knew I had to go to bed. I do have a cold *cough cough* so that's my excuse. Overall, I'm happy with the Read-a-thon. I read a lot more than I thought I would.

Here are my answers to the final questions:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? It was all good until hour 17

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? French Milk by Lucy Knisley was a quick engaging book. I zoomed through it.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No ma'am.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I'm not a cheerleader but organizing those guys was probably the best improvement.

5. How many books did you read? 3 and a half

6. What were the names of the books you read? Rises the Night, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, French Milk and Confections of a Closet Master Baker

7. Which book did you enjoy most? French Milk

8. Which did you enjoy least? Well, I tried to read Sum but just couldn't get into it.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Sure. I'd like to be a reader again.

I just want to give a big Thanks to the organizers and the cheerleaders and anyone who visited me yesterday. It really helped!

Hour 16 & a Mini-Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:42:00 +0000

I'm still here reading though it's getting tough.

So far I've read Rises the Night, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, French Milk. I started Sum but couldn't concentrate so I switched to Confections of a Master Baker. It's making me hungry. French Milk is the book I enjoyed the most at this point.

I'm not sure how much longer I'll last.

For Dewey:

Wow, look how much the 24 Hour Read-a-thon has grown since you started it. When you began the read-a-thon, it was a itty-bitty group of dedicated readers and now it's hundreds of people reading all at one time. We wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't for you. Dewey, I hope you can see us from where you are and that you are smiling. Thank you and we miss you.

Hour 12: Readathon

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Wow, 12 hours of ignoring my family! I just finished We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I think I have to digest that one for awhile. So that's 2 books + one short story down so far. I'm going to read French Milk next.

And hey, look at me, I'm doing a mini-challenge. Nymeth asks us to read an online comic. I picked Unshelved's review of The Gargoyle. "It's a complicated love story" sums it up nicely. It's a little hard to explain The Gargoyle in a comic but they do.

Back to reading!

Hour 6: Readathon

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Yay! I finished Rises the Night finally. It was good but I'm going to read something shorter now. Maybe a H P Lovecraft short story. How are we all doing?

The house is quiet now. Hubby left with child for a little while so that's nice. Soon I plan on having leftover birthday cake. Mmmm....cake.

Mini Challenge #1

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:06:00 +0000

Where are you reading from today? The couch here in Nova Scotia.

3 facts about me … 1. Um, I'm not a very fast reader. 2. I have a cold 3. I find Sponge Bob very distracting (girl has it on TV)

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I can't remember exactly, 7 maybe.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? No goals- I'm sure to fail them so I'm winging it.

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time? Pick shorter books to read today.

So that's my first hour down. How is it going for you?

Readathon Oct 2009 Begins!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:02:00 +0000

So I just got up. I had a quick shower and a minor panic when I couldn't find my sweatpants. The coffee is on and I'm ready. I'm starting with Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason (Always thought it was Rises IN the Night, which made me giggle like Beavis and Butthead- never mind). Anyway I started this one already so hopefully I'll finish it soon.

Good luck everyone! Happy Reading!

Friday Bookish Buzz: Sniffy Buzz

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:26:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

I've had a miserable cold all week but I think I see the end of it. I actually slept last night. Of course, being awake isn't such a bad thing for the 24 Hour Readathon. You still have time to sign up.

*There's a new guy in the e-reader wars: the Nook.

*The more I read about e-readers the more I don't want one. A real book will always be waiting on a shelf for you to read again or lend to friends. This Nookie business, not so much.

*More on e-readers. In a recent NYT article, Kindle user made the mistake of admitting that she and her friends share e-book copies. Here's the important part, AS PER THE TERMS OF USE FROM AMAZON she can do this. Yet her comment has gotten her in hot water. Sorry Mom, can't lend you the latest Philippa Gregory novel; don't want a mob coming to the house. Things seem to have been straightened out but I think this shows how confused people are about this new technology. Like I said, I'm sticking with paper and ink for now.

*Children lists their favorite characters.

*The top 10 best Atlantic Canadian books according to Nimbus Publishing.

*More Wild Things Cupcakes.

*Thanks to Scribbit for this link to a tree bookshelf.

*Etsy Love: Be Kind to Books Club poster from Roosevelvet's shop is great for kids or adults.

That's what I found this week. Hope I'll see a lot of you at the Readathon!

This Old Thing?: Possession

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I didn't post This Old Thing? last week because the holiday threw me off and nearly forgot this week. Bad me.

Possession by A S Byatt is one of those books I definitely want to read someday but someday never seems to come. It won the 1990 Booker Prize. People keep telling me what a great book it is. I hope to find out soon. It's a big book at 510 pages. So I keep putting it off.

I bought this one at the used book store for $5. It's in very good shape except for a small dent. It was once owned by someone named Brady in 1995.

A S Byatt has just written a new book called The Children's Book.

Have you read either or maybe something else by A S Byatt?

Chris vs. Martha: Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Martha, Martha, Martha. I admire your cookery and your craftiness. You make it look so easy. Like anyone can do it. But can they? I've tried some of your projects with varied success. So, dear Martha, I'm going to post some of my attempts here on book-a-rama.

First up is Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes from Martha Stewart's Cupcake book.

Chris

VS.

Martha

from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

I didn't make the cream cheese frosting because my girl hates it, nor did I make those cute little pumpkins. It took me hours just to do this. Also after about a day, the food colouring started to run. But they were delicious! And the recipe made a huge amount. I put some in the freezer for my girl's class Halloween party (without the icing).

Stay tuned for more Chris vs Martha!

March by Geraldine Brooks: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Since reading Year of Wonders earlier this year, I wanted to read more from Geraldine Brooks. I recently discovered that I like audiobooks so when I saw March in the audiobook section of the library I knew I should pick it up.

March is the story of Mr March, the father of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, during the civil war that period of time when he is absent from Alcott's book. Brooks imagines what hardships the man endures, the horrors he witnesses and the guilt he carries. Mr March joins the Union Army as a chaplain but finds that his idealism is not shared by his fellow men. He hides much of the ugliness of the war from his family in his letters home but it is eating him up inside.

March remembers his youth as a peddler, travelling through the South, being seduced by the leisurely life of the plantation owners. After a shocking incident, March becomes a staunch abolitionist and preacher. He is joined by many New England thinkers in his beliefs and they meet frequently to discuss the plight of the slaves. During a meeting, his life is changed forever when he meets the fiery Miss Marmee Day. Together they fight for the freedom of the slaves, becoming paupers in the process, until the day March makes an announcement that will put him on the battlefield.

March is an emotional book. I found myself at times disgusted, angry and in tears. I was often frustrated with him. For a man of the world, he's extremely naive. I wanted to shake him and tell him to wake up. He's too idealistic and expects too much from himself and others. Marmee's point of view is interesting. How could two people so in love misunderstand each other to that extent?

I could understand where Brooks was going with this: war changes people and not in good ways. But... this is a big but... I was dissatisfied with the ending. It just didn't meld with my memories of Little Women. I have really mixed feelings about March by Geraldine Brooks.

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About the audiobook: March was narrated by Richard Easton. It took me awhile to get into it since Mr March is 39 and the narrator sounds much older (and Britisher? That a word?). Eventually I got over it.

I borrowed March from the library and here's a tip for borrowers of audiobooks. Don't use the CDs as coasters or your drive as a plate. Every disc was covered in cookie crumbs and scratched in the same spot. It was very difficult to listen to the book as parts were either unreadable or garbled. Please people, think of the others who borrow after you!

Short Story Review: The Old Man by Daphne DuMaurier

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:12:00 +0000

I'm back to reading the short stories of Daphne DuMaurier in Echoes of the Macabre this week. I'm going to finish this one shortly.

I just finished The Old Man and it might be the cleverest short story I've ever read. The narrator is the neighbour of a strange couple, one he calls the Old Man. The Old Man is a gruff customer and the narrator keeps his distance. He watches him and his family from afar until he witnesses the Old Man commit a terrible crime upon one of the children.

While I was reading this I kept thinking what a weird family and why didn't the narrator tell someone, that is until the last paragraph which is brilliant. It was literary slight of hand. I had to go back and read it all again with this new information in mind. It was a completely different story.

You need to read The Old Man.

In The Blue Lenses, a woman undergoes an operation to repair her sight. When she is finally able to see again, people around her are revealed as they truly are. It would be comical if it didn't cause the woman so much fear and anxiety. As always, there is the surprise twist at the end.

The Blue Lenses is not only an entertaining story but has a deeper message, especially for wives of husbands with wondering eyes.

For reviews of the other stories in Echoes of the Macabre see:

The Apple Tree Review
The Pool and Kiss Me Again, Stranger
The Birds

Friday Bookish Buzz: Crazy Buzz

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:45:00 +0000

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

There are some odd stories in the news this week. I think the kid in the balloon takes the cake though.

*Maurice Sendak gives an interview, then goes outside and shakes fist at clouds.

*Edgar Allan Poe finally gets a funeral.

*Singer Leona Lewis is attacked during a book signing.

*The Governor General Awards nominations announced.

*Mandela sells his book rights.

*This sounds like a game we played in school: Gaiman to start a Twitter story.

*I'm not going to link to the original article because I made me feel all dirty (not in a good way) but to the Smart Bitches who brought it to my attention. Apparently, some sci-fi guys are scared of girls. And really "Spearhead"? Subtle.

*Etsy Love: Since Where the Wild Things Are is opening tomorrow, this Wild Thing Max Illustration from Nan Lawson or get really crazy and dress up like him. And a shout out to Edgar Allan Poe from Synchronicity313's shop. RIP Mr Poe.

And this is so entertaining to watch. Thanks Alea!
Have a great weekend peoples!

Back to Booking Through Thursday: Discuss

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:23:00 +0000

I haven't participated in Booking Through Thursday in awhile since I felt I never had much to say about the prompts. Today though I thought the question was an interesting one:

I was wanting to try a certain author and wished I knew someone who had read her works so I could get a recommendation when it occurred to me that having a “YOU ask the question” Booking Through Thursday might be fun. Each participant could ask a question they’ve wanted to discuss with other readers. Perhaps, like me, you’d like a recommendation of a certain author’s best work, or perhaps you LOVE a certain genre or series but no one else you know does and you’d just like to discuss it with someone. Or perhaps you want to try a new genre and would like recommendations from seasoned readers.

Here's mine:

With the 24 Hour Read-a-thon coming up on October 24, I was wondering what are some of your best tips for staying alert during long periods of reading- besides lots of coffee.

Or you can give me your best recommendation for a 'fluff' read (I like Sophie Kinsella) or an interesting audiobook.

Thanks!

***Edit: Yeah, I did last week's BTT. lol!***