A Post: Recipes for Bookworms?

Hi there, bookworms!

I can't tell you how much I enjoy blogging. I love setting goals, working towards them, and meeting great people along the way. However, as much as I love it, I want to make sure you love reading it!

As you know, I occasionally feature my baking creations and really love the process and the feedback. With that being said, I'm thinking about incorporating reviews of cookbooks and the like into the blogging schedule, but wanted to put some feelers out first. Is this something you'd want to see here? If so, let me know in the comments below. Specific requests? Go ahead and throw those up there as well!

Feel free to leave any other suggestions of things you'd like to see in this space!

- Beth

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A Review: Mr. Prenumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

You know, I'm really starting to think the whole world is just a patchwork quilt of crazy little cults, all with their own secret spaces, their own records, their own rules. 

I must point out, first and foremost, that this book cover is glow-in-the-dark. Seriously. I learned this when I took it into the room of our very dark cabin in the woods and realized there was a bright, almost fluorescent, light suddenly glowing from the tabletop. Very clever. Ok, so that isn't the most exciting part about the novel; although, I still think it's a neat little surprise for all the bookworms around the world. Perhaps it's a spoiler. Then again, I wouldn't want you to miss it. SO. Check it out :)

When Clay Jannon finds himself without a job when the economy takes a turn for the worst, he stumbles upon a position as overnight store clerk in a crowded and peculiar book shop in San Franciso. Mr. Prenumbra, the store's owner, asks him three questions:

• What do you seek in these shelves? 
• Tell me about a book you love?
•  But can you climb a ladder?

Slowly he finds that the store's back shelves are filled with unfamiliar titles and strange visitors are more than everyday shoppers. A chance meeting with the brainy and beautiful Kat Potente, an employee of Google in data visualization, sparks a growing curiosity to uncover Mr. Prenumbra's secrets. Operating between new technology, and the ancient story of a pair that changed the world forever, Sloan takes readers on an exciting adventure in a world that the recent generations can relate to and bookworms will embrace.

First, let me say that I didn't know much about the premise going in. I generally prefer to learn as little as possible before beginning a book so I get to experience full shock value. With that in mind, I had a notion that it would be a title for bibliophiles, but had no idea that so much relevant jargon would be packed in. I work in the tech world, actually, perhaps not Google, but with a company that rivals it's size. While most of the conversations about google and plans for the future may have been somewhat exaggerated, I do believe that many of the stereotypes found in the text are something you'll encounter working in this field. I could visualize the characters and their movements in the space. I've heard arguments against the novel about how the use of platforms like Twitter and Facebook will date this novel, leaving it completely unrelatable in years to come. I don't know what the future holds for these two ventures, but I do think that Facebook will probably resonant in people's minds for years to come.  I found it refreshing to read a novel that did focus on present day, in a world I could relate to. Many bloggers rely on these social spaces to communicate and reach out so I felt much more connected to it. And the characters in the book did just that, with technology and with text.

So. While I did find the title enjoyable, I did encounter some issues. I found the narrator a little irritating. It seemed that he was less a grown man, and more a teenager. I enjoyed the eternal dialogue and the very real dissection of his place in a world where people are so incredibly talented and the competition stiff. I thought it was interesting that Sloan would highlight Clay's insecurities, mainly knowing that wasn't necessarily as smart as some of the individuals around him, namely Kat from Google, but continued to motivate and teach himself in order to move forward. These elements were redeeming. In the end, however, there's no real conflict in the story. And that bothered me. Everything seems to work out in just the way he needs it to and all is well. Furthermore, the conclusion was a little lackluster for all the build up. The last chapter was eloquent, but didn't save it in the end.

I think you should definitely pick it up if you enjoy books about technology, or books about books and the people who love them, or cute love stories that remind you of the Wonder Years, or if you're just looking for a book with a glow-in-the-dark cover.

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A Rant: Pet Peeves and Books

We all have things that make us tick (bookish and otherwise). You know, some people hate dogearing (yep, guilty), highlighting (guilty again) and hardcovers (I don't hate). And then in life, you know real life, some people dislike tardiness, or clutter or the sound of people eating. Ok. So I'm going somewhere with this. I was recently a little bored at work, which doesn't happen too often, and my mind began to wander. I started to contemplate some of the things that I just couldn't stand in the world of books. Maybe you'll agree, or not, either way, it is what it is.

Here goes:

Movie poster as new book cover.

Let's discuss this for a moment. Years ago I bought the book Four Feathers. After reading reviews, I headed to Barnes and Noble, only to find a shiny cover with Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley and Kate Hudson starting back at me. Now, I'll admit I thought they were cuties and she was also a looker, but I wasn't necessarily all jazz hands when I found that it was the only copy available. I bought it and ended up enjoying it (the movie too), but can't say I want to display it will all my other beauties.

Yes, a book shouldn't be judged by a cover, but I feel that this doesn't apply because the book is essentially being reprinted because the MOVIE has suddenly REINVENTED the novel. Look at these cool people endorsing this book that some weren't aware was even a book until A-LIST PLAYER was added to the cover. That probably means a lot of people are judging this thing by the cover. I don't like it. Not one bit.

Classic novel introductions that give away the entire story.

I may be in the minority on not knowing what every classic novel is about, so I apologize if this is a big, fat borefest. Thank you, Barnes and Noble Classics, for telling me exactly what occurs in The Woman in White before I've actually read The Woman in White (I finished it last year). Actually, I was smart enough to STOP reading once I realized I was heading into spoiler territory, and fast. Perhaps it's a no-brainer that the introduction contains the entire plot in 10 pages, but I was unaware and have suffered (fist shaking). I get that you want to introduce the reader to the work, break them in, bring them up to speed, but please explain to me why the entire storyline is divulged in those first pages?! I just don't get it.

Movie adaptations that rip the heart out of your favorite novel. 

A couple of years ago I heard that there were talks of adapting Nicole Krauss's The History of Love for the screen. Let's just say I was not happy about it. Ok, so I know some people would be overjoyed. And sometimes I'll admit that I am. But for the most part I really don't enjoy books as movies. Books like The History of Love would never translate well. It just wouldn't. This might be a case of bias because of it's one of my favorite books, but really, those who have read it agree. When I discussed Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (another example of beautiful literature) with those that had the expectations of something that wouldn't shame the book, several expressed that many of the best parts of the book were cut. It just couldn't be done in a Hollywood film. I refused to see it because I loved the book and couldn't think about all those beautiful moments left in the cold. And while I did note that the latest rage, The Hunger Games, was not so different from the novel, I can't say I'm entirely convinced it's a good idea. I get it's an adaptation, but that doesn't mean sacrificing the most moving/essential bits to make a sale.

Thoughts?

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My Friday Reads: A Blog Post

It's been a crazy couple of weeks where books have taken the back-burner (sad times, indeed).  I got a new job, which is challenging, and requires that I stay glued to a screen, logged into a couple big time social media sites.  So, with that being said, adjusting to a new position and the demands it's sure to require, I've had little energy to read and exercise and pack and spend time with people that I love, each and everyday.  Plus, let me just be honest, I've found that I'm not ready to jump into the books I'm reading as soon as I walk in the door at night.

So, let me advertise my own walk of shame.  Here goes...

BOOKS I AM CURRENTLY READING:

I. The Jungle Upton Sinclair

A Classics Challenge selection that would fulfill my Banned Book requirement, I found I  had the hardest time getting into this initially. When I finally found myself invested in the characters (about 130 pages in), I felt that I cared for them so much that I couldn't bear reading anymore of the woe that characterized their sad lives.  It's been over a month, and I still haven't finished. However, I'm not giving it up, just waiting till some of the anxiety of all the recent changes in my life subsides.

II. The Forgotten Garden  Kate Morton

Okay, so we all know I'm a thrifty shopper. However, sometimes (and I hate to admit this) I splurge on books (meaning I pay full price).  Don't hate me. There are plenty of books that I will buy full price, but when expenses are tight and you need to appease a hankering that the library can't satisfy, you go out and attempt to find it for half the price at a used store.  Well, I needed something lighter, not chick lit light, but something that had a magical element and included several generations of interesting female characters.  Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden fit the bill; plus, once I heard that it contained a secret garden (and I love gardens), it stuck with me for months.  After no longer being able to stomach the (what I thought to be) ridiculous queue at the local library, I broke down and purchased a brand new copy at the Barnes and Noble up the street.  While there are elements I find completely endearing and sweet, there's something about Morton's writing that makes me feel a little cheated.  The storyline seemed entertaining: a granddaughter searches for missing pieces to the mystery her recently deceased Grandmother spent her whole life trying to uncover about her own unexplainable past.  And, while I feel that the female characters are pretty great, there's just something lacking.  The dialogue offers little depth that would help me relate, hindering my ability to suspend disbelief.  At 600+ pages, I've decided that I'm going to finish (hey, I'm already over 300 pages in) but without haste - when I feel like reading, I will.  

III. The Road of Bones Anne Fine

A young-adult novel I discovered after reading The Book Thief, The Road of Bones is an account of a young boy growing up in an era that closely resembles post-revolutionary days of Soviet Russia. A novel created to explore the darkest moments of revolution and war within a landscape, Fine wishes to raise awareness of the paranoia and hysteria of such periods through the perspective of a young man coming-of-age.  The novel reads unlike any young adult novel I've come across, exploring the power of corruption and manipulation while evoking fear.  I'm slowly making my way through this title, as well, despite the darker content, but have really enjoyed it thus far.

 Book Club Picks for the Month of May:

I. Eating Animals Jonathan Safran Foer

I'll be finishing the first half of this book for my first book club meeting in over a month this coming Wednesday!  I'm so excited to be seeing all of my favorite ladies again, not to mention the attendance of two new participants! Although I'm a bit nervous about reading this nonfiction title, I have little doubt that I'll glean loads of new information.

II. Click: When We Knew We Were Feminists Edited by: Courtney E. Martin and J. Courtney Sullivan

A pick for the FWHC reading club I organize, I chose this title so that we could welcome all the new participants at the center with a series of short stories from leading females throughout the world.  Not only is it a great collection, but it creates the perfect opportunity to share stories about our own lives.  I'm excited to get it finished and share!










Look daunting?  Tell me about it.  So, what are you currently reading?  How do you cope with limited energy and time to read?

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Things, Glorious Things- A Post of Objects

With new responsibilities this bookworm has had little time to read.  Yes, it's quite saddening, but I'm learning so much in my position that it's only a matter of time before I have things under control and can resume my regular reading schedule.  

So, I wanted to post this to prove that I'm very much still alive, and missing my community of blogging friends. I really wanted to share some recent finds that I've purchased to celebrate the new developments in my life...

First, tea parties.  Yes, I love tea parties.  

What bookworm doesn't like tea?  Well, I'm sure there are many, but to make this work we'll just pretend that everyone loves a good tea party as much as I do.  With recent discussion of hosting a tea party for my book club ladies, I decided to begin to assemble an assorted tea set.  Growing up, my grandmother frequently held tea parties for my brother and me, instilling manners, and the love of delicate porcelain beauties, such as the ones provided below. While searching on Etsy I found The Vintage Teacup, and fell in love.

Here are two that have been shipped and will soon join my collection:

Here are some other goodies for my tea/book loving friends:

via Designs by Annette

via honeystreasures 

via parada creations

via painted cottages

What are you reading?  I'd love to know! 

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A Little Hiatus

 

Just wanted everyone to know that I didn't forget I had a blog.  I had my wisdom teeth removed on Friday.  This means that I've been sleeping, consuming meals in liquid form or attempting to decipher sentences on pages since then.

I'll be back real soon.  Promise.

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Day One: The Age of Innocence Read Along

Bookworms: Remember that today marks the beginning of The Age of Innocence Read-Along! 

If you haven't signed up and would like to participate, click here.

I'll be posting discussion questions/opinions for Book One on February 16th, and look forward to reviewing participants responses to the novel.  Make sure to take notes, mark quotes and come ready to share your adoration/aversion to this classical work.

Good luck!

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Thanks for Family and Friends

Happy Thanksgiving, bookworms!

I'm excited to announce that I'm finally completely absorbed in a novel: Lorrie Moore's A Gate at the Stairs.  Last week I mentioned that I had started The School of Essential Ingredients, and I really love Bauermeister's savory description of the food her protagonist delicately handles. However, the title just happens to be the reading selection of the month for my reading group; so, I can't really get too ahead of myself.  Perfect reading during a time of year when Americans celebrate family, relationships, giving and great food.

A Gate at the Stairs offers a refreshing perspective from a somewhat demented protagonist Tassie Keltjin.  So far, I've only completed around 30 pages, but I've found that I don't want to put it down. I'm looking forward to posting a thorough review of this unique novel upon completion.

I can't wait to spend the weekend crafting, reading and editing photos from tomorrow's festivities.  Tomorrow will be the first Thanksgiving that my brother and I do almost ALL of the cooking, and we couldn't be more excited. Nothing beats beautiful falls leaves in the North Georgia mountains, heartfelt laughter with your family and warm food atop your table. I'll be sure to snap shots throughout the process and share all recipes utilized. 

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?  Doing any reading to get you in the spirit?



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Thrifty Book Finds

Before I get into my thrifty find of the weekend, let me just say that I haven't posted in over a week, and feel a little guilty.  This weekend was another long-trip-during-a-short-period kind of ordeal, and I didn't have much time for reading or
blogging.  I travelled to Iowa to visit J's sister and watch her play some college basketball.  I had never been to Iowa so it was an experience.  I'm one of those souls that looks forward to the most boring of destinations with utmost impatience.  And I was certainly warned that Iowa wasn't much of anything. But I see beauty everywhere.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the downtown scene, watching K play ball and the 14-hour car ride with my sweetheart.

Plus, we had the opportunity to stop in Nashville, a city I had never visited, for the afternoon on our way back to Georgia on Sunday.

And that's precisely where my find comes in...


Upon arriving, J's stomach was rumbling (not surprising) but I had other plans. Instead of mapping restaurants in the area, I thought that if we found a used book store, we would surely find a neat little area to kick up our heels and take it all in.

Sure enough, we found a boutique-lined, urban section of Nashville, where Bookman Bookwoman bookstore was located.


Let me start by saying that I was enamored initially.  Books were so stuffed in each shelf that you literally had to pull back stacks in order to search for more.  The shelves were stocked to the ceiling with old copies, signed copies, first edition prints.  It was tight, and hard avoiding collision with almost every individual shopping in the store.

In a word: cozy.  I loved it.

What I didn't love: the prices.

Used copies that look battered and beaten aren't generally sold for 9.95 and up.  I found several ARC's, which also turned me off.  It's a college town; lots of people buy books, and the prices reflected that fact, which left me less than impressed.  The selection, while unmatched, harbored too many titles in poor condition at really high used prices.

However, I couldn't leave without getting something.  So, I walked away with this:

 Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller

I'll admit that I've never heard of this title; however, after reading the first few pages, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a pretty deep, depressing, eye-opening endeavor.

What I paid: $8.69

All-in-all it was a nice little stop and I got a new book out of the deal.  Plus, I got to go on an awesome road trip with the beauty and watch the autumn leaves float past my passenger side window so frequently that it was a blur of firelight.  Here are a few photos of the journey- here are a few ways to savor the dwindling days of brilliant warm hues against azure skies.  

*There's J ;) 

What are your thoughts on used book prices?  How much are you willing to pay for used books? In what condition do you expect them to be in? 

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Thrifty Book Finds

Saturday shopping spree... alliteration at it's finest.  Actually, I did some early Christmas shopping, and purchased myself a few goodies for being such a smart cookie.  Before heading out the door, and before my arms were loaded with shopping bags, I created a pile of old books that I was itching to get rid of.  I started my afternoon with a trip to Goodwill and picked up book #1: If We Ever Break Up, This is My Book by Jason Logan.  Logan's title is a collection of illustrations of the trials and tribulations of dealing with a breakup.  It's absolutely hilarious (don't judge me), and was reasonably priced ($1.50) for a coffee table book.

My second stop was a used book store outside of Atlanta.  I was able to swap four books for a trade-in-credit of 12 dollars!  Needless to say, I picked up Dave Eggers A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, after reoccurring raves from acquaintances.  I'm not quite sure what this title is about, but I'm excited to find out. Plus, for the $7.49 cents that I didn't have to pay, it's worth a risk. AND I still have $4.51 left on credit!

Grand total spent on TWO books: 1 dollar and 50 cents.  I'll take it.  :)

Photo of the day: Ardent reader? Spot on.

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Literary Blog Hop

The Blue Bookcase announced this week that their site would be hosting a Literary Blog Hop. The genre, literary fiction, is often debated, because unlike other genres of fiction, literary fiction does not possess rigid parameters. However, literary fiction is not, itself, some magical abyss that one can call upon if in doubt of another name. No, literary fiction places emphasis on style, and demands a developed (or more deeply developed) psychological engagement/concept from it's audience and characters. Those studying literary fiction pay close attention to devices that are meticulously displayed throughout a novel of interest. McGraw Hill has a wonderfully informative list of literary devices and terms that any reader should familiarize themselves with. A novel can hold a beautiful storyline, an enriching message, and teach readers to engage in critical thinking, thus sharpening the mind.

Thought-provoking storylines and complex character development have kept my love of the printed word alive since I was a child. That’s why I was overjoyed when I found I would be able to participate in this Literary Blog Hop!

The Blue Bookcase posed this request:

Please highlight one of your favorite books and why you would consider it "literary."

Now, many of my readers know that my favorite title is Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love, which qualifies as an appropriate book for the subject of genre. However, instead of doing as predicted, I want to talk about some of my more recently favored literary fiction reads.

Title: All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost

Author: Lan Samantha Chang

Publisher:  W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Release Date: 09.27.2010

Hardcover, 208 Pgs.

When I was offered an advanced reader's copy of Nicole Krauss's Great House: A Novel, I was ecstatic. No, really. I think I called half the people in my phonebook; I was so excited to get the chance to review in advance. Not to mention, it was the first time I had received an ARC of anything directly from a publisher. A newcomer to the world of book-blogging, receiving a copy felt like quite an accomplishment; so, imagine how elated I was when I found, quite unexpectedly, Lan Samantha Chang's All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost, in the same package!

Summary: Roman and Bernard are students in a revered and feared poet's class with hopes of becoming brilliant artists themselves. Miranda Sturgis, their professor, maintains an image of ambivalence regarding anything her students submit, creating a desire in the two men to know her more completely. While Roman's work procures a life of recognition, Bernard looms in his frugal dwellings, constructing and deconstructing a single poem.

Readers witness the lives of two men who face perplexing lifestyle queries. Chang brilliantly embeds a discussion of her own profession, writing, in the text, which prompts profound analysis of the skill and devotion of writers, past and present. The day-to-day complexities of individuals’ inhabiting a capitalist society are marked with striking clarity. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys elevated language and content, as well as an engaging storyline that keeps your fingers gripping the cover.

Honorable Mention: Anthony Doerr’s Memory Wall: Stories. Doerr’s collection of stories possessed lines that were so beautiful, I cried from construction, and not entirely from content. Language was moving, and the character depth for each member of this collection of short stories goes unmatched.

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Thrifty Book Finds

I love to read, but it can be quite an expensive practice. So, I visit thrift stores, yard sales and used book stores to indulge my habit without giving up sustenance.

Finds: The Book Thief, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and The Time Traveler's Wife (for Mom!).
Where: Goodwill
Money Spent: $ 4.50

Pretty nice!

Note: I refrained from purchasing a beautiful new hardcover copy of Nicole Krauss's The History of Love, even though my paperback is clinging to life, so give me some credit.

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