Posted: 2019/03/05 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, childrens book, NonFiction | Tags: book review, childrens book, leisure, NonFiction, southwest, travel |
Gagne, Tammy. Exploring the Southwest. North Mankato, Minnesota: Abdo Publishing, 2018.
Reason read: planning a trip to the Southwest for my birthday.
This may be a book written for young children but I found it to be a good starting place for planning my trip to the southwest region of the United States. For starters, it was nice to clear up what states were officially considered “southwest.” Oklahoma and Texas were not part of my travel plans despite being part of the region.
The second detail I appreciated was the variety of topics covered by Ms Gagne. According to the index, the major topics were: history, nature (plants, animals, landscape, weather), industry, and people. I focused primarily on plants (chitalpa, desert spoon, prickly pear, sagebrush and tumbleweeds).
The third and final detail I appreciated was the photography. The front cover is the most stunning.
Book trivia: this is part of the Exploring America’s Regions series.
Posted: 2019/03/02 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: addiction, Apsley cherry garrard, audio books, Barbara Kingsolver, biography, books, Brazil, David Halberstam, David Sedaris, Dorothy Dunnett, Edna Ferber, europe, Fiction, historical, humor, Isaac Asimov, Laurie King, leisure, Lina Lisetta, lists, Luiz Garcia-Roza, Michelle Dean, movie, mystery, NonFiction, Patricia Schultz, political, Ray Riegert, Robert Crais, Sara Wheeler, science fiction, Sherlock Holmes, southwest, texas, Thorne Smith, travel, vietnam, women |
I will make a return to racing in two weeks. My last public run was in July. I’m not ready. Simply not. March is also two Natalie Merchant concerts. A return to my favorite voice. Here are the books:
Fiction:
- Monkey’s Raincoat by Robert Crais – in honor of March being a rainy month. Dumb, I know.
- Topper by Thorne Smith – in honor of Smith’s birth month being in March.
- Giant by Edna Ferber – in honor of Texas becoming a state in March.
Nonfiction
- Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam – in honor of March being the month the U.S. finally pulled out of Vietnam.
- Cherry: a Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard by Sara Wheeler in honor of March being the month Apsley ended his depot journey.
Series Continuation:
- Gemini by Dorothy Dunnett – to finally finish the series started in August in honor of Dunnett’s birth month.
- Blackout by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza – to finish the series started in February in honor of the Carnival festival in Brazil.
- Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov – to continue the series started in honor of Asimov’s birth month.
- The Moor by Laurie R. King – to continue the series started in January in honor of Mystery Month.
For fun:
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver – still reading
- Sharp by Michelle Dean – still reading
- Calypso by David Sedaris – needed for the Portland Public Library reading challenge.
- Living with the Little Devil Man by Lina Lisetta – written by a faculty member.
- Hidden Southwest edited by Ray Riegert – for my May trip.
- 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz – for my May trip…and the 2020 Italy trip.
Posted: 2019/03/01 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio book, E-Books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction, Poetry | Tags: Alice Walker, Arizona, audio books, Barbara Kingsolver, biography, birds, Blake Bailey, books, Brazil, childrens book, Dana Stabenow, David Sedaris, Dorothy Dunnett, Early Review, Fiction, Frederick Busch, Gayl Jones, historical, humor, Isaac Asimov, Jonathan Weiner, Laurie King, leisure, librarything, lists, Luiz Garcia-Roza, medical, Michelle Sharp, murder, mystery, NonFiction, Philip Caputo, Poetry, Richard Yates, Sana Goldberg, science, science fiction, series, Sherlock Holmes, southwest, Tammy Gagne, women |
What to say about this month? It was epic in a myriad of ways. First and foremost, I turned half a century old. I don’t mind the number; I am not bothered by the age. Never the less, friends and family gathered for a party to remember. And. And! And, I re-upped my commitment to running. It’s been slow but I have to admit something here – my breathing has been effed up. I have a scheduled appointment for early March so…I continue to read.
Here are the books:
Fiction:
- Take This Man by Frederick Busch. (EB & print)
- Good Night Willie Lee, I’ll See You in the Morning by Alice Walker. (EB)
- Crossers by Philip Caputo. (EB and print)
- Alone in the Crowd by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza. (EB and print)
Nonfiction:
- Tragic Honesty by Blake Bailey. (print only)
- Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner. (AB, EB and print)
Series Continuations:
- A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King. (EB and print)
- Caprice and Rondo by Dorothy Dunnett. (print)
- Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov. (EB)
- A Fine and Bitter Snow by Dana Stabenow. (EB and print)
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- How to be a Patient by Sana Goldberg.
- Corregidora by Gayl Jones (reread).
For fun:
- Exploring the Southwest by Tammy Gagne.
- Calypso by David Sedaris (started).
- Sharp by Michelle Dean (continuing)
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (continuing)
Posted: 2019/02/07 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: audio books, Early Review, Fiction, NonFiction, Poetry | Tags: alaska, Alice Walker, animals, Arizona, Barbara Kingsolver, biography, birds, Blake Bailey, Brazil, Dana Stabenow, Dorothy Dunnett, e-books, Early Review, Fiction, Frederick Busch, historical, Isaac Asimov, Jonathan Weiner, Laurie King, leisure, librarything, Luiz Garcia-Roza, medicine, mystery, NonFiction, Philip Caputo, Poetry, Richard Yates, Sana Goldberg, science fiction, series |
We are nearly one full week into February and I have yet to report what is on the reading list. I have to admit, my other (non-book) life got in the way. I was selected for jury duty for a trial that lasted three days, a friend was admitted to the hospital with atrial fibrillation for three days, an uncle was taken off hospice, and oh yeah, I turned fifty with my family and friends in attendance. The last week of January going into the first week of February was all a bit nutty. And. And! And, I am running again. So, there’s that. But enough of that. Here are the books:
Fiction:
- Good Night Willie Lee, I’ll See You in the Morning by Alice Walker (EB)- in honor of Walker’s birth month.
- Take This Man by Frederick Busch (EB & print) – in memory of Busch’s death month.
- Crossers by Philip Caputo (EB & print) – in honor of Arizona becoming a state in February.
- Alone in the Crowd by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza (EB & print) – in honor of Brazil’s festival.
Nonfiction:
- Tragic Honesty by Blake Bailey (print) in honor of Yates’s birthday.
- Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner (AB) in honor of February being Feed the Birds Month.
Series Continuations:
- A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King (EB & print) – to continue the series started in honor of January being Mystery Month.
- Caprice and Rondo by Dorothy Dunnett (print) – to continue the series started in honor of Dunnett’s birth month being in August.
- Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov (EB) – in honor of Asimov’s birth month being in January.
- A Fine and Bitter Snow by Dana Stabenow (EB & print) – to continue the series started in January in honor of Alaska becoming a state.
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- How to Be a Patient by Dr. Sana Goldberg (confessional: I started this in January and haven’t finished it yet).
For Fun:
- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver.
Posted: 2018/10/31 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, E-Books, Fiction, NonFiction | Tags: africa, anthology, boats, books, chick lit, Doris Lessing, Dorothy Dunnett, Early Review, england, Fiction, football, gardening, Hal Roth, Henry Roth, historical, immigration, italy, Ivo Andric, Jan Morris, John Grisham, leisure, librarything, lists, memoir, new york, NonFiction, Nora Roberts, ocean, Oxford, reading, Robert Wilson, romance, science fiction, self help, series, travel |
I don’t know where to begin with trying to explain October. From the beginning, I guess. It started with a trip home; a lovely week off with lots of reading accomplished. Then it was a New England Patriots football game followed by two Phish shows and a political rally for a state in which I do not live. If that wasn’t weird enough, I hung out with a person who could have raped or killed or loved me to death. Take your pick. Any one of those scenarios was more than possible. It was a truly bizarre month.
But, enough of that. Here are the books:
Fiction:
- Playing for Pizza by John Grisham. Quick but cute read.
- Call It Sleep by Henry Roth (AB/print). Sad.
- The Chronoliths by Robert C. Wilson. Interesting.
- Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric (EB). Boring.
Nonfiction:
- Oxford Book of Oxford edited by Jan Morris (EB/print). Only slightly less boring than Bridge.
- Always a Distant Anchorage by Hal Roth. Really interesting.
- African Laughter by Doris Lessing. Okay.
Series continuations:
- The Race of Scorpions by Dorothy Dunnett (EB/print). Detailed.
- Finding the Dream by Nora Roberts (EB). Cute but glad the series is over.
Fun:
- We Inspire Me by Andrea Pippins. Cute.
Early Review for LibraryThing:
- Gardening Under Lights by Leslie F. Halleck. When I set up the reads for October I didn’t include this because it hadn’t arrived yet.
I should add that October was a really frustrating month for books. I never really liked anything I was reading.
Posted: 2018/10/29 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction | Tags: 2018, animals, book review, cats, childrens book, Fiction, leisure, october |
Villiers, Alan. Joey Goes to Sea. Mystic, CT: Mystic Seaport, 2014.
Reason read: a gift from my aunt Jennifer and because I love cats.
This is such a cute story and the fact that is is based on true events makes it even more special. Joey is a little ginger kitten who went to sea aboard the Joseph Conrad with author Alan Villiers. According to Villiers, the events in the story are real. Joey caught flying fish, fought with a bird, and really did fall overboard!
The illustrations are wonderful, too.
Posted: 2018/06/29 | Author: gr4c5 | Filed under: Book Reviews, NonFiction | Tags: 2018, book review, Julie Foudy, june, leisure, NonFiction, self help |
Foudy, Julie. Choose to Matter: Being Courageously and Fabulously YOU. Los Angeles: ESPNW, 2017.
Reason read: for a simple shot of encouragement.
I first learned of Foudy’s book while listening to the Dewey Decibel podcast from the American Library Association. Foudy was a guest on an episode last year. Yeah, yeah. I’m just now getting to it. But, Foudy’s book is inspirational (even if it’s meant for girls 40 years younger…sigh).
It’s all about finding your role in life as a leader. Not a cheerleader on the sidelines, but a leader starring in your own life. She uses her experiences as a Olympic soccer player to illustrate what it takes to win self confidence and drive. And illustrate, she does. The book is chock full of pretty pictures, beautiful photographs, colorful scribblings and whatnot. She interviews inspirational women like fellow teammate Mia Hamm, LeanIn.org’s founder Sheryl Sandberg, and even super-inspiring Afghan teenager Fahima Noori…just to name a few. She’ll even turn the mirror around and ask you to answer some thought-provoking questions about yourself to get the creative juices going. Yes, the language is geared towards teenage girls, like I said. The illustrations are colorful and childlike. But, but. But! The message is loud and clear. Anyone can become a leader. All you have to do is lose the fear. Sing outloud, be goofy and just go for it.
