tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185005402011-09-18T10:29:58.293-06:00Books, Reading, Writing, Authors: The Joy of the Written Word.StacieMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10378380788906271905noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-91643252140012514872007-10-27T00:05:00.000-06:002007-10-27T00:22:57.124-06:00

In a place where nature has proven herself more brutal than mankind and also more forgiving, 65 women forged a life close to the earth while the rest of humankind was walled off from the effects of living large upon the earth for too long. "Sister" got tired of living packed in concrete like sardines, implanted by law with a contraceptive device, factory work building machines went unused: all

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-16115542933904111302007-10-21T10:12:00.000-06:002007-10-27T00:20:43.423-06:00

This one left me speechless, gaping like a fish to find the right words of devotion to this exquisite, beautiful novel. I've been working for weeks to write up a proper review, but it isn't working. And to think, I posted about my favorite novels of late only a week before completing one that must be added to the list. I promise to find better, more accurate words of love for this remarkable,

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-77227918214141685312007-09-24T20:09:00.000-06:002007-09-24T20:29:21.708-06:00

I'm not the biggest fan of fiction and always have trouble finding novels that appeal to me enough to finish reading or otherwise leave a lasting impression. Here is a list, in no particular order, of my top favorite novels of the last two years:The Road by Cormac McCarthyFive Skies by Ron CarlsonBrief History of the Dead by Kevin BrockmeierSmonk by Tom FranklinCoal Black Horse by Robert

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-74735001757162793302007-09-24T20:07:00.001-06:002007-09-24T20:09:30.335-06:00

Personal Note: Sorry for the long absence. I departed for the summer and since coming home I have been, simply put, lazing around the house re-adjusting to normal life. As a jump back into posting snippets and reviews and thoughts, a short and sweet post will follow this one. Ta!

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-37021894383753417192007-05-28T16:20:00.000-06:002007-05-28T16:37:15.713-06:00

Written Nerd has a great post about the pros and cons of bloggers writing book reviews. Not an attack upon or critical of print book reviews, WN notes the greatest perk of blogged book reviews over print reviews:Blogs, on the other hand, have the benefits that come from no filter: their passion for or against a book, or their complex thoughts about it, are subject to no one's editing but their

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-29210284437101853732007-04-17T17:58:00.000-06:002007-04-17T18:27:05.761-06:00

One Idaho summer envelops the lives of three men in her broad skies, flat plains, high plateaus and dramatic silences. It is one season in the lives of the huge, silent Arthur Key; the internally raging Darwin Gallegos; and the ex-criminal but earnest young pupil Ronnie Panelli. They bond in the steely, emotionless, simple ways that men do, as they work on a contracted big-money building project

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-51544479588624539792007-04-12T11:52:00.000-06:002007-04-12T12:02:20.337-06:00

Literary legend Kurt Vonnegut has died at 84 years old. There comes a time when great authors will all leave us, but it is always a sad day and fills us with great loss.Two great pieces:KURT VONNEGUT: 1922-2007Darkly comic novelist a counterculture heroSan Francisco ChronicleNovelist Vonnegut Remembered for His Black HumorNPRWriter Kurt Vonnegut dies at 84BBC News

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-293965029390945542007-04-04T21:42:00.000-06:002007-04-04T21:45:12.274-06:00

Ever wanted to take a peek into the offices/writing spaces of beloved authors? Check out the UK Guardian's page featuring various writers' rooms with commentary by each author. I am a little surprised at how neat nearly all of them seem to be, but it could be they just tidied up before the photographer came.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-64092619933839367232007-03-30T13:46:00.000-06:002007-03-30T13:54:11.042-06:00

Check out the final results of The Morning News Tournament of Books.It isn't any surprise and sure didn't feel like any competition was actually occuring. With words like "trounced" being used and some of the best bloggers, reviewers (and even a few authors) weighing in on the final match-up with wit & without holding back, the summaries are worth reading even if you weren't already convinced

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-22574291031619454942007-03-28T23:19:00.000-06:002007-03-28T23:34:22.133-06:00

Wow. Oprah's announcement today may have been missed by indie booksellers, but it was impossible to not see the paperback copies of Cormac McCarthy's The Road with the highly-recognizable sticker stuck on the front cover. We were joking today that when the housewives come in to pick up the book, be sure to suggest they also purchase a copy of Blood Meridian. Yes, we can be evil. But seriously

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-68635580337260790612007-03-27T15:25:00.000-06:002007-03-27T15:36:04.434-06:00

Fresh out in hardcover, these are brief reviews of a few new books I'm recommending. The first is especially a strong contender as my favorite book of Spring. Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead A perfect, beautiful child of Cormac McCarthy and Tom Franklin, Robert Olmstead’s Coal Black Horse brings to life the bloody, horrific details that make up people and land of the Civil War while

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-30573100742724264672007-03-20T15:27:00.000-06:002007-03-20T15:48:57.652-06:00

Through the conversation of a Pakistani man and an American at a marketplace in Lahore, we learn about the recent life-changing events of a young man who leaves his home of Pakistan in order to make use of the education and opportunities in the United States. He attends Princeton and is hand-selected to work for an important firm in New York City whose sole purpose is to evaluate the financial

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-9320267846883279172007-03-06T19:22:00.000-06:002007-03-06T19:25:46.670-06:00

So I just tried out the Lulu Titlescorer by entering in three different titles (just for fun, of course they aren't actual titles I have in mind for anything I'm working on) and each one received the same score: 69.0% chance of becoming a bestseller. Can I pick 'em or can I pick 'em?Anyone need help titling their novel?

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-89413065984964334492007-03-06T15:25:00.000-06:002007-03-06T15:27:37.185-06:00

Yes, yes I am a book girl, but I am referring to the blog: Book Girl. It's aesthetically pleasing, made up of simple layouts, and boasts reviews of books I don't read (which means you can read more of a variety in reviews). Check it out!

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-82884722035378879092007-03-06T13:35:00.000-06:002007-03-06T14:24:06.298-06:00

Chuck is BACK! Using a device called the "oral biography," the story is told from the first-person perspective of many people who had some sort of contact with the main character, Buster Landru Casey, AKA "Rant". This lends itself most often to feeling as though you are listening to a radio documentary. As though someone interviewed hundreds of people one at a time, getting his or her entire

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-48440320270081455402007-02-12T16:49:00.000-06:002007-02-12T17:01:26.262-06:00

At least Bibliochef does! And oh, how! This is a really nicely done review, from a personal reflective note, of course. Don't expect New York Times Book Review type, but its clear that this book does seem to touch something very personal inside everyone who reads it.And as a side note, the blog of Bibliochef fills a nice niche for lovers of mystery, food and books about either, or both! The

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-41046120825330071222007-02-11T02:19:00.000-06:002007-02-09T23:53:18.790-06:00

A new addition to the links list: Written Nerd. Check out this bookseller-blogger with her readable, simple layout, basic approach to blogging about bookselling!

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-36486613339078885422007-02-09T23:25:00.000-06:002007-01-28T17:56:56.446-06:00

I never quite got around to writing about this book after I read it and I'm not sure why. I think it had something to do with wanting to write it up properly, but not having the right words to really put it all together in the larger picture of importance.So tonight I had the honor of hosting Greg Mortenson at my bookstore for an event. We packed in somewhere around 250 people for a marvelous

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-54863485906417055582007-01-11T13:29:00.000-06:002007-01-11T14:21:11.476-06:00

My favorite books read in 2006:FICTIONThe Road by Cormac McCarthySmonk by Tom FranklinBrief History of the Dead by Kevin BrockmeierWater for Elephants by Sara GruenTraveling Death & Resurrection Show by Ariel GoreWillful Creatures: Stories by Aimee BenderNON-FICTIONThree Cups of Tea by Greg MortensonGuests of the Ayatollah by Mark BowdenEat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth GilbertLast Chance in Texas by

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-27801457454127868592006-12-31T19:34:00.000-06:002006-12-31T19:47:46.135-06:00

Through a leapfrog maneuver from one blog to another and clicking on a link, I find myself faceto face with a challenge I long to complete. One ambitious Canadian book blogger was recently inspired after reading Italo Calvino's If On a Winter's Night, A Traveler and in particular by the lengthy passage discussing the various searches that go on in a bookstore. She has dubbed it the "Calvino

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1164153426582278392006-11-21T17:40:00.000-06:002006-11-21T18:39:17.763-06:00

It was the eve of the eve of his death by murder and there was harmonica music on the air when E.O. Smonk rode the disputed mule over the railroad tracks and up the hill to the hotel where his trial would be.And so begins this fabulous tale of the new mythology of Smonk, Evavangeline, Phail Walton, William R. McKissick Jr., and the entire town of Old Texas. The characters are truly

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1162483398183493772006-11-02T10:01:00.000-06:002006-11-02T10:03:18.200-06:00

Prize-Winning Novelist William Styron Dies at 81by Renée Montagne Morning Edition, November 2, 2006 · Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist William Styron died Wednesday of pneumonia at a hospital in Martha's Vineyard, Mass. . He was 81.Styron won the Pulitzer for The Confessions of Nat Turner, a fictional account of Nat Turner and the slave revolt of 1831. As a white, Protestant Southerner, Styron was

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1160368678448952292006-10-08T22:27:00.000-06:002006-10-09T09:45:29.173-06:00

Changing the look of Literati Illuminations. This might not be the only change. Be forwarned.Speaking of blogs, I found a new LitBlog today. I haven't been able to get on the bandwagon for many that are out there (and there are way too many, of which this is one), but this one was a standout. Design, accessibility, readability, focus, lack of pointless chatter, so on and soforth. Check out

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1159908210943397222006-10-03T14:19:00.000-06:002006-10-03T14:43:31.043-06:00

Sometimes you come across a book that truly keeps you riveted. Not only while you read it, but for days after. McCarthy's apocalyptic vision does just that. I feel as though I cannot do this book any justice by writing properly formulated sentences. So much of my reaction is visceral, that a well-crafted paragraph will only take away from the impact such a work has on the mind and soul. So I

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1159503587649201452006-09-28T16:08:00.000-06:002006-09-28T22:28:28.920-06:00

7am Officially on the road! I left home at 6am after being up for only 30 minutes. And yet it was way, way too early for me. 7am is too early to wake up and I have to do it several days a week. Bought coffee on the way to meet the charter bus - mostly because I decided I might as well have some boost to the trip since I know I won’t fall back asleep, no matter how badly I will want to (and I

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1159371816382333952006-09-27T09:36:00.000-06:002006-09-27T09:44:04.060-06:00

I have been reading like mad, but have been too preoccupied (lazy?) to share my thoughts here. Recently read and loved:Smonk by Tom FranklinMoral Disorder by Margaret AtwoodHow We Got Insipid by Jonathan LethemChildren's Hospital by Chris AdrianThis weekend I will be at the Midwest Booksellers Association trade show in St. Paul and will attempt to do some blogging from there. No promises, but

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1157643386518459172006-09-07T09:17:00.000-06:002006-09-07T09:36:26.536-06:00

The dust jacket of this book is all you need to read to suck you inside in an instant. I could not not open the book and start from the beginning. It captures you like the peak, tense denoument of any thrilling movie or riveting sports event. And it's only a spelling bee! Eagerly I dove into American Bee wanting to know...did David Tidmarsh win? Or did he hyperventilate and collapse onstage?

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1155999823635457952006-08-19T08:57:00.000-06:002006-08-19T09:03:43.646-06:00

My store does a galley giveaway once a year where all our extra galleys get set out and customers can take one for every book they purchase. It's a neat thing and people really seem to get a kick out of it. There are a a large number of good galleys hanging around this year because we got moer quantity or we all were interested in slightly more obscure things or we liked the books so damn much

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1154106880084646032006-07-28T11:09:00.000-06:002006-07-28T11:14:40.103-06:00

The Yacoubian Building is a Booksense pick for August and my review was chosen to be featured with the pick! Exciting! I received an email from a representative for the company that distributes books put out by the American University in Cairo Press (English publisher of TYB), so I thought I'd post a link to a site where you can check out some of their other titles.AUC Listings(Also: I'm still

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1152630396438772602006-07-11T09:04:00.000-06:002006-07-11T09:06:36.453-06:00

I have been madly in love with this book since I read it after it first came out and I try to handsell it like crazy (though clearly I can't do it while I'm at a camp in the WI Northwoods). Anyhow, I came across this profile of it on Nancy Pearl's list today on NPR and this is a great summary. Just thought it would be something to be aware of. The last paragraph sums it all up perfectly.------

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1149976646886971872006-06-10T15:56:00.000-06:002006-06-10T15:57:26.886-06:00

Okay. this is so cool. I had to share.The Official Podcast of BookExpo AmericaJohn Updike. Amy Sedaris. Barack Obama. Sigh. WIsh I could have gone. Oh well, one day....

StarStarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1149976379677570822006-06-10T15:51:00.000-06:002006-06-10T15:52:59.676-06:00

Okay. So a quick FYI. There will be very few (if any) posts over the next two months. I'm heading off for an adventure in the Northwoods and while I will have e-mail access and will bring a bunch of books with me, I may not get a chance to post anything here. So hold tight, don't let the mosquitos bite and we will be in touch again soon. Ta!

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1149975666447272012006-06-10T15:15:00.000-06:002006-06-10T15:51:08.580-06:00

Ladies, ladies, do I have a single gentleman for you! He is handsome (hoo-boy is he!), charming, a little shy and a world-traveller. He is Kurt Wisner, brother to Franz Wisner who wrote the above-mentioned book. Here's a peek:Yes, okay, so Franz is also ridiculously handsome, but he's now taken. And I can't have Kurt so he is up for grabs ladies!So the point of this post is not to ramble on

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1148400821385895832006-05-23T09:55:00.000-06:002006-05-23T10:13:41.456-06:00

Aswany has woven for us a lush, rich tapestry of modern day Egyptians. Their struggles with religion, culture, sexuality and class explode into inevitable and sometimes surprising endings. This beautiful novel is both alluringly foreign and captivatingly familiar.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1148399723711900992006-05-23T09:37:00.000-06:002006-05-23T09:55:23.776-06:00

I'm only on page 25 but I'm hooked. Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down has brought us an over 600 page exploration of the Itanian hostage crisis. His 5 years of research is evident in his accessible narrative that is detailed enough to make you feel as though you are right there while providing you with historical and character background to a depth that makes it hard to believe he wasn't

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1147801487097229732006-05-16T11:29:00.000-06:002006-05-16T12:47:52.023-06:00

I had the opportunity to read this in ARC form nearly 2 months ago. Or has it been longer than that even? Anyhow, I was so excited about this book. But I couldn't say anything because it wasn't coming out for awhile yet and I'm feeling rather cruel if I post about a great book that someone might read about and forget before it is actually on the shelves. That's not fair to you, dear reader,

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1147559877214880902006-05-13T16:24:00.000-06:002006-05-13T16:37:57.226-06:00

I apologize for being so lacksadasial in my updates. I have been reading non-stop, but an increase in work hours as well as a brief illness has subdued my regular additions here. The increase in work hours was due to accepting a new position at my bookstore. I now get to host and coordinate all in-store author events. In April we averaged 3 a week - many of which brought in several hundred

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1144795435078740622006-04-11T16:42:00.000-06:002006-04-11T16:43:55.096-06:00

The frustration with the joys of Advanced Reader Copies of upcoming books: Loved it, can't wait for everyone to read it, must share about it now. Wait, can't. Isn't coming out until August. Shit. Never mind. guess I should read something that's already out on shelves.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1144019654849926742006-04-02T17:07:00.000-06:002006-04-02T17:14:27.530-06:00

--------------------------------------------Reading Group LinksThe following publisher sites feature reading group discussion guides:HarperCollins Henry Holt and Co. Houghton Mifflin Co. Penguin Putnam Random House, Vintage and Anchor Random House, Ballantine Reader's Circle more from Random House St. Martin's Press Simon and Schuster Time Warner W.W. Norton and Co.Other useful sites:See what our

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1144019260773619502006-04-02T16:52:00.000-06:002006-04-02T17:07:40.786-06:00

More details to follow eventually. But, things I have just read, am reading currently, or will be starting within the next day or two:The Hearing Trumpet Leonora CarringtonWe'll Always Have Paris John BaxterElla in Europe Michael KonikExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close Jonathon Safran FoerHistory of Love Nicole KraussThis doesn't count the GINORMOUS stack of galleys and finished books I have

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1143157618202441882006-03-23T17:46:00.000-06:002006-03-23T18:05:26.860-06:00

The big Mooron himself on Talk of the Nation. After he is done with his current project, a sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends, he mentioned he's thinking it is time to take on Shakespeare. I am having a near-post-orgasm shiver just thinking of that pairing. That would be bloody marvelous!

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1143150178492497252006-03-23T15:05:00.000-06:002006-03-23T16:00:03.633-06:00

I have been in love with Christopher Moore since I read Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. I am ashamed to say that while I have read nearly every book he has written, I own zero. He is a writer you can read, relish and release. Kinda like fishing the eco-friendly way. What is interesting is that I read his books, including his latest, without ever really reading anything about him. I didn't go

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1143144470664256382006-03-23T14:06:00.000-06:002006-03-23T16:02:47.393-06:00

Elizabeth Gilbert on NPR about this delightful read.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1142545224022242492006-03-16T15:36:00.000-06:002006-03-16T15:40:24.023-06:00

Join Elizabeth on her post-divorce soul-searching journey through Italy, India and Indonesia. Honest and intimate: this part travel literature, part spiritual guide is packed with humor and in-the-moment emotional discoveries. Elizabeth doesn't skimp on baring her every thought and feeling as she traverses the geography of foreign lands...and of her own self. Though written by a woman, it’s

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1142544866855485542006-03-16T15:15:00.000-06:002006-03-16T15:34:26.896-06:00

Being translated into English and published in May, Khadra's latest novel has been nominated for the prestigious French award: the Prix Goncourt; and has even been optioned by Focus Features for film rights. Which is not surprising in the least. The plot alone is film-worthy these days. And Focus is the best film company to approach the movie. However, trying to remain as non-judgmental

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1141246746121409482006-03-01T14:42:00.000-06:002006-03-01T14:59:06.220-06:00

What happens when you take a state like Texas with one of the most brutal sentencing judicial systems in the country and match it up with the most progressive treatment programs for the most serious of teenage offenders? What happens when you take kids who have done horrendous things, the sorts of thing that people are never forgiven for (rape, torture, murder), and give them a true second

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1141155397364541322006-02-28T13:34:00.000-06:002006-02-28T13:36:37.386-06:00

Okay. So I realize I've been a little short on the whole reviewing part where you give a little hint at the plotline or basic point of a book. I'm so used to having to write reviews at work where I'm just supposed to have a few words of an impression without plot since people can just pick up the book and find that out from the back or inside of a book. But you, dear blog reader, cannot do

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1140732238062916022006-02-23T15:52:00.000-06:002006-02-23T16:03:58.073-06:00

Check out the website for this delightful little book: The Meaning of Tingo. I read an excerpt from it that was published in the March issue of Smithsonian Magazine on "The Last Page" of the magazine, a little column that is, in fact, on the last page.It is difficult to explain without revealing the fun linguistic oddities that Monsieur Jacot de Boinod shares, but one must hear a few of these to

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1140643850443608932006-02-22T15:18:00.000-06:002006-02-22T15:30:50.456-06:00

I am. I can't deny it.OK. Brief bits.Just recently read:Floor Sample by Julia Cameron.Memoir. Starts out strong and interesting. Carries on strongly but starts to taper out and feels more like a chronological listing of her mental state and correlating "episodes". Could have been truly a book about doing what you dream even when your own self fights you and despite poor past decisions.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1138814655906389972006-02-01T11:13:00.000-06:002006-02-01T11:24:15.930-06:00

I was a little late in actually getting around to reading this one. The life of a bookseller is fraught with advanced reader copies of books you need to read to push when they hit the shelves, re-discovering old books, stumbling across hidden treasures - and you must read them all!! Or at least identify them and learn a substantial bit about them from trustworthy resources. Argh! So, yes, I

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1138647443756499872006-01-30T12:09:00.000-06:002006-01-30T12:57:23.796-06:00

Initially in french, this will be the first time Imperatrice has been published in English. Current date for publication is May 2006.The narration style is very unique for a novel. I've read numerous works of fiction that have been translated from other languages so I do believe that the writing style was very deliberate and not a result of translation style. We trace the rise and reign of

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1137961500059943022006-01-22T14:20:00.000-06:002006-02-23T16:08:18.770-06:00

Courtesy of an evil co-bookseller, I was forced to open this book yesterday. Then I was forcecd to read it. Then cry. Geez. As if John Grogan's Marley and Me wasn't bad enough in its heart-searing, gut-wrenching attack on your heart, mind, soul and any part of you that's ever even looked a dog fondly let alone be stolen away with affection and love for one. Tom Corwin's tiny little 5-

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1137961167865880882006-01-21T23:57:00.000-06:002006-01-22T14:19:27.883-06:00

I do sometimes think that I sholdn't be around books so much. Here's an example of my literary explorations as of, literally, today.BOOKS PURCHASED TODAY~Another blank book with the front and back covers featuring the artist Jean Michael FolonGALLEYS PICKED UP TODAYEmpress: A Novel by Shan SaWHAT I'M READING

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1137782666446772302006-01-20T12:43:00.000-06:002006-01-23T10:42:47.290-06:00

I am in the middle of reading both The Penelopiad and The Tent - Margaret Atwood's newest. It's so nice to have one follow so close on the tail of the other when we so often have to go what feels like decades between books from her. I am reading too many books at once right now to just do cover-to-cover, but its working nicely with these two since they are full of short, little chapters of

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1137782470215053372006-01-20T12:34:00.000-06:002006-01-23T10:43:46.220-06:00

This is the blog I most hope to emulate or at least draw inspiration from.From one of the most recent Tingle Alley posts:Pardon the ongoing lapse in blogging around here. It’s not, as you may have imagined, because the proprietress was on some sort of Schnapps Bender (always great fun until one wakes up one morning on a deserted slope in the Alps, wearing nothing but underwear and a sprig of

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1137435096365450412006-01-16T12:10:00.000-06:002006-01-23T10:43:20.380-06:00

I know its not technically a book I "read" but it is literary.MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHINGA Chicago Shakespeare production.A dear friend of mine got tickets from a subscriber friend of hers who couldn't make it to their picked date for Chicago Shakes' Much Ado. So of course I dropped everything to go with her.The theatre space at Navy Pier is gorgeous. It is so simple in its lines; lots of wood; a

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1136752599463867292006-01-08T14:20:00.000-06:002006-01-23T10:44:13.386-06:00

So just a couple of weeks ago, I picked up an ARC (advanced readers copy) of a book titled, beautifully, The Traveling Death and Resurrection Show. Look, even booksellers are swayed by book covers. Maybe more so than average Joe Q. Public because we have so many damn books to read or at least know something about in order to discuss intelligently with customers. So I picked up this book

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1135211625602069892005-12-21T17:23:00.000-06:002005-12-21T18:33:46.000-06:00

Floating Through France: Life Between Locks on the Canal du MidiEdited by Barbara Euser, I am lucky enough to be published in this Travelers' Tales collection alongside such wonderful travel writers as Larry Habegger, Linda Watanabe McFerrin and Joanna Biggar. It is a delightful gathering of travel experiences, reflections, emotions that come out of drifting along this beautiful southern

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1135031915679643692005-12-19T16:26:00.000-06:002005-12-19T16:38:35.690-06:00

Subtitled A Year in Casablanca, this book chronicles one man's purchase and renovation of an estate in Morocco. His tale of foreign home renovation and culture discovery is in the same vein as Peter Mayle's delightful A Year in Provence. In this completely different world than France (although they do speak French), Tahir Shah explores his own family history, ethnicity, culture and more. He

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1134492844571921422005-12-13T10:50:00.000-06:002005-12-13T10:54:04.580-06:00

Just in time for later-minute shoppers comes a lovely little essay/recs list by Alan Cheuse or NPR. A Time to ReadAlan Cheuse's Holiday List starts off like an enjoyable little esay about reading and morphs into his suggestions for book-lovers this holiday season."Because of the pressure of daily life and the need to kick back and free the mind from the workaday world, many people throw up their

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1133475370296384382005-12-01T16:14:00.000-06:002005-12-01T16:16:10.306-06:00

I strongly encourage you to take the time to read John Warner's bits of "Brilliance and Wisdom".These are all funny. Some are really friggin funny and others are downright hilarious!The book isn't bad either.

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1132163003711037842005-11-16T11:24:00.000-06:002005-11-16T11:43:23.723-06:00

This is one of those books I continually found myself gravitating towards while shelving. I would pick it up, look at it, open it, set it down again. I read a great review. Still I didn't read it. A friend of mine called me up and said he was strongly considering reading it. I bought it. I'm glad I did.While certainly compelling, I wouldn't quite say you can't put it down. You can. I

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1131906713272344922005-11-13T12:01:00.000-06:002005-11-13T12:31:53.283-06:00

I picked up an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of Rebel Angels at a Children's Rep night a week ago. It looked interesting. But I had to read the prequel A Great and Terrible Beauty first. So I picked it up on Tuesday. Read it by Wednesday morning. Then started Rebel Angels finishing it on Thursday. As you can tell from that, they are easy reads. They are considered Teen books and the writing

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1131904503787309912005-11-13T11:43:00.000-06:002005-11-13T11:56:06.610-06:00

Lynne Truss has done it again. She has brought us a book that humorously points out minor flaws in our society that lead to bigger problems when left unchecked. Yes, Eats, Shoots and Leaves did that with its lambast of dropped apostrophes - which can lead to illiteracy and stupidity. Right? Okay, maybe not. But her new book is less a trove of how *to* behave as it is a long essay pondering

StarStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18500540.post-1130786025347108992005-10-31T12:53:00.000-06:002005-10-31T13:13:45.356-06:00

Published in 1995, this book was written in the late 80's and early 90's while Geraldine Brooks had her journalistic posting in the Middle East. With its pre-9/11 insights and exploration, it ranges in views of and from Muslim women across the Arab Peninsula and Egypt. Brooks realized that one of the ways to take the pulse of the Middle East was to talk to the women - people with whom she could

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