As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves

Poe Fridays (on Saturday)

2009-12-19T06:42:00.000-06:00

This week's selection is the short story X-ing a Paragrab. You can read the full text here.

In today's story, we find an editor, Mr. B., who decided to move from The East to The West, because he thought the found a city who did not have an editor. When he arrived, he found he was wrong - there was already a newspaper, under the direction of a John Smith. Mr. B., not to be deterred, set up his own newspaper. One day, John Smith wrote a scathing editorial about the quality of Mr. B.'s work, stating he couldn't write a paragraph without an "Oh!".

Mr. B., wanting to get him back, proceeded to write a paragraph in which EVERY WORD contained an "O". However, when his copy-writer went to set up the paragraph, he realized that every "o" was gone. Mortified, he decided he had to substitute the "o"s with "x"s, making the paragraph look like this:

"Sx hx, Jxhn! hxw nxw? Txld yxu sx, yxu knxw. Dxn't crxw, anxther time, befxre yxu're xut xf the wxxds! Dxes yxur mxther knxw yxu're xut? Xh, nx, nx! sx gx hxme at xnce, nxw, Jxhn, tx yxur xdixus xld wxxds xf Cxncxrd! Gx hxme tx yxur wxxds, xld xwl, — gx! Yxu wxnt? Xh, pxh, pxh, Jxhn, dxn't dx sx! Yxu've gxt tx gx, yxu knxw! sx gx at xnce, and dxn't gx slxw; fxr nxbxdy xwns yxu here, yxu knxw. Xh, Jxhn, Jxhn, Jxhn, if yxu dxn't gx yxu're nx hxmx — nx! Yxu're xnly a fxwl, an xwl; a cxw, a sxw; a dxll, a pxll; a pxxr xld gxxd-fxr-nxthing-tx-nxbxdy lxg, dxg, hxg, xr frxg, cxme xut xf a Cxncxrd bxg. Cxxl, nxw — cxxl! Dx be cxxl, yxu fxxl! Nxne xf yxur crxwing, xld cxck! Dxn't frxwn sx — dxn't! Dxn't hxllx, nxr hxwl, nxr grxwl, nxr bxw-wxw-wxw! Gxxd Lxrd, Jxhn, hxw yxu dx lxxk! Txld yxu sx, yxu knxw, — but stxp rxlling yxur gxxse xf an xld pxll abxut sx, and gx and drxwn yxur sxrrxws in a bxwl!"

Naturally, when this published Mr. B. had disappeared.

I honestly don't even know what to say about this story. It's meant to be humorous, but it's well documented that Poe's sense of humor is not the same as mine. I can see it might possibly be a bit of poking fun at the editors of Poe's day, but I don't know enough history to say that definitively. Maybe it's just a nonsense tale - as such, it works beautifully.

Poe Fridays is hosted by Kristen at WeBeReading.

451 Fridays

2009-12-18T04:05:00.000-06:00

Thursday Tunes

2009-12-17T05:15:00.000-06:00

Thursday Tunes is a weekly event hosted by S. Krishna, devoted to sharing the music we love.

S. Krishna usually features a new artist each week - just to be different, I'm going to focus on a specific song, because it's the song that hooks me. There are very few artists whose entire body of work is in my MP3 player, but I have thousands of songs I love.

This week, I'm sharing two of my favorite christmas carols. When I was in school, our music teacher directed wonderful annual Christmas productions, and we were able to learn some beautiful traditional christmas songs.

The Nonfiction Files

2009-12-16T04:57:00.002-06:00

The Nonfiction Files is a weekly journal of my adventures reading my toppling piles of nonfiction books. I won't be posting reviews, but rather my thoughts about what I'm reading, while I'm reading it.

I'm joined in The Nonfiction Files by Jehara. If you would like to play along with us, let me know!

My current read: The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann. You can read my first post about this book here, and my second post here.

Synopsis from publisher:

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, acclaimed New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett and his quest for the Lost City of Z?

In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization, hoping to make one of the most important discoveries in history. For centuries Europeans believed the world’s largest jungle concealed the glittering kingdom of El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many scientists convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett, whose daring expeditions helped inspire Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions around the globe, Fawcett embarked with his twenty-one-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilization—which he dubbed “Z”—existed. Then he and his expedition vanished.

Fawcett’s fate—and the tantalizing clues he left behind about “Z”—became an obsession for hundreds who followed him into the uncharted wilderness. For decades scientists and adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett’s party and the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes, or gone mad. As David Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett’s quest, and the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle’s “green hell.” His quest for the truth and his stunning discoveries about Fawcett’s fate and “Z” form the heart of this complex, enthralling narrative.

My final thoughts:

This third and final portion of the book really felt like it became the author's story. Fawcett and his son have started out on their great mission to find the Lost City - and disappear. Fawcett's wife basically devotes the remainder of her life to talking people into searching for him, which eventually becomes quite sad. Not only does she refuse to consider that he might be dead, she lures a number of other explorers to their deaths in the jungle, searching for her lost husband. I said last week that I don't think I could have endured being the wife of an explorer like Fawcett - this just reinforced that in my mind. She literally spent her entire life trying to support her family on a pittance, and talking people - including herself - into believing he wasn't dead. She was consigned to wait for him for their whole marriage. Her own aspirations were never taken into account. I found her story much more tragic that Fawcett's - at least he got to live out his grand adventures. She was only allowed to imagine them.

The author himself finally makes it to the jungle, only to have everyone who hears about his journey basically call him crazy. He does find a guide to take him to the place where Fawcett was last seen, and talks to several members of the Kalapalo tribe, including one who was alive when Fawcett was last seen. All the stories seem to agree that Fawcett and his small party ventured into territory that the Kalapalo's warned him against entering, and was never seen again. Ironically, it appears Fawcett was nearly at the place he was searching - a vast civilization is being uncovered near the location Fawcett was trying to reach, that may be just exactly what he was looking for.

Grann's own journey was dangerous, although modern technology made it quite a bit less impossible than when Fawcett attempted the same travel. I admit to being a little disappointed that he was not able to find a conclusive end to Fawcett's story, but his decision to accept what he had learned and return home was, honestly, the only logical decision either one of these men made, as far as I am concerned.

I found this book to be completely compelling from start to finish. Grann weaves his dual narratives seamlessly together, and each story beautifully compliments the other. Fawcett is such a larger-than-life persona, almost mythological in nature, and yet Grann is able to prod beyond the surface to give readers a glimpse of the real man behind the myths. There are not many people in the world today with the same spirit of adventure and thirst for knowledge that Fawcett embodied, and reading about him was a fascinating experience.

I definitely recommend this book - it will appeal to a wide range of readers, and a little escape into the jungle might be just what you need to warm your chilly winter night!

Finished: 12/6/09
Source: the publisher - thank you!
Rating: 8/10

Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

At Home with Books
Trish's Reading Nook
A Lovely Shore Breeze

Review - The Kings Are Already Here by Garret Freymann-Weyr

2009-12-14T05:00:00.001-06:00

The Kings Are Already Here by Garret Freymann-Weyr
published 2004
149 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

Phebe Knight has always wanted to be a ballerina. But now, one year away from joining the Company, her mind begins to wander. To clear her head, she decides to visit her father, who lives in Switzerland. There, she meets Nikolai Kotalev, a teenage chess champion, who is looking for the legendary Stas Vlajnik, the teacher who will show him how to be a grand master capable of both grace and speed. Phebe organizes a search across Europe to help Nikolai find the elusive Stas. And all the while, Phebe and Nikolai study each other's obsessions to find the lives they want. What are they each willing to pay for perfection and beauty?

My thoughts:

Last month I read my first book by this author (read my review of After the Moment) and thought it was very good, so when I saw this slim volume in the library I grabbed it. I was curious to see if I would enjoy a second novel as much - I'm happy to say I did.

In fact, I think I enjoyed this one more. Phebe and Nikolai were uniquely interesting characters,
each struggling with an obsession that they were loath to part with. They were both so perfectly believable - as the author alternated between their voices, I was completely along for the ride. I love the way Freymann-Weyr creates characters that are intelligent and yet innocent. They never feel like people I've met before, and while they might be just a little bit too perfect to be real, they never feel fake.

I also enjoyed that this was not a story about love at first sight, as seems to be the norm in much YA literature these days. Throughout the novel Phebe and Nikolai come to care a great deal about each other, but falling in love is not really on either of their agendas. Phebe tells us early in the novel:

"Of course he means boys. They are the usual culprit. They are what cause girls with graceful necks and perfect turnouts to vanish. Back outside into life. It's always so sad. There was a boy about a year ago, but I found him...lacking. If I go outside into life, it won't be because of a boy."

I am becoming more and more a fan of this author. I know she has written several other books, and I am eager to read them. I thought this was a powerful and intelligent novel, and I would definitely recommend it.

Finished: 11/29/09
Source: Forest Avenue Library
Rating: 9/10

TSS - The Dewey Tree

2009-12-13T04:46:00.000-06:00

My favorite part of Christmas - hands down - is giving presents. I love the thrill of seeking out just the right gift - the fun of wrapping - the joy of seeing my loved one's face when they open that perfect present. I LOVE IT!!

I also love finding opportunities to give to people who need a little help. This year, my co-workers and I have decided to forgo the traditional Secret Santa in favor of adopting a family. I always participate in Toys for Tots, or The Mitten Tree, or one of the other avenues available at this time of year to do something for someone who has a need - because really, I am very blessed, and I know it.

So when I heard about the Dewey Tree, hosted by Lisa at Online Publicist, I thought it was the perfect idea for the book blogging community at this time of year.

"I thought about hosting a book swap, but I feel the problem is we're weighed down with too many books. Not having enough to read doesn't appear to be the problem! So in the spirit of the giving season, why don't we clean some shelves out instead? I know it's difficult to give up your books, but think about the people who really need them.

As I write this, I think of a favorite blogger who passed away this time last year. Her spirit lives on in the Dewey Read-a-Thon, Weekly Geeks, and The Bookworms Carnival. She loved reading. She loved books. She supported Banned Books Week and believed everyone had the right to reading material. In her honor, I'm calling this donation project The Dewey Tree. It's a little bit The Giving Tree, a little bit Dewey, a little bit charity. :-D

Here's what you do:
*Gather up the books you can live without. It can be 4 books, 10 books, or 20 books!
*Find a worthy group you would like to donate your overflow books to. It can be your local library, a literacy campaign (mine will go to the literacy center I volunteer for), or overseas. There's a great list of book donation sites here on the ALA. Find a charity that speaks to you!
*Then take a picture of your donation and email it to me (onlinepublicist [AT] gmail [DOT] com). It can be a pic of the mailing label on your package, one of your kids giving a box of books to a librarian, or you handing books over to your literacy center. Be creative and have fun!"

Seriously, what a GREAT idea! Here's the picture I'll be sending Lisa - my stack of books, with my friend Chilly the Snowman who helped me pick them out. =) I'll be donating to my local library, for the Friends of the Library book sale.

If you are interested, you just have to leave a comment on the Dewey Tree entry page telling Lisa what you donated, and where - pictures are fun, but she's not requiring them.

It's an easy way to do something good, in memory of one of our finest. Thanks, Lisa!

Poe Fridays (on Saturday)

2009-12-12T07:26:00.003-06:00

This week's Poe selection is the short story Ligeia. You can read the full text here.

This week's unnamed narrator marries Ligeia, the perfect example of everything good, beautiful, intelligent, etc. They share a few blissful years, and then Ligeia dies. After a short time, and the purchase of an abbey, our narrator marries Lady Rowena, also beautiful, but whom he does not love. Rowena is the opposite of Ligeia - fair rather than dark, scared of the narrator rather than in love. She becomes ill, and soon dies. Then, in an typically Poe twist, the narrator witnesses the dead Rowena resurrect in the body of Ligeia.

Can you sense me shaking my head as I write this? I think what I've been most surprised about in this year of reading Poe is how he seems to write the same story over and over again. Here we have the death of a beautiful young women (as seen in The Fall of the House of Usher, Berenice, and Morella), resurrection (again, The Fall of the House of Usher and Morella), and drug use, which is in countless stories. He changes up the details, but so much of the main themes are the same - perhaps that's why, at this point in the year, I have a hard time holding interest in the stories.

This story, however has received quite a bit of critical acclaim, so it is perhaps one of his best. I found it to be somewhat long, and I didn't really feel the gothic mood that I think Poe was attempting to portray.

Poe Fridays is hosted by Kristen at WeBeReading.

Santa time!!

2009-12-11T13:37:00.003-06:00

Boy, am I glad we finally got our back porch shoveled! Look what I found - my package from the Book Blogger Secret Santa Swap!!

My Secret Santa was the FABULOUS Aarti, and here's what she sent -

-A copy of The Secret River by Kate Grenville
- some yummy chocolate
- a bar of gardenia-scented soap
- a very cool Egyptian bookmark
- a lovely note

How cool!! I've been interested in reading something by Kate Grenville, so I'm very excited this is the book she picked out for me. And the rest of the items are just so much fun - I love gardenia scent, and chocolate is ALWAYS a winner.

Thank you so much, Aarti - I LOVE it all!

UPDATE - I just found out Aarti bought the bookmark IN EGYPT!! It's make of very unusual material - just gorgeous.

451 Fridays

2009-12-11T04:06:00.004-06:00

451 Fridays is based on an idea from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In his novel, a group of people (Bradbury calls them Book People) are trying to keep the ideas found in books alive. Instead of actually saving the books, the Book People each "become" a book - memorizing it, word for word, and passing it down to the next generation.

451 Fridays asks what books you feel passionate about. What book do you think is so important that you would be willing to take on the challenge of "becoming"?

Today, I'm so excited to welcome Robyn to 451 Fridays! Robyn has TWO related blogs - I'm So Not a Blogger, and The Book Club Blog. She shares The Book Club Blog with her sister, which I think would be so much fun (hint, hint, Carolynn). They are a fairly new blog, so please go give them some love! Also, she is from South Africa, which is just about as far away from me in Iowa as I can think of - I love making friends from all around the world! Welcome, Robyn!

In no particular order, these are the 5 books I would save:

Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins

Jitterbug Perfume is full of wonderful insights and a host of wonderful characters, including the animal god, Pan. It shows how belief is a strange and fantastic thing and if there is no belief then things become faded and forgotten. It is the story between a man and a women, searching for truth and eternal life, and also, perfume. It is a love story and a story about beetroots. It has everything that a book needs in order to get you thinking and wondering at the beauty of life, at the complexities of the human spirit and adventure of the soul.

Rasero - Francisco Rebolledo

This novel is fantastic, it is set in the 18th century and the characters include Voltaire, Madame Pompadour, Roussea and Mozart. This book contains a heady mix of magic realism as well as politics, science and art of the times. It contains what none of us today could even begin to imagine and contrasts it with our world. The main character, Rasero is orgasmically clairvoyant, given at the moment of carnal release to apocalyptic visions in which he beholds what we recognize as the horrors of our own century: the Holocaust, the atomic bomb, the Vietnam War. And seeing as though I am saving a book, the past in this book is written so beautifully that one can almost vividly be there,within the pages. History at its best;-)

Calvin and Hobbes - Bill Watterson

Calvin and Hobbes encompasses such humour, sadness, true to life thoughts it makes my heart sing. It is a comic strip which never fails to lift my spirits and def would save any of his books, but have to say that 'Its a magical world' would be my favourite to keep.

The Family from One End Street - Eve Garnett

This is one of my all time favourite books and I often reread it. It is about a working class family living in the 1930's in a town called Otwell. It is very simply written, the father is a dustman and the mother is a washerwoman with 7 children so life is hard, but they are happy. It depicts their day to day life with the personalities of each character shining through. It truly is a magical children's book and the adventures of the characters are believable and amusing. It also shows a community which I dont think is quite alive in this day and age.

Perfume - Patrick Suskind

I know this is probably a bit of an odd book to save, but I found it a very compelling book to read. In a way I felt for the main character because he had no smell, he had no aroma and this was brought across as being almost as bad as having no soul, which ultimately one wonders about as you read it. I found that it was written extremely well and when they made it into a movie, I was quite keen to see how they would depict the sense of smell through sight. I have to say that it wasn't done too badly at all, but would still favour the book over the movie.

The book that I would choose to become is Jitterbug Perfume.
I think the world would be a poorer place without Tom Robbins in it. Without his humourous wisdom and uncanny ability to state the world as it is. It provides food for thought and love and laughter and the way that he constructs his sentences are brilliant.

Quotes:
‘The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious’

‘The highest function of love is that it makes the loved one a unique and irreplaceable being. Still, lovers quarrel. Frequently, they quarrel simply to recharge the air between them, to sharpen the aliveness of their relationship. To precipitate such a quarrel, the sweaty kimono of sexual jealousy is usually dragged out of the hamper, although almost any excuse will do. Only rarely is the spat rooted in the beet-deep soil of serious issue, but when it is, a special sadness attends it, for the mind is slower to heal than the heart, and such quarrels can doom a union, even one that has prospered for a very long time.’

Robyn, thank you so much for taking the time to share with us YOUR list of books which must be saved!

Do you have a list you'd like to share? I'd love to have you participate - please let me know!

Did you know I'm starting a 451 Challenge? Take a look and join us - we have lots of good books to read!

Thursday Tunes

2009-12-10T05:54:00.002-06:00

Thursday Tunes is a weekly event hosted by S. Krishna, devoted to sharing the music we love.

S. Krishna usually features a new artist each week - just to be different, I'm going to focus on a specific song, because it's the song that hooks me. There are very few artists whose entire body of work is in my MP3 player, but I have thousands of songs I love.

This week, I'm taking you back to my childhood, for a couple of songs that just make me grin. Enjoy!

The Nonfiction Files

2009-12-09T05:21:00.003-06:00

My thoughts:

While this section of the book continues to chronicle the adventures of Fawcett in the Amazon, it also gives a glimpse into his life as a husband, father, and friend, which makes him seem much less a mythical hero, and much more a highly unique but definitely fallible human. We see him leaving his wife for years on end to pursue his dreams, never allowing her the privilege of joining him in the jungle. She clearly believed in the equality of the sexes, but it seems her husband the fearless adventurer was not quite ready to embrace that belief. He also had a strong sense of favoritism for Jack, his oldest son, who was athletic and strong. His younger son, Brian, felt that favoritism keenly, and suffered for it when Fawcett decided to take Jack on his mission to find the Lost City and leave Brian behind. I honestly can't imagine being his wife and kids, left alone for years at a time, never knowing if he would come home. I don't think I could ever make peace with that life.

We also see Fawcett start to formulate his ideas about the Lost City, and make his first (unsuccessful) attempt at finding it. I find myself reading with horror as the author describes the conditions of the explorers - near starvation, covered in parasitic insects, hallucinatory and diseased. I think the people who go on Survivor are crazy - this seems like complete madness. Why would you go through that kind of horrible experience, and then keep going back? I cannot relate in the slightest to this mindset, but I certainly find it fascinating.

Meanwhile, the author is preparing to make his own voyage into the Amazon, to see if he can uncover the whereabouts of Fawcett's lost excursion. As he is leaving, his wife says to him, "Don't be stupid." THAT made me snort my hot cocoa. Because there is so much about this crazy idea that is smart. But it makes for great reading, and I can't wait to see how the two stories converge.

My month in movies

2009-12-08T04:21:00.000-06:00

Running out of movie quotes, so I'll just jump right in -

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2009) - I never thought I'd say this about something from the BSG universe, but I found this very disappointing. It seemed disjointed and sloppy, like they didn't really figure out beforehand what story they wanted to tell. It did answer a few questions, like Leoban's weird obsession with Kara, but overall I felt it wasn't a great way to end the franchise.

Good Morning, Night (Buongiorno, notte) (2003) - selection from Italy for the OT Film challenge, this was an interesting movie about a terrorist action in 1970s Italy seen from the perspective of one of the terrorists.

Milk (2008) - excellent biopic of assassinated city supervisor Harvey Milk. Sean Penn is not my favorite actor, but I thought he did a very good job in this movie.

Spring Breakdown (2009) - what a great movie! I'd seen a bunch of bad reviews, but decided to give it a try because I really like Amy Poehler - I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Great cast, great message about learning to accept yourself at every age - I loved it, and laughed out loud! "Why would anyone want to wrestle in salsa? We're human beings - we're not tacos."

The Education of Charlie Banks (2007) - Well, I wasn't as in love with this one as the rest of the indie-movie world, but it was an interesting film, made more interesting by the fact that is was directed by Fred Durst - that's right, the Limp Bizkit guy! Jason Ritter as the bully was magnetic, but I think I might be suffering from college-angst-movie overkill, because while it was alright, it wasn't much more than that.

The Namesake (2006) - book-to-movie adaptation that actually mostly works, this is the story of one family's immigration from India to the US, and their struggle to adapt to the differences between the two cultures. I thought the lead actress was wonderful, and many of the relationships portrayed were excellent, but of course, the book is better.

Up (2009) - Hmmm. Well, perhaps because I SO loved Wall-E, this movie didn't quite live up to its hype for me. It was a good story, and I like it as a kid's movie, but it didn't have the emotional depth of Wall-E that connected with me.

Star Trek (2009) - Ever since I was VERY young and my parents took me to see the original Star Trek movie (I was very concerned about the "bald-headed lady"), I've been a fan. I was looking forward to this movie, and it lived up to my expectations. Chris Pine captured a young Kirk well - all that brash, arrogant confidence. Zachary Quinto was excellent as Spock, and I LOVED the actor who played Chekov - he might have been my favorite character! I was intrigued by the story, and of course the special effects were fun. I really enjoyed this installment, and hope to see more in the future.

Cautiva (2003) - Argentinian film about a young girl who finds out a terrible secret about her parents. This movie is intense and emotional, and very well done. Recommended if you can tolerate some violence and nudity.

Summer Palace (2006) - Chinese film that was interesting in idea, but failed in execution. I can't say I enjoyed this one very much, but it was the last film for the OT film challenge, so I plodded my way through it.

Progressive Dinner Party - Day 1 - Appetizers and Drinks

2009-12-07T06:00:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the Book Blogger Progressive Dinner Party!! Are you ready to have some fun??

It's day one, and we are all about the appetizers and drinks. Because you can't have a party without some yummy starters, right? I have a couple of great, fast recipes for you, but first, make sure you head over to visit Trisha at eclectic/eccentric - she has a yummy recipe for Green Bean Bundles to share!

I don't know about you, but I tend to have problems with recipes that have too many steps - my brain starts wandering, and then it's trouble! That's why I love this recipe for Parmesan Star Puffs - it's so easy, even I can't mess it up!

Cut a sheet of puff pastry with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Arrange the stars on a parchment-lined baking sheet; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees until puffed and crisp, about 15 minutes.

See - super easy. And look how cute!

This second recipe is a little more labor intensive, but definitely a party pleaser. It's from funny lady Amy Sedaris, and is called The Heavyset Cheese Ball.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
salt and pepper to taste
pine or rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place and spread all the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, dill, and onion. Chill overnight.

On a serving platter, make 2 pine cone shapes with the cheese.

Begin to press the almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape. Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered.

Garnish with fake sprigs, or real ones, or with rosemary. Serve at room temperature and spread on crackers.

Yum. My only issue with this recipe is making the pine cone shape - sometimes mine look a little lumpy. =) If you're not into the look, just crush the almonds and roll the cheese ball in them - the taste is still wonderful!

Now that you are drooling, head on over to Joyfully Retired - Margot has a tasty recipe for shrimp dip ready to share.

Also, make sure to visit the Book Blog Social Club this week - it's Progressive Dinner Central, with links to all the blogs who will be participating each day this week. I know I'll be there - I can't wait to see all the recipes!

New Challenge - Take Another Chance

2009-12-06T21:08:00.002-06:00

Basic Information

The challenge will run from January 1, 2010 until December 31, 2010.

Here are the participation levels. Feel free to do whatever level you want. You can also switch up or down midway through the challenge.

A Small Gamble: Complete any 3 of the 12 challenges described below.
A Moderate Gamble: Complete any 6 of the 12 challenges described below.
Gambling It All: Complete all 12 of the challenges described below.

Each challenge you complete and link up in the correct Mr. Linky spots (which will be posted on January 1, 2010) will earn you entries into a prize drawing at the end of the challenge. Some of the challenges are harder and will earn you more entries. If you complete all 12 challenges, you will earn 5 extra entries into the drawing.

The prize is a book of the winner's choice from Amazon (worth $25 or less).

Crossover books from other challenges is fine.

So here are the 12 challenges for you to pick from. The "easier" challenges are listed first, followed by the harder challenges that are worth more entries into the prize drawing.

The 12 Challenges

Challenge 1: Read Your Doppelganger (worth 1 entry)
Find an author who has either the same initials, the same first name, the same last name, or the exact same name as you. Read a book by this author and write a post about it. (If you try to keep your identity anonymous on your blog, you don't have to reveal what part of the author's name is the same as your name.)

Example: If your name is Susan Kasischke, you might read a book by Stephen King (same initials), Susan Donovan (same first name), Laura Kasischke (same last name) or Susan Kasischke (same exact name).

Challenge 2: Blogroll Roulette (worth 1 entry)
Find a blogroll at either your book blog or a book blog you like that has at least 15 book blogs on it. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1 for the min. and 15 for the max. and then hit generate. Then find the blog that is that number on the blogroll you selected. (For example, if you get 10 at Random.org, then count down the list of blogs until you get to the tenth one). Go to that blog and pick a book to read from the books that they have reviewed on their blog. Read it and write a post about it. Be sure to link to the blog post you picked the book from!

Challenge 3: 100 Best Book (worth 1 entry)
Choose one of the lists below and go to the link provided. Choose a book to read from the list that you haven't read before. Read the book and write about it.

Radcliffe's Rival 100 Best Novels List
Top 100 Sci-Fi Books
100 Best Romance Novels of the 20th Century
100 Best Mystery Novels
100 Best Non-Fiction Books (pick from either Board List or Reader List)
2009 Best Books for Young Adults

Challenge 4: Prize Winner Book (worth 1 entry)
Pick one of the major literary awards from the list below. Click on the link for the award you picked. You will find a brief description of the award and links to past winners. Pick one of the past winners, read the book and write about it.

Booker Prize

Caldecott Medal

National Book Award

National Book Critics Circle Award

Newbery Medal

Nobel Prize for Literature

PEN/Faulkner Award

Pulitzer Prize

Commonwealth Writers' Prize

EMMA Awards

Challenge 5: Title Word Count (worth 1 entry)
Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the numbers 1 for the min. and 5 for the max. and then hit generate. Find a book to read that has that number of words in the title. Read the book and write about it.

Example: If you get 1 for your number, read a book that has a one word title. If you get 2, read a book that has a two word title and so on and so forth.

Challenge 6: Genre Switch-Up (worth 1 entry)
Go to this list of book genres and pick a genre that you have NEVER read before. Find a book from that genre, read it, and write about it. Note: If you seriously cannot find a genre that you have never read, then pick the genre that is as far away from what you normally read.

Challenge 7: Break A Prejudice (worth 1 entry)
We all have reading prejudices--authors we don't like, genres we don't like, or even publishers we don't like. For this challenge, think of a reading prejudice you have and then find a book that is an example of this type of book. Read the book and then write about the reading prejudice you had BEFORE you read the book and how reading the book either changed your prejudice or reinforced it.

Examples: I always say I can't stand James Patterson; therefore, I might read a James Patterson book for this challenge. Or, if you sneer at "chick lit" books, you might read a "chick lit" book. Or, if you think books published by Harlequin are pure drivel, you might read a book published by Harlequin. If you turn up your nose at the Twilight books, then you might read one of the Twilight books.

Challenge 8: Real and Inspired (worth 2 entries)
Many authors or books inspire others to pay homage to them by writing another book inspired by the original work. For this challenge, read both an original work and a book inspired by that original work. Write about both books in one post. Note: This might require some research on your part and requires reading two books so it worth 2 entries.

Examples: Christopher Moore's Fool is based on Shakespeare's play King Lear so I plan on reading both King Lear and Fool. Another example is Jane Austen, who inspired the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. For this challenge, you might read both Pride and Prejudice and the zombie version. (There are tons of other Austen-inspired books out there too.) Another idea would be a graphic novel version of a "standard" novel. The only real requirement is that the "inspired by" book must clearly state what original work inspired it.

Challenge 9: Same Word, Different Book (worth 2 entries)
Find two books that have the same word in the title. Read both books and write about them. (Worth 2 entries because you have to read two books).

Example: If you pick the word "Love," you could read any two books that both have Love in the title. To help you find books that have the same word, you could go to Amazon.com, type a word into the Search box and see what books come up with that word.

Challenge 10: Become A Character (worth 2 entries)
For this challenge, you can read any book you want. However, you have to write about the book as one of the characters from the book. The character can comment on his/her treatment by the author, other characters, the "untold story," what happened next, and so forth. You could even have two characters interviewing each other! Your imagination is the only limit. Because of the difficulty level of this challenge, it is worth two entries.

Challenge 11: All in the Family (worth 2 entries)
The writing gene often runs in the family. For this challenge, you need to find two authors from the same family (either by blood or by marriage) and read a book by each of the authors and then write about both books. Because of the research involved and having to read two books, this challenge is worth two entries.

Examples: The Bronte sisters; Stephen King and his wife Tabitha OR his son Joe Hill; Jonathan Kellerman (husband) and Faye Kellerman (wife); Michael Chabon (husband) and Ayelet Waldman (wife); Joan Didion (wife) and John Gregory Dunne (husband); Mary Higgins Clark (mother) and Carol Higgins Clark (daughter)

Challenge 12: Author Anthology Pick (worth 2 entries)
Find an anthology of your choice. Read at least 5 entries in the anthology. Of the 5 entries you've read, pick your favorite one and then find a book by that writer and read it. (If your first choice doesn't have a book, then pick your next favorite until you find a writer that has a book.) Write about the anthology, your favorite pick from the anthology, and the book you read by your favorite pick. Because of having to obtain and read two books, this challenge is worth two entries. Thanks to J.T. Oldfield at Bibliofreak who partially inspired this challenge.

Example: If you choose a poetry anthology, you would at least 5 different poems, pick your favorite, and then seek out a book of poetry by that poet. If you read a short story anthology, you would read at least 5 different short stories, pick your favorite, and then seek out either a novel or another book of short stories by that writer.

I know it's crazy, but I'm going to try to complete all the challenges - I might have to scale back my hopes at some point, but who knows? I might get lucky!

I'm nowhere near having a list, but I'll post my books here as I read them -

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New Challenge - 451 Challenge

2009-12-06T20:47:00.002-06:00

It was inevitable - I am hosting my first challenge!!!

*cue fanfare*

Now, I haven't talked about this on Twitter, or Ning, or any of the other places bloggers gather, so it's quite possible I might be the ONLY participant, but that's okay with me. I really want to read some of the fabulous books on our 451 Fridays list, so I decided to go ahead and create a challenge for it! Here are the details:

Between January 1, 2010 and November 30, 2010, participants are challenged to read books on the 451 master list. There will be several levels of participation:

Spark - read 1-2 books from the master list
Ember - read 3-4 books from the master list
Flame - read 5-6 books from the master list
Blaze - read 7 or more books from the master list

Re-reading is acceptable, as are crossovers with other challenges. Audio, print, and e-books are all acceptable. Each month, participants will be encouraged to post their reviews on the challenge blog, and each review posted will be an entry into a grand prize drawing for a $25 gift card to the online bookseller of the winner's choice.

If you are interested, you can sign up on the dedicated blog for the challenge. I'm still working on compiling the master list, but there is a pretty good selection of books already there, and of course each week that we have 451 Fridays, there will be more goodies to add.

I'm going to try for Blaze - 7 or more books. Here's my tentative list:

1 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
2 - In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
3 - Going After Cacciato - Tim O'Brien
4 - The Love of a Good Woman - Alice Munro
5 - To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 - The Blindfold - Siri Hustvedt
7 - St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves - Karen Russell
8 - A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

Since this is my first time hosting, I'm open to ideas - if I'm forgetting something, or if you think of something that will make this challenge better, I'd love to hear it. I hope you will consider joining - I think it will be great fun!

New Challenge - 2010 Challenge

2009-12-06T19:42:00.003-06:00

The aim is to read a total 20 books, over ten categories, in 2010. (Was this challenge based solely around the name? I’ll let you decide!)

Rules:

Read 2 books from each category, making a requirement of 20 books total.
The categories are intended to be loose guidelines only, if you decide it fits, then it fits. (Apart from those marked **)
Categories marked with ** have tighter rules, and these must be followed.
Each book can only qualify for one category.
Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
Books read from 01/01/2010 to 31/12/2010 are eligible.

So, on with the categories

Young Adult
Any book classified as young adult or featuring a teenage protagonist counts for this category.
T.B.R. **
Intended to help reduce the old T.B.R. pile. Books for this category must be already residents of your bookshelves as of 1/11/09.
Shiny & New
Bought a book NEW during 2010 from a bookstore, online, or a supermarket? Then it counts for this category. Second-hand books do not count for this one, but, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts or won in a giveaway also count!
Bad Blogger’s ***
Books in this category, should be ones you’ve picked up purely on the recommendation of another blogger count for this category (any reviews you post should also link to the post that convinced you give the book ago).
*** Bad Bloggers: Is hosted by Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made on.
Charity
Support your local charity shops with this category, by picking up books from one of their shops. Again, for those on book-buying bans, books bought for you as gifts also count, as long as they were bought from a charity shop.
New in 2010
This category is for those books newly published in 2010 (whether it be the first time it is has been released, or you had to wait for it to be published in your country, it counts for this one!)
Older Than You
Read two books that were published before you were born, whether that be the day before or 100 years prior!
Win! Win!
Have a couple of books you need to read for another challenge? Then this is the category to use, as long that is, you don’t break the rules of the other challenge by doing so!
Who Are You Again?
This one isn’t just for authors you’ve never read before, this is for those authors you have never even heard of before!
Up to You!
The requirements for this category are up to you! Want to challenge yourself to read some graphic novels? A genre outside your comfort zone? Something completely wild and wacky? Then this is the category to you. The only requirement is that you state it in your sign-up post. ***My category is going to be Chunksters -Books Over 500 Pages Long

I'm not even going to try to make an initial list - I'll just fill in the blanks as I go along.

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New Challenge - Flashback Challenge

2009-12-06T19:34:00.004-06:00

This challenge is all about reading books you've read before - either books you loved and want to revel in again, or books you didn't care for that you'd like to give another shot.

You can sign up on this challenge post if you are interested.

I am going to join at the Scholar level, which is 4 to 6 books.

There are mini-challenges within the levels, which are:

Re-read a book from your childhood
Re-read a book assigned to you in high school
Re-read a book you loved as an adult

I am going to try to complete all three of the mini-challenges, and then see what other books I decide to give another read.

My initial list is:

1 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

2 - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

3 - Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

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New Challenge - War Through the Generations

2009-12-06T19:22:00.003-06:00

War Through the Generation’s 2010 reading challenge will be the Vietnam War. The challenge will run from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010.

Rules:

This year you have options when reading your fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc. with the Vietnam War as the primary or secondary theme.

Books can take place before, during, or after the war. Books from other challenges count so long as they meet the above criteria.

I am going to join at the Dip level - read 5 books in any genre with the Vietnam War as its primary or secondary theme.

I don't really have a list yet, but I'm sure I'll come up with some good stuff!

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New Challenge - What's In A Name 3

2009-12-06T19:09:00.003-06:00

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:

A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

You can sign up on the dedicated challenge blog if you are interested.

Here's my tentative list:

1 - Food - The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

2 - Body of Water - The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

3 - Title - The Woman Who Ran for President by L.B. Underhill

4 - Plant - Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

5 - Place Name - I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallman

6 - Music Term - Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

New Challenge - Read the Book, See the Movie

2009-12-06T18:42:00.004-06:00

Nope, I never learn! =)

This sounds like a lot of fun - here's the details:

The Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge is based on a simple idea--read a book, see a movie based on the book, include both in your review. Whether yours is a book blog or a movie blog, this could be a way to add some spice to your posts, expand your outlook, have some fun. Mostly, have some fun.

You don't have to write full reviews both the movie and the book. You can write a review of one then add a brief paragraph or just a sentence or two about the other at the end.

You can join on this challenge post if you are interested!

I'm going to join at the Film Festival level - 8 books/movies. Here's my tentative list:

A Wrinkle in Time
Flowers in the Attic
The Robber Bride
The Executioner's Song
Battlefield Earth
The Lords of Discipline
In This House of Brede
84 Charing Cross Road
I Dreamed of Africa
Ragtime
The Chocolate War
Some Things That Stay
The Inheritance
The Forsyte Saga

There - that should give me plenty of choices!

Challenge completed - Book Awards 3

2009-12-06T18:31:00.003-06:00

My challenge was to read 5 award winning books - here's my list:

Skellig by David Almond (British Whitbread award for Children's Literature) finished 6/14/09, rated 9/10.
A Good House by Bonnie Burnard (Giller Prize) finished 7/4/09, rated 7/10
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (Nebula) finished 7/5/09, rated 10/10
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (Hugo) finished 9/7/09, rated 8/10
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (Booker) finished 11/22/09, rated 6/10

This is another great challenge - Book Awards 4 will be starting in February, and I do plan to participate.

Challenge completed - 42 Science Fiction Challenge

2009-12-06T18:26:00.004-06:00

Challenges failed

2009-12-06T18:05:00.002-06:00

I'm going to have several challenge-related posts coming up, so I thought I would get the bad one done first - I am officially declaring myself failed on the following challenges:

Read Your Own Books Challenge

My challenge was to read 30 books from my own shelves that I had obtained before 2009 - I read a paltry 7. Here's my list:

1 - Tiger, Tiger by Galaxy Craze

2 - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

3 - The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

4 - 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

5 - Incantation by Alice Hoffman

6 - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

7 - The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Sad, sad, sad. I definitely need to try something like this again for 2010.

My Year of Reading Dangerously 2009

My challenge was to read 12 books that I deemed "dangerous" -
I managed 6. Not bad, and I feel good about the variety of books I read for this challenge - here's my list:

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - banned book (finished 2/27/09, rated 8/10)
Incantation by Alice Hoffman - magical realism (finished 4/20/09, rated 8/10)
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - graphic novel (finished 9/7/09, rated 8/10)
Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed by Marc Blatte - noir (finished 9/19/09, rated 7/10)
On the Road by Jack Kerouac - beat, spontaneous prose (finished 10/09, rated 5/10)
Sweet Utopia by Sharon Valencik - vegan cookbook (finished 11/09)

For this challenge I picked 1 banned book, and 5 books in genres that were either new to me, or that I find intimidating - I think they all fit the spirit of the challenge well. I don't know if Andi will be hosting this again for 2010, but I would give it another try if she does.

Take a Change Challenge

My challenge was to complete 10 tasks that would encourage me to read outside my comfort zone. Sadly, I only completed 5. Here's my list:

Book/Movie Comparison - Somewhere in Time
Random Book - Liars and Saints
Poetic Review - Bird in Hand
Lit Riff - Living on a Prayer
Random Word - Regular Guy

Even though I didn't finish, I thought this was a great challenge. I have heard rumors that Jenners will be hosting this again next year, and I am ready to sign up again!

Unfortunately, there might be a couple more challenges I don't finish before the end of the year, but we'll deal with those when the end comes. Now, on to the good stuff!!

TSS - Monthly Wrap-up

2009-12-06T07:22:00.006-06:00

Am I the only one who is ready for Christmas? I love this time of year - the smells and sounds and excitement. However, before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a look at what I was reading in November:

Reader and Raelynx by Sharon Shinn - the 4th novel in Shinn's fabulous Twelve Houses series, this book brings many of the storylines to an excellent conclusion. I love this series, and thought this book was one of it's strongest. I loved the heroine, Amalie, who was a delightful surprise. Fans of this series will not be disappointed. If you aren't familiar, start with the first book, Mystic and Rider, and prepare to fall in love. Rated 9/10. (Review forthcoming)

My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for his Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq by Ariel Sabar - excellent memoir about searching for meaning in your family's past. This is a great book to pick up if you are unsure about nonfiction - you will not be able to put it down! Rated 8/10. (My thoughts on My Father's Paradise)

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden - re-read of a childhood favorite, this delightful children's book is a holiday classic. Read it together with your family, or just read it for yourself - I think you will fall in love! Rated 10/10. (My review of The Story of Holly and Ivy)

Regular Guy by Sarah Weeks - delightful YA novel about a boy trying to figure out how in the world he could possibly be related to his parents! Recommended. Rated 8/10. (My review of Regular Guy)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - very long and somewhat uneven Booker Prize-winning novel about the life of Thomas Cromwell. I feel like I read this book all month. Rated 6/10. (My review of Wolf Hall.)

The Big Thaw by Ed Struzik - this nonfiction just didn't catch my interest, but I'm sure for someone who loves this stuff it would be a great read. Rated 5/10. (My review of The Big Thaw.)

Days of Blood and Fire by Katherine Kerr - sixth novel in a fantasy series I really enjoy, this book both took us to new places, and let us visit with old friends. Great read! Rated 8/10. (My review of Days of Blood and Fire)

Isis by Douglas Clegg - creepy novella that retells the myth of Isis and Osiris, this story made me want to read more by this author. A great choice for next year's RIP challenge! Rated 8/10. (My review of Isis)

The Kings Are Already Here by Garret Freymann-Weyr - fantastic YA novel about obsession and what a person is willing to do in the quest for perfection. I really like this author - can't wait to read more. Highly recommended. Rated 9/10. (review forthcoming)

I think reading shorter work might be the key to this winter - 4 of the books I read this past month were novellas or YA/children's books, and with my limited reading time that might be the best thing for me. Here's to a great December!

Poe Fridays (on Saturday)

2009-12-05T07:22:00.000-06:00

After our Thanksgiving break, it's time for another slice of Pie..er, Poe. (I honestly didn't mean to type that, but cracked myself up so much I thought I'd just leave it - yep, I'm a dork.)

This week's selection is the detective story The Purloined Letter. You can read the full text here.

We revisit Poe's famous detective, Dupin, as he helps the Prefect of the Police solve a crime. The Prefect has been searching in vain for a letter stolen from a helpless woman by an unscrupulous Minister. The Minister could potentially ruin the woman's life with the letter, so the Prefect must find it - unfortunately, he has searched and searched, and had no luck. Dupin hears the particulars of the case and, after a time, produces the letter in question.

This is considered the best of Poe's tales of ratiocination, and is for the most part an enjoyable read. However, I did get a big bogged down at times in the seemingly endless discussion of poets vs. mathematicians - however, that could have been my inherent distaste for math clouding my perspective. Poe's Dupin is a somewhat one-dimensional character, but the suggestion that Dupin and the sinister Minister D___ might be one and the same certainly makes him seem more interesting.

All in all, not my favorite Poe story, but certainly not my least favorite, and definitely the best of the bunch featuring Dupin.

Poe Fridays is hosted by Kristen at WeBeReading.