Tag Archives: books

Books, News

There will be no “Z”

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In this Oct. 15, 2002 file photo, mystery writer Sue Grafton poses for a portrait in New York.
AP Photo/Gino Domenico, file

Mystery writer Sue Grafton dies in California

RIP Sue Grafton and condolences to your family.  Wow, I’ve been reading this series since I was 20, really my entire adult life. I’ll miss them and I’ll miss waiting for each new one to arrive every couple of years. This reminds me of Master and Commander ending with the unfinished 21, published as Patrick O’Brian left it at his death. Tony Hillerman’s series ended on a satisfying note as did Terry Pratchett’s, but the Alphabet mysteries will end on “Y”, always leaving me to wonder what “Z” would have brought. Sue, thank you for 25 entertaining books.

Mystery Writer Sue Grafton Dies In California

Sue Grafton Books on Amazon

 

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Books, Calendar

This is so my Christmas Tree!

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This is so my Christmas Tree!

I have collected over a dozen different book-tree ideas but this is my favorite. I found it on andgrassi’s feed on instagram. Click the pic to see the rest of his pix.

So many people have asked me why we never have a tree that I’ve decided to share the event that ruined us on Christmas trees. We had a Christmas tree once, probably in about 1985 or so. We also had several cats at the time, Daniel, Alice, Mary and Ilsa, I believe. Scott found a 4 foot tall tree and we bought some little lights and made paper ornaments. After we set it up and decorated it, went out to the store. We came home to a slaughter-scene. The poor tree was lying in the middle of the living room, strangled by its lights with its detached ornaments all over the room. Scott still shudders anytime anyone suggests putting up a tree.

Books

To Moby Dick, the best book I never read

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google doodle, moby dick, melville
Today’s Google Doodle: Moby Dick

Thank you Google, for the Google Doodle this morning.

I saw the Google Doodle this morning about Moby Dick and would love to write something erudite about it but you know, I never read it. Nope, not even when it was assigned in high school. That is not to say I didn’t learn a lot about writing from Melville. As soon as I realized Moby Dick was about hunting and killing a whale I made the decision not to go through the same anguish I suffered with The Red Pony, Old Yeller or Bambi. I invested in the Cliff Notes and checked a couple of books full of Melville & Moby Dick  literary criticism out of the library and got to work. I skimmed for quotations, word-play and literary devices without ever approaching immersion in the emotional impact of the work. The paper received a good grade as I recall but what I always remembered was how much I enjoyed writing it. Continue reading To Moby Dick, the best book I never read →

Calendar

This weekend in Seattle! Esoteric Book Conference 2012

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This is billed as the Premier Event Celebrating Book Arts & Esotericism. I’ll be there to check in with friends from school and to pick up … some books of course. Maybe some new tarot cards too as mine are beat up enough that I can recognize what card I have before I turn them over. 🙂

From the website: As a genre often overlooked, the esoteric book may be steeped in awe and mystery in popular conception. But as the word ‘esoteric’ indicates, the subjects dealt with in such literature often delve beyond the surface of the material in order to shed light on the inner aspects thereof. The genre is sometimes refereed to as the perennial philosophy or ageless wisdom and features in many spiritual disciplines in western esotericism. Historical works provide context for such traditions, while practical manuals serve as guides for esoteric praxis.

The book fair and art show are free to the public.For more information, click here: Esoteric Book Conference 2012

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How many books do you read in a year?

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I saw this question on Plinky  and wondered how many people would have any idea. Do you know? I know because I keep a list and break it up by year. I don’t count articles or magazines, just books. In 2011 I read 34 books with fiction accounting for 10 of those. Fiction-wise, Scott recommended The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and Scott’s aunt Judy recommended the Percy Jackson series. I thought both were fantastic.  Continue reading How many books do you read in a year? →

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Kindle Love!

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I always loved the aesthetics of a book, the bindings and covers, the quality paper, printed fonts, the whole package. I never thought I would prefer an e-reader over a book, but I do.

Let me list some of the benefits of the kindle:

It is small enough to read in bed and still “turn pages” one-handed.

I can carry 100+ books with me at all times.

My bookmarks don’t fall out and get lost.

I don’t end up using important bills, photos or tickets as bookmarks.

I like to take notes when I read and the kindle allows me to annotate and highlight digitally. The best part is that I can then download my notes and highlights directly from the kindle into a text file on my pc.

Makes packing for a trip easier, and lighter. Really, what is the hardest part of packing for a trip? Making sure you squeeze enough books into your suitcase, right? I mean now I only need to bring one or two print-books  just in case the kindle and my pc simultaneously malfunction or the plane crashes and I am marooned on an island.

I can play Panda Poet on it.

The battery lasts forever.

The range of available books is incredible. I have archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, nutrition, running, ethnography and even some fiction on mine.

Public domain books are available for free.

If one was so inclined, Kindle can be accessorized with skins, covers etc.

I love my kindle!