Wednesday, August 5, 2015
August
Mark Twain: "Warm summer sun, shine kindly here. Warm southern wind, blow softly here...Good night, dear heart. Good night, good night."
Who hit the fast forward button? As August days rush by, we watch as summer hastens to an end. In my house, panic is settling in as we look around at projects started but unfinished. Promised but still undone. There are closets to be cleaned, shutters to hang, and a basement to be organized and tidied.
There are also books to be read out on the porch as daylight fades. Included in my leaning tower of books: the children's book by Jeanne Birdsall, "The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy;" "Disclaimer," a thriller by Renee Knight; and Dean Bakopoulos' novel that examines adulthood, "Summerlong."
Readers will be happy to find new books by Sue Grafton, Philippa Gregory, Jennifer Weiner, Christopher Moore, Drew Daywalt, Haruki Murakami, James Patterson, Margaret Maron, Meg Waite Clayton, Leslie Meier, Peter Robinson, Sophie Hannah and Louise Penny.
August is American Adventures Month & National Read-a-Romance Month.
August Days
1-5 - National Scrabble Week
4 - Birth of Dennis Lehane, 1965. Mystic River
7 - Birth of Garrison Keillor, 1942. Lake Wobegon Days
10 - Birth of Suzanne Collins, 1962. The Hunger Games
12 - Vinyl Record Day
Birth of Ann Martin, 1955. A Corner of the Universe; Babysitters Club
14 - Birth of Gary Larson, 1950. The Far Side
18 - Bad Poetry Day (The choice is yours)
20 - Birth of H. P. Lovecraft, 1890. At the Mountains of Madness
21 - Poet's Day (When you recover from all the bad poetry)
22 - International Tongue Twister Day (Riley Weber: Fresh fried fish, fish fried fresh)
24 - Birth of John Green, 1977. The Fault in our Stars
26 - Birth of Barbara Ehrenreich, 1941. Bright-sided; Nickel and Dimed
30 - Birth of Mary Shelley, 1797. Frankenstein
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Wednesday, July 1, 2015
July
Paul Engle: "Our small ears never had such a workout as on the Fourth of July, hearing not only our own bursting crackers but also those of our friends, and often the boom of homemade cannons shot off by daring boys."
It has been a long time since I've been double-dog dared, but it happened recently in my library. In the lobby. On a Monday morning.
In Cedar Rapids, the summer reading program dares library patrons of all ages to explore, imagine, change, learn and read. One question from Imagine It week, June 21-27, was if you could have one super power, what would it be? For the week including the Fourth of July, we're encouraged to make someone laugh, tell family and friends what we love about them, and make a list of things we do well. A future dare is to read a book but before reading the last chapter, write our own ending. How would you have ended The Girl on the Train or The Husband's Secret or Queen of the Tearling? Later this summer we'll write our bucket lists, start a journal, share a book or movie recommendation with friends, and learn a new word every day for one week. The library staff has dared us to read 300 minutes between June 1 and August 22. We've been double-dog dared to read 650 minutes; triple-dog dared to read 850 minutes.
As summer settles in and the temperature rises, explore your hometown library. Find a new author to read or try a different genre. If you've never read science fiction or mysteries, now is the time. If you've always wondered how to grill a pizza (cookbooks/641.8248), now is the time. If you've been meaning to volunteer, now is the time. You've been double-dog dared!!
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New books on the shelves: Stuart Woods, Catherine Coulter, Brad Thor, Leah Stewart, A. J. Rich, Julia Pierpont, Robin Kirman, Paula McLain, Harper Lee, and Dr. Seuss. It's true - amid great controversy is the publication of Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman. And the estate of Dr. Seuss will release What Pet Should I Get?
July is National Make a Difference to Children Month.
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| John F. Kennedy Library |
July Days
1 - International Joke Day
Second Half of the New Year Day
2-5 - National Tom Sawyer Days
4 - United States of America, 1776
Birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804), The Scarlet Letter
8 - Birth of Anna Quindlen (1952, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake
10 - Teddy Bear Picnic Day
Clerihew Day...Feeling silly? Write a four line poem with a rhyming scheme of AABB and make it biographical. Or, read Lost Clerihews of Paul Ingram.
11 - Bowdler's Day. In honor of Dr. Thomas Bowdler who "cleaned up" William Shakespeare's writing. History can decide if Dr. Bowdler was a prude.
15 - Take Your Favorite Poet to Work Day. The poet's photo will be just fine!
20 - Birth of Cormac McCarthy (1933), The Road
22 - Spoonerism Day. In honor of Rev. William Spooner who had a habit of making verbal gaffes such as fighting a liar instead of lighting a fire.
23-26 - Hemingway Look-alike Days
24 - Tell an Old Joke Day..."A horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks, 'Why the long face?' "
26 - Birth of George Bernard Shaw (1856), Man and Superman
30 - Paperback Book Day
31 - Birth of J.K. Rowling (1965), Harry Potter series
>>>If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Read With Enthusiasm. It's easy. Look for follow by email at the top right corner of the blog. Submit your email address. You'll receive a follow-up email to activate your subscription. Thank you!
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Random Word
Jose Saramago: "Human vocabulary is still not capable, and probably never will be, of knowing, recognizing, and communicating everything that can be humanly experienced and felt."
Facile - FASS -ul\ adjective\ late 15th century. Having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach. Easily achieved; effortless. Acting or done in a quick, fluent and easy manner. Concise Oxford American Dictionary.
Synonyms: adroit, tractable - Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers
"It's a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I'd say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder." from commencement speech (and book), "Congratulations, By the Way" by George Saunders
* * * * *
Jose Saramago: "Human vocabulary is still not capable, and probably never will be, of knowing, recognizing, and communicating everything that can be humanly experienced and felt."
Facile - FASS -ul\ adjective\ late 15th century. Having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach. Easily achieved; effortless. Acting or done in a quick, fluent and easy manner. Concise Oxford American Dictionary.
Synonyms: adroit, tractable - Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers
"It's a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I'd say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder." from commencement speech (and book), "Congratulations, By the Way" by George Saunders
* * * * *
Monday, June 1, 2015
June
*Mary Chapin Carpenter: "I saw my life this morning lying at the bottom of a drawer. All this stuff I'm saving...what the hell were all the reasons for holding on for such dear life? Here's where I let go." from "Almost Home"
I confess - I'm a bit of a magazine hoarder. For some reason, I found it necessary to keep back issues (let's just say many back issues) of Real Simple. And one day when I asked myself why I had to keep these magazines, there was only silence. And so, our recycle bin carted off many pounds of paper and a whole lot of guilt.
Family members would argue that I also have difficulty getting rid of (empty) boxes, would-be craft items and kitchen utensils. My defense is usually "I may need that someday." Occasionally that someday arrives and I rejoice that I have the perfect box, bowl or scrapbooking embellishment. Usually, though, the stuff piles up until a menopausal mood swing strikes, and I find myself using one of those empty boxes to toss in little-used spatulas, clothes, note cards, etc... for a trip to Goodwill. And I feel better. Briefly.
Did I mention vases? You name the flower, I have the perfect vase. Two large shelves of perfect vases.
I was thrilled the day I found out that a Container Store was coming to my hometown of Kansas City. Now I'd be able to visit my family AND wander the aisles of this organizing wonderland while dreaming of my orderly home. Not so fast, said Gretchen Rubin, author of "The Happiness Project." According to Rubin, we don't have messy houses simply because we're disorganized. The messiness is because we have too much stuff.
So it's a two-pronged problem. I have too much stuff and it's not very organized. In my defense, I'm not alone. Apparently Americans tend to hoard and, yet, desire tidier houses because we keep Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" on the bestseller list. It's a great book, but I don't think I could ever live up to her exacting standards.
If your goal was to get organized this year, the first half of 2015 will be over in 29 days. No need to panic. Peter Walsh, Oprah's organizing guru, has the solution. Or so he claims, and I'm willing to try. June can be the first step to a leaner and cleaner house. Walsh's idea: Every day this month, organize one area of your house/office. It's OK to keep it small, even as small as a sock drawer. Organize and discard. When the discarding part gets tough, ask the same question that Mary Chapin Carpenter asked: "why am I holding on to this?"
Good luck!
* * * * *
Readers, rejoice! The shelves will be stocked with new books by these authors: Judy Blume, Elin Hilderbrand, Mary Higgins Clark, Jeff Shaara, Dorothea Benton Frank, Danielle Steel, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, Janet Evanovich, Mary Balogh, Diana Gabaldon, Terry Pratchett, Barbara Delinsky, Neal Stephenson, Daniel Silva, Mo Willems, Mary Pope Osborne, and Kathy Reichs.
June is Audiobook Appreciation Month, Effective Communication Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Zoo and Aquarium Month, National Iced Tea Month, and National Rivers Month.
June Days
2 - Birth of Thomas Hardy (1840), Jude the Obscure
5 - Birth of Richard Scarry (1919), Please and Thank You
6 - National Yo yo Day
8 - Birth of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867). Read two authors' views of Wright - T.C. Boyle's The Women and Nancy Horan's Loving Frank.
10 - Ballpoint pen patented, 1943
10 - Birth of Maurice Sendak (1928), Where the Wild Things Are
11 - Birth of William Styron (1925), The Confessions of Nat Turner
12-14 - National Lemonade Days
14 - Birth of John Bartlett (1820), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
15 - Nature Photography Day
16 - Bloomsday anniversary (1904), as written in James Joyce's Ulysses
20 - Birth of Lillian Hellman (1905), The Children's Hour
21 - First day of summer
25 - Birth of George Orwell (1903), Animal Farm
>>>If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Read With Enthusiasm. It's easy. Look for follow by email at the top right hand of the blog. Submit your email address. You'll receive a follow-up email to activate your subscription. Thank you!
*"Almost Home" was written by Annie Roboff & Beth Nielsen Chapman
*Mary Chapin Carpenter: "I saw my life this morning lying at the bottom of a drawer. All this stuff I'm saving...what the hell were all the reasons for holding on for such dear life? Here's where I let go." from "Almost Home"
I confess - I'm a bit of a magazine hoarder. For some reason, I found it necessary to keep back issues (let's just say many back issues) of Real Simple. And one day when I asked myself why I had to keep these magazines, there was only silence. And so, our recycle bin carted off many pounds of paper and a whole lot of guilt.
Family members would argue that I also have difficulty getting rid of (empty) boxes, would-be craft items and kitchen utensils. My defense is usually "I may need that someday." Occasionally that someday arrives and I rejoice that I have the perfect box, bowl or scrapbooking embellishment. Usually, though, the stuff piles up until a menopausal mood swing strikes, and I find myself using one of those empty boxes to toss in little-used spatulas, clothes, note cards, etc... for a trip to Goodwill. And I feel better. Briefly.
Did I mention vases? You name the flower, I have the perfect vase. Two large shelves of perfect vases.
I was thrilled the day I found out that a Container Store was coming to my hometown of Kansas City. Now I'd be able to visit my family AND wander the aisles of this organizing wonderland while dreaming of my orderly home. Not so fast, said Gretchen Rubin, author of "The Happiness Project." According to Rubin, we don't have messy houses simply because we're disorganized. The messiness is because we have too much stuff.
So it's a two-pronged problem. I have too much stuff and it's not very organized. In my defense, I'm not alone. Apparently Americans tend to hoard and, yet, desire tidier houses because we keep Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" on the bestseller list. It's a great book, but I don't think I could ever live up to her exacting standards.
If your goal was to get organized this year, the first half of 2015 will be over in 29 days. No need to panic. Peter Walsh, Oprah's organizing guru, has the solution. Or so he claims, and I'm willing to try. June can be the first step to a leaner and cleaner house. Walsh's idea: Every day this month, organize one area of your house/office. It's OK to keep it small, even as small as a sock drawer. Organize and discard. When the discarding part gets tough, ask the same question that Mary Chapin Carpenter asked: "why am I holding on to this?"
Good luck!
* * * * *
Readers, rejoice! The shelves will be stocked with new books by these authors: Judy Blume, Elin Hilderbrand, Mary Higgins Clark, Jeff Shaara, Dorothea Benton Frank, Danielle Steel, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, Janet Evanovich, Mary Balogh, Diana Gabaldon, Terry Pratchett, Barbara Delinsky, Neal Stephenson, Daniel Silva, Mo Willems, Mary Pope Osborne, and Kathy Reichs.
June is Audiobook Appreciation Month, Effective Communication Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Zoo and Aquarium Month, National Iced Tea Month, and National Rivers Month.
June Days
2 - Birth of Thomas Hardy (1840), Jude the Obscure
5 - Birth of Richard Scarry (1919), Please and Thank You
6 - National Yo yo Day
8 - Birth of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867). Read two authors' views of Wright - T.C. Boyle's The Women and Nancy Horan's Loving Frank.
10 - Ballpoint pen patented, 1943
10 - Birth of Maurice Sendak (1928), Where the Wild Things Are
11 - Birth of William Styron (1925), The Confessions of Nat Turner
12-14 - National Lemonade Days
14 - Birth of John Bartlett (1820), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
15 - Nature Photography Day
16 - Bloomsday anniversary (1904), as written in James Joyce's Ulysses
20 - Birth of Lillian Hellman (1905), The Children's Hour
21 - First day of summer
25 - Birth of George Orwell (1903), Animal Farm
>>>If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Read With Enthusiasm. It's easy. Look for follow by email at the top right hand of the blog. Submit your email address. You'll receive a follow-up email to activate your subscription. Thank you!
*"Almost Home" was written by Annie Roboff & Beth Nielsen Chapman
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Furry Friends
Anatole France: "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
Are you a cat or a dog person?
I'm one of those annoying people who claims to like cats more, always quickly adding that I also like dogs. Maybe a 60/40 split? Is that allowed?
A dog is a great companion because they're goofy, patient, hardworking and kind. I love that about them. A cat is a fun addition to the household because they're demanding, clever, playful yet sometimes aloof. I love that about them.
If you live in the United States, odds are that you have at least one cat or dog. According to the American Pet Products Association, 65% of US households own a pet. It's estimated more than 85 million cats are pets; 77 million dogs are pets.
Do we love and pamper our pets? You bet we do. APPA estimates that $60 billion will be spent on American pets in 2015. Of that astounding total, $23 billion will be spent on food alone. That's a lot of kibble and tuna treats! Apparently we want our pets to look as adorable as possible - this year we'll spend upwards of $5 billion on grooming and boarding.
Infoplease reports that the most popular dog names in 2014 were Bella, Bailey and Max. In the same year, we named our cats Bella, Max and Chloe. And, our birds were called Coco, Mango or Thumper(huh?).
Americans love Labrador retrievers, German shepherds and golden retrievers according to the American Kennel Club. The most sought after cat breeds are Persians, exotics, and Maine coons, said the Cat Fanciers' Association.
Apparently, time spent walking our pets, feeding and playing with them just isn't enough. We want to read about cats and dogs, too. In your library, check out 636.7 and 636.8 for books chock full of information on dog and cat breeds, how to choose a pet, and memoirs about traveling through life with a furry or feathered companion. Be prepared for an occasional lump in your throat, wild laughter or wrenching sobs.
Terry Pratchett: "In ancient times, cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this."
Fiction
Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein. A sweet and poignant story told from the view of Enzo the dog. Keep the tissue box close by.
The Cat Who... (mystery series) - Lillian Jackson Braun. Jim, a human, and Koko, a cat, find themselves knee deep in mysteries throughout this series of more than 25 books.
Old Yeller - Fred Gipson. A Newbery Honor classic...you've seen the movie, now read the book!
Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls. Another classic that'll bring you back to the fourth grade when your teacher read it aloud (and wept along with the students).
101 Dalmatians - Dodie Smith. Yes, before it was a Disney movie, this tale was a novel.
Good Dog, Carl (series) - Alexandra Day. Wonderful picture books about a gentle Rottweiler.
Pete the Cat - James Dean. As Pete saunters through each book, little ones will learn all about life, from strawberries to backhoes to making a mess!
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake - Laura Numeroff & Felicia Bond. Read it to find out what really happens...
The Cat in the Hat - Dr. Seuss. Beware of a large cat in a hat showing up at your door on a rainy day at home!
Have You Seen My Cat? - Eric Carle. Cats of all sizes help tell the story of a lost feline.
Nonfiction
Amazing Gracie - Mark Beckloff & Dan Dye. Meet Gracie and learn about the start of the now famous Three Dog Bakery.
Marley and Me - John Grogan. Was Marley a stereotypical Lab? He certainly was the life of any and every party.
Travels with Charley - John Steinbeck. The book has come under scrutiny - is it fiction or nonfiction? Regardless, Steinbeck weaves a gentle tale of traveling with his poodle, Charley.
Dewey the Library Cat - Vicky Myron. A cat in the library...maybe not everyone's idea of fun, but Americans loved the idea enough to catapault this book to a bestseller.
Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair - Laurie Perry. I laughed my way through this book with that aforementioned occasional lump in my throat.
Rin Tin Tin - Susan Orlean. Yes, the hero has his own biography!
Good Dog. Stay. - Anna Quindlen. A love letter to a Lab named Beau. Read with tissues ready.
Big New Yorker Book of Cats. The perfect gift for the cat lover...artwork, poems and cartoons, featuring writers such as T.C. Boyle, Margaret Atwood and James Thurber.
Grumpy Cat - Grumpy Cat, author. I'll admit that I became hooked on this book after surgery this past year. Maybe it was the drugs (or not, since I'm still laughing six months later) but I am under the spell of this really grumpy cat. If you need to grumble after a tough day, this is the cat to join you on the couch.
Edith Wharton: "My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet."
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Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Random Word
Abigail Adams: "We have too many high sounding words and too few actions that correspond with them."
Ebullient - eh-BULL-yuhnt \adjective\ (1599): feeling joy and positive emotions at an extreme level; the state of being wildly enthusiastic about something. Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers.
Synonyms - agitated, effervescent, vivacious, enthusiastic, excited. Webster's New World Thesaurus
"According to all of them, Heidi, fewer than twenty-four hours from being murdered in her home, had been her usual ebullient self." from The Stranger by Harlan Coben, 2015.
* * * * * * *
Abigail Adams: "We have too many high sounding words and too few actions that correspond with them."
Ebullient - eh-BULL-yuhnt \adjective\ (1599): feeling joy and positive emotions at an extreme level; the state of being wildly enthusiastic about something. Roget's Thesaurus of Words for Writers.
Synonyms - agitated, effervescent, vivacious, enthusiastic, excited. Webster's New World Thesaurus
"According to all of them, Heidi, fewer than twenty-four hours from being murdered in her home, had been her usual ebullient self." from The Stranger by Harlan Coben, 2015.
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Friday, May 1, 2015
May
Charlotte Bronte: "Spring drew on...and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps." from Jane Eyre
Welcome to glorious, beautiful May. Suddenly the landscape is alive with a riot of pink, white, yellow and purple blooms. The sky is blue; grass is green. Enjoy the soft, fresh air as we ease into a new month that is filled with the promise of longer and brighter days.
Look for new books by Nelson DeMille, Lincoln Child, Nancy Thayer, John Lescroat, Chuck Palahniuk, Linda Lael Miller, Kate Atkinson, Rita Mae Brown, Carolyn Hart, Terry Goodkind, Brian Jacques, Sarah Dessen, Steven Levitt, and James Patterson.
May is Creative Beginnings Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Bicycle Month, National Meditation Month, and National Pet Month.
May Days
1 Batman Day; Mother Goose Day
2 National Scrapbooking Day
3 World Press Freedom Day; Hug Your Cat Day
3-9 National Post Card Week ** For just .35 postage, you can make someone smile with a silly post card.
4-10 Children's Book Week ** Enjoy a classic picture book by Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Shel Silverstein or Robert McCloskey.
5 Cartoonist Day; National Teacher Day
9 Mother Ocean Day
10 Mother's Day
10-16 Reading Is Fun Week
11-15 National Etiquette Week
12 Limerick Day ** "There once was a poor boy named Sid, who thought he knew more than he did..." (thanks to limericks for children)
15 O. Henry Pun Off Day ** "To write with a broken pencil is pointless." (thanks to pun of the day)
16 Biographer's Day
17-23 National New Friends, Old Friends Week
19 National Museum Day
>>>>>
25 Memorial Day
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If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Read With Enthusiasm. It's easy. Look for follow by email at the top right hand corner of the blog. Submit your email address. You'll receive a follow-up email to activate your subscription. Thank you!
Charlotte Bronte: "Spring drew on...and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps." from Jane Eyre
Welcome to glorious, beautiful May. Suddenly the landscape is alive with a riot of pink, white, yellow and purple blooms. The sky is blue; grass is green. Enjoy the soft, fresh air as we ease into a new month that is filled with the promise of longer and brighter days.
Look for new books by Nelson DeMille, Lincoln Child, Nancy Thayer, John Lescroat, Chuck Palahniuk, Linda Lael Miller, Kate Atkinson, Rita Mae Brown, Carolyn Hart, Terry Goodkind, Brian Jacques, Sarah Dessen, Steven Levitt, and James Patterson.
May is Creative Beginnings Month, Get Caught Reading Month, National Bicycle Month, National Meditation Month, and National Pet Month.
May Days
1 Batman Day; Mother Goose Day
2 National Scrapbooking Day
3 World Press Freedom Day; Hug Your Cat Day
3-9 National Post Card Week ** For just .35 postage, you can make someone smile with a silly post card.
4-10 Children's Book Week ** Enjoy a classic picture book by Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, Shel Silverstein or Robert McCloskey.
5 Cartoonist Day; National Teacher Day
9 Mother Ocean Day
10 Mother's Day
10-16 Reading Is Fun Week
11-15 National Etiquette Week
12 Limerick Day ** "There once was a poor boy named Sid, who thought he knew more than he did..." (thanks to limericks for children)
15 O. Henry Pun Off Day ** "To write with a broken pencil is pointless." (thanks to pun of the day)
16 Biographer's Day
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| Spring cleaning at Denver Art Museum |
17-23 National New Friends, Old Friends Week
19 National Museum Day
>>>>>
25 Memorial Day
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