The two best Christmas gifts I received this year involved reading. The first was a beautiful love letter from Ed, too personal to share, and the second was a book from my sister.
My sister, like my mother and middle son, has serious reading comprehension problems. They have to read something over and over again to fully understand it. Needless to say, reading isn’t something they really enjoy. As far as she can remember, she has never finished a book, but she knows that I love them. The book she bought me is called…”Sisters” Essays by Carol Saline and Photographs by Sharon J. Wohlmuth.
What a lovely, lovely book! Yes, I had to start it. It contains short essays about sisters and the bonds they share, and includes some letters and stories about some rather well known ladies such as Coretta Scott King and her sister Edythe. The photographs are fabulous too. This would make a nice coffee table book. Oh, and bring the Kleenex.
When my sister called tonight, I asked if she had looked at it, and she said she had “read through it”. I told her I loved it, and she said she was glad.
I’m going to take a few days off from the blog. I have a major writing project in the works and its going to need most of my attention. I’ll be back in a few days to let you know how I’m doing with what I’m reading now and anything new I’ve discovered. We might check in with Ed too and see what he’s reading. Until next time.
Connie
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
What I'm Reading Now
A head cold has put me a little behind, but here I am.
I have books all over my house. We have more books than we have bookshelves. Last year I inherited about 800 books from my Grandpa. He is still living, but he decided it was best that I get them now. He is a retired minister and most of what he had is related to that vocation, but there were also many books that had belonged to Grandma. (The daughter of the Grandma I wrote of yesterday).
Initially, I had books stacked down the hall and all around the walls of the living room and master bedroom. A few months ago I got a better handle on it, but I still need more shelves. Before I get more bookshelves, I need to get more space to put them in. As far as I am concerned, it is a wonderful problem to have.
At one time, I had well over a thousand books. Then I had what can only be described as a Bi Polar manic episode, and gave almost all of them away. I have regretted it many times over. You would not believe how badly I’ve missed many of those books and have tried to replace them as I can. Some just cannot be replaced. Now, thanks to Grandpa, I have at least that many again, and as selfish as it might sound, I’m keeping them. That’s not to say that I won’t loan them out, however.
As for what I am reading now. I have several books with bookmarks in them. A few were Grandpa’s, some I already had, and some Ed bought for me.
The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus translated by William Wiston: Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived during the time of Christ. It is slow reading, but his commentary on his time is extremely interesting.
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence that Points Toward God by Lee Strobel: Haven’t got far into this one. Strobel documents his own search for truth.
500 Little Known Stories from American History by J. Vernon Jacobs: Ok, I need the large print edition, and if there isn’t one there should be. Strange how I know many of these “little known stories”
Comfort From a Country Quilt by Reba McEntire: Reba’s candor and humor make her as much as joy to read as she is to hear and watch. Almost done with this one.
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes: This is an interesting psychology book that uses ancient stories and folklore to help women find who they really are. You won’t look at some fairy tales the same way again.
Dragon’s Dawn by Anne McCaffrey: I read Dragon Riders of Pern when I was young (one of those books I gave away) and loved it. Just starting this one.
Sorrow’s River by Larry McMurtry: Third installment of the “Berrybender Narratives” More escapades with a group of the most unlikable characters I have ever met in a book.
I know what you’re thinking. Why can’t she just read one at a time? I don’t know, but I can’t. In addition, I’m also working through a few books in the “For Dummies” series.
Well, the sneezing fits have started again, so I’m going to quit for now. We’ll talk more tomorrow.
Connie
I have books all over my house. We have more books than we have bookshelves. Last year I inherited about 800 books from my Grandpa. He is still living, but he decided it was best that I get them now. He is a retired minister and most of what he had is related to that vocation, but there were also many books that had belonged to Grandma. (The daughter of the Grandma I wrote of yesterday).
Initially, I had books stacked down the hall and all around the walls of the living room and master bedroom. A few months ago I got a better handle on it, but I still need more shelves. Before I get more bookshelves, I need to get more space to put them in. As far as I am concerned, it is a wonderful problem to have.
At one time, I had well over a thousand books. Then I had what can only be described as a Bi Polar manic episode, and gave almost all of them away. I have regretted it many times over. You would not believe how badly I’ve missed many of those books and have tried to replace them as I can. Some just cannot be replaced. Now, thanks to Grandpa, I have at least that many again, and as selfish as it might sound, I’m keeping them. That’s not to say that I won’t loan them out, however.
As for what I am reading now. I have several books with bookmarks in them. A few were Grandpa’s, some I already had, and some Ed bought for me.
The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus translated by William Wiston: Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived during the time of Christ. It is slow reading, but his commentary on his time is extremely interesting.
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence that Points Toward God by Lee Strobel: Haven’t got far into this one. Strobel documents his own search for truth.
500 Little Known Stories from American History by J. Vernon Jacobs: Ok, I need the large print edition, and if there isn’t one there should be. Strange how I know many of these “little known stories”
Comfort From a Country Quilt by Reba McEntire: Reba’s candor and humor make her as much as joy to read as she is to hear and watch. Almost done with this one.
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes: This is an interesting psychology book that uses ancient stories and folklore to help women find who they really are. You won’t look at some fairy tales the same way again.
Dragon’s Dawn by Anne McCaffrey: I read Dragon Riders of Pern when I was young (one of those books I gave away) and loved it. Just starting this one.
Sorrow’s River by Larry McMurtry: Third installment of the “Berrybender Narratives” More escapades with a group of the most unlikable characters I have ever met in a book.
I know what you’re thinking. Why can’t she just read one at a time? I don’t know, but I can’t. In addition, I’m also working through a few books in the “For Dummies” series.
Well, the sneezing fits have started again, so I’m going to quit for now. We’ll talk more tomorrow.
Connie
Saturday, December 26, 2009
My First Post
I've put this off long enough...We've just had a blizzard, so its not like I have a pressing engagement elsewhere. Anyway, here goes.
I have a deep relationship with books, that dates back to my childhood. In the earliest years of my recollection, I moved a lot. Me. Literally. Sometimes, I was with Mom, sometimes I was with Dad, other times I was with Grandma. I was probably with Grandma more often than anyone else, and that is where I got my love for words.
Grandma loved to read, and everyone is fairly sure she taught me to read. I can't remember not being able to read, so they may be right. She had memorized countless excerpts from plays and other literature and only God knows how many poems. When I think of her now, so many of those words float through, along with a few choice ones she came up with herself.
My mom remarried when I was eight, and we moved into a real house. When our new neigbhor (a lady named Dana... thats all I remember)learned I liked books, she gave me, what seemed to me at the time, the mother lode. I don't remember how many there were, but I know what they were. They were Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew Mysteries. I was in heaven. That year I also became acquainted the Scholastic book club and the library. Its where I met Old Yeller and Henry Huggins. I still have that copy of Old Yeller. Somewhere along that time is when I began to equate books with comfort and safety. Not just the stories which provided such a lovely escape from a not so nice childhood, but the books themselves. There is probably a psychiatrist somewhere who could explain that to me. Today, I have over a thousand books here at the house with more coming in all the time. Thats not just me though. My partner Ed, loves them as much as I do, and has more time to actually read them.
Any way. I thought this blog would be a good place to air my thoughts about books. The ones I love, the ones I don't, old books, new books, kids books, and any other kind of book. Right now, there are five books I am "reading". Maybe tomorrow, I'll talk about them. Hey maybe tomorrow, I'll finish one!
I have a deep relationship with books, that dates back to my childhood. In the earliest years of my recollection, I moved a lot. Me. Literally. Sometimes, I was with Mom, sometimes I was with Dad, other times I was with Grandma. I was probably with Grandma more often than anyone else, and that is where I got my love for words.
Grandma loved to read, and everyone is fairly sure she taught me to read. I can't remember not being able to read, so they may be right. She had memorized countless excerpts from plays and other literature and only God knows how many poems. When I think of her now, so many of those words float through, along with a few choice ones she came up with herself.
My mom remarried when I was eight, and we moved into a real house. When our new neigbhor (a lady named Dana... thats all I remember)learned I liked books, she gave me, what seemed to me at the time, the mother lode. I don't remember how many there were, but I know what they were. They were Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew Mysteries. I was in heaven. That year I also became acquainted the Scholastic book club and the library. Its where I met Old Yeller and Henry Huggins. I still have that copy of Old Yeller. Somewhere along that time is when I began to equate books with comfort and safety. Not just the stories which provided such a lovely escape from a not so nice childhood, but the books themselves. There is probably a psychiatrist somewhere who could explain that to me. Today, I have over a thousand books here at the house with more coming in all the time. Thats not just me though. My partner Ed, loves them as much as I do, and has more time to actually read them.
Any way. I thought this blog would be a good place to air my thoughts about books. The ones I love, the ones I don't, old books, new books, kids books, and any other kind of book. Right now, there are five books I am "reading". Maybe tomorrow, I'll talk about them. Hey maybe tomorrow, I'll finish one!
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