e, reader

My Literary Life List- January

2012-02-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

Books Read

1. 1984 by Orwell, George *

2. My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World by Ruurs, Margriet

3. The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States by Jefferson, Thomas *

4. A Monster Calls by Ness, Patrick

5. Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Duffy, Chris

6. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Durrow, Heidi W. *

7. Victor Halfwit: A Winter's Tale by Bernhard, Thomas

8. Pierre : A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue by Sendak, Maurice

9. Alligators All Around by Sendak, Maurice

10. Outside Over There by Sendak, Maurice

11. My Mama Says There Aren't Any Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things by Viorst, Judith

* Recommended

Check my Goodreads account for reviews!

Readings & Others Events

1/4- The Children’s Book Bank Volunteering (Also on 1/14)

1/7- Friends of the Children- Million Books for Kids Volunteering

1/8- Multnomah County Library Volunteering (Also on 1/15, 22 & 29)

My Updated Reading List

2012-01-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Remember Me (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
To Die For (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
Until the End (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
Witch World (10/2)- Christopher Pike
The Chronicles of Kazam: The Last Dragonslayer (9/4)- Jasper Fforde
The Song of the Quarkbeast (UK)- Jasper Fforde
The Return of Shandar (UK; 11/10)- Jasper Fforde
Thursday Next: Dark Reading Matter (UK; 7/12)- Jasper Fforde
The Confession- John Grisham
The Litigators- John Grisham
Theodore Boone: The Accused (5/24/12)- John Grisham
Diary of a Wimpy Kid- Jeff Kinney
The Lord of the Rings- J.R.R. Tolkien
The Case of the Missing Servant- Tarquin Hall
Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer- Jonathan L. Howard
Angelology- Danielle Trussoni
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- Katherine Howe
The Autobiography of Mark Twain- Charles Neider
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (4/3/12)- Alexander McCall Smith
$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles (1/31/12)- Parnell Hall
Zen of Wonder (No Release Date)- Frank Beddor
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (No Release Date)- Trenton Lee Stewart
The Imperfectionist- Tom Rachman
Giving- Bill Clinton
Working- Bill Clinton
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind- William Kamkwamba
Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafizi
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle- Barbara Kingsolver
The Shadow of the Wind- Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Walden- Henry David Thoreau
Unaccustomed Earth- Jhumpa Lahiri
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
The People of the Book- Geraldine Brooks
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky- Heidi W. Durrow
Pigeon English- Stephen Kelman
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn- Betty Smith

Of the books I read since my last update, these were the ones that were actually on it:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume I: The Pox Party- M.T. Anderson
The Night Eternal- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Every Thing On It- Shel Silverstein
Wonderstruck- Brian Selznick
The Borrower- Rebecca Makkai
The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern

My Reading Life- Year in Review 2011

2012-01-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

I read 60 books in 2011, not counting picture books.

Out of the titles I included in my reading list, only 15 of the books were on it.

I’ve read 35 books by authors I’ve never read before and only 4 of them I sought more books to read. Although, a lot of them are first time novelists or just have that one title they’ve written.

I also read 174 children’s books- of which 105 were for the A to Z Children’s Picture Book Series Reading Challenge. I read 16 series- actually 18 but the B’s and M’s had two entries out of 26.

Breakdown of Books Read in 2011- I’ve changed the format since I’m more interested in how many books I read that were in the kids/YA genre as opposed to “adult”.

New- 35

Kids/YA- 19

Adults- 43

Fiction-24

Non-Fiction-17

Recommended: Delivering Happiness; Historical Sketch of the Library Association of Portland 1864-1964; The Dreamer; The Lover’s Dictionary; If You Want to Write*; The Crucible*; Tales from Outer Suburbia; The Elegance of the Hedgehog*; Rethinking Paper & Ink; Pop-Up Book of Death; Press Here; I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!; Guess How Much I Love You; The Monster at the End of This Book; The Runaway Bunny; From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Fankweiler*; A Game of Thrones; The Compassionate Diet; The View from Saturday*; The Art of Happiness; Thirst No. 4: The Shadow of Death; Writing Down the Bones*; The Phantom Tollbooth*; The Night Circus*; Wonderstruck; The Mysteries of Harris Burdick; The Chronicles of Harris Burdick; Every Thing On It; The Happiness Project; It’s Not Easy Being Green; Stumbling on Happiness

*These titles were added to My Favorite Books Ever.

Worst: The Graveyard Book; The Catcher in the Rye

I will also post updated editions of my Reading Challenge and Reading List in the upcoming days.

My Literary Life List- December

2011-12-31T10:22:00.000-08:00

Book Read

60. Stumbling on Happiness- Daniel Gilbert*

Reading Challenge

(K)otzwinkle, William and Murray, Glenn

Walter the Farting Dog

Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach

Rough Weather Ahead for Walter the Farting Dog

Walter the Farting Dog Goes On a Cruise

Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale

Children’s Books Read

The Polar Express- Chris Van Allsburg*

Goodnight Moon- Margaret Wise Brown

My World- Margaret Wise Brown

The Runaway Bunny- Margaret Wise Brown*

Goodnight iPad- Ann Droyd

Zak the Yak With Books on His Back- John Wood

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events

12/3- Read Local, Buy Local- “An afternoon of book selling, signing and socializing with your favorite local authors.”

12/3- Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience- Opening Day: Exhibition Reception (Collins Gallery)

12/4- Multnomah County Library Volunteering (Also on 12/18)

12/6- Hudson Booksellers- McCarran International Airport (New Bookstore Visited)

12/8- Plaza Books (New Bookstore Visited)

12/18- 2011 Publication Fair- “Local publishers, printers and producers with all of their printed matter for sale.”

12/26- Friends of the Children- Million Books for Kids Bridgeport Village Book Store (New Bookstore Visited)

12/26- Friends of the Children- Million Books for Kids Volunteering

My Literary Life List- November

2011-11-30T19:16:00.000-08:00

Books Read
55. The Graveyard Book- Neil Gaiman
56. The Bookshop- Penelope Fitzgerald
57. The Chronicles of Harris Burdick- Chris Van Allsburg
58. The Night Eternal- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
59. It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider- Jim Henson, The Muppets, and Friends*

Reading Challenge
(Y)olen, Jane
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?
How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?
How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?

Children’s Books Read
The North Star- Peter Reynolds
So Few of Me- Peter Reynolds
The Conductor- Laetitia Devernay
A Zeal of Zebras- Woop Studios

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
11/2- Bayfront Books- Oakland International Airport (New Bookstore Visited)
11/8- Small Press Love Fest
11/12- The Children's Book Bank (McKenzie Books/Cash4Books Volunteering)

11/13- Multnomah County Library Volunteering (Also on 11/20 & 27)
11/25- Unsinkable Genius: The Surreal Voyage of George Hitchcock & kayak (Collins Gallery)

My Literary Life List- October

2011-11-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

Books Read
51. The 13 Clocks- James Thurber
52. Wonderstruck- Brian Selznick
53. Every Thing On It- Shel Silverstein*
54. The Happiness Project- Gretchen Rubin*

Reading Challenge

(N)umeroff, Laura
If You Give a Dog a Donut

(W)illems, Mo
Happy Pig Day!

(O)'Connor, Jane
Fancy Nancy
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly
Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique
Fancy Nancy and the Splendiferous Christmas

Children's Books Read
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick- Chris Van Allsburg*
I Am Here- Peter Reynolds
The Dot- Peter Reynolds
Paul Thurlby's Alphabet- Paul Thurlby
The Monster at the End of This Book- Jon Stone*
The Odious Ogre- Norton Juster

Also Read (Not Counted)
The Call of Cthulhu- H.P. Lovecraft (Short Story)*

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
10/1 Leaks, Tweets and Deletes: Intellectual Freedom in a Digital World
10/2 Multnomah County Library Volunteering (Also on 10/9, 16, 23 & 30)
10/7 Patrick Carman
10/8 & 9 Wordstock
-My Censor, My Self Lynn Connor, Lydia Yuknavitch, Kerry Cohen (Moderated by Ben Moorad)
-The Death of Print & Digital Humanity Plazm magazine (moderated by Tiffany Lee Brown)
- Shelf Life (Documentary)
-"Wildwood", Colin Melloy and Carson Ellis
-A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Nancy Tillman, Maria Frazee, Julie Paschkis (Moderated by Brie Spangler)
-Nitpicky Kids Doreen Cronin, Nancy Tillman, Judy Sierra
10/12 The Children's Book Bank (Volunteered)
10/15 Schoolhouse Supplies (Volunteered)
10/15 Bridge City Comics (New bookstore visited)
10/15 Q Center (Like In Other Words, this community center has a library)
10/15 "The Vampire Bridegroom", Chad Helder
10/22 Bibliophiles Buy Vinyl
10/22 Friends of the Library Hillsboro (Volunteered)
10/26 "Triangles", Ellen Hopkins
10/29 Grown-Ups’ Intro to Picture Books (Library Event)

My Literary Life List- September

2011-10-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Books Read
45. The Name of this Book is Secret- Pseudonymous Bosch*
46. The Phantom Tollbooth- Norton Juster*
47. This is Portland- Alexander Barrett (Zine)
48. The One Minute Entrepreneur- Ken Blanchard, Don Hutson and Ethan Willis
49. The Borrower- Rebecca Makkai
50. The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern*

Children's Books Read
It's a Little Book- Lane Smith
The Boy of a Thousand Faces- Brian Selznick
The Houdini Box- Brian Selznick
Wave- Suzy Lee
The Zoo- Suzy Lee
Guess How Much I Love You- Sam McBratney*
Mirror- Suzy Lee
Shadow- Suzy Lee
I Want My Hat Back- Jon Klassen

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
9/7 Literacy is Power 2011 (International Literacy Day)- Library Event
9/7 "Rumbunctious Garden"- Emma Marris
9/10 Schoolhouse Supplies- Volunteer
9/12 Street Books Reception
9/15 "Rebel Bookseller"- Andrew Laities
9/14 Children's Book Bank- Volunteer (Also on 9/28)
9/25 Banned Books Week
9/27 Feasting on Forbidden Fruit- Library Event

My Updated Reading List for 2011

2011-09-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

So many books, so little time!

Remember Me (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
To Die For (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
Until the End (Omnibus)- Christopher Pike
The Last Dragonslayer (UK)- Jasper Fforde
The Confession- John Grisham
Diary of a Wimpy Kid- Jeff Kinney
The Lord of the Rings- J.R.R. Tolkien
The Case of the Missing Servant- Tarquin Hall
Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer- Jonathan L. Howard
Angelology- Danielle Trussoni
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- Katherine Howe
The Autobiography of Mark Twain- Charles Neider
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume I: The Pox Party- M.T. Anderson

Added:
The Song of the Quarkbeast (UK) (11/10)- Jasper Fforde
The Litigators (10/25)- John Grisham
Theodore Boone #3 (5/24/12)- John Grisham
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (4/3/12)- Alexander McCall Smith
$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles (1/31/12)- Parnell Hall
The Night Eternal (10/25)- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Zen of Wonder (No Release Date)- Frank Beddor
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (No Release Date)- Trenton Lee Stewart
Every Thing On It (9/20)- Shel Silverstein
Wonderstruck (9/13)- Brian Selznick
The Night Circus (9/13)- Erin Morgenstern
The Imperfectionist- Tom Rachman
Giving- Bill Clinton
The Kid- Sapphire
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind- William Kamkwamba
Reading Lolita in Tehran- Azar Nafizi
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle- Barbara Kingsolver
The Shadow of the Wind- Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Borrower- Rebecca Makkai
Walden- Henry David Thoreau
Unaccustomed Earth- Jhumpa Lahiri
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
The People of the Book- Geraldine Brooks
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky- Heidi W. Durrow
Pigeon English- Stephen Kelman

Of the books I read so far this year, these are the ones that were actually on it:
Thirst No. 4: The Shadow of Death- Christopher Pike
One of Our Thursdays is Missing- Jasper Fforde
Theodore Boone-: The Abduction- John Grisham
The Valley of Fear- Arthur Conan Doyle
The Last Bow- Arthur Conan Doyle
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding- Alexander McCall Smith
The Twelfth Insight- James Redfield
Level Up- Gene Luen Yang

Books I started but didn’t like enough to finish:
The Magician King- Lev Grossman
Let the Great World Spin- Colum McCann

My Literary Life List- August

2011-08-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

Books Read

42. Thirst No 4: The Shadow of Death- Christopher Pike*
43. The Vampire Bridegroom- Chad Helder
44. Writing Down the Bones- Natalie Goldberg*

Reading Challenge
(D)ewdney, Anna
Llama Llama Home with Mama

Children's Books Read

Earl's Too Cool for Me- Leah Komaiko
The Old Woman Who Named Things- Cynthia Rylant
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch- Eileen Spinell
Mrs. Katz and Tush- Patricia Polacco
Amazing Grace- Mary Hoffman
Fortunately- Remi Charlip
The Paper Bag Princess- Robert Munsch
Waiting for the Biblioburro- Monica Brown
Flotsam- David Wiesner*
Tuesday- David Wiesner*
Round Trip- Ann Jonas*
Grandpa Green- Lane Smith*

Also Read (Not Counted)
Spin- Ido Vaginsky* (Board Book)

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
8/3- The Children's Book Bank (Volunteer- Also on 8/17 & 24)
8/6- Portland Zine Symposium
8/6- Microcosm Publishing (New Bookstore Visited)
8/7- Friends of the Library (Volunteer- Also on 8/14, 21 & 28)
8/28- Inge Bruggeman and INK-A! Press: Artist, Printer, Publisher (Collins Gallery)

The A to Z Children’s Picture Book Series Challenge Update

2011-08-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

Reading Challenges seem to be very popular so I decided to take one on this year. (Of course, I still have my goal to read a certain number of books per year. And, I still have my "to read" list which is a challenge to get through in and of itself.) The new challenge is to read 26 authors (with surnames that begin with a different letter of the alphabet) who have a children's picture book series. I consider a series any set of three books or more that share common characters and/or places. It’s been fun discovering new and classic characters. I’ve enjoyed asking people for recommendations. In fact, there are still many letters I have to fill so please let me know if you have any suggestions. Below is what I’ve read so far and I included the collection if all the books have been bundled together.

(B)emelmans, Ludwig- Mad About Madeline
Madeline
Madeline's Rescue
Madeline and the Bad Hat
Madeline and the Gypsies
Madeline in London
Madeline's Christmas

(B)runhoff, Jean De- Bonjour, Babar!: The Six Unabridged Classics by the Creator of Babar
The Story of Babar
The Travels of Babar
Babar the King
Babar and Zephir
Babar and His Children
Babar and Father Christmas

(C)ronin, Doreen
Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
Dooby, Dooby Moo

(D)ewdney, Anna
Llama Llama Red Pajama*
Llama Llama Mad at Mama
Llama Llama Misses Mama*
Llama Llama Holiday Drama

(F)alconer, Ian
Olivia*
Olivia Saves the Circus
Olivia Forms a Band
Olivia... and the Missing Toy
Olivia Helps with Christmas
Olivia Goes to Venice

(J)ohnson, Crockett
Harold and the Purple Crayon*
Harold’s Fairy Tale
Harold’s Trip to the Sky
Harold’s ABC
Harold’s Circus
A Picture for Harold’s Room

(L)obel, Arnold
Frog and Toad Are Friends *
Frog and Toad All Year *
Days with Frog and Toad
Frog and Toad Together

(M)arshall, James- George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
George and Martha
George and Martha Encore
George and Martha Rise and Shine
George and Martha One Fine Day
George and Martha Tons of Fun
George and Martha Back in Town
George and Martha Round and Round

(M)uth, Jon J.
Zen Shorts *
Zen Ties
Zen Ghosts

(N)umeroff, Laura Joffe
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie*
If You Give a Mouse a Muffin
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
If You Take a Mouse to School
If You Give a Pig a Party
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

(R )ey, H.A. and Margret Rey- The Complete Adventures of Curious George
Curious George
Curious George Takes a Job
Curious George Rides a Bike
Curious George Gets a Medal
Curious George Flies a Kite
Curious George Learns the Alphabet
Curious George Goes to the Hospital

(S)hannon, David
No, David!
David Goes to School
David Gets in Trouble
It’s Christmas, David?

(T)hompson, Kay- Eloise: The Ultimate Edition
Eloise*
Eloise in Paris
Eloise at Christmastime
Eloise in Moscow

(V)iorst, Judith
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day*
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday*
Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move*

(W)illems, Mo- Elephant & Piggie
We Are In a Book!
Can I Play Too?
I Am Going!
Pigs Make Me Sneeze!
Watch Me Throw the Ball!
Are You Ready to Play Outside?
I Will Surprise My Friend!
I Love My New Toy!
I Am Invited to a Party!
There is a Bird On Your Head!*
Elephants Cannot Dance!
My Friend is Sad*
Today I Will Fly!
I Broke My Trunk!
Should I Share My Ice Cream?

*Recommended

My Literary Life List- July

2011-08-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Books Read
38. Level Up- Gene Luen Yang *
39. The Eternal Smile- Gene Luen Yang
40. The View from Saturday- E.L. Konisburg *
41. The Art of Happiness- Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler *

Reading Challenge

(M)arshall, James
George and Martha
George and Martha Encore
George and Martha Rise and Shine
George and Martha One Fine Day
George and Martha Tons of Fun
George and Martha Back in Town
George and Martha Round and Round

(M)uth, Jon J.
Zen Shorts *
Zen Ties
Zen Ghosts

Children's Books Read
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!- Dr. Seuss *
A Long Piece of String- William Wondriska
Many Moons- James Thurber
The Three Questions- Jon J. Muth
Biblioburro- Jeanette Winter
The Story about Ping- Marjorie Flack

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
7/1- Friends of the Library (Volunteer- Also on 7/10, 24 & 31)
7/17- 2011 Library Hop 2.5
7/17- Vancouver Community Library Grand Opening Celebration (New Library Visited)
7/17- Vancouver Mall Community Library (New Library Visited)
7/18- “How to Train a Wild Elephant: And Other Adventures in Mindfulness”, Jan Chozen Bays
7/20- The Peace of Paper
7/24- “The One-Block Feast”, Margo True
7/31- The 3rd Annual NW Book Festival

Library Hop 2011 2.5: The Continuing Adventures of Marley and Pearl

2011-07-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

With all the doom and gloom news about the Book World of stores closing and libraries facing extreme budget cuts, I try to look for ways to temporary set aside the bleakness of it all and appreciate and focus on the existing, surviving, and still thriving book community. Library hops do just that and it is exactly what it sounds- going from one library to the other for the enjoyment of it.

We had our 2nd Annual Library Hop earlier this year and this day was a continuation of it. Our first stop was the new Vancouver Community Library for its grand opening. We had visited the old location last year before they shut it down. I was excited to see what the differences would be and I was amazed. Whereas the old one was pretty standard, this new one was anything but.

I'd like to mention that the day of the hop was ridiculously unseasonal even by Portland summer standards. Travelling to Vancouver didn't really improve matters. Having looked at the schedule of events online, I knew there would be a bunch of speeches to listen to before anyone could actually see the interior of the building. Imagine my surprise when I saw a large crowd braving the weather to be part of the occasion.

I'm not going to lie and say I was actively listening to the speakers but it was your typical congratulatory speeches. Standing outside the beautiful five-story library and thinking about how rare this was during our current economy, I didn't mind that much standing out in the rain and cold. They deserved the spotlight, praises, high-fives, balloons, and marching band, which ultimately led to the ribbon cutting ceremony.

With the long lines of people wanting to go in, you’d think it was a concert or something. But it was worth it. The first thing that caught my eye was the Knowledge Wall art piece, very reminiscent of Central Library’s “Tree of Knowledge” staircase. There was also the Friends of Library’ Booknook near the entrance with its moving shelves. Unfortunately, they weren’t open that day. Everything looked very modern with the glass walls and large TV screens. Another cool detail was that the bottom of each landing had what books were found on that floor- 3rd floor was Children, 4th was Non-Fiction, and 5th was Fiction.

For this occasion, a slew of literary characters welcomed us- from the Wicked Witch of the West to Anne of Green Gables. To avoid the crowds, our plan was to get to the uppermost floor and work ourselves down instead of following the self-guided tour map.

Once you get to the fifth floor, you have to check out the terrace for the view. Granted, it wasn’t all that because of the weather. Next to it was the Vancouver Room, great for reading by the fire or enjoying the displays all over. On the fourth floor, there were a couple of meeting rooms and awesome looking study pods.

The Children’s Floor was probably my favorite. It was like a museum and playground all rolled into one. I can imagine kids not wanting to leave because of the so many things to see, touch and explore. And we even made crowns in the Children’s Program Room. Why not, right?

We did a quick walk through of the second floor, which was dedicated to administrative use. And we eventually found ourselves back to the first floor. Teens have their own cool area. And the Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation were handing out information in the Columbia Room. I was glad to see a “Lucky Day” section in which new and popular titles can be checked out without having to wait for them. Of course, that depends on your luck.

You only need two points to hop to and from. And, since we were relying on public transportation and Sunday business hours, we really couldn’t go to that many places anyway. Our next stop was the Vancouver Mall Community Library at Westfield Shoppingtown. I’ve only seen one other library actually located inside a mall. I think the idea is pretty cool. It seemed a little larger than the one in Henderson, Nevada. While not particularly exciting, I’m glad people have this resource. There’s really no reason why people shouldn’t have library cards.

I had a great time during this Library Hop and look forward to more. It’s such a fun and positive experience, reinforcing my belief that although the landscape of the Book World may change, it will always be populated with passionate and dedicated readers.

Two Library Related Events

2011-07-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

June was a great month for library-related events. The first event was the friends of the (Multnomah County) Library annual meeting. I volunteered with this great organization before as a clerk at their main store. I can't mention enough how grateful I was for having that opportunity during my first year in Portland. It gave me purpose during my unemployed months. I've since then started volunteering again with them at their pop-up location.

Anyone who had bought a membership to support FOL was invited to attend their Annual Meeting, which was held at Central Library's US Bank Room. They went through the usual routine of discussing board issues before introducing guest speaker Laura Foster who gave a fascinating presentation about "the forensic pedestrian". I even got to have my book of hers signed!

More recently I attended a Behind the Scenes tour of Central Library which was run by the Library Foundation of which I donate money to. Two staff members and the new Central Library director took us places where the public doesn't get to go. The audience consisted of avid library supporters- and there was even a former branch director- and they asked questions regarding current issues libraries faced. We also watched a video created by the Library Foundation about the library’s various programs. As an added bonus the director also led us on an eco-roof tour of Central Library.

It was great being part of this community of readers during both events and look forward to many more.

My Reading Life List- June

2011-07-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Books Read
28. The Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
29. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle
30. Go the F**k to Sleep- Adam Mansbach
31. A Game of Thrones- George R.R. Martin *
32. A Long Way Gone- Ishmael Beah
33. Theodore Boone: The Abduction- John Grisham
34. You’re a Genius All the Time- Jack Kerouac
35. Prime Baby- Gene Luen Yang
36. Thirteen Reasons Why- Jay Asher
37. The Compassionate Diet- Arron Stephens w/ Eliot Jay Rosen *

Reading Challenge

(L)obel, Arnold
Frog and Toad Are Friends *
Frog and Toad All Year *
Days with Frog and Toad
Frog and Toad Together

Children’s Books Read
Should I Share My Ice Cream?- Mo Willems
Anthony and the Girls- Ole Konnecke
Math Curse- Jon Scieszka
Science Verse- Jon Scieszka

* Recommended

Readings & Other Events
June 1- Friends of the Library Annual Meeting w/ guest speaker Laura Foster “The Forensic Pedestrian”- I got my copy of “Walk There!” signed!
June 8- The Children’s Book Bank (Volunteer- Also on June 15 & 22)
June 11- Counter Media (New Bookstore Visited)
June 18- Behind the Scenes tour of the Central Library (The Library Foundation event) followed by an Eco-Roof Tour
June 23- Comics Underground

I went to an interesting reading the other night.

Five comic book artists took to the stage to read from their works. And this was at a bar- the Jack London Bar, no less. I definitely had low expectations of the reading and the night seemed it would live right to it. But once it got started I was glad I went.

I expect things to be perfect and I was in a grumpy mood because apparently there's peach in a fuzzy navel. I've got to say though that whatever techincal difficulties or human errors there were was actually quite charming. It's not like comic book readings happen every day.

Not only did the event feature different genres but it showcased the artists' various personalities and styles of presentation as well. There was music playing in the background (or a person playing an instrument), props, and groups of their friends lending their voices as panels were shown on screen. The night turned out to be very fun even if the audience got louder as the evening progressed.

It was a fun night.

June 25- Rose City Used Book Fair (Volunteer)
June 25- Cosmic Monkey Comics! (New Bookstore Visited)
June 29- Street Books (New Library Visited)

June 29- New Renaissance Bookshop (New Bookstore Visited)

My Literary Life List- May

2011-05-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

Books Read
23. One of Our Thursdays is Missing- Jasper Fforde
24. His Last Bow- Arthur Conan Doyle
25. Rethinking Paper & Ink- Jessicah Carver & Natalie Guidry *
26. Pop-Up Book of Death- Chad Helder*
27. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler- E.L. Konisburg*

Reading Challenge

(N)umeroff, Laura Joffe
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie*
If You Give a Mouse a Muffin
If You Give a Pig a Pancake
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
If You Take a Mouse to School
If You Give a Pig a Party
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

(D)ewdney, Anna
Llama Llama Red Pajama*
Llama Llama Mad at Mama
Llama Llama Misses Mama*
Llama Llama Holiday Drama

(C)ronin, Doreen
Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
Dooby, Dooby Moo

Children's Books Read
Perfect Square- Michael Hall*
I Must Have Bobo!- Eileen Rosenthal
I Am a Bunny- Ole Risom
Press Here- Herve Tullet*

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events
May 10- The 2nd Annual Library Hop Adventures
May 10- Branford P. Millar Library (Portland State University) (New library visited)
May 10- Aubrey R. Watzek Library (Reed College) (New library visited)
May 10- Library and Learning Commons (University of Oregon- Portland) (New library visited)
May 14- Friends' Library Store- Pop-Up Grand Opening (New bookstore visited)
May 28- Armchair Books Paperback Exchange (New bookstore visited)
May 29- Jeremy Smith, "Growing a Garden City"

I Love Bookstores!

2011-05-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here’s a list of bookstores I’ve been to since moving to Portland. I included the chain stores- but not the ones in Las Vegas, even though I’ve visited all the Borders and Barnes & Noble there as well. I wish I had a better memory so I can list ALL of the bookstores I’ve ever visited. At the bottom are some that have sadly closed.

A Children’s Place Bookstore- http://www.achildrensplacebookstore.com/index.html
Ampersand- http://www.ampersandvintage.com/Ampersand_Vintage/Ampersand_Vintage.html
Annie Bloom’s Books- http://www.annieblooms.com/
Broadway Books- http://www.broadwaybooks.net/
Cameron’s Books and Magazines- http://www.cameronsbooks.com/
Floating World Comics- http://www.floatingworldcomics.com/main/
Green Bean Books- http://www.greenbeanbookspdx.com/
In Other Words- http://inotherwords.org/
Independent Publishing Resource Center- http://www.iprc.org/
McKenzie Books- http://mckenziebooks.com/
Monograph Bookwerks- http://monographbookwerks.com/
Murder By the Book- http://www.mbtb.com/
Second Glance Books
St. Johns Booksellers- http://www.stjohnsbooks.com/
Things From Another World (Hollywood District location)- http://www.tfaw.com/
Wallace Books

Powell’s- http://www.powells.com/
City of Books on Burnside
*Rare Book Room (Inside Powell’s at Burnside)
Technical Books- Powell's Books Bldg. 2 (New location)
Cedar Hills Crossing
Hawthorne
Home & Garden
PDX- Oregon Market Location
PDX- Concourse C
PDX- Concourse D

Book Corner (Friends of the Beaverton City Library)- http://www.thebookcorner.org/
Friends’ Library Store- Central Library (Friends of the Multnomah County Library)- http://www.friends-library.org/
Friends’ Library Store- “Pop-Up” Store (Friends of the Multnomah County Library)- http://www.friends-library.org/
The Title Wave Used Bookstore- http://www.multcolib.org/titlewave/

Barnes & Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/
Lloyd Center
Jantzen Beach
Washington Square
Clackamas Town Center Mall
Tanasbourne
Vancouver

Borders- http://borders.com/
Beaverton
Tigard
Vancouver
Gresham

Bauman Rare Books (The Shoppes at the Palazzo)
Main Street Books (Hillsboro)
Dead Poet Books (Las Vegas)
Vintage Books (Vancouver, Washington)
Lion Heart Book Store (Seattle)
The Tenth Muse Bookstore (Seaside)

Portland State Bookstore
Barnes & Noble @ Pacific University Bookstore

CLOSED: Borders- Downtown
CLOSED: Looking Glass Bookstore
CLOSED: Twenty-Third Avenue Books
CLOSED: Powell’s Technical Books (Relocated)

The 2nd Annual Library Hop Adventures of Marley and Pearl

2011-05-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

I love libraries.

And it’s cool to find someone else who’s willing to do nerd-tastic things with me. “Pearl” is such a person. Last year, I decided to help her visit half a dozen libraries in one day. [I like to point out, though, that I did visit seven that day and she refused to acknowledge the fact (not wanting to be one upped, I presume)- until today.] So, that activity became known as library hopping.

This year, we decided to check out a couple academic libraries. Our first unofficial stop was the Arleta Library Bakery Cafe just because of its name. We didn’t ask at all why it’s called that but the food was good. I had biscuits and gravy topped with pork with a side of “library fries”.

Our first stop was the Portland State University Branford P. Millar Library. I had actually visited this before but we were given a tour of the place.

By the campus, we took some pictures in front of a parking garage with library books painted on it.

Next up was Aubrey R. Watzek Library at Lewis & Clark. We met a pleasant librarian who was amused by what we were doing- library hopping involves a lot of taking pictures, after all. It’s always nice when people play along with us by being helpful and entertaining.

Unfortunately, that was the end of the “adventures of Marley and Pearl” but I had one hop left in me- the UO Portland Library and Learning Commons.

Below is an updated list of libraries I’ve visited since moving to Portland in 2008.

Multnomah County Library (19)

Troutdale

Kenton

Central

Hillsdale

Midland

Gresham

Hollywood

Sellwood-Moreland

Woodstock

Rockwood

St. Johns

Belmont

North Portland

Northwest

Holgate

Albina

Capitol Hill

Fairview-Columbia

Gregory Heights

Washington County Cooperative Library Services (13)

Tigard Public Library (Pictured: The Alphabet Chair in the Children's Room)

Tualatin Public Library

Sherwood Public Library

Beaverton City Library

Hillsboro Shute Park Branch

Forest Grove City Library

Hillsboro Main Library

Cornelius Public Library

Cedar Mill Community Library @ Bethany

Cedar Mill Community Library

Garden Home Community Library

West Slope Community Library

Beaverton City Library @ Murray Scholls

Libraries in Clackamas County (7)

Clackamas County Library- Clackamas Corner branch

Ledding Library of Milwaukie

Clackamas County Library- Oak Lodge branch

Oregon City Public Library

Lake Oswego Public Library

West Linn Public Library (Pictured: Mosaic)

Gladstone Public Library

Others

Portland State University Branford P. Millar Library

Portland Art Museum Crumpacker Family Library

Reed College Hauser Library- One of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever visited (pictured)

Lewis & Clark Aubrey R. Watzek Library- Another great library with fun art

University of Oregon Portland Library and Learning Commons

Cannon Beach Library (Cannon Beach, OR)

Vancouver Community Library (Fort Vancouver Regional Library District; Vancouver, WA)

Galleria Library (Henderson Library District; Henderson, NV)- I didn’t include any other Las Vegas-Clark County and Henderson Library Districts locations from when I visited there because my memory is quite faulty. I just thought this was worth sharing since I’ve never seen a library inside a mall before.

30 Days of Haiku

2011-05-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

The trouble with fools/ is they repeat their mistakes/ It's time for a change

Cherry blossoms bloom/ all along the waterfront/ Spring's here, finally

Spiraling upwards,/ Reaching new heights, aspiring/ to be what I dream

Pitter, patter, rain/ Off to work, day one of five/ Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

What awaits yonder?/ Nothing but sadness or... OR.../ Something wonderful?

It's now or never-/ to do something worthwhile or/ fade into nothing

Twenty-four seven/ there's nothing new to report/ but bad news, it seems

The whole world's aglow/ Does the light come from the sun/ Or somewhere within?

Just a lazy day/ sleeping in and vegging out/ nothing wrong with that

The trains go by, bye/ To places I've never been/ perhaps someday I'll

It's hard being nice/ when all they want is your blood-/ at least there's cookies

The sun shines above/ and the brook babbles below/ there is peace within

Open your hearts, minds-/ you shall get more than you give./ Kindness is the key.

Whoosh, whoosh, life goes by/ Sometimes you need to slow down/ Breathe in, out, repeat

Elevate my soul/ I am not here, not myself/ Your words are magic

Kindness surprises / but is appreciated- / very much, indeed.

Sunshiny spring day/ my soul opens up, receives/ this much welcomed light

Sigh. What was today/ but a fleeting memory,/ a moment now passed?

The present is now./ The future... well, who can say?/ The past: history.

To those who greeted,/ thank you for the well-wishes./ Happiness inside.

Into the dark night,/ we go in search of ourselves/ to bring into light.

The moments we had/ now just snapshots of what were-/ fleeting, everlast

Basking in the sun/ with nature all around me/ quiet perfection

In a state of flux/ constantly in between/ neither here nor there

Hearts break and they mend./ Resilient, yes, but the tears/ they leak through the cracks.

Sadness surprises/ like sudden downpour of rain/ on a sunny day

Intoxicated/ The night is young, the stars bright/ Pitcher is half full

The world is spinning/ all the horses at full speed/ merrily go round

Your words are nonsense/ outrageous and laughable/ balderdashery

My words fill the world/ be it written or spoken/ and all I can give

April was National Poetry Month. As a little challenge to myself, I figured I'd try to capture each day's events or emotions or thoughts into a haiku. You would think it'll be easy but those s-words were tricky. I wouldn't be surprised if I have some missing or extra syllables here and there. I'd like to point out though that real haikus are more than just meeting the 5/7/5 syllable pattern. I would recommend that people find out more online.

My Literary Life List- April

2011-05-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

(The Children's Book Bank Balderdash! Benefit Event with other volunteers. Picture courtesy of Andie Petkus Photography)

Books Read
19. The Clothes They Stood Up In- Alan Bennett
20. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding- Alexander McCall Smith
21. The Elegance of the Hedgehog- Muriel Barbery*
22. The Case for Books- Robert Darton

Reading Challenge

(B)runhoff, Jean De
The Story of Babar
The Travels of Babar
Babar the King
Babar and Zephir
Babar and His Children
Babar and Father Christmas

(B)emelmans, Ludwig
Madeline
Madeline and the Bad Hat
Madeline's Rescue
Madeline and the Gypsies
Madeline in London
Madeline's Christmas

*Recommended

Readings and Other Events

(The Children's Book Bank Volunteer Tree- I'm the leaf on the lower right hand corner- branch?)

4/3- Tenth Muse Books [New Bookstore Visited (Seaside, OR)]
4/6- The Children's Book Bank (Volunteer- Also on 4/13 and 4/20)
4/12- Write Around Portland (Volunteer)
4/16- Birthday Volunteer Session at The Children's Book Bank (Volunteer)
4/17- Writer's Resource Fair (Central Library)
4/21- Dan Savage & Terry Miller, "It Gets Better"
4/23- Hauser Library [New Library Visited (Reed College)- pictured on the left]
4/23- Lloyd Reynolds: A Life of Forms in Art (Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery)
4/29- The Children's Book Bank Balderdash! Benefit Event (Volunteer) [Pictured below]

I also visited the Sterling Writers Room at Central Library during the Writer's Resource Fair, a special quiet space set aside for writers and researchers. Fit to accommodate up to four people, there were also two display cases of books that were worked on in the room and a small reference area. What was cool were the couple of public journals the occupants could write down their thoughts or keep up correspondences with one another.

My Literary Life List- March

2011-04-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

(I got to meet one of my favorite writers ever- Jasper Fforde! He was at the Clackamas Town Center Barnes & Noble to promote his latest work "One of Our Thursdays is Missing". He proved to be as funny and entertaining as his books. I even got my copy signed!)

Books Read

14. The Twelfth Insight- James Redfield

15. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kesey

16. Tales from Outer Suburbia- Shaun Tan*

17. Hatchet- Gary Paulsen

18. The Valley of Fear- Arthur Conan Doyle

Reading Challenge

(V)iorst, Judith

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day*

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday*

Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move*

(T)hompson, Kay

Eloise*

Eloise in Paris

Eloise at Christmastime

Eloise in Moscow

Children's Book Read

I Broke My Trunk!- Mo Willems

My Name is Not Alexander- Jennifer Fosberry

My Name is Not Isabella- Jennifer Fosberry

Miss Rumphius- Barbara Cooney

The Loud Book- Deborah Underwood

Where You Came From- Sara O'Leary

When You Were Small- Sara O'Leary

The Lost Thing- Shaun Tan

The Red Tree- Shaun Tan

The Rabbits- John Marsden

Also Read (Not Counted)

All Summer in a Day- Ray Bradbury (Short Story)

Howl- Allen Ginsberg (Poem)

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events

Mar. 4- Photo Book Works: An International Exhibition of Photographic Artist Books (23 Sandy Gallery)

Mar. 13- "Walls of Pride: A Tour of African American Public Art in Portland" Release

Mar. 13- In Other Words (New Bookstore Visited)

Mar. 14- Jasper Fforde, "One of Our Thursdays is Missing"

Mar. 22- "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Portland Center Stage)

("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" stage)

(Fun Fact: The first writer autograph I ever got was from Nancy Pearl last October. She was promoting "Book Lust To Go" and I got the "Book Lust" Journal signed.)

My Literary Life List- February

2011-03-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Books Read
9. The Banyan Deer- Rafe Martin
10. If You Want to Write- Brenda Ueland*
11. The Crucible- Arthur Miller*
12. Falling Up- Shel Silverstein
13. The 100 Thing Challenge- Dave Bruno

Reading Challenge
(S)hannon, David
No, David!
David Goes to School
David Gets in Trouble
It’s Christmas, David!

(J)ohnson, Crockett
Harold and the Purple Crayon*
Harold’s Fairy Tale
Harold’s Trip to the Sky
Harold’s ABC
Harold’s Circus
A Picture for Harold’s Room
Harold at the North Pole

(R )ey, H.A. and Margret Rey
Curious George
Curious George Takes a Job
Curious George Rides a Bike
Curious George Gets a Medal
Curious George Flies a Kite
Curious George Learns the Alphabet
Curious George Goes to the Hospital

Children’s Book Read
Where’s Walrus?- Stephen Savage

*Recommended

My Literary Life List- January

2011-02-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

I admit it. I've been lazy with keeping up with this blog. It's not like anyone reads it but still...

Reading Challenges seem to be very popular so I decided to take one on this year. (Of course, I still have my goal to read a certain number of books per year. And, I still have my "to read" list which is a challenge to get through in and of itself.) The new challenge is to read 26 authors (with surnames that begin with a different letter of the alphabet) who have a children's book series.

Books Read

1. Delivering Happiness- Tony Hsieh*

2. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk- David Sedaris

3. Historical Sketch of the Library Association of Portland 1864-1964- Katherine Anderson*

4. The Dreamer- Pam Munoz Ryan*

5. Cruciverbalism- Stanley Newman

6. Hint Fiction- Edited by Robert Swartwood

7. The KenKen Killings- Parnell Hall

8. The Lover's Dictionary- David Levithan*

Reading Challenge

(W)illems, Mo- Elephant & Piggie

We Are In a Book!

Can I Play Too?

I Am Going!

Pigs Make Me Sneeze!

Watch Me Throw the Ball!

Are You Ready to Play Outside?

I Will Surprise My Friend!

I Love My New Toy!

I Am Invited to a Party!

There is a Bird On Your Head!*

Elephants Cannot Dance!

My Friend is Sad*

Today I Will Fly!

(F)alconer, Ian- Olivia

Olivia*

Olivia Saves the Circus

Olivia Forms a Band

Olivia... and the Missing Toy

Olivia Helps with Christmas

Olivia Goes to Venice

(B)eard, Alex

The Jungle Grapevine

Monkey See, Monkey Draw

Children's Books Read

Art & Max- David Wiesner

Spork- Kyo Maclear

The Lion & the Mouse- Jerry Pinkney

Interrupting Chicken- David Ezra Stein

Old Turtle- Douglas Wood

Old Turtle and the Broken Truth- Douglas Wood

Lakas and the Manilatown Fish- Anthony D. Robles

Lakas and the Makibaba Hotel- Anthony D. Robles

Also Read (Not Counted)

Bartleby, the Scrivener- Herman Melville* (Short Story)

The Robot Book- Heather Brown (Board Book)

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events

Jan. 6- Ten Years of Portland Mercury Covers at Basil Hallward Gallery (Powell's)

Jan. 6- Object Focus: The Book; Collateral Matters (Museum of Contemporary Craft)

Jan. 6- The Art of Theodore "Dr. Seuss" Geisel (Shaffer Fine Art Gallery)

Jan. 8- The Allen Press: A California Fine Press of Lewis and Dorothy Allen at Collins Callery (Central Library)

Jan. 13- Independent Publishing Resource Center (Visited)

Jan. 17- Sage Cohen, "The Productive Writer"

Jan. 18- Children's Book Bank (Volunteer)

Jan. 21- Tom Rachman, "The Imperfectionists"

My Reading Life- Year in Review 2010

2011-01-02T16:09:00.001-08:00

I read 60 books in 2010. Instead of the usual breakdown of just Fiction and Non-Fiction books, I also added Graphic Novels. That’s a pretty new genre for me and I’ve been surprised at how wide the scope of subjects they tackle, not just the common superheroes stories we’re familiar with.

Out of the titles I included in my reading list, only 17 of the books I read were on it.

I’ve read 32 new authors but only a couple of them were worth checking out their other books- Stieg Larsson and Guillermo Del Toro.

Breakdown of Books Read in 2010

Non-fiction
Memoirs- 4
General- 7

Graphic Novels- 2

Fiction
Mystery/Thrillers- 11
Kids/YA- 20
General- 11

Graphic Novels- 5

Total- 60

There were so many great books! Here are some of them:

-The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
-The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
-The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larson
-Push by Sapphire
-Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood
-The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
-My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
-The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Other books I recommend can be found in my post "My Favorite Books Ever- So Far".

I would say the worst book I read was "In the Stacks", a short story collection about libraries and librarians. It was just absolutely poorly edited! And, sad to say, I was not at all impressed by "The Secret of Ka" by my one of my favorite authors Christopher Pike. He could do so much better and already has a YA series going that should be finished before beginning another one!

My Literary Life List- December

2011-01-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

Books Read
58. Waiting for “Superman”- Edited by Karl Weber
59. The Brethren by John Grisham
60. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum*

*Recommended

Children's Book Read (not counted in yearly round-up)
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg- This was a fun interactive book about not focusing too much on life's imperfections.

There weren't a lot of things going on in December but I did visit Powell's Rare Book Room.

My Reading Life- Year in Review 2008

2010-12-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

I'm a nerd for lists. And because I did a Year in Review of My Reading Life in 2009 and still had my list of books read for 2008, I thought I'd do the same for that year.

I read 44 books in 2008. I read primarily fiction books- and of that most were mystery and thrillers. I picked up books by 21 authors I've never read before and read 8 additional titles by them. The high number of new authors was because I was trying to find a good series to get into.

Breakdown of Books Read in 2008

Non-fiction
Memoirs- 1
General- 4

Fiction
Mystery/Thrillers- 17
Kids/YA- 12
General- 10

Total- 44

1. Cirque Du Soleil: The Spark by John U. Bacon and created by Lyn Heward
2. The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
3. The Prophecy by Kahlil Gibran
4. Black Coffee by Agatha Christie and adapted by Charles Osborne
5. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
6. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
7. The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle
8. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie*
9. Born On a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Artistic Savant by Daniel Tammet*
10. The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
11. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova*
12. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
13. The Sudoku Puzzle Murders by Parnell Hall
14. Posted to Death by Dean James
15. Faked to Death by Dean James
16. Decorated to Death by Dean James
17. Baked to Death by Dean James
18. A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage by Mark Twain
19. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron
20. I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle
21. The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
22. The Grave by Christopher Pike
23. Spooksville #23: Phone Fear by Christopher Pike
24. Magic Fire by Christopher Pike
25. Jumper by Steven Gould*
26. The Death Artist by Jonathan Santlofer
27. The Society of S by Susan Hubbard
28. The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie*
29. Dracula by Bram Stoker*
30. Reflex by Steven Gould
31. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin*
32. The Appeal by John Grisham
33. The Once & Future King: The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White*
34. The Testament by John Grisham
35. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle*
36. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger*
37. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
38. 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth (1989) by the Earthworks Group
39. 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth (2008) by John Javna, Sophia Javna, and Jesse Javna
40. Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne*
41. The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne*
42. The Red House by A.A. Milne*
43. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
44. Wicked by Gregory Maguire*

*Recommended

Other books I recommend can be found in my post "My Favorite Books Ever- So Far".

My Literary Life List- November

2010-12-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

Book Read
56. The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
57. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy*

*Recommended

Children's Books Read (not counted in yearly round-up)
Ish by Peter Reynolds
The Mouse Writer by Ethan Johnson- A Starbucks exclusive book part of their 2010 holiday collection

Readings & Other Events
11/1- Write Around Portland Volunteering- Anthology Selection Committee
11/3- Powell's at PDX (Concourse D)- New bookstore visited
11/6- Galleria Library (Henderson District Public Libraries)- New library visited
11/7- Vegas Valley Book Festival: a celebration of the written, spoken & illustrated word- Feasting on Words
11/8- Bauman Rare Books- New bookstore visited
11/11- Write Around Portland Volunteering

Some Children’s Books I’ve Read This Year

2010-11-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama- Nice message. Another great format of combining two separate elements into one.
Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan by Jane Yolen- Great vibrant illustrations. Interesting dual format to represent real life and make believe.
Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty- Another children's book about "the librarian of Basra"
The Incredible Book-Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers- An all around fun book from start to finish
It's a Book by Lane Smith- A delightful take on what's going on in the Book World
The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood
The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
Miss Brooks Loves Books (And I Don't) by Barbara Bottner- Not a particularly enjoyable book
Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School and Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine by Herman Parish- Family members shouldn't try to make money off their dead relatives' claim to fame
You Are My Wish by Maryann K. Cusimano- These books may be totally cheesy for some people but I love the sentimentality. From the author of "You Are My I Love You" and "You Are My Miracle"
Henry in Love by Peter McCarthy- Cute story
The Boys by Jeff Newman- The wonderful retro illustrations tell the story in this picture book in which the only words are the days of the week
My Heart Is Like A Zoo by Michael Hall- I think everyone will fall in love with this fun and highly creative book

My Literary Life List- September & October

2010-11-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Books Read

44. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
45. The Arrival by Shaun Tan*
46. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffeneger
47. Stitches by David Small
48. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells*
49. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
50. The Secret of Ka by Christopher Pike
51. Monkey: A Journey to the West by David Kherdian*
52. In the Stacks- Edited by Michael Cart
53. Thirst 3: The Eternal Dawn by Christopher Pike*
54. Hatter M: Volume Three: The Nature of Wonder by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier
55. Animal Farm by George Orwell*

*Recommended

Readings & Other Events

9/11- Barnes & Noble (Vancouver), Vintage Books, Borders (Vancouver)- New bookstores visited
9/17- Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson- “The Great Typo Hunt”
9/25- Graphic Novel Book Club- “Stitches” & “American Born Chinese”
9/29- Uncensored Celebration- Banned Books Week Celebration
10/3- Powell’s Books 2- New bookstore visited
10/6- Nancy Pearl, “Book Lust To Go”
10/9- Wordstock Festival
10/9- Live Wire! Wordstock Extravaganza (The Children’s Book Bank volunteering)
10/10- Wordstock Festival (volunteering); "The Future of Reading" (Panel discussion with Michael Schaub, Mona Simpson, Matthew Stadler, and David Biespel); Jess Walter ("The Financial Lives of the Poets")
10/12- Laura Foster, “The Portland Stairs Book”
10/28- Charles Burns, “X'ed Out"
10/30- National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Kickoff Party

Write Around Portland

2010-11-03T11:00:00.001-07:00

I first heard about Write Around Portland (WAP) through Willamette Week's Give!Guide publication listing various local non-profit organizations. Write Around Portland uses writing to transform lives and build communities. This was definitely a cause I can support. Aside from giving money, I was able to convince my old job to hold a journal drive. In our little calendar store, we were able to donate over 100 journals.

I was "too busy" to do any actual volunteering with them over the next few months but I told a lot of people about WAP. I even got a friend of mine to put in some hours with them. Around the following holiday season, I decided to attend their latest anthology release and reading. I wasn't sure what to expect but I thought the whole thing was cool and unique. Not only do they provide free writing workshops, they also publish a seasonal anthology of the participants' works. Then, they hold readings like the one I went to. I’ve been to a couple of these events and I’ve always been impressed by everyone involved. Talk about empowering- seeing your name in print and knowing there's a roomful of people supporting you. That's what writing can do.

I was lucky enough to attend one of their writing workshops over this past summer. I thought it was well moderated with enough prompts and opportunities to share what you wrote.

I also recently volunteered with them as part of the anthology selection committee. That was a great opportunity to see a behind-the-scenes process and to meet people who also believed in the power of words.

Write Around Portland is a wonderful organization I look forward in helping out more in the future and I hope a lot of other people will as well.

NaNoWriMo Kickoff Party

2010-11-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

November is National Novel Writing Month- or NaNoWriMo, for short. There’s a site that encourages people to meet a writing goal of 50,000 words for that period. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to get started- or to get started again. I signed up last year but after the initial first day excitement, all I accomplished was registering for an account. I figured I’d try again this year.

NaNoWriMo is a big deal for a lot of people. There are a lot of events throughout the month to get together with other participants and write. I decided to check out the Kickoff Party for the Portland region and see what exactly it was about.

The turnout was definitely larger than expected. Close to a hundred people were there. People were encouraged to bring snacks and drinks and a lot of people did. This was more of a social gathering than a write-in.

For the most part, I think people were happy to be with others crazy enough to take up the NaNoWriMo challenge. The main activity was a roundtable meet and greet. Anyone who wanted to was given the opportunity to introduce themselves and share whatever was on their minds. Usually it was about their previous NaNoWriMo experience- or lack thereof- and how many times they had “won”. A lot of people went on to share what they would be writing about, getting very detailed. It also served as a chance to meet possible write-in buddies.

With such a large group, it took longer than planned. There was only time to do that and then trade “plot ninjas”- which were basically prompts we had written on index cards that may help another writer with their story.

I was glad to see a few kids in attendance. I’ve only been telling as many people as I can about NaNoWriMo and their Young Writers Program. As much as I didn’t feel like participating, I'm glad I went. There were a lot of great ideas being shared. It was interesting and got me looking forward to get some writing done.

Nancy Pearl

2010-10-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

Nancy Pearl is a celebrity of sorts. She initiated the "One City, One Book" library program to create a strong sense of community through reading. Her books- "Book Lust", "More Book Lust" and "Book Crush"- are great resources on what to read when. Besides that, what other librarian has their own action figure?

She was at Powell's recently to promote "Book Lust To Go"- recommendations for the travelin' type. The reading was so much better than I expected.

Nancy Pearl looked like a librarian. Or, at least she gave off that vibe. Everyone could tell she was a Reader with a capital "R" from the get-go. She was forever recommending titles throughout the night. She shared many interesting and hilarious anecdotes- including the time she got locked in a hotel bathroom with nothing to read. Amusingly, she had the habit of going off on tangents, leaving unanswered questions and unfinished thoughts behind.

She then gave the rundown of "the perils of a life of reading". The first was having a "reader's vocabulary" in which words get mispronounced all the time based on how it looks on a page. Her own examples were "awry" and "misled". Not bothering to look up the actual definitions of words and relying too heavily on contextual clues was the second. The final peril she shared was accidentally borrowing the lives of the characters you've read. You may have a memory of something that happened to you only to realize that it was actually a storyline in a book. Why, I remember, when I was a young boy, I had to do a bit of whitewashing. I didn’t want to at all and I somehow tricked a bunch of other kids to do it for me! Those were fun times….

In a more somber moment, she said she was in an "existential funk" concerning the state of bookstores and libraries- and the actual book itself. She did encourage a librarian-to-be to stay with the program though. One of the things she said that really stuck out was even though everyone can read the same book, they read a different version of that book.

After going to so many readings, I finally had something for an author to sign- a copy of "Book Lust Journal" I had bought earlier that day. I also made small talk asking her if she was attending the many literary events that were planned that weekend- Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association and Wordstock. (Yes on the former. No on the latter.)

It would be horrible of me not to include some of the books Nancy Pearl recommended. Jonathan Franzen's "Freedom", Karl Marlantes' "Matterhorn", and Tatjana Soli's "The Lotus Eaters" were the more current ones she mentioned.

All in all, it was a great experience.

My Literary Life List- August

2010-09-01T18:14:00.001-07:00

Books Read
40. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood*
41. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
42. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell*
43. Where the Sidewalk Ends (Special Edition) by Shel Silverstein

*Recommended

BookWorld Events and other Related Activities
Reading (8/4): Gary Shteyngart, "Super Sad True Love Story"
Library Event (8/7): Central Library Eco-Roof Tour
Event (8/7): 2nd Annual Northwest Book Festival
Library Event (8/12): Cardholder Pride
Bookstore Visit (8/13): Annie Bloom's Books
Library Event (8/14): Central Library Block Party
Event (8/14): 3rd Annual Portland Letterpress Printer's Fair
Volunteering (8/25): The Children's Book Bank
Reading (8/27): Write Around Portland Release of "Follow Me, Move the World"
Event (8/28): 10th Annual Portland Zine Symposium
Bookstore Visit (8/28): Portland State Bookstore
Library Visit (8/28): Fort Vancouver Regional Library District- Vancouver Community Library (Main)

My Literary Life List- July

2010-08-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

Books Read
29. The Last Vampire 4: Phantom by Christopher Pike*
30. The Last Vampire 5: Evil Thirst by Christopher Pike*
31. Night by Elie Wiesel
32. You Can Tell Your Kid Will Group Up to Be a Librarian When... by Richard Lee
33. The Last Vampire 6: Creatures of Forever by Christopher Pike*
34. The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson*
35. When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne
36. Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
37. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson*
38. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
39. The Season of Risks by Susan Hubbard

*Recommended

Events
July 17- The Children's Book Bank- McKenzie Books/Cash4Books Company Volunteering
July 22- Interlibrary Lush
July 24- Powell's Marquee Photo Taken- See picture below

July 24- Troutdale Grand Opening Celebration- New Library Visited
July 25- PDX Bridge Festival Speaker- Poetry Reading- In attendance: Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen (host) and Sharon Wood Wortman ("The Portland Bridge Book")

The Children's Book Bank

2010-07-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

I first found out about the Children's Book Bank when I was looking for organizations to possibly donate to during last holiday season. While that didn't pan out, they were someone I kept in mind; and, I actually ended up volunteering with them for their Earth Day Book Drive earlier this year.

The Children's Book Bank is a Portland-based organization whose purpose is to provide books to low-income children. They accept donations from the community and have volunteers repair and package books to get them ready for kids. These kids not only get to have their own libraries now but they are getting a head start in reading which will benefit them in the long run during their school- and adult- years beyond.

The Book Drive was such a rewarding experience for so many reasons. Literacy- especially childhood literacy- has become an important issue in my life so anything I can do to help kids get access to books is great. It was also nice to talk to the community and see how many people took time to stop by and donate.

When my work- McKenzie Books- started a sustainability club and was looking for volunteering opportunities, I immediately mentioned the Children's Book Bank to them. Many people were interested which led to nine of my co-workers and a couple of their family and friends spending part of a beautiful Saturday afternoon indoors cleaning up books for kids.

It was hard not to share stories of books we read as kids (or were read to us) when we came across ones we remembered from childhood. All in all, it was another rewarding experience for me- and I hope to everyone else involved.

My Updated Reading List for 2010

2010-07-06T19:06:00.001-07:00

Since the year is halfway over and I love lists, here’s my updated reading list for the year:
· The Brethren- John Grisham
· The Valley of Fear- Arthur Conan Doyle
· His Last Bow- Arthur Conan Doyle
· The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle
· The Season of Risks- Susan Hubbard
· The Nature of Wonder- Frank Beddor
· The Case of the Missing Servant- Tarquin Hall
· Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer- Jonathan L. Howard

Added:
· To Die For- Christopher Pike (9/1)
· The Secret of Ka- Christopher Pike (9/13)
· Thirst No. 3: The Eternal Dawn- Christopher Pike (10/5)
· One of Our Thursdays is Missing- Jasper Fforde (3/8/11)
· The Last Dragonslayer- Jasper Fforde (11/2010)
· The Confession- John Grisham (10/26)
· The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party- Alexander McCall Smith (3/22/11)
· The Fall- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (9/21)
· The Eternal Night- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (3/15/11)
· Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins (8/24)
· The Magician King- Lev Grossman
· The Girl who Played with Fire- Stieg Larsson
· The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest- Stieg Larsson
· Let the Great World Spin- Colum McCann
· Diary of a Wimpy Kid- Jeff Kinney
· Angelology- Danielle Trussoni
· The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- Katherine Howe
· The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party- M.T. Anderson
· The Autobiography of Mark Twain- Charles Neider

Of the books I read so far this year, these are the ones that were actually on it:
· Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
· Stones Into Schools- Greg Mortenson
· The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady- Parnell Hall
· The Double Comfort Safari Club- Alexander McCall Smith
· Arch Enemy- Frank Beddor
· Mad with Wonder- Frank Beddor
· The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larsson
· The Strain- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
· The Magicians- Lev Grossman

Books I started:
· Don Quixote- Miguel de Cervantes
· Shades of Grey- Jasper Fforde
· Let the Great World Spin- Colum McCann
· Books I started but decided not to finish:
· The Swan Thieves- Elizabeth Kostova
· The Ghost Map- Steven Johnson
· Books I took off the original list:
· Princess Alyss of Wonderland- Frank Beddor
· A Reliable Wife- Robert Goolrick
· The Help- Kathryn Stockett
· Number Freak- Derrick Niederman
· Street Gang- Michael Davis
· The Professor and the Madman- Simon Winchester

If I Weren't So Lazy

2010-07-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

If I weren't so lazy, I'd have written something for these...

Event: 4/24- The Children’s Book Bank Earth Day Book Drive- Volunteered
Event: 5/15- Write Around Portland's 5 Days of Writing- Workshop
Finished Reading: To Teach: The Journey, in Comics by William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner*
Event: 5/23- William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner at Floating World Comics
Event: 5/24- Louis Sachar at Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing
Event: 5/26- Write Around Portland Reading and Release Party of "The Top" at First United Methodist Church
Finished Reading: A Light in the Attic (Special Edition) by Shel Silverstein
Finished Reading: The Last Vampire 2: Black Blood by Christopher Pike
Finished Reading: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson*
Event: 6/12- Rose City Used Book Fair- Volunteered
Event: 6/15- Lev Grossman
Finished Reading: Push by Sapphire*
Event: 6/23-25: McKenzie Books Annual Sidewalk Sale- Volunteered
New Library Visited: Beaverton City Library @ Murray Scholls
Finished Reading: Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
Event: 6/27- John Adams Unbound
Finished Reading: The Last Vampire 3: Red Dice by Christopher Pike
Event: 6/30- Justin Cronin at Powell’s

*Recommended Reading

Review: "The Double Comfort Safari Club"

2010-05-22T17:33:00.001-07:00

The Double Comfort Safari Club
By Alexander McCall Smith

“The Double Comfort Safari Club” is the latest installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series. After eleven books, what is there to say? While not breaking new territory, it’s the familiarity of the characters and McCall Smith’s pleasant storytelling style that make reading the books so delightful even after all these years. My only problem was I felt the solutions relied too much on coincidences rather than any actual action.

The books in the series:
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Tears of the Giraffe
Morality for the Beautiful Girls
The Kalahari Typing School for Men
The Full Cupboard of Life
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Blue Shoes and Happiness
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
The Double Comfort Safari Club

“The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” was also made into a series starring Jill Scott as Precious Ramotswe.

Two Reviews: "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" & "When You Reach Me"

2010-05-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
By Brian Selznick

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is a big book- around 2.5 pounds and over 500 pages. Hardcover, no less. Why would anyone- let alone a kid- want to lug this around for reading material? That's partly why I picked it up in the first place- to find out.

The book mixes text and picture in a wonderfully imaginative way. Together they tell the story of an orphaned boy, a toymaker and his goddaughter, an automaton, and a mysterious drawing.

It's a totally fresh and refreshing storytelling that I think everyone needs to experience.

When You Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead

"When You Reach Me" was probably the most lauded children's book of 2009, even winning a John Newbery Medal. Add to that, one of my friends also suggested it so I decided to give it a try. I was only going to read a few pages to see if it was something I'd be interested in. But I got totally sucked into it and sleep was put on the backburner. The short chapters, the interesting characters and the fascinating story made for a quick, pleasant read.

The main character is a twelve-year-old girl who's read Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" at least a hundred times. She gets a mysterious anonymous letter warning of the impending death of one of her friends that she can help prevent. To give more details away would only ruin the many surprises this book has to offer. Another book I truly recommend.

Review: The Solitude of Prime Numbers

2010-05-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

The Solitude of Prime Numbers
By Paolo Giordano

"The Solitude of Prime Numbers" was another book I decided to read because of its title. The concept was interesting- how misfits are like prime numbers in the way they don't go with anything or anyone else.

Unfortunately, a great sounding title doesn't mean it's going to be a great book. There were definitely realistic depictions of how harsh life can sometimes be. And the writing was good. However, the characters didn't seem to evolve much.

I know not everything needs a happy ending and, considering how this is a story of not being able to fit in despite shared differences, I still expected more from this book. In fact, with novels, I love just how like real life they are but, at the same time, I want it to be a little better. Otherwise, I might as well just go out and have a life of my own.

Review: Food Rules: An Eater's Manual

2010-04-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
By Michael Pollan

"Food Rules" is a very slim companion to Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food". The 64 rules are divided into 3 sections: what to eat, what kind of food to eat, and how to eat. (Spoiler alert: The simple answers to those questions are: "eat food, mostly plants, and not too much.")

It's a quick read but full of great tips.

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2010-04-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green & David Levithan

Apparently, if anything is described as "fabulous", there's something homosexual about it. "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" was reviewed as such by some critics. This is a coming of age- coming to terms with oneself- story set in high school involving a musical. One of the titular characters is gay; and, the other has a gay best friend. So, "fabulous" it is.

Each of the authors is responsible for one of the Will Graysons. They have different writing styles and different senses of humor. I laughed out loud in more than one occasion. At the same time, there were also some truths sprinkled in that anyone can relate to. The writing is snappy and borders on being clever and too clever for its own good.

One of my problems with the book was that I thought the characters would grow once they met each other but, for me, they were already changing from who they were in the beginning therefore the whole premise of the book (two different people sharing the same name meet) seemed unnecessary. Also, the ending was sort of after-school-special-ish. There's also the matter of how difficult it is to convey the "fabulousness" of any musical just with words.

I’m not here to bash the book because I did enjoy it. I would probably recommend it if someone was very specific with what they wanted to read.

Review: The Last Vampire

2010-04-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Last Vampire
by Christopher Pike

Truth be told, I wasn't really into the Last Vampire series when it first came out in the mid-90's. At least, not in the way other Christopher Pike fans seemed to be about it. But now rereading the books and knowing the trajectory of Sita's story, I have a whole new appreciation for it. (Sita is the last vampire.)

Sometimes when rereading a book from your younger days, there is always the possibility it wouldn't live to the standards you had set for it. Luckily for me, with this series (now renamed "Thirst"), that wasn't the case.

Christopher Pike may have gained popularity as a YA author but his books have always been more adult to me. With the whole vampire craze, "Thirst" is definitely worth checking out.

Reviews of the other books in the series are upcoming- so is a post about Christopher Pike himself.

National Library Week

2010-04-14T18:10:00.001-07:00

April 11-17 is National Library Week.

Over half a century old, it’s a celebration of libraries and librarians. This year’s theme is “Communities thrive @ your library.”

What are some ways to celebrate?

If you don’t have one already, get yourself a library card. Get everyone in your family one, in fact. This card gives you access to books, movies, music, and all sorts of other entertainment. In my opinion, it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Make a financial contribution to show your support.

Volunteer. Donate your time. Donate your gently used books.

Shop at any Friends of the Library stores.

Some libraries are also having their Amnesty Week at the same time. They’ll waive a portion- or all- of your fines after you a pay part of it or bring in canned food. Check first before visiting your local branch.

So, come on and celebrate! Happy Reading!

Review: The House on Mango Street

2010-04-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

The House on Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros

I know of "The House on Mango Street" as a book students buy because they have to as part of their required reading. That's partly why I decided to give it a try. At the same time, though, that was also why I was hesitant to pick it up. It seems to me a lot of good books are ruined by being forced upon students. Of course, it's great to be exposed to new and different things but too overanalyze things will ruin the experience. But my issue with that is a whole other matter.

I was surprised by how sparse the text was. The simple, lyrical and seemingly disparate prose reveals a much-larger story of a young Latin girl and the lessons she learns in and out of the house on Mango Street.

This is a good book to see things through someone else's eyes and to challenge oneself to go deeper than what's on the written page.

Review: The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart

2010-04-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
By Mathias Malzieu

Sometimes a title is good enough to hook you in. “The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart”- whatever it was about, I wanted to find out. Mathias Malzieu wrote a love story and fairy tale aimed for adults, full of wonderful words and great imagery. Reminiscent of “Pinocchio”, the reader is instantly dropped into a fantastic world where it’s only natural a boy would have a cuckoo-clock heart in order to survive. The book did lose some of its magic at the end. Otherwise, I would have been more in praise of the book.

It was interesting that the story was the basis of an album- the author being the lead singer of a French band. (The novel’s translated from French by Sarah Ardizzone.) An animated film adaptation is in the works as well.

Review: The Grand Complication

2010-04-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Grand Complication
By Allen Kurzweil

It’s weird when someone gives me a book they think I might like. First of all, how obligated am I to read it right away- or at all? I mean, I have my own reading list to go through. There’s also the issue of what if I don’t end up liking it?

The book in question was “The Grand Complication” by Allen Kurzweil. Someone recommended it to me because the main character was a librarian and had all these inside jokes about libraries and working in one. Luckily, I enjoyed reading it because of those things. It did become too much after awhile and the novelty wore off.

“The Grand Complication” was a mystery, another reason I liked it. But it was the kind of mystery where the characters weren’t really described in depth and the ending was sort of dissatisfactory. So, on one hand, I did enjoy it but would I recommend it? Probably not.

P.S.- Keep letting me know of good books you’ve read!

Kenton Library Grand Opening Celebration

2010-03-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Add Kenton to the list of libraries I've visited.

The newest branch in the Multnomah County Library district opened its doors in early March and later had a grand opening celebration.

Its layout was still pretty standard- boxy with a community meeting room at the back. But what made it different was the openness of it all, from the glass wall entrance and exposed wood-beamed ceiling. Apparently they reused wood from the original structure, the building previously being a hardware store.

I was there for the dedication ceremony which included speeches from the Director of Libraries and a Multnomah County Commissioner. Other events throughout the day included jazz and coffee, cupcakes and lemonade, and crafts for kid. There was definitely a celebratory feel in the air. I don't think I've ever been to a library so jam-packed. And everyone was free to hoot and holler as much and as loud as they wanted for that day.

I was excited to attend such an event considering all the budget cuts happening threatening jobs, hours and services. It showed just how libraries are integral parts of communities, as centers of fun, information and education. Also, as noted by the speakers, they have an additional effect in revitalizing their neighborhoods, being good for the surrounding businesses.

So, to me, the opening of any library is always an optimistic sign.

Read to Rebuild- A Haiti Benefit Reading

2010-03-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Books and charity are two things Portland is known for. I thought it was cool that Reading Local found a way to combine both with their first ever event: Read to Rebuild- A Haiti Benefit Reading.

I’m always going to advocate people who are fans of literacy and who make others aware of what’s going on in the Book World. Reading Local does that for Portland with their website. I spread the word as much as I could about the event. I was pleasantly surprised by how much support local bookstores and other businesses were showing as well. Not to sound like a commercial but I was also glad McKenzie Books stepped up and donated some generous gift packages for Reading Local to raffle off.

Read to Rebuild was held at the Writers’ Dojo, an organization which I was vaguely familiar with because they were at last year’s Wordstock Festival. Next door to a martial arts center, I almost missed it. Once inside, with shoes off, of course, I found it to be quite a charming establishment. A spiral staircase led up to the Writers Room but the first floor was where the action was.

The founder of Reading Local was greeting people and taking care of the entrance fee- a suggested donation of $10- and raffle tickets. Tables were set up with snacks, coffee, wine, and all the prizes to be given out. Soon, people were pouring in and I thought the turnout was great- around 50 people. Writers’ Dojo was packed.

Aside from just exploring and enjoying the space I was in, I was amused by the handful of people who were settled in their chairs reading. I’ve been known to sneak away to quieter rooms during parties but while that act just seemed anti-social, it was almost expected here.

Six local writers read from their work throughout the evening. It started off with a group sing-along, in fact. And that pretty much set up the mood for the rest of the evening. There was a lot of fun to be had that night (including some nice sounding music during intermission) but the reason why we were all there didn’t escape us. The Director of Mercy Corps’ Health Programs shared his account of what it was like being in Haiti after the earthquake hit and how the money being raised was going to help a country rebuild itself.

I did have some nitpicks. First of all, I felt cramped with how close all the chairs were. Then the raffling off of prizes was a little weird. I would have thought they’d pick someone and that said person would then pick a prize they want. Then there wasn’t enough time to do it all so the raffle is still ongoing to the best of my understanding.

Aside from that, I’m glad I went to this event. Great job to Reading Local and everyone else who participated one way or another!

Review: The Magicians

2010-03-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

The Magicians
by Lev Grossman

Every reader is always in the look out for those books that "get you out, really out, of where you were and into somewhere better." At least, I think so and so does Quentin Coldwater, the protagonist of "The Magicians".

At first, I was put off by the tepid reviews it got upon its release but I just couldn't resist. Heavy with references to Hogwarts, Oz, Narnia, and Middle-earth, I wanted so much to like this book. When we first enter the magical world of Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, everything was fascinating. After graduation, though, things went downhill fast. Nothing mattered and it was hard to care what happened to the characters, especially Quentin. He was just not likeable.

I also had the issue with the fact "The Magicians" was being billed as a fantasy for grown ups just because it had sex, swearing, drug use, and other "adult" matters. A book can exclude those and still be for grown ups and still be fascinating.

Despite all that, I will probably read its sequel "The Magician King" due out in fall 2011.

Other novels by Lev Grossman include "Warp" and "Codex".

Review: Bird by Bird

2010-03-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Bird by Bird
By Anne Lamott

“Bird by Bird” was probably the most hilarious book on writing and life I’ve ever read. From page one, Anne Lamott entertained and educated, successfully mixing advice with her personal experiences. Her words did not sugarcoat the difficulty of writing and publishing. And she didn’t try to be outrageous or obnoxious in how she presented her opinions on things. Her voice was unique and refreshing. For any writer, aspiring or published, this is a great read.

Review: The Puzzle Lady vs. The Sudoku Lady

2010-02-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Puzzle Lady vs. The Sudoku Lady
by Parnell Hall

I can't believe "The Puzzle Lady vs. The Sudoku Lady" is the eleventh book in Parnell Hall's Puzzle Lady mysteries! While the books can seem a bit formulaic after awhile, the characters and fun dialogue are what keeps me coming back for more. As much as I love crosswords, I don't even bother to try and solve the ones in the books anymore as I'm too impatient to get on with the story. A treat for puzzle lovers is that many big names are involved in the constructing and editing of those found in the stories. The plot gets too convoluted at times but, overall, the books remain to be breezy fun reads.

Check out Parnell Hall's website for information about his other book series and other information. http://www.parnellhall.com

The Puzzle Lady Series:
A Clue for the Puzzle Lady
Last Puzzle & Testament
Puzzled to Death
A Puzzle in a Pear Tree
With this Puzzle I Thee Kill
And a Puzzle to Die On
Stalking the Puzzle Lady
You Have the Right to Remain Puzzled
The Sudoku Puzzle Murders
Dead Man's Puzzle
The Puzzle Lady vs. The Sudoku Lady

List of Libraries I’ve Visited

2010-02-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

February is Library Lovers' Month. I'd like to say that's the reason why I end up going to as many as five libraries in one day but it isn't. My love of them, of books, is pretty much an obsession. And I can't think of a more perfect place to library-hop than in Portland. So, combining it with another passion of mine- listmaking!- here's a list of libraries I've visited since moving to Portland.

Multnomah County Library

“Multnomah County Library is the oldest public library west of the Mississippi, with a history that reaches back to 1864. Today, Central Library and 16 other branches make up the library system.

As Oregon's largest public library, Multnomah County Library serves nearly one-fifth of the state's population with a wide variety of programs and services.”

Aside from Central Library, no other branch in the district really had that “wow” factor. Most of them are very standard structures but, of course, I’m glad they’re able to reach out to people in those parts of the city. What makes some of them worth going to are the surrounding businesses and landmarks. This list is sort of in order by how much I liked that particular branch in descending order. There are a few that I call by different names so don’t rely on that bit of information if you’re planning on going to one of those.

Central Library- Definitely a must see for anyone visiting or living in Portland.
Hillsdale
Midland
Gresham
Hollywood
Sellwood-Moreland
Woodstock
Rockwood
St. Johns
Belmont- a.k.a. Hawthorne branch
North Portland- a.k.a. Killingsworth branch
Northwest- a.k.a. Nob Hill branch
Holgate
Albina
Capitol Hill
Fairview-Columbia
Gregory Heights

Washington County Cooperative Library Services

“The libraries in Washington County work together in a spirit of cooperation that extends beyond local boundaries in order to provide excellent countywide library service to all residents. Meeting the needs of all residents — from large and small cities and the unincorporated area — requires a good deal of give and take on the part of all libraries and their governing bodies, and is accurately reflected in the name, Cooperative Library Services.”

This list of libraries is in descending order from my favorite to the least- not that I can ever actually dislike a library. What I liked about them was how they all seemed to have their own individual character. What I didn’t like about some of them was how out of the way they were. I can’t tell you how many times I got lost.

Tigard Public Library
Tualatin Public Library
Sherwood Public Library
Beaverton City Library
Hillsboro Shute Park Branch
Forest Grove City Library
Hillsboro Main Library
Cornelius Public Library
Cedar Mill Community Library @ Bethany
Cedar Mill Community Library
Garden Home Community Library
West Slope Community Library

Libraries in Clackamas County

“Since 1977, the eleven public libraries of Clackamas County have cooperated in an informal resource and revenue sharing network, named LINCC, which stands for ‘Libraries in Clackamas County’.”

Clackamas County Library- Clackamas Corner branch
Ledding Library of Milwaukie
Clackamas County Library- Oak Lodge branch
Oregon City Public Library
Lake Oswego Public Library
West Linn Public Library
Gladstone Public Library

Others

Portland State University Library- Check out the book benches outside the library!
Portland Art Museum Crumpacker Family Library- Located in the 2nd floor of the Mark Building, I didn't even know it existed until I accidentally stumbled upon it- a.k.a. I got lost.

Review: The Strain

2010-02-16T17:28:00.001-08:00

The Strain
by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

There was a lot of positive buzz surrounding the release of "The Strain." And, if I didn't already have a gazillion titles on my books to read list, I would have picked this up back then. I was sick of vampire stories that were basically romance novels with a pasty dead male as a lead character. "The Strain" was quite refreshing in its originality and how actually terrifying it was. There were times when I couldn't imagine what else could happen to the characters for the rest of the book, let alone for the remainder of this planned trilogy. So many things were going on which made it a real page-turner. It also helped that everything that made Guillermo Del Toro's films so appealing somehow translated into print. There was a cinematic feel to the story, from the way it was paced and how the scenes were set up. I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of books in the series.

“The Fall” (Book Two of The Strain Trilogy) is slated for a September 21, 2010, release. “The Night Eternal” (Book Three) is scheduled for 2011.

Check out these videos on YouTube, including scenes from “The Strain” and a book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/user/DelToroTube

Review: How Reading Changed My Life

2010-02-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

How Reading Changed My Life
by Anna Quindlen

I can't believe how far I'll travel to go to a library- even though there's one less than half an hour's walk away from where I live. They may all be set up the same way (Dewey decimal, by subject, by author's last name in alphabetical order) but some of the books are different. It's amazing what I'll find to read by browsing through the rows that I wouldn't normally run across had I just been using the computerized library catalog- a book I didn't even want to read (or even know existed) until I saw it. Anna Quindlen's "How Reading Changed My Life" was a book like that. Published in 1998 as part of the Library of Contemporary Thought series, this very thin book is pretty much just an extended essay on her thoughts on books and reading. Of course, I knew of her (as the writer of "One True Thing") but reading her words on those subjects was like finding a kindred spirit of sorts. Anyone who considers themselves a reader will surely enjoy this book as much as I had- a light, pleasurable way to pass the time. (There are even lists of recommended books at the end.)

Review: Stones into Schools

2010-02-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

Stones into Schools
by Greg Mortenson

"Stones into Schools" picks up where "Three Cups of Tea" left off. Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute continue to build schools in remote villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The book offers a behind the scenes look at the organization’s operations and, while told through Mortenson’s perspective, this is really more about the “supporting” players (especially the group of men he dubs as “the Dirty Dozen") involved in making things happen.

The storytelling method gets repetitive after awhile. Every time we meet a new character, we immediately get a brief history of that person’s life before continuing on with the narrative. There were also a few typos that were difficult to ignore.

Despite all that, the message of bringing peace in the world with the use of education is the same. Everything that made “Three Cups of Tea” wonderful and inspiring is in “Stones into Schools” as well.

Maps, pictures, a glossary, who's who, and other informative resources are available for the reader wanting to know more. Khaled Hosseini (of "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" fame) gives a foreword.

For more on Greg Mortenson and "Three Cups of Tea", check out my December 19th post: http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2009/12/greg-mortenson-stones-into-schools.html

Elizabeth Kostova

2010-02-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

When I found out Elizabeth Kostova was having a reading at Powell’s, I was excited. That’s an understatement by the way. “The Historian” is my go-to recommendation for anyone wanting to read a good book. (My review of it can be found at http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2008/10/reviews-time-travelers-wife-and-four.html .) I was also extremely happy that I lived in Portland because I get to go to all kinds of literary events such as this.

I made sure to get there early since I was expecting a full house. In my mind, if you write a great book, they will come. I was disappointed when this was not exactly the case. The important thing was I had my seat. It was nice being with that group of people because I felt surrounded by actual readers and book lovers.

Elizabeth Kostova seemed friendly and intelligent from the get go. I just wanted to be friends with her. She gave a shout-out to independent bookstores before reading a couple of chapters from “The Swan Thieves”. True to the book’s style, she first read a chapter later on in the book and then proceeded with the prologue.

When it was time for the audience Q&A, I was worried no one was going to ask anything and that would be it. Luckily, the questions came- about her writing process, her background and, of course, “The Historian”.

Common to both her novels are the shifts of time and perspective. The way the modern world interacted with the past always fascinated her. She also enjoyed the research process for her projects. It was this passion that made her tell “The Historian” in epistolary form.

With the success of “The Historian”, did she feel pressure on writing a next novel? She had been writing for over 20 years so she wasn’t really worried about it. Reading inspired her to write. She started off imitating the writers she admired until she eventually found her own voice, her own style. She was a fan of the very, very rough draft. The writing process, for her, was “a magic circle” in which everything but the story was forgotten. Her solution to writer’s block? Just move on. Set it aside and move to something else that makes you want to write.

Kostova also shared the fact she was already writing her third novel. What’s more interesting was she dreamed of seeing the book in paperback form with its title along a creased spine. It was similar to how “The Historian” came about in which scenes just seemed to come to her after a hike. Sweet stuff, if you ask me. But, regardless of how her stories come to be, as long as she shares them, all is good in the world

Audrey Niffenegger

2010-01-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

I can’t even remember when I first picked this book up. But, at long last, I finally finished it. It’s a nice love story, the concept was interesting, and the writing was good but for some reason, I just couldn’t get into it. Some parts just seemed to drag so instead of reading on, I’d start on a new book. And I must have read at least a dozen books in between the first and last pages.

-from my review of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2008/10/reviews-time-travelers-wife-and-four.html

My review of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” may not have been exactly full of praise but I do recommend it. Its success - a book club favorite and later turned into a movie starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams- was so huge that even if I didn’t like it, I would still have gone to see Audrey Niffenegger speak. She recently made an appearance at the Powell’s at Cedar Hills Crossing to promote her latest novel, “Her Fearful Symmetry.”

I arrived thirty minutes early to find a surprisingly thin crowd. For such a bestselling author, I expected a larger audience- standing room only, in fact. But that would be later. Until then, I took the time to inspect the people around me which consisted mostly of middle aged women who looked like they belonged to book groups. Not that that’s a bad thing. There were also younger folks- both male and female- and I happened to sit in the same row with a bunch of high schoolers who had to write about attending a speaking engagement such as this.

She started out reading a passage from her newest novel and took questions from the audience afterwards. She had some sort of accent- perhaps from Michigan where she was born? For some reason, I thought Audrey Niffenegger would be a stuck up sort of person. Maybe because she had red hair and was an artist? Maybe, as a wanna-be writer, I was just jealous of her tremendous success? But she turned out to be quite likable and entertaining. The first question, not surprisingly, was about “The Time Traveler’s Wife” and how she managed to keep the chronology accurate. Her response to this, as well as to a later question in regards to how she kept her facts straight with “Her Fearful Symmetry”, was to give credit to her copy editors. In fact, she seemed a self-deprecating sort.

The most interesting thing for me was hearing her writing process. Her novels took her years to write. As a visual artist first, writing was really more of a hobby. No regular schedule. Tons of research. (With “Symmetry” she ended up becoming a tour guide for the Highgate Cemetary in which the story takes place.) She lived with the characters in her head and, once their stories were told, they would no longer exist for her but passed on to the readers. That’s why she would never write “The Traveler’s Daughter”, she joked.

Niffenegger talked about how writer's block was just an opportunity to change direction, to reformulate the situation. As an example, she mentioned how the original premise of "Symmetry" involved a male ghost trapped in his Chicago apartment and a woman who would visit him. She gave praise to independent publishers for giving unknown writers the chance to be read. "The Time Traveler's Wife" was rejected multiple times before becoming the bestseller it is now and led to a bidding war for her next novel which fetched her a five million dollar advance.

Niffenegger is currently working on novelizing what started out as a short story called "The Chinchilla Girl in Exile". I did remember reading about this a few months ago in a Writer's Digest article she was interviewed for.

I wasn’t really in a hurry to read “Her Fearful Symmetry” because of the so-called sophomore slump that every artists seem to get cursed with. After attending this event though I’m definitely looking forward to picking it up- as well as her other “novels in pictures”.

Review: Arch Enemy

2010-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Arch Enemy
by Frank Beddor

"Arch Enemy" brings Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars trilogy into a satisfying conclusion. While it can be said that after three books and other media exploring a re-imagined Wonderland, the concept might not seem as innovative as before, Beddor does his best by upping the stakes keeping the readers turning the pages until the very end.

For more on this series, check out my January 2, 2010 post "Review: Hatter M Volume Two" Mad with Wonder" http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-hatter-m-volume-two-mad-with.html

List of Quirk Classics Titles

2010-01-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

Because I love lists. Then again, who doesn't?

-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Deluxe Heirloom Edition by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith- March 23, 2010- Prequel
-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith; Adapted by Tony Lee, Art by Cliff Richards- May 4, 2010
-Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Ben H. Winters- Check the book trailer on the website!
-Android Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and Ben H. Winters- June 8, 2010

Quirk Classics Website: http://www.quirkclassics.com/

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie in the works with Natalie Portman attached as star (Elizabeth Bennet) and co-producer, Richard Kelly as co-producer, and David O. Russell as director. Expected release date sometime in 2011. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1374989/

Related Titles:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame Smith- March 2, 2010

Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2010-01-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Everyone seemed to be talking about "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" when it first came out. A classic novel now with zombies? So, naturally, I wanted to read it. But, first, I decided to check out Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" as I figured I'd be able to appreciate the mash-up more. I was hesitant to get into that book in the beginning but it has become one of my favorites. Austen's original had plenty enough humor to make the zombiefied version of it seem unnecessary. But "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was funny as well and downright clever at times. The ridiculousness of the premise was amusing enough. It's no surprise then, with it's ever-growing popularity, that a prequel, a graphic novel, and a movie is in the works.

Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard

2010-01-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

The Tales of Beedle the Bard
by J.K. Rowling

“The most exciting Harry Potter news is, of course, the upcoming release of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" on December 4, 2008. Only one of seven of the author's handmade collection of fairy tales was to be available to the public and that only through a bidding war which was eventually won by Amazon for almost $4 million. The money raised went to the Children's High Level Group, a charity co-founded by Rowling.Earlier this summer, it was announced "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" was going to be released to the public after all. There will be the standard edition that goes for $12.99 which contains the new stories, an introduction by the author, reproduced illustrations from the original book, and commentaries by Professor Albus Dumbledore. Then, there will be the Amazon.com exclusive collector's limited edition which will be a replica of the original auction copy which contains the new stories, an introduction by the author, and ten new illustrations. It'll come with a velvet bag with Rowling's signature and an outer case that looks like a textbook from the Hogwarts library. The price is $100 but net proceeds from both editions will benefit Rowling's charity.”

-from my August 26, 2008, post “Harry Potter” http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2008/08/harry-potter.html

Although a clever idea, I had no intention of reading “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”. I liked the series, sure, but I wasn’t fanatical. I checked out this book from the library for a co-worker who had just read the novels. I decided to browse through it myself and before I knew it, I had read the whole thing! I found the stories amusing enough and was surprised at how darkly humorous some of them were. Also fun were Dumbledore’s commentaries on the fairy tales.

Other books part of the Harry Potter canon:
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Quidditch Through the Ages

Review: The Truth About You

2010-01-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

The Truth About You: Your Secret to Success
by Marcus Buckingham

I've always been drawn to self-improvement books. If a book can present a concept in a new and interesting way, I am usually all up on it. It's interesting though how and when a book you've been wanting to read all along suddenly lands in your hands. Marcus Buckingham has made a name for himself with his business-oriented titles (see list below) so I was already familiar with his work. Add to that, "The Truth About You" was packaged with an enhanced DVD and "ReMemo" Pad so I was naturally curious about what it was about.

I didn't watch the DVD but from what I gather it consists of a short film and links to resources. The book itself is a light breezy read with ideas that challenge how you think about things. There are exercises in the book that utilize the ReMemo Pad to help you discover your strengths and weaknesses at work and in life.

"The Truth About You" is for anyone trying to find their way in the world or needing to get back the spark.

First, Break All the Rules
Now, Discover Your Strengths
The One Thing You Need to Know
Go Put Your Strengths to Work
The Truth About You: Your Secret to Success
Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently

Review: Hatter M Volume Two: Mad with Wonder

2010-01-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

Hatter M Volume Two: Mad with Wonder

by Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier, and Sami Makkonen

I’m not much of a comic book/ graphic novel reader but “Mad with Wonder”, volume two in the “Hatter M” series, continued to be a good introduction to the genre.

Frank Beddor re-imagined Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” so richly with “The Looking Glass Wars” that it’s no surprise the novels has spun off into an online RPG and comics to tell all the stories. In Beddor’s Wonderland, there are no rabbit holes and no mad tea parties but a full fledged war where cards and chessmen turn into soldiers. Hatter Madigan- get it?- is the royal bodyguard with a cool array of weapons.

The comics take place within the first novel, providing backstory for Hatter M’s search for Princess Alyss Heart- having escaped assassination attempts by her power-hungry Aunt Redd and the deadly Cat. The comics, like the novels, playfully travel between Wonderland and Earth even explaining how a certain author got the story of a little girl all wrong!

It was definitely interesting to see how stories unfold in this format and the techniques used to create flashbacks or suspense from one image to another. After the story proper, each volume of the comic series includes fun extras that treat Hatter M’s adventures in and out of Wonderland as actual happenings. There are also concept art and excerpts.

If you enjoyed Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, check out Frank Beddor’s fresh take on the classic.

The Novels

The Looking Glass Wars

Seeing Redd

Arch Enemy

(Also available in audio books with exclusive content)

The Comics

Hatter M

Mad with Wonder

The Nature of Wonder (available 08/11/10)

For more information and merchandise: The Looking Glass Wars website: http://www.lookingglasswars.com/home.html

My Reading List for 2010

2010-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Finish reading:
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The Swan Thieves- Elizabeth Kostova (1/12)

Shades of Grey- Jasper Fforde
The Brethren- John Grisham
The Valley of Fear- Arthur Conan Doyle
His Last Bow- Arthur Conan Doyle
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle
Stones Into Schools- Greg Mortenson
The Puzzle Lady vs. the Sudoku Lady- Parnell Hall (1/19)
The Double Comfort Safari Club- Alexander McCall Smith (4/20)
The Season of Risks- Susan Hubbard (7/6)
Arch Enemy- Frank Beddor
Princess Alyss of Wonderland- Frank Beddor
Mad with Wonder- Frank Beddor
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larsson
The Strain- Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Don Quixote- Miguel de Cervantes
The Case of the Missing Servant- Tarquin Hall
The Ghost Map- Steven Johnson
Let the Great World Spin- Colum McCann
A Reliable Wife- Robert Goolrick
Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer- Jonathan L. Howard
The Magicians- Lev Grossman
The Help- Kathryn Stockett
Number Freak- Derrick Niederman
Street Gang- Michael Davis
The Professor and the Madman- Simon Winchester

My Reading Life- Year in Review 2009

2009-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

I read 44 books in 2009, a good amount considering my goal was at least only 24. Based on my analysis of my books read this year- because it's what I do- I read 3 times as many novels than I did non-fiction books. Of the novels I read, the genre was overwhelmingly mystery and thriller. And I read almost as many books aimed for middle and teen readers than I did adult books. I read only 12 titles in my ever growing reading list. I picked up books by 23 authors I've never read before and read 7 additional titles by them.

After a cursory glance at my list of books read in 2008, I've come to the conclusion my reading habits have been consistent. I was only surprised I read so many memoirs this year. And it's odd my non-fiction reading tend to happen in the first half of the year.

Below are some fun lists and numbers.

Breakdown of Books Read in 2009

Non-fiction- 11
Memoirs- 4
General- 7

Fiction- 33
Mystery/Thrillers- 13
Kids/YA- 14
General- 6

Total- 44

The Best Books I Read in 2009

Non-fiction

Three Cups of Tea- Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin*
Letters to a Young Poet- Rainer Maria Rilke*
The Last Lecture- Randy Pausch w/ Jeffrey Zaslow
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Jean-Dominique Bauby*
Mindless Eating- Brian Wansink

Fiction

Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen*
The Book Thief- Markus Zusak*
The Talented Mr. Ripley- Patricia Highsmith*
Q&A- Vikas Swarup
The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
The Mysterious Benedict Society- Trenton Lee Stewart
The Looking Glass Wars- Frank Beddor
Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins

*My Favorite Books Ever- So Far (For the complete list: http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-favorite-books-ever-so-far.html)

In case you were wondering, the worst book I read this year was "The Case of the Missing Books" by Ian Sanson. You can read my review of it here: http://earl-reader.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html.

Happy Reading!

Even More Books I've Read This Year

2009-12-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

44. Seeing Redd- Frank Beddor
43. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma- Trenton Lee Stewart
42. Come Home: A Collection of Stories Celebrating the Return to Central Library- Various
41. The Inaugural Address 2009- Barack Obama- Together with Abraham Lincoln’s First and Second Inaugural Addresses and The Gettysburg Address and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance
40. The Geographer’s Library- Jon Fasman
39. Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars- Volume One- Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier
38. Six Suspects
37* The Looking Glass Wars- Frank Beddor
36. The King of Torts- John Grisham
35. Matchless- Gregory Maguire
34. Spooksville #24: The Witch’s Gift- Christopher Pike

My Christmas Tree o' Books

2009-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Greg Mortenson: Stones Into Schools

2009-12-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

To say that I was excited to see and hear Greg Mortenson speak would be an understatement. He wrote one of my favorite books ever. "Three Cups of Tea" was just a magnificent and inspiring read that I can't stop recommending to people. He was making his rounds to promote "Stones Into Schools"- a first-person narrative continuing his mission to promote peace through education. The lecture took place at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall- an absolutely beautiful building. I had actually taken a tour of its multiple levels of intricately carved walls before. That night, though, the place just seemed more amazing with a sold out crowd.

In the lobby were booths of the different companies sponsoring the event. Powell's Books were selling "Stones Into Schools". Literary Arts and the Oregon Cultural Trust were handing out information about their organizations. And there were free publications from the Central Asia Institute available as well. CAI is the non-profit co-founded by Greg Mortenson that allows him to do the things he does.

It's always exciting to be around people who share a common interest or passion- in this case, I guess, it would have been the importance of education. I was surrounded mainly by teachers and librarians. To have someone see someone else they knew across the concert hall was a pretty common occurrence. There was an elderly lady who was seated near me. She was decked in red everything- including a feather boa- and she was so in praise of "Stones Into Schools"- she had just bought her fifth copy that day, in fact- that I couldn't wait to get my own copy to read.

The only thing I was worried about was Greg Mortenson's speaking skills. I had heard from others he wasn't that good but I needn't have worried. If that was the case before, it was probably because he was new to it all but he's certainly had much practice since then. I found him to be well-spoken, funny and informative. He did make an error when giving shout-outs to the places he's visited before in Portland. But that certainly could be overlooked considering, just that day, he had given another talk to some high school students before pre-signing copies of his latest book.

Early on in the lecture, Mortenson played a short video of his daughter, Amira, interviewing Tom Brokaw, one of his earlier supporters to his cause. Then, through a PowerPoint presentation his son helped him with, he basically talked about the events that led him to where he was now in his life- a sort of recapping of "Three Cups of Tea" and the opportunities that the book provided after its publication. It was interesting to hear that the hardcover edition had a different subtitle from the paperback. He never liked the original publisher's choice of "One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism One School at a Time" and it was eventually changed to "One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time."

Some recurring themes during his speak were the need of community and relationship building (especially of listening and respecting elders for what they've been through and can offer in terms of advice), the ability of children to change the world when given the chance (because it was schoolkids, and not celebrities or powerful politicians, that funded his earlier missions through the Pennies for Peace program), and the importance of education as an important factor in battling ignorance, hate and many other problems that stem from them. With messages like those, it wasn't that surprising then for me to learn that "Three Cups of Tea" has become required reading for people in Special Services.

He praised some military people he'd spoken to that seem to get that it's not bombs that was going to solve our problems but the empowerment of the people through education. Needless to say, he was critical in President Obama's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan because the decision was made behind closed doors and didn't ask the input of the people there.

Overall, Greg Mortenson gave an inspiring and well-received talk. And, once again, my desire to do good in the world, my call to service, was awakened

Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Time

2009-12-16T17:11:00.000-08:00

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about history. The subject never fascinated me in school. And, as I grew older, it just seemed like a chore to have to learn about it.

When the Central Library decided to hold an exhibit on Abraham Lincoln in the Collins Gallery, I figured it was a good place as any to start educating myself- even if only a little- about some aspect of American history. I was also intrigued because the brochure claimed "more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other American."

My knowledge of Lincoln was limited to the very basic of facts and the legend, the myth, surrounding the man, which may or may not all be accurate. He was the sixteenth president. He was a tall man who wore a stove-pipe hat and earned the nickname "Honest Abe". He delivered the famous Gettysburg Address. He helped free the slaves and got assassinated while watching a play. He was famous enough to get his image carved into stone and put on our currency, among other accomplishments.

The "Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Time, A Man for All Time" traveling exhibition coincided with the bicentennial anniversary of his birth. On display were old photos, portraits, and reproduction pages of campaign posters. There was one of four marble busts created by Avard T. Fairbanks depicting Lincoln during various stages of his life. Of course, the exhibit also provided background information and examples of how his legacy still lives on today. I didn’t realize that in 2000, Congress created the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Act and in each state a committee was formed to oversee the celebrations and events. One of the many things they did that I liked was create a local connection with “Abraham Lincoln’s Friends in Oregon” and a list of geographical names in honor of and associated with him. They even had an official magazine which they were giving out for free.

I was there for the opening reception. As I walked around to look at everything, “Illinois” Doug Tracy” was warming up on his banjo, in which he would later play a few songs from the 1860's. A trivia contest was held and I was glad there were actually people there, not only for the free food, but genuinely interested and knowledgeable about everything Lincoln. Up for grabs were some 1909 pennies and an original 1864 New York Times copy. It was amusing when Lincoln made an appearance and gave a brief presentation. I liked the fact that despite all the work of re-creating that period of time, he stepped out of an elevator before giving his speech.

Throughout the whole thing, I was taking notes and I happened to run across a lady who asked me why I was doing such a thing. I told her it was for my blog. It turned out she was the wife of the actor portraying Lincoln. Afterwards, she introduced me to him and I got to interview him a little. Steve Holgate didn’t know much about Lincoln but the more he studied about him, the more he became fascinated. After retiring and wanting to perform, he ended up bringing his act all over the world. I complimented him on how he stayed in character throughout his performance, especially during the audience Q&A.

This proved to be an educational yet entertaining event. I ate a lot. I learned a lot. I even got to talk to Lincoln himself. All in all, I had a great time.

Words Worth Paying For: Publishing in the Age of Electronic Readers

2009-11-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

Panel discussion

Panelists:
Katherine Dunn ("Geek Love")
Vailey Oehlke (Director of Libraries, Multnomah County Library)
Dennis Stovall (Director of publishing, Portland State University; Publisher, Ooligan Press)

More information: http://jcomm.uoregon.edu/articles/turnbull-center-panel-to-explore-publishing-in-the-age-of-electronic-readers

My Favorite Books Ever- So Far

2009-10-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

(In no particular order)

The World According to Garp- John Irving
The Cider House Rules- John Irving
The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini
Dracula- Bram Stoker
The Historian- Elizabeth Kostova
The Thirteenth Tale- Diane Setterfield
The Talented Mr. Ripley- Patricia Highsmith
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell- Susanna Clarke
Wicked- Gregory Maguire
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
Flowers for Algernon- Daniel Keyes
A Raisin in the Sun- Lorraine Hansberry
The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho
The Time Traveler's Wife- Audrey Niffeneger
Life of Pi- Yann Martel
The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time- Mark Haddon
Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
Three Cups of Tea- Greg Mortensom
Letters to a Young Poet- Rainer Maria Rilke
Born on a Blue Day- Daniel Tammet
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Jean-Dominique Bauby
The Sword in the Stone- T.H. White
The Book Thief- Markus Zusak
Oh, the Places You Will Go!- Dr. Seuss
Winnie-the-Pooh- A.A. Milne
The House at Pooh Corner- A.A. Milne
Anne of Green Gables- L.M. Montgomery

Wicked

2009-10-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

As I hadn't watched a musical before, I didn't know what to expect. I was definitely excited when I learned "Wicked" would be playing again in Portland. The book definitely made me a fan.

The Keller Auditorium was a nice smallish venue. My only complaint was that the seats were too cramped. Any seat though would have provided a good view of the stage. The price was lower than I expected as I was used to paying hundreds of dollars for concert experiences.

There was definitely a shared excitement amongst the audience. The stage was framed with the mechanics of the Time Dragon Clock and a curtain map of Oz (with a green light emanating from the Emerald City) draped over it.

One of the first things that blew me away was the stage production. Everything moved fluidly from one scene to the other so it was like watching a movie but seeing everything change right in front of me.

The acting was superb. It was mind boggling how the voices carried without the telltale signs of microphones. Then the musical numbers! They weren't as cheesy as I thought they would be. I heard snippets of some songs before but they were so much better in real life knowing the context of the story.

What amused me was how yet again this musical was such a different version of everything else it was based on (Baum's original series, the WB movie adaptation, Gregory Maguire's novel even). There was more fun and obvious humor here but it worked. It was interesting what characters and plot points they chose to include here.

"Wicked" was definitely a satisfying experience and I wouldn't mind watching it again- and again!

-Journal Entry: March 7, 2009

The Kite Runner

2009-10-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

I finished watching "The Kite Runner"- a good enough movie but it just goes to show how much is lost between the book and the film. A positive thing that the movie had going for it was how it was able to skip the parts that dragged the book down especially the melodramatic incidents of the last chapters. It was also fascinating to learn through the bonus features how international the whole film project was from the cast and crew to the locale- Afghanistan was shot in China!

"The Kite Runner" is such a story about friendship, redemption and forgiveness that it was easy to get emotional while watching the movie but not necessarily because of the scenes playing out. My mind was going off on all kinds of tangents. It's sad that war and poverty is still so much a way of life. And, equally sad is how religion gets twisted to justify violence. And I thought of simpler times in general. Oh, nostalgia! The movie also made me wish I was more aware and in tune of my culture.

-Journal Entry: June 26, 2008

Walking with Ramona

2009-10-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

First of all, I wasn't expecting such a large turn out for this event. There must have been at least 150 people taking part in the "Walking with Ramona" tour led by Laura Foster. But, then again, Beverly Cleary is such a big name in children's literature and to walk the same streets some of her more famous characters traveled could have naturally grabbed anyone's interest as it did mine. And it was a Saturday and, although a little chilly at times, the sun was still winning out over the forecasted showers and thunderstorms. And, Laura Foster is a popular local author with her walking guide books. So perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise to see such a crowd after all.

The starting point of the 90-minute 2-mile tour was at Hollywood Library. We got some history on Beverly Cleary. She came from a family where reading was encouraged at an early age. However, she really wasn't able to find books she could relate to. Then, a teacher inspired her to not only get back into the habit of reading but to write her own stories- the kind she would have liked to read. Working as a librarian and being surrounded by children would further lead her to become the famous author she is now using the Portland neighborhood she grew up in as background for many of her books.

We then proceeded to see some of these places. Naturally, there were differences in the 1950's landscape described then to what is there now. I loved overhearing people talk about their own memories with Beverly Cleary's books- and children's books in general, in fact. I was more familiar with her Ralph S. Mouse character through the books and movies. It was great how parents were talking to their kids, incorporating what we were hearing to their discussions of what they had been reading.

Imagine how shocked regular passers-by and drivers must have been to see this glob of people walking the streets! The final stop in the tour of Beverly Cleary's former stomping grounds was a house the author lived in. There was a brief Q&A before the crowd dispersed. To me, the whole thing felt like a field trip. We even had a little story time at Grant Park where there were bronze statues of Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy. Laura Foster read a passage from "Ramona the Pest"- the incident with her new boots- which just made an already pleasant afternoon so much more enjoyable.

Second Glance Books

2009-10-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

Second Glance Books is located in the corner of 45th and Sandy Boulevard in the Hollywood district. It was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon a used bookstore here where new and old buildings and businesses try to find a way to co-exist with one another. Yet, at the same time, it seemed right there should be one in that spot.

Aside from its location there's really nothing that separates Second Glance Books from others of its kind. They don't specialize in anything but there is a good mix of titles in stock. On the left upon entering is fiction, mystery and thriller with a children's section behind the register which is in the center of the store. The other side holds mostly romance, western and sci-fi, as well as non-fiction selections. SGB also does the standard buying, selling and trading of books.

NPR seems to be a favorite radio station being played in used bookstores. Classical music comes a close second. I asked the owner (or, at least, the lady who was working there at the time) a few questions to see if she really knew and enjoyed what she was doing. She did. Of what I can remember, she liked mostly fiction and mentioned William Faulkner and Anne Tyler as a couple of her favorites. She also knew her inventory well and she was able to help other people find what they wanted.

So, while not exactly unique, there's nothing wrong with being a nice, dependable place which Second Glance Books definitely is.

More Books I've Read This Year and Review of "The Lost Symbol"

2009-10-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

33. The Lost Symbol- Dan Brown
32* Letters to a Young Poet- Rainer Maria Rilke
31. The Potato Chip Puzzles- Eric Berlin
30* Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins
29. Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There- Lewis Carroll
28. Where the Wild Things Are- Maurice Sendak

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. While not the best of writers, Dan Brown certainly is a good storyteller. He has a way of grabbing the reader's attention page after page with cliffhanger chapter endings, twists and turns and secret revelations. Blurring the line between fact and fiction, one can suspend their disbelief for awhile to enjoy the story and then take the time afterwards to acknowledge the absurdity of it all. It's best to come into this with low expectations.

*Recommended

David Sedaris

2009-10-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's probably a little strange to attend an author reading of someone I hadn't read before. But I've heard so much about David Sedaris' writings, I wanted to check it out- and maybe I'd actually read a book of his afterwards. For such a big name, I was surprised that they held it at such a small venue. Half of Powell's at Cedar Hills Crossing was packed and more overflowed out to the mall proper. And this was only an hour before the event was actually set to start.

Even though I was towards the back of the crowd in the sideline, I caught glimpses of the author. He was quite an entertaining fellow. I laughed out loud more than once as he read a new essay not included in the book he was promoting- "When You are Engulfed in Flames"- about the last presidential election, a short story subtitled "Just a Quick E-mail", entries from his diary, and throughout the Q&A afterwards. When one of the topics discussed was of breast milk, I would say the best way to describe his humor is irreverent. Surely there were a lot of head shaking and jaw dropping in the crowd's reaction to what was being said.

The whole thing was highly enjoyable and I'm definitely going to be reading his books.

-Journal Entry: June 10, 2009

The History Boys

2009-10-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

"The History Boys" by Alan Bennett won a Tony Award for Best Play during its American run in 2006. But like all things Broadway, I had never even heard of it. Then there were posters for a new production playing in Portland earlier this year and I was surprised there was a film version so I checked the latter out to see what all the buzz was about.

One of the reasons I liked "The History Boys" was because it shared many elements with another favorite movie of mine- "Dead Poets Society". Both take place in schools so the cast of characters center around students pressured to do well not only with their education but also with life in general. The students are taught by teachers with very eccentric methods of teaching and they all ultimately learn more than what's in the lesson books. And while "carpe diem" was the catchphrase for "Poets", the "Boys" had "pass it on". Yet for all their similarities, each movie was unique in its own way.

Another thing that made watching the film version such a treat was that the original cast that performed it onstage revived their roles for this movie adaptation. It made me wish I had seen the play but I did the next best thing by listening to the audiobook version of it. Although I would say it was more of a dramatization than just a straight out reading of the play in the sense that there were no stage directions being read out loud. (But I guess they don't really do that since that would be weird if they did.) It was just like having it all played out but with no visuals. This did cause some problems as you didn't immediately know the setting or if a special technique- like a flashback- was being used. I would say though the movie captured all the important moments- and the spirit- of the play and even managed to make it much more moving.

-Journal Entry: July 9, 2008

Mortal Syntax

2009-09-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

I went to a reading of June Casagrande's new book "Mortal Syntax" at the Burnside Powell's Books. I'm sure I must have skimmed her first book "Grammar Snobs are Great Big Meanies" since words and its usages do fascinate me. I had seen a newspaper article earlier in the day for the event and decided it might be fun to check it out. I'm glad I did. June Casagrande was funny, smart and articulate but the thing I liked most about her was she wasn't afraid to say "I don't know."

In "Mortal Syntax", she takes questionable grammatical situations and uses different reference materials to determine whether the usages are correct or not- or at least, acceptable. Some of them I already knew- like not to use "irregardless" or "I could care less". It was interesting to note how certain improper grammar have become acceptable just by having it used that way for such a long time- like "Aren't I?" And through popular use, words like "d'oh" and "bootylicious" find themselves in the dictionary and I guess that's why the words "ass" and "bitch" have become commonplace.

There was a large turnout of people- from copyeditors and teachers to regular folks like me. It made me feel smart being around them- who were all interested in grammar, words. I was glad some of them even bought her books because I did feel guilty for going there without really knowing who she was and having no intention to buy anything. What I took from the event was learning should be- and is- fun and I shouldn't let fear of looking or sounding stupid stop myself from asking questions.

-Journal Entry: April 9, 2008

Murder on the Orient Express

2009-09-26T14:58:00.001-07:00

"Murder on the Orient Express" is a movie I've been wanting to watch but was never really in the mood to actually sit through it. Old movies just aren't my style and this was from 1974. But once I got around to it, I found the film highly entertaining.

The movie is, of course, based on Agatha Christie's mystery novel featuring her famous detective- and my favorite- Hercule Poirot. When you've formed your own idea of how a character looks, it's hard to get into someone else's portrayal of them. However, Albert Finney played the part of Poirot well and even had the detective's famous moustache. The rest of the cast was very star studded. The names I was able to recognize included Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York, and Wendy Hiller.

The movie mostly stayed true to the book and without having it seem like a lifeless re-enactment of it. I think that's what makes any adaptation good- if it can retain the spirit of the original source but can bring its own interpretation and energy into it. The cleverness of the crime and solution was captured as well. I also enjoyed the small jokes I caught in reference to the casting like the reference to "Psycho" with Anthony Perkins' character's close attachment to his mother on this film.

According to the "making of" documentary, the movie was meant to be a throw back to old-fashioned glamorized filmmaking. With the cast, costumes and music, I think "Murder on the Orient Express" achieved its goal. In another bonus feature- "Agatha Christie: A Portrait"-, it was nice to see pictures of the literary legend in her later years. This movie just reminded me of how much of a genius she really was.

-Journal Entry: June 11, 2008

List (and Some Reviews) of Audio Books I've Listened To

2009-09-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. This is the first audio book I've listened to in its entirety and I definitely needed some time getting used to the format. It was weird when the narrator- in this case, Lou Diamond Phillips- changed his voice to be a different character. All the while, I kept imagining how the words looked like on the page. I probably would only listen to other audio books if I had already read the book (which I had with this one) because I get easily distracted. The book presented some ideas and beliefs similar to mine but told as an adventure parable. (2008)

The History Boys by Alan Bennett. This was an audio book full cast dramatization of a play I watched but in its theatrical version. The storyline is very similar to "The Dead Poets Society"- another movie I enjoyed. Both had eccentric teachers who taught the students more than what was in the lesson books. The scenes that didn't make it to the movie were kind of hard to visualize at first as there was no narration or reading of stage directions, only of dialogue and occasional movement sounds. Regardless of medium, I liked "The History Boys" a lot. (2008)

Financial Freedom: Creating True Wealth Now by Suze Orman. A reading based on “The 9 Steps of Financial Freedom” (even though that had its own audiobook) interspersed with moments from her seminar. In a way it was like watching the DVD special but being able to learn more about certain subjects like wills and trusts, powers of attorney, mutual funds, etc. Some were still way over my head but I figure it’s good to know about them in case/when I do actually need to apply them in my life. Suze Orman’s approach sometimes get too New Age-y for me but there’s really good financial advice and that’s why I’ve been a fan of hers for quite awhile. (2008)

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris.

David Sedaris- Live at Carnegie Hall.

Mark Twain

2009-09-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

I watched a film on Samuel Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain. It was directed by Ken Burns who has made a name for himself with other acclaimed documentaries, most recently "The War". Told through photographs and Twain's own words with insights from scholars and writers, it was an enjoyable way to learn about someone who I was only familiar with through having read a couple of his books- "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"- as a schoolboy.

Mark Twain became a hugely celebrated public figure for his incredible way with words, using them not only to make people laugh- which he did so successfully- but also to explore/expose certain faults of American society. His private life was full of one heartbreaking loss after another and a rollercoaster ride of triumphs and failures. I was just in awe of the way he lived his life and the talent- especially his wit- that I can only wish to fraction of. He was an amazing man and I think deserves all the praise he gets. I will definitely be reading more of his works.

-Journal Entry: May 8, 2008

A.J. Jacobs

2009-09-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

There's something gimmicky about immersion journalism- trying out something for a certain period of time and writing about the experience. And there have been so many books like it that get published, why didn't I think of it?

Anyway, A.J. Jacobs was at Powell's to promote his latest work "The Guinea Pig Diaries". I was surprised to see that the audience weren't just college frat boys (because for some reason I thought that was the demographic for his books) but a good mix of people young and old, male and female. This also wasn't a reading as I expected. He just talked a little about each of his books and then took questions from the audience before signing copies.

In his first book- "The Know-It-All"- he set out to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. "The Year of Living Biblically" was the follow up and had him living the Bible as literally as he could. With "The Guinea Pig Diaries", he changed his format a bit by tackling on a series of different experiments. As I was already under the wrong impression that his books were just funny without being substantial, I thought listening to him share the lessons he learned during each experiment would sound pretentious. But he came off as genuinely interested in trying different things in order to perhaps improve his life- or at least see things in a new perspective. While not exactly the best public speaker, I found his self-deprecating (and topical) humor quite enjoyable.

During the course of the Q&A, he mentioned his next project would be him trying to be the healthiest person alive. It's weird how when a speaker is considered funny, the people who asks them questions seem to think they have to be funny as well. The whole event (aside from the book signing) lasted about half an hour but it was enough time to get me to want to actually read a book of his. And if there was one thing I learned from him, (and not just because he mentioned it as a life lesson himself), it's this: "Never say 'no' to adventures. Always say 'yes' otherwise you'll lead a very dull life"- Ian Fleming. Well, actually, there's another thing I got: Leave expectations behind.

Review: "Three Cups of Tea"

2009-08-30T11:55:00.001-07:00

Published in 2006, "Three Cups of Tea" is the kind of book most likely everyone's heard about because they knew someone who read and recommended it to them. It's the story of Greg Mortenson who had to literally lose his way in order to find his purpose in life. At first, fueled only by the desire to repay the people who saved his life, the building of that one school in the small village of Korphe would be the beginning of something big. It would lead to more schools in remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan- where children, especially girls, can get the education they deserve. And by doing so, Mortenson (and the Central Asia Institute, which he co-founded) is helping "promote peace one school at a time"- as the subtitle goes. David Oliver Relin helps tell Mortenson's struggles and adventures. This has definitely inspired me to do my part in creating a much safer, more united world.

Because "Three Cups of Tea" has struck such a chord with everyone who's read the book, it's no surprise there is a Young Reader's Edition and picture book version. The latter (which I also read) is entitled "Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and 'Three Cups of Tea'"- told through the perspective of Korphe's school children. Susan L. Roth shares writing credits and did the collages using "found" materials in her studio- inspired herself by the resourcefulness of the people of that village. The Young Reader's Edition was adapted by Sarah Thomson with a foreword by Jane Goodall, a new introduction by Mortenson, and even an interview with his twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who is apparently following in her father's footsteps. It also includes new maps and pictures, a timeline, glossary, who's who, and a reading group discussion guide. The audio book has the original song "Three Cups of Tea" sung by Jeni Fleming and Amira Mortenson. What I like about these versions of the original story is that it teaches kids they can contribute to and participate in bringing peace to the world.

I highly recommend "Three Cups of Tea" and encourage others to share it if they feel the same way. Greg Mortenson continues his story in "Stones Into Schools"- available December 1, 2009.

Books I've read in this post:

26* Three Cups of Tea- Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
27- Listen to the Wind- Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth

Green Bean Books

2009-08-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Green Bean Books is a children’s bookstore that recently opened in Portland’s Alberta district. Walking inside is an invitation to leave the grown up world behind and just be a kid again. I was warmly greeted by the owner who chose the name “Green Bean Books” because it sounded fun. The handmade decorations gives you a hint of Jennifer Green’s previous profession as an elementary school teacher. There are also a lot of quirky personal touches around the store like the “instant disguise machine” and a gumball machine that dispenses pompom pets.

One wall is dedicated to adult and young adult fiction and non-fiction books but the majority of the selection is, of course, for children. GBB also buys select titles or gives in-store credit. There is an outdoor reading room and a weekly story time is held “under the magical story bush house.” But for the reader who just wants to be alone, there is also the secret room where a book can be enjoyed in peace and quiet.

GBB was a dream two years in the making. It seems more than a bit risky to be opening any kind of business in this economy but Jennifer Green feels optimistic that if a local independent bookstore has a chance to thrive anywhere, it would be in Portland. And, I, for one, wish her and Green Bean Books the best of luck and the happiest of endings.

Books I've Read So Far This Year

2009-08-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

25* Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
24. From Square One- Dean Olsher
23* Mindless Eating- Brian Wansink
22. The Associate- John Grisham
21. The Hound of the Baskervilles- Arthur Conan Doyle
20* The Book Thief- Markus Zusak
19. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built- Alexander McCall Smith
18* Q&A- Vikas Swarup (a.k.a. Slumdog Millionairre, which is a movie I recommend as well)
17. Crossworld- Marc Romano
16. The Uncommon Reader- Alan Bennett
15. The Return of Sherlock Holmes- Arthur Conan Doyle
14. Dead Man's Puzzle- Parnell Hall
13. Embracing the Wild Sky- Daniel Tammet
12. The Puzzling World of Winston Breen- Eric Berlin
11* The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
10. Siddhartha- Herman Hesse
9. The Body in the Library- Agatha Christie
8. The Summons- John Grisham
7. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Trenton Lee Stewart
6. So Many Books, So Little Time- Sara Nelson
5. The Case of the Missing Books- Ian Sansom
4* The Last Lecture- Randy Pausch w/ Jeffrey Zaslow
3* The Mysterious Benedict Society- Trenton Lee Stewart
2* The Talented Mr. Ripley- Patricia Highsmith
1* The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Jean-Dominique Bauby

* Recommended

Four Reviews

2009-03-01T13:12:00.000-08:00

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow. This was a book that had a lot of publicity around it- not necessarily "hype" per se but just a lot of people showing interest. Randy Pausch had terminal cancer and when he was invited to give a talk at his old university, it was literally his last lecture. This serves as a companion, memoir, and an inspirational guide giving glimpses to one exceptional man's life. The lecture is available on DVD.

The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sanson. What a letdown of a book! What I was expecting was the same kind of pleasant mystery like Alexander McCall Smith's "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. What I got was a story with unlikable, unrealistic characters, an unsatisfactory conclusion, and a sense of humor that wasn't at all funny; and not only did I read all 326 pages but also the 4-page excerpt of the next book in this ongoing series. What else is there to say except skip this!

So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. This was a surprisingly interesting memoir about books and reading. I was familiar with Sara Nelson since until recently she was the editor of "Publisher's Weekly" and her column would be the first thing I read. Although she does talk about books, this is not a collection of reviews but the relevance (if any) of what she was reading at the time with what was happening in her life in a one year period. I could definitely relate to her observations about books and their readers and there were a lot of recommendations I would probably end up reading.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart. The second book in a trilogy (after "The Mysterious Benedict Society"), this was like catching up with old friends. A lot of people- well, grown ups, might dismiss children's books as fluff, insubstantial, beneath them even. But I think those books, when written well (as this was), transcends age because it had to work harder to keep a younger reader's attention to begin with. So while I'm not in the target demographic, I found this quite unputdownable.

The Summons by John Grisham. While it's true that Grisham is at his best writing courtroom thrillers, it's also refreshing when the legal aspect gets toned down. "The Summons" was more of a cat and mouse chase than anything so it was easy to keep turning the pages to see who gets whom at the end. Not one of his memorable novels though- very lightweight similar to a popcorn flick. And the ending was quite unsatisfactory.

Review: "The Mysterious Benedict Society"

2009-02-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. I picked up this book (which has been favorably reviewed) thinking it'll be like "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin, just chockful of word games and clever puzzles. While to some extend it did, it was completely different but still entertaining. The characters were great and likable. The story was filled with humor, suspense and action. Plus the lessons regarding the media's influence on everyone and the importance and definition of family are very interestingly tackled. The book works well just as a kid's book but I totally appreciated it as well. I am waiting to get my hands on the sequel- "The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey"- in this planned trilogy, with the final installment- "The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma"- coming out October 2009.

Two Reviews: "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "The Year of Disappearances"

2009-01-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. Fun. Entertaining. Chilling. Creepy. Psychological. Definitely an interesting read of how a mad man’s mind works, even if it’s all make believe. I liked how the character of Tom Ripley was so fully realized, it’s almost understandable why he did the things he did. Even though I knew this was the first book in a series, the cat and mouse scenes of when/if anyone would uncover his secret were just so well-written, I didn’t know how it would turn out. I would also recommend the movie.

The Year of Disappearances by Susan Hubbard. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the book even though I did enjoy the first in the series- “The Society of S”. The main character was kind of frustrating in the sense that she didn’t seem to act as a normal person would (even though she is half-vampire) by asking questions all at once to try and understand all the mysterious things happening around her. But it was an effective way to provide only the necessary bits of information to move the story along and keep me turning the pages. I guess I was put off by the mention of zombies in the plot summary and was thinking along the lines of bad horror sequel movies. I’m hoping there’ll be more books to come in the series as the author has set up a very interesting world, premise.

Review: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

2009-01-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby. This memoir, translated from French, was made into a movie which was highly recommended to me. As the book was more readily available to me, I decided to check it out. I was surprised at the thinness of it- being composed of short chapters which can be read in one sitting, which I did. Bauby, who was a successful magazine editor, suffered a stroke leaving him paralyzed with “locked-in syndrome”. His recollections was dictated through a system of blinking his left eye and the use of the French language frequency ordered alphabet. The fact that he was able to write a book despite his debilitating disability is completely inspiring. His wit is evident in his writing, which is both sad and beautiful at the same time. I would say this is a love letter to life, to the human spirit that refuses to give up no mater what. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to watch the movie.

January Releases

2009-01-08T14:35:00.000-08:00

January 6, 2009

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

This is the latest in her Between-the-Numbers series. I’m expecting an October paperback release for this title based on the title alone, most likely to coincide with the release of “Finger Lickin’ Fifteen”.

January 7, 2009

All Pets Go to Heaven by Sylvia Browne

I used to watch Sylvia Browne on Montel Williams every Wednesday. She’s most likely crazy like a bucket of chicken (whatever that means) but a lot of people buy her books.

January 13, 2009

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney- The third title in a five-book series following the “Do-It-Yourself” companion released in October 2008. The remaining books are to be released in the next two years with “Bummer Vacation” and “My Last Year” as the possible titles. The movie rights for the first book has been acquired.

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows

Check my September 18th post “Neverending Stories: Sequels, Prequels, & Spin-offs” for more information.

January 20, 2009

Bone #9: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith- Not that I’ve read any of the books in this popular graphic novel series for children but it’s interesting to not this is the final installment.

January 27, 2009

The Associate by John Grisham

The first four chapters of his latest legal thriller will be available for preview on Entertainment Weekly’s website throughout January. The link to the first chapter is http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20247180,00.html .

Review: "Wicked"

2008-12-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Brilliant, definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year- or ever. This was such an interesting take on Frank Baum’s Oz series- and the movie adaptation featuring Judy Garland- creating this rich history for new and familiar characters alike. Very smart. As unputdownable as it was, there were times when I just had to take a moment to marvel at what I just read either by the writing or the turn of events in the story. I am looking forward to reading the other two books in Maguire’s series and hopefully I’ll even get to see the musical everyone seems to be raving about.

Review: "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes"

2008-12-11T16:00:00.001-08:00

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Another collection of short stories featuring the famous detective and his faithful sidekick. More of the same clever deductions and amusing references to previous “recorded” cases but also a lot of new things to keep them fresh- a look into Holmes’ past dealing with his first case, a glimpse of his family life with the appearance of his brother Mycroft, and the stunning cliffhanger of his demise in the hands of his greatest foe Professor Moriarty. These stories seem to make up most of his more famous cases like “the curious incident of the dog in the night-time”.

December Releases

2008-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

December 2, 2008

The 39 Clues: One False Note
by Gordon Korman

Check my August 19th post "The 39 Clues" for more information. This is book two in the series. The first chapter can be read online at http://www.scholastic.com/kids/39clues/ . There will also be an online author Q&A and interview with Whoopi Goldberg on December 1st.

December 4, 2008

The Tales of Beedle the Bard
by J.K. Rowling

Check my August 26th post "Harry Potter" for more information.

Reviews: Three Books by A.A. Milne

2008-11-11T10:36:00.001-08:00

Winnie-the-Pooh. The House at Pooh Corner. Books by A.A. Milne. Even though I knew that the characters made famous again through Disney were based on A.A. Milne’s creations, I’ve never read the original stories until recently- and only after reading some passages on a calendar at work. The writing was funny, silly, and just full of innocent charm that extended to the wonderful characters. My favorite parts were the explanations that didn’t really explain anything at all. I had the impression there were hundreds of stories that took place in the Hundred Acre Wood so I was surprised that there were only two such books. The ending was quite sad. These stories in which Pooh and company go off on their adventures should be required reading for adults just to be reminded of how much fun and wonder there is in life.

The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne. Still quite charmed by Milne’s Pooh books, I set out to read the only mystery he ever wrote. The writing and characters were as funny and delightful as I expected, paying homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous pair- Holmes and Watson. The mystery itself was too predictable for my taste but perhaps having read so many mysteries this was bound to happen that I would figure out the solution before the big reveal. I also didn’t like how the answer was presented in such an easy and convenient manner.

R.L. Stine, Part II- Goosebumps HorrorLand

2008-10-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

R.L. Stine’s latest project is a 12-book series called “Goosebumps HorrorLand”. HorrorLand takes place in an amusement park first mentioned in the original “Goosebumps” series (“One Day at Horrorland”) and again in “Goosebumps 2000” (“Return to Horrorland”). The first ten titles in the new series will actually be two stories. The first half brings back characters from older books- which are getting reissued as “Classic Goosebumps”. (The “classics” will include bonus features such as interviews with Stine, games, subject-related facts, and things of that nature.) The second half is a continuing story and the last two books will take place entirely in Horrorland. There is also an interactive element to it by going to http://enterhorrorland.com/ where readers can play games and access exclusive content. (Codes can be found in the “tokens” located at the back of each book from both series. For example, in the back of “Goosebumps Horrorland #1: Revenge of the Living Dummy”, there’s half of a token and connecting it with the other half found in either “Goosebumps Horrorland #2: Creep from the Deep” or “Classic Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy”, it will read (in mirror-image) “find this token online”.)

As if that wasn’t enough, “Goosebumps HorrorLand” will be released as an actual video game playable on Wii, Nintendo DS, and Playstation 2.

Below is a list of the “Goosebumps HorrorLand” titles and their corresponding “Classic Goosebumps” title, if applicable. The first five books have already been released. The series will continue through 2009. (I’ve also included the messages that appear in the tokens.)

1- Revenge of the Living Dummy (“Find This”)
Night of the Living Dummy (“Token Online”)

2- Creep from the Deep (“Token Online” and “Beware of”)
Deep Trouble (“Hungry Shark”)

3- Monster Blood for Breakfast (“The Black Lagoon” and “Panic at the”)
Monster Blood (“Sight of Blood”)

4- The Scream of the Haunted Mask (“Sight of Mirrors” and “Avoid the”)
The Haunted Mask (“Trick-or-treater”)

5- Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz (“The Tricky Theater” and “Luke and Lizzy”)
One Day at Horrorland (“Were Here”)

6- Who’s Your Mummy?
Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb

7- My Friends Call Me Monster
Be Careful What You Wish For

8- Say Cheese and Die Screaming
Say Cheese and Die

9- Welcome to Camp Slither
The Horror at Camp Jellyjam

10- Help! We Have Strange Powers!
How I Got My Shrunken Head

11. Escape from Horrorland

12. Streets of Panic Park

Reviews: “50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth” (and Five More)

2008-10-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth by the Earthworks Group (1989); John Javna, Sophia Javna, and Jesse Javna (2008). It’s a great idea to occasionally read something completely different from what you’re normally used to- not only as a way to expose yourself to a new subject matter but to also expand your knowledge of things. This was probably the first time where I lived has played a factor in determining my reading selection. Having moved to Portland, I couldn’t help but take up a couple of the things it’s known for- volunteerism and, in this case, environmentalism. “50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth” was first released in 1989 and recently updated in 2008. “It’s an entirely new book,” notes John Javna, who was a main contributor to both versions. The original was self-published- and there were a lot of typographical errors- and basically gave eco-tips like recycling soda cans and cutting down the six-pack rings they come in, not using Styrofoam cups, installing energy-saving light bulbs, and carpooling. The newer version still tackled the same matters but have partnered up with different organizations to give people an idea of what they can do to help- from simple steps to more involved and dedicated efforts. I thought this approach of introducing an issue and then offering ways to participate was a good way to find out what can be done if the reader decides to do something at all. The books have definitely been informative- if not always entertaining- with all the statistics and addresses to get more information.

Below are reviews of books I’ve read this year that I hadn’t posted yet and were not what I normally read but decided to try them out anyway.

Cirque Du Soleil- The Spark by John U. Bacon and created by Lyn Heward. I read a review of it and decided to check it out. I found the story to be an interesting mix of business motivational situations and a behind the scenes look at the creative workings of Cirque Du Soleil.

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. This was a story I've been meaning to read and it was only after someone recommended that I should do so that I did. It was simple, beautiful life lessons presented as poetry.

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This was a gift so while I don't normally read non-fiction, I felt I had to. Plus, it was an Oprah Book Club selection so there was all this hype surrounding it as well. Naturally, it was very textbook-sy but I agreed with most points raised regarding self-improvement.

Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant by Daniel Tammet. This was recommended but it was when I saw it on display in the library that I picked it up even though it was a memoir. The language used was extremely beautiful portraying how he experiences words and numbers as "shapes, colors, textures, and motions".

A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage by Mark Twain. A completely random read- although the title piqued my curiosity- this turned out to be an experimentative short story with a trick/joke ending. The foreword and afterword's fascinating historical background of the story's conception and of Twain by Roy Blount was longer than the actual story itself. I found the humor and style very admirable.

November Releases

2008-10-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

November 11, 2008

You: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty
by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz

Continuing their series of books, DVD's and audio-only programs, I just thought it was interesting when I saw this release. But I guess if it works, why not make it into a franchise- especially if Oprah has your back, right? I’m sure as much as I think this seems superfluous, they will continue to provide helpful facts in a straightforward and entertaining way. A workout DVD of the same name will be released that day as well.

Just After Sunset: Stories
by Stephen King

Even though, I’m not a fan of King myself, anything he releases seems to be some sort of event especially when he is always trying something new to present his stories. One of which-“N”- was made into a 25-part graphic-style web series.

November 17, 2008

Cross Country
by James Patterson

This is the fourteenth installment in Patterson’s Alex Cross series, none of which I’ve read. I’m in awe of any writer who can churn out so many titles in a year and continue to be someone who people want to read.

November 25, 2008

Your Heart Belongs to Me
by Dean Koontz

Koontz is another one of those writers who have multiple releases a year and find new ways to get his stories out there.

Reviews: “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” (and Ten More)

2008-10-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here are my reviews for some of the mysteries I’ve read this year, including my most recent one for “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s hard not to compare Doyle’s duo to Christie’s pair- his Holmes and Watson to her Poirot and Hastings. Granted, his mysteries were written before hers and she surely used his work as an example or inspiration to tell a good detective story. These series of short stories were enjoyable- although predictable at times- and ranged from such varying cases involving red haired men, the Ku Klux Klan, and an elusive goose. As they were originally published as magazine articles back in the days when those were a major source of entertainment, it’s easy to imagine families gathered around to read them aloud. I liked the references to previous cases- chronicled or otherwise. I’m actually warming up to the character of Sherlock Holmes. He’s definitely a more active and hands on detective than Poirot- even changing his appearances from time to time. Some of the more amusing moments were of his outrageous but precise observations which were always perfectly explained. My favorite stories were “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” and “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches” for their strange elements.

Black Coffee by Agatha Christie and adapted by Charles Osborne. This was originally a play but adapted as a novel featuring Hercule Poirot, one of my favorite literary characters by one of my favorite writers of all time. While it doesn't come close to Christie's genius, it was still a nice faithful tribute, staying true to the character. Also, Charles Osborne wasn't just a random guy chosen to take on such a daunting task to bring back the famous Belgian detective but he had written a very superb and comprehensive biography of the brilliant writer- "The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie".

A Study in Scarlet. The Sign of Four. Books by Arthur Conan Doyle. I really didn't know what to expect going into the books. Of course, I had heard of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson but being a fan of Agatha Christie and her Hercule Poirot, I had put off reading any of these classic mysteries. At times, I did find it too expositional but enjoyed myself nonetheless. I will definitely read more.

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie. This is the first novel featuring her other famous detective, Miss Marple. The story's enjoyable narrative, interesting characters, style, and solution is classic Christie and I will definitely check out more Miss Marple.

Posted to Death. Faked to Death. Decorated to Death. Baked to Death. Books by Dean James. I wanted a light mystery series and found this series of 4 books featuring a gay vampire detective- Simon Kirby Jones. "Gay vampire" was the ploy used to differentiate itself from other cozy mysteries but the character was taking anti-vampire pills which defeated the whole purpose. Also, there seemed to be an unbelievably high number of gay characters in each book. Certain characters, dialogue and situations were amusing at first but overall the series was cliché, repetitive and redundant. It was only because I have a completist mindset that I read them all.

The Death Artist by Jonathan Santlofer. I stumbled across the titles of his other books and I realized they were part of a series so I picked this one up. Setting it in the art world is what differentiates it from other run-of-the-mill crime mysteries. Although a bit formulaic and kind of too procedural for my taste, I'll probably check out another book in the series.

The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie. While she is one of my favorite writers, it was mostly because I liked her Hercule Poirot mysteries so much. This thriller, although not featuring any of her other famous detectives, was still much praised. Fun and full of likable characters, brilliant with twists and turns befitting her classic novels, it did not disappoint. It left me racing through the pages to see what would happen next.

R.L. Stine, Part I

2008-10-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

I grew up reading R.L. Stine. Earning a place in the 2003 Guinness Book of World Records as the bestselling children’s book author of all time for sales of over 300 million copies, he is best known for his highly successful “Goosebumps” series. His books aren’t particularly scary, relying more on cheap thrill and tricks than actual frights. Stine has said himself that his intentions aren’t to scare the living daylights out of kids but to entertain them. In fact, he started out writing joke books and funny stories and was even co-creator and head writer for the children’s program “Eureeka’s Castle” on Nickelodeon. It was in 1986 in which he started churning out scary stories (with “Blind Date”) and his first series- “Fear Street”- wasn’t until 1989. And, then, “Goosebumps” was launched in 1992. Every month as a kid, I’d rush to the bookstore because there was sure to be a new title of his. I mean, he had the two series and then his stand-alone stories.

“Goosebumps” was cool because all the covers shared the same raised series title logo in slimy looking letters which felt like goosebumps when you ran your fingers across them. There’d also be a few-chapter preview for the next book after each story. The first two dozen titles were actually pretty good but after awhile they became repetitive. The would be a total of over 60 “Goosebumps” books- not to mention the various spin-offs it would spawn.

It was the same thing with “Fear Street”. It started off great. I thought the concept was interesting- all the stories either took place in the haunted town of Shadyside or followed the lives of its founders- the Fear family. There were also trilogies and “super chillers” which were just slightly longer novels than usual. By the mid-90’s, the common thread that supposedly linked the stories together was tenuous at best but that didn’t stop it from having its own spin-offs which just ruined the franchise even more. The one aimed for a younger audience was basically like “Goosebumps” all over again.

At the height of Stine’s popularity, he had TV shows, movies, video games, board games, and other items cross-merchandising with his books. I often wondered how he could write so many books. Not surprisingly, I learned a lot of his later titles were ghostwritten by other authors. Some were credited in the copyright page. It was way too much which might explain why his later series- including “Mostly Ghostly”, “The Nightmare Room”, and “Rotten School”- never matched his earlier successes.

At age 65, Stine is showing no signs of slowing down. “Goosebumps” is still proving to be the money making machine- being re-released either in comic form or as collector’s editions with bonus features. And Sony Pictures recently acquired the rights to make it into a feature film. I will be talking about his latest project- “Goosebumps HorrorLand”- in an upcoming post.

While I’ve outgrown his books and am not a fan of his writing style, I’ve got to admit Stine’s successful and prolific and long-lasting writing career is admirable and something I can only dream of having one day.