BooksBooksBooks

To start off my summer reading, I just finished Harry Potter 7. I haven’t read any of the HP books since reading this one the day it came out almost four years ago (wow!), and I am so glad that I did. There were definitely things that had not stuck with me from the first reading, but I definitely enjoyed this time through just as much, if not more than before.

With this reading, I realized that Neville is probably my favorite character. A favorite character not being something I had really considered before. Also, I actually enjoyed the epilogue with this read through. Which is weird, because I was adamantly against it the first time. Still don’t like the whole Albus Severus thing …

Last day of the school year for me is Thursday, June 9th. The weekend will consist of cleaning, packing, and moving back home for the summer. A summer for which I have almost no plans whatsoever. For the first time in years, I will not be taking summer classes nor will I be working. I am ecstatic, for this of course means that I will have all the time in the world (well, three months of it at least) to spend reading. So here, without further ado, I write down my summer reading list:

American Gods — Neil Gaiman

Atonement — Ian McEwan

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress — Dai Sijie

The Blind Assassin — Margaret Atwood

A Clockwork Orange — Anthony Burgess

Crime and Punishment — Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Corrections — Jonathan Franzen

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime — Mark Haddon

Death Comes for the Archbishop — Willa Cather

Dracula — Bram Stoker

Empire Falls — Richard Russo

Far From the Maddening Crowd — Thomas Hardy

Freedom — Jonathan Franzen

Game of Thrones — George R. R. Martin

Great Expectations — Charles Dickens

The Finkler Question — Howard Jacobson

The Imperfectionists — Tom Rachman

Infinite Jest — David Foster Wallace

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell — Susanna Clarke

Jude the Obscure — Thomas Hardy

Madame Bovary — Gustave Flaubert

Middlesex — Jeffrey Eugenides

Mrs. Dalloway — Virginia Woolf

The Name of the Rose — Umberto Eco

The Namesake — Jhumpa Lahiri

Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro

Neverwhere — Neil Gaiman

On the Road — Jack Keroua

Oryx and Crake — Margaret Atwood

Persuasion — Jane Austen

The Road — Cormac McCarthy

Tinkers — Paul Harding

A Visit From the Goon Squad — Jennifer Egan

White Teeth — Zadie Smith

The White Tiger — Aravind Adiga

Wolf Hall — Hilary Mantel

Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë

… over this past year and a half. At least, not much outside of what’s been required of me for school. Then again, I also have a terrible memory, thanks to which I have trouble recalling what activities I took part in even the day before, so I could just be confused.

In the past eight months, I’ve probably read over 50 books for school. Some required by a class/teacher, some simply necessary to meet source requirements for a paper. Last quarter, I must have read a good 15 books alone about the biblical book of Jonah for a single paper. Granted, I’m pretty sure I now know everything there is to know about those two pages of the Bible. =|

That’s another book I’ve been reading a lot from lately. The Bible. A lot of it for classes (religious studies major), but on occasion I find myself reading it just for funsies. I would most definitely recommend it. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament—sort of) in particular is beyond fascinating.

So yeah, that’s where I’m at so far as reading goes. It hasn’t been for pure pleasure in quite sometime, but at least it’s never been exactly painful.

It’s been a while and I’m not sure if I’m actually returning to start-up this tumblr again, but I’m thinking a post here, right now, might motivate me to return tomorrow or the next day (when it’s not one in the morning) and post something more worthwhile. In the meantime, if any of you still follow this blog, read any good books lately?

but I have had to stop since heymikewaskom  threw a fit on twitter about me reading ahead of the book club and so I will be putting that adventure on hold. Now I have to get ahold of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, which is our first book club read. I’m excited!

libraryland:

inothernews:

From the book When Yoda Does Literary Cliches.

Haha. That took me a second longer than it should have, but quite funny.

mustardseedtrees: Several people who are planning to participate in the online book club I’m trying to put together recommended Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close as one of our reads. It looks like that will actually be our first one, too! How did you like it?

bitchpleeze: Hahaha, I’ve been meaning to pick up a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. What did you think? Would Austen be pleased?

commentaire: I love the film adaptation of Stardust, but wasn’t too thrilled with the actual book. Though that may be because I had already fallen in love with the movie by the time I read it and so was biased toward the changes made for the film. Have you read anything else by Neil Gaiman?—I’m embarrassed to say that Stardust is the only one I’ve read.

kaylee: Did you read Lord of the Flies for school or for fun? Did you like it? It’s absolutely one of my favorite books. Also, best essay I’ve ever written was an analysis of LotF, so it holds a special place in my heart for that reason as well.

yellow-walls: I’m sorry you didn’t like The Iliad. I’ve only read parts of it, but I very much enjoyed The Odyssey. What didn’t you like about it? Or was it the having to read it for school that ruined it?

Everyone else who answered my last post: How did you like what you read? Would you recommend it? I’m always looking for books to add to my “to read” list.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

girloffscript:

booksbooksbooks:

lemonadediary:

booksbooksbooks:

This morning my brother asks me to look over something he’s written for his English class (he just started college). So I read it, make a few adjustments, then inquire as to if it should be in MLA format. He says yes, so I put the paper into MLA format, which required rewriting his source citation and adjusting the heading and title.

A few minutes later, my brother returns to the computer and changes it all back. I ask him what he’s doing and he says he’s following the format his teacher used.

I WANT TO SHOOT HIS TEACHER IN THE FACE!

And all other English teachers that choose to have their students format their papers any which way they choose. I’m sorry, but it’s MLA or APA and that’s it. I don’t care what you want.

There’s also Chicago Manual, actually, in the social sciences especially. Don’t forget Chicago! Especially if it’s an entry-level writing class and he’s not an English major. Though I agree with you on the “different styles for different classes” thing. It’s annoying and confusing.

Fair enough. There are several options for acceptable formatting, but this teacher’s version was not one of them. My brother is also attending the same school I went to for the last two years, and I haven’t had any teachers or met any students who used anything but MLA—unless it was one of the crazies that make their own thing up because it’s a convenience for them to do so.

Mmmmmm….the new MLA 7 came out in the Spring, though most of those changes had to do with citations.  What the prof could be doing is using a WAY outdated form of MLA, which I know some adjuncts at the local community college do.  (Who really only cites once per paragraph?  Lies! I say!)

 Must have been a really outdated version if that’s the case. Speaking of which, I absolutely love the changes made for MLA 7.

Crashbox? Happily Ever After? Storybook Musicals? Animated Tales of the World? Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales?

I’m almost twenty years old and I LOVE these shows. This stuff better still be around when I have kids. None of that Wow Wow Wubzy or Yo Gabba Gabba shenanigans for my progeny.

lemonadediary:

booksbooksbooks:

This morning my brother asks me to look over something he’s written for his English class (he just started college). So I read it, make a few adjustments, then inquire as to if it should be in MLA format. He says yes, so I put the paper into MLA format, which required rewriting his source citation and adjusting the heading and title.

A few minutes later, my brother returns to the computer and changes it all back. I ask him what he’s doing and he says he’s following the format his teacher used.

I WANT TO SHOOT HIS TEACHER IN THE FACE!

And all other English teachers that choose to have their students format their papers any which way they choose. I’m sorry, but it’s MLA or APA and that’s it. I don’t care what you want.

There’s also Chicago Manual, actually, in the social sciences especially. Don’t forget Chicago! Especially if it’s an entry-level writing class and he’s not an English major. Though I agree with you on the “different styles for different classes” thing. It’s annoying and confusing.

Fair enough. There are several options for acceptable formatting, but this teacher’s version was not one of them. My brother is also attending the same school I went to for the last two years, and I haven’t had any teachers or met any students who used anything but MLA—unless it was one of the crazies that make their own thing up because it’s a convenience for them to do so.

This morning my brother asks me to look over something he’s written for his English class (he just started college). So I read it, make a few adjustments, then inquire as to if it should be in MLA format. He says yes, so I put the paper into MLA format, which required rewriting his source citation and adjusting the heading and title.

A few minutes later, my brother returns to the computer and changes it all back. I ask him what he’s doing and he says he’s following the format his teacher used.

I WANT TO SHOOT HIS TEACHER IN THE FACE!

And all other English teachers that choose to have their students format their papers any which way they choose. I’m sorry, but it’s MLA or APA and that’s it. I don’t care what you want.

Be creative.

But I’ve just now realized that all the READ posters I’ve ever seen are of someone famous holding—not READING—a book. Do these people even know how to read? Really? It’s sick. Reading is not a band-waggon activity, people! Kids shouldn’t be tricked into reading because it’s the “cool” thing to do (even though it is, like, totally cool).

I just went through a whole bunch of these posters on the ALA website, and the ONLY one in which the celebrities actually look like they’re reading a book in the one of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. But this poster is even worse than the “let’s-hold-a-book-and-tell-kids-to-read-even-though-I’m-not-really-sure-what-reading-is” posters because Stewart and Pattinson are reading Twilight. And I don’t want my kids (that will one day exist in the real world and not just in my mind) being persuaded to read such … I don’t even know what to call it. They could have at least been reading a good vampire novel. Sheesh.

But I digress. I suppose the point I’m trying to make, but not really succeeding at, is that these posters would be much more effective if the celebrities actually looked interested in the concept they are trying to promote: reading. As it stands now, I look at these posters and think “Oh Orlando, you’re so dreamy. What’s that you’ve got there? A book, you say? Well, you don’t seem very interested in it anyway, so why don’t we just set it down over there and, well, get to know each other a little bit better. ;-)” And you know what?—the thought of reading goes right out of my mind.

—————

Honestly, I have no idea what I’m talking about above. I apologize. I’m a little bit crazy this morning.

I recently came across a promotional READ poster in which you sit, looking gorgeous as usual, with your arms wrapped around a closed book. At the bottom of this poster it reads: “ORLANDO BLOOM @ your library.” Now, as you can imagine, I immediately hopped into my automobile and drove to my nearest library. I searched everywhere in the building to find you, but you could not be located. I even inquired at the reference desk, but the librarians were of no use and just kept pointing me to the DVD collection thinking I wanted to watch Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean.

Needless to say, I returned home, quite distraught over not being able to find you at my library and, in my depression, a voice of reason called out to me. A voice that quite clearly stated that I should sue for false advertising. And so, Mr. Bloom, this letter is to inform you that you shall soon be hearing from my lawyers unless you decide to fulfill your promise and move into my library immediately. I look forward to seeing you, in my library or in court.

With all my love,

Briana

If you want to submit content to be posted on booksbooksbooks, you can now do so by going to booksbooksbooks.tumblr.com/submit. You can also click the “Submit” link now available on the left hand side of the booksbooksbooks page.

Speaking of which, some of you may have noticed the new layout, and though I loved the Penguins Classic theme, this one gives me the ability to host links and an About section.

Anyway, if you’ve got something you’d like to see on booksbooksbooks, go ahead and submit it. Please note that not all submissions will be accepted, but I love love love personal reviews of books people have read and almost all of those will be posted and credited.

So, I created a note on my phone a few weeks ago of things I want for my birthday (I turn 20 on 22 November—feel free to get me a present) and/or Christmas. I know it’s early, but I tend to think of things I want through out the year and when it comes down to writing my letter to Santa, I can’t remember any of it.

Anyway, looking at this note now, I read the following:

iPod car converter

weighted hoola hoop

bookstore gift cards

books

literati

buddha board

Anyway, I cannot for the life of me figure out what I meant by “literati” and a google search isn’t of much help. Does anyone have any idea what it is that I’m talking about in my note?

(via heymikewaskom)

I saw this and thought to myself “hey, that sounds familiar, didn’t one or two people answer my ‘What Would be the Title of the Book About Your Life’ post with something similar?”

Lo and behold (because I had to look it up), you were that person! And booksmeat (whom I just reblogged) was the other with “On the Way to the Zoo.”

Can I get a synopsis of your book?

P.S. I’m mentally beating myself up for not following you sooner.

booksmeat:

• Aldous Huxley - Brave New World
• Jack Karouac & William S. Burroughs - And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tank
• Aravind Adiga - The White Tiger
• Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse-Five (so it goes)
• Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway
• Kurt Vonnegut - Hocus Pocus
• James Joyce - A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man
• Barbara Kingsolver - The Poisonwood Bible
• Kurt Vonnegut - Cat’s Cradle
• Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man And The Sea
• Cormac McCarthy - The Road
• David Foster Wallace - Oblivion
• Toni Morrison - The Bluest Eye
• Roberto Bolaño - The Savage Detective
• William S. Burroughs - Naked Lunch
• Roberto Bolaño - 2666
• Vladamir Nabokov - Lolita
• Stewart O’Nan - Snow Angels
• Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange
• Kurt Vonnegut - Bluebeard
• Albert Camus - The Outsider
• Kurt Vonnegut - Mother Night
• Aleksandar Hemon - The Lazarus Project
• JD Salinger - Franny And Zooey
• Cormac McCarthy - All The Pretty Horses

next up: D.H. Lawrence - Sons And Lovers

its been a pretty great summer as far as reading goes. 26 books. a whole lot of classics. made a lot of new authorly friends. picked up some great party conversation. we all know how much people love to talk about books these days. a very rewarding summer it’s been.

Oh wow. I am very impressed!

libraryland:

lickystickypickyme:

• Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV’s or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to ‘go sip some ale’ and listen to people’s conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. ’You go sip here’ and ‘You go sip there.’ The two words ‘go sip’ were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term ‘gossip.’

• In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are ‘limbs,’ therefore painting them would cost the buyer more.

  Hence the expression, ‘Okay, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg.’ (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)

• As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year.(May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn’t wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term ‘big wig.’ Today we often use the term ‘here comes the Big Wig’ because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
• In the late 1700’s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining. The ‘head of the household’ always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal.

  To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the ‘chair man.’ Today in business, we use the expression or title ‘Chairman’ or ‘Chairman of the Board.’

source: Amazing Posts

Fascinating, though I knew about “an arm and a leg.”

Maybe use it to share those random 140 character-limited thoughts I have when reading and what not?

Yes or no?

That’s my last name, too!!

Uh-oh, please don’t try and stalk me now. Kthx.

So I got a lot of positive responses to my intial Online Book Club post, but I’ve since then only receieved three e-mails from people who are interested. If you want to participate, please shoot me an e-mail at atwistofgoodness@gmail.com. I’m not opposed to a book club with only four people, but I wanted to make sure everyone who said they’d want to participate gets a chance to.

Read about it here.

The novel—based on the screenplay he wrote for Miley Cyrus’s new movie of the same name due out in January—revolves around 17 year old Ronnie Miller who reconnects with her estranged father through their shared love of music.

I’ve read a handful of Sparks’ novels including The Guardian, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, Three Weeks with My Brother, and The Notebook, but haven’t yet decided if I’ll be picking this one up from the bookstore anytime soon.

txtsfrmlstnght:

(773): I wonder why dictionaries dont have indexes to help find the words easier.

…