Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. ~C.S. Lewis
I had the lonely child’s habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons, and I think from the very start my literary ambitions were mixed up with the feeling of being isolated and undervalued. I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world in which I could get my own back for my failure in everyday life.
—George Orwell, Why I Write (via nihilnoetia)
What sort of campaign would you come up with to promote reading?
Be creative.
So apprently I'm quite hung up on these READ posters
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.
Dear Mr. Bloom,
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
Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
This book is a gripping page turner. Charlie Parker isn’t your typical cop: he had a dark childhood, and as an adult, he became an alcoholic. Even worse, his wife and daughter were brutally killed and mutilated by a serial killer, and Parker is determined to find out why.
Involving elements of the supernatural, this book gets the Charlie Parker mysteries off to a fast-paced and scary start.
To read …
booksbooksbooks now accepting submissions!!
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.
Literarti
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
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?
If I Left The Zoo
(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.
summer read....the end ?
Aldous Huxley - Brave New WorldJack Karouac & William S. Burroughs - And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their TankAravind Adiga - The White TigerKurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse-Five (so it goes)Virginia Woolf - Mrs. DallowayKurt Vonnegut - Hocus PocusJames Joyce - A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young ManBarbara Kingsolver - The Poisonwood BibleKurt Vonnegut - Cat’s CradleErnest Hemingway - The Old Man And The SeaCormac McCarthy - The RoadDavid Foster Wallace - OblivionToni Morrison - The Bluest EyeRoberto Bolaño - The Savage DetectiveWilliam S. Burroughs - Naked LunchRoberto Bolaño - 2666Vladamir Nabokov - LolitaStewart O’Nan - Snow AngelsAnthony Burgess - A Clockwork OrangeKurt Vonnegut - BluebeardAlbert Camus - The OutsiderKurt Vonnegut - Mother NightAleksandar Hemon - The Lazarus ProjectJD Salinger - Franny And ZooeyCormac McCarthy - All The Pretty Horsesnext 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!
Origins of common expressions.
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.’
Fascinating, though I knew about “an arm and a leg.”
