Tag: reading

Welcome Rain with Hot Tea and a Good Book

Tea, Book & Lewis

“You can never get
a cup of tea large enough or
a book long enough to suit me.”

— C.S. Lewis

I made my monthly trip to downtown Leavenworth to drop off donations at Goodwill and refill my tin with my daily favorite tea, Irish blend, at Queen’s Pantry.  For some reason, I missed this sign (see above photo), prominently displayed to the right as I entered the store.  I only happened to see it as I turned slightly to my right to open the door as I exited.  I stopped, read the quote, and just had to snap a photo.  Apropos for a rainy Saturday, wouldn’t you agree?

Turn the Page on Time

FBCSlogoAt the Fantasy Book Club Series group on GoodReads, we are approaching the end of time, or rather the Wheel of Time series.  We will start reading the final book in that series in May.  On the first day of March, I started a nomination thread, confusingly entitled ‘Life After the Wheel of Time‘ soliciting suggestions for our next series group read.  I remembered to send a spam-like e-mail to group members this morning, since I’d only seen a handful of series nominated in the first few days.   My marketing efforts must be paying off, as two more series were nominated and seconded within an hour of the mass mailing.

Here are just a few of the series that will make it into the first round of voting:

Nominations will remain open until the Ides of March.

The first round of polls will whittle the nominations down to two or three (depending on how close the voting is) for the final deciding vote towards the end of March.  You must be a member of the group to vote (and the group will close to new members once the first poll is open for voting).

Keeping Me Up Late

While the City Sleeps MugI collected my commemorative mug (shown at right) from the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library this past Monday, the 4th of February.  I completed the reading log form via the ‘While the City Sleeps’ web page, noting that three of the five books I’ve read in 2013 were suggested readings for the Library’s adult winter reading program.  I surprised myself because I liked all three and gave each one a four star rating at GoodReads.

When I first reviewed the suggested readings list, I didn’t see anything that jumped out at me.  I found three or four titles that might work so I placed them on hold in various formats.

I didn’t have to wait for one title, Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross.  I found it available immediately as an audiobook via the Library’s Overdrive website.  I checked it out and downloaded it to my new smartphone.  One of the nice features of the Overdrive Android application is a sleep timer.  I set the playback with a thirty minute timer and dozed off each evening to the soothing voice of the reader, extolling me with theology while providing a healing blessing to ease my trials and sufferings.  None of the local book clubs opted to discuss Dark Night of the Soul, but one enterprising library technician is posting daily Lenten observances at his blog, All-Soulo.

The library didn’t own an electronic or audio version of Lost Moon, so I requested the print edition.  I picked up the book on Friday, the 25th of January, and started reading it on Sunday, finishing it the following Friday.  Even though I’ve seen the movie, Apollo 13, many times, I still found myself compelled to read way past my bedtime.  I tried to limit myself to one chapter a night and refrained from carrying the hardcover edition back-and-forth to work.  Truth is not only stranger than fiction, it’s definitely more riveting.  I hope to attend the ‘Read It/Watch It’ event on Sunday afternoon, March 3, 2013.  I’m looking forward to lively conversation led by Katie Stover, Director of Readers’ Services, at the Waldo Branch.  I will resist the urge to pull out my own DVD from my personal video library.

Concurrently, I listened to the audiobook of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern as read by Jim Dale, known in other circles as the ‘voice’ of Harry Potter (winning numerous awards, including two Grammys).  I’ve heard him read before (via one of the Potter books) and he is a delight to listen to.  Even  more delightful than Jim’s exceptional characterizations was the enthralling tale told by Morgenstern in The Night Circus.  I found myself looking for excuses to continue listening, even though I wasn’t driving, or walking the dog, or cleaning house, or doing laundry.  Of all the suggested readings, this one hit the spot perfectly.  I highly recommend it.  In less than a week, I will join the Women Who Dare Book Group at the Central Library for one of the three book discussions scheduled in February and March for The Night Circus.

I convinced my husband to read one of the books along with me.  He prefers non-fiction titles, so I snagged a copy of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers from my local library while waiting for the hold I placed at the Plaza branch to come through.  He’s already into the fourth chapter, while I have yet to start reading it. We both plan to attend the discussion for the newly formed Stranger Than Fiction book group, meeting for the first time on February 27th at 7:00 p.m. at the Plaza Branch. When I mention this book to friends and acquaintances, I hear nothing but good things.  I should begin my cadaverous journey tomorrow evening while my husband is otherwise occupied with his band mates during band practice.

That leaves just one book on my hold list.  Well, actually on two hold lists.  I requested a print edition of Kansas City Noir, as well as the ebook edition.  I’ve been waiting several days and I hope I get one of the editions checked out before the last book discussion arrives on March 9th.  That’s when I plan to join the Heat of the Night book group at the Bluford Branch to discuss this anthology of ‘hard-used heroes and heroines [who] seem to live a lifetime in the stories…Each one seems almost novelistic in scope. Half novels-in-waiting, half journalistic anecdotes that are equally likely to appeal to Kansas City boosters and strangers.’ –Kirkus Reviews

And so I wrap up my winter reads like I wrap up in my favorite worn hand-me-down quilt: relaxed, satisfied and not too terribly sleep deprived, but still awake enough to enjoy some fresh brewed tea in a treasured mug memento.

Ides of Dragon-uary

I finished something on the Ides of January that I started nearly two dozen years ago, literally half a lifetime for me, or two turns of the Wheel of Time as respects the Year of the Dragon. I know, I know.  I’m mixing calendrical metaphors again with my Julian and Oriental dates. I’m inspired by both Ancient Roman history and enamored of my birth year in the Chinese Zodiac.  Only three weeks remain of my favorite of the twelve years, not to rise again until the day after my son’s thirty-eighth birthday.  By that time, I predict I’ll be a grandmother, introducing my grandchildren to the fantastic worlds found in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Hobbit.

When I picked up the first book in this series, The Eye of the World, my daughter was less than a year old; now she’s a mezzo soprano graduate student at the University of North Texas.  Last week, I read the final book, A Memory of Light, in the Wheel of Time series.  I resisted the urge to write a review immediately upon completing the series, knowing from past experience, that I needed to ‘grieve’ for the series and its characters.  Whenever I finish an epic and beloved book or series, knowing there will be no more adventures, insights, intrigues, anything from that world, I fall into a funk, almost a depression.  For two or three days, I felt morose.  In some respects, being incredibly stressed and busy at work kept me from indulging in those doldrums.

I finally gave a rating to the book at GoodReads sometime on Friday, remembering to move it from my currently reading shelf to my read shelf in a fit of digital housekeeping.  I almost gave it four stars, but reluctantly, and probably against my gut instincts, I relented and gave it a full five stars (with a 4.5 qualifier in my short written review).  I give an unreserved five stars specifically to scenes containing Bela, Tam, Egwene and Lan. And I also adore the relatively recent additions of Androl and Pevara.

To the question of ‘Was it worth the wait?’ I am still unsure.  Despite the bright shining stars mentioned above, much of the final book annoyed me.  Why bother to bring back Moiraine if she amounts to a footnote in the Last Battle?  And the same could be said for Nynaeve and Rand for that matter.  Mat and the Seanchan – I still wish either or both of them had never cluttered up this series.  And Elayne seems to be taking Empire-building lessons from Tuon’s ancestor.

The questions I wanted answered remain unanswered.  The resolutions I hoped for did not occur, save perhaps in some oblique off-hand hinted at way.

And thanks to my impatience, I will be re-reading A Memory of Light in May, as I continue leading the discussion of the entire Wheel of Time series (currently in the middle of the 10th book, The Crossroads of Twilight) at the Fantasy Book Club Series GoodReads group.  From this point forward, everything I re-read will be dimmed by my foreknowledge of the end.  I should, perchance, take to heart the final words of the author(s) and let go, for ‘… it was not the ending.  There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time.  But it was an ending.’

Kansas City Public Library 2013 Adult Winter Reading Program ~ While the City Sleeps

After reviewing the suggested reading list for the adult winter reading program, “While the City Sleeps,” I only found three items of interest to me personally.  This does not mean you won’t find something that appeals to your tastes.  I added the following three titles to my ‘to-read’ queue:

I will probably skip the signature events this time around, but will try to make the book discussion in mid-February for Night Circus. I thought about attending the showing of the movie Apollo 13, but decided against it because it’s not at the Plaza Branch (which has a wonderful auditorium).  Besides, I own the DVD.  I’d just miss out on the book discussion for Lost Moon.

This will make my fourth (or possibly fifth) consecutive winter reading program with the Kansas City Public Library.  I can’t wait to see what kind of mug I will add to my growing collection once I turn in my reading log.

Book Review: Legend by Gemmell (5 stars)

Legend by David Gemmell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could hardly put this book down. How did I miss reading this book when it was first published in 1984? How has David Gemmell managed to stay off my reading radar for nearly thirty years? And worse, upon finishing Legend, I learned David died six years ago. I nearly wept as I did for Virae and Druss and Rek and Serbitar. Not even sixty years old when he left us for the Forever Halls.

The themes are still thrumming through my being – Life and Death; War and Peace; Honor, Duty, Courage, Fear, Betrayal, Despair, Hope and Love. The depth of characterization surprised me despite Gemmell’s concise prose. Rarely have I been drawn to characters so adeptly and abruptly.

For a fantasy novel, Legend had less of the traditional fantasy elements (magic, strange creatures, etc.) and more close-up violence (comparable to Conan or other sword and sorcery standards) than I’ve read recently. Still, it contained some of the best fighting scene’s I’ve ever read. And it held me morbidly enthralled, watching the doomed desperate, surely futile, struggles of the defenders against the inexorable endless tide of invaders. I did not connect the dots until after I finished Legend and read up on David Gemmell’s life. Now, in hindsight, it seems all too obvious.

“Legend is the Alamo spirit – or what should have been that spirit.” — David Gemmell on the influence of The Alamo in an interview with Stan Nichols in 1989.

My first foray into heroic fantasy left me gasping for more. Today is always a good day to die … or live.

Read (and joing) the discussion of this novel held during November 2012 at the Fantasy Book Club group at GoodReads.com.

Excellent review from Far Beyond Reality on Janny Wurts‘ Initiate’s Trial, which I read about this time last year. I awarded the novel, the ninth in the Wars of Light and Shadow series, five stars at GoodReads, but never felt adequate to the task of writing a worthy review.  I highly recommend all of Stefan Raets’ reviews and regularly participate in the Beyond Reality GoodReads group where he is a moderator.  I also highly and heartily recommend the fantasy series the Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts.  Some of the best writing I’ve read, bar none.

Book Review: Cat’s Cradle by Vonnegut

Cat's CradleCat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of the first books I remember being ‘required’ to read in school (Middle School to be exact) happened to be Slaughterhouse-Five. Looking back, even though I had been reading at a college level since I reached double-digit age, I probably wasn’t ready for the subject matter. Come to think of it, I should probably re-read Vonnegut’s most famous novel again, from the other end of three decades of my life gone by. The same could be said for Cat’s Cradle, if I had read it back then, but I’m reading it for the first time on the downhill side of my life.

Published a year before I took my first breath, I get all the cultural references. I am still pondering the ramifications of the ‘Truth’ of all religions, according to Vonnegut’s character (who remained nameless throughout the entire novel). Satire? Irony? Poetic justice? Nihilism? Or some chaotic cohesion of all of them?

I found a few gems among the exceptionally short chapters (some less than a page in length): The ambassador’s speech before tossing the wreath in honor of the Hundred Martyrs to Democracy: ‘Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.’; Newt: ‘No damn cat, and no damn cradle.’; and Mona: ‘I love everyone.’

I actually heard Kurt Vonnegut speak during my college years. He came to Wichita State University in the early 80s to give a lecture. I learned about his appearance late (on the same day in fact), so I arrived almost too late to get a seat. For some reason, the facility decided to open up seating on the stage, so I sat cross-legged within ten or twenty feet of him to his right. As memorable as my seating arrangements were, I cannot remember anything he said during that lecture, nor even what his topic was. My book collection remained at home in Leavenworth County, so I had nothing to ask him to sign. I sincerely regret that now.

I gave Cat’s Cradle three stars. I liked it, and it definitely made me think deeply and ponder many questions, but I can’t say I really liked it. An interesting read, and it has aged remarkably well.

View all my reviews

This is the first ebook I read using the OverDrive Media Nook application.  I checked it out smoothly and easily from the Kansas City Public Library.  After fiddling with the Reading Options, I found a happy medium for speed of page turns (but not transitions between chapters) and font shape and size.  The dictionary feature only works if you have your wifi on and connected to the Internet because it uses Dictionary.com.  This differs from the default ereading application provided by Barnes & Noble, which uses a pre-installed copy of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition).  I definitely missed the highlighting and annotating features that come standard with most ereading software.   Strangely, I’ve checked out ebooks from the KC Public Library before, but used the Adobe Digital Editions software and a USB cable to transfer the ebook from my computer to my Nook Color.  In that instance, I used the default ereader to read the ebook, so I had all my normal functionality.  I can only hope the OverDrive Media Console application will improve with time and feedback.

Product/Service Review: OverDrive Media Console Nook App (Released 9/27/2012)

I can probably retire the post I wrote several months ago.  The one that included a flowchart of how to transfer a library ebook from your computer to your Nook.  I received so many calls from fellow Nook owners about how to do this process, that I felt compelled to break it down into bite-size easily digested pieces, with pictures to aid memory retention, and post it here at my blog.  Thankfully, Barnes & Noble released, this morning, the long overdue OverDrive app, making that flowchart, at least the library lending portion of it, obsolete.   Being a fool who rushes in where app angels fear to tread, I downloaded it to my Nook over lunch.

From the OverDrive main menu, I tapped the App Settings icon, where  I activated my Nook device via my existing Adobe Digital Editions account.  I reviewed but did not change any of the other settings.  I returned to the Bookshelf home page, and tapped the Get Books icon from the main menu.  At the bottom of the screen on this page, there is a large ‘Add a Library’ button, which I pressed.  I typed in the name of the Kansas City Public Library and pressed the Search button.  I added my favourite local (literally in the same building) library from the search results. I made sure to star it and save it for future use.

When I clicked on the link to the KC Public Library, I was taken to the Nook’s web browser and the mobile website for the library’s OverDrive system.  I entered my library card and pin number, telling the Nook to remember that information for future visits.  I clicked on the My Wish List link under the Your Account tab and checked out an ebook I had waiting there (Cat’s Cradle in this instance).  I selected the ePub version and pressed the Download button.  Success!  No USB cable necessary.  All done in seconds, wirelessly.

The OverDrive reader software is different from the Nook Color’s primary reading application, and it seems a bit slower.  I will need to review the pop-up quick reference guide more closely to see if I’m missing any gestures or configuration settings to tweak performance.

B&N also released a similar app from 3M, which I also downloaded and installed to my Nook. However, my other local library does not use that service, so I may archive that app.

Sixteen or seventeen months after I received my Nook Color, one hurdle to simpler ebook lending achieved.  Now, if publishers and libraries could just reach a compromise in their disagreement.  Have you read the recently published open letter from the ALA and the response by the Big Six (through the AAP)?  The digital divide is widening daily.