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Excellent little book about freeing up your creativity whether in music, painting, or writing. Reminds me of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which I read many years ago. It has many quotes and some illustrations.
Excellent little book about freeing up your creativity whether in music, painting, or writing. Reminds me of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which I read many years ago. It has many quotes and some illustrations.
Also starting a historical magical kind of a chunkster. I read about it and could not resist.
Starting a book about food and basic flavors.
Interesting summaries of 50 popular books, 40 fiction and 10 non-fiction, including Gone with the Wind, The Hobbit, Da Vinci Code, and first Harry Potter, etc. Mostly accurate background, but they got Zelda Fitzgerald's original last name wrong. I've read 25 out of the 40 (22 fiction and 3 non-f.). Worthwhile. Makes you want to read.
Starting a book about books
Kind of quirky but sometimes poetic story of Laurel who loses her father and is thinking about others who are gone.
Starting a book of fiction that is supposed to be a modern classic.
Great and interesting account of Churchill and WW2 and hanging on until America came in. A lot of details I did not know.
Started a book on Art and creativity.
Great and humorous list of A to Z words and trivia. A bit naughty in parts. Reminds me of the old Joys of Yiddish. I need to read the first book now.
Going through a book I found at a Little Free Library. It‘s a sequel but is interesting so far. I learned the word Ouistiti, a kind of monkey, which is in Scrabble.
Not as funny or as interesting as I thought it would be. Usually I like Bryson.
Good horror novel of a family mansion on a mountain with dark secrets. I liked it but it could have been a little shorter. It is not really the type of thing I usually read. Noemi goes to retrieve her cousin Catalina but gets sucked in herself. I could see it being made as a movie.
Starting a novel found at a Free Little Library. I will give it a shot!
Quite an interesting study of what it means to be able to learn a lot of languages, or hyperpolyglottism. It took awhile for me to read though and I skimmed parts. It is a little frustrating because it lacks solid conclusions to be made. Partly it is a gift and partly just hard work? See the reviews at Amazon for more.
Starting a humorous book about an American in England.
Humorous mystery, part of a series, set in the Art world in the Bay area. Annie Kinkaid has to find a genuine masterpiece near a cemetery and foil some schemers. OK, kind of lightweight but fun.
Starting a graphic novel about a large silent Irishman who works building a skyscaper in 1930s NYC.
It took awhile to read but it helped me understand the integrity of Eisenhower and his point of view on WW2. At the end he says that it was proven that a collaboration of allies could defeat a strong and evil foe to preserve liberty. He could have said more about Russia, but it was too soon.
I have started this mystery in the Art world also! Hailey Lind is a pseudonym for two sisters. Don't know who Juliet Blackwell is.
Going back to nonfiction. I‘m into languages somewhat. Will try this one.
Oops. Not the kind of book I thought it would be. Like cotton candy or something after just reading Jewel‘s authentic memoir. I can‘t read it!
I really liked her story for the first half. She had a challenging life in poverty with a mother who left the family early and a lot of hard times with a father who had had his own demons. I liked her self reflection and her being true to herself and good advice about self love etc. The second half was harder to read. She let her mom use her, still trying to get her love, and ignored finances etc. I was impatient for things to get better.
Started a memoir by Jewel, a singer I like.
Very engrossing story of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma and how many were killed to get their oil wealth. Very shocking and something I never had heard about. This is a great nonfiction book and an only partially resolved mystery. Will see film eventually.
I am starting this true story without seeing the film yet. I liked the author‘s Lost City of Z.
Quite a chilling tale of a possible future dystopia from the viewpoint of a handmaid, Offred (belonging to Fred). Womens rights are greatly restricted and some men are in total control. I haven't seen the movie or the TV series but I have looked at the recent graphic novel. I recommend it for open-minded adults or older teens. Reminds me of 1984 a bit.
Starting this book that is often banned. I haven‘t seen any of the modern TV series but I know a little bit about it. Hope it never comes to be!
Pretty good story in a humorous quirky way. Kind of like his Alcatraz books. I did not like some of the humor though from the official “guide” Plot is good. Redemptive message.
Starting a new one by a local author. I have only read two of his before.
Not bad story of poor black boy in Harlem area who works through grief for his brother by building great lego structures. If not a movie yet, it could be.
I am starting Ike‘s war memoirs from 1946. I am into that era!
Very fascinating story of mankind‘s dealings with ice and how it became possible to manufacture it. With asides on ice cream, health uses, art, sports, and global warming, etc. Worthwhile!
Starting a YA novel that looks interesting.
Quite a good, but sad story, about how a drunken action can have long-term consequences. The main character is also self-destructive and proud, but does have some good qualities. There are deceptions or instances of bad luck that compound the sadness. The language is a bit hard to read, being old-fashioned, with classical allusions, but my copy had good footnotes that helped. Worthwhile if you are up for it!
Very well done speculation about Shakespeare‘s wife, Agnes, usually called Anne, and her life in Stratford as a herbalist. They lose their young boy, a twin, Hamnet, to Plague. His sister is Judith. His best play in London is an attempt to bring him back to life. A great book.
Started a book from the Public Library that looked very interesting.
Starting a classic I have wanted to read ever since I saw The Claim, a Western movie, based on it.
Detailed description of the disaster following quake and fire of April 18, 1906 in San Francisco. There were a lot of blowing up of buildings during the fire and shooting of civilians, but it did bring people together for a while no matter the differences of class or race.
I am reading another one about SF earthquake and fire for more details.
Good account but TMI if you just want 1906 SF events only. A lot on plate tectonics, new geology science, and details on the Richter Scale. A bigger quake is coming at any time!
Good modern Western mystery with old secrets from a dead Basque woman and a conspiracy for money. I have seen a couple of episodes of the TV series and this would be a good one to see.
Starting a modern Western. Have seen some of the series.
Starting to read about great earthquake of 1906.
Compelling argument that we live in a society with a Caste system like India, or like with the Jews and others in the Third Reich. I sort of feel like after I had read “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee“ many years ago. There is a lot of history to overcome!
Long book with quite a variety of stories short and long. Some are better than others and some are a bit odd. Mostly really good. Many have a Southern locale and somewhat autobiographical. One is about Dachau camp and the last is in Jerusalem. Worthwhile.
Starting an important book which I've been meaning to read for a couple of years now.