#iamreadingnow #iwishiwrotethis #awwww

#iamreadingnow #itsgettingreal #thumbsup

What a great day! My first novel is listed on Litsy! I think one of the reasons I love Catherine is because she loves books the way I do, and has from a very young age. Of course, I'm a real person and she's a fictional character, but why let that stand in the way of friendship?

A fun, vintage scrapbook of a faux memoir by the author of Auntie Mame. Dennis's dry wit is well-used to give voice to Martha Dinwiddie Butterfield, the dimmest ersatz First Lady in existence. The photos are as funny as the prose.

The characters range from cozily familiar (3 pre-adolescent Dr. Who fans) to the bizarre (a bee- bearded woman), but all of the stories are compelling.

The sensory details in the opening scenes of this novel are so vivid I feel as though I'm right there with the narrator.

Thanks to the Goodreads Twitter feed for our word of the day. I'm working on the word for an author who would be thrilled to hear that people are hanging out with her book instead of her.

I'm hanging out with The Library Book, myself.

"Time is the great author. It always writes the perfect ending." ---Charlie Chaplin

The message of this story is basically, "Be nice to each other." Some people are disappointed such a sweet book---really a novella--- was King's Halloween offering. I'm just disappointed the concept echoes Thinner, the tone is reminescent of Joe Hill's story "Pop Art", and at times the exposition is clumsy.

Shusterman is never afraid to throw rocks at his characters, and never shies away from controversial topics. He is the best kind of writer in the YA genre: he understands that young people want to think about the world and the issues that face them. Some people may call this dystopian, but the premise is very, very real.

Dalcher's book was literally the stuff of nightmares for me. The night I started reading it, the premise followed me into my dreams. In a world where men have deprived women of their voice, limiting them to 100 spoken words a day and depriving them of the written word, neurolinguist Jean McClellan is called upon to find a cure for a type of aphasia---and in return can have her words back. Is the opportunity a chance for a better world? Or a trap?

Can't stop reading this book. The basic premise---that women have been limited to 100 spoken words a day, deprived of sign language, books, and writing implements---is one that plays on one of my fundamental fears.

Thank you, @Alfrazier21 , for a fantastic box of goodies! The books look just right for reading in our murky weather. #HocusPocusSwap

Many thanks to @rather_be_reading for organizing the swap. It was my first time swapping they Litsy and I had a great experience!

Amateur sleuths are helping America's law enforcement make inroads in dealing with the problem of the thousands of unidentified remains being held in labs and offices across the country. Halber talked to a cross-section of criminal justice professionals, amateur investigators, and bereaved family members to put together a fascinating story of the lost and the found.

Thanks for the swap, @Alfrazier21! Can't wait for opening day! #HocusPocusSwap #October #LittensForTheWin

@Alfrazier21 🎃 Your #HocusPocusSwap box got mailed off today! Happy 🐌📮 coming your way!

Breen interweaves Arabella's story with scenes set in the fiction class she teaches, so there are little mini-lessons in writing throughout the book. Each of the chapters set in the class also end with the take-home writing prompt Arabella gives her students.

I just finished reading "A Confederacy of Dunces," and despite the iconic cover, which features a drawing of Ignatius with a bird on his head, this is how I saw the characters. I've tried to find the artist's name (I think both covers are by the same person) but no luck. Any leads? Or search terms that might get the result? The books here were published in the early '70s.

A grad student and his wife buy a home in Salt Lake City and try to transform the handyman special into something they can live with. With each project they learn not only what they are capable of but gain new respect for the craftsmen who help transform the hovel into a home.

I can't speak to what non-knitters might think of this book, but I adored it. Martini writes about her year-long quest to knit an intricate sweater from a pattern designed by a crabby and litigious artist. Along the way, we learn about how the internet helped revive the community of knitters and what knitters get out of knitting besides hats and socks.

Happy National Book Lovers Day!

I love that we know what Hammett read and I love the evidence that good writers read widely. #writersreadtoo

Just one of the greats quoted in Florey's history and appreciation of diagramming.

And herein lies the danger of education. #sotrue #americanhistory #litspeaks

Even with its dated, didactic tone, this book is a fascinating and compelling read. It really illuminates the abolitionist mindset and reveals what a cultural stamp the book left. #classics #americanhistory

I've put off reading my book club's selection for this Saturday's meeting until now. My husband says watching the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" section of "The King and I" doesn't count, so I am digging in. I think this DOES count as my "book with a cover you hate" entry for the @bookriot #readharder2018 challenge. #reluctantreader

Angie Turner has opened her farm-to-table restaurant in her Idaho hometown, but her sous chef is taking a few days to cook at the local Basque festival. The hole in her kitchen staff is stressing her out, her elderly neighbor has moved in for a week, and on top of that, murder and missing men have Angie on the trail if another criminal.

When Angie returns to her hometown in Idaho, she invests her time and heart in opening a farm-to-table restaurant that many think won't succeed. Angie is ready to show them all, but a local murder almost distracts her from the work she'll need to do for opening day.

Louise Canova has settled. Settled for an uninspiring job, a distracted husband, and a frumpy image. None of these are serving her well, so when she finds a vintage book on charm, she uses it to try to find a better version of her life.

Reading the books she co-wrote with her husband about their adventures in book collecting led me to unearth this charming memoir of Nancy's time as one of the first female options traders. I'm not clear about how option trading even works, but I'm crazy about this kind of book. Goldstone's is top notch!

Being from Will's hometown, I just don't know how to deal with this!

Light, entertaining, and remarkably sweet, this memoir of the making of "The Princess Bride" is a lovely cohort to the movie for anyone who has seen and loved it.

King was a traditional conservative with no time for fools and no patience with movement politics. Her snarky essays are worth a read, but start with her memoir. I loved her distinction between Virginians and those from the Deep South. #authorconfession #wcw

Some books lead you to other books; some lead you back to movies you've loved!

Batuman's book has a promising beginning, an introduction that made me laugh out loud. The rest of the book doesn't live up to the intro. The bulk of the story is about Elif's sojourns abroad and deep, thoughtful analysis of Russian and Uzbek literature. The title should have warned me, I guess, but I think the introduction foreshadowed a lighter read. The last sentences of the book, above, do reaffirm Batuman's belief in the power of literature.

I'm not a book collector, but I love the Goldstone's stories about the hunt! #currentlyreading #nonfiction

We just unloaded from our waltz across Texas and back...this our pile of souvenirs! #bookhaul #somanybooks #tbr #cookbooks

Even just a few pages in, I think the yellow cover does the best job of communicating the tone of this very funny memoir of grad school. #judgingabookbyitscover #bookcover

A life-changing experience sends Boston gastroenterologist Nora Stuart back to the Maine island where she grew up. Her recovery is marked by discovering truths from her past and new relationships to enrich her future.

Melanie Travis's champion poodle has been chosen as a finalist in a dog food contest, and she has no interest in winning. When one of the other owners is murdered, however, Melanie's interest is piqued. A cute, cozy mystery with some behind-the-scenes dog show stuff.

An amazing number of people have carried your drinks and food to your table, but if you haven't been one of the "wait-force", you probably need to read Cardosa's book. Delightfully snarky with guys of sweetness, the stories will both entertain and instruct.

Elgie's comment about how horizons impact our brains made me think about an upcoming road trip, and how I've decided to make "Be here now" my travel mantra.

And then Bee's comment made me laugh out loud.

Further irony: 95% percent of the time, I read on my Kindle, but this one I read analog-style.

The school year ends and summer begins... with a trip to the book store. #bookhaul #summereading

1. Laurel 2. I listen to podcasts more than anything. Looking forward to hearing "Dimly Lit," a podcast about books hosted by a former student! 3. Last day for teachers where I teach is May 29. 4. I am finishing my 25th year teaching speech/debate/drama in the same classroom! 5. "All the world's a stage. We have our entrances and our exits..." Congrats to all the grads! #friyayintro @jesshowbooks