Nov
18
Give + Take
November 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Some of you may have already heard of Concord Free Press. From their website, you can take part in a new experiment. Think: Pay it Forward. The company is distributing 1,500 free copies of Stona Fitch’s novel, Give + Take. You don’t pay shipping or anything. The novel is totally free. Concord simply asks that you make a donation to a charity or to someone in need. You can see who has contributed and where on their website. If you make a contribution, tell Concord about it.
I am really excited about this experiment and requested my free copy of Give+Take a few weeks ago. My original intent was to read it, then blog about the whole thing, but I haven’t finished it yet. I’m too excited about Concord Free Press to hold it in. Once I finish the book, I’m going to review it, and then I will have a giveaway right here on my blog. One of you lucky readers will be able to win a copy of Give+Take. I will send it right to your house, so you can read it and pass it on. More on that later.
For now, the book is pretty interesting and I can’t wait to see where the story goes. The novel follows Ross Clifton, a Jazz pianist. He is an accomplished thief, but gives all the money he steals away. But like all naughty acts a person can do, eventually it will catch up to him.
The back cover:
See the price? $0.00.
Nov
18
Changes afoot
November 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I haven’t been posting as much as I would like to. I realize that has probably made this blog a bit too boring for some of my readers. I’m sorry. I’m going to be making some big changes around here very soon. I want to make this blog an exciting and informative place. I want you to wait on the edge of your seat for new posts (and not make you wait too long for them). While I can’t tell you exactly what changes I’ll be making, it will all come around soon. For now, stick around. Things are getting exciting.
Oct
21
Favorite Independent Bookstore
October 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
19 west bridge street
oswego, ny 13126
315 342 0077
info@riversendbookstore.com
The River’s End Bookstore is my favorite bookstore. Now that I’m living on the other side of the country, I really am missing it. When I stumbled onto IndieBound, I found it in their listings and left a review. You can read my post about IndieBound here and you can find me on IndieBound here .
I first discovered River’s End in 2000 (ish). It was just around the corner from my favorite Oswego coffee shop. When the bookstore at SUNY Oswego had run out of a novel I needed for school, I decided to check out River’s End. Over my years in college, I found that River’s End Bookstore kept a number of books in stock that were required reading for my English classes. The staff at River’s End completes little notecard book reviews, like many of the major chain stores do, but in this small store you can walk over to the person who wrote it and discuss the book with them. Everyone there is like a little family. There is a warm, welcoming feel every time you walk in, even if it’s the first time you’ve ever been there. The staff is always incredible helpful and more than willing to make recommendations based on the type of books you like. They have a frequent buyer program that gives you a great discount. They also offer coffee and Wi-Fi access now.
The River’s End website is equally rad. It features the “What We’re Reading” section, New Releases, and their upcoming events. Events at River’s End are a blast. Whether it is an open-mic type local reading, a famous author, story time, or other event, there is a warm, intimate atmosphere in the store. There are art and music events, too.
The business plays a big role in the community. They’re an active part of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce. They support the college community and local arts. I just can’t say enough good about River’s End. It is the perfect, family-owned, local independent bookstore. It’s located on the corner of West First and Bridge Street just a block away from the Oswego river. If you aren’t familiar with the area, it is a beautiful and historic place. In fact, River’s End maintains a fantastic selection of local books about the history of Oswego and surrounding small towns as well as work by local authors.
Check out the website. If you’re going to place an Amazon order soon, consider ordering one of your book or music titles through River’s End. If you do, comment here. I’d love to see some people from all over the country and world support my favorite indie bookseller in these tough economic times.
Oct
20
Wilfred Owen
October 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I want to share one of my favorite poets with all of you. I am not big on reading poetry, really, so there are a few select poets I’m crazy about. Wilfred Owen is one of those poets. He was an English soldier who served during World War I. During that era, most British soldiers had college educations. There was loads of propaganda about WWI. One common British WWI poster was the silhouette of a soldier, standing guard on a hilltop with the statement, “HALT! Who goes there? If you are a friend join the British ranks and help the brave lads AT THE FRONT.” Another, appealing to the support of women at home, depicts a mother, her young daughter and even younger son, longingly gazing out an open window. The strong message here is, “Women of Britain say- GO!” Wilfred Owen was distressed by this popularization of war.
He addressed the propaganda with his poetry. There was a lot of hero poetry and work that supported the propaganda. Owen’s poems were vastly different from other works because he addressed the side of war that you only see at the front. The graphic imagery dashes the pretty pictures people had formed in their minds of the glorious, uniformed British soldier marching bravely into battle and returning without a scratch. His descriptions of mustard gas in Dulce et Decorum Est and of death on the battlefield in Anthem for Doomed Youth shocked many readers who were under the viel of propaganda.
In this day and age of so many wars raging around the world, I think that we need more Wilfred Owen’s. There has been incredible art in the form of poetry, music, painting, novels, blogs, videos, etc. coming out of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of them less shocking than others, but all incredible in their own rite.
This link has great explanatory notes along with Dulce et Decorum Est. Here is another deep look at the poem.
Dulce et Decorum Est
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, –
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Anthem For Doomed Youth
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of good-byes.
The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
Here is some great info on Anthem. If you’d like to read more of Wilfred Owen’s work, go here. I highly recommend it.
A note about WO-type work:A friend recently recommended Blood Makes the Grass Grow Green: A Year in the Desert with Team America. He told me that if I liked My War by Colby Buzzel, I would like this one even more. I think it may rank up there with some of the more graphic works that has come out of Iraq. When I manage to buy it, I will review it here.
Oct
18
Progressive Book Club
October 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I stumbled on the Progressive Book Club website a couple of weeks ago. I decided to share it here. Though I generally don’t get into politics in this blog (and I won’t really in this post except for the obvious), I really think this website deserves some attention. PBC offers cheap book purchases with your membership and has a good size community section where there are groups for discussion, individuals to connect with, events, and blogs. The site features Editor’s Picks and Staff Picks and progressive news, which appears to highlight the progressive authors on the website. The site is really worth a look around, even if you decide not to become a member. However, if you’re looking for a book club and all the extras that come with being a book club, then this might be the site for you.
One thing I found incredibly interesting is PBC’s causes. When you become a member, you can choose from a very extensive list of groups and organizations to donate money to. Whenever you make a book purchase, $2.00 will be donated to the group you chose. The list of organizations is incredible. You can choose to support NARAL of NY, which is a pro-choice organization or you could choose to support Sojourners, the biggest progressive Christian organization in the country.
Here is the complete list of organizations:
- Sojourners
- The Carpetbagger Report
- Iowa Independent
- Democratic Leadership Council
- Colorado Independent
- Mother Jones
- The Nation
- Progressive Future
- New Mexico Independent
- World Policy Institute
- Environment America
- Media Matters
- North Star Fund
- Code Pink
- Afro-Netizen
- AlterNet
- NARAL Pro-Choice New York
- Democratic Underground
- Campaign for America’s Future
- The Progressive
- Stonewall Democrats
- Air America
- Public Citizen
- SEIU
- Demos
- Vote Vets
- Hightower Lowdown
- Center for American Progress
- World Hunger Year
- The American Prospect
- Eschaton/Atrios
- Daily Kos
- Minnesota Independent
- Brennan Center
- Wellstone Action Fund
- Living Liberally
- Truthdig
- Young People For
- ProgressNow
- Washington Independent
- Third Way
- Michigan Messenger
Oct
7
They Like Us, They Really Like Us
October 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Remember the Book Blog Carnival I posted about a few days ago? Well it seems the folks at Blog Carnival really like our Book Blog Carnival. Our carnival will be feature on their homepage ALL day Sunday October 12th. It will be in their featured blog carnivals section to “highlight and acknowledge carnivals [they] really like.”
How cool is that??
I have to say that getting that email seriously helped lighten my mood after having watched our two main presidential candidates debate (and I use that term loosely) the hot issues in our country. I have to mention this, even though it’s completely not related to books at all really. Also, if anyone knows a book that involved this theory, let me know because I’d totally buy it.
Politicians never change. From childhood to adulthood to really old age, they stay the same in one deep, meaningful way. They always promise chocolate milk and pizza for lunch every single day. We all know they won’t deliver, can’t deliver the lunchtime goods. The lunch ladies told us it’s a lie. The teachers told us it’s a lie. They even advised the candidate not to make promises that they couldn’t keep, but the candidate saw our weakness. Our weakness called hope. I’m not saying no one should have hope. I’m not quite that cynical. I’m saying that our hope is raped by promises of chocolate milk and pizza every single day.
Just saying. It’s something to think about. I won’t mention here who I do or do not support because it’s pretty irrelevant in this blog, but I will say this: Beware of the promises of chocolate milk and pizza because no matter which candidate or party you support and no matter how strong your opinions are, no one will ever, ever, ever give you chocolate milk and pizza every single day.
Oct
2
Read For The Record!
October 2, 2008 | 3 Comments
If you have ever met a child that’s been read to and a child who hasn’t, then you have seen the immense impact of childhood reading. I was read to as a child and learned to love books very early. I was an avid reader from the moment I could read on my own. In fact, I loved to read so much so, that I often read aloud. I thought I was sharing my happiness with others. Turns out sometimes people don’t want to hear it. Oh well. It’s a habit I still battle with. =)
For all you avid readers out there, imagine for a moment if someone took away all your books. I know it’s scary, but try to think about it. Now imagine if someone took away your very favorite childhood book. I’m sure you all had one. Mine was The Monster at the End of This Book.
It may or may not be news to you that there are millions of low income children who have no books at home or just none that are age appropriate. Having lived most of my life in a low income, rural area of upstate NY, I have met children who have no books at home. I come from a whole family of book lovers and it always appalled me that there was any child who was denied the access to books, denied the chance to fall in love with stories and engage in worlds outside their own without leaving their cozy bed. Now I see my two year old niece growing so incredibly fast. She has had the luxury (or in my opinion, a right) of having tons of her own books in her home since before she could walk, maybe since before she rolled over on her own. She is growing to love books. Her parents have story time with her every night before bed. I have watched this adorable little girl, walk over to a bin full of toys, pull out a book and plop into my lap. No child should have to live without that experience, that slice of pure joy that can come only from books (and, of course, the parental bonding that comes with being read to).
That’s where Jumpstart’s Read for the Record comes in. This campaign is a continuing quest to get books into the homes of children who have none. Today October 2, 2008 across the nation, parents and children will be attending reading events in schools, libraries, playgrounds, and all over the place. Their goal is break the record this year. If you want location specific info or to be informed as to whether they broke the record, text “JSTART” to 90999 or sign up for their email list here.
Also, you can donate a book by ordering one through their website here. This year’s official campaign book is Corduroy. Other ways to get involved are listed here.
Sep
29
Book Review Blog Carnival
September 29, 2008 | 1 Comment
YAY…everyone loves a carnival, right? The smell of popcorn butter, cotton candy, and that weird odor near the tilt-a-whirl…The fun games with their amazing prizes (like dead fish), and of course Carnies!!
Unfortunately, this is not that kind of carnival. Although, I might be able to work a carnie into a book review blog post somehow. This is a Book Review Blog Carnival–hosted this week at I’ll Never Forget the Day I Read a Book . The carnival was started and is being maintained by Clark Bjork over at Blog Carnival.
SO, this is my first blog carnival. Go check it out, then come back and check me out some more.
Sep
29
Buy A Friend A Book Week
September 29, 2008 | 1 Comment
The first week of October is upon us, so is Buy a Friend A Book Week. The only goal of BAFAB is to suprise your friends, for no reason whatsoever, with the best gift a person can give — a book. BAFAB is celebrated the first weeks of January, April, July, and October annually. Although, as BAFAB explains, it’s okay to cheat and BAFAB any time you want. The website even provides a little printable note to tuck inside your package explaining why you sent it:
“It’s Buy a Friend a Book Week and I’ve selected you as the recipient of a book. Know that this gift is given for no good reason. If it’s your birthday, I don’t want to hear about it. Anniversary? Not a chance. This is a no-strings-attached present given just because.”
BAFAB is young. It was born in July 2005. The site creator, Debra Hamel, is also an author and blogger and mom. Debra has included Amazon Affiliate links to purchase books via BAFAB. She wants you to know that these are affiliate links. Now I want you to know that you should USE them. The website is a gem and the author should certainly get a kickback from your purchases.
Make sure to check out the BAFAB blog. Links are posted there daily including some contests and kick ass reviews.
I can think of few things more exciting the BAFAB. While I wish I had thought of this awesome website, I won’t hold it against Debra for being a genius first. So take a few minutes this week to buy a book for a friend. If you don’t have loads of cash to squander on loved ones (who does?), then dig into you collection — yes, I know it hurts — and pick one of your favorites or just a title you think they’d enjoy.
Grab a tag like this for your website, profile, or blog:
Now go and BAFAB!
Sep
25
I Will Never Buy This Book
September 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
First time author, Dante Moore, is making the publicity rounds for his book Re-education of the Female. Let me give you a little taste of this book:
From the Amazon editorial review, “A mature and open-minded intellect will really understand and appreciate this representation of the male point of view. This book is the perfect starting point for women to evaluate themselves with a little more detail, before pointing fingers and tossing blame at the endless reasons surrounding why they can’t find a “good man.”
Amazon’s review suggests any woman who takes offense to this book is immature and closed-minded. Good job Amazon. You suck.
For those of you who haven’t yet heard, Moore’s book is basically about burning feminism and throwing it in the East Rive. Moore, who has never been married, attempts to give women insight into the minds of men. However, his sweeping generalizations about both genders were not reasearched. He didn’t even poll a dozen people on the internet. He puts forth that his own position is that of all men and that all women have a problem understanding what men want because they won’t like what they hear. Men like Dante Moore are just a step above orangutangues, and only because they can speak–and unfortunately, write.
In an interview I watched with Moore, he explained a few points he made in his book. Women should always stay below a size 10. Cooking and wearing sexy things around the house are other ways women can keep their man. As Moore writes, “Here’s a little secret, ladies: men never really ask for anything. They command. And believe me, what you won’t do, ten broads around the corner will.”
The rantings about Moore are rampant in all forms of media, including the blogosphere. I struggled with deciding whether or not to add my voice to his free publicity. Admid all this tearing down of the book, Moore is selling copies like hot cakes. So instead of reviewing the book or complaining about it, I just want to say that if you’re an intelligent, confident woman, then don’t buy this book. Don’t make Moore a millionaire just to be part of the big conversation about.
If you’re looking for a review, check this one out at Jezebel.
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