Anna Begins

Woohoo for the rain! That's great- I know you wanted to get some reading done this weekend. I took today to basically read most of the day. Elie Wiesel is so good! Although I need my computer handy to look up stuff

Well, I FINALLY got my school text book, but it's strange. It's about 700 loose leaf pages in a cover with a spine and holes for a BINDER or FOLDER to put through the holes. What a dumb idea. If you don't use something, all the pages fall out (I had about 20 fall out when I opened it with glee) I guess the idea is, you can carry just a few pages, not the whole book. Grrrr. So I'm off to the store tomorrow to find a solution (need highlighters and post-it's too). We also have an "open house" for my daughter's Kindergarten on Tuesday night. 3 days left to go and we'll both be students!

Alice in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll

Happy reading!

I hope you got some good stuff I the mail! I got my English textbook! It shipped to my mom's house though, but she just went home to pick it up for me! That gives me 4 days with the book before school, which is better than 2!

I'd second Gone With the Wind if you haven't read it already. But, I already made my suggestions lol

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all that would've made you super tired before this medication, right? Maybe it is working! *fingers crossed*

That would be a spoiler

Yes, he has a series called Tapping the Vein. I have Volumes 2-5. Although #2 looks worse for wear, my dog ate it as a puppy The Thief of Always (YA) is illustrated wonderfully too, but it's not a graphic novel. I love my Barker collection, joke is, if there's a fire, pack up the Barker's and flee Edit- I have just found out there is a graphic novel edition of The Great and Secret Show. It's only $7. I might have to buy it. Ugh- the BCF is killing me At just 300 pages, I can't imagine what it could be like.

Ok, I'll play. August 9th Most powerful storytelling. I'd have to go with Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken: a WWII story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, my favorite read of last year. Can I do two past ones too? August 2nd, Best pariring of words and pictures I'd pick Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, with illustrations by Ralph Steadman. Steadman does all the unusually strange acid trip-like illustrations in Thompson's books (and for Flying Dog beer). Story is about a Rolling Stone columnist traveling to Las Vegas with his lawyer and a trunk full of drugs (to take, not sell). August 4th- Best Graphic novel Yattering and Jack by Clive Barker (Illustrations by Barker). Barker does all his own art in his books, be it graphic novel or not and his work is mind blowing. YAJ is about a demon tormenting a man who had a family member make a pact with the devil.

I'd love to be a polymath I like Erudite too! (having or showing great knowledge or learning)

I like hearing your daily challenges- you should post a thread. I love your opening line! And the book- wow! I wish someone would give me a book like that. BTW- You should join us in a read-a- thon!

Polyglot- knowing or using several languages

Finished Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands this afternoon (review in my thread) and now am in between Elie Wiesel's Memoirs All Rivers Run to the Sea and Salt: A Post- Apocalyptic Thriller by Colin F. Barnes. Wiesel is always so elegant (this will be book #5 of his I have read) and Salt is turning out to be good: In 2014 humanity didn’t stand a chance. A series of fatal climatic disasters struck, entirely drowning the planet. Now, just one hundred and twenty-five souls remain, surviving on a flotilla of damaged ships. Facing severe threats to their numbers by a fatal bacterium and increasingly warring factions, they discover a serial killer within their midst. (Amazon)

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian 288 pages Genre: Fiction Edited from Amazon: A nuclear plant in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom has experienced a cataclysmic meltdown, and both of Emily Shepard’s parents were killed. Devastatingly, her father was in charge of the plant, and the meltdown may have been his fault. Emily feels certain that as the daughter of the most hated man in America, she is in danger. She takes off on her own before befriending a young homeless boy. Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is one of Chris Bohjalian’s finest novels to date—breathtaking, wise, and utterly transporting. Me: There are just some authors out there, you wonder what their mind must be like. Chris Bohjalian is one of those for me. I love his writing style: conversational, casual, carefree and easy. The themes of his books are so varied, I just want to read them all. Even the ones that don’t appeal to me! Close Your Eyes, Hold hands did not disappoint, it is my second read of his. It’s fast paced and short, at 288 pages. Released this year- in July- the book is refreshingly current. Author of Midwives and Sandcastle Girls, Bohjalian uses up to date references throughout- I phones, Facebook, Fukushima, CNN, Fox News and with lines like: “It was like the lines outside the movie theater on the opening night of a new Hunger Games film.” Written in the first person (of which I am becoming fond of), Emily reminds me a lot of Madison, Chuck Palahniuk’s protagonist in Damned: tough and determined. The topic of coping with a nuclear power plant explosion/meltdown- while terrifying- copes by using a semi- emotional protagonist, trying survive and told in a past tense first person perspective. If that sounds familiar (like any apocalyptic coping survival book), I can assure you Bohjalian handles it in his own unique style. Jodi Picoult says it best, on the cover, ”If you need any proof that fiction can scare us, move us and break our hearts simultaneously, look no further.” (4/5) recommended

Good luck with that- I couldn't get past 10 pages in Trainspotting. Gave me a terrific headache (Loved the movie though & the soundtrack was awesome).

(5/5) Ricci is chilling as Lizzie. Originally a made for TV movie, it just came out on Netflix.

I know how that can be a problem! I don't use the library (yet) but I have a short list (first post on page 11) and it looks like I'm booked up for the rest of the year- with room for a few add ins. What are you waiting on? Edit: Just saw what you're waiting on in the August thread!

I am so so so sorry. I know you must get attached to your patients. And I know what you mean about just getting the wedding over with. I planned mine for 7 months! And it wasn't even THAT much to put together, just seemed tiring to get everything organized, ya know?

Thanks so much for this! I am reading in sepia right now and really liking it. Not so harsh on the eyes and I like the color of the type a lot! I haven't used that option since I changed my font size.

This is such a cool challenge! I love the map!

That is so exciting! By the way you typed it, it sounds like you are excited and happy- have a very special day (I hope you post all about it!) It will be perfect. I'm sure you've read India in your book challenge, but I've been timid in telling you about Behind the Beautiful Forevers.. It's about one of the slums in the shadows of Mumbai (non fiction), by Katherine Boo. It was one of my favorites of last year and reads fast at 290 pages. If you liked the Ringtone and the Drum, I just thought you might like it too

Whoohoo! Glad you liked it! It sounds good- I am so reading this when I have, oh, 900 pages of free time No, seriously, I think it might be one of my first reads for next year. And I'd like to read Paris next year as well. I was just thinking that I haven't read much history this year.

The book is not harsh at all. It is worth a read, but I wouldn't move it up on my TBR (Frankly, I was a little bored in parts) and don't think it's some terrible emotional book- like the clips of the movie I've seen (one of my friends actually saw people walking out of the theater- book is SO not like that).

I might watch it next week, I am going to watch Winter's Bone in the next day or so. I have so many I want to watch but I can't tear myself away from the Chris Bohjalian book I'm reading, haven't finished it yet, but think you would like it.