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Abby's Reading Log (started 2009)


AbielleRose

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I'll be interested in your thoughts on the Hawthorne, as I have this on my TBR pile. :lol:

 

I'm really excited to read Hawthorne mostly because of his personal history. He was related to the infamous John Hathorne who was a judge at the Salem Witch Trials. He actually added the W into his name to disassociate himself with him.

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Around November-time there's Banned Book Week, when (most of) the bookish places start reeling off the books which have been banned, doing reviews of illicit texts and generally cocking a snook at the censorous fools who would have us remain ignorant. There's a bundle of banned books which were specially printed for a newspaper a couple of years back. I think there was 25 or so hardback titles with the "Banned" branding thematically linking them.

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I've been going through my pile of books today and after a lot of debate have decided to begin selling some of them in preperation for my big move. We have a local store in town that buys used books so later this week, after I sort out the ones I can part with, I will be taking a load over. In true 'Abby' fashion I discovered a crate of paperbacks I had forgotten about in the trunk of my car from my first move back in February. Most of them are old Christian/Catholic self help/God loves you style books so I am planning on taking them over to one of our local churches to donate to their library.

 

Wurthering Heights has been coming along nicely and I have no doubt I'll be able to finish it tomorrow or Tuesday. For some reason I'm on a bit of a classics kick at the moment so I am planning on following it up with The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne and then Beowulf. I've always wanted to read Beowulf but have been too intimidated by it. Carpe Diem, now's as good a time as any. :)

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I just got back from a little outing and ended up ducking into a cute little eccletcic book shop downtown and coming out with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. :D I didn't originally plan on buying anything when I walked into the store, but you know how one thing leads to another and eventually you end up at the till with your arms full of stuff you never intended on buying. At least these have been on my 'want' list. :D

 

Slowly, my TBR pile and my book shelf are growing again! :D

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I am fully engrossed in Heresy by S. J. Parris at the moment and am absolutely loving it.

 

The story, about a 16th century monk in Naples opens with him being discovered reading a forbidden text by Erasmus and having to go before the Father Inquisitor for his 'ungodly' acts of reading. It is a world where people (ie- the Church) believe the Earth is still the center of the universe and people with different ideas such as Copernicus, who believed the Sun was the center and we orbited around it, are considered heretics.

 

Its just really bringing back a lot of the feelings and memories inside me that made me choose to give up organized religion myself a few years ago. The narrowmindedness and condemnation based on texts and acceptance of 'radical' ideas makes me sick to my stomach. I'll never understand someone who can preach the acceptance and love of all human kind and then turn around and judge someone for what they choose to read or who they choose to love.

 

Its been a while since I've read a book that has made me feel this way. I am only a little way in, but I can say without a doubt that this book is worth a read. Keep in mind that its a historical fiction and it is a thriller, but it has its moments of clever wit that really bring it to a fully well rounded read.

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I really recommend reading it if it is something you're interested in. The writing is supurb and the main character really catches your attention from the very first page. You find yourself rooting for him almost before you finish the first paragraph.

 

I just got back from a very fruitful book hunt to an antique book shop I discovered yesterday while out. I got:

 

The Collected Poems of Walt Whitman printed in 1926

Leatherbound Coleridge's Poems printed in 1949

Leatherbound The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy printed in 1905

and my personal favorite:

Dramatic Life as I Found It by N. M. Ludlow printed in 1880

 

The DLFI was printed in 1880 and is signed by the author with a quote that reads:

 

'Two friends one day sat down to dine.

And having ate a harty dinner-

Will said to Jack. "We'll take some wine home. There. I've turned you out a winner.

 

Jack soon began the wine to praise,

Your grape is very fine, my brother.

But don't forget the proverb says-

That "One good time deserves another.'

 

As the book is signed 'Two William Lucas Esq. I am assuming that he is also the 'Will' mentioned in the quote. It makes me wonder if the author was friends or related to the man who owned this particular volume.

 

I just love books that have a story behind them! Antique books have such character and charm because they have lived who knows how many lives before they reach your hands. :D

 

All in all, it was a pretty great day in the shops. :D

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Possibly. I always feel like an idiot reviewing books. :D Its hard for me to put into words what a good one makes me feel, sort of like 'kissing and telling'.

 

I did start reading the Walt Whitman one a little bit ago and have to say that I'm really enjoying his style. There were a few that I am considering going back for, a leatherbound copy of Great Expectations in particular.

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Now now Abby, I've seen you write your thoughts on books and you have no problems writing a review, let me assure you :lol: Have you read The Scarlet Pimpernel before or has it been on the wishlist? I heard that name mentioned around and I'm intrigued by the novel :lol:

 

That's definitely an excellent haul and cheap too for such great editions :D

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No, I've never read it before. The edition I got is beautiful red leather with gold script. It looks like it has never even been cracked open before so I almost feel guilty for planning to read it! :lol:

 

Thanks. I always feel like such a dork whenever I review a book because I just end up "Well, I really liked it. The characters were cool. I'd read it again." instead of really going in and disecting and pondering certian parts like you and others are able to do so well. Every so often I'll get a book that I can't get out of my head so I end up writing my thoughts down (like Heresy) but those are rare.

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Tonight I cracked open my new Walt Whitman book for a little skimming. Unexpectedly, I came across a poem that I found very profound and I just can't seem to stop thinking about it.

 

On the beach at night alone,

As the old mother sways her to and fro singing her husky song,

As I watch the bright stars shining,

I think a thought of the clef of the universes and of the future.

 

A vast similitude interlocks all,

All spheres, grown, ungrown, small, large, suns, moons, planets,

All distances of place however wide,

All distances of time, all inanimate forms,

All souls, all living bodies though they be ever so different, or in different worlds,

All gaseous, watery, vegetable, mineral processes, the fishes, the brutes,

All nations, colors, barbarisms, civilizations, languages,

All identities that have existed or may exist on this globe, or any globe,

All lives and deaths, all of the past, present, future, This vast similitude spans them, and always has spann'd,

And shall forever span them and compactly hold and enclose them.

 

I guess it just reminded me of a conversation in Nollaig's thread a couple weeks ago about astronomy and the universe and the concept of time and space. I love how he is able to sum up in such a short span of words how vast and diverse our universe is, yet how in the end we are all one. Its so beautiful and intense.

 

Well, enough rambling... off to read and be productive!

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Its official. My name is Abby and I'm a bookstore shopaholic.

 

Just bought Push by Sapphire and Stories I Wouldn't Tell Nobody But God...Out of Fear Nobody But God Would Understand by Rasheed Clark.

 

Here is a synopsis for SWTNBGOFNBGWU (lol... what a terrible acronym!)

 

Not since Terry McMillan's 'Waiting To Exhale,' has a book been so raw, gritty and honest about love, loss, family, relationships, acceptance and trust and put a voice to the collective frustration felt by millions of people looking for love in all the wrong places. Finally, someone will expose the deepest fears, secrets, lies and frustrations felt by millions more.

 

Finally, somebody told the truth about the lies we tell ourselves.

'Stories I Wouldn't Tell Nobody But God,' the long awaited, debut novel by Rasheed Clark, an emotionally charged, provocative and page turning story of four friends, Sista, Brian, Day and Nikki and the rollercoaster ride that they call their lives through triumph and tragedy.

 

Sista, who will lose the only man she ever loved, as she allows her weight to determine her self worth. Brian, who learns the hard way that a good woman isn't hard to find, he just has to be man enough to keep her. Day, who must learn to accept himself for who and what he is. Nikki, whose perfect world is shattered when she loved a man more than she loved herself and it almost, cost her, her life because of her man's infidelity and lies.

 

Powerfully told, heartwarming and funny, 'Nobody But God' will leave you wanting more. 'Stories I Wouldn't Tell Nobody But God,' because there are many things, many people tend to keep to themselves, out of fear nobody but God will understand.

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Its official. My name is Abby and I'm a bookstore shopaholic.

 

Just bought Push by Sapphire and Stories I Wouldn't Tell Nobody But God...Out of Fear Nobody But God Would Understand by Rasheed Clark.

 

Here is a synopsis for SWTNBGOFNBGWU (lol... what a terrible acronym!)

 

;) Hello Abby, nice to meet you but I think you've come to the wrong place if you're looking for a cure :smile2:

 

Push is a great novel, I hope you enjoy it! And yep the acronym is terrible and it doesn't shorten the process of writing down the title that much :lol:

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Drat! I was hoping for a cure to my impulsive book buying disease! You mean this isn't an addiction help book club forum? :smile2:

 

I believe it was you that got me interested in Push a couple weeksish ago. There was a copy in the used book store I visited last weekend but it was in such poor condition I just couldn't bring myself to buy it.

 

The other one's name stood out to me so much that I just had to read it. ;) Come on, with a name like that who wouldn't give the blurb a peek?

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Drat! I was hoping for a cure to my impulsive book buying disease! You mean this isn't an addiction help book club forum? :smile2:

 

Nope, this is definitely not it, in fact this is quite the opposite I tell you! ;) I wonder if there are any Anonymous Bookbuyers clubs around? I'd want to join, but not so that I could think negatively about the habit, but so I could exchange tips and great stories!

 

The other one's name stood out to me so much that I just had to read it. :lol: Come on, with a name like that who wouldn't give the blurb a peek?

 

Exactly! One should remember this when thinking about naming their own future best-sellers :lol:;)

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I'd be interested in that too! Hm... wonder if there is a thread around here for funny experiences that happened while book buying or people's personal shopping tips or something.

 

The title shows great creativity, I believe. If the author is able to capture you from a distance with just one little glance at their product, you just have to have hope for what they are able to do with 300 pages!

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I'd be interested in that too! Hm... wonder if there is a thread around here for funny experiences that happened while book buying or people's personal shopping tips or something.

 

It doesn't ring any bells in my head, you could search it and create a thread if there's nothing on the subject :lol: I wouldn't mind giggling at people's stories about how envious/puzzled/confused/etc. looks they got when they were buying 20 books at a time :smile2:

 

The title shows great creativity, I believe. If the author is able to capture you from a distance with just one little glance at their product, you just have to have hope for what they are able to do with 300 pages!

 

Let's just hope he thought of the name himself and didn't suggest something like "awesome book, read me!" and was made to change it at the very demanding request made by the editor, publishers etc ;)

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