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Teaser Tuesday and Where Are You? 03-30-09: Purple Hibiscus

Should Be Reading - Miz B - hosts this weekly event. We throw out a couple of sentences from our current read (without spoilers, of course) to entice you to read the book.

Today's selection comes from Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, page 93:

Mama had greeted him the traditional way that women were supposed to, bending low and offering him her back so that he would pat it with his fan made of the soft, straw-colored tail of an animal. Back home that night, Papa told Mama that it was sinful. You did not bow to another human being. It was an ungodly tradition, bowing to an Igwe. So, a few days later, when we went to see the bishop at Awka, I did not kneel to kiss his ring. I wanted to make Papa proud. But Papa yanked my ear in the car and said I did not have the spirit of discernment: the bishop was a man of God; the Igwe was merely a traditional ruler.



It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is hosted by an adventure in reading.

I am in contemporary Nigeria, the young daughter of an upper class converted Catholic. We live in Enugu and spend holidays in our other house in Abba. Read More!

The Sunday Salon: Quarterly Report

The Sunday Salon.com
Here it is, the end of another month already. Not to mention, the end of the first quarter. So, time for another wrap-up. But first, a bit of a rant.

I had a gift card from Barnes and Noble and bought 3 books online with it (I normally don't shop at big box bookstores). One of my purchases was People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, a book I've been looking forward to for months. A few weeks after it arrived, I had my must-reads read and was able to dive into it. It was going along swimmingly, I was so into the story and the intrigue. One night I was a hundred pages or so from the end, thinking I might stay up late and finish it. And then -- I noticed that after page 258 - there was page 195 again. Hmmm. I looked ahead and realized that the previous 60 pages were repeated and the 60 pages that should have been there were missing! WTF???

Obviously I wasn't going to finish it that night. I dashed off an email to B and N with my order number, thinking they'd apologize profusely and overnight me a new copy. Instead their reply was something along the lines of 'we're sorry, it's been more than 14 days since you received this order, therefore we cannot accept returns.' OK, number one? How many people examine a new book to make sure all the pages are there when they buy it? And two? this is a defective book and someone needs to take responsibility for supplying me with a good copy of it. B and N suggested I contact the publisher.

Penguin's website states that in order for them to accept a return, the book must have been purchased from them directly. I sent them an email about it. They have not responded.

I sent B and N another email explaining Penguin's policy. They have not responded.


I went into Powell's to buy a new copy (and checked to make sure all the pages were in order); when I told the cashier my tale of woe, she was very sympathetic -- and even gave me a 10% discount on the book!

Which brings me to the point of this rant: buy local. I still hope to resolve this with either B and N or Penguin. I'll keep you posted! Have you ever had a defective book, and if so, what was the outcome?



Favorite reads so far in 2009:

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
A Mercy by Toni Morrison
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
The Road Home by Rose Tremain
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Update on my reading challenges:

125 books in 2009: 26/125 - not quite at a quarter. I need to make up a few books in the second quarter!
What's in a Name: completed 6/6 DONE!
Decades Challenge: completed 6/10.
The Orange Prize and Booker Prize challenges are perpetual, but I've set a personal goal to read 12 of each this year (some are crossovers). Orange Prize: 5/12; Booker Prize: 3/12.
Dewey's Books: 3/5
Pub Challenge: 4/9
Short Stories: 11/25
Essays: 0/20
Jane Austen: 0/1
Classics (other than Austen): 2/4
These last two are personal challenges. By my definition, Classic is any book older than me that has a high level of notoriety. There are a few exceptions (e.g. To Kill A Mockingbird).

I've made good progress since my last update!

I hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

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Friday Fill-ins 03-27-09

Janet is our clever host for this weekly event.






Says Janet:
This week, I took the first sentence in 6 of my favorite books...you fill them in...with the right words or even better, ones of your own.
And since I don't recognize any of these, they are my own words. My responses are in italics.


1. "In a hole in the ground there lived a mole with a gown."

2. "I’m a little bit crazy but that ain't no matter."

3. "After dark the rain began to fall again; it is, after all, spring in Oregon."


4. "She escaped with all the gold from the hold of the Spanish galleon."

5. "There was a hand in the darkness, and a foot in the grave."

6. "Accidents ambush the unsuspecting; suspects ambush the accidents."

7. And as for the weekend, tonight today I'm looking forward to spending time with my favorite little munchkin, Ms P, then reading and blogging, tomorrow my plans include reading and writing and Sunday, I want to read and write and take some photos before I pick Laurie up from the train station!

This one was a lot more challenging than usual!

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Teaser Tuesday and Where Are You? 03-24-09: O Pioneers!

Should Be Reading - Miz B - hosts this weekly event. We throw out a couple of sentences from our current read (without spoilers, of course) to entice you to read the book.

Today's selection should be coming from People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, but when I arrived at page 258, the next page was #195 and then it repeated to page 258 and skipped pages 259-322. Oh. So. Frustrating. So until I find a replacement, today's selection comes from O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, page 202:
And yet, down under the frozen crusts, at the roots of the trees, the secret of life was still safe, warm as the blood in one's heart; and the spring would come again! Oh, it would come again!
(That is especially for those of you who have yet to see a crocus or a daffodil!)


It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is hosted by an adventure in reading.

I'm on the plains of Nebraska in the early part of the 20th century. Read More!

Friday Fill-ins 03-20-09

Janet is our magnificent host for this weekly event.

My responses are in italics.


1. Why do we have to define progress as taking living things and turning them into dead things? (paraphrased from Van Jones).

2. Obsessions are now habits. Or is it the other way around?

3. I have many blessings in my life.

4. I had never heard the phrase "gobsmacked me" and it still cracks me up and shows up frequently in my reading now.


5. I’m procrastinating on my taxes the way I always do.

6. How [w]as I to know that Janet would leave the ‘w’ off of 'was' and leave me dazed and confused for an hour.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having no plans, tomorrow my plans include reading and blogging and Sunday, I want to play it by ear!

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Wordless Wednesday: Comfort




Click photo for a larger image.

Not-so-wordless this one: Laurie is comforting L who just bumped his head; Ms. P is helping with the comfort.

fyi: My Wordless Wednesday will be moving to my photoblog, starting with an extra post there this week.

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants. Or become one!

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Teaser Tuesday and Where Are You? 03-17-09: The Thirteenth Tale

OK, before I get started on the tease and the geography lesson, here's a little shameless self promotion! Head on over to my photo blog, in particular my scavenger hunt post. It's a challenge/contest hosted by NicoleB, a really cool woman who lives in Hungary. There are about twenty of us entered; she has a voting poll up on her blog, so go vote (if you vote for me, I promise to do my best to fix the economy and get us the hell out of Iraq).

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.


Should Be Reading - Miz B - hosts this weekly event. We throw out a couple of sentences from our current read (without spoilers, of course) to entice you to read the book.

Today's selection comes from The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, page 17:
People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. Yet for some there is an exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist. We can rediscover them. Their humor, their tone of voice, their moods. Through the written word they can anger you or make you happy. They can comfort you. They can perplex you. They can alter you. All this, even though they are dead. Like flies in amber, like corpses frozen in ice, that which according to the laws of nature should pass away is, by the miracle of ink on paper, preserved. It is a kind of magic.



It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is hosted by an adventure in reading.

I'm in the north of England in a very odd, secluded house learning the true story of a recluse author's life. Read More!

Book Giveaway Results Are In!

I used Ms. P as the random generator to choose the winning name. She's a paper connoisseur, so I knew she'd be up to the task.



At first she grabbed a fistful...

.. but she got the hang of it and chose...GRACE!

She reports that the rest of your names were quite tasty.

I just went to Grace's blog and read that she's having heart surgery this weekend. Sending her the very best wishes for a speedy recovery. And I'll be sending her a good book to read while she's recuperating.
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Friday Fill-ins 03-13-09

Janet is our awesome host for this weekly event.

My responses are in italics.


1. When I look to the left, I see lots of books, my stereo system, CDs and, yes, vinyl record albums.

2. The kitchen is the room that has the best view in my home.

3. Let it work naturally; don’t force it.

4. Gardening done dirt cheap!

5. Keeping our elected officials honest and accountable is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share.

6. If you have any comments for my blog feel free to offer them. Especially if they’re glowing compliments!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out with Laurie and reading, tomorrow my plans include a potluck with the choir and Sunday, I want to spend the day in a photography class with my pals and go on a photo shoot with them!

==========================
Last chance to enter my blogiversary book giveaway! I'll pick the winner around noon, PDT.

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Daily Quote 03-13-09

Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:






For most of history, Anonymous was a woman. ~Virginia Woolf
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Book Tour: Zig-Zagging, a Memoir


Welcome to the Zig-Zagging book tour! Lisa of TLC Book Tours invited me to read this memoir and host a stop on the book blog tour.

Tom Wilson is the author of Zig-Zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly...How Ziggy Saved My Life, a memoir that tells how Tom acquired the Ziggy cartoon from his ailing father, how he coped - and didn't cope - with his young wife's death from breast cancer, and in typical Ziggy style, how he came to a place of acceptance and gratitude for the challenging journeys he's faced.

Each chapter title gives an indication of the book's journey: Backward, Upward, Downward, Heavenward, Inward, Wayward, Outward and Homeward. Tom's road trip between Cleveland and Cinncinati is the opening for each chapter and serves as an effective extended metaphor for what each chapter has in store. For example, at the beginning of the journey, Backward, Tom glances in the rearview mirror at his family home and recalls his childhood and his close relationship with his creative father. In Upward, Tom is on the highway and reminisces about his early adulthood and meeting Susan, whom he marries and eventually loses to cancer. In Downward, the "...highway is dangerous. It's started to rain, so I proceed with caution" (page 57). This is where the rough part of his journey begins.

Ziggy often serves as Tom's co-pilot, both on his metaphorical road trip and through the challenges he faces. After Susan's death Tom has a difficult time coping; as a single father to two boys he doesn't allow himself the time and space to really grieve. He tries to get on with his life, often with negative consequences.

A good portion of this book shows how NOT to grieve the death of a partner. I feel that it's reflective of our culture's lack of a healthy grief response, especially for men who are often completely adrift after losing a spouse and don't know how to grieve appropriately.

Not being a religious person, I sometimes felt uncomfortable with a lot of God-Heaven-Bible references. But it's Tom's story and his belief was an important part of the journey for him and for Susan.

Zig-zagging is ultimately an inspirational book. If you're at all familiar with Ziggy's character, you can probably guess the sort of role he plays throughout the story - humorous, self-reflective, self-critical and often just grateful for simple pleasures. It's a quick read and, in addition to the main story, has some interesting insight into the world of cartooning.

If you'd like to enter a drawing to win a signed copy of Zig-zagging, click on the photo below. Many thanks to Lisa and TLC Book Tours for organizing this tour. Check their website for more Zig-Zagging tour stops and for upcoming tours.

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Daily Quote 03-12-09

Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:


I've yet to be on a campus where most women weren't worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career. I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing. ~Gloria Steinem


Learn more about Gloria Steinem

Only one day left until the drawing for my book giveaway. Sign up by Friday morning!

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Daily Quote 03-11-09

Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:



You know, when I first went into the movies Lionel Barrymore played my grandfather. Later he played my father and finally he played my husband. If he had lived I'm sure I would have played his mother. That's the way it is in Hollywood. The men get younger and the women get older. ~Lillian Gish

Find out more about Lillian Gish.


Only two days left until the drawing for my book giveaway. Sign up by Friday morning!

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Wordless Wednesday 03-11-09 Baffled Squirrel


Click photo for a larger image.

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants. Or become one!

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Daily Quote 03-10-09

Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:

Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths. ~Lois Wyse



I hadn't heard of Lois Wyse before. Here's some information about her.

Only a few days left until the drawing for my book giveaway. Sign up by Friday morning! Read More!

Teaser Tuesday & Where Are You? 03-10-09 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Should Be Reading - Miz B - hosts this weekly event. We throw out a couple of sentences from our current read (without spoilers, of course) to entice you to read the book.

Today's selection comes from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, page 20:



The library was a little old shabby place. Francie thought it was beautiful. The feeling she had about it was as good as the feeling she had about church. She pushed open the door and went in. She liked the combined smell of worn leather bindings, library paste and freshly inked stamping pads better than she liked the smell of burning incense at high mass.





It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is hosted by an adventure in reading.

You guessed it. I'm in Brooklyn. Williamsburg, to be more specific. It's 1912, I'm 11 and life is pretty simple and straightforward. For now.

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Daily Quote 03-09-09

Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:



It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.
~Susan B. Anthony

Learn more about Susan B. Anthony here.


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The Sunday Salon: Bits and Pieces

The Sunday Salon.com
Happy Sunday, Happy International Women's Day, Happy Daylight Savings Time. Whose idea was it to have such an early start to this time thing (that I've always thought was so ridiculous anyway)?? I guess I won't complain though, since being retired means never having to set my alarm!

This will be a short bullet point post for the most part. Coming this week:
  • You have until Friday (March 13th) morning to sign up for my book giveaway - The Road Home by Rose Tremain. Details are here. It's in celebration of my one year blogiversary!
  • I just realized that it's also my Sunday Salon one year anniversary. Woo hoo!
  • Thursday March 12th, I'm hosting the TLC book blog tour. This time it's Zig-zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly - How Ziggy Saved My Life by Tom Wilson. I'll be posting a review on Wednesday evening.
  • Weekly Geeks is doing A Quote A Day this week; go see what the Geeksters are coming up with. I've chosen Women's History Month for my theme; quotes by and about women's issues.
This week's reading included The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, a finalist for the Booker Prize. I loved Barry's writing and was quite engaged in the story - but saw the twist at the end coming a mile away and was hoping it wouldn't go there. It did. It wasn't a total wreck but seemed contrived.

Today I'm reading World in Half by Cristina Henriquez, an advanced reader's copy. Just getting started on this one, too early to tell. Next, I'm going to dive into a chunkster; either East of Eden by Steinbeck; Possession by A.S. Byatt,; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith; or Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth. Do you have a favorite among these that you'd like to nudge for me? Leave me a comment if you do. Even if you don't, leave me a comment! I love to hear from you.


Join the Sunday Salon!

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Daily Quote 03-08-09

Happy International Women's Day! Here is today's quote for the Weekly Geeks week of quotes:


Taught from infancy that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison. ~Mary Wollstonecraft


Mary Wollstonecraft was an early advocate for women's rights. In 1792 she wrote Vindication for the Right of Women which became an iconic treatise for the feminist movement. She died giving birth to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, most well known as the author of Frankenstein.

Read more about Mary Wollstonecraft here.


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Weekly Geeks 2009-09: A Quote a Day


One of my favorite Weekly Geeks last year was: A Quote a Day. This will have you pulling books off your shelves and Googling for your favorites. It also means a post a day for the next week - or as many as you can do.


You may want to come up with a theme, such as favorite passages from books, author quotes, political quotes, quotes about books or reading, humorous quotes, whatever. Or you may not want a theme at all; maybe you just want to gather up seven assorted quotes that appeal to you. You may want to start each of your posts of the week with a quote, or you may want to give quotes posts of their own in addition to your regular posts. It’s all up to you!
I originally thought I'd use garden quotes as my theme since it's time to start seriously thinking garden. But then I remembered that tomorrow is International Women's Day and March is Women's History Month (isn't it odd that we have to devote a month to it? Why can't it just be women's history every day?) So I'm scouting out my favorite quotes by and about women.


I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute.
~Rebecca West, "Mr Chesterton in Hysterics: A Study in Prejudice," The Clarion, 14 Nov 1913, reprinted in The Young Rebecca, 1982. Learn more about Rebecca West.

See what other Weekly Geeks come up with this week.

And be sure to check out my book giveaway in celebration of my one year blogiversary.

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Friday Fill-ins 03-06-09

Janet is our dedicated host for this weekly event.

My responses are in italics.


1. Letting someone in front of me in traffic was my last random act of kindness.


2. Another place I’d like to spend time visiting is Ireland.

3. The brain sometimes takes a back seat in matters of the heart.

4. Coffee, tea or …tea? Coffee, or else! Please.

5. Even though we’re on separate paths we can still get along.

6. Our economy reminds me that there is a rough road ahead. We’d better tighten our seatbelts.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to a friend’s concert with Laurie and visiting with friends there, tomorrow my plans include reading and taking photos and Sunday, I want to read and blog!


Be sure to check out my anniversary post where I'm giving away a fabulous book!
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RW&R's First Blogiversary! and Giveaway!


Amazing - it's already been a year here on this little piece of blog estate. And even more amazing: it coincides with my 300th post here! (That doesn't include all the posts on my photoblog, which I started in November and is already past 150 posts.) I didn't realize I had so much to say!

This little blogiversary celebration is all about you, dear readers! If it weren't for you coming here and reading my ramblings and leaving me comments - or not - this would be a pretty silly exercise. So thank you for seeing me through this last year, including:

And a special shout-out to Laura and Wendy who helped midwife this blog. They encouraged me to do it (or rather, pulled me over to the dark side), answered my stupid questions and they continue to visit and help me out.

To show my appreciation for you readers, I'm doing a book giveaway. The Road Home by Rose Tremain was last year's Orange Prize winner. Tremain is a wonderful writer; I was just introduced to her books last year and I'm determined to read them all, they're so good. I have a hardback copy, gently used (only read once! all the words are still there, in their original order!) to pass on to the winner. Leave a comment below and let me know if you want to be in the drawing. For an extra entry, mention it on your blog and come back to let me know. Contest will close on Friday, March 13th, your lucky day!

Edited to add: all locations are eligible.
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Wordless Wednesday: Shades of Yesterday







Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants. Or become one!
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Teaser Tuesday and Where Are You? 03-03-09: The Secret Scripture

Should Be Reading - Miz B - hosts this weekly event. We throw out a couple of sentences from our current read (without spoilers, of course) to entice you to read the book.

Today's selection comes from The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, pgs 54-55:
The fact that I never saw the soldiers, never spoke to them, never even thought of doing so - for would that not have put my father possibly in further danger? - is in the informal history of Sligo neither here nor there. For history as far as I can see is not the arrangement of what happens, in sequence and in truth, but a fabulous arrangement of surmises and guesses held up as a banner against the assault of withering truth. History needs to be mightily inventive about human life because bare life is an accusation against man's dominion of the earth.



It's Tuesday, Where Are You? is hosted by an adventure in reading.

I'm back and forth between the present in Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital and ca. 1919 in Sligo, Ireland. In present time, I'm about 100 years old. I'm telling my story to Dr. Grene, whose task it is to determine if I am fit to be released after 30 some years in Roscommon.

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The Sunday Salon: February Overview.

The Sunday Salon.com
Good Sunday morning Saloners! And Happy Autumn to Australia (yes, they start calling it autumn on March 1 rather than on the Equinox). I hope the fall weather eases the heat and fire danger down there.

I've missed a couple of Salons again. And been a terrible blog neighbor since I've hardly visited anyone else's Salon entry either. Mea culpa!

Well, it's a new month again so here's a little review of what I was up to, book-wise, in February. It started out on a mediocre note, with several books in a row earning just 3.5 out of 5 stars from me. Not quite a meh rating, but just slightly above average. The books I rated 3.5:

  • Testimony by Anita Shreve. I've loved all of Shreve's books thus far; this one fell short for me.
  • Ship Fever by Andrea Barrett. Some excellent stories and some just average.
  • Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. I loved this book for about 3/4 of it, then I thought it got a bit repetitive and silly. The satire is wonderful.
  • The Vigorous Mind: Cross-train Your Brain to Break Through Mental, Emotional, and Professional Boundaries by Ingrid Cummings. Good, not great.
  • The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa. I would probably have gotten more out of this had I been more familiar with Italian history.
And then I ended the month with a huge splash! 3 of my favorites for 2009 so far:

  • The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. I love historical fiction, and especially women's stories. This was about the witch trials in Salem in the late 17th century. Very well written, just a gem.
  • A Mercy by Toni Morrison. What can I say? It's Toni Morrison.
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Everything you've heard about this book is true. It's stunning and sad and nearly flawless. I gave this one the full Monty: 5 stars.
My first read for March is The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, which is promising to be a very good book. It was shortlisted for the Booker prize, so I'll get another X in that column for my reading challenges.

And speaking of those challenges: Not too bad. I've actually completed one, except for the reviews, which I am loathe to do, if you haven't noticed. I am just not a book reviewer. Maybe too many book reports in my youth.

Here's the tally so far:

What's in a Name: completed 6/6 DONE!
Decades Challenge: completed 4/10.
The Orange Prize and Booker Prize challenges are perpetual, but I've set a personal goal to read 12 of each this year (some are crossovers). Orange Prize: 5/12; Booker Prize: 2/12.
Dewey's Books: 1/5
Pub Challenge: 1/9
Short Stories: 9/25
Essays: 0/20
Jane Austen: 0/1
Classics (other than Austen): 0/4
These last two are personal challenges. By my definition, Classic is any book older than me that has a high level of notoriety. There are a few exceptions (e.g. To Kill A Mockingbird).


This month I'm hosting another stop on the book blog tour - March 12. This one is for Zig-zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly How Ziggy Saved My Life by Tom Wilson, the creator of the cartoon Ziggy. It sounds like a very interesting read.

AND! my one year blogiversary is in 4 days! Be sure to check back for the big celebration on March 5th! Cash gifts gladly accepted!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and happy reading!




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