Sunday, November 28, 2021

BW48: Books, books, and more books

 


As the year winds down, the best books of the year lists rise up with many books in common.  Some I may have missed and others I may have deliberately missed on purpose. Some may not have been stories that enticed me into reading more...  Yet.  Some weren't my style, which can change from year to year. Different phases, different places, different mind set, or just not in the mood. But when I am in the mood, watch out. My TBR stack gets taller, while some books grow older and wait patiently, knowing that in time, I'll get to them.

If you are like me, your book shelves may be filled to the brim with books double and triple parked.  Every so often, I'll rearrange them, pulling stories and authors forward to sit front and center, pushing others to the back until it's their time to shine again.  I really don't need to buy more books, but you know, you can never have enough.  While the sleepy, dusty tome, bides its time, the shiny penny calls your name. 

While perusing the best of the best for 2021 the past few days, and adding a few to my virtual and physical stack as well as my wish list, I thought, wait.... What about 2022? All those shiny new pennies!  Time to preorder a few before my book buying ban clicks in at the beginning of the year.  Now I know why my stacks keep having babies and those babies have babies. LOL!  I'm ever so grateful to the authors and their creativity who keep me entertained.  

And I love bringing you all along to play as well, so for your enjoyment, enlightenment, and edification, below are a few links to the best of the best for 2021 and the most anticipated for 2022.  

The Irish Times Best of fiction, biography, sport, and children's books

Foreign Policy's the best books we read in 2021

The Manual: The men share the 20 Best Books of 2021 for your next read. 

Five Books Best of.....

NPR's Book Concierge is now The Books We Love.  I got lost in this one for quite a while.

On to the new shiny pennies: 

Marie Claire's 2022 Book Releases to get excited about. 

Buzzfeed's 25 Of The Most Anticipated Books Coming Out Next Year, According To Book Lovers

We are Bookish 24 Highly-Anticipated Books Hitting Shelves in 2022

The Bibliofile January 22 Most Anticipated New Book Releases

Criminal Element's Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers of 2022

Bibliolifestyle's Most Anticipated Winter 2022 Romance Novels and Historical Fiction

You're welcome!

P.S. In anticipation and preparation for next year, check out the links above which has been updated and includes four new challenges for 2022.  

Have fun following rabbit trails. I did.

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Please share your book reviews and link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have a social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading. The link widget closes at the end of each book week.

In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.


Friday, November 26, 2021

Join us for our 14th year of reading 52 Books in 52 Weeks in 2022

 

Lilac by Stephen Darbishire

Join us for our 14th round of reading 52 books in 52 weeks.  From the depths of the oceans to the dark of space, across the vast expanses of turf and tundra, from the smallest towns to the large bustling cities, our armchair adventure awaits.

The goal is easy - Read 52 Books - how you get there is up to you.

We have four new challenges to help you along on your reading adventure for 2022.  An updated 52 Books Bingo with 20 bonus squares that will enchant your reading taste buds. The A to Z and Z to A Word of the Week to stir your creativity.  Another bookish adventure with Books about Books Bookology for our author of the month reading and spelling challenge. Plus Crime Spree which will take us around the world, following in the footsteps of detectives of all ages. 

We also have a variety of weekly, monthly mini challenges and perpetual challenges  including: 

Well Educated Mind --  Continue to explore the classics in 6 categories: Fiction, Autobiography, History/Politics, Drama, Poetry and Science. 

Agatha Christie  --  read at least three of her books per year.  Read the books in chronological order as listed, group by detective or collection, or randomly if you choose. 

Brit Tripping --- A year long mystery read traveling the Roman Roads through England reading reading a book from each of the 45 counties with a few extra trips to London. 

Plus Alphabet Soup, Dusty and Chunky, Feed Your Muse, Mind Voyages, Nobel Prize Winners and Sounds of Silence.

The mini and perpetual challenges are all optional, Mix them up anyway you like or follow your own path in the quest to read.  

  • The challenge runs January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
  • Our book weeks begin on Sunday.
  • Week one begins Saturday January 1st and ends Saturday January 9th. 
  • Participants may join at any time. 
  • All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc. 
  • Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2022.
  • Books may overlap other challenges. 
  • Create an entry post linking to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks and sign up in the link below.  
  • If you don't have a blog or social media account, post about your reads in the comments section of each weekly post. 
  • The link widget will be added to the bottom of each weekly post to link to your book reviews, and closes at the end of each book week. 

Sunday, November 21, 2021

BW47: Song of Thanksgiving by Will Carleton

 


Song of Thanksgiving

(to the air - Portuguese Hymn)

Poems for Young Americans

by

Will Carleton 

We thank thee, O Father, for all that is bright--
the gleam of the day and the stars of the night;
The flowers of our youth, and the fruits of our prime,
And blessings e'er marching the pathway of time.

We thank thee, O Father, for all this is drear--
The sob of the tempest -- the flow of the tear;
For never in blindness, and never in vain,
Thy mercy permitted a sorrow or pain.

We thank thee, O Father, for song and for feast--
The harvest that glowed, and the wealth that increased;
For never a blessing encompassed thy child,
But thou in thy mercy looked downward and smiled.

We thank thee, O Father for all! for the power
Of aiding each other in life's darkest hour;
The generous heart, and the bountiful hand,
And all the soul-help that sad souls understand.

We thank thee, O Father--for days yet to be --
For hopes that our future will call us to thee:
That all our eternity form, through thy love,
One Thanksgiving Day in the mansions above. 

**Copyright 1910 Every Where Publishing. 

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Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 115. Luigi Vampa’s Bill of Fare
Chapter 116. The Pardon
Chapter 117. The Fifth of October

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In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.


Sunday, November 14, 2021

BW46: Non fiction Miscellanea


 

Happy Sunday, my lovelies. We're in the midst of planning our 2022 bookish adventures and having loads of fun with the bingo categories and coming up with new challenges. Meanwhile getting side tracked and adding to my TBR pile.  So many good books.  I went a little bit link happy while writing this week's post and figured out I need to have a better plan for actually reading all the books I've been acquiring. 

Which lead me to The Art of Manliness, which is actually a wonderful site to explore. 

I came across Why you need a Reading Plan detailing the importance of having a plan and sticking with it.  I ditched my non fiction reading plan somewhere in the middle of the year and need to revise for 2022. I have a whole slew of nonfiction books on my shelves from memoirs like Trevor Noah's Born a Crime to Adam Savage's Every Tool's a Hammer to multiple writing books such as Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova.  

Stumbled across their article on The Best of the Marine Corps’ Reading Lists with many books my hubby will enjoy reading. Unfortunately it looks like The Art of War has been removed from the current list which is a must read for anyone.  Caboodle lists it among the  10 non-fiction books that changed the world

Today is the 170th anniversary of when Moby Dick was published.  If you haven't read it yet, maybe 2022 would be the perfect time. Why read Moby Dick? makes the case for why and In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex gives you the real story behind the fiction tale.  Another seafaring tale that captured my attention is Hampton Side's In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette.   Both Philbrick and Hampton make history come alive.

Speaking of history and adventure,  the Art of Manliness (A wonderful website to explore) lists The Essential Adventure Library: 50 Non-fiction Adventure Books.  

15 Memoirs That Will Inspire You To Keep Writing That Book

Food is Life! Foodie Memoirs to Enjoy

9 New Music Memoirs and Biographies for Rock and Blues Fans

9 of the Grittiest Music memoirs of all time

15 absorbing nonfiction books to inspire your inner scientist

5 Poignant Poetry Memoirs

Non-Fiction Recommendations From Katherine Addison

15 of the Best Non Fiction Books in 2021 

Have fun following rabbit trails!

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Count of Monte Cristo 

Chapter 112. The Departure

Chapter 113. The Past

Chapter 114. Peppino

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Please share your book reviews and link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have a social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading. The link widget closes at the end of each book week.

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Sunday, November 7, 2021

BW45: Fictional Librarian - Raymond Ambler

 


Hey ma, we're going to New York City! 

Our bookish travels this month are taking us to New York City's 42nd Street Library to follow in the footsteps of our fictional librarian of the month, Raymond Ambler, a librarian, and part time amateur sleuth, created by writer Con Lehane

Read a book with one or more of the following (but not limited to) and have fun exploring:

  • Spell out the first and/or last name of the character's name - one book per letter from the title on the cover.
  • Spell out the first and/or last name of the author - one book per letter.
  • Read one or more books in the series.
  • Follow in a character's footsteps and read a book set in the country or time period of the story.
  • Follow in the author's footsteps and read a book set in their place or time of birth.
  • Read a book with the first or last name of the character or author in the title.

Have fun as there are a variety of ways to complete this challenge with plenty of rabbit trails.

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Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 109. The Assizes
Chapter 110. The Indictment
Chapter 111. Expiation

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Please share your book reviews and link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have a social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading. The link widget closes at the end of each book week.

In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.