BW30: Walking and Wandering

Happy Sunday!   This week our armchair adventures have us walking and wandering as we wind our way across, around, up and down paths and trails through the Appalachians to the Silk road to the Japanese Monk trails. 

Looking for books about impractically long walks

Novels on Walking

An Appalachian Trail Reading List

Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: Misadventures on a Buddhist Pilgrimage

10 Books on the Shikoku Pilgrimage

Silk Road Books

16 Must-Read Books on Slow Travel

The 50 Best Hiking, Trekking, and Walking Books of All Time

Have fun!

 

BW29: X is for Xerophyte

 

Happy Sunday! X is for Xerophyte which is a drought tolerant plant. We can go many different ways with this topic and read books set on earth or planets which matches up with our 52 Books Bingo Category with Setting as Character. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books about Drought

15 Fantasy Books with Desert Settings

5 Mystery and Thrillers Set in Times of Drought

50 Must-Read Books Set In Space

Book where the setting almost feels like a character.

Happy Reading! 

BW28: Y is for Yesterday!

 

Happy Sunday! Today is Embrace Your Geekness Day and why that reminds me of yesterday I have no idea. Probably because in the past (and present) I have been surrounded by brainiacs and geeks as well as a few dorks. July 15th, by the way, is Be a Dork Day. So whether you are a geek or a dork or somewhere in-between, embrace it. 

Books With Nerdy, Geeky, or Genius Heroes and Heroines

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books With Nerds

Awkward Protagonists Who Find Their Place In The World

Introverted heroines/hero or very shy/painfully shy heroine/hero.

Stories about Yesterday

Happy Reading! 

BW27: Zero in the title

 

Happy Sunday! We're past the halfway point for the year and it's time to recite the alphabet backwards from Z to A. Go ahead and give it a go and see if you can say the alphabet backwards without having to say it forwards. LOL! 

Let's look for the famous zero (or a synonym) in the title of the book, or look for a picture of a zero on the cover, or a character, human or animal, named Zero.  Have fun and be creative. 

Zero!

by

1DNA

When I say nothing,

and you think of zero,

you’re partially wrong,

because it’s one of maths’ hero

Not all heroes,

have to be number one

In mathematics,

It’s all about the fun

Zero’s a kind number,

If you didn’t know.

Even if it’s added,

It lets you shine alone

But don’t make it angry,

As it may multiply.

It’ll remove your complete existence,

In the blink of an eye!

If you want its power,

It can’t guarantee you much.

But it can make you whole,

Stand straight and such.

Zeros got a major role

In defining limits,

Don’t underestimate this number,

It’s got endless potential in it!

There's more to this number,

From what you might already know!

Now, is zero just a nothing?

That’s a big, fat no!

BW26: Half Way There!

 

Happy Sunday! We are half way through the year which coincides with the 4th of July so celebrating with fireworks, fire crackers, and sparklers, and making much noise.  We're full of zest, zang, zoom, and zeal so make the most of your time. 

Our dragon of the month is Falkor from the Never Ending Story.  

What has been your most favorite story so far this year?  Have you discovered a new author or series to explore? Any interesting book news you'd like to share?

Halfway Down

By 

A. A. Milne

Halfway down the stairs

Is a stair

Where I sit.

There isn't any

Other stair

Quite like

It.

I'm not at the bottom,

I'm not at the top;

So this is the stair

Where

I always

Stop.

Halfway up the stairs

Isn't up

And it isn't down.

It isn't in the nursery,

It isn't in town.

And all sorts of funny thoughts

Run round my head.

It isn't really

Anywhere!

It's somewhere else

Instead!

BW25: "It's Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime"

 

Happy Sunday!  So happy Summer is here with more time to enjoy some summer reading. Make sure to throw in a book with a Y in the title such as Year of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks or and author whose name starts with Y such as Yeats, Yoshomito, or Yancey. 

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

By 

William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

BW24: X is for .....

 

Happy Sunday.  X marks the spot with a dot, dot, dot. Don't know why that little ditty popped up in my head.  

One author I really have enjoyed and learned much from is Qiu Xiaolong, author of the inspector detective Chen Cao who is a homicide detective in the Shanghai Special Cases Bureau in China. Inspector Chen Cao was introduced with the publication of Death of a Red Heroine in 2000.  Set in the mid 1990's in China, it was a police procedural blending fact and fiction delving into the politics and culture of the country. The character is in his early thirties and also writes poetry and works as a translator.  Inspector Chen must navigate his way through government politics while trying to solve murders.  The 13th book in the series Love and Murder in the Time of Covid was released in 2023. 

His latest stories are a duology series which takes place in seventh century China called the Judge Dee Investigations. The first book Shadow of the Empire is a companion piece from his 12th novel - Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder - in which the inspector is reading a Judge Dee novel.  The second book was released in 2024: The Conspiracies of the Empire.  I'm looking forward to reading both. 

BW23: Wuxia Literature

 

Happy Sunday! Our next 52 Books Bingo category is Wuxia! Wuxia literature is historical fiction stories in which the characters use traditional Chinese martial art disciplines for either good or bad. 

9 Classic Wuxia Stories That Define the Genre

10 Best Wuxia Novels for Martial Arts Fans

Goodreads Wuxia and Xianxia or Wuxia books

Wuxia World 

Happy Reading!

BW22: Dragon of the month: Saphira

Saphira Bjartskular by Joshua Raphael

Happy Sunday! June is a time of honor and celebration with World War II D Day, Flag Day, Father's day, Juneteenth, the summer solstice as well as Great Outdoors Month, Rose month, and National Adopt a Cat month. 

 Our dragon of the month is Saphira from Christopher Paolini's Eragon. I happily supported the Saphira Figurine kickstarter campaign last year and look forward to receiving a collectable figurine of Saphira when it's ready.

Christopher Paolini's Inheritance cycle includes Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance and is a wonderful series about a farm boy who discovers a dragon egg and is thrust in a world of magic and power.  Works set in the same world include Murtagh and The Fork, The Witch, and the Worm.  Paolini's other works -  To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and Fractal Noise - are amazing thriller stories set in outer space.   He's also been involved in other works including the short stories anthology Guys Write for Guys Read which I recently acquired. 

Join me in reading stories by Christopher Paolini this month! 

BW21: Unique, Unusual, or Unconventional.

 

Happy Sunday and thank you to all who died in the service of our country and hugs to all their families.  I love reading unique stories - some of which may be weird, mind blowing, extraordinary, and most often - unusual or  unconventional.  Stories like Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar,  Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall, or 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.   What books have you read that were unique, unusual, or unconventional? 

9 Unique Books I’ve Loved

Literature’s 12 Most Unusual Books

10 “unique” and distinctive books

Top Ten Tuesday: The Most Unique Books I’ve Read

Unconventional Style / Voice

BW20: A Time to Talk

 Time To Talk

By

Robert Frost

When a friend calls to me from the road

And slows his horse to a meaning walk,

I don't stand still and look around

On all the hills I haven't hoed,

And shout from where I am, What is it?

No, not as there is a time to talk.

I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,

Blade-end up and five feet tall,

And plod: I go up to the stone wall

For a friendly visit.

BW19: Happy Mother's Day

 

She Is the Quiet

by

Jen Ambrose

She is the quiet that settles in after the storm,

not the thunder,

not the flash—

but the stillness that holds the house together

when everyone else forgets to breathe.

She is the hand that never lets go,

even when it seems like she has.

Invisible strength tucked in folded laundry,

school lunches,

and the way she always remembers

what you forgot to say.

She doesn’t ask the world for attention.

She listens for the creak of the floorboards,

knows the weight of each footstep,

feels the shift in the air

when someone needs her.

Her love isn’t loud.

It’s the worn chair at the kitchen table,

the light left on in the hallway,

the way she knew before you did—

what you were carrying.

She is the thread.

Not the needle. Not the fabric.

But the thing that binds it all

so gently

you don’t realize it’s there

until something unravels.

And still, she stays.

Even when she’s tired,

even when her heart is stretching

farther than it should,

she stays.

Not because she has to.

Because she chooses to.

Every day.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

BW18: Norbert

 

Welcome to May and our Dragon of the Month  - Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback - from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.  When Charlie Weasley, Ron's brother took him to the dragon sanctuary in Romania where he worked, it was later discovered Norbert was actually a Norberta.  But he, erm She wasn't the only dragon in the wizarding world. 

Ranking the wizarding world’s top dragons

My house is Gryffindor - Find your house!  

Harry Potter series

May is also Mystery Month, Gifts from the Garden Month, Date your Mate Month, plus Bike Month and Barbecue Month. Just think of the books we could read this month.  I'll be revisiting Harry Potter and will probably be reading some mystery and foodie books and living vicariously through books in which the characters love flowers.  Achoo! 

BW17: Quest!

 

Quest

 by 

Carrie Williams Clifford 

My goal out-distances the utmost star, 

Yet is encompassed in my inmost Soul; 

I am my goal—my quest, to know myself. 

To chart and compass this unfathomed sea, 

Myself must plumb the boundless universe. 

My Soul contains all thought, all mystery, 

All wisdom of the Great Infinite Mind: 

This is to discover, I must voyage far, 

At last to find it in my pulsing heart. 

    

Happy Sunday!  Let's end National Poetry Month with a Quest over land, by sea,  through space or into ourselves. I have a few interesting nonfiction books on my shelves that fill the bill such as Wanderlust: A History of Walking – Rebecca Solnit from the Personal Quest's List as well as the memoir -  True North: A Journey into Unexplored Wilderness by Elliott Merrick, plus All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley.  

Robin Hobb's Dragon Keeper,  The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi By Shannon Chakraborty, The Bone Ships By RJ Barker, among others which are mentioned in the most recommended lit.  

From the Wisdom list - Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Persig, and Virginia Woolf's A Room on One's Own.  I'm looking forward to reading them all.  I may not get to all of them this year but I'll have fun trying. 

Armchair Travel: 10 Books About Walking

The most recommended quest books

Set sail with these 10 books about epic ocean voyages

Books about traveling a long time in space.

Personal-Quest Books

Have fun!

BW16: Happy Easter

 

God, give us eyes to see

the beauty of the Spring,

And to behold Your majesty

in every living thing –

And may we see in lacy leaves

and every budding flower

The Hand that rules the universe

with gentleness and power –

And may this Easter grandeur

that Spring lavishly imparts

Awaken faded flowers of faith

lying dormant in our hearts,

And give us ears to hear, dear God,

the Springtime song of birds

With messages more meaningful

than man’s often empty words

Telling harried human beings

who are lost in dark despair –

‘Be like us and do not worry

for God has you in His care.

–Helen Steiner Rice

BW15: Occam's Razor by Odin Roark

 

Occam’s Razor as Arbiter

by

Odin Roark

Might the simplest of explanations be the right one?

In the maze of thoughts, where complexity weaves its web,

the sharpness of a simple thread of clarity

 cuts through the tangled mess.

Words, like gentle rustling, unravel the knots of confusion,

 each syllable a beacon, guiding us to understanding.

In the quiet reserve of a hush, truth finds its voice,

unburdened by the weight of unnecessary adornment.

A child’s question, a teacher’s patient reply,

the elegance of a clear answer in a world of noise and haste.

For in the heart of simplicity, lies the power to illuminate,

 to bridge the chasms of doubt and bring light to the darkest corners.

BW14: 52 Books Bingo - Narrative Non Fiction

Happy Sunday!  Our next 52 Books Bingo category is Narrative Nonfiction. Also known as creative or literary nonfiction which are true stories told in literary form rather than dry objective reporting. Narrative nonfiction entertains as well as informs but engages the reader's emotions as well their attention.  Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt was the first nonfiction book I read written in narrative or creative nonfiction format and led me to reading read more nonfiction.  Join me in reading Narrative Nonfiction this month. 

The Painted Porch Bookshops - Narrative Nonfiction

Narrative Nonfiction - created by Epic teacher, Mrs. Gorli

Allegheny County Libraries staff created list - Narrative Nonfiction: Books that read like novel

Five Books Narrative Nonfiction

Goodreads 42 Popular Narrative Nonfiction Books for Riveting Reading

Happy Reading! 

BW13: Meander through April

 

Welcome to April where we are going to meander through the month, reading this, reading that, dipping our toes into a little bit of poetry, an epistolary or two, maybe learning about astronomy, or history, or humor.  And dragons!

Our dragon of the month is Querig from Kazuo Ishiguro's The Buried Giant which I'm looking forward to reading. 

"In post-Arthurian Britain, the wars that once raged between the Saxons and the Britons have finally ceased. Axl and Beatrice, an elderly British couple, set off to visit their son, whom they haven't seen in years. And, because a strange mist has caused mass amnesia throughout the land, they can scarcely remember anything about him. As they are joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and an illustrious knight, Axl and Beatrice slowly begin to remember the dark and troubled past they all share.

By turns savage, suspenseful, and intensely moving, The Buried Giant is a luminous meditation on the act of forgetting and the power of memory."

Ishiguro is a Nobel prize literature winner who has written classics such as Remains of the Day to  science fiction stories like Klara and the Sun.

Happy meandering! 

BW12: Literary Linguistics

 

Happy Sunday!  Literary Linguistics - the interface between literature and linguistics and the study and analysis of language.  Since one of our 52 Books Bingo categories is linguistics, I figured it would be fun, and ended up following so many rabbit holes on the internet, I forgot what I was there for.  Digging myself out of the linguistic hole before I forget to write this post.  LOL! 

There are many science fiction and speculative fiction authors who enjoy creating new languages and cultures for their stories, whether from our past or the future, much to our benefit, which is what I'll probably be reading. So join me inn reading about the etymology of language or delve into fictional world where linguistics plays a huge role. 

The best books on Linguistics recommended by Professor David Adger

Pop Linguistics Books for Prep or Pleasure

A very long list of pop linguistics books and lingfic

The Best Science Fiction Books with Alien Languages

Science Fiction using Languages or Linguistics as a Plot Device

Try not to fall into any rabbit holes! 

BW11: Kickin up our heels for Spring

Happy Sunday!  Who else is kickin up their heels with the arrival of Spring on March 20th?  I think springtime is my favorite season. The temperatures are perfect, the flowers are starting to bloom, the urge to take on a new project, or declutter. And read new books or dive into old favorites.  

We have an eclectic mix of lists this week to peruse, which may also lead to a bunch of rabbit trails. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. 

Town and Country Magazine's The 49 Must-Read Books of Spring 2025

ABA's The Spring 2025 Reading Group Guide Preview

Pretty Little Memoir The Perfect Spring 2025 Reads for Every Mood

Milkweed Org's Spring 2025 Catalog

Book Bub's Here Are the Must-Read Books of Spring

Goodread's Spring Reads 

Happy Spring!

BW10: Journey around the world

 

Happy Sunday!  I'm always in the mood to journey across the United States, or follow in the footsteps of authors, cross the seas and oceans, hike through countries of Europe or Asia, or transverse space.  My latest book, James Rollin's Arkangel, #18 in the Sigma Force series, takes us from the Vatican to Russia to the Arctic in a quest to determine if an ancient myth of a lost continent is true or not. Rollin's books blend science fiction with history as well as archeology, blending fiction with truth.  

A Journey Through Literary America

Long Journey on Foot

Books Full of Wanderlust 

15 Best Travel Books to Cure Wanderlust

10 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books About Fantastical Voyages

Stellar Books That Take Place in Space

Where are you traveling this week? 

BW9: Infinite possibilities

 

“As the earth awakens from its slumber, let March awaken your spirit 

to the infinite possibilities that lie ahead.”

Welcome to March and our month of infinite possibilities where any thing can happen.  This month we celebrate Women's History Month, Irish American Heritage month, and Craft month to name a few,  as well as the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of Spring.  Girl Scout cookies go on sale this month and the thing we all love to hate - the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. 

Our dragon of the month is Clefspeare from Bryan Davis's middle grade series Dragons in our Midst which is an excellent series. I have had fun reading both as a youngster and as an adult. 

And speaking of youngsters, its time for the annual March Book Madness sponsored by a pair of school teachers in Ohio that has gone viral over the years.  

Check out these special editions of new book releases this month including Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the 50th anniversary edition of S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke, the 100th anniversary of  the Annotated Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald & James LW West, as well as 20th Anniversary Edition of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Have fun exploring this month!

BW8: Happily Ever After

 

I Dream Of A Magical Place...

by

Parker A Blackwood 

And I, I dream of a magical place

Where I might have a smile on my face

A mother and father who love me

Living together under the eldest tree

It is a beautiful land

There are always adventures at hand

Ones where the good prevails

But darkness endures, as the tales

I wouldn't have to live in a castle

We needn't any vassal

Having each other was always enough

Even when things got tough

My friends would fight by my side

And we may never die

We had each other

We loved one another

My whole family, blood or not

Could always save each other if we sought with purity

Because love is the most powerful thing

So we all end up living as the king

Because our love is truelove

And the trees sing out above

The water flows with the music

Wind singing loud as the humans

The forest, the kingdom, the people

And even those who were thought to be evil

Their homes would be filled with love and laughter

And we would all live happily ever after

BW7: 52 Books Bingo - Gaslamp

 

Happy Sunday! My son surprised me with two books for Valentine's day:  Alan Moore's The Great When and Carly Fortune's Every Summer After.   Neither one was on my radar, but both look equally interesting. Moore's book fits our 52 Books Category this week - GASLAMP - and Fortune's book is a love story. I look forward to reading both. 

What's the difference between Gaslamp and Steampunk?  While both are considered Victorian Fantasy,  steampunk is science fiction centering around steam powered tech and magic vs gaslamp is more fantasy and centered around magic and supernatural creature.  Gaslamp has also since evolved to take place from the early 1800's Victorian era to the beginning of World War one in 1914 according to New York Public Library's Bewitched, Bothered and Betrothed: An Intro to Gaslamp Fantasy  

Some words on Gaslamp Fantasy, Good Friends, and Great Fiction

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is an excellent example of a Gaslamp fantasy which I thoroughly enjoyed when I read it back in 2014.  I think it's time for a reread.  It's a chunky book at 1006 pages but well worth the effort. 

"The year is 1806. England is beleaguered by the long war with Napoleon, and centuries have passed since practical magicians faded into the nation's past. But scholars of this glorious history discover that one remains: the reclusive Mr Norrell, whose displays of magic send a thrill through the country.

Proceeding to London, he raises a beautiful woman from the dead and summons an army of ghostly ships to terrify the French. Yet the cautious, fussy Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician: the brilliant novice Jonathan Strange.

Young, handsome and daring, Strange is the very antithesis of Norrell. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men which overwhelms that between England and France. And their own obsessions and secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine."

12 Gaslamp Fantasy Books Full of Magic and Mystery

Reddit Fantasy recommendations

Goodreads Listopia Gaslamp Fantasy

Helene Wecker's the Golem and the Jinni, Marie Brennan's Lady Trent series, as well as Devon Monk's Age of Steam series to name a few are all excellent as well.  

Happy reading!

BW6: Fascination

 

Happy Sunday! For some reason, I lost last week. All week I thought it was this  week and Friday was Valentine's Day.  I kissed hubby and wished him happy VD day as I headed out the door to work on Friday. The plan was to give him the card I bought when I got home and make a special meal on Saturday.  He calls me a few minutes later to let me know I was off by a week.  So every day now, he's wishing me happy Valentine's day. LOL!  Well, at least he won't forget now.  

To celebrate our day of love, according to the hallmark calendar, and the year in and year out love for everyone else, this week read a book which has Valentine or love in the title, or has a pink cover, with or without flowers, hearts, or is part of the book's theme. 

Fascination  ~ Nat King Cole 

It was fascination, I know

And it might have ended right then, at the start

Just a passing glance, just a brief romance

And I might have gone on my way empty hearted

It was fascination, I know

Seeing you alone with the moonlight above

Then I touch your hand and next moment I kissed you

Fascination turned to love

It was fascination, I know

Seeing you alone with the moonlight above

Then I touch your hand and next moment I kissed you

Fascination turned to love

Happy Valentine's Day

BW5: The Expeditions of Laurence and Temeraire

 

Welcome to February and our Dragon Bookology reading and spelling challenge for the month - Temeraire - and his faithful companion, Captain William Laurence.  They are the lead characters in Naomi Novik's alternate historical fantasy 9 books  series which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars and through England to China as well as Africa, Asia, South America and Japan. 

The first book in the series, His Majesty's Dragon, all about Captain Laurance who reluctantly bonded with the dragon Temeraire during the Napoleonic war and grew to love and trust him above all else, was an engaging five star read for me this past year.  

“after supper Laurence would go to sit outside and read to him by the light of a lantern. He had never been a great reader himself, but Temeraire’s pleasure in books was so great as to be infectious, and Laurence could not but think with satisfaction of the dragon’s likely delight in the new book, which spoke in great detail about gemstones and their mining, despite his own complete lack of interest in the subject.”

I went on the read the second book Throne of Jade and enjoyed it so much, decided to read the rest of the series and am currently on #3  Black Powder War.  

Naomi Novik also wrote the Scholomance Trilogy as well as Spinning Silver, Uprooted, and Will Supervillains be on the Finals?.

Goodreads Interview with Naomi Novik 

BW4: An Ode to the Day

 An Ode To The Day

By 

David L Wright

The air around me silent

in the late December chill

remnants

of my fantasies

clinging to me still.

The sky outside my window

an unenlightened gray

like ceilings made

of candle wax

dipped in disarray.

Somewhere

there's a rainbow

smiling in the sun

a baby softly cooing

co`yotes on the run.

Assisted by the morning star

there comes a gentle sigh

as shadows

on the promenade

bade a fond goodbye.

Happy Sunday!  I'm used to reading books that take place over a period of time - days. weeks, months, even years.  But what about a book that take place in a day, a period of 24 hours. Check out - 

New York Public Library's 20 Books That Take Place in One Day or Popsugar's 2024 #24 - A Book That Takes Place Over the Course of 24 Hours.

What about a book with Day in the title  or get creative with Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc. such as 

Read, Bake, Create's  10 Books With the Word Day In Their Title. 

Perhaps read a book written by Sylvia Day, Elizabeth Day, Alexandra Day, Thomas Day, or Day Keene. 

How about an armchair day trip to an interesting destination?

Happy travels! 

BW3: Coffee in Literature

 

“The fresh smell of coffee soon wafted through the apartment, the smell that separates night from day.”

― Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Happy Sunday! I woke up this morning to the wonderful scent of fresh roasted coffee beans. Hubby likes to do a dark roast so he choose to roast some Guatemala Xinabajul which is a earthy combination of dark chocolate, sugar, and caramel.  At Christmas time, we also received some homemade Kahlua made by one of my employees which was wonderful.  So now I'm craving an Espresso Martini.  Which is why coffee is on my mind as I sit down to write. Either subliminally or not so subliminally, I started reading At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber this morning.   

I started thinking about all the book characters who enjoyed coffee from Eve Dallas in J.D. Robb's In death Series to Haruki Murakami's books in which his characters talk about and frequent coffee houses to Cleo Coyle's Clare, owner and barista of the Village Blend in Coffee House Mysteries. 

Books with Coffee (or various synonyms) in the Title

These 15 Books Set in Coffee and Tea Shops Will Charm You

Best Coffee Table Books 

Library of Congress General Books on Coffee

The Coffee Recipe Book

Home Roasting

If you're a coffee drinker,  what's your favorite type or flavor of Coffee?  If you enjoy other beverages, please share your favorite?

Please share your thoughts and 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.

 

BW2: 52 Books Bingo - Babel

 

Courtesy of Ancient Origins

Happy Sunday!  Our first 52 Books Bingo category is Babel.  In both biblical and Assyrian accounts, there was an ancient city in which the people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens and God caused all to speak in different languages.  In the dictionary, babel is described as a "confused mixture of sounds or voices or a scene of noise and confusion."  Synonyms for babel are an uproar, din, a hullabaloo, pandemonium, a lament, bedlam, or a clang.  Clang kind of reminds me of New York or cable cars. How about you?  However you want to define babel, there are a number of directions you could go for this category. 

I recently read R.F. Kuang's historical fantasy - Babel: An Arcane History which was an excellent. 

"1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?"

Once I started reading, I  couldn't put it down. The etymology discussions and how the characters related to the world around them. How the characters grew in knowledge, and the choices they made, some good, some bad. All their heart wrenching decisions. All of it combined to create a story that made me think about how it related to today's world and why people do the things they do.  I highly recommend it. 

And it makes me want to reread Samuel R. Delaney's science fiction class - Babel-17 - which I have on my shelves.

" At twenty-six, Rydra Wong is the most popular poet in the five settled galaxies. Almost telepathically perceptive, she has written poems that capture the mood of mankind after two decades of savage war. Since the invasion, Earth has endured famine, plague, and cannibalism—but its greatest catastrophe will be Babel-17.
 
Sabotage threatens to undermine the war effort, and the military calls in Rydra. Random attacks lay waste to warships, weapons factories, and munitions dumps, and all are tied together by strings of sound, broadcast over the radio before and after each accident. In that gibberish Rydra recognizes a coherent message, with all of the beauty, persuasive power, and order that only language possesses. To save humanity, she will master this strange tongue. But the more she learns, the more she is tempted to join the other side . . ."

or 

Josiah Bancroft's steampunk adventure - Senlin Ascends, the first book in his 4 part series the books of babel. 

"The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines.

Soon after arriving for his honeymoon at the Tower, the mild-mannered headmaster of a small village school, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife, Marya, in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants.

Senlin is determined to find Marya, but to do so he'll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the long guns of a flying fortress. But if he hopes to find his wife, he will have to do more than just endure.

This quiet man of letters must become a man of action."

Check out Goodreads collection of stories about Babel or Punctum Book's The Anthology of Babel.

Happy Reading! 

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