BW30: Choose Something Like a Star by Robert Frost

 

Choose Something Like a Star

by

Robert Frost

O Star (the fairest one in sight),

We grant your loftiness the right

To some obscurity of cloud –

It will not do to say of night,

Since dark is what brings out your light.

Some mystery becomes the proud.

But to be wholly taciturn

In your reserve is not allowed.

Say something to us we can learn

By heart and when alone repeat.

Say something! And it says "I burn."

But say with what degree of heat.

Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.

Use language we can comprehend.

Tell us what elements you blend.

It gives us strangely little aid,

But does tell something in the end.

And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,*

Not even stooping from its sphere,

It asks a little of us here.

It asks of us a certain height,

So when at times the mob is swayed

To carry praise or blame too far,

We may choose something like a star

To stay our minds on and be staid.

Our post is brought to you by the letter W which stands for water, wander, welcome, and whimsical. 

Y'all know what to do. Leave a link or comment below!

BW29: To the Moon and Back!

 

This week on July 20th we celebrate the very first time Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon in 1969 with the historic words:  "That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”  In honor of the moon walk, we're going to take a Mind Voyage, which just also happens to be one of our 52 Books Bingo categories. 

Science fiction and fantasy stories became my first true love ever since I discovered the genre back in the 70's.   I don't remember who captured my attention first, whether it was Edgar Rice Burroughs, Arthur Clark, Ray Bradbury, Larry Niven, Piers Anthony, Anne McCaffrey or Robert Silverberg but my love for the genre has never stopped. 

What do you think of when you hear the words Science Fiction and Fantasy?  I think of books with adventure, exploration, mind altering worlds, knights, dragons, cool space ships, alternate realities, magical quests, new technology,  evil villains and heroes.  Books that entertain and enlighten, books that take you away, books that take you on a voyage.  Which is why I created the Mind Voyage challenge back in to 2010 revolving around the vast world of Fantasy and Science fiction. Join me in exploring and take a voyage to another planet. 

Voyages

Moon Voyage :  Choose from the winner on the Hugo Winners List

Sling shot back to Earth:  Choose a story from the Nebula Winner's List

Venus Voyage:   Philip K. Dick Quest 

Mercury Voyage:   Robert Heinlein Quest 

Mars Voyage:  Take a side trip through the 21st century. 

Go into Warp Drive and visit the other planets

Jupiter Voyage:   Go side tripping 90's Style

Saturn:  Go Side Tripping 80's Style

Uranus: Go Side Tripping 70's Style

Neptune Voyage:  Go Side Tripping through the 50's and 60's

The I'm going to Pluto because Pluto is still a planet as far as I'm concerned Voyage.  Mix it up, choose whatever you want to read, and enjoy the ride.

All the links may be found on Mind Voyages in the menu bar. 

This post sponsored by the letter X. Big X, little x, what begins with X?  Xu and Xun Zi and xenophone and xylophones and xyloid.

Have Fun!   

Y'all know what to do. Leave a link or comment below!

BW28: 52 Books Bingo - Speculative Fiction

 

Happy Sunday! Our next 52 Books Bingo category is Speculative Fiction which are novels that have limitless possibilities, stories full of curiosity and what could be. There is a broad range to this subgenre such as alternative history, steampunk, gothic fiction, paranormal, magical realism, and dystopian to name a few.

100 Speculative Fiction titles to add to your to be read pile

Translated Speculative Fiction

Can’t Miss Indie Press Speculative Fiction for July and August 2023



Our post is sponsored by the letter Y which means the answer is always Yes.

Y'all know what to do. Leave a link or comment below!

BW27: July Author of the Month - Cormac McCarthy

 

Happy Sunday! Summer is officially here on the west coast as we begin our four day weekend with triple digit temperatures. But we can't complain because this year we actually had beautiful spring weather for quite a while before the heat hit.  

Little did I realize when I picked our author of the month at the end of last year that we'd be celebrating his life and death. Cormac McCarthy passed away last month on June 13th at the age of 89.  

In 2021 I read The Road and was enthralled to say the least. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. McCarthy's writing pulled me deep into the apocalyptic world of the man and boy and their journey through a devastated world, bleak and dangerous, full of obstacles to overcome from nature itself and the people left behind. I began to wonder what and why? Why did the man need to get to the coast? What was he expecting to find there? Who was he expecting to find? When they found safe places with water and food, why didn't they stay here. What would I have done in his place? I, for one, would have hunkered down in the bunker and stayed there. What was this great need to keep going? It was bleak and dark, but full of perseverance, hope, love, and goodness in the face of evil. I'm glad I finally read it.  

"He pulled the boy closer. Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever, he said. You might want to think about that. You forget some things, don't you? Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget."

Once I finished, I wanted more but McCarthy, for me, is one of those authors you have to be in the mood for and read slowly and deliberately. Much like Proust. So I'll be working my way through his books over a period of time. On the nightstand for this month are his last two books - The Passenger and Stella Maris. 

Remembering Cormac McCarthy

The Final Triumph of Cormac McCarthy (1933-2023

Cormac McCarthy obituary: Stripped-down novels mirrored his dislike of trappings of success

Join me in reading Cormac McCarthy!

 

We’ve reached the halfway point in our reading and will be working our way backwards through the alphabet from z to a. No zipping, zapping, or zooming through your reads. Enjoy!    

BW26: ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

Happy Sunday. I'm currently reading Ella Minow Pea by Mark Dunn about a fictional Council for an island named after Nevin Nollop -- who coined the immortal phrase ' the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' which uses all the letter of the alphabet -- outlaws a letter every time it falls off a memorial sign. The first letter to drop is Z. From then on the letter must not be used in conversation, letters, or novels. 

And given that we are at the halfway point of the year and our sponsor of the week is Z, this week is all about Z.  

Read a book with Z in the Title

Read a book by an author whose first name or last name starts with Z. 

Read a book at the Zoo or about a Zoo.

Read a Book with Z or any other letter of the Alphabet on the cover,

Read a Book with a buzzing sound.

Read a Book with snoring noises.

Read a Book with Zero in the title or on the cover. 

Leaving out the links because the fun is in the search.   

~Cheers~ 

Y'all know what to do. Leave a link or comment below! 

 

BW25: June Solstice

 

Happy Father's day to all our dad's. The June Solstice is upon us as of the 21st and we are celebrating the beginning of Summer here in the Northern hemisphere and Winter in the Southern hemisphere.  

Read a book or books with or about Father, Summer, Winter, or any of their synonyms in the title.

41 Fantastic Father's Day Books to Gift Dad in 2023

Memorable literary dad's - one of my favorite is Arthur Weasley from the Harry Potter series. 

The Ultimate Summer 2023 Reading List

Emily Henry writes some of the best beach reads and I'm currently enjoying People We Meet On Vacation. 

35 Best Winter Themed Books for Cold Days

I love reading books with Winter settings in which the characters must not only battle one another, but the icy, frigid conditions. I thoroughly enjoyed the Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow and currently have the 23rd book in the series, Not the Ones Dead in my stacks to read.   Northern Lights by Nora Roberts is also one I return to every year. 

We recently lost Cormac McCarthy, the author of numerous books including No Country for Old Men, The Road, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and most recently The Passenger, which I have on my shelves, and the sequel, Stella Maris.  In honor of McCarthy, I'll be reading The Passenger, sooner rather than later. 

Our post is sponsored by the letter Y which means we can Yahoo, Yarn, and Yodel to our heart's content. 

BW24: The Flag That Makes Men Free by Kate Brownlee Sherwood

 

The Flag that Makes Men Free

by 

Kate Brownlee Sherwood

The battle clouds obscured the land and dimmed the nether seas,

The dread alarms of war wailed out on every swelling breeze;

The land the fathers wrestled for in hunger, cold and thirst,

Lay bound and bleeding in the toils of tyranny accursed.

They sought for sign or symbol, but to rescue there was none,

When lo, across the darkness flashed the flag of Washington;

The bonny flag, the beauteous flag, the flag of colors three,

Your flag, my flag, the people's flag,

The flag that makes men free.

And red for human brotherhood; no matter creed or clan,

The same rich blood proclaims us one in God's eternal plan;

And white for peace and purity and heaven on earth begun,

And blue the expanding canopy, the clustered stars in one;

They kissed its folds and through the years of storm and stress they came,

The ragged Continentals crowned with earth-compelling fame;

Their star-bespangled banner streaming over land and sea,

Your flag, my flag, the people's flag,

The flag that makes men free.

And lo, the scene was shifted and while the people slept,

Through marts of trade and traffic the toes of freedom crept;

For pride and power they wrestled, for lust of greed and gain,

They forged the human shackles and might resumed her reign;

As jeer and sneer run riot where dread and discord reel,

The rights of man lay trampled beneath the tyrants' heel;

They fired the torch of treason and mocked with anarchy

Your flag, my flag, the people's flag,

The flag that makes men free.

Then shop and school and farm and mine and factory outpour,

And thrice a hundred thousand men are marshalled at the fore;

And thrice a hundred thousand men with purpose staunch and true

On storied height, on gory plain, to die for me and you;

To consecrate our flag anew to truth's unending fame,

Equality, fraternity, in thunder tones proclaim;

To fly from fort and citadel for aye, exultantly,

Your flag, my flag, the people's flag,

The flag that makes men free.

What word, O fallen heroes, within the portals low,

Where underneath the southern cross the sweet magnolias blow?

Guard well that flag! lest while you sleep, the foe should haul it down,

While weeping fills our peaceful land and cannons flame and frown!

Guard well that flag! lest greed and graft should splash those stars of light,

And followed by the orphan's moan fair freedom takes her flight!

Guard well that flag! for faith and hope and better days to be,

Your flag, my flag, the people's flag,

The flag that makes men free!

In honor of Flag Day, June 14, 1777

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BW23: June Author of the Month - Nancy Springer

 

Courtesy of Maria Serafina

It's summertime. Well, almost. June is upon us which means its Great Outdoors Month, as well as National Ice Tea Month, Rose Month and National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. Who comes up with these things?  Anywho, make a pitcher of ice tea, go outside, smell the roses, (unless your allergic, like me), and enjoy the fruits of your labor from your very own garden, while you read the author of the month or whomever you choose.  

If any of you have watched Enola Holmes one or two on Netflix, you'll be pleased to know our author of the month is Nancy Springer, who wrote the Enola Holmes Mystery series. Ms. Springer has written over 50 books which includes a wide variety of young adult mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, magical realism, horror, and contemporary fiction.  I'm looking forward to reading the first book in the Enola Holmes series,  The Case of the Missing Marquess.

Our post is brought to you by the letter W which stands for Witness, witless, wine, and whine. LOL!

Please share your book thoughts 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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BW22: Memorial Day by Frederick W. Emerson

 

Memorial Day 

by

Frederick W. Emerson

Our Nation is reverently thinking today

Of the loved ones sleeping beneath the cold clay;

Of the sacrifice made, and the brave deeds done,

To preserve our Union as a glorious one.

We ne'er will be able to pay the great cost

Of the noble, the true, and the brave that we've lost;

But over their graves, with tears like the dew,

We'll lay our sweet flowers of red, white and blue.

Our Nation is paying its tribute today

Upon the green mounds where its loyal men lay;

While statesman, and orator, fondly repeat

The story of those who knew no defeat.

They tell of the Union united again,

By the triumph of those who died not in vain;

Of the forty-four states all loyal and free,

Of the peace, and the freedom, from sea to sea.

Please share your book thoughts 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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BW21: 52 Books Bingo - Southern

 

Happy Sunday! Our next 52 Books Bingo category is Southern which means our reading adventures are taking us southward. But where shall we go? We can go South of the Mississippi or to Southern California. We could go south of the equator to one of the five continents of Antarctica, Africa, Australia, South America, or Asia. Or we could go to the south of France or Italy. We can turn south and read a book from towns, cities, states, or countries in that direction. We could read a book with South in the Title or a character or dog named south. Ask a family member to blindly pick a point on the map located in the south and read a book by an author closest to that point. How you interpret it is up to you.

Books in Southern Europe

33 Must Read South Asian Books

 12 Books Set in Our Favorite Southern Cities

The Best Books About Mississippi

Books Set in Southern California

Books with South on the cover

This post is brought to you by the letter U for understanding, underdog, undefeated, united, and unconditional. 

Please share your thoughts and reviews. 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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BW20: Happy Mother's Day!

 

My Mother Kept a Garden

My Mother kept a garden,

A garden of the heart.

She planted all the good things

That gave my life its start.

She turned me to the sunshine

And encouraged me to dream.

Fostering and nurturing

The seeds of self-esteem.

I am my Mother’s garden.

I am her legacy.

And I hope today she feels the love

Reflected from me.

Author — Unknown

Happy Mother's Day 

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Please share your thoughts and reviews. 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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BW19: 52 Books Bingo - Character vs ...

 

Happy Sunday!  Books thrive on conflict, the more conflict the better. Our next 52 Books Bingo is all about character and conflict.  Conflict between characters, fate, technology, or nature as well as the conflict between self, the supernatural, or society. 

Character vs character conflict about the struggles between the protagonist and the antagonist: Batman vs Joker characters such as Harry Potter vs Voldemort. 

Character vs fate conflict of the battle of free will against a prophecy, a curse, society's expectations, or a fatal disease: Ex - Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince or  Frodo from Lord of the Rings.

Character vs technology conflict between man and machine:  Ex - Frankenstein or I, Robot. 

Character vs nature conflict is the battle between man and nature: Ex - Old Man and the Sea or Moby Dick. 

Character vs self as the character battles himself, his choices, desires, and duties, both literal or psychological:  Ex - The Bell Jar or Crime and Punishment

Character vs Supernatural conflict in which man battles the supernatural such as ghosts, goblins, demons, or aliens:  Ex - The Haunting of Hill House or The Discovery of Witches.  

Character vs Society conflict between man and the world at large, his desires and beliefs vs society at large: Ex -  The Hunger Games or 1984.

Do Character-Driven or Plot-Driven Books Create Better Book Club Conversations?

Testing Fate: A Closer Look at Person vs. Fate Conflict

Fate, Destiny, and Choices - Parallel Life Books 

What Are the Different Types of Conflict in Fiction?

10 Thought-Provoking Books Written To Challenge Society

6 conflict types in fiction: Man vs self, Man vs Nature, or Man vs Society

Our post is brought to you by the letter S which brings you solutions, society, sales, and sorcerers. 

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Please share your thoughts and reviews. 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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