A Challenge ...Austen Style!

I've always loved to read.  I was a very early reader.  I still love to, even though I don't have nearly as much time as I'd like, but I make the time every night before going to sleep, no matter what time it is. 

So I decided to look for a Reading Challenge for 2012, and wouldn't you know the very first one I came across was a Jane Austen-inspired one?  

Here is the Goodreads page for it: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/59617.Explore_the_Many_Genres_of_Jane_Austen_Spinoffs_2012_Reading_Challenge

I like that is has 8 genres you have to read from, not just Jane's books.

Variation Stories: An example of this would be "Darcy's Voyage" by Kara Louise. Essentially this category is for writers who have taken the original story, and changed it. 

Sequel: An example of this would be books by Rebecca Ann Collins, books that follow the Darcy's or Knightly's or whomever after the original story ends. 

Jane Austen as a Fictional Character: 

Paranormal: An example of this would be "Jane and the Damned" by Janet Mullany. These are stories in which Jane Austen characters, or Jane herself, become or interact with vampires, sea monsters, etc.

Modern Adaptation: An example of this would be "Persuading Annie" by Melissa Nathan. Jane Austen's stories written in a modern time frame.

Mystery: A great series is the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries by Carrie Bebris.

Supporting Characters: These are books based on the supporting characters in the book such as Georgiana, Charlotte Lucas, etc. An example would be "Charlotte Collins" by Jennifer Becton

Books by Jane Austen: Many of you have become Austen fans through the movies, or maybe you are a die hard Pride and Prejudice fanatic. Read a novel by Jane: Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Persuasion or Sense and Sensibility. You could even read one of the incomplete works, such as Lady Susan, to complete this challenge.

 The hardest part of this challenge, for me, is finding books I haven't read already!  Anyone up for joining me in this challenge? Let me know!
Here the link to the main info page: http://existingstricky.blogspot.com/2011/12/explore-many-genres-of-jane-austen.html

The Book Thief

This summer my daughter handed me a book and insisted I read it. "Better than any Harry Potter" she promised me. She wasn't kidding.

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak is amazing. It isn't just a "good" book, it's an awe-inspiring, thought provoking novel that touches you so deeply and changes you for the better after reading it.

Set during in WWII Nazi Germany, the story is told by the unlikely narrator -- Death. And yet it isn't the story you'd think it would be. Instead it is a story of love. Love of humanity. Love of family. Love of friendship.

Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Because the Candy Man Can

I just finished reading a poinently truthful & delightfully funny book by actor Gene Wilder. His autobiography tells the tale of someone truly grateful for everything that he's been given in life, including life itself.

Born & raised in Milwaukee, he has a natural talent that lead him to the opportunities to study with some of the most amazing people, and perform with some greats, as well. His personal life was bumpy but he was always in pursuit of joy & love, something I think most of us can relate to.

I don't write review here very often for the endless books I read, but this one touched me in the fact that he laid himself out in such a way that could open the door to criticism and instead you get a real understanding of who he is as a man, an actor, a writer, and a husband who isn't always successful, but certainly always strives to do what's best. I recommend this read to anyone who enjoys his work. He really IS Willy Wonka...a sweet, somewhat manic man who what's goodness & love.

Be a Rebel...Read!

I love books. I love to read. I think that reading to your children is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. I think we grow as individuals by reading a variety of books. Even the challenged or banned ones. Heck, especially the challenged or banned ones!

September 29-October 6 is officially BANNED BOOKS WEEK. I encouraged everyone to read a banned book! In this country we have intellectual, artistic freedom. We have the freedom of speech. No book should be banned simply because someone doesn't like it. (If that were the case Shakespeare or The Bible would have been banned long ago!) What sort of books get banned? Pornography? Devil worshipping? No, those don't even typically fall into radar. Instead they are often books that are considered popular or classics even. Off the list this year, but on for several years past, are the “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain.

Who are the top 10 most challenged authors? Probably a few of your favourites:

1. Alvin Schwartz 2. Judy Blume 3. Robert Cormier 4. J.K. Rowling 5. Michael Willhoite 6. Katherine Paterson 7. Stephen King 8. Maya Angelou 9. R.L. Stine 10. John Steinbeck

I'm challenging you, my friends, to pick up a banned or challenged book. And then pass it along, send it out to someone else via Bookcrossings.

And for anyone in the greater Chicago area: You are invited to come and celebrate your freedom to read during the 26th annual celebration of Banned Books Week. Join the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum, and the Newberry Library in Chicago, IL at the Pioneer Plaza (on Michigan Ave between the Tribune Tower and the Chicago River) on Saturday, September 29, 2007, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., for the Banned Books Week Read-Out! Local Chicago Celebrities join several acclaimed authors to read passages from their favorite banned and challenged books. Admission is FREE.

Dumbledore's Army

Allow me to briefly state just how freakin' excited I am that Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix opens tonight at midnight! I can't wait to see it! (No, I'm not going to the midnight show, but I will go on Thursday night hopefully.) And then next week the 7th (and sadly, final) book will be out! I have oh-so-much speculation about it, and who will die. How 'bout you, are you excited about Harry Potter month?

Into the Wild

Spread literacy, free a book into the wild. I've tried to tell people about my favourite way of passing along the gift of reading, but I don't think many have joined in. So, I'm posting about it again today. It's fun, its relatively free, and its that random act of kindness that you put out into the world that, in my opinion, can only reap good karmic rewards.

The way Bookcrossing works is basically this: you go to their website, sign up, and then enter the books you are going to release and then where you're going to leave it. (Very simple.) Then you can purchase their waterproof bags or bookplates (or I think they have some you can just download for free), write the info on the bookplate, stick it inside the book, then leave the book somewhere. Anywhere...a Starbucks, the shopping carts at the grocer, your doctor's office, a park bench...literally anywhere it could potentially be found. (I found my first book stuck on a giant lion statue in a park.) Hopefully someone finds the book goes to the website (as instructed on the bookplate), enters the info and the intent is that they will then read the book, and then do the same thing...releasing it again back "into the wild" for someone else to find, read, & share.

The weather is getting nice, people will be outside more, give someone a book they may never have picked up before...today! It's cool. You should be so cool.

Wish List

Ok...so here is my current wish list:

Books: Petite Connisseur: Fashion,

Urban Babies Wear Black,

Baby Mix Me a Drink,

and This Little Piggy Went to Prada

And these...PeePee TeePees....hahahahahahaha!!!

Literacy

In an attempt to find random moments (like in the bath) to read despite having a baby, I thought it was fun to get tagged by this. I, in turn, tag all of you who drop by, especcially since one of 1001 resolutions to myself in the next year is to ask my friends for a list of their favourite books and then add them to my reading list. So tag...you're it!

The 100 Books Meme
• bold the ones you’ve read
• italicize the ones you want to read
• cross out the ones you won’t touch with a 10 foot pole
• put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf
• asterisk (*) the ones you’ve never heard of
1. +The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. + Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. + To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. *Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. *A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11.+ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13.+ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14.* A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. + Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone (J.K. Rowling)
17. *Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. --The Stand-- (Stephen King)
19. + Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
20. + Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. + The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. + The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. + Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. *Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. +The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. + The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. + Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. + 1984 (Orwell)
35. +The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. *The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. *I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. --The Clan of the Cave Bear-- (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. + Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. +The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. + Bible
46. + Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. + The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. +Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. +She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. *The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. + A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. *Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. + Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. + The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. *The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. + Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. + The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. + Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. * Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. --One Hundred Years Of Solitude-- (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. +The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. + Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. + The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. +Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. +Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez) HATED IT!
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. *The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. *The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. +Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. *Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. + Of Mice And Men (John Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. *Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. + Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. * The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. * Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. * Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. * In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Ludlum)
96. + The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. +A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)