Beginnings

Welcome friends! I have started this entry in the global technosphere because I have been in love with books since the age of 2. Among the busy business of being a new teacher, this is my outlet for sharing thoughts on a love of reading a wide variety of books. My inspiration can be summed up with a yearbook quote from a teacher written when I was 8: "To the only girl at recess I see reading a book. Good for you!"
My blog title is quoted from a classmate who asked me this once. Believe it or not, I've also heard it as a teacher :D

Monday, January 3, 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?


A weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Welcome back readers, all bleary-eyed & bushy-tailed from the holidays I take it :)  I hope you all had a fabulous start to the New Year.  I've enjoyed catching up on all the blogs I follow to see what books you received for the holidays and/or read during them.  Today, I'm home from work (not much need for a substitute teacher on the first day back from the holidays!), I hope to hop through some new blogs & catch up on older ones through that handy dandy Google Dashboard ;)

I'm proud to say that I finished 3 books unexpectedly before New Year's Day, upping my 2010 total to 18 books read. Didn't think that would happen & it's making me realize how much time the holiday break allows for burying one's nose in a good book :)  On that note, I've written an updated end-of-year post with some new stats.

Books Read Since My Break: (3)
The Poisonwood Bible- Barbara Kingsolver
Last Words- George Carlin
84 Charing Cross Road- Helene Hanff

Currently Reading: (2)
Full Dark, No Stars- Stephen King
I have read the first 2 short stories (loved both!), and have 2 left to read--for the Stephen King challenge.

My Life- Bill Clinton
I actually dipped into this on Dec. 31 after finishing 84 CCR & being too early to start the King book :D

Next to Read:
This Time Together- Carol Burnett--should be a sweet, breezy read for the What's in a Name 4 Challenge
Water For Elephants- Sara Gruen--has been "next to read" for a while now!
Atonement- Ian McEwan--ditto above!

Reviews Written Since Break:
None, hence the word "break" :D  I have 4 newly finished books to review & still have some older previously read (what I call "retro read") books to post reviews for.  I hope to have the 4 newer ones reviewed by next week & will (as usual) post the retro-read ones slowly but surely while reading my new books.  Who knew there was strategy involved in book blogging? :D

Have a wonderful reading week!

17 comments:

  1. Water for Elephants has been on my tbr pile for a while too hehe! Maybe we can both get it done this January :)

    Here's my What are you reading?

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  2. Welcome back and Happy New Year!
    I saw the movie version of 84 Charing Cross Road and loved it -- I really need to read the book.

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  3. You ended the year with a bang! Happy New Year!

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  4. I loved Water For Elephants. I'll bet the Carol Burnett book will be fun -- I'll have to look into that.

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  5. I didn't realize the Stephen King book was short stories, I'll have to take a look at that one.

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  6. Thanks for your comments on my Monday post about The Lovely Bones! I can definitely see why some people didn't finish it - the first chapter is so horrific! It really takes quite a journey from there to where it ends. Thanks also for your kind words about my family.

    Did you love the Poisonwood Bible?? It's one of my all-time favorites - top 5 books ever read! And Stephen King is always good. We've had Under the Dome sitting on our shelf for months now - its size is a bit intimidating!

    You've got some good ones coming up - Water for Elephants is absolutely wonderful...and now is a good time to read it, since the movie will be coming out soon. And I've always been a huge fan of Carol Burnett. Enjoy!

    Sue

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  7. 84 CCR is one of those books I keep meaning to read but then I forget about it. Thanks for reminding me again! I've really got to fix it more firmly onto my TBR list.

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  8. Look forward to your review on Poisonwood Bible!

    (all this time I thought I was following you and I wasn't! problem fixed now...have some catching up to do!)

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  9. Ooh, did you enjoy The Poisonwood Bible? I love that book. "The Lacuna" by the same author is very good as well.

    Good luck with Bill Clinton's autobiography. I read it a few years back and whilst I very much enjoyed it, it was a struggle at times.

    And yes, my English teacher did think that reading aloud with a forced accent was "drama" :/ Luckily I only had him for one year and had an amazing teacher for the remaining six who inspired me to read many wonderful books.

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  10. I loved 84 Charing Cross Road. On my top 10 last year.

    carol

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  11. I can't wait to hear what you think of Water for Elephants and Atonement. It's been a few years since I read both, but they were so good!

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  12. Wow, thanks everyone for commenting!

    Sharita~ Here's hoping :) Enjoy Pride & Prejudice!

    Trillian~ Thanks, you too.

    Suzanne~ Happy New Year to you! I saw 84 CCR before reading the book & loved it, too. Anne Bancroft (RIP) was such an amazing actress.

    Kathy~ Thanks, I surprised myself :D

    Joy~ I wasn't around to watch Carol Burnett's show but have discovered her through YouTube & my cousin who's a big fan. Her book should be a blast!

    Shan~ Yes, there are 4 short stories. I'm about halfway through the last one. They're all creepy & any King fan will eat them up.

    Sue~ You're very welcome. Yes, I loved The Poisonwood Bible & just need to write a review (x4 for the others I read recently). I'm glad you liked Water for Elephants--I'm anxious to start it but I want to get a headstart on my challenges, too...*grr* Under the Dome is the kind of book you can breeze through in most places but it took me just over 2 weeks to finish.

    Susan~ I hope you'll read 84 CCR soon. It's just lovely :)

    Melody~ Thanks for following! I'll get that review done soon (I hope).

    Sam~ Yes, I did love The Poisonwood Bible & will get the review up soon. I'm liking My Life by Bill Clinton but I start pining for fiction after every 100 pages or so :D That's good that you had an inspiring teacher after that miserable one. It seems to be a sad fact in most school experiences that for every wonderful teacher there's at least one bad apple :(

    DizzyC~ It would make my top 10 of the year, too, if I hadn't done it so early :/ Have you seen the movie? It's wonderful & very loyal to the book.

    Avid Reader~ I can't wait, either :D

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  13. The Poisonwood Bible has been on my to read list for a while so I'm looking forward to your review! I loved Water for Elephants- hope you enjoy!

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  14. Looking forward to hear what you thought of Poisonwood Bible :-)

    Water for Elephants is on my list to read.Someday. I guess it's set (at least partially) where I live so I suppose I'm obligated.

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  15. Happy New Year!
    I can only guess how funny the George Carlin book was..am jotting that one down. Enjoy your books.

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  16. Roving Reader~ I highly recommend reading The Poisonwood Bible. It's simply fantastic!

    jupitersinclair~ I'm sad that I've bumped off Water For Elephants for so long & will finally get to it this year (hopefully earlier rather than later!)

    CMash~ Happy New Year to you, too! If you know & love Carlin's humour, the book is a must-read :)

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  17. You must read Water For Elephants soon you will love it!

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