What's On My Nighstand: November

Grr, I can't believe I missed the monthly What's On Your Nightstand posting at 5 Minutes For Books last Tuesday! I thought it was today. But I suppose I'll consider this a better-late-than-never post.

I had great hopes for my November reading and expectations that I'd have time to just relax in my reading during the month of December, but as the year winds down my day-job has sped up and I'm finding little time to read and even less time to blog. Because of this I am changing my expectations for the upcoming weeks and focusing on the books sitting on my nightstand from November. If I have time to read something more, great! If not, I'll just wait until January.

Currently on my nightstand:

I've always been interested in American history and politics. I love reading and learning about presidents, so I was very curious about Decision Points by President George W. Bush. I'm excited to finally have it on my nightstand and dig in. The other book on my nightstand is from a completely different genre, Scottish-English fiction. Mrs. Tim Flies Home is the last in the Mrs. Tim series. I'm sad to see an end to the witty and charming tales of Hester Christie, but at the same time I am excited to have one more chance to enter her world.

Waiting to be added to my nightstand:

I read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 2008, but as it has been a couple years and this book was selected by my book club to read for January I am hoping to find time to re-read the book and refresh my memory. At the same time I am very excited to read another Agatha Christie novel that I've never seen before. I love finding new-t0-me stories. I know nothing about Towards Zero so that makes the read all the more exciting.

I doubt I'll have time to read anything else in December, but you never know. So stand by as I post my reviews for the books I read in November and I'll let you know if I stumble upon any other exciting reads in the coming weeks.

Happy reading!

Monday Children's Picks of the Week

The following are just three of our recent reads. During the last few weeks I've tried to focus a portion of our books on Autumn and Thanksgiving. Now with that holiday behind us and another one on its way (plus the change of seasons) I am on the look out for books about Winter, Christmas, Snow, and the like.

Our library is only a few months shy of moving into a brand new (and much larger) building. Because they will be growing in space they are starting to add to their collection, particularly in the children's department. The new release/newly purchased shelf has become my first stop when we arrive at the library. There are some great books out there. One such new release is:

All the Seasons of the Year by Deborah Lee Rose is one such new release (Published by Abrams Books, October 1, 2010). Beautifully illustrated by Kay Chorao this story tells how children are loved and cherished while incorporating some of the favorite moments of each season of the year. As we approach winter I've been discussing season changes with my daughter. I found All the Seasons of the Year to be an adorable story and a fun way to discuss the change of seasons. She loved the little kitten and the pretty pictures.


"I'm not Santa!" by Jonathan Allen is a funny and festive read-aloud that was published in 2008 by Hyperion Books for Children (a division of Disney). In "I'm not Santa!" Baby Owl is playing in the snow when he is mistaken for Santa Claus by Baby Hare. An argument ensues and it isn't until Santa himself arrives that Baby Hare and Baby Owl are finally set straight as to who-is-who. Personally I don't like to put too much emphasis on Santa during the Christmas season, but this story was really funny and I couldn't pass it up. My daughter has really enjoyed it and I've heard her "reading" it aloud several times. I've since noticed that Jonathan Allen has written at least one other book about Baby Owl, so I'll have to look for it during our next library visit.

Another old, but good read is The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader. Published in 1948 by Macmillan Publishing Company this story won the 1949 Caldecott Medal and has since been reprinted several times, including the most recent edition by Scholastic in 1990. The Big Snow tells the story of animals preparing for winter and the first Big Snow. The illustrations are a mix of color and black and white and have that charming style characteristic of books from the mid 20th century. My daughter loves all the animals and it is a delightful read for us as we learn about winter and look forward to our first big snow.


That's it for this week. I hope to be back next Monday with another list of books we have enjoyed together.

Happy reading!

Friday's Fave Five - What I'm Thankful For

This is the perfect week to list my favorite five moments or things because it coincides with Thanksgiving. As such I am going to list five things I am thankful for or that exhibit a way that I am thankful. Enjoy!

1. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day is still a very popular holiday in the USA. Families still travel far and wide to gather around the table and feast. And yet, it seems more and more that the actual holiday is an after thought for most of society. We go from summer to back to school; back to school to Halloween; and Halloween to Christmas. There's hardly a pause for this holiday. Personally I am thankful for Thanksgiving. I am waiting to put up Christmas decorations or begin any of that festivity until after Thanksgiving is past. I want to take the time to enjoy this day of thanks and rejoicing. I am grateful to God for a day to remember all the good in our lives.

2. My husband and my daughter. I am always thankful for these two special people, but especially this week as my job has been more demanding and their love for me is limitless.

3. Some time off work. I get a few days off work. I'm trying to clear my brain of all things job-related and just focus on family and rest. I hope to get some down time to read, but for the most part I am just thankful for time away from the computer!

4. Extended family. We don't see our extended family very much. Our extended family is spread far and wide. I am thankful for holidays when I am given the opportunity to see them and spend a little quality time together.

5. Video of the week: God of Wonders featuring Third Day. Enjoy!

What are your five favorite moments or things from the last week? Leave a comment letting me know, or linking to your own five fave post. Or better yet, head over to Living To Tell the Story and link up your Five Faves.

Have a great weekend!

"Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name."

(1 Chronicles 29:13, The Bible, NAS)

Sorry, We're temporarily Closed - Management on Holiday

Well, this week and last week did not go quite as I had anticipated. As is the case with any small business, organization, office if an employee departs before you have a chance to replace them the work must be handled by someone. This happened in my office last week and the someone happens to be me. So, as most are winding down for the holidays, I have been doing double-time just to tie up loose ends and keep all the proverbial "ducks in a row." It's Wednesday afternoon and I'm finally finished and have turned to my own family holiday preparations. As such, I have had little time to read and no time for blogging. And so I am declaring myself a blogging holiday! For the remainder of the week I am going to do my best to avoid blogger and twitter and instead spend a lot of time with my family.

So, to all my American friends, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! I'll see you all back here next week with some more book reviews!

Tuesday Teaser: The Distant Hours - The Library

"Shelves spanned all four walls, floor to ceiling, and although it was shadowy inside -- the windows were cloaked by thick, draping curtains that brushed the ground -- I could see they were lined with very old books, the sort with marbled endpapers, gold-dipped edges, and black cloth binding. My fingers positively itched to drift at length along their spines, to arrive at one whose lure I could not pass, to puck it down, to inch it open, then close my eyes and inhale the soul-sparking scent of old and literate dust."

(The Distant Hours by Kate Morton, Part 1, Page 63)

Saturday Review Of Books

It's Saturday and time for the weekly posting of book review links at Semicolon's blog. I've already linked up my review from earlier in the week, have you?

Don't have a review to link up? That's ok too, just stop by and check out what everyone else has read and what they liked or didn't like about their reads.

Happy reading!

Happy (belated) Birthday to D. E. Stevenson!

Happy (belated) 118th birthday to Dorothy Emily Stevenson!

Dorothy Emily (Stevenson) Peploe was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on November 18, 1892. Although Dorothy Emily is best known by her pen name, D. E. Stevenson, which she used for the 40+ novels she penned from 1923-1970, she is not nearly as famous as her esteemed cousin, poet and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. Still, for many readers D. E. Stevenson is synonymous with a good read.

You can read more about her here: D. E. Stevenson's biography or by checking out the related links below.

I am a fan of D. E. Stevenson and am planning to celebrate her birthday this weekend by reading the final novel in the Mrs. Tim series: Mrs. Tim Flies Home.

Curious to know more about Dorothy Emily's books? Check out my reviews of 10 of her novels that I have read and enjoyed:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment (1932)
Mrs. Tim Carries On (1941)
Mrs. Tim Gets a Job (1947)

Miss Buncle's Book (1934, Reprinted in 2008)
Miss Buncle Married (1936)
The Two Mrs. Abbotts (1943)

Rochester's Wife (1940)

Celia's House (1943)
Listening Valley (1944)

The Blue Sapphire (1963)

Related Links:
Biography - Wikipedia
All Things D. E. Stevenson

Reading Meme

I snagged this reading meme from a friend's note on Facebook because I thought it was a fun idea. I did this once before a couple years ago, but it was before this blog so I thought it would be fun to-take and post.

Honestly, I don't think this list is exhaustive. There are MANY books that should be on this list, but are not. There are also several books listed that I don't believe should be. They are NOT literature in the classic sense of the word, but perhaps BBC is just looking for popular works over the ages? And there are a few cases of repetition. The complete Chronicles of Narnia series is listed, but then a separate Narnia title is also listed. Also the complete works of Shakespeare are listed and then further down Hamlet makes the list. I'm not sure why these are listed twice as that seems like cheating, but I didn't put together the list, so oh well. I hope you'll enjoy playing along.

BBC READING MEME:
Have you read more than 6 of these books? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books listed here.

Instructions: Bold those books you've read in their entirety Italicize the ones you started but didn't finish or read an excerpt. Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can see your responses!

1. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series – JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11. Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18. The Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch – George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
34. Emma – Jane Austen
35. Persuasion – Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis (repetitive see 33)
37. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere
39. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne
41. Animal Farm – George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
45. The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies – William Golding
50. Atonement – Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi – Yann Martel
52. Dune – Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens (about to read this in Jan)
58. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
69. Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
72. Dracula – Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses – James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal – Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession – AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte’s Web – EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94. Watership Down – Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

The only thing I don't like about this list (except from what I posted above) is that seeing a list like this makes me feel as though I have not read enough! Yet I've read hundreds of books in the last couple years. There's just so much out there to read. On this list I've only read 36 of the books listed, but a few more are on my list to read within 2011 and a few will never make that list. What about you? How many of these books have you read? Leave me a comment and let me know, or link up your own post.

Happy reading!

Tuesday Teaser: At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern

"When the book-lover enters his library, no matter what storm and tumult may be in his heart, he has come to the inmost chamber of Peace. The indescribable, musty odour which breathes from the printed page is fragrant incense to him who loves his books. In unseemly caskets his treasures may be hidden, yet, when the cover is reverently lifted the jewels shine with no fading light. The old, immortal beauty is still there, for any one who seeks it in the right way."

(At the Sign of the Jack O' Lantern by Myrtle Reed, Chpt 18, pg 300)

Capitol Hill Cooks by Linda Bauer

384 pages
Published August 16, 2010
by Taylor Trade Publishing
Lanham, MD

When I cook I tend to stick to family recipes or those found within the cookbooks I've been given, or even those posted online. It is definitely a rare occurrence for me to buy a cookbook, let alone borrow one from the library and an even more rare occurrence for me to post a review. But when I first learned of Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House, Congress, And All of the Past Presidents I was immediately intrigued. A new release I requested a copy from my library and began flipping through. It is indeed an intriguing cookbook and as such I felt it deserved a little attention by way of a review.

At first glance I assumed Capitol Hill Cooks: Recipes from the White House, Congress and All of the Past Presidents to be a collection of recipes by cooks of the White House and Congress, but I was partly wrong. It is a collection of recipes, but they are from actual elected officials -- Senators, Representatives, and the President and his First Lady. In some ways this is even more exciting for those enthralled by American history and the Who's Who of Washington, DC politics both past and present. My only dispute with this title is that it claims to include recipes from "all of the former presidents" and that's not exactly true. I checked and at least one (Millard Filmore) does not have a recipe attributed to him. Still, the majority do and it's truly fascinating to see what were the favorite dishes of nearly all of our Commander in Chiefs.

Capitol Hill Cooks contains over 200 recipes from 49 states and 2 United States territories. The cookbook is divided by courses. First come the appetizers, then salads, next soups and stews, then side dishes, main dishes, meats, poultry and seafood, breads and finally cakes and cookies, pies and desserts and snacks and sauces. Last a special collection of "favorite dishes of the presidents."

As far as cooking goes, the recipes appear to be fairly simple and straight forward and, for the most part, do not require any special ingredients, though there are the few exceptions.

Personally, while I thought Capitol Hill Cooks was a really clever idea, it unfortunately did not contain enough recipes that I would use to justify my owning a copy. However, before the book is due back at the library I do plan to try a few recipes and I might end up changing my mind, we'll see. The top recipes to catch my eye include: Senator Wicker's (MS) Poppy Seed Chicken, Rep. Honda's (CA) Japanese Chicken Salad, Senator Boxer's (CA) Lemon Blueberry Muffins, and President Reagan's The Reagan Family Cranberry Sauce. And if I feel brave enough I might even try my hand at a favorite of President George Washington's -- Nelly Custis' recipe for Hoecakes or Thomas Jefferson's Chicken Fricassee.

Along with the tasty there are one or two recipes that made me grimace. Most notable was Rep. Coble's (NC) entry of Breakfast "Brains and Eggs," which do include the real thing: pork brains in gravy. (Ewww!!!) No thank you.

My only grievance with this cookbook is that it contains no pictures. I personally find myself more likely to try a recipe if I can see how the dish is appears. This cookbook could read more like a work of non-fiction if the reader doesn't mind reading all the measurements. Several of the recipes contain brief notes about the history of the dish or a the reason for its inclusion by the elected official. My favorite little tidbit was that the Eggnog recipe credited to George Washington was recently discovered written in Washington's own hand. How cool is that?

All in all, Capitol Hill Cooks is a fun cookbook for those looking for something historic this holiday season. Even though I don't plan to buy a copy I was glad that my library offers the option to preview this cookbook.

Don't Forget! - Tonight's Blog Talk Radio Interview with Book Club Girl, Mitali Perkins & Melissa Wiley

The second Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge may be over, but the excitement of the re-release of the Deep Valley books isn't. Don't forget that tonight on Blog Talk Radio you can join Book Club Girl (Jennifer Hart), Mitali Perkins, and Melissa Wiley as they discuss Emily, Carney, Winona, and all things Maud Hart Lovelace!

When: TONIGHT: November 15 at 7pm ET
Where: Blog Talk Radio

Important Info:
Worried you might forget? You can set a reminder for the show here and then return to that same link to listen live this evening. You can participate by typing questions into the chat session and by calling 347-945-6149 during the show and asking questions directly. Be sure to register on the site before 7:00pm (ET) on Monday so you can participate in the chat from the beginning of the show.

Related links:
2010 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

Upcoming Deep Valley Book Release Parties & Signings

All Things Maud

Deep Valley Books

Is Emily of Deep Valley a Timeless Classic? - Mitali Perkins

Betsy-Tacy BlogTalkRadio Interview Today - Melissa Wiley

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**UPDATE - 11/21/10 **
Missed joining the chat last week? No worries, you can catch it over at Book Club Girl's blog.

My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson

In honor of Robert Louis Stevenson's 160th birthday:

My Shadow
by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow --
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

~ From A Child's Garden of Verses (1902)

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Related Links:

More about: Robert Louis Stevenson
Wikipedia: Robert Louis Stevenson
A complete collection of Robert Louis Stevenson's poems

Is It Time For Another Jane Eyre?

Can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to literature on the big screen? I guess we're going to find out.

I learned earlier this week that there is to be yet ANOTHER Jane Eyre adaptation. It seems like we just had one of these, so I checked and there was one in 2006. This will make the 9th adaptation! (The third in 15 years.)

It amazes me how many times certain novels can be adapted to the screen and sometimes in nearly back to back years and others remain with only a single filming. For example, Gone With the Wind was filmed in 1939, but over 70 years later it remains the only adaptation of that novel. Yes, there have been wanna-be sequels, but no remake of the original script has been filmed. Why is that? Is it because that adaptation was so great it just cannot be topped?

If that is the case what does that say about the classics by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters that have been filmed time and time again? Pride and Prejudice has been adapted five times, Emma five times, Oliver Twist seven times, Wuthering Heights no less than 11 times and now Jane Eyre for the 9th time!

What is it with these stories that make screenwriters, directors, and producers want to film them again and again? Is there still something left to be brought to the screen? I guess we'll have to wait until March 2011 to see for ourselves.

I will say this much, from the movie trailer it looks like it will be a good adaptation. It is produced by the same company (Focus Features) that adapted Pride and Prejudice in 2005. Although that version of P&P is not a favorite of mine it was a fairly good adaptation. So with that in mind I am both curious and interested in their adaptation of Jane Eyre.

Curious to learn more? Check out One Literature Nut's blog post: The Bronte Sisters Take Popular Culture By Storm... Again.

Other Blogger Give-Away

Remember when I read and reviewed Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay?

If not you can read my review of Russian Winter here. For those interested in reading this new release you now have the chance to win your own SIGNED copy!

The Boston Bibliophile has posted a give-away for three signed copies for US residents. To enter for a chance to win you must visit her blog post: Russo-Biblio-Extravaganza Giveaway- 3 *signed* copies of RUSSIAN WINTER and leave a comment before November 30.

Good luck!

Veteran's Day - In Rememberance

Did you know that today is Veteran's Day?

Do you think it is a forgotten holiday that should be canceled or one that should be remembered and honored? I read one article where the author claimed Veteran's Day was an insult to all soldier who served after the first World War. I don't happen to agree, but it is an interesting thought to consider.

Veteran's Day. Why do we celebrate? Most people don't even notice it since for many businesses it isn't associated with a day off work or a holiday sale like Memorial Day, Independence Day, or even Columbus Day are. It doesn't even bring on a flurry of gift cards and parties like Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day.

And speaking of Memorial Day, what exactly is the difference between that holiday and Veteran's Day? Why do we celebrate both? According to the Department of Veteran Affairs we celebrate "Memorial Day to honor service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day, but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military -- in wartime or peacetime."

Kenneth C. Davis author of the book series: "Don't Know Much About...." wrote an excellent post on his blog yesterday: Don’t Know Much About Veterans Day–The Forgotten Meaning. I encourage you to check it out and then say a prayer of thanksgiving for all the people who have given their lives to maintain freedom and also for each living veteran of service who has served and lived to tell their story. And then when you're out and about today be sure to stop and thank someone you know (or even those you meet) for serving your country.

Other related links:
History of Veteran's Day - US Department of Veteran's Affairs
Veteran's Day (Wikipedia)
Armistice Day (Wikipedia)
Remembrance Day (Wikipedia)

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

201 pages
Published in 1942 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Reprinted in 2007 by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc.
New York, NY

It is said that Agatha Christie considered The Moving Finger to be one of her best novels. I can't say that it's one of my top favorites, but it is an enjoyable read. And I know this much, it's good enough that one can read it, wait a few years, and then re-read it and still be caught up in the mystery.

The Plot:
A series of poison-pen letters has shattered the peaceful way of life in the quiet village of Lymstock. No one is safe from the scathing accusations and alarming threats contained in these vicious notes, and everyone is wondering who the sinister mind is behind them. Neighbor suspects neighbor, and it seems that no one is free of motive -- not the village doctor, not the vicar, not the servants, not even the newcomers, narrator Jerry Burton and his sister, Joanna. The stakes are raised when one victim apparently distraught over the content of the letter she received, takes her own life.

Fortunately, Miss Jane Marple is staying on as the vicar's houseguest. With her keen insight into the mysteries of human nature, she is the only one able to sort through the finger pointing and put an end to the terror." (Summary courtesy of the publisher.)

My Thoughts:
As I mentioned above this was actually my second time reading The Moving Finger. Normally I steer clear of books I've read before for the simple reason I remember too much. I have a strong photographic memory, especially when it comes to books. I find that long after I've read the story I can remember plots, characters, and even sometimes specific dialogue or details. (This is problematic when reading a mystery. What's the point if you remember who committed the crime?)

The Moving Finger was an exception to this. I first read it over four years ago (in July 2006), but when I picked it up to read this month I didn't remember anything about the story, at least not at first. I dug into the story not remembering anything and was enjoying the story for it's different setting, but then the vague recollections began. At first it was a character or a scene, but by the end of the book it was like I was having a case of reading deja vu. I could remember the outcome of a conversation or scene before I had finished reading it, yet I still couldn't remember everything. It was indeed a very strange feeling!

Nevertheless, I still found myself wrapped up in the excitement of the end when the murderer is caught and Miss Marple explains the crime. Some might consider all this to mean the novel is forgettable and not worth reading, but I don't think that is true. I think the fact that I had read over 260 novels between my first reading of The Moving Finger and my second has something to do with my foggy memory. Overall I enjoyed the read, even if it wasn't a total surprise.

The one aspect of the novel that disappointed me has to do with Miss Marple. The Moving Finger is considered a Miss Marple mystery; even the publisher's plot summary leads the reader to believe so, but if you are expecting Miss Marple's involvement to be on par with that of Hercule Poirot you are in for a surprise. The story is narrated by Jerry Burton and it is from Jerry's point of view that the entire mystery unfolds. Miss Marple doesn't appear until 50 pages before the END of the story and even then her involvement is secondary at best. She appears in only a few scenes and her longest set of dialogue is at the last pages of the final chapter when she explains the crime.

Perhaps this has something to do with why I've never been a great fan of Miss Marple. I love the concept of her character, but in all the novels that I have read where she appears her role is almost always secondary. I much prefer the detective to play a leading role. I think I could have been happy if The Moving Finger had been just Jerry Burton and the local police.

Still, as I said it was an enjoyable read. I thought it a clever mystery with a good share of wit and romance interwoven. In the end all the lose ends are tied up and as one character ironically states: "everything turns out for the best."

Definitely a worthwhile read for those new to Agatha Christie. And I think even a good read for those who have enjoyed it in the past... so long as it was the distant past.

Up next, Towards Zero a Superintendent Battle novel that I've not yet read!

Tuesday Teaser: The Moonstone

"If the sea, then oozing in smoothly over the Shivering Sand, had been changed into dry land before my own eyes, I doubt if I could have been more surprised than I was when Mr. Franklin spoke those words." (The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Part 1, Chpt 5, page 44)

The Classic Hundred Poems: All Time Favorites Edited by William Harmon

360 pages
Published in 1990, reprinted in 1998
by Columbia University Press

I FINALLY had a chance to pull together my thoughts about The Classic Hundred Poems: All Time Favorites edited by William Harmon which I read this past summer for my book club. I am very excited to report that my write-up has been posted over at 5 Minutes for Books!!!


So after you check out my write-up please be sure to stop back here to read a few interesting "Did you know" facts about some of the poems and poets contained within this collection.

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DID YOU KNOW:

- The song Auld Lang Syne most famous as a New Years Eve song is actually based on a poem by 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns. Burns was also famous for his poem: A Red, Red Rose.

- Poet Percy B. Shelley was the husband of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. Mary penned this famous novel while on vacation with her husband and several literary friends. Apparently one evening Percy, Mary and their friends challenged each other to see who could write the scariest story. Mary won hands down. So who were some of the others present? One of them was Percy's friend and fellow poet, Lord Byron. Talk about a collection of literary giants!

- Most fans of the novel Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery are already familiar with how The Lady of Shallot by Lord Alfred Tennyson was one of Anne Shirley's favorite poems. But that wasn't the only poem or poet that Montgomery references within the Anne books. Readers should also take a look at Robert Louis Stevenson's poems as several are woven through the Anne books.

Want to know more about how poetry has influenced literature and culture? Check out The Classic Hundred Poems.

Hundreds of FREE audiobooks for children

I've known for some time that there are free audio book downloads available for specific classics; but I had no idea to what extent audio books have now become available to the traveling reader. Tonight I stumbled upon a post by Budget Saving Mom that linked to hundreds (!!!) of free audio books for children.

To save time and give credit where credit is due I am only listing the main links. If you want to see the entire collection of links that Budget Saving Mom has listed or view some of the titles available at these websites I definitely suggest you head over to Budget Saving Mom's website.

Websites that offer FREE audio books for children:

• Light Up Your Brain
• Kiddie Records
• RobertMunch.com
• Books Should Be Free
• Audio Books Corner
• StoryNory
• Kids Audio Books

Thanks Budget Saving Mom for passing on this great money-saving deal!

Literary Meme - Answers

I must confess I am little disappointed I didn't get more guesses on Monday's Literary Meme post. Maybe they were harder than I thought? Or maybe everyone is recovering from a busy October. At any rate I promised to post the answers later in the week, so here I am.

The following titles are five of my favorite books; not all-time top five favorite, but definitely five books I have read, I have loved, and I think you should read! (When available I have linked the title to my review.)

~*~

1. "All the Hill was boiling with excitement. On every side there rose a continual chattering and squeaking, whispering and whistling, as the Animals discussed the great news." -- Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson

2. "London was enjoying the first day of spring; the clouds which had obscured the atmosphere for weeks had been swept away in the night and the old grey city was stretching herself and relaxing happily in mild air and golden sunshine." -- The Blue Sapphire by D. E. Stevenson

3. "A rickety carriage was slowly ascending the hill, and from the place of honour on the back seat, the single passenger surveyed the country with interest and admiration." -- Lavender And Old Lace by Myrtle Reed

4. "London. Michaelmas Term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets, as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill." -- Bleak House by Charles Dickens

5. "No man knew when the Shuttle began its slow and heavy weaving from shore to shore, that it was held and guided by the great hand of Fate." -- The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett

~*~

What about you? What are five books you have read, loved and think I should read? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Autumn Poetry: Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare

That time of year thou mayst in me behold

When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Good Citizenship

It's election day in the United States -- have you voted yet?

Today as I thought about the election I rememberd an excellent little book I picked up some ten years ago. It contains two speeches by former President Grover Cleveland and was published in 1908. The first speech is titled Good Citizenship and is as applicable today as it was 100+ years ago when written.

As typical you can't get the entire text via Google Books (such a shame as the book is only 78 pages long), but you can read a good deal of it, so check it out! Here's the opening quote:

"There is danger that my subject of American good citizenship is so familiar and so trite as to lack interest. This does not necessarily result from a want of appreciation of the importance of good citizenship, nor from a denial of the duty resting upon every American to be a good citizen. There is, however, abroad in our land a self-satisfied and perfunctory notion that we do all that is required of us in this direction when we make profession of our faith in the creed of good citizenship and abstain from the commission of palpably unpatriotic sins...."Read more here.

Still need to vote? Find your polling place.

I Read It! - November

It's the first Tuesday of the month, which means it's time for the November edition of "I Read It" at 5MinutesforBooks.com.

I Read It is a monthly posting that gives fellow readers (and bloggers) a chance to share the books they've read because of another readers recommendation. Posts can be anything from as detailed as stating the title and author of the book, who recommended it to you, why you wanted to read it, and what you thought about the book. (In other words, a full review.) Or you can keep it simple and announce what you read by recommendation and whether you agreed or disagreed. This is a fun way to spread the word about a great read... or in some cases, sadly, about the bad ones too.

Of course if you haven't read anything by recommendation in the last month you can still participate. Head on over to 5MinutesforBooks and see what other readers have read and reviewed upon recommendation. Then read their reviews and leave your own comment letting them know if they have inspired you to read the book too.

Whatever you decide, have fun and of course -- keep reading!

Literary Meme

I have to admit I am feeling a little burnt out after the month of October, it was a busy reading and blogging month for me. So... I am taking a bit of a leave today and reusing a meme that I posted back in July of 2008. Mind you, I am changing up my selections, so don't think you can cheat by looking up what the answers from the previous post because you can't. That list was completely different from today's list. You can, however see my answers for the 2008 meme here.

1. Pick 5 of your favorite books. (Doesn't have to be your top 5, any 5 will do.)
2. Post the first sentence of each book. (If one sentence seems too short, post two or three!)
3. Let everyone try to guess the titles and authors of your books.

~*~

Since last week when Scholastic launched their "You are what you read" website I've been giving the concept of a "bookprint" a lot of thought. While the following five books aren't the ones I plan to list in my bookprint they are books I have read and that I have really enjoyed; some I've read once and others I've read more than once. Can you guess the titles and authors of these five books?

1. "All the Hill was boiling with excitement. On every side there rose a continual chattering and squeaking, whispering and whistling, as the Animals discussed the great news."

2. "London was enjoying the first day of spring; the clouds which had obscured the atmosphere for weeks had been swept away in the night and the old grey city was stretching herself and relaxing happily in mild air and golden sunshine."

3. "A rickety carriage was slowly ascending the hill, and from the place of honour on the back seat, the single passenger surveyed the country with interest and admiration."

4. "London. Michaelmas Term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets, as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill."

5. "No man knew when the Shuttle began its slow and heavy weaving from shore to shore, that it was held and guided by the great hand of Fate."

~*~

Can you guess which five books these quotes came from? Leave a comment with your guesses and I'll post the answers later in the week.

P.S. Curious about some of the other book themed "memes" I've posted in the past? Click on the label "meme" to view all the memes dating back to 2008.