A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week’s question is:
Do you ever listen to book-related podcasts? If so, which ones and why? (Include the URLs for people who aren’t familiar with them.) Or, of course, there’s the flip side … did you even know that such a thing existed?
I listen to podcasts, but I haven’t listened to any book related ones unless you count books themselves. I do like to listen to short stories or occasionally a book on my iPod while I work in my garden.
The podcasts I enjoy are NPR’s Science Friday. These are short segments on a wide variety of timely subjects. You don’t even have to be geeky to enjoy them. There’s something for everyone and a large downloadable archive to look through.
Perhaps I will find some good book related links this week from others who post them.
For the past three summers Gabe Levinson and his Book Bike have been giving away books in Chicago’s parks. I have heard about the book bike, a customized tricycle with shelves for the books, but have never seen it in action.
Since July of 2008, the Book Bike has been responsible for placing over 3,000 new and used books into people’s hands. For the past two years the Book Bike was self-funded. This summer donations are being accepted. All books on the Book Bike will be purchased from independent bookstores directly supporting independent booksellers while keeping with the mission of free books for all.
A few weeks ago the book bike and Gabe were in the news when the Chicago Park District wanted to shut it down for not having a permit. I’m not even going to comment on the stupidity of this in a city that has so many problems free books are the least of it’s worries. It’s not even clear that a permit is actually required to give things away, but the Chicago Public Library stepped in to resolve the issue with the Park District. The Book Bike can continue passing out books, no permit needed.
A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week’s question is:
… when you think about “hot reading,” what does that make you think of? Beach reading? Steamy romances? Books that take place in hot climates? Or cold ones?
When I hear “hot reading” I think of what’s on the best seller list, that book that everyone’s talking about or that hot new release I’ve been waiting for. I tend to read a lot of science fiction, mystery and thrillers and not much romance, so I don’t think of steamy romances.
As for hot climates… it’s terribly hot where I am too. But I still like to sit outside and read on my porch or under the shade of a tree. That’s where the name of the blog comes from… there really is an apple tree in my yard.
Musing Monday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s musing is: Can you read amidst distractions? (tv, others talking, sporting events, etc)
If it’s a distraction that doesn’t require my attention I have no trouble concentrating on my reading. Just this weekend I took my book with me to the free jazz concert in my town and was able to read and enjoy the music while a lot of activity was going on around me. On the other hand, if the TV is on and I hear something interesting I may lose my concentration. But in the end it depends on the book. If it’s a book I’m thoroughly involved in nothing short of an explosion would tear me away.
Molly Fox’s Birthday by Deirdre Madden
Genre: Literature
Published: April 27th 2010 by Picador USA
Rating: 2½ of 5 stars
This entire novel takes place over the course of one day. That day happens to be Molly Fox’s birthday. Molly Fox is out of town and lets a long-time friend of hers borrow her home to stay at while finishing writing a play. This friend is the story’s narrator and as far as I can tell remains nameless throughout the novel. Instead of working on her play, she spends the day reminiscing about her 20 year friendship with Molly and another long time friend, Andrew. As she moves about the house she looks at all of Molly’s things, thinks about her relationship with Molly and Andrew, with her family and other friends over the years and how sometimes it feels like she never really knew them at all. As the story progresses there is much reminiscing, reflection and ruminations about the past by our narrator.
While the book was well written, and the writing was beautiful from a literary point of view, I found the story to be rambling and devoid of a plot. I kept waiting for something to happen but there was nothing compelling to keep my interest. Occasionally it would start to get interesting and then the musing on that subject would end and it would be on to some other rambling thought.
It’s not that I disliked the book; no, that wasn’t it. The book was readable but a bit too artsy for me. I just couldn’t like the characters enough to get involved with them; I found them boring, and as a result had to push myself to get through to the end of this book. That said, for those who enjoy this type of cerebral story it’s probably worth a read and there is a good chance they will like the book.
This was a difficult one for me to review because, while I found the quality of writing to be very good, the story itself was quite unsatisfying, Perhaps I just wasn’t delving deeply enough into the characters. Perhaps I just didn’t get it and someone needs to explain it to me, which makes me think this book might be better suited for a book club or discussion group to better understand it.
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Source: Review Copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing.
A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. This week’s question is:
Do you have friends and family to share books with? Discuss them with? Does it matter to you?
I’ll share books I don’t intend to keep on my permanent book shelf, which is most of them. If I kept every book there would be no space left in the house for me! My beloved science fiction books have a special place on my shelf and I’ll only share them with a few people that will return them unharmed. Otherwise I like to pass on whatever I’m reading to people that I think might enjoy the book or discover a new author.
We don’t really discuss them other than, “Did you like the book?”. I’ve never joined any book clubs because I like to pick my own books and my reading tastes are a bit eclectic. Does it matter to me? Not really, I have plenty of places on the internet to discuss and read about books.
The Impostor’s Daughter will be available in paperback July 12th. Thanks to Anna at Hachette Books I have 2 copies to give away to my readers. A description from the publisher:
The Impostor’s Daughter
by Laurie Sandell
Laurie Sandell grew up in awe (and sometimes in terror) of her larger-than-life father, who told jaw-dropping tales of a privileged childhood in Buenos Aires, academic triumphs, heroism during Vietnam, friendships with Kissinger and the Pope. As a young woman, Laurie unconsciously mirrors her dad, trying on several outsized personalities (Tokyo stripper, lesbian seductress, Ambien addict). Later, she lucks into the perfect job–interviewing celebrities for a top women’s magazine. Growing up with her extraordinary father has given Laurie a knack for relating to the stars. But while researching an article on her dad’s life, she makes an astonishing discovery: he’s not the man he says he is–not even close. Now, Laurie begins to puzzle together three decades of lies and the splintered person that resulted from them–herself.
Under My Apple Tree 