Showing category "Recommended Reading" (Show all posts)
Short Assignments, False Starts, and Index Cards - what do these three things have in common? They are all chapters in Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. This book is a great reference whether you're writing a report on birds (Lamott's younger brother undertook this task, which is how the book got its title) or you're writing a novel, Lamott's advice is outstanding. This is one of the greatest books on writing that has been written in the last twenty years, and it is one of the few writing books I h... Continue reading ...
I've been reading lots of things lately. Most notably is Stephen King's latest novel, Under the Dome. I'm not too far into the book as I haven't had too much time to read for fun, but so far It's very hard to put down the book. So far, the dome has just kind of popped up in place and the residents of the small town are trying to figure out what's going on. A plane crashed, a truck crashed, lots of gore (what you would expect from the master of horror), and distinct characters. I recommend... Continue reading ...
I've been reading Carolyn See's book, Making a Literary Life. I've gathered two new goals from it. 1) I will start writing at least 1,000 words a day and 2) I'm going to be writing what she calls "Charming Notes" - at least one a day five days a week. The second goal is the one I want to talk about here. I don't know why, but it never really dawned on me to write my favorite literary folk. Some might think that this goal constricts the writing process, but for me, I feel so liberated. Her... Continue reading ...
I've been on a poetry kick and thus, have been reading some great poetry. Through recommendation, I've been working my way through Philip Schultz's Failure, Natasha Trethewey's Native Guard, and Robert Hass's Time and Materials. Philip Schultz won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for his poetry. He is an amazingly talented man. In this collection, my favorite poems so far are "It's Sunday Morning in Early November," "The Absent," and "The Truth." Natasha Trethewey (also a Pulitzer Prize winner for ... Continue reading ...
It is so important when working on projects that we take the time to celebrate when they are done. Even if the celebration involves getting up and taking a walk or playing a much-loved computer game for a few minutes before beginning the next task, it's important to acknowledge a job well done. According to Ali Hale in " The Importance of Celebrating Your Success," we should make a list of achievements as well as goals. When I was in school, I would celebrate each final I took - even before ... Continue reading ...
I recently read Ian McEwan's Enduring Love. This book is about a horrific event that spawns a horrific situation. Not only will you want to read this book for the events that unfold, but you will also want to read it for the beautiful descriptive passages. McEwan is a true artist of words. Currently, I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club. This book is fast-paced with lots of action. In this work, every sentence does something. I saw the film several years ago, and the book had been hi... Continue reading ...
I've been working on Curtis Sittenfeld's American Wife. This novel is about a young woman, Alice, who grows up to marry a man. This isn't just any man, this is a man who goes on to become president. A terrible accident that breaks Alice's heart and innocence when she is 17 weaves its way through. I've been barely able to set this one down. After waiting for four months for the book at the local library, I'm thankful for the wait. This book comes highly recommended. Another great book wo... Continue reading ...
I've been reading The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood written by Rebecca Wells. I have to say this is one of the best novels I have read for a while. This book tracks two stories: The story of Vivi Abbot and her three friends, the Ya-Ya's and the story of Sidda, Vivi's daughter who is estranged from her fiancé and working on some serious soul-searching. This book, which was made into a movie, celebrates the bonds of female friendship and sisterhood as well as the tenacious bonds be... Continue reading ...
I started reading Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Diary this week. I know I'm late in catching on, since the movie has been out for a long time, but I had not yet gotten around to reading the book. So far, I'm disappointed. I feel that the main character, Bridget Jones is somewhat weak. The fact that she talks about 130 lbs (I don't recall reading about her height in the book) being overweight disturbs me. For a woman of the age 30, who is 5'10" tall, a healthy body weight is around 160 ... Continue reading ...
Not too long ago, I finished a great book by Elizabeth Moon called Remnant Population. This book follows Ofelia, an elderly woman who has lived in a distant planet's colony for many years. When the corporation determines it is time to shut down the colony, she decides to hide and stay behind. She finds her true self. She also finds a life form never imagined possible. This book was difficult to put down. It also posed many ethical questions in my mind concerning the way anthropology wor...
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