In With the New
Ahh, how to post about books in a climate of political disaster? How are you friends? I read a tweet the other day that said,
Man, is that true. I've been finding it hard to blog, knit, and do other important stuff because of all the anger and hate in our world right now. I know I'm not the only one and I know it isn't one sided. Today I was given the gift of a second snow day and I am taking the time to create, rather than ruminate. Hopefully this will help. But please, try to take care of yourselves.
I missed posting about all the new awards this year from the ALA back in January. Man-oh-man was there some amazing diversity. Check out the full list of winners here.
Last year, due to limited book shelf space and limited funds, and, let's face it, complete dedication to public libraries, I vowed to check out more books and buy less. I would reserve buying for books I knew I would treasure forever and ever. This holiday season, I was blessed to receive a gift card to a local bookstore and the pressure of what to buy was almost overwhelming. I've read SOOOO many amazing books in the last year. How to choose??? Here's what I ended up with.
Two Books on Writing
Back in November, I picked up and put down two books at the Strand Bookstore when I visited in NY. I am hell bent on writing more this year and I'd heard Stephen King's On Writing and Strunk and White's Elements of Style recommended over and over again. I decided to check them out from the library first and good lord was I blown away. On Writing is definitely in my top favorite books of all time. I've never ever read anything by Stephen King before but I want to hang out with him after reading this. The end chapters about his car accident hit a little close to home but I just cried my way through it and was the better for it in the end. And Elements of Style is something I love, but moving a lot slower through. I'm glad I decided to patronize the library first for these two books but definitely glad I now own them.
One Picture Book
Man, is that true. I've been finding it hard to blog, knit, and do other important stuff because of all the anger and hate in our world right now. I know I'm not the only one and I know it isn't one sided. Today I was given the gift of a second snow day and I am taking the time to create, rather than ruminate. Hopefully this will help. But please, try to take care of yourselves.
I missed posting about all the new awards this year from the ALA back in January. Man-oh-man was there some amazing diversity. Check out the full list of winners here.
Last year, due to limited book shelf space and limited funds, and, let's face it, complete dedication to public libraries, I vowed to check out more books and buy less. I would reserve buying for books I knew I would treasure forever and ever. This holiday season, I was blessed to receive a gift card to a local bookstore and the pressure of what to buy was almost overwhelming. I've read SOOOO many amazing books in the last year. How to choose??? Here's what I ended up with.
Two Books on Writing
Back in November, I picked up and put down two books at the Strand Bookstore when I visited in NY. I am hell bent on writing more this year and I'd heard Stephen King's On Writing and Strunk and White's Elements of Style recommended over and over again. I decided to check them out from the library first and good lord was I blown away. On Writing is definitely in my top favorite books of all time. I've never ever read anything by Stephen King before but I want to hang out with him after reading this. The end chapters about his car accident hit a little close to home but I just cried my way through it and was the better for it in the end. And Elements of Style is something I love, but moving a lot slower through. I'm glad I decided to patronize the library first for these two books but definitely glad I now own them.
I started this book at a coffee shop with a chocolate chip cookie. Both were delicious. |
One Picture Book
I know, I know. You can't judge a book by it's cover. And you probably can't judge a book by it's title either. Or at least you aren't supposed to. But folks, I buy wine based on it's label so I'm not apologizing. Also, the Steads (Erin and Philip) are my children's literature crush so I'll scoop up just about anything they make together or on their own. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles had me at hello. The cover, the title, and the illustrator made it that much easier. I checked it out from the library, read it three times and said to the BF, "Let's go to the bookstore now."
This book is about a guy who lives by the ocean. His job is to look for ocean bottles with messages, uncork them, and deliver the message to the person intended. For real. I read this book and thought, "THIS should have been the book I wrote." It's a brilliant idea and brilliantly delivered. The story is sweet like early spring and the illustrations made my heart bloom in the cold of winter. I brought the library copy to school and I am keeping my copy safe at home.
If you need a little love in your life, definitely pick this one up. And then go do art. It will make things better for you and everyone else.
I will love this picture forever. I hope to be her someday. |
Love that the text is written on a paper that could fit inside a bottle. |
The ocean is all over this book. |
Color knows no boundaries - perfect |
If you need a little love in your life, definitely pick this one up. And then go do art. It will make things better for you and everyone else.
If you haven't already, RUN out to find the edition of Elements of Style illustrated by Maira Kalman...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that edition! Maira Kalman rocks my world.
DeleteAnd if you decide to delve into Mr. King, his short story collections (and the Green Mile - which was originally published in serial form, a la Dickens) best illustrate his under-rated writerly chops...
ReplyDelete