tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56387653779905487502024-02-02T05:42:52.562-05:00Behold, the thing that reads a lotSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-47121530568315718502010-10-23T15:13:00.002-04:002010-10-23T15:20:01.593-04:00New blog!I haven't posted regularly on this blog for well over a year. I am done with book blogging, but feel free to follow me on my new blog, mycalling.weebly.com<br /><br />This site is dedicated to my journey as a journalist. I have pages for my published writing and I have a blog to document the process.<br /><br />If you know someone or are a journalism blogger, let me know! The most valuable part of book blogging for me was finding the community.<br /><br />I will still regularly check up on this blog to see comments and to finish up the We Didn't Start the Fire Challenge that I started.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-76706846925098415972010-03-11T14:28:00.005-05:002010-03-11T14:40:40.986-05:00BTT: Illustrations<div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://btt2.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/btt2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 34px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://btt2.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/btt2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><em>"How do you feel about illustrations in your books? Graphs? Photos? Sketches?"</em></div><br /><br /><div>I'm all for illustrations and graphs and such in certain cirumstances. In some types of books, they are really innapropriate and unnecessary.</div><br /><br /><div><strong>Illustrations are good when:</strong><br />-They help break up endless texbook reading </div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447462457322953874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbo92u7pzjU1kmtPqf3OnY5cBXDkMM-qyM5003DowtupSgC_-WQhFKpNUoW7IBJDIiodXSly4rQK0wNJmSIQWw-wQPU-1VlquLE11xUopI2wcr4AOU2tyXRuOeTDONjY17aMxn_JogX6t/s200/book3.JPG" /> -They fit with the quirkiness and informality of the book. I have several unconventional devotional books that have little doodles in the margins and have words circled and such. this is perfect!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447462613815094082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71bARxDgXuUh-frJbqrNZQa4TTF9dZGVg31ONqLq3SnSIE2OIfSDYL8lzqnAaYt-G08-1PDZogHki1VMd8w0340d0YtJGZs1B1Iemg8PtzmdI5SdXnkiZb6yeDaSmFRKHDL4RQAir5W-7/s200/book2.JPG" /> -You wouldn't be able to understand the book without the illustration or graph.<br /><br /><br /><div><strong>Illustrations are bad when:</strong><br />-You are so engrossed in the story that it takes your attention away from it.<br />-The chart is placed in the middle of s sentence so you don't know whether to read the rest of the page then read the chart or read right there.<br />-They ask questions about the book or recap what was already said. Just ask the question in the text of the book! I don't need a little box. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447462790320131842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccDREroZomTBx3YlF1waOlYAq9vfTuCNN4k1wtda7chpvWQkCii1eg_LHGnAbyiOfKQX2vRJ-8cF0Fa2DybeE-9dYECTc8NqQg3AxFXEM2JLHMQ8FEg1CSSQMtPuVXjjUl00714BjQqOB/s200/book1.JPG" /></div></div></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-72751398568502825282010-03-08T16:38:00.002-05:002010-03-08T16:40:44.251-05:00Review: The Red Tent<a href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/13690000/13697141.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 128px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/13690000/13697141.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />By Anita Diamant<br />321 pages<br /><br /><strong>Plot in a nutshell</strong>: The retelling of the story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah in the Bible.<br /><br /><strong>Review in a nutshell</strong>: I couldn’t put the book down, but wanted to because it seemed like the author was trying to challenge everything I believe about the Bible. Maybe I’m just paranoid.<br /><br />This book was great, but so great that I am scared to pick up another book for fear that the new book won’t be very good.<br /><br />The Red Tent tells the story of Jacob’s family through the eyes of Dinah, the only daughter mentioned in the Bible that is born of Jacob. Dinah’s story is told in Genesis 34. Dinah’s story is one of the longer stories in the Bible about a woman. It was interesting to read this fictionalized account.<br /><br />The book starts out before Dinah is even born. Dinah tells of how Jacob married four sisters. The reader can tell from the start that the major theme of the novel is sex and childbearing. This book is really sexual. It’s almost like Judy Blume’s Forever, only with Bible characters.<br /><br />Because the book starts with a detailed ancestry, it is hard to keep track of all the characters. There are so many servants and wives and friends and cousins that it is impossible to remember them all. The important characters show up pretty much constantly, though. But most of the names are hard because they are foreign sounding.<br /><br />Like The Jewel of Medina, I think Diamant was trying to make some scandalous statement about the Bible by writing The Red Tent. The book suggests even though Jacob worshipped God, that there was a lot of other pagan things going on at the same time in his family.<br /><br />I felt like I was reading something dirty and bad when I read this. I don’t want to be naïve enough to say that the Bible is perfect and nothing bad happened in it. I know it isn’t true, but to suggest that everyone was horny all the time is really uncomfortable for me in so many ways.<br /><br />In the end, Joseph is portrayed in a pretty negative light as well. Joseph is one of the people I really admire in the Bible and that was probably the biggest problem I had.<br /><br />Other than those issues, Diamant has a writing style that makes it impossible to put the book down. You know a lot of what is going to happen in the book, but you still want to read on further.<br /><br />This is one of those books to read if you are in a reading slump and just need something you don’t want to stop reading. For me, I love and hate it at the same time.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-73125073561380169132010-02-28T12:43:00.003-05:002010-02-28T12:54:15.225-05:00The Boy in the Striped PajamasWooo! I finished a book! On top of working and school and having a crazy life, I finished a book that wasn't required!<br /><br />The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was the perfect thing to get me back in the reading game. It is a short and quick read.<br /><br />I know this book has been reviewed countless times, which is one of the reasons I picked it up from the library. I have read so much holocaust lit, but this book was very different!<br /><br />It never really mentioned the terrors of the concentration camps, but we all know. This was a type of irony that I have never seen before and really enjoyed. I loved how different this book was and how it crammed so much in a short period of time!<br /><br />I started reading the Red Tent as well. This one will take me much longer, but I'm already finding myself falling into my old habit of telling myself one more chapter and that turns in to three or four and I don't get to sleep until late!<br /><br />I've gotten into the practice of not going back to my room at all during my hour and a half long lunch break between classes. I spend the time in the library. I rented out a cubicle of my own in the periodicals section where I will read USA today, do a little bit of homework and read books. I love my lunchtime routine.<br /><br />I am once again in awe of the library here. I discovered a whole section of the library I hadn't really seen before. It is so cozy and a great place to hid and study, read the newspaper, or read books! I'm spending so much time in the library. I guess this isn't a bad thing because only good things can happen in a library. I checked out five books this week :)<br /><br />In other news, I wrote my first real piece for the school newspaper. It got on the front page! If you want to read my article on how my school has responded to the earthquake in Haiti, it is here: http://media.www.messiahsb.com/media/storage/paper1242/news/2010/02/11/News/Messiah.College.Responds.To.The.Haiti.Disaster-3865968.shtml<br /><br />My semester is really rough. I am taking one less class than I did last semester but I'm doing twice as much work and getting lower grades. It doesn't help that I'm taking a science class with a whole bunch of bio/pre-med majors! Other than my tough classes, I'm loving this semester. This is the first weekend in 8 weeks that I haven't had crazy fun plans with friends all weekend. It was nice to relax.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-48565779397941743432009-12-31T18:01:00.002-05:002009-12-31T18:21:14.217-05:00The not wrap-up postI've decided I'm not going to do a 2009 wrap-up post. This year was an amazing year for me in everything except reading. Even my three week Christmas vacation did not bring as much reading as I thought. In order to keep from being filled with sadness and regret, I'm just going to go on and pretend the book blogging world is not resetting their challenges and how many books they've read for a new year. The first half of my reading year was fantastic. <br /><br />I started this blog in the first place to challenge myself to read different kinds of books, read as much as I can, and write reviews so I can look back and remember what I read more easily. I've done all of these things. Just because I am disappointed that I didn't get as much reading done as crazy people like Eva has, I shouldn't get hard on myself.<br /><br />Instead of telling how many books I've read this year, let's focus on the positives. Here are my favorite reads of this year.<br /><br /><strong>A Prayer For Owen Meany</strong> (http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-prayer-for-owen-meany.html) One of the best books I've ever read. I had to read it for a class this semester. I'll never forget this book!<br /><br /><strong>The Jewel of Medina</strong> (http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-jewel-of-medina.html) I'm really resisting adding this to my rereading list! I suggested that my mom buy it on her Kindle which she got for Christmas.<br /><br /><strong>The Road</strong> (http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-road-by-cormac-mccarthy.html) Reading my review on this book again makes ME want to read it again! Oh boy...<br /><br /><strong>Do Hard Things</strong> I didn't write an actual review on this, but this book has popped up many times in my everyday conversation and a handful of blog posts.<br /><br /><strong>A Tree Grows in Brooklyn</strong> (http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/01/tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by-betty-smith.html) I actually started rereading this but didn't have the time. I'll probably pick it back up to finish rereading it during J-term.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-4650009770352864092009-12-30T10:28:00.002-05:002009-12-30T10:31:54.878-05:00We Didn't Start the Fire Challenge 2010: Post your reviews here!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUzlUu4tES6LE_Z4jY33Wk665OAMZo7CyYJe_zEfcGANjgaBIG1p8hti2PMshcUu-D1dhUzRVsu855J3m7yG5Zjo2sWgMCeeHPKDrCFuKGvp-jrE25_Y0AfpxoaqqxLHmWk9SlGQCBYKP/s200/firefighteredit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUzlUu4tES6LE_Z4jY33Wk665OAMZo7CyYJe_zEfcGANjgaBIG1p8hti2PMshcUu-D1dhUzRVsu855J3m7yG5Zjo2sWgMCeeHPKDrCFuKGvp-jrE25_Y0AfpxoaqqxLHmWk9SlGQCBYKP/s200/firefighteredit.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />Post a link to any reviews you write for this challenge or and posts related to the challenge (booklists, etc). I will put a link to this post in the sidebar of my blog so it will be handy through the rest of the year.<br /><br />This challenge is open to anyone at any time, as long as you make a commitment and stick to it! 2010 hasn't evenn started so there is still time to join if you haven't already. Read more about it in my original post http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/12/we-didnt-start-fire-challenge-2010.htmlSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-47228963103728322202009-12-22T14:36:00.002-05:002009-12-22T14:41:26.884-05:00Revolutions by Justin Calderone: Thoughts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/22170000/22176046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 277px;" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/22170000/22176046.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal">
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<br /></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal">(From bn.com)</p><p style="font-family: times new roman;"><i>Revolutions</i> is a book of contemporary poetry about beginnings and endings, the realization that there cannot be day without night. The poems in <i>Revolutions</i> are not written in traditional poetry format; they are closer to song lyrics than standar poetry, and the way the words are used and spelled are vital to the context of the poem. Written in diary form, <i>Revolutions</i> is about small things in life that affect us the most and the memories that we carry forever. It is a contemporary poetry book of hopes, dreams, prayers, love, loss and wishes.<i> Revolutions</i> is written right now about yesterday and today. And tomorrow.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Revolutions by Justin Calderone is a diary of poems. Calderone writes a poem whenever the mood strikes for two years, which turns into this book of poetry.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Revolutions is the purest poetry I have seen. Calderone does not title his poems. In his introduction, he states “These poems are what you think they are.” Usually when we read poetry, we feel this pressure to find the deeper meaning to every little thing in the poem, which sometimes takes away some things you shouldn’t. This is why I don’t have a big appreciation for poetry. Some poetry is better off being analyzed, but a lot of it just needs to be read and soaked in. Calderone invited us all to soak in his very conversational style of poetry.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unlike many poets, Calderone does not edit his poems much. He says he can’t go back and edit days later because he is a different person than when he first read the poem. You are reading it just as it comes out of his mind.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This book of poetry is perfect for someone who wants to enjoy poetry but doesn’t exactly want to pick up Shakespeare’s sonnets or some Emily Dickinson. The poems read like song lyrics and move along quickly. Every so often, a line will pop out that is extremely clever or deep, just like what would happen if you were listening to music.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One of my favorite stanzas appears near the beginning of the book, on page 5.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">If I tell you that I’m going</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Then you know I’m already gone</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">If I tell you that I’m singing</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Then I’m already in the song</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">If I tell you that I love you</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Then my love is twice as strong</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is what poetry should be. It should be easy to enjoy, not pressure the reader, and leave the reader wanting more. I just finished a class this semester where 2/3 of it was poetry. Even though I was on poetry overload and I didn’t want to read another poem for a couple years, Revolutions found its way into my life.
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<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Winter-you’re one old man-who moves faster than me-See-I stop for the cold-But you’re too old</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><i style="">(p26)</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">
<br /><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The book ends with a bang. The last poem is the only poem with a title. It is also more personal than the rest of the poems in the book. Calderone is more specific to what the past two years were like for him.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">These years have killed me</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">These years have thrilled me</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">I touched Heaven</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">And burned in Hell</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">I cried myself to sleep</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">In that soul crying way</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Every night</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">Just to hear someone say</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">That they love me too.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">(<i style="">p77)<o:p></o:p></i></p> Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-53745287025673996752009-12-21T10:48:00.002-05:002009-12-21T10:52:21.508-05:00Anthem by Ayn Rand: Thoughts<a href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/13700000/13705442.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 171px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/13700000/13705442.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Don’t judge a book by its author. That’s what I learned from reading Ayn Rand’s Anthem. I read The Fountainhead earlier this year and did not enjoy it at all. My friend Becky loves The Fountainhead so much she inspired me to give Ayn Rand another shot, so I picked up Anthem.<br /><br />Anthem is like The Giver by Lois Lowry and 1984 by George Orwell made a really good book baby. The good parts of each book are combined in Anthem to form what I think is the best politically paranoid book I have read. (Politically paranoid is what I call books like Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Animal Farm, etc)<br /><br />Anthem takes place in a world where people are assigned their occupations, reproduction is highly controlled, and the word “I” is unheard of. People are numbers and basically robots. Anthem is told through the eyes of a street sweeper who violates all the rules of his society and hides in a tunnel to write and conduct experiments. He meets a peasant girl who he calls the Golden One. Together, the violate everything their society values, the communal life.<br /><br />My big thing against The Fountainhead was that it took hundreds of pages to say what could have been said in about 200. Anthem solves this problem. There is a powerful deeper message with a page-turning story all within about 120 pages. When life is crazy, we sometime have to rely on short novels to satisfy our cravings. Anthem is a wonderful choice. It crams so much into its small length. Love, Danger, Philosophy, and more. </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-84057348238568411302009-12-20T13:35:00.003-05:002009-12-20T13:59:01.346-05:00The Sunday Salon: Where I get back in the groove!<a href="http://dhamel.typepad.com/sundaysalon/TSSbadge4.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 125px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://dhamel.typepad.com/sundaysalon/TSSbadge4.png" /></a><br /><div>I've finished two books since I went on break on Wednesday! This is the most pleasure reading I have done since before I started working at camp in June! </div><div> </div><div>I started with a reread of a book I know I like and would finish so I would get back in the groove of reading. Reading textbooks is different from reading novels. You can skim textbooks, but not novels, so I want to reset my ways of reading by readng As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana again. I read it for the first time around this time last year and loved it. It spoke to me again in a whole new way. Two of the major issues in the book I am dealing with right now and it really made me think about how I am dealing with those things in my life. Read my quick thoughts on it here: <a href="http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2008/12/as-i-have-loved-you-by-nikki-arana.html">http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2008/12/as-i-have-loved-you-by-nikki-arana.html</a> (The author even commented on the post! It made me so excited at the time!)<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>I started and finished Anthem by Ayn Rand yesterday. I read The Fountainhead earlier this year and didn't really like it. It was one of those books that took hundreds of pages to say what it could have said just fine in half the length. Anthem was refreshing. It was like the good parts of 1984 and The Giver combined together. I really enjoyed it, but you'll have to wait to see how much I enjoyed it until I write a seperate post on it!</div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div>I am doing most of my reading in a new spot. It is perfect! We moved to a new house in September, so I really haven't spent too much time in it because I go to school three hours away. My new spot is by huge windows where I can see all the snow we got yesterday, has a good windowsil to lay down my books and a cup of tea, and the most comfy ikea chair ever!</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417393272251357042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcAp-W892cmsn0S4DwGV-SBf3tDk9CEue3zQiSSP5GcGSonD54uws03o_8YETnfb6LiWDW0nAw7x-T8_YvNGD5OsU2UFJQwZCdZP00vfLQD1NRE3mkoz2j3wjtIRf9Q3udAIb7Zl8S-c_/s200/1220091136%5B1%5D.JPG" /></div>I'm in the middle of two other books and I am about to start a third, probably even more after I pick up more books from the library. The library in this new town is TINY, so I am fully relying on interlibrary loan!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-85805490533663350162009-12-15T12:01:00.003-05:002009-12-15T12:05:25.504-05:00Christmas reading plan!Tomorrow at 6:00pm I will be done with finals. Today is my last written finals, but tomorrow I go home! My big plans include going to a camp party and READING! YES!!<br /><br />I just went crazy and interlibrary loaned a whole bunch of books. I had an orderly list of books I wanted to read over my three week break, but I expanded some. Here's what is in my pile for my break!<br /><br />The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare<br />Revolutions by Justin Calderone<br />The Lovely Bones<br />Anthem by Ayn rand<br />The Testament by John Grisham<br />The Pact by Jodi Picouly<br />Juniper Tree Burning by Goldberry Long<br />Special Topics in calamity Physics<br />Columbine by Dave Cullen<br />Unhooked by Laura Stepp<br />A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (reread if I have time)Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-30216822736095381822009-12-07T19:42:00.002-05:002009-12-07T19:53:42.289-05:00Review: A Prayer for Owen Meany<a href="http://regularrumination.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/owen2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://regularrumination.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/owen2.jpg" /></a> I don't even know how to describe it! This book was fantastic and refreshing and challenging and I just want to tell everyone I meet about it. There is so much depth to this novel that if you read it over and over again you would still feel you could juice more literary goodness out of it, yet you would still feel like you are good friends with the characters. This is one of the best books I've read in a long, long time.<br /><br />All the synopses on the book fail to capture even the slightest bit about this novel. In general, this is a coming of age novel told from Owen's best friend John's point of view. John writes after all the events of the novel have happened and he is a cynical middle aged man. John says Owen is the reason he believes in God, but does not have a solid relationship with his religious beliefs. His religious actions are actually quite contradictory. Owen is a short little guy with a terrifying voice and is crazy smart. Owen is willing to do anything for John, including stay back a grade so he can be in the same grade as John.<br /><br />It amazed me how much symbolism and motifs there are. It is a diamond mine of themes and motifs and things to think deeply about. That is the main reason why I love this book. Most novels I have read make you struggle to read between the lines, but A Prayer For Owen Meany makes it easy because all the little symbols and things are extremely important to the story. John Irving doesn't want us to miss out on any of the important little details.<br /><br />This book reminded me of The Catcher and the Rye and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. All the good things from The Catcher in the Rye were put into this, and the quirkiness of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn were put into this book.<br /><br />I really don't know what else to say without spoiling the whole thing, and I think I've raved quite enough! Go read this. Right now.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-49553642869268013692009-12-01T16:50:00.001-05:002009-12-01T16:52:35.145-05:00We Didn't Start the Fire Challenge 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUzlUu4tES6LE_Z4jY33Wk665OAMZo7CyYJe_zEfcGANjgaBIG1p8hti2PMshcUu-D1dhUzRVsu855J3m7yG5Zjo2sWgMCeeHPKDrCFuKGvp-jrE25_Y0AfpxoaqqxLHmWk9SlGQCBYKP/s1600/firefighteredit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUzlUu4tES6LE_Z4jY33Wk665OAMZo7CyYJe_zEfcGANjgaBIG1p8hti2PMshcUu-D1dhUzRVsu855J3m7yG5Zjo2sWgMCeeHPKDrCFuKGvp-jrE25_Y0AfpxoaqqxLHmWk9SlGQCBYKP/s200/firefighteredit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410388514459599730" border="0" /></a><meta 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{mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I am hosting a new challenge this year! This is my first time hosting a challenge, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if you see any problems or want to make suggestions!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The “We Didn’t Start the Fire” challenge runs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do you know Billy Joel’s song “We Didn’t Start the Fire?” The song has plenty of historical and pop culture references, which offer us book junkies plenty of opportunities for reading material! I like 80s music, especially this song, but I don’t know anything about some of the things in the song. The goal of this challenge is for you to learn about some of the many topics mentioned in the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I want this challenge to be flexible for you, so all I want you to do is pick a level of commitment and stick to it! You don’t need to list your books beforehand or write a certain amount of reviews. Overlaps with other challenges are absolutely fine!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This site has the lyrics to the song as well as a video with pictures of what each thing in the song is as well as a link to a site for each topic for more detail.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.teacheroz.com/fire.htm">http://www.teacheroz.com/fire.htm</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here are the levels:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">FICTION</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Bronze Fiction: Read 5 books specifically mentioned in the song or a book by an author specifically mentioned. Or, read a work of fiction about something else mentioned in the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Silver Fiction: Read 8 books within the same criteria mentioned above.
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Gold Fiction: Read 10 books within the same criteria mentioned above.
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">NONFICTION</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Bronze Nonfiction: Read 5 nonfiction books about any topic in the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Silver Nonfiction: Read 8 nonfiction books about any topic in the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Gold Nonfiction: Read 10 nonfiction books about any topic in the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">COMBO</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Bronze Combo: Read any combination of 5 fiction or nonfiction books related to the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Silver Combo: Read any combination of 8 fiction or nonfiction books related to the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Gold Combo: Read any combination of 10 fiction or nonfiction books related to the song.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sign up by commenting on this post.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I will put up another post for you to link to your reviews in January.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Feel free to use the graphic at the beginning of the post! Good luck and have a blast!
<br /></p>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-72166802635343480732009-12-01T12:08:00.002-05:002009-12-01T12:17:35.152-05:00I need a plan!I haven't read any books for fun. I need a plan so I'll actually read!<br /><br />So, instead of paying attention in my first year seminar class, a class I shouldn't have to take, I brainstormed. Here's what I came up with:<br /><br />Read one book per month. This must be a very high-quality book that isn't some obscure title. Books I have read in the past that would fit into this category would be books like East of Eden, The Poisonwood Bible, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Memoirs of a Geisha, and more recently- A Prayer For Owen Meany.<br /><br />I want to read a book that is worth my time. I want this book to have depth and really great characters or have a really fast plot like My Sister's Keeper or The Kitchen god's Wife.<br /><br />So this is where all of you come in. Can you suggest any really great books for me to read? I will look up every book that is suggested and find out things about it so see if it is something I may want to read. I am so excited for this! I just fished John Irving's A Prayer For Owen Meany for my English class. I wasn't expecting anything from this book, but it was amazing!! Definitely, I should think about reviewing it on here! Wow...it was really really really good!<br /><br />So, know of any books with lots of depth, motifs and great themes? Know of any with a page-turning plot? I'll be checking to see if I have any comments on this post probably a little too frequently!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-16695796215601272792009-10-30T10:21:00.002-04:002009-10-30T10:38:09.500-04:00Two birds, one stone.I don't even know how to introduce this because this makes me so happy!<br /><br />I found a way to not hate exercising.<br /><br />And to find time to read.<br /><br />Oh, yeah baby!<br /><br />I have to exercise a certain amount of minutes every week for my wellness class. I hate exercising. A lot.<br /><br />This week I switched from doing my time on the elipticals to a bike. The time seemed to go much faster on the bike because it was less torturous.<br /><br />Then yesterday, I took a book with me. My 20 minutes of cardio went by sooo fast that I didn't even have time to think about how miserable I was. I don't even think I needed endorphins because I was so happy I got time to read!<br /><br />I did 4 1/2 miles on a bike and read 30 some pages of The Poisonwood Bible. This is multitasking at its finest!<br /><br />I have enough minutes for this week, but since I don't have any huge Friday night plans, I may have to go work out and read some more!<br /><br />See? Books are also fat-burning and good for your health! This is why literature matters!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-10739117498570386292009-10-30T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-30T07:00:06.410-04:00Dana Goia<a href="http://www.messiah.edu/academics/honors/events/images/DanaGioia.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 241px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.messiah.edu/academics/honors/events/images/DanaGioia.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I had a really cool opportunity Wednesday night to attend a lecture by poet Dana Gioia on why literature matters. I really didn't want to go because it if required for a class for English majors that I have to take even though I'm not an English major. However, this lecture was pretty interesting and entertaining at times. I didn't take notes on the lecture, so my thoughts will be a bit scrambled, but I had to share them with you!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Gioia's main point on why literature matters is because it influences your own life. Your life is a story you are writing every day. Literature can be a part of that story. At the end of the Lecture, Gioia answered questions from the audience. One asked what books especially influenced him at certain points of his life. This hit me right on, because I have a handful of books I will always treasure because of the role they played in my own story. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Another question he asked was how he thinks people should interpret poetry. Can the reader get something different out of the poem than the poet intended them to? Gioia says absolutely! He compared poetry to a room. You can get in the room by the front door, a window, the back door...whatever. When you enter the room, it is only partially furnished. You have to furnish the rest yourself.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It was interesting to hear the background story behind a poem before he even read it aloud. Although some people in my class thought that took something away from the poem, I really liked it. I also liked how Gioia read some serious poems but also some hilarious ones, "Alley Cat Love Song" in particular. Here's the first part:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Come into the garden, Fred,</div><div>For the neighborhood tabby is gone.</div><div>Come into the garden, Fred.</div><div>I have nothing but my flea collar on,</div><div>And the scent of catnip has gone to my head.</div><div>I'll wait by the screen door till dawn.</div><br /><div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-79792135706217569452009-10-24T09:45:00.001-04:002009-10-24T09:46:17.859-04:00WAIT! It's today?!oops.<br /><br />Off to work out, shower, get hair cut, run errands, do homework, pack, and head up to camp instead.<br /><br />I can't believe I forgot about the read-a-thon!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-41991101024110914262009-10-22T19:24:00.003-04:002009-10-29T14:57:07.146-04:00Review: Before You Hit the Wall by Danny Lehmann<a href="http://www.eden.co.uk/images/150/9780927545136.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.eden.co.uk/images/150/9780927545136.jpg" /></a><br />Yes! I finished a book! I normally don't review my devotional readings, but this one is exceptional because it is the first book I finished since June and because I really liked it<br /><br /><br /><br />This book offers practical advice on how to shape up spiritually, advice that you could actually apply to your own life. Lots of books go on and on, telling the readers why they need to get more serious in their relationship with God, but few offer good advice on how to do so. Lots of books just say, "read your Bible. Pray." but Danny Lehmann tells us the most beneficial ways to read your Bible and pray, among other things. Lehmann is able to offer such good advice because he has done what he is telling his readers to do in his own life. Lehmann practices what he preaches. The techniques in the book work, because he has applied them to his own life. He speaks from experience.<br /><br />Here are some bits of his advice:<br /><br />-Read the Bible, but also spend certain times studying it within its context. There are times for both. When in an in-depth study, still find ways to apply what you are learning to your life. Answer the question "What does this passage mean to me?"(In my own reading, I have decided to write a little blurb about how what I read affected me in my journal instead of just writing down what I read.)<br /><br />-Fill up chunks of free time like exercising, random time on the computer, or cleaning by listening to sermons you downloaded for free on itunes.<br /><br />-Memorize scripture that means something to you by repeating it over and over in your head and spending an intentional few minutes every day specifically for scripture memorization.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-53979641773007286632009-10-18T16:02:00.002-04:002009-10-18T16:06:33.284-04:00The Sunday Salon: Where I try not to get discouragedThis week, I read five chapters of a devotional book.<br /><br />This is five times more reading for pleasure than I've done for the past four or five months but that doesn't mean I am happy with it. I'm thinking I need to commit to an hour or uninterrupted reading two or three hours a week. I think I can manage that. At that rate I should be able to read one average sized novel each week. On Wednesday night I am going home, but I won't get much opportunities to read. It will be hard to read during the read-a-thon because every day at school is a read-a-thon! Still, I'm going to try to make good progress on one book this weekend. Maybe, if I am ambitious, I will finish this poetry book I've been working on since June and promised a review to the author, who I personally know. Come to think of it, that sounds like a pretty reasonable goal!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-51063170105437186242009-10-16T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-16T07:00:01.818-04:00Climbing on my soapbox...(from phrases.org.uk)"soap was delivered to stores years ago in sturdy wooden crates, which were recycled for many purposes (e.g., the Soap Box Derby, where children once made racing cars by attaching wheels to the basic box. Nowadays of course, their parents fund fiberglass molds for body parts, etc.) But one of the best uses for a soap box was as a portable "stage" for an orator to stand on, to rise above a crowd and make speeches. It was democracy at its most basic: get on your soap box, and harangue the assembled listeners."<br /><br />Ok, enough education.<br /><br />For some reason lately, I've been really into fighting for a more positive female body image. I click on news stories involving models and celebrities more now so I can look to see if they say something about it.<br /><br />Of course, we've got Oprah talking about it, Dove has this campaign for it, but it has never truly caught on. Yes, we may have more important things to worry about but this problem is so simple, anyone can have a part in solving it. You don't need to have a whole bunch of money or political power or friends.<br /><br />Sometimes you just need a pack of post-its and a pen.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://operationbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/opbeautiful2_thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 294px;" src="http://operationbeautiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/opbeautiful2_thumb.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This is one thing I am kind of obsessed with right now. Operationbeautiful.com has totally changed how I spend my free time. Instead of just sitting around, I write encouraging post-its to hang up on bathroom mirrors across campus. I can't wait until fall break when I will be able to hang more notes up in places other than my school!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-78594425375784368332009-10-15T12:03:00.002-04:002009-10-15T12:12:36.874-04:00Booking Through Thursday: Weeding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://btt2.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/btt2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 34px;" src="http://btt2.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/btt2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"We’re moving in a couple weeks (the first time since I was 9 years old), and I’ve been going through my library of 3000+ books, choosing the books that I could bear to part with and NOT have to pack to move. Which made me wonder…</span> <p style="font-style: italic;">When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)</p> <p style="font-style: italic;">And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?"</p><p style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">****</p><p style="text-align: left;">Technically, I've moved three times since June. I moved to camp in June and I had to pack up everything because my family was planning on moving at the time. When I got back from camp, I had to unpack and repack some things again for college. Then, a few weeks ago, my family actually moved. I keep on forgetting my address. I had my camp address memorized pretty well and then my college address, but I can't seem to remember my new home address and phone number!</p><p style="text-align: left;">I never really weed through my book collection. I don't have all that many. When I notice I have a book that I never read or never will read, I get rid of it. When I notice the children's books I saved for sentimental value are no longer so sentimental to me, I get rid of those too. In that case, those go to my little sister.</p>My big dilemma was which books I should bring with me to college. Most of my friends didn't bring any with them. I chose to bring classics and books that have the most chance of being required reading for a class as well as my favorite books that I'd like to reread again.<br /></p>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-14289384829293007172009-10-14T11:13:00.002-04:002009-10-14T14:08:53.405-04:00Library Loot October 14-20 2009<div><div><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://astripedarmchair.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/library-loot.jpg?w=158&h=185"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 158px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 185px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://astripedarmchair.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/library-loot.jpg?w=158&h=185" /></a><br /><br /><div>Yes, I actually do have some library loot! It is oh-so dangerous having a library with over 250,000 books in it within walking distance of where I live. I don't believe in love at first sight, but the first time I laid eyes on the library here, I fell in love (remember this post? <a href="http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/01/have-you-ever-been-lost-in-library.html">http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/01/have-you-ever-been-lost-in-library.html</a>).<br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 164px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.messiah.edu/murraylibrary/images/rotate/stacks3.jpg" />Now you know why. I give campus tours to prospective students and I love taking them into the library. In the past few days, I've had the opportunity to show two prospective students the library for the first time. </div><br /><div>So, even though I don't have much time to read, I have two projects that I'm working on that require us to use a number of print sources. I'm quickly realizing how great this library is. Even on some really obscure subjects, there are several books on the topic! They even have several shelves of journalism related books. I'm in heaven. I don't normally read nonfiction for fun, but I may have to start!</div><br /><div>So here's my loot. Most are for school projects but they are still fun ones!</div><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H9MTW9AHL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51H9MTW9AHL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BRC6G415L._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BRC6G415L._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UnZxo4mlL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UnZxo4mlL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T7MWBJ2CL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T7MWBJ2CL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516SBMMA0ZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516SBMMA0ZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516SBMMA0ZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"></a> </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>I'm doing one speech on gender roles in children's toys and another speech on media bias, so that's what the first four books are for. The books for my media speech are really interesting, but they make me so mad that the media is so corrupt today.</div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516SBMMA0ZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-85873686033848350662009-10-14T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-14T07:00:10.918-04:00What I've been up to since June!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JPMuJidJpmS4KDpokOyRlz_ZMl2bGxF6vkBSNgh-_oVeLef7xs17IlTJ8QUM9zqOT9Wd22-VyuvUtAL0Yc8U-BkyY_eQX5hrJNWbRseF5NZtvHLqDT81i9AeJc3ycIwR2z91pKVq_rnk/s1600-h/101_0216.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391744760091104754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JPMuJidJpmS4KDpokOyRlz_ZMl2bGxF6vkBSNgh-_oVeLef7xs17IlTJ8QUM9zqOT9Wd22-VyuvUtAL0Yc8U-BkyY_eQX5hrJNWbRseF5NZtvHLqDT81i9AeJc3ycIwR2z91pKVq_rnk/s200/101_0216.JPG" /></a> The covered bridge on campus.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudrnDoU4zrbzfmr6VKwvURkBP6vDcl06yaMMizS52gsxjeb51_nfVzYxK2MTLfwNtmgoGgnENETkIB4wCunyTzCP3kIhY3EKPqlg2NIAVEkL7PQAufc12NA8RxaRQWW7WgODFLm8cudLI/s1600-h/100_1929.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391744250469232386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudrnDoU4zrbzfmr6VKwvURkBP6vDcl06yaMMizS52gsxjeb51_nfVzYxK2MTLfwNtmgoGgnENETkIB4wCunyTzCP3kIhY3EKPqlg2NIAVEkL7PQAufc12NA8RxaRQWW7WgODFLm8cudLI/s200/100_1929.JPG" /></a>I graduated from high school. I look like big bird, hence the position my arms are in.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTOCb_wsDo4uvCw7WLPCHa2lZpfhJomKhnJNck_J1K-iEhKZdPtlPW8zxjHBnw7-Mi1PxM8hebmHgNbyuL0yvqH7PQaugVh7OcgmgL7WZ4xqbLTskFlmEfkY_xazBgpqlIvkIdoCIZtoG/s1600-h/alesia.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391743869333788242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTOCb_wsDo4uvCw7WLPCHa2lZpfhJomKhnJNck_J1K-iEhKZdPtlPW8zxjHBnw7-Mi1PxM8hebmHgNbyuL0yvqH7PQaugVh7OcgmgL7WZ4xqbLTskFlmEfkY_xazBgpqlIvkIdoCIZtoG/s200/alesia.jpg" /></a>This is the only picture I have of someone doing dishes at camp. We were always doing dishes. And singing while doing dishes.</div><div>...and dancing...</div><div>...to Christmas music...<br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRUdjFN-CrvSUjF3ICLvBhiydBZfHSGlmQuMxxk-cs2yh-ZGVXAG-MhWuGJxOp5DNjsIbkrmAZ_N35le_wXVTINkihOQmvTfIKsGVjTGx-zDvmOktx_wNArFuzBwu_jeiS7Zl0GG1BK2Y/s1600-h/10322_1219765929170_1079554428_688000_5497327_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391743569139474338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRUdjFN-CrvSUjF3ICLvBhiydBZfHSGlmQuMxxk-cs2yh-ZGVXAG-MhWuGJxOp5DNjsIbkrmAZ_N35le_wXVTINkihOQmvTfIKsGVjTGx-zDvmOktx_wNArFuzBwu_jeiS7Zl0GG1BK2Y/s200/10322_1219765929170_1079554428_688000_5497327_n.jpg" /></a><br />The girls I lived and worked with all summer. Miss them so much!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MCtdEuemGdNGOeheHROTXnaZqiFvO-BB5ruROQZyy8lFHEZ7vhBgQrJMxFAXGpNSanmTyc9gd6fPBA_3P87mKcqEgBAAg-83mSuSO6Ara6Cb6QXtGUNcs5K0FkVwqNnWqT3kweUg3nj_/s1600-h/100_2513.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391742967238766018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MCtdEuemGdNGOeheHROTXnaZqiFvO-BB5ruROQZyy8lFHEZ7vhBgQrJMxFAXGpNSanmTyc9gd6fPBA_3P87mKcqEgBAAg-83mSuSO6Ara6Cb6QXtGUNcs5K0FkVwqNnWqT3kweUg3nj_/s200/100_2513.JPG" /></a><br />Where the girls lived. The guys who worked at camp lived in a house down the road in the camp. I'd trade my dorm room in for the Roudybush (the name of our cottage) any day!<br /></div><div align="left">Now I'm at school and working in Catering on campus. I write for the newspaper (of course!) and do a whole bunch of random other things. I'm always busy. This week for instance, I had to designate certain days where I wouldn't schedule anything so I could actually get some homework done! I have a feeling I'll have to start doing that to do some pleasure reading done! I'm excited though. Two out of my three favorite books are required reading in some of my classes this semester. I'm reading Hamlet now for my English class and we're going to be reading The Poisonwood Bible soon for my first year seminar class...that is if my prof doesn't redo the whole calendar again.<br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div><br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-27745007485310685622009-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:002009-10-13T07:00:04.944-04:00Read-a-thon!What a way to start reading again with a read-a-thon coming up soon!<br /><br />The good news is that I'm going to be at home for fall break during the read-a-thon, but I'll only be able to read for about 7 hours. I'm heading up to the camp I worked at this summer for their fall party for the staff. I'm so excited to see everyone there! What a great combination, read-a-thon and seeing my camp friends!<br /><br />I'm going to try something new, something dangerous, something blasphemous is you're one of those people who starts planning their read-a-thon list right after the previous read-a-thon ended. I'm not going to make a booklist. I'm not even going to research books to read. I'm going to read whatever I feel like reading and whatever we have laying around the house. If I think of a good book to read, I'll get it from the library but I am not making a huge pile like I did last time!<br /><br />I'm going with the flow!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-85825587502738495702009-10-12T10:04:00.003-04:002009-10-12T10:16:02.569-04:00Wait, what? We thought a sea monster had gobbled her up!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/uploads/news/Ian%20Ellery%20Sea%20Monster%20cartoon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 192px;" src="http://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/uploads/news/Ian%20Ellery%20Sea%20Monster%20cartoon.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Au contraire, I'm still alive. After a odd and confusing circle of events, I decided I'm going to try my hardest to start reading and blogging again. I haven't read anything for pleasure in many months because of my summer job at camp and now because I'm in college, taking 17 credits and am involved in too much for my own good!<br /><br />I'll post on what I've been up to in a little while, but since I am back, I have to change some things to make this blog something worth coming back to. I have so much going on already and a lot of it is stuff I have to do. I don't want reading and blogging to feel like another homework assignment, which is the LAST thing I need! Instead of trying to read as many books as I can, I'm going to read more for the fun of it rather than the competition of it. I'll reread books if I feel like it. I won't spend hours planning what books I'm going to order from the library. I'm going to go with the flow.<br /><br />I'm going to savor the experience of reading. If I get a free moment here, it is truly a gift. I won't try to rush through books. If I want to underline and dogear pages I'll do that because it means I'm making the most out of my reading experience.<br /><br />If I want to read a classic and not even stop to think about what the "Deeper meaning" of it is, that's fine! I'll be overanalyzing enough literature in my English class for my own good already!<br /><br />I'll treat books like a good piece of dark chocolate. Slowly eat it as a rare treat and enjoy the experience, not out of duty but out of enjoyment.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(pssssst....thanks Eva)</span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5638765377990548750.post-1378558348613385722009-09-14T12:27:00.003-04:002009-09-14T12:33:55.528-04:00oh Mr. Kidder...So, since you last saw me, I've read one book.<br /><br />Count 'em.<br /><br />ONE.<br /><br />This one book I read keeps coming back to haunt me. All freshmen at Messiah College have to read the same book. The book changes every year. Last year, it was A Thousand Splendid Suns (lucky!). This year we all had to endure Tracy Kidder's account of Paul Farmer in Haiti in Mountains Beyond Mountains.<br /><br />Since this year is Messiah's centennial, they are making everything into a big deal. Tracy Kidder is on campus right now. I have to go to this thing tonight where we will have to sit through another two hours of Kidder boredom. Then, we get to go to the Union, eat free food, and have him sign our books.<br /><br />I want him to sign my book, just because. My teacher for the class where we had to read the book says that he will talk to you about what you thought of the book. I don't want to tell this man I hated his book. I really don't have a good reason other than it was dull. I'll sound like a whiny little freshman, telling this man I couldn't find anything to appreciate about a book he probably spent years working on.<br /><br />All in all, Mountains Beyond Mountains would make a better newspaper article than a book, as my roommate would say. I couldn't agree more.<br /><br />Any suggestions on what I should do when I meet Tracy Kidder tonight?Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01144297557178802443noreply@blogger.com0