What Does Book Blogging Mean to You? Book blogging for me is a way to relax, as well as verbalized why I enjoyed or didn’t enjoy a book. It is a way to put my thoughts in order and think about a work instead of just plowing through them. Of course, like many of us when I started this blog I thought I was unique, I thought that there are thousands, no – tens of thousands of people just aching for a book blog to go online and argue about beloved favorites. As we all know, I was miserably wrong and there are many wonderful book blogs on the Interwebs – which actually made this hobby much more fun and social. As is the case in life, what intended was not what happened, changed but for the better I believe. I know read way out of my comfort zone (mostly for better but sometimes for worst) have been introduced to excellent authors, entreating books and wonderful bloggers. Check out more great answers and leave me a link so I can read yours. Zohar – Man of la Book

Article first published as Book Review: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs on Blogcritics. About: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs is the famous novel of the boy who was raised by simians in the jungles of Africa. The book was first serialized in All-Story Magazine 1812 and published in 1814. 288 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books Language: English ISBN-10: 034531977X My rating for Tarzan of the Apes – 5 Buy this book in paper or FREE in electronic format More Books by by Edgar Rice Burroughs Thoughts: A few weeks ago I put in a request to review Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan by Robin Maxwell, the Tarzan story from the perspective of Jane (post coming next week). I then decided to re-read the original Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs to refresh my memory has it has been decades since I read it first. I did not regret that decision for a moment and can certainly understand why Tarzan achieved a cult icon status. Burroughs wrote an exciting novel, making the unbelievable seem somewhat plausible in a story which tags on the readers’ imagination almost every page. The characters, especially that of Tarzan, are masterfully written, combining intelligence and wisdom….

In which interview myself…. Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack? Snacking and reading – a dangerous pastime. I usually don’t snack and read, but I love to do so, the only time I do read and eat is during lunch. Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I don’t mark my books, but the idea doesn’t horrify me either. I actually think it’s a good idea but I never got used to doing so, maybe because the first book I actually bought instead of borrow from the library was in my teens. How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? I use a bookmark, it’s more convenient than dog ears or laying the book flat (which in a house with two kids won’t last long). Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Both but I try to mix them up (reading one fiction, one non-fiction). I also like to read fiction books about topics I am interested in a non-fiction area. Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy. Are you a person who tends to read to…

I’m a bit of a political junky! I’m not as bad as I used to be because, to be honest, the more attention I pay the more I realized how screwed we’re getting by those in power (this is more true on a local level than the federal one). Election season is interesting, the lies, deceits, half truths and obscene amounts of money spent are jaw dropping. Frankly, I cannot see any difference in political ideology or major policies between Obama and Romney. I actually think that the staunch Republicans and staunch Democrats are not seeing a thing beyond an elephant’s ass and a donkey’s tail. After all, Obama (in the role of “The Liberal”) has governed like a conservative Republican – right of center. Romney (in the role of “The Conservative”) has governed left of center previously. So actually, the Republicans should be rooting for Obama, while the Democrats should be supporting Romney. But what do I know…? At the time of this post, the books below were free or $0.99 — please check before downloading. Authors: If you’d like your book to be fea­tured on Tight­wad Tues­days please email me. Freedom Island by J.R. Sinclair American taxpayers begin disappearing…….

It is Book Blogger Appreciation Week – it’s a nice event which I participated in last year and somehow totally missed the “heads up” on it this year. Today discussion, titled “Appreciation” is to share a few blogs which you follow and enjoy. Image from http://litandlife.blogspot.com/ Below are several blogs which I follow, enjoy and have posted in the past week. I follow many more and enjoy almost all of them. At the beginning of my blogging days, following was a quid pro quo activity, and at some level it still is today, but now I know which blogs I enjoy, which bloggers have the same taste as I do (in order to add for my never ending “to read” list), and which bloggers I disagree with which makes some good bookish discussions. Without further ado, here is the list in alphabetical order: At Home with Books – http://athomewithbooks.net/ The Children’s War – http://thechildrenswar.blogspot.com/ Crazy for Books – http://crazy-for-books.com/ Gently Mad – http://sharonhenning.blogspot.com Lit and Life – http://litandlife.blogspot.com/ My Reader’s Block – http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/ Reading in Taiwan – http://taiwaneastcoaster.blogspot.com Wordsmithonia – http://wordsmithonia.blogspot.com/ There are many more of course…. Zohar – Man of la Book

Twelve year old Hugo shoulders a lot of responsibility for his age. His parents are dead and his caretaker is his drunkard uncle, tender to the train station’s clocks, which one day simply disappears.

Son of a watchmaker, Hugo who loves to tinker with mechanical toys takes it upon himself to maintain the clocks while hiding in the hidden world of the train station. One day he finds an automaton, a mechanical man, which was cherished by his late father. Hugo restores the toy using his father’s notebook as a reference, he gets his parts by stealing them from the old man who owns a toy kiosk in the station.

Today I’m starting a new feature called “Thoughts from the Rancor Pit” in which Andrew and David from the fabulous blog “Rancors Love to Read” will review books taking place in the Star Wars universe. I have been in touch with Andrew for a few weeks about this new feature which I think will enhance Man of la Book by giving it another dimension (pun intended). While I certainly appreciate the Star Wars universe, science fiction books aren’t really up my alley at this point in my life. I was glad to find Rancors Love to Read and ecstatic when we hashed out an informal agreement for me to republish their reviews. Take a look at their reviews and let me know ho you like this new feature. Buy this Star Wars Book in paper or electronic copy Andrew: Originally published at http://www.rancorslovetoread.com/2008/12/andrews-review-of-heir-to-empire.html 5/5 Rancors- The cornerstone of the modern Star Wars Expanded Universe, Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire was published in 1991 in an environment where Star Wars was considered a dusty relic of the 70s and 80s, except to some die-hard enthusiasts. At least, that was the perception going around. The reality was there was enough latent…

Taylor Caldwell (7 September, 1900 – 30 August, 1985) was a British novelist of popular fiction. Best known for Dynasty of Death (published 1938), Taylor used real historical events and persons in her works which were known to be intricate and suspenseful.

About: The Bookie’s Son by Andrew Goldstein is a coming of age novel set in the 1960s. This is the author’s debut novel and I hope he will pen a few more. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter. My rating for The Bookie’s Son – 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format Thoughts: The Bookie’s Son by Andrew Goldstein is an intelligent and funny novel about a somewhat dysfunctional, yet loving family in the 60s. Part a family story, part a coming of age story, the book grabs the reader’s attention on almost every page. The strength of the novel is on its use of dialogue, the author manages to capture the style of the Bronx and the rhythm of the language with a few Yiddish words to spice it all up. The author manages to capture the sounds of the streets and families in a very human sense. I admired the way Mr. Goldstein encapsulated how kids talk differently on the street than they do at home. Ricky becomes a man during these turbulent times. He learns his limitations but also what can…

Article first published as Book Review: Malinalli of the Fifth Sun: The Slave Girl Who Changed the Fate of Mexico and Spain by Helen Gordon Heightsman on Blogcritics. About: Malinalli of the Fifth Sun: The Slave Girl Who Changed the Fate of Mexico and Spainby Helen Heightsman Gordon is a historical fiction novel taking place in South America during Hernán Cortés’ time. Malinalli was an important person in Cortés’ entourage who have been vilified throughout the ages. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter. 672 pages Publisher: iUniverse (December 16, 2011) Language: English ISBN-10: 1462064930 My rating for Malinalli of the Fifth Sun – 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format. More Books by Helen Gordon Heightsman Thoughts: Malinalli of the Fifth Sun: The Slave Girl Who Changed the Fate of Mexico and Spain by Helen Heightsman Gordon (blog | Facebook) aims to tell a story in history which many people are not aware of. Malinalli was a real person in Mexican history , known by several different names, who is often overlooked or vilified. The story is told through various view points, Cortés, Malinalli’s family, and acquaintances but mainly…