Search results for: travel

Thoughts on: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
5 Stars , Fiction , Latest Posts / May 7, 2012

About: American Gods by Neil Gaiman is an award wining fictional book. The book blends fantasy, Americana and mythology to create a unique story from the brilliant mind of one of today’s top writers. 624 pages Publisher: Harper (April 30, 2002) Language: English ISBN-10: 0380789035 My rating for American Gods –5 Buy this book in paper or elec­tronic for­mat through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account Thoughts: American Gods by Neil Gaiman (Web­site | Face­book | Twit­ter) is fascinating, titillating, smart and funny. This is not a light read on vacation because the book asks you to suspend reality and be immersed in it. Mr. Gaiman makes many cultural references, societal commentary (not always good) and loads of mythological elements weaved into this fascinating story. The book’s main character takes us through a journey which weaves a tale of how the old gods (Odin, Thor, Anubis, elves, leprechauns, etc.), who were brought over to the US by immigrants, are dying because people stopped believing in them to favor the new gods (media, celebrities, technology, money and more). The scenery takes place mostly on the back roads of the United States where the protagonist meets gritty folks who, despite the storyline, are believable and…

Thoughts on: The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger
3 Stars , Fiction , Latest Posts / May 1, 2012

About: The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger is a fictional book which deals with online marriages of US citizens to mail order brides. As with any marriage, this one is also fraught with challenges on a day to day basis. My rating for The Newlyweds – 3 Buy this book in paper or in elec­tronic format. More books by Nell Freudenberger Thoughts: The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger is a well written book and a first rate drama. The author created a rich world and some thought provoking instances in the narrative. This is one of those books that I’m on the fence about (much like Jane Eyre). While I certainly appreciate the quality, the story didn’t speak to me nor could I identify myself with anyone of the characters except George, the American husband, which is basically a set piece. As someone who is not unfamiliar with cross cultural / cross religious marriages, as well as immigration and culture shock, I thought this book would speak to me more – but it didn’t. I really liked the premise of a Bangladeshi woman coming to the United States to marry an American. Amina is not some dimwit, but an intelligent (far more intelligent than her husband),…

Fun Facts Friday: Eudora Welty
Latest Posts / April 13, 2012

Southern writer Eudora Welty was born today, 13 April 1909 (died 23 July 2001) in Jackson, Mississippi. Books by Eudora Welty 1 ) Eudora Welty was the daughter of an insurance company owner and had a sheltered childhood and a led a sheltered life. 2 ) Many of Ms. Welty’s stories feature strong women, however feminist scholars shunned them due to negative comments she made in the 1970s about the feminist movement. 3 ) Eudora Welty was the first woman to study at Peterhouse College in Cambridge. 4 ) Ms. Welty was an accomplished photographer who took pictures for three years in the south during depression in the 1930s. 5 ) When she returned home from college (Columbia University School of Business), Ms. Welty worked as a radio writer and newspaper society writer. 6 ) The Death of a Traveling Salesman was Eudora Welty’s first published short story (1936). Her work appeared in the Southern Review for the next two years. 7 ) A Curtain of Green, a book of short stories was published in 1941. 8 ) Ms. Welty was awarded the O. Henry Award for best short fiction in 1942 and 1943. The novel The Optimist’s Daughter was…

Fun Facts Friday: King Solomon’s Mines
Fun Facts Friday , Latest Posts / March 30, 2012

Sometimes the story behind the book is more interesting than the book. King Solomon’s Mines (my thoughts) by H. Rider Haggard also has an interesting story behind the novel that inspired such characters as Indiana Jones. Buy this book in paper or FREE in elec­tronic format. More book by H. Rider Haggard 1 ) When the novel was first published in London, 1885, it was marketed “ The Most Amazing Book Ever Written” and became an immediate best seller 2 ) At the time explorations around the globe were major headlines, however Africa largely remained a mystery. King Solomon’s Mines was the first novel, published in English, to capture the public’s interest. 3 ) Haggard has traveled in Africa when he was 19 and witnessed the Anglo-Zulu War as well as the First Boer War. 4 ) Alan Quatermain is based largely on famed British white hunter and explorer Frederick Courteney Selous. 5) The part in the novel about Captain Good taking out his false teeth and terrifying the locals is based on a true story. Jospeh Thomson, a Scottish explorer, has documented this even in his book Through Masai Land where he scared Kenyan warriors taking out his false teeth and putting them back. Haggard was…

National Bookmobile Day Giveaway (Over)
Guest Posts , Latest Posts / March 21, 2012

Join Regal Literary in celebrating the ALA’s third annual National Bookmobile Day! In appreciation of our nation’s bookmobiles and the library professionals who keep them running, we’re giving away signed copies of THE NIGHT BOOKMOBILE and HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY by fellow bookmobile lover Audrey Niffenegger, international bestselling author of THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE. See more about the books below, and enter to win at http://www.regal-literary.com/contests/bookmobileday2012/. This sweepstakes ends on April 11, 2012. For contest updates, follow us on Twitter @regal_literary. Enjoy National Bookmobile Day, and best of luck! ======================================= The Night Bookmobile By Audrey Niffenegger The Night Bookmobile tells the story of a wistful young woman who one night encounters a mysterious disappearing library on wheels. This library includes everything, and only everything, she has ever read. Seeing her history and most intimate self in this library, she embarks on a search for the bookmobile. But over time her search turns into an obsession as she longs to be reunited with her own collection and therefore, her memories. The Night Bookmobile is a haunting tale both of transcendence and the passion for books, and features the evocative full-color pen-and-ink work of one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. Her Fearful…

Have You Joined World Book Night
Latest Posts / January 30, 2012

You may have heard a lot about World Book Night already but I wanted to reach out to see if you would consider mentioning it on your site or posting a graphic about the event which I can send. The event will take place on April 23, 2012 across the U.S., UK and Ireland. During World Book Night, 50,000 people, named as “book givers,” will each be giving away 20 books from a select list with a goal to have 1,000,000 people across the United States alone celebrating reading en masse. There will be adult books and young adult titles given away. People can sign up at http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/about-world-book-night/register-as-a-2012-giver by February 6 to apply to be a “book giver.” You can see the complete list of titles that includes books from authors like Jodi Picoult, Michael Connelly, Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver and Junot Diaz, among others at: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/wbn2012-the-books. I signed up – now it’s your turn. Zohar – Man of la Book Related articles World Book Night (bookingmama.net) Hey book lovers, be a bookgiver on World Book Night, April 23, 2012 (mondaysbalcony.com) Deutschland Joins World Book Night (travelbetweenthepages.com) Free Books on World Book Night! (teaandpaper.wordpress.com)

Fun Facts Friday: Edgar Allan Poe
Fun Facts Friday , Latest Posts / January 20, 2012

Yesterday was the birthday of famed author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (museum). Mr. Poe’s stories and poems are classics and he was an interesting person as well. Illustration by Abigail Larson Works by Edgar Allen Poe 1 ) There is a common misconception that no-one knows how Poe died. There are stories about hired henchmen , a brain tumor and more. However, a few years ago Poe’s body was dug up and as it turned out he died of rabies. 2 ) Poe’s Army record has him as “Edgar A. Perry”. 3) For The Raven, one of the most famous or Poe’s works, if not the most famous, he was paid $9. 4 ) Rufus Griswold hated Poe because of a negative review he wrote about one of his works. Upon Poe’s death Griswold wrote an anonymous obituary and later published a false biography. Both the obituary and biography greatly exaggerated Poe’s madness and drunkenness. 5 ) Virginia Eliza Clemm, Poe’s wife, was much younger than him and loved to play on the lawn together. They were married when he was 27 and she was just 13. 6 ) Some say that Edgar and Virginia had a more of…

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