Space Station Mir

I remembered answering this question way back, it turns out it wasn't a Top Ten,but a different meme . 1. Jane Austen I own all six of Austen's novels, plus a copy of Sandition and Other Stories . I have three copies of Pride and Prejudice , three copies of Northanger Abbey , plus two each of Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion . So that's...15 physical books. 2. C.S. Lewis I own 11 of Lewis' books, including the Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy. 3. J.R.R. Tolkien I own three copies of The Fellowship of the Ring , one of The Two Towers , two of The Return of the King , two of The Hobbit , two of The Silmarillion , and a book of short stories. So that's 11 physical books on my shelves. One LOTR set may technically belong to my dad. 4. L. M. Montgomery I own 10 of Montgomery's books, including the entire Anne of Green Gables series. 5. J.K. Rowling I own all 7 of the Harry Potter books. 6. Frank Herbert I ...

27. The Price of Silence: A Mom's Perspective on Mental Illness by Liza Long Let me start this review by stating that I am incredibly sympathetic to Liza Long's position. Along with the rest of us, I read "I Am Adam Lanza's Mother" in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. We were all struggling to understand, and Long gave us a small window into an unforgiving existence. Her story is a story that needed to be told, because it affects so many, and because so many of us want to pretend it doesn't. So when I saw her book available on LibraryThing's Early Reviewer books, I volunteered to review it. I received the book promptly, before I even knew I'd been selected to review it, and dove in. Unfortunately, this book is not the sequel to Long's viral post. Instead, it's a long-winded mishmash of incredibly important topics. It seems that in her rush to expound on all the issues she faces, and the research, and the statistics, she forgot (mostly) th...

I couldn't think of ten, but... 1. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter Basically, I'm counting on her to bring a bottomless bag with a bottomless supply of books. And she can't read them all at the same time, can she? Also, if that doesn't shake out, i'm sure she's memorized Hogwarts, A History and we could have some fascinating conversation. 2. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Someone needs to do the hunting! And any other survivalist strategy games. 3. Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire He has some fascinating stories, and I'm sure he could rig up a sewage system if necessary. 4. Silk aka Prince Kheldar from the Belgariad and the Malloreon He would probably set up an economic system and comically swindle everyone in no time. 5. Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings Everyone needs a loyal friend, plus Sam can start a garden and cook the taters.

26. Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Day Al-Mohamed *Available for sale in September* Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn is, as advertised, a “steampunk faerie tale.” The tale of Ali Baba and the forty thieves is retold in a world replete with difference engines, mechanical falcons, and airships. But this precise categorization may limit the story’s exposure-and that would be a shame. Aesthetics aside, this is a universal story about the rippling effects of avarice and its dangers across cultures, magic, and technology. As in the original tale, forty thieves command a luxurious hoard hidden in a secret desert cavern. In this version, however, the hoard cannot be removed. The protagonist Ali's family had an ancient mandate to guard the now-usurped hoard against the return of the Persian royal family. Without the magical and mechanical prowess of his forebears, Ali's father cannot hope to retake the cave. But his talented second son, Ali, ca...

The following are books that I read on planes: 23. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman When I unexpectedly finished my book before I reached the airport, I frantically searched for something quick, cheap, and light to grab for the plane ride. I picked up a mass market paperback of Neil Gaiman's latest (is it his latest at this point? it's the last one I heard of.) I wasn't especially fussed with the only other Gaiman I've read, Neverwhere , but the light satirical tone and fantastical quirks amused me enough. I had no idea what Ocean was about, but I figured it was hard to go completely wrong with Gaiman, and perhaps I would finally join his legions of uber fans. The former was a safe bet, though the latter is still a no-go. As it turns out, Ocean is another book that would make a perfect children's story were it not for a few unfortunate references. Told from a young boy's point of view, it's again a simplistic plot featuring an inva...