Space Station Mir

This week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday at the Broke and the Bookish . 1. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. After reading his new biography (review soon!), it might make more sense if I didn't want Vonnegut at my table. He comes off as bitter, attention-seeking, and womanizing. Yet he still seems like a charming and entertaining dinner guest when he wanted to be, so I'd be interested in conversing with him on a good day. Also, I feel like we might bond over similar pessimistic yet secretly optimistic worldviews. 2. Madeleine L'Engle It was my dream to meet Madeleine L'Engle, especially because for a long time, she and Vonnegut were the only two authors I liked that were still alive. Both from her books and a taped interview that I have of her, she seems like the sweetest lady, besides being vastly knowledgeable and interesting. I think we would have a lot in common. 3. L.M. Montgomery I love all of her books so much, and I'd like to think we are maybe similar people. ...

Clearly, I didn't look at today's Top Ten Tuesday topic at the Broke and the Bookish last night! Otherwise, I would have saved my TBR list. But here are some other books that still lie unread on my shelf, despite my desire to read them. 1. The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen Been meaning to read since I attended a panel with Reif Larsen at the first Boston Book Festival. 2. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares Loved the Sisterhood books, still need to read this, although I'm afraid I won't love it as much. 3. The Room and the Chair by Lorraine Adams Great story about how I attended a Bookslut Reading for this, which just happened to coincide with my visit to Berlin. 4. Sandition and Other Stories by Jane Austen Been meaning to read these forever, and recently picked up a copy in a used bookstore. 5. King of the Murgos by David Eddings The second book of the Malloreon , the follow-up series to the Belgariad , which I loved. 6. Demon...

46. The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman 47. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman Since I last reviewed a book, I've had a lot going on (more on that in a moment). A friend left his copy of The Subtle Knife in my car, so I took the opportunity to reread it. I read His Dark Materials back in middle school, I picked up The Amber Spyglass the week it came out. Since then, I've reread the first book, The Golden Compass , a few times, but not the other two. I hoped I'd have something profound to say, but while the hierarchy of angels and Pullman's objective in vilifying the Catholic Church appear more clear in a second reading, to say nothing of Lyra's "sexual" (I put quotes because it's more love than sex oriented) awakening, there's not quite as much going on as I remembered. Still, this mysterious Dust that surrounds adult sentient beings, this conscious matter, dark matter, angels, what is this? It feels like a forced collision of science and re...

Today's Top Ten Tuesday at the Broke and the Bookish : 1. The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking I challenged myself to read this, and the first time, as interested as I was, I couldn't wrap my head around it. The second time I got through and understood a lot better, although much of it is still beyond me. Still, I'm interested and appreciate Hawkin's effort to write simply, so I know I will read this again someday. 2. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Not the type of thing I normally read, this was for a 16th century British literature class (even though it's Italian), but I really loved it. It wasn't an entirely quick or easy read, but funny in parts and very thoughtful. 3. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Nabokov is a master of language, so that in itself is difficult, but the subject matter was really what was out of my comfort zone. I'm glad I read it, but I can honestly say it made me distinctly uncomfortable the whole time and I definitel...

Love the topic, Broke and Bookish ! I also really like Readerbuzz 's interpretation. 1. Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer I read the first chapter of the first book, but I've read summaries, reviews, and feminist outrages on all the books because of how big the series got. I've also had to deal with 10-12 year-old girls telling me how romantic Edward is or how hot Jacob is. So. From what I've seen, terrible writing. But worse, millions of young girls are getting close-minded, sexist, and downright dangerous messages about how they should negotiate relationships with men. In conclusion, I have very, very strong feelings about these books without really having read them. 2. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner The first Faulkner novel I failed to get through. Maybe I'll give him another shot sometime, but just. Ugh. 3. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz SOOO good! Read it now! 4. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce We had...

Question: What is the novel you find most quotable or what are five of your favorite quotes from novels? My Answer: "We are such stuff as dreams are made on." Prospero, in The Tempest . And, okay, it's not a novel, but this is definitely one of my favorite quotes and one of the ones I think of most often. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man possessed of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." This has to be one of the finest wrought and most memorable first sentences in literature, from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . "There seems almost a general wish of decrying the capacity and undervaluing the labour of the novelist, and of slighting the performances which have only genius, wit, and taste to recommend them." -Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey "She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older-the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning." -Jane Austen, Persuasi...

Here's my go for this week's topic at the Broke and the Bookish. 1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Still one of the scariest books I've ever read. I'll never forget staying up all night thinking that the madwoman was coming to get me. 2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley After the whole Jane Eyre debacle, there was no way my mom would let me touch Frankenstein . Naturally, I snuck around and got my hands on it anyway. I didn't find it nearly as scary, I was more interested in how he got those dead body parts to reanimate anyway and feeling sorry for the poor abandoned monster. 3. The Ghost Writer by John Harwood An old creepy mystery that I read as a kid. 4. The Oxford Book of Scary Tales These are the ghost stories I'd scare my little sister and her friends with, I used to bring it out every Halloween and every camping trip. 5. Falling Up by Shel Silverstein Shel Silverstein is frightening. I'll never forget the poem about the man who grew ol...

I've gotten some beautiful copies of children's books from the class I help teach in the summer, but this also means I have some duplicate copies. All books are like new or lightly used. If you know a young person who would really enjoy one of these classics, leave a comment with your answer to the question, which book you are interested in, and your email address. Sorry, I am only willing to send within the continental United States. Winners will be chosen randomly. Entries will be accepted until Nov. 1 and winners will be announced in November. Covers are as pictured! Redwall by Brian Jacques The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery Question: What was your favorite book as a child? My Answer: I think I've already answered this or a similar question. My favorite book from childhood was A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle, closely followed by The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and all the Chr...