Book Club and Book Buying

Hey there! So, I'm going to get myself up to speed and then talk about how the second hand book buying is going.

In February, I met up with the new book club members and discussed "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Thank goodness Laura downloaded some "book club questions" otherwise I think we all would have just said we enjoyed the book and went on to talk about our kids. We will have to try to do that for all the books. The book was amazing. It brought you back to another era and really made you think about daily life and the trials and tribulations a lot of people faced. I enjoyed that the book was told by Scout at an older age looking back on the events, it showed the difference between what she thought was going on and what really went on now that she can have some distance from it. I think the book club is great, the veggie nachos and margaritas were really swell too! I love hearing different interpretations of the same passages. It is so good to hear a different point of view. I think we have a good group of people too. We all seem to be busy girls with a lot going on who want to still take the time to read a good book and have some me time. I can't think of anything better.












We decided to read "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger for this month. What a wonderful book. When I read this before I automatically sided with Holden and took his problems as my own. This time I had thoughts that he was just a spoiled rich kid who needed to "man up" and get with the program. Things change, points of view change as you get older. Boo Hoo Ho Hum, getting older sucks in a lot ways... But in the end I was cheering for Holden again and was moved by his want to be the actual "catcher in the rye." Also, that the ideal thing that would make him happy and whole was actually a misinterpretation of a song he had heard. So is life. Everybody needs a somebody to pull them out of a hole. I'm glad Holden found his.











I'm about halfway through "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" by Thorton Wilder This is a completely different type of book. I'm still trying to figure it out. It is intriguing and confusing at the same time. I'll let you know more when I figure it out.

So on to book buying! So far I have found every book I have read at The Book Stop in Smyrna. My own local second-hand store that I love. (Including "To Kill a Mockingbird" I couldn't believe it. There it was just sitting on the shelf after my whole diatribe about its scarcity!) I have recently started volunteering for The Smyrna Public Library through The Friends of Smyrna Public Library. My job is to look through all the donated books that the librarians cannot use for the library shelves and organize them and price them for the semi-annual book sales The Friends have for the library. The revenue this brings in is staggering. So my first day I was in complete shock as to what was being donated to the library. Almost new hardcovers of "famous" fluff-read (I mean fiction) authors. These are the books that cost 25 bucks new. I hold on to books at that price point but I guess I get it the more I think about it. The people who get great enjoyment out of the John Grishams, Nora Roberts', and Clive Cusslars of the world seem to have this drive to get the newest one as soon as it hits the shelves and then devour it in a day in a half. I can honestly say this is not my type of reading. I really thought I would be sorting through the old and obscure that nobody was thinking about anymore. These still exist in the donated books but not to the extent I thought. As a volunteer, I get first dibs on things that interest me so we'll see what comes out of this. In the meantime, I love books and love to see what people bring in and I'm helping out the library, so bonus for me!

This weekend was the Cobb County Public Library system's huge book sale and I scored big. I found "Herzog" by Saul Bellow, "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison and "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" by John Le Carre from the 100 list all for 25 cents a piece. Can you believe it? I picked up some other stuff too. Books for Oliver (all 25 cents a piece), some titles that just caught my eye, and a load of those famous author's books like I stated above for my mom, dad, and mother-in-law. People love them....

I have book club on the 15 of March and I can't wait to see what we decide to read next!

I'm blaming the holidays!

I haven't written in awhile and I have plenty of excuses, some of them are even pretty good, but I will spare you the drama. But I think it is covered thoroughly below. Since November I've been trying to get through "All the King's Men," but am literally still on page 82. I feel like I'm still waiting for the story to get started. Everything I have read (which is not a lot) has been build up, OK not really build up because that sounds like it would be interesting and suspenseful, let's say back story, Yes, back story for something. I don't know what that something is yet...

Since the book is slow I've used every excuse to put off reading it. Family's in town for the holidays. CHECK. A friend loaned me a book, I should read that first so I can give it back promptly. CHECK. This book is on sale on Amazon and looks really good. CHECK. I read a paragraph in "All the King's Men" and I fell asleep. CHECK. CHECK. Needless to say I was going nowhere. Then my friend, Laura, swoops in and and invites me to join a book club that is using the Time's 100 list as its book list. Wahoo, Perfect! They are starting with "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee, since most of the group has already read it and can do a comparison from what they thought when they read it in high school to how it is as an adult.

So I ran over to The Book Stop to find a copy and Ginny informs me that "To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of the hardest books to find secondhand. I couldn't believe it. You would think with all the copies out there it would fill the shelves. She said it is common practice these days for teachers to tell their students to take notes in the book so it is almost impossible to find a clean copy. Who'd a thunk it? She hasn't had a copy in her store for the past 6 months. I got it at the Vinings Library (All of Smyrna Library's copies are overdue or lost), but I fully intend on finding a used local copy at some point for the collection!

I have to say this book is really good and the more I read the more I know I have never read this book before. Can you believe it? I know I saw the movie ages ago and I thought I had read it, but no. Growing up in North Dakota may have something to do with it? Teachers were more apt to pick titles about the prairie, fur-trapping, or extreme survival because that related to us more, maybe? Maybe my "too cool for school" attitude had something to do with it? I'm sure it was on many a reading list I received at one time or another, but my thought would have been "Everyone reads this book, I going to pick the most obscure, least known book on this list just to be different." Yep, I was that kid. Annoying sometimes...

Right now I'm cruising through "To Kill a Mockingbird" and am really enjoying it. More on it and the book club later. Thank you for getting me out of the funk, Laura!

M. Night Shyamalan technique saved it

So I've recently finished book number two, Atonement by Ian McEwan. As soon as I started the book I got worried that I wouldn't be able to read all the books on my list. So flowery, so much detail about how everything looked, and about every thought that ran through each persons head regardless if it was pertinent or not. I was worried that their may be many of 'this sort' of book on the list. I'm much more of an adventure/outdoorsy/non-fiction reader by nature. But I said to myself, "Self, you said you were going to do this, their has to be a reason why they selected this book and even though it is not like the things you normally enjoy reading you need to give it a chance." So I did and it was worth it.

The book is divided into three parts as it goes through a family's history and how one nights' events and misunderstandings changed the fate of all of them. The first part was everything leading up to "the crime." I figured out "the crime" and how it was going to play out much sooner than the author would let me have the outcome in words on the page. Thus the flowery language and too much attention to detail. The book was saved by two things for me. Part two was a view of WWII and the flowery language and attention to detail was riveting and I wanted more. Finally, the ending which actually ends after the end of the story (I know that doesn't make sense, but it does if you decide to read it) clinched it. The author took a page from M. Night Shyamalan (who unfortunately hasn't made a good movie in quite awhile, though I feel he is trying hard.) There was a twist, a twist that I didn't ever see coming and would alter my views and thoughts of the book if I ever read it again. Like looking for clues, like you did when you re-watched The Sixth Sense. This twist made the book and all my frustrations more than tolerable and I would recommend it especially if you enjoy English literature.

So what is coming up? Well, I've been back to The Book Stop and purchased two additional books, but I also have All the King's Men waiting for me. This book is on the massive side, so I have been trying to decide if I should start it or if I should blow thorough one of the much shorter books I recently purchased. In the end, I'm going with All the King's Men. I figure it will take me through the winter holiday's and my friend, Bill, said it was good read in passing when he saw it laying around my house. Bill's a reader, so I trust his judgement. Next time I write I'll talk about the new books I bought for the collection and how the second hand book hunting is going, along with how much I've spent and what books I've traded in.

Happy Thanksgiving Early!

One down ninty-nine to go!

So I've finished Animal Farm and it has left me feeling melancholy and defeatist. During the whole book I found myself yelling REVOLT ANIMALS, REVOLT AGAINST THE PIGS in my head. Would that happen in real life or would we blindly serve those who are taking advantage of us? Unfortunately, I think in most cases we would sit back and take it. Like the animals who just knew it had to be ok that they were going through all this hardship because in the end they were working for the betterment of themselves, only to find themselves in the same dictatorship with a different face on it.

I understand why this book is on "the best list" because it really breaks down why communism doesn't work in a clear and concise way. Communism depends on equality between all and everyone doing their job based on their abilities. Under that structure someone is going to end up doing most of the work and provide for the others. And that is just the start of the breakdown. If those in leadership roles take advantage the whole system immediately shuts down and you now are part of a dictatorship. There are plenty of political arguments to be made but I find it unfun to rant to myself, I'd rather banter back and forth than to lay out my views on paper. Not a "happy" book but a worthwhile book for sure.

I'm on to Atonement. I have no idea what it is about, but since it has Kiera Knightly on the cover, I'm guessing maybe a pouty English girl is in my future. With all the Halloween and football stuff going on last week I had a hard time fitting in reading time hopefully this week will be smooth sailing. Crap baby is crying! Til next time!

Projects and Changes

Hello everybody!
It has been a really long time since I have written and I have decided to get back into the swing of things. I started this blog as just a means to put thoughts onto paper (so to speak) and then it morphed into my pregnancy/baby diary. Now with Oliver here at a full 17 months old and me not writing since he was a month old I've decided to change paths once again. While it is inevitable that Oliver, Jonathan, and Bluebelle will seep into the conversation, I want to focus this blog on a special project. I'm actually borrowing this idea from a friend but am morphing it into what I hope will be something special.

So the project is to read all of the books on All-Times 100 Novels list by the end of next year. While this is a noble feat in itself, my plan is to write reviews of the books, talk about how "easy" it is to curl up with a good book while dealing with daily life, and also talk about how I go about finding these books. My idea is to only purchase used books locally. No new paper, no shipping. I think it will be fun to hunt for some of these titles. Some will be easy, others not so much. My plan is then donate the amassed collection of books to a good cause. Still thinking of what that will be.

Here is the list: (Can't wait to hear what some of you think of these titles!) please check out http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1951793_1952021_1952025,00.html to see the parameters in which the books were chosen.

A - B
The Adventures of Augie March (1953), by Saul Bellow
All the King's Men (1946), by Robert Penn Warren
American Pastoral (1997), by Philip Roth
An American Tragedy (1925), by Theodore Dreiser
Animal Farm (1946), by George Orwell
Appointment in Samarra (1934), by John O'Hara
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970), by Judy Blume
The Assistant (1957), by Bernard Malamud
At Swim-Two-Birds (1938), by Flann O'Brien
Atonement (2002), by Ian McEwan
Beloved (1987), by Toni Morrison
The Berlin Stories (1946), by Christopher Isherwood
The Big Sleep (1939), by Raymond Chandler
The Blind Assassin (2000), by Margaret Atwood
Blood Meridian (1986), by Cormac McCarthy
Brideshead Revisited (1946), by Evelyn Waugh
The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927), by Thornton Wilder
C - D
Call It Sleep (1935), by Henry Roth
Catch-22 (1961), by Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye (1951), by J.D. Salinger
A Clockwork Orange (1963), by Anthony Burgess
The Confessions of Nat Turner (1967), by William Styron
The Corrections (2001), by Jonathan Franzen
The Crying of Lot 49 (1966), by Thomas Pynchon
A Dance to the Music of Time (1951), by Anthony Powell
The Day of the Locust (1939), by Nathanael West
Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927), by Willa Cather
A Death in the Family (1958), by James Agee
The Death of the Heart (1958), by Elizabeth Bowen
Deliverance (1970), by James Dickey
Dog Soldiers (1974), by Robert Stone
F - G
Falconer (1977), by John Cheever
The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969), by John Fowles
The Golden Notebook (1962), by Doris Lessing
Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953), by James Baldwin
Gone With the Wind (1936), by Margaret Mitchell
The Grapes of Wrath (1939), by John Steinbeck
Gravity's Rainbow (1973), by Thomas Pynchon
The Great Gatsby (1925), by F. Scott Fitzgerald
H - I
A Handful of Dust (1934), by Evelyn Waugh
The Heart is A Lonely Hunter (1940), by Carson McCullers
The Heart of the Matter (1948), by Graham Greene
Herzog (1964), by Saul Bellow
Housekeeping (1981), by Marilynne Robinson
A House for Mr. Biswas (1962), by V.S. Naipaul
I, Claudius (1934), by Robert Graves
Infinite Jest (1996), by David Foster Wallace
Invisible Man (1952), by Ralph Ellison
L - N
Light in August (1932), by William Faulkner
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), by C.S. Lewis
Lolita (1955), by Vladimir Nabokov
Lord of the Flies (1955), by William Golding
The Lord of the Rings (1954), by J.R.R. Tolkien
Loving (1945), by Henry Green
Lucky Jim (1954), by Kingsley Amis
The Man Who Loved Children (1940), by Christina Stead
Midnight's Children (1981), by Salman Rushdie
Money (1984), by Martin Amis
The Moviegoer (1961), by Walker Percy
Mrs. Dalloway (1925), by Virginia Woolf
Naked Lunch (1959), by William Burroughs
Native Son (1940), by Richard Wright
Neuromancer (1984), by William Gibson
Never Let Me Go (2005), by Kazuo Ishiguro
1984 (1948), by George Orwell
O - R
On the Road (1957), by Jack Kerouac
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962), by Ken Kesey
The Painted Bird (1965), by Jerzy Kosinski
Pale Fire (1962), by Vladimir Nabokov
A Passage to India (1924), by E.M. Forster
Play It As It Lays (1970), by Joan Didion
Portnoy's Complaint (1969), by Philip Roth
Possession (1990), by A.S. Byatt
The Power and the Glory (1939), by Graham Greene
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), by Muriel Spark
Rabbit, Run (1960), by John Updike
Ragtime (1975), by E.L. Doctorow
The Recognitions (1955), by William Gaddis
Red Harvest (1929), by Dashiell Hammett
Revolutionary Road (1961), by Richard Yates
S - T
The Sheltering Sky (1949), by Paul Bowles
Slaughterhouse Five (1969), by Kurt Vonnegut
Snow Crash (1992), by Neal Stephenson
The Sot-Weed Factor (1960), by John Barth
The Sound and the Fury (1929), by William Faulkner
The Sportswriter (1986), by Richard Ford
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1964), by John le Carre
The Sun Also Rises (1926), by Ernest Hemingway
Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), by Zora Neale Hurston
Things Fall Apart (1959), by Chinua Achebe
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), by Harper Lee
To the Lighthouse (1927), by Virginia Woolf
Tropic of Cancer (1934), by Henry Miller
U - W
Ubik (1969), by Philip K. Dick
Under the Net (1954), by Iris Murdoch
Under the Volcano (1947), by Malcolm Lowry
Watchmen (1986), by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
White Noise (1985), by Don DeLillo
White Teeth (2000), by Zadie Smith
Wide Sargasso Sea (1966), by Jean Rhys
Graphic Novels
Berlin: City of Stones (2000), by Jason Lutes
Blankets (2003), by Craig Thompson
Bone (2004), by Jeff Smith
The Boulevard of Broken Dreams (2002), by Kim Deitch
The Dark Knight Returns (1986), by Frank Miller
David Boring (2000), by Daniel Clowes
Ed the Happy Clown (1989), by Chester Brown
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (2000), by Chris Ware
Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories (2003), by Gilbert Hernandez
Watchmen (1986), by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons

Yesterday, Oliver and I headed to The Book Stop (http://www.thebookstoponline.com/)
on Atlanta Road (my favorite used book place). Please visit Ginny, she is really great and helpful. Anyway, I brought in my list of the "A" books and a few pregnancy books to trade in. Ginny helped me locate some of them. (I was having a hard time focusing with my little one going crazy for a new Curious George book we picked up.)

I'm starting with Animal Farm by George Orwell (which I remember reading in 8th grade, but was too cool for school to really care about the message), All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, and Atonement by Ian McEwan. (which unfortunately has Keira Knightly on the cover. I hate movie covers. Now that character will be Keira and not the picture I form in my head. At least I have not seen the movie yet.) So last evening I thought about what I would write in this blog and if this was really doable. I think it is! With wheels turning I climbed into bed at about 11:30 with Animal Farm in hand, I got cozy, opened to page one, and promptly fell asleep.

Oliver at 1 month

Here he was at two weeks....

Now he is a whole month old and I can't believe it!

He is just growing and growing, becoming more alert, and is doing a really good job at keeping mom and dad up at night.

Ollie says check you later.

Oliver Wayne is Here!!

He is happy and healthy and we are overjoyed to finally meet him. Here is his story...

Oliver Wayne joined our family when we thought we would still have a couple weeks to prepare for his arrival. I had been on bedrest for the second week and thought for sure that at this doctor appointment my amniotic fluid level would be back in range. So, I would be put on modified bedrest and little Oliver would hang out until I was at least 37 week along. Jonathan and I were in the ultrasound room and learned my fluid level was back at 7.5 cc, which is the level that put me in the hospital 2 weeks earlier. Then we did the non-stress test. I thought the top band was just super tight, I was very uncomfortable, and my face felt just really hot. Jonathan looks at the monitoring tape and then at me and says, "Can you feel that?" I said, "I'm hot and this band is really tight. Do you think I can loosen it?" He replies, "No it is not the band, you are having contractions." And from then on, like every 3 minutes I was having contractions. Only one was a doozey, but I knew I wasn't going on modified bed rest after that. Dr. Shin came in and said she wanted me to stay on the monitors for another 15 minutes and to not eat or drink anything. That's when I new something was up because how was I going to eat or drink something while I strapped to monitors.

Jonathan and I went into an exam room Dr. Shin came in and said, " So, I think we should have a baby today!" I instantly burst into tears and Dr. Shin said, "No, No it is a happy day, It's baby day. I scheduled your c-section for 5 o'clock. So, here is your paperwork and we'll see you at the hospital in about an hour and an half." Jonathan and I were both kind of in shock that everything was set up and we were going to have Oliver in just a few hours. We asked some questions and then headed to the hospital.

Before I knew it I was being prepped for the c-section and things were just falling into place to have our little one. I was nervous but Jonathan was there and the staff answered every question I had. I was calm until Dr. Shin arrived, that made it really real and I was told that my heartrate went up when she came into the room. Dr. Shin went to work and before I knew it we had a crying baby. The nurses took him and were cleaning him up while Jonathan gave me the play by play of what was going on. We were so happy when we found out he was in great shape and didn't need to go to the NICU and we went to our recovery room as a family!

Oliver Wayne Brinson born Friday, May 1st, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. 6lbs. 7 ozs., 17.5 inches long.

Now we are at home and Oliver is really great. So many facial expressions so little time. Love his long fingers, big, big toe, little perfect nose, full lips, and baby soft hair. What is not to love...

Bye Bye! We'll have lots more for you soon.