Back breakers: the heaviest book I’ve ever read

Here's a blog hop from Booking Through Thursday that asks what's the heaviest book you've ever read.This would probably have to be A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth.  Or maybe The Jewel in the Crown Raj quartet by Paul Scott, a book which contained all … [Read more...]

Book Review: Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives

As many people have told me, if you liked Einstein’s Dreams, this is the book for you. I thought for a while this was actually by Alan Lightman, but the author is David Eagleman, who is a neuroscientist. A neuroscientist with an interesting … [Read more...]

To Dixie or not to Dixie?

Lew and Ben Snowden, perhaps the authors of "Dixie"Sooner or later, I was bound to get to a topic of infinite complexity and fascination for me, the American South. Here, specifically as it pertains to the fiddle. Recently, I decided that I want to … [Read more...]

Book Review: Eva Luna

This book was a pick for one of my book groups, and a very nice one. I’ve never read any Isabel Allende, and now I’m glad I did.Eva Luna is the story of a young woman of mixed heritage born in a South American country whose life spans the second half … [Read more...]

Madison Monday: The 605 Grille and the Great Good Place

The pink place, aka The 605 GrilleToday’s Madison Monday is also related to a book, as many great things in life are. The book is The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a … [Read more...]

What do you think about while you knit?

My first and only knitting project, about 2 months inSo I very recently (as in a month or so before Christmas) began knitting. And when I say knitting, I mean I’ve been working on one scarf for that whole period which my gracious friend cast on for … [Read more...]

Book Review: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand

I feel bad for stealing all these books from Emily at As the Crowe Flies (And Reads...), but I haven’t gone wrong with any of her top 10 from 2010 yet, and Helen Simonson’s might be the best yet.Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is the story, not … [Read more...]

Do I really have to read this? The books your teachers made you read

This week's blog hop hosted by The Blue Bookcase asks:  "Discuss a work of literary merit you hated when you were made to read it in college or university.  Why did you dislike it?"You can join in the blog hop by going to The Blue Bookcase or … [Read more...]

Book Review: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

This is another recommendation by Emily at As the Crowe Flies (And Reads), and another hit. Heidi W. Durrow’s novel is the story of a girl whose father is an African-American G.I. who meets and marries a Danish woman. So, Rachel, the main character, … [Read more...]

Madison Monday and Book Review: All We Had Was Each Other: The Black Community of Madison, Indiana

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I thought I would review a wonderful book about the black community right here in Madison, Indiana. I’ve often thought it would be good for someone to write a basic book that explains for the kind of “average” … [Read more...]