Category: Books

Banned Books Week Proclamation 2015

banned books coasterI painted this Banned Books Week coaster two years ago.

 

Banned Books Week Proclamation

 

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is essential to our democracy, and reading is among our greatest freedoms; and

 

WHEREAS, privacy is essential to the exercise of that freedom, and the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one’s interest examined or scrutinized by others; and

 

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is protected by our Constitution; and

 

WHEREAS some individuals, groups, and public authorities work to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries of materials reflecting the diversity of society; and

 

WHEREAS, both governmental intimidation and the fear of censorship cause authors who seek to avoid controversy to practice self-censorship, thus limiting our access to new ideas; and

 

WHEREAS, every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of American society and leaves it less able to deal with controversy and difference; and

 

WHEREAS, Americans still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression, and can be trusted to exercise critical judgment, to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe, and to exercise the responsibilities that accompany this freedom; and

 

WHEREAS, intellectual freedom is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture; and

 

WHEREAS, conformity limits the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend; and

 

WHEREAS, the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year as a reminder to Americans not to take their precious freedom for granted; and

 

WHEREAS, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them; now, therefore, be it

 

RESOLVED, that I celebrate the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, 27 September – 3 October 2015, and be it further

 

RESOLVED, that I encourage all libraries and bookstores to acquire and make available materials representative of all the people in our society; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, that I encourage free people to read freely, now and forever.

 

Adopted by Me this 27th Day of September, 2015

Teaser Tuesday: The Man Who Touched His Own Heart

Like being stuck behind a log truck when I’m already late for an appointment, I find myself continually one book behind on my Goodreads challenge.

Be that as it may, the Wheel of Time has turned in its course to

Teaser TuesdayJust in case you don’t know, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is grab the book you’re currently reading, open to a random page and share a few sentences from that page. But make sure you don’t share any spoilers!*

*I wish I could take credit for this introduction, but I shamelessly stole it from Heather over at bitsnbooks. To help me make amends, you should go check out her blog.

As you might have guessed, I’m still reading Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City by Paul Strathern.

So, what can I look forward to once this particular drama plays out?

I’ve taken a different tack and veered into the realm of medicine with The Man Who Touched His Own Heart by Rob Dunn.

The Truly Random Number Generator sends us to page 15:

The surgical team wanted the hundreds of thousands 
of blue daughters and sons to live. But a dog heart 
is not a human heart, and so the truth was that the 
team had no real idea whether their new procedure 
would work.

the man who touched his own heart cover

In Retrospect

I really need to get a handle on finishing what I’ve started.

 

What have you been reading?

 

 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Teaser Tuesday: Death in Florence

I am still one book behind on my Goodreads’ challenge, but I’m making progress. I vowed to finish both Chaucer’s Tale and Rubicon by today; that did not happen. However, at least I’m not spiraling out of control.

Like students returning from a field trip, the Wheel of Time has returned to

Teaser TuesdayJust in case you don’t know, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is grab the book you’re currently reading, open to a random page and share a few sentences from that page. But make sure you don’t share any spoilers!*

*I wish I could take credit for this introduction, but I shamelessly stole it from Heather over at bitsnbooks. To help me make amends, you should go check out her blog.

Along with Rubicon by Tom Holland, I’m reading Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City by Paul Strathern.

The Truly Random Number Generator sends us to page 15:

This last was a mission of the utmost importance, 
for Lorenzo was expected to persuade Pope Paul II
to grant to the Medici bank the monopoly on 
operating and distribution rights for the highly 
lucrative Tolfa alum mines owned by the papacy.

At the time alum was the mineral salt used to fix 
dyes on cloth, making it an essential ingredient in 
the thriving textile industries of Florence and 
Venice, as well as those in the Low Countries and 
England.

death in florence cover

In Retrospect

I gave Chaucer’s Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury by Paul Strohm 4 stars. It was good, but not great. The first half offered a decent look at Chaucer’s London, but not Chaucer himself.

 

What have you been reading?

 

 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Teaser Tuesday: Rubicon

I am now officially one book behind on my Goodreads’ challenge.

But never fear, dear readers, for I have a little extra time over the next few days and hope to regain my “on track” status.

While I don’t subscribe to a circular view of history as such, the Wheel of Time has come full circle to

Teaser TuesdayJust in case you don’t know, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is grab the book you’re currently reading, open to a random page and share a few sentences from that page. But make sure you don’t share any spoilers!*

*I wish I could take credit for this introduction, but I shamelessly stole it from Heather over at bitsnbooks. To help me make amends, you should go check out her blog.

This week I’m reading Rubicon by Tom Holland (the author and cricketer, not the actor).

I had wanted to read Persian Fire by the same author, but someone had already checked the book out.

Yes, it’s my fault for not placing it on hold.

Anyway, the Truly Random Number Generator sends us to page 243:

Only Spartacus himself appears to have fought
for a genuine ideal. Uniquely among the leaders
of slave revolts in the ancient world, he attempted
to impose a form of egalitarianism on his followers,
banning them from holding gold and silver and 
sharing out their loot on an equal basis.

rubicon cover

In Retrospect

Confession: I’m only 7 or so pages into Chaucer’s Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury by Paul Strohm. Don’t worry, I vow to finish both Chaucer and Rubicon by next Tuesday!

I’m also still working my way through Er Ist Wieder Da (English Title: Look Who’s Back) by Timur Vermes. Since it’s taking me a bit longer to read this (you know, it being in German and all), I’m trying to read between 5 and 10 pages a day. I’ll get through it in a month or two. I’ll keep you updated.

 

 

What have you been reading?

 

 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Unboxing The Shepherd’s Crown

Tuesday was bittersweet. I received a package: the American release of The Shepherd’s Crown by Sir Terry Pratchett! This is also the first book I’ve ever pre-ordered – the first book I’ve ever received on the very day of its release.

However, many of you know The Shepherd’s Crown is the last Discworld novel; Sir Terry passed away 12 March, 2015.

I’m not ashamed to say it:

I took my time opening the box.

I savored the new book smell.

I read the dust jacket.

Then, I placed The Shepherd’s Crown back in the box,

closed the lid,

and cried.

No man is ever truly gone until the ripples they make in the world die away

May Sir Terry’s ripples last forever.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

His fantasies sit alongside – and are the equals of – those of Rabelais, Voltaire, Swift, Kurt Vonnegut, and Douglas Adams. . . . But whereas all these are neatly arranged on the bookshelves, my Pratchetts are strewn under the beds, in the bathrooms, the glove compartments. They have shopping lists, takeaway orders, and Scrabble scores scribbled on the fly leaves. They were part of life. – Frank Cottrell Boyce

Teaser Tuesday: Er Ist Wieder Da

Last week I made a prediction:

School is now in full swing; I suppose my 1-book lead on my Goodreads Reading Challenge won’t last long.

As I type this, Goodreads says I’m “On Track” so I my lead is gone but I also haven’t fallen behind . . . yet.

As my students get back into the school routine and as I try to schedule dedicated blogging and reading time, the Wheel of Time has come full circle to

Teaser TuesdayJust in case you don’t know, Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! All you have to do is grab the book you’re currently reading, open to a random page and share a few sentences from that page. But make sure you don’t share any spoilers!*

*I wish I could take credit for this introduction, but I shamelessly stole it from Heather over at bitsnbooks. To help me make amends, you should go check out her blog.

This week I’m reading Er Ist Wieder Da (English Title: Look Who’s Back) by Timur Vermes.

This book requires a bit of explanation:

Berlin, Summer 2011. Adolf Hitler wakes up on a patch of open ground, alive and well. Things have changed – no Eva Braun, no Nazi party, no war. Hitler barely recognises his beloved Fatherland, filled with immigrants and run by a woman.

People certainly recognise him, albeit as a flawless impersonator who refuses to break character. The unthinkable, the inevitable happens, and the ranting Hitler goes viral, becomes a YouTube star, gets his own T.V. show, and people begin to listen. But the Führer has another programme with even greater ambition – to set the country he finds a shambles back to rights.

The Truly Random Number Generator sends us to page 243:

»Wir halten also Fest«, sagt ich weiter, »der 
Judenhund ist unter den Hunden zu suchen. Das 
weitere Vorgehen ist naheliegend: Wir müssen 
nach einem kriecherischen Hund Ausschau halten, 
einschmeichelnd, einspeichelnd, aber jederzeit zum 
feigen Angriff aus dem Hinterhalt in der Lage - 
es ist selbstverstaendlich der Dackel.«
 
Approximate English Translation:
 
"So we keep strong," I continued, "the Jewish dog 
looks at the other dogs. The way forward is 
obvious: we must look out for insinuating, 
ingratiating, cowardly dogs, ready at any time for a 
cowardly attack - an ambush from any location - 
every night, we are the dachshund."

Some notes:

I’m reading this in German, but it’s been a while since I’ve read anything in German, so my translation isn’t quite accurate. Hence, I’m unsure of the exact translation of einspeichelnd.

The last phrase probably refers to the original purpose of the dachshund: hunting and catching varmints.

Native German speakers and readers, feel free to correct my rough and probable crude, inaccurate translation.

Er Ist Wieder Da cover

In Retrospect

I’m just finished reading July 1914: Countdown to War by Sam McMeekin; I gave it 3 stars – mainly because the last 80 pages or so just dragged on and on and on and on. The last three pages, though, were excellent and saved the book from a 2-star review.

Now I can start serious reading of  Chaucer’s Tale: 1386 and the Road to Canterbury by Paul Strohm.

 

 

What have you been reading?

 

 

Have a suggestion for a poem, photograph, or future post?

Drop a note in the prompt box!

 

Don’t forget to follow me on:

Facebook – where I share news stories, articles from other blogs, and various and sundry miscellany that happens to catch my eye. It’s stuff you won’t see here! Well, mostly.

Instagram – where I show you my Life in Motion and share quotes and such. The widget only shows my last three photographs – don’t you want to see them all?

Twitter – where you can see my thoughts in 140 characters or less. Also, funny retweets.

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑