Friday, May 24, 2019

Steal Like an Artist and I Don't Keep Books, Plus 35 Books Checked Out from the Houston Public Library







I love to read about writing. Probably more than I actually love to write. Although I do love to write. This book is a new look at writing. Instead of ...more

There are 1001 Books you almost give up hope of ever reading; some books are long out of print and completely unavailable in your country. But then, suddenly...more

Connell and Marianne pass each other in the halls, seemingly strangers, living in completely separate worlds. But are they really strangers? Connell...more 

Hanako and her family---her father, mother, and little brother---are moving to Japan. The war is over, a war which the family spent interred in a detention camp and...more

I may have finished reading this collection of essays, but, now that I have found him, I will never stop reading John Muir. Muir takes you deep into...more





I brought home thirty-five books from the Houston Public Library yesterday.  Here's the reasoning behind that move: An author was coming to speak that evening, but I wanted to arrive at the library well before time to avoid the traffic. I knew I could check out up to fifty books, and I knew I could check out books for six weeks. So, I decided, why not? The stack in the middle are 1001 Children's Books, so I'm especially happy about those.





I heard Austen Kleon speak at the Houston Public Library. He's the author of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and the brand-new Keep Going. The audience was packed with artists and writers. I wish I'd had enough nerve to photograph these folks. If their art is anything like their attire, they must be wildly original.




In I Don't Keep Books, I shared both why I don't keep books last week and pictures of the few books I do keep, like this family Bible, smuggled out of Nazi-occupied Norway during the war.




I shared some of my favorite author photos from the recent library conference in Texas Library Association Conference: Authors last week.






I'm still thinking about what I learned by reading three books dealing with America's alienation and the contemptuous political climate. If you haven't read and commented on my blog post, What Happened to My America? I'd love to hear your thoughts.







My daughter-in-law, Stephanie, graduated from college last Saturday, eight weeks after having her second child. We are very proud of her.




Saturday is my dad's wife's birthday. Rosa will be ninety years old. Her kids are throwing her a big birthday party. Both Rosa and my dad are in excellent health, and no one ever dreams they are ninety and ninety-two.


After the birthday party, my husband and I are headed off to Dallas to go fossil hunting. Internet will be spotty there. But we will have access at the hotel in the evening. So don't worry if you don't hear from me right away....






How did your week go?

Did you finish any good books?

Have you run across anything book-ish that you would like to share with us?

I invite you to link up here and/or at the Sunday Salon page on Facebook each weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday) and let us know what you have been doing. Visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.

Other places where you may like to link up are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. If you wish to also post a link at Facebook, you can also do that. 



26 comments:

  1. You got in a lot of good reading!

    Your dad and Rosa look fabulous. My mom is 92 and is doing well too. Congratulations to your smart daughter-in-law!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kathy. My dad and Rosa are models for us all, not only in their healthy habits, but in their service to others.

      Delete
  2. Wow! Your dad and his wife look fantastic. They must be doing something right! Love the picture of you with your daughter-in-law and fam. I'll bet that was a happy celebration.

    Enjoy those library books. I'm reading Nomadland for book club and find it fascinating and depressing at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had no idea about the work conditions of Amazon employees. It's really just one step above homelessness.

      Delete
  3. I am glad you are using your Public Library. What would we do without them? As a teen, I couldn't afford to buy a new book. The library is where my friend and I would go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love my public library. I did go a little crazy at the Houston Public Library last week, but I've already read four of the 35 books, and I feel confident I'll get most of them read.

      Delete
  4. Your Dad and Rosa look great and so happy in those pics. I certainly wouldn't have put them anywhere near their nineties!
    And congrats to Stephanie for her graduation and baby :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Stephanie! May has been a monumental month in my household.

      Delete
  5. Those are great pics of your Dad and Rosa. Sounds like you've been having a great reading week. I love my library. I'm glad you were able to get so many great books there. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosa had such a lovely time at her birthday. Her son asked if anyone had stories and he left enough time so that people began to come forward and share old stories. It was wonderful.

      Delete
  6. Wow. I was just thinking that too, about it being a monumental month in your household as I read through this post. Happy birthday to your dad's wife, and congratulations to your daughter-in-law. I have been reading your other blog posts, but I'll be honest, I don't always know what to say. Sometimes it's just "Yep, I hear you." Or "Yep. I agree." Or "I don't keep books either." Well, there I guess I said it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like you had a wonderful week! I hope you enjoy fossil hunting, it sounds fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, that's a lot of books! Congratulations to everyone, the baby is adorable (I enlarged the photo). Happy Birthday to your dad's wife, they both look incredible for their age.

    BTW: We have the same kitchen :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love hearing speakers at the library. The fondest ones I have, are seeing the cast of Minnesota Opera give a talk. And a five member symphonic orchestra give a talk. I actually interviewed the orchestra on my blog after seeing them and the library and it became one of my most popular posts. Thanks Library!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a library haul! and great pics!! have a great week!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your post reminded me I’m going to an author event at the library this week, I’d nearly forgotten! And I cant believe you can borrow 50 books? We can only borrow 6 for 6 weeks.

    Have a great reading week

    ReplyDelete
  12. Goodness me hauling thirty-five books from the Houston Public Library! I kneel at your awesome bookishness! x

    What an amazing week your family's had; birthdays, graduations, it all sounded fabulous.

    I hope you have a great time fossil hunting.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, Deb. I have 41 books and 3 games checked out from my library right now, and that is definitely NOT counting books that have quietly snuck home from my classroom library.

    Sounds like an excellent week indeed for your family. Congratulations to all.

    ReplyDelete
  14. And I thought coming home with an extra three books from the library was something! ;) I decided to make a point of getting to the library every week or two, but it's not helping my existing TBR stack *at* *all*. (A stack which includes The Forest for the Trees, in fact.)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fossil hunting? Have a wonderful time!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats to your daughter-in-law! Your reading week was great! Yay for new goodies!
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds like it was a great week. I miss going to author events. Few authors visit my city. I do keep books and even buy hardcovers of books I have in paperback and on my Kindle because I love the stories. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow that is a lot of books to check out, but getting those extra weeks on them is worth it. What an amazing family heirloom that bible is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is. It is in terrible condition, but we will always keep it.

      Delete
  19. Happy birthday to Rosa -- they look great!

    ReplyDelete

I hope you will leave a comment so I know you have visited. If you stop by my blog, I will always stop by yours.

Note: Disqus commenting is only available on the web version of the blog. Please switch to the web version if you are using a mobile device.