
Saturday, December 9, 2023
The Sunday Salon: Because of Winn-Dixie; Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh; Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir; and Stickler Loves the World

Friday, December 8, 2023
If On a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop
Today's Featured Book
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
Genre: Novel
Published: 1979
Page Count: 278 pages
Summary:
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is a feat of striking ingenuity and intelligence, exploring how our reading choices can shape and transform our lives. Originally published in 1979, Italo Calvino's singular novel crafted a postmodern narrative like never seen before—offering not one novel but ten, each with a different plot, style, ambience, and author, and each interrupted at a moment of suspense. Together, the stories form a labyrinth of literature known and unknown, alive and extinct, through which two readers pursue the story lines that intrigue them and try to read each other. Deeply profound and surprisingly romantic, this classic is a beautiful meditation on the transformative power of reading and the ways we make meaning in our lives.
"You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If On a Winter's Night a Traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade..."
"A key turns in the lock. You fall silent, as if you wanted to surprise her, as if to confirm to yourself and to her that your being here is something natural. But the footstep is not hers. Slowly a man materializes in the hall, you see his shadow through the curtains, a leather windbreaker, a step indicating familiarity with the place but hesitant, as of someone looking for something. You recognize him. It is Irnerio."
The purpose of THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, and befriend other bloggers. THE BOOK BLOGGER HOP is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.
December 8th-14th - Where do you like to read the most? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer.
Lucky me! I have my own reading room (my family calls it my Meditation Room) with my own reading chair.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
The Last Year We Decorated Christmas Cookies with My Mom
We'd all meet together with bowls of icing and flavors and colors and all those lovely stacks of plain shortbread cut-out cookies.
A little message for you young people out there: It goes fast, folks. Enjoy these family get-togethers while you can. I don't remember one thing about what I got for Christmas in 2009, but I'm glad we got together to decorate cookies.
Holiday Sugar Cookies (for Decorating) Cream 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water. Beat until light. Add 3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add to creamed mixture. Divide in half. Chill one hour. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut in shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cook a little and then remove from pan. Decorate at will, with colored icing, sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, or whatever you want. |
For more photos, link up at Wordless Wednesday, Comedy Plus, Messymimi's Meanderings, Keith's Ramblings, Create With Joy, Wild Bird Wednesday, and My Corner of the World.
Weekend Cooking was created by Beth Fish Reads and is now hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader (and Baker). It is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.
Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Books that Defied My Expectations
Books (I thought) I had no interest in reading but that are now favorites...
The books, with my original perceptions of the stories...
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Good grief. A story about a man who turns into a bug?
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Depression? Aren't we all depressed enough?
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
The story of a mass murder? The last thing I'd want to read.
Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Sports? I hate sports. Why would I want to read a book about sports?
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
War? I hate war. Why would I want to read a book about war?
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
A book about motorcycles? And what the heck is Zen?
The World is Not Enough by Zoé Oldenbourg
A huge historical novel? Nope.
Civility by Stephen F. Carter
Civility? Really? Who would want to read about that?
L'Assommoir by Émile Zola
Who is Zola? Why would I want to read a book by Zola?
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
A big, long Russian classic? I don't think so.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
A story about a man and a whale? No way.
What books have completely surprised you?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
Saturday, December 2, 2023
The Sunday Salon: Back to Big Sandy (With Bubbles)
The Sunday Salon: Four Thanksgiving Feasts!
Nonfiction November: Week 5 (11/27-12/1) New To My TBR
Novellas in November: New to My TBR
Books Set On-the-Road

Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Books Set On-the-Road
Do you have any favorite books that are set on-the-road?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
Monday, November 27, 2023
Novellas in November: New to My TBR
For the fourth year in a row, Rebecca of Bookish Beck and Cathy of 746 Books are celebrating the art of the short* book by co-hosting Novellas in November as a month-long challenge.

This year we have five prompts, adapted from ones commonly used for Nonfiction November. (*A reminder that we suggest 200 pages as the upper limit for a novella.)
Here’s the schedule:

Week 5 (starts Monday 27 November): New to My TBR
- In the last few days, talk about the novellas you’ve added to your TBR since the month began.
Here are the books I added to my TBR this month.