The second book I read this year is "The Dark Lake" by Sarah Bailey. In her acknowledgements, Ms. Bailey wrote: Writing a book really is such a ridiculous thing to do. So ridiculous that I might just go and do it all over again. Uh, Sarah? That's not necessary. My daughter, Brigid, gave me this …
Continue reading Book Review #2: The Dark Lake (I think there was a lake)
While in high school, I read The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. My teenage self was completely depressed by the sepia-toned trudge through despair depicted in both books. I have not read another Steinbeck book since. A few months ago, my golf partner Lisa told me that it was …
Continue reading Book Review #1: John Steinbeck “Travels with Charley” into Despair, Again
That is not true at all but I am thanked in a book that has been published. I edited the hell out of this book and have eaten a lot of good food thanks to this book. My friend Eddie from college has a blog dedicated to Italian food and wine and restaurants and food. …
I resolved last year to keep track of all the books I read in 2014 and I did it. I didn't write many reviews but I have created a ratings system to help you figure out if a book is one you might want to read. And you don't have to read the list today, …
Continue reading I Kept My 2014 Revolution and Here is the Documentation.
I've decided to return to Misc. Maggie. I miss you guys. And I really sucked at the Dear Judy blog. In preparation for my first post, I'm providing you with some background information that may prove vital to enjoying aforementioned first post. It could also be completely boring and of no interest to anyone but …
I finished Salvage the Bones this morning because I couldn't stay up for the last 60 pages last night. I am keeping a list of every book I read in 2014 and this is #11. I seldom read out of my comfort zone and this book is most definitely NOT in my typical reading wheelhouse. …
Continue reading Experiencing “Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward
As a 2014 new year's revolution, I have a page listing every book I read this year. I don't know if many of you have checked out THE LIST. It includes the book's title and author and a rating with a bit of detail but no big book review. I make up the rating scales …
Continue reading The 2014 Reading List Page and James Patterson Badness
I'm sane again today or saner than yesterday. I took to my bed, curled up in a ball and slept for a couple of hours. Then Derwood came home bringing me two kinds of chicken soup because he's just caring like that. And then we played "Whose Line Is It Anyway" and I would tell …
Sure I'm in the midst of planning a wedding (going to get Derwood a ring and a suit tonight), church up the street says we can use their parking lot, booked algae wrap for morning of wedding (that is to wrap me in algae not to wrap up my algae). Yes, I just finished working …
Continue reading National Book Award Books Double As Sominex
Hello and welcome to my 2012 end of the decade multifaceted, multifarious postapalooza! I've got it all here.... TV, movie and music reviews, literary critique, critique of my children, gourmet cooking tips; whatever you need to know in this new millennium, my blog and I are here to deliver. MUSIC I haven't listened to a …
Continue reading Maggie’s End-of-Year Multi-Media Hyphenastic Extravaganza!
Yesterday, I read an article on the Christian Science Monitor website, it's a list of 20 (Surprisingly) Banned Books. The CSM has a really terrific book section. I highly recommend it, I get a lot of reading ideas there. The books referenced aren't universally banned but have been banned in certain states at one time …
A few months ago, I read The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett. It's the true story of John Charles Gilkey, who loves rare books so much that he steals them. Gilkey doesn’t want to read the …
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