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Monday, March 16, 2009

Another Give-Away, Abandoned, In Progress

Time for another give-away: The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer. If you are interested in this one, just leave a comment (be sure to mention your interest). I'll use the Random Number Generator to choose the winner next Monday.

I've begun and discarded several books lately in keeping with this year's policy of abandoning books that don't live up to expectations. While I don't like abandoning books, especially when I've read 50-100 pages, there are too many books in my stacks that I'm eager to read. Unfortunately, Drood by Dan Simmons is one that is going back to the library unfinished, as are The Black Dove by Steve Hockensmith and Knit Two by Kate Jacobs.

In progress:

Exploring Other Worlds: Margaret Fox, Elisha Kent Kane, and the Antebellum Culture of Curiosity by David Chapin. This one continues the research I began on the Franklin Expedition (that digressed into other areas). Chapin takes a decidedly different approach from Barbara Weisberg in Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism.

Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge by Alan B. Wallace. Another look at neuroscience from a different perspective.

Deep Thinking the Human Condition: New Ideas We Can't Do Without
an ARC by S. A. Qdunsi. This one deals with problems concerning underdevelopment and poverty in third world countries the search for viable solutions. While this one has been put aside several times, I hope to get back to it.

and Yoga as Medicine by Dr. Timothy McCall, which I love and also has elements of neuroplasticity, but which has also been neglected as I try to get through the books I have on interlibrary loan.

I've been working on my review of The Brain that Changes Itself for several days; I have too much to say about it and have to keep pruning it! (Oops - thanks to Dark Orpheus for noting the wrong link here - should now be correct)

11 comments:

  1. I would love to read The Reluctant Widow -- it sounds like a great read!

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  2. I just first last week even heard about Heyer, and was told they were better than Austen...not sure about that but I would love to give it a go since the library's books have all gone missing

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  3. Please put me in the drawing. I have not read anything by Heyer but have heard so many bloggers rave about the books. I did find a book in a local Goodwill store, which I grabbed up immediately. I haven't read it, yet but am looking forward to it. I'm sorry to hear you didn't like Drood. I had high hopes for this one, as well. But, I do the same thing. I just can't afford to waste time on a book that I don't like. There are too many waiting in the wings.

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  4. I have a friend who grabs a bunch of books and will spend a day a couple of times a year reading the first chapters to decide if she will keep the books or not. I sometimes think I should adopt a similar practice.

    I'm going through a fluff phase right now. I hadn't realized just how much I needed to until I picked up my current book.

    It looks like you are reading some interesting titles. The one about Buddhism and neuroscience sounds really interesting.

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  5. The only Heyer novel I've read turned out to be a favorite, a fun book to read and then discuss with a daughter. This one sounds delightful as well. Please include me in the giveaway. Thanks.

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  6. Sorry, the link for The Brain That Changes Itself brings you to Yoga as Medicine.

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  7. Jess - I enjoyed it!

    Blodeuedd - Heyer is fun to read, but no Jane Austen. :) Hope you receive My Lady of Cleves before too much longer!

    Lisa - Heyer's books vary in quality, but are entertaining! I enjoyed this one.

    LF - I'm ready for a fluff phase, too! I love a little fluff--well, OK, a lot of fluff!

    Linda - One really nice aspect of her books is that they are suitable for young people, too.

    Orpheus - Thanks for pointing that out! It should be correct now. By the way, have you read Yoga as Medicine?

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  8. sounds like a book both my daughter and i would love -- she just quit her job at Borders - no more discounts for us ;-)

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  9. Cheryl - Those discounts get expensive, though, in their own way! I can never go into a book store and stay within the limit, regardless of discounts or gift certificates. :)

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  10. It's always hard for me to abandon a book - I'm always living on the hope that it will get better at some point. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not.

    And I am really bad at keeping library books for the maximum renewal times and still not finishing... I'm just a greedy library rat! :)

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  11. epicrat - Last year I read so many books that were not worth the time, so this year I'm trying to make decisions that lead to more satisfaction with the books I read. I've so many really good one that I want to read!

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