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Thursday, November 15, 2007

Rambling...

[I]t's not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written. The books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers.” — Judy Blume

I found this quote on Ms. Jan's blog (she's a quilter and a reader, what a great combo, eh?). She posted it during Banned Book Week, but I just found her blog and the quote goes with my last post so well.

Alas, I'm still not back in a reading mode; I seem to be in the sewing/quilting state of mind. I have several books started, but am just not reading much. Hope that will change soon because
I have so many books to get through...

Two new review books :

Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel "explains the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire." Perel is a couples and family therapist. Thanks to Nicole Reardon with Harper Collins for this one.





A Boy Named Shel: The Life and Times of Shel Silverstein by Lisa
Rogak. Since Shel Silverstein was a large part of my girls' early reading (and, of course, one never outgrows Shel), when the author offered this one for review, I snapped it up. It fits into my biographical self-challenge and promises to give insight into a favorite author. By the way, did you know he was a song writer? He wrote A Boy Named Sue-- remember Johnny Cash's hit? Quote form the back jacket:

"I didn't think any biography could do justice to one of the few honest-to-goodness geniuses of our time, but Lisa Rogak has done an exemplary job of it." -- Otto Penzler, The Mysterious Bookshop


I have to admit that I used the above quote partly because of the name of Otto's bookshop, so I looked it up and discovered that:

One of the oldest mystery specialist book stores in America, the Mysterious Bookshop is now in its 28th year.... We stock the finest selection of new mystery hardcovers, paperbacks and periodicals. Our shop also features a superb collection of signed Modern First Editions, Rare/Collectible hardcovers and Sherlockiana... I bolded the first edition, rare, Sherlockiana part because I love the idea of rare, collectible stuff, even if I have no interest in collecting myself.

And finally, I received my pre-ordered copy of The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice by Catherynne M. Valente. I read In the Night Garden and loved it; I hope to save it for Carl's "Once Upon a Time Challenge" in the spring, but we will see.

8 comments:

  1. I am reading In the Night Garden right now and I love it! I am going to order the sequel tonight. :)

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  2. As a novelist, journalist and regular blogger, I am enchanted by the fact that blogging has opened up a whole new universe of gifted writers ....

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  3. I loved Shel Silverstein when I was younger! We had to memorize some of his poems in school. I didn't know he wrote that song. It was always one of my favorites. I'm going to make sure I pick this up soon!

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  4. I love that quote by Judy Blume. I might have used it myself during banned book week. Can't remember.

    Shel Silverstein. What memories. My daughter loved his poems and we have several of his books. So funny and clever.

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  5. Kailana -- Isn't In the Night Garden a marvelous book! I really do want to save In the Cities of Coin and Spice for Carl's challenge, but suspect I won't be able to resist that long.

    David -- blogging really does expand your life and interests, doesn't it?

    Ladytink -- I'm looking forward to the book. Rogak sent it because she had seen this post.

    Kay -- Blume should know about censorship! My kids memorized (inadvertently) much of his poetry because they read it so frequently.

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  6. That's a great Judy Blume quote -- it's a whole other side of censorship we don't really think about a whole lot.

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  7. I wasn't interested in rare, collectible stuff until I read the Bookman series. I am not interested in collecting either, but it is an interesting hobby to learn about. Although to be honest I wonder if any of my signed first edition books will ever be worth any money.

    Wouldn't it be fun to visit the Mysterious Bookshop someday. I will have to file that away and if I ever make it to NYC I'll add it to the itinerary.

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  8. Dorothy -- It is true, isn't it? Censorship has all kinds of repercussions.

    Booklogged -- I guess that signed copies mean a lot to me for some esoteric reason, but re-sale value doesn't interest me. Yes, the Bookman series has made the mechanics of collecting a fascinating subject. It would be fun to visit the Mysterious Bookshop, but I bet it is even more fun to own!

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