American Buffalo by Steven Rinella

So these are some of the facts I've gleaned from reading "American Buffalo" by Steven Rinella.

¤ There is a town or City named Buffalo in eighteen states
¤ Tatanka is the Lakota word for Buffalo
¤ Black Diamond, the "model" for the Buffalo nickel, who had been confined in a very small cage in the Central Park Menagerie, was sold to a meat packer for $300, and his head was put on the wall of the guy's office
¤ Buffalo Bill's entire herd of 20 buffalo were killed by pneumonia in 1886-1887 while he performed in New York
¤ The Blackfoot Indians of the northern great plains believed that the buffalo once hunted and ate humans, but then the maker of people gave humans bows and flint knives and instructed them to eat the buffalo instead. Some plains tribes did not eat the thymus glands, or sweetbreads, of buffalo, believing they were chunks of human flesh still stuck in the buffalo's throat

In 2005, Steven Rinella won a lottery permit to hunt for an American buffalo or bison in the wilderness of Alaska. Despite great odds, Rinella managed to kill a buffalo on a snow-covered mountain and then raft the meat back to civilization, all the while being trailed by grizzly bears and suffering from hypothermia. Now while I can totally relate to Rinella's recounting of facts about the buffalo and his seeming love of the animal as he describes stalking it, I can't understand how he can pull that trigger at the moment of reckoning. But as for the rest of his story, I found it extremely interesting and thought provoking, as it is a tale of the many ways in which the buffalo has shaped our national identity.

Rinella says "I sometimes imagine that we saved the buffalo from the brink of extinction for the simple reason that the animal provided a handy mirror in which we could see our innermost desires and failures, and our most confounding contradictions. Our efforts to use the buffalo as a looking glass have rendered the animal almost inscrutable. At once it is a symbol of the tenacity of wilderness and the destruction of wilderness; it's a symbol of Native American culture and the death of Native American culture; it's a symbol of the strength and vitality of America and the pettiness and greed of America; it represents a frontier both forgotten and remembered; it stands for freedom and captivity, extinction and salvation. Perhaps the buffalo's enduring strength and legacy come from this chameleonic wizardry, this ability to provide whatever we need at the given moment. Maybe that's what the sculptor James Earle Fraser had in mind when he put the buffalo on the American nickel. In pursuit of a timeless design, he gave us an image that will never lose its meaning, whatever that meaning might ultimately be."

The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs

I really liked A. J. Jacobs' first book, "The Know it All". In that one, his quest was to read the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z. I thought it was uproaringly funny how he worked all these little bits of information he had gleaned from his reading into his every day conversations.

When I heard he had a second book out, and this time he was going to attempt to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year, I knew I wanted to read it. And the book does not disappoint. Because not only does he attempt to follow all the well known principles of the Bible, like the Ten Commandments, or loving your neighbor, and being fruitful and multiplying...but he also tries to obey all the hundreds of lesser known rules, such as avoiding wearing clothes made of mixed fibers, etc. This is quite a daunting task and as he explores all the consequences of attempting to follow these precepts we are taken along on his thought provoking and hilarious journey--and we even learn a few things along the way. As one of the quotes sprinkled liberally throughout the book says "Religion makes the strange familiar and the familiar strange."

This book is extremely funny and self-deprecating and not only is it quirky and entertaining, but full of life lessons and ultimately beautiful and moving. It examines religion in terms of modern life and makes the whole experience delightful and charming. It's a spiritual journey that is both reverent and irreverent and a really entertaining read. And like A. J. says at one point in the book "My favorite parts of the Bible are the ones that admit that we don't know everything, that stress the mystery of God and the universe." Like Ecclesiastes 6:12 which says:

For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?


So if you want a highly entertaining book that's funny and thought provoking at the same time, I recommend you pick up a copy of either of A.J.'s books. And if you want to test the waters so to speak before you pick up copies of his books, check out his website here. You'll love him.

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

I am a big fan of Jan Karon's Mitford series. They center around a fictional town called "Mitford" and the local Episcopalian priest, Father Tim. They are populated with quirky small town characters that you get to know and come to love, and you look forward to visiting because a trip to Mitford is always good for the soul. But it has been said that the main character of the novels is not Father Tim, or Mitford itself, but Jesus Christ (as faith seems to permeate the life of her characters). Jan Karon is comfortable with that characterization. She has said that God led her to write the books, because on her own she would never have considered writing about a balding, pudgy, sixty-something cleric.

A major theme of the Mitford novels was Father Tim's impending retirement. He wrestled with the decision to retire and wondered what retirement would hold for him. This book is the first in her new series to be called "The Father Tim novels".

Father Tim receives an unsigned note from his hometown in Mississippi. It contains two words--Come home. After more than 38 years away, he does just that, he goes home. He and his faithful dog Barnabus pile into his mustang convertible with the top down and head to the home of his childhood Holly Springs, Mississippi. Father Tim thinks Thomas Wolfe was probably right in saying you can't go home again, but when he gets there he finds a surprising number of old connections have survived his time away. So begins a journey of discovery for Father Tim. He comes face to face with family secrets and relives memories with childhood friends and family. Jan Karon has written a bewitching and captivating book that is poignant and laced with wisdom and a generous dollop of forgiveness. I truly loved this book.

John Lennon: the Life by Philip Norman

Philip Norman wrote "Shout", a so-called definitive biography of the Beatles. Now he has written a biography about the life of the Beatles charismatic and witty leader, John Winston Lennon. He certainly had access to all the major players in John's life and some previously untapped sources, so the book makes for interesting reading. And believe me, I thought I had read and knew just about every detail of the life of John, Paul, George, and Ringo--being a strong Beatle fan myself, but there were a few surprises in this book for me as well. So I think it is a book that will appeal to the casual fan, as well as any died in the wool "Beatlemaniac".

The author says he spent three years researching the book, and the book covers every aspect of John's life, from his upbringing by his strict Aunt Mimi, through his student days, his meeting and partnership with Paul McCartney, the Beatles early Hamburg days, his affair with Japanese performance artist Yoko Ono, and their eventual marriage, culminating with his early death at the age of 40, when he was shot down in front of the Dakota apartment building in New York by a deranged fan. He manages to paint a portrait of a very complex man who seemed to be a bundle of contradictions. John was very tough, and very cynical, but also vulnerable and very insecure. He was very witty and funny and yet very naive.

John Lennon in Hamburg on a fairground , near the Reeperbahn.

The book is broken into five parts (1) The Country Boy ( 2) To The Toppermost of the Poppermost (which was a phrase that John used when they were in Hamburg and the other Beatles would ask him "John, where are we going?"--and he would reply "To the Toppermost of the Poppermost") (3) A Genius of the Lower Crust (4) Zen Vaudeville (5) Pizza and Fairy Tales.

Each part has several sections that start off with a quote from John. For example, under The Country Boy part, there is a section titled "Shortsighted John Wimple Lennon" with a quote by John saying "I thought, I'm a genius or I'm mad. Which is it?" The book also finishes up with a Postscript called Sean Remembers, contributed by John's son with Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon.

The last major biography of John was published twenty years ago by Albert Goldman. This book was written with the blessing of Yoko Ono and the cooperation of Paul McCartney, though it has been said that both were a little unhappy over the results. Anyone who has paid any attention at all to the lyrics of John's songs over the years can see how emotionally tortured he was, how much pent up anger he contained, and how his life long fear of abandonment figured prominently in his music.

The irony of his death was that it came at a time when he seemed to have finally exorcised his demons and achieved a degree of contentment and fulfillment in his life. He was starting to mature and mellow and one can't help but wonder what other changes would have occurred if he had been allowed to grow old, and what new trails he would have blazed for us had he been given the chance.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

The animated version of this book opened in theaters just in time for the holidays and has several big stars doing the voices of the characters (Matthew Broderick as Despereaux; Dustin Hoffman as Roscuro; Emma Watson as Princess Pea; and Tracey Ullman as Miggery Sow). If I go to see the film, I think I'll have to wear a T-shirt that says "Don't Judge a Book by its Movie"--yes, there really is one available. Books are always better than the movies made from them. That's not to say that you can't like both.

This is a Newbery honor book written for ages 9-12. The book is four stories woven into one delightful tale. In Book the First, we find out about Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who loves music, stories, and a princess named Pea. In Book the Second, we find out about Roscuro, a rat who lives in darkness, but desires the light. In Book the Third, we are told the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl with an impossible wish to be a princess. And in Book the Fourth all these threads of stories are brought together in a very sweet conclusion.

Now I freely admit I'm a big fan of the author of this book, Kate DiCamillo. She writes for both children and adults and says she likes to think of herself as a storyteller. In fact at one point in this book she has the character Gregory the jailer tell Despereaux "Stories are light", and as preface to telling this story says "The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story."

In fact, she wrote this book because her best friend's son asked her to write a story for him about an unlikely hero with exceptionally large ears. And Kate has managed to pull it off in style. That is not surprising if you've read any of her other books--"Because of Winn-Dixie", "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane", or "The Tiger Rising".

DiCamilla has said that she had a writing instructor once who told her that writing is all about seeing. It is the sacred duty of the writer to pay attention, to see the world. And DiCamilla takes that bit of advice to heart in all her writing. She is amazingly descriptive and perceptive of everything going on around her in the tales she tells. There is great emotional resonance in her writing. It will pluck your heart string. She says that what she discovered in her writing was that each time she looked at the world and the people in it closely, imaginatively, the effort changed her. The world, under the microscope of her attention, opened up like a beautiful, strange flower and gave itself back to her in ways she could never imagine. What stories are hiding behind the faces of the people who you walk past everyday? What love? What hopes? What despair? Kate knows and is able to communicate that to us in her stories.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book or any other that the amazing Kate DiCamillo has written. You'll be glad you did.

Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien

This is a delightful love story between a petite blonde biologist and a member of another species, a barn owl that she named Wesley. Stacey took Wesley under her wing (so to speak) on Valentine's day, when he was 4 days old. It was a relationship that would endure for almost two decades. As Stacey says "to that which you tame, you owe your life".

Wesley taught Stacey the Way of the Owl, and Stacey spent the next 19 years of her life intensively living and studying the life of a barn owl. Sprinkled through the book is much owl lore (as well as insight into other birds and reptiles). For instance, owl's mate for life, and when an owl's mate dies, he doesn't necessarily go out and find another partner. Instead, he might turn his head to face the tree on which he's sitting and stare fixedly in a deep depression until he dies. Such profound grief is indicative of how passionately owls can feel and how devoted they are to their mates. Baby barn owls have a hard existence. One out of every 15 owl babies make it through the first year. Father owls hunt relentlessly. He has to feed himself, his mate, and his babies. The babies will consume 6 mice each per night (with the usual brood being 5 babies). The males then will have to provide approximately 37 mice every night during nesting season. It is a testament to Stacey that she provided Wesley with 28,000 mice over his lifetime.

Another thing I liked about the book was the glimpse Stacey provided into the prestigious research community (she calls it a kind of scientific Hogwarts), where resident owls flew freely from office to office and you were allowed to meet some of the brilliant and eccentric scientists studying these animals. At Caltech, for example, she described what she called "trolls". These were theoretical mathematicians and physicists who lived down in the tunnels of Caltech (that were heated with steam). These guys rarely came aboveground. They received grants, and their meager style of living didn't cost much. She describes walking through the darkness of these tunnels and coming across a bluish glow (the computer screen) of these trolls. Next to the computer screen would be a twin bed, some blankets, piles of books and papers, and of course, the computer. Some of them spent their entire lives this way. Productive genius theoreticians, who tended to keep to themselves and publish their work. Some of them clearly had what's now referred to as Asperger syndrome, a mild form of functional autism, but they were happy doing their calculations and making discoveries. Fascinating.

But this book is not written strictly from a scientist's perspective. Having a tender heart for Wesley from the start, their bond only deepened over the years as Wesley revealed his personality, emotions, and playful nature. Wesley was fiercely loyal and protective of Stacey, even trying to run off would be human suitors. And of course the most touching part of the book to me was when Stacey described her own life threatening illness and the unconditional love and courage of her adopted barn owl that pulled her through it. And of course, because no matter how close we get to the animals we share our lives with, their life expectancy falls startling short of our own, Stacey tells us about the end of their love story and how she survived afterwards.

Enhanced by wonderful photos of Wesley that Stacey took (like any proud parent would), this is a book that any animal lover will enjoy. It explores that mystical bond between animals and humans in a wise, joyous, and quirky way.

Comic Book Tattoo Tales Inspired by Tori Amos by Rantz A. Hoseley

This anthology contains over 50 stories inspired by the songs of Tori Amos, a Grammy Award nominated singer songwriter known for her emotionally intense songs and one of the most prominent figures of the 1990s alternative music scene.

Neil Gaiman wrote the introduction and is a friend and collaborator of Amos. She wrote the introduction to Neil's "Death: the High Cost of Living".

The artwork is beautiful, and it is wonderful to see modern comics in a coffee table format book. These comic artists adapted the concepts behind Amos's songs into graphic vignettes. They did not do visual cover versions of the songs, but simply used the song as a jumping off point. So here you have a huge number of talented creators giving their best with a wide variety of themes, from fantasy, to historical drama, to science fiction. Tori Amos fans will love it. Comic fans will love it.

The author, Rantz Hoseley, thinks the union of comics and music is powerful, and that they are inherently related. He says "Both music and comics deal with emotional ‘beats’ that the creator sets up in their creative work for maximum impact; knowing when to go soft and restrained, when to have a ‘quiet’ moment, followed by having a big powerful surge that takes your breath away, or gives you that electric charge down to the base of your spine.” This book seeks to articulate the relationship between the wholly auditory experience of music with the wholly visual experience of comic books. And I believe it succeeds in a big way.

Here's one other interesting little tidbit of trivia. There is a librarian on the cover with Tori Amos. Her name is Amy Marie Keller, a.k.a. soldiergirl librarian. She is the perfect example of the new librarian. They are smart, well read, interesting, funny people, who have a passion for pop culture, activism, and technology. They are progressive, and hipper. And as my main man Neil Gaiman says in one of my favorite quotes about librarians "Most people don't realize how important librarians are. I ran across a book recently which suggested that the peace and prosperity of a culture was solely related to how many librarians it contained. Possibly a slight overstatement. But a culture that doesn't value its librarians doesn't value ideas and without ideas, well, where are we?" (from 'The Sandman'. Line spoken by Lucien, Librarian of the Dreaming)

Give Yourself the gift of Reading

Why is a book the best gift for this holiday season? Let me count the ways...

(1) It comes fully charged (batteries not required). (2) No sizing issues (one size fits all). (3) The right book at the right time can transform a life. (4) You can buy ten hardcover books for the price of an iphone. (5) Costs less than a movie with popcorn, is around the same price as a DVD, but the experience lasts much longer. (6) Weighs less than a fruitcake and is more original than a tie or sweater. (7) Books can be a wonderful escape should you find yourself in need of one, and cost much less than a vacation or spa experience. (8) Books can be useful...for example, everyone should have a cookbook, dictionary, or spiritual book. (9) You can't curl up with a gadget. (10) Nothing is easier to wrap.

Obviously I could go on and on about this, but let's just leave it at that for the moment. For those of you who need a little help picking out a book, here's a link to a nicely put together Holiday Gift Guide.

A couple of other interesting things I'd like to share with you...

There was an article in People magazine recently about James Patterson and his son Jack called "Getting My Kid to Read". Check it out here.

Another interesting article in Scouting magazine from September 2008 called "Guys read Guy books". Check that one out here.

The traveler by Daren Simkin

Once upon a time there was a boy named Charlie. He had a pretty nice life, but it wasn't perfect. So one day he packed up all his time (all his round, squishy years and square, mushy months, down to every itsy-bitsy second) in his suitcase, said goodbye to his parents, and set off to find something better to spend his time on. This book captures an important truth about time and is a tiny fable that will charm readers of all ages.

This is the story behind the book. The author first heard a phrase that caught his attention. Then he drove across country mulling it over. He sat down and wrote this fable around the phrase, then showed it to a friend, who showed it to an agent friend, who got it published and then talked to the folks at Starbucks, who chose it for their holiday book.

A very sweet and heartwarming book with a message that young and old can appreciate.

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

This book, written by radio and television host Glenn Beck, is destined to be a holiday classic. I say that not because I am a fan of Glenn's (though I am), but because it contains all the elements to make it so--poignancy, family, faith, forgiveness, atonement and redemption.

Eddie is a 12 year old boy who wants a shiny new bike for Christmas. His father has died, they have had to close the family bakery, and money is tight. But Eddie has dreamed about this bike and believes that somehow his mother will come up with the money to buy it for him. What he receives from her instead is a handmade sweater she crafted with love in her heart. Eddie is too young to realize the real significance of that simple gift and this event sends him on a journey to manhood that has him wrestling with himself, his family and his faith.

Here's an example of some of the wisdom this book contains:

"Most times we're so focused on what we think we want that we can't appreciate how happy we already are. It's only when we forget about our problems and help others forget theirs that we realize how good we really have it."

"When life's perils thick confound you, put His arms unfailing round you."

"...everything happens for a reason. It is up to you to find that reason, learn from it, and let it take you to the place you're supposed to be--not just where you have ended up. You can either complain about how hard your life is, or you can realize that only you are responsible for it. You get to choose: Am I going to be happy or miserable? And nothing. . .will ever change that."

"...no one is meant to carry the load alone. We're all in this together. Once you realize that you can ask for help, your whole world will change."

"Sometimes our strengths are also our weaknessses. Sometimes to be strong you have to first be weak. You have to share your burdens; you have to lean on other people while you face your problems and yourself. That's hard to do, but your family is there to provide a shelter from the storms that come in everyone's life."

"...we can't control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. We are all meant to be happy...if you're not happy, it's not God's fault, it's not my fault, or anyone else's fault. It's your own."

"No material thing can [make you happy]...You have to find your way back to the things that will give you lasting happiness, and you can't buy them in a store."

"Everyone needs a place where they can go to just ponder for a while. Silence is important; it's the only time you can hear the whispering of truth. It's funny how many people just look at the surface and never ponder the deeper meaning of things. I guess maybe it's easier that way, because when you skim the surface you blame your problems on the first person you find--and that's never yourself. Maybe that's why people aren't comfortable with silence. Silence makes you think and thinking makes you realize that not all problems are caused by someone else."

"...sometimes we get so entangled in life that we miss the obvious. We just get so caught up in our own problems that most of the time we fail to see what's right under our nose."

"The two most powerful words in any language are 'I am'. Those two words contain all the creative power of the heavens themselves. It was God's answer from the Burning Bush to Moses's question 'Who shall I say sent me?'--I am that I am.' It is the name of God."

"When you choose the path, you choose the destination."

"...life is not meant to be safe. It's only in our mistakes, our errors, and our faults that we grow and truly live...sometimes the hardest part of the journey is believing that you're worthy of the trip."

And this last quote that really sums up the spirit of this captivating holiday book:

"Heaven is the atonement of all things. Atonement. It's a chance to fix the unfixable and to start all over again. It begins when you forgive yourself for all you've done wrong, and forgive others for all they've done to you. Your mistakes aren't mistakes anymore, they're just things that make you stronger. Atonement is the great redeeming and equalizing force that leads to the fulfillment of all things: every hug you've ever longed for...everyone you've loved and lost...Atonement, is heaven on earth."

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

This is the story of how a small abandoned kitten transformed a small town library and in the process became famous around the world.

When he was only a few weeks old, on one of the coldest nights of the year, a small kitten was stuffed into the book drop box at the Spencer Public Library. The next morning, the Director of the Library found him, nursed him back to health, and for the next 19 years Dewey Readmore Books won the hearts of all he came in contact with. As his fame grew, he became a source of pride for the Heartland farming town who adopted him and transformed a small library into a meeting place and tourist attraction.

How much of an impact can one cat have? Let me quote Dewey's Mom, the Director of the Library: "He was like one of those seemingly ordinary people who, once you get to know them, stand out from the crowd. They are the ones who never miss a day of work, who never complain, who never ask for more than their share. They are those rare librarians, salesmen, and waitresses who provide excellent service on principle, who go beyond the job because they have a passion for the job. They know what they are meant to do in life, and they do it exceptionally well. Some win awards; some make a lot of money; most are taken for granted. The store clerks. The bank tellers. The auto mechanics. The mothers. The world tends to recognize the unique and the loud, the rich and the self-serving, not those who do ordinary things extraordinarily well. Dewey came from humble beginnings (an Iowa alley); he survived tragedy (a freezing drop box); he found his place (a small-town library). Maybe that's the answer. He found his place. His passion, his purpose, was to make that place, no matter how small and out of the way it may have seemed, a better place for everyone...he never gave up during his long night in the box, and he was devoted to the library that became his home. Dewey didn't do one heroic thing; he did something heroic every day. He spent his time changing lives in Spencer, Iowa, one lap at a time."

This is a heart warming book that captures the specialness of small-town life and the sense of community shared there. It is a story of love and courage and devotion. And whether you are a cat lover or not, you can't help but admire the resilience and humanity of the people of Iowa, and one town in particular, who opened its door and heart to a down and out kitten.

Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

The holidays can be a time of loneliness and sadness for a lot of people. Many magazines this time of year run articles about how to overcome the holiday blues or holiday depression. For personal reasons, this year I'm having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. So I decided to pick up this quick holiday read by Mary Kay Andrews and see if it helped.

This is a funny story with quirky characters, lots of southern charm, and a few recipes thrown in to boot. An antiques dealer in Savannah (Weezie Foley) decides to enter a decorating contest in the historical district in which she owns and operates her shop. The only problem is she has some stiff competition from a trendy boutique around the corner, a boyfriend who is moody and withdrawn during the holidays (which is a big distraction), and a decidely odd family who can be more of a hindrance than a help. But Weezie manages to pull off her own Christmas miracle --with the help of the King himself, Elvis--and we find out that sometimes it takes a blue Christmas to put us in the holiday mood. This special edition of her book includes an essay by the author, the aforementioned recipes, and tips for keeping the "happy" in our holidays. Who could ask for anything more?

Double Dippin by Nicole Falon Garrett

There were many things I liked about this book. First and foremost, it is set in a city that I adore--my kind of town, Chicago. I also like the way the book is organized, each chapter starts with an interesting quote, and is told from the perspective of one of the characters. Thirdly, I like the breezy style of the writing. I thought the author did a very good job lacing humor throughout the book and the conversational tone set with her characters rang true to me. And the title the author picked for her book is perfect, as it works on so many different levels.

Double Dippin takes you into the lives of a group of upper class professionals as they go about their jet setting day to day business. Money is not a problem with this crowd, and at first they seem to be living the good life and extremely happy in their circumstances. But soon secrets begin to emerge, infidelity rears its ugly head, and murder becomes a part of the landscape.

I found the book to be a good romp in the mystery suspense realm. It has a lively pace and the author does a good job of bringing her story alive and making you want to turn those pages to see what happens to her characters next. It is clearly an adult novel and the language is a little graphic in places, and there is sex galore, but that does seem to be the trend these days. Janet Evanovich seems to have carved herself a nice career out of this trend.

So if you want to take a roller coaster ride through the world of power and money set in one of the superlative cities of the world, pick up a copy of Garrett's book.

Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman by Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden & Stephen R. Bissette

This book was a must read for me. I happen to be a huge Neil Gaiman fan. As the promo on the jacket says, over the past twenty years, Neil Gaiman has developed into the premier fantasist of his generation, achieving that rarest of combinations--unrivaled critical respect and extraordinary commercial success. He is a pop culture phenomenon and the impact of his work in fiction, film, music, and comic books is unparalleled.

This book is a treasure trove of all things Gaiman. In addition to containing in-depth information and commentary on all his works, it includes rare photographs, artwork, and trivia.

One of the things that impressed me about Neil's early years was the fact that he was about 5 or 6 years old when he read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. Yes, that's right, 5 or 6! I was an adult before I ever read the Chronicles of Narnia--I can't imagine reading that book at such an early age. Neil says that he admired Lewis's prose style (found it faultless) and his use of parenthetical statements to the reader, and thought to himself that was so cool that he'd like to do that when he became an author. [Notice how he says when he became an author, not if he ever became an author.]

On his 7th birthday, his parents got him a boxed set of the Narnia books (all seven of them) and he lay on his bed and read them. That's what he did on his 7th birthday! At age 10 he started reading Tolkien. The point is, he was a reader. He loved reading. Reading gave him pleasure. [I can totally relate to this, as I feel exactly the same way.] He said he was very good at most subjects in school, not because he had a particular aptitude in them, but because normally on the first day of school they'd hand out the schoolbooks, and he would read them--which would mean that he knew what was coming up, because he'd read it. He was an incredibly fast and incredibly enthusiastic reader who retained information fairly well. He was a voracious reader who got everything from books. He read more than a book a day, because he always had a book with him and read at any down point.

His parents would drop him off at the library first thing in the morning, and he read his way through the children's library. After he finished, he tried that with the adult library, but found out he couldn't do that with adult books, there were too many, and many he wasn't interested in. But once loose in the adult library, he found he was much more interested in science fiction and fantasy. He jokingly said it got to the point where his parents would frisk him for books before family functions.

What I found interesting is how he turned his love of reading and the written word into writing as a profession. He said one night he could not sleep...just couldn't sleep. He remembered lying there in bed and he had a sort of vision, a train of thought that went--O.K. let's say I'm eighty years old, and I'm on my death bed. And I say to myself, as my life ends, 'I could have been a writer. I could have actually been a writer.' --and he would die not knowing if he was lying to himself or not--and he found that unbearable. He found the thought that he would die thinking he was kidding himself, a terrible thing. He thought it would be better to go and try and be a writer, and to fail, then he would at least know that no, he was put on Earth to be something else. It would be better to do that. It was the worst thing he could think of for himself in the world, at that point, the idea of not knowing if he was lying to himself or not. Because in his heart, he thought he was a writer.

As the book says, Gaiman is a writer, but, first and foremost, he's a fan, a man with a passionate love of story, avidly consuming myths, television, movies, novels, short stories, animation, and comics. He loves to write for writing's sake, and as a means of staying in touch with his legion of fans--his blog, now in its sixth year click here , has over a million unique hits each month. Through it he communicates daily with his fans--those who are devoted to his work.

He truly is the Prince of Stories, and this book is a remarkable chronicle of his work.

Tis the Season by Lorna Landvik

This is a quick easy read from an author who's twin passions when she was growing up were writing and theater.

Heiress Caroline Dixon has managed to alienate nearly everyone in her life with her alcoholic escapades that became the fodder for tabloids and gossip hungry readers. As she tries to turn over a new leaf and start atoning for past misdeeds, she reaches out to two people who used to be in her life, a former nanny now living in Norway, and a dude ranch owner. In a series of email exchanges we learn more about the depth of Caroline's pain and how she tried to hide it. And the nanny and the cowboy share their own stories. The correspondence leads to the promise of a reunion, just in time for Christmas. And like all holiday stories worth their salt, there are unexpected revelations and redemption and forgiveness.

A lovely Christmas read from a woman the Minneapolis Star Tribune calls a national treasure.

Happy Thanksgiving

Bone Black by bell hooks

I had to read this book as part of the Western Kentucky Literature class I'm taking. I must admit that I was not familiar with bell hooks before the class. She is currently teaching at Berea College and is a well known feminist and social activist. She has published over 30 books and numerous scholarly articles. She addresses race, class, and gender in education, art, history, and the mass media. This book is a chronicle of her girlhood memories growing up in western Kentucky, her little corner of the south. She was a strong-spirited child who does not fit in and finds comfort in solitude and the company of books. It is ultimately in the world of stories and poems that she finds home and belonging.

This is a book with emotional resonance and lyrical language. Here is a small sample from one of the chapters to show the raw honesty of what she writes: "She wants to express herself--to speak her mind. To them it is just talking back. Each time she opens her mouth she risks punishment. They punish her so often she feels they persecute her. When she learns the word scapegoat in vocabulary lesson, she is sure it accurately describes her lot in life. Her wilderness, unlike the one the goat is led into, is a wilderness of spirit. They abandon her there to get on with the fun things of life. She lies in her bed upstairs after being punished yet again. She can hear the sound of their laughter, their talk. No one hears her crying. Even though she is young she comes to understand the meaning of exile and loss. They say that she is really not a young girl but an old woman born again in a young girl's body. They do not know how to speak the old woman's language so they are afraid of her."

Though some of her writing can be a bit strident, I think she is at her best when she is talking about the personal and being passionately honest. This book will stay with you long after you have finished it. Those are the best kind.

This book is a strangely fascinating look at all things weird in the state of Kentucky. As the book jacket says, who knew My Old Kentucky Home could be so weird? Most people when they think of Kentucky probably think of the Derby and Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken. But Kentucky is so much more than that. As this book shows, the state is full of local legends and unusual sights, some supernatural, some odd, and some just plain weird. This is a brand new entry in the Weird U.S. series, and it's packed with all that great stuff you won't get anywhere else. The graphics and pictures are wonderfully displayed and this book is just pure fun to delve into shallow or deep. Check out the cave mummies found in Kentucky caves, the mysterious mounds of Wickliffe, the legend of the blue people in the bluegrass state, the strange doings at the Seelbach hotel, Murray's vampire clan, the Stanford UFO abduction, and many, many more.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

This book was our November selection for the Book Club, and we had to wait almost a year to get it in the large print kits that come from the state, but I must say it was worth the wait.

I have always been enamored of elephants and think they are amazing creatures. Elephants have one of the longest lifespans in the animal kingdom and live almost as long as human beings. They are the largest land animals and use infrasound (a low sound inaudible to humans) to communicate with each other over distances of several miles. Elephants have the best sense of smell of the world's animals and the tip of an elephants trunk contains the most sensitive tissue ever studied. And elephants grieve for dead companions, something that is virtually unknown in other animals.

This book is about the world of the circus, but it is so much more than that. Sara Gruen introduces us to a world of freaks and misfits and a struggling second rate circus that is trying to stay alive in the midst of the Great Depression. She draws vivid characters into a superb plot full of gritty historical detail and concisely brings this lost world to life in her fast paced story. She manages to humanize the midgets, drunks and freaks who populate her story and even manages to give us an amazing glimpse at what it's like to grow old.

Jacob Jankowski, a veterinary student who has almost earned his degree, is suddenly orphaned, jumps onto a passing train, and finds himself hired on as the vet for the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. There he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, who unfortunately happenes to be married to the charismatic but darkly twisted August, the animal trainer. And then of course there is Rosie, an elephant they manage to pick up along the way from another circus that has gone under and seems untrainable until a way is discovered to reach her.

This is a beautifully written lovely and mesmerizing book. It is a compelling journey, not only into the heart of the circus, but also a book that tells us much about what animals can teach people about love.

Amazon's Best Books of 2008

Out of the thousands of new releases, this is Amazon's Top Ten Editors' Picks

The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher

Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg

Nixonland by Rick Perlstein

The Forever War by Dexter Filkins

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

The Likeness by Tana French

Serena by Ron Rash

So Brave, Young, and Handsome by Leif Enger

The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon

The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and how it changed America by David Hajdu

Top Ten Amazon Customer Favorites:

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by by David Wroblewski

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling

The Appeal by John Grisham

When you are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

The Revolution by Ron Paul

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Top Amazon Sellers in October

The Snowball by Alice Schroeder
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
The Shack by William P. Young
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
The Love Dare by Stephen Kendrick
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
The Limits of Power by Andrew J. Bacevich

• They have lots of other interesting categories you may want to check out: Best in Audio, Cooking, Art and Photography, and Teens, to name a few. Check it out here.

Ghosts of Russell County

Aron Houdini and the guillotine that once belonged to Houdini

Ghosts of Russell County was held at the Star Theater on October 23rd. Roberta Simpson Brown and her husband Lonnie Brown are usually part of the program, telling their ghostly tales. This year they were unable to participate in the program due to emergency bypass surgery that Lonnie had to undergo. Lynwood Montell (author of Ghosts Across Kentucky and Ghosts Along the Cumberland) usually participates as well, but this year had a prior commitment and was unable to take part.

So this year we had to do things a little bit different. We had several guest readers who read selections from Roberta Simpson Brown and Lynwood Montell's books. We also had Nash Black (the husband and wife writing team of Ford Nashett and Irene Black) with us and they brought along their new book Haints and treated us to a few stories from it.

Cody York reading "A Father's Faith" from Haints

Elizabeth Wright reading "The Touch" by Roberta Simpson Brown


Renee Daffron reading "Flower Girl" by Roberta Simpson Brown


Lea Turner reading "Don't Go There" by Nash Black


David Smith reading death lore from Montell's book, Ghosts Along the Cumberland


Benjamin Foster and I singing acapella version of "Oh Death"



Ford Nashett reading "Death Mines" from Haints

And then to close out the show we had a young man who bills himself as "The World's Only Living Houdini", Aron Houdini. Aron, who is a master of magic and illusion treated us to a few feats of magic and then gave a presentation with slides about his experience in the Death Tunnel at Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville.

• For those of you interested in finding out more about the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, please click here. Another good site is spookedtv.com

And if you are REALLY interested in ghosts

• Try this site.

And one last site I can't help but mention, because it has to do with haunted libraries.

• Check this one out here.

See you all next year at Ghosts of Russell County!

The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs

The author of this book, Janet Luhrs, has edited and published a journal titled Simple Living since 1992. In the Introduction to this book (called Living Deeply) she starts with a quote from Thoreau where he says he went to the woods because he wished to live deliberately. She then proceeds to define "living deliberately", and in doing so really sums up the whole philosophy of her book. She says it's not about how much income you have, or giving up your car, or never traveling. She says it's all about choosing your existence rather than sailing through life on automatic pilot. You choose things consciously, they don't just happen. You live consciously...deliberately...and thoughtfully, being fully present and fully aware. You live intimately...closely tied to the people, places, and things in your life. When you simplify, you'll have space and time to know and love people in a deeper way. This book is about the different paths people have taken in order to slow down and live more fully. Simplicity is not just one thing, one path. The author asks many really excellent questions: When did we decide that more and bigger stuff would give us a better life? When was the last time a busy calendar gave anyone more serenity? Do we really get more joy from worrying about, rearranging, and dusting our things than we do from visiting with a friend in an intimate way? A certain level of material comfort is necessary. We all need our own nests, food, and clothing in order to survive. We need some kind of work to do, paid or unpaid. And as human beings, we need more than the bare minimum; we need a certain level of aesthetics. The trouble is, says this author, most of us don't know when to stop. We get to a certain level of comfort and then think, "This feels nice, I'd better strive for more." The next thing you know we are buried in debt, stress, and complication. We've lost our fire, our passion for life. This book will help you get it back.