The road goes ever on imaginatorium

It may be 2013 already but not all of 2012's reads have been shared. Below are my December reads.

 

      It would appear like our society really enjoys sequels. If we love the characters, the story, and the writing enough, we don't want the final page of the novel or the final credits of the movie to be the end. We want to join our new found friends on new adventures with new problems. We want them to overcome new obstacles and find success in new opportunities. Of course, all of these are only productive if the story truly doesn't end. Hamlet 2 or even a sequel to Phantom of the Opera doesn't really make sense in my mind. The story is over, people are dead, or at the very least an unbreakable resolution has been reached.
     But there are those stories that most certainly need to continue. There are imaginatoriums which encompass so much and call out for a greater deal of storytelling. There are also those tales which could have a perfectly fine ending with one telling but the imaginatorium is such that the author cannot stop because the characters and the world itself has more stories to be unearthed.
          After all the books I read over the course of the year, there were a few series I began which had sequels. I'm not one who must read the sequel right after. My patience in waiting to find out the next part of the story has been perfected over the years. However, after awhile, whether it be just the need to power through the rest of the series or because I do actually want to know what happens next, I do get a little antsy to read on. I went through my lists of everything read and found some of the sequels I was anxious to read which is what December was. I finally finished the Hunger Games series and the Percy Jackson series. Wither, which I had read in January, had a sequel which I read. There was another Inspector Lynley mystery as well. Then continuing from last month, I picked up the fourth book in the Dark Tower series.
     After reading the first Hunger Games in January, followed by the second one in July, I figured one book every six months would be sufficient so I finally picked up the third one. Again, it was one of those books that kept building and building, and then suddenly we were at a resolution. The ending may have made sense within the world of the book but, without giving away any spoilers, I felt like she tried to take on too much story, got tired of what she was writing, and quickly found her resolution so she could be done. It's certainly the most violent of the three books. I also felt like it was still too much of a cop out ending of the Jane Austen variety. Yet, I'm thankful I finished the series and I did enjoy it. The last one was different enough and made for a good read.      In regards to violent all out wars, the final Percy Jackson book is one giant battle of awesomeness! That series came to an awesome conclusion but also left room for the other series that Rick Riordan wrote. What I appreciated about the end of the Percy Jackson series was that he tied up all the loose ends, brought together his overarching themes but took his time to do it within the realm of a young adult novel. It was satisfying and a fun read.

     The other series I continued with was the Inspector Lynley series. Thank goodness that the second installment, Payment in Blood, was not as dark and twisty as the first one. I honestly wasn't sure if I wanted to continue reading any of Elizabeth George's novels if they were all as dark as the first but the second one still has it's dark bits because she deals with people and real people it seems like. The mystery is a central part of the story but her stories are much more character driven which I really like.

      Also, I powered on with more Stephen King with the Wizard and the Glass which was good but basically the whole book was the back story of Roland. I understand the purpose of the back story but there wasn't a lot of moving the plot forward in the fourth book. Hopefully the fifth one will move along and get the current characters further along in their journey.

     Lastly, Fever, which was the sequel to Wither, was good until the end where I just got frustrated as to what she did with her characters. I'm all for trying to overcome obstacles and creating new conflicts but I had really hoped for a better ending. Granted, there will be a third one so I suppose she had to bring Rhine back into a place of vulnerability to keep the story going but I still do not like where she placed the characters again.

      It's been a year of books. There have been some really good one and some ones where I've questioned the sanity of the publishers and the authors for that matter. But sometimes, imaginatorium and good imaginatorium is all subjective. If you've walked through these blogs, I hope something has peaked your interest and intrigued you in such a way to discover the magic that lies within the pages of books. . .

 

So my New Year's Resolution: To be better at posting sooner and to make exciting posts as well. The reading will continue and perhaps there will be a bit of a different format as the new year comes about. Stay tuned!

      

    

 

Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins

The Last Olympian- Rick Riordan

Fever- Lauren Destefano

Payment in Blood- Elizabeth George

The Wizard and the Glass

Follow the Dark Tower imaginatorium

     It takes a certain amount of imaginatorium to create a world that is not our own within our own minds. It takes a greater amount of imaginatorium to situate readers into the world, to make it believable, to make it alive, and to make it be a place that we might want to reside. To praise Tolkien for Middle Earth may be beating a dead horse to an even greater death but the brilliancy and history that lies within the pages of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and all the companions to the stories suggest that Tolkien is a master of imaginatorium. But being a master and in control of the fate of a world brings with it great responsibility. It requires a thorough telling, finding stories within the world to keep people interested and to know enough about the world to find new imaginatorium to share.
     With all that being said, it's a rarity that I attempt to read an entire series in succession with no breaks in between to read other things. The Lord of the Rings may be one of the few series I have done that with and there were only three books to read. But the month of November led me to the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. My goal was to read through all seven books within the month. However, business overtook me and I only made it through three of them but even then, I could feel an overwhelming sense of needing to pull myself out of the series just for a time to take a breath.
     Now let me address the reference to Tolkien before I go much further. In the new forward written by Stephen King, he gives credit to Tolkien as an inspiration for him to write his own epic story of fantasy and as far as I'm concerned, what he set out to do, he accomplished. The Dark Tower series follows Roland, the Gunslinger, the last of his kind on an epic journey to the Dark Tower. Although he is  unsure of what he will find or really what lies for him in the Dark Tower, that is his quest to journey across the Mid World to the Tower. Along the way, he comes across companions, Jake, Eddie, and Susannah, who slowly make Roland's quest a quest of their own.
    Although I only got through the first three books, I will continue the rest of the series because I did enjoy it. The first book, The Gunslinger, follows Roland as he's chasing after "the Man in Black" while searching for the Dark Tower. The books brings about more questions than answers as Roland's past and his upbringing are addressed but yet not fully stated. As he journeys, Roland meets a young boy named Jake who becomes his companion before he is sacrificed along the journey. In the end, Roland meets with the Man in Black who essentially warns him of his future and what lies ahead. Book Two, The Drawing of the Three, introduces Eddie and Detta/Odetta to Roland, two people from our world who are mysteriously and magically drawn into Roland's world and come alongside him in the journey. The third,The Wasteland, is the continuing journey of the three to the Dark Tower as they draw closer and also regain a companion, Jake. How he fits back into the story is unique and clever and a spoiler I won't delve into it.  The third book ends with a cliff hanger and I'm look forward to seeing where the series leads.
      As a fan of fantasy, I appreciate authors who have created their own worlds and histories within that world. What was interesting about this series was the mixture of modern Earthly things and the fantasy aspect. Books, songs, and references from our world have seeped into Mid World, besides just the people who join Roland. King adds modern technology like trains, planes and robots to a world that appears more Old West than anything else. Stories from our world come alive and twist in Roland's world which allows for an interesting cross cultural, cross world meeting point.  The three companions enter Roland's world from New York City at three different times in history, each having some kind of connection to each other in various ways.
       King does an excellent job of making the books multi-layered, throwing in obstacles for the characters, and creating his own world in which these characters operate. I won't go into much more detail as to not give up valuable plot points. But the series is definitely worth a read. The first book I definitely found the least dense and also the most flowery. King, in the forward, even explains the pretend pretentiousness that he had when he began the series. The second book, although begins in Roland's world, spends more time in our world as we meet Eddie and Odetta/Detta for the first time and then the third goes back to spending most of the time in Roland's world but bumping into Jake's at the same time. The books do get increasingly more intricate as the characters intermingle and the world of Roland the Gunslinger opens up. For what it's worth, the first and third were great, the second one wasn't my most favorite although it's essential for the series and the plot.
         My introduction to Stephen King has only been through a few of his "lighter" horror novels so I was excited to read something that was more fantasy than horror. It is a different kind of series for Stephen King and certainly a great amount of imaginatorium emanates from it as well. It's is a series I would recommend. There is a bit of language for forewarning but the world is well worth a trip. I believe I've had more conversations with various people when I was reading them then I have had with many other books and conversations that others have started with me because they've enjoyed the series themselves.  Give them a read and join Roland the Gunslinger and his quest for the Dark Tower.

Next Month: Sequels. Mostly due to the fact that I want to continue with the Dark Tower series, there are several books I've read over the course of the year which are merely the first in the series. I believe it's time to dive back into some of the best imaginatorium series of the past year.

The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Wasteland
 

Before there were computers imaginatorium

     It was a time before long before facebook overtook the world. It was a time before computers, mobiles, talking films and other such modern conveniences we know and depend on. It was before the American Dream was fully conceptualized and before the world had seen even one World War. But the authors who wrote before all these things understood some valuable truths. They wrote about life, about issues that invaded society and those issues still carry weight and relevance today. The fact that many of these works have survived over the years is a testament not only to the story, but also to their style of writing and their voice.
     The month of October became books written before 1900. This stemmed mostly from not being able to finish all the books I wanted during my Gilmore Girls month. Although I didn't get through a ton of literature, I ended up with three fantastic authors; Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Victor Hugo.
     Despite having read Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, not to mention having seen dozens of different productions and adaptations of these works, I never read A Tale of Two Cities. The opening being as famous as it is, I was eager to dive in it. Understanding the depression that pervades much of Charles Dickens' other works, I assumed that A Tale of Two Cities would fall into the same category, which it did. The book takes on an epic scope, spanning across the two cities (surprise!) of London and Paris. We watch as Dickens takes us back and forth between the two cities as a trial unfolds, a revolution occurs and the happy endings of some characters are forever forgotten.
      I really did enjoy A Tale of Two Cities. I found it almost an easier read than Oliver Twist and certainly preferred it more as well. There is still a rather large cast of characters to follow. But it is a classic and one that does need to be read. If you only read one novel by Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities would be the one I pick.
       As A Tale of Two Cities spanned across time and across two cities, Les Miserable set me into 19th century France and spanned over a course of several decades as well. For the epic scope that Victor Hugo set for Les Miserable, I found it a rather easy read. The writing style, although dense with fabulous vocabulary, is not as convoluted as I expected. It has a more playful and inquisitive tone, almost as if Hugo wasn't quite sure where his characters were going to take him yet it helped guide the reader through the book. The book, although massive, is split into manageable sections as we follow the story through different characters' perspectives.
     Having seen the musical, I enjoyed reading through the novel that inspired it. I actually adored this book; the tales of Jean Valjean, Cosette, Fantine, Marius, and Eponine were fleshed out and expanded in a way that the musical obviously didn't allow. Eponine's character was not as strong as I expected her to be nor her interaction with Marius and Cosette as involved which was a bit disappointing. Yet, Hugo effectively displayed a human drama amongst a revolution. The revolution wasn't the center point but rather the characters, how they interacted and moved through life. It's not a story about war but rather about people who happen upon a revolution. With as popular as Les Miserable the musical has become in recent years, especially with the new movie coming out with Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, I was eager to read the book. Ultimately, it's another book well worth a read and before you look at the 1000 page book and decide against it, there are abridged versions to choose from if the unabridged seems too daunting. 

      The other book I read this month was a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Recently, there has been an influx of Sherlock Holmes reboots; the movie with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson, the BBC series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as the pair and the most recent rendition, Elementary with Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Lui (not my favorite but it's pretty good all the same). As the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes clearly still resonant with our society, I was eager to read the stories in their purity as originally written by Sir Arthur Conon Doyle. I chose A Study in Scarlet which begins the story of Holmes and Watson when they first meet and become roommates. A murder unfurls as the quirky but brilliant Sherlock Holmes discovers just how the murder occurred and who the culprit was.       The story and characters are brilliant. Looking at Sherlock through the mind of Watson was fantastic. The reader is able to see the eccentricities of Holmes but also come to understand the scientific mind of Watson as well. Watson proves just to be as strong of a character and good counterpoint to Sherlock. This particular tale of Sherlock Holmes took an interesting turn with the back story of how the victim and murderer came to be in London I didn't really see coming. What was fabulous is the solving of the crime rest not on what our modern minds have come to rely on but purely searching out clues and using logic. I enjoyed being able to track with Holmes and allow the answer to the mystery to unfold. I'm excited to read more Sherlock Holmes tales as well. I loved the writing style and how Conan Doyle concocted the mystery and the answer, yet never lost sight of his characters, their banter, or how they operated within the world.

     When I was younger, I read books written before the 20th century because I thought it made me sound pretentious and smart. I doubt I always understood half of what I read but I knew that reading those sorts of novels were good for me. As I've gotten older, it's not about being pretentious, it's about learning and discovering the gems hidden in those sorts of books. There are human issues we're still dealing with, stories that are still being told today that were written over a hundred years ago. The writing is good, the stories are keen, and all well worth a read. Don't let a dense book or perceived uppity language scare you because ultimately these works are for the "common people". They were written for the people of everyday society, not the most educated. They tell the tales of the people on the streets, working, and trying to make a living. So discover the magic and ordinariness in the imaginatorium. I promise it will be worth it.

And next month: I attempt to make it through an entire series in one month. What that series is will be a secret until that posting. :) Happy Reading!

A Tale of Cities- Charles Dickens

A Study in Scarlet – Arthur Conan Doyle
Les Miserable – Victor Hugo

Rory's Book Club

    I realize it's November and I am just now posting about September's book reads but better late than never, I suppose. September was a month to dive into some of the books referenced on Gilmore Girls. One of the things that drew me to the show, besides the witty banter, quick line delivery and the obscene amount of pop culture references was the fact that Rory read and she read a lot. If I had more time, I would simply would have begun with episode one of the show and gone through all the books referenced in order. However, a month is hardly enough time to read through seven seasons of Gilmore Girls so a spattering had to suffice.
     Randomly choosing some novels, I was able to read several authors that I've wanted to read but just haven't. The month began with a book that I read ages ago in school, The Outsiders and finished with the thriller, Rosemary's Baby which was ironic since I was helping backstage of Deathtrap, also by Ira Levin. It was a wide range of choices and authors and I wish I had time to finish more of the books I had wanted to.
      As much as I would love to go into grave detail about each of the books, it is November and October's reads should probably be detailed as well. Because of that, a quick run down of my three favorites will do although all of them were good. Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger was definitely one of my favorites. I believe it is the first time I had read anything by Salinger and I do want to read more. It gave a rather interesting look into the society of socialites in the 50's and their take on life and religion. The Picture of Dorian Gray was another favorite. I loved the way Oscar Wilde protrayed Dorian's descent into madenss and how his sins and decisions reflected in his portrait as that grew older but the man didn't.
     High Fidelity by Nick Hornby was also a lot of fun. It was witty, it was clever, insanely sarcastic, and utterly British. I enjoyed how he referenced heaps of music in the book, many of which I didn't know but it was very Gilmore Girls with the references.
     The thing about the books chosen this month is that in many ways they reflect the show from which they were referenced. Some of them rather mainstream, others witty, off the wall, and a bit quirky. But all of them were good, quality works. By reading these books, I feel like I know Rory and Lorelai that much better, not to mention their creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. So do a google search for Rory's book club. There's so many choices and good choices at that. I'm sure you won't be disappointed with what you come up with.

October; It stemmed from some of the books I didn't get to from my Gilmore Girls month. The theme became books that were written before 1900 since I had wanted to read A Tale of Two Cities but just hadn't yet. Stay tuned for October.

The Outsiders- SE Hinton

The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde
Franny and Zooey – JD Salinger
The Little Locksmith- Katharine Butler Hathaway
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest- Ken Kesey
High Fidelity- Nick Hornby
Rosemary’s Baby – Ira Levin

Pass The Imaginatorium Along

    It can be a daunting task to walk into a bookshop and see rows upon rows of books waiting to be read. Some of them are bound to be fantastic while others are destined to fail. I often find myself going back to the same authors I have read before, too wary to branch out in fear that the stellar story the back cover promises will not deliver.
    But bravery comes in many forms and this month, the safest way to experience new authors was to ask my friends for recommendations. From seven different people, ten books were chosen and none of them left me feeling unsatisfied. The problem with enjoying all of the books is that I would love to go into detail about all of them but at the risk of boring everyone, I shall refrain.
     One of the highlights of the month was John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. Quirky, comical, slightly teen angsty, the book follows the story of Hazel, a young girl fighting cancer whose world of one is quickly changed when Augustus Waters, another cancer fighter enters her life. With excellent vocabulary, a sense of poignancy, and a brilliant theory as to why basketball is existential, the book quickly became one of my favorites. The dialogue is quirky and witty and the insights and character development unfold quite naturally. It's an tricky task writing truth about cancer from the eyes of teenagers and how they view their world. It's not a downer book but one that I would certainly pass on my recommendation for. I'm excited to read a few more novels by John Green as well. For some reason, he finally came up with the explanation behind my oftentimes jumbled thoughts; "My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations." Thank you, Augustus Waters via John Green.
       For how many times I've read The Great Gatsby (current count is four times), I have never picked up any of Fitzgerald's other novels. So when one of my friends mentioned This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I figured it was high time to give it a try. After reading The Paris Wife about Ernest Hemingway's first wife in which Fitzgerald enters as a character at one point, it seemed cohesive to pick up a Fitzgerald novel. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Perhaps I was expecting something more Gatsby-esque but This Side of Paradise revolves around Amory as he comes of age and tries to make sense of the world in which he resides; the world of pretense, money, propriety, and influence. Fitzgerald still critiques that world of affluence but through the eyes of a young man as he navigates through his world. I really enjoyed it. At one point in the novel, Fitzgerald switches from prose to play form which was brilliant and perfectly fitted the scene. It was a creative novel in a way that I wasn't prepared for. It reminded me why Fitzgerald's books are not just for one place and time but they can transcend.
       My go-to genre has, in recent years, been fantasy yet at the same time, I'm often hesitant to try new authors because my expectations are rather high for those sorts of novels thanks to CS Lewis, Tolkien, and Robert Jordan. But when one of my friends mentioned Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings and said he had read it multiple times, I decided to trust his judgement and give it a try. I'm thankful that the book was only the first in the series and there are more to be read. It follows a young farm boy named Garion whose past is slightly shrouded in mystery when he discovers that his Aunt Pol may not just be who she says she is and that his own importance may just be more than he realizes. He soon finds himself on an adventure seeking out new lands and learning that some of the "stories" he's heard growing up may not just be stories. The first book teases with information about Garion and who he is so I'm excited to continue with the series to see where it all goes. One thing that I really enjoyed was the dialogue, the humor, and just the wit throughout the book. It was a lot of fun to read and I definitely recommend it.
      Among the other books, Jesus Land is a really interesting memoir. For me, it was interesting to read because of growing up in the church and how the author critiques the perceptions, decisions, and masks that people wear throughout their lives that affects us both good and bad. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut was also interesting, as the narrator has set out to interview the children of the man who invented the atomic bomb. It features it's own made up religion and transcends into a bit of madness but the satirical brilliance left me with a sense of "huh" once I finished but it was good.  The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett was another just fun read. It's super creative, wonderful vocabulary and a bit of anti or reluctant hero story. Definitely worth a read.
     Lastly, The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly quite immediately drew me in as the main character, David, has a love of books and stories fostered by his mother who explains how books need to be read and want to come alive. When his mother passes, through circumstances beyond his control, he finds himself in a world where the stories from Earth such as Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and many others come to life but been twisted ever so slightly. David's quest while in the world is to find the King and "The Book of the Lost Things" so that he can make it back to his world. I enjoyed this book immensely as well. I loved how so many different stories were brought into the world. There's a reason stories and books grab us and many of those are discussed in this book which had an added sense of Imaginatorium for me.

     I do love recommendations from friends, especially friends that I know read a lot and read good books. There's something special about sharing a favorite story, being able to talk about it, and relive events and characters together. In reality, when the authors share their words with the world and they are good, isn't it our duty to pass it along?

Next month: September, school, perhaps not for me, but with school back in session, the promise of the leaves changing, and the weather becoming colder, I thought it was fitting to dive into books read or mentioned on Gilmore Girls. One of the things I always have loved and identified with in Rory was her love of books. There are so many to choose from but I'm excited to finally take my list of books from Gilmore Girls and enjoy what Rory did.

A Separate Peace- John Knowles

The Fault in our Stars- John Green
Pawn of Prophecy – David Eddings
The Paris Wife – Paula McLain
The Book of Lost Things – John Connolly
This Side of Paradise – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut
The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett
Jesus Land – Julia Scheeres

The Friday Night Knitting Club – Kate Jacobs

Revisited Imaginatorium

       Sit in a quiet room, listen to the sound of stillness, let the silence engulf the moment but let your imagination run wild. Allow your thoughts to bounce around the room, carelessly bumping into the walls, the door, the chairs, and each other. Give each thought a moment and then shove it away. Revisit it later and see if it has something new to say. You soon realize with each passing thought they transform, they come alive, and they become new. Work through the imagination, discover new worlds, new schools of thought, or sit there in utter shock that no thoughts have come. My guess is our imagination, if given a chance, has a lot to say if we would only listen.
    Just like our thoughts that we revisit, like our imagination when we let it transpire, the well worn pages of imaginatorium hold new thoughts, new adventures, and oftentimes old friends. They may be words we know so well that only a few phrases need be uttered and we know precisely where we are. It may be that we know the events in the story so intimately that they become unremarkable to us. But a good book, a truly good story, is a source of unlimited and unending imaginatorium. It won't matter if we've read it two times or a hundred, the allure is still there. There's always the chance that things won't happen the same or perhaps that the ending will have changed from the last time we read it but we don't know until we reach the final pages. It's the reason Shakespeare endures, Jane Austen still lives, and Mark Twain still continues to reside in schools. We may know the endings but it doesn't stop us from enjoying the work.
    For some, it might be dull to read something they've already read but for me, there's a familiarity, a comfort, but still a sense of discovery that lies within the pages of books I've enjoyed before. Since it is mid way through my year of written imaginatorium, I decided to reread a few books and read a sequel. I'll admit that I had a very long list of books that I wanted to reread but never got through them all. But all the same, the imaginatorium I dived into was, for me, the chance to converse again with some old friends.
     The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by JK Rowling, and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, the sequel to the Hunger Games, were my three reads of the month. All of which were of thorough delight. It was my third time reading The Hobbit but only the second time actually paying attention. I was 10 when I received it as a birthday gift. The cover scared me but my dad said it was good so I skim read it, afraid of what ghostly things would be hidden in the pages. Since then, JRR Tolkien has become a familiar friend and the world of Middle Earth a familiar place. Although I wouldn't always want to reside there, I wouldn't mind spending time in the Shire or in Rivendell. Jumping back into the world was a thrill and only added to my anticipation for Peter Jackson's movie.
    The Harry Potter series is a series that I have read over and over again and still adore the world of Hogwarts. I had only read the seventh book once so I decided to read it again. It was, once again, a book that I can read many times and still get lost in the story. The only part that still drives me crazy, which might be part of the reason it's taken me so long to re-read it, is the epilogue. But that's a rant for another day.
     Catching Fire was also a nice final addition to the month. I really did like the Hunger Games, despite my apprehension that it was too talked about. In Catching Fire, the new characters that she created were intriguing and although I wasn't sure if I liked where she was headed with the story, I understand her reasoning for (SPOILER ALERT) sending them back into the arena. She made it different enough that it wasn't simply a repeat of the first book so that was a good move on her part.
   I'll admit that I had every intention of reading through heaps of books this month but I only made it to three. However, each of them contained friends that I have missed and, in the case of Catching Fire, needed to be sure they were okay.
    This month served as a fair reminder that once you've finished a book, the book might not be finished with you. It's the stories that we remember long after we've read the last page. It's the books that sit on the shelf and in the quiet, you can softly hear them call your name, begging you to pick them back up. If it's well written and truly worth your time, the book won't end when the pages do, it will keep going. It will find new ways to entice it's readers, draw them in, and invite them once more to enter into some of their favorite moments of imagaintorium. So as you glance over your bookshelf or think through your favorites, perhaps there's a story that just beckons you to come back and discover once again the reason why you fell in love with that story in the first place. Happy Reading!

Next month: Recommendations from friends. As much as I love picking a theme and reading within it, there's a lot of books that either would not fall into such a theme or I would never think to pick a theme revolving around them. So I'm taking my friends' advice and reading some of their favorites. Feel to let me know if there's any that you recommend as well.

The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- JK Rowling

Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins

"To Blog or Not to Blog"

   There was a sense of irony as I stepped out onto the stage for the Sizzling Summer Spectacular to deliver my monologue. Indeed an idea had been sparked from a comment made by a friend and inspired by none other than a masterful man of imaginatorium that led me to ask a simple question; "To blog or not to blog". Since I am perhaps procrastinating posting for this month, for those who were not in attendance for the show, I feel it fitting to post the monologue below for your viewing pleasure. Let me set the stage: A desk, a keyboard, a notebook and pen, a very large Shakespeare book that I have just finished, a stool and me in huge black rimmed glasses. The book is finished and in a moment of indecision, I know not whether to type my thoughts or merely write them and thus it begins:

To blog or not blog, that is the question.
Whether tis nobler to put fingers to keyboard or suffer the paper cuts and carpel tunnel syndrome.
To blog, to write no more, and by blogging to say we end the novel and the thousands of well worn pages that authors have written?
Tis a consummation not to be wished.
To blog, to write, to blog, perchance to read.
Aye, there's the rub.
For in the writing fury, what words may come when we have shuffled off the pen and paper.
This must give us pause. There's a respect that makes bloggers of so long life.
For who would hear the long winded paragraphs, the endless ramblings, the excessive emoticons, the facebook postings, the twitter escapades, the downfall of Myspace?
When she herself should lift her keyboard and slam it to the ground it utter disgust!
But the dread of something after the screen goes dark, the unread words which no one can read, puzzles the follower and makes us rather furious at the blogger and quickly fly to other social media that we know not of.
Thus conscience does make us read on and thus the social media takes over with the pale cast of thought drawing us in for hours of wasted time.
With this regard, their fingers turn on the computer and dutifully begin to blog.

I do hope that Shakespeare does not roll over in his grave from this particular version of Hamlet's speech. There's a small part of me that thinks it would have made him smile. I hope the effect is the same for you. July's reads to appear soon.