four decently good reads this week

“Out of Nowhere” by Padian – coming to a bookstore near you soon – highly recommended for next year’s high school Battle of the Books (BOB) – senior soccer player who has to deal with his small town’s “issues” – and the “issues” the senior has as well – which, of course, are college related because every senior must have every life step planned prior to graduation – or else life’s a mess – sort of a fiction story that relates well to st. john’s “outcasts united” – again, really enjoyed it

“Scoop” by Nelson – story of a journalist in the south – and his story as it relates to the large stories in the South from the 1940s on – particularly, the story of Civil Rights – that said, there are lighter parts in the book too – as a writer, I definitely enjoyed it – and with the 50th anniversary of the children’s march coming soon, it’s a timely read

“goblin secrets” by Alexander – would be a good middle school BOB next year – if elem doesn’t snatch it up first – it caught my eye b/c it’d won a national award – enjoyable fiction story about a boy that comes of age thanks to goblins and puppets:)

“father’s day” by bissinger – echoes of steinbeck’s travels with charley – story of a father and his son who take a cross country trip – for the father, so that he can maybe figure out his son’s life in a more full fashion – as a friday night lights fan, i LOVED the part about going to odessa – although, it was painfully sad – lots of the book was sad – but the book was very beneficial to me – because in the end, the people around us are all that’s there – and it’s our job to love and understand them as best we can

please remember to avoid fred poems this week – and make sure you get me some literary work by friday for the magazine

mafeld

so every week i vow to read less – and then, i wake up to discover that i lead a life that just gives me loads of time to read more – so.. 🙂

“30 phone booths to boston” by kardong – THIS book is why i love to read – a book about running – a book about life – a book that made me get out thursday and run in the snow – in the wind (really, that was the noticeable element by the time i was out the door) – a book that reminded me that our best laid plans often go awry (kardong competed for the US in ’76 – his ’72 try was ruined by mono and his ’80 try by the boycott – and a volcanic eruption – talk about timing) – we may do some writing with him – journals

“detecting metal” by fred bonnie – yes, THE fred bonnie:) great read – i got the book from a dealer who knows all about bonnie’s work – his son:) the collection of short stories is excellent – engrossing characters who find themselves in unpredictable circumstances – odd situations – the title story comes at the end – but its goofyness is endearing (and probably reminds me of myself as the character george:)

“time of your life” by doerr – i think that’s the title – book about fred russell – sports writer for a billion years in nashville – loved vanderbilt – like billy though, never graduated from vandy:) anyway, the book was a biography – i thought it was a collection of russell’s work – i would’ve been more interested in comparing sports writing from the 30s with today – alas and alack, the book was just about russell’s life – and not his writing – how you biographize a writer and not include his writing is beyond me…

happy monday off – you do not have to blog while you watch TV

maf

so i’m operating on runner’s brain – i raced in mobile today – so there’s really no guessing what i’ll say or write – in fact, i can’t even remember the second book i read this week – but two is plenty to write on anyway…

“the other normals” by vizzini – new YA book – i’ve read others from vizzini – and with a movie based on one of his books, i thought it was cool that i found him before others – that said, i really didn’t enjoy this book at all – i’m sure there are high school kids who will – it wouldn’t surprise me to see this as a high school BOB next year – but i couldn’t get into the two worlds that were interrelated – and yet ever changing – sort of like a comic book alterworld – except in this book, the main character’s fascination with grid games disappeared – that all said, it did get me through some rough patches of boring south alabama driving:)

“road to 14” or something like that – tommy ford wrote this – with help from the excellent photo work of kent gidley – these books are in walmart now – just in time, i got the book monday, for bama to win 15 – the photos were amazing though – and the recap of the 2011 season was great – i read the book, of course, in a night (love me some sports books:)

“the runner’s body” – aha!!! i knew i would remember that third book – a scientific approach to running – like, what running actually does to the body (thus, the name) – it’s my second time to read it –  i think three more times and i might understand some of the sci terms – that said, it’s a narcissistic pleasure, but i do love reading about what i enjoy doing – so i enjoyed the reread

see you monday

mafeld

three new, one old books this week…

“My Road to Kenya” by O’Leary and Clare – a book on making a difference in another country – about fighting corruption – about spurring others on to do good deeds – about not taking pictures on top of your car while on safari:) very good picture of Kenya and its problems and beauty

“Because I said So” by Ken Jennings – are the things your parents say – that you shouldn’t cross your eyes b/c they’ll freeze that way – are those things right or just heresay??? the book was pretty interesting – moved fast – and might make me rethink how i do some things – like, i shouldn’t apparently be washing my hair ever day – so if you wonder about the smell:)

“i shouldn’t even be doing this” by newhart – mom gave me “Newhart” season one – 82-83 season – for Christmas – and oh, it was so funny – b/c i’m just that old i guess – anyway, i had to check out the comic’s book – from 2006 – really funny – cute – comedy is very different today – sadly, it’s often not as intellectually stimulating

“in due time” by wayne atcheson and jay barker – i reread this one – after about 20 years – very interesting – in ways, barker was an earlier tebow – and the question i got from reading it was just how the book would be written today – like, after what jay’s gone through in the last 20 years, how his story would change – or how he’d see things – b/c i think tebow will have those questions to ask as well – the interesting thing about a book written when you’re 20 is that what you think is your “peak” is really just the first little hill you’ve climbed – good, bad or otherwise – but for tebow and barker, it all likelihood, their top of the chart moment was really early in life – and how do you deal with that, knowing that you peaked really early? it’s a good question, i think

hope your first week back of journaling is good – or for anna, her 80th consecutive week of journaling b/c she never stopped:)

mafeld