Literature Blog

Oracle Bones

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:14:27 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut A Journey Between China’s Past and Present by Peter Hessler ages: adult First sentence: “From Beijing to Anyang — from the modern capital to the city known as the cradle of ancient Chinese civilization — it takes six hours by train.” Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! I picked this one up because I thought [...]

10 Questions for Aaron Reynolds and Neil Numberman

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:13:04 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut Today, I get the very distinct pleasure of chatting with two very talented men, the author and illustrator of Joey Fly, Private Eye. Aaron’s already got several picture books under his belt — including a favorite around our house, Chicks and Salsa. Neil, on the other hand, is new at the trade; [...]

Review: Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:11:03 +0000

Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow is a work of fiction and a first person narrative about two real life men, the eccentric Collyer brothers of New York, who were killed by their own filth and clutter in their home in 1947. I’m a fan of the show Hoarders on A [...]

Book Review : Lobel’s Meat Bible..All You Need to Know About Meat and Poultry from America’s Master Butchers.

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:09:37 +0000

Submitted by The Thin Red Line Lobel’s Meat Bible: All You Need to Know About Meat and Poultry From America’s Master Butchers by Stanley, Evan, Mark and David Lobel, who run a world famous New York butchers shop, really lives up to it’s title. The book is full of information about all different types and cuts [...]

I’m a Prolific Author… Sort of.

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:32:57 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut I did the whole YA author thing… and so when 100 Scope Notes introduced the Debut Picture Book Cover as part of his cover week, I decided I needed to have some fun with it. Presenting, my picture book: Raymundo and the Spinning Balloon, by Tabitha Kibbey. That’s about as good as I draw, [...]

Book Review: Bakewise..The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking by Shirley O. Corriher

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:31:54 +0000

Submitted by The Thin Red Line Several years ago, Ms Corriher wrote a great Cookbook/Food Science book, called Cookwise. It was an extremely useful book. Both Cookbook with recipes and helpful, insightful sections on different foods, and recipes and explaining the the science behind the proper cooking of each type of food or method of cooking. [...]

Book Review: Why Sh*t Happens….The Science of a Really Bad Day by Peter J. Bentley PhD

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:19:06 +0000

Submitted by The Thin Red Line Why Sh*t Happens : The Science of a Really Bad Day by Peter J. Bentley is a basically the sort of book I’ve been waiting all of my life for. A literate and funny look at how things go wrong and why, using the example of one person having what [...]

Anything But Typical

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:17:27 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut by Nora Raleigh Baskin ages: 9-12 First sentence: “Most people like to talk in their own language.” Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! Sherry at Semicolon captured my thoughts on this one just perfectly. This book takes you away, makes you think about your perceptions of people, makes you think about language, actions, reactions, [...]

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:16:11 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino ages: 9-12 First sentence: “Muscle Man McGinty is a squirrelly runt, a lying snake, and a pitiful excuse for a ten-year-old.” Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! Not quite sure where to start on this one. On the one hand: it was an interesting story [...]

Born To Fly

admin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:14:51 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut by Michael Ferrari ages: 9-12 First sentence: “Just ’cause I was a girl in 1941, don’t think I was some sissy.” Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! Eleven-year-old Bird McGill has always wanted to fly, particularly the P-40 fighter plane. It’s something she and her dad have worked towards ever since she was old [...]

Book Review: Not A Star by Nick Hornby

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:20:58 +0000

Submitted by The Thin Red Line It is difficult with a straight face to recommend that anyone go out and buy a 72 page paperback book for 12 bucks. While I am not in any way opposed to short stories or novellas, and even once recommended a volume of Flash Fiction, I do take issue with [...]

Twelve

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:19:33 +0000

Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN My baby turns 12 today. I can’t quite believe it. We had birthday cake for breakfast and she opened her presents before school. I tried to cram all my feelings about her into her birthday card. I told her how much I love her, how she means the world to me, [...]

Library Loot #43

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut Four words: I need a bigger bag. For A/K: Abigail Spells, by Anna Alter Good Dog Aggie, by Lori Ries/Illus. by Frank W. Dormer Clarice Bean, That’s Me, by Lauren Child Beware of the Storybook Wolves, by Lauren Child Paperwhite, by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates, by Carolyn Crimi/Illus. by John Manders Super Babies! (Dora the [...]

Strawberry Hill

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:16:09 +0000

Submitted by Book Nut by Mary Ann Hoberman ages: 8-11 First sentence: “You would have thought it was the best news in the world.” Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there! It’s the Depression, and Allie’s father has lost his job in New Haven, Connecticut. He has, however, found another job in Stamford. However, that means the family — [...]

Review: In A Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:12:54 +0000

Submitted by BOOKS ON THE BRAIN It’s the end of the world as we know it… and I feel fine.. that song kept running through my head as I was reading this book.. In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke is a story set in the near future. It’s a dystopian family drama, with a growing sense [...]