THE BOOK THAT TOUCHED ME THE MOST IN 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

My dear blogging friend, Caroline asked me which book of all those I reviewed in 2009 touched me the most.

Good question!  Since Caroline doesn't have a blog and I don't have her email address I thought I would respond to her question here.

I looked back over all the books I reviewed. I picked out the ones I considered the best of the best and I couldn't come up with just one title. I couldn't narrow it down to two, three or even four.

I was touched in different ways by them all. I didn't read a bad book last year.

I think the value of a book to you will depend on where you are in life at the time you are reading the book.

As we come to the end of the year and move into a new year I do not have a single book laying around waiting to be reviewed. I do not have any books coming in to be reviewed. I planned it this way. In 2010 I plan to only accept for review books that I personally want to read or that I feel will be of value to the readers of my blog.

In the past I reviewed some books simply because they were offered. And it's true I discovered some great books and great authors this way. But now I want to read slower and meditate more on what I am reading.
I want to be more thoughtful!

What will be my first review for 2010? I can't wait to find out!

BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

MY PAPER CHASE--True Stories of Vanished Times by Harold Evans

OVERVIEW: Andrew Marr calls this "A jaw-dropping social history...the best education possible in what true journalism's all about." In My Paper Chase, Harold Evans recounts the wild and wonderful tale of his newspapering and publishing odyssey, which would take him from Manchester to London and finally to America. In England, he would become the editor of two of the most famous newspapers in the world, The Sunday Times and The Times of London. Along the way, Evans would crack England's biggest spy scandal; expose the cause of the world's deadliest DC-10 air crash; reveal shocking truths about what was happening in Northern Ireland; and uncover one of the greatest health scandals of the century. In New York he began all over again as a book publisher, acquiring the memoirs of Colin Powell, Marlon Brando, Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon--and a then-unknown law school graduate by the name of Barack Obama. He also became a bestselling writer. In an age when newspapers everywhere are under threat, My Paper Chase is a poignant reminder of all that they have been, and all that they can be again.

MY REVIEW: This is my last book review for 2009. There was a time when I thought that I would not be able to complete the review this year. It is a big book of five hundred and eighty pages. My schedule during the holidays, like yours, was full.

If you are interested in journalism and enjoy reading exciting and interesting memoirs, you will love this book. The generous folks at Hachette Books are allowing me to give away five copies of this big, hard cover edition. But if you are not into reading about journalism and stories of vanished times then you will not want to request a copy of this book. In fact, I ask you, please do not request a copy if you know you will not read it. Sure it will look good on your book shelf but that is not what it's for.

I enjoyed My Paper Chase and I know that many others will also. I just do not know if the readers of my blog are among those people. Leave a comment and an e-mail address if you want to be entered in the drawing. I will close this giveaway January 12, 2010.

SUPERMAN HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

Monday, December 28, 2009

It's not that I can't. I just shouldn't.

The list of things I shouldn't do is long and growing longer every day.

No more climbing on the roof, lifting large objects, bending over pulling weeds and picking up "stuff."

Yes, I still do these things and many more like them--but I shouldn't.

I continue to do these things and then regret it for days. Why then, do I do them?

I have asked myself that question many times. Am I just silly or stupid? Is it that I just never learn? Am I too proud to admit that I've grown old?

I saw a friend of mine, who is a Doctor, a few weeks ago with his arm in a sling. He said he fell off his roof and broke it. He certainly could have afforded to hire someone to go upon his roof for him. He said he would next time!

My back has been "killing" me for days because I trimmed our palm trees. Everybody on our cul-de-sac has a gardener except us. We have never had a gardener and we never hire a repair man if I think I can do the job. That plan has worked well over the years.

It worked well because a young man once lived here. He had a large S on his chest. The S has started to fade badly.

Oh flip, I might as well admit it--there is no S on the chest. SUPERMAN IS GONE!

GOD'S LOVE

Saturday, December 26, 2009

WHAT GOD HATH PROMISED

God hath not promised
     Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
     All our lives through;
God hath not promised
     Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
     Peace without pain.

But God hath promised
     Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
     light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
     Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
     Undying love.

(Annie Johnson Flint, quoted in The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart by Charles R. Swindoll)

Thursday, December 24, 2009

HARD WORKING WAITRESS

Cheryl works the breakfast shift at Coco's restaurant.

She moves quickly from table to table--never stopping to rest. She smiles, speaks kindly and does everything efficiently. She doesn't snap gum in her mouth or call you "Sweetie," or "Darlin."  She just sees you and respects you.

SHE IS A WORKER!

I admire and respect people who know their job and do it.

We live in the age of the "goof-off" but Cheryl refuses to participate in that.

I heard her say she has to work Christmas day. She wasn't complaining she just responded to a question.

Orchids to all our hard workers!

Merry Christmas and may God bless you richly.