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baby_ruth265639's Friends
bibliophily
[ make_meabird ] |
10th December, 2009. 10:09 pm. The Man Who Invented Christmas
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Les Standiford
Nonfiction; biography; holiday
226 pages
As uplifting as the tale of Scrooge itself, this is the story of how one writer and one book revived the signal holiday of the Western world.
Just before Christmas in 1843, a debt-ridden and dispirited Charles Dickens wrote a small book he hoped would keep his creditors at bay. His publisher turned it down, so Dickens used what little money he had to put out A Christmas Carol himself. He worried it might be the end of his career as a novelist.
The book immediately caused a sensation. And it breathed new life into a holiday that had fallen into disfavor, undermined by lingering Puritanism and the cold modernity of the Industrial Revolution. It was a harsh and dreary age, in desperate need of spiritual renewal, ready to embrace a book that ended with blessings for one and all.
With warmth, wit, and an infusion of Christmas cheer, Les Standiford whisks us back to Victorian England, its most beloved storyteller, and the birth of the Christmas we know best. The Man Who Invented Christmas is a rich and satisfying read for Scrooges and sentimentalists alike.
Wow, this was such an interesting look at a wonderful author's life. Charles Dickens didn't create Christmas, but he did reinvent it, as Standiford stated. Every year my family read A Christmas Carol, and now every year, I read it before Christmas. I have always loved the story, but now I know the meaning behind the words. Reading such a wonderful biography of Dickens has made me want to read more biographies of famous authors. I am open to any suggestions that my fellow LJers would love to offer. In all, if you are a fan of Christmas, Charles Dickens, and great biographies, then I highly recommend this book!
Books read this year: 47/50.
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bibliophily
[ bardsfingertips ] |
3rd December, 2009. 5:02 pm.
"Salvation's Way"
By D. A. Stafford
After the dawn's rotten mourning, rusty days take hold:
Whispering & gossip that go fathoms deep,
To where the town's mother's body does lie:
Down past the water's deepest cold, comfortably shifting within the muck.
We had holy hands and bleeding feet: strangulations that hold
As if it were a vice bound by chains. She told me
To hold the Book: to preach its words, to know that it is in suffering
That salvation lies.
On a day like today, when night no longer comes: only a burning sun
Painting the day by way of sad violins & conflagration:
Dummies stuffed with hay tossed into the fire: chanting the proper praises
—while I wish on that, quite simply, you and I could run away.
There's rain clawing at the glass: a winds chilling the bones of those up in fright:
Cold food and death's touch still tickling those in pews.
Once, before the matriarchal fall, you had laughed a sweet wine:
Now the fires slowly creep, burning grass and cow, the stench is where
Salvation lies.
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bibliophily
[ make_meabird ] |
28th November, 2009. 10:44 pm. Marked
Marked
P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
YA fiction; fantasy; series
306 pages
Enter the dark, magical world of The House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampire. That is, if she makes it through the Change--and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.
I was pleasantly surprised that I was so engrossed in the first book in the House of Night series. I really enjoyed the storyline and I really like the unique take on "vampyres" in this series. It does remind me a bit of Hogwarts, but to me, that is a positive thing. The only thing I did not care for is some of the immature language spouted off by some of the characters, but then again, this is written for a younger audtience than myself. However, I feel like as this series progresses, it will get even more darker and more interesting. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books.
Books read this year: 46/50.
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