American Bibliophile

Neil Gaiman’s “Coraline” Goes 3-D

Nov 16, 2008 Snippets Leave a comment

Let’s Play Tag!

Nov 16, 2008 Challenges & Contests 3 Comments

I got this challenge from my friend Cindy over at Fuzzy Red Robe.  If you haven’t checked out her blog, do so. It’s fun and funny and I enjoy reading her thoughts on everything under the sun.

Here’s how it works: I list six book-related things about myself, then I tag six people, and they do the same. If I didn’t tag you, and you want to participate, leave a comment with a link to your post, or a list of your “6 things”!

1. I am a book junkie. Those who know me know that I buy books just to have them and look at them. I buy way more than I can ever possibly read. A “to be read” pile with less than 75 books frightens me.

2.  I’m a closet sci-fi/fantasy fan. Yep. Bet you’re surprised to hear that, aren’t you?  I’m in love with the TV shows Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica and the sci-fi books I read border on dystopian, which is another great love.

3. Before I had The Bug I read 3-5 books per week. Now I read 3 a month. If I’m lucky.

4. I attribute my taste in books to my Mother-in-Law.  She got me at the young age of 18 and had a direct influence on what I was reading since she gave me everything she read after she was finished it.  Indirectly, I guess that’s why AmBib is here today!

5. I’m also a closet Evanovich fan.  Janet Evanovich is like crack, and people who haven’t read her certainly can’t understand her.  The minute a new book comes out in the Stephanie Plum series, I’m ALL OVER IT. Seriously, I get Matt to watch The Bug, and I don’t stop reading until I’m done.

6. When I was a kid, people would yell at me for reading. I’d take a book everywhere, and my family would get upset that I was reading when I should be playing. No one ever “got me”, and I’m thankful I didn’t listen to them and put the books down. Otherwise, I might not be who I am today, might not be where I am today, might not be who I’m with today, might not…

TAG! YOU’RE IT!
Jackie at Literary Escapism
Melissa at Page Turning Momma
My Sister Kate (leave a comment sista!)
My Sister Kris
Maree at Just Add Books
Jill at Under The Dresser

50 Book Challenge - 2009 Edition

Nov 16, 2008 50 Book Challenge: 2009 1 Comment

I can’t believe 2009 is nearly here.  If you’re like me, you’re looking at your current challenges and trying to figure out if you’ll meet them before the year is out. I’m still confident about mine, just for the record! For 2008, I hosted a 50 Book Challenge on Yahoo Groups. That group will still be kept going, but americanbibliophile.com is going to be headquarters for the challenge.

So, sign up for the challenge using Mr. Linky below. The rules are simple: read 50 books during 2009.  Your choice of books, and you can count it toward other challenges too.  Each month, I’ll create a post detailing my reading for the challenge, and I’ll provide a Mr. Linky for you to link back to your post on your progress.  If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave comments on each post so everyone can see how you’re doing.

So ready, set, read!

(For those of you super-readers out there, I recommend also joining Jackie’s 50 Author Challenge over at Literary Escapism.)

Booking Through Saturday This Week (ok, most weeks)

Nov 15, 2008 Challenges & Contests, Snippets 1 Comment

“When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.”
-Erasmus 

This week, Deb asked us if we buy books, and if so, why buy instead of borrowing them.  I’ll admit it, I buy books.  Many more than I should. Many more than I have time to read.  Probably more than is wise for my budget. In fact, I’m still working on books I asked for last Christmas because I see books I want to read in the meantime, and then I get sidetracked. This habit has seriously interfered with accomplishing much from my TBR list.  

I don’t feel guilty though. Reading is my hobby and a huge part of my life.  I think there are worse things to spend money on, and there’s a reason why our family motto is the old quote from Erasmus that I included at the top of this post.  Each of us Peckhams remains firmly committed to it.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Nov 13, 2008 Popular Authors, YA Literature 2 Comments

I don’t want to write a traditional review about this book, because I honestly feel that some things just need to be experienced.  I’ve long been a fan of Gaiman’s work, and this book was no different.  Gaiman has a way of sucking you in to the story, and his characters come alive.  In fact, I felt as if Gaiman were talking right to me, and making me a part of the story.

Bod’s parents were killed when he was just a toddler, and by a twist of fate, he managed to escape.  He toddled his way into a graveyard, and was taken in and raised by the ghosts there.  He learned all of the things the ghosts knew, and was under their protection for a long time.  The Graveyard Book is the story of what happened to Bod while he was under the ghosts protection.

Now I want to know what happened after Bod grew up!

Secret Santa Time!

Nov 9, 2008 Links to Check Out Leave a comment

Dewey and Nymeth are hosting a gift swap for book bloggers. It looks like it will be really fun.  Click here for details.  I for one am already into the holiday spirit and am very excited about this.  Be sure you sign up too!

The Sunday Salon: My Week in Words

Nov 9, 2008 Challenges & Contests, Snippets 2 Comments

Ah… I had a super-good reading week.  For quantity that is.  I finished The Whole World Over by Julia Glass (finally). You can see my review of it by clicking here. I didn’t think I would say this, but I didn’t love the book. I was sad to give an author I really like a bad review.  Plus, my time is so valuable that when I do get to read, I want to really LOVE it.  I still have a hard time putting a bad book down once I’ve started, so I really make it harder on myself.

A couple of days ago I started Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, so expect to see a review of it this week. I really love Gaiman’s writing, and I probably haven’t read enough of his work.  I read his online journal daily, and find him amusing and thoughtful, and maybe a little perplexed at his notoriety.  

My sis invited me to see Twilight at the midnight showing next Thursday night. How many of you will be doing the same (I will probably see it a few times, that’s how I am with movies I love)?  Kristian is going to get an “I Run With Vampires” tee to wear to the theatre. I confess that I would have to get one that says “I Run With Wolves”. And yes, I have read all the books, and yes, I do understand why they aren’t together. Jacob is just more my “type”. In fact, I should add him to this list of fictional crushes.

What’s next? After I finish The Graveyard Book, I’m reading this book club pick: Turning Angel by Greg Iles.  If you’ve read it, comment and let me know, or send me the link to your review so I can post it when I add my own.

Everyone enjoy your week!

Friday Blog Feature

Nov 7, 2008 Challenges & Contests, Links to Check Out Leave a comment

This week, I’m featuring Maree’s post on the Kindle.  Click here to check it out.  I’m kind of coveting a Kindle too, and I can’t explain why. It just seems so handy.  I actually have a Blackberry which I could probably put books on and download some sort of a reader for it.  But the Kindle, a tool designed specifically to make my reading life easier, just seems like a cool thing to have.  Now, I know I will probably never buy one, who knows if I would really use it, and it would certainly never replace a real book, but just think of all the possibilities…

Go ahead… check out Maree’s blog for yourself. I’m a regular reader!

I Booked Through Thursday & Ended Up In Friday

Nov 7, 2008 Challenges & Contests, Personal Essays & Memoirs, Snippets Leave a comment

Taken from my personal journals 2/4/07:

Once Upon a Time Tales by Mary Stewart was a huge part of my childhood. I found it in my Grandma’s garage when I was a kid. I didn’t know at the time that it was a first edition (or even what that meant). I also didn’t know how much I would love the stories in it, and that I would continue to read it, even as an adult. 

It was one of the things I was hoping to share with Matthew. So of course, now that he is here, it has gone missing. I don’t think I would have loaned something like that out, and I would never have intentionally gotten rid of it. Matt scoured the house for it last night. We’re pretty organized, so it could only be in a few places. It wasn’t in any of them. 

This book is not by the famous Mary Stewart who wrote the Arthurian tales, but by a lesser known Mary Stewart who lived earlier. I can’t seem to find any information about this other Mary Stewart.  The only copy I can find on the Internet is at OldScrolls.com and it’s $50.   I’m going to send out an email to a few friends to see if they might have it, but otherwise, I’m seriously contemplating shelling out the $50 for a book of fairy stories that was so key to my childhood. Am I crazy? 

Taken from my personal journals 2/5/07: 

I broke down and bought the book. If I stumble across my old copy, I’ll have one to sell. In any case, I’m glad that I’m able to share this with Matthew. 

My thoughts after reading this today:
Seriously? I called myself organized?  I definitely didn’t have a 2 year old.

BookMooch

Nov 5, 2008 Links to Check Out, Snippets Leave a comment

Are you on BookMooch yet? If not, you should be!  

Here’s a link to stuff I’m giving away on BookMooch:
http://bookmooch.com/inventory/rachelwp

Here’s a link to stuff on my wishlst: 
http://bookmooch.com/wishlist/rachelwp 

Add me as a friend:
http://bookmooch.com/bio/rachelwp