MultiPost Day & GiveAway

To add some freshness to my ‘old’ post just prior, I offer a few quick questions.

1.   When you post a review, what source is your GO-TO for finding the cover pic to upload – assuming you do!

2.  When you read a review of a book that you’re not sure you’d ever want to read, do you    a) comment that you probably won’t read it for whatever reason,   b)  comment anything to let you know the blogger’s post was read, or   c)  try to pick something specific from the review to question or applaud?

I’m just attempting to inspire more comments!   Thanks for playing.   – Care

Oh yea, I promised a GIVEAWAY (BRIBE?):   I will give my 1984 tradeback copy of Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being to a random pick:   One entry per commentor please.

GoogleImage Meme

[Editor's Note:    This is a post I wrote who-knows-how-long-ago, and now reading it today, I asked myself, "Self?   Is there any reason to post it now?  and why or why not?"   Well, my SELF said to go ahead and post.    The reason SELF gave me was I didn't really need a reason.   Which got me thinking and justifying that the only reason I need for my own blog is to please me and my self.   It's getting crowded in my head, can't ya tell?]      

            

An interesting MEME to try from KwJWrites blog…  [sorry it took so long!!]

Go to Google Image Search.  Type in the name of the last book you really enjoyed (I say that because you may not have enjoyed the last book you read).  Perform the search. Now, obviously you’re going to get pictures of the book cover, but see what else comes up, and how it relates to your life right now. 

First, I must think of the the last book I really enjoyed.   Guess I will go with Middlesex by J. Eugenides.    I go to google image search and type in ‘Middlesex’;  here’s what ELSE popped up (besides the book cover – AND, I must say, quite a variety of cover jackets for this book…)

Results:   a LOT of maps!      And, how does this relate to my life right now? 

I guess, right off the cricket bat, I would have to say that I am looking for a map to help guide me through the next year:   I need a goal, ONE big goal and all the little supporting goals.

AND, in this small incubator stage, my big goal is to be more actively engaged – in my community.   I will become a professional volunteer.

This will involve both taking classes to prepare myself in offering fresh skills to non-profits.   And spending scheduled weekly regular hours out of the house and volunteering.

Somewhere.

And thus the map!  I need a map…   Not a physical, turn left/right map, but a PLAN of action.

Second Attempt at Review

I had so many lines typed up in my last post that I kept deleting…  And then BeastMomma said it sounded depressing that I realized that I just didn’t do right in that post, my quick review of Still Life with Elephants by J R Singer.    In an even earlier post, I promised a fair review.

So, I thought I would try again.   

This book was NOT depressing.   Just not to my liking.   It’s actually amusing and good-hearted and has quite a few funny comic moments.    There happen to be many references to music and books and authors and horsey things that I don’t know which suggest that it is of a higher level than typical ‘chick lit’ – which is the genre I would place this book.    But that makes me feel snobbish.  Or the reverse snobbish…  Or…   [see why I keep typing and deleting?!?!?!]

Despite the depressing description of what happens to Neelie (cad of a husband, no money, etc), she happens to FIND HERSELF and a love for cute baby elephants AND gets to fall in love with the rich guy!   That’s not depressing, right?

Just because the rich guy offers to rescue her and buy her house, she has the self-respect to say no and find a way to keep respecting herself, her talents, her independence.     She won’t say yes to his marriage proposal until she knows she is accepting for love and not the need to be rescued.   She will, however, accept his job offer to chase elephants in Africa.     Which is more uprooting than marriage, imho.      I mean, really.   She won’t marry him because he tells her he doesn’t want children?  Yet she agrees to run all over the world and live dangerously in Africa?!?!      Hrmmmph.

She annoyed me with her ability to misconstrue words people where saying.   It was NOT endearing – it was distracting.    And I couldn’t believe the stupid husband was so stupid and then wanted to be forgiven.  AND, I thought the book treated mental illness a tad too flippantly and with disrespect to bipolar sufferers.

And I can’t believe she got away with eating jelly donuts everyday.   I mean really.

On the other hand, girl is wronged by stupid husband, girl wises up and lands on her feet, finds new career AND gets the rich guy.      

Maybe I just wasnt’ in the mood for chicklit.   I regret that I presented a review that made it seem like it was a depressing story.       The book jacket says it is a ”…funny, heartwarming story.”   There you have it.