Curiosity Day Party

 (Didn't want my friend's baby to feel left out... even if he did sleep through it.)

 Playing with ice balloons...  We also froze letters into blocks of ice and they had to get them out-- like in Curious George when he freezes the nuts for Jumpy Squirrel.

Awesome App!!!!

Check out this rockin' email I got from Harper Collins this week!

HarperCollins Children’s Books today announced that the Fancy Nancy Dress Up – the first interactive app based on the beloved and bestselling children’s book – is available on the App Store for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.


With over 20 million books in print, Fancy Nancy has captured the hearts of young readers and is ready to make her digital game debut with Fancy Nancy Dress Up, an interactive app created by Bean Creative. With hundreds of possible outfits, and fun and fancy backgrounds and stickers to choose from, Fancy Nancy fans will love dressing up Nancy and making their very own Fancy Fashion Story.

Fun and Fabulous highlights from the app include:
v Mixing and matching an endless number of outfits for hours of playtime fun
v Hearing Fancy Nancy herself encourage fans to make her fancier and fancier
v Choose backgrounds and decorate them with stickers from the Fancy Nancy books
v Creating original pictures for an all-new Fancy Nancy storybook
v Save and share your fantastique creations
v Insert Fancy Nancy into your very own photos


Other new apps out just in time for the holidays include Biscuit Gives a Gift and The Berenstain Bears Trim the Tree. Whether you are joining the Berenstain Bears as they decorate their Christmas tree or playing along as Biscuit finds the perfect gift for everyone he loves, you can now celebrate the holidays with your favorite characters in a fun and interactive way.


For additional app ideas for children, please visit http://harpercollinschildrens.com/feature/app/ and http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/Parents/News/TheBookBuzz.aspx?NId=221355262.


Fancy Nancy Dress Up, The Berestain Bears Trim the Tree and Biscuit Gives a Gift are each available for $.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
I am totally wishing I had anything that would run that kind of app.  So jealous.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night....

Oh my gosh-- Bulwer-Lytton contest, where have you been all my life?!

Have you seen this?

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

Where “WWW” means “Wretched Writers Welcome”

It's a celebration of horrid opening sentences! 

And it is hilarious!!!

Check out the Lytton-y of Grand Prize Winners!

I am so amused. :)

Random Musings

Since I'm having some serious ADD lately, here are some of the random thoughts buzzing around my head:

I am so over this winter.  Seriously. 

I'm tired of being cold and I'm completely sick of having sick kids.  And of being sick. :P

I love watching Baby J "read" Barnyard Bath! and "wash" the animals.  Hilarious.

My brother is a kick-butt basketball player.

I LOVE Worst Cooks in America on Food Network.  Oh my gosh, these people crack me up.  Did you see last week's episode, when the guy couldn't tell the difference between the pork tenderloin and the bacon?!  LOL!!  And he's one of the final four, so that gives you an idea how sad the others have been.  Makes me feel so much better about my own crappy cooking skills. ;)

I do not understand The Bachelor.

I love RJ Ellory's writing, but his books take FOREVER to read.

I have fallen asleep on every single Nancy Drew I've read in the last few weeks.  Not kidding.  Have you read the outline for Nancy Drew books?

"If it doesn't have a tail, it's not a monkey."  Don't believe me?  Watch this video.

Yesterday was a very Garfield Monday. 

Connie Willis' Blackout is going to require rereading Doomsday Book because I don't remember enough.

We watched a ridiculous amount of the Puppy Bowl on Sunday.  My kids were amused... especially Boo.

It should not be physically possible for babies to produce so much drool.... or snot.

Mister's been singing things like "Yes! Yes! Yes, bite your friends!" and "There's a party in my tummy.  So chokey! So chokey!"

I have a million things to do before Monday.... and no motivation to do them.  Which is why I'm blogging and playing FB games.

What random thoughts are buzzing around your head?

50 Some-odd Bookish Questions

Saw this on a couple of blogs recently and thought it would make a good "rainy day" type post.

1. Favorite childhood book?
hmmm....  I read a lot of Nancy Drews.... I reread The Little House daily for more than a month.... lol

2. What are you reading right now?
No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
*Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems
*The Tale of Oat Cake Crag by Susan Wittig Albert
*Spy Glass by Maria V Snyder
*Bink and Gollie

4. Bad book habit?
Um... neglecting my kids to read?

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
*Scumble by Ingrid Law
*The Theives of Heaven by Richard Doetsch
*City of Veils by Zoe Ferraris
*Darkborn by Alison Sinclair
*The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert
*A False Dawn by Tom Lowe
*The Glassblower by Marina Fiorato
*The Osiris Ritual by George Mann
*Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
*Untraceable by Laura Griffin
*Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
*The Last Ember by Daniel Levin
*The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Bartlett
*When Did I Get Like This? by Amy Wilson

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Nope.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One at a time.  Always, always (well, pretty much always) one at a time... otherwise my brain might explode.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Not a ton.  I don't go as long between books now as I sometimes used to... usually anyway.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Goddess of the Hunt.  Couldn't finish it.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Um.... A Quiet Belief in Angels, maybe.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I have a pretty broad comfort zone, but I try to read ALL the Reader's Choice books, whether they're in my comfort zone or not, so... several times a year, at least.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Nearly everything!  Not nonfiction, horror or romance, but just about anything else.
13. Can you read on the bus?
Oh I can read pretty much anywhere.

14. Favorite place to read?
Just about anywhere works for me!

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I lend books to people I trust. :)
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Not usually.  I prefer not to.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Novels, no.  Scriptures, lots!
18. Not even with text books?
Sometimes. 
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
That would be English, though I used to read a decent amount in German.
20. What makes you love a book?
Good characters!

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I loved it.  Or, even if I didn't, if I'm pretty sure the other person will love it.

22. Favorite genre?
Hmm.... mystery, maybe.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Nonfiction.

24. Favorite biography?
I don't read a whole lot of biographies, really.... In fact, I can't even remember the last one I read! Hmm.... Mormon Scientist was the last, I guess.... I couldn't finish it. 
Oh wait!  The Lost City of Z!  That was more or less biographical!  Sort of... I loved it!
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Depends on your definition, I guess.  Probably.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I love the Sneaky Chef.  Also the 101 Things To Do With [fill in the blank] books-- they're awesome.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
I honestly don't know.

28. Favorite reading snack?
I try to eat things that aren't too messy while reading, but I have a serious Cheetoh addiction.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!!  I so wanted to love it and it fell soooooo flat!
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Depends on your definition of critics.  I don't read big newspaper reviews, but I agree with a lot of other bloggers a fair amount of the time.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't love doing it, but I don't shy away from it.  I actually really like reading negative reviews, so I write them too.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
German, probably!  I need to regain so much lost skill there!
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Huh.... I don't know. 

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
The Passage.  It's sitting here taunting... and daunting....
35. Favorite Poet?
Sylvia Plath is the first that comes to mind.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Um... what's the limit again?  lol
My husband would say "too many"!

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
More often than I'd like.

38. Favorite fictional character?
That's hard!  I love Raine Benares, but I also really love Yelena, Lady Julia Grey, Lady Emily Ashton, etc etc etc.... I could go on for days.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Iago, hands down.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever's in my stack.  Gotta bring at least 3 for variety.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
A week, I think.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Most recently?  Goddess of the Hunt.  I rarely leave books unfinished, though.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Sometimes the TV, but not usually.  My kids probably should more than they do, lol.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Very difficult.... Hmm.... I LOVE the movie Ella Enchanted, but it's NOTHING like the book, so I don't think it counts, lol.  The first Lord of the Rings was pretty good.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  I still haven't seen any of the other movies because that one ticked me off!

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Not sure.  Always on a budget, so I try not to spend a whole lot.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not often.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Too much sex, multiple pages about hemmoroids (you laugh, but it happened), too much romance with too little else, extreme boredom.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Obsessively, yes.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Depends on the book.  I keep a lot of books, (clearly, just look around my house, they're taking over) but I've gotten better about letting some go.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Twilight

52. Name a book that made you angry.
Go Ask Alice.  The ending ticked me off.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Jane Austen Bites Back
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first thing that comes to mind.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Um... all of it?!

Happy Roald Dahl Month!!!!

Check out the official Roald Dahl website!!!

Quick, what's YOUR favorite Roald Dahl book?!?  I love The Witches!

What one have you never read???
I sadly, have never read the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ones!!  Can you believe that?  Terrible.

If you have a child between the ages of 7 and 13, check out the readathon on the site!!

Bringing Fairy Back

Doesn't that ROCK?!?

My cousin is bringing back fairy (that's not her in the pic, but it's from her blog.)  She makes these amazing gorgeous pieces, can you believe it?  Check it out at

Damsel In This Dress

(You can access her blog from their too!)

Let's face it, you're never too old to want to dress up, right?  And when Vanessa started talking about this year's Once Upon A Week, I knew I wanted to highlight this!  Because even a tomboy like me has a sneaky desire to be a fairy princess.  :)

Oooh, and she also has kick-butt hooded corsets-- very "sexy Red Riding Hood".

Which one would you pick?  I really want a pirate coat!

Characters My Girls Could Date

So I saw this idea over at Angieville and thought it was hilarious!

Granted, my girls are more interested in Elephant (from Mo Willems books) or Buzz Lightyear or something, and my girls are nowhere near dating age (thank heavens!), but it's still amusing to consider....

Here's my top 5 (in no particular order):

1. Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley.  They're kind of givens, right?  :)  Love them both.

2. Mychael from Lisa Shearin's Raine Benares books.  *dreamy sigh*  Gorgeous (not that it matters, but it's bonus, right?), magical, smart, funny.... Yeah, I'd let him date my daughters.  (Well, not at the same time.)

3. Colin Hargreaves from Tasha Alexander's Emily Ashton books.  Okay, so he has a dangerous job and he'd be gone for work from time to time, but a man that intelligent and caring is worth it, right?

4. Ari or Janco from Maria V. Snyder's Study and Glass books.  Protective, loyal, funny-- either one of these guys would be awesome!

5. Razo from Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern.  It's no secret I love Razo.  He's adorable.

There are also several characters that, though I love them, don't make the cut:

1. Brisbane from Deanna Raybourn's books.  Love him, and I'm sure Boo could give him a run for his money, but really.... not sure if I'd let him date her.

2. Valek from the Study books.  I ADORE Valek.  I really do.  But there's just something about the idea of your daughter dating an assassin....

3. Tam from the Raine Benares books.  I don't think any mother trusts Tam any farther than she could throw him.  :)

4. Emerson from the Amelia Peabody books.  I love him, but I don't think any mother really wants their daughter to date someone that will love their job more than her...

And of course there are characters that I'd cheerfully let my 6'4" husband run off our property with his broadsword.  :)  (Romeo, comes to mind instantly.)

Who would YOU let you daughters date?

How Cool Is THIS!?!??!

Sorry, we interrupt your regularly scheduled reviews to bring you this breaking announcement. 

CHECK THAT OUT!!!  The COMPLETE Fraggle Rock!!!

I love Fraggle Rock.  Really really really love Fraggle Rock.

:D

When I'm NOT Reading...

(it happens, I promise...)

Okay, I'm totally stealing this idea from Natasha at Maw Books, 'cause she's cool.  Check out this "when I'm not reading" post-- totally awesome.

Anyway, lately, when I'm not reading, I'm watching the WORLD CUP!!!!!  WOOHOO!!!

We love soccer.  See, here's Boo at her very first soccer game a couple years ago.

Hehehehe, look how little she is!!  That's nothing, though, look how little Mister was!

Anyway, soccer.  I love soccer.  And I love the World Cup!!  We've watched most of the games so far.... (which is why I'm writing this Sunday night.... Monday morning it'll be GAME TIME!)

Sunday, I had the kids going around the house chanting "Deutschland! Deutschland!" during the game.  (Smashed Australia.  I was starting to feel bad for Australia.)

This morning it's "Nihon! Nihon!"  That would be Japan.  They're so going to get creamed, but oh well. :)

Baby J is getting into the action too.  She was happily staring at the tv during pregame warmups yesterday, but started crying when it cut back to the people talking in studio.  (Don't blame her.... I want the one guy to be quiet too.)

USA and Slovenia Friday!!  I think we're painting faces and wearing patriotic t-shirts.... I'll totally post pictures.  :D

Are You FREAKING Kidding Me???

That's it.  This has gone too far. 

I overlooked the idea of

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!

and Jane Slayre

and whatever the other one was...

But Little Vampire Women?  Seriously.

ENOUGH I say.  E-FREAKING-NOUGH.

Okay, getting off my soapbox and ending the tantrum....

(Though I must admit feeling slightly intrigued and amused by the idea of --




Could just be me, though.)

My Books May Be Out of Control...

But I haven't broken any furniture... yet....

Too Many Books on thereIfixedit.com

hehehehe

Will the REAL Secret Santa Please Stand Up...

Or, you know, leave a comment or something?

This year I signed up for the very fun Book Blogger Holiday Swap.

I sent mine out a bit late. Sorry. I seem to be perpetually late. I haven't seen anything on my "santee"s blog yet, but I would think it will arrive really soon!

Yesterday, I had a package with a return address I didn't recognize....

And sure enough, it was my gift from my Secret Santa!


All pretty and wrapped with a cute tag...

(I so didn't wrap mine. I hate wrapping.)

And inside was this awesome necklace and CHOCOLATE. YIPPEE!

And the tag said I should be able to figure out who my santa is with some investigating...

But here's the thing.... my brain is broken.

The really super cool necklace is from The Well Dressed Reader, so my original assumption was that that was my Santa's blog.... but it's not a blog...

And the mailing address in the contact page is so not the same as what was on my package....

So I started hunting for bloggers from the same state as my Santa.... hard to do with no such directory...

And basically, we're back to my brain being broken.

So if my Santa's out there lurking-- THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

Now stop by and reveal yourself. :D

A BBAW Meme

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack? Are there people who don't? I mean, really. I love flavored Wheat Thins... chocolate... chocolate-covered pretzels... flavor-blast Goldfish... cheese... Really, I just like food.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea ofwriting in books horrify you?
It depends on the book. I mark in the margins of my scriptures... and sometimes in textbooks, but that's about it. I don't see much point in marking up my novels.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?Laying the book flat open?
Um, yes? Actually I never dog-ear if I can help it. It bugs me. It's the only thing my husband ever does, though. For me, it depends on what my kids are getting into to make me put the book down. ;)

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Little bit of both. Mostly fiction

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. Audiobooks would have to be either totally child-friendly or listened to with headphones, which limits how much I can hear of what my kids are yelling at each other.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I vastly prefer to finish a chapter, which drives my husband nuts. He can stop mid-paragraph, I swear.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Not usually. I can generally figure it out through context.

What are you currently reading?
Just finished Cleopatra's Daughter. Really need to finish Mormon Scientist.

What is the last book you bought?
Oooh. Um... I'm honestly not sure. Bought for myself, right? Silent on the Moor, maybe? Or Trouble with Demons...

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
With a few minor exceptions, I am a one book at a time person. Partly because I read them so quickly I'm not sure where I'd fit in reading more than one at once!

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Um, all day. :D I usually read on the couch while my kids play or while watching TV...

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Either way, really. I love series, but I love a lot of stand alones too.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Oh let's see, maybe Lisa Shearin, Deanna Raybourn and Tasha Alexander? :D Just maybe though. ;)

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
I am so OCD. With the exception of the kids' books, which I can't seem to keep organized for some strange reason, ALL the books in our house are organized first by genre, then by author's last name, then by title or place in series. Not kidding. Our random collection of David Drake books actually have sticky notes on them detailing what series they belong to and where they fall in that series. (Which information was not nearly as easy to gather as you would think.)

Hope you're enjoying BBAW!!

Utah Book Bloggers Party!

Yup, that's what I did Saturday night. I hung out with book bloggers.







And we had a blast! (Well, right up until Mister was stung by a wasp on the playground.... but you know, other than that it was awesome.)




There were a whole bunch of us crazy bloggers there:


Natasha from Maw Books-- she's the organizer and instigator. :D


Cari from Bookscoops-- the only one I already knew in real life.


Lynn from Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile-- with her cute bibliophile, naturally.


Becky from One Literature Nut, Emily from Emily's Reading Room, and Angie from Angieville-- who I talked to a lot... probably too much... sorry, ladies, if I monopolized you!


Stacy from Stacy Whitman's Grimoire and Drew from Books, Lies and Alibis-- both of whom I talked to a little.


And Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews and Suey from It's All About Books-- who I didn't really get to talk to. Which is totally my own fault for not leaving the chair I plopped myself on!



Here I am with Natasha (I'm the one in the Tigger shirt). This was "quick, take the pic, my son just got stung and is screaming bloody murder!"






And there were authors there.



Not one, not two, but 6!


See, six. In the back, J. Scott Savage and James Dashner.
In the front, Brodi Ashton, Emily Wing Smith, Bree Despain, and Leeann Whiffen.

How cool is that? You're jealous, right? I knew you would be. :D

**Photos courtesy of Natasha. I didn't take my camera. Crazy me.

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree (A Musical Morsel)

I saw this on my friend's blog-- The Art of Warr (clever name, no?) and thought it was fun.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 or so people you like (or think will actually do this) and tag me. Try not to repeat a song title. It's harder than you think.

Your Artist: KT Tunstall

Are you male or female: Girl and the Ghost

Describe yourself: Under the Weather

How do you feel about yourself: Beauty of Uncertainty

Describe where you currently live: Universe & U

The first thing you think of when you wake up: Boo Hoo

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Other Side of the World

Your favorite form of transportation: Paper Aeroplane

Your best friend is: Funnyman

Your favorite color is: Golden Age

What's the weather like: Riptide

If your life were a TV show, what would it be called: Another Place to Fall

What is life to you: Miniature Disasters

What is the best advice you have to give: Lay Down Low

If you could change your name, what would it be: Night Like Pepper

Your favorite food is: White Bird

How I would like to die: Through the Dark

My soul's present condition: Quiet

What are you going to post this as: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree

Yeah, I cheated and took out a couple of questions. :D



And I don't tag, but feel free to copy/paste and run with it.

Pay It Forward

Thanks to Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile, we just got a great surprise in the mail!! THANKS!!!

Now, it's our turn to pass it on!

We'll mail prizes to the first three people who comment here! (Make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you!!)

You don't get to know what it will be... it's a surprise!!

Well Read?

So, really, this is a screwy list. There is no #26.... and there are at least 2 repeats. But it's still interesting.

I saw this on One Literature Nut!

X= read
TBR= on my list, I just haven't read it yet
--= unsure if I want to read it
?= I'm not sure I've ever even heard of it!

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen (X)
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (X)
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (X)
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling (X)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (X)
6 The Bible (X)
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte (X)
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell (TBR)
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman (?)
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (TBR)
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott (X)
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy (--)
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (TBR)
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (Oh, come on, don't I get points for having read some?)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier(TBR)
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien (X)
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk (?)
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger (TBR)
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (TBR)
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot (TBR)
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell (--)
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald (X)
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens (--)
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy (--)
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (TBR)
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky (--)
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck (--)
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (X)
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (TBR)
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (--)
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (TBR)
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis (X)
34 Emma-Jane Austen (X)
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen (X)
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (X)
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hossein (TBR)
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres (--)
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden (TBR)
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (TBR)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell (TBR)
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (TBR)
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (?)
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving (?)
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins (TBR)
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (--)
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy (X)
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood (--)
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (TBR)
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan (?)
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel (X)
52 Dune - Frank Herbert (TBR)
53 Cold Comfort Farm (TBR)
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (TBR)
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth (?)
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon (TBR-June Possibility)
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens (X)
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (TBR)
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon (TBR)
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (?)
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck (--)
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (--)
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt (?)
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (?)
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (TBR)
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac (TBR)
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy (--)
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding (TBR)
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie (?)
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville (--)
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens (TBR)
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker (TBR)
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett (X)
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson (?)
75 Ulysses - James Joyce (--)
76 The Inferno – Dante (X)
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome (?)
78 Germinal - Emile Zola (?)
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray (TBR)
80 Possession - AS Byatt (?)
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (X)
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell (?)
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker (--)
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro (?)
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert (--)
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry (?)
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White (X)
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (--)
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (TBR)
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton (?)
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (--)
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (TBR)
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks (?)
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams (TBR)
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole (?)
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute (?)
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas (X)
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare (X)
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (TBR)
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (TBR)

X= 24
TBR= 34
--= 19
?= 21





Those totals don't include The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Shakespeare is a whole other post!

Shakespeare

As a Humanities/English major, one would assume I know my Shakespeare, right?

(I haven't finished my degree yet, though. So don't be expecting too much here.)

And I do know my Shakespeare.... sort of. But when I read this Shakespeare post from Haiku Amy and it got me thinking... how many of the Bard's plays have I actually read?

The sad truth? I don't remember. How bad is that?

I know for certain I have read:

1. The Comedy of Errors
2. A Midsummer Night's Dreams
3. King Lear
4. Macbeth
5. Romeo and Juliet
6. Hamlet
7. Othello

I THINK I've read:

1. The Tempest
2. The Merchant of Venice

I am at least vaguely familiar with:

1. Twelfth Night
2. Much Ado About Nothing
3. The Taming of the Shrew
4. Julius Caesar

Could be worse, right? There's a whole spate of King plays in there that I've missed entirely somehow. Which is pretty sad.

How about you? Where do you stand on the Bard Knowledge Meter?

Wednesday Morsel-- Play Along!!

Grab the nearest book. Turn to page 170.

Find the LAST sentence on the page.

"It took a month for him to recover from the pickles, but he did get a lot of reading done on the toilet as a result."
No Mad by Sam Mofie

Hmm... maybe I should have checked what the sentence would be.... :)

Sooooo, play along! Either here or on your own blog-- but leave me a link so I can check it out!

(My sentence is 26 words long... Who's got something longer?)