Vacation Planning

How do you prepare for a vacation? Do you make lists of what to bring, research the area, carefully planning an itinerary to maximize every minute? Or perhaps you tend towards a “wherever the wind blows” approach to your holidays.

If you are like me, finding the right books and making sure that I am prepared on the reading front is often at the top of my list. As you prepare for your vacations and activities, whether it be an afternoon escape to the pool or the trip of a lifetime, might I suggest reading about the place before you visit?

Recently I discovered what an enriching and fun experience reading about the places I planned to visit could be. My husband and I went to Paris for a week, and prior to the trip, I found myself picking up any book that referenced Paris or promised a Parisian adventure.  A surprisingly fun amount of fiction resulted from this random narrowing of my reading list, books like, “ A Moveable Feast”, “The Little Paris Bookshop” and  “Paris in Love: A Memoir”  served to paint a picture of life in Paris. Already dreaming and planning for our vacation, I began to imagine walking the Seine as the characters had, dining on wine and cheese under golden lights, and drinking espresso at sidewalk cafes as I watched the world wander by. My itinerary took on new depth, a food tour was now a must do, as I was ready to taste all that Paris had to offer.

And in the weeks leading up to our trip, I added “A Tale of Two Cities”, “The Paris Wife”, and “The Elegance of the Hedgehog”, my imagination transfixed by the Paris of past and present. My excitement grew the more I read, an image of Paris was forming, one that included Notre Dame and hidden bookstores, oversized scarfs and macaroons.

Once we arrived, the City of Lights seemed eerily familiar, as the place I had been so intently reading about, was now under my feet. And true confession, now that I had arrived, I had no desire to read about it (and no time to!), as the city I had only ever read about was before me.

What other books would you recommend? Any fun vacations this summer? Come into the store and we will happily assist in your planning by crafting the perfect reading list!

– km reader

What shall I read today?

      I enjoy reading history (as long as I don’t have to cram for an exam), but I am not what you would call a history buff. I’m certain I have a better grasp of American history than world history, but I’m sure that much of what I learned in high school and college has been forgotten.

      I read a lot of fiction, but I try to have some non-fiction around to further my knowledge in whatever area catches my attention through a book cover or title. Over a period of many months, I happened to bring home these four books: Zondervan Handbook To The Bible; Bernard Lewis’ What Went Wrong? (The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East); The Handy History Answer Book edited by Rebecca Nelson; and Let There Be Clothes (40,000 years of fashion) by Lynn Schnurnberher.

      I was reading a little of each book as the mood struck me. There was no plan or schedule to my reading, and the books were scattered around my house. But as I read, I began to see certain events (such as, the beginning of and the decline of the Ottoman Empire) mentioned in all four books. I was getting a biblical timeline perspective, a general historical perspective, a political world view perspective, and , yes, indeed, a fashion perspective on that and other events. Pulling the facts and ideas together was exciting, unlike much of my textbook reading in school. I found myself putting the books in one spot so I could refer to one and then another, and really get the big picture. I know that if I had to write a paper on, for example, the Ottoman Empire, I would certainly have to refer to several if not many books. But I don’t know that I would have pulled a biblical reference book and I surely know that I would not have referenced a fashion book!

      So, lesson learned: studying history (or any other area of learning you may choose) can be like a treasure hunt if you have the right materials. Seemingly diverse books can pull together information when you least expect it! So, branch out! Pick something new, different, and unusual – and see where the reading takes you.

Small Town Gal

Robert Goldsborough Book Signing – October 5, 2013 at 1 p.m.

Stop by the bookstore and meet Robert Goldsborough, the author of eight Nero Wolfe mysteries!

In his latest novel, Archie Meets Nero Wolfe, Mr. Goldsborough takes us back to the first time Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe meet and tells the story of how the Wolfe/Goodwin partnership came into being.  If you’re interested in finding out just how Mr. Goldsborough decided to write his first Nero Wolfe mystery (Murder in E Minor) stop by our store on October 5th.

 The mystery, Three Strikes You’re Dead, is our introduction to Steve Malek , a (Chicago) “Tribune police reporter in a city gripped by the Kelly-Nash political machine and the post-Capone crime syndicate. ” Steve, nicknamed Snap, like all reporters, is always on the lookout for that one great story and manages to get himself into some  very dangerous situations trying to find it.  We can follow Malek through his multiple quests for that “story of a lifetime,” courtesy of Robert Goldsborough.

I met Mr. Goldsborough at the Love is Murder Mystery Conference last February.  He stopped by our Cornerstone booth and spent some time chatting with me and Kathy (Cornerstone’s owner).  Mr. Goldsborough is a great conversationalist, and Kathy and I really enjoyed the time he spent with us.  We had such an enjoyable conversation that we asked him to come and visit with us at the bookstore.  We are looking forward to his visit on October 5th and hope that you will join us.

MD

Small Town Life

Last time my blog celebrated small town life in Mayberry (from the Andy Griffith TV show) and in some of my favorite novels. Here are several more of the Mayberry character recipes from Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook…Floyd’s Fritters, Otis Campbell’s Rummy Tummy Omelet, Clara’s Oven Fried Chicken, Gomer’s Banana Bread Pyle, Goober’s Radiator Flush Punch, Ernest T’s Possum and Sweet Taters; do you remember any of these foods? Was any one your favorite?

Another small town comes to life in Home to Harmony, Just Shy of Harmony and Signs and Wonders by Philip Gulley. These novels are set in Harmony, Indiana and follow the activities of the Harmony Friends Meeting, a Quaker congregation. The narrator in each is the pastor of the town church. A few of his congregants really put the “spirit” in “spiritual” and much disharmony into Harmony.

Andriana Trigiani’s Big Stone Gap Trilogy is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. With its Bookmobile and Mutual Pharmacy run by Pearl and Otto and Worley, the town’s handymen, Big Stone Gap is a town I would like to visit.

The Way Life Should Be by Christina Baker Kline is a moving story that takes place on Mount Desert Island in Maine. A young woman’s move to this remote community in search of a love connection turns into the coming together of a small group of island residents over Italian cooking lessons. New friends, great food! Some recipes are included.

These “Mayberry books” may not be to everyone’s liking, but I find them both hopeful and satisfying. I will continue to look for more of the same. Join me?

How Much Do You Know About the Fourth of July?

1.  What historical event do Americans celebrate on the Fourth of July?

a)      Official signing of the Declaration of Independence

b)      George Washington’s birthday

c)       The first shots of the American Revolution

d)      Formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence

 

2.  When were fireworks first used in an official Fourth of July celebration?

a)      1777

b)      1812

c)       1876

d)      1901

 

3.  Which president first held a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?

a)      George Washington

b)      John Adams

c)       Thomas Jefferson

d)      James Madison

 

4.  Which newspaper first printed the Declaration of Independence?

a)      The Philadelphia Eagle

b)      The New York Times

c)       The Pennsylvania Evening Post

d)      The National Enquirer

 

5.  Which two U.S. presidents died on July 4 in the same year?

a)      Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

b)      James Monroe and Martin Van Buren

c)       Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson

d)      William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding

 

6.  Which U.S. President was born on Independence Day?

a)      Calvin Coolidge

b)      James Buchanan

c)       Lyndon B Johnson

d)      Ronald Reagan

 

7.  How many people were living in the United Stated of America on July 4, 1776?

a)      2.5 million

b)      9 million

c)       15 million

d)      30 million

 

8.  When did the Fourth of July become a federal holiday?

a)      1777

b)      1870

c)       1876

d)      It’s a state holiday, not a federal holiday.

 

9.  Which of the following was not one of the original 13 American Colonies?

a)      Vermont

b)      Georgia

c)       Massachusetts

d)      North Carolina

 

Answers:

1.  Formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence  –  On July 2,1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve a motion by Virginia to separate from Great Britain. Two days later, the declaration proclaiming the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king was formally adopted by 12 colonies.

2.  1777 – Congress authorized using fireworks to help mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The celebration, which took place in Philadelphia, also included bonfires and bells.

3.  Thomas Jefferson – Though John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House, it was Thomas Jefferson who, on July 4, 1801, opened the Executive Mansion to diplomats, civil and military officers and Cherokee chiefs. The Marine Band performed “The President’s March” (later retitled “Hail, Columbia”) and other patriotic airs.

4.  The Pennsylvania Evening Post – After John Dunlap of Philadelphia printed copies of the declaration for the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, printers throughout the Colonies produced their own versions. The one from the Pennsylvania Evening Post came out on July 6, 1776.

5.  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams – The two former presidents, once fellow patriots and later political rivals, died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. Jefferson was 83; Adams, 90.

6.  Calvin Coolidge – The 30th president was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth Notch, Vt. He’s the only president born on Independence Day.

7.  2.5 million – That’s a U.S. Census Bureau estimate.

8.  1870 – Congress reaffirmed the holiday in 1938 and mandated full pay for federal employees.

9.  Vermont – The other 10 were:  Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Colonies became the first 13 states. Vermont became the 14th on March 4, 1791.

From AARP, July 4, 2012 (www.aarp.org)

Summer Book Club Smash Up

 

Hi Cornerstone Blogosphere, I am the newest guest blogger – A.B. Romper –  live from Shanghai!! 

With summer approaching rapidly avid readers rejoice at the extra pockets of time they will find at the pool or beach to fill with leisure reading and perhaps ask others for their recommendations for good “beach reads.” From there, discussion turns to the common sentiment shared among those who realize they love to the read the same books “We should start a book club!” 

 Oh, if only it were that easy. Book clubs, like reading The Wheel of Time Series, are an investment in time and energy but if met with the proper integrity and effort from the start will prove to be a smart investment. Working, not only to open doors socially, but your mind to new insights, perspectives and hopefully authors.

 The idea to start a book club seems relatively easy but not if you over complicate your initial meetings and over extended invites to rapidly. You want to take time in giving your book club it’s own distinct identity so you can attract those who will contribute their own appreciation for similar genres with new ideas and an enthusiasm that will keep the book club flourishing with the right balance of fun and discussion.

It’s summer and it’s time to mean what you say!  You’ll be happy you did the ground work and established a book club that fits you when fall and winter rolls around and nothing seems more appealing at the end of a work day than meeting friends old and new, and bonding over a good book. Here are some innovative and refreshing ideas for launching your own, distinct book club:

Rewind, Go Back in Time: How many times have you looked at your favorite books from your preteen years sitting in your childhood room and wondered if it was weird that as an adult you wanted to re-read those same series or classics again and re-live that magic of your childhood?  The Rewind, Go Back in Time Book Club is a book club that is built around choosing books from your childhood. Easy Reads, that were special enough to have stayed with you years later. This book club chooses books that inspired you to be the reader you are today. It is also a fantastic way to read books you missed growing up and give you insight into the genre of “Tween” and “Teen lit” before it was painted with “fifty shades” of vampires, werewolves and death games.  Forget Stephanie Meyers,  and Bring back Judy Blume! 

Lights, Reading Glasses, Action: These days most people have see the film version but haven’t read the book, giving them one perspective; sometimes a poor one of the novel the movie was based on. This book club chooses books that have been made into movies. You read the book, you watch the movie you discuss both mediums or even make a portion of your book club a viewing party for the film.  Popcorn and soda is mandatory at these meetings.

Behind the Music:  Ever wish you knew more about your favorite artists and musicians? This book club combines love of reading with love of music. You read a memoir, biography or autobiography about a musical artist and then meet to discuss their life, listen to their songs and perhaps, nibble on the particular musician’s favorite foods.  Imagine, Macrobiotic Greens and a discussion on Madonna?

Under the Radar: This book club is for those who are sick of hearing about the popular books everyone is reading either due to lack of interest or because they have read those same books months ago. The Under the Radar Book Club challenges its members to work hard at uncovering authors and novels that they have heard about from untapped resources. By bringing new treasures to the table your book club is ensured to stay far ahead of the trends.  The best part of a book club that chooses unknown authors is that these authors tend to be responsive to requests to answer questions about the writing process or their work, allowing your book club to garner interesting insider information to further the discussion.