15 books in 15 minutes

Last night on Facebook, I saw a friend had done this, so I swiped it & created my own list.

The rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your fifteen picks, and tag people in the note -- upper right hand side.)

1.  The Book of Mormon
2. Homecoming & the rest of the Tillerman series by Cynthia Voight
3. The Giver by Lois Lowry
4. Dawn's Early Light & the rest of the Williamsburg series by Elswyth Thane
5. Chocolat by Joanne Harris & the sequel, The Girl Without a Shadow
   
6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
   
7. Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
   
8. An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
   
9. Anne of Greene Gables series by LM Montgomery
   
10. Harry Potter books by JK Rowling
    
11. Zane Grey's books
    
12. Ammie Come Home by Barbara Michaels (gave me nightmares for years)
    
13. Mary Stewart's books, especially The Moon Spinners
    
14. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
    

OK, it said 15, but if you'll look at my list, there are way more than 15 books in that list.

I tagged 15 people. It will be interesting to see if anyone comments back.

I found out last night when I was looking for author's names, I couldn't remember Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird is a Pulitzer Prize winner. I can reread it & count it as a Reread in that mini challenge & count it as points toward T4MRC!!

Dewey Decimal System

Look what I found!!!

The Dewey Decimal Classification System
000 – Computer science, information & general works
100 – Philosophy and psychology
200 – Religion
300 – Social sciences
400 – Language
500 – Science (including mathematics)
600 – Technology
700 – Arts and recreation
800 – Literature
900 – History, geography, and biography

Can you tell I'm excited??? This year I have a general Dewey Decimal challenge. One book per classification for a total of 10 books in a year. I split the 900 series out into it's own category for 12 biographies/memoir for the year. Actually, by the time I read the biography, history, geography, whatever, I will have read 13 from the 900 series, plus another one (14) that I counted in the to be read (TBR) challenge. The classifications I'm most interested in are the 200 series, religion; 600, technology; & 900, biography/memoir.

I have read 6 memoir/biographies already this year, however, only 4 have been counted as memoir/biography. I have read 4 in the 200 series & am working on my 5th. And I have read several in the 600 series.

Serving others

Although this thought comes from the Ensign magazine, it is in the vein of Debbie Macomber's  One Simple Act

"Serving others need not come from spectacular events. Often it is the simple daily act that gives comfort, uplifts, encourages, sustains, and brings smiles to others."
--Elder Michael J. Teh of the Seventy, "Out of Small Things", Ensign November 2007, p.37

15 point challenges

15 Point Challenges

• Read a book by an author you’ve never read before
• Read a biography or autobiography
• Read a book with a number in the title
• Read any book and then post a review
• Read any book but read it outside

Hmmmm, I am in a quandary. What to do? What to do? I read Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

I decided to call it a 15-point read because a) it's a new author, one I've never read before; b) it's a biography (the ISBN notes it as a biography); c) I read the majority of it outside. For my mini challenges of 144 Books in 2010, I have counted it as a TBR, giving me 3 out of 12 in that category.

readthescriptures.com

Quotes and scriptures from my daily reading of readthescriptures.com

"The truth is that not yet usually means never. Trying to run away from the responsibility to decide about Christ is childish. Pilate sought to refuse responsibility for deciding about Christ, but Pilate's hands were never dirtier than just after he had washed them."
--Neal A. Maxwell, "Why Not Now?", Ensign, Nov. 1974, 12

Another

"Only One who was with God, and was God, can answer the deepest and most urgent questions of our soul."
--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Ensign, Nov. 1997, 65

One Simple Act

Finished reading Debbie Macomber's One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity.

I will count this book as a 10 point hard cover book in T4MRC & as a favorite author in my 144 books for 2010 challenge because I've already read a book in the 200 series of the Dewey Decimal Challenge. Also, the reason I picked the book up is because Debbie Macomber wrote it. I will read anything Macomber has written.

Don used a story from the book in his Sacrament meeting talk on Sunday, July 25, regarding sacrifice. I was going to use something about listening when you pray, but ... my talk veered off another way & I didn't use it.

I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads. This book is a must have. I want to make notes in the margins, underline passages & have some of the stories for reference.

10 point challenges

10 Point Challenges

• Read a book with a Civil War theme (any country)
• Read a Biblical fiction book
• Read a hardcover book
• Read a book about a king or queen
• Read a book set in France

Working on 2 books for this challenge. I've mentioned them both in earlier posts, but I need a post specifically for 10 point books.

Biblical fiction is The Red Tent and the hardcover book is Debbie Macomber's One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity. I'm not finished with either one, but ...

Finished Numbers

I finished Numbers, the 4th book of the Old Testament. I started reading it on July 7. It has been an interesting read, but seems like it has taken a long time to read. The Old Testament Student Manual (OTSM) titles the chapters on Numbers as "Wilderness Wanderings."

The first 3 chapters of Numbers is a census

Numbers 1: Moses and princes in Israel number in each tribe (except Levi) those males twenty years of age and older; They total 603,550; Levites appointed to attend tabernacle (KJV) & were not numbered as "able to go forth to war."  

According to OTSM, it is a matter of "translating correctly."

Chapter 2: Order and leaders of tribes and armies of Israel in their tents are set forth. (KJV)

The tribes were deployed in four groups of three tribes. (OTSM) They marched in order & camped in order.

I have heard the first 5 books of the Old Testament called the Torah, which is Hebrew for teaching or law, or the Pentateuch, Greek for penta [five] and teuchos [tool, vessel, book]. I chose not to read Moses from the Pearl of Great Price.

According to Wikipedia, The Torah contains a variety of literary genres, including allegories, historical narrative, poetry, genealogy, and the exposition of various types of law.

Frankly, I'm rather relieved to be finished with Numbers.

I started reading The Red Tent last night. It has been on my to be read (TBR) list since November 2007. I picked it up at Jenson Books in Providence  & found it the other night when I was putting something in the trunk of my car. It is the story of Dinah & her mothers from Genesis.

The review says this, "In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons." The King James Version this is not, LOL.

Which blog??

Which blog?? LOL, I'm having a hard time deciding where to put what. I wanted to save this quote, but where to put it?

"Day-to-day acts of service, whether for good or evil, may not seem important, but they are building cords of love that become so strong they can seldom be broken. Ours is to place our areas of love in proper perspective. Meaningful love always works for our eternal progress and not against it."

--Marvin J. Ashton, "We Serve That Which We Love", Ensign, May 1981, 22

I decided here, because it is goes so well with one of the books I'm reading, One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity, by Debbie Macomber

TBR book = 20 points

20 Point Challenge in The Four Month Reading Challenge (T4MRC).

• Read a book in a series AND the one after it
• Read a book that was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
• Read a book considered Christian fiction
• Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100
• Read a book by an author born in July, August, September or October

I finished Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling today. It has been on my To Be Read (TBR) list since Jan. 31, 2009. Janene Morgan sent it to me in March of '09. So, I can count it on my original TBR challenge, 2 read out of 12 scheduled. AND it counts in T4MRC challenge also because J.K. Rowling's birthday is July 31, the same day as Harry Potter's. Or is Harry Potter's birthday the same day as J.K. Rowling's? Whatever. I now have 40 points out of 250.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard 
J.K. Rowling (2008), 5, 7/16/10

This book was awesome. I wavered between "really liked it" & "awesome."

The book is presented as if it really existed. It is so well done, one could ask, "You mean it didn't really exist? But it is quoted extensively in Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows!! How could it NOT exist?"

My favorite story is Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump. Smart witch & the moral of the story is ... read it & find out.

I did not care for The Warlock's Hairy Heart. I call this one selfish & gruesome. Worthy of the Brothers Grimm.

The best part, however, is Dumbledore's commentary (Cliff's Notes) after each story.

I am glad that the proceeds from this book is helping The Children's High Level Group, now known as Lumos.

After finishing this book, I want to read Deathly Hallows again.

20 Point Challenges

There are 5 books in the 20 Point Challenge in The Four Month Reading Challenge (T4MRC).

• Read a book in a series AND the one after it
• Read a book that was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
• Read a book considered Christian fiction
• Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100
• Read a book by an author born in July, August, September or October

I have read a book considered Christian fiction, "Awakening Avery," by Laurie L.C. Lewis. Actually, as I look at the list, there are SIX books. Read a book in a series AND the one after it, makes that particular challenge a 2-parter. Hmmm.

The reason I'm making this entry is challenge #4, Read a book from The Modern Library Top 100. Which top 100? There are 4 lists of 100 books each!!! Giving a choice of 400 books. And none of them sound very interesting.

Then there is the challenge to read a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. I had to smile as I read through this list. I found I have read several of them. Nothing since 1961s winner, "To Kill A Mockingbird." The 1950 winner is "The Way West," by A.B. Guthrie, Jr. I remember my aunt Maxine told Mother not to let me read it because it had "adult content." That's not the way she worded it, but I heard her tell Mother, so I found the book in the attic at Grandpa's & Grandma's house & read it one afternoon while my mother, aunts & grandmother were quilting.

A 20 point book

In the Four Month Reading Challenge, Read a book considered Christian fiction is 20 points. One of the other choices is to read a book by an author you've never read before, but it is only 15 points. However, you can't read one book & count it for 3 different categories. I will, however, count the book three times, once in the 4MRC, once in 144 books & once in New Authors category, which is a sub-category of 144 books.

Awakening Avery

by Laurie L.C. Lewis

This was an unputdownable book. I would have read it in one sitting, if I could have. As it was, I'd grudgingly put it down to do what I HAD to do. And then stayed up way too late, finishing it.

The book leaped into my arms as I was leaving the library. Our librarians put new books on bookshelves as you enter/leave the library. I wasn't sure who the author was, I'd never heard of her, but I couldn't deny the book & turned back to check it out with my other books. Of course, the fact that the first chapter heading said, "Logan, Utah," sealed the deal. If it took place here, I had to see what it was like.

I seldom read LDS authors because, to quote another reviewer, "I feel as if the story is more about the author wanting to include their religious views on those reading, than they want to tell a good story."

I was pleasantly surprised. There were some twists that I didn't even see coming.

Finished Leviticus

I finished Leviticus last night, July 6. I started it on June 27. Here are some excerpts from my Read the Scriptures daily journal. I read the scriptures from the Church's online edition of the scriptures (KJV) & also from the Church's Institute of Religion Courses Old Testament Student Manual (OTSM)

• June 27: It is interesting to me that Leviticus is the priesthood manual of that generation. This reading assignment was again accomplished with my nose wrinkled & a hasty read, more of a skimming  &  w/a more thorough read of the OTSM.

• July 2: Read through chapter 20 last night & became quite overwhelmed, so gave up & decided to finish the reading assignment tonight. And perhaps start on Day 32's assignment. Another note I made that night was: Question: With all this killing of animals, first born no less, how did they ever have any animals?

• July 3: (Lev. 24:20) Was the Law of Moses Really an Eye for an Eye? (OTSM) This misunderstanding is unfortunate because it makes the law appear cold, unbending, and revengeful. This misconception has resulted from a failure to distinguish between the social law and the criminal law." Hmmm, interesting, I  I didn't know there was a difference. actually did not know there was a social law AND a criminal law.

• July 5: Chapter 26 - Blessings or Cursings: An Option for Israel (OTSM) Wow! The OTSM says this is one of the most powerful chapters in the OT. It also quoted extensively from President Spencer W. Kimball's talk in the April 1977 General Conference, LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Lord Expects His Saints to Follow the Commandments

Four Month Reading Challenge

Another reading challenge, OMG, what am I thinking??? Here is a list for me. The original list can be found here

Only 25 books, but maybe not. Unless I can make some of my other challenges fit this challenge.

ETA: This post was edited & a separate page was created with the list.

Where the Wild Things Are

Yesterday, Mother & I watched the movie "Where the Wild Things Are." It is one of my favorite books, but ... I have mixed feelings about the movie. I know movies & books are different media types. I don't know that I liked the animals fighting among themselves.

Mother didn't like it, which I can understand because it didn't have a lot of dialog. It was a movie I wanted to see in the theaters, but am really glad I didn't spend the money to see it there. I got it from Netflix. Don-Mike says he already has a copy of it, which I didn't know.

The book, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, was the 1964 Caldecott Medal Winner. According to Wikipedia at first the book was banned in libraries and received negative reviews. Francis Spufford suggests that the book is "one of the very few picture books to make an entirely deliberate, and beautiful, use of the psychoanalytic story of anger".

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Editor's Note: I chose to use a link, instead of embedding the video. For one, the video was too wide & covered up my sidebar, so I didn't like the looks of it, LOL, & 2, the cookies issue (see below).

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RATING: 4 out of 5.