Tag Archives: Books

What is your favourite quote about reading or books?

Posted on March 11, 2012 | 13 Comments

Here are a few interesting quotes about reading and books. Some are funny, some are serious, but all are thought-provoking. Enjoy!

“A fondness for reading changes the inevitable dull hours of our life into exquisite hours of delight.” – Charles de Montesquieu

“The time to read is any time: no apparatus, no appointment of time and place, is necessary. It is the only art which can be practised at any hour of the day or night, whenever the time and inclination comes, that is your time for reading; in joy or sorrow, health or illness.” – Holbrook Jackson (1874-1948)

“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all of the miseries of life.” – W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)

“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.”  – Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” – Emilie Buchwald

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” – Groucho Marx

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

Do you have a favourite quote about reading or books?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! :)

 

→ 13 Comments

Posted in Mostly About Reading

Tagged , , , , , ,

Book Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Posted on July 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Book: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date: January 2010
Genre: Fantasy (paranormal)
Pages: 225, hard cover
Price: $16.99 US
My Rating: Intriguing, entertaining, hard to put down

I first learned of Magic Under Glass in a writer’s chat room where I ‘met’ the author. Enthusiasm for this book was high so I added it to my long list of “must reads.” I don’t regret it. Once I started reading this novel it didn’t take long to make my way through it. Why? I didn’t want to quit until reaching the end!

The story is about Nimira, a young dancer and singer who left her own country to make her fortune elsewhere. As is often the case, she fell on hard times instead, but eventually she is approached by a wealthy gentleman (who happens to be a sorcerer) who has better plans for her – an offer she is willing to chance. From that point the author swept me into a fantastical adventure of mystery and magic, murder and mayhem, but also love and loyalty and hope.

Nimira is hired to sing as the accompaniment to an automaton that is rumoured to be haunted and that plays music on a keyboard. What Nim discovers impacts her life and draws her into the power struggle between good and evil, fairies and men, hope and impossible love.

For the reader who enjoys paranormal and fantasy, Magic Under Glass isn’t overly involved and has a bizarre side to it that is quite inventive.

I enjoyed this novel, the first I’ve read of its kind, but – yes, there is a ‘but’ – it ends so abruptly I was taken aback. I was so into the story that I was expecting another chapter, at least. It left me asking, is there more? Is there another book to finish this? So, well done, Jaclyn Dolamore!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  :) 


							

	
			

					
→ Leave a comment

									

						Posted in Mostly About Reading, Reviews & Interviews					

													

						Tagged , , , , , , , , , 					

											

		


		
	


			

			
What do you like to read, what would you write?


			

				Posted on May 24, 2011 | 5 Comments
			


				

				
If you have been here before, you may notice that I changed my blog theme.  I like that now the comments link, where you share your thoughts with me, is located at the top of the posts.


Thank you so much for taking time to come here and read what I have to say, and for leaving comments for me. I look forward to reading next week what you write to me this week. Time away from my computer for the next few days will be used for reading and hopefully a little writing.


In all the reading I am doing I’m discovering more about my varied taste in books – from children’s picture books, middle grade, young adult, to adult novels in different genres. If you want to check my 2011 “have read” book list page, I’m keeping track there, as I did in 2010.


I have been learning what I am not very interested in, what I like but with qualifiers, what I get totally lost in, and what I would love to write myself.


Lately I have been wondering about something, and I would love to hear from you on these four questions.


1. What do you like most to read? Themes, genres, authors?

2. Do you have favourite authors and would read anything written by them?

3. What have you found that you are not interested in spending your time reading?

4. If you were to write a book, what would it be about?


Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! :) 



							

	
			

					
→ 5 Comments

									

						Posted in Mostly About Reading, Preambles to Writing					

													

						Tagged , , , , , , 					

											

		


		
	


			

			
What are your reading and book buying habits?


			

				Posted on April 25, 2011 | 8 Comments
			


				

				
How’s your reading coming along?


I have been slowly making my way through the large and varied collection of books I have accumulated over the years. I got into the habit of obtaining a book and not taking the time to read it yet, so now I have a great amount of catching up to do. To make matters ‘worse’ – or rather, more complicated – I keep gaining books. I am either buying them or winning them, but either way my bookcase is getting stuffed with new books. And I love it! (You can see most of my books listed on Library Thing – link in right sidebar, if you want to take a peek.)


Want to know what my newest classic addition is?


War and Peace.


Yes, you read that right. I bought a copy of the newly revised War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. You may ask, why did you do that, Lynn? Wellll .. I’m not really sure except that it is on the BBC’s 2009 list of 100 books that people should read – and I hadn’t read it yet. War and Peace is number 24 on that list, as you will see in my January 13’10 post: http://lynnadavidson.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/have-you-read-these-100-books/ Also, I had heard people talk about this book that is long to read, but not much about it otherwise. Curiosity got the best of me, I want to be able to say I read it, so now I have eliminated one excuse. :) 


Have you read War and Peace? 


If you check the above link you will find that number 18 is Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger. Such a little book which I bought last year and have yet to read. I’ve heard mixed reviews of that one so I’m interested in finding out if it makes any sense to me.


So much to devour, so little time free to do it! But I am trying to read, read, read, while not totally forgetting the writing. Not that I’ve been doing any writing, what with all the changes happening in our lives right now, but I haven’t forgotten about it. ;) 


So, what are your reading habits? And what are your book buying habits? 


Do you buy and read one book at a time? Or do you buy the book when it comes out and then file it away to read at a later date? Or do you have another method? I’m very interested in hearing from you on this.


Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  :) 


This post has been scheduled, so I look forward to early next week, if not before, when I can enjoy your comments and reply to them.

							

	
			

					
→ 8 Comments

									

						Posted in Mostly About Reading					

													

						Tagged , , , , , , 					

											

		


		
	


			

			
Is the book as we know it disappearing?


			

				Posted on October 8, 2010 | 10 Comments
			


				

				
I have been observing.  There is a lot of discussion in all arenas about the traditional book eventually disappearing from use.   This is mainly because of e-books – those online electronic books you can download to read, and whatever else technology will – and has already – come up with to simplify things for us.   Just to let you  know … I am not educated in that because I love books as they are and have been for centuries!   Well, the scroll was a little difficult to handle and pack around, maybe, but .. you get my point.


I am not interested in reading a book on a hand-held device, nor am I excited about sitting at the computer to read one on the screen.  I am all for holding a made-from-paper-and-ink writing, turning those pages and flipping back and forth as I need to, underlining or highlighting (did I hear a gasp?) when the occasion calls for it – which is rarely because I also use bookmarks and sticky tabs.   I fill my bookcases with old favourites (some saved from my childhood), and soon-to-be-loved stories.   I have books all over the place, a few in the living room and our bedroom, many in my publishing room, my ‘computer room’, the main room downstairs, and even packed away in boxes in our storage room.   My husband, not a voracious reader, also has a few titles on hand.


Most of my children’s storybooks I have kept, and my grandson now enjoys those.  I have books that made me laugh out loud, made me cry (and hide behind), pulled me in so deep I didn’t hear anything going on around me.   I have books the Lord used to teach me something important.  And there are many volumes in my collection which I have yet to cuddle up with and appreciate their written pages.   Somehow, I doubt very much that I could enjoy an electronic book the same way, it would even be annoying to me.


I don’t get to the library much at all anymore.   There was a time when I would take my daughters there to pick out books for their extra reading, and that was fun for us.   I borrowed several for myself when I was taking a writing course and wanted to read the ones mentioned in it.   But I prefer to own the books I read, I like to gather them and add them to my own personal collection.   Would I feel the same way about having them filed in a little electronic device?   I doubt it!   It is NOT the same thing!


So, is the way of the traditional book one of antiquity?   Is it disappearing?   Will my great-grandchildren not even know what it is to own a printed-on-paper book, to smell its ‘bookness’, to experience the thrill of a page-turning story on paper filled with bright pictures and powerful words?


Now I ask you ….  what do you think?


Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  :) 

							

	
			

					
→ 10 Comments

									

						Posted in Mostly About Reading					

													

						Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 					

											

		


		
	


			

		
	


			

			
Customer service worth talking about


			

				Posted on October 2, 2010 | 6 Comments
			


				

				
Just a quick post to tell you about some good customer service I experienced today.


I  have an online account with Chapters.Indigo … (Coles bookstore is a  few miles from where I live.  Same thing.)  I recorded birthdays on my  account page and they send me reminders with a percentage off coupon against  purchase of a book.  I try to use them but don’t always.  Yesterday I  was pleased to receive the reminder as there is a book I want to buy,  but even though  it said the coupon was attached – it wasn’t!


Now, I appreciate those coupons.  I like books.  And I like to  buy books as gifts.  So, I sent Chapters.Indigo an email to inform them  of the discrepancy. A few hours later I received an apology, there was a  technical glitch, and if I set up another birthday reminder they will  resend.  I did that.


This morning I received a new email from them saying the coupon was  included – again it wasn’t!  So, I sent them another email simply saying  sorry but the coupon is still not there.  A few hours later here is  part of the reply that came — “Due to technical difficulties, our  coupon generation was turned off  during a recent upgrade to our warehouses. We are unable to re-issue a  new coupon, and we apologize for the inconvenience.”  Then they kindly  informed me that they had deposited a credit into my online account to  replace the coupon!

Now that is good business practice, and Chapters.Indigo is a company that has my business!


It is wonderful to be treated well, don’t you think?  Customer satisfaction can go a long way.

Do you have any such uplifting tales to tell?


Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!   :-) 

							

	
			

					
→ 6 Comments

									

						Posted in Mostly About Reading					

													

						Tagged , , , , , ,