Christmas Vacation

As of today, I'm going to be taking a short blogging vacation for the holidays. I'll return in the new year with more reviews, book notes, and thoughts on art & architecture.

Before I go, I just want to say what a pleasure this year has been. Unlike other, better organized bloggers, I have no end-of-year wrap-up post, but I can say, off the top of my head, that it has been a fabulous year to read and write. I've read some great books, have been introduced to new, amazing writers, and have had a lot of fun getting to share my thoughts here, and read your opinions here and on your own blogs. So (if you celebrate it) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2010!

Thank You, Secret Santa!

I received my Book Blogger Holiday Swap gifts yesterday. A big thank you to my secret Santa, Casse of Catholic Kittie! In addition to lots of chocolate (yum!), she sent me For One More Day by Mitch Albom.


Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Holiday Charitable Gifts

I'm sure all of you are giving books for the holidays, right? If you'd like to branch out a little and give something else, I'd like to suggest two worthy causes that make excellent presents for loved ones.

First is Kiva. I've written about this organization in the past, but its worth mentioning again.

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

There are Kiva gift certificates available for as little as $25, which will allow the recipient to make a loan to that could save a life. And then they get the money back, allowing them to make another loan! It's a gift that will last much longer than a fruit basket, I assure you.

The second charity gift idea is Heifer International. Heifer International is dedicated to relieving global hunger and poverty. It provides gifts of livestock and plants, as well as education in sustainable agriculture, to financially-disadvantaged families around the world. Through them, you can buy any number of different kinds of animals in your loved ones' name. The animals will be given to the poor all over the world, starting for as little as $20 for a flock of geese, ducks or chicks. Each family that receives a gift from Heifer International agrees to pass on a female offspring to someone else in need - allowing your initial gift to grow and do more good. Again, isn't that a much better gift than a scented candle?

I hope this has given you some ideas for great holiday gifts. If you know of any other charities that make excellent gifts, please feel free to suggest them in the comments.

On This Day

It's Talk Like a Pirate Day today, so I should be writing this in pirate-speak, I guess. Here: Arrgh! Avast, me hearties!

In other, more literary news, author Italo Calvino died on this day in 1985. As I wrote last year, here are my three favorites works by Calvino:

Invisible Cities

Marcovaldo: or the Seasons in the City

Cosmicomics

Friday

This week, I did the unthinkable: I paid full price for a brand new, hardcover book. So, what prompted this extravagant spending? Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)!



And, yes, I've already finished it. (Review to follow.)

I also bought Looking for Alaska by John Green, Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Vanora Bennett, and my next book club book, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

To put you in the mood for a lazy Labor Day weekend (here in the US, at least), I thought I'd share this lovely "life imitating art" image of one of my favorite paintings:


The painting is Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (Un dimanche après-midi à l’Ile de la Grande Jatte) by Georges Seurat (1884-1886). Find more "life imitating art" photos at Buzz feed.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all of those who celebrate! And I hope that all of you who celebrate Passover enjoy the fourth night.To those of you who aren't celebrating any holidays this weekend, I hope you enjoy what is (at least here) a beautiful spring day!

In the spirit of the season, here are some links on one of my favorite Easter candies: Peeps. I don't like them to eat, I like them to make dioramas and blow up in the microwave, of course!

Dietribes: Jeepers Peepers!
Peeps Imitate Life: 11 Sweet Marshmallow Scenes
How to Make Peeps from Scratch [via Jezebel]
And the official peeps site.

mmm... Cadbury Eggs

Just because it is fun and Easter season and I love Cadbury eggs...

Happy Birthday, Edgar!

In addition to being Martin Luther King, Jr Day here in the USA, it is also a very important day in literary history: it is Edgar Allen Poe's birthday! In his honor, you should curl up with a glass of Amontillado and read one of his famous tales, many of which are available free here.

PS: Also, as an obnoxious UVA grad, I am obligated to point out that Poe, even though he is more closely associated with Baltimore, actually grew up in Richmond and attended (though did not graduate from) the University of Virginia. So, wa-hoo-wa!

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know I am quite late to the party on this one. It's still early enough in the year that I can get away with it, though, I think.

Just about every book blog I read has been doing some sort of end of 2008 wrap-up and/or looking forward to 2009 post. I think it's a great idea to recount just what books I read in 2008 and what my favorites were. Unfortunately, since I only started blogging in August (I think, and I'm being too lazy to look it up), I have no idea what I read for the first 8 months of the year. And even then, I don't review or comment on every book I read (I figure that my thoughts on Twilight are probably not going to be the one thing that finally makes you say, yes! I will read the much exposed/hyped vampire teen angst book!). Maybe this year, I will keep track. But probably not. It just seems like so much work.

As for my 2009 book and blogging resolutions, I have only one, which I am sure I will break in about two weeks, give or take: No more ambitious plans to read massive tomes on architecture, which while they are very good, are very intimidating and too big to fit in my purse, therefore never get read in a timely manner.

Anyway, thanks to all of you who made my first (calendar) year blogging so fantastic. I hope 2009 is a wonderful year, full of great books, for all of you.

Hollywood Books

Interested in giving Hollywood books for the Holidays? Check out the long list at Deadline Hollywood Daily (here).

Books for the Holidays

Surprise, surprise, I like to give and get books as presents. Many of my fellow bloggers have pledged to Buy Books for the Holidays. And now, the publishing industry is urging you to do the same, with the launch of Books Are Great Gifts, and even included some reasons why.

For Christmas:
They always fit under the tree.

For Hanukkah:
You can give a different one for each of the 8 nights.

For the New Year:
With the right book, you can finally learn what Auld Lang Syne means.

Do you know what else makes a great present? A puppy. (Hint, hint.)