Showing posts with label library. Show all posts
Showing posts with label library. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

the joy of belonging to a local library

Having access to free books from the local library is such a blessing! I have borrowed from a local library since my earliest school days and I tend to take it for granted.

Now, in this wonderful age of the internet, I can (and do) borrow audio-books, ebooks and print books. In this way, I get to read books that I would otherwise never knew existed.

This month, I have borrowed the following from the library:
  • the books in print
The QuiltCut the ScrapsKaffe Fassett's V&A QuiltsKaffe Knits Again
Prayer Shawl Companion
  • I have yet to open The Quilt: a history and a celebration of an American art form
  • I really liked Cut the Scraps – in fact, I might even put it on my wish-list (I have a birthday in April)
  • The book about Kaffe Fassett’s V&A Quilts was interesting but I won’t be adding to to my collection
  • I have yet to open Kaffe Knits Again
  • Prayer Shawl Companion has some interesting patterns (including one by Kaffe Fassett) but I won’t be adding it to my collection; readers who consider “prayer shawls” a peculiarly Christian expression may be surprised by the inclusion of all faiths and eastern mysticisms
For entertainment, I have a tendency to gravitate towards mysteries and romance novels, as well as biographies and non-fiction books on subjects that interest me – e.g. history, culture.
I have borrowed this digital media (listed alphabetically by title for convenience):
  • A Lady of Expectations by Stephanie Laurens (e-book) -- finished
    - Jack Lester has to find a bride but where can he find the perfect woman?
  • A Man’s Heart by Lori Copeland (audiobook) -- finished
    - after the death of her father and her best friend, a young woman struggles to salvage the farm, honour a promise and win back the man whose heart she broke
  • Captain Thunderbolt and His Lady by Carol Baxter (e-book) -- slowly reading
    - the story of Australian bushrangers Frederick Ward and Mary Ann Bugg; I’ve only read a couple of chapters and am finding it fairly dry
  • Old Tokyo by Sumiko Enbutso (e-book) -- so far I have only read the introduction
    - a walking tour of Tokyo’s old downtown
  • The Golden Mountain by Irene Kai (audiobook) -- reading
    - the story of four generations of Chinese women and their relationship to USA (the “golden mountain”)
  • Town in a Blueberry Jam by B.B. Haywood -- finished
    the first book in a mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Candy Holliday
  • Under the Summer Sky by Lori Copeland (e-book) -- finished
    - a romance set in North Dakota in the late 1800s; written by a Christian author, there is a list of discussion questions at the end of the book
What have you been reading lately?

Monday, 21 January 2013

knitting books

Welcome to my four new followers! If you came in from "Grow Your Blog", here's my "this is me" post. Thanks for dropping by.

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I received only one stitching-related book for Christmas. It is The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges, by Ann Budd.

There are several patterns in the book I like. I have only shown you details of the patterns but I have provided links to the garments where I could. If you are not a member of Ravelry, I apologise that you can’t access some of these links.

Alpine Tweed By Jared Flood (from his website)
Top Down Sweater Alpine Cardigan
Fibonacci Rings by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Fibonacci stripes
Cable Love Henley by Ann Budd (or here for Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Cable Love Henley
India Print Henley by Anne Hanson (modelled here by my blog friend Jocelyn, from Knitting Linguist)
Top Down Sweaters India Print Henley
Feather and Fan Flare by Ann Budd (Ravelry link)
Top Down Sweaters Feather and Fan Flare
I don’t know if I would wear either of the first two, I am too well endowed to want to draw attention to my bust area (says she whose Westall cardigan has lace panels you-know-where) but I certainly can admire the designs.

DD borrowed French Girl Knits (by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes) from the library. I have fallen for a couple of the patterns, particularly Anjou and Celeste.

 French Girl Knits AnjouFrench Girl Knits Celeste

Have you seen any new-to-you stitching books lately?

Saturday, 25 August 2012

What have you read lately?

In between baby sitting and knitting, I have finally caught up with all 113 blogs that I follow. That is probably a bit misleading -- there are blogs on my reading list that have not had posts published to them for months. But there were also blogs on my reading list that I have since deleted -- I found I wasn't really reading their posts, just skimming to see if there was anything interesting, then moving on without commenting. It was time for those blogs to go! It's hard enough to keep up with the blogs that really interest me and still find time for my other hobbies!
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I have discovered a site called librarything.com where I can record what books I am reading and get recommendations for further books based on the books I read. Of course, the site can do other things too, but at the moment I use it as a database of what I'm reading and have read.

Click image to view full coverI have finished The Distant Hours by Australian author, Kate Morton. This is probably the best piece of fiction that I have read in a very long time. If you haven't read it, and you like mystery/suspense (it's not a detective story nor is a "horror" story), then I can highly recommend this. I certainly look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Since then, I have read several ebooks which I have borrowed from my local library and read on my iPad.  The rest of this post is taken up with a  list of books I have read and my 'review' of them.
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Feels Like Home by Maggie Shayne was listed as a "Silhouette Sensation" which meant nothing to me -- but I soon discovered it meant the author was a bit more detailed in descibing the couple's intimate moments than I feel is necessary. One particular scene could easily have been omitted and the main story would not have lost anything. Obviously, this is why the book is called "sensational"! The basic story line (romance/thriller) had me reading as fast as I could to the last page to find out how the story worked out. Of course I knew it would but just how was what kept me reading! Even though I enjoyed the plot, I will not be in a hurry to read a book by this author or from the "Silhouette Sensations" collection again!

Click image to view full coverThen for a change of pace I read Anh Do's biography, The Happiest Refugee. Ahn Do is an Australian comedian of Vietnamese descent. The book was his life story from his birth in Vietnam, through coming to Australia as one of the "boat people", to his childhood and teenage years in Sydney and finally to his successful career as a stand-up comedian. The book was always positive and upbeat, despite including some tragic stories; a light-hearted read that I easily finished in less than twenty-four hours.

Click image to view full coverAfter that, I read a detective story, Gently by the Shore, by Alan Hunter. This series of books has been made into a television series, starring Martin Shaw as Inspector George Gently. I quite like the TV series but I think the books are more rounded and bring more depth to the character. In this particular story, Gently's assistant isn't anything like the character we see on television. Nor is the story set in the north of England as the television series suggests. I enjoyed reading as Inspector Gently did his own thing, quietly and methodically collecting clues, following leads and finally, of course, catching the killer. I plan to read more of this series.

Not being one to stick to one genre of book, I then went on to read the novel, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. For some reason, I had thought that this was a light-hearted book, but it was soon apparent that this was not the case. It had me riveted to the storyline and I couldn't wait to read what happened next. I can see why it was turned into a movie but I don't think I'll ever see it -- movies of books I have enjoyed rarely turn out to do the book justice!
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And finally, last Wednesday I finished an autobiography, Choosing to SEE: a journey of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Christian singer/songwriter, Steven Curtis Chapman. It is her life story but is centred around the loss of their five-year-old daughter through a terrible accident. I found it hard to put this book down. It has very short chapters and I would tell myself: "just one more chapter then bed". But I just couldn't stop reading -- and I finally went to bed at three in the morning!  I cried and cried while I read the second half of this book; real, heavy, sobbing tears. But that was okay, I had stuff I needed to deal with myself that I hadn't cried about -- so it was good to finally let go. The book is sad but it is, as the title suggests, a book about hope -- hope of eternal life and seeing their little girl again one day.
Click image to view full cover 
On Thursday evening  I downloaded Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's hard to believe that it's six years since this book was published -- but perhaps it only became popular after the movie came out in 2010. I haven't started reading this yet therefore I can't make any comment. I guess it will be a little like Under the Tuscan Sun; I found the movie a bit disappointing after all its hype so never read the book.

Well, that's what I've been reading -- what about you?

Sunday, 15 July 2012

What's on your current reading list?

Just as with my knitting, quilting and sewing projects, I also have more than one "reading project" on the go.

On my iPad I was listening to The Wise Woman by George MacDonald, who was a favourite author of C. S. Lewis. This story was published in the nineteenth century and is described as a 'parable' or 'fairy story'. It was a little hard to get into because MacDonald's language is very descriptive but once the story got underway it was hard to stop!I finished it while doing some embroidery in Friday's beautiful spring-like weather.

I have since downloaded The Amazing Mind of Alice Makin by Alan Shea (read by Zoe-Anne Phillips), which is billed as historical juvenile fiction. Set in post war London, it follows Alice's imaginative life to which she retreats when her home life becomes unbearable.

Also on my iPad, I am reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton.  This was recommended by Renee of "Sewn with Grace" and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is described as a gothic novel but I'm not sure that's how I would describe it.

All three of these books were borrowed from my local library, as was the audiobook downloaded to my computer: Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (the author of Angela's Ashes). This as an autobiography about how he came through teaching to become a writer. It is a little hard for me to understand because it is being read by the author who has an Irish accent and I have to listen carefully - not ideal when I am using my sewing machine at the same time! Nonetheless, it is an interesting read.

My Kindle has all but been forgotten in the excitement of owning an iPad but there are books there too. I am in the middle of reading the classic Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. It's interesting but not compelling reading; perhaps that's why I left it several weeks ago. There are many other books stored on that device when I get to them.

And, yes, I still read books in print. At the moment I am reading two autobiographies: Mao's Last Dancer, which was loaned to me by a friend in my sewing class and Be Your Best, by Australian swimmer Geoff Huegill, which WM and I bought for DD. She has finished it and kindly loaned it to me.

I have dozens of books on my library wishlist, in my Kindle and on my "to be read" shelf. Oh for a few more hours a day! LOL

The current favourite book in these little guys’ house is The Red Tractor.
2012-06-24 Daniel2012-06-26 Ben
What's on your current reading list?