Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Book Ideas

Most people do not enjoy going to the dentist, but it is a place of beauty and book exchange for me! Our dentist's wife (who also manages the office) maintains orchids like no one else I know, and we love to talk about the books we have read since last seeing each other.

I love getting book ideas from others in so many different ways. A colleague told me how captivated she was with Chad Harbach's THE ART OF FIELDING, and I am now equally interested in it. My neighbor read Cheryl Strayed's WILD for her book group, and now I am reading her copy. My blogging friends share their favorites in connection with things I mention. My mom passes on suggestions of from her friends and librarians. And, of course, my teaching partner gives me ideas (and lets me borrow books she has checked out from other libraries, like Clare Vanderpool's NAVIGATING EARLY).

Who are your trusted book talkers?

8 comments:

  1. I have 40 pages left of The Art of Fielding. I hope you finish soon because I need to talk about it! :)

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  2. you, of course, and my local librarian, and my walking buddy, and colleagues...well, almost everyone i know. we will finish WILD tonight. it is quite a journey.

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  3. Since DH and I are interested in different genres, I rely on my bibliophile friends and former colleagues. The book editors of both the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minneapolis Tribune frequently publish reviews of book and book events at bookstores that I find interesting. On Sunday's I grab the Book Section of the NYTimes and quickly request books from the library that I might enjoy. I now have a Kindle Fire for travelling so I'm usually overwhelmed with very good suggestions. Since I no longer have small children or grandchildren, you, too, often provide me with good ideas since I really love children's literature, too. In fact I often used these books in my high school classes to illustrate setting, plot, characterization, theme, etc. Those books are always instructive.

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    1. I get reviews and ideas from the papers, too. You're so right about using children's literature to teach important concepts to high school students.

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  4. You have become one of my favorites...The cataloguer at my public library...I like the publications of independent & small bookstores...Children's librarians & booksellers...

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    1. Thank you, Rita. I am inspired by your journal pages and want to do better on that front myself. I also like to get the Indie Books papers at my bookshop.

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    2. I would encourage you to dip into the process of book journaling. Afterall, you do it so beautifully here! ~Rita

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  5. You of course! Writer friends, other colleagues, and the huge network of book people on Facebook--one of the greatest uses for social networking, IMHO.

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