The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings #7

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE.

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Skyscraper of a Man is a truly American story. Rooted in the homogenous suburbs of the 1970s, the novel explores the American propensity to pursue great ambitions, regardless of upbringing, that can result in lives that are larger than life. The four main characters meet at college and forge such lives, each achieving remarkable success in their chosen pursuits while condoning the choices that enable their success. The main character, Benjamin Franklin Matthews, the son of a printer and avid Revolutionary War buff, believes deeply in America, its founding principles, and “by the people, for the people” government. Inspired by the grand ideals of the Founding Fathers, Ben starts a newspaper and runs for political office, efforts aimed at righting a nation he perceives as falling short of its potential and promise. His three college friends, a writer who is also his business partner, a television news anchorwoman who was his lover, and a former college football star, play contributing roles in his rise to national prominence. In the end, Ben learns that grand ideals are elusive, difficult to maintain, and better left to the perfect among us. 

Book Beginnings: Few can truly relate, but most would judge my circumstances during the fifteen years as quite fortunate. I know I do.

The Friday 56:  After a short silence, I observed, "The vote was nine to one. Who do you think voted against us?"

Both sure of the nay vote, Ben and I looked at one another, smiled and simultaneously declared, "Sweeney," before breaking into gut-busting laughter.

What are you reading this week? What do you think of this book?

On reading Shakespeare with my sister

My family is big on reading. Like, BIG on reading. Dad would read us Dr. Seuss every night before bed, the parents would take us to the library at least once a week, Mum tried to read us The Hobbit (but gave up after a few chapters because some of the kids were way too young to care or appreciate it), and Mum was always reading in her free time (even enforcing a “quiet time” in our rooms a couple times a week so she could have some peace to read). As we grew up more, introducing each other to new books was an important part of my life and my siblings’ lives.
There was one period of time that was especially interesting. I took a Shakespeare class in high school and fell in love. Wanting to expand my knowledge and read more, I decided to start reading Shakespeare at home. But reading to myself made it difficult to follow along (it can be tough to know what exactly he’s saying if you accidentally skim parts of it). So I enlisted the help of my then twelve-year-old sister. We’d assign characters and spend hours reading Shakespeare plays out loud in the front room. We made it through Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night and a few others before I moved away to college.
It’s been a few years (obviously), but last year, my sister called me up and asked to read Shakespeare with me again. SInce we live in different states, we opened Skype, assigned characters to read, and got down to business with Shakespeare Henry V. She’s now the age I was when we started this, so it was interesting to see how her love of Shakespeare has changed over time and how much more she understood this time around.
And I realized that reading Shakespeare is so different when you’re experiencing it with someone. Often, we’d stop and talk about parts that interested us or wording that was confusing or the reasons good ole Will would include certain pieces of dialogue. And in doing this with my sister, we got to connected over something we both love and share that experience together - Henry V will now always remind me of my little sister stumbling through very long speeches about war and patriotism.
It took a few days, but we powered through and were able to discuss the famous speeches, the significance of the play, the confusing parts, the inspirational parts, the parts that made us laugh. We couldn’t do that a few years ago, but both of us are much smarter, better read, and more knowledgeable than we were when we first did this. And I think this ultimately brought us a lot closer.


How do you read plays? Do you like to read Shakespeare aloud or is it easy enough for you to understand while reading to yourself?

On my mystery picks

Mystery is a genre I honestly haven't read a lot of. My mum is a hardcore mystery reader - when I was a kid, she read little else. I didn't take after her. While I read mysteries now and then, it definitely isn't my bread-and-butter. Which is one reason I was kind of excited to write this post - it was a great opportunity to take a good look at the mysteries that I've loved and what makes a good mystery. Writing this post made it even clearer that I'm not a mystery reader - it took a lot of digging through my "read" shelf to find a bunch that I liked. But it was fun to remember why some of these books were wonderful. And if you're looking for a good mystery, now you have a few suggestions:

• Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski - I haven't blogged about this book enough. It's one of the better mysteries I've ever read, but I don't get many chances to talk about it. It was so unlike anything else I've read that it's hard to blog about it without specifically thinking about this book. An old cold case is brought to public attention again when the death of Tom Jeffries becomes the focus of a new podcast - and everyone involved is suddenly thrust back into the events of many years ago. This was one of the better books I read in 2017 and it needs more attention than it's getting.

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - As a kid, this book rocked my world - and the ending shocked me beyond anything else I'd read up to that point. This story about solving clues to win a bunch of money is hilarious and perfect for any middle grade reader.

• Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket - I've read few authors that make me chuckle as much as Lemony Snicket. This is another delightful children's mystery - though it may end up leaving you with more questions than answers.

• Crooked House by Agatha Christie - It wouldn't be a mystery list without Agatha Christie and I hadn't read this mystery story of hers until recently. As always, Agatha Christie leaves you guessing who the murderer is until the very end and makes you suspect everyone. This story is no different and she does a better job than usual of ensuring that you feel you can't trust a single character.

What mystery books would add to this list? Are there any good mystery book blogs you can recommend to me (so I can expand my mystery book collection)? Have you read anything from this list?

Music Monday #7

Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE.

Guys! It's so nice out! It actually feels like spring and life is so happy. Plus, there are great books and good music to enjoy, so what more could one want?

In all seriousness, though, life has been chaotic these past few weeks and I've needed some upbeat and inspiring music to belt out. Here are a couple songs I've been rocking to lately.

I've long enjoyed Belle & Sebastian, but I hadn't heard this song until recently. I was looking through a bookstore and they were playing B&S non-stop and this track came on and I immediately added it to one of my playlists. And it's hardly been out of my head since. 

The Mountain Goats are another band that I've enjoyed for a long time. Their newest album is odd and a much different sound for them, but I've liked it more than I thought I would. This is one of the songs that's been stuck in my head quite a bit and it chugs along in a way that encourages me to keep moving forward.

Do you listen to either of these bands? What have you been listening to lately? What music has caught your ear from this meme this week?

4 types of diversity we need more of in books

I recently read The Pixie Chronicles' post 8 types of diversity books need more of and was so inspired by it. It's an excellent list and highlights the good and the bad of bookish diversity - and shows some pretty obvious holes in bookish inclusion. With that post in mind, I'd like to expand by adding my own thoughts on additional diversity we need in the bookish community - and offer a couple books in each category that do this well.

Mental illness besides anxiety and depression 

I have loved the good publicity mental health issues have been getting in recent years, but there's still a lot of work to be done. I've enjoyed reading book after book about depression and anxiety, but I think the bookish community (especially YA bookish people) could benefit a lot from seeing more mental illness and how it can affect people - and how people deal with it. 

Books that handle it well

    

Wheelchairs

This is one diverse category that I've only seen once or twice in books and I'd love to see more. I didn't realize how difficult being a wheelchair could be until I became friends with a few people in wheelchairs and realized how difficult just going to see a friend can be if their home isn't accessible enough. I want to see more of this in media in general - and especially in books.

Books that handle it well

 

Religion

I partly got thinking about this because The Pixie Chronicles mentioned this one, so I am including this to put an emphasis on this. In recent years, religion has become something that people don't really talk about - and especially in books, people often don't view religion as being an important piece of diversity. I personally really think that religion is part of diversity -people all over the world believe in different things and it colors their culture and traditions. I love reading about character for whom religion is important while they also deal with their other conflicts.

Books that handle it well

    

Polynesian characters

I've been so impressed with all the racial diversity that I've been seeing recently in media (especially books), but we very rarely see polynesian characters in books or movies. While Pacific Islanders are a somewhat smaller group of people, it's still important that they get included in literature, as they have a rich culture that's often overlooked.

Books that handle it well

    

Want to help promote disabled diversity and help real-life people in addition to reading books with diversity? Creative Souls is a company that gives disabled people a chance to use artwork to stay employed. The company provides disabled individuals with the supplies to decorate shoes and then sells the shoes while giving the artist a profit. They're also currently working towards buying a printer so that they can print artists' designs on shoes instead of having to paint them by hand (and so they can sell multiple copies of the same shoes in different sizes). This will help artists make much more money off the same piece of artwork (aka making fair wages for their work). If you know someone who could benefit from this job (or who would love a hand-painted pair of shoes), spread the word!

Have you read any of these books? What kinds of diversity would you like to see more of in books? What books would you add to these lists? How do you help real-life diverse people?

April 2018: Best and Strangest

Guys - it's been a crazy month. The semester is wrapping up, I've been working an insane amount, and yet, I've read more this month than I did during any other month so far this year. 26 books - can you believe that?! Partly, this is due to Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon, which I participated in for the first time (and had so much fun). I have no hope of reading this much next month, but I'm so glad I got this much done. As always, we'll talk briefly about what the best and strangest books I read this month are, and then move on to the rest of everything I read. So hang in there - there's a lot.

BEST

★★★★★

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien is a book that I've long told myself I'd finally get around to reading and this month I actually did it. I'd heard it was slow and long and a lot to take in and in some ways, it was all those things, but I mostly found it to be a delightful and thoroughly enjoyable read - especially when you take into account that all of modern fantasy has built on this series. If you're one of the few fantasy readers who hasn't gotten around to LOTR, the time to start is now.

STRANGEST

★★★★

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is one of the more original books I've read in a long time. The heroes are unlikable and often blind to anything outside themselves, the magic system is unlike any I've ever read before, and the supporting characters are some of the more delightful characters I've ever read. Plus, the whole book sounds like it walked out of the Napoleonic era and it's utterly bizarre and wonderful. For a unique fantasy story, you need look no further than this (and it's about 1000 pages, so it'll take you awhile to get through).

THE REST OF APRIL'S BOOKS

★★★★

★★

★★★

★★★

★★

★★

★★

★★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★★

★★★

★★★

★★

★★★

    

★★★ each

★★

★★★

★★★

This month, the most visited blog post on The Bibliotaph was my Dewey's Readathon updates post. I had so much fun writing that post over the course of the day and it was wonderful to be so productive on a Saturday! I also loved interacting with the bookish Twitter community. All in all, it was a great day and I'm glad we had so many new visitors to the blog!

What books did you read this month? Have you read any of the books listed here? What are you looking forward to reading next month?

Bookish Q&A tag!

I saw this post over at Charis Rae and immediately got thinking about how I'd answer each question. I've got a lot of thoughts, so here we go!

• What books do you remember reading that kick-started your bookworm habit? 

I have a lot of books that got me started reading, but two really come to mind as getting me interested in fantasy and helping me realize how much fun reading could be - A Wrinkle in Time and Dealing with Dragons. Both star young heroines who learn to be independent and stand on their own. A Wrinkle in Time was recommended to me by my mom and it helped me really appreciate what a huge reader she is and trust her taste in books. Dealing with Dragons was one of the first chapter books I read and I found it on my own at the public library -and quickly devoured the entire series. I can hardly remember most of the plot, but I will always hold that series dear for how it influenced me.

  

• What genres do you normally choose?

I'm a lover of fantasy and women's issues. Fantasy with strong, independent women are the best kinds. While I read a lot of odds and ends, fantasy will always be my ultimate favorite genre. I've also been growing to love science fiction and contemporary novels about difficult issues. 

• Do you eat while you read and if yes, what exactly?

I don't usually eat while I read, but I will if I'm reading during a meal or if I get hungry while reading. I had a job for a while that allowed me lunch breaks alone in my office, so I'd eat lunch while I read. While I'm at home, I usually read during mealtimes when I'm home alone. I also drink a lot of tea while reading -  making a cup of tea is a relaxing and quick break from a book.

• Are there any scenes from your favorite novels that you remember vividly?

Oh, where do I start? There are a lot of good books to consider.

• The scene from Pastwatch when the researcher become fixated on her ancestors and watches their troubles over and over.
• Driving around the lake in The Things They Carried
• Talking about whales in Love Among the Walnuts
• The scene where our heroes witness genocide in Gregor and the Code of Claw
• Chewing out professors who only speak five languages in Flowers for Algernon

      

  

• Are there any least favorites?

I try not to waste blogspace and time talking about books I don't like, so I'll keep this short. I don't like unrealistic and mean characters and I have little patience for plot inconsistencies.

• So as you're a bookworm, what are you currently reading today?

I have a couple books that I've been working through for a bit that I'm really intrigued by - Guards! Guards! and Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest. Loverboy and I have been reading a lot of fantasy to each other and, while it's so much fun, it certainly takes awhile and we won't be finishing Guards! Guards! anytime soon. I've also been on a bit of a religiosity kick during 2018, so I'm reading a book comparing Catholic and Mormon doctrine (at the suggestion of a formerly Catholic friend who is now Mormon). I'm excited to be expanding my worldview a bit by gaining more understanding of people's beliefs.

  

• What do you plan to read next?

This is a tough question. As I write this, the May #BowieBookClub read hasn't been announced yet, so I'll be waiting on that. I've decided that it's time I finally read The Fellowship of the Ring - how dare I call myself a fantasy reader if I haven't even tried LOTR! My next church book club read (that I haven't gotten to yet) is Before We Were Yours, but I'm still waiting on that from the library (it's a very popular book right now), so I probably won't read that for a bit. I'm also wanting to keep reading Ursula Le Guin, so I'm hoping to get my hands on The Tombs of Atuan soon.

    

• Have you got a large bookshelf or do you plan to?

I currently have one medium bookshelf, one large bookshelf, and one small bookshelf (that functions as a nightstand). Since I keep some things besides books on shelves (pictures, D&D miniatures, boxes, etc), there isn't enough room for all the books I have - which is such a pity. I recently went to a home where there was a wall that was entirely covered in bookshelves. That is now my dream when I have a place big enough and enough books to fill the shelves. SOMEDAY.

• Do you like Indie or Traditional books better?

I tend to like traditional books better - mostly because I can more easily trust that they'll be high-quality and well-edited and make sense. I've read some really wonderful indie books, but you have to sift through a lot of crap before you can get around to quality, while I know most traditional books I pick up will be someone's favorite.

• And lastly, what's your favorite and least favorite parts of the book community?

I have a really hard time connecting with publishers and that has been very frustrating for me. While I really appreciate when people have reached out to me to read their ARCs, it's so difficult to actually get a copy because 1) people take years to respond to emails and 2) it feels like there's so much unnecessary stuff to sort out before I can get the ARC that the publisher contacted me about (like if you want me to read the book, why are you being so difficult?!).

But I've loved how welcoming and sweet the bookish community is. Overall, it's a very positive space and everyone is so excited to share blogging tips and book recommendations. I've really loved getting to be part of it and being exposed to all sorts of books I wouldn't have heard of otherwise!

What books did you enjoy as a child? What do you love and hate about the bookish community? Traditional or indie books? How many bookshelves do you have?