It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?? – 10/24/11 Edition

It’s Monday! What Are you Reading? is hosted by Shelia of Book Journey. It is a chance to share what you have read and what you plan on reading in the upcoming week. I enjoy seeing what everyone’s reading plans for the week. I always find some titles that I just *had to add to my TBR list.

Last week looked like this for me:

Finished:  That Day In September – Artie Van Why (review)

Started the Book:  Mennonite in a Little Black Dress – Rhoda Janzen – about 1/2 done

Started the Audio Book:   Empire Falls – Richard Russo – about 1/2 done

Reviews Posted :

That Day In September  -  Artie Van Why

Heaven is For Real – Todd Burpo

My Plans for this week:

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. This is the book selection for November for my book group, “Books & Babble”.  Hope to finish this book this week. 

Empire Falls by Richard Russo is currently loading on my Zune and I hope to finish this book this week.

NEXT UP???

The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian – this book was mentioned as a good read for October so I downloaded it from Audible.com.
I have not read scary books in a long time. I seem to be more effected by them as an adult than when I was a teen.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is also downloaded from Audible waiting for me! The cover and title of this book totally creep me out. Can I handle two creepy books in one month???

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg is the November selection for my book group, “Wine, Women and Words”. Should be a nice book after reading Scary Book for October.

These are my reading plans for the week. What are you reading plans for the week??? Join in with Shelia at Book Journey and share your reading plans for the week!!

Happy Reading!!

Book Review: Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo

Title:  Heaven is for Real

Author: Todd Burpo

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson; Original edition (November 2, 2010)

ISBN-10:  0849946158

Pages:  192 pages

Format: Book

About the Book:

Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

Setting:  Imperial, Nebraska 

About the Author:   Todd Burpo is the pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska where his sermons are broadcast locally every Sunday via the local radio station. He volunteers at Chase County Public Schools as wrestling coach for Junior high school students, as well as serving as a member of the school board. In emergencies Todd can be found working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department as a fire fighter. He is also the chaplain for the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighter's Association. To support his family, Todd also operates a company called Overhead Door Specialists. Todd graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1991 summa cum laude with a BA in Theology. He was ordained in 1994. (from Amazon.com)

Related Media:

My Review:   Heaven is for Real was the monthly selection for my Wine, Women and Words book group.  Heaven is for Real is the recollections of Colton Burpo regarding his time in heaven after a near death experience associated with a burst appendix. The story is told, by Todd Burpo, Colton’s father who is also a pastor. It is not very often I can say a book gave me goose bumps, but Heaven is for Real did a few times.
It is a sweet, heartbreaking and what I believe to be an honest story. I think that the simple descriptions of Heaven by Colton are amazing. He doesn’t just come to his parents and tell them what he saw in Heaven. He slowly makes little comments that make the parents question him. The family slowly allows Colton to unravel his story over a long period of time.

One of the times I had goose bumps while reading Heaven is for Real was when Colton could tell his Dad where he was and what he was doing while Colton was in surgery. No one knew this but Todd Burpo. How could this 4 year old boy know? The last thing that I found extremely emotional and was of such comfort to me was Colton’s time with his sister. A sister, his parent’s didn’t tell him about as the mother had a miscarriage in early pregnancy. Having suffered a miscarriage, this gave me comfort to know that I may someday meet that child.

I am a Christian so I already have faith that my Father in Heaven looks after me and my family. Heaven Is For Real only makes me believe this more deeply. I adored Colton and the sweet, honest voice of this child to tell his story to the world. This is a great book for those seeking comfort from a recent lose of a loved one or miscarriage.

Heaven is for Real.......................good to know

My Rating: 4/5 not often a book gives me goose bumps. I stayed up past my bedtime reading Heaven is For Real.

Other Bloggers Reviews:

Book Journey

The Smitten Mittons

Happy Reading!

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Book Review: That Day In September by Art Van Why

Title:  That Day In September
Author:  Artie Van Why
Publisher:  Lulu.com (June 23, 2006)
Web: http://www.thatdayinseptember.blogspot.com/
ISBN-10:  1411683153
Pages:  108 pages
Format: Paperback

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)

We all have our stories to tell of where we were the morning of September 11, 2001. This is one of them. In "That Day In September" Artie Van Why gives an eyewitness account of that fateful morning. From the moment he heard "a loud boom" in his office across from the World Trade Center, to stepping out onto the street, Artie vividly transports the reader back to the day that changed our lives and our country forever. "That Day In September" takes you beyond the events of that morning. By sharing his thoughts, fears, and hopes, Artie expresses what it was like to be in New York City in the weeks and months following. The reader comes away from "That Day In September" with not only a more intimate understanding of the events of that day, but also with a personal glimpse of how one person's life was dramatically changed forever.

Setting:  New York, September 11th – Ground Zero

About the Author: (from Goodreads.com)

Originally from Maryland, Artie Van Why moved to New York City in November of 1977 to pursue an acting career; albeit a slightly successful one.

Artie left show business in 1988 to enter the corporate world; as a word processor. He worked for the same law firm in midtown Manhattan for thirteen years. In June of 2001, his firm moved to other quarters downtown, across from the World Trade Center. Artie was at work the morning of September 11th, and witnessed the horror of that day from the streets.

He quit his job after three weeks of being back at his office's building near what was now called Ground Zero. He began writing about his experience of that day and the days and weeks following, giving a vivid accounting of what it was like to be in New York City on that day in September, and afterwards.

Interview with the Author:

My Review:  Artie Van Why contacted me via my blog and asked if I would be willing to review his book.   With the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 on my mind, it seemed a perfect time to revisit this tragedy through Van Why’s recollections of that day and the days surrounding the attack on New York. 

As many people will tell you, they know exactly where they were when they heard about the attack or saw it on TV.   I was getting ready for work.  I was 8 months pregnant with my youngest son.   My oldest son was watching TV, home sick from school, with my hubby.   They were watching the Today show reporting about the first plane.  I came out to watch in complete disbelief as we saw the second plane hit live on TV.   I can’t begin to explain the feelings I had.   A desire to protect my children so strong and such a sense of fear.   I had that strong of a reaction and I was in the Midwest.  I can’t even begin to comprehend the feelings that Artie Van Why had on that day. 

Artie gives what I believe to be a honest recollection of the events of that day.  He didn’t sensationalize the event or his part.   He did a wonderful job of helping the reader to “feel” his feelings that day and the days that followed.   I found tears in my eyes more than once in this short read.  I was so drawn into the first hand account of Van Why’s actions and feelings that I read the book in one sitting.   Some of his descriptions were so vivid that I am still thinking about them.   The following description will stay with me for a long time.  

“The man who had been running behind me from my right reached me and stopped. I turned to ask, “What do we do?” and was aware of someone falling on top of a pile of clothes just across the plaza. It took an instant to register that it wasn’t a pile of clothes. The person had fallen on a pile of bodies that were already lying there. I stood and stared as one body after another fell.”

What a powerful and heartbreaking vision.   I feel Artie Van Why provides good insight to the events of 9/11 and how  they effected his life and the city.   As a society we need to continue to remember and not forget the many people that died in 9/11 and the lasting effects the event had on rescue workers and survivors.  

My Rating: 4/5 – read the book in one sitting – engaging and emotional

Other Bloggers Reviews:

Life Between Pages

Kritters Ramblings

Let’s Book It

 

Happy Reading!

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Disclosure: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It’s Monday! What Are you Reading?? - October 17th

It’s Monday! What Are you Reading? is hosted by Shelia of Book Journey. It is a chance to share what you have read and what you plan on reading in the upcoming week. I enjoy seeing what everyone’s reading plans for the week. I always find some titles that I just *had to add to my TBR list.

Last week looked like this for me:

Finished the Book: The Stormchasers – Jenna Blum (audio)

Started the book: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress – Rhoda Janzen

Life has been crazy and reading has been on the back burning for the last couple of months.   I am hoping to find a lot more time to read in the upcoming months.   We have had a lot going on with family and moving my Father in Law into our home with us.   Though I don’t think I ever finish a book in September with all the start of the school activities going on anyways.   I hate to say it but I am almost looking forward to the MN winter so I can curl up inside and read while the snow flies.     

Posted Reviews for the following books:

None posted, but I did post about the 2011 Twin Cities Book Festival. 

My Plans for this week:

	That Day In September by Artie Van Why -  I have only a few pages left to finish this book.  I was requested by the author to read and review this book.
	Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen.   This is the book selection for November for my book group, “Books & Babble”. I am really looking forward to reading this book.  I have experience with the Hutterite community so this will bring back memories I am sure.
	Empire Falls by Richard Russo is currently loading on my Zune and I have just started to listen to it.  Reading simply because it was on my Zune after I finished my last audio!
NEXT UP???
	The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian – this book was mentioned as a good read for October so I downloaded it from Audible.com.   I have not read scary books in a long time.  I seem to be more effected by them as an adult than when I was a teen.
	Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  by Ransom Riggs is also downloaded from Audible waiting for me!   The cover and title of this book totally creep me out.   Can I handle two creepy books in one month???
	A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg is the November selection for my book group, “Wine, Women and Words”.  Should be a nice book after reading Scary Book for October.

These are my reading plans for the week. What are you reading plans for the week??? Join in with Shelia at Book Journey and share your reading plans for the week!!

Happy Reading!!

Twin Cities Book Festival - 2011

Rain Taxi presented the 11th Annual Twin Cities Book Festival at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. 

A sea of Books, Publishers and Authors.

I went to the event with my son and his fiancée.  We tried to listen to one presenter, Steven Pinker, discussing his most recent book, The Better Angels of Our Nature:  Why Violence Has Declined.  The room was standing room only and very hot.   Since we were standing we didn’t stay very long. 

We browsed through the vender area and met a few local authors.   The one thing I will say about this festival is the area is too small for it.  I bumped into people every time I moved.  Some booths of interest included, Minnesota Book Awards.   I plan on reading a couple of this year’s winners.   The award for Genre Fiction was Wendy' Webb’s The Tale of Halcyon Crane. 

Books of Interest by Local Authors:

Once There Were Castles by Larry Millett – architectural historian wrote a richly illustrated look at the lost mansions and estates of the Twin Cities.   Millet with have a live conversation with Garrison Keillor at the Fitzgerald Theater on November 7th.

Erin Hart – Haunted Ground, Lake of Sorrows and False Mermaid – delivers suspense, melding archaeology and modern forensics with Irish myth and mystery in the charged thrillers.

David P. Holmes, of Milaca, MN -  interesting author with a wide range of topics covered in his books.  His books include – Secrets, Salt of the Earth, Emily’s Run and Loose Gravel.  

Mary DesJarlais – wrote Dorie LaValle – a Minnesota Story of Moonshine and Murder.

Brian Landon – is a delightful author who wrote The Case of Unnecessary Sequel- A Doyle Malloy Murder.  If I remember correctly he also edited Why Did Santa Leave A Body? Yuletide Tales of Murder and Mayhem a collection of short stories by numerous MN mystery authors.

Nancy Baker – I bought two books from this author, Magel’s Daughter and Magel’s Ghost.  The covers drew me in and then my conversation with this author really peaked my interest.   Not the typical type of book I would read and review, but I am looking forward to reading Nancy

Technorati Tags:

’s books.  

On the way home we drove by the Hennepin County Central Library.  I had never been there, so we stopped off to check it out.  This library is state of the art and HUGE!

The Library had an exhibit about libraries through the time.

My hometown library had a card catalog just like this!!   I wonder if it is still being used?  Micro Fiche reader….man the hours I spent reading on one of those in college.   Isn’t amazing the things our children would have no clue about??  

Loved the flow of this library.

The kids area’s whimsical book holders for displays.  Loved the one on the spring.

Statue in the Atrium

I absolutely love the energy of the city.   I rarely head over to Minneapolis as we usually go to St Paul.  St Paul is just closer to home and more convenient.    I think if I was a single person it would be great to live downtown.   The weather in MN was very nice today so people were out everywhere.  One thing I saw that I just had to take a picture of was the Pedal Pub.

Yep….they are pedaling and drinking beer around the city.  It made me laugh and it was funny watching them trying to get started at ever stoplight. 

Well that was our day, filled with book related fun and great people!

Happy Reading!!

Guest Review: The Long Run by Matt Long and Charles Butler

Title: The Long Run: A New York City Firefighter's Triumphant Comeback from Crash Victim to Elite Athlete
Author: Matt Long and Charles Butler
Publisher: Rodale Books
Web: http://www.mattslongrun.com
Date of Publication: October 12, 2010
ISBN-10: 160529246X
Pages: 264 pages
Format: Kindle eBook

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)
Matt Long had no chance. He was cycling to the firehouse when a 20-ton bus turned, making an illegal turn, and hit him. Sucked under the chassis, he sustained injuries serious enough to necessitate 40 operations. And then the real recovery began. This veteran marathoner and brave firefighter had faced challenges before, but even he had never experienced such physical and psychological pain. Yet just three years later, Matt Long ran in the 2008 New York City Marathon. A "Running Saved My Life" memoir that you won't forget.

Related Media:

About the Author: Charles Butler is the coauthor, with Matt Long, of "The Long Run: A New York City Firefighter's Triumphant Comeback from Crash Victim to Elite Athlete." Charlie is also an editor at Runner's World magazine and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, SmartMoney, Good Housekeeping, among other publications. (Amazon.com)

My Review: There are so many inspiring stories on television, in movies and in books, but this story is true.

You really get to know Matt well through his story. Sometimes you might think you know him too well. Honestly, at times it was hard to read about the injuries Matt endured, but it sure helps you to understand vividly how far he made it.

Matt was lucky to be able to walk again after his accident. With his strong determination, and a great network of friends and family he was able to go far beyond regaining the ability to walk.

I had not gone running in quite a while before reading this book. I had all kinds of excuses why I couldn't. After reading this book, I started running again. It really made all my excuses seem pathetic.

My Rating: 5/5 – You don’t need to be a runner to be moved by Matt’s story and to be inspired by it.

Other Bloggers Reviews:

She is Too Fond of Books

Redlady’s Reading Room

Stacy’s Books

Book Journey

Book Review: The Pioneer Woman- Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

Title: The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels:  A Love Story
Author: Ree Drummond
Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition, First Printing edition (February 1, 2011)
Web: http://thepioneerwoman.com/
ISBN: 0061997161
Pages: 352 pages
Format: Hardcover from the Ramsey County Library

About the Book: (from Booklist)

Popular blogger and cookbook author Drummond shares the story of her courtship and marriage to her husband, whom she refers to as Marlboro Man. Though Drummond grew up in Oklahoma, she never imagined she’d end up there for good. After four years of college in Los Angeles, Drummond was only making a pit stop home before moving to Chicago. A chance encounter with a devastatingly masculine cowboy in a local bar changes everything. Though several months elapse before Marlboro Man calls her, the spark between them ignites as soon as they start dating. A rancher with deep roots in the land he works, Marlboro Man isn’t going anywhere, which means Drummond has to decide whether, to be with him, she’s willing to give up her dream of moving to Chicago. By the time Marlboro Man proposes, the decision is made, and Drummond prepares to marry the love of her life and discover what being a rancher’s wife will entail. Charming and bright, Drummond’s story will be an inspiration to those who despair of finding old-fashioned, lasting love. --Kristine Huntley

Setting:  Drummond’s Ranch – Pawhuska, Oklahoma

About the Author:   Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman is from Pawhuska, Oklahoma.    Ree turned away from the city life by marrying a cattle rancher and moving to his home in the middle of the country.  Together, they have four children. 

Pioneer Woman all started as a simply blog, which has continued to grow in popularity!  Ree Drummand has a book, cookbook, a upcoming cooking show on the Food Network as well as a movie adaptation of her book in the works.  

 

 

 

Related Media:

Ree Drummond – talking about recording the audiobook.

Ree Drummond: 2010 National Book Festival 

My Review:  I chose to read The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels because I am a long standing fan of “The Pioneer Woman”, her blog as well as her cookbook.   We LOVE her Sangria recipe!   I started reading her blog Confessions of a Pioneer Woman in the early years of the blog, so The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels felt like reading an old friend’s story.   While the writing may not be great, the book is written very similar to her blog, which I love.   Ree Drummond has a wonderful sense of humor, sprinkled with just the right amount of sarcasm, which I simply love.    The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels is a light and quick read. 

The Pioneer Woman Black Heels to Tractor Wheels is about Ree’s transformation from City Girl to Country Girl and all the mishaps and adjustments that required.     It is an honest and humorous story.  Black Heels to Tractor Wheels shows how love and motherhood can change a person in ways they didn’t realize possible.  As well as how love can get you through all the ups and downs of life!  Ree Drummond’s depiction of life on the ranch is engaging and wonderfully funny when told in her voice.

I must share how wonderful Ree Drummond’s photography of life on the ranch is.  She captures the true spirit of the life and some very handsome cowboys.   I grew up in South Dakota so the farm life is very familiar to me and something that I miss to some extent now living in the city.

I also read that Ree Drummond has sold the rights of the books for a movie to be made.  I look forward to seeing who is cast in the roll of The Pioneer Woman!  

My Rating: 4/5 – a light and enjoyable read.  Especially enjoyable to follower of Confessions of a Pioneer Woman blog.

Other Bloggers Reviews:

Silly Little Mischief

2 Kids and Tired Books 

Reading For Sanity

Happy Reading!

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing