The first time I saw a the term “Tag” I erroneously thought the author was referring to a search word for a book. For example, “I want a book about England in the 1800’s and includes a nice battle scene.” My inner librarian / reference addict would then type (1) England, (2) 1800’s, (3) battle into the search box. But this is so much better! Tags are more like little threads and people can be “tagged” (like the game) or can voluntarily enter. So, the tag takes on a life of its own and becomes a delightful little conversation taking place in many different sites.

I found this tag over on the delightful Thrice Read and it really resonated with me, especially since I am still purging after reading The Complete Book of Clean. So, here I go with my first ever tag.

A little side note: this Tag becomes tricky for me because I do not bother with negative reviews. But, I am going to make it work.

(1) The Struggle of Getting Started: a book or series that you have struggled to begin because of its size.

This is a hunk of a book (pun totally intended) and I really wanted to read it but, to be honest, it hurt my puny little wrists to hold. I kept borrowing but not diving into it. I finally downloaded it on my e-reader and I have never looked back. Now, I am a huge fan and my puny wrists are safe and sound.

 

 

 

(2) Cleaning Out the Closet: a book or series that you want to offload.

I will only part with this book because I have two copies. I saw this copy in a little free library and I took it in a panic. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen to it but it is safe now. Anyone want it?

 

 

 

 

(3) Opening the Window and Letting in Some Fresh Air: a book that was refreshing

There are so many books out there that are written from the perspective of a child intended for children to read that are rife with peril. It is exhausting. It is almost like, as adults, we have forgotten how hard it is to be a kid and so we add things like death, divorce and large scale crisis to all the books (and movies) intended for this aged audience. Since I tutor and interact with students in elementary school I am always on the look out for books that are really about kid things.  Gertie’s Leap to Greatness hits the nail right on the head. Even though it includes parental abandonment (no spoiler – it’s right on the dust jacket) Gertie is more concerned with new kids at school, teacher favoritism and trying to be the best 5th grader ever. It was so refreshing.

(4) Washing Out Stained Sheets: a book where you wish you could re-write a certain scene 

Mmmhhhmmm.  We all know why I put this here.

(5) Throwing Out Unnecessary Knick-Knacks: a book in a series you didn’t feel was necessary

This book is as superbly written and enjoyable as anything else I have read by Dave Duncan. And, I can see how it is connected to the rest of the Chronicles’ of the King’s Blades series but it is so very different it almost felt like it should be on its own. Or there should be more books written that are similar to this story.  Hint, hint Mr. Duncan.

 

 

 

(6) Polishing the Doorknobs: a book that had a clean finish.

Hug it, kiss it and love it forever. Echo is the book that you recommend. Then, when your friend is halfway though, they give you the side-eye and frown. You can tell they are wondering, “Why would you give me this?!?” With your encouragement they read until the end and join you in the bliss that is this book. You can read my more complete (spoiler-free, of course) review here.

 

 

(7) Reaching to Dust the Ceiling Fan: a book that tried to hard to relay a certain message

These were good books but the theme was a little over done – you do not have to have external beauty to validate your existence.  They have compelling characters and a building storyline but this is the only series I could think of that fits into this question.

(8) The Tiring but Satisfying Finish of Spring Cleaning: the book or series that was hard to get through but completely worth it.

Darn, I should have kept Outlander for here!  Ah well, here is my other pick.

Zero complaints here. These books were amazing. For me, the most difficult thing was that I became a fan when the first book was published. By the time the second book came out, I had to go back and catch myself up on the who, what, when, where and why. Repeat for the third book. It was totally and completely worth it. These books are amazing.

And there it is, my first tag! Thanks again to Thrice Read for inspiring me and putting out a general tag to be shared. For anyone that has yet to do some Spring Cleaning – tag, you are it!

I am back in the book saddle!!! After a long two weeks not finding anything that sparked my interest I have read three books in the last two days. Sometimes you just have to take a step back. I took a little friend of mine to see the new Disney remake of Beauty and the Beast. I am not a huge Disney fan but this was an enjoyable remake. And it spurned me to look into the story that started it all.

There are dozens of retellings of the tale as old as time. In fact, while researching for this post I found multiple blogs ranking the retellings as well as a Goodreads list of 122 of the top retellings of Beauty and the Beast. My favorite list however has to be from book riot.com.

I was surprised by the number and variety of this story.  Truthfully, I have never been a fan. Beautiful girl is kept captive by a cruel hideous man-beast but since she is now living in the lap of luxury she….sigh…..feels bad for him and grudgingly comes to love him. Then he is pretty too! Barf.

But, Robin McKinley’s Beauty is the retelling that makes me believe in the fairy tale. Here, Beauty is a nickname given to the least pretty of a trio of sisters. She is dedicated to her family and her education above anything else. Their merchant father is rich, due to his vast shipping empire, and the older two daughters have fallen in love and life looks grand. Then, the shipping empire crumbles and the the family is forced to move to the country and live a much more simple life.

In the country their new home is on the edge of the forest. They must scrub their own floors and make their own food and work and work. But, because they love each other it is all working out and they are happy. Until dear old Dad wanders into the forest and we meet the Beast and his demands.

From here the storyline becomes more familiar but still contains elements unique enough to be interesting. I won’t spoil it but I really enjoyed the Beast and the cast of (limited) characters that live in the castle. If Beauty is not so pretty, the Beast is, likewise, not so awful. He is kind and gentle from the start. Still hideous though.

I think that if you enjoyed Disney’s original or new live action Beauty and the Beast you will, likewise find Beauty to be a good story.  But, if you just really can’t see the appeal of Belle this story might be right up your alley.  And, don’t worry, the author didn’t neglect the amazing library.

For me, this book was an eighty-six page epiphany.  Ben Lerner argues, “Many more people agree they hate poetry than can agree what poetry is.”  I would never be capable of explicitly defining poetry.  Before the book I would have said I liked poetry.  Now I feel that I don’t really know what poetry is and the little exposure I have to it has been unchallenging.

When I read a book I use my little note card system.  I just take a 3×5 and jot down things to look up, items that interest me and sometimes quotes I love.  Then I use it as a bookmark.  This slim little book’s notecard is covered in things I had never heard of, people to research and mind blowing new ideas.  I was delighted to find someone else’s little list tucked into the back of this library book.

 

Of all the things written on the front and back of the notecard there were two items that will stick with me forever.  One is Emily Dickinson’s envelope writings.  I had, obviously, heard of Dickinson.  I was completely unfamiliar with her envelopes.  Now, I am obsessed.  I love the way each one is its own little unique piece.

The second is the idea that Plato felt poetry was so detrimental to society that it should be suppressed.  The author quotes Olinde Rodrigues, “‘the power of the arts is…the most immediate and fastest way’ to achieve sociopolitical reform.'”  Visual arts and music are consumed more by the mainstream.  Perhaps this is why, as the author highlights, every few years they is a cry that poetry is dead.

I do not want poetry to die.  I want to be part of the struggle.  I will still always love Shel Silverstein, Robert Frost and Walt Whitman.  But I am looking forward to challenging myself until perhaps I too will decry “I hate poetry!” Not because I don’t understand it but because I have seen the possibilities and felt the limitations and embraced the frustration.