George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver, the American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor was born in 1864. His life was controlled by the rigid constraints of racism and slavery but nothing could kill his inner urges to educate himself and help keep his faith. Not all of George Washington Carver's life was controlled by racism. He was raised for a part of his life in a wonderful home of a white family who showed him faith and gave him the interest in plants that would one day make him one of the most famous African Americans in United states history.
George Washington Carver by John Perry tells the amazing story of one of Americas most influential scientists, fighting through slavery and racism to become a man many should look up to. Through all the obstacles he had to face he never gave up on his education or his faith. It was that inner strength that makes him an influential man of Americas history.
This book is a wonderful book, especially for students who want a quick read. This book tells the amazing life of the man many have come to know as the man who discovered over 143 uses of the peanut and so many other things.

January 7,2012

Quotation of the Day...

March Hare: Have some wine.

(Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea.)

Alice: I don't see any wine.

March Hare: There isn't any.

Alice: Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it.

March Hare: It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited.

One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado

Max Lucado's One Hand, Two Hands is a children's book written to show young children the many ways in which we can use our hands. From cleaning to clapping to grabbing and praying, Max Lucado describes the many ways we use our hands in a wonderful, sweet, easy for young children to understand manner.



The book is a quick and easy read for children who have just learned to read. It is beautifully illustrated by Gaby Hansen. I recommend this book for parents of young children, up to around age 6. I think this book is a great tool for parents to use when trying to show children the many ways in which they should be thankful to God in their daily life. I would use this book as a night time story but also as a tool for teaching childrent the ways to be thankful to God and how he has helped us. There is a great page in the back of the book that lists the many ways we use our hands.



This is a GREAT book. This book would be good to read to children who are starting to question how God affects their daily lives. I think more children's books need to be written to explain the many things we should be thankful for; many which we was adults forget about.

William F. Buckley (Christian Encounters) by Jeremy Lott

Last summer I read Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckley and fell in love with William Buckley. Not long after finishing the book I googled him and with in a few minutes found myself engrossed in You Tube clips featuring him.

When I saw this book was going to be released this summer, (after reading Jane Austen ) I marked my calendar and anticipated its release. It was worth it.

William F. Buckley Jr., the creator of National Review and host of Firing Line, was an enthusiastic, passionate, religious, driven and opinionated man. He believed in his ideals and never let anyone tell him he was wrong. Known as the "Father of Conservatism", he was an extraordinary man who needs to be looked up to for the mere fact that he stuck to his beliefs and never backed down; something you don't see much today.

This book is a great book for anyone like me who is interested in learning more about the man who many say started the conservative movement. You do not have to believe in the same things as he did, which I do not, but you have to admire a man who stuck to and fought for their beliefs.

This book is fantastic and only took me two nights to read. (It would only take one full day; great for the beach). I highly recommend this book to everyone.

***I also recommend reading Losing Mum and Pup by Buckley's son Christopher.***

Summer Reading List

I know it's been a while but what can I say... busy?



Anyway, excuses aside, it's time to "announce" the summer reading list once again.



You may notice some, as I like to call them, "repeat offenders" but I made a bet with myself that by the end of the year, at least, I could finish reading every book on my bookshlef that has been sitting there for over a year waiting to be read....



So here we go:

1. Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien
2. William F. Buckley (Christian Encounters Series) by Jeremy Lott
3. Twilight (The Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4. uncharted terriTORI by Tori Spelling
5. The Host: A Novel by Stephenie Meyer
6. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters
7. The Spellman Files [SPELLMAN FILES] by Lisa(Author) Lutz
8. The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer
9. Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger
10. Ps, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
11. High On Arrival by Mackenzie Phillips
12. The Best of Friends: Martha and Me by Mariana Pasternak
13. Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick
14. My Life in France (Movie Tie-In Edition) (Random House Movie Tie-In Books) by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme
15. I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler
16. Knit Two (Friday Night Knitting Club, No 2) by Kate Jacobs
17. Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
18. Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen
19. I Am Hutterite: The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Heritage by Mary-Ann Kirkby
20. High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly by Donald Spoto
21. How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood by William J. Mann
22. Cary Grant: A Biography by Marc Eliot
23. Moon River and Me: A Memoir by Andy Williams
24. Atonement by Ian McEwan
25. Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by Stacy A. Cordery

Happy Summer Reading!!

The Revolutionary Paul Revere by Joel J. Miller

The Revolutionary Paul Revere by Joel J. Miller outlined the life of one of American History's most well known beings. The book tells the story of a young man following in his father's footsteps who would one day wind up being known by every child who ever took an American History class in school. The book does not go into too much detail regarding his life but does paint the picture of a brave and honorable man who fought for what and who he believed in. Many people do not know the other side of Paul Revere and should. He is not only the man who warned the colonists during the American Revolution; he was a father, husband, politician, silversmith and so much more.

I was not fond of the book; many because I am not the largest American history buff. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to know what happened during the American Revolution and find out what the people who fought for our freedom was really like. It is not a horrible book it is in fact a well written, informative book about an amazing man who helped create the nation we live in today. For anyone who loves history, this is an excellent book for you. I would recommend this book for middle school or high school students especially so they can learn about the sacrifices made for their freedom.

Jane Austen

My attraction to Jane Austen only began about a year ago when this movie came out. Ever since seeing this movie I bought a book, and then a few of the recently released spoofs of Austen, watched the Anne Hathaway movie and even became obsessed with a mini series from the BBC... given it was a hybrid of Jane Austen and Alice in Wonderland. When I saw this book I HAD to read it.

Now, watching the movie about her, I never would have known the role religion held in Austen's life. No movie or simple biography about her has done her justice until now. This book by Peter Leithart was fantastic. You do not have to be an Austen-addict to enjoy it. There are great reference pages in the back which can help those who have never even held an Austen novel to understand who the characters in her novels are.

Jane Austen is not the person many have depicted her as being. Yes she was an author, but she was not a poor servant-type daughter of a man who made no money and needed to sell his daughters into marriage in order to sustain his life. Her books were not based on her. The men that did enter her life were not the drunken, boxing fools as they were depicted. She was an intelligent, independent woman who wrote based on her surroundings and managed to live her life the way she wanted to. She cared for her family but never got to enjoy the fame she would one day obtain because of her writings.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Austen.

** True Austen fans~ I do not recommend the spoofs**

Being a girl I of course have to let you know that this book is the perfect size for a purse so you can bring it anywhere! No big clunky books this time... It fit perfectly in my purse and even in the center console of the car.

Buried Alive

Buried Alive is a book about an American contractor who has his trust in others torn from him when a fellow colleague goes against the American Government and joins forces with a group of Iraqi Terrorists and kidnaps Roy Hallum, the contractor, and others. The book follows the trials and tribulations Roy and the others must go through while being held captive and what they had to go through in order to survive.

I was very excited about reading this book because I thought it was going to be an inside look into what really goes in with the Iraqi people when they kidnap and possibly a better look into what is really going on there. I was disappointed with this book. Although it is a quick read, I found it difficult to start and at times found myself dosing off mid-page. I've read other books about Americans being held captive, and I have found them very interesting. This book just did not do it for me. I found the writing to be a little bland and boring at times. Although it is a fascinating story, especially considering what this man went through, but the way in which it was presented fell flat with me.

The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister

Having seen this book on the list of possible books to review I was very excited. Being a lector at church, I thought this book would be very helpful for me in understanding the gospel a little better.

I began reading the book and quickly had flashbacks to my Ancient History course in College. I am very interested in history and learning about why certain days are named for certain Saints and what they did and why we celebrate certain holidays the way we did but something about this book made me feel as if a quiz was going to be handed out when I finished and I better take notes! The book reads like a textbook and when it isn't giving you pure, basic information, the author gives you some real life comparisons that really don't help. It took me quite a while to get through this book. I am still interested in all the aspects of the church and the liturgical year but I feel that this book did not help me answer the questions that I had. It is a great reference book for people who want to know what a particular event in the Catholic Year.

The Tallest of Smalls

In Max Lucado's new children's book, The Tallest of Smalls, a young boy name Ollie wants desperately to fit in with all the other people in the town of Stiltsville. The cool people of the town decide who can and who can not wear the stilts. One day he is finally chosen but soon finds out that it Is not what he expected it to be. When Ollie needs help, he finds that none of the cool people are there to help him. Ollie soon discovers what it is really like to be cool. It isn't until Jesus comes to him that he realizes he is perfect the way he is and that is he loved by those who matter most just the way he is.

More children's books need to be made and read to children with this message. Just because someone is in the cool crowd, it doesn't mean they are a good person. You really have to become a part of that group to find out that popularity does not make a person good. This is a wonderful book for parents to read to their children and keep reading to remind them of what it means to be loved. You are made the way you are and you shouldn't change it to fit in!

The Search for God and Guinness

Mostly everyone knows the name Guinness, the dark beer made in Ireland mostly drank on Saint Patrick's Day. But unless you have gone to Ireland or read about Arthur Guinness, the man who started the company, you would not know much else about this product. Returning from a trip to Ireland, relatives informed me of the nutritional value found within a Guinness. No one knew the spiritual and giving side that can be found inside each bottle. I had no idea the man who started a company brewing beer did such well for an entire country. You would never think someone who brews beer would care about the well being of a country and all the workers they employed. What amazed me more was the fact that as the years have gone on, the Guinness ancestors who took over the company kept on caring and doing all they could and more than what was already done to help the workers and families of this company. This book is great for anyone interested in both the wonderful company Guinness is and the amazing history of beer. Never would I have imagined it was around for so long. I chose to read this book because it was about Guinness, and being Irish you tend to have a special place in your heart for anything Ireland-related, but quickly found myself proud of the nation I came from and proud of the people it creates. Arthur Guinness was one of the few great business men of the late 18^th early 19^th century. He's the type of man who makes you proud to be Irish!

Kabul 24

In the book Kabul 24 by Henry O. Arnold and Ben Pearson, the story of Shelter Now International workers capture, trial and release from the Taliban is told in a profound way. The story goes further into detail than the news ever gave. How these individuals survived this event is unbelievable. To sum up the story, these individuals were set up by the Taliban and the people they thought they were helping. They were invited into these homes and used as game pieces in a well thought out game of strategy. These men KNEW what they were doing and actually thought out the best way to get the US!!! The capture of these workers happened just before 9/11 and it was planned to happen that way in order to attack the US. These amazing people dealt with the most uncivilized, disgusting people I have ever read about! The way these workers and some of their families describe what they went through actually made my heart beat in my throat at times. These workers used their belief in God to get through this unbelievable experience. All this took place because they THOUGHT these people were teaching Christianity and they weren't. No facts were checked, no investigations… It was almost like the Salem Witch Trials! No justice can take place when you are dealing with people like the Taliban. They don't care who you are, where you come from… they will kill you just for not being a Muslim. The charges these individuals faced were made up and in no way would they have stuck in the United States Judicial System. This is an AMAZING book… If you want to learn about how the Taliban and some people in Afghanistan treat foreigners you must read this book. I had no idea some of these people do the things they do to Americans. A movie based on this book will be coming out soon and I will be watching it! The authors did such a great job describing the pain these individuals went through. Although the book is about Christian missionaries, the majority of the book only discusses what they went through and doesn't make it all about the Christian faith so if you are concerned that this book will be filled with religious sentiment, I can honestly tell you it is not. Everyone should read this book… especially those who think the Taliban is not a real threat!

From Peanuts to the Pressbox

Eli Gold has been a sportscaster for over 25 years. He began his work as a young man, not even out of high school, on the radio and eventually landed on TV, doing commentary for NASCAR. Along the way he met many fellow sportscasters who would one day become well known to many, including Marv Albert and Bob Costas. Eli has covered a wide array of sporting events- from hockey to NASCAR. His dream began as a little boy listening to the radio before bed and even now has not diminished regardless of the success he has achieved as a renowned sportscaster.

Eli's book starts off telling the story of a young boy who dreamed of one day working on the radio, doing what he loved to do most- talking about sports. The book does not really go too deeply into Eli's life but it does describe the world of sports during the 1970's to today wonderfully. This book is wonderful for any sports enthusiast. Not being one myself, I still found myself pulled in to the many stories Eli tells about the world of sports and all the amazing people he got a chance to meet. A quick, great read!

Knockout Entrepreneur

In this book by Heavyweight Boxer George Foreman, the tools needed to succeed in life and business is given to you in an easy to understand manner. George Foreman gives you all the tools he used when building his business and tells you how to do it while showing you that if he didn't try he wouldn't be who he is. Along with the helpful tips given by George, he tells stories about what happened to him- during his boxing career, regarding the grill and much more. Not once while reading this book do you feel like you are reading a self help book. The way George tells stories about his life and how he made his business is comforting. The book makes you feel like you are talking to a close family friend, giving you advice when you are having a bad day and need a little boost. The advice given is things you may have heard all your life but they are very helpful. You never know what can happen to you if you try. There is always something better out there for you. George makes it seem like you can do everything you want as long as you believe in what you are trying to do. A wonderful book for everyone!

New Obsession????

A few weeks ago I saw online that the trailer for the new Tim Burton film was avaliable and clicked on to see. Little did I know that by watching that clip I would instantly be sucked into a new obsession.

The film, Alice in Wonderland, stars Johnny Depp (ahh I love him!), Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway (bleh) and others.

The movie looks amazing...I can't wait to see it.

Now that doesn't sound weird until you take a little look further into my brain. The reason I believe it is a new obsession is because I have watched the clip at least a dozen times, googled it more than that, started listening to the audio book of the Lewis Carroll novel, watched the Disney version, and even downloaded a song onto my iPod.

These are not normal events!!! I've been trying to figure out why I have become so fascinated by this movie and I think the reasons are (a) JOHNNY!!!! (b) JOHNNY AND TIM BURTON!!! and finally (c) a little part of me has always been obsessed with Alice in Wonderland.

My reason for explanation C is because when I was like 8 years old I used to watch one TV show before school every single day. It was called Adventures in Wonderland and I LOVED IT!!!!! I still miss it and look for it on DVD and iTunes. It was about a girl who would walk through her bedroom mirror and enter Wonderland and discover new things... My favorite episode was when she learned that Luden's Cherry Throat Drops were not candy; they were medicine and she should not eat them like candy... I know cheesy, but it's Disney!!! Oh and I also dressed as Alice for Halloween when I was I wanna say 6 and carried around my stuffed White Rabbit.

It was until a few weeks before the trailer came out that I had an unexplainable need to download the audio book of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll... partly because I got it for free, possibly because it is narrated by the same man who narrates Pushing Daisies, but I think I've always wanted to know what the book was like.

I still keep thinking about how my go-to movie is still Disney's Alice in Wonderland and how I watch it before I go to bed, which does give me weird dreams I have to say... I once dreamt I was dancing around a giant umbrella like the Walrus did

.... I know, I'm very strange....

Oh, did I mention my new love of croquet?!

I must stop and enjoy my new love of Alice in Wonderland for who knows how long it will last... It seems to have lasted 18 years.... who knows how much longer?!

Rick and Bubba

Rick and Bubba's Guide to Marriage is described as a humorous look into marriage. The book is comprised of a bunch of stories from both Rick and Bubba about their marriages, their children, and the many different aspects of being married. It's a quick and easy read.

Before reading this book, I noticed on Amazon.com that the similar book to this are written by people like Glenn Beck and being a fan of Glenn Beck I was excited to read this. I received the book and after about two chapters, completely lost interest in it. I really did not find them to have humorous stories; somewhat funny, if that, and many of the stories have been things men have been saying for years about their wives. I could be one of the few people who did not enjoy this book mainly because I am not married yet and do not know what it is like. I'm not quite sure. The expectation for this book was way too high for what I received. Next time I think something is going to be, let's say "Red-Neck" style funny, I'll just pop in one of my Blue Collar DVD's and listen to their views on marriage.

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

In The Noticer by Andy Andrews, an old man named Jones, not Mr. Jones-just Jones, comes into the lives of the citizens of a small town in Alabama. He goes from person to person, some looking for advice, others just living their life unaware of the advice they are about to receive from this stranger. No matter the age, Jones gives each citizen a comforting word of advice; a special way of finding some perspective in the lives they are living. From young teenagers to elderly women, the advice Jones gives changes the lives of each of these members of this town. Although no one knows him, he knows all of them.
The Noticer is one of those books you read where you may find yourself agreeing with what is said or not agreeing with what is said. The one thing that is repeated throughout the book is the need for perspective. The different ways in which the main character explains to each of the supporting characters what they need to do in order to enjoy their lives, or put their life in order, stunned me. They may seem like simple, common things, but not many of us take the time we need to think about what we are doing, or what we need to do, in order to find peace within our lives.

Summer Reading List

My goal for this summer is to read all the books I have been piling up on my bookshelf for over a year.

Here's the list:

Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

Losing Mum and Pup by Christopher Buckley

The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

(I'm hoping it doesn't give me a headache like that last time I attempted to read it)
PS I Love You by Cecilia Ahearn
Jane Austen
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea? by Chelsea Handler

I also plan on listening to the 3 audio books I have collected over the year.

You'd think I'd be able to atleast listen to a book...

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks

Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

(Audiobook purchased because the narrator is the same guy that narrated Pushing Daisies... It's been 17 days, 9 hours, 54 minutes....)

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

So... If I actually accomplish my goal of reading all these books I will have like 2 books left and God knows I am not re-reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison again... Freshman Year- English 02- "Find the symbolism of the yellow flower growing in the cracks of the sidewalk." Um, okay, it's a dandelion, a weed, they grow, nothing else!!!! (Yeah that didn't go well...) I guess I'll have to start re-collecting... Have a great summer. READ A GOOD BOOK!!!