A Fly on the Wall Sees All

Why do books make us laugh, make us cry, give us hope, and bring up our darkest fears? Why are some books banned, censored and omitted from libraries and publications?

Each person has there own answer and reason about these questions. For me reading is the great escape. I can jump into the characters head and experience the scene  emotion, and feelings of the story or I can be a fly on the wall and watch.  Reading Ray Bradberry's Fahrenheit 451 ten years apart was an interesting experience. So much was the same, yet so much had evolved over the last 9.5 years.

At the root of this book is Guy Montag self-discovery of the disillusion life he is living and the government and censorship that has been set up to enstill  this culture of thoughtless living. Books, learning, and thinking are no longer needed because the parlor and superiors provide you with everything you may need. While jets circle overhead, there is no way that a war may actually attack the city. A young girl disappears, but she was thinking and caused trouble. Guy's job as a fireman burning books and being part of the censorship is done with a smile on his face until someone dies for her books.  When Montag begins thinking for himself and reaching out to the only educated person he knows, his own moral discovery begins.

While I will not spoil the book for you or continue to analyze this book piece by piece (there are millions of reviews on this classic book), I do encourage everyone to read this book and think critically about why and how they read books. Montag lives in a world where books, education and culture are no longer prized. Where would you be without your education and culture?

I value my education and my love of reading above many, many things. I am grateful for the society and opportunities we have. While dsytopian literature probably won't happen, it is written to keep us aware of what could happen. Take a moment to reflect, become aware and read.

Tis the end of January on to 8.5 books of February.


Happy Reading!

What is Black, White and Red All Over?

Well it is not a zebra who is ran through red paint or my room for that matter. The circus is coming, and it is not your ordinary circus. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is an intricate account of illusions, deception, love, and the lasting connections our actions have on each other.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this reading was my second attempt. After finishing the book, I truly did like the story and the character development of Celia and Marco as their lives juxtaposed each other in the challenged intertwined in the circus. However, the amount of details and side stories combined with the jumping around in the time setting, made this book hard to follow at times.

I loved the brilliant description of some of the magic tents and the imagination used to create "Le Cirque des Reves" (the circus). It was truly remarkable. While this book has only been out a little over a year, in the future, I think it will climb its way atop many list as a  new classic.

I'm not sure if I agree if it is a true classic, but it is definitely a good read for any literary lover. Any writer who can make the characters and the setting and plot intertwine so closely deserve a second look. Not my favorite so far of 2013, but definitely a great read! Now onto one of my favorites: Fahrenheit 451!

Happy Reading!

Clowning Around and Burning Books-The Last Books of January

In case you haven't noticed, there is a nationwide flu epidemic occurring. While I have avoided the flu, I did manage to catch a nasty sinus infection. Reading and blogging have been slow this week. I did finish Killing Lincoln, and I'm about half way done with The Night Circus.

Now, this is my second time to start The Night Circus. Many people were reading it- book clubs, review groups. I just wasn't sure what it was all about. I read about 90 pages and thought it was odd. This time around, it is much better, but I have some advice. Watch the dates at the top of the page. Sometimes that is your only clue that the story is operating in different times. The layout of the heading chapters also gives you clues to the book.

In the Night Circus two older illusionist great a challenge to train and prove their younger students. The Night Circus becomes the venue. Reality is suspended in this 1880s-1900 based novel. That is as far as I am now. Go on and check it out!

The last official book of January will be Fahrenheit 451. I am so excited. As a high school student, it was one of my favorite books. Guy Montag adventure of self-discovery and a world where we can think is always a story I can read again.

At the end of the month or beginning of February, I will start Strengths-Based Leadership. (I encourage everyone to by the online version. Then you will have the code to take StrenghQuest and fine your Strengths) 

That is all for now! Thanks for all your support. This weekend, I will list the list of February books.

Happy Reading!

History Untold

It seems fitting that I finished the book surrounding President Lincoln's second inauguration and then tragic death as today we celebrate President Obama's second inauguration. While I only hope and pray for the President's safety today and in the future, it was powerful to read some of this book amid the capitol and inauguration craziness.  While a dreadful cold sent me home prematurely today has been a great celebration of how far our nation has come since the events of Killing Lincoln took place. Hope is in the air just like it was in 1864.

When I started Killing Lincoln, I was not quite sure what to expect. Well, it is not the political opinion of Bill O'Reilly on the events surrounding Lincolns death. In a great storytelling voice, I was taken back to the 1860s and those April days surrounding one of the greatest tragedies in American history. After a great appreciation for the Civil War period, hearing this fiction-like account of true events was great.

I cannot even imagine how much research went into this book to be able to account the multiple conspiracy theories, plotting, and events that surrounded the death of Lincoln. While the authors tell you when the facts become speculations, history is almost better than any story that could be written.

If you like history or even or just a good thriller, I encourage you to check out this great book on a sad American tragedy. (Warning: you may even learn a little more about Lincoln and the Civil War era)

And now, onto The Night Circus!

Happy Reading!

Presidential Weekend= Presidential Book

This week has flown by and the Presidential Inauguration is only a couple of days away. I am excited as I live close enough to DC to check out the excitement in the next few days. In preparation for the big event, I decided to learn more about another famous President and great orator, Abraham Lincoln. Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln is written as a thriller, but is a factual account of the end of the Civil War and the days leading up to and after the assassination of President Lincoln.

I am about half way done with the book and it is excellent. I cannot wait to complete the book. Reflecting on the book and reading parts of history, I haven't seen since Coach's AP US History class only brings a smile to my face. I learned to study and study hard in that class. Oh how far that has taken me!

I can't wait to tell you all more about this exciting book and reflect on it in the midst of the President's own inauguration!

In other news, after looking through The Purpose Driven Life, I have decided to post pone the book until Lent starts in mid- February. It is set-up to be read over 40 days, one chapter at a time. I think this will fit nicely in with that season.

I may add in another "Life Is Great Book" at the end of the Month.

Happy Reading!

When Liked Turned to Loved

Do you remember when you finally bought into the Harry Potter hype? I saw the first movie during its 2001 premiere. By Christmas I had just finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This was no longer a silly little series. It was an epic battle that I had to know the end and where each turn would take the characters.

For me Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban turned the series into a classic. In the book, we finally see Ron and Hermione develop into their own separate identities. Some of my favorite wizards are introduced in this book, Lupin, Sirius, and Fred and George (further developed).  As the series grows in complexity so does their importance.

Sirius Black long connection with the Potter family allows the readers to begin to see James and Lily Potter and truly how much Harry is like his father. While reading the book the first time, I truly hated Sirius. How could he have betrayed his friends? Then when the full story is revealed, I was almost in tears with joy in seeing the puzzle come together.

While there are many take aways from this story, I hope you remember you can change your fate. Your choices make you who you are. It is impossible to predict the future and one change, one challenge, one decision can send ripples through the future.

That is all for now as I do not want to give the entire book away. It is full of turns, escapes, rats, and unbelievable magic! Enjoy and take the time to fall in love with the Harry Potter series!

Happy Reading!

(PS: For all my anti-Harry Potter fans, this is it for January Harry Potter.)

The Riddle, The Basilisk, and The Phoneix

Happy Reading and Happy Weekend! So besides reading, I do enjoy many other things in life and Baltimore along with having an awesome job, hence I had to take a few days off from the blog (but not really from reading.)

The Chamber of Secrets has been open and closed. Saturday, I finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Let me start this post with this is my least favorite Harry Potter book in the series. After reading all seven books many times, the book makes much more sense in the grand picture of the quest Harry, Ron and Hermione serve throughout the book. The first time I read the book, I thought to myself this is weird.

Every time I read the Chamber of Secrets, I realize the importance of this book. We see the great trio emerge and the great lengths they will go to support the good versus evil battle. After establishing the familiar magical setting in book one, Rowling now uses the second book to bring out the magical characters and strong influence of fantasy literature. Talking animals, over-sized snakes, the phoenix all play critical roles in s book two. Other classic fairy tales such as The Chronicles of Narnia, The Wind and the Willows, and The Little White Horse utilize animals to send the protagonist to critical story changing moment or further develop the plot. Rowling continues this trend with Harry and the interplay of the magical creatures both wrecking havoc and saving the day at the end of book two.

Finally, book two is a riddle in many sense of the word. People, places and objects are not what they seem. The diary becomes Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle becomes Lord Voldemort. In later books, we learn the true reason why Tom Riddle was able to come out of the diary. The largest riddle to me comes in figuring out what is the hidden meaning or true purpose of this book? Many of the other books have some capstone point or mission that Harry reveals to the readers or Dumbledore shares with both Harry and the readers. While we learn more about Harry's world and we begin to see the character that becomes Lord Voldermort, I am not convinced that this book make since in the series as a stand alone book.

I am curious what are your thoughts on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?

(PS I'm about 200 pages into Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Boy Who Lived

Yes, I read the first Harry Potter in a little over 24 hours. Yes, I could write pages and pages on Harry Potter in fact I already have. Thanks to magical error in online registration, I ended up in college literature class on Harry Potter's themes in literature. By far it was one of the most interesting classes, I ever took at UT. All 6 books were linked to a literary classic. We wrote and reflected on the  similar themes, motifs and stories in the parallel books. Since everyone may not be a Potterhead, I will save my long winded Potter response for another post.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a classic good versus evil,quest fantasy tale. For those of you who have read other great fantasy classic, Rowling  like those before her uses this first book to help the reader become familiar with both the characters and not-so-normal world of Muggles, Witchcraft, and Hogwarts.

In my literature class, this book was linked to Sir Gawin and the Green Knight. The idea that Harry Potter is put on a quest in each novel is introduced. However, Dumbledore hints at the very end of the book that Harry has a greater purpose, yet he cannot reveled the plans at this time. A deeper, life alternating quest later unveils.

For the reader who likes to delve deeper and it skeptical of Harry Potter, keep reading. As Harry Potter gets older so does the level of reading, content, and symbolism in the Potter series.


(On a personal note, this review is hard to write, as I have read Harry Potter many times and rarely concentrate on one book at a time. Each blog post will get better.)

Happy Reading!

Week 2 Books- Finding the Magic

I have a confession. I no longer can count how many times I have read Harry Potter 1-5. ( You can blame college on the lack of repeat readings of 6 & 7) I love this series. It has to be one of my all time favorite series. I have easily read 1-5 over six times that I can remember, but there may be more times. The Harry Potter Series saved me and my love of reading ten years ago.

After four years of a competitive, but successful Accelerated Reader program in elementary school, I was tired of reading and stopped. Reading was no longer fun. A few years later the Harry Potter movie came out. I was amazed. I read the entire series (1-4) in a few weeks. I loved reading again. The magic was back in reading for me.

This week I am starting the series from the beginning.

Week 2
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Azkaban

As I have started reading these books, it is so much fun to start the journey of rediscovering the magic and wonder of Harry Potter again. Take the time to reflect and remember the first time you discovered Muggles, Qudditch, Diagon Alley, and the wonders of Hogwarts! If you haven't read Harry Potter yet, take the time to be a kid and let your imagination run!

Happy Reading!

How Far Have We Come?

Last night I finished To Kill A Mockingbird. At the close of the book, I quickly remembered why we were told Heart of Darkness, Huck Finn, and To Kill a Mockingbird could just about answer any prompt on our AP English test. The book is truly inspiring, heart-breaking, and thought provoking.

After a eight year break from this classic story, I am both encouraged and sadden. We have come a long way in the 50-plus years since this story was published. Women and people of all races have served on juries, been elected to positions of power, and ran major corporations. I am still not convinced that all people are treated equal and are truly given equal opportunities.


As Scout and Jem notice in the book, there is a sharp difference in class, wealth and later opportunities in life. This cycle has been around for as long as anyone can remember. While great strides have been made in women and race equality the idea of stopping the cycle of poverty has not come as far. To Kill A Mocking Bird is based in the Great Depression when poverty was at its worse, but people survived. As time continued their have been heros in the fight on poverty, but has enough really changed in the US? (Global Poverty is an entire other issue that may be addressed later).

The Cunnighhams and Ewells in the story come from a line of families scraping by in the 1930s. They mob and some of their children do not stay in school. They stay home to work the fields and do not gain an education; they have no way to move up in Maycomb County. While a situation like this may not occur in present time, it is not uncommon to hear of a child dropping out of high school to work to support his/her family. Their chance of an equal opportunity to grow is not their because of the life cycle of poverty intrench in the family.  I do not have the answer for this except that I firmilarly believe most of the answer can be found in all forms of education.

While this is a little more political than I intended the post to be, I encourage you all to read the book and reflect on the side and subtle issues in the book that are not as direct or as commonly addressed. To Kill A Mockingbird is widely known for its moral approach to race issues in the Deep South in the early twentieth century. Social class, women's rights, education, and moral values are just a few important issues that shape this book into a Pulitzer Prize winning novel.


Have you read the book? Share your thoughts here or on Goodreads.


Happy Reading!

(PS: Starting Harry Potter this week!)

Lost At Sea

Could you survive over 200 days on a life boat with only a Bengal Tiger for company? In Yann Martel's Life of Pi, Pi Patel loses everything and in an shipwreck that it is sending his family to a new life. While reading the book, I was in the boat with Pi wishing for land or at least a sea turtle to come across his path.

 This journey led me to question and rethink what do we really need to survive. Are we all born with the same survival instincts? In this world of 24-7 technology and comfort, I am not sure I nor anyone I know would survive. I guess their is always fake reality TV to see if we can challenge ourselves but an end is always insight. Now I am a little more grateful for my surroundings and have a better understanding of the world, but I am not sure I will truly ever relate to those in Pi shoes until I walk in them. (Pray you or I never will.)

Pi shows us how he moved on and grew from great adversity. While you probably will never have to face a life threatening, sea-faring journey, I hope you take the time to read and reflect on Life of Pi and what really matters in life. Adversity makes us stronger and leads us to become better a better person as long as you learn from your past and not dwell on it!

Happy Reading!

The Tiger and the Bird- Week 1 Books

Like many avid readers, I do not like to read books after they become movies. There are a few exceptions to this rule that I am sure will be discussed as this adventure continues. However, the first two books on my list were both savored before the silver screen took over their portrayal.

The Life of Pi  by Yann Martel started this reading adventure. The book which is a great adventure of its own carries Pi Patel across the Pacific ocean on a lifeboat with an assorted "crew" after his ship was wrecked. I encourage everyone to read this book of preservation and pure moral and life saving courage. As with many books, be patient as the characters and story develop in part one.
(A separate post will highlight each book in more of a review fashion)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was pulled off the shelf and started this week. The first time I read this book I was sixteen in my tenth grade Honors English class in Tennessee. Now as a young adult in Baltimore, I know my thoughts, feelings and perspectives on the world and this book have changed. For those of you unfamiliar with this book, Scout Finch tells the story of the Summers her brother, Jem,  and friend, Dill, investigating the wonders of the town's reclusive Boo Radley.  Scout's father provides the moral compass on how to navigate tough issues of the day especially race and poverty. This book is a classic that everyone should read in their life. There is much to be discovered in these 300 pages.

Both of these books have been changed into a movie. I have yet to see Life of Pi, but To Kill a Mockingbird is another classic movie now. I encourage you to read the book first and create your own movie in your head; then if you are interested you can see what the screenwriters, directors and producers had in mind!

January Books

While I don't think reading 100 books will be easy, I do think it will be a challenge. I have put in a few books that I love and have read before, but I also have but in books that I decided not to finish.

So how do you actually read 100 books in a year? You plan and plan ahead. My friends and family will laugh at this as I have been planning my whole entire life.  You have to balance long books with short books. Classics with thrillers. Plays with fantasy.  Here is the method to my madness:

1 Life Help Book
2 Classics (or more)
2 New Fiction
1 Biography/Non Fiction
2 Books of a Series
1-2 Random (adjust to size)

On average 8-9 books should be read in a month.

This month the lucky books are (Please check out my Goodreads shelf for the complete list, Author Credit and More)

Life of Pi (Completed 1/2/13)
To Kill A Mockingbird
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Killing Lincoln
The Purpose Driven Life
The Night Circus
Fahrenheit 451

Happy Reading!