My Commonplace Book... African American People of Note: Maya Angelou

    Maya Angelou, was born Marguerite Ann Johnson April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, and was an American poet, memoirist, actress, and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. In 2001 she was named one of the 30 most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. She is known mainly for her six autobiographies that start with the book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings published in 1969. Ms. Angelou is also known for her poetry.

 

 

QUOTES 

FROM MAYA ANGELOU

 "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."

 

My Commonplace book... Poem: "Come Little Leaves" by George Cooper

 Well, Fall/Autumn has come to my part of the world. The mornings are colder and the days are generally cooler. I came upon this poem and, although there are generally no trees where I live at this time in my life, I remember the leaves from Tennessee and this poem makes me homesick. The poem is titled "Come Little Leaves". It is from the book "In the Nursery of My Bookhouse" - Volume 1. The book was edited by olive Beaupre Miller; published by The Bookhouse for Children 1920

My Commonplace Book... Snippets in Time: G. Michael Hopf

I was reading a fanfiction "Let's Start This From the Beginning" and came accross the following quote. It is so apropo to the current situation in the world today. I therefore wanted to save it in my commonplace book. The quote is

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.” ~ G. Michael Hopf, Those Who Remain

Another excellent quote from the same book is:

“...We don't defeat our enemy by giving him a platform to spread the very propaganda they hope will defeat you... You can only have freedom and liberty when others want that for you. When the other side only uses freedom with the hopes of destroying it later once [*they're] in charge, it's time to shut them down... They will use our Constitution as long as they need to until they get the power, then watch them trash it.”

 

 *added by me

My Commonplace Book... Favorite audio book narrators

I cannot stand being read to. Ever since I was little, I would have troubles with it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE reading but being read to was like listening to nails on a chalkboard cringe worthy. This was the situation up until I listened to Diana Gabaldon's book Outlander. I fell in love with Davina Porter's voice. I have also found that I love female voices with a British accent for books set in England. 

I now have decided to list my favorite book narrators here where I can find them easier. This doesn't mean I am going to like all the books. For example: Scott Brick. One book he was an excellent narrator but on another book I could NOT stand his voice. He made that book extremely boring. Granted the book itself was boring but...

Female Voice Actors

• Davina Porter
• Charlie Sanderson 
• Priya Ayyar
• Kinsale Hueston
• Katherine Kellgren
• Cassandra Harwood
• Lisette Lecat
• Suzy Jackson
• Adjoa Andoh
• Jayne Entwistle

 

Male Voice Actors 

• Adam Verner
• John Keating
• Scott Brick
• RC Bray
• Bill Homewood
  

 

 

My Commonplace Book... Native American people of note: Zitkála-Šá AKA Gertrude Simmons Bonnin

"Zitkála-Šá (Dakota: pronounced zitkála-ša, which translates to "Red Bird") also known by the missionary-given name Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Sioux writer, editor, musician, teacher and political activist. She wrote several works chronicling her struggles in her youth as she was pulled back and forth between the influences of dominant American culture and her own Native American heritage, as well as books in English that brought traditional Native American stories to a widespread white readership for one of the first times. With William F. Hanson, Bonnin co-composed the first American Indian opera, The Sun Dance (composed in romantic style based on Ute and Sioux themes), which premiered in 1913. She founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926 to lobby for the rights of Native Americans to American citizenship, and served as its president until her death in 1938."

~ Zitkála-Šá

"The melancholy of those black days left so long a shadow that it darkens the path of years that have gone by. Perhaps my Indian nature is the moaning wind which stirs them now for their present record. But, however, tempestuous this is within me, it comes out as a low voice of a curiously colored seashell, which is only for those ears that are bent with compassion to hear it."

~ Red Bird Sings: The Story of  Zitkála-Šá

 

Sci-Fi Summer Readathon

The Sci-Fi Summer Readathon starts today. Thanks, Michelle, for inviting me to join in this readathon.

June is the Seasons of Reading readathon and since it is SciFi, I really wanted to join in. I am only going to list a few books for my list, but maybe I will get to more. I just wanted to make sure I had some picked out and listed.

From Season of Reading:

The Readathon dates are as follows: June 1 at 12:00am EDT until June 30 at 11:59pm EDT.

Since science fiction is a very specific genre, this will be strictly reading science fiction during the event. However, since fantasy is so closely related to the genre (often grouped together), if you feel more comfortable reading fantasy, that is also fine.

To check in on social media, we’ll use our new hashtag #SciFiJune.

I’m going to try to keep my updates below

My potential to-read list:

• Binti (Binti, #1) 
• The Last Deployment
• The Golden Orchard
•  
  

My Commonplace Book... Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

 Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto is a book that is on the, 1001 books to read before you die, list that I am reading. I rated it three (3) stars. It was short, and interesting but it took me a while to read it. It could not keep my attention. I did find some quotes from it that I really liked.

30% of ebook

As I grow older, much older, I will experience many things, and I will hit rock bottom again, and again. Again, and again I will suffer; again, and again I will get back on my feet. I will not be defeated. I won’t let my spirit be destroyed.

 33% of ebook

From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to give up; I wanted to give up  on living. There was no denying that tomorrow would come, and the day after tomorrow, and so next week, too. I never thought it would be this hard, but I would go on living in the midst of the gloomy depression, and that made me feel sick to the depths of my soul. In spite of the tempest raging within me, I walked the night path calmly.

41% of ebook

No matter what, I want to continue living with the awareness that I will die. Without that, I am not alive.

Inching one’s way along a steep cliff in the dark: on reaching the highway, one breathes a sigh of relief. Just when one can’t take any more, one sees the moonlight. Beauty that seems to infuse itself, into the heart: I know about that.

My Commonplace Book... The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore

 

"Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."

Tagore modernized Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla." - Goodreads Author Page

"...the element of devotion in woman's love is not like a hackneyed passage quoted from a romantic poem to be piously written down in round hand in a schoolgirl's copy-book.

They are cowards who claim absolute devotion from their wives as their right; that is a humiliation for both." - Location 104 of 3086 Kindle edition 

My Commonplace Book... Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

 

 

 

 

 

My Commonplace Book... Coraline by Neil Gaiman

 

 “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

Neil Gaiman has some of the best quotes!

 

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“Coraline sighed. 'You really don't understand do you?' she said. 'I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted, just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?”

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“Because,' she said, 'when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.”

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“being brave didn’t mean you weren’t scared. Being brave meant you were scared, really scared, badly scared, and you did the right thing anyway.”

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“They were having an argument as old and comfortable as an armchair, the kind of argument that no one ever really wins or loses but which can go on forever, if both parties are willing.” 

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“...'Mister Bobo says he thinks it might have been a weasel.'

'Mister Bobo?'

'The man in the top flat. Mister Bobo. Fine old circus family I believe. Romanian or Slovenian or Livonian, or one of those countries. Bless me, I can never remember them any more.'

It had never occurred to Coraline that the crazy old man upstairs actually had a name, she realised. If she'd known his name was Mr. Bobo she would have said it every chance she got. How often do you get to say a name like 'Mister Bobo' aloud?”

My Commonplace Book... How and Why to Keep a Commonplace Book

I have been reading an article written by Ryan Holiday. The article is about keeping a Commonplace Book. As this is something I am interested in, I thought I would record some highlights. :)

"-Wisdom, not facts. We’re not just looking random pieces of information. What’s the point of that? Your commonplace book, over a lifetime (or even just several years), can accumulate a mass of true wisdom–that you can turn to in times of crisis, opportunity, depression or job."

The Commonplace Book is a collection of wisdom, not just facts. They help you to bring to mind years past and can help you in the future. But what is a Commonplace Book?

 "A commonplace book is a central resource or depository for ideas, quotes, anecdotes, observations and information you come across during your life and didactic pursuits. The purpose of the book is to record and organize these gems for later use in your life, in your business, in your writing, speaking or whatever it is that you do."

My Commonplace Book... God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

I am currently reading God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. I came upon the following passage and thought it showed America to a T. Brother Andrew was behind the Iron Curtain in Yugoslavia. Just as they tried to stamp out Christ and Christianity there, America is trying the same!

"I became aware of the slow wearing-down process the government was exerting on Christians. The effort seemed to be centered on the children. Leave the old folks alone, but wean the young people away from the church.

One of the first churches Nikola and I visited was a Roman Catholic one in a small village not far from Zagreb. I noticed that there was not a single person under twenty in the entire congregation, and I asked Nikola about it. In answer he introduced me to a peasant woman who had a ten-year-old son.

"Tell Brother Andrew why Josif is not here," said Nikola.

"Why is my Josif not with me? she asked. Her voice was bitter. "Because I am a peasant woman with no education. The teacher tells my son there is no God. The government tells my son there is no God. They say to my Josif, 'Maybe your Mama tells you differently, but we know better, don't we? You must remember that Mama has no education. We will humor her.' So? My Josif is not with me. I am being humored."

A few days later in another town, we were visiting a Christian family when I saw a little girl playing in the dust outside the house in the middle of the day.

"Why isn't she in school?" I asked Nikola.

From the mother he learned the story. Marta was accostomed to saying grace before meals at home. When it came time for the school lunch, Marta had given thanks aloud as she always did, without even thinking about it. The teacher had been angry. Who had supplied this food, God or the people through their own good government? "That was a wicked thing to say, Marta. You will fill the other children's minds with nonsense."

But the next day, so deeply was the habit ingrained, that Marta did it again, and for this she had been expelled."

My Commonplace Book... Snippets in Time: You should date a girl who reads

“You should date a girl who reads.

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes, who has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she has found the book she wants. You see that weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a secondhand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow and worn.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas, for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry and in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. [I disagree here. You should not lie] If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who read understand that all things must come to end, but that you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.” —Rosemarie Urquico

My Commonplace Book... Christy by Catherine Marshall

 Hardback copy: Library of Congress Catalog Card #67-24957

I started reading this book and came upon a discussion between Christy and Miss Alice concerning a "Religion of fears".  I know a lady who has a religion of fear. She has practically driven her children away from God because she has taught them that God is a judge who does not have mercy.  This makes me so sad. :(

Christy: "'I hate a religion of fears,' I said with feeling."

Miss (Alice) Henderson: "'I do too, and my parents before me. My father was a strict member of the Society of Friends up in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. But he had one favorite saying that sounds anything but strict. I grew up on it.' Here Miss Alice's eyes took on a soft remembering look. 'He was a tall man, stood so straight, but there were curves of fun around his mouth. 'Before God,' he would often say to me, 'I've just one duty as a father. That is to see that thee has a happy childhood tucked under thy jacket.'"

Christy: "I like that. And did you have a happy childhood?"

Miss Henderson: "'The happiest imaginable. And you see, father was wise. He knew that I couldn't have an earthly father who would provide joy all my days, and then be able to conceive of God as a stern judge wanting to take all my fun from me.' Miss Henderson sighed. 'One of our tasks here is to show folks a God who wants to give them joy. How they need joy!'" (pg 61)

My Commonplace Book... The Marvel of it All by Joe and Leona Tarry

The Marvel of it All

     One of Leona Tarry's sisters (Doris) attends the same church that I attend. She had brought this book in and had left it to be read. I love reading biographies (especially Missionaries stories) and thought it looked like a good book to read.  I am only on Chapter 3 and I love it.  I can already see that I will be slowly reading and noting down many passages and quotes with this book.  Since this book belongs to Doris, I plan to save all the quotes and my thoughts here at my blog.   

Chapter 1: Our Journey to a Foreign Land

THE MARVEL OF IT ALL

Have you been impressed in such a way spiritually
That you have stopped, lingered in meditation recently
Long enough to be enamored, thrilled, or stricken in awe
About the Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus,
and the marvel of it all?

Many occasions are in the entire Holy Bible --
In fact so many that it is factually undeniable --
In which individuals or peoples were amazed
and overwhelmed
When they felt God's mysterious presence all around

They reflected on their experiences with God and pondered
About life, God's grace, His power and glory, and wondered
As to their purpose of life and management of resources
in their hands,
Also of the mysterious and spectacular things
they did in the land. (pg 15)

A Winter's Respite Read-a-Thon

I am joining in with the read-a-thon at the Seasons of Reading blog.  It takes place the week of January 27th - February 2nd.  Please join me in reading for this and find some good reading in the process. I especially love this picture that is being used. :D

My Commonplace Book... Snippets in Time: Neil Gaiman

“Don't ever apologize to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologize to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read... ”

― Neil Gaiman

I had seen where someone was being put down for looking for bargains on books.  I say Shame on those people. Many people are unable to afford Brand New, Hardback Books! I would think all authors would be like Neil Gaiman and would want their books to be read, at the least. If I really like a book, I may even save the money to buy that New book. 

Jackpot!!!!!!!

Went shopping Saturday 9/28/13 and had decided to stop at the Public Library's Book Store in the mall. They were having a special that month. Everything was half off. This meant that Hardbacks (normally $3) were now $1.50, Large Paperbacks (like The Pillars of the Earth normally $2) were now $1, and normal size paperbacks (normal price $1) now were $0.50 and finally Children's books (such as Maniac Magee) were there regular price of just $0.50. :D I was in booklover's heaven for about 3 hours. :D I came out with all these books for just $16

The books are:

• The Pillars of the Earth bk 1
• Song of Solomon
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter
• Marley and Me
• The Dressmaker of Khair Khana
• The White Tiger
• The Mermaid Chair
• Interpreter of Maladies
• Miss Timmins' School for Girls
• Maniac Magee
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
• Bridge to Terabithia
• Sounder
• King of the Wind
• Missing May
• Amos Fortune, Freeman
• The Whipping Boy
• Bud, Not Buddy
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• The Three Musketeers
• Middlemarch
• Hard Times (and finally)
• The Poisonwood Bible

My Commonplace Book...Poem: "The Hound of Heaven"

I am currently reading Without a Trace by Colleen Coble and found a reference to a poem titled: "The Hound of Heaven" by the English poet Francis Thompson (1859 - 1907). This poem "describes the pursuit of the human soul by God".  It is one of the most loved Christian poems and has been said to be the most difficult to understand. 

The Neumann Press Book of Verse, 1988 offers the following explanation of the poem.

"The name is strange. It startles one at first. It is so bold, so new, so fearless. It does not attract, rather the reverse. But when one reads the poem this strangeness disappears. The meaning is understood. As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and unperturbed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit"

Here is the poem:

Book Review: Country Tied

Country Tied by Robyn Buttars

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Goodreads' description:

"From a lush valley in the country to a fast-paced city under the California sun, Jenny’s story is a true to life adventure. Mature and disciplined with a competitive spirit, Jenny enjoys working alongside her father.

However, problems arise when her father is injured and she is responsible for the care of the family farm. Matters of the heart become an issue when David captures her attention. After he seemingly drops out of her life as suddenly as he had appeared, Jenny is puzzled and hurt.

She heads off to California for a visit and meets the intriguing, handsome Mic. Stepping into Mic’s upper-class social scene is an ego boost for Jenny until her background and dreams are mocked. Feeling alone in the crowd, Jenny faces choices that could change the course of her life.

This was a clean, short novelette about a young girl coming of age in rural Utah. We see how she handles the adversity of her father's injuries, taking care of the dairy, her first feelings of dawning love and even problems with the self-esteem issues of most young girls. Although I loved this book, some might find the absences of any conflict or action in this story, to be off-putting.

I loved that the author allowed Jenny to come to mature decisions without all the adults "pushing" her to make them. Jenny showed how to handle the pressures of her life with aplomb and gentleness.

I could understand the romance with David, but to tell the truth I think that Jared would make a better love interest. Even though David and Jenny played as children together, David "did" stop coming around or even explain that he was waiting for her to grow a little. Jared also understands her life much better than David. Jenny was extremely naive about her beauty and life in general, but I did see her grow so much in this story.

I highly recommend this book to young teens and even adults who are looking for a nice book.



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