tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1990389201617946982024-03-17T23:04:05.456-04:00Color OnlineColor Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15062017327837729986noreply@blogger.comBlogger921125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-10885427190087488502012-05-19T09:40:00.001-04:002012-05-19T09:40:56.849-04:00Books Can Not Be Cancelled (Kyra Davis Keeps em Coming)<span id="fullpost"> I was talking with a friend last week, and somehow we started talking about 2012 television shows that were cancelled. I was sad to hear that GCB (abc) Prime Suspect (abc) and Alcatraz (fox) were cancelled. I am not surprised about GCB it was a very funny show with a lot of potential to get better, but it never stood a chance that that unmemorable title. Though I was surprised Prime Suspect and Alcatraz are off the air. </span><br />
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I am always bit sad when shows I enjoy get cancelled, (Arrested Development, Wonderfalls anyone) I suppose I could write letters to the network, but it is not that serious. Though it's a shame when good shows get pulled off the air. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzmS0nOfDIliz6AzOs4B1oMovj1kvzuoxxTEtpsjJTO3Zp1DRBlfCWMBcZ1hVWidrg7JSXhNoufvPDPNy9nXflbqQjGjJH4C_jQOyMULXq9NfZn5Xb7E3fCmPlEpnb3Mgaa14X87MzoA/s1600/happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzmS0nOfDIliz6AzOs4B1oMovj1kvzuoxxTEtpsjJTO3Zp1DRBlfCWMBcZ1hVWidrg7JSXhNoufvPDPNy9nXflbqQjGjJH4C_jQOyMULXq9NfZn5Xb7E3fCmPlEpnb3Mgaa14X87MzoA/s1600/happy.jpg" /></a></div>
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A few days after that conversation I started reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanity-Vengeance-And-Weekend-Vegas/dp/1475007868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337434065&sr=8-1">Vanity, Vengeance, & A Weekend in Vega$</a> by <a href="http://kyradavisauthor.blogspot.com/">Kyra Davis</a>. This is the sixth book in the Sophie Katz series and the first one that the author self published. I love me some Sophie Katz (and her friends) . And I gotta love an author that can work references of Alice Walker, Ayn Rand, David Sedaris and Emily Bronte.<br />
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<strong>''What part of the mafia do you think Fawn objected to? She's in jail for attempted murder so obviously it wasn't the violence." Maybe she didn't like working with other people?" " Yeah," Dena replied, "maybe she just didn't like the corporate culture. She's an individualist. Like Ayn Rand with a Quentin Tarantino edge."</strong><br />
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Sophie Katz is a bestselling mystery author/ accidental sleuth. Somehow she is always stumbling across dead bodies. Her Russian boyfriend Anatoly could give Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series a run for his money. Both characters have that dangerous/mysterious sexy vibe. Halfway into Vanity, Vengeance, & A Weekend in Vega$, I could not help but be thankful that books can not be cancelled. <br />
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If an author can't come to a contract agreement with their publisher, they can always submit their work to another house or self-publish. Of course the latter option is not easy and the financial gain is probably small. Yet some authors go this route, I am very happy Kyra Davis is one of them and that the Sophie Katz series could not be cancelled. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I don't normally do disclaimers, however since this is boarding on fan gushing beyond what is decent I will do one now. I purchased Vanity, Vengeance & A Weekend in Vega$, and it was money well spent.</span>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-32991814239828398342012-05-02T19:42:00.006-04:002012-05-02T21:04:20.383-04:00Book Pairings For Mother's Day (May 13th)<span id="fullpost"> Mother's Day is on this Sunday on May 13th. I thought it would be fun to put together a few book pairings that would make great gifts. I wish I could say this was my idea but remembered Mother Readers annual holiday post <a href="http://www.motherreader.com/2011/11/ways-to-give-book-2011-edition.html">Ways to Give a Book</a> and was inspired. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Orange-Mint-Honey-A-Novel/dp/0345499069/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000021&sr=1-1"><strong>Carleen Brice's Orange Mint & Honey</strong></a> with a Nina Simone CD. The main character Shay Dixon is always asking herself what would Nina Simone do.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Please-Look-After-Vintage-Contemporaries/dp/0307739511/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000068&sr=1-1"><strong>Kyung-sook Shin's Please Look After Mom</strong></a> with a hand written thank you note. After the mother goes missing the family realizes how much she did for them but they never took the time to thank her. I can't take credit for the thank note, which is a perfect pairing for Shin's novel. That's all <a href="http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/its-may-already/#comments">Vasilly</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-World-We-Found-Novel/dp/0061938343/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000139&sr=1-1"><strong>Thirty Umrigar's The World We Found</strong></a> with tea/new mug. Mothers who enjoy tea while reading will love the taste of a new flavor has they devour this wonderful novel. Never underestimate the joy a new mug can bring, especially one that has been personally selected, and not simply picked up. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adas-Rules-Sexy-Skinny-Novel/dp/1608198278/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000186&sr=1-1"><strong>Alice Randall's Ada's Rules</strong></a> with a spa certificate. Ada' Howard is rediscovering herself at 50, a perfect read to enjoy while getting pampered. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scarlets-School-Patternless-Sewing-Crafty/dp/B00740GCHE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000240&sr=1-1"><strong>Kathy Cano-Murillo's Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing</strong></a> with sewing lessons or certificate to their craft store of choice. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/32-Candles-Ernessa-T-Carter/dp/0061957852/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000275&sr=1-1"><strong>Ernessa Carter's 32 Candles</strong></a> with 16 candles DVD, The main character Davie Jones loves the classic John Hughes movie and dreams of her own Molly Ringwald ending. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Lady-Matadors-Hotel-Novel/dp/B0057DCUQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336005525&sr=8-1"><strong>Cristina Garcia's The Lady Matador's Hotel</strong></a> with an outfit or one piece of clothing that screams sexy and strong <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Love-Jacqueline-E-Luckett/dp/0446542997/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336000312&sr=1-1"><strong>Jacqueline E. Luckett's Passing Love</strong></a> with a French CD, the Putumayo collections are always nice. As a bonus include a nice bottle of French wine. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perla-Carolina-De-Robertis/dp/0307599590/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336001368&sr=1-1"><strong>Caronlina De Robertis's Perla</strong></a> with The Secret in Their Eyes DVD, Argentinean history connects this pairing. The movie won the academy award for best foreign film in 2009. Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com90tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-11714268689184968542012-04-27T11:16:00.000-04:002012-04-27T11:17:33.588-04:00Ada's Rules - Alice Randall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOnxXMVJz3fCB7Rqz-jSP_5j96iLJ3owBe9KAjpzumUMkd2QuT1zciBdSwmu7T6RROU_oFahm5MBMQ0E0iGw_QyilHfLyIPkj6Rzd35dLk9Z5Ua8xGyQ3O9ngR1ZJxx6D5a5aObT4W5M/s1600/happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOnxXMVJz3fCB7Rqz-jSP_5j96iLJ3owBe9KAjpzumUMkd2QuT1zciBdSwmu7T6RROU_oFahm5MBMQ0E0iGw_QyilHfLyIPkj6Rzd35dLk9Z5Ua8xGyQ3O9ngR1ZJxx6D5a5aObT4W5M/s200/happy.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span id="fullpost"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adas-Rules-Sexy-Skinny-Novel/dp/1608198278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335539733&sr=8-1">Ada's Rules: A Sexy Skinny Novel</a> by Alice Randall </span><br />
Ada Howard is the wife of the preacher and has a lot of responsibilities. She hasn't been making time for herself recently. After Ada hears that her 25 yr college reunion is coming up she decides to lose weight to impress an old boyfriend. Ada outlines her journey and new ways of living healthy in each chapter. This was an excellent read. The author manages to keep it light and fun as Ada rediscovers herself and her body. <br />
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Author Pearl Cleage's blurb says it best " Ada's Rules might be a diet book disguised as a novel, and it might be a novel disguised as a diet book, but I guarantee it will make you laugh and make you think, while it nudges you oh so gently in the direction of a brand new way to think about and celebrate your body"<br />
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Beyond the laughter, Randall has created a very realistic character in Ada Howard with valid concerns that readers will easily cheer for as she tries to for something better at 50. This would make an excellent Mother's Day gift. <br />
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<a href="http://issuu.com/bloomsburyusa/docs/adas_rules/10">Read the first three chapters</a> via the publishers site <br />
<a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-60819-827-6">Starred Publishers Weekly review</a>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-35005471873831782332012-04-15T20:05:00.002-04:002012-04-15T20:17:16.976-04:00Reading While Working (Giveaway, In a Sharing Mood)<div align="left">One great thing about my new job is I get to read a lot when there's down time. Some people at work are even starting a book club and I'll give the good and bad of it, after sharing some great books I've read recently. All of which I'd highly Recommend.<br /><br /><strong>1.The Boy in the Suitcase</strong> by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friss - After Nina picks up a suitcase from the train station for a friends, she discovers a little boy inside. I loved this one.<br /><br /><strong>2. Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall the Groveland Boy, and the Dawn of a New America</strong> by Gilbert King . This was excellent. I don't read much nonfiction but I couldn't put this one down. It was nice learning more about Thurgood Marshall.<br /><br /><strong>3The Reckoning by Jane Casey</strong> - Another mystery, this is the third book in a series, featuring young detective name Maeve Kerrigan. Set in London Kerrigan in the first female officer in her department. I don't know how I've missed this series, but Kerrigan is one of the best new mystery protagonist out. Picking up the Burning by Casey from the library this week<br /><br /><strong>4 Equal of the Sun</strong> by Anita Amirrezvani - This isn't something I would normally read but the publisher was kind enough to send a review copy. So I figured the least I can do is the give the book a try and I am so glad that I did. I loved it. The authors language is beautiful and the pages just flew by. Looking forward to reviewing this one here, closer to the release date in June. A must read for anyone who loves historical fiction or novels based around Royal families<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXhRKA2ag6sQwSUnanmh-HRKugtKWHbZIUr4rTzrz-u9nlC3bFiV3uXiiMMDNr_3vtQ0cNaEZYOqDZBa5vHNvfV0CdPRKdkyZhtrA3f0D6Qsr32-lmEoGiI5OoIX_PpFPuPzHJJNsFwc/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 109px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 164px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731760433977234482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXhRKA2ag6sQwSUnanmh-HRKugtKWHbZIUr4rTzrz-u9nlC3bFiV3uXiiMMDNr_3vtQ0cNaEZYOqDZBa5vHNvfV0CdPRKdkyZhtrA3f0D6Qsr32-lmEoGiI5OoIX_PpFPuPzHJJNsFwc/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> <strong>5. Ada's Rules: A Sexy Skinny Novel</strong> by Alice Randall - I loved the main character Ada Howard, who is on a journey to loss weight in time for her 25 yr college reunion. This was so much fun and very well done. At times I was reminded of What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage. Will be reviewing this one here soon.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731761379422929410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2mVYm2-QgPBzsju1ovSlSdBWz2PyyZYsM9D6CFAQ_PU9N_6otj6HAsxzdxiECj1d1BE9BPgvpGWrqohhXoy3wJ8vh27vnDnvU-ACWrgbOXZZgZ6Oeq_l4cFgKDqoEOwJrEmMyo12vf4/s320/cover.jpg" /><br />Back to the book club. Bad news first, the first book is Fifty Shades of Grey by James. I decided to be a good sport and join in anyway.<br />The good news, I brought four other books from amazon. Into the Wise Dark by Meminger, Ship of Souls by Elliott, Chulito by Rice- Gonzalez and Forgotten Country by Chung<br /><br /><strong>Since I've already read and very much enjoyed<br /><br /></strong>Into the Wise Dark (<a href="http://thehappynappybookseller.blogspot.com/2012/03/into-wise-dark-neesha-meminger.html">My review</a>)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yJzKdoECMgjmH4gy1qEJlf8_4Q7EIE-k_oucS1oMcIIHNyqRWG2ThwZVt0eeCn3rp0a4bwhDegAuQldH5MQhlka_XHkfx8fatg6G-fgck2GrMc600PnAHu0bT9HNulsA2FyR_SkpXio/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 113px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731767927538642290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yJzKdoECMgjmH4gy1qEJlf8_4Q7EIE-k_oucS1oMcIIHNyqRWG2ThwZVt0eeCn3rp0a4bwhDegAuQldH5MQhlka_XHkfx8fatg6G-fgck2GrMc600PnAHu0bT9HNulsA2FyR_SkpXio/s320/happy.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And Ship of Souls (<a href="http://thehappynappybookseller.blogspot.com/2012/02/ships-of-souls-zetta-elliott.html">My review</a>)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BU8pDpKl4_QjKknVC_HgeNIAuJnjaN8yWgG9aIcD0zrl27-FKPPnuy0rT7Z0CI-sd0mJ11uUi3m2Eh-QRMNfleJ2iyXYeQF4KUBZSAhjBSmCWTCAuuNU7nXltf5DZB_WwUjV0Q3kR_8/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 113px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731768393180421378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BU8pDpKl4_QjKknVC_HgeNIAuJnjaN8yWgG9aIcD0zrl27-FKPPnuy0rT7Z0CI-sd0mJ11uUi3m2Eh-QRMNfleJ2iyXYeQF4KUBZSAhjBSmCWTCAuuNU7nXltf5DZB_WwUjV0Q3kR_8/s320/cover.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">It's giveaway time.</span></strong> You can only get one or the other. Just be the first to comment on which one you want and its yours.</div>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-74239238577631874302012-03-26T08:12:00.001-04:002012-03-26T08:12:00.943-04:00Perla - Carolina De Robertis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlT6f8f0FT9JpfBSa0N8QNmAaEEkpfJaR6Lh8loaNacyW0Uu7KrXAwRT2lOPqRRDkvGVaQqz4JBSkJhh8zDn4aV5O7hn1mNd3Z41hHhzhS9I3HlP8F1JrL36RJlIHCpkMOPGHJnr48g0/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723241039992424402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlT6f8f0FT9JpfBSa0N8QNmAaEEkpfJaR6Lh8loaNacyW0Uu7KrXAwRT2lOPqRRDkvGVaQqz4JBSkJhh8zDn4aV5O7hn1mNd3Z41hHhzhS9I3HlP8F1JrL36RJlIHCpkMOPGHJnr48g0/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perla-Carolina-De-Robertis/dp/0307599590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332727105&sr=8-1">Perla</a> by Carolina De Robertis<br />As a little girl growing up in Buenos Aires, Perla never wanted for anything. At a time when Argentina's government used violence to silence the public, Perla's father had a position of power as a naval officer. He was responsible for many of people who "disappeared" during the Dirty War. Perla's parents kept this truth a secret. The novel is set in the present (2001) after Perla receives an unexpected guest. His presence has Perla thinking about her life, her fathers deeds, and remembering a time in Argentina that the country would rather forget.<br /><br />When I found out De Robertis had a new novel coming out I was very excited because I loved her debut Invisible Mountain. The author once again written a gorgeous piece of historical fiction. The story is wonderfully layered by the end I was so invested that several of the scenes had me in tears. And Perla had my heart from the very beginning.<br /><br /><a href="http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/books/fiction/lj-reviews/">Starred Library Journal review </a><br /><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-59959-9">Starred Publishers Weekly review</a><br /><a href="http://www.oprah.com/book/Perla-by-Carolina-De-Robertis?editors_pick_id=36729">O Magazine review</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perla-Carolina-De-Robertis/dp/0307599590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332727105&sr=8-1#reader_0307599590">Read an excerpt<br /><br /></a><iframe height="182" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zCG4KhjJmf8" frameborder="0" width="300"></iframe><br /><br />The author's <a href="http://www.carolinaderobertis.com/events/">tour schedule</a>. An autographed book makes a great gift. De robertis first event is on April 2.Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-28233763910453517292012-03-16T13:00:00.000-04:002012-03-16T13:00:03.808-04:00Author Neesha Meminger's Feminist TouchThis month, YA author Neesha Meminger released <a href="http://neeshameminger.blogspot.com/2012/03/into-wise-dark-release-day.html">Into the Wise Dark</a> , it's her third novel and the second one to be self published. I really enjoyed it and absolutely loved the second half which was very intense and visually amazing. I will review it later but right now I simply wanted to talk about the female characters. Part of what I love about Meminger's writing is her desire to create realistic female characters of color, that have an inner strength that shines through. If someone asked me to define feminism I couldn't formulate a concise answer. However, I could easily point to one of Meminger's novels and say " This book was written by an author concerned about feminist ideas and how her female characters are perceived." This applies even more so to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wise-Dark-Neesha-Meminger/dp/0983158320/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331916712&sr=8-1">Into the Wise Dark</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNjhrEyDn1OJNyTOLR3PhEzgfk8nkv40X140JXm3YNrl_DeLhDLOWlbYc9CZKr9BtsxCJdDSJNRLXNT2jf8MfXICkquZMU349CDcvZLJUHtOKVr4e5MHT47rqH7Uj79OX8v2lEhH8qNk/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 113px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 163px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720390259397005554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNjhrEyDn1OJNyTOLR3PhEzgfk8nkv40X140JXm3YNrl_DeLhDLOWlbYc9CZKr9BtsxCJdDSJNRLXNT2jf8MfXICkquZMU349CDcvZLJUHtOKVr4e5MHT47rqH7Uj79OX8v2lEhH8qNk/s200/happy.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">"When I look closely at the little cards underneath each image I see that they are all of different goddesses. Under one, an image of a large rotund woman with full breasts and the entire world in her lap." Another small carved statue of a woman with rounded hips and big thighs. I walk around to look at the third, a colossal image of a golden woman in profile. She holds a baby out in her hands and rays radiate from them both." - (from advanced readers copy*)</span><br /><br />I loved that the author equates size and curves with beauty. Meminger's newest novel is also filled with beautifully crafted moments that are not meant to stand and for that reason do just that; thanks to the authors continuous commitent to well rounded female protagonist.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*edited, I left out the names of the goddesses. </span>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-1033794359723241832012-03-13T09:08:00.002-04:002012-03-13T09:08:00.845-04:00Authors For Henryville (1:16 - Where the Schools Used to Be)Earlier this month the small town of Henryville, Ind. was hit by a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/schools-face-tough-calls-_0_n_1325088.html">severe tornado</a>, to aid the schools which were destroyed, YA authors Julia Karr and Ashley Hope Perez with the help of other authors kind enough to donate books to the cause launched <a href="http://jakarr.blogspot.com/">Authors for Henryville</a>. You can head over to the <a href="http://jakarr.blogspot.com/2012/03/donate-to-henryville-cause-now.html">site and simply make a $10 donation</a> and be entered into a giveaway. Also books authors have contributed will be <a href="http://jakarr.blogspot.com/">auctioned off</a> this week. <br /><br />1:16 minutes into you can see where the schools used to be.<br /><br /><iframe height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fV5YxWzQmw8" frameborder="0" width="300"></iframe><br /><br />I prefer to keep the content on my personal blog and what I contribute to Color Online separate, though every once in while I'll make an exception.Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-73942770148404789952012-03-07T10:06:00.002-05:002012-03-07T10:13:59.827-05:00The Taste of Salt - Martha Southgate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzSVkCZ9IxZHxCpafawMggd7NtjMAgnHvzdUlLzhOPzBVp2Zhvr99VvR6DCTeBxKtRMRURFM6XfGchzLSVPtXLD_B3JQVWBkqfyFqqvl9iZbWUj-BpNPlBcypkibQU6U5Xrd75f8E5n8/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717027696118218322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzSVkCZ9IxZHxCpafawMggd7NtjMAgnHvzdUlLzhOPzBVp2Zhvr99VvR6DCTeBxKtRMRURFM6XfGchzLSVPtXLD_B3JQVWBkqfyFqqvl9iZbWUj-BpNPlBcypkibQU6U5Xrd75f8E5n8/s400/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Salt-Martha-Southgate/dp/1565129253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331099566&sr=8-1">The Taste of Salt </a>by Martha Southgate<br />I actually meant to review this one last year but didn't get around to it. This review is coming mainly from memory so bear with me. Josie was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, though she was far from any large bodies of water she fall in love with it and made a career out of it. Josie is the only Black senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. In this way The Taste of Salt reminded me of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Intuitionist-Novel-Colson-Whitehead/dp/0385493002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331099772&sr=1-1">Intuitionist </a>by Whitehead. The novels are stylistically very different, however both feature a Black female protagonist in workforce positions that are predominantly held by men.<br /><br />Since Josie is telling this story and because of much of who she is is defined by her chosen field, everything has a straightforward scientific analytical feel though the author is still able to give it a nice literary rhythm.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"I'm a scientist. I like to get to the bottom of things, to state the working hypothesis quickly. Narrative is not my specialty. But when I stop to think about it, in some ways, telling a story is like science. Trying to understand how a system works, what makes it function or not function, that's part of what a story does. Nothing is unrelated to the things that came before it. it's true of evolution and it's true of a family."</span><br /><br />The quiet life Josie has carefully built is tested when her brother Tick is released from rehab for the second time. Josie must return to her childhood home in Cleveland, a place she rarely visits because of all the bad memories. The families experience with addiction began with the father. Josie shares her story, from marriage to growing up in a house with an unpredictable alcoholic father. She also gives the reader insight into the early years of her parents courtship and marriage. The latter I believe is the scientist in Josie, trying to pinpoint that one moment or event that would change the course of her parents lives and her own in the process. The city of Cleveland is an essential part of the story as well, it's describe and visualized with purpose from its years of promise to the lean ones.<br /><br />Southgate skillfully explores how addiction can destroy a families dynamic. What stood out for me most was the strength and pain of Josie's voice. Taste of Salt had a quiet beauty that I loved and a rhythm worth getting lost in.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Salt-Martha-Southgate/dp/1565129253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331099566&sr=8-1#reader_1565129253">An excerpt</a>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-38020593519772985782012-03-01T09:08:00.000-05:002012-03-01T09:08:00.320-05:00You Gotta Have Faith, When BloggingOne of the big differences between blogging and book selling (besides a salary) is knowing your actually selling a book or two. Anyone who has ever hand sold a book can appreciate how good that feels. Even more so when the person comes back for another recommendation. I enjoy talking about books online and anyone who does this must (please refer back to no salary comment) but its so hard not knowing if people are actually, buying, borrowing, reading, or downloading any of the books that are mentioned.<br /><br />I recently <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2012/02/lot-to-look-forward-to-2012-releases-by.html">listed 2012 titles by female authors of color</a> it's received over 500 hits, however without anymore information (especially with so few comments, only 3) I simply must have faith that some of the visitors will seek out one or two of the titles, or even print out the list for future reference. But I just don't know, and this makes finding the motivation to blog a little difficult sometimes. Am I really making a difference? All bloggers ask themselves that question from time to time. However I do not like to dwell on it because when I do the book world and its readers seem ocean large and that's a tad overwhelming. <br /><br /><br />I couldn't resist showing the George Michael video<br /><iframe height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lu3VTngm1F0" frameborder="0" width="300"></iframe>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-43806062978599028262012-02-27T06:27:00.001-05:002012-02-27T06:31:05.284-05:00The World We Found - Thrity Umrigar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCmSSBd-QjPcaBu-WIz8EpDAATpUhyphenhyphenXslsRzYExYi-5h_gFdNyrp4TchzkRE1zuU87KlFn17oJChDPyGi2B304aadR7TLJYTwiUUHJfMgoqe3qfyVjDBvNz_Qc4PmLBOUTbqfq1VBFkU/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713700304541545970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCmSSBd-QjPcaBu-WIz8EpDAATpUhyphenhyphenXslsRzYExYi-5h_gFdNyrp4TchzkRE1zuU87KlFn17oJChDPyGi2B304aadR7TLJYTwiUUHJfMgoqe3qfyVjDBvNz_Qc4PmLBOUTbqfq1VBFkU/s400/cover.jpg" /></a> <span id="fullpost"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-We-Found-Novel/dp/0061938343/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330324289&sr=8-1">The World We Found</a> by Thrity Umrigar </span><br />I've heard a lot of great things about Umrigar's writing. When I worked at Borders many customers would come in to buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Between-Us-Novel-P-S/dp/0062067893/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330319664&sr=8-2">The Space Between Us</a> by the author. It was a very popular book club read. Having recently finished The World We Found, I understand Umrigar's appeal.<br /><br />Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita and Nishta grew up together and were once very close. In the 1970's when things were changing in India, the four friends questioned and challenged authority. The novel begins in present day, they have grown apart and leading their own lives. Only Laleh and Kavita the two still living in Bombay are in regular contact. Though when Armaiti's reaches out to tell them she has a fatal from of cancer, Laleh and Kavita promise to find Nishta. Armaiti wishes to see her friends one last time.<br /><br />The strength and beauty of Umrigar's writing is present from the start.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"The tooth broke three days after she received the awful news. There was no blood. No pain, even. For three days she had believed that it was her heart that had broken into tiny fragments, but turned out it was another part of her body that decided to mourn the news. No pain, no blood. Just a moment of puzzlement as she bit into the soft French toast she made for breakfast this morning and felt something hard and brittle in her mouth. She spat out two small pieces into her cupped hand. She rinsed her mouth with cold water, and only then did she look up into the mirror. Until now, her teeth had been as sturdy and even as piano keys; but then, until now her oldest friend in the world had not been dying. It was right somehow, in this week of reminders of mortality, that she sacrifice something too."</span><br /><br />Before Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita and Nishta can be reunited, they must come to terms with and address an event that changed the course of their lives and friendships. Umrigar has crafted a beautifully emotional story. This was one of those novels that I loved falling into completely. I highly recommend The World We Found, and look forward to reading more by the author.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061938344">Read the first five chapters </a>via publisher.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.umrigar.com/the_world_we_found.html">A few professional reviews</a> via author's site.Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-71570039937251743702012-02-17T08:13:00.008-05:002012-03-04T12:44:35.716-05:00A Lot to Look Forward to - 2012 Releases by Female Authors of ColorBelow is a list of some 2012 releases by female authors of color. I was contemplating doing this list in November but kept putting it off because I knew it would be a lot of work. I finally decided to do it anyway. There are some really great novels by female authors of color coming out this year and I would love to see this list grow. So if you know of any more do share.<br /><br />I wouldn't expect anyone to click on all of the titles but I hope that anyone reading this will be curious about at least one or at best three of the titles.<br /><strong>January<br /></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1Gn5-jY8A_7xKBd6YjLuV5FQvxjqcuquLhQYBIEJWX59Fo9-DOtgv2r3eW6tKgO52Bb5xPA7tjyoCka-X7imcwF81vV9P4CuaW6Mn64dtlVwnNBPXKbqaDdUyDtxgwFLEV3yEj5bcpQ/s1600/happy.jpg"><strong><img style="WIDTH: 99px; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709984477257025586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1Gn5-jY8A_7xKBd6YjLuV5FQvxjqcuquLhQYBIEJWX59Fo9-DOtgv2r3eW6tKgO52Bb5xPA7tjyoCka-X7imcwF81vV9P4CuaW6Mn64dtlVwnNBPXKbqaDdUyDtxgwFLEV3yEj5bcpQ/s320/happy.jpg" /> </a></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RhPGeC9Ld3OsISJF3QOuTn036L63Io7JpkTMx3CXAbfG5dR7AQMcs8kZmaNwWD-0l4x7HwkEMgcPhw68w50bRRe3NVcek-5vldpMNrC7jlL5N4CUHcDFjj1hZ4nAH4luC7f1jgPRQo0/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 97px; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709997771494337506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RhPGeC9Ld3OsISJF3QOuTn036L63Io7JpkTMx3CXAbfG5dR7AQMcs8kZmaNwWD-0l4x7HwkEMgcPhw68w50bRRe3NVcek-5vldpMNrC7jlL5N4CUHcDFjj1hZ4nAH4luC7f1jgPRQo0/s320/cover.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Passing-Love-Jacqueline-Luckett/dp/0446542997/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329454978&sr=8-1">Passing Love</a> by Jacqueline E. Luckett<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-We-Found-Novel/dp/0061938343/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b">The World We Found</a> by Thrity Umrigar<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Waters-Bernice-L-McFadden/dp/161775031X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330883051&sr=1-1">Gathering of Waters</a> by Bernice McFadden<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Life-Novel-Aliya-King/dp/1451625545/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1">Diamond Life</a> by Aliya S. King<br /><strong>February</strong><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drifting-House-Krys-Lee/dp/0670023256/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455330&sr=1-1-spell">Drifting House</a> by Krys Lee<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Temptation-Kimani-Romance-Christopher/dp/0373862490/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455545&sr=1-1">Sinful Temptation</a> by Ann Christopher<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Southern-Nights-Kimani-Romance/dp/0373862482/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455603&sr=1-1">Sweet Southern Nights</a> by Rochelle Alers<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Half-Blood-Blues-Novel-Esi-Edugyan/dp/1250012708/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455638&sr=1-1">Half Blood Blues</a> by Esi Edugyan<br />March<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxSxG7zhO3H389BkyzbLWDzpfK1cG23VaLIkxPV0OPHH94Sm3ZF1002cV-bt41gDBmvt_M2mdiNSdoZOqiRM7A-lX57y9FX7M09qR4PbAhJyF2Ic4u0lt8kbkZLz01Q6eCQ49a3-3XQ8/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 101px; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709985022149275202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxSxG7zhO3H389BkyzbLWDzpfK1cG23VaLIkxPV0OPHH94Sm3ZF1002cV-bt41gDBmvt_M2mdiNSdoZOqiRM7A-lX57y9FX7M09qR4PbAhJyF2Ic4u0lt8kbkZLz01Q6eCQ49a3-3XQ8/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJj9mGt_hX5p2izXMoIIDHhRN7QImzmJAXB3Ei0rexAzMPiPn1-qcK8uWAOTSDFI_6U266IY9CUB9GaH79LV2KJdbjaKqJ2TvbIiIAj4Gx1FNjF_KW1n_3M_1JvL10D5-oXuJikyv5EA/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 101px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709986329359318210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJj9mGt_hX5p2izXMoIIDHhRN7QImzmJAXB3Ei0rexAzMPiPn1-qcK8uWAOTSDFI_6U266IY9CUB9GaH79LV2KJdbjaKqJ2TvbIiIAj4Gx1FNjF_KW1n_3M_1JvL10D5-oXuJikyv5EA/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Vs2hKx2n8GE0LZS8zJHFZ1wImZboYfew4x6W0TZ83c4ggeoMHhHIUsx7uWxXpx4g28IPbLdObxo7hUlUzS6c9W98abvg8ZrzJsA8O3DKBYNx1HbiC-pHDe7OiCeEqRvv88cqwgvMFl0/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 99px; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709987394793260610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Vs2hKx2n8GE0LZS8zJHFZ1wImZboYfew4x6W0TZ83c4ggeoMHhHIUsx7uWxXpx4g28IPbLdObxo7hUlUzS6c9W98abvg8ZrzJsA8O3DKBYNx1HbiC-pHDe7OiCeEqRvv88cqwgvMFl0/s320/cover.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Country-Catherine-Chung/dp/1594488088/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455680&sr=1-1">Forgotten Country</a> by Catherine Chung<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perla-Carolina-Robertis/dp/0307599590/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455716&sr=1-1">Perla</a> by Caroline De Robertis<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Kings-Daughter-Chibundu-Onuzo/dp/0571268897/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457883&sr=1-1">The Spider King's Daughter</a> by Chibundu Onuzo<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reeducation-Cherry-Truong-Novel/dp/0312322682/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329455967&sr=1-1">The Reeducation of Cherry Truong</a> by Aimee Phan<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sultry-Nights-Kimani-Romance-Donna/dp/0373862520/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456009&sr=1-1">Sultry Nights </a>by Donna Hill<br /><strong>April</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehZjkVhQh_9uI-3fyquVmB2K9GlUTyj6VX_lHR4NDpZv3wpOZZEJRVZmIQq3h9M4RyHMO7Yurv545mnruAqSK287doWFHM3Z5uiE4hY_l0GrVFPGs4zqI9fq5XkEU5rayLJUWTbjVv88/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 97px; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709988653324310338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehZjkVhQh_9uI-3fyquVmB2K9GlUTyj6VX_lHR4NDpZv3wpOZZEJRVZmIQq3h9M4RyHMO7Yurv545mnruAqSK287doWFHM3Z5uiE4hY_l0GrVFPGs4zqI9fq5XkEU5rayLJUWTbjVv88/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSl5Ya10cQ05XODXYZM8dSxzC-CNRs65Ut6P_CwwpXAgY8UIT1_Z1MB7fjmoGzMPVvYRI7hBZ262nJrCdGJSr9SNKAMOZLTRSFdv3RFJVtF1UD-xCTOlLd6zLYRZab3Kw7yQm0U721PQ/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 99px; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709989557171373682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSl5Ya10cQ05XODXYZM8dSxzC-CNRs65Ut6P_CwwpXAgY8UIT1_Z1MB7fjmoGzMPVvYRI7hBZ262nJrCdGJSr9SNKAMOZLTRSFdv3RFJVtF1UD-xCTOlLd6zLYRZab3Kw7yQm0U721PQ/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwlaBxixUhD0OeNRCCaLCPZpQxXPvecv73WqZeH6CLa70_rLV9uLfZoPTD-T8xOkIJKMMeQeWLD86hlAztb3JJMfRbz00BOHGwaVyrgiWagMv33XS3WWaF_idtRGjGqQfaJt5Fp_qTsk/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 96px; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709990044314789842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwlaBxixUhD0OeNRCCaLCPZpQxXPvecv73WqZeH6CLa70_rLV9uLfZoPTD-T8xOkIJKMMeQeWLD86hlAztb3JJMfRbz00BOHGwaVyrgiWagMv33XS3WWaF_idtRGjGqQfaJt5Fp_qTsk/s320/book.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Novel-Based-True-Story/dp/0979098734/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456053&sr=1-5">Bittersweet</a> by Sheila Banks<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-Country-Afghan-Defies/dp/0307884945/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456102&sr=1-1">In My Father's Country </a>by Saima Wahab<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/White-Lines-II-Sunny-Novel/dp/0312555237/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456659&sr=1-1">White Lines II</a> by Tracy Brown<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lilac-House-Novel-Anita-Nair/dp/031260677X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456692&sr=1-1">The Lilac House</a> by Anita Nair<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-City-Zephyr-Hollis-Novel/dp/0312565488/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456830&sr=1-1">Wicked City</a> by Alaya Johnson<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Folded-Earth-Novel-Anuradha-Roy/dp/1451633335/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456870&sr=1-2">The Folded Earth</a> by Anuradha Roy<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Haiti-Julia-Alvarez/dp/1616201304/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456909&sr=1-1">A Wedding in Haiti </a>by Julia Alverez<br />Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin (paperback)<br /><strong>May</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA9bWLXqzmRdBIHUVD1d2r9fCk2XO2jc9lF3Kv6fOF4KMIY7tPJpqORnB6aDOdmNBjCtWpyk6GpneLejZGlKQrDQ8PYagotuOconvwAC4-GjQD5M9XPMxz3wGR7583iuC2t_efIie77c/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 105px; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709991974725478738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA9bWLXqzmRdBIHUVD1d2r9fCk2XO2jc9lF3Kv6fOF4KMIY7tPJpqORnB6aDOdmNBjCtWpyk6GpneLejZGlKQrDQ8PYagotuOconvwAC4-GjQD5M9XPMxz3wGR7583iuC2t_efIie77c/s320/book.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE_2h4lLPk-4WoPBChKJY4llnrzPGt47qbMuw01NmnTev9IVH9CLKnX3-UT7WIEiytdwzmuVFgEQp0o-LEQ4s9oBZFZaNn3yskjP7VuxR2jrg-ZLgfrITWgcDVqkDGvYZLB0VrJAqYBE/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 101px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709992395374948162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjE_2h4lLPk-4WoPBChKJY4llnrzPGt47qbMuw01NmnTev9IVH9CLKnX3-UT7WIEiytdwzmuVFgEQp0o-LEQ4s9oBZFZaNn3yskjP7VuxR2jrg-ZLgfrITWgcDVqkDGvYZLB0VrJAqYBE/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihg8VTRdMH1rzMTIx_vbHQORK5SaFvklYW199Vriim9SNUBWlDrhdOKmlYVCmoygRrUs_STTCOk3fbT_BvczdskZfOP2D2W-ikvF_OThbXfVzeGHdpUM9OLAqFUnlGiWFhJwcFTgw0fMw/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 102px; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709992817287247410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihg8VTRdMH1rzMTIx_vbHQORK5SaFvklYW199Vriim9SNUBWlDrhdOKmlYVCmoygRrUs_STTCOk3fbT_BvczdskZfOP2D2W-ikvF_OThbXfVzeGHdpUM9OLAqFUnlGiWFhJwcFTgw0fMw/s320/happy.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Moon-Dreamblood-N-Jemisin/dp/0316187283/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329456974&sr=1-1">The Killing Moon</a> by N.K. Jemisin<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Toni-Morrison/dp/0307594165/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457100&sr=1-1">Home</a> by Toni Morrison<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skeleton-Women-Mingmei-Yip/dp/0758273533/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457134&sr=1-1">Skeleton Women </a>by Mingmei Yip<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reverends-Reverend-Curtis-Black-Novel/dp/0446572470/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457162&sr=1-1">The Reverend's Wife </a>by Kimberla Lawson Roby<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Aga-Maksimowska/dp/1897141475/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457190&sr=1-1">Giant </a>by Aga Maksimowska<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Possessed-Stories-Lorna-Goodison/dp/0062127357/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457220&sr=1-2">By Love Possessed </a>by Lorna Goodison<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Sparrow-Tayari-Jones/dp/1616201428/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457291&sr=1-1">Silver Sparrow</a> by Tayari Jones (paperback)<br /><strong>June</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKecSd7y6oVVPk_6Rd03PGJKf5G58HtTx3zvLqNozytGKzp22dxOCJEN7WXx2ko7L49hLYXy59KsXS5iRx_BZr__Bi7DivMlg3aX9Uxx04ChZagbCOpTbyCnGDS-UNyI3PbycAB6EjanQ/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 100px; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709993826103083330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKecSd7y6oVVPk_6Rd03PGJKf5G58HtTx3zvLqNozytGKzp22dxOCJEN7WXx2ko7L49hLYXy59KsXS5iRx_BZr__Bi7DivMlg3aX9Uxx04ChZagbCOpTbyCnGDS-UNyI3PbycAB6EjanQ/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV36PwFTz8k5j2mspPl9YzETxeih07eNiPROQpID6GwvK-dAl_ERHc_eQt2PZE5t-PggGyh1U81SdM3dy_Q_lKnfmYM73ltZY-RdRzvMcl4NgCATmoiKb8OenATCoqvYuylDAXPxsvxc/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 101px; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709994348598796130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV36PwFTz8k5j2mspPl9YzETxeih07eNiPROQpID6GwvK-dAl_ERHc_eQt2PZE5t-PggGyh1U81SdM3dy_Q_lKnfmYM73ltZY-RdRzvMcl4NgCATmoiKb8OenATCoqvYuylDAXPxsvxc/s320/book.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jasmine-Fire-Bittersweet-Year-Beirut/dp/0307885941/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458085&sr=1-1">Jasmine and Fire</a> by Salma Abdelnour<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Olondria-novel-Sofia-Samatar/dp/1931520763/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457754&sr=1-1">A Stranger in Olondria</a> by Sofia Samatar<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadowed-Sun-Dreamblood-N-Jemisin/dp/0316187291/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457785&sr=1-1">The Shadowed Sun</a> by N.K. Jemisin<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Things-Left-Unsaid-Zoya-Pirzad/dp/1851689257/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457816&sr=1-4">Things Left Unsaid</a> by Zoya Pirzad<br /><strong>July</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30ymBwrwmOMeMlpG-Vi23bSKX9G3O79-RzQFSyOHtE6XBkQE1Oj3aEx7myg8_vkSnsDJOQzmZ5u3hKArsr3jSOhyphenhyphenFBfOgRul3-bdi8kGCDGzh2plrpsgDItdVykwm0_MmCJgOd8AZcwM/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 99px; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709995563920994434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30ymBwrwmOMeMlpG-Vi23bSKX9G3O79-RzQFSyOHtE6XBkQE1Oj3aEx7myg8_vkSnsDJOQzmZ5u3hKArsr3jSOhyphenhyphenFBfOgRul3-bdi8kGCDGzh2plrpsgDItdVykwm0_MmCJgOd8AZcwM/s320/cover.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD-D2Jh2waPrdRpxFNYHhO-EO0MesKyKXue3XrYiDw6WU8JFvZO_I5tImzWtkU8gBfcZZl5kS2ReXJp0aB7GRCBY2ktOpeO3PUa3uRB8dbmVLNHBGjTox4MIX13qyqm6k5rS8bynAKN0/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 104px; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709995992162334338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD-D2Jh2waPrdRpxFNYHhO-EO0MesKyKXue3XrYiDw6WU8JFvZO_I5tImzWtkU8gBfcZZl5kS2ReXJp0aB7GRCBY2ktOpeO3PUa3uRB8dbmVLNHBGjTox4MIX13qyqm6k5rS8bynAKN0/s320/happy.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homesick-Roshi-Fernando/dp/0307958108/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329457854&sr=1-1">Homesick </a>by Roshi Fernando<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conquistadora-Esmeralda-Santiago/dp/030738859X/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458112&sr=1-1">Conquistadora </a>by Esmeralda Santiago (paperback)<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cupboard-Full-Coats-Yvvette-Edwards/dp/1851687971/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458158&sr=1-1">A Cupboard Full of Coats </a>by Yvvette Edwards (paperback)<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Between-Novel-Maria-Duenas/dp/1451616899/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458199&sr=1-1">The Time in Between </a>by Maria Duenas (paperback)<br /><strong>August</strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e6PiWlr6q7eVkPhVYhQzrNZtiJbVmVn7pG2mvli8z1rf4KLVIlsVO0V3pu2uoQv_fTGXgk06-12Rh_RQRrSOb6RBls_u22sXJMCMQmDHT6aYqbSYkFy68PmV2GosoYJEzEGRyNoxc1w/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 96px; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709996821545338466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e6PiWlr6q7eVkPhVYhQzrNZtiJbVmVn7pG2mvli8z1rf4KLVIlsVO0V3pu2uoQv_fTGXgk06-12Rh_RQRrSOb6RBls_u22sXJMCMQmDHT6aYqbSYkFy68PmV2GosoYJEzEGRyNoxc1w/s320/book.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr2ZsazbC2g0GcKgNenKRF56z3pur54B6UFW1n-VL2zW6HSvnFWPZ3FmuVi7z6d5nBLCz8aRRqXgwNjwg0sg5L74gf4tomhY-qFys7H2Df4_01BwF3N-VfHmde1MCIX7rzqtvzxorVd4/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 103px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709997210467291250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr2ZsazbC2g0GcKgNenKRF56z3pur54B6UFW1n-VL2zW6HSvnFWPZ3FmuVi7z6d5nBLCz8aRRqXgwNjwg0sg5L74gf4tomhY-qFys7H2Df4_01BwF3N-VfHmde1MCIX7rzqtvzxorVd4/s320/cover.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Isle-Sandi-Tan/dp/0446563927/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458286&sr=1-1">The Black Isle</a> by Sandi Tan<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Forest-Novel-Katie-Kitamura/dp/1451656645/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458316&sr=1-1">Gone to the Forest </a>by Katie Kitamura<br /><strong>September</strong><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13394558-nw">NW</a> by Zadie Smith<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/South-Southeast-Tennyson-Hardwick-Novel/dp/1451650639/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458347&sr=1-3">South by Southeast</a> by Tananarive Due, Blair Underwood and Steven Barnes<br /><strong>October<br /></strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Season-Novel-Attica-Locke/dp/0061802050/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329458389&sr=1-3">The Cutting Season</a> by Attica LockeDorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-45550308588955551722012-02-11T21:37:00.005-05:002012-02-11T22:05:42.389-05:00Whitney Houston 1963-2012<span id="fullpost">I was looking forward to writing a few new post for Color Online but not this. And yes its impulsive and not book related but doing it anyway. Still trying to process the <a href="http://www.ksl.com/?sid=19202476&nid=1011&title=whitney-houston-superstar-of-records-films-dies&s_cid=queue-1">news</a>. Information travels so fast now, sometimes I long for days when you could sleep one more night without knowing. Houston's wikipedia page as already been updated. The finality of that makes this all the more real.<br /><br />Greatest Love of All is my favorite song by Whitney Houston -Something about this song as always touched my heart. When it comes on the radio station that plays hits of the 80, 90's and today I still crank it up. Houston crushed the Bodyguard soundtrack.<br /><br /><iframe style="FONT-SIZE: 0px" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IYzlVDlE72w" frameborder="0"><br /><br /><br />Houston crushed the Bodyguard soundtrack.<br /><br /></iframe><iframe height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8QaI-M9sxW4" frameborder="0" width="300"></iframe><br /><br />Houston was cast in a remake of <a href="http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/entertainment/blak_music_month/32390">Sparkle</a> and I only hope that meant she was able hold down her monkeys at least a little and exhale. </span>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-18830326609976605812012-01-26T10:27:00.000-05:002012-01-26T10:27:19.288-05:00African American Read-In<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey guys! It's been a while since anyone has posted here. We definitely need to change that!<span id="fullpost">
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In case you didn't know, yesterday I put up a post on my blog about February's <a href="http://www.ncte.org/action/aari/packetinfo">African American Read-In.</a> It's a tradition that's been going on all over the United States for the past twenty-three years. Groups all over the country get together to read and discuss a book by an African American author. Doret, Edi, and I have decided to host our own online read-in. </div>
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Six books were picked and readers can vote on which book we discuss next month. Our list:</div>
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<li><i>Ninth Ward</i> by Jewell Parker Rhodes</li>
<li><i>Good Fortune </i>by Noni Carter</li>
<li><i>Topdog/Underdog</i> by Suzan-Lori Parks</li>
<li><i>A Lesson Before Dying</i> by Ernest Gaines</li>
<li><i>Fences </i>by August Wilson</li>
<li><i>Pull </i>by B.A. Binns</li>
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For more information on the read-in, click <a href="http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/2012-national-african-american-read-in/">here</a>. </div>
</div>Vasillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08463689838763126048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-80759814085401061552011-12-13T12:32:00.000-05:002011-12-13T12:32:06.623-05:00Lost in language & Sound - Ntozake Shange<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIDgZ7ThxHLJE0_i_Do12WC-BrxB9mN2fg0a9lvAFcOT24V7bmDeAR1xjV0jW4BN1hVMHOHipUvHun4EfbKgbGuTdne1EOf51CT1RDDJ_zyIUnciKkFLrgIhKFw3PvOhMoBRsO0Nmuyk/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685666377352677282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIDgZ7ThxHLJE0_i_Do12WC-BrxB9mN2fg0a9lvAFcOT24V7bmDeAR1xjV0jW4BN1hVMHOHipUvHun4EfbKgbGuTdne1EOf51CT1RDDJ_zyIUnciKkFLrgIhKFw3PvOhMoBRsO0Nmuyk/s200/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/lostinlanguagesound/NtozakeShange">Lost in Language & Sound</a> by Ntozake Shange<br />This collection of essays was released earlier this month. Essays are usually hit or miss for me,overall this collection worked very well for me. I especially loved the first half, in which much of it read like a homage to African American dance,dancers Jazz. I only recognized a few of the dancers mentioned, I did a little better with the Jazz artist (though barely). But it did not matter either way, Ntozake Shange wrote in such a way that it made me feel like I knew them, or at the very least I felt their love of movement and that was more then a enough. The author reminisces about the beginning of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered When the Rainbow is Enuf. One of the messages I got from this collection was that you can try to steal or silence the African Americans but we will always new way to speak and be heard, be it through dance, music or any other artistic avenue of our choice.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"We must sing and dance or we shall die an inert, motionless, "sin ritmo" death. "Negros muertos," killed by a culture afraid of who we are and what we have to say with our bodies, our music, and our brains. Black folks do have brains. We even have ideologists, scholars, choreographers, and always the grace of the goods. "</span><br /><br />Reading this collection reminded me how much I love Ntozake Shange's work, there's a beautiful rhythm to her words which always have purpose. The author reveals much of herself in each piece. I truly enjoyed this lost in language & sound, though I did question the inclusion of one piece entitled "2 live crew" Black men demoralizing Black women is still an issue but I just felt the exploration of 2 live crews exploits was dated. Its in inclusion always halted a bit of the flow of the collection. However I still highly recommend lost language & sound without missing a beat.Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-54939449128237435452011-11-22T08:41:00.000-05:002011-11-22T08:41:00.319-05:002011 National Book Award Winners And Giller Prize Winner<a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/">The National Book Award Winners</a> were recently announced of the four winners three were female authors of color.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2011_f_ward.html">Jesymn Ward</a> for Salvage the Bones (Fiction)<br /><a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2011_p_finney.html">Nikkey Finney</a> for Head off & Spilt (Poetry)<br /><a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2011_ypl_lai.html">Thanhha Lai </a>for Inside Out & Back Again (Young People's Lit)<br /><br />Esi Edugyan, was the winner of the 2011 <a href="http://www.scotiabankgillerprize.ca/">Giller Prize</a> (a distinguished Canadian literary award) for <a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/amztrackus-21/images/B0054461GE">Half Blood Blues</a>. The novel was also shorlisted for Man Booker Prize. Unfortunately it won't be available in the States until <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Half-Blood-Blues-Novel-Esi-Edugyan/dp/1250012708/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321943018&sr=8-1">March</a> though if you can't wait you buy it now via <a href="http://www.amazon.uk.com/">amazon uk</a>.<br /><br />Much congratulations to Ward, Finney, Lai and Edugyan This congratulatory post is a tad late and I'd to look at it as more of a strategic delay as opposed to being too busy. I am anxiously awaiting the release of all the best of list for this year. If they are lacking in female authors of color I will be very dissappointed and will revisit this post to cheer me up and this <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2011/11/unexpected-update.html">one</a>.Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-43764367218017089222011-11-17T09:28:00.005-05:002011-11-17T10:44:27.402-05:00Vote For Silver Sparrow And Congratulations to Jesmyn WardTayari Jones novel Silver Sparrow has made it the <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011#56601-Best-Fiction">semifinals round </a>of Goodreads Choice Awards for Best fiction as a write in. If you loved Silver Sparrow and you haven't done so already head over to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011#56601-Best-Fiction">Goodreads</a> to vote for it and please spread the word. If you are not a goodreads member it takes five seconds to join. Voting for the Semifinal round ends on November 20th.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzhAHINk4_u350p6Amf5QyOCVqUAtwpPeH9awXXQKqR71-FK774t3DvNE1Ie8bH_atK8gqhnJ5uPO_zFvCZ8tahKM4RlgJ8f2kQE82bCRsf0YUUVXXuK6cp6KeGpcgNfbSyytHFgwSr0/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 114px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675974698506682962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzhAHINk4_u350p6Amf5QyOCVqUAtwpPeH9awXXQKqR71-FK774t3DvNE1Ie8bH_atK8gqhnJ5uPO_zFvCZ8tahKM4RlgJ8f2kQE82bCRsf0YUUVXXuK6cp6KeGpcgNfbSyytHFgwSr0/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> The 2011 National Book Award <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/">winners were recently announced</a>. Jesmyn Ward was awarded the NBA for fiction for her novel Salvage the Bones. Congratulations to Ward, Salvage the Bones is a wonderful story and this is well deserved recognition<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWITGyP3jQNKMaM6WLwW_IOQ3NX7sNJbttgLWkHPOm8Olrf_rmJfyjZSD8yuVqVHcrBBFIEgXzBnZeoVtKHHnBi_YoGvq8u-I02Ak22KKuOGb4kQvo_Mft1uQS9HeoxCAhF8FmZKvtl14/s1600/cover.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675989239738556146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWITGyP3jQNKMaM6WLwW_IOQ3NX7sNJbttgLWkHPOm8Olrf_rmJfyjZSD8yuVqVHcrBBFIEgXzBnZeoVtKHHnBi_YoGvq8u-I02Ak22KKuOGb4kQvo_Mft1uQS9HeoxCAhF8FmZKvtl14/s320/cover.jpg" /></a>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-69493594937681519572011-11-07T11:08:00.003-05:002011-11-07T11:12:28.758-05:00Thoughts on Heidi W. Durrow's The Girl Who Fell From the Sky<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnm5omEZwLa_ARV2KAdvHvJsSNq3e06G1yHyOWONkynKkVPmcae8MvU7NJ3_g6ki5xwyOFBeroiwRbXuWgW1S3wTuACqaeIbZHIx15mPH1AAHkMtr5AGWS5UOjEJO7gJRxbCS4kl_hMTK/s1600/durrow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnm5omEZwLa_ARV2KAdvHvJsSNq3e06G1yHyOWONkynKkVPmcae8MvU7NJ3_g6ki5xwyOFBeroiwRbXuWgW1S3wTuACqaeIbZHIx15mPH1AAHkMtr5AGWS5UOjEJO7gJRxbCS4kl_hMTK/s320/durrow.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672287109727767634" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">The Girl Who Fell From the Sky<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Heidi W. Durrow<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">256 pages<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Publication Year:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif""> 2010<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Publisher:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif""> Algonquin<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Source:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif""> Bought it<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">It’s a funny thing to think about: moving toward extinction. And I think of how maybe I’m already extinct in a strange way – there’s no way to make another me: at least I can’t do it. But that doesn’t matter anyway because I never want to have kids. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><i><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">The Girl Who Fell From The Sky</span></i><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif""> is the debut novel from Heidi W. Durrow. It’s also the winner of the </span><a href="http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/2145"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">, which was founded by Barbara Kingsolver. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">The story tells the life of Rachel, the only survivor of tragic, mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of her three siblings and their mother. Rachel is also biracial, the daughter of a white Danish mother and African-American father. After the death of her family members, Rachel is sent to live with her paternal grandmother and has to learn how to navigate in a country where she’s considered black, something she didn’t think much about before. Told from the perspective of Rachel, her mother Nella, and those who knew her family, <i>The Girl Who Fell From the Sky</i> is an engaging read of one girl’s struggle to live after the death of those she loved most.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">This year I’m learning a lot about my reading. I’ve learned that I don’t read many books that feature:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left:39.0pt;mso-add-space: auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">the elderly as protagonists<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:39.0pt;mso-add-space: auto;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">mother-daughter relationships<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:39.0pt;mso-add-space:auto; text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">bi-racial characters<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Where have I been? In today’s society with so many people being of several races and cultures, I can’t believe I’ve ignored this. Luckily reading this book brought it to my attention. As a young girl, not only does Rachel has to deal with everything that has happened, she also has to learn how to deal with so much attention to both who she is physically, her long fuzzy hair that makes girls in her class want to fight her, blue eyes, and light brown skin to who she is as a person, someone who loves to read and tries to understand what being black means in America during the 1980s. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">The problem is that as interesting and engaging as the book was, I didn’t connect very well to Rachel. Readers understand this character through her words and interactions with others but it wasn’t enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">I had the same problem with Rachel’s mother, Nella. Nella is a young Danish woman living in Europe when she meets Roger, an African-American man stationed at a nearby base. They soon marry and have children before Nella leaves Roger and flees to the United States with their children. She struggles with everything before she finally makes a terrifying decision. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif""> <b><span style="color:red">*spoiler spoiler</span></b> I need to understand her decision with the same depth that I understood a similar decision in Toni Morrison’s Beloved. <b><span style="color:red">*spoiler over<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">Though I didn’t get the connection I needed, I still think this was an excellent read. <i>My rating:</i> 4 out of 5 stars.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calisto MT","serif"">This review was originally posted at <a href="http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com">1330v</a>.</span></p><span id="fullpost"></span>Vasillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08463689838763126048noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-42518561919020254002011-11-03T10:01:00.000-04:002011-11-03T10:01:00.958-04:00Salvage the Bones - Jesmyn Ward<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6KU5OqswxYZzjQXF9h83AmSedQ-98nfBZE3edeeyRbB65XvvIh4yr76SNx55eLCBW_HFcHwniakfbHz2mJFV4GTuN7JzggwHnZkd_5jiYIcga3MbyFZv0jKcOpHwFhDhrNDDSos7WF0/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 120px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670632004702500274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6KU5OqswxYZzjQXF9h83AmSedQ-98nfBZE3edeeyRbB65XvvIh4yr76SNx55eLCBW_HFcHwniakfbHz2mJFV4GTuN7JzggwHnZkd_5jiYIcga3MbyFZv0jKcOpHwFhDhrNDDSos7WF0/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.bloomsburyusa.com/books/catalog/salvage_the_bones_hc_220">Salvage the Bones </a>by Jesmyn Ward<br />This is <span id="fullpost">the story of a family in a small Mississippi town. Set 12 days before Hurricane Katrina hits. The story is told by Esch the lone female voice. Esch lives with her father and three brothers. The mother died giving birth to the youngest son. Ward's does an excellent job of building this families world. I understood where every character was coming from.<br /><br />A large part of this story is the relationship Esch's older brother Skeetah has with his pit bull China. With Skeetah, Ward created a character that took part in dog fights that not only did I not dislike but cared very much for. One would have to read the novel to believe me but its obvious how much Skeetah loves China. There are moments when my heart broke watching Esch, wanting someone to love her as much as Skeetah does his dog. The family is preparing for coming hurricane but that is very much in the background. Esch voice captured me from the very beginning, there's such an honest beauty to it that I loved.<br /><br />Esch is around 15 or 16 before reading Salvage the Bones, I thought it might have some YA crossover appeal. After reading it I know its true. Since it's fiction and not YA there is adult content. However, I truly appreciated how everything was a reflection of reality. The author doesn't feel the need to over do it with language or sex because the strength of the writing will entice and keep readers interest.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/">A 2011 National Book Award Finalists</a><br /></span><span id="fullpost"></span><span id="fullpost"></span>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-81793326616024392192011-11-01T09:44:00.002-04:002011-11-01T11:11:45.821-04:00An Unexpected UpdateI know its been awhile for any post but I am in the mood for a quick unexpected update. Since it's late in the evening I will just freestyle it and see what happens.<br />A much belated and well deserved Congratulations to Jesmyn Ward, her novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Salvage-Bones-Novel-Jesmyn-Ward/dp/1608195228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320126875&sr=8-1">Salvage the Bones </a>was a <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/">2011 National Book Award Finalist.</a> I loved Salvage the Bones. The voice of Ward's main character Esch was perfect, at times I couldn't help comparing her to the young protagonists in Toni Morrison's Bluest Eye. I usually make it a point not to do Morrison comparison, its too much to live up to plus every author has their own unique style, but in this case I believe its warranted.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFEe-0f5jpepEbIfP4eeYrf0s9-yvEBHRvknGg74_Df_SuFCtKsboi3t0bjGpY6cO9lv3T7gWbRRNuqGHOGbpnEwUOq0yHb0EloNlBjZnvNk13CijUf8Z8e1dPGLrMx2_ebt-9dSjhFQ/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 94px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669903864236274914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFEe-0f5jpepEbIfP4eeYrf0s9-yvEBHRvknGg74_Df_SuFCtKsboi3t0bjGpY6cO9lv3T7gWbRRNuqGHOGbpnEwUOq0yHb0EloNlBjZnvNk13CijUf8Z8e1dPGLrMx2_ebt-9dSjhFQ/s320/happy.jpg" /></a> Congratulations to Nnedi Okorafor, her novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-Fears-Death-Nnedi-Okorafor/dp/0756406692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320159978&sr=1-1">Who Fears Death</a> won <a href="http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/2011.html">World Fantasy Award </a>for best novel. Of the six nominees in this category, three, Okorafor, Jemisin and Lord were female authors of color. The final book in N.K. Jemisin, Inheritance trilogy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Gods-Inheritance-Trilogy/dp/0316043931/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1320159397&sr=8-5">The Kingdom of Gods</a> was released in October . I am all caught up with Okorafor and Jemisin, I love Who Fears Death and the Inheritance trilogy. I just haven't gotten around to reading Karen Lord's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Indigo-novel-Karen-Lord/dp/1931520666/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320159719&sr=1-1">Redemption in Indigo</a>, even though I've only heard great things about it. Once I read it I will probably be kicking myself for waiting so long to pick it up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO747B6xiuQf2OgdZhMuLMy_CWJjr07UTNp6Kt2ds5JfHL60O55-wPe4SdK-svcX3tCz_SHBub9MWtrSaW6xRjBjtKNNn4BL4TeZEXi-O0CHgb5Z2XETg1ibBevAHoFEoprW2utFf6Iek/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 95px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670044482540918258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO747B6xiuQf2OgdZhMuLMy_CWJjr07UTNp6Kt2ds5JfHL60O55-wPe4SdK-svcX3tCz_SHBub9MWtrSaW6xRjBjtKNNn4BL4TeZEXi-O0CHgb5Z2XETg1ibBevAHoFEoprW2utFf6Iek/s200/happy.jpg" /></a><br />One last Congrats goes out to Danielle Evans, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Before-Suffocate-Your-Fool-Self/dp/B004Z8LQXI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320126931&sr=1-1">Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self</a> for being selected as one of 5 author under 35 by <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/5under35.html#sb">The National Book Award Foundation</a>. Evan's short story debut collection was ridiciously good. If you haven't read Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self you are seriously missing out. If you are avoiding it because you don't like short stories, trust me you'll like this collection. <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2010/11/women-writers-of-color-danielle-evans.html">Evan's Color Online Interview</a><br /><br />Though we are still in 2011, I already know <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Story-Half-Girl/dp/0385741286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320125501&sr=8-1">The Whole Story Half a Girl </a>by Veera Hiranandani is a favorite middle grade debut of 2012, no I am not psychic but I do use netgalley. I usually don't mention books so far from the release date, but apparently I am doing a lot of things I usually don't do. (And ladies and gentlemen that there is the beauty of freestyle) But back to Hiranandani wonderful debut.<br /><br />The main character Sonia is half Indian and Jewish, her father has lost his job. She must come to terms with the changes her family must make. One of the things I loved about this novel is how current it is, many readers will be able to relate to a parent being out of work. Sonia's father also suffers from depression. A mental illness that is still taboo amongst people of color and the author handles it with the care it deserves. This could've easily become an issues novel but Hiranandani doesn't allow that to happen, yet another reason why I enjoyed this debut so much.<br /><br /><a href="http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com/">Vasilly</a> another contributor will be posting a Color Online Interview in the near future. I won't say who with but I am very very excited, and if this author isn't on some 2011 best of list I will be very very pissed.<br /></p><br /><br /><p></p>Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-20541134845774180952011-10-18T22:07:00.002-04:002011-10-18T22:09:01.103-04:00The Dark Child Winner!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4TKQLnl1Qde60ejskkInOISgg7EB1SEyLb4L22f2GgxWze6AQ_h6YFfUueQfqNzNMRez7ukO7dH5B4oXF_dT_a_Kex1ncc_7ln9CkFd3kRVo3uEiCOY0M1xeMplCZO9_dsHW-IzfNtE/s1600/the+dark+child.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 135px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665019454411892194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4TKQLnl1Qde60ejskkInOISgg7EB1SEyLb4L22f2GgxWze6AQ_h6YFfUueQfqNzNMRez7ukO7dH5B4oXF_dT_a_Kex1ncc_7ln9CkFd3kRVo3uEiCOY0M1xeMplCZO9_dsHW-IzfNtE/s200/the+dark+child.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663333;">TEA!!!!</span></strong></div><br /><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663333;"></span></strong></div><br /><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663333;"></span></strong></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;">Congratulations Tea, I will email you asap. And I apologize 100x over for taking so long to post the winner....</span></div>MissAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-69403239186587394632011-09-07T00:18:00.000-04:002011-09-07T00:19:15.625-04:00Much Belated Giveaway!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT-MHzJyDhNdOQmAFr9013N6AtrpnZEo-i1EKQ5e7xJVN23P4ni-_PRllQmfxrsHnb-wnar8k5OOxFfta1DPt9tjUE7OkYgwkNvm_NFot42ZMpaiMuzE9VrxgI60TyuQO6dmLXU-NouU/s1600/the+dark+child.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 135px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649465071292613090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqT-MHzJyDhNdOQmAFr9013N6AtrpnZEo-i1EKQ5e7xJVN23P4ni-_PRllQmfxrsHnb-wnar8k5OOxFfta1DPt9tjUE7OkYgwkNvm_NFot42ZMpaiMuzE9VrxgI60TyuQO6dmLXU-NouU/s200/the+dark+child.jpg" /></a> <em>The Dark Child: The Autobiography of an African Boy</em> by Camara Laye<br /><br /><em>The Dark Child is a distinct and graceful memoir of Camara Laye's youth in the village of Koroussa, French Guinea. Long regarded Africa's preeminent Francophone novelist, Laye (1928-80) herein marvels over his mother's supernatural powers, his father's distinction as the village goldsmith, and his own passage into manhood, which is marked by animistic beliefs and bloody rituals of primeval origin. Eventually, he must choose between this unique place and the academic success that lures him to distant cities. More than autobiography of one boy, this is the universal story of sacred traditions struggling against the encroachment of a modern world.</em><br /><br /><p>Quite some time ago a winner at the <a href="http://pocreading.blogspot.com/">POC Reading Challenge </a>donated her prize to CO. I am FINALLY getting around to passing the book on to be read and reviewed. Thank you so much <a href="http://niranjana.wordpress.com/">Niranjana </a>for your generosity!</p><br /><p>Summary from Goodreads.com<br /><br />U.S. only. All you have to do is comment with your email (feel free to share why you are interested in the book).<br /><br />Giveaway ends: September 15, 2011 11:59 CT </p>MissAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-50250333222217943972011-08-22T08:32:00.002-04:002011-08-22T08:33:53.998-04:00Novels W/ Foreign LanguageBy chance I happened to recently read three novels with sprinkles of a foreign language. It got me to thinking about my preferences for the way a another language is incorporated beside the principal one. Since my understanding of the three languages - Spanish, French and Russian, goes from passable to nothing, I figured this would be a good topic. I will begin with an example from each book.
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<br /><strong>The first one comes from a young adult novel* that will be released later in the year. </strong>
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<br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Hola, Mrs Hernandez Hola, Mari, Coma esta? Luz's mom asked how I was doing as she opened the back door and let the smoke out. "Estoy, bien" I told her I was okay."</span></em></strong>
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<br /><strong>The second is from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Noire-Francine-Thomas-Howard/dp/1935597973/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313888579&sr=8-1">Paris Noire</a> by Francine Thomas Howard</strong>.
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<br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Non. Non. Je dois voir mon fils, mon" In her worry, she'd had spoken French.</span> </em></strong>
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<br /><strong>The final one is from <a href="http://www.leeandlow.com/books/425/hc/wolf_mark">Wolf Mark</a> by Joseph Bruchac. </strong>
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<br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Vlad straightens up, looks down at me, raises one eyebrow. "Blagodariu," I say. I thank you. "Da Eto figna," he replies. Nothing to it.</em> </span></strong>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjGWesCIGZNzROLMaLogVLPtE4aCuo6-1zodmEU91MXXFywKCjneCZACdLR1kol3379m2T84RiDTdcQLNVdfbjM1ivjv-KN4jxzpWAbQu9PGGwNMeS6hHuzDGxUqk73HOpD9Nxhc5jNY/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 89px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643105401163116834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjGWesCIGZNzROLMaLogVLPtE4aCuo6-1zodmEU91MXXFywKCjneCZACdLR1kol3379m2T84RiDTdcQLNVdfbjM1ivjv-KN4jxzpWAbQu9PGGwNMeS6hHuzDGxUqk73HOpD9Nxhc5jNY/s200/book.jpg" /></a>
<br />Out of these three languages Spanish is the only one I know. I think that's part of the reason I had the biggest reaction to how it was incorporated. One of my reading pet peeves is an instant language translation (ILT), especially when its greetings. Even more so when its Spanish.
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<br />I could be assuming too much here because I've studied Spanish. Not everyone learns Spanish. Or French or Italian, two similar languages that would make it easier to understand a basic phrase or two. Some study, Arabic, Chinese, German or one of the many other languages with no similarities to Spanish
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<br />Though I still have a difficult time believing American readers must be spoon fed a translation for "Coma Esta."
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<br /><strong>The use of Estoy</strong>
<br />My Spanish is barely passable. Considering I've lived in a predominantly Spanish speaking neighborhood for the last three years it should be much better. However I am still 99.9% sure estoy is not used outside of the classroom.
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<br />I was reminded of that scene from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Maya Angelou is in a bar in Mexico with her father. When she starts speaking Spanish the formal way its taught in high school everyone laughs.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhYUqW03vsrQ5ZmpjDqf69UQ9qv7CSZ7ALFnaviTtURX-bzDwX3drrOw7uQl7y-_Rej9xx-CzcBFJLQt7qZxL0D3w4214ds8k7bweRwcX9Hbh0eLGJdn1xAuMAd0eSQ7m89rqy-E_NdM/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 91px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643104147647030786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhYUqW03vsrQ5ZmpjDqf69UQ9qv7CSZ7ALFnaviTtURX-bzDwX3drrOw7uQl7y-_Rej9xx-CzcBFJLQt7qZxL0D3w4214ds8k7bweRwcX9Hbh0eLGJdn1xAuMAd0eSQ7m89rqy-E_NdM/s200/book.jpg" /></a> <strong>Paris Noire</strong>
<br />I've never studied French but found it easy to follow. I don't know what the example says but in context I understand its meaning. Howard never stops the flow of the story to give translations. The understanding through context approach worked very well for Paris Noire since only a little French is used. Mainly greetings.
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<br /><strong>Wolf Mark
<br /></strong>Finding out that Wolf Mark had a little Russian was a nice surprise. It also helps round out this (lengthy) post since its a language I am not at all familiar with. I found myself reconsidering my stance on instant language translation.
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<br />I did find the ILT helpful at first but I soon wanted it to stop. They started to feel clunky and not natural to the story . Even though I don't know Russian, hints would've been preferable.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMRgATKUq1Ua1LMR_iNqkAAhY_GvA6UWWeZGl8KqQ7RUGeYxxCzaJjFhfh32QwW46eoOyKzuJVVqW49lMSqjcsq3756HllXNIaBbB_k7i-pkDbYdEmoFn2RSQC11B9Wu9B5IVuOU6gRo/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 96px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643102430867013250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMRgATKUq1Ua1LMR_iNqkAAhY_GvA6UWWeZGl8KqQ7RUGeYxxCzaJjFhfh32QwW46eoOyKzuJVVqW49lMSqjcsq3756HllXNIaBbB_k7i-pkDbYdEmoFn2RSQC11B9Wu9B5IVuOU6gRo/s200/book.jpg" /></a> One of my favorite novels last year was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Madonnas-Echo-Park-Novel/dp/1439170843/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313889071&sr=8-1">Madonnas of Echo Park</a> by Brando Skyhorse (one of the best prologues ever) A lot of Spanish is intertwined in the novel. What I didn't understand through context I had to look up. It did slow me down a bit but I didn't mind at all, I prefer to work for it.
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<br />Instant language translations take me out of the narrative. It also implies - The reader won't know what this means, they won't be smart enough to figure it out and will be too lazy to look it up.
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<br />I like to get the gist of another language through context and with the help of a few hints. If that doesn't work I prefer to look up what I don't know.
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<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">*I felt the execution (I just finished watching Project Runway. Nina Gracia Don't Play) of including Spanish was very poor. This shouldn't to be anyone's first impression of this novel since it could turn readers off. I enjoyed the novel and don't want to do that so I won't reveal the title.</span>
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<br />Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-7831481274632113872011-08-11T06:06:00.000-04:002011-08-11T06:06:00.198-04:00100 YA/MG Releases ABOUT poc!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy7qsiXWU6DrVbtuJufTNSD2zsZzf8d3u7Asr4SZVHeU7DHO-BF0mTw7pyOgKVUvk4Nv3GLElCtLboo0PM4JWT1MIy9jWgu3vzcLNZMRrvCqIdOyS255SJ8zS3MUVW3goXptmTqLnAbM/s1600/100_t.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639352684815015730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy7qsiXWU6DrVbtuJufTNSD2zsZzf8d3u7Asr4SZVHeU7DHO-BF0mTw7pyOgKVUvk4Nv3GLElCtLboo0PM4JWT1MIy9jWgu3vzcLNZMRrvCqIdOyS255SJ8zS3MUVW3goXptmTqLnAbM/s200/100_t.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><div>WE REACHED 100! If you go back to my <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-yamg-poc-releases.html">original post to check out the full list</a>, I admit that I didn't think we could find 100 YA/MG books about poc. But we did and I am beyond pleasantly surprised especially since we are currently at 102. I'm sure there's more 2011 releases though because we don't have any December ones and there are usually a few December releases. Now we just need to get to the point where we have at least 100 MG books about poc AND at least 100 YA books about poc. Keep those suggestions coming! Thank you so much for all your help and support.</div>
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<br /><div>And stay tuned for the December list of 2012 debuts, maybe I will separate them...</div>
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<br /><div>photo from unofficialhomeschooler.com</div>
<br />MissAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-52592919675227751602011-08-10T09:51:00.008-04:002011-08-10T11:28:04.074-04:00Martha Southgate on The HelpSometimes I will visit publisher sites to see if there's anything worth finding. Today I found my way to Algonquin Books. Author Martha Southgate's newest novel <a href="http://www.algonquinbooksblog.com/martha-southgates-the-taste-of-salt/">The Taste of Salt </a>will be released at the end of September. I've had a chance to read it already. One the things I loved about it is the main characters very unexpected occupation. The writing is beautiful and many scenes broke my heart. Life is dramatic enough, the author doesn't use any tricks, simply letting it all unfold. There will be a proper review closer to the release date. <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/59367213/Excerpt-From-The-Taste-of-Salt">Chapter One of The Taste of Salt</a>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaKSlrNrfXkUJ3Bwd4LPfj-ESSPmzV8aHtc43__k6ECrfqhkNKIHj3KoaK4KldsOxTDkEVEqOkFJ1iXF4vDlNF25UiFnr6PFbweKutq1XPwyiAopLrkyPsKCVa14XewfkzS760P7ej04/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 97px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639240993050886530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaKSlrNrfXkUJ3Bwd4LPfj-ESSPmzV8aHtc43__k6ECrfqhkNKIHj3KoaK4KldsOxTDkEVEqOkFJ1iXF4vDlNF25UiFnr6PFbweKutq1XPwyiAopLrkyPsKCVa14XewfkzS760P7ej04/s200/book.jpg" /></a> Though as the title states this is about Southgate on The Help. The author wrote a piece about bestselling novel turned movie by Kathryn Stockett in the most recent EW magazine.
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<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"The current issue of Entertainment Weekly (August 12) has a wonderful cover story on The Help, the blockbuster book that was made into a movie, opening soon. As part of the photo-heavy spread, Entertainment Weekly asked Algonquin author Martha Southgate, whose new novel The Taste of Salt publishes 9/27, to write about the book. Her piece is below. Be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine–one of our favorites around here–on newsstands now."
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<br />Algonquin Books was kind enough to rerun <a href="http://www.algonquinbooksblog.com/blog/the-truth-about-the-civil-rights-era-martha-southgate-on-the-help/">Southgate's article,</a> and it's worth reading. I do wonder when Southgate or any reader who thought they weren't going to read The Help changed their mind. What was the tipping point?
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<br />I am still firmly in the I will not read camp. I had many customers try to convince me otherwise but I won't budge. Part of the reason for this hard line in the sand has to do with working in a bookstore in the South and having White customers tell me every day I just must read The Help.
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<br />In my head, all I could think was no I don't. I refuse to believe the authenticity of Black voices created by a White author by White readers who don't read Black authors. These were my customers so I know what they read. Not a single White customer that requested The Help asked for a novel by a Black author.
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<br />Stockett's novel was liked by many of my Black customers as well. I was a bit more curious, but knowing that a Black author would never have this amount of success with the same story, I still can't bring myself to read The Help. Now I know how some Asian readers probably felt with the success of Golden's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Geisha-Novel-Arthur-Golden/dp/0679781587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312987463&sr=8-1">Memoirs of a Geisha.</a>
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<br />Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199038920161794698.post-27334629540230467472011-08-08T09:51:00.000-04:002011-08-08T09:58:48.797-04:002011 Decatur Book FestivalThe <a href="http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/about-dbf/index.php">Decatur Book Festival </a>is held every Labor day weekend. Decatur is only a few miles from Atlanta. I love this festival which started in 2006. There's always a great turn out and its put together very well.
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<br /><a href="http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/authors/detail.php?id=65">Tananarive Due</a> is going to be attending. OMG I am so excited. Yes, I am seriously fan gushing. The first book I read by Due was The Living Blood. I picked it up because of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Blood-Tananarive-Due/dp/0671040839/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0">cover</a>, which screamed read me, which I did. I've been hooked ever since. The author's latest <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/My-Soul-to-Take/Tananarive-Due/9781439176146">My Soul to Take</a> comes out at the beginning of September, right on time for the festival. I've already had a chance to read it, loved it.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXdqZU-d4k7LKErSSRKRJW7Ez3LPxkAFvK_rZl9D1IpMuKhAgCd6wgvEHo7A9VMHg2CXS4se2psT5yFkd2_oTTV4L26qAGTYeiHo54muuYx9hQ6HGkjMPhpQ2DqUCnkDj1C36zAv0g9w/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 95px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638477100702334274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXdqZU-d4k7LKErSSRKRJW7Ez3LPxkAFvK_rZl9D1IpMuKhAgCd6wgvEHo7A9VMHg2CXS4se2psT5yFkd2_oTTV4L26qAGTYeiHo54muuYx9hQ6HGkjMPhpQ2DqUCnkDj1C36zAv0g9w/s200/book.jpg" /></a> I've banned myself from buying any more books until I get a new job. Though I am very tempted to break that for an autographed copy of My Soul to Take. I have a job prospect so hopefully it won't be an issue.
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<br />Due will be signing with debut author Alma Katsu. Katsu's novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taker-Alma-Katsu/dp/1439197059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312774455&sr=1-1">The Taker</a> comes out at the beginning of September as well. I've seen the book in passing, its been getting excellent reviews. It hasn't been on my reading radar because of the romance aspect but I want to give it a try before the festival.
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<br />If I go to a panel event I like to be familiar with, if not all then most of the authors who are presenting. It can't be easy for debut authors to be on a panel. All the attention is on the established and bestselling authors. So I will do my best to get a review copy of The Taker and have a question ready for Katsu.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikPFkr7lw7t-woQhoASqxbKHFwYZrbsj00PImFBlEtz2fmr6wAZQuva-iFx391RoTyB7xNdax0oCS_1oTvai6N49fJC2c-26ovpFeagxRO1nhF46NeKzyVmoYhm966qaaCqIlGKEWa58/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 91px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638477645367207314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikPFkr7lw7t-woQhoASqxbKHFwYZrbsj00PImFBlEtz2fmr6wAZQuva-iFx391RoTyB7xNdax0oCS_1oTvai6N49fJC2c-26ovpFeagxRO1nhF46NeKzyVmoYhm966qaaCqIlGKEWa58/s200/happy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/authors/detail.php?id=171">Elizabeth Nunez</a> will be signing her latest <a href="http://www.akashicbooks.com/boundaries.htm">Boundaries</a>. I haven't read Nunez before but her name sounded familiar. Then I remembered why, author and educator Ashley Hope Perez's guest post on <a href="http://coloronline.blogspot.com/search?q=ashley+hope+perez+">Women Writers of the Caribbean.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUhnXLpRUHpU2WEINS5_sdfKdK1TtvuyDgXX3Al3YEUD4K5nEdyJ6veRReTILwgKL3SAEXsKc0pVeF7pX-2X9MEiQQykyQbplUc0J6X9W_4CC7oPi8fprV29JJTWcW7TjXxCXsM6kcQ/s1600/book.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 91px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638479080142889250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kUhnXLpRUHpU2WEINS5_sdfKdK1TtvuyDgXX3Al3YEUD4K5nEdyJ6veRReTILwgKL3SAEXsKc0pVeF7pX-2X9MEiQQykyQbplUc0J6X9W_4CC7oPi8fprV29JJTWcW7TjXxCXsM6kcQ/s200/book.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/authors/detail.php?id=55">Tayari Jones</a> will be signing Silver Sparrow. I haven't been enforcing my no buying book ban, and I already have a signed copy. So I probably won't go to this appearance, I don't want to be that fan that shows up every time an author is in town. Ain't nobody calling security on me.
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<br />If you live in Atlanta and haven't had an opportunity to attend one of Jones signings I highly recommend going. The author is from Atlanta and it shows in the turn out. Its nice to get caught up in that good energy and Silver Sparrow is one of the best books of the year.
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<br /><a href="http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/authors/detail.php?id=40">Perisa Walker</a> will be signing Black Orchid Blues, the third book in her Harlem Renaissance mystery. The book has a Lee Child blurb and I love me some Child. Mystery is my favorite genre, so I don't know how I've missed Walker. Better late then never.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNNuPPyjeYk_fmCSQJdAdmTbCbaS2MdOf8euWCWZn2FEU9SU245QTk8SPl7gWGqwVVfgThVqtBV28d6okQaVxatmESQQrjchP8sE-HaqmGaLIZ-mmRLG8Q0aJKu8tPQSa27krZtxwStE/s1600/happy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 97px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638480538155968242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNNuPPyjeYk_fmCSQJdAdmTbCbaS2MdOf8euWCWZn2FEU9SU245QTk8SPl7gWGqwVVfgThVqtBV28d6okQaVxatmESQQrjchP8sE-HaqmGaLIZ-mmRLG8Q0aJKu8tPQSa27krZtxwStE/s200/happy.jpg" /></a>
<br />There are many more authors I want to check out thanks to the Decatur Book Festival. If you plan on coming to Atlanta for the book festival or <a href="http://dragoncon.org/">DragonCon</a> which is also Labor Day weekend, you can get away with not renting a car for the weekend. Marta, Atlanta's public transportation system is not great but its perfect for a weekend convention or event.
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<br />All the major host hotels can be easily accessed via Marta. There's also an airport line stop which is very convenient. Towards the end of the month I may do a Marta for visitors post. It'll be fun and relevant filibuster.
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<br />The book festival is in downtown Decatur. The area is very nice and is right next to the train station. Dragon Con is in downtown Atlanta, the turn out is always huge. Sci fi/fantasy fans do it up right. I like all the detailed costumes. I remember some of my co-workers who went to Dragon Con would be working on their costumes for months.
<br />Dorethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08676911030014718403noreply@blogger.com2