Things to say about books you have never read

How well read are you? Do you have conversations at dinner parties about books old and new? How do you get round discussing the books you haven't had the time or need to open yet?
There are so many books - good books - interesting books - eye-opening books - entertaining books - educational books - heartwarming or thrilling books. You cannot read them all.

I have friends who devour several books a week. Fast readers? Yes, but also with temporarily life situations that allows time to spend hours reading every day. I take longer, there are many other things on my daily schedule as well.

I just read an interesting article about what to say about books you have never read.
It's simply impossible to read all books. So how about learning a summary of classic books to make interesting conversation? It's like having an opinion about a movie you haven't seen, but only read the review.

I have discovered a fun way to remember books I have read. I have a beautiful little note book where I write my own book reviews. I write down the title of the book, the author's name, year published, a synopsis, my review, and when I read it. I enjoy flipping through and remembering good books and recommending them to others.

Last entry of my personal book reviews is this:

"Dissolution" by C.J. Sansom (2003)

Set in an exciting period in history during the dissolution of the monasteries. Shardlake is a likable and clever investigator. It is well written. I was there - at Scarnsea - seeing, smelling, and feeling. I am excited to read the other 4 mysteries with Shardlake; Dark Fire, Sovereign, Revelation, Heartstone.

Story: 1537. Matthew Shardlake is a lawyer in the service of Cromwell, King Henry's VIII's vicar general. He is sent to investigate a murder in a large Benedictine Monastery in Scarnsea, on the south coast of England.

Read September 2012

Reading unveiled

If you would tell me the heart of a man, tell me not what he reads, but what he rereads.
François Mauriac

Is it OK not to finish a book? Or even throw one away?
I don't mind if I finish early if I don't enjoy the book or if even throw it away, if I don't want to keep it in my library and be associated with my choice of reading.

To be picky about what we place into our minds is a good thing. What we are and what we become is under construction all the time - even under correction. The hard-disk in our head has room for much knowledge and many observances in life. Read and reread the things you find important to you and your own development and well-being.

My Wheaten Terrier sometimes places himself by the veranda door and does not bother to push the curtain away off his head. He can kind of watch me in the kitchen through the veil across his eyes. He can hear me and he knows I am there.

I hope to read books unveiled and know what I am absorbing.

Rules to Writing?

“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

― W. Somerset Maugham

I am reminded of the feeling I get when I go to art exhibitions and see someone studying a blue line across  a white canvas, just to express the deeper philosophies of life itself found in the art work.

Every piece of art is an individual experience to the beholder, just like a novel or a song may be.

But writing a novel ...who really knows what the rules are?

Each author has his or her way of working, there is no right or wrong on how to develop a story. If  I look up the key words "rules for writing" on the Internet, there are many who have written their ten rules, their 14 rules, their 15 rules, so obviously there are those who believe they have cracked the code.

George Orwell had some good advice for aspiring authors in his essay called: “Politics and the English Language”:

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

Never use a long word where a short one will do.

If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

Never use the passive where you can use the active.

Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

I can gain many pointers from reading what other's have tried and failed and succeeded! But after reading many rules I am basically back to W. Somerset Maugham wise words. Writing encourages creativity and wide open spaces. That's what we love about it!

Word Wizard

The true alchemists do not change lead into gold; they change the world into words.
William H. Gass

My husband is a wizard with words. He knows how to make sentences worth while listening to. He knows how to formulate an idea and make it explainable in words.

Moses was not clever with words and asked God for help as he was called upon to speak to the Israelites.
I think there are many of us who feel like that; that the words don't come out right, or that it's hard to know what to say. Aron, Moses' brother, had a greater talent for speech and was chosen to help him out.

I went to a funeral once where I felt that a hug was more important than words - and we have often heard the saying that action speaks louder than words. But there are times when words are important and some have a love language where words are most vital. Most of us need good words now and then for encouragement and building self-esteem.

When my husband says good words to me I want to savor them, put them in my heart, and bring them out whenever I need them.

Today's water color depicts one of my favorite words - family!

Writing is a Journey

As authors, when we think about our writing journey, we shouldn't think in terms of what we're "able" to do. We should think in terms of what we "want" to do.
These are the words of  Tristi Pinkston, LDS author and editor.



Is writing a journey? Our journey? I noticed the other day after sitting for hours solving a few pages in a chapter of a book, that it was brutal and difficult to get back into the real world. 

I seem to travel to the places I write about, I spend time with the fictional people there. And if I after hours with them have to go to the grocery store, I almost feel lost.
My husband says that I live three lives; one real life, one at night as I dream a lot, and a third in the stories I write. An interesting observation - but I believe he is right. Our imagination takes us exciting places and getting into a story by reading or writing it, can be an adventure.
Where do you want to go on your journey? Well, it depends on which book you pick up to read or which story you want to write. Go there - and enjoy!


Today's water color shows that a painting can take you on a journey as well. What do you think about when you see this imaginary place?

Word of Mouth

How important is word of mouth?
I recently read an interesting article on the website LDS Publisher called the power of a good word
Sometimes word of mouth can push a book, film, CD, or whatever - miles ahead, because someone, somewhere spoke positively about it.
This happened to "The Hunger Games" - a very popular book series, and now motion picture movie.
Read the article and see how popular it became because Stephenie Meyers, author of the Twilight-trilogy, mentioned the book on her website.
We can spread encouragement and positive thinking by using good words about others.
But because there is opposition in all things, we can also spread falseness, hurt, and sorrow.
Choose good words and make the world even better!

Read and Learn

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” —Mahatma Gandhi 


Learning is often associated with words - but not always. Learning is also gathering experience, noticing, observing, trying, and practicing.
Many years ago I read a notebook written by Leonardo da Vinci. One of his flagpoles was that learning comes through experience. I agree, that to truly know and truly understand for yourself, you'll have to experience something - but I also think that much is learned from books. From books and WORDS, we can  expand our knowledge, gather information, and learn to process that information into something worthwhile in our heads. That's a wonderful thing.


Some educations require reading books for 6 years or so, others may get a diploma through additional semesters of practical work. My uncle earned an honest living after only 7 years of primary school. He worked hard and was never a burden to the social system. Others may be awarded the title "eternal students", they never seem to tire of going to classes and studying text books.


No matter what our talents or ambitions are, we are all different - and that makes life - and people - interesting. Literacy is important. I have known adults who do not know how to read and write. I am sorry for all they miss out on, all the good books they cannot read, and the progress they can make through reading. There are some books on Cd's, but the choice is so much better for the reading person.

Words are Wonderful and Dangerous

“She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.” —Louisa May Alcott 


This is the "quote of the day" on this site. Have you ever read a book that has changed your way of thinking, changed your way of doing something, or even changed your life?


Throughout history we have seen many writers, philosophers, painters, and thinkers who have spent their days - and life - portraying and displaying their ideas about - and faith -  in something. Some of the well-known authors like Rousseau, John Locke, Montesquieu, Emile de Chatalet, from the time of the French Revolution of 1789, were French enlightenment writers, whose works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions. 


One of the paintings and stories from art and history that I have studied, that has made a lasting impression on me, is the painting by Jacques-Louis David of  Marat  from 1793. It has impressed me how a writer lives for his beliefs, and dies for them. Jean-Paul Marat, who spent much time in his bath tub because of a skin disease, was murdered while bathing by Charlotte Corday - a Girordin sympathiser, who came from an impoverished royalist family. She was guillotined herself for her deed.
These people were willing to die for what they fought for.
(Madame Marie Tussaud claimed that the painter David used her wax model of Marat when he painted this painting. She was saved from the guillotine herself, and employed to make death masks of important revolutionary figures like King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, Marat, and others)


I may not agree with all of their ideas, but I admire their passion. They wanted to turn the brains of the people by getting their ideas out there.
The written word can be both wonderful and dangerous. Choose carefully what you read.

Hector - Word of the Day!

Interesting - today the word of the day - is hector. This is a photograph of our Hector, taken today.

Words are exciting - for instance, I choose to think about Hector as brave and dutiful, not a bully or blusterer (see word explanation below). 

You may have seen the movie "Troy", starring Brad Pitt. Well, Hector was played by Eric Bana. He was brave and dutiful, defended his family and his people. I thought about that when we chose the name for our Wheaten Terrier.

Our Hector is definitely not a bully, though as a young dog he wears us out with his energy.

But we love him - he's a sunbeam in our home.

From A.Word.A.Day:
This week's theme: Eponyms hector (HEK-tuhr), noun: A bully or a blusterer, verb tr., intr.: To bully or to bluster.

[After Hector, a Trojan hero in Greek mythology. He was killed by Achilles.
http://wordsmith.org/words/achilles_heel.html . The name is derived from
Greek hektor (holding fast). In the mid-1600s the term was applied to
hoodlums on London streets. Earliest documented use: before 1387.]

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=hector

NOTES: Hector is a brave and dutiful character, but unfortunately his name
is now sullied in the language. Paris's abduction of Helen brought war to
Troy, yet he now refuses to fight and instead spends time with Helen. In the
painting Hector admonishes Paris who then trades his wreath for his helmet.

Hector hectoring Paris. Helen is in the middle.
http://wordsmith.org/words/images/hector_large.jpg
Art: Pierre Claude Fran�ois Delorme

  "Older children pulled at my beard, Jewish children hectored me with
   eligibility questions."
   Tom Chiarella; A Man's Guide to the Holidays; Esquire (New York); Dec 2011.

Children's Book for the Parents

“A book without words is like love without a kiss; it's empty.” —Andrew Wolfe 
This is the quote for the day on the right side of my blog. 
When my children were little I would take them to the library at least once a week, hoping that they would learn to love books. I would buy books also and read out loud to them.
When choosing books to buy, I thought it was important not only to choose a book that was fun, entertaining, a learning experience, and uplifting for the children - but one that I thought was fun to read! After all, I was the one who was going to read it to the children time and again!! 
We ended up with many Dr. Seuss books, books by Scandinavian authors Astrid Lindgren and Torbjørn Egner, and interesting picture turning/flipping books. Books that I liked, I would gladly read to them a hundred times or more.
So tip for the day: Buy books for your children that you like to read. That way you won't mind when they ask you to read it for the umpteenth time!

Remembering Synonyms

Maybe we don't appreciate how important words are until we lose them. My father had Alzheimer's. His words disappeared - one after another. He was very patient about it, it did not seem to affect him. He just explained the words. I would ask him what he had for breakfast, and he would answer "a round red thing" (a tomato) or he would say he "the things that removes my beard", talking about his razor.
One day he had almost no words left, and his body language and facial expressions told me what he thought or wanted. Even though this example is extreme, we all forget words now and then.

I like synonyms. Like the way my father explained the words lost in his mind, there are so many fun synonyms to use. You can find alternative words when using the Microsoft Word toolbar: review - synonyms or use a good old-fashioned synonym-book or check out one of the many websites, e.g. synonyms
Using different words and the synonyms for these, can sometimes show who you are, if you are a reader, if you are young or old, or maybe what your profession is.

Expanding my vocabulary, learning new words and how to use them is challenging and fun. There are so many more words out there!
Check-out the "word a day" on the right hand column here on this blog.

Book to read: The Physician

Do you read one book at a time, or several?

I tend to have books in different rooms of the house. Maybe I am terrified of missing something, or just thirsty for the adventure of good reading and new things to learn, new places to go in thought, new people to meet through characters in the stories. It's an exciting voyage and it's fun!

I would like to recommend another book today. It is called The Physician by Noah Gordon. This is the first book of a trilogy about the Cole family. They have a special sixth sense, called "the gift" as they practice as physicians.

The Physician was number one in Europe, though it did not get the same response in the US. The Madrid Book Fair attendees called The Physician "one of the ten most beloved books of all time".

If you like historical novels, this is one to read. Go back in time to the year 1020 in this first book.

The second is called "Shaman" and is set in the time of the conflict between the north and the south in USA. The third and last book is called "Choices", set in modern time.

Book to read: The Eight

A good place online to organize the books you read and get recommendations for more along the same line is Goodreads. It is also a meeting place for friends who enjoy books and reading, an opportunity to join reading groups, and much more.

Today I would like to recommend a book I love. It is called "The Eight" by Katherine Neville (published 1988).

It is a rich blend of medieval mystery, modern romance, and historical fiction. The story is packed with people from history, adventures on different continents, and an intelligent game of chess.

This being Neville's debut novel, she has already been compared to writers like Umberto Eco.

Why I like this book?

I enjoy a clean novel - free from bad words and bedroom scenes. I love it when I can learn something new, that the writing has an intelligent approach, bringing the story forward in a teaching and entertaining manner. It is a page-turner that makes you sad when the last page is read.

So what DOES make a great book great?

Good books? What makes a book good - or worth while spending your prescious few hours or minutes of leisure time with? Do books have to be good, or is it OK to read bad ones as well? I am pretty strict with myself when it comes to that question. Even though books are almost sacred in our home, carefully taken care of and thoroughly enjoyed - I don't want to fill my head with words that don't belong there. Yesterday I read the following by an LDS author - he is a novelist and screenwriter, with numerous bestsellers:

Defining Greatness by Michaelbrent Collings

So what DOES make a great book great? There are a lot of things. But first and foremost, I think, is simply this: a great book is one that people want to spend time with. And I’m not just talking about the time they put in reading it. A great book is one that we think about even when the covers are closed, one whose characters we wish we could meet well after the last chapter has been finished. It’s one that lives within us, and becomes not merely a part of what we have done, but a facet of who we have become.

To read the whole article go to http://www.ldspublisher.com/

So pick up a good book today,folks and enjoy!

Launching a second blog

Launching a new blog today for the enjoyment of writing and reading WORDS.

In this blog I will conjure up some of my thoughts on why words can be exciting, fun, and inspirational. They can also be the opposite - but being a positive character myself, I would like to empathize the good words.

All words can mean something to someone -

I am no expert at all, but I can enjoy words of all sorts. There will be mistakes in this blog, strange sentences, I'm sure - but then again: this is just for fun.

Art work from Eljarbo Studio will accompany many of the blog entries. Hope you'll enjoy them.

So, I'm pushing the start button. Here we go....