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.