About a month ago John Green read us the first chapter of his new book The Fault in Our Stars, which will be released early next year. Then last Friday he released chapter two. Videos of him reading both chapters are below. :)
ps. May I just mention that I am looking forward to getting my signed copy of the book?
DFTBA
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Interesting tidbits
I've come across interesting things in books here and there, and just wanted to share some of what I've seen.
I'm not sure what it should be called. It's a funny sort of bar code that I'm pretty sure is designed specially for people with smart phones to scan them to be taken to a web site for more info. (As a happy iPhone owner I should know more about this, but alas I don't.) I'm used to regular bar codes being on the back of books, but not these fancy bar codes. So I thought this was neat.
I found this while book mending. The title, instead of being on just one page, is on both pages. That's pretty unusual.
And now, forgive me, I will be complaining about weird things I see while mending books at my local library.
Um, why? Why why why? This makes no sense. And I had to replace the mylar.
Mylar: the plastic covering that libraries use to protect dust protectors on hardcover books.
Ok, so I can understand this. Pages are coming out so someone tries to be helpful by fixing it up themselves.
However, I will have you know, I still had to glue those pages back in, and getting the tape out of my way first just made more work for me.
People trying to be helpful is the bane of my existence as a book mender.
A funny bar code. |
I'm not sure what it should be called. It's a funny sort of bar code that I'm pretty sure is designed specially for people with smart phones to scan them to be taken to a web site for more info. (As a happy iPhone owner I should know more about this, but alas I don't.) I'm used to regular bar codes being on the back of books, but not these fancy bar codes. So I thought this was neat.
The title page....er pages. |
I found this while book mending. The title, instead of being on just one page, is on both pages. That's pretty unusual.
And now, forgive me, I will be complaining about weird things I see while mending books at my local library.
Closeup of some sort of foam sticker thing on a book cover. |
SIX foam sticker thingies on the book cover. |
Um, why? Why why why? This makes no sense. And I had to replace the mylar.
Mylar: the plastic covering that libraries use to protect dust protectors on hardcover books.
A book fixed up with tape. |
Ok, so I can understand this. Pages are coming out so someone tries to be helpful by fixing it up themselves.
However, I will have you know, I still had to glue those pages back in, and getting the tape out of my way first just made more work for me.
People trying to be helpful is the bane of my existence as a book mender.
PROTECT IP
So there's yet another bill trying to mess with the internet. Info is in the following video, and it looks an awful darn lot like the proposed censorship bill from earlier this month.
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
You can get more info on how to fight it here: http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
You can get more info on how to fight it here: http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Beautiful cover!!!
Today I was eating breakfast and noticed a book that my mom had brought home from the library -- Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai. Or to be more precise, I noticed the cover of the book.
I want to describe it for those of my readers who can't see it, and I know I won't do a very good job, but I'll give it a go:
It's a girl in a dress standing at the top of a hill by a tree (papaya I think), and the sky has lovely shades of purple, blue, pink, and soft yellow (I know the details about the colors will be pretty meaningless to those who are congenitally blind). It's a sunset or sunrise, with the girl silhouetted against the sun, and in the top right corner of the picture is night sky. It's painted.
I tried to find out who illustrated the cover so that I could provide that info here, but I can't seem to find out who the artist is. If anyone does know how to find this info please let me know. :)
The lovely book cover |
It's a girl in a dress standing at the top of a hill by a tree (papaya I think), and the sky has lovely shades of purple, blue, pink, and soft yellow (I know the details about the colors will be pretty meaningless to those who are congenitally blind). It's a sunset or sunrise, with the girl silhouetted against the sun, and in the top right corner of the picture is night sky. It's painted.
I tried to find out who illustrated the cover so that I could provide that info here, but I can't seem to find out who the artist is. If anyone does know how to find this info please let me know. :)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Hank on censorship
Here's another video on censorship that I think is well worth watching.
And yes, I know it starts out on a completely different topic, and is responding to a video that you probably haven't seen (unless you're a nerdfighter like me), but bear with it.
If you want to read the video description which contains more info, the YouTube link to the video (and therefore what he's written) is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keg6it0g2wY&feature=feedu
And yes, I know it starts out on a completely different topic, and is responding to a video that you probably haven't seen (unless you're a nerdfighter like me), but bear with it.
If you want to read the video description which contains more info, the YouTube link to the video (and therefore what he's written) is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keg6it0g2wY&feature=feedu
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Censorship
I found out today that Congress is working to pass a bill which could change the internet as we know it. That is, it could shut down sites like Facebook, YouTube...and others.
There are already laws in place to protect copyrighted material. The laws don't work perfectly, but there's such a thing as going too far and this seems to me to be too far.
More info is in the following video, but be sure to watch it all the way through because the proposed law was altered for the worse after the video was originally made and there is updated info at the end of it.
If you want to take action to prevent this you can do so at the following sites:
American Censorship: http://americancensorship.org/thanks/index.html?action_id=2449225&akid=.761157.NZ5uZ2&form_name=act&rd=1 -- There is also more info in this link, FYI
Avaaz: http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_us_c/?tta
Obviously, blogging and telling your friends about this will help spread word, so I recommend that you do so.
There are already laws in place to protect copyrighted material. The laws don't work perfectly, but there's such a thing as going too far and this seems to me to be too far.
More info is in the following video, but be sure to watch it all the way through because the proposed law was altered for the worse after the video was originally made and there is updated info at the end of it.
If you want to take action to prevent this you can do so at the following sites:
American Censorship: http://americancensorship.org/thanks/index.html?action_id=2449225&akid=.761157.NZ5uZ2&form_name=act&rd=1 -- There is also more info in this link, FYI
Avaaz: http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_us_c/?tta
Obviously, blogging and telling your friends about this will help spread word, so I recommend that you do so.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Another banned book
As I was reading my psych book and in the section about anxiety (which of course mentions suicide) I read about a book that was banned.
Sometimes when a suicide is reported there is a "rash of suicides" which have similarities to the suicide originally reported. What does this have to do with a banned book? Well, to quote my psych text:
"The contagion of suicide has been called the 'Werther effect' after the rash of suicides that followed the 1774 publication of Goethe's tale of a young romantic who shot himself over a lost love. Werther was wearing a blue coat and yellow vest when he took his life, and so many young men were found dead in similar garb that the book was banned in several countries" (568).
The banned book is The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
If you're wondering what my text book is, it's the second edition of Psychology by Daniel L. Schacter, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Daniel M. Wegner.
Sometimes when a suicide is reported there is a "rash of suicides" which have similarities to the suicide originally reported. What does this have to do with a banned book? Well, to quote my psych text:
"The contagion of suicide has been called the 'Werther effect' after the rash of suicides that followed the 1774 publication of Goethe's tale of a young romantic who shot himself over a lost love. Werther was wearing a blue coat and yellow vest when he took his life, and so many young men were found dead in similar garb that the book was banned in several countries" (568).
The banned book is The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
If you're wondering what my text book is, it's the second edition of Psychology by Daniel L. Schacter, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Daniel M. Wegner.
2011 Reading Challenge
Thingy showing that I've read 51 of 50 books. :) |
About a week ago I met my goal when I finished Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer. Then I went one book over my goal when I completed Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce.
Carrie, on the other hand, has gone two books over her goal of 50 books. I admit that I'm a little competitive, so my goal is now to read more books than her this year. Which I may not be able to, because I've got school and she doesn't. But still, I can try. :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Inheritance
I've read the prologue thingy and the first chapter of Inheritance by Christopher Paolini.
The prologue surprised me, in that it's written in the form of an oral tradition, which means that it is better spoken than read. There are lots and lots of "ands" in it... "and this, and that, and this other thingy, and that other thingy..."
I think I'd have to get more into the book before really commenting further (and I'm not sure when I'll manage that, what with homework that needs to get done...) but I find the use of oral tradition style to be pretty interesting, and neat.
The prologue surprised me, in that it's written in the form of an oral tradition, which means that it is better spoken than read. There are lots and lots of "ands" in it... "and this, and that, and this other thingy, and that other thingy..."
I think I'd have to get more into the book before really commenting further (and I'm not sure when I'll manage that, what with homework that needs to get done...) but I find the use of oral tradition style to be pretty interesting, and neat.
Cover of Inheritance -- awesome green dragon! |
Comments about Mastiff
I finished Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce last evening and I love it!!!
So now I have some comments.
SPOILERS
First of all, oh I was so wrong in my previous predictions when I said...
1) Beka would not marry, and
2) Rosto would likely be the father of her child(ren).
I guess it's still possible that Rosto will father a child by her down the line (I doubt it though) (now watch Pierce prove me wrong AGAIN and for Beka and Rosto to get together...), but Mastiff has totally proven me wrong about marriage. I would never have guessed that Beka might marry someone who would choose to take her name.
And Tunstall...
I can't believe it. Tunstall turn traitor? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Even when Beka was saying that there must be a traitor I couldn't believe that Tunstall or Sabine would do such a thing. When I reread the previous books again I'll have to keep an eye out for clues/hints/foreshadowing.
At least Sabine wasn't the traitor. I named one of my pet rats after her and I would not like to see Sabine turn traitor. lol
So now I have some comments.
SPOILERS
First of all, oh I was so wrong in my previous predictions when I said...
1) Beka would not marry, and
2) Rosto would likely be the father of her child(ren).
I guess it's still possible that Rosto will father a child by her down the line (I doubt it though) (now watch Pierce prove me wrong AGAIN and for Beka and Rosto to get together...), but Mastiff has totally proven me wrong about marriage. I would never have guessed that Beka might marry someone who would choose to take her name.
And Tunstall...
I can't believe it. Tunstall turn traitor? I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Even when Beka was saying that there must be a traitor I couldn't believe that Tunstall or Sabine would do such a thing. When I reread the previous books again I'll have to keep an eye out for clues/hints/foreshadowing.
At least Sabine wasn't the traitor. I named one of my pet rats after her and I would not like to see Sabine turn traitor. lol
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Beka Cooper: Mastiff
I'm enjoying reading Mastiff by Tamora Pierce, and I have a few comments about it.
SPOILERS
Ok, not much of a spoiler since it's right at the beginning, but I was really surprised how it started. Starting right with a funeral for the guy she was going to break off her engagement to, who we had never met before? Wow. Quite a heavy way to start a book. I'll have to finish the book before I can really comment further on it, though.
I really like Farmer, and I'm predicting that he and Beka will get together. :)
I also think it's fantastic how Pierce ties this book into her other books, and/or how things changed to where they are in her later books. For one thing we're seeing how the worship of the Gentle Mother made it unacceptable for women to be anything but gentle creatures whose duty is to do embroidery and make babies. And now I've just got to where Farmer is talking about wild magic! That's a topic I didn't expect to come up in this book.
I'm also trying to keep track of which noble belongs to what place. Like Queensgrace...that's where Neal and Duke Baird from Protector of the Small are from, right? I think I'm going to have to make myself a list of all the lands and which nobles belong to where.
As I said, I am enjoying this book. =)
SPOILERS
Ok, not much of a spoiler since it's right at the beginning, but I was really surprised how it started. Starting right with a funeral for the guy she was going to break off her engagement to, who we had never met before? Wow. Quite a heavy way to start a book. I'll have to finish the book before I can really comment further on it, though.
I really like Farmer, and I'm predicting that he and Beka will get together. :)
I also think it's fantastic how Pierce ties this book into her other books, and/or how things changed to where they are in her later books. For one thing we're seeing how the worship of the Gentle Mother made it unacceptable for women to be anything but gentle creatures whose duty is to do embroidery and make babies. And now I've just got to where Farmer is talking about wild magic! That's a topic I didn't expect to come up in this book.
I'm also trying to keep track of which noble belongs to what place. Like Queensgrace...that's where Neal and Duke Baird from Protector of the Small are from, right? I think I'm going to have to make myself a list of all the lands and which nobles belong to where.
As I said, I am enjoying this book. =)
Monday, November 7, 2011
Too many books!!!
Too many books, too little time. The lament of all English majors.
I am currently working my way through Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce, and I would like to share an awesome quote from it:
There are a two other books which I am super excited about, and would also love to read in one setting, but I'm going to have to bide my time.
One is the final installment in the Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini. It will be released and arrive on my doorstep tomorrow (probably today by the time anyone reads this) and it will drive me crazy to have that book sitting on my shelf, unread, while I work my way through Mastiff.
Then today I found out today that one of my favorite authors, Juliet Marillier, has released a new novella, the name of which I cannot even remember. That's another book to be added to my must-read-as-soon-as-possible list.
Oh and then there's that graphic novel that my boyfriend bought me...as well as a few other books he gave me... (He knows me too well. He woos me with books.)
And I haven't even mentioned my school books, which of course get top priority.
I am currently working my way through Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce, and I would like to share an awesome quote from it:
"You get too excited over big flashes, Tunstall. Mages rely on that to make you think they have more power than you" (251).
There are a two other books which I am super excited about, and would also love to read in one setting, but I'm going to have to bide my time.
One is the final installment in the Inheritance cycle by Christopher Paolini. It will be released and arrive on my doorstep tomorrow (probably today by the time anyone reads this) and it will drive me crazy to have that book sitting on my shelf, unread, while I work my way through Mastiff.
Then today I found out today that one of my favorite authors, Juliet Marillier, has released a new novella, the name of which I cannot even remember. That's another book to be added to my must-read-as-soon-as-possible list.
Oh and then there's that graphic novel that my boyfriend bought me...as well as a few other books he gave me... (He knows me too well. He woos me with books.)
And I haven't even mentioned my school books, which of course get top priority.
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