Our Hispanic Literary Heritage September 30, 2009
Posted by bookgoddess in Book Talk, Books, Fiction, library programs, Literature, readers, Reading, Reading lists.Tags: Color Online, Hispanic literature, Nobel Prize, Spanish language literature
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At our most recent Book Talk, I presented a “sampler” of the rich feast of Spanish language literature in translation, as well as some titles from North American writers of Hispanic origin.
As I began to prepare, I started to become overwhelmed. This is a major literary language – for example, ten Nobel prizes have been awarded to writers in the Spanish language. I also became very excited about the wonderful variety of the books – a rich feast, indeed.
I should mention with pride that I am partly of Spanish descent, and perhaps that increases my appreciation of this body of literature. But I recommend these books to all of you. When we talk about culture, we are privileged to be citizens of the world, and it is a good thing to move beyond our cultural center. I love Southern food, but I don’t eat it every night of my life.
So – this is your invitation to Hispanic literature. Click here for my list of books, and also please visit the Color Online blog for another wonderful selection of titles.
Disfrute sus libros! (Happy Reading, or more literally, Enjoy your books!)
Wine Glass Painting 2009 June 23, 2009
Posted by bookgoddess in library programs, West Palm Beach Public Library.Tags: wine glass painting
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This Thursday, June 25th, I will be presenting a workshop on wine glass painting from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the West Palm Beach Public Library at 411 Clematis Street. It’s easy and fun and you will be amazed at how creative you are.
Please bring a wine glass (larger ones work best) – we will supply the paints, brushes, etc.
I hope to see you there!
Happy Painting,
The Book Goddess
P.S. We did this last year and it was a great success!
A Celebration of Friendship February 19, 2009
Posted by bookgoddess in Books, Fiction, library programs, Reading, Reading lists, The Latest and the Greatest, West Palm Beach Public Library.Tags: friendship
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We had a good discussion today at The Latest and Greatest – our topic was A Celebration of Friendship. It’s not surprising that many wonderful books have been written on the theme of friendship. Of all our important relationships, friendships are the ones we get to choose. I have been more fortunate than I can say to have made some of my very best friends among my book club participants and my library colleagues.
I’m going to let the reading list speak for itself (here’s the link), but I should mention a few titles that my book-loving friends reminded me about:
Christina recommended Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott. This is one of my all-time favorites, too. I read it multiple times in my childhood, and in recent times had the pleasure of visiting the Alcott home. Christina also recommended Leaving Cecil Street by Diane McKinney-Whetstone.
Other recommendations were The Tender Bar, a memoir by J. R. Moehringer (Lois); A Red Bird Christmas by Fannie Flagg (Marsha); and The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor (Claudia). All great suggestions, and I would love to hear yours, too!
Happy Reading!
The Book Goddess
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn February 2, 2009
Posted by bookgoddess in Book Clubs, Books, library programs, Reading, Second Saturday Book Club, West Palm Beach Public Library.Tags: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Brooklyn, childhood reading
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I’m slightly apprehensive when I decide to re-read a much loved book from childhood. Perhaps it won’t live up to my memories, or I’ll look back on my youthful taste in horror.
As far as I can recall, this has never actually happened. Maybe the books that live on for us really are classics. This proved to be the case with my recent re-reading of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I’m not even sure what made me suggest it for the February selection for the Second Saturday Book Club. But I’m happy to report that I was simply enchanted, and I hope the other book club members will be, too. The story of Francie Nolan, child of Brooklyn and of poverty, but also of her dreams and aspirations, and the love of her family, was just as moving and enthralling as I found it several decades ago.
I urge you to read this book, again or for the first time. Among other things, it is a remarkable portrayal of life in the tenements of Brooklyn a hundred years ago. More importantly, it is a universal tale of growing up, of learning to love, and learning to leave. It will leave you with the greatest admiration for those who overcome this level of adversity. It may even put our current economic crisis in some sort of perspective.
Happy reading!
The Book Goddess
P.S. We’ll be discussing A Tree Grows in Brooklyn at the Second Saturday Book Club at the downtown West Palm Beach Public Library on Saturday, February 14th at 10:30 a.m. You have plenty of time to read the book, so please join us!
A Day (Off) in the Life of the Book Goddess (and more reasons to love your book club) October 30, 2008
Posted by bookgoddess in Book Clubs, Books, Librarians, library programs, Public libraries, readers, Reading, Second Saturday Book Club, West Palm Beach Public Library.Tags: absentee ballots, bellydance, Exit Music, friends, Hawaiian gin rummy, Ian Rankin, presidential election campaign, volunteering, wine and cheese
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Monday was a day off for me, so after I had done some laundry, I set off for the campaign headquarters of the presidential candidate of my choice. I had arranged to meet up there with one of my wonderful book club friends, Kathleen. We were making calls to likely voters, and one lady said she wanted applications for absentee ballots. Kathleen said we would take them over to her house – so we set off to make our delivery.
When we got there, the voter and her mother were sitting in the shade of their peaceful front yard. We had a nice visit while they filled out the forms.
After we took care of delivering the forms, we decided to call Sylvia, another book club member who lives nearby and see if we could drop in. She was happy to hear from us, and set out wine, cheese, crackers and fruit on her patio. What a gracious hostess! Kathleen started teaching us how to play Hawaiian gin rummy. Then Sylvia got another call from yet another book club member, Faith, who was also in the neighborhood. We were delighted that she could join our party.
Eventually we had to leave for our various commitments, but what a wonderful day it was! I felt that I did something useful, and I got to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world. I can’t guarantee that you will find friends in your book club as fabulous as mine, but I think there’s a good chance.
Oh – and after that, I went to my bellydance class. I had met the teacher at the West Palm Beach Public Library where she gave an introductory lesson. When I went home, I read Exit Music by Ian Rankin, which is pretty terrific – a library book, of course.
Those of us in the library profession are fond of saying that libraries change lives. There is no doubt that they have changed mine.
Happy Reading!
The Book Goddess