The Thirteenth Tale

I consider myself lucky if I am able to find 1 book a year that I absolutely love. This year, I have been fortunate enough to find 4 books that I rated an A. The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Water for Elephants and now The Thirteenth Tale.

You know how when you read a book and you get to a specific part and you think, "Man, if they had just left that part out if would have been so much better!" I did not once think that throughout the whole book. I pride myself on watching so many TV shows and scary movies that I can almost always predict the twists and turns before they happen. I did not see this book coming at all, I thought I had it all figured out and then KABLOWEY! it threw me for a loop.

Synopsis

Vida Winter is the most famous living author, with hundreds of books published and an amazingly huge fan base. A woman, Margaret, who has only written a couple biographies and about "ordinary" people receives a letter from Vida inviting her to write Vida's biography. This would seem normal, only that Vida has never told the truth about her life and in the last 2 years alone has given over 20 different accounts of her story. This is the chance for Margaret to realize some things about herself and for Vida to get some things off her chest.

There were so many things that I loved about this book. The writing didn't trip me up at all, I didn't have to go back and re-read sentences because the working was all jumbled. I finished it in 2 days; I just couldn't put it down and like I said, it kept me guessing.

For anyone looking for a good read, with a little bit of everything, I definitely recommend this book!

Best of 2008

Amazon.com has completed a Best of List for 2008. While there are 100 books on each of the following lists, I have only listed the top 10. Click on the link at the end for the complete list . . .


Editor's Picks
1. The Northern Clemency
2. Hurry Down Sunshine
3. Nixonland
4. The Forever War
5. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
6. The Likeness
7. Serena
8. So Brave, Young and Handsome
9. The Lazarus Project
10. The Ten-Cent Plague


Customer Picks (top 10 book sales)
1. Breaking Dawn
2. The Last Lecture
3. Brisingr
4. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
5. The Tales of Beedle the Bard
6. The Appeal
7. When You are Engulfed in Flames
8. In Defense of Food
9. The Revolution
10. The Host

http://www.amazon.com/Best-2008-Books-Holidays-Seasonal/b/ref=amb_link_6320642_4?ie=UTF8&node=1239030011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=browse&pf_rd_r=1TJND4Y8QK6XHS44RZ02&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=465729671&pf_rd_i=283155

Are you a Harry Potter Fan?

If you are, then you'll be happy to know that J.K. Rowling has come out with a new book.

This information is from the Amazon page for the book.

J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008.

Offering the trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling's legions of readers--as well as Aesop's wisdom and the occasional darkness of the Brothers Grimm--each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists in the hearts of all of us. Rowling's new introduction also comments on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting that the characters in Beedle's collection "take their fates into their own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to return a lost shoe," and "that magic causes as much trouble as it cures."

But the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters.

Professor Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with censorship that eventually led "a certain Beatrix Bloxam" to cleanse the Tales of "much of the darker themes that she found distasteful," forever altering the meaning of the stories for their Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through "Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump" that "many of us [wizards] first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead."
Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is all that fans could hope for and more--and an essential volume for the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old.

December's Book

The Shack: William P. Young

For December's Book I thought we would turn to a book about God, being that it's that Holiday time of year. The Shack is a very unique book, in that it's about God but not any particular religion. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even with the very confusing conversations between God and Mack the main character. This book made me look at so many things in a new light, and it spoke to me, something a lot of religious texts are missing. It's definitely more relatable than scripture, but carries a lot of the same messages.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to define their relationship with God, or for anyone who likes a story about Love and Triumph.

The Process

In July I started to become an avid reader. Our work had attempted to start a Book Club the year before, but it had fizzled out, and so I began the process of starting it anew.
I've taken the job of selecting books very seriously. I have a rigorous screening process before a book is selected for our Book Club.

1. I find the New York Times Best Seller Lists. I pick a couple of the more popular books.

2. I then go to amazon.com, and see how many reviews the book has received from customers. I try not to pick books that have under a couple hundred reviews.

3. I make sure that the majority of the reviews given for the book are 4 or 5 stars. If the reviews are pretty spread out in terms of 1 to 5 stars, I don't pick it. I need to find a book that will appeal to a large group of people.

4. I make sure that the book isn't sexist, meaning that I want a book that will appeal to both men and women.

5. I check the price of the book and the release date. I try not to pick things that came out too recently, because then they will be harder to get from the library. I also try to pick a book that is available in paperback so that it will be a cheaper price, although this doesn't always happen. Some books haven't been released in paperback yet.

If a book meets all these criteria and I have a strong feeling that it will be a good fit for the Book Club, I try to get it from the library and read it before I suggest it. Sometimes I like to read the book for the first time with my group, so I won't read it in advance on purpose.

After reading it, if I feel that the majority of the members will like it, then I put it on my Monthly Book List.

One of the best parts of this Book Club is the feeling when someone tells you that they absolutely loved the book that you recommended. It's become something that I cherish and it makes all the work worth it. This has actually become the highlight of my job.

You don't have to be a employee of Marriott to participate. You are more than welcome to read along with us. We have a discussion each month, and I am going to post the Discussion Questions, so that any of you can participate.

Happy Reading!!