Ambassador of Books ~ Book Club Madam ~ Blogger Gal

Friday, August 21, 2009

Friday Finds 08/21/09


Before I get to my list, remember earlier this week when I talked about the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie? Go here to find out how to get updates about the movie (as part of the viral marketing campaign). It opens on Christmas Day - I can't wait!

And now, here are the books I've added to my TBR list this week ...



*** Books for Me ***

Whatever You Do, Don't Run, by Peter Allison - found at At Home With Books who says "Peter Allison's stories about being a safari guide in Africa are pure entertainment. Whatever You Do, Don't Run is filled with fun-to-read stories ranging from idiotic things that tourists do, to dangerous face-to-face encounters with lions. [...] If you have ever wondered what it would be like to go on safari in Africa, then I would recommend this memoir."




Twilight of Avalon, by Anna Elliott - found at Things Mean A Lot - this is a reimagining of the story of Tristan and Isolde, based on the "twelfth-century version of the myth: a version in which Lancelot is absent, and Guinevere’s famous love affair is with Arthur’s illegitimate son and nemesis, Mordred. Isolde is the child of that union. [...] It’s a complex book, and I really liked that. There’s no “us” and “them” dichotomy; there are just people, some well-meaning, some greedy and selfish, some confused and scared, some angry and hurt. But they’re human, all of them, even the villains."




Hell Is Other Parents: And Other Tales of Maternal Combustion, by Deborah Copaken Kogan - found through a Facebook post by Hyperion Voice - reviews on Amazon.com say it is an "edgy, insightful, and sidesplitting memoir about surviving in the trenches of modern parenting." And also, "For anyone who's ever been a parent, had a parent, or wanted to choke a parent, [this] book is for you. With obscenely funny and frighteningly dead-on insights, this book is so close to my heart I want to put it in a locket and wear it around my neck. I plan to buy Hell Is Other Parents by the carton and hand it out at the playground." It sounds hilarious!




*** Books for Kiddo ***


The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norman Juster - I read and loved this book as a child and I think it would be a great read-together book for Kiddo and I. Thanks to Open Mind, Insert Book for reminding me about it.




The Kids' Bible Dictionary - This would be a great resource for Kiddo I think. A big thank you to 5 Minutes for Books for reviewing this one. "Barbour [Books] has really published a great tool here and I wholeheartedly recommend it to you as being worth every single penny (and then some)!" Now THAT is a good recommendation.


3-D Explorer - Oceans: A Journey from the Surface to the Seafloor - What kid doesn't like pop-up books about a topic he loves?! Kiddo is fascinated with the ocean, specifically sharks, but he is interested in all underwater life. 5 Minutes for Books wrote about this new 3-D Explorer series and said "We absolutely l-o-v-e these ... books." Be sure to check out their review to see what makes these books must-haves.



That's all for me this week. Have any of these books made it to your TBR list as well?


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11 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Whatever You Do, Don't Run caught my eye, too.

Cackleberry Homestead said...

I saw Whatever You Do, Don't Run earlier this week and I want to read that.

Twilight of Avalon sounds good too, I'll have to look into that.

I have also seen Hell is Other Parents and thought that looked interesting.

Kelly said...

Hell is Other Parents...what a great title! I ran a daycare for 15 years in my home, and I never met a kid I didn't like and couldn't get along with, but my goodness! Some of the parents....like the woman who insisted I only feed her 8month old baby girl skim milk every six hours, applesauce and squash at lunch, and water only the rest of the time because she was "starting to get fat". Umm...she's a BABY...you're not supposed to see her ribs! Yech....I've always worried about how that little one turned out!

Dave said...

I came back from a Colorado vacation with a book called "Tallgrass," about a Japanese-American internment camp built there during World War II. I started it on the plane, but had to place it back on the TBR pile due to an upcoming book club meeting. So "Fragile Branches," about the Jewish disapora, gets my undivided attention this weekend.

Heather J. @ TLC Book Tours said...

Bermuda - That book sounds like it will be really funny!

Crystal - I've seen the Avalon book reviewed before but this time I really grabbed me.

Kelly - Oh, the poor child!!! I could never do daycare - I'd want to murder the parents. ~LOL~

Dave - Both of those books sounds really good - will you be reviewing either on Read Street?

Trisha said...

I absolutely adore The Phantom Tollbooth and I love to see it on others' TBR lists. I really have to re-read it soon.

Heather J. @ TLC Book Tours said...

Trisha - I love finding books I treasure on other people's TBR lists as well. :)

Trisha said...

It does sort of validate what you read, and there's something both solitary and social about reading. We read alone (most of the time) but we want others to share in our experience just the same.

Jean Fischer said...

Hello, Heather.

I'm the author of "The Kids' Bible Dictionary." Thanks so much for including it on your blog.

Barbour Publishing has a great selection of books for kids and teens. Watch for their new mystery series, Camp Club Girls, next January and my new book in that series, "Sydney's D.C. Adventure."

Jean Fischer

Heather J. @ TLC Book Tours said...

Trisha - I know exactly what you mean.

Jean - Thanks so much for stopping by! Your book looks like one that Kiddo would definitely enjoy.

Coffeegrljapan said...

I've always had a fascination with safaris (I read a lot of Agatha Christie when I was young and it seemed like someone was always off adventuring on safari) and I'd love to know more. The "Whatever You Do..." book sounds great!

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