Living Unabridged

I'm so happy to be back to a regular posting schedule. I feel like 2016 is already shaping up to be a good reading year.

from David Crystal's lovely book about punctuation (if a book about punctuation can be described as "lovely"), Making a Point: The Persnickety Story of English Punctuation. This book describes the history of English punctuation but it's no diatribe against people who misuse apostrophes or aren't exactly sure when you use a semicolon. Crystal answers those questions but he doesn't talk down to his readers. So there's something here for grammar aficionados and grammar newbies.

I love studying English Grammar (and yes, I'm one of those people who actually like diagramming sentences) and I think this quote sums up why. Grammar is so we can express complex thoughts with clarity.

Recently Finished

Aside from the aforementioned

I've also finished
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughterby Kate Clifford Larson since 2016 began.
Rosemary Kennedy's story is compelling, even though Larson adds little new insight or information and actually has several questionable conclusions (such as the statement that the lobotomy "injured her as much as it had Rosemary" in chapter 8. This is obviously, and demonstrably, ridiculous.)

My main takeaway from reading this is that Rose Kennedy (wife of Joe, mother of all that Kennedy clan) is by no means as innocent in what happened to her oldest daughter as I had supposed. Both Kennedy parents were controlling of their children (regarding weight, habits, education, talent, etc.) while still managing to abdicate the actual raising of their children to servants, friends, and extended family.

Why do the Kennedys still fascinate? I'm not sure, unless we just like reading about not particularly admirable people doing not particularly wonderful things, repeatedly, while many admire them for their looks, wealth, and charisma. [insert shrug here]

Recently Added

I haven't made it to the library yet in 2016. I'm still working on several things from last year's stack and looking at book lists for ideas of what to add to this year's stack.

Current Read Aloud

By popular request (that is: two of my daughters) we are reading The Secret Garden as our bedtime read aloud. We have this edition because it was my favorite as a child:The Secret Garden (Illustrated by Michael Hague)but you can get it for Kindle and I know a lot of people love the Tasha Tudor edition.
One thing that's challenging me on this one: I'm upping my accent game. I can do a fair, generic British accent (at least good enough for my kiddos), but this is set in Yorkshire so I've been trying to throw that in when appropriate. We call it "brogue" because I'd say there's a good bit of Scots and Irish in my attempts, but the girls are appreciating it and I'm having fun.

Current Book to Review

I haven't ordered one yet, but I'm looking for a likely candidate.

Current Kindle Deals

Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Lifeis $1.99 for Kindle this month.
Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breatheis also $1.99 right now. I ordered this one, even though I'm not feeling particularly "desperate" right now, because I appreciate Sally Clarkson's writing.
What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do: Discouragement and Depressionis another $1.99 deal. I've never read this but I feel confident recommending it based on the authors.

What are you reading now?

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