Wondrous Words Wednesday 7-10

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by BermudaOnion each week. It's an opportunity to share new words you've encountered in your reading, or highlight words that you particularly enjoy.

Here are three of my favorites new-to-me words from my recent read. 

This week I am reading Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Though so far in my reading I have not come across any new words, in the 38 page introduction written by Robert DeMott  there were many. 

jeremiad - noun     a literary work or speech  expressing a bitter lament or righteous prophecy of doom.

              from American Heritage Dictionary 4

"-The Grapes of Wrath has a home[grown quality: part naturalistic epic, part jeremiad, part captivity narrative, part road novel, part transcendental gospel."

contrapuntal - adj     1. of or characterized by counterpoint.    2. according to the principals of counterpoint

                       from Webster's New World College Dictionary

In The Grapes of Wrath he devised a contrapuntal structure, which alternates short lyrical chapters of exposition and background pertinent to the migrants as a group with the long narrative chapters of the Joad family's dramatic exodus to California. 

despotism - noun     1. rule by or as if by a despot; absolute power or authority   2. the actions of a despot: tyranny   3.a government or political system in which the ruler exercises absolute power.

     from American Heritage Dictionary 4

a quote from Steinbeck in a 1937 statement for the League of American Writers. "I believe in the despotism of human life and happiness against the liberty of money and possessions"

I think in this quote, Steinbeck was using the first definition... the power of human life and happiness over money and possessions

I enjoyed the introduction to this edition. It really gave me a background of Steinbeck and his writings. Since I had not read it in school and did not have the opportunity to learn these details, I am glad I took the time to read the lengthy  introduction. 

How about you?  Did you encounter any new or wondrous words?

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

The Devil in the White City - Non Fiction Reading Challenge 4/5

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My library did not have a print copy of this title, so I chose the audio book. I had a large hand stitching project and decided I could do two things at once if I could read and stitch. Needless to say, I finished the stitching project before the audio book was done. This is a very dark book and at the same time full of interesting historical information.

As now that I have finished this book, I enjoyed the historical references way more than the description of the psychopath's murders and all the details. The author Erik Larson did extensive research in libraries, archives, cemeteries and historical societies.

This was indeed an interesting non-fiction story. So much of our architectural history, and manufacturing history got its start at the 1893 Chicago's World Fair. I gave it 4 stars because of all the history presented that I did not know.


View all my reviews

Mailbox Monday 7-8

E BOOKS ONLY THIS WEEK!!!!

 Mailbox Monday  is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week or weeks and to explore great book blogs. Mailbox Monday is hosted in July by Tasha at Book Obsessed

 Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

This week only 2 titles came to live at my house. Both were downloaded from Amazon via Book Bub. They are:

The titles and the covers drew me in. They may be "fluff" but sometimes I need a little fluffy read.  Do you ever feel like you just need to read to be somewhere else fun, no pressure to get into any analysis or critiquing? 

Until next time

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Friday 7-5 Still Plugging Away

Good Friday Morning.

I am still sloughing through

Devil in the White City.. is dark and full of historical detail. I have it on an audio book and am using a "boombox" to listen. I set it up in one room and the next thing I know I am in another room and have lost tough. I did not realize I was such a wanderer!.  I thought I would listen and sew but I can't hear it over the sewing machine so I must sit still and hand sew or something today. It is due back at the library today, so I will renew it and try to finish over the weekend. 

I still haven't finished the intro to Grapes of Wrath. I don't seem to get to it until bedtime and have been falling asleep while reading. What's up with that?

Anyway, the holiday is over and I should be able to find some reading time soon. I am cleaning closets, a bit late for Spring Cleaning, but it had to be done. Hopefully our new storm/screen door will be installed this week. Golly I miss being able to have my front door open without letting in all the flies and miller moths. 

Until next time,

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Wondrous Words Wednesday 7-3-13

 Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by BermudaOnion each week. It's an opportunity to share new words you've encountered in your reading, or highlight words that you particularly enjoy.

Here are three of my favorite new-to-me words from one of my recent reads. All definitions started at Dictionary.com and then were expanded upon. 

Last week I mentioned that I was reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette, and I had not found any new words. I was only on page 71. Well, I continued to read on last Wednesday ( after housework and some sewing) and wouldn't you know I found 3 new words. 

They are:

insouciant:adj    calm and untroubled, carefree and indifferent.

pg 90 " I was taken by her beauty, gregariousness, and insouciant charm"

definition from Webster's New World College Dictionary

fulminating: intransitive verb   
1. to explode with sudden violence; detonate
2. to shout forth denunciations, decrees, etc 

pg 92  "All the energy she had once channeled so fearlessly into architecture, she turned toward fulminating about Seattle,...." 


definition from yourdictionary.com

hagiography: noun  

1. a book or writing, or an assemblage of these about the lives of saints

2. such books or writings as a field of study 

from yourdictionary.com

or

1. biography of saints

2. worshipful or idealizing biography

pg 102 "Because you've taken an interest in Bernadette Fox, here's a bit of a hagiography from the not-yet-published February issue of ARTFORUM. 

I believe the author used the second definition from the American Heritage Dictionary 4. 

from American Heritage Dictionary 4


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

ps: I apologize for the "scrappy" appearance. I don't know exactly how to fix it. It has something to do with the text background color. 

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros July 2

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph or maybe two of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph (or2) of the current book you are reading.

I hope to start this book today. I tried last night, but there were too many distractions. Do you recognize the first chapter?  I have never read this book, so am anxious to give it a try.

To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth. The plows crossed and recrossed the rivulet marks. the last rains lifted the corn quickly and scattered weed colonies and grass along the sides of the road so that the gray country and the dark red country began to disappear under a green cover. In the last part of May the sky grew pale and the clouds that had hung in high puffs for so long in the spring were dissipated. The sun flared down on the growing corn day after day until a line of brown spread along the edge of each green bayonet. The clouds appeared, and went away, and in a while they did not try any more.The weeds grew darker green to protect themselves, and they did not spread any more. The surface of the earth crusted, a thin hard crust, and as the sky became pale, so the earth became pale, pink in the red country and white in the gray country. 

 This picture is of the actual book from our public library. It is battered and well worn. I hope that means that it has been checked out lots and has been read by many. There is a notation in the book that it was added to our library 8/2002. But I have no idea if it was new or maybe donated by someone. You may remember from a previous post that it was missing from the shelves when I looked for it a few weeks back. They found it and sent me an email that I could pick it up. I am looking forward to reading the whole thing. It's a big book, 619 pages not including a 38 page introduction.

Have you read The Grapes of Wrath?  When in your life did you read it, high school, college? I'd be interested to know.


Until next time,
Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Mailbox Monday 7-1-13

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week(s) and explore great book blogs. Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at Hooked by A Book (formerly The Printed Page) and is on tour for the month of July, and hosted by Tasha at Book Obsessed

 Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

This week the only new book that came into my house, was a battered copy of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. My library finally found the missing copy and emailed me that it was available. I want to start reading it today. 

I am still listening to The Devil in the White City, which I hope to continue while I clean out closets today. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy