BEYOND THE DOOR

Copyright unknown Book Art Tumblr 

BEYOND THE DOOR

Page by page, I venture forth
to a world that was unknown
to lands of mystery, with footprints old
where seeds of life were sown
where hopes and dreams, they did abound
and children laughed and played.
But times did change and fortunes failed
so few of many families stayed.
They gathered up their worldly goods
they kissed their kin goodbye
their faces crumbled with despair
their eyes were barely dry.

I've read these tales so many times
and yet, still, I am in awe
of the courage, bravery and inner strength
of all who dared look beyond the door.

(c) Crissouli Nov 1, 2014

OH, FOR A BOOK...

BOOKS ARE NOT MY WHOLE LIFE...

WHAT KIND OF READER ARE YOU?

http://www.laura-e-kelly.com/reader-species-chart-available-poster/

A FAVOURITE LIBRARY

... or I'm sure it will be a favourite if I ever get to see it... 

This is the KANSAS CENTRAL LIBRARY.. very well known to booklovers everywhere for it's innovative facade... known as the Community Bookshelf...

Community Bookshelf

Central Library parking garage

Photo by Mike Sinclair

The Community Bookshelf is a striking feature of Kansas City's downtown. It runs along the south wall of the Central Library's parking garage on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. The book spines, which measure approximately 25 feet by 9 feet, are made of signboard mylar. The shelf showcases 22 titles reflecting a wide variety of reading interests as suggested by Kansas City readers and then selected by The Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees. Their final selection was made on March 16, 2004. The bookshelf was completed between March and the fall of 2004.

 The entrance is every bit as imposing...

 You can read more about the long history of the Kansas Central Library and the Community Bookshelf via the links below.

http://www.kclibrary.org/library-history

http://www.kclibrary.org/community-bookshelf

 Have you a favourite library, either one you frequent or one you would like to?

FAVOURITE LIBRARIES

Where is your favourite library?
                                
                                   What appeals to you the most?

                                                            Is there a library that you remember but that is no longer?



One of my favourites was the former South Brisbane Municipal Library... a building that has had many uses...


Quoting from

http://www.yourbrisbanepastandpresent.com/2010/06/south-brisbane-library.html       June 2, 2010

The building in the photograph below was originally constructed as the South Brisbane Post and Telegraph Office back in 1881; then it became the South Brisbane Municipal Library; and then the (South Brisbane) City Concert Hall, amongst other incarnations. The photograph is from 1898.

                             (Photo: State Library of Queensland and John Oxley Library; #142454)


I loved the wooden panelling, the solid wood bookshelves, desks and chairs... to me, it was all that a library should be. I loved the light shining through the tall windows. I was saddened when it was closed. I missed the fortnightly trips in on the tram, the joy of selecting magazines and books and the pleasure of saving them till I had a quiet time to enjoy them. It was there that I found the first copies I had seen of the American teen magazine, Seventeen. It seemed so far removed from any of the magazines we had seen in Australia. 

However my first much loved library was the small and sometimes dark, School of Arts Library, in Urunga, NSW. There were few if any children's books there, but that didn't worry me a bit. I read my way through all manner of books, from classic novels, way above my age group, to dry and dusty tomes about country life. My favourites became the tales of nautical adventures. 

I was fascinated by the history and the wonderful old maps. The librarian, a lovely gentleman, would let me know whenever there were 'new' books to read. I think he was intrigued by this small girl who was so 'hungry' to read anything and everything she could get her hands on.

It was he who introduced me to Charles Dickens and Aeneas Gunn, still favourites today.

The library now has a new lease of life as the Urunga Museum, still a great place to visit, but now looks toward the river past the Caravan Park, rather than standing in the main street.

(c) Lynne Sanders- Braithwaite

Great memories...

A GIFT FOR LIFE

(c) sasha salmina Creative Commons licence

words added by unknown author.

 My favourite gifts as a child were always books, there could never be too many books... nothing has changed actually.

You can see some of my favourites here..

LIFE'S NECESSITIES

(c) not restricted by license

ANTIDOTE TO IGNORANCE

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I LOVE BOOKS!

MAYBE A TAD TOO FAR?

(c) not restricted by license

SMILES I LIKE

(c) not restricted by license

REVIEWS...Dog Days/Deadly Passage

Any reviews I post on this blog are purely my own impressions.



DOG DAYS - JournalStone's Double Down Series Book III eBook

by Joe McKinney

Though this is not a genre I would normally choose, I decided to see what the attraction was.

From the perspective of a young teenage boy, Mark, the reader is taken through numerous experiences that perhaps wouldn't be as major if they had happened to an adult - the excitement of a storm that dumped a shrimp boat in a tree, seven miles inland; 'borrowing' a gun from the locked gun cabinet belonging to his policeman father ; curiousity overcoming obedience, but then, the unreality and discovery of several horrifically mutilated bodies.

From there, the author meanders through a teenage crush, friendships and fights with the bad boys - none seeming to really be of great interest even to Mark, till more bodies start appearing, many bodies...  Eventually it all links together and you discover why and how, but it takes an awfully long time to get there.

I appreciate the opportunity of reading this book, kindly supplied by Journal Stone, but still came to the conclusion that this genre is not for me.

It took me a while to get to reading the second story in the book, but as this is a Double Down Series, I continued on.


★★✮✩✩




DEADLY PASSAGE - JournalStone's Double Down Series Book III eBook pt. 2

by Sanford Allen

This book held my interest longer, not for the story as a whole, but for the portrayal of the conditions on board a slave ship, the cruelty of the time and the decency of some, which was undermined by being forced to eke out punishment by whipping. Some were forced to watch such punishment, no matter how galling, in fear of receiving the same treatment.

It lost me when the bodies kept piling up, each more grotesquely dealt with than the last. Not even the fact that some of the 'bad guys' were killed, justified the numbers.. it was gratuitous to say the least.

If you like horror, a touch of the supernatural and an involved story, then this may be the book for you. I puzzled at parts as the 
' huge creature' could somehow fit into very tiny spaces... and it became a guessing game as to who was next. One way to tie up loose threads I guess, kill off all the characters.

I feel it is slightly better written than DOG DAYS, but that didn't save the story...

★★★✩✩

MAGIC BETWEEN THE PAGES

(c) not licensed

A BOOK THAT MAKES YOU GO 'AAHHH!

THE TOURNAMENT  Matthew Reilly

It's not often that I follow the trends and read the latest best seller, but this is one book that I was very keen to read, simply because it is such a contrast to Matthew Reilly's normal genre...

It was also touted as an historical novel, a genre I do like reading. I wasn't at all disappointed... it took me just a short while to delve into this intriguing story... set in the era of a time of great upheaval, 1546. I was wondering how a young man of the 21st century would write 'with the voice' of a 13 year old Queen Elizabeth 1. He does it so well, not that I think too many of today's 13 year olds would have the confidence of Bess (Elizabeth) as portrayed, nor would they need the skills of self preservation. 

A very clever aspect was the inclusion of so many well known characters of that era, including Michelangelo... remembering that this is a factional story, it still makes these characters 'come to life'. 
I would rather not divulge the basis of the story, except to say that it was surprising, revealing, intriguing and well worth reading. 

http://www.matthewreilly.com/the-novels/the-tournament

★ ★ ★ ★

WHICH BOOK, WHAT FORMAT?

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This explains all... so many wonderful books waiting to be explored...

The debate goes on, re 'real' books, versus eBooks... to me, there is room for both.

I know, I can't believe I just wrote that either, but having experienced both, I've come to accept that. 

While I love traditional books, sometimes it is very convenient to read eBooks... 

So, whatever your choice, you will find references here to both.

(c) not licensed