I've just discovered an Oklahoma author that I love! Her name is Billie Letts. We went to the library over spring break and I just grabbed a few books to read. I don't normally have a plan, I just wander around and pull out books. I grabbed a couple of hers and then a book in the new fiction section. It was a mystery and I started it as soon as I got home.
I often wonder what type of woman reads those novels with the 'F' word every other line. This book was supposed to be a light mystery read about a realtor that finds a dead body in a house she listed. Well, I slogged through about three chapters until I couldn't read anymore. It was just embarrassing! I put it away to take back and picked up one of the Billie Letts books.
It was so refreshing to read a book with no bad words and actually had a redeeming story line! 'The Honk and Holler Opening Soon' was an easy read and I enjoyed it very much. So much, that I finished it and the other book over spring break! After the second book, I looked at the jacket to see where the author lived and was blown away to find that she was an Okie! No wonder I liked her so much! Both books were set in Oklahoma but that doesn't necessarily mean that the author lives in Oklahoma.
I went back this week to pick up a few more books for my daughter and also picked up two more of her books. This time, I picked one up that said 'Oprah's book club' on the cover....have I been living under a rock? We have an Oklahoma author that was a Oprah's book club author? I kind of missed out on Oprah's book club reading because I was simply too busy raising kids and driving them all over the country or county.
Well, I'm sitting down tonight and starting my third Billie Letts book. I've been putting it off because I know that once I start, not much will go on around here until I finish the book....
Well, Billie Letts, you have a new fan....I know, it took me a while. Thanks for writing true fiction without trying to be gross, stupid or using curse words every other line. You're making Oklahoma look really, really good!
A journal of recipes and ideas to help readers laugh a little at everyday things and realize just how blessed they are!
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Love of Reading...
I have always loved to read. When I was a kid the highlight of the weeks during summer break was when we got to go to the little library in my hometown. It wasn't big but I loved it. I read almost every book in the middle school library and read a lot in the high school library. I didn't leisure read much in college....too busy. But once I graduated, I make a twice monthly trip to the library and checked out as many books as I could read.
When my kids were born, I began to read to them almost from birth. It was a way to get my son to sit still for a little bit during the day. As long as my husband or I read to him, he'd sit still. It became a tradition for my husband to read every night to my son, Goodnight Moon and many others when he was little and chapter books like The Hobbit and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe when he got older. As soon as he was able, he began to read and hasn't stopped since.
My daughter, was a different story. She liked me to read to her but would tire after only a few books. I did read to her at night but she didn't seem to have a love of reading like my son did and I worried endlessly that she would miss out on the wonderful world of reading. She had a reading program in elementary school and many nights leading up to the end, when she needed a certain amount of points, I would read to her in bed so she could test on the book to get her points. It was stressful for both her and I. I bought all sorts of books trying to 'turn her on' to reading....nothing seemed to work.
It wasn't that she couldn't read, she read well. She just didn't enjoy it. She would rather play dolls or look at the pictures in a magazine. Then, my son and I began to read the Twilight series. She wanted to read it so badly because all the 'cool' older kids were reading it. I wouldn't let her read it because it had vampires in it and she'd always had this 'thing' about vampires. She watched a 'Doug' cartoon on Halloween where he turned into a vampire or something like that and suddenly everyone, including me, were vampires! She'd wake up in the night from a vampire dream....the whole little girl nine yards! There was no way I was going to let her read a book about vampires!
About a year ago, I finally gave in and let her read the first book in the series. Well, she read it in two weeks! Then, in about a month, she finished the rest of the series! Twilight had turned her on to reading! Yes, I said the Twilight series....hey, whatever works!
Now, there is no stopping her, she reads constantly. I had to go to the library today to pick up another group of books for her today while she was in school. She started the series over spring break and needs to finish it quickly!
The love of reading has been passed on.....I'm so happy!
When my kids were born, I began to read to them almost from birth. It was a way to get my son to sit still for a little bit during the day. As long as my husband or I read to him, he'd sit still. It became a tradition for my husband to read every night to my son, Goodnight Moon and many others when he was little and chapter books like The Hobbit and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe when he got older. As soon as he was able, he began to read and hasn't stopped since.
My daughter, was a different story. She liked me to read to her but would tire after only a few books. I did read to her at night but she didn't seem to have a love of reading like my son did and I worried endlessly that she would miss out on the wonderful world of reading. She had a reading program in elementary school and many nights leading up to the end, when she needed a certain amount of points, I would read to her in bed so she could test on the book to get her points. It was stressful for both her and I. I bought all sorts of books trying to 'turn her on' to reading....nothing seemed to work.
It wasn't that she couldn't read, she read well. She just didn't enjoy it. She would rather play dolls or look at the pictures in a magazine. Then, my son and I began to read the Twilight series. She wanted to read it so badly because all the 'cool' older kids were reading it. I wouldn't let her read it because it had vampires in it and she'd always had this 'thing' about vampires. She watched a 'Doug' cartoon on Halloween where he turned into a vampire or something like that and suddenly everyone, including me, were vampires! She'd wake up in the night from a vampire dream....the whole little girl nine yards! There was no way I was going to let her read a book about vampires!
About a year ago, I finally gave in and let her read the first book in the series. Well, she read it in two weeks! Then, in about a month, she finished the rest of the series! Twilight had turned her on to reading! Yes, I said the Twilight series....hey, whatever works!
Now, there is no stopping her, she reads constantly. I had to go to the library today to pick up another group of books for her today while she was in school. She started the series over spring break and needs to finish it quickly!
The love of reading has been passed on.....I'm so happy!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Love of Reading
Got my son a kindle for Christmas. I saved up my swagbucks so I got a good deal. I used to tell the kids that Santa didn't bring electronics because the elves couldn't make them but now that they are teens, that story doesn't fly anymore! They do still get Santa gifts, as long as they still believe! My daughter had trouble with this until my son said, " You'll get one less gift unless you tell mom you still believe in Santa!" She decided letting me play Santa was a small price to pay for one extra gift!
I didn't know what to think about the Kindle at first. I thought I would never want one and would resist not having a book in my hand. Until I got his and began to play with it! Man, could I really use that! And there are so many classics that are free to download that I could read and re-read. I'll never give up my old fashioned books but I can see how this new technology is going to quickly overtake the market. I usually don't go anywhere without a book in my purse. With a Kindle, I could take a library with me!
I also realized this semester that my k12 kids can download my class book on their e-reader device! Textbook companies beware! Soon you won't get away with charging over one hundred dollars for a book that will be out of date tomorrow, it will be available to download for twenty-five! I really believe this is going to revolutionize the textbook industry. When I was a Chemistry major in college, I remember lugging around a backpack full of books. Organic chemistry class had three different textbooks along with various notebooks and that was just one class! If I had a Kindle back in the eighties, that would have been sweet and my back probably wouldn't be out-of-wack today!
I don't always jump on the bandwagon for new products. Just because it's new technology doesn't mean it's better than what's out there. I don't own every new kitchen gadget because, quite honestly, sometimes those new gadgets are actually harder to work and clean than doing it by hand. I teach in physical science that a machine is supposed to make your work easier, but many of the new gadgets do the opposite. Not so with these new reading devices. I've been really surprised. I look at his Kindle with envy. I want one!
I'm pretty sure the next Amazon swagbucks are going to buy me a Kindle! I love reading and so do my kids so anything that gets them and me to read more I'm all for!
I didn't know what to think about the Kindle at first. I thought I would never want one and would resist not having a book in my hand. Until I got his and began to play with it! Man, could I really use that! And there are so many classics that are free to download that I could read and re-read. I'll never give up my old fashioned books but I can see how this new technology is going to quickly overtake the market. I usually don't go anywhere without a book in my purse. With a Kindle, I could take a library with me!
I also realized this semester that my k12 kids can download my class book on their e-reader device! Textbook companies beware! Soon you won't get away with charging over one hundred dollars for a book that will be out of date tomorrow, it will be available to download for twenty-five! I really believe this is going to revolutionize the textbook industry. When I was a Chemistry major in college, I remember lugging around a backpack full of books. Organic chemistry class had three different textbooks along with various notebooks and that was just one class! If I had a Kindle back in the eighties, that would have been sweet and my back probably wouldn't be out-of-wack today!
I don't always jump on the bandwagon for new products. Just because it's new technology doesn't mean it's better than what's out there. I don't own every new kitchen gadget because, quite honestly, sometimes those new gadgets are actually harder to work and clean than doing it by hand. I teach in physical science that a machine is supposed to make your work easier, but many of the new gadgets do the opposite. Not so with these new reading devices. I've been really surprised. I look at his Kindle with envy. I want one!
I'm pretty sure the next Amazon swagbucks are going to buy me a Kindle! I love reading and so do my kids so anything that gets them and me to read more I'm all for!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)