Saturday, November 30, 2019

Weekly Wrap-Up: Big Wonderful Thing; Kindness December; and Justice




I finished the big wonderful Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas by Stephen Harrigan, weighing in at 925 pages. It was a huge book that touched down briefly to alight on everything-Texas, from the Alamo to Barbara Jordan.  I'm zig-zagged through an audiobook version of Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light, as author David Downie stops by some of the less well-known spots in Paris. I also followed author Alex Kotlowitz into a violent summer in Chicago in An American Summer: Life and Death in Chicago


    


I started reading Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel during the Thankfully Reading Weekend. It's a wonderful and thoughtful book that carefully considers the ethics of actions, and I was reading along in it quite briskly until Bonnie of Bonnie's Books shared with me the videos of Sandel's lectures at Harvard on Justice, and now I'm reading a little and watching a little and thinking a lot. Thank you, Bonnie.

Just for fun, here's Michael J. Sandel speaking with Stephen Colbert:








I've joined the Thankfully Reading Weekend hosted by Jenn of Jenn's Bookshelves. There are no rules to the weekend; we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for the year. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you think you can join in, grab the button and sign up here.



And, just for fun, I created a Thankfully Reading BINGO game. To add a little excitement, I'm offering a $25 gift card to Book Depository to one person who plays and links up on my blog. Again, there are no real rules with the BINGO game; do as little or as much as you want. Join in until Sunday, December 1 at the end of the day CST.















I've read 197 out of 222 Cybils picture books and board books. Books are arriving daily. It still feels like I have a lot to read, with 25 more books to go.






Here is the December Action for Happiness calendar, the Kindness Calendar. Download your own Kindness Calendar here





We've turned the corner into the busy lane of the year, haven't we? I read and reviewed Easy Cake Cookbook last week, and it has perfect easy recipes for cakes that you can make about as quickly as you can pop into the grocery, find a cake, and buy it. I imagine I'll be using it a lot in the next few weeks.





I'm very happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. I am delighted when you link up here and let us know what you have been doing. I hope you will visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about here:

  • What was your week like?
  • Read any good books? Tell us about them.
  • What other bookish things did you do? 
  • What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

34 comments:

  1. I wish I had time to participate this weekend but we've just got too much going on.

    Justice sounds right up my alley - I like books that make me think about social issues. Have you read Just Mercy?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I loved that one, Kathy. I definitely think you should look for Justice and watch some of the lectures. I feel hopeful and renewed. Michael Sandel is going onto my list of personal heroes. He's my new Mister Rogers.

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    2. If you want to discuss Justice with me, I already have a place set up on my Book Buddies blog: http://bookbuddies3.blogspot.com/2013/02/justice-by-michael-j-sandel.html

      I first read Justice in 2009, then in 2013 set it up to discuss again. The participants didn't get past four sessions, though it's set up for 24.

      The link above takes you to Book Buddies, and it has links to each post in the discussion. Clicking on the "Justice" label below the post will pull up all of my blog posts with that book's label. As moderator, I'll know when you comment, so I can approve it and respond to whatever you say. Interested?

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    3. It sounds like a great idea. Thank you, Bonnie.

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  2. Nice week! I have enjoyed this and other books by David Downie

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  3. I'll be posting my Thanksgiving Reading Bingo tomorrow, I did pretty well. The video is pretty interesting!

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    Replies
    1. The book and the lectures are wonderful. I'm left feeling hopeful about America.

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  4. Busy lane of the year? For you? I don't think so. It seems like you're in that lane every week. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's just what it's like when you retire. Don't let them lie to you, Bryan. Retirement is an oddly and ridiculously busy time of life.

      Delete
  5. Any cake made easy, is a cake for me, yum!

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  6. NonFicNov was so much fun!
    It’s that time of the year where my kids are expected to bring a plate to share for class parties, club parties, etc etc. Cheap and quick is the name of the game Iced cupcakes with Christmas M&M’s is usually my go to :)

    Wishing you a great reading week

    Wishing you a great reading week

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I remember those days (wipes away sweat from forehead).

      And I loved Nonfiction November, too!

      Delete
  7. I was so tempted to join in on the Thankfully Reading Bingo weekend but I just didn't have a chance. Hope you have a great week!

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    Replies
    1. It's not too late, if you can squeeze in any time today. You can just mark off one square to participate. And who can't x-out the FREE square? lol

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  8. You had such a busy week, you seem to have boundless energy.
    Have fun this week!

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    Replies
    1. I like staying busy, oddly. I know there will come a time where I will go into a decline.

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  9. I love the idea of that book on Justice. Must check it out!

    I have a growing stack of nonfiction books, but only read one in November. I'm reading one now, though, another Carrie Fisher biography.

    Enjoy your week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There should be a word for what Carrie Fisher is to me (and maybe there is). She and I were born less than a month apart. I'm endlessly fascinated with her.

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  10. The Thankfully Reading Weekend sounds lovely. So far I haven't managed to link into a readathon, but it's on my bucket list! And I loved the Bingo card... As ever, you have read a slew of intriguing books - I hope the coming week is a good one, Deb.

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  11. Are you dreaming about Cybils books yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yeah. "Visions of sugar plums...and Cybils books...danced in her head...."

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  12. Wow, congrats on finishing a 925-page book. That’s a beast. Have a good week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    Replies
    1. It was enormous, but I love this ridiculous state, so I loved the read.

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  13. Nice sounding books. They are all new to me. I don't often read nonfiction. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  14. 952 pages!? What an accomplishment! I'm not sure if I could have stayed engrossed long enough to finish a book of that size.
    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  15. It sounds like you read some great books! I will have to look closer at the Kindness Calendar, what an awesome idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They have a calendar for every month. They are filled with lots of good ideas.

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  16. Darn! Missed out on Bingo! That would have been fun--looks like I did a bunch of them, too.

    ReplyDelete

Sharing thoughts and experiences about books and reading is why I blog. Thank you for sharing yours.
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