Sunday Salon: Inspirational vs. Aspirational Books
0 hushed asides to the librarian Penned by Dani in NC at 3:31 PM Lately I've been hearing the term "aspirational" a lot. I'm not sure that it is a real word (I couldn't find it in an online dictionary search), but I think most people would be able to surmise what it means. It is usually used in reference to something like the work of Martha Stewart, projects that use the finest materials and involve meticulous attention to detail. The end results are something that many people wish they could produce but realize that they don't have the money or patience.
After you read that definition of the word "aspirational", I wouldn't be surprised if you asked yourself, "Why not use the word 'inspirational' instead?" In my brain those words have slightly different meanings. When I think of something inspirational, I think of a speech or a locker room pep talk -- words that pump you up to do well in any endeavor. "Aspirational" suggests something more specific and visual, like pictures of the style of living room you want to have someday or wonderful descriptions of baking bread from scratch. Pinterest is a perfect example of an aspirational website.
With those definitions in mind, do you think you read more inspirational or aspirational books? I believe my attraction to cookbooks is purely aspirational. I like to think that there will come a day when I will cease my reliance on store-bought bread and Hamburger Helper, and these books will be my road map. Cookbooks and craft books with beautiful photographs and anecdotes energize me, while self-help tomes that are meant to inspire usually cause me to scoff and throw the book down.
QUESTION: What are your favorite aspirational books?
Happy New Year, dear readers! You may have noticed that I made a few changes to my sidebar on the right. The biggest change is the addition of the Goodreads Update widget. Even when I don't write posts for this blog, I am reading and I keep track of my books there.
Speaking of blog posts, one of my resolutions (yes, I said resolutions) is to write for this blog at least once a week. As I said in a previous entry, most of these posts will be more about how the book I read affected me rather than proper book reviews. I'm renewing my effort to stop being so rigid when it comes to writing; I edit so much in my head that words never make it to the page. This year, I'm going for more of a paint splatter approach -- throw my thoughts out there and let you guys tell me what you think of them.
To start the year off with a push, I joined the Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge. It doesn't have a special theme or anything; you simply type in how many books you plan to read this year. What I like about doing it on Goodreads is that since I already have my other lists there, they keep track of my progress for me. I'm not much for coming up with my own spreadsheet the way other bloggers do. Why bother when Goodreads has done all the work for me? Anyway, I managed to read 38 out of 50 last year, so I think I have a good chance to meet the goal this year -- especially if I can mange to break my darn Facebook game habit!
Re-Gifters by Mike Carey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: graphic novel, YA
Part of a series?: No
On my TBR list?: No
SUMMARY: "Re-Gifters" is the story of a Korean-American teen named Dixie who is a contender in a national martial arts competition, but her crush on a classmate is throwing off her concentration and threatening her chances of winning.
This is a stand-alone graphic novel published by Minx. To me, it is a modern version of the romance comics that were so popular in the 1950s. The story isn't quite as mushy as an old romance comic, but Minx books aren't full of superheroes or zombies, either. My three girls have enjoyed all the Minx books they've read so far, and this one is no exception. Even C2, who would never go near a conventional YA romance, enjoyed this book.
The one thing that bothered me about this book was the way the artist drew the main character Dixie and her best friend. I know that the artist was trying to show that Dixie wasn't as feminine as Megan, one of her classmates, but she ended up looking too young to date the boys she was interested in. Art style can turn me away from a graphic novel quickly and I almost put this one down, but I'm glad I didn't.
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This blog has been quiet for a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading. In fact, I read about 10 books since my last post.
A Match Made In Heaven by Kristin Walker
Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Heartless by Gail Carriger
Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell
Decoded by Jay-Z
Spousonomics by Paula Szuchman
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Courting Trouble by Deanne Gist
Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deanne Gist
Part of what has kept me from posting is the growing feeling that I don't know how to write a proper book review. The more I read other blogs, the more my efforts looked weak in comparison. Also, I've been reading a lot of books with straightforward plots that don't lend themselves to dissection or lengthy discussion. Because of this, I've decided to embrace the fact that I am not a journalist. From now on, my posts about the books I read will be more about how I related to them personally and other subjects they make me think of. If that makes you want to read the book, that's great. If not, I hope that at least my posts will be entertaining.
Sunday Salon: Need Sarah Vowell & Mary Roach Recommendations
2 hushed asides to the librarian Penned by Dani in NC at 12:55 PMIn the two months since I last posted to the Sunday Salon, I have been listening to book podcasts a lot. Whenever they get around to talking about nonfiction, two authors that keep coming up are Sarah Vowell and Mary Roach. Vowell writes about American history and Roach's books are about science. These are both subjects that I enjoy, but they can be dry depending on the writer. From all accounts, Vowell and Roach have light and amusing approaches to the subject matter and I think I would enjoy their books. However, I'd like to start with what most people consider their best books since I probably won't read more than one from each author.
"Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Grace Whitson
0 hushed asides to the librarian Penned by Dani in NC at 10:00 AM
Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.
The fact that I read this book in its entirety in a single day is a testament to how engaging it is, especially since it wasn't even in large print! At first I thought that I would have trouble keeping up with all the characters, but the author does a good job of quickly winnowing down the list to a manageable number and I had no problem remembering who was who. Whitson's writing style managed to keep frontier life from sounding monotonous by showing the characters engaging in all different kinds of activities. She avoided the trap of describing one quilting bee or harvest supper after another -- passages that fill pages without pushing the plot forward. I didn't find myself skimming over long descriptive passages of the color of someone's dress, either. This novel was 300-odd pages of solid writing that kept me turning page after page until I finished it at 1:30a.
Although this book was published by Bethany House, it was a bit more earthy that other Christian romances I've read. Don't get me wrong -- it doesn't cross the line into vulgarity. However, there are a couple characters who make no secret about enjoying physical closeness with a man. For instance, when one character asks her mother what she would like, her mother responds thusly:
Another thing that was different was how this book approached Christianity. My first exposure to Christian fiction was with the authors Lori Wick and Janette Oke, so I am accustomed to having a mini sermon coming out of one of the characters' mouths every few pages. The characters in this book all have more than a passing familiarity with the Bible but their faith is shown in a more matter-of-fact manner. There aren't long passages detailing church services, as you would find in a book by Wick or Lauraine Snelling. There is one character who turns directly to the Bible and finds guidance to turn his life around, but most of the characters change their ways and live by the principles of the Good Book without quoting it directly.
All in all, Stephanie Grace Whitson presented readers with a solid Christian romance and a quick read. I will definitely seek out more of her books.
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