Book Reviews by Today, I Read…

A Continuous Book Review and Vocabulary Assignment

February 7

Comments: 1

Sunday Sketch 1.1: Daphne

by Ann-Katrina

One of my favorite of the Greek myths is the story of Apollo and Daphne and having just re-acquainted myself with it, I thought it was only fitting it should be the subject of my Sunday Sketch.

Before Daphne is turned into a laurel, Apollo pursues her. His heart is consumed with love and her heart is consumed with fear of love itself.

Daphne Fleeing Apollo

“More would he say; but lo, the timid maid/ Fled from his side and left the words unsaid/ Yet even then she seemed surpassing fair/ As the soft breeze showed all her body bare,/ With garments fluttering in the wanton wind,/ Her hair unbound and streaming loose behind.” (pg. 5 Metamorphoses Selected Stories in Verse)

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February 6

Comments: 4

Recent Arrivals: The Metamorphoses by Ovid

by Ann-Katrina

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: The Metamorphoses by Ovid

The Metamorphoses Selected Stories in Verse by Ovid

First line: Apollo, fresh from slaying the Python with [...]

Initial thoughts: A lover of Greek and Roman mythology I am. It’s been a while since I’ve read some classic mythologies and I figured it was time.

Although I’ve studied a few different texts on the subject, I wasn’t properly acquainted with the works of Ovid.

For the price ($3US @ Amazon) and selection (I have an especially weak spot for the stories of Apollo & Daphne, Pygmalion, and Orpheus & Eurydice), I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read some of his verses and compare and contrast them with my other collections.

The Metamorphoses (in entirety), along with many other classics, is available for download from Project Gutenberg, however, I decided to get a bound copy because I wanted to compare the various translations. Plus, I loved the cover.

Book description:

One of ancient Rome’s most celebrated poets, Ovid (43 B.C.–A.D. 18) wrote during the reign of Augustus. His works reflect a sentiment of art for pleasure’s sake, without ethical or moral overtones, which perhaps accounts for his enduring popularity. For more than two thousand years, readers have delighted in Ovid’s playful eloquence; his influence on other writers has ranged from Dante and Chaucer to Shakespeare and Milton, and scenes from his stories have inspired many great works by Western artists.

This selection of thirty stories from the verse translation by F. A. Wright of Ovid’s famous work, The Metamorphoses, does full justice to the poet’s elegance and wit. All of the tales involve a form of metamorphosis, or transformation, and are peopled by mythological gods, demigods, and mortals: Venus and Adonis, Pygmalion, Apollo and Daphne, Narcissus, Perseus and Andromeda, Orpheus and Eurydice, the Cyclops, and Circe, among others.

Although most of the stories did not originate with Ovid, it is quite possible that had he not written them down, these oral traditions would have been forever lost–and with them, a vast and valuable amount of Greco-Roman culture. This collection of the poet’s best and most beloved narrative verses reflect the vitality of classical mythology.

Book Details: 126 pages; Dover; Pub. May 2003

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January 31

Comments: 1

Wish Giveaway Winner

by Ann-Katrina

Wish Book Cover I’d like to start by thanking everyone who participated in the Wish giveaway. I also thank Alexandra Bullen for writing the book and Sheila for making this giveaway possible.

And without further ado…

Here’s the group story that the contest generated (and I have to admit, I’d love to see what becomes of it):

I never believed in fairy godmothers until one showed up on my doorstep with a broken wand.

With a purple frilly dress and hair all done up in wringlets, she truly looked like something out of a children’s fairy tale book.

Sparkles even covered her entire body, making her shimmer as she shifted her weight from foot to foot.

I stood in shock, not sure what to do or I was supposed to invite her inside or not.

I let her in, unsure of what to say, I offered her some honey tea and crackers.

The fairy godmother kindly refused my offer, she asked me to come with her, it was a matter of great urgency.

She reached for my hand and pulled me into the dark and icy night.

As my feet flew out the door, the most amazing thing happened, I never touched the ground, we were flying!

“Just enjoy the flight, you’ll find out soon enough,” she smiled.

Ever since I was a child I had dreams of flying over the New York skyline, but nothing compares to the real thing.

The lights below, shining in the buildings, sparkled like a million stars.

All of a sudden, the wind beneath me started to calm and I realized we were coming to a stop.

I panicked a bit, as I feared for the landing.

To my surprise it was a very soft landing in a strange place I’ve never seen before.

So, I asked my fairy godmother, “Where are we?”

Her answer was one I was definitely not expecting.

She told me that although our surroundings might look familiar, we were actually in an alternate realm known as Magictasia. (Congratulations, Emily!)

She also told me to get ready to expect the unexpected within this realm.

Because beneath the breathtaking appearance of Magictasia lies the truth and history of what she really is.

With that said, we departed deep into the realm of Magictasia.

We knew we had many grand adventures yet to come perhaps many important lessons yet to learn.

I was ready to take on whatever was in store for us because I had a gut feeling that here, in Magictasia, something extraordinary was going to happen.

And I knew I was bound to find out sooner than later.

We stepped through a giant door I had not seen until now.

A warm golden light washed over us and for the first time in my entire life, it felt like I was at home.

Which after the year I had had, I didn’t realize how much I craved that until now.

Random.org Wish Giveaway Results Using the power that is Random.org, I popped in the total number of approved comments on the giveaway post and asked it to show me the winner—not including my own summary comments. (I’ve made the winning sentence bold.)

I’ve sent an email to the winner. If I don’t receive a response within 72 hours, I’ll select another entry.

That’s all for now. Thank you again for participating and keep an eye open for upcoming giveaways!

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January 22

Comments: 2

Guest Post by Alexandra Bullen, Author of Wish

by Ann-Katrina

WishThis is a very exciting day, indeed. This is my first official author guest post here at Today, I Read… and I’m happy to say that it’s Alexandra Bullen, author of Wish, which is available now.

(By the way, if you haven’t yet entered the giveaway to win an autographed copy–I suggest you do so soon!)

Anyhoo, without any further ado, here’s Alexandra’s guest post…

(I asked if she’d be willing to discuss the fairy godmother aspect)

Alexandra BullenWhen I first starting playing around with the idea for Wish, the character of Posey played a much bigger role. In fact, there was a time I thought that the chapters would alternate being told from Posey’s and Olivia’s perspectives, and that the story would be about how the two girls helped each other overcome their losses in meaningful ways.

Over time, Olivia’s story really stole the show, and while I think that this was definitely what had to happen for the book, I do miss Posey once in a while. I love the idea of a fairy godmother who has a mysterious back-story of her own, and who is just as confused and overwhelmed by her own magical powers as are those she is able to help.

Posey is not your typical fairy godmother, in the sense that she’s kind of a brat, and she has a lot of her own opinions on things. She’s not there for everyone—only people who really need her—and she is serious about the rules she sets for wishing.

But in many ways, Posey is similar to traditional, Cinderella-type fairy godmothers, in that she truly wants what’s best for her “clients” and does whatever she can to help them get to where she thinks they need to be.

Even though we don’t spend that much time with Posey in the book, I hope that readers will find her intriguing. And I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of her and her mysterious shop, someday soon. ;)

Thanks Alexandra! If you want more of her, then be sure to drop by Sharon Loves Books and Cats (so do I, Sharon!) which is the next stop on her tour and in the meantime, you can visit the official Wish website, follow her on Twitter, or check out her blog.

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January 21

Comments: 4

Recent Arrivals: Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline

by Ann-Katrina

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline

Bird in Hand

First line: For Alison, these things will always be connected: the moment [...]

Initial thoughts: I have to admit that I’m a sucker for character exploration. In that sense, I’m a voyeur. Sometimes I’ll get into a mood where I just want to read about people–interesting people, mind you–and the choices they make and how it affects their lives. In that regard, Bird in Hand seems like a perfect choice. Plus, I’ve heard so many people raving about its writing that I couldn’t help but resist…and from the first couple of chapters I’ve read, I’d say they are right.

Book description:

It was an accident. It was dark, it was raining, Alison had only had two drinks. And the other car ran the stop sign. But Alison finds herself trapped under the crushing weight of grief and guilt, feeling increasingly estranged from her husband…

Charlie, who has his own burdens. He’s in a job he doesn’t love so that Alison can stay at home with the kids (and why isn’t she more grateful for that?); he has a house in the suburbs and a long commute to and from the city. And the only thing he can focus on these days is his secret, sudden affair with…

Claire, Alison’s best friend. Bold where Alison is reserved, vibrant where Alison is cautious, Claire has just had her first novel published, a thinly veiled retelling of her childhood in North Carolina. But even in the whirlwind of publication, Claire can’t stop wondering if she should leave her husband…

Ben, an ambitious architect who is brilliant, kind, and meticulous. And who wants nothing more than a baby, or two–exactly the kind of life that Charlie and Alison seem to have…

Book Details: 288 pages; William Morrow; Pub. August 11, 2009

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