World Book Night

If you haven't heard about this event, World Book Night is "a celebration of reading and books which will see tens of thousands of people share books with others in their communities across America to spread the joy and love of reading." This annual event is being held on Monday, April 23rd.

Now for the really good news -- I've been chosen to be a book giver for World Book Night!! Woohoo! I will be distributing copies of The Poisonwood Bible by to non-readers or infrequent readers at a location of my choosing.

This book is about a family that moves from their comfortable life in the US to preach the gospel in Congo. The father is a hard-line minister who insists everything in the entire world, from religion to gardening, must be done his way. His wife struggles to humbly follow her husband's rules and requirements. The four daughters learn about life, love, happiness and tragedy as they live their childhood in an undeveloped country amidst the beginnings of a civil war.

I personally loved this book the first time I read it. Now that I think about it, I would say this book is one of my gibbees, since I insist the book always have a home on my bookshelf. Lots of drama, family dynamics, humor, and even a little romance. This book has it all!

What a Son Needs From His Dad book review

My rating = 3 stars

I have a soft spot in my heart for books like this. It's probably because I have a deep respect for men who live up to their potential as sons of Heavenly Father, and who teach their own sons to walk in their footsteps. I haven't read too many of these kinds of books, but when I see one, I always wish I could buy it and read it then and there, then pass it on to my own wonderful husband. 

Here is part of the blurb from this book's cover:

As a man, you know a lot of what your son will face, and no one is in a better position to prepare him for life. Michael O'Donnell's insights offer simple but powerful techniques to help you start your son on the road to maturity. You can build the father-son bond you want and lead him into a healthy, well-balanced manhood. What a Son Needs From His Dad will give you proven day-to-day strategies to:

• instill character and strong spiritual values
• develop responsible habits toward work and money
• dialogue about sexuality and prepare him for marriage
• encourage godly friendships with other boys and men

I ended up a bit disappointed in this book. It didn't seem to have the "oomph" I was looking for. Books like these always seem to have a special recipe, magic bullet, or one secret to life we're all missing. The secret recipe this book teaches is very simple - be a good role model for your son. It's such a simple premise that I think it was difficult for O'Donnell to stretch the book out any longer than its slim 137 pages.

To the book's credit, I will say it's organization and structure is superb. After the opening chapters, which set up the whole point of "be a good role model", the book specifically looks at what a good role model looks like in terms of work ethic, citizenship, marriage relationships and intimacy, to name a few. Each chapter also ends with a few discussion questions, which are good for personal or group study.

Piling Up on Friday 2/17

This weekly meme is hosted here at Finding Your Gibbee. Feel free to play along, and post a link to your blog in the comments below. List all the books you have added to your To Be Read List this week. (These don't have to be titles you have actually purchased.)

Hello everyone, I'm back! My computer troubles are all behind me now, thanks to a new power supply that arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon. Ah, I can't believe how much I've missed pecking on my little keyboard here.

I don't have any new titles for this week's meme. For some reason, nothing seemed to catch my eye. But I hope you found some great titles to add to your TRB lists! Make sure to post a comment and let me know what you found.

Happy reading!

Bean

Valentines Day Giveaway Winner!!

The winner of the Valentines Day Gibbee Giveaway is

Lauren Becker

Congratulations!!!

Piling Up on Friday 2/8

*OOPS -- I meant for this to post on Friday, but for some reason the scheduler didn't work*

This weekly meme is hosted here at Finding Your Gibbee. Feel free to play along, and post a link to your blog in the comments below. List all the books you have added to your To Be Read List this week. (These don't have to be titles you have actually purchased.)

I apologize to everyone for not posting this whole week. I am having technical difficulties with my laptop, so posts are at a minimum right now.  Hopefully, everything should be worked out within a week. 

*fingers crossed!!!*

And now, for my new TBR titles that have been piling up this week ....

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Gillespie and I by Jane Harris

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes








Dream of Ding Village by Yan Lianke

Piling Up on Friday 2/3

This weekly meme is hosted here at Finding Your Gibbee. Feel free to play along, and post a link to your blog in the comments below. List all the books you have added to your To Be Read List this week. (These don't have to be titles you have actually purchased.)

My list for 2/3/2012

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Phillip Sendker (my favorite cover of the week)

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber by Dane Batty

Before The Poison by Peter Robinson

Valentines Day Gibbee Giveaway

Oh my, it's already February, which means it's time for my Valentines Day giveaway. Get ready, this one is dripping with romance!

For this giveaway, I am sending one lucky winner a copy of 

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks. 

But wait, that's not all! The winner will also receive a box of Dove chocolate truffles to indulge in as they read their new romance novel. 

(Yes, I can already hear the chocoholics panting! :)

The rules are simple: 

One entry per person, and you must be a follower of my blog. To follow me, simply click on one of the buttons on my sidebar. The giveaway ends Saturday, February 13th, and the winner will be announced the following Monday.

Good luck everyone!

Bean