Great Beginnings in Literature

We are beginning a new week on this beautiful Carolina-blue Monday morning. After a weekend of cool, rainy weather, I am ready to clear the slate and start over, all the while wishing for a dryer, sunnier week. These thoughts led me to think about the beginning lines of works of literature that I can easily recall, and I thought of several. These lines are easily recognized by students of great literature because they are at times poetic, meaningful, and easy to recite.


The first famous beginning quote that came to my mind was the opening line of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. This lengthy novel begins with the famous words, "Call me Ishmael." Whenever I hear this line, I immediately know that it is a reference to the great novel about a fierce whale and Captain Ahab's quest to capture it. Interestingly, during Melville's lifetime, Moby-Dick was not well-known, but today it is considered to be a great work. I think this beginning line is well-known because it's so short and easy to remember - sometimes less is more. Another memorable beginning in literature is the first sentence of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,..."Whereas the opening line of Moby-Dick is very brief, the opening line of Dickens' novel is very, very lengthy, so lengthy that I don't want to copy it all here. As I examine the line, however, I see what Dickens is trying to achieve in his great work. He seems to be setting the atmosphere for his 1859 novel about the French Revolution by using poetic phrases that are opposites. For example, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times," "...the age of wisdom, the age of foolishness,..." it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness." When I read these poetic phrases it causes me to wonder how any society can be so wonderful and yet so terrible at the same time. And when I wonder about such things, I may just want to keep reading to find out how this can be. Clearly, in the novel we find out that yes, societies have very good people AND very bad people, and people who are a mixture of both. The final great beginning that I'd like to discuss isn't really the beginning of a book, but it's the beginning of a great statement of faith and a prayer, the Shema of the Jewish faith. These beginning words of the Shema came to my mind immediately this morning when I began to think of famous beginnings:  "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One," Deuteronomy 6:4. These words begin a great affirmation of faith for the Jews and a declaration of their belief in only one God ("Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad"). This declaration may be obvious to some of us, yet in Old Testament times the Hebrew people lived among people who worshiped idols and multiple gods. The Hebrew people felt the need to distinguish themselves from all of the other religions. As an editorial note, this isn't any different than the religious atmosphere of our world today. There are still many people who worship idols, the dead, nature, and religious leaders. Of course, there are also many who do not belong to any faith. I, myself,  strongly uphold the belief in the one true God, the God of Israel, the One who made Himself known through the gifts of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There are many, many other great beginnings in literature that are memorable for various reasons, many which capture our attention and "hook the reader," but these are the beginnings that came to my mind today.

I'm still working my way through One Hundred Years of Solitude so I'll keep you posted on my progress through my reading. Meanwhile, here are the next ten books in my card catalog:

1. The Lord is My Shepherd by Harold Kushner (I heard him speak in 2003 and got autographs)
2. When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Kushner
3. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
4. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
5. Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
6. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
7. Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
8. Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
9. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
10. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

What great beginnings in literature are you thinking about today? Can you quote some that immediately come to mind? I would love to get your comments below.

 Happy reading,

Melissa

Reflections on a Rainy Day

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
-Robert Frost, Goodreads




Once we reach a certain age, many of us have a few sayings that we claim in order to express our views of life. We might say things such as "It's not a bed of roses," or "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," and so on.  Frost's words here remind me of Ben Franklin's quote about the only two things that we can be certain of in this life, death and taxes. We see that sometimes something thought-provoking can be expressed in just two or three words. So, as Frost puts it, life definitely goes on, and it seems to be able to go on without our help. Think about that on this stormy Monday night. And hopefully you thought about taxes in a timely manner last week and met the April 15th deadline!

Have you read the little book by Maya Angelou that was published last year,  Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou?  I recommend this book for those times when you are meditating or when you have a specific topic for a group discussion. I especially like Angelou's chapter on Art and Literature. In this chapter, the author comments on many topics that affect life, art, and writing. I like what she says about the interpretation of poetry:

I've had people explain to me what one of my poems meant, and I've been surprised that it meant that to them. If a person can use a poem of mind to interpret her life or his life, good. I can't control that . Nor would I want to.

This quote by Angelou reminds me of one of my beloved college English professors at Georgetown College, Dr. Gwen Curry. I had Dr. Curry for an upper level English course, 20th Century Poetry, and I enjoyed it very much, even though much of the poetry was very depressing.  There were only about seven students in the class, so there was no way that I could just be a listener and "slide by" in this class. Participation was required, of course, so I chimed in even if I wasn't sure if my interpretation of a poem was correct. Yet Dr. Curry affirmed and applauded every single comment that was made about a poem. In other words, there was no wrong answer in her class, and whatever you said was greatly valued. This speaks to the kind of person and professor that Dr. Curry was, an educator who led us to learn but didn't close the doors on what we wanted to learn. I think that Angelou and Curry were on the right road to true learning.

As you read the list of the next ten books that I've read since 1984, you will note that I've read eight hilarious books by Sophie Kinsella, the British humorist. The eighth book was listed in last week's post.

1. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Kinsella
2. I've Got Your Number by Kinsella
3. Shopaholic and Baby by Kinsella
4. Shopaholic and Sister by Kinsella
5. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Kinsella
6. Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Kinsella
7. The Undomestic Goddess by Kinsella
8. Communication Theory for Christian Witness by Charles H. Kraft
9. Into the Wild by Jan Krakeuer
10. Salt by Mark Kurlansky

I'd love to hear your thoughts about short quotes that are meaningful, Maya Angelou, or a favorite professor that you remember. What's your favorite quote about the meaning of life? Do you agree/disagree that there is no wrong way to interpret a poem? Have you read any of the books on today's list, and if so, did you like or dislike them?

"A penny for your thoughts" today!

-Melissa

National Poetry Month and More

The beautiful village of Grasmere, Scotland

In honor of National Poetry Month, I begin today's post with a poem by William Wordsworth of Scotland, "Composed by The Side of Grasmere Lake, 1806."


CLOUDS, lingering yet, extend in solid bars
Through the grey west; and lo! these waters,
steeled
By breezeless air to smoothest polish, yield
A vivid repetition of the stars;
Jove, Venus, and the ruddy crest of Mars
Amid his fellows beauteously revealed
At happy distance from earth's groaning field,
Where ruthless mortals wage incessant wars,
Is it a mirror? --or the nether Sphere
Opening to view the abyss in which she feeds
Her own calm fires?--But list! a voice is near;
Great Pan himself low-whispering through the
reeds.
'Be thankful, thou, for, if unholy deeds
Rave the world, tranquility is here!"



We had the opportunity to visit Grasmere, a village in the Lake District of Scotland, last summer, the year that we took our survey tour of the United Kingdom. Although we didn't get to spend much time in the Grasmere area, we did get to see the graves of the Wordsworth family and heard many stories about them. We learned that Wordsworth became the poet laureate of Britain in 1843, but he did not write any more poetry after the death of his beloved daughter, Dora, in 1847. Wordsworth only lived three more years after the death of Dora. Incidentally, Beatrix Potter, the beloved children's author, was also from the Lake District area.

The past week has been full of memorable events for us, one a happy event, and one a difficult event. Our daughter became engaged on April 11, and my husband was in a wreck when a teenager pulled out in front of him. Fortunately, no one was injured but the incident totaled our 1997 Toyota Corolla, a reliable car that we've had for over 15 years. Now we have to figure out what we are going to do about getting another car. It's all going to work out. I'm trying to focus on the happy event and not the frustrating one.

A few days ago I finished reading the national bestseller, The Winter People, by Jennifer McMahon. This book was written last year, 2014, so it may be new to you. It was in one of the bags of books that I brought home from my parents' collection in Georgetown, Ky recently. I read the back of the book as I always do to get an idea of what the book was about, and I decided to read it based on what I read. Who wouldn't want to read a book set in Vermont with stories of "strange disappearances and old legends?" Who wouldn't want to read a good ghost story that will leave you feeling somewhat nervous and uncomfortable? This book is smoothly written and hooks the reader from the very beginning. It's a ghost story about people who come back alive after their deaths. I don' want to give too much away, but McMahon wisely crafts her characters as she tells various parts of the story that take place in 1908 and in the present time. In the present time you will meet Ruthie, Fawn, Alice, and Candace. In 1908 you will meet Sara Harrison Shea, Martin, and Gertie. As you read you will see how all of these characters are connected.

The book that I'm going to stat this weekend is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Somewhere along the way I missed the memo on this classic, so I look forward to giving it some attention. This book was also in one of the bags from Kentucky, so again, I didn't spend any money on a book. My goal is to try to read a book that is free to me whenever possible.

I will now list the next ten books that I've read since 1984. You'll note that I've read quite a few of Barbara Kingsolver's books and I've enjoyed every one of these by this author from Kentucky. Kingsolver is one of the few authors that I've ever written a letter to, and I did get a response. It was a form letter stating that she didn't have time to respond to all of her mail, but her signature is her very own!

1. On Writing by Stephen King
2. Between Sundays by Karen Kingsburg
3. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
4. The Bean Trees by B. Kingsolver
5. Flight Behavior by B. Kingsolver
6. Pigs in Heaven by B. Kingsolver
7. Prodigal Summer by B. Kingsolver
8. The Poisonwood Bible by B. Kingsolver (on my top-ten list of novel)
9. The Lacuna by B. Kingsolver
10. Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella


I would love to get your feedback on today's post. Have you read any of the books that I've listed or discussed? If so, what did you think of them?

Happy Reading,
Melissa

A TIME TO BLEED

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." -Ernest Hemingway (Brainy Quote)


Everyone seems to like to talk about the color of their blood, especially during basketball season. I often hear things like "I bleed Kentucky blue," or "I bleed Carolina blue." Even the shades of blue are distinct, and sports fans want everyone to know the EXACT shade of their team's blue. NO ONE wants their team to be confused with another team - so the fine shades of blue or some other color must be clearly defined. But we all know that real blood is reddish black, not blue. In the above quote, Hemingway compares writing to a cleansing of the mind and body, a sifting of feelings until they are poured out into words. One could also argue that he's saying that writing is very painful and causes injury to the writer, but I don't think that's what he means here. I prefer the interpretation that writing is a way that an author pours out what is inside his/her soul, mind, experiences, and life. I, myself, have found that when I sit down at the computer, I usually don't know what I want to write about until I start typing. At times I am dissatisfied with what I have written, so I "clean it up" and try to make it more cohesive. As I edit, I try to imagine myself as a reader who is looking at this blog for the first time. I want my thoughts to be unified, cohesive, and interesting, so I keep chiseling away until I am somewhat satisfied with what I see on the screen.

Now some thoughts on last week's NCAA basketball championship. After today, I won't talk about basketball for a good long while, so those of you who don't particularly enjoy sports, don't worry - I will get off of this soapbox after today! As you know my local team, the Duke Blue Devils, won the national title and we are all very proud. Honestly, I did not expect them to go that far because it was sort of a "rebuilding" year with so many young players. But throughout the season the players continued to improve, to find their game, and to get in a rhythm of winning. It was a great season. Of course, I was also pulling for the Kentucky Wildcats, since I am from Kentucky and have followed them since I was a teenager/ I was very disappointed that they were beaten by Wisconsin, but I can't imagine how the players themselves must be feeling after being undefeated all season until that loss. Still, they had a great run and they should be proud of themselves.

When I wrote my last entry I was thinking about starting to read To Kill a Mockingbird again, but since then I decided to read a book that I got from my parents during my spring break. I'm reading The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon. I'm almost finished with the national bestseller and I'm eager to see how the story concludes. If you like mysteries, strange happenings, or just plain old scary stories, you will like this book. There are several main characters in the story, and they live in various time periods. The first chapter begins during the time of Sara Harrison Shea, a farmer's wife who lived in 1908. The other characters are Martin, Gertie, Ruthie, Fawn, Candace, Kathleen, and Gary. The story takes place in West Hall, Vermont, a town that has many stories of strange disappearances and old legends. It's a fun book to read and I'm eager to see how everything turns out for the various characters, most of whom have lost a great deal and need resolutions.

The next ten books in my card catalog are as follows:

1. A New Song by Jan Karon
2. Out to Canaan by Jan Karon
3. Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon
4. These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon
5. Milk and Honey by Faye Kellerman
6. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
7. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel (a local author!)
8. She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel
9. The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel 
10. Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr.

Have a wonderful week,
Melissa

 

DUKE OR KENTUCKY: Who will I pull for?

"March is a month without mercy for rabid basketball fans. There is no such thing as a "gentleman gambler" when the Big Dance rolls around. All sheep will be fleeced, all fools will be punished severely...There are no Rules when the deal goes down in the final weeks of March. Even your good friends turn into monsters." Hunter S. Thompson, BrainyQuote

This week I thought I would begin my post with my reflections on March Madness yet again, namely, THE FINAL FOUR IN INDIANAPOLIS this coming weekend. Both of my men's teams made it to the Final Four, Kentucky and Duke, so I may be forced to choose just one. For now, each team must win one more game to make it to the championship. I think it's safe to say that Kentucky and Duke despise each other, so they will really get worked up if they meet in the championship game next week. I'm not sure when all of the hate talk began, but it may have started when Christian Laettner of Duke hit that half-court shot in the championship game many years ago, that unbelievable shot that got Duke the big win against UK. I've been listening to trash talk on both sides this week, thanks to facebook and one-on-one discussions, and it's been very humorous. I find it funny that fans refer to their teams as "MY Cats" and "MY Devils." I just don't get it, but it's funny. When they say that they are really pledging their allegiance and support to their team, I get it, but it's not as if they are out there on the court too. But I don't blame them for feeling a sense of pride for their team, a team that might be close to where they live. If you live in Kentucky you are either a Louisville fan or a Kentucky fan, but in North Carolina you might choose from among at least three teams: NC State, UNC, or Duke. So, it's a little more complicated in NC. In the last three games,  I will yell, I will have snacks, and I will celebrate for either Kentucky OR Duke, as long as at least one of them makes it to the championship. I'm sure that MY Cats and MY Blue Devils will not let me down. I sure hope that none of my friends turn into monsters!

Since this is a blog about books, I will get on to the topic at hand. I'm not officially reading anything right now, but I'm thinking about re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird. What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions? I discussed Some Luck by Jane Smiley last week a book about life on a farm during the depression. Yesterday I finished listening to a book on CD in the car, V is for Vengeance, by Sue Grafton. The main character is the same one that Grafton uses in many of her mystery books, Kenzie Millhone. She is a young single woman who always seems to have a good sense for solving crimes in her job as a private investigator. This story begins when Millhone sees a woman stealing lingerie from a department store. She pursues the thief and follows her into the parking garage. There is also the other part of the story about a young man who loses everything due to his gambling addiction. He ends up giving his expensive sports car to settle a debt, and he soon loses his life in the transaction. This is a typical Grafton murder-mystery with its colorful characters such as Dante (a gangster), Nora, Lorenzo, and others.It's not my favorite genre - I rarely read a mystery - but it was fun to listen to in the car.

One of the most enjoyable books that I've ever read is the memoir by Terry Ryan, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less. Evelyn Ryan, the mother of the family, helped her family survive by entering contests and by writing slogans, ditties, and poems. During the 1950s there were a lot of contests for people to send in their best jingle, essay, or poem accompanied by a box-top or other product identification. Evelyn's husband was an alcoholic who often spent his paycheck on alcohol, so it was often up to Evelyn to provide food and other things that her family needed. And with ten children, she was desperate. She wrote many witty slogans and won many contests. She won things such as a year's supply of laundry detergent, household appliances, bikes, watches, clocks, and occasionally cash. She even won a car and an international vacation. Sometimes she would sell the prize so that she could use the money for something that they desperately needed at the time, such as rent money. This book was published in 2002, so it has been around for a while, but I've never met anyone else who has read it. You will love this inspiring and humorous book. I can see Evelyn right now as she's ironing clothes for her large family while trying to write a jingle for a contest. Thank goodness that most of my clothes are permanent press!

Here are the next ten books from my catalog:

1. Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
2. Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? by Rhoda Janzen (very funny!)
3. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen (also very funny)
4. Toward Old Testament Ethics by C. Walter Kaiser
5. Little Heathens by Mildred Kalish (very funny and inspiring)
6. A Common Life: The Wedding Story by Jan Karon
7. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
8. Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon
9. In This Mountain by Jan Karon
10. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon

Writing from "My Old Kentucky Home,"

Melissa
Book Blogger

Cruse Rescues Scott County

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn." -Benjamin Franklin, goodreads.com



Are you an eager learner? Are you willing to try something new, no matter what your age? Some of the happiest retired people that I know are lifelong learners. These are the people who watch the news, play jeopardy, complete the daily crossword puzzle, and always keep a book or a magazine by their chairs. Some of them even play cards! I admit that there are some topics that I'm not very eager to learn about because I'm just not "cut out" for them and become easily frustrated. One example of this is that I'm just not very good at technology. I can do the basic things on a computer, but don't ask me to do anything very complicated. I'm more interested in academic subjects, current events, basketball, and the history of the Christian church.

Last time I wrote about March Madness and how I much enjoy it. Well, guess what?? All THREE of my teams are in the Sweet 16: Duke men, Kentucky men, and the Duke women. So, I have another three games on my calendar for this week, even though two of them will be on TV very late at night. I just can't miss the games, and I don't want to record them just to have someone on facebook reveal the winners before I get a chance to watch the recording. So, if I must stay up late at night to watch my teams, I will. I went to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Friday to watch the Duke women defeat Albany by a mere 2 points, but a victory is a victory, so I'll take it. The Duke women went on to win their next game on Sunday as well. They defeated Mississippi State by 8 points. So, it's off to the state of Washington for them, and I'm happy for them. Incidentally, when I went to the game on Friday, I was charged $15 for a general admission fee plus a $1 "service" charge. Can anyone tell me what that's for? Oh, I have failed to mention that one reason that I enjoy basketball so much is that I played the game myself. Back in the 1970s I played high school basketball for four years at Scott County High in Georgetown, Ky. After that I received a small scholarship to play for our local college, Georgetown College (NOT Georgetown University in D.C.). I have so many great memories of my years in basketball, especially my high school time. My fondest memory of high school basketball was in December of 1977. I think we were playing Anderson County High on our home court. With a few seconds on the clock, I was fouled, and I made both free throws! We won the game and the newspaper wrote an article about the game. A picture of me shooting the ball was included. The heading of the article said "Cruse rescues Scott County." I felt like a local hero and was thrilled to be a part of the big win. You have to understand the rivalry that we had with Anderson County to appreciate this victory. To top it off, I scored 17 points in that game and it was the first time that I had ever scored double figures. It was our last game before Christmas, so it was a great way to end the semester. To my high school basketball pals, can you remind me of the tall center from Anderson County? I want to say that her name was "Nancy" something. All I remember is that she was a good player and she was at least as tall as me (6 feet) or taller. It sure was fun to "rescue" Scott County that night!

Now to get on to the topic of books...I am listening to a Sue Grafton in the car, V is for Vengeance. I'm enjoying the mysteries within the story, and the main character, Kinsey Millhone, is a witty private investigator who seems to simply stumble upon crimes. She doesn't easily fall for the stories that people give her and so she's a great detective. She seems to be cut-out for her profession. I look forward to listening to more of this book this week.

I finished reading Smiley's Some Luck this weekend. I enjoyed the book a lot and didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed reading about the children of Rosanna and Walter as they grew up, left the farm, and had children of their own. Frank was the oldest child and the first to leave home. He was a sniper in World War II and so he traveled throughout Europe and Africa. He eventually married a girl he had dated in college, and they settled back in the U.S., although far from Frank's Iowa childhood home. You will like this book if you are looking for something that is relaxing, well-written, and inspiring. Each chapter chronicles a year in the life of the family, so you basically get to watch the characters grow older, find jobs, and more. The themes of love, loyalty, self-sacrifice, spirituality, and perseverance are echoed throughout the novel as the story unfolds. I appreciate the simple values of the farm family and their love for one another, even when times were very difficult. So, you might want to put this recent novel on your reading list.

The next ten books in my card catalog are as follows:

1. The five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom
2. Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
3. Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
4. Madam Secretary: A Memoir by Madeleine Albright
5. The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott
6. My Invented Country by Isabel Allende
7. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (I strongly recommend)
8. The World According to Garp by John Irving
9. Long Time No See by Susan Isaacs
10. Einsten by Walter Isaacson

The Madeleine Albright and Einstein books are examples of some of the non-fiction books that I've read. I often read books about people who are important in history or government. I enjoyed all of the Mitch Albom books for the spiritual themes that lie within them. If you are a person of faith as I am, or if you've lost someone whom you love, you will get a lot out of the Albom books. Also, if you or someone you know are facing physical suffering or imminent death, you will get a lot out of Tuesdays With Morrie.

I'd like to hear from you today - so tell me what you're reading or what you are learning. I'm sure that you are one of the people who is WILLING to learn. There's so much to read and to learn, and there's so little time...have a great week.

-Melissa

March Madness and More...

"Lord! when you sell a man a book you don't sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book." -Christopher Morley, quotegarden.com





I genuinely appreciate this quote by Morley because I agree with his sentiment: when I buy or borrow a book I'm entering a new world, a new life that I remain in as long as I'm either reading the book or thinking about it. Christopher Morley (1890-1957) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist, and poet who nailed it when he said that a book is much more than the printed page. When I am in the new life of the book, I am able to escape my own and forget all about it for a time. But a book is much more than an escape - it's a language, a vocabulary that is different than my own - and it fills up my mind and intellect while motivating me to improve my way of life so that it is more meaningful, more purposeful, and more pure. I am thankful for language, for the ability to read, and for authors who have the ability to write well. I enjoy the challenge of books as they stretch me to sympathize with a character or to learn about a historical figure who helped to make America a great nation. As long as I am reading books I will not be bored, no doubt about it.

The hot topic this weekend is the NCAA tournament. Since I was born in basketball country (Kentucky) and I still live in basketball country (North Carolina), I feel compelled to comment on my teams and the tournament itself. I've been following the men's teams of Kentucky and Duke all season and I've have enjoyed the season. It will be difficult to see the season end but I know it must. We all know, of course, that Kentucky has been undefeated all season, but they had a few scares. Nevertheless, many people predict that UK will be the NCAA champion this year. They have the height, the strength, the talent, and the amazing Wildcat fans. I think they could make history and go undefeated and win it all. Sadly, some of the players will not return next year because they will choose the NBA draft, foregoing their education. Next year will probably be a year of rebuilding for them. The Duke Blue Devils have had a great year too, although they have lost a few. They lost a few close ones and won a few close ones, but I still think they are a very good team. I've enjoyed the flow of their basketball style, the rhythm of their offense, and the depth of their bench. They should be able to go far in the tournament if they get in the flow. The other team that I've followed all year is the Duke women's basketball team. They are currently ranked 16th in the nation with a record of 21-10, so it hasn't been as great a year as some they've had in recent years. Yesterday I went to see their first game of the NCAA as they played Albany and won by only two points. They had a very tough time with Albany, even though they had the home court advantage. Albany deserved to win because they played much better than Duke. Duke had so many turnovers and missed shots - it was unbelievable! Anyway, they advance to their next game on Sunday, and the Duke men play their next game on Sunday as well. I won't be able to watch either game live tomorrow though, because I'll be participating in the annual CROP walk of Durham, a distance of 4.8 miles that begins at Duke Chapel. I'm glad that all three of my teams have advanced in the NCAA tourney so that I can enjoy them a little while longer.

And now, getting back to books...as I stated last week, I'm currently reading Some Luck by Jane Smiley. Although I said that it would probably not make my Top 20 list as a great novel, I have enjoyed it a lot. Smiley is a Pulitzer prize-winning author, and it shows as she depicts a farm family in Iowa beginning with the year 1920. The story is well-written and relaxing as it depicts a hard-working family who raises their children throughout many struggles. The joy in their lives always comes through, even though they've had many personal trials befitting a family during this time period in American history. I only have about 100 pages to go to complete this book so I plan to finish it this weekend. Incidentally, this book was just published last year, so if you want to get it from the library as I did, you may have to get on a waiting list. I think Some Luck was worth the wait though, and I think you will too. In the coming weeks I plan to rewrite my list of best books, but I want to give you two different lists: one for the top 20 novels, and one for the top 20 non-fiction books. I also plan to discuss some of the great children's books that you may want to get for your children, grandchildren and friends.

In my free time, when I'm not reading or doing other things, I've been watching "Downton Abbey." Yes - that's right - I have recently become a "Downton Abbey" addict, so I have to divide my down time between the shows and my books. Several of my friends commented that I would enjoy the series, but I was skeptical because I was told that the series was about a rich family and all of their drama. But I finally caved.  It's a little late, but I am now watching the series from the beginning. We bought Season 1 because our library system did not have a single copy, but now we plan to get the others on loan. We're now on Season 2, Episode 2, and we will probably watch at least two episodes tonight. My husband likes the show just as much as I do so it's something that we can watch together. I love the language of the Brits, their costumes, and the beauty of the scenery. The story lines are much more interesting than I thought they would be, and each episode keeps me wanting more. So, although I was a Downton skeptic, I'm enjoying it and I get why it's so HUGELY popular. I'm glad that I finally stopped to see what all of the uproar was about.

And now, the next ten books in my catalog are:

1. The Final Confession of Mabel Stark by Robert Hough
2. A Simple Christmas by Mike Huckabee
3. I Am Potential by Patrick Henry Hughes
4. Humor for the holidays by Shari MacDonald
5. Humor for a Woman's Heart (several contributors)
6. A Pattern for Life by Archibald Hunter
7. A Widow for One Year by John Irving
8. The Matter of Grace by Jessica Barksdale Inclan
9. Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff
10. Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Until next time,
Melissa