Reading Round-up

I know, I know, I've been a bit remiss in updating the blog. Haven't had much to write about, so here's a make-up post.

NEWS:
Back in November I participated in the Poem a Day Challenge over at Poetic Asides, and in December I turned a chapbook manuscript for the contest. I didn't win, but did place as a finalist. Go HERE to read all about the winner of the chapbook contest and read some of her lovely work. Finalists listed at the bottom.

Onward--

Here's a round-up on some of what I've been reading and re-reading of late. A little light on the fiction, so if anyone has some recommendations for fiction I should be reading, please leave a comment. I've always been more of a non-fiction reader, but after looking over my list, it appears I'm in dire need of some new flights of fancy.
 
NON-FICTION
 
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster – Jon Krakauer
    The author's account of his quest to climb Everest, and his part in the tragedy that happened when numerous expeditions collided.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman - Jon Krakauer
    An account of the events leading up to the death of Pat Tillman, US Army Ranger and former pro football star.



Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings – Matthew T. Dickerson
    A book on the nature of war, battle, and morality as seen through the writings of Tolkien.

Tolkien in the Land of Heroes:Discovering the Human Spirit – Anne C. Petty
    Exploration of the themes in Tolkien's books.

Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam – Gordon M. Goldstein
    Everything you wanted to know about the lead up to the Vietnam War, and then some.

How Did You Get This Number- Sloane Crosley
    More humorous essays by the author of I Was Told There'd Be Cake.

Dark Nights of the Soul – Thomas Moore
    Spiritual growth and reflection from a psychotherapist and Catholic Monk.

Alla Prima: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Direct Painting – Al Gury


FICTION
Miles Vorkosigan series – Lois McMaster Bujold

The Spirit Ring – Lois McMaster Bujold

Haze - L. E. Modesitt Jr.

The Magic of Recluce - L. E. Modesitt Jr.






 


POETRY

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun – J.R.R. Tolkien
    Tolkien's retelling of a couple of epic Norse stories of Sigurd the Völsung and The Fall of the Niflungs

We Don't Know We Don't Know: Poems – Nick Lantz

Lightning That Strikes The Neighbor's House: Poems – Nick Lantz

The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry – Edited by J.D. McClatchy


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Get A Free Ebook From Kris Reisz And Win Artwork!

Remember that super-secret, hush-hush art project I was working on a few months ago? NO?

Ah well, I forgive you.

Hard to keep track of things you have no knowledge of.

So, the secret project is complete.



Periphery Arts teamed up with author Kristopher Reisz in celebration of the release of the new version of his novel Unleashed.

I created four black and white lino block prints based on four Kristopher Reisz short stories. The prints are eight by ten inches, (3) and nine by twelve inches (1), printed on Japanese Masa paper with Daniel Smith water based relief inks.

But here - I'll let Kristopher tell you in his own words.

"Hooray! Both a spiffy new trade edition and the Kindle version of Unleashed came out Tuesday!

To help promote it, I also released a short story collection, Quiet Haunts and Other Stories, as free ebook. (Click here to download it.)

Quiet Haunts contains a couple old favorites and a couple new stories that haven't appeared anywhere else. And just to make sure you guys knew how much I love you, I got Constance Brewer, the enormously talented printmaker, poet, and scourge of evildoers everywhere, to illustrate each story.

Constance sent me three copies of each print. One I'm keeping, but I want to give the other two away. So send me an email at KrisReisz@gmail.com with CONTEST in the subject line and your name andaddress in the body. Next Tuesday (May 11th), I'll pick eight people who'll get both a copy of Unleashed signed by me and a piece of original art signed by Constance.

So to recap...

Pick up Unleashed, now in lovely trade paperback and Kindle editions.

Then download Quiet Haunts and Other Stories to enjoy my stories and Constance's art.

And finally, shoot me an email KrisReisz@gmail.com to win awesome stuff.

How much more Kristopher Reisz-y goodness could you ask for!?

Kris Reisz

There you have it, boys and girls. Win artwork! Get a free ebook! Go buy Unleashed for Kindle or in paperback!

It's Win-Win-Buy!

It's awesome-y Kris Reisz goodness!

It's good for the economy!

What are you waiting for?

Note: Unleashed was a fine read, I enjoyed it. But don't just take my word for it. Both my teens liked it so much they had to have their own copies or much fighting would commence. What more could you ask for - A book both mom and kids can fight over!

So pick up your copy. And remember what the man said. Don't make me scourge you.

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Ode To Anonymous - The Movie

Because I promised to write a glowing, positive, just-this-shy-of-gushing post about the awesomeness of my big brother, Anonstrodomus, I won't tell you (right away) of the interesting array of feelings I had when I opened the brown paper wrapped package hiding in my post box.

But first, some backstory. *Cue Lost-esque whooshing sound*

As some of you well know, I have an interest in taking things apart and putting things together (and blowing things up, but that's another story). I come by this interest naturally, my big brother used to do things like dismantle my clock or radio and leave it in pieces for me to put back together. Because of my brother I learned the joys of dismantling, destruction, and how to play dumb when someone yelled, "What happened to my _______!" Anon usually got blamed anyhow, because what little girl liked mucking about with tools and experiments and dirt?

This one.

Sometimes for fun, sometimes for necessity -- Like when my brother 'traded' cars with me in high school, leaving me the car with a flat tire to change -- I'm sure it was some of his influence that helped when I decided to join the Army, where, despite my solid C- average in high school math, they made me an engineer. And guess what? I discovered I liked math when physics was involved, or formulas, or blowing things up... My bridges didn't fall down, my buildings stayed upright, and none of my runways swallowed any airplanes. Thus began a covert love affair with science in general, physics in particular. With no real background in either I settled for reading about them.

My latest acquisition is a copy of How To Teach Physics To Your Dog by Chad Orzel

I've been reading Chad Orzel's blog, Uncertain Principles ("features the miscellaneous ramblings of a physicist at a small liberal arts college") for quite a while. I knew about the book, but just hadn't gotten around to getting a copy yet, when I read Chad was going to be at a book signing in my hometown, in the far off distant land of upstate New York. Since I doubted Chad would ever make it out to Wyoming, I immediately whined/begged/cajoled my brother into trying to secure me a copy, complete with autograph.

Brother Anon came through and a week later I found a brown paper wrapped package (should have been my first clue) in my post box. Upon opening it... I didn't find quite what I expected. Seems Anon felt the urge to rub in that he gets to eat delicious white garlic pizza on a regular basis. Nestled inside the (sadly empty) box was the prize. My signed copy of How To Teach Physics To Your Dog. My brother didn't want monetary payment, just a "moment of acknowledgment" expressed here on The Periphery - where he is harassed on a semi-monthly basis should he dare comment unprepared.

Please.

You think by now, after all these years, he would have learned. Never give your little sister an opening and expect to emerge totally unscathed.

So, in keeping in the spirit of the bargain, here is my expression of gratitude to my awesome big brother, Anonstrodomus, set to music and in condensed movie form. And here is the second: Thanks for going to the trouble of getting me the book, Brudder Dear. (And thanks to Nonny Moose for encouraging him to do so.) Enjoy!

(Book review to come later. Painting, poem, or mini-movie? Who knows...)