Joanna’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

Joanna’s comments from the CPL's Book a Week Challenge group.

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Who is the only author to have books in 9 out of 10 Dewey classes? That would be Isaac Asimov! Another fun fact- he contributed editorial commentary to another book that is in that last Dewey class. So technically, he's the only author to have written words in all 10 classes!

Just in time for Halloween, this week's poll wants to know what unusual material binds at least three books at Harvard? Take a guess here.

This week, we're thinking about spooky reads. What is the best ghost story you've ever read? Or what is the scariest book you've ever read? I've only recently gotten into horror and it's been pretty tame horror at that. However, I do have two books that stand out- Rin Chupeco's The Girl from the Well and Andrew Pyper's The Damned.

The first is about a vengeful spirit in Japan who frees the ghosts of murdered children by killing their murderers. But when she comes across a boy with strange markings, she finds herself trying to protect him from demonic forces that are hunting him.

The second is about a man and his twin sister who both died- but he's the only one who came back. Now, years later, his sister starts to haunt him in an attempt to pull him back to Hell with her.

What are your scary books?

It's hard to believe we are on the last full week of October! Where is time going? But the end of October means the beginning of November and that means... NaNoWriMo!

For those who have never heard of it, November is National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo for short). The goal is to write 50,000 words of your novel in the month of November. If you have ever wanted to try your hand at novel writing, this is the month to do it!

More information and to sign up can be found at NaNoWriMo's website, here.

If you're participating, the Chesapeake Library has a few Write Ins that you can attend! These are dedicated spaces where you can just come in and do your writing. They are going to be:

Mondays (7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th) at the Central Library from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Friday the 4th and 18th at the Cuffee Library from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Saturday the 19th at the Major Hillard Library from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Come join us and write your great masterpiece!

What is everyone reading this last week of October? I will admit, I wasn't very good last week so I'm still working on the same books. Fingers crossed for more time this week!

Weekly Book Trivia Polls are also back! Click here to vote in this week's poll!

Hello, everyone! I am back! How was everyone's two weeks? Did you get a lot read? I know I certainly did. Having to take it easy is certainly a plus for conquering your reading piles. What is everyone reading this week? Anything good or fall-ish? I am working on Thief of Lies plus American Zoo and Dinosaurs Without Bones.

This week we're taking a small break from our weekly Book Trivia Poll. Polls should resume next Monday. But the answer to last week's question is Theodore Roosevelt! He read an average of one book a day.

Julie wrote: "I just finished The Invisible Library! I really enjoyed it, so I'll be interested in seeing what you think of it. :) However, I listened to the audio book, and I was NOT a fan of the narrator, even..."

I really enjoyed it as well! The story was great and I loved the characters. There were times I wasn't a big fan of the writing as I thought it jumped a bit or had too much explaining- though I'm not sure if that would be noticeable on audio. I'm sorry the narrator wasn't good. Was it their voice or something else? I'm waiting for the sequel from Norfolk... hopefully it will be available soon!

Hear that creak? It’s nothing, right? Or the scraping sound against the glass? Just a tree. And that howl? It’s the wind blowing through the rafters. How about that shadow, slinking across the wall? Car headlights from outside. But wait… did you hear that? A whisper down the hall. Is it your name or is it calling for “Mommy?” Just your little brother waking up from a nightmare.

Or is it?

Horror is the genre that can take anything and spin it on its head. No one is innocent. No sound is what it appears. Monsters, ghosts, witches, goblins, and aliens are real and all the stuff of nightmares. The creeping, chilly feeling in your spine when you read a horror book is addictive and the cause of many hours of lost sleep.

October’s challenge is to read a horror book. Need some help getting started? Take a look at these helpful links:

30 Best Horror Books of All Time

Top 10 Horror Writers

Goodreads’ Horror Book Lists

The 50 Scariest Books of All Time

Want more fun this October? The Chesapeake Public Library has two great events that are spook-tacular.

Join us October 1st at the Central Library from 10:00 to 4:00 for our annual Monster Fest! There’ll be panels, vendors, special guests, a costume contest, live music, and trick-or-treating for all kids. Come on out and have a howling good time.

Then on October 22nd, at the Central Library, is our annual 3K Family Fun Zombie Run! This event does require registration and the money goes to support our kids’ Early Learning and STEAM programs. Come on out and see if you can avoid the zombies. Or come volunteer and be a zombie! For more information and to register, click here

Happy Haunting!

Did everyone survive the monsoon? I was amazed at the pictures people posted on Facebook. I hope everyone was safe and nothing was damaged!

So what was the original British title of 1851's Moby Dick? It was called The Whale! Do you know which country reads more books per capita than any other? Take a guess on our Book Trivia page.

What is everyone reading this week? I've started a book called The Invisible Library and so far it's been great. I love adventure stories involving books. I also have a fairy tale retelling called Forbidden Wish on my list to read this week. I picked up the four volumes of Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin that I might also try to get to. We'll see how much I get done.

Let us know what you are reading this week!

What year was the Encyclopedia Britannica first published? That would be 1768! Sadly, the last physical edition was printed in 2010, but it continues on in an online version.

Do you know what the original British title of Moby-Dick was? Take a crack on our Book Trivia page.

What is everyone reading this week? I will probably not be reading much because I will be spending the week at Disney World (hence the reason for this early post). I hope everyone has a great week and I will "see" you next Monday!

Cheers!

Great guessing everyone, but the Bible was not the first book printed in English- it was actually printed in Latin! The Recuyell of the Histories of Troye was a French book written in 1463. It took translator William Caxton three years to translate the book and was printed in English in 1474. The book recently sold at auction for over 1 million pounds.

Care to guess what year the Encyclopedia Britannica debut? Head on over to the Book Trivia page to guess.

This week, let's talk about reviews. How do you all handle reviews? Do you look them up before reading a book? After? How do you handle disparate reviews? Or do you just dismiss them completely and read what you want?

I'll admit, I have to be very careful about reviews. They can bias my opinion of a book immediately. Due to this, I don't log books into Goodreads until after I am a good way into them. That way I don't see the average number of stars given and think, "Huh, guess this is going to be a bad book." I really want to form my own opinion.

Let us know how you handle reviews!

The smoking pipe. The impressive mustache. The deerstalker. The miniscule clue. The nosy elderly spinster. The magnifying glass. A dead body slummed in the locked room. The unjust killing that must be solved. A missing trinket taken from beneath everyone’s noses.

Everyone loves a good mystery. There is something about the thrill of the chase, moving ever closer to the resolution, that draws you in and keeps you turning the pages. This month’s challenge is the read a book of mystery or intrigue.

Not sure how to solve this case? It's elementary, dear Watson- take a look at these helpful links:

The Best Mystery Authors
Top 100 Crime Novels
Best Crime and Mystery Books
Best Mystery Novels to Get Lost In
50 Essential Mystery Novels Everyone Should Read
Goodreads' Intrigue Book Lists

The cases are calling; time to get cracking!

Summer may be over, but September’s main class is for all those lovers of the Arts and Recreation. Here you can find books on a wide-range of subjects from painting to knitting to comic books to music to performing arts to athletics to fishing. There is something for everyone in this class, so take a look at these interesting subdivisions:

700- The art; fine and decorative arts
708- Galleries, museums, and private collections
712- Landscape architecture
714- Water features
720- Architecture
733- Greek, Etruscan, and Roman sculpture
736- Carving and carvings
740- Drawing and decorative arts
745- Decorative arts
748- Glass
750- Painting and paintings
770- Photography, photographs & computer art
774- Holography
780- Music
784- Instruments & instrumental ensembles
790- Recreational & performing arts
793- Indoor games & amusements
796- Athletic & outdoor sports & games
798- Equestrian sports & animal racing
799- Fishing, hunting & shooting

A quick bit of housekeeping... September came up faster than expected so the monthly challenges are not up. I apologize most profusely. They should be up by the end of the week.

Now on to our regularly scheduled program...

The Bible was the first book to be written on moveable type! Continuing with that theme, do you know which book was the first to be printed in English? Head on over to the Book Trivia page to take a guess.

September's genre theme is Mystery and Intrigue. A good mystery, in my opinion, has believable twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the very end. What are some of your favorite mystery books? Do their twists and turns keep you reading through the night? My favorite (if you haven't guessed) is Agatha Christie. That woman knew how to make twists and turns. If you've never read them, And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express are not to be missed.

Let us know what your favorite mystery is!

The world's best-selling fiction writer of all time is Agatha Christie! Her books have sold over 2 billion copies and have been translated into over 100 languages.

Did you know that Christie was the center of a mysterious event herself? She disappeared on the evening of December 3, 1926, her car later found abandoned. After a nation-wide manhunt, she reappeared 10 days later on December 14th. Christie never talked about her disappearance. To this day, it remains a mystery why she did it.

This week, do you know what was the first book printed on moveable type? Take a guess by going over to our Book Trivia Poll.

What is everyone reading this week? Alas, I failed spectacularly in my goals from last week. I got distracted because I discovered the comic book app on my Kindle and have been catching up on back issues of the latest DC event (Rebirth). But I have a holiday weekend coming up and I have plans.

Do you have reading plans for this holiday weekend?

Ann wrote: "I used to be able to read the entire Lord of the Rings in a weekend."

Now I really have a strong desire to binge read Lord of the Rings. I've been remiss and haven't done my yearly reread of it. Maybe that will be my holiday weekend goal...

Which two children's authors, besides Rowling, have sold the most books? That would be R.L. Stine and Dr. Seuss, who have sold 400 million and 500 million books worldwide, respectively.

Do you know who is the best-selling fiction writer of all time? Head on over to the Book Trivia Poll to take a guess.

What is everyone reading this week? I have some pretty lofty goals this week. They include finishing Doctor Who: 365 Days of Memorable Moments and Impossible Things, Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart, Star Wars: Life Debt, and the seven graphic novels I have lying around. I doubt I will get to them all but I'm going to try!

Have you ever made crazy reading goals for yourself? Did you succeed?

How many times was Dr. Seuss' first book rejected by publishers before someone picked it up? 27 times. Dr. Seuss was ready to burn the book when a childhood friend, who was now a publisher, purchased the book. Seuss was 33 years old when it was published in 1937. You can read the story here!

Do you know which children's authors, next to Rowling, have sold the most books? Take a look at this week's Book Trivia Poll to take a guess!

I am feeling a bit guilty at the moment. I've had to abandon a book which never sits well with me. It's not because I don't want to read it; I still do! But I've run out of time and there are other books I want to read more. But I hate giving it up (the book's A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain, in case you were curious). What books have you had to abandon, for any reason? Did you ever go back to them?

Ingrid wrote: "We are going to be heading to Alaska and I really want to take something gripping with me. Any suggestions?"

I was looking around and found this excellent blog post from the New York Public Library on Page-Turners for all Tastes. I've read a couple on here (Monster which is scary, The Martian which I loved, and And Then There Were None with its only fault being it is too short).

Hopefully this helps you find something good to read on your trip!

In case you were wondering... the youngest person to ever publish a book was Dorothy Straight. She was 4 years old when she wrote her book How the World Began and 6 when it was published in 1962.

Rejection is hard. Do you know how many times Dr. Seuss' first book was rejected before being published? Head on over to our Book Trivia Poll to take a guess!

What is everyone reading this week? I will admit, I've been horrible at reading. Real life keeps getting in the way. But I'm vowing to be better this week (you all will have to help me keep to that vow). I'm going to read Jane Steele, Ms. Marvel Vol. 1, and the new Harry Potter!

Happy Reading, everyone!

Happy 1st of August, everyone!

What was the most expensive book purchased at auction? The Codex Leicester by Leonardo Di Vinci was purchased by Bill Gates for $30.8 million in 1994. Talk about an expensive book!

Head on over to the Polls for this week's Book Trivia- the youngest author to publish a book.

Being the first of the month, we also have new challenges! Check out the 600 class of the Dewey Decimal system and enter the world of theater with Plays.

As always, what books are you reading this week?

Happy reading!

A trio of hooded figures stand in the corner, hands clasped in front of them

Greek Chorus

Ah, the theater. Where the lights are bright, the world is not always what it seems, and no two performances are exactly the same.

Enter the Narrator from stage left. The trio of hooded figures back up until they blend in with the curtains

Narrator

There is something very much alive about live performances- whether they are musicals, Shakespeare, monologues, or anything in-between.

While reading a play isn’t the same thing as watching it, you can still enjoy the words and flow- and even learn more about the behind-the-scenes stage directions!

Greek Chorus

This month’s genre challenge is to read a Play… a play! A play!

Narrator glares at curtain, none too happy about being interrupted

Narrator

As I was saying, this month’s genre challenge is to read a play. It can be any play! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has just come out and it is a script book. You can read that. Or the library also has the script book to Hamilton. But don’t feel that you just have to read the new and popular.

The trio of hooded figures remerge and begin chanting

Greek Chorus

Rediscover the ancient Greeks and Romans. Dive into Shakespeare. Take a peek at Marlowe. Discover highs and lows with Miller and Williams. So many plays. So many plays. Why not try them all?

The trio fade back again as the Narrator attempts to retake control of the dialogue

Narrator

Yes. Yes. There are so many different plays out there- take a look at these lists to help you find the one to read!

A list of links appears

Telegraph's Best Plays of All Time
Goodreads Top 100 Stage Plays
100 Greatest Plays
50 Best Plays of the Past 100 Years
32 Plays You Need to Read Before You Die

Narrator

Travel well, my friends. Travel well.

Narrator exits stage left.

The trio step forward from the curtain

Greek Chorus

Explore the words of play, our dear friends. Explore. And travel well…

The trio disappear in a puff of smoke

August’s main class is a large one- the 600s. It is known as the “Technology” category. However, that classification can be a bit misleading. There is definitely technology related subdivisions (for example, 621- Applied Physics and 660- Chemical engineering), but it also covers areas that one might not associate with technology. These include human anatomy (611), gardening (635), animal husbandry (636), food and drink (aka cooking- 641), child rearing (649), and building (690).

The 600s are sort of a catch-all for a variety of subjects that can loosely be connected to “technology.”

With such a diverse range of subdivisions, there really is something for everyone in this main class.

Here are some other interesting subdivisions:

610- Medicine & Health
616- Diseases
624- Civil Engineering
629- Other branches of engineering (cars)
632- Plant injuries, diseases, and pests
638- Insect culture
640- Home and Family Management
648- Housekeeping
653- Shorthand
663- Beverage technology
664- Food technology
669- Metallurgy
670- Manufacturing
676- Paper and pulp technology
682- Small forge work (blacksmithing)
687- Clothing and accessories
694- Wood construction and carpentry