Julia 2015 Reading Challenge

[Julia]

For my 2015 GR Challenge I hope to read 35 books. Within those 35 books, I'd like to read 2 books marked "Want To Read" from each of the below shelves....

Listopia - Best Travel Memoirs

Listopia - Memoirs By Women
1- Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Listopia - Best Memoir-Biography-Autobiograpgy
1- One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey

Listopia - Must Read Classics
Listopia - Knitting Fiction
Listopia - Top Dog Reads
Listopia - Filipino- Local Books In English
Genre - Philippines

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2015 All About Books Challenges
2015 Bingo Challenge
"https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."

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No Time Limit Challenge
Read to completion Poems That Live Forever - no skipping....

[Leslie]

Good luck!

[Julia]

Thanks Leslie. I did read a couple non-fiction this year, but I would like to read more in 2015.

[Sarah]

Good luck, Ms. Julia! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on your choices. For your Top Dog Read, if you ever get the chance, I'd highly recommend Travels With Casey. It's moving and humorous at the same time.

Anyways, can't wait to see what your choices are. :)

[Julia]

Thanks so much Sarah! I read the synopsis and have added Travels w/ Casey to my list.

[Julia]

Trying to read a poem a day from Poems That Live Forever.
Just read "The Calf Path" by Sam Walter Foss - link to poem below

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ca...

[Greg]

Never read that one before Julia - thanks for the link. Very accessible poem!

Sounds like a good project too! You'll probably run across some great ones. You should sign up for Monday Poem and share one sometime! :)

[Leslie]

Julia wrote: "Trying to read a poem a day from Poems That Live Forever.
Just read "The Calf Path" by Sam Walter Foss - link to poem below

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ca..."

I like the idea and loved that poem by Foss (of whom I had never heard before).

[Julia]

Greg, I've been thinking about doing that, maybe later on in the year though, when I'm a little more comfortable with it. I'm very new to poetry and am trying to get used to the structure of them.

[Greg]

Sounds good Julia :)

[Julia]

2nd poem > The Main Truck or A Leap For Life by George P Morris

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ma...

I liked this poem, but I liked "The Calf Path" better.

The first section of the book I'm reading is titled STORIES AND BALLADS

[Julia]

poem 3 > The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service

I love this poem, my mother used to read it to my sister brother and me when we were little.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-cr...

[Greg]

I have a book of Robert Service's poems interspersed with wood cuts. Some great accessible narrative poetry! I really enjoyed reading it!

[Julia]

This and "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" are the only poems I know by Robert Service.
I hope Dan McGrew is in this book, and others by him. I enjoy these 2 poems alot, not just because of the memories they bring, but I think they are fun (is that the right word) poems.

[Greg]

Fun is exactly the right word Julia! Lively (maybe even a bit larger than life) mini-stories in verse. I find them fun too :)

[Julia]

I was surfing yourtube and found an audio of Johnny Cash reciting the Cremation of Sam McGee and I love it!!! I usually can't stand to have something read to me, but I love this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNZw...

I'll be looking for other audio versions for my poems.

[Julia]

2 new poems today

"The Shooting of Dan McGrew" by Robert Service
and "One, Two, Three" by Henry Cuyler Bunner

I love the imagery of the 2nd poem - the old woman and her grandson playing....

I was able to find audio of the Robert Service poem but not the Henry Cuyler Bunner one.... Links are below, hope you can access them....

The Shooting Of Dan McGrew
https://archive.org/details/JohnMacKe...

One Two Three
http://www.scrapbook.com/poems.php?mo...

[Evelyn]

Julia wrote: "I was surfing yourtube and found an audio of Johnny Cash reciting the Cremation of Sam McGee and I love it!!! I usually can't stand to have something read to me, but I love this!

https://www.yout..."

This is fantastic Julia, thank you for sharing! I have a friend who is known to spout random lines from this poem at random times. His voice gets all deep and it's amazing how much like this Johnny Cash audio he sounds.

[Julia]

Thanks Evelyn, I was just messing around and found it by accident - I'm so glad I did and am glad you enjoyed it.

I told my mom about it and she says she has an album of JC reciting poetry.

[Julia]

2 more poems

Ginevra by Samuel Rogers - I didn't like this one so much. I'm new to poetry and had a hard time following the structure.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/italy-...

I don't know alot about poetry, but out of all of the poems I do know, The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes is in my top 3. I don't know why, but I ADORE this poem. It's so romantic, but tragic at the same time. I looked for quite awhile, but couldn't find an audio link that I liked - I'm pretty bummed about not being able to find one.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/...

[Greg]

I'd read "The Highwayman" before, and I do really like it Julia. A fantastic rhythm and a gripping narrative; it's great!

The other one "Ginerva" I've never read before. It seems to be about a young woman who hid in a chest to surprise or tease her fiancee at the feast of their bridal announcement, but she was trapped inside. No one could find her or ever discover what happened to her until years later when someone opened it up and found her skeleton. Her heartbroken father and fiancee had died thinking that she might've fled the marriage.

[Julia]

I actually had to re-read Giverva a couple of times. It just didn't "flow" right for me and I think that's what took some of the enjoyment out of it, but I did get it after a while.

I think that because this is really my 1st foray into poetry, I tend to read them as I do books - and IMO that's not the way they're meant to be read. I'm hoping that as I read more I'll get used to the "structure" of them.

I did enjoy the poem I read today though. "Her Letter" by Bret Harte. My interpretation is of a girl writing a letter to a boy she used to know. They both come from poverty, but she is now in a higher social circle (I think her father struck it rich). The letter she writes to him tells him of her life now that she's is living in high society, but how of how she misses him.

http://readytogoebooks.com/classics/B...

[Greg]

I can't think where I've heard of Bret Harte before, but the name does ring a bell. Another nice one Julia that I interpret similarly to you.

I like this book you're reading! Poetry used to be widely popular, and I think reading the poems you're posting I can see why. Maybe you should post a link to this book on the Poetry thread. Once in a while it might be nice to read something gorgeously tortuous & deliciously thick on the tongue, but these poems are fantastic for everday reading! They have strong narratives; they're lively, accessible, moving, pleasingly rhythmic, and fun to read! Wonderful!

[Julia]

More poems I've read

"Richard Cory" by Edwin Arlington Robinson (read by Tom O'Bedlam)
link to audio > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vICuZ...

"Miniver Cheevy" by Edwin Arlington Robinson (read by Tom O'Bedlam)
link to audio > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP_81...

Skipper Ireson’s Ride BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
link to poem > http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/...

MAUD MULLER by John Greenleaf Whittier
link to audio > http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/109/selecte...

while I am enjoying reading these poems, still not having much luck in finding a book that will hold my interest.

[Greg]

Julia, I really like those two by Edgar Arlington Robinson. They remind me a bit of Edgar Lee Masters who wrote Spoon River Anthology, a collection of epitaphs of the residents of a fictitious town. They have the same wit, pathos, and brevity couched in little poem/stories.

I just looked on Amazon and can't find any books by Robinson for me to buy :( If I ever find my darn kindle again, maybe I can find an eBook.

[Julia]

Spoon River Anthology sounds fascinating! I've just added it to shelf. I had plans to go to the library tomorrow, so I'll be looking for it there.

Sorry you lost your kindle. I would be devastated if I lost my nook.

[Julia]

My first book of the year -

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron - ♦♦♦♦

my review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also used as "book by female author" in the 2015 bingo challenge

[Overbooked ✎]

Good luck with your challenges Julia!
I second Greg's Spoon River Anthology recommendation, I read only parts at school but I'm going to re-read it some day on its entirety

[Julia]

Just finished The Kindness of Strangers 2/5

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Julia]

Jan 2015 Stats

Monthly Stats: only 2 books this month, UGH - but about 20 poems which is WAY out of my reading box
1. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World 5/5
2. The Kindness of Strangers 2/5

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New Authors: Vicki Myron, Katrina Kittle
Female Authors: Vicki Myron, Katrina Kittle
Male Authors:
Debut:
New Series:

4-star:
5-star: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Favorite of Month: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
Worst of Month: The Kindness of Strangers
Biggest Surprise of Month:

Poems I've Read 01-2015
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Pink]

You've done fantastic with your poems, this is something I'm trying to read more of :)

[Julia]

Thanks Pink. This is the first time I've really sat down to read any poetry since my mother reading to my siblings and I when we were little.
The word usage, punctuation and structure in general is VERY different than reading a novel, but I'm getting used to it and am really enjoying them.

[Pink]

I'm glad you're enjoying them so much. I hadn't read any poetry since my school days, but last year I made the effort to pick up some books of poetry, trying different eras and styles every now and again. I think it makes a nice break from reading novels as well, as they're easy to dip in and out of.

[Julia]

Cancel the Wedding, 02.07.15

2015 Bingo Challenge - O2

[Julia]

The Nightingale, 02.09.15

2015 Bingo Challenge - G1

[Julia]

One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, 02.26.15

2015 Bingo Challenge - N5