RIP, Project Gutenberg founder Michael Hart

This happened last September but I just found it.

In July 2011, Michael wrote these words, which summarize his goals and his lasting legacy: “One thing about eBooks that most people haven’t thought much is that eBooks are the very first thing that we’re all able to have as much as we want other than air. Think about that for a moment and you realize we are in the right job.”

Thorne Smith on the Silver Screen

Thorne Smith wrote a slew of light fantasy novels in the 1920s and 1930s.  Topper with Cary Grant and Constance Bennett as an irreverent ghostly couple is the most famous adaptation of his novels.

Other adaptations are a TV series called Turnabout – an early body-swapping comedy; Passionate Witch – prototype for Bewitched ; the Stray Lamb – a man named Lamb transforms into different animals; Skin and Bones – a man and his dog turn into walking skeletons frightening all but those who truly see them; and the Glorious Pool – a fountain of youth in a swimming pool.

And then Night Life of the Gods in which a man can make stone into living creatures and heads off the the Metropolitan Museum of Art to turn the Greek Gods alive. They wreck funny havoc.

But coming soon is a fantasy movie, Gods Behaving Badly with Alicia Silverstone. It doesn’t say so but you bet your boots it’s inspired by Thorne Smith.

So many of our light fantasy films owe him much.

Adorable Young Reader

via Book Porn.

Book Log for 2011

books I read last year…

Adult Fiction

1. Blonde with a Wand by Vicki Lewis Thompson (fun, I want to find the others)
2. Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne (good series, best of the lot)
3. Tales of the Black  Widowers by Isaac Asimov (disappointed)
4. Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (excellent)
5. Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton (I forget how good her early stuff is)
6. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (still loving series)
7. Fired Up by Jayne Krentz
8. Good Girls Do by Cathie Linz (enjoyable)
9. My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne

Graphic Novels

1. Lone Goat and Kid by Stan Sakai (excellent)
2. Tramps Like Us vol. 11 by Yayoi Ogawa (addictive)
3. Skim by Mariko Tamaki (found the teacher utterly distasteful)
4. Prince Needs a Princess  by Barbara McMahon & Reiko Kishida (so bad! I loved it!)
5. Old Man’s Cave by Jeff Smith
6. Kilala Princess vol. 4 (adored it but I think there are no more)
7. Shinobi Life vol. 3 by Shoko Konami (really like this series)
8. Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci
9. Tramps Like Us vol. 10 by Yayoi Ogawa
10. Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith
11. Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

Young Adult Fiction

1. Hunger Games by Susanne Collins (clearly I much enjoyed it)
2. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
3. Beet Fields by Gary Paulsen
4. Kissing Coffins by Ellen Schreiber
5. Night of the Living Rerun by Arthur Byron

Nonfiction

1. Totally Charmed: Demons, Whitelighters And the Power of Three (Smart Pop series)
2. Got Issues Much by Randi Reisfeld (hilariously dated but well meaning)
3. Joy of Writing Sex by Elizabeth Benedict (philosophical)
4. Serenity Found by Jane Espenson  (Joss Whedon’s Firefly & Serenity)
5. Tough Guide to Fantasy Land by Diana Wynne Jones  (satirical guide book to fantasy cliches)
6. Teenage Guy’s Survival Guide by Jeremy Daldry
7. Deal With It (from Scarleteen.com)

Sarah Michelle Gellar vs. Green Eggs and Ham

Sarah Michelle Gellar on the importance of reading to kids.

 

Hitting on Handsome Men

Image by George Eastman House via Flickr

Of course, e-readers are to blame for the lack of a love life:

I had one good pickup line, and e-readers ruined it. I can no longer hit on a handsome man on a long commute by asking about his book — because I can’t see it.

Problem solved

[read blog, see how]

Related articles

• “Ereaders ruined my love life!” (teleread.com)

some days nothing makes sense

Cover via Amazon

Just read this news about L. J. Smith being fired from continuing her series The Vampire Diaries.  This news is coexisting with the news that another series Secret Circle by Smith is going to be made as a TV series.

I simply don’t understand.

She asks her fans not to boycott the series but why would they read it, if she’s not allow to write them?  It’s not like there is a dearth of angsty teen vampire romances out there. Smith’s voice is what makes the Vampire Diaries fun.

Stupid.

Related Articles

• “CW Picks Up Drama Pilot ‘Secret Circle’” and related posts (deadline.com)
• Secret Circle Pilot Casts a Spell on the CW (seattlepi.com)

Wrinkle in Time in 90s.

Bookshelves of Doom is my new go-to book blog. Here’s a link to 90 minute second Wrinkle in Time. Much to like in this short, especially all the kid actors.

Picture Books I Read in 2010

Cover of How to Speak Moo!

Many of these books I read aloud multiple times for the children in my story times.  I put in bold the ones I loved. I underlined ones that kids seemed to especially like.  Listed alphabetically by title.

Picture Books, Easy Readers, and Board Books

1. 10, 9, 8 by Molly Bang (board book)
2. Aarrgghh! Spider! by Lydia Monks
3. Alison’s Zinnia by Anita Lobel
4. Alistair’s Elephant by Marilyn Sadler
5. Baa for Beginners by Deborah Fajerman (funny)
6. Bad Baby by Ross MacDonald
7. Bad Frogs by Thacher Hurd
8. Band of Dirty Pirates by Harvey Damian (easy reader) (some 10 year olds liked this one)
9. Barefooted Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade by Deborah Diesen  (My kids didn’t like it.  But a mother apologized for its state since her young son had lovingly chewed on it.)
10. Beach Tail by Karen Williams (mothers liked this one)
11. Bear in the Air by Susan Meyers  (charming)
12. Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson  (food stories go over well)
13. Bedtime for Bear by Bonny Becker  (funny)
14. Big Chickens Go to Town by Leslie Helakoski
15. Bing: Get Dressed by Ted Dewan  (very popular)
16. Bing: Go Picnic by Ted Dewan  (but my copies are falling to pieces)
17. Bing: Make Music by Ted Dewan  (and they are out of print, *sigh*)
18. Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler
19. Brave Potatoes by Toby Speed
20. Bug City by Dahlov Ipcar
21. Bunny Bungalow by Cynthia Rylant
22. Burger Boy by Alan Durant
23. Cat & Mouse: A Delicious Tale by Jiwon Oh (quirky)
24. Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black  (makes mothers nervous)
25. Christmas Cricket by Eve Bunting
26. City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
27. Click, Clack, Splish, Splash by Doreen Cronin
28. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
29. Cobweb Christmas by Shirley Climo
30. Come on Rain by by Karen Hesse
31. Cool Cat, Hot Dog by Sandy Turner
32. Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
33. Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka  (not many adults share my adoration for this book.)
34. Crocodaddy by Kim Norman
35. Curious Garden by Peter Brown
36. Dancing Dinos by Sally Lucas (easy reader)  (lively)
37. Dear Fish by Chris Gall
38. Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
39. Dibble and Dabble by Dave Saunders
40. Dinosaur vs. the Potty by Bob Shea (kids appear to be put off by this hilarious book.)
41. Do Little Mermaids Wet Their Beds by Jeanne Willis
42. Do’s and Don’t by Todd Parr (board book)
43. Dog Breath by Dave Pilkey
44. Dollhouse Fairy by Jane Ray
45. Duck & Goose, it’s Time for Christmas! by Tad Hills (board book)
46. Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
47. Duck is Dirty by Satoshi Kitamura (board book)
48. Duck on a Bike by David Shannon (funny)
49. Duck, Duck, Goose by Tad Hills
50. Ducks Disappearing by Phyllis Naylor
51. Ella, Of Course by Sarah Weeks
52. Elmer by David McKee
53. Eloise at the Wedding by Margaret McNamara
54. Everything I Know About Pirates by Tom Lichtenheld
55. Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers (very popular)
56. Five Little Pumpkins by Ben Mantle (board book)  (3 year boy likes this one)
57. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlingson (charming)
58. Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas by Julia Rawlingson
59. Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlingson (charming)
60. Floop’s New Umbrella by Carole Tremblay (easy reader)
61. Flotsam by David Wiesner (Caldecott Medal) (wordless)
62. Froggy Eats Out by Jonathan London
63. Froggy Eats Out by Jonathan London
64. Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
65. Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup (pirates and santa – they couldn’t go wrong)
66. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal:  A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman  (clever but hard to follow)
67. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann
68. Golem by David Wisniewski (Caldecott Medal)
69. Hallelujah Flight by Phil Bildner  (interesting history, poetically written)
70. Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey (funny)
71. Harry on the Rocks by Susan Meddaugh
72. Harry’s Box by Angela McAllister
73. Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster & Chris Raschka (Caldecott Medal)
74. House in the Night by Susan Swanson (Caldecott)
75. How are You Peeling by Joost Elffers
76. How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food by Jane Yolen
77. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen
78. How to Catch an Elephant by Amy Schwartz
79. How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
80. How to Speak Moo! by Daborah Fajerman
81. Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian
82. Hungry Coat by Demi
83. Hush, Hush! by Margaret Wild (board book)
84. I am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater (quirky)
85. I Hate Reading by Arthur Bacon, Henry Bacon
86. I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges
87. I Love My Mom by Anna Walker (board book)
88. I Love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck
89. I’m Dirty! by Kate McMullan
90. In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting
91. Inspector Hopper’s Mystery Year by Doug Cushman (easy reader)
92. Interrupting Chicken by David Stein
93. Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick
94. Ivy Loves to Give by Freya Blackwood (charming, especially the illustrations)
95. Jazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson
96. Jeannette Claus Saves Christmas by Douglas Rees (clever)
97. Joe on the Go by Peggy Anderson
98. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Caldecott Medal)
99. Jump Frog Jump by Robert Kalan (board book)
100. Just Like Mama by Lesléa Newman

Books I read in 2010

Cover of Usagi Yojimbo, Book 1: The Ronin

I thought I had read very little the past year but this isn’t bad.  158 titles, depending on your judgment of what a ‘real’ book is.

I put in bold the titles I especially liked.

Juvenile Fiction  (Listed alphabetically by title)

1. Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
2. Andrew Lost: In the Garden by J. C. Greenburg
3. Andrew Lost: On the Dog by J. C. Greenburg
4. Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub
5. Artemis Fowl by Eion Colfer
6. Bargain Bride by Evelyn Lampman
7. Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
8. Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs
9. Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson
10. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
11. Cam Jansen and the School Play Mystery by David A. Adler
12. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Newbery)
13. Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins (Newbery)
14. Crunch by Leslie Connor
15. Danny Dunn, Scientific Detective by Jay Williams (rereading)
16. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
17. Dolphins at Daybreak by Mary Pope Osborne
18. Don’t Sit On My Lunch by Abby Klein
19. Dragon Magic by Andre Norton (rereading)
20. Escape  to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key
21. Fairy’s Return by Gail Carson Levine
22. Frognapped by Angie Sage
23. Good Masters!  Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz (Newbery)
24. Guys Read: Funny Business  edited by Jon Scieszka
25. House of Dolls by Francesca Lia Block
26. Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander
27. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
28. Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszka
29. Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka
30. Light Maze by Joan North
31. Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
32. Miss Daisy is Crazy by Dan Gutman
33. My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian
34. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
35. Pharaoh’s Daughter by Julius Lester
36. Skate Park Challenge by Jake Maddox
37. 39 Clues: Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
38. Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
39. Uncle Pirate by Douglas Rees
40. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Newbery)
41. White Captives by Evelyn Sibley Lampman (rereading)
42. Worry Web Site by Jacqueline Wilson

Teen & Adult Fiction  (listed by author surname)

1. Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh
2. Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
3. Geektastic edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
4. Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs  (rereading)
5. Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
   
6. Original Miss Honeyford by Marion Chesney
7. Our Lady of Pain by Marion Chesney
8. Building of Jalna by Mazo De La Roche
9. Bite (anthology)  Laurell K. Hamilton et. al.
   
10. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris
11. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris
12. Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer
13. To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt
14. To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
15. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
16. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
17. Christmas Wish by Betty Neels
18. Edge of Winter by Betty Neels
19. Romantic Encounter by Betty Neels
20. My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult – post 1, post 2
21. Under Gemini by Rosamunde Pilcher
22. Dancing in Midnight by Julia Quinn
23. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
24. Androids are Coming.  edited by Robert Silverberg.
25. The New Girl by R. L. Stine
26. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
27. Watch Your Back by Donald E. Westlake
28. What’s the Worst that Could Happen by Donald E. Westlake

Comics (Listed alphabetically by title)

1. Anita Blake: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton, Stacie Ritchie #1
2. Anne Frank by Sidney Jacobson
3. Babymouse: Queen of the World by Matthew & Jennifer Holm
4. Bachelor Prince by Debbie Macomber, Misao Hoshiai
5. Batman: Crime Time by Bill Matheny
6. Black and White by David MacAuly (Caldecott Medal)
7. Black Bird by Kanoko Sakurakoji #1
8. Bleach by Tite Kubo #1, #2, #3
9. Bone: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith #4
10. Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith #1 (rereading)
11. Bone: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith #3
12. Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Michael Burgen, Jose Alfonso Ocampo Ruiz
13. Breaking Up by Aimee Friedman
14. Butteflies, Flowers by Yuki Yoshihara #1
15. City of Light, City of Dark by Avi
16. Copper by Kazu Kibuishi
17. Empowered by Adam Warren #1
18. Fall in Love Like a Comic by Chitose Yagami #1, #2
19. Foiled by Jane Yolen, Mike Cavallaro
20. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya #1, #2, #3
21. Geisha by Andi Watson
22. Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
23. In Odd We Trust by , Dean Koontz, Queenie Chan
24. Justice League Unlimited: United We Stand by Adam Beechen
25. Other Side by  Istvan Banyai (wordless)
26. Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto #1, #2, #3
27. Peach Fuzz by Lindsay Chibos, Jared Hodges #1, #2, #3
28. Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci, Jim Rugg
29. Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
30. Scooby-Doo in The Agony of De Feet! by Robbie Busch
31. Scott Pilgrim: Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley
32. Shinobi Life by Shoko Konami #1
33. Spider-Girl: Touch of Venom by Tom Defalco
34. Spider-Girl: Bedeviled by Tom Defalco
35. Spider-Girl: Fun and Games with the Fantastic Five by Tom Defalco
36. Stepping on Roses by Rinko Ueda #1, #2
37. Stitches by David Small
38. Tail of the Moon by Rinko Ueda #1
39. Tiny Titans: Welcome to the Treehouse by Art Baltazar
40. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Young Kim
41. Usagi Yojimbo: The Ronin by Stan Sakai #1
42. Usagi Yojimbo: The Samurai by Stan Sakai #2
43. W.I.T.C.H. : Between Light and Dark #4
44. Zebrafish by Sharon Emerson
45. Zinc Alloy vs. Frankenstein by Donald Lemke

Nonfiction  (listed alphabetically by author surname)

1. Time Traveller Book of Rome and Romans by Heather Amery (rereading)
2. Caribbean Pirates by George Beahm
3. Sandman Companion by Hy Bender
4. Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain
5. Past Imperfect edited by Mark C. Carnes (rereading)
6. What Do Illustrators Do? by Eileen Christelow
7. Don’t Know Much About the Pilgrims by Kenneth Davis
8. Philosophy of Horror by Thomas Fahy
9. How to Talk to Your Dog by Jean Craighead George
10. How to Talk to Your Cat by Jean Craighead George
11. Art of the Comic Strip by Shirley Glubok
12. Online Kids by Preston Gralla
13. Ultimate Indoor Games Book by Veronika Gunter
14. We Gotta Have It by Esther Iverem
15. Talking about Detective Fiction by P. D. James
16. Dark Game: True Spy Stories by Paul Janeczko
17. Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones (rereading)
18. 5001 Nights at the Movies by Pauline Kael
19. True-Or-False Book of Cats by Patricia Lauber
20. You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Gladiator! by John Malam
21. Weird U.S. by Mark Moran
22. Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern
23. Pick Me Up by Jeremy Leslie, David Roberts
24. Write Your Own Graphic Novel by Natalie Rosinsky
25. So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George, David Small (Caldecott Medal)
26. So You Want to Be an Inventor? by Judith St. George
27. Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History by Adam Selzer
28. Swords, Spears, and Sandals: The Story of the Roman Legions by Richard Suskind
29. Great Shark Stories by Valerie Taylor
30. Paperfolding to Begin With by Florence Temko (rereading)
31. Girls Think of Everything:  Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
32. Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? by Mark Todd
33. Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
34. Story of Three Whales by Giles Whittell

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