August 9 is National Book Lovers Day

 

 

I love books and I know many of you do too. As you may know I am a librarian. You might want to treat yourself to "Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship" full of stunning art by Ruth Chou Simons, a busy mother of six sons. Yes, six! Below is another of her books I have, "Graceland: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons of the Heart". Her paintings and art adorn each page.

When I learned August 9 is National Book Lovers Day I thought now that is my kind of holiday. Everyone should be given the day off to stay home and read. Or go to a park and read, or visit a library or bookstore. I posted this two days early so you can get ready for the 9th. This is a USA Day but people worldwide who love reading can join in. Blog friends Baili in Pakistan and Monica in Sweden and others around the world, I know you love reading too.

Jeff Minick wrote about National Book Lovers Day in The Epoch Times and he mentioned one book, Middlemarch, He will celebrate by reading the last 20 pages of what he calls one of mankind's greatest literary achievements. I have not read that book. Have you? 

Here is another author I love, P.G. Wodehouse and one of his books I have: "A Bounty of Blandings." The ninth Earl of Emsworth and his fabulous loved prize winning pig The Empress of Blandings  get me to laughing every time. Enjoy your day.

Books that can add Cheer and My Three New Orchids for Christmas

I have been a bit stressed since all the rain, floods, roads collapsing, and staying close to home since Christmas in my county so I am relying on my book friends for good cheer. The first book I am rereading and is "The Code of the Woosters" by P.G. Wodehouse. It features the wonderful Jeeves and Wooster and their madcap adventures. I think there is humor on every page, for example Bertie Wooster describes his friend as "All right up to the neck, but from there on pure concrete." So many adventures around a sterling silver cow creamer. Will marriages go ahead, will people end up arrested? Mary commented that the audio book versions of Wodehouse books are wonderful, I would like to try one some day.

The second book I am also rereading, "Miss Buncle Married" by D.E. Stevenson. If you haven't read "Miss Buncle's Book" read that one first, it is very humorous. Miss Buncle needs money and writes a novel which is published and which gets her into big trouble in the English village where she lives.

The third book "14,000 Things to be Happy About" by Barbara Ann Kipfer has a title that is self explanatory. She developed her list over a 50 year period and this is an updated version.

Her tips are each just a few words or a sentence. "A cake baking." "Pet portraits." "Clutch purses." "Dulcimer music" and "Green Goddess salad dressing" are a sampling.

 

The next book I am reading (yes, I am currently reading several books) is "The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen: 83 1/4 Years Old" by apparently Hendrik Groen himself. After some research I learned that the actual author is a Dutch writer, Peter de Smet, 61 when this book was published six years ago.This is fun, Hendrik lives in an old folks home in Amsterdam and is grumpy and active and finds friends to go out and have adventures with. There are two or three more books in this series.

 

Just for fun and a glimpse of beauty, I show you my new orchids that my younger son bought me for Christmas, one purple, one white and one yellow. Orchids are a favorite with me, so pretty and easy care. The main thing is finding the right light for them, they like an east facing window so they don't get sun burned. They don't tolerate intense direct sunlight, especially afternoon sun.

Have you found any lighthearted books to read that you can recommend in a comment?

Feeling Blue, Give P.G. Wodehouse novels a try

I think that if you read Plum, as P.G. Wodehouse's friends and readers call him, his words will give you many cheerful heart moments. I find that his world of silliness is a good one to enter. If you are feeling down, or even already cheerful, read a Plum novel for laughter. Good news is that he wrote about 90 novels.
"It is impossible to be unhappy while reading the adventures of Jeeves and Wooster. And I've tried." -- Christopher Buckley.
Wodehouse is known for his Jeeves and Wooster books, and Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie did a brilliant job acting in the TV series "Jeeves and Wooster". So funny to me and to many.
Here are covers of some representative titles. My favorite Plum novel might be "The Code of the Woosters." I gave a copy to our minister when he left on a sabbatical; I have seen that being a minister is a very tough job and laughter can be applied as needed.

I find I can turn to any page in a Wodehouse book and find humor. Here is one random snippet from page 2 of My Man Jeeves. "After this," I (Wooster speaking to Jeeves) said, "not another step for me without your advice. From now on consider yourself the brains of the establishment."
"Very good, sir, I shall endeavor to give satisfaction."
And he has, by Jove! I'm a bit short on brain myself; the old bean would have appeared to have been constructed more for ornament than for use, don't you know; but give me five minutes to talk the thing over with Jeeves and I'm game to advise anyone about anything."
Another fabulously funny series is the Blandings Castle books featuring Lord Emsworth, not the brightest guy around, and his devotion to his prize winning pig, The Empress. See above photo, Uncle Fred in the Springtime, on the cover is the Empress taking a bath. Just the character names alone bring me smiles, uncle Fred is the Fifth Earl of Ickenham and he dependably drags his nephew Pongo Twistleton into trouble and somehow they survive.
Proverbs 17:22 reminds us that "A cheerful heart is good medicine".
Here is our esteemed author himself, living in the USA.

Books from Library Book Sale

Seven books from the library book sale last weekend. I was good to limit my purchases to seven since sometimes I buy more than 20 books and I am buying faster than I can read. I added 3 pretty postcards to the photo, which I bought online to mail to my dear pen pals.
These books look great. Two collections of my favorite comedic writer, P.G. Wodehouse, "Tales From the Drones Club" and "Wodehouse Is the Best Medicine." Wodehouse lifts my mood to smiles.
"I Dreamed of Africa" a memoir by Kuki Gallmann. The author moved from Italy to Kenya years ago and at the time of writing was living on her huge ranch with her daughter and eight dogs. There are plenty of photos which I appreciate. The book was published in 1991 and is a tribute to the memory of her husband and son.
"The Tiger Ladies: A Memoir of Kashmir" by Sudha Koul. She recalls when Hindus and Muslims lived peacefully side by side in Kashmir, as opposed to recent headlines of Muslim violence.
"Corduroy Mansions" by Alexander McCall Smith. There is a cute dog on the cover, looks like a beagle puppy. I like every book I have read by Smith, about 20 so far.
"Born Standing Up" a memoir by Steve Martin. My friend listened to the audio version of this and loved it.
"Not So Funny When It Happened: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure" edited by Tim Cahill.
I see I chose mostly humor and memoirs. Who else likes these genres? Did you find any book bargains this week?