Bookings around the blogosphere

Bookish and podcasting things I'm reading around the blogosphere...

Episode 86: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 21-23

In which we journey back to Kentuck; go to the lake; and meet Albert, Henrique, and Dodo.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 21-23
(download or listen via this link)

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Rejection Slip Theater
website, Feedburner feed, iTunes

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Other Links

Sarah's review of StarShipSofa (among other things)
StarShipSofa
SFFaudio

Lord Valentine's Castle: A Wondrous Tale, Wonderfully Told

And then after walking all day through a golden haze of humid warmth that gathered about him like fine wet fleece, Valentine came to a great ridge of outcropping white stone overlooking the city of Pidruid. It was the provincial capital, sprawling and splendid, the biggest city he had come upon since-since?-the biggest in a long while of wandering, at any rate.

There he halted, finding a seat at the edge of the soft, crumbling white ridge, digging his booted feet into the flaking ragged stone, and he sat there staring down at Pidruid, blinking as though newly out of sleep. On this summer day twilight was still some hours away, and the sun hung high to the southwest beyond Pidruid, out over the Great Sea. I will rest here for a while, Valentine thought, and then I will go down into Pidruid and find lodging for the night.

As he rested he heard pebbles tumbling past him from a higher point on the ridge. Unhurriedly he looked back the way he had come. A young herdsman had appeared, a boy with straw-colored hair and a freckled face, leading a train of fifteen or twenty mounts down the hill road. They were fat sleek purple-skinned beasts, obviously well looked after. The boy’s own mount looked older and less plump, a wise and toughened creature.

“Hoy!” he called down to Valentine. “Where are you bound?”

“Pidruid. And you?”

“The same. Bringing these mounts to market. Thirsty work it is, too. Do you have wine?”

“Some,” Valentine said. He tapped the flask at his hip, where a fiercer man might wear a weapon. “Good red mid-country wine. I’ll be sorry to see the last of it.”

That's the beginning of this classic fantasy ... which I have reviewed for SFFaudio. Whether you choose to read or listen, it is not to be missed.

The White Moll: a turn of the century adventure about a plucky heroine fighting crime in New York's seamy underbelly

I think that about says it all.

But if you'd like to read more, here is my review of the Librivox recording of The White Moll. Highly recommended for good, clean, exciting adventure. You can either read it or listen free. Just follow the links. Librivox has the link to the Gutenberg hard copy.

Lagniappe 27: Ask Dr. Boli

Ask Dr. Boli
(listen or download from link above)

In which we celebrate Dr. Boli's two year anniversary on the world wide web ... and learn why the sky is blue.

According to Webster

la·gniappe \ˈlan-ˌyap, lan-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: American French, from American Spanish la ñapa the lagniappe, from la + ñapa, yapa, from Quechua yapa something added
Date: 1844
: a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure

Lagniappe 26: The Uncommon Reader

The Uncommon Reader

A little something extra from the The Uncommon Reader (by Alan Bennett), in which a most unusual person begins reading books.

According to Webster

la·gniappe \ˈlan-ˌyap, lan-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: American French, from American Spanish la ñapa the lagniappe, from la + ñapa, yapa, from Quechua yapa something added
Date: 1844
: a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure

Episode 85: Mary Stewart, The Moonspinners

The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart

In which we travel to Greece with Mary Stewart, the author who created romantic suspense.

The Moonspinners: excerpt

This book is under copyright.

Story rating: for adult readers, though there is no offensive content

More information about Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart on Wikipedia
Mary Stewart: a born storyteller

My favorite Mary Stewart romantic suspense titles
(look for them at Amazon or at ABE Books)
* The Ivy Tree
* This Rough Magic
* The Gabriel Hounds
* Touch Not the Cat
* Nine Coaches Waiting
* Madam Will You Talk?
* Wildfire at Midnight
* My Brother Michael
* The Moonspinners

Podcast Highlight
Crimes Against Food

Breakfast episode is featured on my Huffduffer feed
RSS, iTunes feed

Additional link

quelle erqsome looks at The Secret Adversary and mentions your faithful blogger

Blogging Around: Bookishly

I don't know if I've changed my blog reading just enough to be more book oriented or if that is just how the blogs I read are writing these days. At any rate, there are some ripping good reviews here.

• The Empire of the Ants and Other Stories by H.G. Wells.
  Imagine my shock and pity upon learning that All Manner of Things had previously eschewed the science fiction story. Then imagine my delight upon learning that AMOT is diving headfirst into one of my favorite classic sci-fi authors, H.G. Wells. And enjoying it!
  
  
• Dracula Revisited: some observations on an old classic
  Brian Murphy at The Silver Key. That alone hould be enough to make you run over there!
  
  
• Our Heroine Likes Her Murder Mysteries the Old-Fashioned Way: Mysterious
  Our Heroine at The Decanonon is a new discovery for me. A very welcome one. Witty, self aware, evidently a voracious reader who likes nothing better than writing reviews to entertain and inform me. What's not to like? (We will ignore the unwelcome fact that she hated In Bruges with the heat of a thousand suns ... it is a movie ... we are talking about books here.)


• Tomorrow, When the War Began
  It is a rare thing when someone can make a YA novel sound like something I'd like to read (The main exception being Orson Scott Card who is so persuasive that he almost ... almost ... makes me think it would be worth my time to watch American Idol. But not quite.) This book about teenagers who come back from a camping trip to find out that a war has begun and decide to fight instead of surrender is definitely the exception. Go read the review.
  
  
• Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady
  Have I mentioned that I've read plenty of books about Mother Teresa? Yes, I thought so. However, Sarah's review might change your mind. "No, this book inspired me in a nitty-gritty sort of way. I realize this is probably just where I am in my life right now, up to my elbows in weeds and little kids and work that needs done. It made me wrinkle my eyebrows a bit and see, once again, the abundance in my life, the many graces and the blessings."


• The Secret Adversary
  Quelle erqsome has been writing one wonderful review of a classic spy novel after another this month as part of her InSpyNoMo project. I have been scribbling names on my "to read" list with practically every post she writes. However, I have a special place in my heart for The Secret Adversary for Tommy and Tuppence, so I will send you to read that review and you may then explore to your heart's content. Be sure to read her review of The Riddle of the Sands, which she recommended long ago and which I devoured in May. Not that it hurts that she begins this one with a nice bit of flattery, "I've been an avid listener of Forgotten Classics since about the third episode. ..."

More booking and podcasting things I'm reading around the blogosphere...

Episode 84: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 20

In which we meet Topsy.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 20

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Useless Information
website, iTunes

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Episode 83: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 19

In which we find out more about Prue and about St. Clare's boyhood, twin brother, and more.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 19

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Highlight

Radio Downloader (for capturing and downloading BBC shows)
website, SFFaudio review

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Other Links

Riddle of the Sands review by quelle erqsome

Episode 82: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 18

In which we return to New Orleans for Miss Ophelia's experiences and hear Prue's story.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 18

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Stories of the Journey Home
website, iTunes

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Other Links

Free book from Audible: Sun of Suns:
• SFFaudio
• Maria Lectrix

Welcome New Listeners ...

... or merely curious folks dropping in from the Catholic Media Awards.

We've got a mixed bag here so you probably will find something that you'd like to sample. Science fiction, mystery, romance, and more are featured as I share books by authors who I think deserve to be better known. We're even reading an American classic that has a deep Christian dimension, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

The entire episode listing can be found here. It includes author highlights and lagniappe (little extra readings from different sources). Scroll down the sidebar for a guide to entire books that have been read here or other interesting links for audio lovers.

Most episodes also include a podcast recommendation or some other item of interest to book lovers.

Thanks for stopping by!

Episode 81: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 17

In which Eliza and George experience adventure.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 17

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Tank Riot
website, iTunes

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Other Links

• Personal Effects: Sword of Blood by J.C. Hutchins
• 7th Son by J.C. Hutchins
• StarShipSofa: David D. Levine - Titanium Mike Saves the Day
• Share the Experience contest information
• The Racism of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Anne is a Man Blog
• The Hidden Opinions of Harriet Beecher Stowe by Anne is a Man Blog
• Racial Science Information

A Contest I Will Be Entering

Okay, this is big, so pay attention:

Ever wanted to become an audiobook narrator? Ever had someone tell you you’re an amazing storyteller, that you’d be a natural at reading books for a living? Ever listened to an audiobook and thought, “Hell, I can do that”? Well, if so, then this is your chance. I’m officially announcing the beginning of my new contest: Share The Experience. The winner will find themselves plucked out of book-reading obscurity and dropped into the world of audiobook employment.

Heck yes!

Maybe it piques your interest as well? Then waste no time. Read all about it here.

Episode 80: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 16

In which we learn more about Marie, St. Clare and ... religion.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapter 16

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Movies You Should See
website, iTunes

Also: Craig Bevan's Movie Minutes
website, iTunes

My Huffduffer feed
Julie D's Huffduffer page, iTunes, RSS

Other Links

• My Star Trek Review
• Studio Movie Grill
  
• The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers
• Manifest Urban Arts Festival

Lagniappe

Via The Summa Mamas who are as bookish as I am ... and due to go into my quote journal.

For him that stealeth a Book from this Library, let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with Palsy, and all his Members blasted. Let him languish in Pain crying aloud for Mercy and let there be no sur-cease to his Agony till he sink in Dissolution. Let Bookworms gnaw his Entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not, and when at last he goeth to his final Punishment, let the flames of Hell consume him for ever and aye.

Curse Against Book Stealers
Monastery of San Pedro Barcelona

Fine Art Friday ... A Day Late

One for the Books
by Karin Jurick

Episode 79: Mouth Wide Open, 5

In which we recover from the flu, snack and read thrillers, and eat street food.
EP 79: Mouth Wide Open, 5

Rating: G

This Book is Under Copyright
Produced with permission of John Thorne

For information about Mr. Thorne or for permissions please see his website, Simple Cooking.

I am indebted to John Thorne for his gracious permission to podcast this novel.

Highlight
Huffduffer: like an RSS feed for podcasts

• my Huffduffer RSS feed
• my Huffduffer iTunes feed

Other Links

• Grilled Lemon Chicken
• Baby Bobbi Bear

Note:
I thought this was the 4th episode with Mouth Wide Open but upon uploading the file, I see that it is actually the 5th ... c'est la vie.

This is Seriously Cool ... Huffduffer

Like an RSS reader but for podcasts!

My mind reels.

The possibilities are staggering.

Plus your Huffduffer page creates an RSS feed and iTunes feed for your selections. So I now have Scott D's feed in my iTunes. (Is that like getting chocolate in my peanut butter? I think it is!).

I found this at Concerning Rivets and Trees which Scott has resurrected and I am just now catching up on.

It works a lot like Google Reader, but takes a little more work. You find the location of an MP3 you want to share, enter that location into your Huffduffer account, add some description data, and post. It then appears in your feed. It’s useful for aggregating things you want to listen to, or for sharing things you have heard. Super easy, super useful, and super free.

I can testify that it is super easy.

Here is my Huffduffer page which I set up in about five minutes. The thing that took the longest was deciding what to link to ... which is some terrific Lyrics Uncovered info about the Beatles.

Episode 78: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 14-15

In which we meet the St. Clare family and Uncle Tom acquires a new master.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 14-15

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Jazz Diaries of the Sly Crooner (where living swank is the best revenge)
website, iTunes

Other Links

• Stranded: movie review
• Earth: movie review
• Chocolate Malt Frosting (and what the heck, here's the cake I made too)
• StarShipSofa's Michael Bishop edition
  

Vinegar Peace by Michael Bishop featured at StarShipSofa

Tony of the StarShipSofa podcast writes to tell me:

StarShipSofa narrates Vinegar Peace, a SF story wrote by Michael Bishop for his son, Jamie Bishop, who died two years ago at the Virginia Tech shooting.

StarShipSofa is very honoured and humbled to be allowed to bring this story to a wider audience. I know I speak for the SF community when I say our hearts and prayers go out to Mike and Jeri and all the families who have to live with this grief every day.

Get the story itself here (and read Michael Bishop's message that accompanies it) if you aren't already subscribed through iTunes.

And Now, For Something Completely Different ...

I just saw the list of Nebula winners and the nominated story I read for StarShipSofa won (Trophy Wives - Nina Kiriki Hoffman). I liked that story and was struck at how much it made me think of a fairy tale while not being a fairy tale at all.

I would have picked as a winner either 26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss by Kij Johnson or The Dreaming Wind by Jeffrey Ford. Nothing against the winner, I simply liked their free-wheeling originality. If you haven't listened to those stories, do go give at least those three a try ... and then venture further and listen to the rest.

Lagniappe 25: Dark Possessions

Dark Possessions

A little something extra from the mind of James Powell, in which we have a deep experience of mystery and furniture.

Note: This story is under copyright by James Powell and may not be reproduced except by permission of the author. See his website here for more information and for more writing.

Much thanks to Jesse Willis of SFFaudio for thinking of me when considering audio versions.

According to Webster

la·gniappe \ˈlan-ˌyap, lan-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: American French, from American Spanish la ñapa the lagniappe, from la + ñapa, yapa, from Quechua yapa something added
Date: 1844
: a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure

Episode 77: Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 12-13

In which we experience "lawful trade" and get a glimpse of heaven.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 12-13

This book is in the public domain.

Story rating
PG 13 ... contains offensive language and concepts which require a certain level of maturity to understand.

Reference Works

• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Norton Critical Edition
• The Annotated Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Uncle Tom's Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love

Podcast Highlight

Lyrics Undercover
website, iTunes

Other Links -- My Roadtrip Pals

• CogKNITive
• History According to Bob
• CraftLit
• StarShipSofa
• It Was 20 Years Ago Today
• The Bowery Boys: New York City History
  

Lagniappe 24: Book of Obituaries

Book of Obituaries

A little something extra from the The Economist's Book of Obituaries, in which we delve into death.

According to Webster

la·gniappe \ˈlan-ˌyap, lan-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: American French, from American Spanish la ñapa the lagniappe, from la + ñapa, yapa, from Quechua yapa something added
Date: 1844
: a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase; broadly : something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure