Reading The 1000 Books to Read Before I Die

Hey 1000 Bookies, I have a real treat for you.  My good friend, Sharon Vines and her family visited the Arches National Park in Utah this summer.  The book I reviewed this week from 1000 Books to Read Before You Die , was Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey.  The book details his experiences during the two years as a park ranger at the Arches.  I thought it would be great to present a first hand experience of the Arches National Park from this summer.  Sharon was a great sport.  I have included her photos for everyones enjoyment.  Thank you so much Sharon!!!!  Memories of Arches National Park By Sharon Vines Day 31 of our 43 day road trip brought us to Arches National Park.  After talking with rangers about which trail would best suit us - the boys, 9 and 11, prefer trails that are more than just a path, they enjoy rock scrambles or an opportunity to go a little off trail.  We were directed to the Landscape trail which leads t...

"Wilderness.  The Word itself is music" , Edward Abbey.   Hello 1000 Bookies!!!   For those you do not know me, I am not one of the more outdoorsy types. For those who do know me, you are not surprised by that statement.   However for our next selection in the  The 1000 Books to Read Before You Die is a true story from the great outdoors.  I firmly believe that the Book is a magic portal to take me to lands i have never seen, stories i never imagined. The first place i landed was in Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire . The book takes place in the late 1950s. Mr. Abbey spent several seasons as a park ranger in the Arches Monument National Park near Moab, Utah. The book was published 50 years ago. Its a fascinating read about a part of the country i didn't even know existed. The book is 340 pages but every word is carefully chosen. From boating/rafting down the Colorado River to Glen Canyon (which has since been dammed) to climbing down...

Hey 1000 Bookies: In our next installment of 1000 Books to Read Before You Die, we view Ender's Game.  My friend and our Guest Blogger, Jon Hanson reviews the story.  IF you have any comments please list them below.  Without further ado: Enders Game, A Review By Jonathan Hanson I first read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card when I was 14 and was instantly taken with this book. It’s a coming-of-age story with a twist. Imagine being a child and being saddled with the task of saving humanity. Think you can handle the pressure? In the future, Earth has twice fought an alien race known as the Formics and barely survived both wars. To ensure the survival of the human race, Earth has begun to breed military geniuses and training them in the arts of war. Earth has a “two child” policy to limit overpopulation, but if a family has a third child, they become the property of the Earth government and trained to be soldiers. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is a Third who display...

Lucky Jim By Kingsley Amis Howdy 1000 Bookies!!!  The latest book on my long journey to read all the volumes from 1000 Books to Read Before You Die , is one entitled— Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis.  Published in 1954, Kingsley Amis is credited for having captured the moment of the “Angry Young Man” in post-World War II England.  Time Magazine included Lucky Jim in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005 . What Catcher in the Rye means to generations of readers in the United States; I believe Lucky Jim means to Great Britain.   Catcher in the Rye was the seminal work describing youth in postwar 1950s America. Lucky Jim describes intellectual university life in postwar Britain. Both novels embody an “Angry Young Man” theme one through escape the other through comedic satire. Lucky Jim tells the tale of a junior professor of history at a British university and the politics of the university system.  Jim Dixon hates his job, ...

Hello 1000 Bookies-- I am so happy to announce that my good friend Jonathan Hanson has agreed to be a guest blogger at Reading1000Books.com.   Jon is discussing his favorite books.  We are so happy to have him. A Review of IT By Jonathan Hanson As a fan of Stephen King’s work, I have read all of his books and I am looking forward to his latest work, The Institute , which will be released on September 10 th . Today I would like to review one of his biggest books, and the subject of a soon-to-be-released movie, IT . I first read this book when I was only 13, so it seemed pretty relatable to me, since the main characters are around the same age. The story, which takes place in both 1958 and 1985, focuses on 7 children who battle a malevolent force that lurks in their town, killing people. The kids fought the creature but they were never sure if they killed IT and vowed to reunite if IT ever came back. 27 years later, IT returned and the seven frie...