Way behind

I'm way behind on anything to do with blogs - but I DID get my bookmark like 4 months ago, and I DO love it! I wanted to share what I was given from Chrissy.

She said it reminded her of me because of the free spirit and plus it had a purple bead, so its perfect. I love 

I also love the bead at the end that I can play with while reading.

Thanks Chrissy!!

Way behind

I'm way behind on anything to do with blogs - but I DID get my bookmark like 4 months ago, and I DO love it! I wanted to share what I got from Chrissy.

She said it reminded her of me because of the free spirit. I love it! 

(and it went perfect with the book I was reading at the time too) 

I also love the bead at the end that I can play with while reading.

Thanks Chrissy!!

August's Book

I know we've fallen a bit behind on our first of the month announcement, but I hope this month's recommendation will spark some good discussion points to make up for it!

The book we've chosen is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

I'm sure many of us have already heard a lot about this book or the movie version that will be released on the 12th. I know I heard about it from several sources: Elena, two of my coworkers, movie trailers, and one very talkative patient. It reminded me of when Harry Potter first hit the shelves and everyone was getting worked up about it--and I decided I didn't want to read it for that very reason. By the time I finally broke down and read the first book I was kicking myself for not doing it sooner! It ended up being one of my favorites and I promised I wouldn't make such a stupid choice again.

The Help was meant to generate talk--and once you read it, you'll know why!

I picked it up on a whim two days ago and didn't put it down until I had finished it. At first I was sure I wouldn't like it. It struck me as too "book clubbish." The kind of thing they'd recommend on Oprah or make you read in a high school English class...the kind of book my mother adored, and therefore was probably going to be sooo depressing... I was mistaken.

These women's stories are so endearing and honest--achingly familiar even though I hardly have anything in common with them. I found it so surreal that these women's lives were considered the norm a scant 50 years ago...But I think what struck me most, was not the anger, fear, and frustration that you'd expect a book about the Civil Rights movement to contain: but the love in these women's lives. I never thought, until this book, that it was love, admiration, and a kinship that could not--would not--be denied that forged the path to Civil Rights.

People didn't suddenly get fed up with being mistreated. They'd been mistreated for years and withstood it. People could no longer accept being denied the ability to show their love, no matter who it was for.

I hope that if you choose to read this book that it will serve as your "secret story;" and that it will remind you to take the time to tell the ones you love that:

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

And the Winner Is...

IT'S A TIE!

Congratulations to Chrissy and Mary who each scored an impressive 4 out of 6 correct guesses! For those of you who are interested, the average was 2 out 6, and the correct answers are:

Cross Bones -- Tiffany

The BFG -- Mary

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society -- Elena

The Princess Bride -- Sarah

My Grandfather's Blessings -- Caitlin

The Elenium --Chrissy

I will send out the winners gift cards on Thursday. (I have to wait for payday to get the second card ;) but I want them to reach you in time for some weekend book shopping!)

I apologize for the suspense in waiting for this post. (I had a family gathering out in Tooele and didn't make it back to a computer until very late.) Thanks again to everyone for playing. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!