Sunday's media madness...

You may have seen the movie trailer recently for The Help staring Emma Stone.  The movie is based on the best selling book of the same name by Kathryn Stockett.  I love reading the story before seeing the movie, usually the move doesn't do the book justice and so much seems to get left out.

The Help is a story base in fact and takes place in the 60s in Mississippi.  A writer gets an assignment to write some stories told from the point of the help, the black maids who help raise the white children but are not allowed the same privileges, such as using the bathrooms in the homes, as the people living in the houses.  Eventually she puts the stories together in the form of a book that becomes the center of attention and debate in the south.  I like the poignancy of the book, I was born in the early 60s and its still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that this has only changed in my lifetime.  I am so glad we have come so far, but it took so long.  This book is a must read for me and I think it would be an eye opener for some of the younger folks who don't know how hard life was and how much things have changed.  The book is also a look at enjoying life, no matter what your circumstance and it is sprinkled with humor and love.  I hope everyone gets a chance to read it before they see the movie version.  I was able to find the book in paper back for the lowest price at The Book Depository for $8.49 with no shipping fees, you can download the Kindle printed version of the book for $9.99 from Amazon, or you can download the unabridged audio version from Audible.com for $26.60 and they will give you two free movie tickets from Fandango so you can see the move on them.

Hope you are all having a great weekend.

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

With the tragedy that is still unfolding in Japan I thought I would focus dedicate today's blog to the people there with the hopes of keeping the people of Japan in everyone's thoughts and prayers.

The first book is Discovering the Arts of Japan: A Historical Overview by Tsuneko S. Sadao and Stephanie Wada.  This beautiful paperback is a concise reference book great for anyone who loves Japanese art.  It covers many periods and styles of art including Paintings, Sculptures, Architecture, Textiles and more.  There is also a select bibliography and list of major museums housing collections of Japanese art.  I was able to find it for the lowest price at The Book Depository on sale for $10.36 with free shipping.

The next book is Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking: Simple, Elegant Recipes for Contemporary Tastes by Harumi Kurihara.  Harumi Kurihara is Japan's most popular cooking expert and this, her second book, features a collection written specifically with the Western palate in mind.  The lowest price on this book that I found for a new hardcover copy was at Amazon for $18.45.  If you spend over $25.00 or are a Prime member you will qualify for free shipping.

The third book is Ortho's All About Creating Japanese Gardens for all the folks that love to garden and are looking forward to Spring finally arriving.  This book covers designing your layout to fit with your space and specific plants and their structure in relation to your aesthetics.  It shows how to work with nature to create harmony using all the elements.  I was able to find this for the lowest price new at Amazon for only $4.78.  If you are a Prime member or spend over $25.00 you will qualify for free shipping.

Finally, the last book is Japanese for Dummies, the AUDIO+CD version.  The back cover says "Speak Japanese – the fun and easy way! Packed with clear explanations and real-world examples. Your friendly guide to understanding Japanese – quickly and easily!

Whether you’re a student, a traveler, or you just want to pick up basic Japanese, this unintimidating guide will help you start speaking the language in no time. Inside you’ll find a wealth of fascinating cultural facts and handy references – including a Japanese-English mini-dictionary, lists of common expressions and verbs, and much more!

All this on the bonus audio CD

• Pick up Japanese the easy way –through actual conversations
• Features dialogues by native Japanese speakers
• Allows you to hear Japanese as it’s really spoken
• Reinforces lessons from the book

I found the lowest price on this book at Overstock for $16.16, with Overstock they charge $2.95 to ship your order no matter how big it is so if you want something else while your there it won't change your cost of delivery.  And just a reminder, there is a rebate for all the Dummies series of books until the end of March.

I know times are tight everywhere, but if you can spare it please consider donating to the American Red Cross.  The money is desperately needed to help not just the people of Japan but all the people they help all around the world wherever the need arises.  My mom used to work for the Disaster Core and they did so much, everything from helping in the wake of a tornado, to driving shut-ins to Doctor appointments.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and remembered to set your clocks ahead if you are in an area that observes daylight savings time.

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

Usually the second full moon in one month is considered a Blue Moon, but because there are exceptions to every rule today's full moon is also a Blue Moon even though it is the only full moon in November.  For the full confusing story check out the Space.com story on Yahoo News by Joe Rao.  In honor of the Blue Moon I thought I would tell you about a book and the song which share the name.

First is Blue Moon by Lori Handeland and is the first in the Nightcreature series:

From Publishers Weekly

"Sassy, wisecracking policewoman Jessie McQuade, the book's first-person narrator, takes readers on a thrilling hunt through the forests of small town Miniwa, Wis., in search of a mythical predator in this lively paranormal romance. No-nonsense Jessie has never believed in magic or other supernatural "woo woo," but when she sees schoolteacher Karen Larson turn rabid in the classroom and attempt to bite one of her students shortly after being bitten by a wolf herself, she begins to realize that the world is not just black and white but "a host of annoying shades of gray." Before long, she's tramping through the forest with a self-professed werewolf hunter by her side and lusty thoughts of gorgeous professor Will Cadote, an expert in Native American mythology, racing through her mind. The enigmatic professor may be able to help Jessie figure out why the onyx wolf totem she found on the road near where Karen was bitten is so important, but it's possible he may be a werewolf himself. Handeland (The Husband Quest, etc.) sets a feverish pace, thrusting Jessie into one dangerous situation after another, and she keeps readers in delicious suspense over Will's motives. What makes this book so compulsively readable, however, is Jessie's spunky narration, acerbic wit and combustible chemistry with Will." - Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The lowest price for a new copy can of the paperback can be found at Book Depository for $7.49 with free shipping.   If you own a Kindle or have the Kindle app you can download the book from Amazon from $7.99.  You can find a used copy on eBay starting at $0.75 with $3.75 shipping.

Then there's the song.  Blue Moon was written in 1933 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for MGM Studios. It was originally recorded in 1934 by Shirley Ross and has since been sung by many many performers including Harpo Marx in 1939, Mel Tormé in 1949, Dizzy Gillespie in 1954, Elvis Presley in 1958, Frank Sinatra in 1961, Dean Martin in 1964, Tony Bennett with Ella Fitzgerald in 1973, Chris Isaak in 1994 and even Rod Stewart with Eric Clapton in 2004.  You can download your favorite version to your iPod from iTunes, most of them for only $0.99.

I hope you are all having a fun weekend!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

Are you headed over the river and through the woods for Thanksgiving?  If you are you may want to consider a fun gift for the kids who have had to wait patiently for dinner after smelling all those wonderful aromas all day.  I found a couple of fun ideas today for the children to enjoy while waiting for the feast.

First up, I found a great book for the little ones called Happy Thanksgiving, Curious George by H. A. Rey, its a tabbed book making it easy for little hands to turn the pages.  I loved reading Curious George books as a little girl, this story looks adorable. "Today is Thanksgiving and George is so excited! He loves everything about the holiday; from the parade with music, jugglers, and big balloons to the delicious turkey shared with family and friends. But even on Thanksgiving the curious little monkey manages to stir up some trouble! Follow George through his Thanksgiving adventures with the short poems in this board book."  I found it for the lowest price at Deep Discount for $6.87 with free shipping.

The other children's classic is A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving By Charles M. Schulz.  "In this beloved classic for the whole family, Charlie Brown has to prepare an entire Thanksgiving meal before time runs out! Featuring the antics of Snoopy, Woodstock, Sally, Peppermint Patty, and the rest of the Peanuts® gang, this special collector’s Miniature Edition, based on the beloved holiday television special, is the perfect kickoff to the holiday season."  I found this book for the lowest price at The Book Depository for $3.99 with free shipping.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

C.Q.