Want To Read About Strong Women?

True Women by Janice Woods Windle is a 451 page novel that James Michener called a "miracle".  It is a story about the early days when Texas was a Republic before being admitted into the Union.  Even the Governor of Texas promises it will "capture your imagination and your heart."   It is like the book Roots in the fact that it takes you through the lives of this family from 1831-1946.  Now my favorite time frame is from 1800 forward, so this book really fits right in my area.  But what has captured me on it really is all the description of how they lived and how they felt.  Whenever I read something like this I find myself right there in the room with them, and I want to feel and understand them.  This author has me doing that.  The story is told from the perspective of a five year old little girl named Euphemia Texas Ashby, you go through all the good times and all the bad times with her.  You are traveling with her to escape the Mexican Army and there are only women and children to make the trek because the men have all gone with Sam Houston to fight against Santa Anna.  This is a very important time in Texas history and if you love history of any type this book will fascinate you also.

A Chilling True Story

Buried Alive by Roy Hallums is a 248 page book that will keep your attention glued to it from the moment you start reading. Mr. Hallums is a retired Naval commander that was working as a civilian food contractor in Baghdad where he provided food for our Army. He was taken by terrorists that did seek ransom, and meanwhile during his 311 days held there he was forced to endure inhumane treatment and horrible living conditions. He was taken hostage in 2004 and rescued in 2005. I was very interested in this account as my husband is former military and my son is presently serving, my curiosity grew as I continued reading. Although I must admit I did not care for the description we were given of his family here in the states, I'm sure there are others that would disagree with me, but I was just not interested in the entries into his daughter's journal.

I think this would be a very good book for anyone in our country to read so maybe they would understand a little more about what is really going on over there. Can you imagine being kept in a room that is underground, a hood over your head, there is no one to talk to and you have no reason to believe you will be rescued? I think most of us would not be able to handle this very well but Mr. Hallums responds as if he is no hero for surviving, he just did whatever had to be done each day and there was no way he was giving up.

It is difficult to say that I enjoyed reading this book about someones pain and suffering....but I did. It really made me stop and think about what we are asking others to do and could we do the same if we were in their shoes. This is a must read for some truth seeking scary events, and I assure you that once you start it you won't be able to put it down. I read this whole book in one day, and will probably read it again after I take some time to think about it.

This complimentary copy was given to me by Booksneeze to review for them.

What Can You Do In 24 Hours?

24-Hour Crochet Projects by Rita Weiss is 128 pages of 23 projects that can each be made in 24 hours or less. Now who could ask for more than that? Granted the odds of us being able to sit down and finish the project all at once are probably not good, the fact still remains that these are quick to make items. They range from baby onesies to ladies sweaters, so we run the full range of ideas in here. They have included excellent photographs and from different angles, the instructions are written out very clearly and not in itsy bitsy print either. Another tip that caught my eye was the fact that they give you the approximate time it took them to make it. So if you are looking for something pretty but you've only got 3 partial days you can work on it, this would come in handy because all you'd have to do is check the time frame to make your decision on what to choose. Now if you'll excuse me I have an extra 45 minutes and a project waiting on me.

Am I A Pennypincher???

This book is one of those that you can just pick up, open it to any page and start reading. Yes it has categories but it is just as interesting to start reading anywhere in it. It is 393 pages full of recycling and redoing and reusing everything you can possibly think of. You know some people think that recycling is a new subject and we should all get behind this idea. Well, if you grew up in a house with siblings you already know what recycling is about. Those shorts, that skirt, those shoes, everything was passed from one child to another until there was no more wear left in them. Then we had garage sales or yard sales pop up, suddenly it is fashionable to wear jeans full of holes. You know when I was in school my Mother would have had a fit if anybody would have seen me in pants like that. But things have changed and we must change with them. Some changes are good like recycling and some .....maybe not so good. I am one of those that thinks if the jeans have holes in them cut them off for shorts, or make a tote bag out of them. But then I am tote bag nuts so what can I say. So I will end this post by saying that if you get the chance to pick up any of the Tightwad Gazette books, you really should. It is just chock full of letters and notes about any topic you could possibly think of that might make your little world easier to handle. Take care and go clean out your closet. That dress could be cut up and a couple of cute pillows made from the fabric, add some colorful buttons and.....

New Hopes, New Fears

A Century Turns by William J. Bennett is my latest book from Booksneeze to review for them. This book asks the question where is America going in the time from 1988 to 2008. Do you know? It puts things in their correct perspective about how the world really is doing politically, as well as on the home front. What new ideas have become the everyday items. Like computers, they have become the normal way of life. Then we discuss the wars and what they will lead to or what will they destroy. We saw the fall of the Berlin Wall all the way to the election of our present President. This book really opens your eyes and your memory and gets you to remembering what it was like before these things happened or maybe you weren't interested in what was going on and now you are. This is a great book but it is also a great history lesson, this is a thinking book not a book that is a piece of entertainment fluff. What you decide about our world will depend on what you grasp from reading this. I promise it will be one interesting ride.

365 Items

Gifts to Make: 365 Beautifully Easy Ideas by Better Homes and Gardens is 216 pages of really good ideas of things for gifts. Needless to say there are 365 ideas in here but, it also makes you think about other ways that this same project could be changed just a little bit to make it into something else. It is a nice hardback book and has great photos showing you what your item "should" look like and how to get it there. This would be a great Valentine's gift for a dear friend or even for yourself. After all, you have 365 items and you are a few days behind so don't wait much longer. Enjoy

The Cake Mix Bible, okay who doesn't love cake? Well, you are in for a big surprise with this cookbook. In here they have you take a cake mix and make all sorts of great things with it. One of the things that my grandkids love are the cookies that I make with the mixes. Now you have to hear one of the recipes that I use all the time. Are you ready for the ingredients list? Got your paper and pencil ready? Okay, here goes: 1 cake mix your choice of flavor, 2 eggs, 1/2 c. oil, and 3/4 cup of oatmeal. That's it. How difficult is that? This book is 319 pages of changing the attitude that most people have about cake mixes. Personally I have no problem just using them as a cake, but some people feel that if you don't make the cake from scratch you aren't really a cook. I guess they've never seen that little face, with chocolate icing all over it, just smiling from ear to ear. When it comes to my family I just want to make them love what they are eating even if it did start out as a frozen bag of vegetables. Now how in the world did I get from cake to vegetables? It must have been the carrots. Did I save myself, huh?

Fix It, Clean It, and Make It Last is a great 385 pages of information. Not only does it tell you how to clean everything under the sun but it is so full of other information you just won't believe it. This isn't just a book about how to run a household or how to take care of it before it falls apart, but it takes an item and with a little bit of wit turns it into something else equally useful. Actually I feel that this would be an excellent wedding gift.....for the bride.






Loose Change Quilts from Nickels, Dimes and Fat Quarters by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver is a 78 page book that would be a great beginner quilting choice. It explains all you need to know about making your color work for you and not against you. It explains how just the simple change of color dramatically changes the look of your finished project. In one combination it is a darling baby quilt then change the color around and you can have a great wedding gift. It starts you out with the very basic of things and by the time you are finished you will have such confidence in yourself it will amaze you. So dig through your stash and get started on something we call Patchwork but you will call it Fun. Enjoy.

Sewing To Quilts To Crying--I Loved It

As we all know Nancy Zieman is one talented lady, she can sew anything and she also explains things to the TV World while she is looking at it upside down. I have enough problems with my projects when they are right side up. This book, Sewing With Nancy, is 144 pages of pure information and how to's. She goes all the way from getting the project materials together, sewing basics, assembling the fabric pieces and even sewing your own lingerie. Now this may sound like a fancy book but trust me Nancy explains it and makes it sounds so simple. The good thing is that if this book lives at your house you can read it over and over, no more library fees....how cool is that?

A Victorian Christmas Quilt is one book with 4 different stories inside written by the following 4 ladies and they took 386 pages to do it in. Lone Star by Catherine Palmer, The Wedding Ring by Debra White Smith, Log Cabin Patch by Ginny Aiken, and Crosses and Losses by Peggy Stoks, each story naturally has the title quilt in the direction it will take. Yes, this is a feel good nice romantic book but there are also recipes and notes about the quilts included. Hey, it doesn't get any better than this....unless I had a chocolate bar too.

Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts, was one of the books chosen for Oprah's Book Club. I loved this one so much that Jay also bought it for me on tape so I could crash at night listening to it. This irresistible story won the Walker Percy Award and after you read it, it will win your heart also. It starts out with a 17 year old single pregnant girl that finds herself alone in a strange town. She has no idea how to take care of herself much less her unborn child, but she starts learning fast. You will find yourself trying to help her along her journey and crying when she does. But that is all I am going to tell you. This 376 page book can tell you in its own way.

My Comfy Place

I decided to create a place where I could tell everybody what I thought about all the books I deal with. Now be prepared because my subjects are going to run the complete spectrum of issues. So I hope you will decide to join me and give me your thoughts on what I have opened my big mouth and said. Actually, I think this will be fun so come along for the ride, please. After all, it's no fun riding alone.