It's Tuesday, Where Are You?

Today I'm in Japan following various people as they discover the love they share without knowing. This loosely connected set of stories is filled with longing and seeking and shows just how fragile love can be. (The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak)

This was a wonderful book recommendation from Nymeth. Thanks Nymeth!

Join raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading and let her know where your reading is taking you this Tuesday.

Friday Fill-In

1. Apparently there's some sort of cold virus going around where I work.

2. Today is not a sunny day where I live; but that is OK since the last few days have been over 100 degrees. (It's April! What's up with over 100 degrees???)

3. 2009 has been eventful for me so far.

4. Curmudgeon was the word I was looking for earlier; that was it. (What's with the words just evading me lately when I'm looking for them?)

5. For too long I've been putting some things off that I just need to get done.

6. I am not obsessed with being right; I am not!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sushi dinner and TV with my husband, tomorrow my plans include breakfast out with my husband and an evening at the car races with family and Sunday, I want to come home from church and READ all afternoon!

Challenge: Sunshine Smackdown -- Battle of the Prizes

Rose City Reader is hosting this new challenge that:

"...pits winners of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction against the winners of the National Book Award. Does one prize have higher standards than the other? Pick better winners? Provide more reading entertainment or educational value? Maybe challenge participants will be able to answer these and more questions – maybe they will simply read three great books!

DETAILS

Choose three books that you have not read before:

1) One that won both the Pulitzer and the National (here is a list of double dippers);
2) One that won the Pulitzer but not the National (Pulitzer winners are here); and
3) One that won the National but not the Pulitzer (National winners are here).

Read all three between May Day and Labor Day. Overlap with other challenges is allowed -- and encouraged!"

I've got several of these books on my TBR pile, and this gives me some great motivation to read them. I especially appreciate the challenges that run for a part of a year and have smaller reading requirements since I tend to let the longer ones "go by the wayside" as I get distracted by all the "shiny" new titles that my eye comes across!

I will be reading:

1. The Fixer by Bernard Malamud as my double dipper read
2. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson as my Pulitzer read
3. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison as National Book Award read

If you are interested in joining this challenge that goes from May 1, 2009 through September 7, 2009, visit Rose City Reader and sign up!

A Thank You and Mailbox Monday

Thank you to everyone who left me well wishes. Those messages really helped to brighten some rather trying days. I'm on the mend and now dealing with my own impatience to be 100 percent.

I took a look at my blog reader and it is insanely full, so I will just be clearing it and moving on from today. I know this means missing a lot of fantastic book reviews and various news about your lives, but the sheer quantity is a bit overwhelming!

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While I was "away" I received two blog awards (that I know of) and want to acknowledge the wonderful bloggers who thought of me ...

From Trish at Trish's Reading Nook, the Proximidade award:

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award."

From Bellezza at Dolce Bellezza, the I "Heart" Your Blog award:

Thank you so much ladies!

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Marcia at The Printed Page hosts Mailbox Monday where she asks, "What books came into your house last week?"

While I haven't been out and about to purchase any books, I did receive a pleasant surprise in the mail this week.

Through LibraryThing Early Reviewers I received
The Glass Blower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

Out Sick

Several of you have noticed that I've not been around for awhile. Well, I've been rather ill and have been spending most of my time at doctors and simply "dealing" with what is happening. I do so hope to be back soon. I miss all of you!