Mailbox Monday: True Faith and Allegience

Alberto Gonzales spoke at a book signing event in Portland last week and I got a copy of his new book:

 

True Faith and Allegiance: A Story of Service and Sacrifice in War and Peace. Although he was a controversial figure as George W. Bush's Attorney General, his story of growing up in poverty in Texas, going to Harvard Law, and working his way to a seat on the Texas Supreme Court before joining the Bush administration is inspiring. I look forward to reading his story in his own words.

He was a thoughtful and articulate speaker and it was interesting to get his big picture view of our recent election.


What books came into your house last week?

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Book Beginning: Babe in the Woods

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING

On the lower berth of the maple bunk bed, my younger sister sobs in bursts and spurts. 

Babe in the Woods: Building a Life One Log at a Time by Yvonne Wakefield. At age 14, Wakefield became an orphan. At age 18, she headed off to the Oregon mountains to singlehandedly build a log cabin on 80 acres, using her college money to buy the land.

Wakefield's new memoir, which includes her original artwork, is the first of three volumes about her "relationship with woodsy things."

Teaser Tuesday: The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace

One there was a woman who, through strange and random circumstances, jost her job. She took it hard, as might be expected, for she was down on her luck anyway.

-- From "The Panhandler" one of 64 very short stories about women in The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace by Steven Nightingale, published by Counterpoint Press.

The stories in Nightingale's book really were collected, not made up out of his head. He provides a note before each one explaining where the story came from, usually something about who told it to him and the circumstances of the telling, or that it is a biography of a woman he met or loved. He packs 64 stories into 220 pages, so none are more than a few pages, some are only one page long, all celebrate the remarkable women Nightingale has encountered throughout his life.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Mailbox Monday: Al Capone

A new biography showed up in my mailbox last week. What books came into your house?



Al Capone: His Life, Legacy, and Legend by Deirdre Bair. Al Capone's story in Boardwalk Empire was riveting. It made me want to learn more about America's legendary gangster. I'm looking forward to this brand-new biography from Deirdre Bair, who won the National Book Award for her biography of Samuel Becket.

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Book Beginning: The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING



MY BOOK BEGINNING

Once upon a time there was a cat-burglar who worked assiduously to improve her technique of robbing houses and apartments.

-- From "The Cat Giver," the first story in The Hot Climate of Promise and Grace by Steven Nightingale. This is a new collection of 64 very short stories published by Counterpoint Press.