Year 2, Day 72: Maverick Gardeners

Chatting Books Online Year 2 , Day 72. Today’s recommended book is Felder Rushing’s new book : Maverick Gardeners - Dr. Dirt and other Determined Independent Gardeners.

This book celebrates the non-conformist gardeners among us. Those folks that don’t only not follow the rules but do so proudly. They live in a celebration of the natural world often mixed in with quirky art and a lot of pass along plants. This isn’t a how-to book ( though there is a little of that), or a plant identifying book (though there is a section on pass along). This book is a celebration of the people and personalities that bring these gardens to exuberant life.

The book is a soft cover . It is 188 pages and sells for $20 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you

Year 2, Day 71: Go Set A Watchman

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 71. To carry on the theme of yesterday's recommendation of To Kill a Mockingbird today's recommended book is Go Set A Watchman also by Harper Lee.

This is the book that created To Kill a Mockingbird. It is actually the book Harper Lee wrote first though it was not published until 75 years after To Kill a Mockingbird hit the shelves. It is, to my mind , a much more complete story of Atticus and Scout Finch and their father / daughter relationship but when Harper Lee shopped it to publishers it was rejected until one publisher said "I like this part of the story" expand that into a book thus birthing Mockingbird. When this book was finally released it caused quite a bit of controversy. Did Harper Lee really want it published (she was 89 at the time) ? Why did she wait so long? And then there was the fact that it exposed not so nice parts of Atticus Finch's history and personality and those who had held him as an icon of equal rights and fairness suddenly saw parts of him they did not like. I personally love the book. We are all flawed, it is time we accept that . But it is in overcoming those flaws ( as Atticus did so well ) that we grow.

As a side note to learn more about Harper Lee and the writing (and publishing ) of both books be sure and read The Furious Hours by Casey Cep (recommended book # 202 on October 3, 2020) . Fascinating story about how she came to write both books mixed in with a true crime story to boot!

Go Set A Watchman is available in paperback at 280 pages currently selling for $ 15.99 a copy. We also carry a boxed set with To Kill a Mockingbird both in hardcover and selling for $ 55.00 .

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you

Year 2, Day 70: To Kill A Mockingbird

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 70. Now that we have been at this well over a year I decided it might be fun to look back on what book I recommended a year ago today and ask myself if I would recommend that book again today. And the answer is a resounding YES ! On May 27 of both the years 2020 AND 2021 I recommend “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and rather than write a new review I will link to the one I wrote last year . I wonder if I endeavored to write a new one today would my rejections be the same ? But that is the beauty of great literature isn’t it ? That you can get such different things for the well- written word depending on where you are in your own life . I think so at least .

So, Without further ado here is my previous review of this classic :

We currently carry the book in paperbacks $ 15.99 a copy.

Year 2, Day 69: The Madman's Library

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 69. Today's recommended book is :

The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History by Edward Brooke-Hitching . Here is some information from the publisher’s description :

The Madman's Library reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the strangest and most beautiful books ever created in a highly illustrated tour through an eccentric "library" of literary curiosities and wonders"--

From the Qur'an written in the blood of Saddam Hussein, to the gorgeously decorated fifteenth-century lawsuit filed by the Devil against Jesus, to the most enormous book ever created, The Madman's Library features many long forgotten, eccentric, and extraordinary volumes gathered from around the world.

Books written in blood and books that kill, books of the insane and books that hoaxed the globe, books invisible to the naked eye and books so long they could destroy the Universe, books worn into battle and books of code and cypher whose secrets remain undiscovered. Spell books, alchemist scrolls, wearable books, edible books, books to summon demons, books written by ghosts, and more all come together in the most curiously strange library imaginable.

Featuring hundreds of remarkable images and packed with entertaining facts and stories to discover, The Madman's Library is a captivating compendium perfect for bibliophiles, literature enthusiasts, and collectors intrigued by bizarre oddities, obscure history, and the macabre.

A must have for Booklovers . This hardcover book is 256 pages and currently sells for $29.95 a copy .

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you

Year 2, Day 68 : Clovis Crawfish and his Friends

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 68. Today's recommended book is :Clovis Crawfish and his Friends , 60th anniversary edition by Mary Alice Fontenot .

In this 60th anniversary edition we meet Clovis the Crawfish and all of his friends who live in the swamp as Clovis sets about trying to figure out how the bayou that they call their home got its name .

With bright illustrations and bonus sections about the writing of the book, this hardcover special anniversary edition storybook currently sells for $19.95 a copy .

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you

Year 2, Day 67: The Highlights Book of Things to Do

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 67. Today's recommended book is : The Highlights Book of Things to Do.

This super-fun hardcover book is full, full, full of things to do ! Those of us of a certain age probably remember Highlights magazine. Every dentist and doctors office had them on the tables to occupy you while you waited. Well now you can get a hardcover book filled with things to occupy even the most active child. The book has sections titled: Things to do Inside, Things to Do Outside, Things to do in the Kitchen. Things to Draw, Things to Draw , Things to Write, Things to do with your Brain , Things to do with Color, Things to do with Paper, Things to Build, Science Experiments to Do, Things to do with Recycled Materials, and finally Do Great Things. I mean how awesome do those sound?

This great big hardcover book is 372 pages and sells for $24.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you

Year 2, Day 66: The Week in Review May 17 - 23 , 2021.

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 66. The Week in Review May 17 - 23 , 2021.

Thanks for joining us again this week as we sent out new book recommendations into the universe.

This week we recommended a variety of books including a compilation of “Louisiana Stories” and a book that brings parties to life in “Sophistication is Overrated”. We then took a trip “Around the World in 80 Plants” where we learned all about the interesting part plants have played in the histories of different world regions.

We also spent a little time in the children’s section this week with “Horton hears a Who”, “Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day” , and we wrapped up the week with “One, Two, Rougarou”.

If you missed any of these reviews and want to read what I had to say about them you can see all of our Chatting Books Online picks by visiting our website at: http://www.conundrumbooks.com/chatting-books-online .

We still (and always will going forward) offer shipping if you cannot make it to the store. Or just stop by the shop during or normal hours . See you soon !

Year 2, Day 65: One , Two, Rougaroo

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 65. Today’s recommended book is : One , Two , Rougarou by Alexis Braud .

This is a Louisiana themed counting board book . Louisiana legend says the Cajun werewolf , the Rougarou, cannot count all the way to 13 and therefore will not cross any doorway that has 13 small objects (coins, stones , etc) placed in a line across that doorway . So you can see being able to count to 13 is Very important in this Cajun twist on country folklore .

This board book currently sells for $8.95 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you