The Sage Record - Lyndie Blevins' blog
Words from Sage, Texas
Book Title The Innocents Abroad
Book Author Mark Twain
Publisher Readers Digest
Pub. Year 1869
Pages 432
Genre Travel
My Rating  ♥♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read Moderately easy
ISBN 08957733920
I was attracted to this book because...
I need to research traveling by ship in 1867. This book was the perfect answer to learn about traveling in Europe in this time period, as well as an idea of writing in the time period. Matt Twain went on a Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Lands in 1867. This book met all my research needs.
This book was about...
Mark Twain had an opportunity to take a Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Lands on the Quaker City with 64 other Americans. The voyage took about six months. He relates the experience of the trip in his own words. He sent newspaper reports throughout the voyage. As cholera was rampant in many places they visited, they often experienced quarantines in many ports lasting various time periods. Some were over nights and others where they were completely blocked from entering and had to move on. When the time period was short, Twain was always in the group which managed to go into town anyway.
As humor often does, Twain’s approach to classical art, historical locations and sacred art and places, revealed a great amount of truth lacking in writing that respects the traditions of these objects.
Spoiler Alert: There is absolutely no political correctness in this book. (Makes you wonder what Mark Twain would do today.) If you are Muslim, Catholic, Mormon, well not Protestant, French, Russian, well not American, American Indian, Police, and other groups I didn’t pick up on, and a member of Congress, read this book with caution.
Things I liked about this book...
I confess. I have the same sense of humor as Mark Twain. So I enjoyed the way he documented the trip, his fellow travelers and the places they visited. He often drew parallels to locations he visited to places in America. I found this very helpful. He used Lake Tahoe several times. I know the first time I visited Lake Tahoe in the dead of winter, I thought it has to be the most incredible place on earth. I found the comparisons of other localities on point. It also helped me have a better understand the size of the landscape he was describing.
If you replace gas lights with electric lights and horses/carriages with mini-vans, you would think you were reading about a trip today. (Although it would be interesting to see the Holy Lands on donkey/horseback.
If I get a chance to go back to Europe and visit the Holy Lands, I’m taking this book with me.
Why you should read this book...
This is considered the best travel book ever written. According to Leslie Fiedler, who wrote the afterward in the Readers Digest Edition, “it became an instant best seller (.429)”... “and for a long time it outsold all of Twain’s other books, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (p. 430)”
The prose can be wonderful. After one draw on a Turkish narghile pipe, he writes, “For the next five minutes I smoke at every pore, like a frame house that is on fire on the inside.” (p. 240)
Recently, I’ve read some posts on how memoirs an be a great way to break into consideration as a serious writer. This book took Mark Twain from a ‘newspaperman’ into a professional writer in Twain’s mind, as well as the general public.
In the Afterward, Fiedler says this is the book where Samuel Clements found his voice as Mark Twain. As a writer, it is worth the read to see that voice develop.
This book lived up to the back cover copy...
Actually, I have this book on my Kindle and I got my hard copy from Half-Price Books, so I don’t have a back cover. It did live up to what I read on the internet and to the comments in the Afterward by Leslie Fiedler. If your copy has the Afterward, I would recommend reading it first.
Contact the Author ...
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Book Title Twitter Power
How to Dominate Your Market One
Tweet At a Time
Tweet At a Time
Book Author Joel Comm
Publisher John Wiley & Sons
Pub. Year 2009
Pages 245
Genre Social Media
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read Twitter like ease
ISBN 978=-0-478-458426
I was attracted to this book because...
This book was released in 2009 as I entered into the writing world. I and no idea what Twitter was and how to use social media with my writing. It took me 3+ years to get to it, and there is another edition out already.
Book Title Writing For The SoulInstruction and Advice from an Extraordinary
Writing Life
Writing Life
Book Author Jerry B. Jenkins
Publisher Writers DIgest Books
Pub. Year 2006
Pages 240
Genre Writing Refenece
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥ 
Ease of Read Easy to read, but challenging if you are a
writer
writer
ISBN 978-1-58297-417-0
I was attracted to this book because...
Jerry Jenkins and the Left Behind books taught me there was a place for Christian writers in today’s market. I was going to his writing conference when I bought the book.
Book Title Letting Go
Book Author Linda Godsey
Publisher Gateway Create
Pub. Year 2012
Pages 76
Genre devotional
My Rating ♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read very easy
ISBN 978-4675-1648-8
I was attracted to this book because...
It was recommend on a blog I follow. I was intrigue to learn know more about regret.
Book Title We Have seen the Lord!
The Passion and Resurrection of
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Book Author William Barclay
Publisher Westminster John Knox Press
Pub. Year 1998/1975
Pages 123
Genre Devotional, Lent, Passion of
Christ
Christ
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥ 
Ease of Read Thought provoking,
spiritually challenging
spiritually challenging
ISBN 0-664-25807-7
I was attracted to this book because...
To tell the truth, I don’t remember exactly what brought me to this book. I was looking for something to read for Lent last year.
This book was about...
the last days of Jesus’ earthly ministry with supporting passages from the four Gospels and a small reflective commentary for the forty days of lent plus Easter and two days afterwards.
Things I liked about this book...
I liked being able to focus on the last days of Jesus using this as guide leading up to my celebration of Easter. I was challenged daily by the spiritual insights William Barclay provided in his commentary. This helped me move into a more intimate relationship with Jesus during this holy season.
Why you should read this book...
Barclay will challenge and remind you that you have seen the Lord, too. Our experience should insight us to the same degree of urgency and excitement of the disciples to proclaim, He has risen indeed! to the world.
This book lived up to the back cover copy...
William Barclay has delightfully intertwined passages from the Gospels with his beautiful prose to walk one more time through Jesus’ last days. You will be engaged and refreshed.
Learn more about William Barclay
1524 Hits
Book Title Wonderful Names of Our Wonderful Lord
Abridged Christian Classics
Book Author T. C. Horton & Charles Hurlburt
Publisher Barbour
Pub. Year 2010
Pages 189
Genre devotional
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥ 
Ease of Read quick, easy reading
ISBN 978-1-60260-856-6
I was attracted to this book by...
the title in the grocery store. Learning more about the names of the Lord appealed to me. The short devotional were a perfect addition to my daily meditation period.
Book Title Mother of Pearl
Book Author Kellie Coates Gilbert
Publisher Abingdon Press
Pub. Year 2012
Pages 302
Genre Fiction, Christian, general
My Rating ♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read fast paced story
ISBN 978-1-4267-3343-7
I was attracted to this book because...
A critique friend wrote this book. The book was finished before I joined the critique group. I am reading more Christian fiction, particularly contemporary fiction. I’m always looking for good books to read.
Book Title Business Tips and Taxes For Writers
Book Author Carol Topp, CPA
Publisher Media Angels
Pub. Year 2012
Pages 127
Genre Non-Fiction, Business, Writing
My Rating ♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read Straight forward
ISBN 978-1-931941-22-8
I was attracted to this book because...
In building my writing/publishing business, I am interested in all the information on the business side I can get. This book was recommended on an author website/blog. Unfortunately, I’m not sure which one.
Book Title If I Can Do All Things Through Christ... Why Can’t I Find My Car Keys?
Book Author anthology
Publisher Group
Pub. Year 2012
Pages 144
Genre Devotional, Christian Life
My Rating ♥♥♥
Ease of Read Very Easy
ISBN 978-0-7644-8849-8
I was attracted to this book because...
Actually, I ran across it by accident, (a bad link). But the title is not only catches your attention, it is something I have mumbled to myself more than once in my life.
Book Title Everything
What you give and what you gain to become like Jesus
Book Author Mary DeMuth
Publisher Thomas Nelson
Pub. Year 2012
Pages 198
Genre Non-Fiction Spiritual Formation
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥ 
Ease of Read Very easy, but it will challenge your thinking and spiritual awareness
Book Title Locked On
Book Author Tom Clancy
Publisher Putnam
Pub. Year 2011
Pages 853
Genre Fiction
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read Easy to read, but long
ISBN 978-0-299-15741-8
I was attracted to this book because...
Tom Clancy wrote, and it has all of my favorite Clancy characters, Jack Ryan, Sr., Jack Ryan, Jr., John Clarke, and Ding Chavez.
Book Title Colonial Courtships
Four in one collection
Book Author Laurie Alice Eakes
Carla Olson Gade
Lisa Karon Richardson
Amber Stockton
Book Title Platform
Book Author Michael Hyatt
Publisher Thomas Nelson
Pub. Year May 22, 2012
Pages 268
Genre Non-fiction
My Rating ♥♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read easy to read, but a lot of information
ISBN 978-1595555038
I was attracted to this book because...
I follow Michael's blog and find him trustworthy. Having done a great job of building his own platform, I knew he would have valuable content to share. I pre-ordered the hardcopy book, but I also bought an electronic copy to start reading it as soon as I could. I finished the initial reading before the hard copy book arrived.
While I was teaching first grade Sunday School, we studied Nehemiah. I wanted the children to experience working together to build the wall brick by brick. I also wanted them to experience their part in building the wall.
Walking on Water
Reflections on Faith and Art
Madeleine L’Engle
1980, 240 pages
ISBN 978-0-87788-918-2
My 80+ year old emailing Aunt Faye Paris passed away this week. In the last decade, I’ve bragged on her emailing so often.
I all the years I have been a fan of collegiate sports, the one program, I never expected a scandal from was Joe Paterno's. I've always respected what he did on and off the field. With today's re-arrest of the assistant coach I am just sad and my image of honor among coaches tarnished a little more.
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