Memories
The last year or so has been full of major milestone anniversaries.
125 Hits
125 Hits
Book Review - CHRIST AND THE COMMON LIFE
Book Title CHRIST AND THE COMMON LIFE - Political Theology and the Case for Democracy Book Author Luke Bretherton Pub. Year 2019 Genre &
Book Review - Baptists in America
Book Title Baptists In America Book Author Thomas S. Kidd Barry Hankins Pub. Year 2015 Genre Religious History My Rating 4 Stars Ease of Read
Seeking Sage Newsletter Volume 49 July 19, 2021
A ‘community of holy friends’ In the Acts 20:32 in the Message, Paul calls the church a ‘community of holy friends.’ I was blessed to have come home from the hospital when I was born into the ‘community of holy friends’ at Duncanville's FIrst B
Seeking Sage Newsletter Vol 46 July 5 2021
Fireworks Fireworks for me are a combinations of confusing allures. There was a time before city fireworks celebrations, where the only fireworks you experienced were out on the street or in the backyard. I grew up under the influence of a fireman un
Seeking Sage Newsletter June 28, 2021 Volume 45
Returning to Normal I spent the weekend with my family in Austin this weekend. From the moment, I left the house I found myself in a line. The bumper to bumper traffic lasted for two hundred miles from my front door to my niece’s door, made it seem l
Seeking Sage Newsletter Volume 44 June 21, 2021
It is soooo hot! This last week has been so hot! Here in North Texas we have been hitting three digit days all week. And a request from our new best friend here in Texas, ERCOT to reserve energy. Four months ago, when we got those warnings, man
Happy Father's Day 2021
A few years ago, on a road trip thought the Hill country, I drove through Dublin, the home of Dr Pepper. When I saw this statue, I had to stop and take a photo. Dr Pepper was a mainstay our home. While we always had enough that we weren’t face
Happy JUNETEENTH!
In one of my last years of working, my organization held a barbecue luncheon to honor Juneteenth. One of the great privileges of my career was hearing my co-workers share with me the traditions their families. “None of us are free until a
Seeking Sage Newsletter Volume 43 June 14, 2021
Talking to myself… A couple of weeks ago, I was so encouraged to hear this verse in a sermon, I took counsel with myself, Nehemiah 5:7a, ESV. I don’t know how I have missed this verse before. It is always reassuring to
Seeking Sage Newsletter June 7, 2021
Movement After watching a highlight of this weekend’s gymnast accomplishment, I’m not sure I want to watch the Olympics. It would just be a reminder of what poor physical condition I’m in. I’m doing some twice a day exercises to improve
Another great Sunday
170 Hits
170 Hits
A good Monday...
50 Hits
50 Hits
One time we can be positive about not going back in time, even for a second.
108 Hits
108 Hits
Thank you to all students, teachers, supprt staff and administrators of our publis schools, especially in such a difficult year. Our prayers of protection and success for all of you.
110 Hits
110 Hits
Today, I read the story of when Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. In the version I was reading, it said Hagar wandered aimlessly in the wilderness. I stopped reading and said ‘wandering aimlessly.’
That pretty much sums up how my life feels. This last week for sure, but maybe for several past years.
307 Hits
307 Hits
Wishing you the best for 2021 Happy New Year - Lyndie Blevins
142 Hits
142 Hits
A special Veteran
189 Hits
189 Hits
Book Title The Path Between Us - Study Guide
Book Author Suzanne Stabile
221 Hits
221 Hits
An empty parking lot.
212 Hits
212 Hits
Working toward the common good is an innate part of my character. It spills out in all I do.
The common good should be core focus of a community, but sadly, personalities and self-interests often win the day.
421 Hits
421 Hits
Have you ever experienced a time of such distrust?
It is hard to find anyone or any group you can trust?
410 Hits
410 Hits
Today's adventure is about shopping in COVID-19
223 Hits
223 Hits
Ona day we are all serching for love. we shold remember the true source of love.
343 Hits
343 Hits
With Sara-Meg Seese, hard at work on the details on being Treasurer and Secretary at the February's meeting at ACFW DFW Chapter.
280 Hits
280 Hits
At the 2019 Christmas Party, at ACFW DFW, I spoke on the history and poetic structure of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Not one time when we pulled this story/poem out to read, did my parents tell me it was written in anapestic tertrameter.
Thinking about Point of View, I'm taken with how the poem's format keeps you completely in the story. Not only that, but end though the can anticipate where each line is going, the rhyme doesn't allow you to skip the line, but demands hearing the rhyme.
321 Hits
321 Hits
May 2, 2020 6:00 -11:00 pm - Warren's Backyard, Granbury, Texas
440 Hits
440 Hits
There are many ways you can help the flood victims in Louisianna
Here is one at the North American Misssion Board
1866 Hits
1866 Hits
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 ...
2625 Hits
2625 Hits
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.
2019 Hits
2019 Hits
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://guidingwind.com/