Review and Giveaway: The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith

 

The Frangipani Hotel is not your ordinary collection of short stories, but rather as the noted author Lisa See commented, “Violet Kupersmith has woven together culture, tradition, family, and ghosts to create a series of short stories that are as fresh as they are mesmerizing. These stories will haunt you long after the last words have drifted off the page.”  I whole heartedly agree. 

The idea of modern day ghost stories based on traditional Vietnamese stories is a great hook, which is carried out to perfection by Ms. Kupersmith.  Each of these stories is the intellectual thinking man or woman's kind of thriller.  They are eerie, mysterious, and atmospheric in the vain of Rod Serling, the noted writer and host of the Twilight Zone.  The command that the author has over each and every story speaks to her talent and maturity as a writer, who would think this she is a debut author? 

The stories setting varies, some take place in the United States, other in Vietnam, but no matter where the author leads us, be ready for unexpected twists and turns.  One does not have to be of Vietnamese decent to enjoy this collection.  Each story is accessible to the reader of contemporary fiction and each story is imaginative.  Three of my favorites were "The Reception," "Skin and Bones," and "Little Brother."  Why?  Because these are the three that I couldn't shake after reading them.  In other words, they were unsettling.  I'm sure you'll find you own "unshakable" stories amongst the nine included in the 240 pages of this collection.

This twenty-something author is a storyteller extraordinaire who is definitely a voice to watch for in the future.  I can't wait to see what she tackles next.  I highly recommend you make a reservation to check into the Frangipani Hotel, and see what all the buzz is about!

I'd like to thank TLC Book Tours, Random House, and the author, Violet Kupersmith, for allowing me the opportunity to review The Frangipani Hotel.

Others blogs on the tour in the coming weeks include:

Monday, March 3rd: Bibliophiliac
Tuesday, March 4th: The Things You Can Read
Wednesday, March 5th: Savvy Verse and Wit
Monday, March 10th: 50 Books Project
Tuesday, March 11th: The Written World
Tuesday, March 11th: Books a la Mode – author guest post
Wednesday, March 12th: River City Reading
Thursday, March 13th: Under My Apple Tree
Monday, March 17th: 1330 V
Wednesday, March 19th: Melody & Words
Thursday, March 20th: The Relentless Reader
Monday, March 24th: A Bookish Way of Life
Tuesday, March 25th: Suko’s Notebook
Wednesday, March 26th: Lit and Life
Thursday, March 27th: Too Fond
Monday, March 31st: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Tuesday, April 1st: Mandy Boles: Life Between Books
Wednesday, April 2nd: Guiltless Reading
Thursday, April 3rd: Books and Movies
Monday, April 7th: The Lost Entwife
Tuesday, April 8th: Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, April 9th: girlichef

I have one copy of The Frangipani Hotel to giveaway.  Here's what to do...

1	FOLLOW The Things You Can Read on Google Friends Connect (GFC), by Email, or Bloglovin.  If you already follow us, let us know in your official comment.
2	To enter, write a comment on the official March 4, 2014 Review Post
3	The winners will be chosen by using the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR. The winners will be contacted by email on March 9, 2014.  I will post the winners name and blog(s), with their permission.  However, you don't have to have a blog to participate.
4	The winners names will be posted the week of March 10, 2014.  Again, you don't have to have a blog to participate.
	Do you like the kind of scary that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up?  Well, if you do The Frangipani Hotel is a must read for you.  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read if this is one you will add to your TBR pile! Happy reading to all! ☮ Happy Reading☮ The Things You Can Read! Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

BE ALL YOU CAN BE. READ

 

A BLAST from the PAST:  Peter Max's poster for National Library Week, an annual event organized by the American Library Association, which dates back to 1969.  The poster may be 45 years old, but the message is as valid today as it was back in the sixties. 

How often do you read?  Has reading helped you be all that you can be?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy reading to all! ☮

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

 



The Pact by Mitchell S. Karnes Review and Giveaway

 

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The Pact by Mitchell S. Karnes has a timely message about bullying.   Bullying is defined by Stopbullying.gov as, "unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose."  Middle School is a breeding ground for this type of behavior and parents are often unaware of the ramifications of this serious issue.   Karnes takes this topic and makes it accessible to both teens and adults.  Yes, this is a book for both audiences.  Karnes allows this issue come to life with his likable protagonist, Scott Addison.  When Scott's mother, a single parent, moves her family to the small Southern Illinois town of Meadowbrook all Scott wants to do is to blend in, but life has a way of forcing people to stand up for what they believe; in so doing, Scott must face the attention of a pack of bullies at his new school, which is the last thing he wants.  Hey, are you hooked yet?

Within the story Karnes addresses such questions as why children bully, how bullies pick their victims, and how standing up to a bully alone might not be the best way to address bullying due to the unforeseen repercussions.  The Pact is a cautionary tale, which educates and entertains at the same time.  Give the book some breathing room.  The more you read the more intriguing the story becomes.  In my opinion, a must read for teens, parents, and educators alike. 

As an educator, I have strong feelings about this topic and its long-term effects on bullied children; I feel the sensitive subject matter was deftly handled by the author.  I often worry that bulling is a silent threat in our schools, which often goes unreported.  I plan on donating my copy of The Pact to my school library in hopes that the book will speak to the students at my middle school.

I'd like to thank TLC Book Tours and the author, Mitchell S. Karnes, for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.



Others blogs on the tour this week include:

Monday, February 17th:  Seaside Book Nook

Wednesday, February 19th:  Shelf Full of Books

Thursday, February 20th:  Savings in Seconds

Summary Courtesy:  Goodreads

The Pact by Mitchell S Karnes

Scott Addison never set out to be a hero. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can't run away from destiny. On the heels of his father's death, Scott and his mother move from Iowa City, Iowa to the small Southern Illinois town of Meadowbrook. Scott just wanted to blend in...to observe quietly...to be one of the kids. Unfortunately for Scott, his instincts, heart, and integrity took over on his first day at his new middle school. Scott stood up to and faced down three larger boys torturing a wiry little boy named Paul. This simple act of kindness and chivalry put Scott in the midst of the conflict and on the receiving end of the bullies' antics. Paul introduces Scott to two high school friends who just happen to play Warriors & Thieves, Scott's favorite role-playing fantasy game. The game and his new friends provide a much needed escape from both his past and his present troubles...at least for a while. But no matter how hard Scott tries to blend in at school, his pet peeve of bullying and his overwhelming sense of right and wrong continue to push him into the limelight, bringing praises from many, but more opposition from the bullies. When the hazing goes too far Scott decides it is time to take a stand...no matter the cost. Of course, sometimes, that's the price heroes must pay.

I have two copies of The Pact to giveaway.  Here's what to do...

1	FOLLOW The Things You Can Read on Google Friends Connect (GFC), by Email, or Bloglovin.  If you already follow us, let us know in your official comment.
2	To enter, write a comment on the official February 18th Review Post
3	The winners will be chosen by using the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR. The winners will be contacted by email on February 23, 2014.  I will post the winners name and blog(s), with their permission.  However, you don't have to have a blog to participate.
4	The winners names will be posted the week of February 24, 2014.  Again, you don't have to have a blog to participate.
	Do you have any thoughts on bullying?  Does a book that grapples with this social issue interests you?  If so, let us know here at The Things You Can Read! Happy reading to all! ☮ Happy Reading☮ The Things You Can Read! Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Literary Blog Hop: February 8-12, 2014

 

The Things You Can Read is proud to be joining The Literary Blog Hop hosted by Judith@Leeswammes' Blog.  What does that mean?  It means you have a chance to win some great books or book related prizes, but not just from The Things You Can Read, but from all those participating in The Literary Blog Hop.

We here at  The Things You Can Read will be giving away a free literary Audible.com book of your choice (you must be a member of Audible.com to receive the book) or a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com to be used for a literary book of your choice .  Here are the rules:

1	The Literary Blog Hop starts February 8-12, 2014
2	To enter write a comment on the official February 8th post and fill out the entry form: Click Here.
3	Now, FOLLOW The Things You Can Read on Google Friends Connect (GFC), by Email or Bloglovin.  If you already follow us, let us know in your official comment.
4	The winner will be chosen by using the RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR.
5	The winner will be contacted by email after the contest has concluded (February 12, 2014 Eastern Standard Time.)  We will post the winners name and blog (with their permission) when we announce the WINNER.  However you don't have to have a blog to participate.

Don't forget to checkout the other The Literary Blog Hop participants and Good Luck!  The Literary Blog Hop is from February 8 until February 12, 2014! Enjoy, and let us know what new blogs you discover as you hop around the blogosphere!

Here is a list for your hopping convenience:

Leeswammes Seaside Book Nook Booklover Book Reviews Biblionomad Laurie Here The Well-Read Redhead (US/CA) River City Reading GirlVsBookshelf Ciska’s Book Chest The Book Stop Ragdoll Books Blog Nishita’s Rants and Raves Lucybird’s Book Blog Reading World (N-America) Journey Through Books Readerbuzz Always With a Book (US) 52 Books or Bust (N.Am./UK) Guiltless Reading (US/CA) Book-alicious Mama (US) Wensend Books Speak Volumes Words for Worms The Relentless Reader A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall (US) GOOD LUCK! Happy Reading The Things You Can Read! Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Fourth Street Review Vailia’s Page Turner The Little Reader Library Lost Generation Reader Heavenali Roof Beam Reader Mythical Books Word by Word The Misfortune of Knowing Aymaran Shadow > Behind The Scenes The Things You Can Read (US) Bay State Reader’s Advisory Curiosity Killed the Bookworm Lizzy’s Literary Life Books Can Save a Life (N. America) Words And Peace (US) The Book Club Blog

Blast from th Past: Authors Card Game



Source



 

 
My favorite card game as a child was Authors, but my original cards have long been lost.  However, imagine my delight on discovering that I have a way of replacing them through the magic of Ebay.  This discovery got even better when I realized I can add older editions to my growing stash of card games, which include different authors.  I'll have to wait a while to share this game with my children since they are too young to play Authors now, but I know when the time is right this discovery allows me to share my love of literature through cards with my children.  If you never played this game here is how it works, this classic literary card game features portraits of famous authors and highlights their four most prominent works, and you play the game like Go Fish.  Did you play Authors as a child?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.

 

 

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Win a Signed Copy of Ripper by Isabel Allende

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Simon & Schuster's 90th Anniversary Library Sweepstakes

Enter each day until April 9, 2014 to win:  Click Here

 

 

Let us know if you win one of the great books on the Simon & Giveaway list.  Good Luck!

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough: Review Part 2

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

"This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself." -Goodreads

PART 2:  Grit

“The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure,” Randolph told me. “And in most highly academic environments in the United States, no one fails anything.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

What is grit?  Webster's Dictionary defines grit as showing courage and resolve- Example:  "a gritty pioneer woman".  A few synonyms offered up for Grit include: courageous, brave, plucky, mettlesome, stouthearted, valiant, bold,spirited, intrepid, tough, determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, and tenacious.  These are great options, but I am more interested in how Angela Duckworth, an assistant professor in the psychology department at University of Pennsylvania defines it.  She defined Grit with the following analogy:  

“

Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.- Angela Duckworth

Duckworth should know, her research subjects include students, West Point cadets and corporate salespeople, all of whom she continues to study to determine how "grit" is a better indicator of success than factors such as IQ or family income.  How did she become focoused on this type of research?  Well, she left her consulting job and decided to take a job teaching math to seventh-graders in a New York public school. Over the next few years she quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled.  This led her into the world of academia, where she continues to study this topic, as she searches for methods that can be used to teach children to be GRITTIER.

If you are interested in the survey Duckworth developed click on over to the survey and find out your grit factor:  Click Here

SIDE NOTE

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text.  I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read books on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING.  An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology.  Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.

Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about.  Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings:  Click Here.

This only an example the type of gems that can be found inside the covers of this book.  As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings.  Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book. 

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character was featured in an article entitled "The 13 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2013" on Brain Pickings.  How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is helping me to demystify what makes one child successful and another not. It has certainly given me clarity on the issue of how or why certain children succeed.  I have included an excerpt from the article from Brain Pickings. Read on...and if this is something that makes you go Humm...then click on over to read Brain Pickings full article or better yet pick up the book from your local bookstore or library.

"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character(public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS

Summary:

Why do some children succeed while others fail?

The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.

But in "How Children Succeed," Paul Tough argues for a very different understanding of what makes a successful child. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, economics, and psychology, Tough shows that the qualities that matter most have less to do with IQ and more to do with character: skills like grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, and optimism.

"How Children Succeed" introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically changing our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. It tells the personal stories of young people struggling to say on the right side of the line between success and failure. And it argues for a new way of thinking about how best to steer an individual child – or a whole generation of children – toward a successful future.

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. -Goodreads

Food for thought:

“The part of the brain most affected by early stress is the prefrontal cortex, which is critical in self-regulatory activities of all kinds, both emotional and cognitive. As a result, children who grow up in stressful environments generally find it harder to concentrate, harder to sit still, harder to rebound from disappointments, and harder to follow directions. And that has a direct effect on their performance in school.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

Resources:

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

How to Foster Grit in the Classroom:  Click Here

True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It:  Click Here

‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Introductory Video:  Click Here

NPR: MacArthur 'Genius' On Grit, Self Control And Success: Click Here

NPR: Is Having Grit The Key To Success?  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Word List: Click Here 

Grit Angela Duckworth's TED Talk:  Click Here

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough: Review Part 1

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

“What matters most in a child's development, they say, is not how much information we can stuff into her brain in the first few years. What matters, instead, is whether we are able to help her develop a very different set of qualities, a list that includes persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

As I posted earlier, I chose to read How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character as one of my first two reads of 2014.  Why?  Because this book fits into my quest to not only be a better parent, but to also be a better teacher, which is a direct result of  having joined a growing movement called One Little Word℠.  This movement has its participants choose a word that will guide them as they journey throughout the year.  My word is BECOMING and in my year of focus on BECOMING this nonfiction book is a  perfect fit (Click Here for more information).  As I stated earlier this particular book has been on my radar for awhile, but when one of my favorite sites to visit out there on the Internet, Brain Pickings, had it listed on their best of list for 2013, it moved up to the top of the pile.  I am now about 40 percent done, however I realized I was highlighting so much information that I needed to break up my review into parts, so here is part one. 

PART ONE:

Let me setup my remarks with a personal anecdote, when my twins were born back in  2010, one of our nurses noticed how much my husband was holding our son.  Each and every time our new baby cried his father picked him up, and this medical professional sternly reprimanded us saying that our son would be "spoiled rotten" if we continued to respond to his every cry.  Well, we both totally disagreed with what she said, but we had nothing to base our intuitive feelings with regard to her advice, and her comment always stuck with us.  My husband and I, on occasion, remember that moment when we reminisce about the twins birth  This shared parenting moment came flooding back, in what some might call an "aha moment", while reading this book.  Specific research performed by Ainsworth and Bowlby was sited that proved what my husband and I had known instinctually:

Babies whose parents responded readily and fully to their cries in the first month of life were at one year, more independent and intrepid than babies whose parents had ignored their cries. In preschool, the pattern continued-the children whose parents had responded most sensitively to their emotional needs as infants were the most self-reliant. Warm, sensitive parental care, Ainsworth and Bowlby contended, created a 'secure base' from which a child could explore the word."-How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

 After reading this I felt vindicated as a parent for not letting someone disrupt the positive bond my husband and I were establishing with our son during his first days of life, and the best part was that we had research on our side, and didn't even know it.  This is only one such gem that can be found inside the covers of this book.  As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings.  Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book. 

SIDE NOTE

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text.  I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read boks on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING.  An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology.  Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.


Part Two of my review/reflection will cover the idea of Grit and its importance to a child's success.  If you are interested in testing your own Grit Level take Angela Duckworth's GRIT Survey:  Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about.  Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings:  Click Here.

As I said, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character was featured in an article entitled "The 13 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2013" on Brain Pickings.  How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is helping me to demystify what makes one child successful and another not. It has certainly given me clarity on the issue of how or why certain children succeed.  I have included an excerpt from the article from Brain Pickings. Read on...and if this is something that makes you go Humm...then click on over to read Brain Pickings full article or better yet pick up the book from your local bookstore or library.

"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character (public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS

Summary:

Why do some children succeed while others fail?

The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.

But in "How Children Succeed," Paul Tough argues for a very different understanding of what makes a successful child. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, economics, and psychology, Tough shows that the qualities that matter most have less to do with IQ and more to do with character: skills like grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, and optimism.

"How Children Succeed" introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically changing our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. It tells the personal stories of young people struggling to say on the right side of the line between success and failure. And it argues for a new way of thinking about how best to steer an individual child – or a whole generation of children – toward a successful future.

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. -Goodreads

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

How to Foster Grit in the Classroom:  Click Here

‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough:  Click Here

True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Introductory Video:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Word List: Click Here 

Grit Angela Duckworth's TED Talk:  Click Here

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!