BW9: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Courtesy of Biography.com

Join me in celebrating the anniversary of the birth of the poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,  born February 27, 1807.  

A Psalm of Life 

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream! 

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest! 

And the grave is not its goal; 

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way; 

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle! 

Be a hero in the strife! 

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant! 

Let the dead Past bury its dead! 

Act,— act in the living Present! 

Heart within, and God o’erhead! 

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time; 

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate; 

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

*****************************************

If you'd like to share your book reviews, you may link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have any internet or social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading.    Please do not add links of 52 Books, nonexistent or old web pages. They will be deleted. If your link disappears, please email me if you need to change or update your links.

Every week I will put up  Mister Linky's Magical Widget for you to link to your reviews.   No matter what book you are reading or reviewing at the time, whether it be # 1 or # 5 or so on, add your link to the current week's post.   The linking widget will close at the end of each book week.

In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.

BW8: 52 Books Bingo - Something New

What does a newshound, newton, Newmarket, a newborn, a newt, New York, New Age and a newel have in common. Why, something new, of course, which is one of our 52 Books Bingo categories.  There are a variety of ways to go with this challenge including, but not limited to: 

1. Read a new to you author or genre.
2. Read about a new to you subject.
3. Read a book published in 2019.
4. Read a book by a debut author
5. Read a book set in or about a town, city, state, or country called new xxxxx
6. Read about a newfangled idea. 
7. Read a book about a newsworthy subject. 
8. Read a book about news or a news reporter. 
9. Read a book with new in the title.
10. Read a book by an author with new in his name. 
11. Read a book with variations of the word new mixed into in the title or author's name. 
12. Check out the synonyms list and substitute one of those words for new.  

“Make It New” 

By 

Alice Fulton

I find it helpful to imagine writing in a blizzard

             with every inscription

designed to prevent snow

             crystals from drifting in.

Avoid the hive mind. Go fly a kite,

raise a stained glass window in the sky.

It’s the opposite of making love to drudgery,

             what I do for a dying.

       Remove the bitter sediment

trapped in the brewer. It will be new

whether you make it new

or not. It will be full of neo-

shadows. Full of then — both past and next,

iridescent with suspense. Remember

             time is not the treasure revealer.

More a midge larva creeping

through a waterfall releasing

suction feet. The curiosity rover

       lands on Mars! New is a hooligan.

It breaks the reckoning frame and rests

in pieces. Let me collect its dna

from the tears on your desk.

*****************************************

If you'd like to share your book reviews, you may link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have any internet or social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading.    Please do not add links of 52 Books, nonexistent or old web pages. They will be deleted. If your link disappears, please email me if you need to change or update your links.

Every week I will put up  Mister Linky's Magical Widget for you to link to your reviews.   No matter what book you are reading or reviewing at the time, whether it be # 1 or # 5 or so on, add your link to the current week's post.   The linking widget will close at the end of each book week.


In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.

BW7: Love is in the Air

Lovers Walk in the Snow 

Exit

by

A.M. Klein

February 14, 1909 - February 20, 1972)

The street is great festivity;

Snow is a royal canopy,

Made for a lover, made for me.

This is the way love should go:

Winter, an orchard walk where blow

blossom petals of white snow.

Kisses of mine which lent a grace 

To Summer, run a frozen race.

Snowflake kissing, all my face. 

Love is in the air along with plenty of candy kisses, chocolate dishes, golden rings and red rose hearts. Odes to love abound accompanied by wine and song as well as our kiddo's nose nuzzles and heart felt wishes. Welcome to Valentine's week and the celebration of poetry and novels to literary couples to diversity in romance.


Collection of classic love and romance poems

13 Kickass Literary Power Couples 

Buzzfeed's 14 of the Best Couples from Books

20 Couples In English Literature Who Changed The Way We Look At Romance Forever

Goodhousekeeping's 20 Best Romance Novels of all time.

Bookriot's The Best Romance Authors and their must read Book plus 100 Must Read Books by International Romance Authors.

Gentlemen Speak: 5 Romantic Books Guys Actually Love

Harlequin's Guide to Romance Genres

The Changing Face of Romance Novels

Ten Best Historical Romance Novels of all Time

Popular Diverse Romance Books

African romance novels heat things up

Romance and Romantic Suspense set in the Middle East


Have fun following rabbit trails!

************************************************

Reviews and Comments

If you'd like to share your book reviews, you may link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have any internet or social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading.    Please do not add links of 52 Books, nonexistent or old web pages. They will be deleted. If your link disappears, please email me if you need to change or update your links.

Every week I will put up  Mister Linky's Magical Widget for you to link to your reviews.   No matter what book you are reading or reviewing at the time, whether it be # 1 or # 5 or so on, add your link to the current week's post.   The linking widget will close at the end of each book week.


In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.

BW6: Whodunit Bookology - Inspector Chen Cao

Our Whodunit Bookology detective of the month is Inspector Chen Cao created by Qui Xiaolong originally born in Shanghai China in 1953 and currently resides in the United States. 

Inspector Chen Cao was introduced with the publication of Death of a Red Heroine in 2000.  The Inspector Chen series is set in Shanghai China in the 1990's and Chen Cao works as a homicide detective in the Shanghai Special Cases Bureau. The character is in his early thirties and also writes poetry and works as a translator.  Inspector Chen must navigate his way through government politics while trying to solve murders.  The series provides fascinating cultural and historical insight into China during a time of transition. 

There are a number of ways to complete the bookology challenge, including but not limited, to the suggestions below:  

• Read the first book in the series.
• Read one book per letter in the character's first or last name.
• Read one book per letter in the author's first or last name.
• If you're feeling really ambitious, one book per letter in the character's first and last name.
• Follow in a character's footsteps and read a book set in the country or time period of the character. 
• Follow in the author's footsteps and read a book set in their place or time of birth.
• Read a book with the first or last name of the character or author in the title.

Check out Big Thrills Interview with Xiaolong - Perceiving China Through a Poetry-Spouting Sleuth as well as delve into the history of China during the 1990's,  emerging Chinese authors, and best novels that take place in China.

Have fun following rabbit trails.

****************************************************

Reviews and Comments

If you'd like to share your book reviews, you may link to your website, blog, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblers, or Instagram page. If you do not have any internet or social media account, please leave a comment to let us know what you are reading.    Please do not add links of 52 Books, nonexistent or old web pages. They will be deleted. If your link disappears, please email me if you need to change or update your links.

Every week I will put up  Mister Linky's Magical Widget for you to link to your reviews.   No matter what book you are reading or reviewing at the time, whether it be # 1 or # 5 or so on, add your link to the current week's post.   The linking widget will close at the end of each book week.

In the Your Name field, type in your name and the name of the book in parenthesis. In the Your URL field paste a link to your post, then check the privacy box and click enter.