Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks: October 2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019

BW44: Mr. Macklin's Jack O'Lantern

Courtesy of Toby Ord

Mr. Macklin’s Jack O’Lantern

David McCord

1897-1997

Mr. Macklin takes his knife

And carves the yellow pumpkin face:

Three holes bring eyes and nose to life,

The mouth has thirteen teeth in place.

Then Mr. Macklin just for fun

Transfers the corn-cob pipe from his

Wry mouth to Jack’s, and everyone

Dies laughing! O what fun it is

Till Mr. Macklin draws the shade

And lights the candle in Jack’s skull.

Then all the inside dark is made

As spooky and as horrorful

As Halloween, and creepy crawl

The shadows on the tool-house floor,

With Jack’s face dancing on the wall.

O Mr. Macklin! where's the door?

Happy Halloween

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Saturday, October 19, 2019

BW43: 52 Books Bingo - Sacred

Our next 52 books Bingo category is Sacred. Everyone's definition of sacred is personal and the rabbit trails are numerous and varied when it comes to Sacred literature from history to inspirational to spiritual growth and more.

The Scripture of Mankind by Samuel Charles Braden, attempts to define what is sacred literature and asks "What constitutes sacred literature? How does it differ from ordinary literature? Well, first of all, not in its being religious. For there is much religious literature that is not regarded as sacred; and a great deal of the content of so-called sacred literature is not necessarily directly religious at all, though indirectly it is usually in some way linked up with religion. In sacred literature are found history, legislation, poetry, letters, fables, myths, drama, genealogies, prophecy, visions, laments, martial songs, indeed almost the whole gamut of literary variety is to be found."

The Internet Sacred Text Archive is a font of online books covering religion, mythology, and folklore.

Peruse Goodreads listopia Different Takes on Religion and Spirituality to the Sacred and Secular to Desert Spirituality.

Dip your toes into Sacred Geometry or Sacred Poetry to Thoreau on the Sacredness of Libraries or dive into the Sacred Sea.

Read a book with Sacred in the title, spell it out or use a synonym.

Read an old friend that is sacred to you for its mirth, depth, ever expanding hope and joy.

Have fun following rabbit trails of thought and imagination.

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Sunday, October 13, 2019

BW42: Masaoka Shiki

In honor of Masoaka Shiki, born October 14,1867, who influenced and developed the modern form of Japanese Haiku and Tanka.

Asleep in a boat

I lie side by side with it:

the River of Heaven

coolness-

a mountain stream splashes out

between houses

an old pond-

floating upside down

a cicada's shell

crimson sunset

even through clouds

vernal equinox

fallen petals of

the crimson plum I pluck

from the tatami

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Sunday, October 6, 2019

BW41: October Spooktacular

Are you ready for a Spooktacular October full of chills and thrills, spine tingling adventure stories, and unexpected, jump out and surprise you, don't turn the lights off reads? If you are anything like me, gruesome horror isn't your thing. However, psychological, mind bending, Hitchcock type thrillers full of suspense are my favorite type of reads, along with paranormal, ghosts, vampires, were wolves and the weird.

If you haven't read the classics, now would be your chance with Frankenstein or Dracula, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Grey or Something Wicked This Way Comes. Put away your expectations because you may be surprised when they don't turn out how you suspect they will.

If you need a few ideas, check out Bustle's 20 New Horror Books For Readers Who Take Spooky Season Seriously or 11 Books That Scared The Master of Horror, Stephen King, And Will Terrify You, Too, as well as 5 Classic Horror Novels You Can Finish in a Single Sitting.

Lit Reactor's The 15 Most Anticipated Horror Books of 2019

Bookriot's 25 Top Horror Books According to Goodreads or What to Read if You Love Hitchcock Movies.

Haunted Rooms 12 Best Ghost Books to Keep You Up at Night.

Vampire Book Club's Sure fire favorites for Urban Fantasy

Off the Shelf's 8 Psychological Thrillers With Twists You Won’t See Coming

I've grown quite fond of Dean Koontz amazing stories and currently have Watchers as well as Intensity along with Dan Simmons Hollow Man, Steven King's The Green Mile, Josh Mallerman's Bird Box, and James Rollins Deep Fathom on my nightstand. Which one shall I read?

What spooktacular books will you be reading this month?

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