No man remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself.

Hi all! Happy FRRRRIIII-DAAAAYYY. (remember, we discussed how that was supposed to sound last week.

Theme continued!
As requested, I continue the bookshelf review theme. Today I’m doing shelf number 2 on my bookshelf in my bedroom.
The left hand side:


First up from the left-you can barely see it, but that’s one of those teach you how to do Japanese art books from Barnes and Noble and it taught me three of the four things I can draw that looks decent.
Next is Atonement by Ian McEwan and I got this from my mom after the movie came out with the full intention of reading it and then seeing the movie (I like to do that sort of thing) but haven’t gotten around to doing either.
After that is Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette (P.S.) by Sena Jeter Naslund which is a really great book, another historical fiction based on a famous person in history. This one starts when Marie is very very young and goes to the end. It was the book that the movie with Kirsten Dunst was based on. The one Sophia Coppula did.
Next is Paradise by Toni Morrison GREAT book, this one has so many twists and turns you come out not know which was is up, but feeling very complete. This is one of the few Toni Morrison books I dig.
After that is a series of books by Ken Follett, my Dad’s favorite author. We have World Without End, The Pillars of the Earth (my families favorite, one year for his birthday I sent my dad’s first edition to Ken Follett and he signed it!), and up above The Key to Rebecca. I usually have a couple of these books around as detoxers because they are good reads when you just want something familiar and normal. I’ve been reading these books since high school.
Next is Drowning Ruth: A Novel by Christina Schwarz this was a very good book that my mom gave me, I think it was an Oprah book.
The Miss America Family by Julianna Baggott was a book I got because I thought it was going to be super funny, but it had a funny twist in it all of the sudden where it got really dark and stayed that way. Still, a good read.
Next is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky which took me almost 2 years, on and off to read. It was one that I would get overwhelmed with and then have to come back to, but when I finally got it done it felt great (even thought the book is pretty depressing)
I’m mildly obessed with Anderson Cooper, so of course I have his book Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival and it really is a great and inspiring read. The biggest affirmation I pull away from it is “Follow your bliss” which I try to do.
Next is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and I’m not going to lie to you, I’ve tried a bunch of times to read this book and it just doesn’t click. Its way over my head. I keep it there and randomly try to read it again every couple of years, but so far, fail.
I have no idea what that next book is…it’s from my mom…I can’t even read the title to link it for you all…
After that No Angel by Penny Vincenzi which is a really good book and I really enjoyed it until seemingly happily married people started cheating on each other, then I didn’t care for it so much, but it came together nicely in the end, I just don’t care for reading about cheaters.
Next is The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir and if you haven’t noticed by now, I love reading historical bibliographies that delve into fictional territory. This is another one of those.
After that is The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson which I just realized I’ve never finished…my dad really enjoyed this one and passed it on, and I remember liking the first couple of chapters I read, I should finish that…
Along the bottom is L’ara’s copy of Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer and I have no idea what that is doing there at all *rips off “Team Edward” t-shirt* What?
Oh and there is one of my favorite pictures of my brother and I at the zoo a bajillion years ago. I have red hair and he looks like a normal kid, pre his piercings.

The right hand side:


Starting in the middle with the red book that looks like an old book:

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Lucia Graves this is a really good book that had a really well written mystery that had me so wrapped up I jumped to the end to see who the killer was! I couldn’t stand it! It also paints a lovely picture of Spain.
Up next is Peony in Love: A Novel and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See, I originally read Snow Flower which I picked up in the bargain bin, since reading Memoirs of a Geisha I’ve loved books about Historical Asia, I loved it so much I bought another one by the author, Peony in love. I couldn’t tell you which I like better, they are both REALLY good.
Two more of Seth’s books: Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf and And If You Play Golf, You're My Friend: Furthur Reflections of a Grown Caddie by Harvey Penick and Bud Shrake which are books my parents gave Seth.
Next up is Holy Blood, Holy Grail Illustrated Edition: The Secret History of Jesus, the Shocking Legacy of the Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln which was a book of contention because they say it is where Dan Brown got his idea for The DaVinci Code from, and I had to see what the hubbub was about which leads us to our next books-
Angels & Demons - Movie Tie-In: A Novel and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown both great books, lots of amazing twist and turns and there is so much more to it, every time you read it you discover something new, like did you know there is a secret code on the covers? I haven’t figured them out, I just read that online on his website.
The last one I have no idea, I think it’s a text book, but I’ll distract you by telling you about my cute little reed diffuser that I got from Target for a dollar, the smell is apples and cinnamon, a classic favorite of mine.

I’m just theme-ing it up today!
Just to keep in line with last week, here is this week’s “I admit”
-I admit I woke up with a sore throat and bright yellow snot and still came to work, its Mexican Food day, I would be here if I woke up missing an arm people.
-I admit I seriously thought about staying home with my husband today, until I remembered it was Mexican Food day at work.
-I admit that I hated planning my wedding, it made me a stressed, oversensitive person, who I didn’t like.
-I admit that I had a really fun time at my wedding when all was said and done.
-I admit I’m still not washing my hands in the bathroom, I was further scared by some woman who came out and blatantly she announced that she had peed on her hand accidently (WTF???!) and then TOUCHED THE TAPS to turn the water on. Yay! I touched those taps later to turn the water on in a hand washing fake out. Yeah, so not doing that anymore.
-I admit I promised my husband I would at least use that antibacterial gel.
-I admit I let Bags sharpen his nails on the carpet because I’m just glad he isn’t doing it on the furniture and we are going to replace that carpet anyway.
-I admit that the garden is starting to feel like its more work than is worth it.
-I admit I am so glad to be done sanding and staining stupid house stuff until JUNE!
-I admit I totally quit the fruit diet after I almost shat my pants on the way to work.
-I admit I had a granola bar and Doritos for breakfast.

Alright all! I’m off to Mexican Food day! Have a nice weekend!!
Love (FRRRRIIIIIDDAAAAYY’s),Carrie