Oh man, where have I been?  It is definitely time for a blog re-boot. I need this.  And I’ve made a commitment to my followers to keep their book shelves full of good books to read.  I’m slacking on the job.

I’m giving the blog a new look, I’ve updated the list of books that have been recommended over the years (each book in the list links to the post about it), and I’m committing to a weekly post.  The weekly post is just to get me back into writing (Selfish? Maybe, but in the end, it is giving back to my readers as I spark my creativity and practice my writing).

Please feel free to share my blog with your book reading friends, book clubs and fellow adventurers of life.  It’s easy to  click the follow button and never miss a post as they will show up in your email. You can read or delete and move on.

A little history about the “Wild About Books” blog.

I started this blog August 5, 2014.  As with most projects I start, I wasn’t really sure how it was going to evolve.  I had to choose a theme to blog about, something I was passionate about.

Reading.

That’s what I’ve done all my life with a vengeance.  I found that when I had conversations with people and hear about their life I would always end up recommending a book for them to read.

I gave my friend Heidi the Barbara Kingsolver book “Animal, Vegetable Miracle”.  Heidi, who was not even 30 years old at the time, finished the book then started a garden, built a greenhouse, purchased dozens of chicks and turned her old barn into the chicken condo.  She will not commit to any fall activities with us as she is busy canning and seed saving. The book changed who she is.  When you drive by her house in the summer, you’ll see her big gardening hat working it’s way through the garden spreading love and goodness as she tends to the plants and pulls the weeds.

My long time friend Debbie told me about her husband allowing his old dog to keep living when he was long past due to be put down.  I told her he should read “The Art of Racing in the Rain”.  He put his dog down when he finished the book.  That was the moment I decided I needed to write my blog on reading books.

I’ve written 81 posts (this will be 82). I’ve recommended 34 books and 1 magazine.  I’ve written about adventures from kayaking in Belize to backpacking the Grand Canyon.  I have 57 followers.  I’ve written 63,561 words.  My post with the most views was my letter to Barack Obama.  The UPS man post got the most shares.  My proudest moment was when I got a comment from Heather Tucker author of “The Clay Girl”.  The most fun I had writing a post was the story of my son’s wedding.  It was a great time and fun to write about.  The one I have the most fun re-reading is the mindfulness while cross country skiing post.  And the post I’ve read out loud the most is the post about the river groover.  I read it to the senior government class each year as a guest speaker on blogging.  You have to read it with a British accent; like you’re hosting a BBC special on PBS.

I’ve recently been involved in a book club start up.  I mean an actual get together, face to face with people kind of book club.  A social activity with food and drinks.  The first book we read was “Know my Name” which I recommend that everyone read.  We had a great discussion and immediately set up another book and book club date.

Our current book is also the new book selection for Wild About Books.  “The Island of Sea Women” by Lisa See.  This is a very engaging book and in Lisa See style, well written.  This book is a historical fiction that takes place on a Korean island.  You learn about a society where the men stay home to cook and take care of the babies and the women work.  You learn about the beginnings of the Korean war.  And you learn about the atrocities, inhumane activities and unimaginable hardships that war brings.  I highly recommend “The Island of Sea Women”.

Hope you enjoy my blog.  Don’t forget to check the “book list” tab if you are in need of a book to read.  Also, please share my blog, follow my blog or even comment on the blog.

Wild About Books