Oxford Publications and Other Books ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

Oxford Publications

     In previous posts I have offered several other Oxford Publications from my shelves.  They publish some very beautiful reference works that fill up a bookshelf very nicely.  I particularly like this Illustrated Oxford Dictionary.  It's a monster of a book that is quite lovely.  My edition is a hardback edition from 1998.  I believe I got this as part of an special introductory promo offer to a major book club.  I've gotten a lot of books as a result of those introductory promos.

Organizing

       If there is one thing I should probably read about it's organizing.  I've got plenty of books on the topic but they are unorganized scattered willy-nilly throughout the house. I particularly like the look of Organizing Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin.  I wonder what's inside?  I should look so maybe I can start getting more organized.  I need the advice.

Organized Crime: An Inside Guide to the World's Most Successful Industry by Paul Lunde

     

        Well, I may not be organized, but crime is.  I couldn't tell you where I got this book or why I got it, but I got it.  Leafing through it the content seems pretty interesting.  Probably a good reference if I were writing something about organized crime.

Joel & Victoria Osteen

     Several years ago my wife and I started watching Joel Osteen on television  He was easy to listen to though not always theologically precise.  I just liked his speaking style.  His books are also easy fare. I didn't read Victoria's book (though my wife did) but I'm sure it's more of the same.  Their books can be quite encouraging.  Become a Better You is one of the books on our shelves.

O-zone by Paul Theroux

      Haven't read this yet, but what a great book for 'O'.  This is a futuristic science fiction novel by the same author who gave us Mosquito Coast.  I have that movie on DVD and it's pretty good.  This book came out in 1985.  Not sure how or when I acquired it.  Now that I realize what the book is about I think I should move it up higher on my future read list.

       

       

Out of Control by Leslie Cockburn

       Only vaguely do I remember buying this book in Missoula MT sometime in 1987.  There's a bookmark from the bookstore inside the covers.  This political piece of journalism was being talked about on television a lot at the time and that's where I heard about the book.  Since I was living on the road at the I didn't buy too many books, but apparently I wanted this one enough to get the new hardcover release.  I might read this again, but now it would be more history than current affairs.  There's enough crazy stuff going on in our times that maybe I don't need to read the political intrigue of 40 years ago.

Omnivore by Piers Anthony

         In 1968 I bought this book from the Doubleday Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club.   I'm sure that I read it at the time I got it, but that was over 50 years ago. Perhaps I'll read it again someday, but it's not high on my to-read list.  The book is still in decent condition considering all the moves it's made through the years.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac 

       Though I've been very aware of this book for most of my life, I did not read it until relatively recently--sometime in the past 10 years.  Finally, I purchased a copy of the book and set in reading it. Since it's a book mostly about road life it was definitely in my realm of interests.  This is the kind of book I might consider writing one day.  The book was written in my lifetime and takes place during the years right before I was born.  It's a bit of contemporary pop history which is something I really enjoy reading about.   Not the best book I've ever read, but well worth the read.

Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy

        Did I say that Cormac McCarthy is one of my favorite authors?  I know I already mentioned him in my 'M' post, but this book is well worth getting a mention.  Published in 1968, this was his second novel.  It's dark, creepy, and a bit disturbing--all the best of a McCarthy novel.  If you like Faulknerish fiction then you might like this one.  The tale is a story of incest, mystery, and a journey of finding the secrets of a hidden truth.

Collected Works by Flannery O'Connor

        Cormac McCarthy might be one of my favorite authors, but Flannery O'Connor is even higher on that list.  My collection has several books by her with some duplication in stories.  I love her writing as well as her demented sense of humor and wacky story imagination.  I was first turned on to O'Connor by my creative writing professor Dr. Robert Drake at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  He was passionate about her work and filled me with that passion.  Her body of work is relatively small, but it is powerful.  If you have not read anything by Flannery O'Connor and you consider yourself a writer then you need to get something by her and delve into it.  Her short stories are her best work.   Be careful as you might be offended by her seeming racial insensitivity, but it reflects the times about which she writes and the types of characters she writes about.  I'd suggest starting off with a story like "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" or "Revelation" which are two of her more well-known stories.  They're all good though. If you treat yourself to reading something by O'Connor, I hope you'll come back to my blog to tell me what you think.

Owen Fiddler by Marvin D Wilson

        Early in my blogging days I came across Marvin D Wilson's Old Silly Blog.  I'm not sure what happened to him, but maybe one of my readers can tell me.  The blog links that I have for him don't seem to work now.  I have two books by him on my shelves including the one shown.  You can read my Amazon review of this book here.   

     Anything in this list that catches your interest?   How organized do you tend to be?  Are you a fan of the literature of the American South?  

Owen Fiddler: A Review

You can find this book on Amazon

            On October 28, 2010, I reviewed Marvin D. Wilson's Beware the Devil's Hug and generally liked it, but with some reservations due to graphic language and sex.   If this part doesn't bother you, then I recommend reading Hug. 

          After Marvin's blog tour I won a copy of Hug, but since I had already read that one I was sent another earlier book by him.  This book is Owen Fiddler.  This modern allegory is a short easy read of about 200 pages.  It comes with the same caveat as Beware the Devil's Hug--if you are easily offended by, or prefer not to read, some profanity or sex scenes you should be forewarned that this book contains both.  It is not excessively used, but it is there.

             If you're past that, then you're ready to delve into this earthy earthly morality tale that's got one eye heavenward bound and the other studying things here at home.   Owen Fiddler is a guy who feels misunderstood and may be misunderstood at times.   He feels that he has been dealt a bad hand in life so he doesn't feel compelled to play life's game by the rules. 

            Owen goes through life with one mistake leading to another.  Even when good things come his way he manages to screw things up.  When it looks like Owen's life has really started going down the toilet, an amazing series of events occur as fate, or perhaps even the hand of God, step in to confront Owen with the man he has been, the man he is now, and the man he can be.  Will he make the right decisions?    Can he become a truly changed man?

            The book brings up important issues in a sometimes controversial way.  The characters are much like people you know or live in your own neighborhood.  The incidents are like things that could really happen.  The story is nicely told with a fast pace that keeps things moving.  There were times when I wanted more details about certain things, but the author has wisely chosen to keep the story compact and focused on the message.

             And there is a message.  However, this message is delivered carefully and with affection.  The story leaves you with a smile and a ray of hope for all of us.  There were a few theological cringes in the telling of this tale, but nothing that detracted from the ultimate lesson that is being taught.

              In all, I liked the story.   It has stayed with me in a good way and it made me think.  I also liked the characters--even that scummy Owen Fiddler.   Marvin's portrayal of his main character shows what a dirtbag Owen can be, but also takes us into Owen's mind  far enough to feel empathy for what he is going through.  This book is a careful literary balancing act that left me satisfied with the reading experience.

               You can visit Marvin D. Wilson's blog at The Old Silly.   Stop in and tell him hello and let him know that you saw this review.   Thanks for reading!
              

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I won this book as a prize during a blog tour.  I have decided to review this book on my own accord and what I say here is my opinion.     --AB

Holiday Reading List: 2010

            Christmas holidays are indeed a busy time for most of us, but if you are like me you probably have some extra down time that you can set aside for reading.  Since I'm driving this year and not flying like I usually do, I won't have much free travel time to read.  However I'll probably have some relaxation time in the motels at night as I trek across country.

             During my visits with family I know I'll be busy having a good time with them, but since I tend to rise early I'll undoubtedly have time for quiet reading since I won't have a computer to distract me.  And it's probably not going to be constant hustle and bustle.  I'm  sure I'll have those moments during the day when I can read a page or two or even more.

Here are the books I'm taking with me on my Christmas Vacation:

          Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch -- I started on this one in September and I want to finish this up first.  It's a biography of one of my favorite authors.  If you've never read any of O'Connor's work, you really should treat yourself to it.  She is most noted for her short stories.  They are dark, funny, and bizarre.

The Shack by William P. Young --- I had never really intended to read this somewhat controversial book, but some family members read it and really liked it and said that I should read it as well.  I have a negative opinion from what I've heard about it, but I want to read it so I can discuss it with those who have read it.                                                      

        Burning Down the Shack (How the 'Christian' Bestseller is Deceiving Millions) by James B. De Young--  The Shack inspired so much controversy that books were written about the book.   I want to read another side of the argument.

Finding God in the Shack by Roger E. Olson  -- This book was sent as a companion study to The Shack.  Maybe I'll read this if I'm not "shacked out" by the time I get to it.   I'll see how interested I am in the topic after reading the other two books.

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen -- This is a book that sounded like it had an interesting premise.  It looks like a quick easy read that will be a time-passer during lulls in the festive events of the season.

Owen Fiddler by Marvin D. Wilson -- We know this author as The Old Silly.  I won this signed copy from Marvin after the Beware the Devil's Hug book tour.  I want to read this on the way home so I can do a fresh review on Tossing It Out after vacation.

                                      

  Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner-- I promised that I would eventually  review this one when I hosted a stop on Tamara's book tour.  I'm hoping to have this review up in early to mid-January. 

     This might sound ambitious, especially for a slow reader like me.  But I figure I might as well set my sights high.  And who knows when that extra reading time may come along and I need books to read.  And if I somehow finish these, I still have a lot of books left at my mother's house that I never got around to reading when I was in high school and college.      

     Have you read any of these books?  If so what did you think of them?   Are any on your 'to read someday' list?     Do you have any special books that you are planning to read during the holidays?

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"Beware the Devil's Hug" and Leave the Kids at Home

            Marvin D. Wilson is a real pro when it comes to writing.   His latest novel Beware the Devil's Hug has been written so skillfully that it almost reads itself.  The chapters are brief, which makes this book a comfortable read.   Marvin's writing style has an economy of words that doesn't muddle the reading experience.   Any page will exhibit textbook examples of how to write, which makes this book a big plus for anyone interested in technique.

              Storywise this book also has what it takes to please most readers.   The lengthy cast of characters is presented so cleanly that it's easy to keep track of who's who in the story.   The storyline is well-paced with a good balance of tension and breathing room.   I didn't do a scientific measurement, but it seemed to me that Hugs is about 75% dialogue--good natural-flowing dialogue that allows for a fluidity of the reading experience.  The reader is put in the middle of every scene as it unfolds.

           Beware the Devil's Hug is a story for our times as it deals with relevant issues that could have been taken right out of this morning's newspaper.   The story centers around a mysterious old homeless man named Iam.  Initially repulsive to everyone he encounters, Iam has a power in his hug that cures disease, addiction, and hatred and allows the recipients of those hugs to see the world from an entirely new perspective.  The Old Man becomes romantically involved with a young crack-addicted prostitute whom he cures and redeems with his hug.  Iam also becomes involved with an organization that has been founded to bring the religions of the world together in peaceful agreement.  Throughout the course of book, this novel addresses important issues including child abuse, gangs, and terrorism.   The story crescendos into an interesting twist in its conclusion.

          And now here comes the part of this review that is somewhat difficult for me.   I don't really like to be negative, but my extreme subjectivity concerning certain aspects of this novel compels me to express these partly as a caveat for some similar minded readers and partly to address some of my own conflicted feelings about issues I've thought about in my own writing.  So please bear in mind that the following is a matter of personal preference and belief.

          Firstly, I'd like to warn any easily offended readers that there is profanity used and there are fairly graphic sex scenes described in Beware the Devil's Hug.   In some of the earlier tour stops Marvin has made this point, but I wanted to bring it up again in case any of my readers missed this.  I would not want someone to buy this book on my recommendation without knowing this from the outset--this book is rated "R".   By the same token I would not want to discourage anyone from reading the book because of this as long as they don't have a problem with this adult rating.

         In another tour stop Marvin said, "my books would offend the stiff, narrow minded and prudish."  Believe me, I know all the words and I've seen plenty of things in my life and read some very graphic writings and I'm not too easily shocked by much of anything.   However, that doesn't mean I want to read it now and by no means would I attribute my preference to being narrow-minded, prudish, or anything of that nature. 

           I've addressed this issue at other times.  I lean toward the idea that excess profanity and graphic sex can be distracting in literature if these things are not the main focus of the message that the writer wants to convey.  Don't get me wrong: Marvin's novel is not bursting at the seams with these things, but what is there still distracted me.   This is an issue I've struggled with in my own writing and I have tried to take a more subtle approach.   I welcome any additional opinions about this matter.

           The second issue I have with Beware the Devil's Hug concerns my own conflicting beliefs concerning the story itself.  I don't want to say anything here that will act as a spoiler, but I disagreed with some of the theological premises as I understood them.  And perhaps theology is the wrong word to be using here, but as I was reading I kept hearing John Lennon's "Imagine" playing in my head.  I really do like this song, but as I've grown older I've come to have a distaste for what Lennon's song lyrics represent to me.

            The ideas presented in Hugs conceptually sound beautiful and idealistic and will probably appeal to many people, but they are out of line with my personal theology--I think.   Perhaps I missed something as I was reading or maybe I'm just creating a greater complexity than should be present, but as I was reading I was thinking that the story was going in a different direction than where I thought it ended up.  Then again, I could read something different into the ending and interpret that it comes to a conclusion more like I was expecting.  My question that I do not recall seeing any explanation for is what is the significance of the book's title--Beware the Devil's Hug.  I wish I didn't come across with such abiguity here, but I don't want to give away the ending.

             Sorry if my rambling digrression took this review into the realms of commentary and reflection, but I think that this is also an indicator of a book that is well worth reading.   For me, if a book hasn't made me think and doesn't stay with me long after I've read it, then it is merely mindless diversion.   When I read I want to be entertained and this book entertains in a grand fashion.  However, I also want to stimulate my thinking and perhaps learn something.  I'm not sure what I've learned yet, but Beware the Devil's Hug did stimulate my mind and I continue to ponder the possibilities that the story suggests.  When a book stays with you after you've read it, you've gotten your money's worth.      


Buy Beware the Devil's Hug from Amazon .         


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Be sure to visit todays stop on the Virtual Hugs Tour:
Helen Ginger http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/ 10/28/10


And then the final stops of the tour:

Lacresha Hayes http://learntofeelpretty.blogspot.com/ 10/29/10

Kissie http://justkissie.com/ 10/30/10



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Hugs Therapy Virtual Tour 2010: A Interview with author Marvin D. Wilson

           Marvin Wilson is my special guest today on Tossing It Out.  This post is part of  The Old Silly's Hugs Therapy Virtual Tour 2010 .    Marvin's got a great contest going with lots of fun and valuable prizes and you can get all of the details here.

             The book that's being promoted is called Beware the Devil's Hug. To get more information and to purchase this book you can click here.


            Here's the nutshell version of Beware the Devil's Hug:

Iam is a homeless, smelly, ugly, unkempt old man who has a hug so powerful it can heal those who receive it physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Iam's powers have a radical effect on a prostitute and her dysfunctional family, and an ex-terrorist Muslim and his former Christian enemy who go on to found a peace group called CUE ( Coalition for Unity and Enlightenment).  An array of colorful characters fill this epic story of love, forgiveness, and intrigue.

           It's a fascinating concept that's presented in this book and I'll be reviewing and commenting on this book in my post tomorrow.   Today I want to take a look at Marvin D. Wilson the author and his approach to writing, and in particular how he approached writing Beware the Devil's Hug. 

           Many of you who read Tossing It Out and who know something about Marvin Wilson may be aware that he and I both have a background in music.  With that common interest in mind, I became curious to know how music influences his approach to writing and what musical influences can be found in this particular novel.

           As I read the book I couldn't help but notice frequent references to songs that various characters were singing to themselves or thinking about in various scenes, or how certain songs were actually part of the scenes.  A soundtrack could literally accompany this book.  I began to think about how writing might be similar to composing and performing music  I wanted to get Marvin's take on all of this and see if he could shed some further light on my observation.

           Here is my interchange with author Marvin D. Wilson:

Arlee:   We've heard quite a bit about Marvin Wilson the author on the Hugs Virtual Tour, but what can you tell us about Marvin the musician?

Marvin:    My first performance was at the age of two. As my mother accompanied me, I stood next to her on the piano bench in church singing, “Give Me That Old Time Religion”. By the time I was in Junior High (the Old School equivalent of today’s “Middle School”), I was playing the guitar, teaching myself by ear, listening to Beatles’ albums. In High School I was playing electric guitar, bass (both electric and standup), and some piano. I was the choir president, and was composing classical choral pieces that my choir director thought highly enough of to have our choir perform a couple of them in concerts. I also performed lead roles in the annual musicals, singing and acting in “The Music Man” and “South Pacific”.


           I was able to go to college on a scholarship I auditioned for and won, majoring in music with a minor in theater. I kept growing in the classical music composition arena, again getting favorable enough reactions from my professors to my writing to have—three, I believe—of my pieces rehearsed and performed in concerts ... two choral compositions and one big band jazz piece. But my college career was cut short before I finished my sophomore year. I ‘tuned in, turned on, and dropped out’—into the Hippie Movement at age twenty.

         As a young stud Hippie musician, I traveled all over the US, Mexico and Canada, doing lots of drugs and groupies, living the wild life of hallucinogenics, sex, and rock and roll for the next fifteen years. I might have died eventually of an overdose of licentious lifestyle had I not met my wife in my late 20’s, who I fell so in love with that she was able to get me to throw my ‘little black book’ away, settle down, get married, and get a ‘real job’ in order to better support and be there for our growing family.

         Although no longer a full-time professional musician, I still play and sing in my church’s Praise Band, and occasionally get gigs with local civic theater productions. I recently played lead electric guitar in the musical, “Aida”, the score of which was written by Elton John.

Arlee:   Throughout the book there were frequent references to songs, with characters singing, thinking about, or hearing particular songs. If you were to assign a particular song as a theme for each of the main characters, which songs would you use and why?
Specifically I'm talking about the characters Iam (the old man), Destiny (the prostitute), Christian (the Christian), and the organization CUE?


Marvin:  Iam would definitely have “What a Wonderful World”, the Louis Armstrong version, as his theme song. Destiny? I think Anita Baker’s “Caught up in the Rapture of Love” would be perfect for her. For Christian I’d assign Bob Marley’s “One Love”, and that would also be CUE’s theme song. I can picture the entire massive assemble of people from all over the world, of all different ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, holding hands and singing, “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel alright.”


Arlee:    If there were a film version of Beware the Devil’s Hug, what songs would be a good one for the opening and for the final credits?


Marvin:   I would again go with “One Love” for the final credits. For the opening, Prologue Parts One and Two, I would go instrumental, using excerpts from Igor Stravinksi’s “The Rite of Spring”.

Arlee:   Some of the action in the book takes place in the Middle East and one of the main characters, Ali, is Middle Eastern.    Are you a fan of middle eastern music?
Marvin:   I honestly don’t know that much about it. When I hear it—and I do occasionally get exposed to it through my several Muslim friends—I always enjoy it and am fascinated by it. The scales, the quarter tones, the vocal gymnastics that some of the virtuoso singers can perform, as well as the unusual time signatures and instrumentations—incredible. But I rarely seek it out on the radio nor do I own any CD’s. Couldn’t tell you the names of any famous Middle Eastern musicians, really.

Arlee:    When you are composing a novel, do you take a structured approach like a classical composer, an intellectual approach like a improvisational jazz musician, or a more formulaic good time approach like a rock songwriter?
Marvin:   Probably a Jazz Rock fusion approach would best describe my formula. Lots of improvisational passages dispersed throughout a weaving of blues, rhythm and blues, soft and hard rock, ballads, etc.

Arlee:    So would you say that when you are writing a book, rather than scoring it carefully note by note like a classical composer, it's more like a jam session that you go back to polish up later?
Marvin:   Definitely a jam session when pounding out the first draft. Hugs was written in a three week intense blur. I don’t remember much of anything else that happened during that time. It was just like being so “in the moment” … like when you are when caught up in a magical jam session with some great musicians. The music takes over your entire being and things come out of you that you never knew you were capable of. Time stops. Creativity takes over. Your ‘self’ gets lost for a while in the blessed ‘here and now’ of composition creation.

           Now when I go back for the self-editing, revisions, rewrites, etc., then I am the classical musician, crafting the rough stone into a gem. My editor on Hugs, Deb Harris, of All Things That Matter Press, even admonished me to not be so anal and over-micro managerial of my words. She encouraged me to go back and leave a lot of the free-flowing prose the way it was before I corrected every little thing to read like some stickler of an editor had written it rather than a creative writer. Also, during the revisions stage, I strive to create more intensity where needed, push harder on the emotional buttons if necessary, and relocate or even take out scenes altogether if they seem out of place or not really part of, moving it along, the core story.

Arlee:    Do you see this book as a symphony with specific movements consisting of themes and variations on themes, or is it more like a grouping of smaller ensemble pieces that complement one another?
Marvin:    It’s a symphonic composition with several themes and variations on those themes, with movements ranging from glaringly definite to subtle.

Arlee:   If this book were a concert, do you see this book as a serious work like a classical performance, or is it more like a rock concert, or is it something else?
Marvin:     Interesting question. I’d like to think it would be an interactive experience, a concert of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual exchanges, dancing through the body-minds of all present like a 70s ‘live-in’ spontaneous happening that occurs within the ostensible confines of a classical setting … the novel format being like the ‘hallowed halls’ auditorium within which anything, classical-stodgy, to enlightening, to shocking, to ribald, can happen.
Arlee:    J.S. Bach is known for precise mathematical compositions that glorify God. Mozart was a populist composer who could often be crude in his operas. Wagner wrote soaring epics and took his work quite seriously. If you were comparing yourself to a classical composer, which composer would you be and why? 

Marvin: My favorite spiritual/inspirational author is Richard Bach, and I am a huge fan also of J.S. Bach’s compositions. While my books are not precise mathematical compositions, I do intend to glorify God with them, and, like Wagner, I take my writing very seriously. And yet, as anyone who has read my books knows, I can get down and dirty and ‘crude’ if the story calls for it, like Mozart. So … I would compare myself to all three. How’s that for an ambiguous answer? (wink) Maybe I should have been a politician?


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           And there you have it folks.   Two older but young at heart ex-hippies just rapping about books and music.  Do you ever look at writing from a different point of view?   Sometimes it's liberating to think outside of the box just like Marvin did in his book.  

           Thanks Marvin for this interview today.   I enjoyed the insight you gave and I hope the readers did as well.

            Don't forget--I'll have a bit more to say about Beware the Devil's Hug tomorrow right here on Tossing It Out.   Hope you will join me here.
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           Make sure you visit the next stop on the tour which will be Helen Ginger http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/  posting on Thursday October 28, 2010.


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Teaser Tuesday: Just a Peek at "BEWARE THE DEVIL'S HUG"

          A while back I noticed Golden Eagle participating in Teaser Tuesday and decided that one day I might try this.  Today seems like a good day since this week I will be participating in Marvin Wilson's Hugs Therapy Virtual Tour 2010 which is for the purpose of promoting his most recent book Beware the Devil’s Hug.   My excerpt will be from that book.

        But first an explanation about what Teaser Tuesday is:


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

         

          The Old Man chortled. "Believe, my son, believe. You knew it was me because you could sense me, the inner me, both back then and here today. I never saw your face, either, remember, but one does not forget an aura if one is tuned into it. Auras are not only seen with eyes that can see, they are felt with souls that can feel."       page 116,  Beware the Devil's Hug,  by Marvin D. Wilson   

        


Beware the Devil's Hug can be purchased here

          Tomorrow I will have a special post in which Marvin D. Wilson will discuss some of the approaches he took in writing Beware the Devil's Hug.   Since Marvin and I have a mutual interest in music, I wanted to take a comparative look at the similarities between composing and playing music and writing a novel. In his usual good-natured way, Marvin was happy to indulge my whims.  This will be a bit different spin on the writing process that you will hopefully find interesting.   Join us tomorrow, October 27, for the next exciting stop of Marvin D. Wilson's whirlwind book tour.