Cassastar by Cavanaugh ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

     Circus books would be my first go to as a book category, but I never had that many in my library.  Specifically, one book about the circus seems to be missing or astray from my shelves.  A wonderful book about circus history filled with many illustrations was given to me by my parents when I was about 10.  I spent hours reading through this book and it was on my shelves up to my college years.  Now it seems to be gone, although it might be packed away in a trunk or box somewhere.  I'd love to find that treasure again.

Cook Books

        In the top shelf of one of our kitchen cabinets I have a modest collection of cookbooks.  I haven't referred to any of these for quite some time as my cooking experimentation has waned these days now that I'm only cooking for my wife and I.  She's not a very adventurous eater so I limit my forays into exotic cuisine.  If I ever do decide to start cooking more elaborately than I do now, I've got a small library of cooking books to which I can refer.  

 

Classical Civilization  from Oxford Press

        I'm bringing up this book primarily for the ideal title for the letter 'C'.   It certainly sounds interesting to me, but I've not yet tackled this tome.  Maybe someday I'll delve into it.   In the meantime it looks very nice on our bookshelf.

Colossus by Michael Hiltzik

        This book is high on my to-read list.   The Hoover Dam is a pretty amazing place to visit.  I've been there a few times and also have seen a few documentaries about the building of the dam.   The book sounds like a very interesting read.  Soon I think.

Clive Cussler  The Kingdom

         This is the only Clive Cussler book that I currently see on my bookshelves, although I believe I have a few more somewhere. In 1980, I started listening to an NPR book reading show while they were serializing one of Cussler's books.  I became a fan of Cussler's writing.  Well, at least for that particular book.  I can't say if I've read any of his other works.  I think I have, but it's been a while.  At least I have this book.  I must have bought it when our local Borders was shutting down in 2010 or so.  I bought a lot of books at that time.

CassaStaR by Alex J Cavanaugh

         Most bloggers in our blogging world know Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh and many have read one or more of the books in Alex's Cassa series.  Alex Cavanaugh was among the first A to Z bloggers even though he only was a part of the Challenge for a few years.   But we thank Alex for the support he still gives to the A to Z Challenge.  If you haven't read any of his books so far, you should check them out.  

        What did I miss for the letter 'C'?    Have you read any of my picks?  Have you been to Hoover Dam and taken the "Dam Tour"?

Bibles and Bible Related Books ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

       'B' is for books and some of the most prevalent types of books on my shelves:  Bibles and Bible related books.  Not only have I accumulated many of these on my own, but a number were given to me by friends or bequeathed to me after my father passed away.   He had a lot of books like this.  I have followed in his footsteps.

Bibles and Bible Related Books

       My first Bible was given to me in 1958 by Pastor Frank Van Valen of the church my family attended when we lived in Pittsburgh PA.  This Bible (the black one pictured below) is now well worn with the cover disattached from the body of the book.  I've kept it for what it represents, but now I rarely use it.  The green Good News Bible was one that I purchased when I was at the University of Tennessee in the early seventies.  It's also falling apart so I don't often use this one either.  Now, when I am referring to the Bible when I'm at home, I will typically go online to find what I am researching at the time.  When I do want a hard copy of the Bible, I have around seven other Bibles besides the ones pictured below.  I figure you can never have too many Bibles and it's good to have a number of translations.

          I've never counted all of the Bible related books that I have in my home, but I've got a lot.  I've got an array of Bible commentaries, dictionaries, and other study books.  Once again, I find it easier now to refer to online resources, but if I need a book about the Bible I've got plenty from which to choose.  Below you can see a portion of one of my shelves devoted to Bible study books.  Many more are to be found scattered throughout our home.

Breakthrough by Stephen Tremp

         Stephen Tremp was among the earliest bloggers I encountered in my early blogging days.  He was kind enough to send me a copy of  Breakthrough, his first book of his Chase Manhattan series.  Wonderful book!  This is an exciting read with an interesting story. 

       What 'B' books come to your mind?   Are there any that you think should have a place in my collection?   Do you own one or more Bibles? 

Atlases and American Books ( #AtoZChallenge & #BOTB )

 

           And so it begins!  Another April means it's time for another Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  So we begin with the letter 'A' as I delve into my home bookshelves.  In my exploration I will sometimes be listing specific book titles, but much of the time I will be listing book genres or topical book themes.  This is where I will start.

"American" Books

          Since I'm an American and proud to be so, I have many books about this country, American history, and outstanding figures from American history.  There are far too many to list here and I will be naming some of these books in upcoming posts.   However I will start the book parade off by listing a generic history book called American History Desk Reference.  This is pretty much what it says it is.  Mostly it's a compilation of timelines and lists that might serve as a handy reference for the purpose of gaining historical perspective.  I've merely glanced at this book and have never gone through it at any depth.   It looks nice on my shelf, but so far I haven't found any great usefulness to it.  I've got plenty of actual well-researched history books when I want to read about this subject.

Atlases 

       I've loved maps and atlases since I was a child.  My parents gave me a world globe for Christmas of 1958 and I always enjoyed digging into the car glove compartment to look at the road maps my father used to pick up at the service station.   Back then they were a free service offered by the stations.  Those maps would provide me hours of exercising my imagination as I vicariously traveled to places around my state (whichever it was that we were living in at the time).  Not only did I learn how to read maps at a young age, I also became rather adept at folding those large pieces of paper.

       In my college years I acquired my first American road atlas and often studied it as I planned out imaginary trips for the future.  Eventually those trips became real and then I was touring the country full time.  Pre-Mapquest days, the road atlas was a necessity for anyone who wanted to take a lengthy road trip   From the seventies on, I've always owned at least one road atlas--usually published by Rand-McNally.   The road atlas was indispensable for anyone who spent time driving the roadways of America.

        Now, my go to atlas has become one of the books in my home that I refer to most.   This atlas, The American Road published by National Geographic, always goes with me whenever I take a lengthy road trip even though now I usually just set my phone to show me the way to where I'm going.  Most of the time this Atlas stays close at hand in my living room.  I think it's the ultimate coffee table book.  I don't know that my wife feels the same, but she seems to have accepted that I like to have the Atlas near at hand.  Usually I'll refer to it at least a few times each week as I hear of someplace on television that I want to find out where exactly it is.  For me maps are some of my most favorite references.

Atlas Shrugged

          Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged has been a rather influential book since it was first published 1957.  I first read it in 1976 after I acquired a battered paperback version.  My feelings about it were mixed back then, but I knew that it was a novel of significance.   Many years later I bought this massive hardback version.  Someday I plan to reread it.  I did see the three part movie that was made some years back.  It's an interesting story that is as meaningful now as it was when it first came out.

Battle of the Bands

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

White Rabbit   

        Most notably recorded by Jefferson Airplane, this song was inspired by Lewis Carroll's trippy book Alice in Wonderland.   Here are two cover versions for you to enjoy.  Which do you prefer?

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals   "White Rabbit"   (2009)

Elephant Revival   "White Rabbit"   (2016)

Time to Vote!

           It's in the book!  Or should be maybe.   Just listen and appreciate.  Which song version do you prefer?   Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Streampebbles (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Battle Results on April 8  

 

         Lots of A to Z action coming your way before that time, but don't forget to come back to see if your choice came out on top.   What do you think of the first book post?  Is there anything you'd like me to do differently with this?