#books written by honor tracy

[whentherewerebicycles]

favorite things I read in 2023:

emily tesh, some desperate glory. I’m making myself wait a couple months before I reread but gosh I really, really loved this one. GOSH every once in a while you stumble across a book that feels like it was written exactly for you and this one was for meeeeee. earth is destroyed by aliens. the last remnants of humanity live aboard a crumbling space station where genetically engineered children are raised to be super-soldiers in a militaristic death cult. the sci-fi world/history itself is fascinating but mostly this is a book about like idk cultural trauma and brainwashing and kids learning how to be human again. if you, like me, go absolutely feral over ender’s game, you will love this book.

tasmyn muir, the locked tomb series. I can’t decide if harrow or nona was my favorite but I stayed up so late reading these and my jaw was just on the floor about how thematically and structurally daring these works are. I’ve never read anything this ambitious by a relatively new-to-the-scene novelist. also I’d die for camilla and palamedes godddd rip my fucking HEART out why don’t you. I want to take a graduate seminar where we just read and analyze and write papers about these books lol.

douglas stuart, young mungo. so, so gutting. don’t waste your time with his first novel, as he was clearly still working out how to make a book. pleased to report he figured it out with the second and the results are just aaaaaa extremely painful.

naomi novik, uprooted. gorgeous, immersive folktale-inspired fantasy. my goodreads pals either loved this one or loathed it so ymmv but I really liked it. unfortunately I then went on a novik kick and read her abysmally bad scholomance trilogy which slightly soured me on her. but this one… good!

katherine addison, the goblin emperor. this was a book in which nothing much happened and yet you never wanted it to end because you liked the protagonist so much.

and a few honorable mentions:

john williams’s stoner—a reread but man it still packs a punch. so simple and yet so rich

samanta schweblin’s fever dream and grace chan’s every version of you which were stylistically very different but both kinda trippy speculative fiction that really got under my skin & freaked me out

tracy deonn’s legendborn. very solid YA with great characters although I tapped out of the trilogy—the books were a little too long and I’m not into arthurian stuff enough to feel really hooked by the magical world.

neil gaiman’s neverwhere. can you tell I was really leaning hard into sci-fi and fantasy this year lol. this was also a reread but I hadn’t revisited it since maybe high school?? a looong time ago. just a delight.

I also read a ton of books on fertility, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and parenting, but for the most part none of them were anything to write home about apart from a silent sorrow (so good, so moving, so humane—really gave me a language and a framework for thinking about a painful human experience). I also liked how to raise a boy although at this stage in my life I felt like it was most useful as fic research lol. it gave me some great ideas for writing male characters!

[fantasybooktournament]

my very biased favoirtes (tm)

kingkiller chronicle baby!! ive been obsessed with this series for half my life now and ive written essays on it for fun. it is deeply special to me.

the tortall books esp the song of the lioness was one of the first books i read on my own that my mom hadnt read. these are my ultimate comfort books and influence the fantasy i read after.

graceling realms by kristin cashore (well the first three at least) is a series i can read over and over. i love the magic system and how it's tied to themes. the main characters are complicated and dynamic, the romances are beautiful .. . absolutely amazing.

the gilded wolves by roshani chokshi is a puzzle book, a historical fantasy. there is a big emphasis on found family, addresses racism and colonialism within europe (esp the upper class), and it is all very cleverly constructed.

legendborn by tracy deonn is worth all the hype is is getting and I hope people continue recognizing its awesomeness. the only book in king arthur canon im attached to. its about grief, it's about legacy, it's about institutional racism, its about parents and children. read for a strong emotional journey, complicated characters, and difficult conversations about king arthur and the united states

in other lands by sarah rees brennan which tbh i read back when it was being published online. perfect for those who love snarky protagonists, commentary on the fantasy genre, you gotta try this book!

the poppy war by rf kuang is one of the few trilogies i have finished in the past few year. its absolutely heart-wrenching. starts as a magic school book, then turns into a magic war book. please look up the trigger warnings beforehand. perfect for those who love epic fantasies tied to historical events.

piranesi by susanna clarke is the strangest book I've read. its not like anything else I've read. you should absolutely try it.

strange the dreamer by laini taylor is beautifully written, clever, and full of amazing themes. i love these characters and worlds and it's very lovely and intense.

elatsoe by darcie little badger is a modern day fantasy and i cannot recommend it enough, it's so clever and kind and theres ghost dogs????

little thieves by margaret owen- my new beloved. this book was written for me, even if the author doesnt know it. sequel comes out in only a few days, perfect time to read it!!

Honorable mentions:

sunshine by robin mckinley- i love robin mckinley's books although this is not my favorite, its a fantastic take on vampires

the bone witch by rin chupeco- amazing world building and beautiful writing, im way overdue to finish the series

nettle and bone by t. kingfisher- a dark, creepy fairy tale feel that has me wanting more from the author

an ember in the ashes by sabaa tahir- another series i absolutely need to finish, has some really interesting morally gray characters.

wayward children by seanan mcguire- these books are so satisfying and i am absolutely the target audience for this series. we love deconstructed portal fantasies

girls made of snow and glass by melissa bashardoust- i will read all fairy tale retellings but this one i bought after because i needed this fantastic version of snow white

the sandsea trilogy by chelsea abdullah- only the first one is out but i am so invested to see where this reimagining of a thousand and one nights goes!

his dark materials by phillip pullman- a classic. your soul is your animal companion. need i say more?

the golem and the jinni by helene wecker- a very recent read but i will be shoving this into peoples hands now. historical fantasy isnt always my jam but when it works, it works.

[ironwoman359]

For the YA readers, there's plenty for you too!

Ones I've read:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (Arthurian legend retelling with an incredibly well rounded protagonist that paints a beautiful picture of grief and anger and this is one of the best ya books I've ever read please read it)

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (retelling of the historical Chinese empress Wu Zetian's rise to power with giant mecha robots and a power polycule that could rule the world together if the plot would give them a break first)

Blood Like Magic by Lieselle Sambury (near-future fantasy with blood magic, the bonds and burdens of family, and a trans love interest)

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland. (Alternate Civil War history with zombies? Alternate Civil War history with zombies.)

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (A Cinderella retelling/deconstruction where our protagonist and her lesbian love interest decide to single-handedly try to tear down the patriarchy)

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas (A trans demigod from an Aztec inspired pantheon is unexpectedly drawn to compete in a series of trials to become the Sunbearer, who will sacrifice the loser of the trials in order to keep the Sun God alive and evil at bay)

Binti by Nnedi Okorofor (Nnedi Okorofor was mentioned above but I have to shout out the Binti series specifically, it's a trilogy of novellas and it's so damn good, some of the best sci fi I've ever read, Binti and Okwu have my whole entire heart)

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (What if Memory of a Geisha had necromancy, women's wrongs, and a framed story that makes you unable to stop reading, lest your questions as to how we got here go unanswered?)

Abeni's Song by P. Djèlí Clark (this is more middle grade than YA, but it's fantastic all the same, and I wanted to shout it out because when I found out that P. Djèlí Clark had written a book for younger readers I literally squealed aloud, his books are SO good and Abeni's Song is no exception)

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott (Another middle grade series, about a group of kids from Brooklyn who get caught up in a world of dragons and magic and it's so cute and so good, I believe really strongly in reading and supporting diverse middle grade books and this was the series that started me on that journey)

Solimar: the sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan (One more middle grade book for the road, this is a Mexican Kingdom inspired story about a princess who wants to be king who must embark on a magical journey to save her family and her people)

And some honorable mentions (aka books on my TBR that I haven't read yet but will get to eventually):

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (I just finished her adult debut and now want to go back and read her entire Secret Shanghai series)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (everyone who reads this says it emotionally destroys them and then puts it on their top five fantasy books of all time list, so there's something Good going on in there)

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne Brown (initially put on my list solely for the cover, this is the first book of a duology inspired by West African folklore)

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna (It's honestly criminal that I haven't read this trilogy yet

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (Aiden Thomas's debut, this book centers a trans boy who exists in a world with a very Gendered magic system who carves out his own place for himself, my cousin says it's amazing)

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow (this JUST came out, I follow the author on tiktok and it looks dope, we've got a secret mirror world, vanished royal brides, sinister secrets, etc.)

PLEASE for the love of the universe read anti-colonial science fiction and fantasy written from marginalized perspectives. Y’all (you know who you are) are killing me. To see people praise books about empire written exclusively by white women and then turn around and say you don’t know who Octavia Butler is or that you haven’t read any NK Jemisin or that Babel was too heavy-handed just kills me! I’m not saying you HAVE to enjoy specific books but there is such an obvious pattern here

Some of y’all love marginalized stories but you don’t give a fuck about marginalized creators and characters, and it shows. Like damn

[bewitchingbooktours]

A Bewitching Monday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops

Author Advice with Mark Towse #Horror #Thriller #Romance #Comedy  #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3TA27LR

Urban Fantasy Author Eric Swett: Top 5 signs I've made it as an author + excerpt  #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4a5O8El

Hecate, the Goddess of Crossroads, Embracing the Unconventional: A Ritual by Lucinda Wicked

Crossroads Magic by Tracy Cooper-Posey #ParanormalWomensFiction #ParanormalRomance  #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ISmNtx

Spotlight: Chasing the Dragon written by Mark Towse https://newagedreamchick.com/2024/03/25/spotlight-chasing-the-dragon-written-by-mark-towse/

What they’re saying about The Hunter’s Daughter: “A GENUINELY CREEPY ATMOSPHERIC DEBUT. 

A propulsive store of crimes old and new, the power of memory and the darkness that dwells inside us all. You’ll be turning pages all night and searching the woods for dark shadows (which just might be the Forest God…)” - Jennifer McMahon The Hunter’s Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group on sale May 14, 2024. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB #nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #bestseller #newrelease https://amzn.to/48NTMdP

A Murder of Wizards: Apocalypse Rising Year Two (Armageddon Angels, Book Three) by Eric Swett @ericswett ~ Urban Fantasy #UF  #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/4aoKg19

Bewitching Book Tours Spring Magic Sale Receive 10% off any virtual book tour or social media package scheduled before April 10  Sign up here: http://goo.gl/dNgqXv Use code: SPRINGMAGIC This code can not be combined with other sales or special pricing

BLOG TOUR – Cosmic Requiem Circle by Lucinda Wicked https://echoingbooks.wordpress.com/2024/03/25/blog-tour-cosmic-requiem-circle-by-lucinda-wicked/

Haunted Hotels of Michigan Coming August 12, 2024 From captivating tales of lingering lumber barons to lovelorn ladies and chilling stories of murder, Michigan's hotels hold secrets that will send shivers down the spine. https://amzn.to/3Touz4p #MichigansMostHauntedHotels  #MichigansMostHaunted #HauntedMichigan #MichiganGhosts #GhostlyGetaways #MichigansGhostlyGetaways #HauntedTravel #GhostTravel #GhostTourism #HauntedTourism #DarkTourism #HauntedHotelsofMichigan #MichigansHauntedHotels

As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned

[fmhiphop]

65th Annual Grammys Award Show Rebounds In Viewership

The Grammys came back with a vengeance. The controversial awards show reportedly put up the best ratings in three years. The streaming service Paramount+ says this year's show was the platform's biggest live-streaming audience ever. An Estimated 12.4 Million Watched The Show An audience of an estimated 12.4 million watched the star-studded show with performances by artists such as Lizzo and DJ Khaled. That is a big bump up after a few years of award shows trying to find their place during the pandemic. Plus, controversy has seemed to follow the show for years with stars like The Weeknd and Nicki Minaj calling the organization out. Many have complained about the lack of racial diversity and gender on the winner's list as well. Lizzo performing at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Image Source: CHRISTOPHER POLK/VARIETY Viewership During Pandemic Years In 2021, live viewership was 8.8 million and last year it was 8.9 million. This is according to Nielsen ratings. It is great news for the Grammys, but the ratings are still not at pre-COVID levels. In 2020, 18.7 million people watched the show. The Grammys is allegedly the most watched network primetime program this season, if you don't include sports. Pro football seems to be the only television event that has survived the decline in live viewership over the past few years. A Chance Viewership Can Slightly Increase? There is a chance the viewership number can increase slightly when delayed viewing is counted later. The Hollywood Reporter should have final ratings on Tuesday morning. It will give a better idea of the CBS and Paramount+ breakdown. 65th Annual Grammy Awards Interesting Moments The significant increase in views may have had to do with the huge and interesting moments that took place. Trevor Noah hosted the 2023 awards show at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. It looks like Beyonce is not only queen of the hive, but now of the Grammys too. Queen Bey is now the all-time awards champ of the Recording Industry Association of America. The Houston native has 32 Grammys as of February 5, 2023. However, there was an uproar for her loosing to Harry Styles for album of the year and his comment in the speech. On top of that, uproar also occurred in her speech dedicating 'Renaissance' to the queer community. Also, hip-hop was celebrated last night in the 50th anniversary tribute. It was seen as a huge highlight of the show, which included hip-hop royalty like Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah and Busta Rhymes. A heartfelt tribute by Quavo and Maverick City Music honored the late Takeoff. It was a mashup of "Without You" and "See You Again." But those on Twitter never miss a beat as they caught celebrities who have recently died — such as Aaron Carter, Traci Braxton and Gangsta Boo — omitted from the tribute. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop tonight and forgetting to include Gangsta Boo in the memorial video is disrespectful af @RecordingAcad. — K E I S H (@MikeishaDache) February 6, 2023 For those asking, though we may not have seen Aaron Carter in the In Memoriam segment on the #GRAMMYs, but his name was put in the official #Grammys program book. pic.twitter.com/UmoeIT7nT6 — Clay Brice (@clay_brice) February 6, 2023 Written by Vhannah | Instagram | YouTube Read the full article

[bookloversofbath]

Silk Hats and No Breakfast: Notes on a Spanish Journey (Honor Tracy)

Silk Hats and No Breakfast: Notes on a Spanish Journey (Honor Tracy)

Silk Hats and No Breakfast: Notes on a Spanish Journey (Honor Tracy) lands on the shelves of my shop.

London: Methuen & Co., 1957, Hardback in dust wrapper.

2nd printing, first published 1957. Contains: Maps [1];

From the cover: This is the account of a journey through parts of Spain curiously neglected by English travellers. Setting out from Algeciras the author slowly made her way by provincial…

[tildeathiwillwrite]

*cracks knuckles* Okay, here goes!

S Tier:

Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. In a world of ash and smoke, a teen girl with special abilities is recruited into a crew looking to defeat an immortal tyrant. The magic system includes but is not limited to eating metal and gaining abilities such as influencing others' emotions, heightening senses and controlling metal. The sequel quartet The Wax and Wayne Series takes place 300 years later and is also amazing. This is written by the same guy who finished the Wheel of Time after Robert Jordan passed away.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones. A young hatmaker is cursed to look like an old woman and seeks out a powerful wizard, proceeds to bully his fire demon and aggressively clean his magical castle. It's two spin-offs are decent too, and the adaption by Studio Ghibli is good but not exactly faithful.

A Tier:

Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo. A group of teenage thieves consisting of an assassin who prays for her victims, a gambling sharpshooter, a girl who can make a person's heart explode in their chest, an ex-witch hunter, an inexperienced chemist, and a ruthless lockpick are hired to rescue a scientist from an impenetrable fortress. Similar in vibe to Mistborn but Mistborn is better in my humble opinion.

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. A king is assassinated by a man in white who can walk on walls, kickstarting a war with a crab-like people who are well-versed in music theory. The story revolves around a slave with depression, a scholar seeking to steal a device for her family, and the deceased king's brother plagued with visions from a dead deity. Only in A tier because it's not finished yet, with four out of ten books published so far.

Dragonlance by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. 300 years ago, a great cataclysm reshaped the world of Krynn. Now, an army of dragon lead by the Queen of Darkness seeks to rule the world. Only a group consisting of a half-elf who despised killing, a mischievous kender, a stubborn dwarf, a morally-questionable wizard, a skilled fighter (who is also the wizard's twin brother), an honorable knight, and a pair of exiled barbarians stand in the way of world domination. The main trilogy is excellent and there is no shortage of spin-offs and sequels.

B Tier:

The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. A man named Haplo and his dog traverse four realms in search of information about a magical race called the Sartan who trapped Haplo's people, the Patryns, in a deadly Labyrinth for a thousand years, destroyed the world and remade it into the four realms, then vanished into thin air. This 7-book series is not without its flaws but the worldbuilding and magic systems are fantastic!

Beyonders by Brandon Mull. Our main character, Jason, gets swallowed by a hippo. But instead of being digested, he finds himself in Lyrian, a fantasy world oppressed by an evil wizard known as Maldor. With the aid of Rachel, a girl also from Earth, a blind king, a depressed musician, and a strange man who can pull himself apart, Jason scours the world for a magical word that is said to destroy Maldor. Children's series but vastly underrated.

These are the recommendations I can think of off the top of my head, and the authors listed also have other fantasty books that aren't named here. The summaries are as accurate as I can get them without (hopefully) spoiling.

What is your tier list of fantasy books? I am looking to read more fantasy and I have currently started reading Wheel of Time.

[thebellekeys]

My Hogwarts House book recs

Okay, ever since some of my favorite booktubers made posts like these many a year ago, I always wanted to make a book rec list like this because I still genuinely do like the Hogwarts Houses. Enjoy!

Gryffindor

Graceling by Kristen Cashore - she walked so these new fantasy girlies could run, fantasy kingdom with assassin main character, the original ya high fantasy killer girlboss imo

A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin - all of the sympathetic leads are classic heroes (dany, jon, arya), adventure and politics and battle and dragons, nuanced outlooks on honor

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - ww2 novel, deals with the french resistance during the occupation, hit every spot in my cold black heart, emphasis on sisterhood and endurance

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - what is bravery if not a broke woman telling a rich man to get a grip, og strong female lead overcoming many challenges, criticisms of polite society

Hufflepuff

Crave by Tracy Wolff - big on found family, paranormal romance shenanigans in a boarding school, somewhat satire, unserious and just very wholesome, steeped in nostalgia uwu

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir - unapologetically written to heal and explore trauma, cathartic, wholesome and pure relationships, emphasis on self-growth and overcoming abuse and pain

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali - historical, about the value of relationships in war and hardship, themes of growth and acceptance and promises, beautiful story

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic - what happens when you let a bunch of mentally ill kids play a made up sport, angsty but feels like a big hug, contemporary fiction, just genius ok

Ravenclaw

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake - very slytherclaw, philosophy and physics as the basis, dark academia urban fantasy, character-driven, multiple POVs, morally grey academics

Babel by RF Kuang - this book has been likened to a history textbook, by a nerd girlie for the nerd girlies, linguistics and languages, super well-researched, condemns colonization

Disorientation by Elain Hsieh Chou - witty and sharp narration and dialogue, set in academia and deals with east asian literature, satire and black comedy, explores racial fetishization

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - only a ravenclaw could appreciation its complexity, so many literary references, stylistically immaculate, lots of room to debate its message and themes

Slytherin

Vicious by VE Schwab - perfect moral quandaries demonstrated here, everyone is morally dark grey, supervillains, very angsty and also profound at times, dark academia

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - my man makes a deal with the devil for eternal youth and beauty, everyone here is morally dubious, murder and orgies and philosophy

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - exhausted woman does what she needs to do, female rage book, does some interesting things with pov, justified evil, amy dunne is insane and it's great

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao - tired chinese woman does what she needs to do and kills men, very unhinged queen behavior, ambition and god complexes, pacific rim but in china

[holycatsandrabbits]

Chapter 1 of Honeysuckle and White Jasmine has posted!

 A Good Omens human AU, by Dannye Chase (HolyCatsAndRabbits)

While on a bad blind date at a coffee shop, bookshop owner Aziraphale meets a gorgeous red-haired barista. Also Aziraphale knows flower language and he's not afraid to use it. ~Rated E~

So now Aziraphale was going on a date with someone Tracy knew. Since Tracy had arranged it, Aziraphale let her pick the place as well: Double Double, a new coffee shop. Tracy had promised that the shop was lovely and had a selection of rich desserts, which was honestly the part that had convinced Aziraphale.

Aziraphale’s one bit of defiance was the flowers. He had a book or two in his shop on flower language, and he’d decided that the bouquet was going to be the sweetener for the day (besides the dessert), the spoonful of sugar that helped the medicine go down.

Yellow carnations: Disdain, disappointment, rejection. Red snapdragon: Deception. Purple columbine: foolishness. White candytuft: indifference. And finally butterfly weed, a bright little orange cluster flower, which meant Let me go!

Armed with his passive-aggressive (but quite lovely smelling) bouquet, Aziraphale took a cab to Double Double.

Written as part of Fandom Trumps Hate, as a gift in honor of a friend’s donation to charity.

Posting schedule:

Chapter 2: July 21

Chapter 3: July 23

Chapter 4 (final chapter): July 25

Ao3 ~ DannyeChase.com ~ Linktree ~ Upcoming fics

Public domain photo by Tyler Nix on Pexels

[thealmightyemprex]

1960′s Bond films ranked

,1960′s was the era of Bond mania ,and it was the decade with the most movies ,with 7 movies(Second to it is the 80′s with 6 movies ,then the 70′s with 5 ,90′s and 2000′s both only had 3 each ,and 2010′s only had 2 ) ,and since the 60′s is the most classic era of Bond ,I decided  to rank the 60′s Bond films 

7.Casino Royale(1967)

Yup I am counting the unofficial movies too  and this is the only film on the list I would say is baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.This is  a crappy movie,pure insanity  with no clear vision and it commits the biggest sin of a comedy :ITS NOT FUNNY .....Woody Allan as a Bond Villain is a funny joke though 

6.Thunderball(1965)

Only Bond film in which I have read the book.It’s an OK book ,love some of the characters  but it was just fine  .....But I like it better then the movie  .This is a boring movie  to me ,Largo is only remembered fondly cause he has an eyepatch as he is a lame villain  ,Domino is a lot less interesting then her book counterpart ,there is a cringeworthy scene with Bond blackmailing a physiotherapist into sleeping with him ,there is a random character who is important to the plot but the film doesnt treat him this way ,the Q scene feels less playful and more meanspirited  and underwater battles sound cool in theory ,but are dull in practice .That said I do like aspects ,Connery  is good ,I like the SPECTRE scene (Love Shadowy Blofeld ) ,the pre title action scene is great (Complete with ACTUAL WORKING REAL JETPACK ),The theme song performed by Tom Jones is AMAZING ,and  I do love the films main henchwoman Fiona Volpe ,she is such an awesome baddie I wish she was the MAIN villain  .I know it’s considered a classic but I just cant get into it 

5.You Only Live Twice (1967)

THis one I am .....Mixed about . I think it’s directed well ,there are some cool camera movements,the Little Nellie gyrocoptor is awesome  ,the fight scene against the driver (Played by Peter Maiva ,the grandfather of Dwayne “The Rock “ Johnson ,which is awesome )  is pretty badass , The Volcano Lair is SPECTACULAR (PRobabbly the best villain lair in the series ) ,Tiger Tanaka is a likable ally ,Aki is a great Bond Girl,Nancy Sinatras theme song is good ,it’s cool seeing a snapshot of 1960′s Japan ,the final battle is epic ,and Donald Pleasence is FANTASTIC as Blofeld ,bringing such a creepiness to a character who has been built up for 5 movies .....But  what holds it back for me is Connery looks so damn bored throughout the entire movie ,the plot I dont really care about ,Helga is just a rehash of Fiona and not even in a interesting  way ,KArl is such a boring henchman ,Aki is killed off just to be replaced by Kissy who is less interesting and I dont know why they didnt just have one Bond girl ,DOnald Pleasence is barely  in the movie ,and then you have Bond going undercover as a Japanese man......Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaah.This is just such a mixed bag of a movie for me 

4.Dr No (1962)

Now lets get to the good ones.This is a lowkey Bond adventure(As they couldnt afford to do one of the bigger stories ) ,and I imagine that can be jarring for someused to the high octane globe trotting adventures of the other films,and I have seen some calll it Vanilla  .....And I kind of like the simpler vibe of this film .Connery comes out the gate swinging ,he is suave and with moments of  brutality.Both the Bond girl and villain arent in the film long but Ursula Andress is memorable as Honey Ryder  and Joseph Wiseman as Dr No while only getting really one scene to show off has a cold  detached delivery to his lines that makes him extremely eerie (Would’ve preferred a Chinese actor  and am distressed none were even considered but thats the 60′s for you ) .Anthony Dawson  makes for a good secondary villain as Professor Dent  ,Jack Lord is a cool Felix Leiter ,John Kitzmiller is great as Bonds ally Quarrel ,the film sets up Bonds dynamics with both Bernard Lee’s M and Lois Maxwell’s Miss Moneypenny ,both making strong first impressions ,the film is brutal with it’s action ,and overalll it’s a good introduction to the world of Bond  

3.Goldfinger(1964)

The iconic Bond film .This film is fun ,plain and simple. It has flaws (Mainly there being a whole section of the plot involving gangsters that makes absolutely no sense and how Pussy Galore turns good is REALLLY cringeworthy) but I feel like the rest of the film is awesome  .The villain Auric Goldfinger is one of the best  (Easilly my second favorite in the series )ruthless and greedy but with an odd sense of charm ,I just love watching him .The films main henchman Oddjob   is also awesome  ,a super strong  silent loyal thug  who kills people with a toss of his killer bowler hat .Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore  is fantastic ,easily one of the best Bond girls,and while I dont like how her arc is handled,I do like that she starts off as a baddie .The film is full of classic moments from Goldfinger and Bonds golf game ,the laser scene (And the classic exchange “You expect me to talk”*Chuckles*”No mr Bond ,I expect you to DIE!!”),the fight between Bond and Oddjob in Fort Knox (Which is a gorgeous set by Ken Adam ) and of course the iconic image of the dead woman painted gold .I also have just a personal fondness for this film as when I was a kid we had a whole bunch of Bond films on VHS (From Dr No to Live and Let Die ) and this was the one I watched the most 

2.From Russia With Love (1963)

I flip flop on whether I like Goldfinger or From Russia With Love more ,and I think I prefer From Russia With Love ,for one simple reason :Goldfinger is a fun action romp .....From Russia With Love is a genuinely intriguing spy movie .It’s also cool cause it is a direct sequel to Dr No which is an anomaly in the classic Bond films. There isnt one villain in this film ,it’s an organization ,SPECTRE ,meaning we get a whole ensamble of villains (Including creepy evil genius Kronsteen and SPECTRES head thug Morzeny),but the stand outs are Red Grant  played by Robert Shaw of Jaws fame, a sadistic assassin who is sort of Bonds dark mirror  and Lotte Lenya as Rosa Klebb ,a former SMERSH agent now working for SPECTRE ,who is commanding in every scene .....EXCEPT fore when she is around the films true villain Blofeld,in those scenes  she is TERRIFIED ,and thats a detail I love cause it adds to Blofeld mystique,that if he can scare KLEBB he is a force to be reckoned with  .I also love that we dont actuallly SEE Blofeld beyond his hands stroking his cat  ,and yet personality wise we get everything we need to know (That and his deep commanding voice which I LOVE ) .We also get Kerim Bey who is hands down the BEST Bond sidekick ,he is so lovable and charming,it’s hard not to like him.Connery is excellent  as usual ,all the action is awesome including Bond evading a helicopter ,a climatic boat chase,an encounter with a deadly piece of footwear,and a absolutely brutal fight between Grant and Bond on the Orient Express .If I have one  complaint I am not that fond of how the Bond Girl Tatiana  is written but  Daniela Bianchi does a good job .Overall this is a great movie  

1.On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

This is my favorite Bond movie .It is at it’s core a love story and a damn good one .Diana Rigg steals this entire movie as Tracy  ,she is the best Bond girl .Telly Savals is charming ,intelligent ,but also tough as hell as Blofeld ,he is my third favorite Bond villain  and hands down my favorite Blofeld .I think the film contains one of the best evil plans (And surprisingly relevent over 50 years later ),Irma Bunt is a terrific henchwoman ,Gabriele Ferzetti is  entertaining as Tracy’s criminal father Draco ,Louis Armstrongs We Have All The Time In The World is a terrific love song  ,I love the setting of the Swiss Alps ,the film somehow makes a BOBSLED chase badass ,and the ending  is unforgettable .Now the one common complaint people have is George Lazenby ,and while I agree he isnt great ......He is a good Bond ,and he hits the dramtic  notes when he needs to .I adore this movie and reccomend it to non Bond fans  even

[cheshirelibrary]

2021 Youth Media Awards Announced

Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards.

Here are the winners:

Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

We Are Water Protectors by Michaela Goade and Carole Lindstrom

Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller 

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

Coretta Scott King Awards recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

...

Click through to see the full list.

[richincolor]

Interview with Lipan Apache Author Dr. Darcie Little Badger

Today we celebrate the book release of the slightly creepy and very intriguing mystery-fantasy Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger (Lipan Apache) illustrated by Rovina Cai. I read an advanced copy last month and the story captivated me. Here's a one minute video to give you an introduction to this unique tale.

Darcie is quite a creative and accomplished person. She has a PhD in Oceanography, an award winning cosplay Magic Ivy, and will soon be writing a Dani Moonstar One-shot. We're fortunate to have Darcie on the website today to share about her debut novel and her writing.

Crystal Brunelle: You've written comics, short stories, nonfiction and at least one dissertation. What got you to jump into the young adult realm?

Darcie Little Badger: Thanks to my habit of throwing random thoughts on Twitter, I can pinpoint the exact moment when I realized that Elatsoe had to be a YA book. December 30, 2016, I Tweeted, “Uuuuuuhhhhh whyyyyy. Realized that the main character in this book of mine needs to be in high school, so I'm rewriting the whole thing.”

Yep. Elatsoe started as an adult book. But after about 10,000 words, I hit a wall. The story wasn’t working. At a deep, almost instinctual level, I knew that Ellie—her voice, her fight, and her triumph—had to be a young adult. So, er, I guess it’s less that I jumped into the YA realm and more that the YA realm summoned me.

Crystal: As a young adult, what kind of things were you reading and enjoying? Did you see yourself represented in what you found?

Darcie: During Middle and High School, I read almost anything in the fantasy/sci-fi section of the local libraries. Hundreds of books. Gosh, I was a voracious reader. The thing is, people are complex, and human identity contains multiple components. So I’d see parts of myself represented. I’d read about girls. I’d read about eccentric nerds. But in those hundreds of books, I never—seriously never—encountered a Lipan Apache character. Heck, there are very few Native American characters in sci-fi/fantasy. So the answer to the question “did you see yourself represented in what you found” is “only partially.” Which, considering the importance of the missing piece, was discouraging.

Crystal: Has publishing a novel changed your life in any interesting ways?

Darcie: Honestly, this is a difficult question to answer, since it’s been a very painful year for me and my family. We’ve experienced profound loss – it’s still recent and very difficult to talk about. Plus, I’ve been sheltering in place since late February. So everything has changed. And I don’t know what my life has become. Or even what I have become. But I can say that the support Elatsoe has received—the kindness of readers and other writers during this rough debut year—is a ray of light in dark times.

Crystal: I just finished reading your upcoming book and really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Elatsoe and her dog Kirby. Have you had strong connections with any dogs in particular that you may have been holding in your heart or mind as you wrote?

Darcie: Kirby is directly inspired by my first dog, an English springer spaniel. My family adopted him from an animal shelter in Vermont. I still remember meeting Kirby for the first time. His tail  wagging, he pranced to the wall of the kennel and stuck his nose between the metal bars, as if asking for a pat. We took him on a “getting to know you” walk and then immediately took him home. The original Kirby was gentle and smart, and I’ll always love him. In fact, my life—past, present, and future—is enriched by all the dogs I’ve loved.

Crystal: Elatsoe encounters quite a few monsters and she knows about many others from family stories. Who or what would you consider monsters in the here and now and are any of them represented in your writing?

Darcie: Without spoiling any Elatsoe secrets, Dr. Allerton, one of the primary antagonists in the book, definitely represents an insidious variety of real-world monster.

Crystal: Not many young adult novels have illustrations. What led to that decision?

Darcie: Haha! This is a good question for my editor, Nick. I believe it was his idea for Rovina Cai to provide an illustration for every chapter heading. So I wrote a script for a visual story within a story, one that connects to the main plot in surprising ways and answers a key mystery of the book (namely, what happened to Ellie’s legendary six-great grandmother?) And from that script, Rovina created beautiful, ghostly illustrations. It was such an honor to collaborate with her.

Crystal: Are you working on anything else for young adults that you're allowed to talk about yet?

Darcie: I can vaguely discuss my next YA book. It’s a fantasy with elements of science fiction (I’m clearly into genre fusion, considering that Elatsoe is a mystery/fantasy). Specifically, Untitled New Book is an epic two-world adventure involving near-future Earth and a land of spirits and monsters. I’m trying to finish that before the year ends. There are other projects in the work, but they’re secrets (for now muahahaha).

Crystal: How would someone be able to figure out that you are a book nerd?

Darcie: If the piles of books in my room aren’t a dead giveaway, I can always wear one of my many “Book Nerd” t-shirts! Seems like every time I visit my favorite indie bookshop, I pick up a new t-shirt. And books. So many books. I guess I’m still a voracious reader.

If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Darcie Little Badger and her writing, you may visit her website or find her on Twitter. Today, August 25th, there is also an online conversation between Darcie and Traci Sorell hosted by McNally Jackson in New York City via Zoom at 6pm EST.

Extra Videos: - Comic-Con Interview - SXSQ ESU - Panel on Border Crossing and Sacred Stories - Comic-Con Panel with Latinx & Native American Storytellers

[mymysticbouquet]

Find on Amazon

Twenty-four stories of gay sex, gay love, gay mystery, gay fantasy, gay demons, gay science fiction, and gay transformations of gender. This book contains stories of alien invasion, reincarnation, murder and other crimes, emasculation, masturbation, switching gender, catamites, sodomites, romance, enforced chastity, humor, romance, nostalgia, interesting cures for toxic masculinity, retaliation against bullies, and over-the-top gay sex. In one tale, a man is transported to another dimension to compete in an inter-dimensional masturbation contest. In another, college boys employ a stolen militarized gay sex weapon against their former high school bullies. Several men are kidnapped by demons and carried to Hell where good times are had by all. There’s a story involving a male chastity device, a story about boys required to wear thong bottoms at all times, six gay mystery stories starring a promiscuous private investigator, and several enforced male emasculation stories. Then, of course, there are those wily space aliens who have their own plans for humanity, and human reproduction is not on their agenda.

The Business

For his obvious gayness, Bill Saroyan had been cruelly bullied in high school, particularly by his nemesis Rolf Dangler. Upon arriving in college, Bill joins the Uranus Club whose president has access to the military’s gay sex weapons, which can turn latent homosexuals fully gay. By then, Rolf has become the captain of the college’s swim team, so Bill proves that he can outswim Rolf and turns the tables on his former bullies.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

Harry is a famous author, but his partner and lover Bradley is subject to occasional violent fits. After one of Bradley’s irrational moments, Harry takes a walk that grows increasingly surreal. Returning home, he finds Bradley murdered and himself arrested. This story was a finalist in the 2020 Saints and Sinners Fiction Contest and printed in Saints+Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival, Edited by Tracy Cunningham and Paul J. Willis. (Bold Strokes Books, April 2020)

Thinking of Him Always

Clark is a elderly gay man romanticizing his first love, Davy, an amoral scalawag. As was true of many gay males in 1978, Clark must conquer his internalized homophobia, find his bliss, and turn away from a toxic relationship.

You’re Next

A demon transports college English professor Larry Tarr to Hell where Satan opens Larry to his slutty nature, and he learns the truth of his satanic ancestry.

Locked in the Zero

A gay hotel manager and supporter of his community, Peter awakens one morning to find himself hungover and sick with flu. However those afflictions pale when he discovers that his cock has been mysteriously enclosed in an unbreakable male chastity device. As all attempts at removing permanent cock cage fail, Peter must unravel the mystery of who inflicted this torture upon him and why.

The Upsilon Incursion

After the Upsilons invade and assume control of Earth, they establish laws against procreation. Men are summoned to Espollo, the floating city in the sky, for genital mounding. However, when Roy’s appointment date arrives, he discovers that the Upsilons have a different plan for him. The aliens have discovered that they are allergic to human females, which has left them sexually frustrated. Thus Roy is included in a select group of males for an experiment to transform them into adequate vessels for Upsilon lusts.

Demons Can Be Tricky

Tristan’s Satan-worshiping grandmother had warned him against summoning demons, but Tristan hopes to bind a demon into giving him a larger dick. But when Lord Dantalion appears in Tristan’s ritual circle, the demon convinces Tristan that he can fix the mortal’s short-dick problem only if he is released. Tristan falls for the demon’s trickery, and after being butt-fucked to death, ends up as the demon’s spouse in Hell. However, in the end, Tristan faces a bright and productive future in service to the Great Beast. The moral of this comic story is that when you make a request of a demon, it pays to be specific.

The Flirtatious Twist Mysteries

In The Flirtatious Twist Mysteries, (“The Green Wrapper Case,” “The Government Truck Affair,” “The Dead Redhead Problem,” “The Japanese Garden Situation,” “The Orange Juice Caper,” & “The Red Suitcase Business”) gay private detective Flirtatious Twist solves six weirdly bizarre mysteries. In each case, written with tongue in cheek, “Flirty” ends up having over-the-top gay sex with an attractive man involved in the case, a secret he keeps from his lover and partner Sparky.

Processed

For some reason, when space aliens invade Earth, their first inclination is to put an end to human reproduction. Ritchie is a college student, living with his sister Denise and her husband while attending Portland State University. In early April, Denise receives a summons to report to Benevolence Hospital for processing. Mystified, she goes as ordered and returns a sexless being, indistinguishable from all other processed humans. Ritchie joins a resistance movement, but the rebels numbers are daily diminished as their processing dates arrive.

Into the Whirlwind

In this story of reincarnation, a soul experiences lifetime after lifetime in the bodies of gay men.

Postcards from the Orgy Deck

When Dave and his lover Bill embark on a gay cruise around the Caribbean, Dave’s sexual excesses and intoxicated behaviors are revealed in a series of post cards that lead to his downfall.

The Hand

Derek is an edger, a gooner, a pornosexual, a compulsive masturbator, who is dragged out of his mundane Earthly life by the gambler and promotor Mirdor and transported to the planet Asinel, the media giant of all the dimensions, to compete in an inter-dimensional masturbation contest. Masturbating without coming is the most popular sporting event in every galaxy and every dimension, with countless trillions of enthusiastic fans. Derek must compete against thirty-one other masculine beings, champion masturbators all, with the last “man” to ejaculate winning the grand prize.

Chillin’ for a Jillin’

The proceedings in this story are set shortly after the events related in David Holly’s novel I Shall Not Be Jilled. Claude and his friends attend a small, private high school in the Oregon Coast Range where Claude’s parents own a winery. Thus far the administrators of Maggie Fell High School have resisted the national jilling mandates, but the time has come when they can hold out no longer against the national emasculation movement.

The Lair of the Salt Demons

Hort and his friends are flying over Holy Devil Swamp when their scoot stick crashes. The men of the swamp, the so-called Salt Demons, rescue them, and three lucky Salt Demons select a boy to become his “pretty girl.” Hort is taken to Water Snake’s home where he becomes Water Snake’s lover while Water Snake trains him in the ways of the swamp.

Bradley’s Special Day

After the Radical Gynocracy gains control of all levels of government, the women promptly legislate the final solution to masculinity. Boys are required by law to begin measuring down in their sixteenth year. By the time any male turns seventeen, he must have popped his muff. Bradley’s special day is fast approaching, and he must find a way to cope with the regulations that outlaw his masculine appendages.

The Harvesting of Humanity

A world-wide pandemic is raging, while the government wages war against an alien race who came to save us. Tucker, a draftee, takes his platoon into battle only to be captured by the enemy. Shipped to the enemy’s home planet, Tucker and his cohort discover that they were selected because they were not of the breeder stock. Soon the so-called captives learn that they are honored guests of the aliens and that their earthly government was cruel, exploitive, and totalitarian.

Occom’s Razor

Some conclusions are obvious, so toxic masculinity must again be tossed on its head in a perverse twist on sexism. Markie lives in a sizzling-hot futuristic climate. Minimal dress is preferred, but human society creates demands. Each boy of a certain age is required by law to wear thong bottoms in public.

Fair Exchange

Alfrie, a farm boy just turned eighteen, is bartered by his parents to a money lender who wants a catamite. Alfrie’s parents find their son’s fate amusing, but Alfrie is hardly amused. Though filled with trepidation, Alfrie finds gay sex to his liking, and he gains urbane sophistication, business acumen, and social advancement. The plot thickens with many incidents of gay lovemaking, along with kidnapping, arson, murder, mutilation, and political shenanigans.

Not Another Minibate Story!

Myles is a student at an exclusive academy where the boys are told that they must measure down in order to conform to the new social norms. Myles and a friend attempt to escape their fate, but the tide of history is against them. Finally, Myles’ family sends him to Adjustment Camp where he can prepare for his future as a muff in an emasculated society. (Note: These male emasculation tales from the world of Minibate are a direct attack on the masculinist, penetrationist, militaristic, paternalistic, androcentric, protectionist ethos, and they offer a satire and social commentary on that conformist, uniformist culture.)

Find on Amazon

[fmhiphop]

65th Annual Grammys Award Show Rebounds In Viewership

The Grammys came back with a vengeance. The controversial awards show reportedly put up the best ratings in three years. The streaming service Paramount+ says this year's show was the platform's biggest live-streaming audience ever. An Estimated 12.4 Million Watched The Show An audience of an estimated 12.4 million watched the star-studded show with performances by artists such as Lizzo and DJ Khaled. That is a big bump up after a few years of award shows trying to find their place during the pandemic. Plus, controversy has seemed to follow the show for years with stars like The Weeknd and Nicki Minaj calling the organization out. Many have complained about the lack of racial diversity and gender on the winner's list as well. Lizzo performing at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Image Source: CHRISTOPHER POLK/VARIETY Viewership During Pandemic Years In 2021, live viewership was 8.8 million and last year it was 8.9 million. This is according to Nielsen ratings. It is great news for the Grammys, but the ratings are still not at pre-COVID levels. In 2020, 18.7 million people watched the show. The Grammys is allegedly the most watched network primetime program this season, if you don't include sports. Pro football seems to be the only television event that has survived the decline in live viewership over the past few years. A Chance Viewership Can Slightly Increase? There is a chance the viewership number can increase slightly when delayed viewing is counted later. The Hollywood Reporter should have final ratings on Tuesday morning. It will give a better idea of the CBS and Paramount+ breakdown. 65th Annual Grammy Awards Interesting Moments The significant increase in views may have had to do with the huge and interesting moments that took place. Trevor Noah hosted the 2023 awards show at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. It looks like Beyonce is not only queen of the hive, but now of the Grammys too. Queen Bey is now the all-time awards champ of the Recording Industry Association of America. The Houston native has 32 Grammys as of February 5, 2023. However, there was an uproar for her loosing to Harry Styles for album of the year and his comment in the speech. On top of that, uproar also occurred in her speech dedicating 'Renaissance' to the queer community. Also, hip-hop was celebrated last night in the 50th anniversary tribute. It was seen as a huge highlight of the show, which included hip-hop royalty like Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah and Busta Rhymes. A heartfelt tribute by Quavo and Maverick City Music honored the late Takeoff. It was a mashup of "Without You" and "See You Again." But those on Twitter never miss a beat as they caught celebrities who have recently died — such as Aaron Carter, Traci Braxton and Gangsta Boo — omitted from the tribute. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop tonight and forgetting to include Gangsta Boo in the memorial video is disrespectful af @RecordingAcad. — K E I S H (@MikeishaDache) February 6, 2023 For those asking, though we may not have seen Aaron Carter in the In Memoriam segment on the #GRAMMYs, but his name was put in the official #Grammys program book. pic.twitter.com/UmoeIT7nT6 — Clay Brice (@clay_brice) February 6, 2023 Written by Vhannah | Instagram | YouTube Read the full article

[annmwolf]

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA Invocation by Ann M. Wolf from Ann M. Wolf on Vimeo.

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA: "May our fields of remembrance be touched with the true beauty of green & red. Green is to remind us to pray for the soul of our nation; and with red, we acknowledge in humble gratitude, those who sacrificed or who gave their life's blood to obtain and secure Liberty." Chaplain Ann M. Wolf - "Wreaths Across America Invocation" Ann M. Wolf - c 2015 - BMI All rights reserved.

MORE ABOUT "WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA": On Memorial Day, we remember our veterans who have fallen in battle, who have became lost as a POW or MIA, or who have passed from this world. Yet Memorial Day is every day for lovers of Liberty. So, for those wishing to continue to express their hearts for Freedom as well as for our Veterans, all year long, there is an exciting movement already underway, getting ready for a great day of commemoration known as "Wreaths Across America Day," held each year in December. There is a place for each citizen to lend a hand, from raising funds to placing wreaths at gravesites as well as participating in one of the thousands of memorial events which will be held on land and sea, across the USA & even around the world.

THE NARRATION SCRIPT: This narration was originally written by Chaplain Ann M. Wolf as requested by Gold Star Mother, Bernie Wickman Koprince, to be a part of the Wreaths Across America service which was held in Dec. of 2013, Knoxville, TN. Then, in Spring of 2015, Ann joined forces with her producer Tracy Collins to combine the script with one of his marvelous scores in preparing to share this Invocation with America.

Acknowledgments: Thank you to our Veterans for what you have done to preserve Liberty; and to their families who sacrificed as well. Thank you to all the people behind Wreaths Across America from its inception to today. Thank you to Bernie Koprince for inviting me to write a prayer for this great event which got me started on an amazing journey of discovery about more great things American citizens are doing to keep the Spirit of Patriotism, Respect & Honor alive. Special thanks to Tracy Collins for allowing the use of his composition for this project; and also to historian & teacher, Leo Gawroniak for his contributions which helped to make this project possible. Finally, thank you to all the photographers for their special passion which helps keep our history in our hearts.

To locate event planners in your town, contact your area civic or patriot biker groups, or go to: wreathsacrossamerica.org/

ARTIST PRESS KIT, IMAGES, BIO & BOOKING: annmwolf.info/

FREE NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: annmwolf.info/

PRODUCER - TRACY COLLINS: tracycollinsmusic.com/

NOTE: This Video is offered for the purpose of inspiration & education; images & music are either original by Ann M. Wolf or are used by permission, by license, with some images having been obtained from (what the artist believes) are public domain sites. Please advise if any images require additional licenses or permissions. Thank you.

Ann M. Wolf - c 2015 - BMI All rights reserved.

[escondidolibrary]

We are excited to offer both physical and digital copies of this year's One Book, One San Diego titles:

 -        “Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind” by Cynthia Grady and Amiko Hirao

-        “They Called Us Enemy” (“Nos Llamaron Enemigo”) by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker

  You can place the physical copies on hold or enjoy them digitally on Hoopla with your Escondido Library Card!

 We encourage you to learn more about the historical subject matter presented in these titles: Japanese-American Internment during World War II, the racism and lasting socioeconomic tragedies Japanese-Americans endured, and their many unique experiences as multiethnic citizens. Related titles we offer include:

-        “Kiyo’s Story: A Japanese-American Family’s Quest for the American Dream” by Kiyo Sato (also available as an eBook on Libby, OverDrive, and Hoopla and as an eAudiobook on Hoopla)

-        “Just Americans: How Japanese Americans Won a War at Home and Abroad” by Robert Asahina (also available as an eAudiobook on Hoopla)

-        “To Be Takei”, a DVD documentary edited and co-directed by Bill Weber and written/directed by Jennifer M. Kroot.

-        “A Place to Belong” by Cynthia Kadohata and Julia Kuo (also available as an eAudiobook on CloudLibrary)

-        “Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II” by Albert Marin (also available as an eBook on Libby, OverDrive, and CloudLibrary)

-        “Manzanar”, photographs by Ansel Adams and commentary by John Hersey, edited by John Armor and Peter Wright

-        “Legacy of the Nisei: Stories of Japanese American Internment and World War II Veterans”, a DVD documentary produced by the San Leandro Public Library, Nancy Fong, Mary Beth Barloga, and Addie Silveira.

-        “Within These Lines” by Stephanie Morrill (also available as an eBook on CloudLibrary and Hoopla, and as an eAudiobook on Hoopla)

-        “Weedflower” by Cynthia Kadohata

-        “Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment” by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (only available digitally as an eBook on Libby, OverDrive, and CloudLibrary, and as a eAudiobook on CloudLibrary)

-        “Aleutian Sparrow” by Karen Hesse

-        “The Last Year of the War” by (also available as an eBook and eAudiobook on CloudLibrary)

-        “The Train to Crystal City: FDR's Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America's Only Family Internment Camp During World War II” by Jan Jarboe Russell

-        “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford (also available as an eBook on Libby, OverDrive, and CloudLibrary, and as an eAudiobook on Libby and OverDrive)

-        “Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life” by Joan Schoettler and Traci Van Wagoner

-        “Honor Before Glory: The Epic World War II Story of the Japanese American GIs Who Rescued the Lost Battalion” by Scott McGaugh (also available as an eAudiobook on Hoopla)

-        “Silent Honor” by Danielle Steel (also available as an eBook on Libby and OverDrive)

-        “Midnight in Broad Daylight: A Japanese American Family Caught Between Two Worlds” by Pamela Rotner Sakamoto (also available as an eBook on Hoopla and CloudLibrary, and as an eAudiobook on Hoopla)

-        “Most Honorable Son” a DVD documentary by about Ben Kuroki by PBS Home Video