Competitve Reading...

This is a blog about Chapman's Community Reading Summer Program.

I participated in the program last summer because I was in recovery and very sad that I couldn’t be very active for a while.  You see – I was one of the top performers in the Chapman iCount program.  Yes I’m competitive but usually only with myself and I don't freak out anymore if I perform poorly.  And yes I love to get random free shit wherever and whenever I can.  So yes – of course I sign up for stuff that has a competitive feel and gets you prizes!!!

So, last summer I returned to work in July and a co-worker told me about the Community Readers Summer Program.  She said you read a book from the library, review it (a tiny blurb on their blog) and you get prizes!  Um hello…I’m so in!  I contacted the woman in charge and explained to her that I had been on leave and had actually read a few books that were in the library and could they count.

“Of course!” she said.  I was super excited because that already gave me some prizes.  Now I never considered myself a fan of finger puppets but they have AMAZING finger puppets.  They also have mugs, notecards, and all kinds of random goodies!  They also do a little party at the end of the summer for all those who participated.

So – I signed up immediately when they announced it this summer and decided to write about it here!

My 1^st book I chose was The Dude and the Zen Master by Jeff Bridges and Bernie Glassman.  Here was my review:

I'm a fan of The Big Lebowski and I've also been moving into the Zen/Buddhist direction so what better book to pick up than this one! Basically the book is Jeff and Bernie chatting with each other about Zen, living in the now, letting go, etc. "The Dude" comes in because they reference him a lot and the character was actually very Zen-like. The Zen Master portion is Bernie who is a Zen teacher. I really enjoyed the book because I felt I was a third person in their many conversations. It gets a little rambly and long at times, but it's exactly how it would be had I been sitting there with these two dudes myself! 

This got me a bookmark and a pencil.  They have these fabulous bookmarks by Mike Caplanis Mike's Website.  I chose Oscar Wilde.

My 2^nd book I was actually already reading when the contest started and it was in the library so I finished that.  This was Telling of the Bees by Peggy Hesketh.  I’m good friends with her son and went to her book signing a while back to support.  Here’s my review:

I went to Peggy's book signing awhile back because I happen to be good friends with her son, so I was mainly there to support a friend. I'm so glad I did because Telling of the Bees is a great read! You follow Albert Honig as he struggles with the murders of his neighbors "The Bee Ladies". As the story unfolds and you start to follow along in the mystery of their murder, you find out more and more about the relationship between the neighbors. There are all kinds of interesting twists and turns as you travel along with Albert. Peggy also intertwines the art of beekeeping along with the story and they meld together perfectly! It was a great mystery novel and a great lesson on bees!

 I had to read 3 for my next prize.  So book 3 was Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins. Review:

I was looking for another humor author since I have read most of Sedaris, Moore and Burroughs and was referred Tom Robbins. Villa Incognito was funny but it was a bit scattered. I had a hard time following it but did enjoy the story lines. It seemed it needed a bit of tightening in the writing. When I went and read other reviews on Tom Robbins most have said that this was his weakest book. I did enjoy the humor, but it wasn’t one of my favorite reads.

This got me a tin of mints!  The tins are fun little designs that look like something out of the 50’s.  I chose Buddha as mine.  The mints were nasty, but the tin is perfect to carry my vitamins!

Book 4 was The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom.  Review:

This was written in very short snippets, so if you are looking for a quick read this is perfect. Mitch Albom writes beautifully. He captures moments so precious and you feel as if you are there watching his words come to life. I loved reading this particular take on how Father Time came about. Your heart will break and swell and smile. If you don't already value every second of every day, you will after reading this book!

We got a notice that the contest was coming to an end and I had to read 5 to get the next prize so I chose: Let’s Pretend this Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson.  Review:

This book was HILARIOUS! I found myself sporadically laughing out loud so many times I can't count. Jenny writes about all sorts of things from her father (who owned a taxidermy shop) waking her and her sister up in the middle of the night with a dead squirrel made into a hand puppet to the epic comically enriched arguments she and her husband used to have. She touches on some very dark times with humor and some very uneventful times that turned brilliant. She inspires me to write my own book because it reminds me that people do love to read hilarious anecdotes from people's lives.

This got me a finger puppet!  I chose Buddha.  He’s so happy!

I dig this program for 2 reasons – the free goodies of course but it also gets me to read books I probably wouldn’t normally pick up.  The library has a decent selection but of course it doesn’t hold all books everywhere so I have to be creative in choosing.  The Jenny Lawson book was my favorite.  She reminded me of me.  She’s a blogger and she’s hilarious and then made a book.  I’m thinking about it…

So the day of the party came and just like last year we were asked to bring something sweet to share. I'd like to say the highlight was the berry rhubarb oatmeal homemade thing that a dude from Facilities brought. AWESOME!  I was the 1^st to arrive and it was lucky I did, because I didn’t win any of the drawings but I got a prize for being the 1^st to arrive!  The gal in charge asked 3 of us to read an excerpt from one of the books we read.  This was something new they added.  I was flattered they asked me but have a feeling they figured I was the obnoxious animated nerd who got super excited over little freebies would be entertaining.  I was actually a bit nervous because us actors actually don’t like to be ourselves in front of people.  I of course chose an excerpt from the Jenny Lawson book and had the small crowd laughing at my reading.  Love it.  My friend Becks who also joined in said that made her whole day. 

We got these for free just for coming:

They were coasters that had some sort of literary drinking message on there (I chose 2 Shakespeare ones) and then magnets that had Shakespearean insults.  Hilarious. 

They also had the guy who runs the special collections come in and show some of their really cool stuff.  This of course was my favorite.  It’s from 1805!!!

Here is Charlene Baldwin our Dean of the Library reading an excerpt from her book – Book Thief.  She was charming and lovely.  She sat at my table and I got to chat with her a bit.  She didn’t know me but recognized my name from the daily emails she gets from me.  
 

Then of course here is my friend Becks and I with our goodies.  I chose an Edgar Allan Poe finger puppet for my showing up early prize.  He's very emo.
 

And here is all my puppets.  Oh yes.  You will see Anton Chekhov, Gandhi, Buddha and Edgar Allan Poe.  The tiger is just a random puppet from a vendor but I love him.

So all in all it was another very successful reading program that I partook in.  They have mentioned maybe having one during the January inter-term and I sure hope they do!  This program gets me to read more books and get adorable little prizes and of course satisfy my competitive nature.  

A huge thank you to the ladies in the library that put this on.  I do love where I work!