The "Odds" Series and "Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs"

I read three of her books in the "Odds" series: Unseen Odds, which has ghost stories and pranks from the pioneer days, Against All Odds, which is stories of the pioneers when they were on their way to Utah and some stories about the first ones who settled here, and Oddly Enough, which is about the early days with some stories like the boy who tricked a mob so he could save the LDS missionaries, and the convict who saves a woman he finds out in the desert, and, one that I find especially funny, one about a woman who makes sweaters for her naked geese! You'll have to read that one to find out why they become naked, but it's funny in the end!

There's also another book, one I got for Christmas, called "Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs" by Gene Weingarten and photographs by Micheal S. Williamson. It's got portraits and a small one page paragraph about the dog who, in all the portraits/life sketches, is over ten years old. Ten years, for most breeds, especially large dogs, means that they are geriatric dogs. I actually own two geriatric dogs: Zues, a 14 year old (in January) basset hound/blue heeler mix, and Rikki, also will be 14 in April, (who is my baby girl!), who is a german shepard/border collie mix. I also have a 3 year old (in June) golden retriever/rottweiler/blue heeler mutt named Catcher. His mother was a pure blue heeler and his dad was a golden/rottie mix.
But unlike young dogs, older dogs have alot to teach us about aging gracefully, what really matters, and how to live in the moment without feeling like your missing something. You've never really known a dog until youve known him in his old age. They are truly inspiring creatures. I hope to never be without a dog, (or two or three), in my life.

I havent forgotten about this blog but...

I've been very busy with Christmas and stuff, so when I get some time I will write some reviews of several books I have read, if I can remember which ones I've read and which I haven't. (My memory isn't that good sometimes.)

Dances With Wolves by Micheal Blake

That is one amazing book! You need to read it!

Lt. Dunbar is stationed to an abandoned post on the frontier, by mistake perhaps, and what happens to him. He has a few initial run-ins with a Comanche band trying to steal his horse. He meets a white woman turned Comanche and after a while is accepted into their band. He slowly changes from a rigid military Lt. to a man that has a deep respect and desire to be with his new family, the roving comanche band. I love the ending and I wish that he had written a sequel! It probably wouldn't have been as good but hey, its a great book anyway.

I give it 8 stars out of 5. Great read!

Journey to the Center of the Earth and Dances with Wolves

Can I say that the ending was slightly dissappointing? I really liked this one until the last 50 pages or so. I'm not going to write a review about it this time.

I'm starting another book called Dances with Wolves by Micheal Blake. You may have heard of the movie with Kevin Costner playing Lt. Dunbar. So far its a great book! So much better than the movie, although the movie is great too. He is stationed at a post on the western frontier called Fort Sedgwick, but when he arrives, he finds it completely deserted. Not wanting to abandon his new post, he decides to stay and keep the fort in check until troops come. While he waits, he rebuilds parts of the fort, has a couple run in's with a group of roving Comanches, and has a wolf visiting him everyday whom he names "Two Socks". It's a great book and although the Comanches at first dub him "The Man Who Shines in the Sun", (he chased them away from the fort naked while doing laundry), they see him later "playing" with Two Socks and change his name to "Dances with Wolves". It's an awesome book that I highly recommend reading!

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

WTF??? This wasn't at all what I thought!

First of all, the general storyline I knew:
The Time Traveler makes a time machine and travels to the year 802,701 and meets a very different society from that which one thinks would be in the future. He prepares himself to meet a society that has far advanced medicine and sciences, but instead meets two vastly different groups of beings: the Eloi, peaceful sun loving people who have the mentality of children. They lazy about all day with absolutely no worries. But at night they sleep in big groups to hide from the Morlocks, white, carnivorous, ape-like creatures who live underground and terrorize the Eloi.
The Time Traveler meets a young girl by the name of Weena and she follows him on some of his adventure to recover the time machine, which had been taken by the Morlocks and locked away.
I wont reveal the ending, but I was very surprised at the end with what happens to Weena and the Time Traveler.
I enjoyed the book very much, but I was shocked with what happened to Weena. (Okay, okay, I know its just a story but still!!! It's not fair!)

Anywho, here's my reading list:

A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne (Currently reading this)
80,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

So I seem to be on a classics streak... Why not? They're great books. :)

Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne.

I like Jules Verne stories, and I liked this one alot. Phileas Fogg is the main character who makes a wager with his Reform Club friends that he can go around the world in 80 days. He says what route he will take and how long each part will take. He bets half his fortune that he will make it back. They dont believe he can do it but take the wager anyway.
It tells all about his journey, mainly through the adventures and experiences of Passpartout, his newly hired servant. I loved the ending and I wanted to yell at him to make it to the Reform Club before time was out. If you like old books like that, then you'll like this one.

The next books on my reading list: (not necessarily in order)

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
20000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

I have more books that I will read, but I will not add them to this list quite yet. I will be reading some LDS books in the near future, and those will be put on my other blog, Everything LDS!, so hop on over there if that's what your looking for.

Eagles Booklist and Cowboy Poetry

If you like reading cowboy poetry, (and funny poetry!), I recommend you read
"Humorous Cowboy Poetry - A Knee-Slappin' Gathering"
It's an anthology of poems gathered from cowboys everywhere! It's the fifth book in a series, (I haven't read them all), so if you've read the others or have anything to add, that'd be cool.
I will add other books and possibly links to related websites and stuff when I have more time after halloween. :)