BTT - Songs of heart & mind

This week it's all about those songs that speak to our soul.

If you’re anything like me, there are songs that you love because of their lyrics; writers you admire because their songs have depth, meaning, or just a sheer playfulness that has nothing to do with the tunes.

So, today’s question?

* What songs … either specific songs, or songs in general by a specific group or writer … have words that you love?
* Why?
* And … do the tunes that go with the fantastic lyrics live up to them?

One word answer: nightswimming.

My favorite singer-songwriters: Bob Dylan (did you read the novel "The Dylanist?" I'm a Dylanist), Joni Mitchell reigns supreme, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown, Paul Simon, U2, Steve Earle, Leonard Cohen, Gillian Welch, The Beatles! with a special soft spot for George Harrison, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Pete Townsend, Ryan Adams, Sting ... and R.E.M. of course!

[via Deb @ Booking Through Thursday]

Booking Through Thursday - Reading Resolutions

Via Deb at Booking Through Thursday:

Happy New Year, everyone!

So … any Reading Resolutions? Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more ____? Anything at all?

Name me at least ONE thing you’re looking forward to reading this year!

My reading resolution is to be more open minded about the books I decide to read. See if I can take some risks and read some sci fi and/or mystery titles. High quality, of course.

A book that I am looking forward to reading in the year ahead is Jon Krakauer's book "The Hero" about Pat Tillman. It was supposed to have been published back in September and then it was pushed back to October. Now it's been reported that Krakauer himself has withdrawn the book indefinitely. I hope he was able to rectify whatever it was that bothered him about the manuscript and it will be published sometime this year. I've read two of Krakauer's previous books, "Into the Wild" and "Under the Banner of Heaven." I like the way he tells a story and I'm very interested in Pat Tillman's story.

To join in, or to see other responses to this week’s question, visit BTT here.

Have you made any reading resolutions?

Booking Through Thursday - Treats & Generosity

Do you give books as gifts?

To everyone? Or only to select people?

How do you feel about receiving books as gifts?

Most of the time when you are thinking of gifts, you think of things that you, personally, would like to receive. This doesn't work for books because what we like to read is very idiosyncratic. As a former bookseller, I used to give it my best shot when people would ask for help selecting a book for a gift, but I always thought the gift certificate was the way to go. When we buy gifts for an "adopted" family from the Salvation Army Angel Tree or something similar to that, I like to buy books for the kids along with whatever else they've requested. Even though school libraries and public libraries make books accessible to children, there is something special about owning your own and writing your name inside the cover.

Typically, I only give books as gifts to three people: my mother, my husband and my daughter. And, this tends to be year-round.

I enjoy receiving books as gifts. It shows me that books are valued and that the person giving the gift recognizes the role reading has in my life. I really like receiving gift cards to bookstores, especially independent bookstores.

There is another set of questions this week:

What is the best book you ever bought for yourself?

And, why? What made it the best? What made it so special?

I can't pick a best book or favorite but I can truly say that every time I buy a book for myself whether it's from a bookstore I'm visiting while on vacation (like the Tattered Cover this past October) or at a Friends of the Library sale, I consider it a treat. It makes me happy.

[via Deb @ Booking Through Thursday]