Doubles on the Bookshelf (#Whatsonyourbookshelf 21MARCH2022 )

Happy Monday!

Today I am sharing some “book doubles”for the #What’s on Your Bookshelf challenge. Thanks to RR for reminding me about this fun monthly challenge – even though I think I missed the deadline for the inlinkz here

 

***

Backstory

We recently cleared out the bonus room above the garage. This means that my mini home library was moved into my upstairs office. I was eager to make this change and only have three bookshelves left. I am proud of this reduction as I used to have quadruple this amount. I do have some children’s books in the attic that I might read to my grandkids someday. Also, in the attic, I have more than 100 Louis L’Amoure paperbacks that I plan on slowly reading over the next handful of years. 

Anyhow, the books were visually heavy in the office and I didn’t know what to do. I ended up moving the tallest bookshelf into the closet and it was a gift to have it fit in there so well. Before I moved it – because these books were so visually heavy – I kept scanning them while doing various work. Wow – I forgot that some books have memories, some are still TBR, and then others are favs. I also noticed that I had doubles of some books and decided to share them. Ready?

 

First: The Annotated Mona Lisa (1992) by Carol Strickland.

If you love art and want a succinct crash course about art history, the five sections in this book will walk you through art movements, artists, and elements of art to provide insight and help you hone skills and knowledge about art. 

Why do I have two copies? You cannot tell from the photo, but the copy to the left has a broken spine and pages are loose. I bought a new soft cover replacement but decided not to toss the old one (yet).  This book is only 208 pages but it masterfully informs the reader with short essays, notes, sidebars, and rich images. It is a delight for anyone that wants to explore the topic of ART!

 

***

Second: Psychology Applied to Work (2006) by Paul Muchinsky.

Some followers know that I am a work psychologist. What is a work psychologist? Well we try to help improve the ft between the worker and the workplace. Our jobs, roles, and tasks can vary greatly. Anyhow, out of all the work psychology books available, the Paul Muchinsky textbooks were always favs.  When I was a student, Muchinsky’s 2006 textbook was my go to Bible.  He was always so clear with explaining concepts and communicating his vast knowledge. I still sometimes find myself grabbing this 2006 book to skim a section.

Why do I have two copies of Muchinsky’s (2006) Psychology Applied to Work? The reason I have two copies is because the hardcover to the right is saturated with notes and highlights.  Some of the pages are worn and the spine is loose. I decided to order another copy to have as a pristine copy. I could maybe take this clean copy out if I needed to travel or lecture with this book – but it is more of a keepsake. Paul Muchinsky (1947) died in September 2015 and after his passing away, I discovered that he had a huge collection of baseball pins and wrote two books on the subject.  His family is now selling the pins, but it really surprised me that he was such an authority on the subject of pins. Truly a different generation -/ to collect pins (and obviously still in demand as the auctions are doing well – go here to read more). Muchinsky’s pin collection also reminded me that we humans are so much more than our work – and the extra topics we pursue can become expert areas as well. (need another example of this – check out the story of Captain Rochefort – here – where his knowledge of Japanese culture helped him become a game changer as a code breaker during World War II).

 

 

Third: How to Read Literature like a Professor (2003) by Thomas C. Foster. 

Foster is candid, fun, and such a down-to-earth scholar and I find that his energy as an author adds to the content here, which is a type of informal “guide” to understanding literature. The chapters are easy to read and I am reminded that professors get super smart because they often teach the same subjects again and again. However, some professors get swelled up with pride or are just boring! Foster is not boring at all and his zest adds flavor to the valuable insight he provides about how to “read” and grasp more from a work of literature. 

 

Why do I have two copies of How to Read Literature like a Professor? I have two copies because I enjoy this book and sometimes like to take a copy to read if I am waiting or in between projects. I also like gifting a copy. I have given away many copies of this book because it is SO good (and because I used to find cheap copies at the used book store). One of the copies is there on my shelf to gift to someone. Not everyone would value the meaty lit content Foster delivers. With chapter titles like “It’s more than Just Rain or Snow” and “He’s Blind for a Reason”- I will let my copy sit until the right person comes along. 

Fourth: Stone Soup (1986) by Ann Mcgoven & Winslow Pinney Pels.

The Stone Soup story goes back many years and there are a lot of different book options. I like this Mcgoevn & Pels (1986) Scholastic paperback edition because I first used it while working with children in the 1990s. The illustrations are fun and the lady with the “pin cushion bottom” was always fun to show or act out. 

Why do I have two copies of Stone Soup? I actually had five copies at one time and this is a book I have used to entertain students and then later used it to teach adults about how to “present” this book. This book makes a great performance piece where you start off by talking about a hungry traveler who gets turned away by village residents enduring hard times. He then devises the plan to use a stone to talk someone into making soup with him. The story shows that we often might not realize what we have and it shows a determined, hungry man find a clever way to fill his belly. The presenter can act out certain parts, use a stone to enrich the presentation, and accentuate the repeated line of “soup from a stone, fancy that!” – I have given the book to some older teens who work with children and I remind them that this story can be added to their arsenal of “back-pocket activities” that they can use while teaching or supervising children.

 

 

Bonus Throwback:

Did you know that going to used bookstores is an activity my mother and I really enjoy. Earlier this year, we were at some of our favorite spots when I saw Ronald Reagan on the cover of a 2022 calendar and then noticed an old magazine, Earrings ‘n Things, with Brooke Shields on the cover. Not sure I like the jewelry, but huge flashback moment. 

When I saw the cover of Earrings ‘n Things and the 2022 calendar with Ronald Reagan, I had to pause to see how much has changed over the last four decades. From fashion to politics – there have been many changes. 

***

Thanks so much for joining me with book doubles today. 

Priorhouse Reminders:

• There is still time to read the Priorhouse short story over at Story Chat (here), which is about a guy named Marcel taking a hike to see a sunset from what feels like the top of the world. 
• I went to an art show last Thursday and the artist, Nancy Bruce, had some amazing doors in her artwork. I did a mini interview with her at the show and will feature some of this with Thursday Doors later this week. If you have not checked out Dan’s Thursday Doors series, last week’s recap is here. 
• The March Priorhouse Interview ia almost ready and later this month we will learn more about long-time blogger, Ally, from The Sepctacled Bean.  She has been in the blogosphere since 2004 and has some fun things to share about her experience as well as tips for thriving with blogging. 

Thanks to the hosts of this challenge

Jo

Sue

Donna

Deb

.

.

.

.

.

.

..