Sunday, December 4, 2022

The Sunday Post #315

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The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book ReviewerReaderbuzz, and Book Date.




The Sunday Post #315





On The Blog Recently






In My Reading Life






Mission accomplished! I finally finished reading The Life Of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir. It's exactly what it says on the cover. It's a biography of Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled England in the late 1500s. It was . . . fine. I guess. It took me an entire month to read because I kept falling asleep.

Queen Elizabeth was an interesting person because she really wanted to rule England. She refused to get married and share power with a husband. Judging by how much the people she ruled loved her, she was a successful queen.

Her biography, however, was a complete slog to get through. It's basically a nonstop string of male advisors pushing European princes at Elizabeth and trying to force her to get married and produce male heirs. If it's that tedious to read, I can't imagine how annoying it was to live through. I felt bad for Elizabeth.

I wish the author had spent more time focusing on other parts of Elizabeth's life, but maybe we don't have historical records of that stuff. I don't know.

Also, I have to comment on how melodramatic people's letters were in the 1500s. The letters are cringeworthy. I laughed. There's nothing like watching a man profess his undying love for a queen he's never met. People in the 1500s need to calm down.





After Elizabeth, I desperately needed a short book to read, so I picked up Lulu And The Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst and Lane Smith. It's an adorable children's chapter book about a spoiled brat named Lulu who wants a brontosaurus for a pet. When she finally locates a brontosaurus, the dinosaur flips the script and tries to make Lulu the pet. I love Lulu's grumpy personality and how she learns to be kinder and less demanding over the course of the story.

This is a hard book to review because I'm about 30 years too old for it. The humor didn't do much for me. I'll have to read it to Baby Brooklyn and see what she thinks. I suspect she'll love it.




In The Rest Of My Life


Five things that made me happy last week:

  1. If you've been on the blog before, then maybe you've seen me rant about Facebook and how their algorithm is destroying society. Well, for complicated reasons, I was forced to create a Facebook page. Nooo! I was irritated at first, but I can use it for happy bookish things. If you want to be Facebook friends, I'll figure out how to friend you back. Here's a link to my page.
  2. Oh, and Instagram. My goal is to actually use it and post more often in December.
  3. Christmas decorations! I've slowly started decorating my bookshelf and office. It's looking festive in here.
  4. Christmas cookies. And caramel popcorn. And chocolate. The Christmas sweets are slowly trickling into my life and quickly getting eaten by me.
  5. Who watched Wednesday on Netflix? I was slightly confused by the show because it mentions not whitewashing history, but then it does exactly that at times. Other than the confusion, I loved it. It's fun.




Friend Me On Facebook (Gross, I Can't Believe I Just Said That)











Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other. See you around the blogosphere!









 

30 comments:

  1. Right now, I'm not very happy with any of our social media spots...well, except Blogger. I'm sure blogging platforms will disappoint me soon, too. I have a FB page for my blog but I don't really know how to use it: https://www.facebook.com/readerbuzz

    Is there anything worse than bad nonfiction? It reminds me of reading textbooks. If authors can't tell the truth and write well...they should not write nonfiction. It puts so many of us off nonfiction.

    Sorry...end of rant...

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  2. I liked your Facebook page (guess it's a follow LOL) and was already following you on Instagram! Now I haven't heard about whitewashing about Wednesday but there was so much hatred these last years on social media that I stopped caring and just went with what I like. Now I admit I am white so probably not as sensitive as others even if I do my best to care and try to avoid hurting people.

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  3. HA! I laughed so many times I read this. You crack me up. Gold star for sticking it out and finishing that QEI book. You are a better reader than I

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  4. The decorations and the cookies and the popcorn sound perfect.

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  5. I'm kinda Meh about FB. I love it for marketing and will spread the word about an event or book anyday. But like you I am wary about what the higher ups real intention is behind this social media posting.

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  6. I agree that a slog of a book defeats the purpose of it, since no matter what we might learn, we can't get that time back! LOL

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  7. Hi AJ! As always, your post brings a smile to my face! I used to have a Facebook page for the blog, but it just irritated me. So now I just use my own! Will link you now.

    Historical Fiction needs to be entertaining, otherwise I really do find it boring...

    Have a good week AJ and enjoy the Christmas sweets!

    Elza Reads

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  8. Yay for sticking with the Queen Elizabeth book. I know I would have given up quick! It would have felt too much like college. I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, and much like an abusive relationship, I can't leave. It's got me.

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  9. I agree with you, Facebook sucks. I still have an account as for some people messenger is the best way to keep in touch but otherwise I don't use it.
    Kudos on slogging through the Elizabeth book, I'm not sure I would have had the patience.

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  10. I followed you on Instagram. Although I have no idea what I'm going to do with Instagram. I liked you FB but I really only use it to keep in touch with family and friends. Twitter is really driving me crazy and I'll probably stop going over there. Social media can be pretty nasty. I have no patience for that stuff.

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  11. Social media is tough. I use Facebook a lot more for the blog than personally. I have avoided Instagram because I suck at graphics. Holiday decorating will wait until my daughter finishes her exams this week. We've just started a path to healthier eating so we won't be doing as many of those holiday treats but still some.

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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  12. I use Facebook for keeping in touch with friends and family that I wouldn't normally get to see often or at all. But also for all the authors I get to communicate with that way. I'm on Instagram for my blog/personal a little, but it seems to not be as big sometimes for me. Hope you have a great week!
    Lisa Loves Literature

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  13. I loved learning about Queen Elizabeth at school, she's an amazing queen and achieved a lot. I felt so much sympathy for you having to read through the book though, was it very long? I'd treat yourself to a few short books to be honest.

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  14. I am going to be out of town for the holidays so am not decorating this year; it feels a bit sad.

    I am on both Facebook and Instagram, but only do FB for my high school reunion stuff. I like Instagram much better as I can see fun photos and don't get all the political and religious stuff nor the inane random statements feel the need to make.

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  15. I am sorry the Queen Elizabeth book wasn't more interesting. It's not one I would likely pick up on my own, but I do find her history interesting. Lulu And The Brontosaurus sounds cute.

    I followed your Facebook page. I have one of my own but I am terrible about updating it.

    We got the Christmas lights up. It's a start. I am so not feeling Christmas-y this year. I'm usually the first one singing Christmas carols . . .

    I hope you have a great week!

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  16. Yeah you finished Weir. Honestly- I was thinking of reading her books but after seeing your journey with it I might just wait ha. I deleted my Facbook account a while back because I was annoyed at how many high school friends seemed to have gone mad, but I know a lot of people use it for bookish stuff. :) It's weird too because so many people have no problems at all, why was my feed a cesspool? Maybe I DIDN'T need to be friends with all those high school people I'd left behind lolol

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  17. I haven't watched Wednesday yet, but my daughter did and she loved it! I did just follow you on Facebook.... Have a great week! - Melinda @ A Web of Stories

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  18. Yes, we've officially hit the season of me eating too much yummy food and sweets!

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  19. I've been thinking of watching Wedneday, and now I think I will.

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  20. I hate Facebook. It's always so confusing to me so I rarely get on there except to post giveaways. I liked your page which I think means I follow you? See, confusing. I followed you on Instagram too. Poor Queen Elizabeth! Bummer that the biography was such a slog. I probably would've tried to find another one about her. There's got to be more out there that are more interesting.

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  21. Congrats on getting through that book!

    I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Having said that, I spend far too much time on various platforms.

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  22. I commend you for slogging through a book that sounds like it was a chore! I too have a love/hate relationship with social media. Have a wonderful week ahead!

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  23. I'm on Facebook but usually just pass through to the games I like to play. I liked your page but have no idea how to actually follow you. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  24. "People in the 1500s need to calm down." I laughed so hard over this. :)
    Tis the season for all the sweets. I don't even like sweets and I find myself indulging. Just because they're there.

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  25. Out of curiosity, I Googled to see what the best book on Elizabeth I is said to be. University College London professor Helen Hackett recommends Elizabeth I: The Exhibition Catalogue, edited by David Starkey and Susan Doran and then her biography by J.E. Neale is said to be very good. Have you read either?

    That Lulu book looks adorable!

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  26. I don't know if I would have been able to read the Queen Elizabeth book but it sounds like it would be interesting. Our Christmas tree and a few decorations have been up since November, my parents put them up. I ordered cookies that will be ready to pick up next week.

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  27. Queen Elizabeth sounds like quite the slog. And I laughed about the letters. I'm reading The Three Musketeers, which I like much more than I expected, but these people are in literal L-O-V-E love after one glance. Every one of them! But then the lady disappears and the musketeer's heart is broken...for about an hour, when he meets a new lady-love. Holy cow. It makes my head spin! These character like to write hourly letters professing their undying love and the lengths they would go to prove it :-)

    I can't wait to start Wednesday! We're trying to finish up a couple of other shows before we start it though.

    I'm on Instagram and Facebook but they're basically just my blog feed. Who has time to create original content for every platform? Not this chick. I was already following you on Insta but I gave your FB page a like. https://www.facebook.com/introvertedreader and https://www.instagram.com/introverted.reader/

    Enjoy your week!

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  28. Yeah next year I hope to use Instagram more. But I don't make the time for it now, ha! Didn't Cate Blanchett play Queen Elizabeth I in a movie? Not sure I made it through all of that either. hmm

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  29. The creep of the Christmas treats is always what gets me. Always.

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  30. Your Elizabeth summery made me lol. I'm glad you got through it! Yes, I find her quite inspirational. The short story sounds very good, I don't mind a kids story. I hope you have a good week x

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