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Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sunday Spotlight - Too Many Books, Too Little Time

Okay, I'm going to admit my bias here. I LOVE finding other people who work in schools or libraries - or BOTH! And Jeanie is one of those people. Her blog is super new and very amazing.

Name: Jeanie
Nickname and/or blog name: Weekend Reader/ Too Many Books, Too Little Time
Tell me a bit about yourself.
I would have to say that books and literacy are both my vocation and my avocation. I am employed as a school district administrator whose job responsibilities are to coordinate the English/Language Arts and Library/Media programs for our K-12 school district. In my spare time I participate in a Writers Workshop, am an active member in a book club and, of course, now I blog.

When and why did you start your blog?
I began my blog in October, 2009, so you can see that I am a new blogger. I had several reasons for starting this blog:
  • First, I have started several reading blogs for students in the school district where I work, and find that I enjoy blogging as a way to share my passion for books. I also have a blog that I maintain for my book club to provide background information on the books that we are reading (that blog is located at http://literarylitebookclub.edublogs.org).
  • Second, I thought that setting up a personal blog would be a good way to become involved with others who love books. I have really been inspired by the outstanding blogs that are out there!
  • Finally, I am planning to retire in a few years. I hope that I will be able to teach online classes for a college or university. I thought that having online experience that I can use as a reference might be helpful.

What is your blog all about? Any cool features you want to share?
I named my blog "Too Many Books, Too Little Time," because that is the frustration I - and many other book lovers - share. The demands of daily life often infringe on my ability to indulge my reading habit, so for now I consider myself a recreational reader. I hope that through my reviews I'll help other recreational readers find great books that are worth the investment of their limited time.

What are some of your favorite genres and/or books currently?
I think I have somewhat eclectic tastes that are often determined by current events or my personal mood. I tend toward contemporary fiction and particularly like historical and multicultural literature. I recently read and reviewed City of Thieves by David Benioff, a fantastic novel that takes place during the Germans' siege of Leningrad. This book had it all for me - a historical book about a different time and place, with a fast-pace plot and both humor and pathos...what more could a reader want?

How do you find out about the books you read?
My most reliable source is probably The New York Times Book Review, which I read religiously, but I also depend heavily on friends' recommendations, our book club selections and now, of course, suggestions I find on others' blogs.

Any tips or advice for those starting or thinking about starting a blog?
I'd steal from Nike and say, "Just do it!" I spent a long time fretting over it - how to do it, where to post, would I have anything worthwhile to add to the conversation...when I finally took the plunge, I found that there's no pressure and it's a lot of fun. I'm meeting interesting people, and it's great to have a forum to explore the world of literature!


I agree with Jeanie. It's so awesome the community we have online with book blogs and bloggers. You guys all rock! Go over and check out her blog and leave her some love!

Are you a new blogger too? Or just getting back into the swing of blogging? Do you want to be featured on my blog? Shoot me an email at dragonzgoil (at) gmail (dot) com.


9 comments:

  1. Hmm I've never heard of this blog before. I'll definitely check it out.

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  2. How have I not seen this blog before now? Thanks for the spotlight.

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  3. hehe it is true, there are too many books in the world and not enough time to read them!

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  4. Too many book, too little time - so true!
    I also work in a library in a school - it's the best :)
    Thanks for another great spotlight!

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  5. Cool! I love learning about new blogs.

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  6. I'm going to check this blog out =)

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  7. Blogging is certainly a great way to interact with other people and I can see how it is a perfect way for teachers, librarians, etc. to get students into, or more involved with, reading.

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  8. I love her blog subtitle. I have to start reading her blog just for that!

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  9. Another great blog. The name of it is so true. I have way too many books to read and not enough time to do it in. With graduate school and a 2 year old, I'm surprised I can breath :)

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