Category Archives: Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday (November 7) – The Finches’ Fabulous Furnace

Posted on by

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Feel free to grab the Throwback Thursday button code from the sidebar to use in your posts.

Thanks for participating, and we look forward to seeing which books you choose to remember!

My Throwback this week is…

The Finches’ Fabulous Furnace by Roger Wolcott Drury

 This early reader, about the Finch family and their desperate attempts to keep the volcano in their basement hidden, was one of my favorites when I was in elementary school. It’s funny and imaginative and thrilling (or at least, it was thrilling when I was still in single-digit ages). I read it over and over as a child, until my copy was tattered and torn. Sadly, I no longer have it, but I need to find a copy for my daughter. It’s the perfect book for young readers with big imaginations.

This is a blog hop! Link up your Throwback Thursday post below!



Throwback Thursday (November 1) – Sphere

Posted on by

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Feel free to grab the Throwback Thursday button code from the sidebar to use in your posts.

Thanks for participating, and we look forward to seeing which books you choose to remember!

My Throwback this week is…

Sphere by Michael Crichton

Remember how there was a period in my life when I read all the Michael Crichton? Well, during that period, and for a bit after, I stalwartly maintained that Sphere was my favorite book, not just of Crichton’s, but in general. I wouldn’t say that anymore, and I honestly don’t even think it’s my favorite Crichton anymore, but I still really like it. So much so that when I did my great book purge before I got married ten years ago (because we were about to move into a 450 square foot apartment and I thought I couldn’t fit all my books — a decision I’m still regretting), it was one of the few that survived.

Sphere is the story of a group of scientists — of course — called in by the government to study a strange (and possibly alien) sphere found on the ocean floor. They go live in a pressurized deep sea habitat and poke around for a while, and crazy psychological and alien shenanigans ensue. All very scientifically, of course, as this is Crichton and that’s what he does best.

But don’t rent the movie. It’s rubbish. If you want to see a good movie about a group of scientists encountering aliens in a deep sea habitat, watch The Abyss. It’s a much better use of your time.

This is a blog hop! Link up your Throwback Thursday post below!


');

Throwback Thursday (October 25) – Ender’s Shadow

Posted on by

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Feel free to grab the Throwback Thursday button code from the sidebar to use in your posts.

Thanks for participating, and we look forward to seeing which books you choose to remember!

My Throwback this week is…

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card

I’ll make this super short and sweet, because we’re getting ready to go out of town in [checks clock] 20 minutes. And I haven’t finished loading the car.

I featured Ender’s Game a few months back, which is my favorite sci-fi book/series ever. This is the companion novel — the same story told from the POV of a different character. And while some would say that the thing that makes Ender’s Game great is the twist ending, and how is it possible for a companion novel to be good when you already know the end, I think this book is equally great, just for different reasons. Ender’s Shadow is more action-driven than Ender’s Game, and while many of the characters overlap, different ones take the spotlight. Plus, this one has a villain who is just…chilling. I love this book, and the series that came from it, lots.

This is a blog hop! Link up your Throwback Thursday post below!



Throwback Thursday (October 18) – Three Cups of Tea

Posted on by

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Feel free to grab the Throwback Thursday button code from the sidebar to use in your posts.

Thanks for participating, and we look forward to seeing which books you choose to remember!

My Throwback this week is…

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

I’m going to keep this short and sweet because it’s late and I’m tired. And that, children, is what happens when you procrastinate. Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

Anyway, I read this book because I was in a random non-fiction phase — I swear, based on my Throwback Thursday posts, you guys probably are under the impression that I read a lot more non-fiction than I actually do — and someone on my Facebook wall told me I should read this one. And this was before the days of book blogging, so I was at liberty to just rush right out and read a random recommendation. Ah, sweet liberty.

Just kidding. I love book blogging, even if I’m so far behind on my review books it’s ridiculous.

Anyway, here’s the Goodreads synopsis because, as I may have mentioned, I’m tired:

Anyone who despairs of the individual’s power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan’s treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson’s quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.

Now, I am vaguely aware that there is some sort of controversy surrounding the factual accuracy of this book, but honestly, I don’t care. Is anyone going to argue that mountain villages in Pakistan don’t need schools? No. And what this book accomplished, more than anything else, was made me care about the education of kids on the other side of the world, and made me glad that there are people on my side of the world who care enough to do something about it. It was inspiring and touching and even amusing at times. When you’re in a random non-fiction mood, check it out.

On a completely unrelated note, I wrote this blog post while listening to this, and the two halves of my brain are at war with each other right now.

This is a blog hop! Link up your Throwback Thursday post below!



Throwback Thursday (October 11) – The Oath

Posted on by

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

You don’t have to be a book blogger to participate! You can put up a Throwback Thursday post on your non-bookish blog; or if you don’t have a blog at all, just use the comments to tell us about a book you remember fondly.

Here’s how it works:
1. Pick any book released more than 5 years ago. Adult, YA, Children’s; doesn’t matter. Any great book will do.
2. Write up a short summary of the book (include the title, author, and cover art) and an explanation of why you love it. Make sure to link back to The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books in your post.
3. Link up your post at The Housework Can Wait or Never Too Fond of Books.
4. Visit as many blogs as you can, reminisce about books you loved, and discover some “new” books for your TBR list!

Feel free to grab the Throwback Thursday button code from the sidebar to use in your posts.

Thanks for participating, and we look forward to seeing which books you choose to remember!

My Throwback this week is…

The Oath by Frank Peretti

Oh, Christian fiction, I have a love-hate relationship with you. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but too often it’s like being punched in the face with a Bible and then slugged in the gut by a preacher. Not that I’ve ever had either of those things happen — most of the preachers I’ve known haven’t exactly been the slug-you-in-the-gut type — but you know what I mean.

However, when it’s done well, I really enjoy it. And by “done well,” I mean that the story is interesting, the characters engaging, and it makes its point through illustration and allegory rather than through blatant and deliberate proselytizing.  The Oath, by Frank Peretti (one of the biggest names in Christian fiction), is — in my opinion — an example of it being done well.

The basic premise is a town full of flawed people, where the evil in their lives physically manifests via a viscous black goo literally oozing from their skin. And once they’re sufficiently gooey, they get eaten by a dragon. Yes.

There is tension and suspense, great pacing and some gripping action sequences. Obviously, being Christian fiction, there is an underlying spiritual message and moral to the story. It doesn’t just end at “And then they were all eaten by a dragon.” So if you’d rather it did, you’d probably be better off reading [insert story where they all get eaten by a dragon. I have not yet discovered this book, but if you come across it, would you let me know?]

But if this type of book seems like something you might enjoy — I did mention that the townspeople are being eaten by a dragon, right? — then you may want to check it out.

This is a blog hop! Link up your Throwback Thursday post below!