tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55076889223728764532024-03-13T09:33:50.472-07:00Coffee TalesMs. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-23278796222818364082013-05-20T09:22:00.004-07:002013-05-20T09:22:32.461-07:00Love can be bittersweet when a girl hears "no"Not to broadcast another YouTube video... but it is <a href="http://www.coffeetalereviews.blogspot.ca/2012/08/music-monday-feature.html">Music Monday Feature</a>!<br />
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While I was in England last week I discovered Caro Emerald's music. Caro is a Dutch girl with catchy, jazz infused songs. I seriously love her stuff! ... it sounds so... European? It is not something that fits snugly into the currently North American music scene. <br />
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Take a listen below:<br />
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<b>Caro Emerald - You Don't Love Me</b></center>
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<i>* Title for this post is from Caro Emerald - You Don't Love Me.</i></center>
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<br />Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-14666368587337499932013-03-15T22:25:00.002-07:002013-03-15T22:25:34.440-07:00Best Disney Parody... ever!I recently stumbled upon this AMAZING Disney mashup on Facebook. I cannot tell you how much this video made my night yesterday - this is a must see for anyone who loves Disney or at least has sat through a few of their movies. Please give it a listen (heck, its got almost 83,000 likes on YouTube!).<br />
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Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-52880047080344570052013-02-22T15:56:00.002-08:002013-02-22T15:56:31.266-08:00Crazy KittensI had a dream about a kitten last night.. but it was nowhere near as funny as the kitties in this video! <br />
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Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-20157339376026744172013-01-16T01:10:00.001-08:002013-03-17T20:36:41.895-07:00Walt Disney ArchivesA peak at <i>Walt Disney Archives</i>:<br />
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Oh, how I would love to be one of this institution's archivists!<br />
There are an abundance of Armchair Archivist videos on YouTube. <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyD23" target="_blank">You can check more out by clicking here.</a>Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-45848523503242233632013-01-14T00:30:00.000-08:002013-01-16T01:12:32.664-08:00I'll Love You Long After You're Gone <center>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gone Gone Gone : Phillip Phillips</span></b></center>
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It's been a long time coming, but here's the latest Music Monday Feature :) </center>
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I can't get this song out of my head... not that I would want to!</center>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eThpyx8ouOc" target="_blank">You can view it at YouTube by clicking here.</a></center>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-53264603553071856892013-01-13T21:50:00.001-08:002013-01-13T21:51:34.615-08:00Recap<br />
Dear bloggers, readers, and once-in-a-blue-moon visitors,<br />
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I guess by now you have noticed that I haven't blogged for quite some time. In fact, its been since August 2012 that I have written a real-time post. I knew I would have little blogging time during September to December and decided to write enough posts to last me to the end of the year. I had planned to create a new stash of reviews during the winter holidays that would be posted throughout the upcoming months while I diligently worked on my archival studies. No such luck.<br />
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My winter holidays were fabulous. I was super busy doing Christmasy things with E, family, and friends. I did not, however, manage to write a review nor finish reading more than one book. The book, <i>Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe </i>by Jenny Colgan, was very Christmasy and thus I cannot even post a review of it as, well... no one is in the Christmas mood anymore.<br />
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So, after a few *polite* questions from others about my blog over the last two weeks, I have decided to broadcast my predicament. I have no reviews for the time being. I haven't read any books of late... besides some good archival works. I will try to keep my blog more updated - after all blogging is a great procrastination tool!<br />
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Speaking of which, my annotated bibliography on the management of archives and library calls me...Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-73248133676604371262012-11-22T02:00:00.000-08:002012-11-22T02:00:07.565-08:00The Woman He Loved Before<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhWL6RC4aEV18ybyj6pIDxQeyszKkmCym9hZwYURDbNFMLjltU9BskJmeWFopP44GbbtVH-OGGyNrQF1wSQzn91mljceFbbGhK1qW8ze9OY5fi3Cy2jHrQNyIYCT1TGcRjPXQqxhRqvAm/s1600/2012-08-18+20.20.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhWL6RC4aEV18ybyj6pIDxQeyszKkmCym9hZwYURDbNFMLjltU9BskJmeWFopP44GbbtVH-OGGyNrQF1wSQzn91mljceFbbGhK1qW8ze9OY5fi3Cy2jHrQNyIYCT1TGcRjPXQqxhRqvAm/s320/2012-08-18+20.20.07.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<i>The Woman He Loved Before</i>, written by Dorothy Koomson, was one of the many books I bought while visiting the Land of E this summer. It was a book which sounded like a promise of a good read but failed to come to fruition. <br />
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<i>The Woman He Loved Before</i> is about the relationship between Libby and Jack, complicated pasts, and twisted family ties. Libby, Jack's second wife, is haunted by the unanswered questions behind the death of Jack's first wife, Eve. Koomson takes readers on a tale of love, sensuality, and abuse as she explores the life of Eve and it's impact on Jack's new relationship. Libby comes to question her relationship with her husband and the possibility of his hand in the murder of Eve. The book's main question: How and why did Eve die?<br />
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Sexuality, in all of its shapes and sizes, is a central element within this book. At times I had to contemplate if I wanted to continue reading - something I never usually think of doing. Koomson spends many, many pages portraying the tales of England's strippers, prostitutes, and drug addicts. <br />
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At first I was taken aback by my aversion to Koomson's exploration of England's seedier side. "Why would/should this depiction make me want to stop reading altogether?" I wondered. Afterall, I have heard about the empowerment of females in this industry. And, I think that is exactly what made me not want to continue this book. Koomson does try to empower her characters but fails to make it believable. I was frustrated by this book and the fact that no where in the summary did it mention its degradation of sexuality.<br />
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I did not find this book a pleasant read nor would I suggest this book to a fellow reader.<br />
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Bibliographic Information:<br />
Koomson, D. (2011). <i>The woman he loved before</i>. London: Sphere.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-81878859661349411992012-11-08T01:00:00.000-08:002012-11-08T01:00:03.963-08:00The Book Thief<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C</td></tr>
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I had been in a Holocaust-themed reading rut for a long time prior to reading this book. In fact, I could not bring myself to read any literature on the Holocaust since visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau in April 2011. <br />
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I could research the topic into oblivion during my Undergraduate days... I would read book after book on the Holocaust prior to my visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Yet, I was now unable to read the first few pages of any Holocaust-themed item.<br />
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What was the weirdest part about my reading rut? The actual visit at Auschwitz-Birkenau did not move me to the degree that I thought it would. I found that the camp, while an emotional site, had become too tourist-centered. It was only after I returned to Canadian soil that the thought of reading about events at the place I had just visited began to disturb me. I could vividly picture what the authors were writing. I could recall walking in that very camp the authors were so expertly describing, and if I closed my eyes, their stories and my experiences at the same site began to overlap. <br />
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Consequently, I have a large pile of Holocaust literature sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. <br />
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I told my friend, K, my reading problems... and the fact that I really wanted to read a book called<i> The Book Thief</i>. After a little persuasion, I left a store with <i>The Book Thief</i> placed neatly into my shopping bag. I began reading the book later on that afternoon.<br />
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<i>The Book Thief</i>, written by Markus Zusak, portrays the adolescent life of Lisel Meminger in Nazi Germany. Lisel is a young Aryan teenager who is placed into foster care in order to avoid the perils of having communist parents. Lisel steals books from Nazi book burning ceremonies and townspeople as she learns how to read and write with the help of her foster father. Zusak explores the adolescents of Germany's Third Reich and the power of literature as a source of escape at the darkest of times.<br />
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<i>The Book Thief </i>is narrated by Death. Zusak expertly creates the character of Death as an individual which is kind, welcoming, and always there. I will admit that at first the thought of Death as a narrator pushed me away from this book. However, Death's voice is engaging, strong, emotive, and the glue which holds this tale together.<br />
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While Zusak mentions the Holocaust - parades of Jewish peoples heading for concentration camps and one character even hiding a Jewish man - his tale does not heavily focus on the atrocities.<br />
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I found it very refreshing to read a World War II themed book which focused on Germans. Not the big, bad Nazi Germans... but the everyday Germans. Individuals who were not bad people but people placed within a demonizing society. <br />
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<i>The Book Thief</i> is definitely a good gateway into the realm of Holocaust literature. I would recommend this book to everyone - it is now one of my all time favourite pieces of Holocaust literature.<br />
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Bibliographic Information:<br />
Zusak, M. (2005). <i>The book thief</i>. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-19021202640380916432012-10-11T00:30:00.000-07:002012-10-11T00:30:03.818-07:00Pear-Shaped<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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I found Stella Newman's <i>Pear-Shaped </i>at a little bookstore in Newcastle, UK. To be honest, I was attracted by the cover. The light blue background, teeny tiny pear shaped white dots, bright pink font, and 1950s style woman beckoned to me.<br /><br /><i>Pear-Shaped </i>is about Sophie, an English girl, who meets and falls in love with James, a man who is completely and utterly bad for her sanity. James is an older and slightly overweight man who has a history of dating models and fraternizes with a host of womanizing men. Newman's tale focuses on the turbulent relationship between Sophie and James.<br /><br />I am torn with this book. Newman's writing is, at times, hilariously funny. I think many people can relate to Sophie's story - a girl who falls in love with the wrong man. Newman is able to depict Sophie's dilemmas in an entertaining, engaging, and funny way. However, most of the time I wanted to slap her characters. Why?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />Sophie spends a great deal of the book complaining about the size of her body and how James continually degrades her physical attributes. There is only so much "hips - too wide. Stretch marks on hips. Bottom - very large. Flabby. Cellulite - on thighs. Unacceptable" comments that a reader can endure.* And the worst part? Sophie returns to James after every incident of his mental and emotional abuse. The book climaxes as Sophie eventually comes to terms with her relationship and questions what matters most in her life.<br /><br />I would be leery in recommending this book to others. I found that it was dark and disheartening at times. However, this is the book for you if you don't mind hearing a woman continually call herself ugly and fat... degradation at its finest.<br /><br /><br />* Quote from p 114.<br /><br /><br />Bibliographical Information:<br />Newman, S. (2011). <i>Pear-shaped</i>. London: Avon.<br />Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-27694741899528197262012-10-08T00:00:00.000-07:002012-10-08T00:00:14.304-07:00Who cares what they're gonna say<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjgFH01k0gU&feature=related" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You can watch the video on YouTube by clicking here (JenniferLopezVEVO, 2012).</span></a></div>
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<b>Jennifer Lopez : Dance Again</b></div>
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This song has been stuck in my head for awhile now. Maybe it's due to Glee's interpretation of the song last month or just the fact that my local radio station plays it so, so much... I can't seem to escape it!</div>
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I just saw this music video today and... well, holey glitter and people-ceiling. So much could be said, but I think I'll just leave it at that.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Title extracted from the lyrics of Jennifer Lopez's <i>Dance Again</i>.</span></div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-18825536495954070792012-10-07T12:16:00.001-07:002012-10-07T12:19:35.322-07:00In the postEarlier this week I received two Amazon.co.uk packages in the mail from E. You see, sometimes the UK has things that you just can't get in Canada. Like awesome specialty teas, Trebor Extra-Strong Mints, and good books published in London.<br />
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So, what were in the packages you ask?</div>
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J.K. Rowling's <i>The Casual Vacancy</i> and Jojo Moyes' <i>The Girl You Left Behind</i>!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7YVTZiMJwPzFDbH361-2T96wdLP-rdr6C7yk-7uexnPDFh7FXFqwmKm3bxuqge5Gk-uZ0pjhRXKrVNL8q0C3a5NKycSjVH_gb4kVWAtOfNr9GGd5vpC6F1GlLC1c9C0CxlV8fOG3Hb3m/s1600/2012-10-07+12.01.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7YVTZiMJwPzFDbH361-2T96wdLP-rdr6C7yk-7uexnPDFh7FXFqwmKm3bxuqge5Gk-uZ0pjhRXKrVNL8q0C3a5NKycSjVH_gb4kVWAtOfNr9GGd5vpC6F1GlLC1c9C0CxlV8fOG3Hb3m/s200/2012-10-07+12.01.03.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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Of course, Rowling's newest book can be purchased in Canada... but I really wanted a copy of her book from her country itself.<br />
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As for Moyes - if you have visited my blog before you know I love her work. Sadly, it is very difficult to find in Canada... there are only a few select titles available. <i>The Girl You Left Behind</i> is her newest edition that I cannot wait to read.<br />
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And, the big question... what should be read first? </div>
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I sided with Rowling, like any good Potter fan would.</div>
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Happy Thanksgiving!</div>
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Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-28627237434714582582012-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-28T00:00:11.563-07:00Moyes' Interview<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXZJ271VoCM&feature=youtu.be">You can watch this at YouTube by clicking here (OfficialRichardandJudy, 2012)</a>.</div>
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Above is Jojo Moyes' discussion of her work <i>Me Before You</i> at the Richard and Judy Book Club 2012 hosted by WHSmith, a bookshop in the UK. I absolutely loved this book and I think it's topic is incredibly pertinent in today's society - this clip is worth a listen.<br />
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The Richard and Judy Book Club 2012 have conducted interviews with all of the authors from this years reading list. Their other interviews can be found on YouTube by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialRichardJudy">clicking here</a>.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-80503299273405459352012-09-27T00:00:00.001-07:002012-09-27T00:00:07.308-07:00The Angel's Game<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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I am the first to admit that I do not quite understand Carlos Ruiz Zafon's <i>The Angel's Game</i>. The novel centers around David Martin, a conflicted writer, and a series of spooky, sinister events - that I can assure you is correct. However, much of the plot has left me unsure of what truly happened.<br />
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<i>The Angel's Game </i>is creepy and psychologically unnerving. The novel begins with David acquiring a questionably-haunted old house in Barcelona and being asked to write a book for a large sum of money by a mysterious French publisher during the 1920s. Readers are led on David's quest to finish his book while seeking to find answers behind his city's murders and his missing lover. Zafon beautifully describes the streets of Barcelona, antique bookshops, and an eerie mental institution. His characters are well crafted. Yet, his narrative often left me wondering what had actually taken place within the novel.<br />
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I <a href="http://www.coffeetalereviews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/shadow-of-wind.html" target="_blank">read and reviewed</a> Zafon's <i>The Shadow of the Wind</i> this past summer and had to give his next book, <i>The Angel's Game</i>, a read. Both <i>The Shadow of the Wind</i> and <i>The Angel's Game</i> are premised on troublesome writers and the Cemetery of Forgotten Books - almost like a labyrinth library where exceedingly rare, old books are hidden. Zafon suggests that you can read his books in any order... but I think reading <i>The Shadow of the Wind</i> prepares you to explore <i>The Angel's Game</i>'s new dimensions on old characters within the series. I would have been completely lost in this books pages without previous background reading.<br />
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Bibliographical Information:<br />
Zafon, C. R. (2009). <i>The angel's game</i>. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.<br />
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-62341232587000469302012-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-27T00:00:02.726-07:00Me Before You<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIkonwsDHytnnLRxOk42_2VpLZ9tRk6-lV8vZN19f2f_PYl6KRTUJguYtJdGXZTVHr1474jUeLiDoRsAOm-ccPDUz87ZGW67xkNVXj9RvndaK5OnR50g4uKLuf6FlJZr3SUBTSRzjbOzU/s1600/2012-08-27+13.33.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIkonwsDHytnnLRxOk42_2VpLZ9tRk6-lV8vZN19f2f_PYl6KRTUJguYtJdGXZTVHr1474jUeLiDoRsAOm-ccPDUz87ZGW67xkNVXj9RvndaK5OnR50g4uKLuf6FlJZr3SUBTSRzjbOzU/s320/2012-08-27+13.33.05.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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Jojo Moyes has often been labelled a chick-lit writer. However, I think she is anything but the producer of fluffy, inconsequential romances. Moyes does write love stories... but her tales are able to combine controversial topics, emotion, hilarity, and intense drama.<br />
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Moyes explores the everyday life of individuals with severe physical disabilities within her work <i>Me Before You</i>. The story centers around Will, a quadriplegic young man who was once highly active, and his budding relationship with Lou, his caretaker. Readers are introduced to each character before they meet - thus we are able to view Will as a young athletic business man at the top of his world and Lou as a recently laid of cafe employee supporting her parents and sister on minimum wage. Moyes does an excellent job of developing the characters and portraying the tensions in each one's life which ultimately bring them together.<br />
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Moyes discusses the highly controversial topic of assisted suicide. The emotional tole of enduring a physical disability, for both Will and his family, is deeply examined within this book. Will questions his continued existence as Lou seeks to embed him with happiness and a joy for life. <i>Me Before You</i> is premised on Lou and Will's quest to find happiness through life or death.<br />
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<i>Me Before You </i>is profound and truly makes one question the value of life. Do we, as individuals, have the right to help the one's we love end their lives if it is truly what they wish? What does one do when faced with this delimma? <br />
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Moyes discusses an extremely dark topic while remaining uplifting and humorous. <i>Me Before You </i>will make you cry, laugh, and ultimately bring a new interpretation of those with disabilities and assisted suicide. <br />
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I highly recommend this book - <i>Me Before You</i> is the best book I have read yet this year. I know I am not the only one who holds this opinion - check <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0718157834/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R2O4C3H3IN5RBW">Amazon.co.uk</a> and you will find that 86% of those who reviewed the book listed it as a 5 star read.<br />
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As a close, you may view the book's trailer here:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1bqSf6F-GN8" width="560"></iframe></center>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bqSf6F-GN8&feature=youtu.be">You may view this video at YouTube by clicking here (penguinbooks, 2012).</a></div>
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PS - Jojo Moyes' newest work, The Girl You Left Behind, comes out today, 27 September 2012. May I suggest you run off and grab a copy? I know that is exactly what I am planning to do today! <br />
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<b>Bibliographical Information:</b><br />
Moyes, J. (2012). <i>Me before you</i>. London: Penguin Books.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-27555705201247645662012-09-17T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-17T00:00:07.740-07:00It belongs to P.F. Sloan<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PuzfF4D55qI" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuzfF4D55qI" target="_blank">You may watch the video on YouTube by clicking here (rumerofficial, 2012).</a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Rumer: P.F. Sloan</span></b></div>
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Perhaps its Library/Archival school... but all I can think of is copyright issues when I hear this song. Pretty fitting for mid-September, I think.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* The title for this post was extracted from the lyrics of Rumer's P.F. Sloan.</span></div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-14410389909182781492012-09-13T01:35:00.000-07:002012-09-13T01:35:00.077-07:00Twilight: New MoonAwhile back I read and reviewed the first installment of <i>Twilight </i>(<a href="http://coffeetalereviews.blogspot.ca/2012/06/cant-believe-i-read-it.html" target="_blank">you can read it here</a>). I found the first book so addictive that I had to borrow K's copy of <i>New Moon</i> a few weeks later.<br />
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I imagine all of you are familiar with <i>Twilight</i>'s plot and thus I will spare you a long summary. Those unfamiliar with the story? Basically, it goes something like this: normal highschool girl falls in love with a vampire who appears to be a normal, though very attractive, highschool boy. <i>Twilight </i>follows the highs and lows of their relationship along with a few supernatural battles and family feuds.<br />
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<i>New Moon</i> focuses extensively on the loss of love. For Bella, the main character, the loss of love is so unbearable that she becomes suicidal. Meyer never forthright claims that Bella is suicidal but all of her actions point towards highly unbalanced and personally dangerous behaviour. <br />
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Suicide is a thought-provoking and extremely important topic for YA books. However, the negative aspects of suicide are never mentioned within the book. Perhaps Meyer could have
incorporated a more enlightened discussion on dangerous behaviour and suicide than
what is currently within her work's pages.<br />
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I disliked how Meyer portrayed a break-up as the complete 'end of the world.' What type of values are stressed to young girls when they read that a break-up is allowance for dangerous behaviour? Meyer capitalizes on the damsel in distress stereotype to the hilt with this work. <br />
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Yet, despite all of the critiquing, I did enjoy reading <i>New Moon</i>. It is addictive, fast-paced, and causes me to wonder where the story will lead to next... and I honestly mean that - I am one of the rare young women who have not sat through one movie installment of the <i>Twilight </i>franchise.<br />
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Bibliographical Information:<br />
Meyer, S. (2006). <i>Twilight: New moon</i>. New York: Little, Brown and Company.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-22980497072468889282012-09-10T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-10T09:05:57.001-07:00That smile on your face like summer<div style="text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cIMVPyx1OiY" width="560">M</iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIMVPyx1OiY" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> You can watch the video by clicking here (matchboxtwentytv, 2012).</span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Matchbox Twenty: Overjoyed </span></b></div>
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Matchbox Twenty's latest CD, <i>North</i>, was released last week. I fell in love with this song over the last few days and just stumbled across its very own music video. The band and director Ben Boutwell have created such a cute story.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Post title extracted from the lyrics of Matchbox Twenty's (2012) <i>Overjoyed</i>. </span></div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-58256454351072695122012-09-09T00:06:00.000-07:002012-09-09T00:06:58.906-07:00Why Have Kids? Preview<div style="text-align: left;">
Jessica Valenti's <i>Why Have Kids?</i> was released earlier this week. I eagerly await to read this book though I am not quite sure when I will manage to find time amid university deadlines. However, I did find a snazzy little video preview of the main questions and premises within Valenti's latest work. Check it out below. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EqOjQhgiixs" width="420"></iframe><br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqOjQhgiixs" target="_blank">You can view the video at YouTube by clicking here (Jessica Valenti, 2012).</a></div>
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What do you think? </div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-24306514874995558982012-09-05T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-05T00:00:14.039-07:00Picture Me Wednesday - Heart<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2C7dYIbe37HI9qIXtRIYObkMOwxoM72FzuPOB5kMthnHXDPk9fb6TaXjtT5yt5-WbxD5cgxaEz2JkY7BXmlZlp73k4y8RNpnz2Mf6IG2qL6Lff2vytcwvAtHQ8zYqX3J2kX04o_EXCcU/s1600/IMG_20120904_210720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2C7dYIbe37HI9qIXtRIYObkMOwxoM72FzuPOB5kMthnHXDPk9fb6TaXjtT5yt5-WbxD5cgxaEz2JkY7BXmlZlp73k4y8RNpnz2Mf6IG2qL6Lff2vytcwvAtHQ8zYqX3J2kX04o_EXCcU/s320/IMG_20120904_210720.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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My iPod Touch sock =) </div>
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It comes with me everywhere now that I am commuting all the time.</div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-61612691826598638252012-09-04T14:44:00.001-07:002012-09-04T14:44:57.542-07:00Teaser Tuesday - The Angel's Game<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYdVC4lJWRQ5wfVjk5mzDkrc8hQnEiYpk-D0DWbnxznHboxnMYEF-lJqoSH1JkoYmNaS3fex3aywc4-w0QhjuYn_yo3FA3OmcmQujVHnyM6Pz-C1qQ8HX_-hXB7lMx8o6T-_0JR5mHrAR/s1600/2012-08-23+00.04.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYdVC4lJWRQ5wfVjk5mzDkrc8hQnEiYpk-D0DWbnxznHboxnMYEF-lJqoSH1JkoYmNaS3fex3aywc4-w0QhjuYn_yo3FA3OmcmQujVHnyM6Pz-C1qQ8HX_-hXB7lMx8o6T-_0JR5mHrAR/s200/2012-08-23+00.04.06.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader's hands, a new spirit..." </blockquote>
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- Carlos Ruiz Zafron - <i>The Angel's Game </i>(2009, p. 430).</blockquote>
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<a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">You can participate at Should Be Reading's Teaser Tuesday by clicking here. </a>Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-45344516552091205712012-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-03T00:00:10.729-07:00A Secret in an Envelope...<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hOgwwZyyz2Q" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOgwwZyyz2Q&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click here to view on YouTube (TheCivilWars, 2012).</span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Civil Wars: 20 Years</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I first heard this band and song in England earlier this summer. Perhaps I feel a bit nostalgic as summer is now mere hours from being officially over... but I swear I can feel myself being transported to Nottingham when I close my eyes and listen to the lyrics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Hope you all enjoy the last official day of summer and have a lovely Labour Day! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I'm back to uni tomorrow. </span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-83149373088294524402012-09-02T17:13:00.001-07:002012-09-02T22:39:14.153-07:00Trailer - The Girl You Left BehindI absolutely love Jojo Moyes and cannot wait to read her next book, <i>The Girl You Left Behind</i>. Check out the trailer below - sounds good, no? It comes out 27 September 2012!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OUrxsIk1wQk" width="560">Y </iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUrxsIk1wQk" target="_blank">You can watch the YouTube video by clicking here (penguinbooks, 2012).</a></div>
<br />Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-30682557509403990502012-08-30T22:15:00.000-07:002012-08-30T22:16:02.701-07:00Feature & Follow - Aug 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6778552714_5a75be99b4_o.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lryN2Kjx-zpw0mKcrUO8H_EQTWvW6eBEwQcqC7KepyzWHrnk9yDgv7OcBI2RKPJzDQQPnCNlrsk2okVbcIePYeNytQe0hIznqyJofOA_Njz4nMwifG_xYOdl8daxl6jbVCEZuGrU1J-e/s1600/2012-08-27+13.12.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lryN2Kjx-zpw0mKcrUO8H_EQTWvW6eBEwQcqC7KepyzWHrnk9yDgv7OcBI2RKPJzDQQPnCNlrsk2okVbcIePYeNytQe0hIznqyJofOA_Njz4nMwifG_xYOdl8daxl6jbVCEZuGrU1J-e/s320/2012-08-27+13.12.23.jpg" width="240" /></a> This week's <i>Feature & Follow</i> question is...<br />
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<b>Best Cover? What is the best cover of a book that you’ve read and didn’t like?</b><br />
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<b>A:</b> A book I read recently comes to mind. I absolutely fell in love with the cover of<i> Pear-Shaped</i> by Stella Newman. The bubbly pink font, cute baby blue background, teeny tiny white pear dots (not sure if they show up in this picture!), and stylish lady beckoning another time era made me give this book a shot. But, the story? Not so much for me to love there.<br />
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A review of the book is scheduled for next month.Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-31596522751888396892012-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:002012-08-30T00:00:11.081-07:00The Best of Me<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SpUs8cOtRNn1veWn4yr0UKRGeaKNxbn-8DJmM_-HSeiDcnomBK82sTAHUivAP81FTG3ReDPk6WRRd_4s_r5f4uRpVbsxzMv2lFc35jqfPm5NsQAi4RRFaPVmBgCaxPpF5s5sPEMePuws/s1600/2012-08-27+13.32.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SpUs8cOtRNn1veWn4yr0UKRGeaKNxbn-8DJmM_-HSeiDcnomBK82sTAHUivAP81FTG3ReDPk6WRRd_4s_r5f4uRpVbsxzMv2lFc35jqfPm5NsQAi4RRFaPVmBgCaxPpF5s5sPEMePuws/s320/2012-08-27+13.32.47.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C. </td></tr>
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I began Nicholas Sparks' latest book, <i>The Best of Me</i>, tentatively. It's not that I don't like his other works. I love his older novels. However - prior to reading <i>The Best of Me</i> - I found his recent tales tiresome, repetitive, and with too strong a focus on criminal activities. Sparks came to be an author who wrote love stories that always included a crazy person with a gun somewhere within the plot. And that, to me, is not an attractive story.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><i>The Best of Me</i> works within that framework. Sparks weaves the tale of Amanda and Dawson, two former lovers who meet each other at the funeral of a mutual friend after years of separation. Amanda and Dawson's past and present relationships are examined throughout <i>The Best of Me</i>. Readers come to question the notion of true love and the impact of a first love in one's life. Of course, typical of Sparks' recent tradition, there is some gun-wielding drama.<br /><br />
I greatly enjoyed this book. <i>The Best of Me</i> seems to bridge Sparks' two writing styles - his new found love for depicting criminal behaviour and a honest, captivating love story. I found the plot addictive and the characters believable. The story was predictive - I've chatted to a few people about this book and we all say we saw the ending a mile away. However, each and every one of us could not put the book down. <br /><br />And the story's ending... oh how I wish I could write more fully about it without giving away spoilers. It is a beautiful story with an ending that is both touching and yet disturbing. Yes, disturbing. I can't think of another way to describe it.<br /><br /><br /><br />Bibliographical Information:<br />Sparks, N. (2011). <i>The best of me</i>. New York: Grand Central Publishing.<br /><br />Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5507688922372876453.post-23090818999077837442012-08-29T00:00:00.000-07:002012-08-29T00:00:08.908-07:00Picture Me Wednesday - Shakespeare<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfopkuOpej_LVZ0TN3H3efJhMDbaLE0na_IJNbUZBMr-Im9oGD8aR3uic3y-pWdtjifOtWK99fj5ZIu_jExgvnqQfweoYK0LUwTanWUEJkOCVdBC47hm7QxXl6zAu6OosTLDGxpp-akeC8/s1600/IMG_20120827_222312(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfopkuOpej_LVZ0TN3H3efJhMDbaLE0na_IJNbUZBMr-Im9oGD8aR3uic3y-pWdtjifOtWK99fj5ZIu_jExgvnqQfweoYK0LUwTanWUEJkOCVdBC47hm7QxXl6zAu6OosTLDGxpp-akeC8/s400/IMG_20120827_222312(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken by Ms. C.</td></tr>
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Why Shakespeare, you ask? A few months ago I visited Stratford-Upon-Avon with E. I absolutely *loved* my stay in Stratford - which is incidentally the city of Shakespeare's origins. I bought this pin from the <a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/home.html" target="_blank">Shakespeare Birthplace Trust</a>. Quoted here is a famous line from Shakespeare's <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream</i>. Ms. Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07696361624961230380noreply@blogger.com0