The Truth of Non-Fiction

Memoirs are not written by people who are young. Usually a person, is over the age of 30 and has gone through a harrowing personal time that has caused them the need to share this experience with every literary person they can get their hands on. Older people are the ones who write the stories.

Everyone has heard their grandparent tell them a story that they've already heard ten million bazillion times. But every time they hear it again, something changes. Maybe they didn't save a fuzzy little kitten from a tree, but actually a little girl. No, wait! They helped an older woman cross the street or donate $903845730948573 to the local Boy Scout troop. Memories change with age.

Memoirs come from memory. Of course memory will never be 100% accurate. It will always be perturbed by something. Something will cause it to change. As Mr. Coates said, even the dialogue in the Glass Castle is made up. She undoubtedly could not remember every single word that was said with the proper inflections and then able to recall it within a moment.

Therefore a memoir will never be truly accurate. But on the count of Frey, it seems he made a simple mistake. I believe that everyone blew it out of proportion. It originally was a story, but because he couldn't get anyone to publish it, he fudged a word. Called it a memoir. I think it could have been reprinted without the cover letter and just the single phrase "Based on a true story.

Yes it's okay for them to be called half-truths. Nothing is the full truth. So therefore, there should be no memoirs at all. Just title the book with the author's name and claim "This is what I think happened. But I might be wrong, so I cannot call this a memoir." They made a mistake of lying to the publisher. But calling everything a lie? Wrong. That doesn't call into question their being or character.

Final Review of Clash of Kings

Game of Thrones

Book 3 Review

George R. R. Martin created a world. Not just any world. Not the world that you and I live in. This is not the world of cellphones, laptops and fancy cars. If you’re rich, you’re lucky to have a litter that you’re carried around in. This is a world where Steve Jobs was never born in to. And not just because it takes place in the past - the time of kings, queens, deceit, secret children, backstabbing, knights, peasants and so on. But what is a story of kings, queens and knights without dragons? Have no fear, my gents and ladies! The Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin has all this and more. The dragons are gone from this story. But only temporarily. They come back. They're born in fire and all revere the Mother of Dragons. But what is a story without drama? Martin doesn’t leave that out, for all you drama lovers. Why have one king when you can have four? What is a story without murder? But not just any murder. There’s magic. A new kind of magic pervades the kingdom. This new, scary magic follows a red priestess. This new magic created a new religion, Faith of the Seven, which gets rid of the old gods. No more are godswood trees followed, and the "Old Gods" of the Forest that were worshiped by the First Men before the invasion of the Andals and those of the north are gone. But the 7 new gods are prayed to reverently in the south, and the Seven are moving further and farther into the daily lives.

  • The Father: represents divine justice, and judges the souls of the dead.
  • The Mother: represents mercy, peace, fertility, and childbirth. She is sometimes referred to as "the strength of women".
• The Maiden: represents purity, love, and beauty. • The Crone: represents wisdom and foresight. She is represented carrying a lantern.
• The Warrior: represents strength and courage in battle.
• The Smith: represents creation and craftsmanship.
• The Stranger: The Stranger represents death and the unknown. It is rarely prayed to.

This book was an unexpected surprise. Having one king is bad enough in this kind of world where creatures start walking the world again thousands of years after they are supposedly gone. The four kings, Lord Stannis Baratheon, Lord Renly Baratheon, young Joffrey Baratheon and Robb Stark all have different claims. One cannot help to have favorites. Joffrey Baratheon was believed to be the son of the last king, or is he? Stannis Baratheon is the oldest brother after Robert Baratheon (the last king). Renly believes he is the better king, even though he is the youngest brother. And Robb? He is the King in the North like his forefathers were before him. There are secrets that people have died for. Mindless slaughter is quite prominent in this second installment of A Song of Ice and Fire.

“People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up.” - Lord Tyrion Lannister

What is the truth anymore but something we believe? One person believes one thing, and someone else another. That leaves us with multiple truths. We’re left questioning who we can trust.

There are funny things. It’s not all blood, murder and gore. Though one man’s manhood did become shorter, there is some kid humor in here. Because after all, don’t we all remain kids at heart?

“If you need help, bark like a dog." - Gendry.
"That's stupid. If I need help I'll shout help." – Lady Arya Stark”

This book may seem a little slow, but if one pays attention, you’ll see that even the ‘meaningless plot detail’ that you think is 100% unnecessary, actually contributes to the plot. There’s always an action going on. There is always deceit. Some try for honor. Some loudly exclaim they don’t care. Others have people fight to the death for fun.

A Clash of Kings has a smorgasbord of interests. Yes, there’s magic for the fantasy lovers. Dragons, zombie-like creatures rising up and creatures who haven’t walked the grounds in thousands of years and have a mysterious talent of not being able to be killed easily. For the animal lovers, there are the direwolves. Some of the characters even worship horses, for a person is only as strong as their beast. For the boys, you have your wars and your battles. For the cunning, there is the deceit, the lying, the Game of Thrones, ever moving, ever manipulating. There is the soft-hearted woman, who is intelligent, but she knows where her heart lies – with her family. She’s an emotional character who is about duty, honor and love. In her world, that is all she needs.

“I want to weep, she thought. I want to be comforted. I'm so tired of being strong. I want to be foolish and frightened for once. Just for a small while, that's all....a day.....an hour.”  - Lady Catelyn Stark

This book is not for children. There are some sexual scenes that some may find pleasure in, but others will need to warn their children. Or maybe it’s time for the “Birds and the Bees” talk. Incest and girls loving on girls also play prominently. This is not a book for the light hearted.

The book could be a little slow paced, but once you push through it, you realize it’s a masterpiece. One cannot help but develop their favorites. The only fault to be found is that you don’t see your favorites that often. Chapters may go by without seeing your favorite character again. You have to want to read this. It is worth it.

 

Book 1: By the Light of the Moon

Wouldn't you like to read at night by the light of the moon? But what if it’s a new moon? (Are you, in fact, reading New Moon by Stephenie Meyer?) How about a “Moon in Your Pocket” flashlight so you can read by the light of the moon anywhere? Doesn’t that sound cool? That way, when you’re reading another Dean Koontz book, you’ll be able to take it with you anywhere! If you’re injected with chloroform and waiting for the effects to wear off, you could pull out your handy dandy “Moon in Your Pocket” flashlight to help you fight off the guy who injected you! Or better yet, use it as a weapon against your unsuspecting neighbor in case they’re starving and torturing their mother in their basement! It’s a multi-use item! It comes in 3 designs: full moon, waxing crescent moon, and waning crescent moon in case you’re feeling rebellious.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

We are also offering you a once-in-a-lifetime button that you can wear on your shirt that says

"Mrs. Santa Claus called Dylan "dear", delivered his order in two white paper bags, and reached across the counter to pin a promotional button to his shirt. The button featured the slogan FRIES NOT FLIES and the grinning green face of a cartoon toad whose conversion from the traditional diet of his warty species to such taste treats as half-pound bacon cheeseburgers was chronicled in the company's current advertising campaign."

With this button, you can own a representation of what brought Jilly, Dylan and Shepherd together! The button was pinned on them unwillingly, but the psychic spoor left on it caused Dylan to experience his first paranormal activity which led to saving Dorothy and . Wouldn't you like to be Dylan?

Or maybe you would like to be Shepherd for a day and become a whiz at puzzles! Look at these super cute puppies! Even though Shep had a bad experience (seeing his mother murdered)when making this puzzle, it doesn't mean that you have to! You can also use this puzzle as an escape - a narrow corner of the wall, something to focus on when your world gets crazy.

BUT THAT'S STILL NOT ALL!

To be like Jilly, you need to be funny or a magician. "Jilly might have screamed back at them as she plunged into their midst, but she was too busy pinching-tweaking-folding out of the yawning maw of Death and back up to the top of the east scaffold.." "How do I become funny?" you may ask. Well I have your answer right here! Joke cards! And not just any joke cards! Ones that are focused on plants such as Fred.

And for this tv only offer, I'm giving you an extra gift - no charge at all. A toy set of flying doves! The stained glass window is not provided.

You must be 18 or older to call and order! Have your grandparents call also to have us triple your offer! Not one! Not two! But three Moon In Your Pockets!

If you're one of the first 10,000 callers, we will also include a Goodnight Moon book so you can read this to your children. Once your darling babies fall asleep, you can get back up to your room to read your signed edition of By the Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz!

All this can be yours for only 17 payments of $194.99!

Call and order yours today!

What is a book?

A book is an empty container.

It is an airtight, sealable container. When you open the cover of a book, you're opening this container. With every adjective, a new idea is created. That idea can be placed in the container and stored there for whenever you choose to look at it. You're forming a picture in your mind and you're able to keep it there, air tight, so nothing escapes. That way, when you read the book again, you're able to lift the lid and be transported to wherever you last left off. Then when you're finished, you're able to store it away, but it is always in reach.

A book is an idea, a place, an alternate reality, an escape to another world or maybe just around the corner for you where you can hide and be kept safe while also exploring a dangerous cavern. Even some scientific thingy where you can become someone else temporarily. It offers your perspective that you wouldn't get by just being yourself.If you are a poor, small town girl, living in a lonely world, you could become that city guy living the high life in Maui as the son of a rich Mafia boss. Changing genders is perfectly acceptable in a book world. No one judges you if you want to read the perspective of the opposite gender.Joe Meno stated that with each new book read, the story, or message,

"begin[s] anew each time, introducing a whole other generation to the possibilities of reading. [...] A book is actually a place, a place where we, as readers, still have the chance to engage in active imagining, translating word into image, connecting these images to memories, dreams and larger ideas."

While he may be correct when it comes to the purpose of a book, (besides informing), he believes that it's still the same no matter the format.

"There's something about the physicality of a book, the way it looks and feels and even smells--the notes written in the margins--that makes it a living, breathing companion (who, like yourself, is actually dying)."

Nancy Jo Sales had it right.I don't want to be a hypocrite. I have 459 books in my personal library at home, but I also possess a Nook with around 230 additional books. I love my Nook. It's so more convenient to carry around this tiny computer than to carry a 600+ page book. It is. It really is. And when I forget my Nook, I'm still able to read it using the Nook app on my iPhone or iPad. But here's the thing, my Nook messes up. The files become corrupted and I'm left missing pages. Or I will be on page 394, trying to flip to 395 and it prevents me from "turning the page". So I will search for the page, and it will jump me back 7 pages. Talk about frustrating and inconvenient. Or if I'm not paying attention, I will go to page 394, flip it and be on 397 and continue going on. Then a few pages later, 395 and 396 will be right in front of 406. Flipping back and forth trying to find continuity is irritating.Let's just say that you don't have that problem with an actual book that you hold in your hand, turning the physical pages.With all these self publishers that go straight to the internet, proofreading has become a dream of the past. It's become an archaic word that English teachers throw around, duly hoping that some student will hear them and actually read through their paper before submitting some creature with text language all over it.This hardly ever occurs with a real, life book. For one thing, text books won't ever be completely online. Yes, there may be a reference to use when you're at home, but they'll still be handing them out to you on the first day of class. Tom Piazza had it right,

"Computers are e-books and smartphones all basicallly look alike. They are strictly vehicles; you pick them up to step through them into some consensus reality." There is something about an actual book, "There's a resonance. Somebody else might have held the book, and valued it. Maybe they made notes in the margin, and kept it and handed it down to their children... I mean, you can give somebody a book; it has weight, it’s a gesture of faith in the future."

There is value in a book. Something you can hold in your hand and smell. There's even value in a book with uneven edges. It's not the same reading Macbeth on a Kindle as it is holding a copy of it in your hand.

Why do I like to read?

I am often asked by my friends, "Why do you like to read?" They see me carrying around a new book every week or two, wanting to tell them about this newest, and greatest world I a am a part of. It really is a new world through each and every book; the characters embrace you as one of their own and tell you their every thought and feeling. You become the main character, even if it's not written in first person. I still don't have a true answer for my friends besides, "I just enjoy it." In seventh grade, I was reading First Born by Doris Mortman. This book switched through different point of views for four women. I was truly enveloped in one of the women's story during lunch when she saw her husband's plane crash that just took off. She was holding their very young daughter as they both saw Daddy's plane blow up in mid air. She had tears streaming my face. I felt one of my friends shaking me and asking me what's wrong; I hadn't noticed the tears streaming down my face. I was still so choked up that I couldn't answer at all, and I had to go to the bathroom to collect myself. I'm still like that. Though I haven't yet found another book that has made me cry, I still have to pause a few moments and take a breather. The story doesn't end just because the book did. It still caresses you and you're left thinking like the characters. I like the feeling of becoming someone else and escaping my own problems. Sometimes these characters have the opportunity to go somewhere or do something that you will never be able to do in real life. It's a heaven.