These is My Words - BOOK RING

by Nancy Turner | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0060987510 Global Overview for this book
Registered by LynnWrites of Tucson, Arizona USA on 7/2/2004
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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13 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by LynnWrites from Tucson, Arizona USA on Friday, July 2, 2004
"The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901". Vivid accounting of life in the Arizona territory, right here in the Tucson area, told from the perspective of a tough young woman.
This book leaves you breathless with nonstop action. AfFter just the first few pages, I vowed to never complain again about life being difficult. I can't imagine surviving the traumas, both physical and mental, that were suffered almost daily by the families travelling by covered wagon across this country, to make a new home in the west. I developed a new and deep respect for the strong, resilient women who had the courage to settle in this unwelcoming and harsh enviroment.

This book was a unanimous hit with my book club. If I can find a duplicate copy, I will release the duplicate. This copy, which I found in a used book store, is inscribed by the author: a very lucky find.

Edited to add:
I now have another copy, inscribed to ME this time by the author (a gift from a wonderful friend). I hope to start a bookring with this copy.

Journal Entry 2 by LynnWrites from Tucson, Arizona USA on Sunday, July 10, 2005
BOOKRING STARTING - July 11, 2005

This picture was taken in the peach orchards in Benson, the area settled by Sarah Prine and her family. Some of the apple and peach trees in these orchards are from stock brought in on the covered wagons

PLEASE, please journal. Do a quick "it is in my hands" sort of entry once you receive the book, then take a moment to journal your impression of the book (as short or long as you like). Once you have PM's the next person for their address and you have shipped the book off, change the status to "travelling". Based on your entries, I will keep this list updated with the current location of the book.
Hope you all enjoy this one but, if you don't, say so in your journal entry. It's always interesting to get different viewpoints.

Here we go....

Start date: Monday, July 11, 2005

1. Desertresident – Tucson, Arizona COMPLETED
2. DS3233 – Sun City, Arizona, COMPLETED
3. KimKerry – Prescott, Arizona COMPLETED (will ship overseas)
4. Redhouse – U K COMPLETED ( will ship overseas)
5. Duklyn – Alberta, Canada - COMPLETED
6. Bookczuk – South Carolina - COMPLETED
7. AnOtterChaos – Pennsylvania (will ship overseas) COMPLETED
8. Xeyra – Portugal COMPLETED (will ship to Canada)
9. Jessibud – Toronto, Ontario, Canada - COMPLETED
10. Crrcookie – COMPLETED,
11. Glade1 – COMPLETED- North Carolina

12. Luintaurien – HERE, as of early Dec. '06, Nebraska
13. Vannessave – California
14. Genielady - West Virginia
15. Jimmielegs - Iowa LAST STOP, THIS IS A RABCK TO JIMMIELEGS


Journal Entry 3 by desertresident from Tucson, Arizona USA on Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Received it in today's mail and can't wait to read "These Is My Words" by Nancy E. Turner - not all of my reading material is mystery/thrillers. Since I am the first on the list of this new bookring started by hotflash in Tucson, I will put it ahead of all others and then pass it on to the next member on the bookring list.

Thanks hotflash!

There aren't too many novels I rate as a TEN, but These Is My Words deserves it! Without a doubt, it is one of the very best love stories I have read about the pioneer days. Get out the box of tissues because Nancy E. Turner takes her readers on an emotional ride of their lives: you will laugh, nod your head "yes, I can relate to that...", admire, be in awe, and shed a few tears as you read Sarah Prine's Diary of her journey and life in the Arizona Territories from 1881-1901.

Thanks again hotflash for sharing this one with us!

This week, I will release it to the second member on the bookring list:
DS3233-Sun City, Arizona and hope this bookcrossing member enjoys it as much as I did.

Journal Entry 4 by ds3233 from Sun City, Arizona USA on Saturday, July 30, 2005
Received this in the mail a couple of weeks ago and forgot to journal it. I'm so sorry. I enjoyed the book very much. Wonderful story. Will pass on the KimKerry today.

Journal Entry 5 by KimKerry from Prescott, Arizona USA on Saturday, July 30, 2005
Will put my other two books aside and start this book tonight after dinner. Thank you for this opportunity, hotflash!

And thanks, ds3233, for passing this on to me at lunch today!

Journal Entry 6 by KimKerry from Prescott, Arizona USA on Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Thank you, hotflash, for this book ring! This is a book I would not have chosen on my own and I would have missed out on a warm and wonderful read.

I at first had difficulty with Sarah's stilted writing, but I quickly forgot the poor grammar and clumsy speech. I was fascinated at how the author slowly expanded Sarah's maturity as well as her compostion skills.

There was a thread in the book forum not long ago which discussed characters from novels that you'd like to come to life and meet; Sarah Prine is definitely one of my choices.

Of course, having lived in Arizona for the last 7 seven years, I found the history and locales even that much more meaningful.

Sending on to redhouse in the UK via Global Priority on Aug. 3.

Journal Entry 7 by lellie from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Monday, August 8, 2005
Arrived safely in UK along with a beautifully illustrated book on Arizona.
Way back in the late '60's I travelled in America for a year and this brought back memories.
Thanks so much Kim, I think I may keep the two books together when I mail them on.
I am really looking forward to this.

Journal Entry 8 by lellie from Trimley St Mary, Suffolk United Kingdom on Monday, August 15, 2005
Just finished.
A thoroughly absorbing page turner crammed with memorable characters.
I'll be mailing this on as soon as I have duklyns address

Journal Entry 9 by duklyn from Drayton Valley, Alberta Canada on Saturday, September 10, 2005
Recieved in mail yesterday

Journal Entry 10 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Received today. I have one book in line ahead, but will get to this shortly. Many thanks, duklyn, for sending it on. And look at all the wonderful BookCrossers who have already had this! Wow! (Not to mention the grand group that are waiting to receive it.)

Thanks, hotflash!

Journal Entry 11 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Well! I certainly enjoyed reading this book. I love historical fiction, or at least stories that try to make a good, honest blend of fiction and fact, so this fit the bill. I'm an avid journaler, myself, and liked the convention of using Sarah's diary as the vehicle for the story. As she grows and matures into womanhood, so does her writing.

I don't know much about Arizona's history, but found this account of the territory fascinating.

Thank you for sharing!

(An apology- normally, I mark passages to remember for my journal note, but I was down with a virus whilst reading this, and neglected to make notes.)

Have already received the address of AnOtterChaos, so will be sending this off as soon as I have a proper envelope for it.

Journal Entry 12 by wingbookczukwing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, January 26, 2006
Off to get an envelope for the book and then mail today. At least that's the plan. Also wanted to add that I meant to say in my journal entry how once again I am impressed by the fortitude of those who pioneered this country. One thing's for sure, I may be strong, smart and funny in today's world, but I am not sure how well I'd have done back then. She was one tough cookie and one good shot!

Journal Entry 13 by AnOtterChaos from West Lawn, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, January 30, 2006
Just arrived, and going to the top of the Mt. TBR pile...thanks!

Journal Entry 14 by AnOtterChaos from West Lawn, Pennsylvania USA on Wednesday, February 1, 2006
I liked this book much better than I thought I would...obviously, since I read it in about 3 days. The beginning seemed fairly trite & predictable, and the amount of disaster that happens in the first 30 pages had me thinking, "Oh, yeah, right." But the characters grew on me. The device of letting the narrator's voice become more polished & expressive as she grew was very effective. I love the thought of this vibrant, loving, fierce, intelligent woman who found ways to express her creativity & strength that were very believable in the context. Sarah has a wry & ironic sense of humor, and a very unique voice. Some of her quotes are priceless: "That man makes me feel like I have my bonnet on backwards."
"Taking up marriage is a good excuse for taking up cursing, I think."

If you like this book, I heartily recommend "Six-Horse Hitch" by Janice Holt Giles. An older book, might still be in a library or two. I have a copy that I could send as a bookring, if there were interest.

By the way, I noticed the inscription...a really personal one!...from the author, and think it sad that you found it discarded in a used book store! At a used book sale this year, I found a book with a loving hand-made birthday card in it, clearly the book had been selected with care & thought, unread. :(

The picture is a Palo Verde tree, a tree that Sarah mentions & that I remember fondly from living in the desert. While I don't miss the heat that made me keep a towel in the car (so I could hold the steering wheel in the summer), I miss the gorgeous autumns & springs, the clean dry air, and the Palo Verdes.

Ready to pass on!

Journal Entry 15 by AnOtterChaos from West Lawn, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, February 6, 2006
Mailing today to Xeyra...enjoy!

Journal Entry 16 by Xeyra from Seixal, Setúbal Portugal on Friday, February 10, 2006
It has arrived! It's with me! It came accompanied with a beautiful book on Arizona -- I'm looking forward to getting to know this state. This is one of my most anticipated bookrings and it had to arrive just when I have such a difficult to manage (read HUGE) mountain of books to read and send on.

I will try to read this one and get it moving before the usual month is over. I am going to try and bump it high on my TBR list as I am so very looking forward to reading it. Thank you, Chaos, for sending it so quickly! Really, what was that about sending it s-l-o-w-l-y? It arrived in 4 days!!! Bad girl! :o)

Journal Entry 17 by Xeyra from Seixal, Setúbal Portugal on Friday, April 21, 2006
I have not yet finished this book but I wanted to post this to apologise for taking so long to read it. I have been reading this book slowly, mostly because of a reading funk I've been in for the past month. Somehow all my readings have been going much slower than usual and I've been unable to move books in a timely fashion (I have had this one for over two months now!). It doesn't help that I usually juggle three books at the same time. I do want to read this one, though, which is why I haven't mailed it unread yet. I was very curious about it and I have been enjoying it, even though I still have to finish it.

I am sorry for having stalled this bookring and if the organizer wants to me to move it on, I will, even if I won't be able to finish it. But if it's not a problem, I'd like to keep it with me for a little while longer so I can finish reading it. I'd appreciate it. :)

Journal Entry 18 by LynnWrites from Tucson, Arizona USA on Friday, April 21, 2006
Hi there Xeyra....go ahead and take the time needed to finish the book. I don't think it's a problem for anyone. I am pretty sure that the next person on the list is up to her ears in reading material right now. Just enjoy it...send it along when you can.
Thanks for caring enough to worry about it !!!

Journal Entry 19 by Xeyra from Seixal, Setúbal Portugal on Tuesday, May 2, 2006
I have finally managed to finish this book after having it for so long in my possession. I admit I barely picked it up while going through my reading funk, but then, when I really started reading it and getting into it, I put all other readings in the background and was unable to put this one down.

I loved it. It was a wonderful book, with a wonderful heroine, with an extraordinarily enchanting voice. Reading this novel is like riding a rollercoster of emotions, because you worry as Sarah does, you laugh, you cry, you go numb and feel miserable as she does, because she is such an engaging narrator that she makes you experience her story so vividly. And the life of a pioneer is so hard that one cannot help but admire and respect those who first settled that country, especially the women like Sarah who, in a world that belonged to men, had the courage and resilience to make it through the fire and prosper.

I so wanted to read this novel and I had such high expectations for it, so I am so glad they were not only met but surpassed. Thank you so much for this bookring, hotflash. I've PMed Jessibud so I hope to mail this and its companion Arizona guide as soon as possible.

Edit: Mailed on May 5 to Jessibud.

Journal Entry 20 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Friday, June 2, 2006
This book and the accompanying one arrived safely today. The next week and a half are going to be busy ones as I must finish writing my report cards and have a ton of meetings at school and other assorted boring but busy stuff going on. And, as Murphy's Law would have it, I just started another bookring plus I know of 2 others which are on their way, as we speak. EEK!

Normally, what I might have done in such a situation is to send them on to the next person and just ask to be bumped down to the bottom of the list, so I can read them a bit later, in the summer. But because of the bulk of the 2 books together (think: postage), I won't do that. Besides, I am almost at the bottom of the list, already, lol! So, what I am saying is that I hope no one will disown me if I take a bit longer than I should. I promise to keep them in full view on my nighttable as a visual reminder that they are waiting...

Will journal again later

Journal Entry 21 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Thursday, August 3, 2006
I am nearly finished this book. In fact, I will probably finish it tonight or if not, then tomorrow, for sure.

I just have to say how much I am enjoying this one. I know this is a work of fiction but it is probably more realistic than most fictional novels.

I have been moaning and bitching lately about my lack of air-conditioning and recent lack of internet access at home. Petty, trivial stuff, really. And then I read the following two sentences and suddently it hit me: nothing like a little dose of (fictional) reality to put things into proper perspective:

"...I just can't imagine why it is that some people's cup of life seems to be so full of bitter water all the time..."

"...I wanted to cry, but I felt too lonesome to cry, sort of like if there's no one to hear my tears, there's no use to shed them..."


Bingo

Journal Entry 22 by jessibud from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Saturday, August 5, 2006
Mailed this out to Crrcookie this morning.

I *purely* loved this book. I will admit to taking a bit of a break in the middle -- life interfered -- but once I got back into it, I could not put it down. I bawled my eyes out at the end and am feeling almost bereft now that it is finished. I feel like I've lost a friend. I want to know what happens next in Sarah's life.

Thank you so much, Hotflash, for sending this my way. And KimKerry, thanks, too for the extra treat of the photo book that really fleshed out the scenes.

Journal Entry 23 by crrcookie from Tecumseh, Oklahoma USA on Wednesday, August 23, 2006
This book has arrived in Tecumseh, OK. I looked through it a bit as I opened the package and I think that it looks to be quite fascinating.

I hope that I will be able to get reading on this book soon and keep it moving right along. I will. of course, journal again when I get the chance to read the book and form an opinion.

Journal Entry 24 by crrcookie from Tecumseh, Oklahoma USA on Friday, September 29, 2006
This book was one that was interesting to the very end. It kept me reading just so that I could find out what happened to each of the characters as they developed through Sarah's eyes.

I admire the grit that Sarah shows and the way that she looks at life with a practical approach. The only thing that I found difficult about this book was the length and the span of time that it covered. I would sometimes have a hard time placing the timeline because sometimes I would forget to look at the date on the diary entries as I would get absorbed in the story.

As I find happens with many of the books I read I found the ending to be somewhat rushed. The entries get pretty far apart and then time starts jumping by and this causes the book to feel like someone is trying to hurry it along to be finished. But it does seem to end in a way that you know what is happening with the characters and at least I didn't feel like I had been left hanging.

This has been one of the longest times it has taken me to read a bookring but as others have said life tends to get in the way. This was a long book compared to most that I read and it was also involved enough that I needed to take some time with it to absorb what I was reading and to let the characters form in my mind.

It has been an honor participating in this bookring and it should be in the mail early next week.

Journal Entry 25 by crrcookie from Tecumseh, Oklahoma USA on Friday, September 29, 2006
I read and will release this book as part of the 2006 Keep Them Moving Release Challenge from the Release Challenges forum.

Journal Entry 26 by crrcookie from Tecumseh, Oklahoma USA on Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Mailed to Glade1 on 2 October 2006.

Journal Entry 27 by wingglade1wing from McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Saturday, October 7, 2006
Received in the mail today with the beautiful Arizona book. More later...

Journal Entry 28 by wingglade1wing from McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Saturday, October 28, 2006
I am yawning all through work today because I stayed up until 2:00 a.m. finishing this book. There came a point when I just couldn't put it down. Wonderful story! In some ways it's "just" a historical romance, but it has such an individual voice that it stands out. I loved Sarah and Jack both and envy their wonderful relationship. I wish I had also kept track of the phrases Sarah used that particularly resonated with me, but I was reading so eagerly I couldn't be bothered :) I truly would like to have a copy of this for my PC; my wish list grows again!

I have to say that many aspects of this story reminded me of Gone With the Wind, and for me that's a good thing. There was the spunky girl who has to defend herself to the death at times, the often maddening man, the almost too-good-to-be-true sister-in-law, the parent driven mad by tragedy, the loss of a child, etc. It seems to me like a story about two people similar to Rhett and Scarlett who actually put aside their pigheadedness and admitted they loved each other and would be good together, and were.

I agree with KimKerry that I would like to meet Sarah Prine. She is a memorable character. This is one of those rare books that I hope someday to be able to reread.

Hotflash, thank you for introducing us to this treasure of a book! I'm off to PM Luintaurien to get this one moving again. (I'll spend a little time with the Arizona book before I pass them both along.)

Journal Entry 29 by wingglade1wing from McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Saturday, October 28, 2006
Hey, FYI, I was just on Amazon and saw that Turner has written a sequel to These Is My Words, entitled Sarah's Quilt. I'll have to add that one to my wish list too!

Update 11-27-06: Mailed to Luintaurien today via media mail. I apologize for the delay!

Journal Entry 30 by Luintaurien from York, Nebraska USA on Thursday, December 7, 2006
Got this today. Thank you very much. Will read and pass on ASAP.

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