Welcome to the Sunday Salon! It's the day after Christmas, and we are bracing ourselves in Connecticut for the first big blizzard of the year. I've got my Hoodie-Footie on, the woodstove going and a cup of java by my side. How are you doing the day after Christmas? I hope everyone had a wonderful day with their families and friends! And what bookish things did you find under the tree this year? My bookish gifts were in the form of gift cards this year, which are perfect for letting me wander the bookstore and pick out something I've had my eye on for a while, or something I know will be coming soon! 
One book I decided I would like to read before seeing the movie is True Grit by Charles Portis. First published in 1968, and brought to the big screen in 1969 starring John Wayne, True Grit tells the story of Mattie Ross, a young girl who at 14-years-old is full of spunk, and is set to avenge the senseless murder of her father, by a man who worked for him. All I had really known of the story was the bits and pieces I had seen of the John Wayne movie, but the previews of the new movie sparked my interest. The time and place of the story is the american frontier. Mattie hires the meanest available U.S. Marshal, Rooster Cogburn, to pursue her father's killer in the Indian Territory. Talk about spunk- she intends to ride with him to see the job finished! The book is told in her voice, which is direct and matter of fact. I picked up a copy this morning and have been keeping Mattie company most of the afternoon. The book itself is in a new printing, as a movie tie-in, and a bit hard to find. I was lucky to get the ONE copy the big Barnes & Noble near my house had on the shelves. So far, I'm enjoying the ride, and I'll give you a full review once I'm done. I usually like to read the book before the movie if possible. I find it hard to do the reverse, because I don't enjoy the surprises of the book. How about you? And if you like to read the book first, now's the time to read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen! I saw the previews of this movie and it looks fabulous! Starring Reese Witherspoon and that guy from Twilight, Robert Pattinson, this movie is scheduled to be released in April of 2011.
The next book I'm going to treat myself to thanks to my gift cards is Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff. There is so much wonderful buzz about this book! Stacy Schiff is suppose to bring us a dazzling new updated picture of the famous queen, sorting out fact from fiction. She is a noted author already, also winning the coveted Pulitzer Prize for her book Vera. And speaking of strong women (and it seems a common theme for me today), I got an email a few weeks ago from author Michelle Moran about her newest novel... it's about Madame Tussaud!
What most of us probably know about Madame Tussaud is her wax figures, and her famous waxworks museums. But there is so much more to learn about this strong woman. And Michelle Moran will be releasing Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, mid February.
"The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire…but who was this woman and how did she become one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous story comes to life as only Michelle Moran could tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin…" from Michelle Moran's website
What books are you excited about this week? Maybe you're excited about ebooks instead because Santa brought you an eReader? I had the opportunity to play with a NookColor and boy was I impressed. If you had your eye on a tablet, but didn't want to dish out the $499 for an iPad, or even more for the Samsung Galaxy Tab, this may be the answer. The screen is absolutely gorgeous, and seems even sharper than the iPad. More on that at a later date...
Time to put another log on the fire, and get back to Mattie. Share what goodies you received here! I'd love to hear about all your bookish gifts!
Happy reading... Suzanne
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