Today Babbling Books is 5 years old. The first thing that comes to my mind about this fact is what a wonderful experience that blogging has been.
In past years I have thanked and praised the book blogging community and all of the wonderful folks who comment on this blog and who I interact with. Once again, you all deserve accolades.
The comments section of this blog has been phenomenal. Folks have consistently left insightful and thoughtful viewpoints on virtually all my posts. A few folks have disagreed and challenged my views. I not only welcome this, but I am delighted that people have done so. The road to wisdom includes the paving stones known as criticism and alternate viewpoints. Though I do not want to be so presumptuous to say that my blog promotes wisdom, I want it to represent a few of the bricks in the road that leads to wisdom.
Several weeks ago, I expressed some question over what form this blog would take going forward. I believe that there is a good chance that the United States, and perhaps the world at large, is moving into a tumultuous time of the type that the world has not seen in very long time. I am not all doom and gloom, yet I think that we must be prepared for unprecedented developments. As I have always attempted to relate my ruminations on books to the world at large, if this turns out to be true, I will continue to tie my some of my posts to real world developments. If events are as consequential as I expect them to be, I will likely reference them frequently. With that, I am mostly here to talk about books. Thus, the majority of my writing will be confined to the words between two covers.
Another year begins. Hopefully our shared reading adventures will continue to be both intellectually fruitful and fun. Thanks again to everyone who has shared this experience with me. Happy reading everybody!
79 comments:
Congratulations on your 5-year Blogiversary! Thank you for your inspiration, wisdom and relevant remarks.
Oh my gosh, that cake looks exquisite...I would love a slice of it with a cup of tea, please!
Congratulations on five years of blogging, Brian! I read your blog regularly and so enjoy your posts and insight,even if I rarely comment. I am glad you are a part of the book blogging community. Thank you!
Thanks A Reader's Tales.
My wife made that cake for Christmas. It is chocolate peppermint. It was very good :)
Thanks for stopping by Literary Feline. Thanks also for the good word. I an off to check out your blog.
Congratulations! Five more years....! Five more years....! [grin]
Congratulations and thanks for sharing your thoughts about books and ideas. I've been both enlightened and encouraged by your thoughts.. One thing is certain going forward, there will continue to be change - - hopefully for the better.
Congrats on five years of blogging, Brian - here's to many more. Wishing you a very Happy New Year and all the best for 2017. I hope you have a great year of reading in store.
Brian, you are an inspiration to me with your thoughtful, considered approach to life and literature. As we go into an uncertain time, let us hold on to what can truly endure - which to me is what reading can teach us. Onward!
Congrats of 5 years of blogging. Hope 2017 is a great reading year for you.
Congratulations Brian on your 5th anniversary and thank you not only for introducing us to many wonderful books and authors but also for your thoughtful and very well written insightful reviews which has gotten me to see these books and literature itself in a new way. Happy New Year and please keep blogging!
Congratulations on five years of blogging, Brian. I always find your posts to be well-written and thought-provoking. Here's to the next five!
Thanks CyberKitten.
To the next five years!
Thanks James.
There will indeed be change. Though I am not too optimistic - hope springs eternal!
Happy New Years Jacqui.
Here's to a great reading year.
Thanks so much Lory.
Reading and thinking about books is one of the things that makes the world a better place.
Onward!
Thanks Diane. Here's to reading in 2017!
Happy New Years Kathy!
Our blogs are important and I think it is a good thing for all of us to hang in there.
Thanks JoAnn - Here's to the next 5 years!
Thanks R.T.
Onward indeed!
many happy returns, Brian... i look forward to your most interesting posts and share your trepidations re the future; the more civilized voices there are, the better the future will look... many tx for your insight and persistence...
Thanks so much Mudpuddle.
I agree that we need to all keep fighting for a better future.
Brian Joseph,
Congrats on hitting the five year mark.
I'm a latecomer here, but in that short time I've found much here that I enjoy reading and meditating on. I'm looking forward to the next five years. Thanks for stopping by my place for your comments are always welcome.
Happy Blogiversary! & Congrats on 5 years. I always find something insightful on your blog -- so I hope you continue well into the future. Your focus on books of History and Classics (and sometimes Sci-Fi) has pointed me into those directions. which is good. thanks!
Congratulations! :) I love coming here for the book recs and thoughtful analyses. I agree with other commenters - we need more of this kind of intelligent discussion and critical reading and thinking.
Congratulations Brian! I really enjoy the way you concentrate on specific aspects of books and wider topics. I wish I had the same ability.
Congratulations to you on the anniversary! I was glad to have found this place, and look forward to future conversations.
Warmest congratulations, Brian, and here's to the next five!
Congratulations on your long run! I've enjoyed reading your blog very much. Thank you!
Thanks Fred.
Here's to the next five!
Thanks Susan.
One of the great things about book blogging is how we point each other to books.
Thanks Hila. There has been such great discussions on the comments section here.
Thanks Jonathan. You blog is full of intelligent and insightful commentary too.
Thanks Scott. I hope that all is well with you.
Thanks Steven. Glad that you found my site too!
Congratulations! I only discovered your blog in recent months and have appreciated your thoughtful book reviews and the comment section of your posts. Love the book blogging community. May you have many more years enjoying it!
Thanks for stopping and that you for the good word by Sunt lacrimae rerum.
Thanks Carol.
The book blogging community is so very cool.
Happy New Year, Brian and congrats on reaching the 5-year mark.
Congrats on 5 years! I've been on an extended hiatus but it's good to be back!
Many congratulations, Brian Joseph! Your blog is excellent in every way. I hope you will continue to post your unique,in-depth reviews and commentary for a long time.
Congratulations, Brian. May you have many more years of blogging. Thanks to you I have become aware of so many books I would not have otherwise read. Take care!
I'd just like to say thank-you for all your support over the years. Your intellectual curiosity and thoughtful responses to books always make for interesting posts. Here's to another five years of blogging. Cheers! :)
Thanks Guy and happy New Years.
Thanks Suko. Hopefully I will continue to be here :)
Thanks Sharon. Likewise, your book choices often make me aware of really interesting books.
Thank you Violet. I remember that in the early days of my blogging that you were often my only commenter.
Thanks Laurie. It is really good to see you back!
Such a wonderful blog Brian. Thought provoking, insightful and challenging. Here's to another five years ... and more.
Such times we are living in. I wish I could say I was a bit more optimistic about events - both here and worldwide - this year.
Congrats on your blog anniversary! Already 5 years--time does fly. I've enjoyed reading your posts on some of my favorite classics as well as history books I would love to read but can't seem to make time for. You always make interesting points that are thought-provoking in turn.
I look forward to sharing ideas in the future as well.
Happy reading!
Happy Birthday, Brian! I don't read or comment on book blogs as much as I used to in your earlier days, but I always enjoy your thoughtful reviews and posts, and I look forward to reading more of them in the years to come—both on books and on life.
Mazel tov! I enjoy all your posts and following you on Twitter!
Hi Tracy - Thanks so much.
Let's hope for the best as far as the future goes.
Thanks Jane - There is never enough time to read :)
Thanks for stopping by Andrew.
I hope you are well.
Thanks Laurie - Twitter can also be a lot of fun. That is an entirely different story :)
heartiest congrats on the birthday of your blog .
you are blessed with wonderful skills and thank you for sharing .
cake looks inviting
Happy belated blogiversary! Looking forward to where the coming year takes you.
Hi Bailli - Thanks for the good word and thank you for stopping by.
The cake was made by wife at Christmas and it was very good!
Thanks Stefanie. I some interesting post almost ready to go.
Happy anniversary!
Thanks for the interesting posts.
I wish you a happy reading year and I'll follow your blogging adventures.
Thanks Emma. I also thank you for sticking with me for so long. I think that I told you this before, but you were my first commenter.
It was on this post.
http://briansbabblingbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-post.html
Oh, Brian!!!! How is it that I had missed this post?! Well, CONGRATS ON YOUR BLOGOVERSARY!!!! WOOT, WOOT!!!! FIVE YEARS!! WAY TO GO, GUY!!!!
We who have been reading and commenting on all of your wonderful, brilliant, insightful posts are indeed indebted to you for always providing stimulating reading! So here's to FIVE, no, TEN, no, MANY MORE years of "Babbling Books"!!!
I hope to remain optimistic about the years ahead, and pray that we may see better times, times of justice and equality for all, instead of injustice and "equality" for the privileged few. But one thing's for sure -- even in the midst of political turmoil, I will always expect to read posts at this blog that will make me reflect, whether or not they are related to the current political landscape.
Again, CONGRATS on your fifth year of blogging!! Live long and prosper, and may the Force be with you!!! (makes Vulcan salute as she types with one hand, lol) :) :) :)
Thanks so much Maria.
Our blogs really do shine a light on the world.
Here's to better times!
Congrats. Happy new year!
Thank you Devilish Angel and thank you for stopping by.
Belated congrats on reaching the five years mark, Brian. I hope your upcoming blogging years prove as rewarding as your first ones. Cheers!
Thanks Richard. Here's to all of our future blogging endeavors!
Happy bloganniversary, I do enjoy coming by and learning about so many very different books I normally wouldn't come across. We have such very different tastes and I always feel I come away from here learning something new!
Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net
Thanks Lainy - When one thinks about it, and looks at the diversity in so many of the blogs out there, almost everyone has varying tastes in books. I guess that is one of the things that makes blogging so interesting.
Congratulations on five years of blogging. That is very impressive. That cake does look delicious!
Thanks Jennifer. That was the cake that my wife made for Christmas.
I have no idea how I missed this post.
Happy Blogiversary, Brian Five years already. It's hard to believe.
I wish you many more.
Thanks Caroline.
The time has gone by so fast. Thanks also for being one of the first people to visit my blog.
Happy 5th blogiversary! Looking forward to a new year of reading about your reading.
Thanks Unruly! It has already been a good reading year for me.
Happy blog-verary a little late, I have not been blog hopping these few weeks. That cake looks yummy! Your blog is one of my favorites, I know that when I stop in there will be a thoughtful post to read. Here's to many more years of blogging xo
Thanks so much Naida.
That was the cake that my wife made for Christmas.
Congrats on your anniversary & to many more also on your twitter account keep up the good fight
Thank Gary.
I hope that you are doing well.
I miss your blog!
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