TLOeffler 2011

Miss ZLo helped me pick out my ticker. Now I have to go feed Her Majesty.

Oh. And here's the link to my Intro: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104688#2368972

Okay, marking my spot. Nothing to say yet, except that the birth of my 2011 thread matches the birth of my third grandchild, Ethan Kyle. Woo Hoo! Ticker, etc. to follow.

Welcome back!

Congratulations!

Welcome back and congratulations Terri!

Wow! No grass grew under your moccasins, did it?!?

xo

'Cause I had to take off work today to babysit the ZLo. Don't get used to it...

Although I think work is less exhausting than ZLo...

Congrats on the new little one! I really like the name Ethan.

Me too, Amber.

TLo darling, don't you remember when Keith was little? Sleep was a desperate mirage...rest was a dim memory...and bedtime was HEAVEN. See why we don't do this in our 50s, if we're sane? TOO FRIGGIN' HARD!!!

Congratulations, Terri. We'll be looking for those pictures of EthanLo. Do you still have some left on your disposable camera?

Richard: I hear that's what's so great about being a grandparent: hug them, love them, spoil them rotten, then send them home for your son/daughter to stay up sleepless nights for them! Thankfully we're already out of the sleepless nights phase with Charlie (and we've decided once is enough; no more munchkins for us!).

I decided once was enough, too. The Beneficent Goddesses decided otherwise. Just sayin'....

And yep, granding is grand indeed! I love the "off to mommy now sugarbritches" part as much as the tickle fights.

I know, I know - I cringe every time I say "No More!", knowing that I'm probably tempting the fates too much...

Smart. Belt up about it now, save trouble and embarrassment later! (And just *may*be avoid The Issue Issue, too.)

Hey, Terri! Congrats on the birth of ELo! What a rotten reason to have to take off a day, huh?

Dropping in to say hi!
And Congrats!

Terri- Congrats on the new addition! Hope you have a great reading year!

I will never read another book if they don't pick this child up soon. You are absolutely right, Richard--there is a very good reason why people my age don't have children (although I don't think Keith was ever little. That child was a month premature and STILL 23 inches long!). There are 15 hats all over my bedroom floor, and a precocious 4 year-old jumping off of every available surface, followed by a mesmerized Miss Cleo The Dog, interspersed with "Grandma, I'm hungry. How about some eggs?" And now there is ice on the streets, and I may have to stay home again tomorrow. I could use a long winters nap...

Welcome all, and thanks for the congratulations!

yikes!!! how are you today??

I did "work from home" today, as well as I could with li'l ZLo on my lap (although Uncle Keith saved the day when he found some free Scooby-Doo cartoons on the video on demand). Daddy picked her up around 3:30 and since then it has been blessedly quiet. In fact, I think I am going to go read a book in my jammies with some popcorn instead of being on the computer. I'll check in tomorrow!

I hope it was a good book! It must have been to keep you away from all the fun here :)

Only if "good" means "due back at the library tomorrow and on reserve." And it was an hour after posting the above that I actually left.

But the popcorn was really good! (okay, I admit it. I ate a box of Crunch 'n' Munch. Sue me.).

Mark the date and time! I'm caught up on all the threads in this group!

Wow! Really?? How'd you do that? It's a skill I continually fail at.

>24 tloeffler: A thing that will never, ever happen again. Enjoy the moment!

ETA What's "Crunch'n'Munch"?

> 24: marked ;-)
I am almost at that point again, managed yesterdays posts too (but did neglect 2010 a bit...) I have to stop doing this, I know I won't be able to keep up in a few days/weeks time... but I can't, yet...

#26: "What's 'Crunch'n'Munch?'" Deeeelicious. That's what it is.

#23: Consider yourself sued. You could have at least shared with me!

popcorn.. food of the gods. Movie theater popcorn even better. I like plain old buttery popcorn better than Crunch and Munch :P

And once again, I come in just when food is being discussed. *waving hello* Terri.

>25 brenzi: Really, Bonnie, it's a once in a lifetime deal. I'm not sure I'll ever pull it off again.

>26 richardderus: Crunch 'n' Munch: Buttery toffee popcorn & peanuts. (see #28--Amber's got it going on!) Cracker Jack for grownups.

>27 FAMeulstee: Oh, Anita, I wasn't caught up on 2010! Only on 2011. Even so, it was a proud moment for me.

>28 scaifea: My kind of a gal!

>29 alcottacre: Note to self: Next time I visit with Stasia, bring Crunch 'n' Munch.

>30 mckait: True statement, Kath. I also love popcorn in almost any way, shape or form. But I'm particularly fond of buttery toffee...

>Welcome, Caroline! Do you really think it's just a coincidence???

Oh! Fancied-up popcorn. I used to *live* on Screaming Yellow Zonkers.

Yes! It's very nearly the same thing!

I haven't seen Screaming Yellow Zonkers in ages. Are they still around?

Yes, they are, and you can buy them right over here.

The Internet continues to amaze me.

The Internet continues to amaze me.

me too !

#32 : haha nah ... i tend to gravitate towards food discussions .. i think little food elves call out to me and direct me to the threads where there's food talk.

#32: I am going to hold you to that! Maybe at the Second Annual Joplin Meet Up?

BTW - Linda is telling me she is going to try her best to make it next year :)

Tsk. I am daily amazed...

Caroline, to give you credit--I think most of these threads tend towards food discussions. They're hard to miss. And they make me hungry (so I ate another box of Crunch 'n' Munch last night).

Oh, Stasia, ye of little faith. I've already written it down! Linda can use all the money she'll save by not buying books next year to get herself to Joplin. I'm salivating just thinking of all the new books Changing Hands will have next year!

Used bookstore talk is embargoed herewith. Those of us *not so much as hinted at being invited* might become jealous, get on airplanes headed *for* flyover country, and do anti-social things once we are there.

Just sayin'.

#39: Linda can use all the money she'll save by not buying books next year to get herself to Joplin.

Yes! Sing it sister! Now if we can only convince her :)

Richard, all you have to do is say, "Hmm. I think I'd like to go to Joplin next year." You can fly into St. Louis, I'll pick you up at the airport, and we can drive to Joplin together. We'll have to drive right by St. James Winery, though. I hope that's okay...

eating chex mix....

joplin envy

...right...by...winery...*drool*glazed eyes*

You come too, Kath!

oooo I would love to !

#40: Who said you were not being invited? We will probably post a thread opening the meet up to everyone in the group just like we did this year.

>47 alcottacre: A Celebrity of My Calibre naturally Expects to be the Focal Point of the Gathering. *snort* Well, it was worth a whirl. Even I don't buy it.

>43 mckait:: ...joplin envy...

Those are two words you won't hear anywhere else. LT may have a significant impact on the Joplin, Missouri economic outlook for autumn of 2011.

Richard, I hope you take Terri up on her offer. Keep in mind, however, that she likes to make the trip in the wee hours of the morning when the winery will be closed.

Hey! I've got a great idea! Let's have a meet up in Joplin MO next year for the express purpose of celebrating Richard, and we'll drive there from St. Charles during the daytime so we can hit the winery! Kath Too!

Donna, I'm ROFL about "two words you won't hear anywhere else." Although it was a great bookstore, and Stasia, Catey & I had a great dinner in a Chinese restaurant that night...

Hi Terri! *Waves* Just posting so I can get a tab on your thread. :)

ETA: ...fixed silly error...

I saw Janis Joplin live once.... but I have never been to Joplin Mo...
Two reasons for joplin envy. :)

#50: Although it was a great bookstore

Yes, it was, and I hope we all get a chance to revisit it next year!

A very Happy Christmas to you !!!!

I give up. I tried visiting everyone in the 2010 thread for Merry Christmases, and I will be here all day (and not have a chance to read all the books I got for Christmas).

So:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO!

So those who follow my thread, this means YOU. And for those who don't, I'm sending it telepathically. Turn on your radar.

LOL, Terri....

#55 Radar on - message received. Merry Christmas to you, too.

Belated Merry Christmas to you, Terri. I tried sending everyone on the 2010 thread Merry Christmas greetings too and had to call it a night before I even got to half the people whose threads I follow.

Hi Terri....congrats on the new 'grand' and hello for 2011. I may do more lurking than posting, but I'm always anxious to see what you'll be reading. Here's to the New Year.

I hope that all of you have a Blessed New Year in 2011! I'm looking forward to spending it reading with you!

Once again, if you are a faithful reader, this means you. Hopefully, it will keep me from writing Happy New Year! on a thousand threads, and will keep you from having to read Happy New Year! on a thousand threads.

Don't thank me. I'm just considerate that way...

lolol terri.. Back at ya!

Happy New Year to you too!

Happy New Year! Hope you have lots of good reading in 2011!
--BJ

Happy New Year, Terri!

Okay, really dumb question but I'm new here. Does one have to read 75 books that match the challenges? Or just read 75 books? And who will tell me what TIOLI means?

nope

you can read 75
175
22
etc

and you do not have to match anything unless you want to.
T ake
I t
O r
L eave
I t

Take it or leave it..

what you do is join us, create a thread, post what you read .. and have fun.
You can read anything you like..

Happy New Year Terri!

Hey! I finished my first book for the year! Okay, I started it in 2010, but I count by finished day. Soooo...

1. Thus Was Adonis Murdered by Sarah Caudwell. Barrister Julia Larwood goes to Venice on an Art Lovers Holiday for one last romp before Inland Revenue catches up with her for back taxes. She meets a beautiful young man, who, unfortunately, is an employee of Inland Revenue. She manages to overlook this flaw, but when he is found murdered, she becomes the number one suspect. Being a bit of a klutz, her cohorts back at 62 New Square in London feel compelled to solve the mystery, which they do with the help of Hilary Tamar, their former teacher at Oxford. Told from the viewpoint of Hilary, via frequent coffee shop visits, office visits, and dinners, where letters from Julia are shared, we learn much more about each individual from the impressions of others than we do from any blatant descriptions. The mystery is mostly secondary to the wonderful character sketches.

Yes, it's a series book, darn it. I hate when the first one is good....

Terri! TLo! How *could* you?!? A GOOD SERIES MYSTERY ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?!?

You are the person awful, the friend faithless, the fiend incarnate.

*trudges grumpily off to add first wishlist item of 2011 AND IT IS ALL TERRI'S FAULT*

#68 An excellent series and there are only four books, in all.

Happy New Year, Terri

Just passing through, trying to say Hi to all my fellow Missourans. That's a word, right?

I read my first Sarah Caudwell book this past year (The Shortest Way to Hades) and thought it was pretty fun--I have Thus Was Adonis Murdered and I think one more on the shelf.

Happy New Year, Terri! I finished my last book at 10 last night and haven't started one yet for the new year--been working the threads instead! But I will be in Kansas City in May--just saying...

Happy New Year Terri. Not looking at another series. Nope.

Hi There

Happy New Year My Friend!

Oh, I have to read that Cauldwell series!!! They have been sitting here ALL YEAR LONG.

Congrats on the first book; glad it was a winner!

>69 richardderus: But, Richard, it's really good, and I think you'll like it. And as Linda says (Happy New Year, Linda!), it's only 4 books. And it wasn't very long. Oh, just read it.
>71 labwriter: Hi Becky! I think it's a word. If not, it should be!
>72 carlym: I requested The Shortest Way to Hades on Bookmooch today. I suppose I should put the other two on there while I'm at it. I am so doomed.
>73 ronincats: Roni! Seriously? Give me a date and I'll meet you there. We can invite Sandy, and Donna, and Becky, and....I feel a meet-up in the works!
>74 brenzi: Bonnie, see my comments to Richard above. It was such fun!
>75 Whisper1: Happy New Year to you too, my friend! Hope you're feeling well. Here's to seeing more of each other this year!
>76 Chatterbox: Really, Suzanne. You'd have the whole series finished in a day. Just do it. (I hate when people tell me that because then I feel compelled to put everything else aside and do it. But if they're on the shelf already....)

I think I own the entire Caudwell series. Maybe this is the year I actually get it read! lol

2. The Swoop! And Other Stories by P. G. Wodehouse. This was a early collection of Wodehouse stories, all written before WWI, when he was in his twenties. All very good. It was interesting to read them, comparing them to his later work. The Swoop! Or How Clarence Saved England was mentioned in Silent Night, which I read last week, about the WWI Christmas Truce, and it was the best of them all. England is invaded by...well, everyone, and hilarity ensues.

I am also going to have to give Wodehouse another try. Thanks for the reminder, TLo!

#2 - One of my last reads for 2010 was Wodehouse: A Life by Robert McCrum. Take my advice, do yourself a favour, and read it :)

I am going to be using rd's method of not looking at blue text..
I dare not. THAT is my resolution. ( weeps)

Oh, Peter, I ALWAYS take your advice. To my eternal joy and chagrin...

Good Luck, Kath. And I'm going to start exercising and lose weight....HA!

Happy New Year Terri. Just catching up (already) and starring threads.
I have an entire shelf of Collector's Wodehouse that I've been ignoring for over two years. Admittedly, after a while, all the books seemed pretty much the same to me. I think that's why I stopped reading them.

Kelly, many, many, many, many, MANY years ago, I was on a huge Wodehouse kick. Then my library ran out of books that he had written that I hadn't already read, so it just kind of petered out. I suspect that had I continued, I may have had the same conclusion. Happily, I didn't, and I did really enjoy this one! Possibly, too, because none of these were Bertie Wooster (although they could have been!). Thanks for stopping by!

Hi Terri. The Sarah Caudwell series is one I've been meaning to try for ages, glad you enjoyed it so much. And Wodehouse is always good :-)

Seriously, Terri! I haven't seen banks of irises or lilacs, or avenues of blooming dogwood or crab apples for 31 years, having always been in school session here in San Diego during that time of the year, and I'm heading back home to see them this year. So that means Abilene, Lawrence, and flying into and out of Kansas City. Dates aren't set yet--just during that blooming season, so late April, early May looks like the general time.

Keep me posted, Roni! (unless, of course, meeting me is something you absolutely dread, and then you can just "forget" to tell me)

Are you kidding? Avoid or dread LT meet-ups? When we are all dying of envy for the ones that are happening? No way! I will definitely keep you posted.

#89: I wanna go! I wanna go! Can I invite myself? lol

Please invite me, too! I want to come!

Terri, great books so far. I'll have to check to make sure I added the Caudwell to the wishlist when I saw your comments the other day. I finally discovered Wodehouse last year and loved him. I can absolutely see where they might begin to all run together, and that is why I make it a personal policy to leave at least a month in between books by the same author whenever possible. I am prone to "author fatigue" otherwise.

#91: Sandy, if they will not invite us, we can just have our own get together! lol

Oh, heavens, I want everyone who can to come. Sandy can host since it would be in Kansas City! I'd love to see all of you!

#93: Cool beans, Roni!

Sandy can host since it would be in Kansas City! I'd love to see all of you!

Does that mean there will be barbecue? I seem to be remembering Sandy's husband as being a superstar in that area. Or is that just wishful thinking? ;-)

Well, I was thinking along the lines of finding a bookstore we could meet at, but we could always hope, couldn't we?

cool beans is right. I'm inviting myself as well. Hey, if I start walking now I can be there by April.

All right! Just be sure to dress in light-colored clothing, wear good shoes, and stop when you get tired :)

I have never seen such a bunch of partyers before!

Well, Kath, I'm hoping to be in Lancaster PA in October--time for another party, don't you think?

Sandy! Look again! You were the first person I mentioned! Being the Queen of Kansas City and all...
Maybe we can find a bookstore next to a barbecue place...
Stasia, I thought your invitation was a given.
Linda, if you get as far as St. Louis, I'll drive you the rest of the way.
And Kath, you are just jealous. Join us!

Well, I'm feeling more at home here now. I haven't been on LT in 3 days, and now I am 3 full pages worth of posts behind. It was lovely to be caught up while it lasted. And I only have 10 minutes of computer time left in my budget.

I need to quit my job...

Heck yeah I am jealous!

I need to quit my job too.. srsly

BUT.

I have been finishing some books.

3. Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell. I believe Tad recommended this book a while back. It was okay. A good mystery story, but there were too many uneventful places and I kept losing interest. And the "romance" didn't ring true for me at all. Not a bad story, but not good enough to keep me on the series (Hurray!).

4. Fatfingers: A Tale of Old New Orleans by Charlie White. I bought this book last year on Richards recommendation. I didn't like it as well as he did, although it wasn't bad. Sort of a Cajun Candide. I found it a bit difficult to follow, especially the conversations (they were very long, and didn't have "he said, she said" identifiers, so halfway through them, I lost track of who was talking). But it was still okay. Until I choked on some hot cocoa and sprayed the whole book with it (not to mention my kitchen floor, which delighted Miss Cleo). Then the book smelled like cocoa and made me hungry.

Hi There Friend

Sorry your last two reads were duds. I'm sure more excellent reads are on the way.

Hugs!!!

Hmm. I thought I just posted. (eta: I guess I did)

Anyway, I don't know that I would necessarily call them "duds." They just didn't inspire me to run to the chair (or car, as it were) every night. There are plenty of other books to read.

In fact, my current car audio is Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder and I am looking for excuses to drive to listen to that one! I was actually excited to drive over 60 miles for work yesterday because I had it to listen to!

#106: Sounds like you are enjoying Sophie's World a lot, Terri. I have already read that one, so I can safely skip that BB.

I had to look to see if you were the one who recommended it, Stasia, but it looks like it was Caroline.

#103 - As you know, I don't read a lot of fiction, but I have Mankell's Kurt Wallander series, which I haven't read yet, so it was interesting to read your take on it.

Recently, I picked up another crime series - The Challis and Destry Novels - by Australian author, Garry Disher (Official Website), which look great!

The books are...
The Dragon Man (1999)
Kittyhawk Down (2003)
Snapshot (2005)
Chain of Evidence (2007)
Blood Moon (2009)

When are we going to Sandy's house? The Cubs are there in June, playing the Royals. I'm thinking of a KC visit then. Or maybe when it's cooler.

Those do sound good, Peter. Unfortunately. 5 more to add to the list. Thanks, as always. Sigh.

Linda, tell me if you go. I only need minimal notice to get off work, and I'm always up for a road trip! Won't Sandy be surprised when we show up?

5. The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach. Several months ago, Stasia called me and said "You and Linda MUST read this book. It is YOU." It's hard to resist a sell like that, so I ordered one for myself that night, and another for Linda later in the month (I had her name in Mark's Book Swap). I tried to read it right away, but Christmas and real life got in the way. I read it all today.
Alice Steinbach is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for the Baltimore Sun (or was when this book was published in 1996). This book is a collection of her columns over the period of 1985-1995. These columns are the story of her life: her childhood, her single life after divorce, her raising of two sons, the illness and death of her mother. I read them all in one day. Except for the illness and death of a mother, I could relate to every one of her stories. It was like reading a book I had written, and I felt that I re-lived a portion of my life reading her book.
The book is divided into 12 sections, each with essays regarding specific topics: Women and Men, A Matter of Appearance, Raising Children, The Solo Life, and others. Ms. Steinbach comes across as totally down to earth, worrying about the same things I worry about and finding the joy in the same things I find joy in. I rarely re-read books, but I can see myself re-reading this book.
And even if her experiences aren't even a little bit similar to your life, you should read it anyway. A fabulous book!

Terri

As soon as I read the library books I have here at home, your gift will be the next book.

Thanks for this special present.

You will love it, Linda. I promise.

I will resist the temptation to say 'I told you so.' - No, I won't: I TOLD YOU SO! :)

And you were absolutely right. I will never doubt you again. Not that I ever doubted you about anything before...

Yeah, sure. Why am I not believing that? LOL

I'm very new to this site. I just created it ...well now...so my question is what exactly is the 75 book challange? Is that something off this site? like as a group read 75 books before the end of 2011?

#118: The 75 Books Challenge Group is just a group where each individual tries to read 75 books in a year. We each set up our own threads where we can list our books and other people can comment.

Welcome to LT!

Sophie's World is one of the books on my shelf...one day I will get there!

>118 fairyqueen618:, 119 TRY is the operative word! Truth is, we don't really care how many books you read. We pretty much exist to talk about the books that we did read, and try to resist increasing our pile of books-to-be-read when we read about what others have read.

There is no resistance.

Kath, move it up. I am finding it educational and delightful!

#111 I heard that! I would be happy to host an LT meet-up, either at a local book store or BBQ restaurant (or both). Dinner at my home is also a distinct possiblity - we love having people over. Hubby's famous smoked brisket, however, will take some advance planning. It is very labor intensive, or so I've been told. Evidently it requires the presence of 2 or more grown men, providing constant supervision of the meat inside the smoker, for 6-8 hours. Having them sit in the shade drinking beer also seems to help the meat along. Or something like that.

If only I could leave part of me at home reading while I go to work! I might make some headway on this tbr pile.. I sm still determined to read off the shelf.. but nook and free nook books may make that a little harder than it already is.
Still.. so many books that I already have and want to read...

Sandy.. Evidently it requires the presence of 2 or more grown men, providing constant supervision of the meat inside the smoker, for 6-8 hours. Having them sit in the shade drinking beer also seems to help the meat along. Or something like that.

LOL

6. The Grape Man of Texas by Sherrie McLeRoy and Roy Renfro. Richard recommended that I read this in return for me recommending that he read The Wild Vine.
Thomas Volney Munson was a horticulturalist in Texas between the mid 19th century and the early 20th century. He developed over 300 varieties of grapes, wrote Foundations of American Grape Culture, and was instrumental in assisting the French to restock their vines after the phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800s. I'm not sure if he was a dull man or if this was just a dull book, but it didn't hold my interest very well. The information was good, but it dragged on, and the extensive footnotes at the end of the book contained pertinent information, so there was much going back & forth between the text and the notes. I am a big fan of Missouri wines and their history, and there was a good deal of information about some of the Missouri vintners who were colleagues of Munson. There was too much technical information, and the personal information was told woodenly. Some beautiful pictures, though.

Terri

Back up to message 116...Hey, wasn't Stasia the one who got us lost as we meandered around Long Island seeking Richard's house and the God awful looking church nearby?

Kidding, Stasia...ONLY kidding.

Uh-oh...looks like I've lost my stack cred (book street cred) with TLo. Two dud reads in a row. *sigh*

#124 Terri - On the subject of wine and books, I recently picked up Corkscrewed: Adventures in the New French Wine Country by Robert V. Camuto; published last year. As I have yet to read it, I'll stop short of recommending it, but it has had some very nice reviews :)

rd.. I have often thought that you have ... interesting.. taste. I have liked some of your recs a lot.. others .. well.. Need I say Birds of East Africa.. yikes!

#125: I am ignoring you. Phhhht.

Terri, I just found you for2011! thus was Adonis Murdered sounds fabulous. I can't wait to look for it at the library. Congrats on Ethan's birth. I'm a very jealous wanna be.

>125 Whisper1: As I recall, she just sat in the backseat, switching sides so she could read the street signs (which incidentally, don't seem to exist in Long Island). I don't think she gave us any directions--that would have taken away her ability to abuse and blame us later. We know how she is...

>126 richardderus: Nonsense. Not necessarily "duds," just not my cuppa. You've recommended enough 5-stars to make up for it. Now I know you're human. Or, rather, I have a little more evidence for it.

>127 petermc: You, on the other hand, Peter, are difficult to avoid. I shall add it to my list, and tell you that I also own American Terroir by Rowan Jacobsen that I am anxious to read (subtitle: Savoring the Flavors of Our Woods, Waters, and Fields).

>128 mckait: Au contraire, Kath. A Guide to the Birds of East Africa was one of my favorite Richard picks of all time!

>129 alcottacre: Oh, Stasia, you know you don't want to ignore Linda and me. Think of all the fun you'll miss...

>130 thomasandmary: Regina! Welcome! I hadn't heard from you in a while, and lost you last year when I had to throw my hands up trying to keep up with threads. I can't wait to read the rest in the series. And thanks for the congrats! I have a great time with the next generation!

I was sick yesterday (to the point that I actually stayed home from work, which I never do), so I didn't touch the computer, which puts me (again) too far behind to catch up. But I did spend the day wrapped in an afghan reading a great book: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Not finished yet, but I didn't put it down all day!

Loving this thread and especially Richard's loss of stack cred (book street cred).

I laughed out loud at the idea of stack cred.

7. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.
If this had been a fiction book, I would have thrown it across the room for being so unrealistic. It is a true story, however, and I am in awe.
Louis Zamperini was an Olympic runner in the 1930s, who joined the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was extremely rambunctious as a child, but when he discovered running, it became a passion for him. After competing in the 1936 Olympics, he joined the Army Air Corps as a bombardier. One day, on a search mission for another plane, his plane went down in the ocean. He and two others survived, and spent the next month and a half drifting on a raft in the Pacific Ocean. They were picked up by the Japanese, and spent the rest of the war in Japanese POW camps.

I can not imagine the strength of will that it took for Zamperini to survive all that he did. The "Resilience" of the title was the most amazing part of the book. And he is still alive and kicking.

Although some of the descriptions of the torture in the book are intense, I would recommend this book to anyone.

8. The Book of Fairies by Michael Hague. I needed this after the last book! An absolutely gorgeous book given to me by one of my very dearest friends, it is a book of several fairy stories, some familiar, some new to me. The illustrations, however, are brilliant. This is one that will not go back on the shelf, but will sit on a table for anyone to browse at will (this means you, Miss ZLo!). A wonderful respite from war!

Two thumbs up from me Terri. Adding both to the wish list!

That does it!! I'm moving Unbroken to the top of my Kindle list. Not sure I want to start it at lunch but tonight, for sure.

Regina, you won't be sorry.

Linda, it's a hard one to put down. Wait till tonight. ;-)

#8 sounds nice :)

:PPP to the birds lol

Terri- Good review of Unbroken. I finished it yesterday and will try to crank out a review this weekend. I 5 starred it! This book will easily be in the top of my best of the year list.

I already had Unbroken in the BlackHole, but it is moving up rapidly. Thanks, Terri!

TLo, ignore the poster in #137. She's got all her taste in her feet. She *likes* Chris Bohjalian! *delicate shudder*

#133 Terri - They do say that truth is stranger than fiction. I've got Unbroken on my iPod (in fact I've got over 1 year of nonstop audiobook action stored on it's 160GB drive), and the narrator, Edward Herrmann, is very good (read the AudioFile audiobook review). I don't know when I'll get around to reading, err... listening, to this one, but like Mincemeat, The Few, and a 'few' other good ol' war stories, it has a fairly low priority. I'm guessing 2013 at the earliest :)

>137 mckait: Kath, it is very nice. Pretty, too.

>138 msf59: Mark, it will be at the top of my list too. A great book!

>139 alcottacre: Do it, Stasia! You won't be sorry.

>140 richardderus: Duly ignored. I loved the birds book, and she can't make me change my mind.

>141 petermc: Peter, I love Edward Herrmann as a narrator! He narrated Atlas Shrugged, which was my very first audio book. I'll bet he does a great job with it. Don't wait too long!

Just popping in to say HI!

oh dear! not trying to change your mind. Just trying to be the voice of..
anti-icky sweetness. Someone has to do it :)

Hi Sandy! Hope all's going well with you! Have you started your MO book yet? I started Friday, and it's interesting, although rife with errors!

Kath, I will allow you to be the voice of anti-icky sweetness. Every once in a while, I find something that just makes me smile, and sometimes, it is icky sweetness. I couldn't do a steady dose of it though!

Hello Dear One!

#145 Nope - still waiting for the ILL to come through. Rife with errors doesn't sound promising. Hopefully, it's not worse than no quotation marks that we suffered through in one book.

Linda, Linda, Linda. WHAT am I going to do with you?

Sandy, they are just little things, like the spelling of street names in St. Louis ("Chateau" for "Chouteau"). Not big, but when you're OCD, you notice. You must be talking about Enemy Women. I didn't read that with you, but I did with another group, and that distracted me beyond words!
Anyway, the story is interesting--I find that people who lived in the "high life" during the beginning of the 20th century had such fascinating lives.

Hi, Terri! My, how did I miss your thread for so long? You are now (belatedly) starred!

I loved your review of Unbroken. I've been hearing a lot about that one, but you may have been the "last straw" that broke my resistance to adding it to my list!

You've done some great reading so far.

If you're anything like me, Terri, you start at the top of the list of threads and work your way down. I NEVER make it down very far, so if someone's thread isn't posted on during the exact time I happen to be reading them, I miss a lot. My goal this year is to not fret over what I've missed.

I'm very pleased with what I've been finishing this year. Unfortunately, they are all so big. And I get anxious to finish.

Deep breath. No fretting.

*sigh*

For those of you who know and love my son Keith (who forced me to go to Richards party last year, and who is the designated Puller-Out-Of-The-Hat for the MO Readers group), today is his 23rd birthday! His OCD self has chosen 14 movies to watch non-stop. He started at midnight, and plans to continue until midnight next. He has consumed an entire pot of beef stew and one of spaghetti, 8 small glass bottles of Coke (10 left!), numerous apples, and his first pint of Haagen-Daz (sp?) mint ice cream. He is bummed because Papa Johns Pizza is not delivering today because of the snow.

He continues to make me laugh...

Happy Birthday to Keith. He does a great job in pulling out the book titles for the Mizzou Readers.

ROFL, now THAT is what I call a birthday celebration. *Stamp of approval*

Yeah, I thought that might appeal to you, Stephen. And all without leaving his room...

Heavenly!

Wait, were there onions in the spaghetti/beef stew?

Yes in the stew, no in the spaghetti. And they were very small and thoroughly cooked.
Keith says of my stew: "I don't like any of the ingredients except the meat, potatoes & carrots, but when they are all together, I love it."
Go figure...

Ok, I guess that's ok then. :P

Hi Terri. I feel like I know Keith so maybe you could give him a little birthday hug from me? He probably won't even notice, depending on which movie he's watching at the time. I think that's a wonderful way to spend your day. That's probably about the number of movies I see in a year!

Btw, we had similar views on Unbroken. I hope that between us - and Mark - we got a lot more people interested in reading it. Great book!

I posted a snow pic on my thread of our piddly amount of snow. I hear that you guys got dumped on. You can keep it up your way. I may have to go take another picture as the sun is out now.

Will do. I'm sure he'll just shake his head at us, but we should be used to that!

And I totally agree about Unbroken. It has been a long time since a book has affected me that much.

Yes, we got quite a bit. More than I think we've had in years. I tried to go in to work this morning, but slid around too much so I turned around and came right back home & worked here. I'm not necessary enough to risk it! Of course, the sun is out here now too, and the street looks clear.

Happy Birthday to Keith!!!

Happy Birthday, Keith. We winter babies are tough, warm folks!

Hope your son is enjoying his birthday movie festival!

Oh, happy belated birthday to Keith!! His choice of celebration sounds fantastic!

TLo, I *still* feel queasy reading about Keith's birthday feast. Contemplating putting that much food in my body at this age causes severe fantods. What is it happens to us as we age? I coulda been there bendin' an elbow right along with him at 23. *skritchskritch*

Happy Birthday to Keith!
--BJ

Thanks for the birthday greetings, all! He, of course, thinks we are all insane. I, of course, think he is...

And Richard, I could not have put that much away even when I was 23! I shake my head at the boy, but I guess all that walking...well, he needs to keep up his strength. Although today I get the question: "Exactly how wide of a path do you need shoveled on the front steps?"

Maybe I'll keep the Baskin-Robbins cake I bought him this afternoon.

Oops! Forgot that I finished a book!

9. Washington: An Indispensable Man by James Thomas Flexner. My first excursion into presidential biographies in order. A large (aren't they all?) but imminently readable and balanced biography of our first President. A little light on the child/young adulthood, but still very good. It is amazing how similar the stories of his presidential trials and tribulations are to the presidential trials and tribulations of recent presidents. I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same.

They are all large, unless you're reading the skinny bios in the American Presidents series. Those all come in at about 150 pages or so.

I imagine they would all have to be large. I don't even think I could write a serviceable (sp?) biography of myself in 150 pages, and I have led a relatively uneventful life. 150 pages on a president doesn't seem like it would cover much.

I hope Keith enjoyed his birthday yesterday! Was there a theme to his movie marathon? That really does sound like a lovely way to celebrate. How nice of you to indulge him. Baskin-Robbins? yum.

How much snow did you get over there? I guess at our house we ended up with about 6-8 inches. It's been snowing a little again today and another big storm expected this weekend. I'm just as excited as the school kids, I think! My answer to that question about how much to clear is always "edge to edge, threshold to curb". No snow on any of the concrete.

He did enjoy himself. No theme; just movies he thought he'd like to see. Instead of setting "75 books" goals, he sets a "200 movies" goal every year. And it's easier to indulge him than it is to fight with him--he's way bigger than I am! Last summer he went to Canada with some of his online gaming friends, and he came home saying that for his birthday, he wanted a Baskin Robbins Gold Medal Ribbon cake. I wrote it down, and ordered one for him. Unfortunately, I couldn't get there yesterday, so I got it today!

I think we probably had 6-8 inches also. More than we've had in a long time, and it was so cold that nothing they did on the streets worked well. One of the highways still had a snow-packed lane this morning when I came to work. They're saying we'll only get 1-2 inches this weekend, and it's supposed to be in the 20s tomorrow!

Yeah, my gold standard would be that too, but unfortunately, Keith is fairly lazy when it comes to physical effort, so I'm lucky to get anything cleared at all! In fact, he wouldn't do it yesterday, because, of course, it was his birthday. The poor UPS man.

Terri- This is the same Washington bio, I started with, about 10 years ago. I remembered it being very good. Now I've read over 20 but LT has brought that to a grinding halt.

Happy Belated Birthday to Keith! Catey is having her birthday celebration tomorrow despite the fact that her birthday was a week ago.

How do you put the tracker on your page?

>174 casmith4: Do you mean the ticker in message 1? If so, you can click on the ticker in that message, and go to that website. There is an option there called "Create your own ticker".

Click on that, and follow their extremely easy instructions on how to create a ticker. The option that most of us choose, from among the many, is "Objects/actions graphic ticker".

When you've chosen your ticker and your slider, the program says "Done!" and shows you what your ticker will look like. Below that, there are several boxes with code in them. These are to enable you to post the ticker in your own thread. Look for the one that says "HTML" in its description, and highlight and copy **everything** in that box.

Come back to your own thread, and if you're like most of us, you'll edit your first message by clicking on the little pencil icon in the top right corner and pasting in the code you copied at the ticker site.

When you need to modify your ticker, simply click on *your own* ticker and change the number of books read. You'll have to click on the ticker and the slider selection pages again, selecting the "next" option at the bottom right of the page you're on, but you do NOT have to find the current selections...you're automatically taken to your own selections on both choices. You can change either or both things at any time without losing any of your data, should you desire to do so.

And when all's updated, the site tells you "Done!" again. You do NOT have to copy and paste the HTML code in your thread again. It will automatically show the updated data. When you need to start a second thread, you can copy the code that's in your first thread and post it in the second, and it will show the most current updated data in both threads. It does not matter how many times you copy and paste that code or in what places you copy and paste it, the ticker site doesn't care and won't stop working for you.

Richard - that was such a good explanation you should add it to the html thread!

Gee! Thanks! I try to answer all the questions I myself asked when I first started using a particular thing. I guess I succeeded!

I second that suggestion.

Thank you, Richard! You explained it much better than I would have. You're so concise!
And I've knocked off a few more books:

10. Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. Read by the inimitable Simon Vance. A very long audiobook. This is the history of philosophy, told in a fun story form. I really, really enjoyed it for the most part, but towards the end it got a little weird. But the philosophy parts were great, giving simple examples of some of the more complex theories.

11. The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry. William Monk wakes up in a hospital with no memory. Little by little, he tries to piece his life back together, and goes back to work in the police department as soon as he can to make some money. He is put on a case, and the more he investigates the case, the closer it seems to come to him personally. The story takes place in the mid-late 1800s. It was a great mystery story--I didn't catch on until near the end, and it made sense (not your silly off-the-wall solutions). I really enjoyed it, and since it is the first of the series, I guess I'll keep up with it. Luckily, I have several of the later books in the series, so some of them will count for Off The Shelf.

Happy Belated to your beloved!

I love the William Monk series by Anne Perry. I read them a long time ago...Somewhere on the shelves I might be able to find them and re-read them.

Hugs!

Oh, no! Yet another series to try . . .

*leaves thread to go add braces to the sagging bookshelves*

ETA to add Hope Keith enjoyed his birthday movies!

#175 Richard: You have a definite talent for writing out clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and that's a rare quality indeed!

*waves*
Hi, Terri!
Still working on my drum dilemma, but Craig has been so so helpful!

Hey, Linda! Something for me to look forward to...

Sorry, Terri. My "series" bookshelf has overflowed onto the floor. And Keith did enjoy his movies!

Oh, Amber, I'm so glad he could help, even a little bit. Like I said, he's a good boy, and I knew he would do whatever he could for you! I've decided to go to the WGI Percussion Championships in Dayton in April--you should go too and you can meet him (and me!).

hi

The first books in Anne Perry's series are all so much better than the late ones; she is very good at starting a new series but I wish she knew when to stop! Like too many other authors of series, she seems to fall in love with her own characters, not realizing that she's not keeping them alive for readers...

well put Suz :)

#183: Oh Terri, that sounds like so much fun! I'll have to check when in April it is and see if I can come!

I enjoy the Monk series too, Terri. I hope you continue to do so.

Luckily, Suzanne, I don't have a problem with quitting a series when it gets old. I did that with the Janet Evanovich books. I just couldn't read another one. Hopefully, I have a few more of these before I burn out. And plenty of other series......

Hi, Kath!

Amber, its the weekend of April 15-16.

Hi Stasia! How are you? I keep missing your thread because it's never at the top when I have a chance to read threads, and I haven't had a lot of chances. I need to quit a job or two. Hope all is well, and hello to Catey!

I took Catey back to Longview yesterday, Terri. She is staying with her grandmother again for a bit. She will be home for good some time next month - I hope!

Hi Terri. I have had The Face of A Stranger in my TBR pile for ages now! One of these days...

I know I had it for a long time, too, Heather. Before LT, cause the date added is the date I was adding a bunch of stuff. I had never heard of her, and went to a book-signing with a friend of mine years ago, who suggested that I start at the beginning. I also got the first of her WWI series, and another series that I haven't started yet (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt? I think).

>179 tloeffler:: I read Sophie's World years ago when youngest son was engaged to a philosophy major. They broke up, and I forgot all that I learned. But it was a fun way to get an overview of a complex subject. Btw, I'm very happy with the philosopher's replacement!

Edited to correct book title. There's a world of difference between Sophie's Choice and Sophie's World.

#174 Thank you Richard for the explanation. I'll let you know if I am successful.

Cheryl

Terri,

Believe it or not Face of a Stranger was the very first audiobook I ever listened to and I was hooked not just on the series but the medium as well.

I've listened to over 300 books on audio since I started and have at least 100 ready to go. Not to mention library books that I can download. They definitely give me a chance to get other things done while I read!

#196 That's good to know, because our county library has Face of a Stranger available as an audio download. I've found some books work much better than others for me in that medium -- maybe this is one to which I'll listen.

I'm a big audio fan, too, Terri. I usually know within the first CD whether or not I'll like it that way. Some I prefer that way. The Louise Penny books aren't the same for me unless Ralph Cosham is reading them! And I've enjoyed the Jacqueline Winspear series on audio so much, that I'm delaying my reading of the next one to see if my library will get it in audio!

I can see where Face of a Stranger would work in audio (depending, of course, on the reader!).

Here are my results from this weekends Read-a-Thon:

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 345 pages, 10 audio tracks
Total time read: 10 hours, 30 minutes

I did take some time out for sleeping (mostly because I kept falling asleep in the chair!), but I think I did well, and it was fun.

A couple of finished books for the list:

12. Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. A Mark Twain story I had never heard of! First published in 1894, it is the story of a slave woman, Roxy, who was as white as the rest of the town, but was 1/16th black, and so, in the times, was classified, "by a fiction of law and custom," Negro. Roxy has a baby son the same age as the nephew of her master, and one day, worried about her sons future, she decides to switch the babies.
Pudd'nhead Wilson is a local attorney, whose hobby is studying fingerprints, a relatively new and untested forensic service at the time.
What happens as these boys grow up, and how Pudd'nhead saves the day, is a fun story, with a good moral. The dialect was a little difficult to read, but still, a good book.

13. Nobody Said Not To Go by Ken Cuthbertson. A biography of Emily Hahn, read for Missouri Readers. A fascinating woman--why have I never heard of her??? I want to save my comments for our discussion, but I put a review on the Works Page if anyone wants more info...

Hi Sweetie

I hope you are warm, dry and reading a good book.

#199: Adding Nobody Said Not To Go to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, TLo!

Well, I don't know about that, Linda. We are preparing for the "Winter Storm of the Century" here. Just some freezing rain right now, but the whole state is in a panic. We were all sent home, and each hospital has one "volunteer" IT person who is bringing in a change of clothes & staying till Wednesday. Class tonight has been cancelled. Keith, who works in the meat department at Sam's, ground almost 2,000 pounds of beef yesterday for all the people who are afraid they'll run out of food before the roads are cleared. Apparently, there will be 40 mph winds, so they are expecting power outages. All in all, a great adventure, but it won't be warm if there's no heat! I will be enjoying some good books this evening, once I can stop pretending that I'm working from home.

Highly recommended, Stasia! With all that you've read, have you ever heard of her?

14. Going Home to Glory by David Eisenhower. A fascinating memoir of Dwight D. Eisenhower's life after the White House, written by his grandson, who more or less lived with them during that time. Well-written, some very interesting personal information from a reliable source. I listened to David Eisenhower speak at a book-signing, and that is what set me on my goal to read Presidential Biographies in order. If you have ANY interest in Eisenhower, or the presidents following him until his death in 1969, this is a must-read!

#202 the whole state is in a panic Glad to know it's not just over here. I saw a headline a few minutes ago that the governor has already declared a state of emergency. Before the storm even gets here! Our roads are patchy slick, and a school bus full of middle school kids just overturned in a ditch near here about an hour ago. No injuries, but I'm sure there will be irate parents all the same. With all the fuss being made, I find myself hoping for a doozy of a storm. Otherwise, it just seems like someone is crying wolf.

Glad you're not the "volunteer" who has to live at work for the next 2 days. I'll be stopping at the store to stock up on my way home, and have put my clients on notice that I won't be coming if the weather is bad. I'm so excited at the thought of staying home and doing laundry instead of going to work!

Stay warm and safe, Terri - and Keith.

I'm going to have to make note of the Eisenhower bio. It seems I'll never get that far in the US presidents series, but when I do, I'll want a good one. Ike was the only president from Kansas and we sure heard a lot about him as kids in school in the 60's. Have you run across a good account of his earlier life?

Our office in IL will close if Quinn declares a state of emergency. This probably wouldn't happen til late Tues, at the earliest.

We've never closed before so we're all trying to guess the odds of whether it'll happen this time.

I agree about hoping for a doozy of a storm. Keith said that if it doesn't come, he'll be furious that he had to grind all that meat for nothing!

No, only the "techies" got stuck with that. Hospitals can survive without software support, but not without hardware! Especially with all the power outages they keep predicting! I'm almost hoping for an outage--if I don't have electricity, I can't work from home! I did my regular shopping yesterday, so we should be okay there.

I haven't found anything about his earlier life yet, Sandy, but I couldn't resist going out of order and reading this one. He did write an autobiography, At Ease, that is mentioned quite a bit in this book, but, although I want to read it, I also want something a little less biased. I've got some time. I'm still on John Adams!

I read online something about 21 inches for Boston.. I hope that is wrong!
Stay safe everyone..

Hospitals can't survive without nurses, either. I was an R.N. in Labor & Delivery for 20 years, and you simply didn't "call in" on a night like this one. Then at the end of the shift, you prayed that enough people could make it in so that you could go home. When I worked in Denver, I once spent 36 hours straight at the hospital. We weren't allowed to work more than 16 hours straight without taking 8 hours off. Oh my, those were the days. It was fun when I was young. So glad I don't have to do it now.

Boy, that's the truth, Becky. I remember when my Mom was a nurse, my Dad would call my cousin with a 4-wheel drive to get her to the hospital for work. I've always liked working in health care, but I'm glad I have a job where I'm dispensable at times like these. I sit here and listen to the crazies doing "donuts" on the ice outside, and I do NOT want to be on the street with idiots like that!

Stay warm and dry and safe!

#207 I hope it's wrong, too!

#208 Becky, I don't think I realized that you had been a labor and delivery nurse. They are some of the nicest people in the whole hospital. I had 4 babies, and can't remember ever getting a surly nurse, even in the middle of the night.

Terri, the Eisenhower book sounds wonderful. Adding it to the wish list.

I second Sandy's praise of labor & delivery nurses - they're some of the most wonderful people on the planet, in my experience!

It's been eerily quiet around these parts...I didn't miss a thread change did I? :(

I second Stephen's query. Hello? Terri? Anybody home?

Don't think so.. I am preparing to worry.......

As well you should worry. I've just been a busy, crabby old thing lately. I don't know if I've got some kind of low-lying bug, or if I really am that tired and crabby (it's very likely), but when I'm not working, I'm sleeping. Or reading. My eyes just haven't been up to computering (especially since that's what I do all day!).

I'm blaming the weather, and thinking I'll be more active as (a) the sun comes out once in a while, and (b) when I start finishing the way-too-tall stack of books I'm simultaneously reading and will probably finish all at the same time and you guys will be totally sick of me.

Enjoy the quiet time while you have it! I'll be back!

Well, I'm sorry to hear about the busyness and the crabbyness, but I am glad to see you here! C'mon sun!!

Glad to see you, Terri. Seems like the 'downer' bug has been hitting a lot of people quite hard this winter. Hope spring and non-crabbiness arrive soon!

I am crabby too.. trust me.
Hope yours passes soon though.. I miss you!

Terri

I'm sorry you don't feel well. I love the stories of taking care of Zoe! And, by the way when we next meet up with the Diving Ms. Stasia, we can have chicken wings and crunch and munch.....

Thanks for visiting, all! I'm hoping that the MO Winefest on Saturday helps, at least for a few hours!

And it did. In spite of the babysitting on Friday, I managed to finish 3 books this weekend!

15. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd. Home from World War I, Inspector Ian Rutledge has returned to Scotland Yard, battling shell-shock and the ghost of a Scottish soldier. He is immediately sent to a small village to find the murderer of a popular local colonel. The main suspect is a decorated war hero and friend of royalty. He realizes he has been set up, and struggles to find the truth from a close-mouthed population.
In my efforts to learn more about World War I, I have found novels and books set directly after the War will give me a better view of what happened in France, better than those set during the war. This is no exception. It was a very interesting psychological study, and I will continue with the series.

16. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. What to say about it? I can't believe I've never read the book, although I have seen several dramatizations of it. Well, I've read it now, and it was pretty good, although a bit wordy sometimes.

17. Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin. It is the 23rd Century. The equal rights and independence that women have fought for are now quaint history, and society is run by men. Nowhere is this more blatant than in the Linguist society. The Linguists "control" language, and they are responsible for learning and then acting as interpreters for negotiations between Earth societies and Alien societies. The women have been secretly creating their own language, and when they begin teaching it, society begins to change.
Of course it is science fiction, but I still found it difficult to accept that such a drastic change would come about in such a short time. I found the men as written to be almost caricatures. And it seemed to me that once the background was set up, the denouement came much too quickly, and didn't really ring true.
I'm glad I read this; it certainly gave me a lot to think about. But It never grabbed me, and really was not a compelling read.

#222: Congrats on getting some reading done around the wine tasting, Terri :) I hope you all had a good time checking out the wines.

I love Jane Eyre. Glad to see you finally got around to reading it.

>222 tloeffler: the Todd series is definitely worth continuing. I think I've read 4 of them, and they were all interesting.

18. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. This has been on my list forever, and when I went to the library to get a different audio book, the one I wanted was gone and this was next to it, so it seemed an omen. I enjoyed it quite a bit, in spite of the nagging sensation that Henry was awfully grown up for an 13 year-old boy. I suppose it was different during the war, and maybe he had to be because of his family situation. And, as usually happens, I got angry in the face of the injustice to the Japanese internees (is that a word? doesn't look right).

terri! I have been missing you...

I have been missing you guys too, but lately, Real Life has been a Real Pain. I need a vacation, but have to wait because we are losing two people as of Monday, and I will have to cover for both of them. Heavy sigh. All will be well.....

Sorry to hear about the Real Life Pains. It happens to the best of us, that Real Life business, but sometimes it's not that pleasant, eh? Charlie's been awfully free, fast & lose with his slobbery kisses today, so I'll send one along to you - sounds like you need it!

#228: Real Life is not allowed to interfere with you coming to Texas in March. I said so. :)

Sorry RL is still being a pain, Terri. *Hugs*

#225 - Based on your comments I thought I'd mention a book that I recently added to my library, which I liked the look of - American Inquisition: The Hunt for Japanese American Disloyalty in World War II by Eric L. Muller. Thin book... If only I had the time to read it!

>229 scaifea: Oh, thank Charlie for the slobbery kisses, Amber! I don't get nearly as many of those as I need.

>230 alcottacre: Read your mail.

>231 Ape: Aw, thanks, Stephen. Does this mean you'll let me visit when I come to Ohio in April?

>232 petermc: That does sound good, Peter. My library doesn't have it, but it looks like the St. Louis County Library does, and I believe we have a reciprocal agreement with them. If I can get it, I'll let you know how it is! ;-)
They do have Free to die for their country : the story of the Japanese American draft resisters in World War II by the same author. Wonder if that's any good? I may have to check that one out too.

19. The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman. A detailed telling of the first month of the First World War. I like Tuchmans writing, and I found this to be a fascinating and depressing story. When you start reading at this detailed level, you see more clearly how so much of history is based on chance, just one decision that can change everything. And, of course, once again, the folly of war is reinforced for me. How can anyone read these things, and still continue to have wars? *shakes head sadly*

And now for something completely different.

20. Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do by James Thurber and E. B. White. Based on the research of those "deans of American sex," Karl Zaner and Walter Tithridge, Thurber & White explain men and women and their attitudes towards love and passion. Utterly hilarious, especially when you realize it was originally written in 1929, and yet, it is still so very accurate. You have to love a book about sex that begins with a quote from Major General Briggs at Shiloh: "Things look pretty bad right now."

#233: I did read my mail and responded appropriately :)

#234: I have already read The Guns of August, but I have got to track down a copy of Is Sex Necessary?. It looks like a hoot!

233: *Gasp* No way! *Shudders* E-Squishing is as far as I go, RL-squishing is dangerous! *whimpers*

Hi There

You are quite a roll with your reading. Sorry that you are so busy otherwise. Hopefully books provide the stress release needed.

Hello from me too! :)

>235 alcottacre: Maybe I'll bring it the next time I see you. But I'll want it back!

>236 Ape: Wimp.

>237 Whisper1: Hey Linda! I did finish quite a few all at once, but I've been trying to get through them for ages. I need to read fewer books at a time, but that gets so boring. And the beautiful weather this weekend went a long way towards improving my mood!

>238 BookAngel_a: Hi Angela! Hope all is well with you!

Hey there, T-Lo. The cold weather is back but don't let that make you grumpy! We could live in MN and have bunches of snow again.

It sounds like your work load is being increased. Don't your employers know that you need your reading time? I hope your pay is being increased at the same rate as your work. Hang in there.

Hi, Terri, sorry to hear about your RL troubles. I hope they resolve themselves soon so that we can have your full attention back here on us! Although Donna's idea about pay being increased the same as the work sounds good, I doubt it is working out that way for you.

#239: Deal!

Wimp

Better a living wimp than a dead hero! :(

Hey, Terri, it's been a while. Is all okay with you?

Just checking in! Work has been unbelievably busy & stressful lately, so no time for playing on the computer during the day, and at night I'm too tired to do anything except sit and read! I hope to catch up a little bit this weekend (God willing and the creek don't rise).

And Stephen, no one has ever died from one of my hugs. Not even from embarrassment. Ask my sons. They have been most embarrassingly hugged by me multiple times, and they are still very much alive.

And I have to be honest. I did get 2 substantial raises last year with my new job, so I shouldn't complain about having to work harder. But that's what keeps me off the (fun parts of the) computer!

It's hard to imagine a book like Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do being written in 1929! I remember believing as a teenager in the 60's that our society had been (and would continue) getting consistently more and more liberal over time. It was only when I got to college and took some sociology and anthropology classes that I understood the forces that led to a more conservative cycle after WWII when men came back from the war and women were expected to go back to being stay-at-home moms again. Is this a new printing or did you just happen to find this older book?

I'm sorry that work has been so stressful lately - I went through that sort of thing last year and never want to be that stressed about work ever again! I hope things get easier for you soon!

Bonnie, that was what I thought too! The more I read about the pre- and post-WWI years, the more amazed I am! I am a huge Thurber fan, and I try to pick up any books of his I find at book fairs and such, and I couldn't resist the title of this one! I believe the copy I have is a 1975 re-issue of the 1950 edition. It was great.

Thanks, Amber. I should have probably stayed in my grunt job, but there were too many reasons to take this job, and I don't regret it, but I don't have the patience any more for some of the silly stuff that goes on. I imagine that a lot of it is my own fault--sometimes I expect the whole world to see that my way is best, and for some odd reason, some people just won't do that. Hmph. What a crank I've become. I'm sure it will settle down eventually.

And I HAVE been reading some:

21. Where We Know: New Orleans as Home by David Rutledge. I received this last fall as an Early Reviewer book.
I have always had a fascination with New Orleans, mostly fed by my former mother-in-law who raved about the place every chance she got. Finally, 10+ years ago, I managed to get down there, and I fell in love with the place. There was an indescribable atmosphere, probably best described by the old "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!" I have been back several times since, both before and after Hurricane Katrina, and I have never failed to find that same atmosphere, nor have I ever found a way to describe it. It isn't a place that I think I would enjoy living in, but it is a joy to visit.

So I think that what I expected from this book was some of that "We really don't care whether or not you like us, we'll have some fun and hope you join in, but you can just watch if that's what you want to do." And as usual in a book of essays, I found some of that in some excellent stories of the city. However (and I seem to be in a minority in this), I found more than I expected of whining and complaining and blaming, and this knocked half a point off my rating. The New Orleans that I love would curse the darkness for a little while, then grab a candle and move on with a little dance. The essays that expressed this were fabulous. I loved the little excerpts in between about other historical disasters in New Orleans. I enjoyed most of this book very much, but I found some of the stories left a bad taste in my mouth, and I never expect a bad taste from New Orleans.

22. Coraline by Neil Gaiman. I listened to the audiobook read by the author. A good call on my part. Coraline is a bored little girl who opens a door one day and finds an alternate world, with an Other Mother who wants her to stay there. I liked it.

*smooch* for the sadly put-upon TLo. I hate the idea of you covering *two* people's work in addition to being overworked.

Aw, thanks, Richard. That's probably just what I need right now--someone to pat me on the head and say "Poor Sweet Baby." I can always count on you!

glitter-graphics.com

Hope things at work get better, Terri.

Thanks, Caroline! Interestingly, that picture looks just how I feel some days!

Sorry to hear things are so stressful at work Terri. Hope things ease up soon.

#252 Love the picture!

Poor bear!

23. A Passage to India by E. M. Forster. I read this because Donna raved about it so. It was very well-written, and a good book, but it made me very sad. I had very little knowledge of India under British rule, and although fiction, it seemed a good representation.

24. World War One British Poets by Candace Ward. A small, but representative selection of poems by some of the great WWI poets (Sassoon, Owen, Graves, Brooke). While reading Regeneration, I realized that I had never read a poem by Siegfried Sassoon (except some that Peter had posted in the past) and I found that a lack, so I pulled this slim volume off the shelf to read. It's amazing to me that I can read all I have been reading about WWI, and yet some of these poems made it more alive than anything else I've read. The power of poetry...

25. Sundays With Sullivan by Bernie Ilson. This was an Early Reviewer book (although its copyright was 2009).
I grew up with The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday nights, and I loved it. I thought Ed was a little weird, but enjoyed the rest of the show so much that it didn't matter. I was thrilled to get a copy of this book to read, as I expected it to be a trip back in time with some fun memories.
Unfortunately, it was not. Bernie Ilson's was the public relations firm in charge of the show from 1963 until 1971, and one would expect him to have some fascinating stories about Ed Sullivan and the show. He chose, however, to be an apologist for Ed Sullivan (who, in my mind, didn't need an apologist until I read this book). All criticisms are passed off as jealousy, and we are reminded constantly of how we would all be a cultural wasteland if not for the "drops of culture" Ed bestowed on us every week. There were a few interesting stories about the show, but overall, it was just a poorly written book that seems to be a backlash against some imagined insult.

>257 tloeffler: DAMN AND BLAST!! I wanted to read that, but the book you're describing isn't the book I want to read. *pouts*

we would all be a cultural wasteland if not for the "drops of culture" I would have totally missed The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and (my favorite) Herman's Hermits since I lived in the Caribbean at the time and grew up with Calypso and Motown.

awww Herman's Hermits!!!

I'm Hen-e ry the eighth I am, Hen-e ry the eighth I am I am

Of course I I love the Beatles too.. but.. So many of those fun British bands walked his stage.

Well, Richard, if you're a masochist, I'd be glad to send it to you. I don't think you'll like it though....

And the "drops of culture" Ilson refers to aren't The Beatles, Rolling Stones, or Herman's Hermits. They were those 3-4 minute ballets or opera singers. The Beatles get one chapter, and I don't even think he mentioned Hermas's Hermits.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely don't discount the effects of The Ed Sullivan Show. I loved it. The book just seemed to have an agenda, and it didn't match what I was looking for.

So great to chat with you this evening! I do hope I can get to the Kansas City meet up in April!

I have some fond memories of the Ed Sullivan show, but I think I'd feel the same way about the book you're describing. Sometimes "apologists" do more harm than good, IMO.

I hate books with an agenda..

I once read a book that I expected to be a thriller..
Raising Atlantis by Thomas Greanias.. The entire book was nothing more than a set up for the next book. It was so clear and so totally tanked the story. I can see and appreciate the need to hint at a sequel at the end of a book. .. which I think was done in Angelology.. but to have an entire book be a commercial of sorts for books to come.. ( sorry for the rant.. but I just saw book #3 in that series at B&N yesterday, and I have lingering irritation.. lol)

As for Sullivan.. I enjoyed his show.. and agree.. no need for an apologist.

"It's amazing to me that I can read all I have been reading about WWI, and yet some of these poems made it more alive than anything else I've read. The power of poetry..."

So true...

>256 tloeffler:: So sorry that A Passage to India made you sad. I gravitate toward the dark side of books I'm afraid. The movie was good (in a dark way) as well.

I'm glad you're able to get some reading in with your heavy work schedule. You'll need that spring break in KC next month. I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

A Passage to India is one of my favorites.

>261 tloeffler: Errrmmm, hey, y'know, thanks anyway but I think I'll pass on that. No time left in life for crap I don't wanna read!

I feel that same way, Kath. I don't like having to read through commercials for the next book. Cliffhangers are okay, but not the whole book.

A Passage to India did make me sad, but I still enjoyed the read. Heaven knows, we'll never escape injustice, but I wish we could, just the same.

Are you SURE, Richard? I'll bet you could write a really scathing review of it.

26. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall. This is not a book I ever would have picked up on my own. I have a non-reader friend at work, and he has suggested several books to me, usually because he wants me to read the book and tell him how it ends as compared to the movie ending. But this time, he admitted to reading the book, and said I would have to read it.
I still say it's not my type of book. I am SO not an athlete. The book was difficult to follow, because the author did quite a bit of jumping around. And I don't care how good it is for me, or that I was "born to run," I am not ever going to be a runner (I used to tell my sons that Moms don't run).
However, it was fascinating. McDougall learns of a tribe of Tarahumara Indians in Mexico who can run hundreds of miles without rest, and who live together without strife. He meets Caballo Blanco, a former Californian who now lives among the tribe, and they organize a fifty-mile race with the Tarahumara and a ragtag group of American ultra-runners. In between, McDougall researches the history and biology of running, the athletic shoe companies' tactics, and some interesting facts about our own bodies. It made me almost wish I was a runner, so I could fine-tune my technique.
I can think of several people I would recommend this book to, and I plan to give it to my nephew for his birthday this year (he and his wife are big runners). So, if you are a runner, I would suggest it.
And if you aren't, you might like it anyway.

I am glad that you got some enjoyment from that one..
it probably won't make it to my own tbr list though..

glad to see you here.. you are on my mind.. miss seeing you here..

>270 tloeffler: (!) Ix-nay from ee-may, oo-tay.

27. American Inquisition: The Hunt for Japanese American Disloyalty in World War II by Eric L. Muller. Suggested by Peter in post 232 above. This was a hard one to judge. It told the story of the West Coast Japanese-Americans who were shipped to internment camps in World War II. But instead of telling the stories of the internees, this book focused more on the federal agencies who were responsible for determining "loyalty." So the only stories of people were isolated incidents of a few individuals. The rest was the internal workings of the agencies, and boy. It made me ashamed to be a white American. So it was interesting information, but the writing was totally dry. I felt like a lawyer was telling the story, and guess what. I was right.
I think you'll like it, Peter, although for a thin book, it took me longer than I thought to read it. Thanks for the rec!

28. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. This book really had potential, and if it would have ended at about the halfway mark, I would have really enjoyed it. But it didn't, and I ended up bored and angry (sorry, Linda--this was one of your YA recs). Liz Hall is a 16 year old girl who is killed in a bike/car accident. She ends up in Elsewhere, a place where the dead go and live backwards until they become babies again and are sent back to earth. Liz is feisty, mad about being dead, unhappy that she has to live with a grandmother she had never met, and she wants to go back home. It was an interesting concept, and the first part of the book, where she is adjusting, is nice, light, a little sad, but fun reading. At just about the halfway point, when I really thought I was on the last disk, it started to tank. She goes from being mature and well-adjusted to being a tempermental idiot, and then back again. There were too many stories going on, and none of them were as developed as they should have been. It jumped from one insignificant incident to another, and I was glad to see it end. I always hate it when an author doesn't know when to stop.

Terri: I have two students who are very much into running, so I'm going to pass along the McDougall reference (and it may just find its way onto my own wishlist, even though I very much dislike running myself - I *love* the line "Moms don't run" - I may have to use that one!). Thanks for the rec!

#273 Terri - Thanks for the review. Sorry it was so dry :(

I'm looking at it now, sitting next to another unread volume - Concentration Camps on the Home Front - Japanese Americans in the House of Jim Crow by John Howard - which I hope is better!

Amber, I'll bet they will love it. And it is an interesting story. He really beats up the running shoe companies. It made me go out and buy a pair of old-fashioned canvas sneakers. Not for running, of course--Moms don't run. But for regular use.

No problem, Peter. It was an interesting take on the whole thing, and he was extremely thorough. I'm glad I read it. How do you make something like that exciting? I might add the other onto my list. I don't want to read too much about that "situation," though, because it makes me angry.
How's your school going?

29. The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton. Recommended and loaned to me by Stasia.
Miss Enid Roach is a forty-nine year old woman who lives in a boarding house outside of London during World War II with several older ladies and an older "gentleman" who is not very kind to her. She suggests to her new German friend Vicki that she move in too, and regrets it almost immediately. Vicki is one of those people whom everyone likes. She plays up to people, and they respond to it, leaving Miss Roach on the outside, looking in and not very happy about it. I think I liked this book more because I see a lot of myself in Miss Roach, and I see a lot of people I don't particularly like in Vicki. However, it's a very good character study on its own, and extremely amusing. Highly recommended!

30. John Adams by David McCullough. Not much I can say about this that hasn't already been said. A very interesting biography of the second President. McCullough keeps it compelling (although Adams himself was pretty compelling). The 650 pages didn't even phase me!

just stopping by to say hello, and nice to see you. The last two books look very good !

John Adams was surprisingly good, wasn't it? And I felt like I learned so much about Jefferson and Franklin as well. I read that running book all the way through, too, even though it's been almost 20 years since I ran regularly. And I read a book like American Inquisition about the desegregation of the schools in Little Rock, and it was dry too, but so worth reading.

Hi Terri, I loved the HBO production of John Adams which we watched recently on DVD. I bought Truman by McCullough at Half Price Books in Plano, Texas yesterday. It's over 1,000 pages and I'm "phased!" lol...Thank goodness for the pictures.

Terri, you've really been doing some heavy-duty reading lately! The up-coming Harry Truman book for Mo Readers will be a cinch by comparison.

Hi, Kath! Good to hear from you!

Bonnie, I agree. In fact, I was thinking I could just skip Jefferson because of all I read about him in the Adams book! But I won't.

Donna, I got Truman with a 50% coupon at Borders before they started closing. So I'll be ready...

I know, Sandy, I thought that the other day too. I'll be glad for something a little lighter.

31. Rut by Scott Phillips. This was a Concord Free Press Book. Concord Free Press sends out free books, with the stipulation that you will (a) make a donation of any amount to any charity you want; and (b) give the book away when you're finished to someone else with the same stipulation.
www.concordfreepress.com

Rut (a horrible title, by the way--it put me off from reading it for a long time) takes place in Gower CO, at a time in the near future. It is a time when few people are without artificial llimbs, "regeneration" processes keep many of the physical aspects of aging under cover, meat is scarce, animals scarcer, and the frogs in the pond and in the pit near the molybdenum mines are mutated. The townspeople of Gower are joined by Bridget, a herpetologist doing field work. Although the tone of the book is lighter than most dystopian stories, it's a little more unnerving because it seems so much closer to happening. There are several running plots, and some characters are introduced and then abandoned, but overall, this is a compelling read and I finished it in just a few hours.

If anyone is interested in this book, send me a PM and I will send it to the first requestor (under the rules of Concord Free Press)!

#280 I watched the HBO production too, recently, and learned a lot from it since I knew next to nothing about Adams. I'm sure I'd learn a lot more from reading the book!

32. The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. I've always been fascinated by Campbell's writings on myths, and the similarities between all of them and real life. Very interesting concepts.

33. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. Why has it taken me this long to get to this book??? I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Stephen Briggs, on my way to visit Stasia in Texas, and laughed out loud. Unfortunately, it's a series; fortunately, it's a short series. At least, the Tiffany Aching series is short. I'm sure I'll be sucked into the rest of them eventually. Tiffany's brother has been kidnapped by the Queen of the Elves, and she enlists the assistance of the Nac Mac Feegle (aka, the Wee Free Men) and a talking toad to get him back. Funny, suspenseful, compelling, with a bit of moral included. Excellent!

I think I would like the Pratchett book.
--BJ

TLo. Darling. New thread time, seriously. It takes me *seconds* to download at 200mbps. Now really.

Simply stopping by to save hi.

Sorry you didn't like Elsewhere. I'm throwing out another try....how about a book recommended by Stasia that I finished recently. You might like Marcelo in the Real World

Hugs to you my friend!

Richard is absolutely right. I guess I just lost track. Mea culpa, all, and here it a link to the new one:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/112808