Familyhistorian's Bookish Thread part 8

A pic from this year's smoky PoCo Downtown Car Show.

My name is Meg and this is my fifth year as one of the 75ers. 2017 brought some changes for me as I retired from my day job at the end of September. Retirement should give me more time to explore my many interests, at least in theory. I am interested in history and genealogy and actively research, read and write about those areas. When I talk about active research, I mean the type that involves travel and I hope to do more of that this year.

Blog



My latest posts take me back to England. To some of my London ancestors. It is surprising how much you can learn about people's stories from criminal records. Check out the weekly posts at: A Genealogist's Path to History

Little Free Library

Number culled in January 2

Number culled in February 4

Number culled in March 4

Number culled in April 2

Number culled in May 2

Number culled in June 5

Number culled in July 3

Number culled in August 51

Number culled in September 15

Number culled in October 6

Total 2018 culls

Challenges I will do my best to partake of in 2018

AAC 2018

January- Joan Didion - Where I was From - DONE
February- Colson Whitehead - The Underground Railroad - DONE
March- Tobias Wolff - This Boy's Life - DONE
April- Alice Walker - The Color Purple - DONE
May- Pete Hamil - Tabloid City - DONE
June - Walter Mosley - A Red Death - DONE
July- Amy Tan - The Joy Luck Club - DONE
August- Louis L'Amour - Rider of Lost Creek - DONE
September- Pat Conroy - My Reading Life - DONE
October- Stephen King
November- Narrative Nonfiction
December- F. Scott Fitzgerald

BAC 2018

JANUARY - DEBUT NOVELS - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters - DONE
FEBRUARY - THE 1970s - The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge - DONE
MARCH - CLASSIC THRILLERS - The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine - DONE
APRIL - FOLKLORE, FABLES AND LEGENDS - The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro - DONE
MAY - QUEENS OF CRIME - The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie - DONE The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - DONE - To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey - DONE
JUNE - TRAVEL WRITING - Scotland's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line by Alistair Moffat - DONE
JULY - THE ANGRY YOUNG MEN - Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis - DONE
AUGUST - BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION - The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells - DONE
SEPTEMBER - HISTORICAL FICTION - Dr Syn by Russell Thorndyke - DONE
OCTOBER - COMEDIC NOVELS -
NOVEMBER - WORLD WAR ONE -
DECEMBER - BRITISH SERIES -

WILDCARD - THE ROMANTICS -

2018 MysteryCAT

January: Nordic Mysteries - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo - DONE Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson - DONE
February: Female Cop/Sleuth/Detective - Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb - DONE Books, Cooks, and Crooks by Lucy Arlington - DONE American Blonde by Jennifer Niven DONE
March: Global Mysteries - The Dry by Jane Harper - DONE Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly - DONE The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel - DONE
April: Classic and Golden Age Mysteries - The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson - DONE - The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley - DONE
May: Mysteries involving Transit - The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - DONE
June: True Crime - With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic - DONE
July: Police Procedurals - The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny - DONE - Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb - DONE - The Blackhouse by Peter May - DONE
August: Historical Mysteries - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick - DONE - A Curious Beginning by Deanna Rayborn - DONE - Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley - DONE - The Alienist by Caleb Carr - DONE
September: Noir and Hard-Boiled Mysteries - The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain - DONE
October: Espionage
November: Cozy December: Futuristic/Fantastical Mysteries

2018 Nonfiction Challenge

January - Prize Winning Books - The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - DONE
February -- Biographies - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson - DONE
March – Far, Far Away: Traveling - Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper - DONE
April – History - Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill - DONE The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - DONE
May – Boundaries: Geography, Geopolitics and Maps - Love of Country: A Hebridean Journey by Madeleine Bunting - DONE
June – The Great Outdoors - The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert MacFarlane - DONE
July – The Arts - Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale - DONE
August – Short and Sweet: Essays and Other Longform Narratives - Women & Power: a Manifesto by Mary Beard
September – Gods, Demons, Spirits, and Supernatural Beliefs
October – First Person Singular
November – Politics, Economics & Business
December – 2018 In Review

More challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2018 - 19th Century Europe (& rest of the world, excluding Northern America) - A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock - DONE
April-June 2018 - 19th Century Northern America (includes Civil War; excluding the Old West) - The Alienist by Caleb Carr - DONE
July-September 2018 - The Old West - Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour - DONE
October-December 2018 - 20th Century: Before WW1 (1900-1913)

Monthly

January 2018: "Baby, It's Cold Out There!" - The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - DONE
February 2018: "Going Hollywood" - American Blonde by Jennifer Niven - DONE
March 2018: "Something Sporty" - Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder - DONE
April 2018: "Clash of Cultures" - A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson - DONE
May 2018: "Southeast Asia" - The Quiet American by Graham Greene DONE
June 2018: "Digging Up the Past" - Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths DONE
July 2018: "Nautical" - The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson DONE - Fourteen Minutes: The Last Voyage of the Empress of Ireland by James Croall DONE
August 2018: "Between the Wars, 1918 - 1939" - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick - DONE
September 2018: "Let's Have a Drink" - The Rum Runners by Frank W. Anderson DONE
October 2018: "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"
November 2018: "She Blinded Me with Science"

I'm not going out of my way (much) to fill in the following non-LT challenges. Just interested to see what I can do.

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
2. True crime - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
3. The next book in a series you started - A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths
4. A book involving a heist
5. Nordic noir - The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
6. A novel based on a real person
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you
8. A book with a time of day in the title - It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long
9. A book about a villain or antihero
10. A book about death or grief - With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
15. A book about feminism - Women & Power: a manifesto by Mary Beard
16. A book about mental health
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift - The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley
18. A book by two authors - Design for Dying by Renee Patrick (Rosemarie and Vince Keenan)
19. A book about or involving a sport - Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder
20. A book by a local author - The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
21. A book with your favorite color in the title - Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
22. A book with alliteration in the title
23. A book about time travel - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
24. A book with a weather element in the title - Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
25. A book set at sea
26. A book with an animal in the title - Slow Horses by Mick Herron
27. A book set on a different planet
28. A book with song lyrics in the title
29. A book about or set on Halloween
30. A book with characters who are twins
31. A book mentioned in another book - The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
32. A book from a celebrity book club - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
33. A childhood classic you've never read
34. A book that's published in 2018 - A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The Quiet American by Graham Greene
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to
38. A book with an ugly cover
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these)

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry - Ignored but Not Forgotten: Canada's English Immigrants by Lucille Campey
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6. An allegory - The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you
8. A microhistory - Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
9. A book about a problem facing society today
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

2018 BookRiot Read Harder Challenge

1. A book published posthumously
2. A book of true crime - The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
3. A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) - The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson
4. A comic written and illustrated by the same person - California Dreamin': Cass Elliott Before the Mamas and Papas by Penelope Begieu
5. A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)
6. A book about nature
7. A western - Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour
8. A comic written or illustrated by a person of color - Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
9. A book of colonial or postcolonial literature
10. A romance novel by or about a person of color
11. A children’s classic published before 1980
12. A celebrity memoir
13. An Oprah Book Club selection - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
14. A book of social science
15. A one-sitting book - The Middle Ground by Zoe Whittall
16. The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series
17. A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author
18. A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image
19. A book of genre fiction in translation - Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
20. A book with a cover you hate
21. A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
22. An essay anthology
23. A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60
24. An assigned book you hated (or never finished)

Books read in 2018

First quarter

January

The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson
Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger by Victoria Alexander
A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths
Where I Was From by Joan Didion
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin
Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie
Night's Child by Maureen Jennings
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

February

A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock
A Very Fine Class of Immigrants: Prince Edward Island's Scottish Pioneers 1770-1850 by Lucille Campey
Siege by Roxanne Orgill
Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
Ignored but Not Forgotten: Canada's English Immigrants by Lucille Campey
Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta
The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson
The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman
Books, Cooks, and Crooks by Lucy Arlington
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
American Blonde by Jennifer Niven

March

The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham
The Dry by Jane Harper
Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society by Cordelia Fine
Hit by Bryce Carlson
The Middle Ground by Zoe Whittall
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
The British: A Genetic Journey by Alistair Moffat
Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World's Family Tree by A.J. Jacobs
The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly
Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder
Drawing From Memory by Allen Say
The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff
The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel
It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long

Books read in 2018

Second quarter

April

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper
A Cast of Vultures by Judith Flanders
Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)
Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners by Therese Oneill
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright
The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson
The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley
The Color Purple by Alice Walker

May

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson
Dooms Day Book by Connie Willis
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Slow Horses by Mick Harron
Love of Country by Madeleine Bunting
The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
Tabloid City by Pete Hamill
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Walking With Ghosts by J.G. Goodhind
Anatomy of Murder by Imogen Robertson
The Opposite of Dark by Debra Purdy Kong
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey
The Viking World by James Graham-Campbell
A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody

June

A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
Unsinkable by Dan James
With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice by Dorothy Marcic
Death of a Dentist by M.C. Beaton
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
A Week from Sunday by Dorothy Garlock
Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Bingo Love by Tee Franklin
A Red Death by Walter Mosley
Britain's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line by Alistair Moffat

Third quarter

July

Langston Hughes: American Poet by Alice Walker
A Howl of Wolves by Judith Flanders
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
Witches' Bane by Susan Wittig Albert
My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran & Larissa Zageris
Come Hell or Highball by Maia Chance
Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past by David Reich
Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb
The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson
Fourteen Minutes: The last voyage of the Empress of Ireland by James Croall
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Teetotaled by Maia Chance
The Blackhouse by Peter May

August

Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney
The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert MacFarlane
The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Design for Dying by Renee Patrick
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
Dark Descent: Diving and the Deadly Allure of the Empress of Ireland by Kevin F. McMurray
Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'Amour
Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale
His Wicked Reputation by Madeline Hunter
Women & Power: a manifesto by Mary Beard
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me by Paul Joseph Fronczak and Alex Tresniowski
Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley

Book stats

Total books read 115

Fiction 88
Non-fiction 27

Female authors 75
Male authors 42

Books acquired in 2018




May

Ravished by Amanda Quick
Brother Cadfael's Penance by Ellis Peters
Kissed a Sad Goodbye by Deborah Crombie
Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
The Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James
Goodbye Butterflies: The 5 Day Stage Fright Solution by Dr. David Lee Fish
Meditation is Not What You Think by Jon Kabat-Zinn
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
Aging Backwards by Miranda Esmonde-White
The Hebrides by Paul Murton
The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy by Micheal F. Patton
The Death of Stalin by Fabien Nury
The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

June

The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt
The Queen's Bush: A Tale of the Early Days of Bruce County by W. M. Brown
Debrett's Family Historian
Anguished English by Richard Lederer
The Painted Queen by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
The Skull Beneath the Skin by P.D. James
A Presumption of Death by Jill Paton Walsh
Moon Over Lake Elmo by Steve Thayer
The Franklin Affair by Jim Lehrer
A Nose for Death by Glynis Whiting
Who is Wonder Woman by Allan Heinberg
Witches' Bane by Susan Wittig Albert
Drawing Portraits: A practical course for artists by Barrington Barber
The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington
Discover Irish Land Records by Chris Paton
Ontario Municipal Records: A Beginner's Guide by Fraser Dunford
It's Not All Online: A guide to genealogy sources offline by Shauna Hicks
Social Media for family historians by Carole Riley
Discover Protestant Nonconformity in England and Wales by Paul Blake
Historical Research Using British Newspapers by Denise Bates
Tracing Your Ancestors Though Local History Records by Jonathan Oates
Greenwich: A history of Greenwich, Blackheath, Charlton, Deptford and Woolwich by Robert James Godley
The Scots in Sickness and Health by John Burnett
Culloden: Scotland's Last Battle and the Forging of the British Empire by Trevor Royle

More books acquired in 2018

July

The Night Manager by John Le Carre
The Mystery of Castle Croome by Hilda Boden
Death Comes Silently by Carolyn Hart
The Hounds of Spring by Lucy Andrews Cummin
Kindred by Steve Robinson
The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware
Shadows in the Tree by Jennifer De Bruin
Dying Games by Steve Robinson
A Different Kind of Evil by Andrew Wilson
Dark in Death by J.D. Robb
The Skull Beneath the Skin by P.D. James
The Untold Civil War: Exploring the Human Side of War by James Robertson
Women of the Republic by Linda K. Kerber
The War Before Independence 1775-1776 by Derek W. Beck
The Dambusters Raid by John Sweetman
Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fishcher
The Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide by James. M. Beidler
Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World by Tim Marshall
Map of a Nation: A Biography of the Ordnance Survey by Rachel Hewitt
The Faded Map: Lost Kingdoms of Scotland by Alistair Moffat
The Scottish Tradition in Canada edited by W. Stanford Reid
A Little History of Archaeology by Brian Fagan

I have been keeping busy trying to arrange my books so they take up less room - like that is going to happen! The lists of books acquired probably have something to do with it. So I started culling. There are many books waiting to leave the house. It looks like a move might be in my future as the city changes around me. Even I think I have too many books to move!

So welcome to my new thread where I hope to read and move my own books out the door. I just wish my finger didn't get so trigger happy with the library hold button!

Happy new thread ,Meg!! You have read so many so far!!

>15 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, good to see you as my first visitor! My reading is going well this year partly because my library holds keep coming in batches and I am trying to finish them all before the 3 week loan period is up.

116. Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle

Coffee and fashion are on tap in Latte Trouble. Clare Cosi runs a trendy coffee house in New York and agrees to host an event for Fashion Week. When one of the fashionable crowd drops dead after sipping on a latte both Clare's business and employee are in danger. What can she do but try to figure out who supplied the poisonous drink and get her employee off the hook and her business back on track?

Happy new thread Meg and a great thread topper photo my dear. Hope all is well with you, we are busy at the moment helping to move Amy and Andy into their new home. Sending love and hugs to you from both of us dear friend.

Happy New Thread, Meg. Love the vintage topper!

Happy New Thread, Meg! I'm with Mark on that vintage topper; what a great-looking car.

Happy new one, familyhistorian!

>1 Familyhistorian: That is a sweet ride!

>18 johnsimpson: Thanks John. Good luck with the move and make sure that you and Karen take it easy in lifting stuff!

>19 msf59: Thanks Mark. That car caught my eye.

>20 jnwelch: It is pretty good-looking isn't it, Joe?

>21 brodiew2: Thanks Brodie, it is pretty sweet that's why I took the photo but there were hundreds of nice looking vehicles there.



Here's another car show shot.

Happy new thread! I've had one of Cleo Coyle's books out for awhile to read, but I keep passing it over for something else. Maybe I'll get to it before the end of the year.

Happy new thread, Meg. I love the old cars!

>23 thornton37814: That was my second Cleo Coyle book so I must have liked the first one to carry on, either that or I picked it up at the Little Free Library. Somehow I am not as discriminating when there are free books. Thank re the thread, Lori.

>24 BLBera: Thanks Beth. The old cars are pretty cool which is why I keep going back to this annual event. There are hundreds of classic cars.

>22 Familyhistorian: Looks like fun. I do enjoy these old models, even though the modern ones leave me pretty much cold!

All caught up on your old and new thread. Happy new one, Meg. It looks like you were very busy this summer. Interesting story about the wild animals showing up at your place. Sorting out books is probably a lifetime job. The books I've read go straight to the basement and from there to my SIL or whoever wants one. So, all books I see in the house are tbr ones.

Hi Meg!

To answer the question on your last thread - I have absolutely no idea how to go about selling books. I've only used Bookmooch to swap books for points to get different books or taken books to the thrift store. We have a used book store in a nearby town that would possibly take them, but only for 1/2 cover price and then only in credit. I don't find much there anymore, so that's out. Any suggestions?

Happy new thread, by the way, and I love the old car photos, too. I see you got Krakatoa - I adore Simon Winchester. Have you read anything else by him? And I hope you like Lucy's book. It was excellent, IMO.

>27 charl08: I'm with you, Charlotte. The old cars look like they have more of a story behind them than new ones, I think. I can almost picture one of those cars in a stylish costume drama.

>28 Ameise1: Hi Barbara, I do feel like I was busy this summer although I didn't go away anywhere after I returned here in June. Sorting out books does seem to be an ongoing thing. It sounds like you have a good system going. I keep a lot of the nonfiction books that I read for reference material so there is a lot more than my TBR that will not be recycled and my TBR is large, large enough that I shouldn't have so many library books to read. *sigh*

>29 karenmarie: I have no idea how to go about selling books either, Karen. That was why I asked because it sounded like you had a plan. Presently I recycle my books through 2 Little Free Libraries and also turn them in for credit at a used book store which is kind of self-defeating as the idea is to off load books not bring more home.

Aren't the old cars cool? I have read a couple of Winchesters The Alice Behind Wonderland and The Crack at the Edge of the World. I really enjoyed them although the earthquake one was a bit concerning as I live in an earthquake zone. I also have Atlantic and Pacific on the shelves waiting to be read. Yes, I finally got my hands on Lucy's book. It finally became available to Canada through Amazon although the book was actually shipped by Wordery which is problematic as it comes from the UK and it takes us ages to get any UK parcels in Vancouver (like my Santa Thing books showing up in March). Sorry, the delay still irks me.

Happy new thread, Meg!

On selling books, we sold twice a large part of our library (1000+ books in 1997 and 1500 books in 2005), we called some local 2nd hand book sellers and found some that were willing to come and get them. The last two years I have given my culled children's and YA books to a library in Rotterdam that was in need of books.

Happy new thread!

>33 FAMeulstee: That's a lot of books to get rid of at one time, Anita, and you did it twice. Did the second hand book stores give you cash for the books or credit towards new-to-you books in their store? Having an great place to give your on going culls to is a good plan.

>34 drneutron: Thanks Jim.

>35 Familyhistorian: The second hand book stores gave us cash, not much as books tend to loose most of their value the moment you buy them. That is why I prefer to give them away ;-)

>36 FAMeulstee: I've notice the drop in value, Anita. Even the credit that the second hand book store gives me doesn't reflect the amount that was originally paid for the book but sometimes that is better than nothing if I have spent a lot on a book.

117. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

LT and the challenges for the 75ers have definitely stretched my reading. This month's BAC was British sci-fi so I chose that classic, The War of the Worlds. It is amazing that this was written back in 1898 because it stands up very well. I think that this is because Wells concentrates on the effects of the martian attacks on people and how those that are displaced react.

That having been said, it is interesting to see a futurist attack from the point of view of the technology of the time. The martian vehicles are mechanical and people flee in pony carts, bicycles and on trains. A lot different than today. I am glad that I read this classic.

I just finished the first of my National Institute of Genealogy methodology courses only 8 more to go. The reorganization of my library is coming along as is the culling. Things are moving in a positive direction.

>39 Familyhistorian: Congrats on completing your first course.

Happy new-ish thread! I'm a few days late, but I love those photos of classic cars -- Ooooh!

Congrats on completing course #1!

Happy new thread and old cars! And books. Yup, that about sums it up!! : )

Hi Meg, we had a very small classic car display here at the Mall about 3 weeks ago, my husband was in 7th heaven as he loves the older cars from the 1950's - the more chrome the better for him! We kinda had a 1950's date what with those cars and then lunch at the local A & W! :)

>40 thornton37814: Thanks Lori, I won the NIGS methodology program, all 9 courses, at the OGS Conference.

>41 tymfos: Hi Terri and thanks. I love checking out the classic cars at this annual show. It hasn't rained for it in all the years since I have known about it (knock on wood).

>42 Berly: Thanks Kim. Even better is moving some of the books that have been read out the door!

>43 DeltaQueen50: If your husband likes chrome you should check out the Port Coquitlam Annual Car Show next year, Judy. It takes up the streets of the downtown core and by next year the A & W should be open again.

>43 DeltaQueen50:



These are shots from last year and, as you can see, they close off the streets to traffic and show the classic cars on it. The area is about a 4 block square.

Happy Wednesday, Meg.

>46 Ameise1: Happy Wednesday to you, Barbara. I'm still working on Tuesday being at almost the last time zone in the world.

Hi, Meg. I like the classic car photos. I do not attend these events, very often, but I like looking at them. Hope your week is going well.

Happy new thread, Meg! Love those classic cars!

Hiya, Meg. Congrats on finishing your first genealogy course - 8 to go?! You're going to be formidable after all that. :-)

>48 msf59: This is the only event with classic cars that I attend regularly, Mark, and I only really became aware of it because of the volunteering that I do for PoCo Heritage as the event happens on the street in front of it. I didn't volunteer there during the car show this year though. I'd much rather be walking the streets and looking than standing in one place.

>49 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda.

>50 jnwelch: Thanks re the course, Joe. It is the first course of a program but I have been doing genealogy for over 30 years so have taken a few other courses in that time and know something going in. Hopefully experience plus the other 8 courses will make me formidable or at least better at what I am doing.

I got an early start today. I got up to move my car because of the landscapers and walked around the park. It is a fairly cool day with light drizzle and the only birds I saw where crows and ducks. There were lots of people about though, the tennis players were hard at it, there was a group doing tai chi in a sheltered area, the fisher people were sitting by the lake shore and there were lots of dog walkers and just people walkers like me.

118. The Darkling Bride by Laura Andersen

I caught The Darkling Bride as a BB and I am glad that I did. It was a fast reading gothic set in the modern day. The requisite male noble, Aidan, was there but in this case he had all but renounced his ties living far away from his castle and working as a Scotland Yard DI. The single young female was played by a part Asian girl with a past, Carragh. She was hired to take care of the family library because the castle was about to be given over to the National Trust.

The modern day information was interspersed with chapters which went back to two different times in the past which centre on the castle. Of course, the hero and heroine were there too which led to life threatening incidents as they tried to unravel the mystery of the murders that occurred in the castle including the murder of Aiden's parents. That murder was also being investigated as a cold case by a woman detective from Scotland Yard. So lots of drama, mysteries in more than one era and multiple suspects which kept the pages turning.

>53 Familyhistorian: Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

>54 thornton37814: Thanks for the BB, Lori. I love it when they work out!

Since I took the genealogy course on Future Learn, they keep sending me emails about courses that might interest me. Yesterday I looked and saw a history course about medieval England and Richard III. I am fascinated by the discovery of Richard III's body and the archaeology surrounding that so I signed up. The course started a few weeks ago so I am already behind but in good company because there are a bunch of us late starters. Starting out it looks good but I wonder what I was thinking signing up for something else when I am behind in the things I am doing already. I am getting closer to the end of my library reorganization though, so there is that.

119. The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker

Another BB, really LT is increasing my reads and expanding my reading horizons, The Half-Drowned King was the story of a young man, Ragnvald, who was robbed of his inheritance by the man who took his father's place after his death. Ragnvald's stepfather had promised to hand down his father's land to Ragnvald but tried to have him murdered instead. Ragnvald matured as he wandered landless and made alliances with the various Kings in what is now known as Norway. The story was also about Svenhald, the sister of Ragnvald, who was not content to be married off by her stepfather. She also made her way on her own, not something done by most women in that culture.

It was a good adventure story steeped in the culture of the Vikings and the history of what eventually became Norway.

>56 Familyhistorian: I have several medieval books I keep meaning to read. While I don't think I want to make "medieval" a category for next year--I do hope to read at least a couple of the ones in my TBR lists. I've been going through my books lacking reviews that I know I have not read as well as my Amazon wish list and eventually will make it over to my main TBR LT account which will include some duplication from the others. The main goal is to identify things I want to read. I suspect I'll be reading about half fiction and half non-fiction next year in an effort to get the TBR lists under control. Of course, those shiny new books always put dents in my good intentions, but I'll make some efforts!

Both The Darkling Bride and The Half-Drowned King go on the list, Meg.

Happy Friday.

>58 thornton37814: I don't usually go in for medieval books so have few on the shelves. It is the Richard III angle of the course that got to me because I have a whole section in my personal library about archaeology, which fascinates me. It is hard to keep on top of the books and TBRs. Good luck in getting it sorted, Lori. I am still working on my reorganization and while the majority is done I can see that I need to whittle down the nonfiction books so will be reading from my own nonfiction shelves with a view to moving some of the books along.

>59 BLBera: Those are both good ones, Beth. I hope you enjoy them. I now need to take them back to the library to pick up another couple of holds.

Hi, Meg. Still catching up from when I was gone, and here you are with a whole new thread!

I use PaperBackSwap.com to get rid of books. Yes, it costs you the postage to send them off, but at least I know they are going to people who want them. Our used bookstores have gotten super-picky about what they will take. I do donate children's/YA books to my neighborhood middle school or library. The library only wants new books (published w/in last year) in good condition to keep on their shelves; otherwise they go into the booksale room for $.50 each. And if there are books you are looking for, you are in line so if the book keeps showing up, you will get it. In BookMooch you have to be the first to respond to get a wishlist book. I have way more credits than books I am looking for, but that's okay with me. Of course, being in Canada, that adds a whole new dimension to mailing books off.

>62 ronincats: Hi Roni, sounds like you have a good system going to move along your books. The Canadian mailing system really precludes mailing used books anywhere because of cost. I have never thought of giving my used books to libraries as they always seem to be having book sales to off load their inventory. The used book store I go to has opened recently so she is still willing to take in books although it looks like she is starting to deal with a few stacks there. I also have two little free libraries close by that go through their inventory pretty quickly so I am set for moving those reads along, at least for now. Not sure what will happen when it comes to crunch time if I have to move.

120. California Dreamin': Cass Elliott Before the Mamas and Papas by Penelope Bagieu

I didn't know Cass Elliott's story although I enjoyed the music of the Mamas and Papas. This was a fun look at Mama Cass's backstory and the life of musicians (and other people) back in those hazy days of the '60s. It was great to be able to picture it through the drawings of a GN.

Happy Sunday, Meg. Unfortunately, I can't find a copy of The Darkling Bride.

>64 Familyhistorian: That looks like a fun one, Meg.

Hi Meg and happy Sunday to you!

>32 Familyhistorian: And so my romances will languish on a shelf. The only other option I've used is to donate the books to the PTA Thrift Store in town, for which I can get tax receipt. Even though I've been on the board of the Friends of the Library for 2 years, I only just now learned that if I donate books to the FoL I can get a tax receipt too. I might do that from now on instead of the thrift store.

The old cars are cool. We had a car show for daughter’s Band Boosters in 2011. It was fun and profitable. We had no idea there were so many gorgeous old cars around here and that people loved showing them off.

I lived in an earthquake zone ‘til I was 24, stayed away a few years in Connecticut, returned for 11 more years of earthquake-zone-living then moved to NC. Unless there are more fracking activities, it seems a relatively quiet zone. In LA we were always told to be prepared for the Big One (8.0 or larger) with bottled water in the house and food, water, flashlight, and a good pair of walking shoes in the car since in all likelihood we’d have to walk home.

I’ve read 4 by Simon Winchester and have The Man Who Loved China, Atlantic, and The Men Who United the Stated still to be read.

>65 Ameise1: That's too bad, Barbara, but it is a very recent book. Maybe you will be able to find one later.

>66 BLBera: It was really fun, Beth. When I took it back to the library one of the book that I picked up was Brazen: Rebel Ladies who Rocked the World which is also by her. Can't wait to dig into it.

>67 karenmarie: Tax credit for donating books sounds like a good deal, Karen, especially as you spend time with the Friends of the Library. The old cars tend to only coming out on nice days so you don't see them that often and it is only at special events that you see a whole lot of them at once which makes it more impressive. They are interesting to see and every once in a while I notice a model that I or someone in my family used to own, but the ones on display are in much better shape. It brings back memories.

They have been telling the people in Vancouver to prepare for the big one as well. Apparently, we are overdue so the next one should be a doozy. There are a lot more Winchester books than I realized. I should dip into one soon. Well, as soon as I can fit it in to the reading mix.

121. The Alienist by Caleb Carr

I really enjoy historical mysteries but stalled on and finally finished The Alienist which was set in New York in the late 1800s. It looked to be a well researched story of the state of the police (corruption abounded) and society at that time. There were even look-ins by well known figures such as Teddy Roosevelt.

From the historical side it was very interesting but I think it was the subject matter that made it hard for me to return to. It involved the serial murders and mutilation of child prostitutes and the group outside the usual legal forces that was dedicated to finding the perpertrator, which was where the alienist, an early term for psychiatrist, came in.

122. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva

I seem to be reading a lot of BBs lately. Most of them are so popular that I have to put a hold on them at the library which is a good way to get books read quickly especially when a bunch of holds come in at once. One of the books that came this way was The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva. It was a spy thriller, not my usual genre. It was a good example of the genre and was interesting in a convoluted way. I was sympathetic to the hero but really preferred the heroine. (I am not sure if I was supposed to prefer her as I think she won't appear in the series again.)

123. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

The essays in Bad Feminist were interesting although many of the culture references were outside of my experience, probably because I am not a 30 something American so grew up at a different time and place. It is good to have someone like Gay who is prepared to write about the wrongs in American culture and to bring to our attention the ways that women's bodies are still being legislated against and the way that peoples of non-white backgrounds are misrepresented in the media. Sometimes it is easy to gloss over the misogny and misrepresentation that is so endemic unless it is brought to our attention. Gay has the ability to do bring a keen eye to those issues and the engaging prose to make readers understand.

Hi, Meg. Some good reads going on over here and I got a BB, with The Half-Drowned King, which sounds really good.

Glad you picked up Brazen. I loved that one.

Hi Meg, you have been reading up a storm! As usual I have taken on more Book Challenges that I will be able to meet for the month of September. I am really going to try to be more selective next year. (Ha!)

>74 msf59: What, I got you with a BB, Mark? I think you will like that one.
Brazen looks good and it is by the same author/illustrator who did California Dreamin'. Maybe you would like that one too.

>75 DeltaQueen50: I hear you on the more selective next year, Judy. I think that is what I said at the start of this year. I have to read quickly because library holds keep coming in bunches. Then there are all the challenges. I really need to cut back on those next year and just read what appeals to me at the time. But I must say that the challenges have really stretched my reading.

124. Love Story, With Murders by Harry Bingham

I'm not sure why I took so long between reading the first of the Fiona Griffith series and the second, Love Story, With Murders. It was good to be back in Fiona's messed up world. I enjoy her different way of seeing things which allows her to make inspired leaps to get the investigation on the right track. It is funny to see how her superiors in the police force don't know what to do with her but end up valuing her strange abilities. Her personal life adds another dimension which adds tension to the narrative because you just don't know if she will go off the rails at any moment. I hope to get to the next book in the series in a more timely manner.

I have one last Fiona on my shelves and I need to get to her again soon! Thanks for the nudge.

>79 Berly: It has been a while since I followed up with Fiona. I hope you enjoy getting back to her as much as I did, Kim.

>5 Familyhistorian: By "number culled," do you mean books on your shelves that you retired to the LFL?
So far, our LFL hasn't gotten much action....

>78 Familyhistorian: I have paused after the first in that series, too, although I quite enjoyed Talking to the Dead. I need to add Love Story, With Murders to my wish list.

>64 Familyhistorian: I recently acquired this GN and look forward to reading it!

Catching up with you, Meg, so happy belated new thread!
>64 Familyhistorian: Okay, I'm keeping an eye out for that one. Who would have expected Mama Cass as a subject for a GN?

I really enjoyed the GN about Cass Elliott. Hope you do too, Meg.

We finally have much cooler weather! I am loving it, even though rain is on the way.

>81 EBT1002: Most of the "books culled" went to the LFL but I did take some to a used bookshop for credit, Ellen. The total of 82 looks good until I look around at all that remain. I need to read lots and cull more to get them in shape for any potential move.

Hopefully your LFL will get more action soon. Is there a lot of foot traffic in the area? Most of the books that I put in the LFL that is closest to me disappear quickly but sometimes they come back - just like a library, I guess.

It was good to catch up with Fiona again but it is another series that I will probably savour slowly. I prefer that to getting to the end of the books written and impatiently waiting for the next installment.

>82 EBT1002: California Dreamin' is a good one and a lot quicker to read than Brazen Ladies which I am in the middle of now.

>83 mstrust: Hey, Jennifer, good to see you here. There is actually a lot of interesting stuff in Mama Cass' backstory and her flamboyance translates well to a GN.

>84 jessibud2: I already read California Dreamin', Shelley, and really enjoyed it. Right now I am reading Brazen Ladies by the same author/illustrator which is also good but a slower read.

It cooled off here a few days ago and now the rain has come. I'm glad you enjoy the coolness. Autumn is one of my least favourite times of year, it is so soggy and cobwebby - yuck. My dislike probably has something to do with the fact that the rain usually last for months. *sigh*

I am behind on reviews again. September seems to speed up the busyness with more meetings being scheduled and conferences starting up again. Then there is the upcoming Vancouver Writers Festival at the same time as the Surrey International Writers Conference and the LDS day long seminar, all happening in October. Busy, busy - maybe taking two online courses might have something to do with it as well.

125. Forgotten Empress by David Zeni

I read a few books about the loss of the Empress of Ireland when I was doing research on the topic. One of the most comprehensive books about the subject was The Forgotten Empress. Which even has a chapter on the “Crippen Curse” tying Captain Kendal to that part of his career as well as the loss of the Empress. The book goes into a lot of detail about the passengers and events and also includes a passenger list with notations on who survived. It also has diagrams of the ship in the appendices.

126. The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis

I find archeology fascinating and love a good mystery, so when I discovered another series that combined both I had to check out Kate Ellis' Wesley Peterson murder mysteries. In this series, it is the detective himself, who has the background in archeology as well as being a regular Detective Sargent. The first book in the series was The Merchant's House. As Peterson investigates a modern murder his friend uncovers an ancient one at an archaeological dig. The motive for one helps to uncover the reason for another. It was a good start to a new-to-me series.

It doesn't take long to get behind on the LT threads. The last few days have been full of errands and meetings and treking to the library to take back and pick up library holds. They have been rainy dull days and it looks like rainy weather has settled in for the season although there may be some teasing rays of sun peaking through now that I finished my walk. *sigh*

127. Wallis in Love by Andrew Morton

Like most people, I was aware of the romance between Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII, who abdicated to marry her. I didn't know much more about her life or the romance and abdication before I read Wallis in Love, which really is an ironic title.

The one great love in Wallis' life was with an unattainable man. The one she attained she really didn't want. Her aim was to be queen, his aim was to get out of being king. They were at crosspurposes at the time of the abdication and had to live with the consequences.

The book was a fascinating look at the life of Wallis Warfield, the restless life she led before meeting Edward and what went on after they met. I was left with the impression that the British monarchy dodged a bullet there. What if Edward had played his cards right and Wallis had ended up as queen?

128. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu

Brazen Ladies was not as quick a read as California Dreamin' but in a few colour pages, Bagieu brought to life the high points of the careers of the profiled women. There were so many of them that went against what society expected of them and left their mark. Because, as the stories showed, you can't make your mark and toe the line, especially if you are a repressed woman. It was excellent.

Hooray for Brazen, Meg. That one is a keeper.

>94 msf59: I do love a good GN and I agree Brazen is among the better ones, Mark. Actually most of the GNs that I really like are bios of real people. The medium of GNs lends itself well to the telling of their stories.

The Genealogy with a Canadian Twist is at a different time today. I am used to it being in the morning but today it is in the afternoon. It's throwing my schedule off but I have the stew in the slow cooker and it is time to get down to writing my blog post that comes out on Saturday again. This time it is a continuing story of criminals who were brought to trial in the Old Bailey in 1849. The other installments are at genihistorypath.blogspot.com/

129. The Stranger in My Genes by Bill Griffeth

Imagine that you are a genealogist who has researched their family for years. You have gone beyond just documentary evidence to tramping through graveyards and hunting for old homesteads in your search. Then imagine that a DNA test tells you that you are not a biological member of one of those family lines. This happened to Bill Griffeth and his story was fascinating.

>97 Familyhistorian: I'm glad you found it fascinating. I loved it.

>97 Familyhistorian: - Meg, does that mean he was adopted but never knew?

Did I tell you that I recently saw a great doc film, called Three Identical Strangers? It was about 3 guys, triplets, who were separated at birth and each adopted to different families. The families were never told their child was from a multiple birth. Two of them met by pure chance at age 18, while at college in upstate New York. It was all over tv and media and imagine the shock when the third triplet got wind of this! Anyhow, it was actually a sad story, the way this happened. It was, apparently, a *social experiment* in nature vs nurture, done at this adoption agency and there were several such cases of (mostly) twins separated and adopted separately. The film was really riveting and terribly sad. The book you just read sounds interesting, too. Not the same thing, of course, but I will seek it out.

>98 thornton37814: Ha, I seem to remember that you recommended it to me, Lori. It was a good one!

>99 jessibud2: No, Shelley that is not what it meant. It meant that the man he thought was his father wasn't.

It would have been hard to have found out that you were one of those triplets. There are other similar stories out there as well. Like the one about the doctor that used his own sperm instead of the donor sperm in the artificial insemination of scores of women. Typing that it sounds more like an urban myth so I Googled it and found cases of fertility doctors doing that in Indianapolis and Ottawa.

Hi Meg - It is so easy to get behind.

I'm really happy to see another Gay fan. I loved Bad Feminist.

I'm not much of a thriller reader, either, but I see a lot of Silva love around here, so maybe I should check one out. Do they have to be read in order?

I recently read The Merchant's House as well! It was a good start to the series. I also read the second one, which I liked, too.

I must check to see if my library has a copy of Brazen: Rebel Ladies although that might be one I want to own.

Have a great Sunday, Meg.

>72 Familyhistorian: Oh, I like this series, but as always I don't read them in the correct order. Well, the first one I haven't read so far.

Happy Sunday, Meg.

>102 BLBera: Hi Beth, I know what you mean about being behind. I felt like that all day and I imagine you feel like that ever since you have been back to work. I don't have that excuse but I have a lot of things on the go right now and feel like I am behind in most of them! I am looking forward to reading the next Wesley Peterson book and hopefully will get to it soon. As for the Silva books, I have only read the first one so don't know if the order counts when you read them (although there are some people who think the order always counts.) I have the next Silva on hold and will read it when it comes but I don't think that I was as in enthralled with it as were some readers. Thrillers are not really my thing either. Brazen Ladies was a good one. I hope you library has a copy.

>103 Ameise1: I read the first one in the series because there are people who are picky about that and because it was the first Silva that came in as a library hold even though I put holds on 2 of his books. Have a great week, Barbara.

I was sitting at my laptop trying to catch up with LT (a loosing battle) when I saw something yellow in the distance out the window. Getting up to take a closer look I realized it was sunshine! That is something I haven't seen for days. Not sure if it will last long but I am due to walk over to my heritage writer's group in a few minutes and it might be in sunshine.

I am behind in book reviews, online courses etc and feeling like there is something important I am forgetting. One of the courses I am taking is an NIGS (National Institute of Genealogical Studies) course about social media which is probably why I feel so far behind. There is nothing so time consuming as exploring social media!

Happy newish thread, Meg! Love the pics from the car show. I am a vintage/classic car junkie at heart. Wish I had the expendable cash to own (and maintain) one of those beauties.

>53 Familyhistorian: - I have already taken a BB for that one from other LTers (like thornton37814) but another positive review just pushes that one further up the "to read" list. :-)

>71 Familyhistorian: - Good review. I found The Alienist to be a slow, simmering read and like you mentioned, very detailed.

>105 Familyhistorian: - Yay for sunshine, which has also arrived here on the island after a week of overcast skies and rain showers (which we desperately needed).

>107 lkernagh: Hi Lori, yes, The Alienist was a slow read (about 4 months worth, I believe) but The Darkling Bride was done in a flash, so good.

I really appreciated the sunshine, Lori. I know we need the rain but a breather now and then is really needed. When I was in Guelph in June I was flabbergasted by the people who took shelter when it started to rain. I just marched out into it because the rain here sets in for weeks and you go nowhere if you don't want to get your feet wet. But, you know, the rain in Guelph did stop after a short time - very strange. I guess they just have different weather than we do.

Our weather also makes it hard to be a vintage car owner 'cause you have to wait for sunny days to take the car out for a spin.

130. The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

The brain can be amazing and strange, as neurosurgeon Jake Breaker knows. The Saturday Night Ghost Club was a look back at his nerdy youth when friends were few and far between and his uncle tried to help him out by setting up a Saturday night ghost club for Jake and someone who might turn out to be a friend. But the uncle has his own shaky past as Jake and the reader find out through the story. It was a coming of age of sorts and a look at how our brains can protect us and steer us wrong at the same time.

>109 Familyhistorian: - Hmmm. I thought the author's name sounded familiar. I just checked and yes, this is the same guy who wrote a book I read earlier this year, for *Canada Reads*. That book was Precious Cargo and was, apparently, a very different sort of book for him. For one thing, it was non-fiction. Apparently, Davidson writes more in the horror genre. Not my cup of tea at all but I did like his *Canada Reads* book.

>109 Familyhistorian: That one is going on my list. Creepy 80's style cover, but it's a new release.

>110 jessibud2: I didn't realize that horror was Craig Davidson's genre. The Saturday Night Ghost Club didn't read like a horror novel which is good because I don't read horror either. I looked up some of his other books and can see why you were drawn to Precious Cargo. I also looked up Cataract City which doesn't seem to be in the horror genre either.

>111 mstrust: Ha, I thought that one would be on your radar, Jennifer. Seems like your kind of cover somehow.

131. The Lewis Man by Peter May

When I picked up the first book of the Lewis trilogy I had to put it down. After that false start, I was able to read it through a short time later. It was different with the second book, The Lewis Man. I found it to be a page turner. Part of that was revisiting the characters I had already come to know. This story delved deeply into their backgrounds as well as introducing more family members.

The body of a young man was found buried in the bog. Thoughts were that it was an ancient body but then its Elvis tattoo was discovered. Somehow, the mystery revolved around Tormod MacDonald, a mystery that would be hard to figure out because Tormod had dementia. It was dangerous not to remember the past with its continued influence on the present and future as Fin would find out in the climatic ending.

>114 Familyhistorian: I'll get to that one eventually. I do hope I like it better than the first though.

>115 thornton37814: I hope you like it too, Lori. I found it more easy to get into than the first one.

>114 Familyhistorian: I liked that one, too. I still need to read the third one.

>117 Ameise1: Me too, Barbara, although it is on my shelves. I hope it is as good as the one I just read.

Hi Meg!

>71 Familyhistorian: I read it a long time ago and had pretty much the same opinion as you do – interesting historical information but the subject matter was horrific.

>72 Familyhistorian: On my shelves, waiting to be read.

>78 Familyhistorian: I love this series and am glad you’re enjoying it. I unintentionally started with this one and immediately went back to the first and continued. I’m anxiously waiting for him to release #7.

>92 Familyhistorian: Ya got me! A BB for sure. Had Edward remained on the throne I think Britain would have been in serious trouble when Hitler came to power, being as he was a Nazi sympathizer. I think them both totally despicable but would like to read this book.

>114 Familyhistorian: Good series, I, too, still need to read the third one. It’s on my shelves just waiting to be opened.

Hi Meg! Coming to your thread makes me think of genealogy today for some reason. 😁 I'm not much into genealogy, but my gradpa was, and my inlaws are. A while back, I sent my gradpa's work to my mother in law. She was thrilled. She's all impressed with the whole Mayflower line and my Native American heritage. Feels like I'm adding something new and yummy to the family tree. Lol. I'm just glad someone is making use of my grandpa's hard work.

Are sites like ancestry.com mostly North American-based? Or are they international?

ETA: I just had a rather prolonged discussion with M about whether I was related to his mom. It's hard for little kids to understand that I don't particularly consider her family. I finally admitted that as far as I am related to every human being on this earth, I am related to his mom. Lol. Though with us both being caucasion, I assume there's probably more to it than that...

Hi Meg, we've been lucky over here in sunny Delta and most days we have been having sunny breaks. Of course Monday was one of those picture perfect days, warm and sunny which was appreciated as we had a group of my husbands' relatives in town for a visit. We are heading out on a road trip in a weeks time and I sure hope we haven't left it too late. I am hoping for some beautiful autumn weather. I have The Lewis Man on my pile for next month's reading and since I loved the first book, I am looking forward to it.

>119 karenmarie: Hi Karen, it looks like we have similar reading taste! I think you will appreciate Wallis in Love and probably think that they are even more despicable after you read the book. I still need to read the third book in the Lewis trilogy too. Right now I am trying to fulfill too many challenges to bring it in to the mix.

I was glad to read that you survived Florence. I hope things are back to normal now.

I am livestreaming a genealogy session on Genealogy and Genetics. We are on a short break so will have to get back to my thread later as I need to get water etc.

Today is a good day to think about genealogy, Rachel. It is good to hear that your grandpa's work is adding some spice to the family. There are a few big genealogy subscription sites around. Ancestry is based in Utah but if you subscribe you have a choice of having a subscription of the country where you live or a world wide subscription. FindMyPast is based in the UK and their databases used to be predominantly UK based but they are branching out and adding data-sets for Canada and the US and probably other places as well. My Heritage is based in Israel. I am not really familiar with the information they have on site.

I can see where the question of how everybody is related would perplex a child in M's situation. Good explanation.

>121 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I think that next week is supposed to have nice weather here so hopefully there will be nice weather wherever you go. I remember that Monday and Tuesday were days that made me understand why some people call autumn their favorite season. Too bad we are back to the miserable damp again. The poor vendors at PoCo Farmer's Market were not looking too happy yesterday and there was one guy who was using a pole to push up his tent so that the water would come gushing off it.

If you loved the first book in the Lewis trilogy I am sure you will really like The Lewis Man. I did even though I had problems getting into the first book.

132. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

I had no idea of the twists and turns that I would find in The Postman Always Rings Twice. I had wondered why this thin book still has a reputation today. Now I know why it remains a classic in the noir genre.

I have the first book of the Peter May trilogy. It's gotten a lot of love here. Good to know it starts slowly.

>126 Familyhistorian: I've never read this either. Onto the list it goes.

Have a great weekend, Meg.

>127 BLBera: I don't think that the first Peter May book of the trilogy starts slowly, Beth. I was just not in the mood for it because it starts with the tragedy that had just happened to the hero's family. On the other hand, I got into The Postman Always Rings Twice right away and it is a short book so a fast read.

Have a great weekend. I hope your weather is better than ours.

I am so far behind! I have been neglecting my thread because of doing research for by blog and for the upcoming exhibit at PoCo Heritage. There has been a bit of a reprieve on the exhibit as it will now open in 2020 instead of 2019 - sigh of relief - but we are now applying for a grant that has to be in a couple of weeks from now and that means back to work on that again. I also signed up for another Future Learn course because a friend asked me to. So now I am juggling two of those courses as well as my NIGS course. Probably not good timing as there are many literary events on the horizon and they start this weekend!

>129 Familyhistorian: You are keeping busy with all that genealogical education and research! I'm taking more clients so that is keeping me busy.

>130 thornton37814: I love doing the education and research, Lori. Like you, I do need to find a way to get some remuneration for what I produce.

Hi, Meg. I am glad you enjoyed The Postman Always Rings Twice. I loved it too, along with the original film. Have not read Cain in many years.

>132 msf59: It was one of those books I picked up for a challenge, Mark. This time it was for the Mystery Category of Noir or Hardboiled. I hadn't seen the film and had no clue about the story going in so it was a first time discovery for me and very good.

133. An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

When the going gets tough I like to slip in historical romances. I devour these like cotton candy. This time it was An Offer from a Gentleman which was another in Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. I was struck by how much the beginning was like Cinderella but Quinn gives it her own twist to give it more substance.

134. The Rum Runners by Frank W. Anderson

I love to read about history and have quite a collection. Among my collection of Canadian history is the book The Rum Runners which was a colourful history of prohibition in the Western Provinces. It focused on Alberta and the personalities there. I would have liked to have seen more on the other provinces as well, particularly BC, the province where I live.

Hi, Meg.

Go Fiona! I love that series - they're all good, and what a character she is.

I'm glad you liked Brazen Ladies; I thought it was excellent, too.

>136 jnwelch: Fiona's series is a great one, Joe. I think you are further along in it than I am. Brazen Ladies was good. Did you read her California Dreamin'?

Ooh, I did not realize she had created California Dreamin'. I have wanted to read that one. Off to request...

Happy Friday, Meg. I hope you had a good week. Much cooler temps here, right through the weekend.

>138 msf59: The Mama Cass one is good, Mark. I liked it better than Brazen Ladies but that is probably because I am not a short story fan.

We had great weather for the last week but now heading into cooler and wetter weather. It was really nice while it lasted. Have a great weekend. I have a few bookish events this weekend so mine should be good.

Oh, I'm the other way round, the short biographies really caught my imagination: but thought both books were really good.

Happy weekend, Meg.

>140 charl08: The short bios were good but I like a more in depth story. There were a lot of bios which speaks well for non-conventional females. I hadn't realized there were so many. The story of Mama Cass had a lot of info about her life that I never knew.

>141 Ameise1: I have a good weekend planned, Barbara, so I hope it will be happy. Have a wonderful weekend yourself!

135. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

The challenge: to read a book by Pat Conroy for the AAC
The solution: a non-fiction account of the author's reading and writing life, My Reading Life

I don't read very many US authors as a rule. I am finding this out as I take part in the AAC. It is easier to be in tune with the unwritten agreement between reader and author when you have similar background knowledge. This is why, I think, I have gravitated to reading the autobiographical books of the AAC's writers.

In My Reading Life, Conroy wrote about his love of books focusing on certain books in particular. At the same time he wrote about the people who influenced his life, the writers he met and some of the places he went to write. I was a very readable exploration which not only introduced me to Conroy but gave me a taste of his writing.

136. Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World by Laura Spinney

I had heard of the impact of the “Spanish Flu” and there were many stories written about it as the 100th anniversary of its visit approached. Until I read Pale Rider I was not aware of how the pandemic affect the whole world. The previous narratives that I read equated it with WWI, so of course I thought it in European terms. According to the book, the flu killed less people in Europe that the war did but infinitely more people were affected by the flu than the war so the war took many more lives. The final toll keeps ratcheting up the more knowledge and distance that scientists achieve.

Pale Rider showed the scope of the pandemic's reach as well as the different waves of flu and where and when they hit. There is still debate as to where it originated. Also interesting were the affects that the devastation had on the cultures and politics of the time which truly did change the world.

It is great to be back, Meg.

Trust you will have a wonderful weekend. xx

>146 PaulCranswick: It's great to see you here, Paul. My weekend is going well. I am on the way home after seeing an author event with Kate Atkinson. She really has a sense of humour! I hope you have some time to relax this weekend.

This evening I was at a writer's event for Kate Atkinson. It was in a historical church in downtown Vancouver. Kate did a very reading from Transcription and then was interviewed on stage. I didn't realize how funny she was until I listened to the reading and heard her speak about other aspects of the book and her writing.



This is a photo of the venue before everybody found seats - obviously.

>145 Familyhistorian: Great review. I put it on my library list.
>148 Familyhistorian: I envy you. Must have been a wonderful event.

Happy Sunday, Meg.

Hi Meg - Lucky you to get to see Kate Atkinson. I have Transcription sitting here, tempting me, but unfortunately it's right next to a pile of essays.

I also found Pale Rider fascinating.

>149 Ameise1: That book about the flu covered events in more of the world that most that I have read, Barbara. The event with Kate Atkinson was really good.

>150 BLBera: Wasn't Pale Rider good, Beth? I appreciated how far reaching it was. I picked up Transcription at the beginning of the week and am really looking forward to it after hearing Kate Atkinson's reading which was so humourous.

137. An Early Wake by Sheila Connolly

I enjoyed the first two books in the County Cork series featuring Boston transplant Maura Donovan who is trying to find her way as a pub owner in small town Ireland. An Early Wake was interesting in that it featured Irish music but the murder and investigation didn't seem to take up much of the plot. There were interesting developments in Maura's love life but I am not sure that will be sufficient to carry the series forward for me although I think I have the next book on my shelves.

Ooh, a Kate Atkinson author event! I am super jealous! Cool venue too!

Happy Sunday, Meg. I am glad you enjoyed My Reading Life. I liked that one too. Pale Rider sounds interesting.

Oh, yeah- I have California Dreamin' home from the library, thanks to you.

138. Doctor Syn by Russell Thorndyke

The orginal book about the Vicar of Dymchurch and his alter ego, the Scarecrow, was written as a standalone novel. It proved so popular that more adventures featuring the smugglers of Romney Marsh were penned. The book I read, Doctor Syn was a reprint of the original standalone novel. It seemed more authentic to the period than the Disney productions I saw in my youth. It was a lot more rough and ready as well.

I went on an outing with my book club today. It started with lunch at a vegetarian restaurant downtown and then a play about a block away from the restaurant. The production of the curious incident of the dog in the night-time was excellent. I had no idea how they would stage it but the set was minimalist and there were many people on stage to make the actions come to life. I had some idea of what was coming as I was about halfway through the book. I didn't get it finished in time before the show.

>156 Familyhistorian: Sounds brilliant - I'd love to see that show.

>156 Familyhistorian: - That show was part of my theatre subscription last year and I also had no idea how it would translate to the stage but I thought it was brilliantly done.

>157 charl08: It was brilliant, Charlotte. Sharing it with the book club ladies was really fun.

>158 jessibud2: I was very impressed how they worked out what to do to stage the play. It would be so difficult because a lot of the novel is in the main character's head. Did you read the book when you were still teaching, Shelley? Many of the women in my book club are teachers so they had special affinity to the novel.

>160 Familyhistorian: - Yes, I read it many years ago, maybe when it first came out and yes, I was still teaching then. Over the years, I have had autistic kids in my classes so I am always intrigued by these types of books, especially if they are well-written. I will admit to being a bit skeptical about how it would/could be staged but I was blown away, truly.

Early start today. I was out in the rain first thing this morning to take my organics out to the main bin. I have worked out that they pick that waste up on Mondays and if I put it out that morning, the bear is less likely to get at the bin and strew everything about.

In a few minutes I am off to PoCo to attend a couple of meetings and then I really must get back and pick up my courses. I am in the last week of the Richard III course at Future Learn and a friend persuaded me to sign up for their course on Irish Lives in War and Revolution which I started last week (interesting but a lot to cover in one week). I am half way through one NIGS (National Institute for Genealogical Studies) course and another one just showed up this morning. They all sounded so good when I signed up. The reality is that they take more time than I thought!

>161 jessibud2: It seems like the author really understood the autism from my limited point of view, Shelley. I would imagine that the play is usually staged the same way, with limited set and lots of people to do actions and pop into bit parts. It was so well done.

>153 Familyhistorian: I've given up on that series. They just don't work for me.

>164 thornton37814: I am about at that point with the series as well, Lori.

Hi Meg, I am catching up with everyone after being away from LT while my husband was in the hospital. Today is such a beautiful day, and hubby is feeling bad about having to cancel our road trip so if tomorrow is nice we are going to drive up to Hope, have lunch and come back on the other side of the river. We're hoping to see a little fall color. FYI, a Julia Quinn historical romance is a Kindle deal right now, the book is called The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband and it's a Bridgerton prequel.

Sorry to hear your husband was in the hospital, Judy, but I am glad that he is ok and up for a small road trip. I think that tomorrow is supposed to be nice, hopefully not as windy as today. Thanks for the Julia Quinn tip but I have already read that one, don't have a Kindle either. I do enjoy a good Julia Quinn.

>155 Familyhistorian: Hello familyhistorian. I'm glad the book worked for you. I can imagine the differences with the Disney film. Howeverm I am still a fan of the movie from when I was a kid.

>168 brodiew2: I loved those films even with the Disney touch, Brodie. I can remember watching episodes of "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh". Hmm, there are lots of YouTube videos that come up for that. Seems like it might be an appropriate season to watch one of those.

The movie I recall is likely the one you remember, 'Dr. Syn. Alias, the Scarecrow'. It was so much fun in the Robin Hood and Scarlet Pimpernel vein.

Hi Meg my dear, I am back doing the rounds after our holiday in September and one thing or another so I am a bit behind on how everyone is doing. I am very hopeful that I will be checking the threads more often now and right through to the end of the year. My reading ahs slowed a bit and now my target is to get to 50 read, I haven't read less than 50 since I joined LT at the very end of 2011.

Hope you are well my dear and things are good with you, hoping you are having a good week so far and send love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

>170 brodiew2: Was it the 1963 version, Brodie? That is on You Tube as well. Lots of action and dramatic music throughout.

>171 johnsimpson: Hi John, I hope that you had a wonderful vacation. I can understand why you have set your target at 50 now with all those chunksters. I'm sure you will be happy when you can read shorter books next year. Have you read most of the chunksters that you own?

This week is very full and busy so I guess that is good. I hope you and Karen are doing well.

>173 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg, sadly I could do the Chunkster challenge for another couple of years I think.

Catching up here, Meg. How delightful that you got to see Kate Atkinson in person. She is one of my trusted authors. I like how she writes with such diversity.

I would love to be part of a book group that does field trips. The Curious Incident play was a very creative undertaking. I enjoyed the book!

>174 johnsimpson: John, I think you should allow yourself to read at least a few non-chunkster books next year! You can make the majority huge, but treat yourself to a short book once in awhile!

>148 Familyhistorian: I'm glad you enjoyed the Kate Atkinson talk. I have only read Life After Life and wasn't thrilled by what I considered overly flowery language, so I've never tried another book by her.

>174 johnsimpson: I'm sure I could too, John. But there would be no way that I would only read chunksters for a whole year.

>175 Donna828: Hi Donna, good to see you here. Kate Atkinson was really entertaining, so humourous. This is the first book club I ever belonged to and I joined last year. I don't know if they do an outing every year. It would be nice if they did.

>176 thornton37814: I agree, Lori.

>177 The_Hibernator: I haven't tried Life After Life, the descriptions I read on LT didn't appeal to me. I did read Behind the Scenes at the Museum and liked it. I hope to read one of her Jason Brody books soon. You might like them better. The audience was really thrilled that she has finished the fourth book in that series, so maybe the language is less flowery in them.

>178 Familyhistorian:, Hi Meg, it has been strange to do the Chunksters only this year but overall it has been enjoyable and I am determined to reach 50 books as I have never dipped below since joining LT. I am already thinking about my challenge for 2019 and looking forward to it, I may read one or two big ones but it will be business as usual with a couple of twists.

>182 johnsimpson: I am looking forward to seeing what those twists are, John. It looks like there are a few LTers already making plans for 2019.

No reading plans 2019 here. I'm looking forward what will cross my path.
Happy weekend, Meg.

>184 Ameise1: Sometimes that is the best way to play it, Barbara.

>186 Ameise1: I always try to do the AAC, BAC or IAC challenge and also the popsugar challeng. It helps me to read books from authors whom I didn't no before. But mostly I never finish these challenges because I can't lay hands on a book of them here. I'll finish the popsugar because there is only one left for me.

Not planning here either- but love reading about what everyone else does.

Happy Sunday, Meg. I loved Life After Life. Atkinson has been on a great roll lately, and I am looking forward to reading her latest.

French Exit has received mixed reviews but I am really enjoying it. About 100 pages in.

>186 Ameise1: I do the AAC and BAC as well but can find books for each. Sometimes I think it would be good not to find the books so I have an excuse not to read for the challenge that month. I am not close to completing Popsugar. Good for you to be within one of finishing, Barbara.

>187 charl08: It is fun to read all the plans but even that can be dangerous, Charlotte. Sometime they sound so good that I want to do the same thing.

>188 msf59: I hope you had a great Sunday, Mark. It was cold and rainy here and I was busy with a FutureLearn course. At the presentation, Atkinson said that she had recently finished two books, both Transcription and the next Jackson Brody book so she was in find fettle. The first one in the series, Case Histories is waiting at the library for me.

139. The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington by Charles Rosenberg

A speculative history, The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington tells the story of how the British were successful in capturing George Washington. They managed to spirit him away from the disputed territory of the colonies back to face trial in London.

There was some action at the start as a lone British officer attempted to determine who were his allies as he sought to capture Washington and bring him back to a rendezvousing ship in a scant 8 day. Once Washington was ensconced in the Tower, the story became one of political maneuvering and behind the scenes plotting.

The story was an engaging imagining of an alternative history. I really enjoyed the glimpses of historic characters and the largest entity of all, London at the time of the American Revolution.

I love Kate Atkinson!! How fun that you got to hear her and, yes, she is funny in person isn't she? I will have to keep my eye out for her two latest.

My 2019 needs LESS planning for reading. LOL

>193 Berly: Kate Atkinson read an excerpt from Transcription. It was very humourous the way she read it and I hope to remember that same tone when I read the book. She was really good. Have you read the Jackson Brody series, Kim. The other book she has coming out is a further entry in that series.

I know what you mean about less planning. I said last year that I wasn't going to join as many challenges as I had in the past but instead I joined more. I really need to start reading the books on my shelves and moving them along so maybe next year that will happen.

Hi, Meg. I'm starting Transcription today. I thought Life After Life was great, and enjoyed Case Histories.

>195 jnwelch: Morning Joe, lots of Atkinson love around here. I hope to get to Transcription soon but the library holds are coming in thick and fast. One of them is Case Histories so at least I will get to read some Atkinson shortly. Enjoy Transcription.

140. The Sea Queen by Linnea Hartsuyker

The Sea Queen follows the story of The Half-Drowned King bringing to life the further saga of Ragnavald, strategist for Harald who fights to be king of all Norway. There are many obstacles in Ragnavald's path as he fights for Harald but strives to keep his own kingdom too. He is now married with sons of his own and wants to give them lands when they are grown but life is not harmonious at home. Ragnavald's sister, Svanhild, returns to him after breaking with his enemy, Solvi which adds to the disharmony. Life carries on and Svanhild remarries and, in the climatic battle of this tale, it is she who becomes the Sea Queen.

This book once again treats the reader to tales of the Viking times, a time of battles, sea raiders, alliances and betrayals. It adds another element to the story having a strong female character in Svanhild. I wonder when the next book in the trilogy will be available?

141. French Exit by Patrick deWitt

Even in the rarified upper reaches of New York society, Frances Price, was a strange one known for scandulous behaviour. Who leaves their newly dead husband to go on a ski trip? Frances Price, that's who. She topped that by swooping in on her son, Malcolm's, school and removing him from that life only to tie him to her side.

Then came a crisis – bankruptcy. The Prices, mother, son and cat retreated to Paris. There the reclusive couple gathered people to them until there were many people sharing the flat, many people to be in at the denoument of the tale. Or was it a new beginning?

Happy Thanksgiving, Meg. I also just finished French Exit. I liked your description. I did like the book too, but preferred the 1st half. Not very likable characters, but deWitt still made it work.

>199 msf59: Not very likeable characters and a new appreciation for the title at the end, Mark. I am glad that I finished the book before seeing deWitt at the writers festival, now I will have a better idea about what he is talking about.

I had been doing really well keeping my book buying to a minimum this month but I went to my genealogy society's meeting yesterday. That meant a jaunt to the bookshop that is kind of in the area (it's a walk but I had time to kill before the meeting). When I walked into the meeting they were putting books on a central table for sale. What is a book addict to do?

>201 Familyhistorian: LOL
Happy weekend, Meg.

Hi Meg, once again I have fallen behind here on LT. I hope you are having a great weekend, we went for a short walk earlier today but mostly have been sticking close to home while my hubby gets back his full health.

>202 Ameise1: Hope you are having a great weekend, Barbara. Are you still off work and enjoying your Monday sessions?

>203 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I hope that your husband is getting better quickly. It was a lovely day today but I didn't have much time outside because I was at a genealogy seminar all day. It was in Surrey so it was the same weather you were having.

Meg, it's great to catch up on my own thread! Good to be back! It was a lovely day indeed. So easy to fall behind on LT. Good for you, reading French Exit. I'm not sure it's for me, but I did love his book, The Sisters Brothers. I laughed so hard. That was a 5 star read for me.

>206 vancouverdeb: The French Exit is not a book that would make you laugh, Deb. I'll have to have a look for The Sisters Brothers because I like things that are humourous. I am way behind on LT and have felt like I am struggling to keep up all year but that might be because I am involved in so many things that are taking up my time. The weather has been fabulous lately, so odd for autumn.

>204 Familyhistorian: Only one week off then I'll go back for 43%. One part will be on Monday morning, so tomorrow will be the last time I can take part at the shared-reading.

Hi Meg!

We survived Florence with only the loss of one huge tree away from the house and 3 small power outages. With Michael we lost a smallish tree away from the house and have been on generator power for 2 ½ days so far with the prospect of having power restored by tomorrow night.

>144 Familyhistorian: I, too, read My Reading Life. His writing is too florid for my taste, but the memoir was absolutely perfect for me, too.

>145 Familyhistorian: I have always had a fascination with the 1918 pandemic. I seem to recall that at least in the US it affected more people in their late teens and twenties than the very young or the elderly.

Transmission sounds wonderful. I didn't like Life After Life at all, but would like to read the Jackson Brody series start to finish some day. I have read two out of order, never even realizing at the time that they were a series.

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

>208 Ameise1: Oh that's too bad, Barbara. Couldn't you start on Tuesday instead?

>209 karenmarie: I am reading another book about the 1918 pandemic, Karen. It is for research for an upcoming display and there are a lot of new books out about the subject because of the 100 year mark being reached. I have Transcription but haven't read it yet but I started the first Jackson Brody book Case Histories. Atkinson talked about the series so I went looking for the first book to start off correctly (something I have had drummed into me since being on LT.)

Good to hear that you survived another storm. We are having unseasonable weather here - warm and sunny. Not our usual fall at all. I hope you have a good day. I am off to another genealogy meeting this morning. Should be fun.

Hi Meg, hope you had a nice weekend my dear, sending love and hugs dear friend.

>212 johnsimpson: It was a very busy weekend, John. So that was good and the weather is even nice, which is a surprise that is supposed to last all week. I hope that you and Karen are doing well.