Since it is both the beginning of a new month and a new week, I decided to go ahead and start a new thread - the old one was at almost 300 posts.

My January thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/51105

My February thread is here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/56421

My March thread is here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/58749

My April thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/61444

My May thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/63947

My June thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/65874

My July thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/67964

Message edited by its author, Aug 2, 2009, 7:18pm.

My memorable reads for 2009 thus far are:

Nonfiction
Bound for the Promised Land by Kate Clifford Larson
Crazy Horse by Mari Sandoz
The Plays and Poems of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Volume 1
The Cobra's Heart by Ryszard Kapuscinski
The Eaves of Heaven by Andrew X. Pham
Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov
Love Letters from Cell 92 by Ruth-Alice von Bismarck and Ulrich Kabitz, editors
The Diary of Mary Berg by S.L. Shneiderman, editor
Lighthouse by Tony Parker
The Good Doctors by John Dittmer
Columbine by Dave Cullen
The Diary of Gideon Welles by Gideon Welles
The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall
Dr. Seuss Goes to War by Richard Minear

Fiction
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Tethered by Amy MacKinnon
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman
The Girls by Lori Lansens
The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather
So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong'o
Villette by Charlotte Bronte
Peace Like A River by Leif Enger
A City of Bells by Elizabeth Goudge
The Hummingbird's Daughter - Luis Alberto Urrea
The Chosen by Chaim Potok

Young Adult
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Treasure of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Summerland by Michael Chabon
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

A note about my memorable reads: I am not a book critic. My memorable reads list is just that: books that are memorable to me - that for some reason or other resonate with me. I do not rate books as many people here do for the simple reason that I am a terrible book reviewer! lol

Message edited by its author, Aug 29, 2009, 10:27pm.

I have decided to chuck the 'must-read' list. I am not getting them read and have decided a list approach is just not for me. I will eventually get to them, but probably not all this year.

I know what you mean about getting of a " must read " list. I feel constricted when faced with a " you must read" list. Reading is supposed to be a treat not a chore.
Happy reading to whatever strikes you at the moment!

My last treat was Naomi Novak's His Majesty's Dragon. Really good. I'm working on The Man Who Knew Infinity by Robert Kanigel. It is a bit slow. Maybe more than a bit... :>

I find you a great reviewer of books. just because your reviews are short doesn't make them less useful.

OK (finally), here is the list of this week's reads:

300. The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin - the sequel to Mistress of the Art of Death, this book is not as good as the previous one, but still enjoyable; recommended

301. Scottsboro: A Novel by Ellen Feldman - excellent fictionalization of the lives of those involved in the Scottsboro Boys told from the standpoint of a fictional reporter; highly recommended

302. Summerland by Michael Chabon - young adult; I have come to the conclusion that Michael Chabon can do no wrong in my book - I loved this book; highly recommended

303. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson - I dropped everything midweek to read this book because I loved The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but I must say that I did not love this one - I liked it a lot, but did not love it, still it is a worthy successor and I have already pre-ordered the third book in the Millennium series; highly recommended, but if you have not already read the first book in the series, I would start there

304. February House by Sherrill Tippin - nonfiction; there was too much emphasis on the sexual excapades of everyone in this book IMO, but I would loved to have lived in this house with Auden, Carson McCullers, Gypsy Rose Lee, etc for just a day to take in everything that happened in the house; recommended

305. Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay - this was an ER book and a pretty good suspense novel, once your sense of disbelief is put aside; highly recommended for fans of the genre

306. Everlost by Neil Shusterman - young adult; the story of 2 teenagers who die and find themselves in the 'Everlost'; highly recommended

307. The Pluto Files by Neil DeGrasse Tyson - nonfiction; a somewhat irreverent book on how Pluto lost its planetary status; recommended

308. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis - this was a reread for me of my favorite of Lewis' fiction; highly recommended

I just talked to my boss and found out that I am going to be without internet access again tonight, so I may eventually catch up on threads, but it will not be tonight :(

Message edited by its author, Aug 2, 2009, 7:51pm.

Do you realise that you just recommended or highly recommended all 9 books.

My TBR mountain has expanded again. Thanks

Book 307 - Picked up The Pluto Files some time back, and have made several false starts on it. No fault of the book - just wasn't in the right frame of mind for it's 'irreverence' :)

Stasia - I'm glad that you liked Summerland. I thought it was a wonderful story when I read it earlier this year. I was also interested to see your comments on The Girl Who Played with Fire. I liked (but did not love) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but am still anxious to see what happens next!

#8: Do you realise that you just recommended or highly recommended all 9 books.

That is because I only read good books, lol.

#10: Amy, I did not remember who recommended Summerland, but thank you very much for the recommendation. I enjoyed it very much.

One of the things that kept me from loving The Girl Who Played with Fire was (IMO) the seeming emphasis on the sexual escapades of the main characters. Let me know what you think of the book once you have a chance to read it.

I also liked Chabon's Summerland though it's been several years since I read it. Chabon wrote an essay on childhood recently for the New York Review of Books, you might like to read it: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22891

What BDB said in msg 9... ;)

Since every book that I've read in your fiction group was a favorite of mine, I'm going to add the rest of them to my wish list. No "must reads" list for me either. I'm too oppositional of character; I balk at even my own recs. ;-)

>12 - Stasia - I'm glad to know what kept you from loving The Girl Who Played with Fire. I'll let you know what I think when I read it.

>13 - Kerry - I love the Chabon essay from New York Review of Books. Thanks for sharing.

I read Summerland a few years ago and liked it. I'm a little sad that I sold it in a yard sale :( It was one of those moments when I needed to purge, and sadly purged some books.

Glad to hear that you liked Scottsboro. It's on my tbr list. I always look forward to your Sunday reviews, and I'm constantly amazed by how varied your reading is! (And how many books your read).

#13: Thanks for the link, Kerry, I will check it out!

#15: Bonnie, I hope you are not disappointed with the books!

#17: The good thing is you can always get another copy :)

#18: Thank you for the compliment, Deborah.

After multiple days of work and no internet access, I am going to catch up on threads! It may take a few days to catch up, but I am bound and determined to do so.

No Internet access?! Hellish! Welcome back, Stasia.

Thanks Richard!

I'm always glad when you start a new thread, Stasia, as my good intentions fall by the wayside and, before I know it, your thread has reached daunting proportions! Your list of memorable reads has something for everyone. I second the recommendation for Scottsboro.

No "must read" list for me, either. One of the great joys of reading is picking what you want to read when you're in just the right the mood to read it. Like bonniebooks, I'm too oppositional to even tell myself what I have to read.

I'm playing catch-up on threads, too, after being off the net a few days due to travel. Happy reading!

#22: Donna, glad I could help you get caught up again :)

#23: We can play catch-up together then!

whew! finally caught up on your thread....
I will never catch up totally though, after only 5 days off....

busy group we are!

I have to say that I'm stunned at how many books you've read so far this year. LT may have to create a book challenge for you alone- The alcottacre 500 Book Challenge?

I wanted to name one of the levels of the 2010 Category challenge for Stasia.
Level A,B,C,D,E,F and I wanted an AA level for 200 books plus in honor of Alcottacre.
When I made the suggestion, I don't think they understood.

No, I got it, cyderry! It was very clever and I think it should stay as one of your levels. :-)

It was pretty funny - who will volunteer for that level, though? (not me!)

Glad you've had good reads this week, Stasia! I nearly bought a copy of Summerland a couple of weeks ago but something stopped me... maybe it's the baseball thing; I'm not sure an English person can necessarily relate so well.

Just on the subject of Twitter (from your last thread), I have to confess to using it a LOT, mainly for work. If you work in book-related things, there are huge numbers of people on there in publishing, journalism and librarianship, including lots of authors. I pick up a lot of 'breaking news' about the industry, and also some interesting book recommendations. I've got a fair number of free books out of it through publisher giveaways and competitions (I know, like I need any more books...).

There's also some great book-related chats that go on - there's a website called tweetchat.com that will let you set up a 'room' by specifying a tag that's included in all posts in the 'chat'. Two that I know of that always generate some interesting thoughts are LitChat (#litchat, run by @litchat) and Follow the Reader (#followreader, run, i think, by @charabbott and @katmeyer).

I only really 'got' it once I let go of the idea of only following people I knew already and just started following people who seemed interesting or were recommended by others. It also really helped adding the Twitterfox plugin for Firefox, since I have that open continuously while I'm working - so rather than having to check the web page, it pops up new messages as they arrive.

My 'also on' link to Twitter on my profile is linked up so feel free to follow me :) (and sorry about the essay!)

> 30 - Rachael -

What good info about Twitter. I will check some of these tidbits out, for sure.

The plugin for Firefox will be just the ticket for me.

I love how much literary connected info is available on the Internet and heard a story on the radio this morning that was an interview with Tina Brown, former editor of the New Yorker. She was relating for the host a few articles on the Internet that are current and worth reading. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...

At two of them are directly related to reading/writing and seem quite promising in content.

Stasia, your thread sometimes seem like a true gathering place, a local favorite public house, if you will. Thank you for indulging me here once in a while. You are an absolute gem of an LTer.

Love, Ruth

Hey Rachael, Thanks for sharing that information regarding Twitter with us. You got me at "free books"! I will certainly give it another try.

>31 and >33, definitely worth a look are @jennifertribe's #booktrade and author directories - will help you find good people/companies to follow.

Free books are nice :-)

Hmmm - I keep signing in to Twitter and then removing myself again, because (despite the fact that the bit I like best about facebook besides the pictures are the originality of most of my mates status reports), I find it all rather boring. Possibly this is because I know very few people on Twitter.

Sounds like I've been going about it all the wrong way though - Rachel, you've convinced me to give it another go!

...like the idea of the alcottacre 500 book challenge! (Should it not be 1000 book challenge?!)

flissp;
chances are it should be the 1000 book challenge for alcottacre.
belva

>35 don't try now though, fliss - Twitter has been down since about 2 p.m.!

Twitter, Kindle, you girls are just way over my head. It is all I can do to turn on my computer and do my email, banking, orders, and LT. With my cell phone, my son is constantly attempting to get me to upgrade as I still have my original one. But as long as it rings and I can talk or I can call and they pick up, I am happy. I would love to understand all this new technology y'all are speaking of. But every time I hear one of you mention Twitter, all I can think of is "twitterpated" from Bambi. LOL
Have fun ladies,
belva

belva... a good reason for upgrading your phone is that new ones sometimes get better service than the old ones.. you can probably get one free, that isn't too fancy. Surprise him and say okay :)

I feel the same about my phone,just a talking machine... but I do like a nice one and one that is easy to text with.. mine is not. I have a phone on my wishlist for february .. lol

dear Kath;
you are probably right. I am forever calling people and they can hear me, but I can't hear them. And usually I am saying "What the *uck is the matter here, it's not even ringing!~! Then later they tell me; don't know what was wrong with your phone. I could hear you quite clearly. And they chortle and laugh.
So perhaps.........
hugs & snugs,
belva

Wow, Stasia! 308 books... amazing! I took a break from LT for way too long. I have to comb through your old threads at some point and get all your recommendations. As is, I've added February House, Everlost, and The Pluto Files to my wishlist.

#38 Don't worry Belva, you are not alone. As soon as I try something new (facebook) there's something new out there (twitter). It's impossible to keep up! I just bought a new camera and I have to review the instructions to download pictures but I just don't want to bother with it right now. I think I need to be in the right frame of mind.

Carmenere;
That is it in a nutshell. I just want the darned things to work. You know, you push a button, it comes on and does what it's supposed to do. No training time involved. Yup, yup, yup. That's the way it's supposed to happen.
belva

#43 I think so too. My husband is always teasing me about my resistance to anything new - he says that if it were up to me, we'd be back to horse and buggies. But I just get so annoyed that you can't take something out of the box and turn it on and have it work - you have to get cables and connectors and software and who knows what else. And everything costs a little extra. And then, a couple of years later, you have to replace it all when something better comes along. I'll take the horse and buggy, I think!

me 2, I think.

I am now catching up on threads (again) and finally have arrived at mine.

#27: Thanks for the compliment in naming a challenge after me, Cheli. I cannot even think about 2010 yet and there is an entire group already for it!

#41: Welcome back, Marcia! I hope you enjoy the books. Please let me know once you have a chance to read them.

2010-2012 they have to wait their turn as far as I'm concerned....
too much to do in 2009.

It is only August - why is there a 2010 challenge already? I do not get it, lol.

impatience?

And here I thought I was bad . . .

How are you making out with the shelving situation, Stasia? Did you get any put together? Are you still living out of piles and boxes?

I don't think the 2010 Challenge group has actually been created yet, we were just planning ahead... I like to think it shows foresight and other good qualities ;)

>2010 sounds like a Space Odyssey. Surely, it can't be 2010 next year, can it?

I can remember when George Orwell's 1984 seemed like a lifetime away!

~TT

It is hard to believe that 2009 is over half way done already.

#51: Yes, I am still living out of boxes. I was supposed to be buying shelving over the summer, but unfortunately the bathroom and laundry room renovations are taking precedence. One of these centuries, Tui, one of these centuries . . .

This week's reads:

309. The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer - young adult; I really enjoyed this one which incorporates Norse mythology; highly recommended

310. Night Soldiers by Alan Furst - I expected to like this book a lot better than I did, but I am not sure why I did not care for it

311. Before I Die by Jenny Downham - young adult; I thought Downham did a great job with the 'voice' of the main character, a 16-year-old, who actually sounds like a 16-year-old and not an adult in miniature; highly recommended

312a. I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn - this was an interesting take on Amelia Earhart, told from several points of view, surmising that Earhart and her navigator actually were able to land successfully on a small atoll; recommended

312b. The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis - juvenile; this is the third book in the 39 Clues series and not as good as the first two, IMO, but still a good, fun read, especially for the younger set; recommended

313. Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien - young adult; thanks to Luxx for the recommendation on this one, a dystopian book that I really enjoyed; highly recommended

314. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin - I loved Toibin's The Master when I read it last year and had high hopes for this book, but I was rather disappointed in it - a good book, just not as good as the other, IMO; recommended

315. Conspiracy Game by Christine Feehan - audiobook; I freely admit that Feehan's books are guilty pleasures for me, but this one is not one of her best

316. The Chosen by Chaim Potok - hands down, my favorite read of the week - I could absolutely identify with Danny and the father who set such high expectations on him; on my memorable reads list for the year and very highly recommended

317. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper - young adult; the second book in the Dark is Rising series and very enjoyable; recommended

Some great reading here, I've read all these YA books and The Chosen is also an all-time favourite (I also like the movie). I've got Colm Toibin's The Blackwater Lightship on my tbr list.

I will be curious to see what you think of The Blackwater Lightship, Kerry.

i'll have to be honest and say please don't hold your breath. I have about 5 years of reading stacked up here!!

Only 5 years? You are doing better than I am, lol.

>56 Stasia, this week's reading should be called: Explore Your Inner Child!

~ TT

Yea, except my inner child is on the outside :)

The Chosen was one of my absolute favorite books. It was assigned in 8th grade English, and everyone else in class hated it, but I adored it. To this day, when I reminisce with old school friends they still think I'm crazy for loving it. There's a sequel as well, The Promise, that I didn't think was quite as good as The Chosen, but was still interesting (although I remember there being a ton of Ulysses references that went way over my head).

I am going to check into The Promise. Thanks for the mention - although I know all the Ulysses' references will go over my head, too.

I'm so glad you enjoyedZ for Zachariah!

I too enjoyed Amelia... just gave my copy to a friend to read.

I read The Chosen ages ago.. but remember that I liked it.
I too like Feehan, and have 3 of her books waiting for me :)

Looks like it is time to re-visit The Chosen. Also, it is always great to see YA books listed throughout threads.

Congratulations on reading 317 books! WOW!

Great list of YA books for this week. Chosen is one of my all-time favorites also. I also really like the whole Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. Greenwitch is probably my favorite. And I just picked up The Sword Thief this week, as we are almost finished reading One False Note (my kids and I are reading this series out loud.) These 39 Clues books keep getting shorter and shorter. They're going to be short story length soon.

I seem to recall having read and liked the Potok books in high school. Perhaps I should get them out again.

I actually completely forgot about The Chosen until I came back and clicked on the link. I read it as a high school freshman and remember enjoying it; maybe it's time to give it another look. Thanks for bringing it back up!

The chosen also waits on the shelves to be read here. I might give it a try soon! Thanks for the recommendation.

The Chosen and The Promise are two of my more memorable reads over the years.
Sunday mornings on the acre; gotta love it!~!
belva

I love The Chosen! There is something about the way that Chaim Potok writes that just pulls me in, like having a conversation with a good friend that I haven't seen in a long time. If you haven't read it, I reccommend My Name Is Asher Lev, it is one of my all-time favorite books.

I already added Z for Zachariah and have now added The Chosen as well. Its my usual resigned *sigh* after visiting your thread.

Ooh, more great reading, Stasia! I'm adding I Was Amelia Earhart, Z For Zachariah, and Before I Die to the neverending list... I have a lot more than 5 years worth, tho, lol!

#75

I can highly recommend Before I Die as a kind of......better type of 'chick-lit'. I enjoyed it a lot, felt it really got into the head of a teenager, and cried (of course).

I've gotten to the point where I just keep my bookmooch wishlist open when I read Stasia's thread. It makes it so much easier to add the books that way and I KNOW I'll be adding books :)

My bookmooch wishlist is permanently open when I'm on the computer. Is that bad??

>56 what a great week for reading!!

Absolutely concur on Before I Die - I thought it was fantastic that Downham created such a believable and true teenage voice. I spent most of the book wanting to slap Tessa, and then the last quarter bawling my eyes out. Definitely a book that will stay with me (though not necessarily one I'll be rushing to re-read much before my own little girl hits 16...)

Z for Zachariah and The Chosen have both been on the wishlist for years an years.

And finally, I am SO relieved that you were a little underwhelmed by Brooklyn. I think I've found one single solitary other 75er that wasn't blown away by it, and the critics all adored it. I did not love it, by any stretch of the imagination; I found the writing great at a sentence-by-sentence level, but I found the plot overly sentimental and the characterisation bewildering. So obviously, it's bound to win the Booker.

#65: Thanks for the recommendation, Luxx!

#66: Thanks for dropping by, Kath. Which Feehan books are waiting for your attention?

#67: Thanks for the compliment, Linda.

#68: I think Greenwitch is next up for me in the series. I hope I enjoy it as much as you do.

#69: Definitely do, Terri!

#70: I hope you enjoy the re-read, Luxx.

#71: I will be anxiously awaiting your review. I hope you like it!

#72: I love the sound of that Belva: Sunday mornings on the Acre. I am glad you enjoy your weekly visits.

#73: I have My Name is Asher Lev on Planet TBR already, but I think I will read The Promise before that one since it is a sequel, but it is good to know that Asher Lev is worth the read. I hope I enjoy it as much as you obviously do.

#74: Thanks for coming by, lunacat, despite your reservations about adding more books.

Message edited by its author, Aug 9, 2009, 9:48pm.

#75: Marcia, I hate to think how many years worth I have on Planet TBR!

#76: So did I :(

#77/78: When I go through the threads, I have Goodreads (where Planet TBR is currently residing), my local library and local college library, and PBS all up, so I am worse than the 2 of you put together, lol!

#79: Rachael, I felt exactly the same way you did about Before I Die.

As far as Brooklyn goes, I do not know if I would have liked it better if I had not read The Master first or not, but I suspect that is true. I have the same reservations about Brooklyn as you did. IMO, The Master is the better book, although I have no idea if it won any prizes. As far as the Booker Prize goes, my luck with reading the books that have won the award is terrible, so you are probably right: Brooklyn will most likely win it.

You know.. I think I am the only one here who didn't love Blackwater Lightship

In my opinion, the message was much better than the writing... for that reason, I have avoided his others..

I have not read Blackwater Lightship yet, so I have no opinion on it at the moment. My local library does not have that one yet.

>83 I never go to the library, despite the fact that it's only a block from my house. I worked there as a teenager, and for years after found that I was more likely to get sucked into conversations than actually find any of the books I was looking for. But, oddly enough, I've never thought to look at the campus library for fiction. I feel like such a dolt, especially since I'm in the next building three days a week!

And I am deeply impressed by your ability and dedication to responding to everyone. Good thread ownership.

Thanks, Luxx!

#85: I didn't love Blackwater Lightship but I liked it. I read it after "The Master", however, so it wobbled when held up against that superb book. In fact, I have a feeling The Master will prove to be his master work at the end of the day.

Oooooh Z for Zachariah - I remember that! I can heartily second/third it to all you who're putting it on the wishlist.

Luxx & alcottacre, you may like Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence (also YA) too, if you haven't read it already - I read it about the same time (was going through a very big dystopian fiction phase) and the two are interchangeable in my memory...

Thanks for that tiffin! :) Will have a look at Master...

#90: I have Children of the Dust on Planet TBR, flissp, I just have not been able to get my hands on a copy yet since my local library does not have a copy. I will try and get a copy soon - I love dystopian books.

Just chiming in to say that many years ago I read everything Chaim Potok wrote that I could get my hands on. I enjoyed them all but The Chosen and My Name Is Asher Lev are the ones that really still stand out in my mind. Great stuff! I may have to break down and buy them again--I gave them away when we moved. Someone mentioned about purging books and then being sorry afterward. That's one of the reasons I no longer purge books--it's too expensive! :-)

I finally found the new thread and am caught up! Great list for your two weeks worth of reading. I'm definitely going to look for The Master. I went through a Henry James phase several years ago and I'm planning on reading him again soon--it was supposed to be this year, but I may have to put him off until 2010. I'm adding this book to the list I will want to read--it sounds like it may give some insight into why he wrote the way he did.

#93 I also read most of Chaim Potok's books all those years ago and have managed to keep my copies.
I'm going to have to add The Master to my list of Colm Toibin's books I should read.

Stasia - I enjoyed the sequel to The Sea of Trolls and there is a third one coming out towards the end of the year. Have you read any others by Nancy Farmer?

#94: I picked up the sequel to The Sea of Trolls, but have not had a chance to read it yet, and have not read any others of hers although I have heard good things about The House of Scorpion, Kerry.

Thank u for reminding me that I need to read The Master: A Novel. Perhaps I'll give Brooklyn a try too but read it before The Master.

>94, 95 If you are going to be reading Nancy Farmer, be sure to find The Ear, the Eye and the Arm. I believe that was her first children's novel. My children and I all loved it and so did the patrons that I recommended it to at the library.

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is an outstanding book! Just my humble opinion...

#97/98: I have that one on Planet TBR - good to know that it is outstanding!

thomasandmary

Since The Ear, the eye, and the Arm is a Newbery winner (a 999 category for me), scifi (999 also), and Africa (ongoing in depth reading for me) this one is definitely going on my wish list! Thanks for the suggestion.

I read The Ear, the eye, and the arm last year and enjoyed it alot. House of Scorpion is very good scifi too.

passing through and waving...

The key to reading Stasia's thread: Ignore all bright-blue words, and you'll come out with wallet and lieftime reading possibilities intact. Failure to follow this key will result in TBR overload and wallet depletion.

You Were Warned.

Richardderus,
Thanks for the laugh. That was a good one!

#102: Thanks for waving by, Kath!

#103: You generally ignore my thread completely, Richard. Why are you warning everyone else off, too? lol

#104: You are right - it was a good one.

LOL! But, Richard, it's the "black words" that make me want to go out and buy!

bonnie

Ah--but if you ignore the blue words you won't know what to buy and thus save money. Assuming, or course, that you deal well with frustration. Maybe Richard has a high frustration level? Or maybe that's why he avoids this thread altogether! :-)

I only read this thread when I have time to prep: with my empty wallet in front of me on the counter, I practice saying "No" to myself in the mirror for at least 5 minutes; then I have a slight chance of making it through all of Stasia's recommendations without adding too many books to my TBR list. LOL.

You all know that this is a disease and that we are just spreading it!
It doesn't matter whether you go the bookstore or library, you lose control and just have to get more books! Tutu and I thought it was genetic, we decided that it was contagious. Watch out, don't get to close!

#109 At least if you go to the library, you don't have to do that empty wallet thing!

#110: Until you find one at the public library that you simply must own for your personal library!

#111 Yeah, I just did that, with The Perfect Storm. I read the library copy last month, but couldn't resist when I saw a copy at a library sale last week while on vacation. (Fortunately, I only paid $1 for a nice, hard-cover edition!)

#112: You lucked out, tymfos! Good job - have to love those library sales, don't you?

I loved The Perfect Storm! I actually gave a copy of that one to my local Library
:)

rd has a good point.. be careful how you read this ( or any, really) thread.

The local Borders store is remodeling and found a bunch of book that weren't in their system. If you buy one book you get to pick on of the random extras out for free. I've been thinking of buying a book a day until all the freebies are gone. LOL

#111 True, but for me, that is a pretty small percentage.

#115 How wonderful! You'd better hurry, they surely won't last long.

nice of Borders to share the wealth!!!

Stasia, I just can't face trying to read all I've missed atm, so I'm jumping in right here. I know I missed some good stuff, so maybe I can get to them this fall :)

#118: I appreciate you taking time to drop by, Susan.

This week's reads:

318. We Are Not Afraid by Seth Cagin & Philip Dray - nonfiction; this well-written account of the murder of 3 Civil Rights workers is a searing indictment not just of those involved in their deaths, but of the entire political system in Mississippi at the time; highly recommended, and on my memorable reads list for the year

319. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart - juvenile fiction; I had a good time with this book about highly intelligent children recruited to solve a mystery; recommended

320. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt - young adult; very good book about a boy who is convinced that his teacher absolutely hates him when he is made to study Shakespeare with her every Wednesday; highly recommended

321. The Underneath by Kathi Appelt - juvenile fiction; a huge thank you to Kerry for recommending this book that just has gorgeous prose (probably wasted on the kiddies, IMHO); highly recommended, and on my memorable reads list for the year

322. When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka - this book has been reviewed several times in the group, so I can add nothing new here, but I thought the matter-of-fact style of the book fit it well; recommended

323. Choosers of the Slain by James H. Cobb - this book is a military thriller about what would happen if a country decided to press its claim for Antarctica by force; recommended

324. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny - this is the third book in the 3 Pines mystery series, and IMHO, the best; recommended

325. The Bog People by P.V. Glob - nonfiction; I thought this was a good introductory text for people interested in the subject although the science is probably a bit dated now, since the book was written 40 years ago; the main quibble I have with the book is that in the bibliography, the sources cited are almost entirely Danish, so that any further reading is really impossible and that is a big disappointment; the book itself is recommended

326. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier - this story, based on Romanian folktales, was well told and very enjoyable; highly recommended

327. Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress - I enjoyed the first section of the book, but it went downhill from there, completely losing steam for me in the middle section; not recommended

OK, so that is it for another week. Somehow or another, I have read a lot of juvenile/young adult fiction in the past couple of weeks, but I do not think(?) I have a lot of that coming up this week.

I have been waiting for this thread this week... what with all of the muck that has been traipsed around LT the last few days, i was looking forward to this constant. Thanks Stasia. Now drat it.. I have to go and put The Bog People on my list at Amazon.

eta

the problem with that being.. finding more like it....

Message edited by its author, Aug 16, 2009, 7:36am.

#121: Kath, I am glad you look forward to my weekly mess. I apologize humbly for your having to put a book on your wishlist, lol. I will try and do better next week and not recommend anything!

wishlist my backside... it is in the cart!!!!~! I may well click today, too ! lol

I am glad you were able to find a copy. I did not mention that there are a bunch of black-and-white plates in the book that really work well for it, IMO. It was nice to actually be able to look at what the author was describing.

WOW. No matter how good of a reading week I have, it pales in comparison to one of your average weeks, Stasia. Once again I light candles and bow reverently toward Texas (although I don't envy the summer heat there!).

I'm adding We Are Not Afraid to my wish list.

#125: Darryl, thank you very much for the compliment. Be assured that it is returned - I stand in awe of the diversity and quality of the books that you read.

Please let me know what you think of We Are Not Afraid when you have a chance to read it.

Happy Sunday to you Stasia.
I hope you will not be experiencing a 100 plus degree temperate kind of day.
As usually, your list is incredible.

I'm still on a Newbery quest and tried to obtain a copy of the Underneath from my library. I'm on a list for this one. Our local school teachers require students to read a Newbery award winning book over the summer before returning to school. My guess is most local children waiting until the end of summer to fuffill the requirement.

I'm also adding #318,319,320 and 322. I'm particularly interested in We Are Not Afraid.

I've had The Bog People on my TBR for a couple of years; I wish I could say that this will inspire me to move it up on the pile, but there are just so many books I want to read . . .

Message edited by its author, Aug 16, 2009, 9:57am.

I've just added The Bog People to my wishlist as well. I love recommendations for good nonfiction.

Congrats on a great week! I cheated and had already added The Bog People from your post on the nonfiction thread. :) I am very interested in We Are Not Afraid, especially after recently reading The Good Doctors. I'm also about to order Warriors Don't Cry, about the integration of the Little Rock high school. Have you (or anyone) read that one?

I've had The Mysterious Benedict Society on my shelf for about 4 months. I'm glad you liked it, I'll have to get to it soon. Sounds fun!

Needless to say, but I will anyway, another good week Stasia.
I read The Emporer was divine a few years ago based on what my dad had told me he had seen.

I'm going to add We Are Not Afraid to my wishlist, too.

> 130 profilerSR, when you read Warriors Don't Cry, I hope you will post your impressions. That sounds like one I might like to read, too.

Edited to try to fix touchstones and to add this:
I just checked out the reviews for The Good Doctors, and am adding it to my Wishlist, too.

I really hope that there are books in heaven, because I'll never get through my ever-growing TBR mountain in this lifetime! :)

Message edited by its author, Aug 16, 2009, 4:15pm.

The Wednesday Wars is on my wishlist - I'm glad it's good!

So glad that you enjoyed The underneath, it deserves a wide readership regardless that it's junior fiction. It's also one of my memorable reads of the year. I also really liked The Wednesday Wars.
If you want to read an award winning YA that features a bog person, Siobhan Dowd's fantastic Bog Child won the Carnegie Medal this year. A great writer who died prematurely, two of her books were published after her death including this one. It's set in the 1970s and brings Irish politics together with the discovery of a child's body in a peat bog. Her A swift pure cry is also to be recommended (Carnegie shortlist in 2007).
I have a copy of Wildwood Dancing and will get to it one day.

*whistles past Stasia's thread, hands in pockets*

Choosers of the Slain leaps out

*stomps off to wishlist YET ANOTHER book thanks to Stasia*

The Wednesday Wars sounds good. I'll add it to the list. The Underneath has been on the list for awhile. I've been wondering if the Benedict Society books were any good. I look at them whenever I'm in the YA section and always consider buying them.

Sounds like a pretty good week of reading. I added several to TBR list.

Stasia,
9 out of 10 books recommended, I'd say you had a great reading week! I've heard so many good things about The Underneath, but I hadn't heard of The Wednesday Wars. I'll be on the lookout now for both of them. Thanks and happy reading this week!

A note for all those interested in We Are Not Afraid: The book was written almost 20 years prior to the 2005 trial, so none of the information about that trial is included in the book. I should have mentioned that - sorry!

#127: Linda, by my count you only added half of this weeks reads to your list! I must do better this next week and get you to add them all, lol.

#128: I completely understand the problem, Rebecca. No worries, though. I am sure The Bog People will wait patiently for you!

#129: Luxx, I hope you like it.

#130: Sherlyn, I have not read Warriors Don't Cry, but I have read The Long Shadow of Little Rock which is along the same lines. I will look into Warriors, though, as I am doing reading about the Civil Rights movement this year (and I suspect next year as well).

#131: I have heard that the sequels to The Mysterious Benedict Society are even better than the original, so you have some good reading ahead of you!

#132: Thanks, Lynda. I am glad you stopped by. What a treasure you have in the stories from your father.

#133: I am firmly convinced that Heaven is books - how could God deprive of us of something we love so much? The Good Doctors is excellent, IMHO, so I do hope you give it a try!

#134: I hope you enjoy it!

#135: Kerry, thanks for the recommendations of the Dowd books. I will look for them. And again, a huge thank you for the recommendation of The Underneath.

#136: Yeah, I caught you looking, Richard! I guess I should not mention that Choosers of the Slain is the first book in a series, huh?

#137: Thanks for dropping by, VB. I am glad you found something to your liking in this week's reads.

#138: Hey, Jasmyn. Happy reading!

#139: I hope you enjoy both of the books!

>144 *mutters sulphrously about perfidy and ensorcelment*

#145: LOL!

Oh, Stasia, the things you do to me... Added 6 of those to my wishlist, plus Bog Child from the comments!

#147: Sorry, Marcia (OK, not really, lol)

I thought The Mysterious Benedict Society was a fun read also. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it.

Stasia, you can't have 30 unread messages here...cripes. Bog people, as in Piltdown Man, et. al?

#149:Thanks, chinquapin!

#150: 30 unread messages, huh Tui? Just goes to show you need to check in more often, lol.

As far as The Bog People goes, no reference to Piltdown Man who was, after all, a hoax, but Tollund Man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollund_Man) and others like him do make appearances.

One day! One day I take off! Was Piltdown man a hoax then - if I ever knew that, I forgot it. It's so weird, isn't it, how preserved they are, clothes, shoes and all. So is this about people who lived near the bogs?

#153: The book is about the people who were discovered in the bogs. One thing I did not realize when I started the book is how many have actually been discovered. It is interesting the care that has been taken with the bodies to discover as much about the people's lifestyles while they were alive. Analysis not only of the bodies themselves, but the food eaten and the clothing found on the bodies is included in the text and there are a lot of pictures scattered throughout as well.

Murders, sacrifices and things that go bump in the night. Poor souls.

Some of them seemed to have gone pretty peacefully, others not so much :(

There was something on the history channel the other day. Bodies found, or parts of bodies.. with skin, and tattooing intact. The search to find the meaning for the tatts is on. Wonder if decorative value is being considered.

Then in Japan, they remove skin of corpses to display full body tatts..

I don't mean to derail the thread, it just reminded me.

#157: Kath, my thread is in a constant state of derailment! I enjoy the forays and tangents it finds to go on, so I would not worry about adding one more to the mix :)

#157 Eww! Like a bear-skin rug, you mean? Can you imagine, going to a museum....

#159 re 157

Can you imagine going into someone's home......and there.....on the hearth............

Actually I expect someday we will have "Art" museums devoted to this genre. (I hope I'm kidding!)

Glad to hear that Loiuse Penny has not let up in The Cruelest Month. I look forward to reading it.

#162: I hope you like it!

>143 "I am firmly convinced that Heaven is books - how could God deprive of us of something we love so much?"

"In the beginning was the Word..." John 1:1

"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened." Rev. 20:12

Stasia, you could be right! :)

~ TT

Great insight Stasia and TT!

I just wanted to pop in and say how impressed I am with how much reading you've already gotten done-and all of it looks so good! What did you think of Vilette by Charlotte Bronte? I'm interested in reading more of the Bronte sisters but not sure where to start (besides Jane Eyre, which I've read a couple times now).

#166: I really enjoyed Villette - it is on my memorable reads list for the year. The only thing I did not like about it was the ending - a bit too pat - but I suspect that was a product of the time it was written. I love Jane Eyre, so if you like that, I would give Villette a try.

BTW - there is a lot of conversation in French in the book, so you might get a copy that includes the translations (mine did not) if you do not have a passing familiarity with French.

#164: Thanks for the affirmation, TT!

Thanks so much for the rec and advice alcottacre-its definitely on my TBR list now (specifically a copy with translations :) )

Just passing though and waving on my quest to keep up with threads now that I am back at work :)

I have Villette on mt TBR and on my shelf. Now I will have to check and see if it translates the French!

Quote for the day . . .

I found this in a book I am reading, The War Against the Jews:

"Reading was not only narcotic and escape , but also a discipline of mind, an attempt to retain the habits of a civilized existence. Reading about past wars and catastrophes involving other peoples and nations universalized the Jewish experience and transcended the misery within the ghetto walls."

I am also posting on the Kitchen thread, but I am interested in seeing people's comments. I am sure a lot of us have used reading at one time or another as an escape.

Oh my gosh! To escape, to be entertained, to forget I'm sitting in my comfy chair--My number #1 reason! Isn't it everybody's?

I agree. I often wonder what non-readers do for escape, and I suspect it's television, but that's not engaging enough for me. It IS a narcotic, an escape, and "universalization." Look at how many varied persons are connected by the books they've read, not only in LT as a whole, but in this group, and even just in this thread.

To say my childhood was "dysfunctional" is an understatement. From the time I could read, I hid in my small town library where I found incredible solace.

The steps were marble and steep and my little legs struggled to get to the top of the stairs. It was difficult to open the big wooden door, but then as I entered I was soothed by the wonderful smell of books...books and more books.

Terri, I agree, tv just doesn't compare!

I often didn't feel all that well as a child and books were definitely my escape. They were (and are) easily portable and came with me to Dr appts and hospitals. Great friends to bring to those mind-numbing waiting-room places! The only problem is that I used to be skinny with a really high metabolism and I like to nibble when I read and I think I just might have to cut that habit out as I grow older...

>176 Berlyner, did you take thiodor? Sounds like its pernicious side effects to me...and the nibbling while reading, very bad not good oh dear stuff. *he said, popping another almond in his cakehole*

>176 Ditto. I was sick a lot as a kid, spent lots of time in doctors' waiting rooms and hospitals, and reading was the cure for boredom there.

The worst was when I had eye surgery, I remember my teacher or somebody gave me a book when I went in for that surgery, but for weeks after I COULDN'T read! Thank heavens, Mom read to me. Book was called Nurses Who Led the Way. Gee, there's a touchstone! I loved that book! Was just reminded of it while reading Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy, and in the discussion of WWI, Edith Cavell (not sure of spelling) was mentioned. (She was the most memorable of the nurses profiled in the book.)

Message edited by its author, Aug 20, 2009, 3:41pm.

Well, I thought there was a touchstone. It cropped up when I was typing, but not when I posted.

Now I have to go try and look up that book . . .

>166 seasonsoflove, I would highly recommend The Tenant of Wildfell Hall which in my opinion is one of the most beautifully written books ever!

~ TT

much like whisper, my childhood had its downsides... (understatement) and I too stayed out of my home as much as possible when I got old enough. I taught myself to read at an early age and simply hid for years prior. I still escape into my books every day, even though my life is pretty good now.

rd I really really really dislike that word.. ew.. so not you to use it!!!

eta

TT I have that one, I will move it up on the pile..

Message edited by its author, Aug 21, 2009, 6:28am.

#177 Yes, I took that awful T-medicine. It's funny, when I was little and weighed next-to-nothing I was taking 6 or 7 Benadryls at a time to control allergies and now just one knocks me out! I still read (even more) when I am under the weather, and I tend towards the adventure, mystical or light-hearted. Total escapism and slightly more fluffy reads. No sad books. Twisted ones (like Stephen King) are okay, because I know they are not real tragedy.

I have loved reading from an early age...I remember being able to read in kindergarten and going to see the reading specialist, Mrs. Brazee. I still have the book she gave me at the end of the year!

My love for reading continued as it was a way to bond with my mom. When I was about 8, she was given boxes of her childhood books that we shared together.

What is funny is that my two younger sisters both hate to read, and only read books if they have to. They both have dificulty comprehending and remembering what they read. They were taught with a whole-language approach, and I was taught with phonics. I honestly don't know if that has anything to do with it though.

>181 mckait, which word? Even which post it's in would help....

STASIA!! Pay attention when you're reading!! In Womansheart's thread, I posted a definition of a "non-Stasia" which is, clearly, a person who is UNLIKE you. It reads:

"Non-Stasia (n) LT cant, not comprehensible to the general public

1) A person without tact, charm, or probity; a charlatan
2) A person who fails to live up to his or her stated best principles, engendering ill-will and anger through thoughtlessness and/or indifference
3) A person whose threads never number more than 100 posts, ever, even if they seek out posters to their threads in the LT equivalent of back alleys and brothels"

So...get it now? You embody the virtues that are held in opposite by the "non-Stasia" defined above! I will not have you, he said in his best Hyacinth Bucket voice, thinking I'm insulting you!

Who the heck is Hyacinth Bucket?

I appreciate that you are not insulting me, lol. Thank you :) I was obviously up too long yesterday!

*SHOCKED SILENCE*

You...you...have never seen the British comedy "Keeping Up Appearances"?! You have never had the rapturous amusement of listening to the exquisitely talented Patricia Routledge saying, "It's Bookaaay" when someone pronounces her married name "bucket"? You have no instant clench of terror in your stomach when you hear the phrase "candlelight supper?"

Oh my dear. Oh, poor deprived Stasia. Netflix has the series. It's simply too good not to at least try out! I have spent hours cringing and whooping and almost sobbing with laughter at such lines as, "Driver! I wish to alight!" and "Coffee, Elizabeth!" and "Sheeerrridaaan! How sensitive of you to call Mummy when she's..." fill in the blank with latest disaster.

Oh heavens, go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keeping_Up_... and oh what fun you may have!

#186: Richard, I watch next to no television, so it is not unusual for me not to know about TV characters. I do not belong to Netflix either.

Stasia

I highly recommend that you break your next to no television mode and run, don't walk to the video store to obtain this series. Oh my gosh...it is soooo funny!

http://www.uk-comedy.com/

And, Richard is right, most likely you will sob with laughter!

I whole-heartedly agree!

Count me as another "Keeping Up Appearances" fan - I've gotten the DVD's at the library after watching the show on PBS.

Oh Stasia...I know you really don't have a lot of time, and reading is always a better us of the time you *do* have, but the comeuppance of a silly, snobbish, clueless woman, delivered by her own follies, is simply too rich!

The best thing about the series is that it's warm-hearted, never cold or unkind to its characters. It's a change from most modern TV. The wonderful thing about the cast of characters is that they all, deep down, really do love Hyacinth, and she them, in spite of *everything*. The show has the happy ability to make you laugh at the antics, never the people.

PBS in Austin showed it all the time, as does PBS here, but the library quite likely has the DVDs. I'd count it a personal favor if you'd give the show a try, and of course no hard feelings on my part if you hate it! I'll simply know beyond any shadow of a doubt that your character defects are too severe even for chemical remediation. ;-P

"Keeping Up Appearances" was my mother-in law's- favorite show and although I don't watch much TV either we used to watch it when we visited her. It really is a funny show and Patricia Rutledge is wonderful. When our PBS stopped carrying it we bought the series for her--she never tired of them.

#191: I checked my local library and they have exactly one DVD from the series. I will give it a try - anything to keep you happy, Richard!

>193 *rubs hands in glee* Another addict in the making...my evil plot succeeds again....

#194: If I become an addict, it is going to have to happen fast, with only 1 DVD available, lol.

I have to throw my 2 cents in and weigh in with the addicts of the series as well. I must have seen the entire series 3 times over at least. Never fails to keep me in the giggles.

I am thankful for PBS because it brings to my hearth and home, the very best of British television, such as Masterpiece Theatre, the Vicar of Dibley (another good British comedy), As Time Goes By (who could fail to love anything Judi Dench is in?) and of course Keeping Up Appearances.

I, too, think you'll like it, Stasia, really . . .

With all these recommendations, how can I resist?

>194. ONE addict, Richard? Better make it two. I watch PBS exclusively, but not frequently, and although I have notice "Keeping Up Appearances" in my members' guide, I've not felt compelled yet to watch it. Until now. You have not only shamed Stasia into watching it, but you have shamed me in the process. Sigh.

>199 Terri, I predict you'll come back to this thread trilling, "The Booookaaay residence, the lady of the house speaking" in no time at all.

#199: Terri, I put the DVD on hold at the local library. When we have watched the show, we can compare notes as newbies, lol.

Stasia, I agree with Richard that Patricia Routledge's performance as Mrs. Bookaaay is brilliant - incidentally her put upon husband, much like our own put upon Richard is called Richard!

~ TT

I signed up for Netflix just so that I can get the episodes, lol. If I hate the series, I am going to be in deep trouble.

#199 me too terri.. I will search for it..
eta

There are a few DVDs at one library in the county, not mine... I will try to get them...

Message edited by its author, Aug 22, 2009, 7:53am.

#204: Not you, too, Kath! I thought you were immune to Richard's suggestions!

We are all doomed . . .

Oh no! This may be the beginning of the end of Stasia's declining Sunday reviews. Very ingenius method to your madnes Richard. Some will try anything to get more reads in than Stasia. ;)

>206 Carmenere!!! I told you the check was in the mail, and here you are giving away my nefarious plot!

Errrmmm...hi Stasia! Doin' good there! Keep those reviews a-comin'!

my downfall was going to the site for the program... lol

3 random ones coming into my library...
:)
I just asked for whatever she could get me.

Very firm fan of Mrs. Bucket (that's BouKAY, if you don't mind). I hope the one cd in Stasia's library is the one where they rent a canal boat.

I loved the episode where Richard is retired and Mrs Bucket decides he should be a photographer

Well, being CDO as I am (that's OCD in alphabetical order), I had to reserve the first one first. It is currently "Out: Due August 20." And today is, hmmm, August 22 by my calculations. I wish sometimes that the library told you who had it out so I could go to their house and wait on the porch. We may have to start a new Keeping Up Appearances thread.

It doesn't matter which one you watch, Onslo doesn't own a shirt in any of them.

>210 Tui, that is a *classic*...Hyacinth in that outfit...! But can you really say it's better than the "picnic with riparian entertainments" one?

The "picnic with riparian entertainments" one is def. my favorite episode. I've seen it a million times and it never fails to crack me up!

TV may not have much to offer, but the old British comedies such as "Keeping Up Appearances" and "Waiting for God" have been worth watching. Poor Hyacinth does have a time with her relatives.

No, the riparian entertainments is equally hilarious. I love "Last of the Summer Wine", especially the older ones with Compo (Compeau?).

Thanks so much >180! I will add it to my list right now :)

#217 - It's Compo - Compeau makes him sound like a Fench philosopher which definitely produces the wrong mental image.

This week's reads:

328. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carre - this is a book that was on Planet TBR for at least 5 years, and with the recent discussion about it in the group, I thought it was about time I got to it, and unfortunately, the book fell flat for me - no idea why, the book just did absolutely nothing for me

329. The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall - nonfiction; last year I read a few books concerning the Concord intellectual group that sprang up around Emerson, Thoreau and Bronson Alcott and Elizabeth Peabody's name kept coming up, so I decided to read more about her - she was a fascinating lady IMO and well-deserving of more recognition; this biography details her life as well as that of her sisters, Mary and Sophia; highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year

330. The War Against the Jews by Lucy Dawidowicz - nonfiction; this book gives the reasons (such as they are) behind Hitler's anti-Semitism and the rise of it in Germany and Europe and continues on through the war - a lot of detail concerning the Jewish ghettos at the beginning of the Holocaust; one think I really commend in the book are the appendices, especially the one that discusses the fate of the Jews country by country; highly recommended

331. Walls of Jericho by Jon Land - 2 Palestinian and Israeli police officers are commissioned by their respective goverments to find a serial killer, but not without putting political stumbling blocks in the way; recommended (this is the first book in a series BTW)

332. Sweetsmoke by David Fuller - an excellent piece of historical fiction, with a mystery involved - I do not remember who recommended this, but a big thank you; highly recommended

333. On the Run by Iris Johansen - audiobook; I am a big Johansen fan, but this one was not one of her best IMHO

334. The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen - nonfiction; Skousen goes through 28 principles found in the US Constitution to remind Americans of how the country was built; this book was initially published over 20 years ago, and I think the lessons in it are well worth reiterating; highly recommended

335. Renegade by Ted Dekker - young adult; this is the third book in Dekker's Lost Books series and I did not think it was as strong of an entry as the previous two; guardedly recommended

336. Shadowland by Jenny Carroll - young adult; Catey gave me this one to read, and I really enjoyed this tale of a 16-yo who sees ghosts; recommended

By my count, I am at 104 nonfiction books for the year, so I think the goal I set of 150 for the year is still doable, but I need to pick up the pace a bit. I am currently reading one of Tui's suggestions but after that, who knows? This next week looks to be more mysteries than anything else, lol.

Touchstones are being completely wonky for me!

Message edited by its author, Aug 23, 2009, 6:24am.

wonderful list..

I read the le Carre years ago...I think..
I am a fan of Johansen too :)

plan to add Peabody Sisters to my list..

#221: Seems we share similar tastes in our guilty pleasures, Kath.

I hope you do have a chance to read The Peabody Sisters. Let me know what you think of it!

:) It looks like we do!

The Peabody Sisters and Shadowland look interesting, i have added both to my wishlist. Thanks Stasia

Hayley, Shadowland is the first book in a series. I should have mentioned it in my review. Jenny Carroll and Meg Cabot, the author of the Princess Diaries, are one and the same, in case you did not know.

Walls of Jericho and Sweetsmoke have made it to my wishlist.Thanks for the recommendations, Stasia.

I'll have to get The 5000 Year Leap for my husband .. he'll love this book. Great timing too because I was trying to think of a good book to get him as a present.

Happy Sunday Stasia!

How I miss my previous trips to Concord, Lexington, Boston and Waltham Mass!

Previously, it was a weekly vacation and then when my son-in law went to Tufts for his Engineering Masters and my daughter taught school in Boxboro/Acton area, I made the eight-hour pilgrimage often.

I had a wonderful American Literature professor in college who gave me such a love of Hawthorne, Poe, Emerson, Thoreau that his teachings and the writings of this lively bunch are forever embedded in my mind.

Thus, I'm gladly adding The Peabody Sisters to my tbr pile. Sophia Peabody was the wife of Nathaniel Hawthorne. When they were first married they lived in The Manse (a must see) and etched a phrase/sentence in the glass window (rather expensive at that time) regarding their happiness together. Since it was Emmerson's house, I thought it was rather selfish of them to do this, but the good thing about their action is that those who visit the house can see their proclamation of love.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_Hawt...

opps, I see that I just went off on a tangent. As you can see, I am obsessed with these people and the time period.

------------------

Back to books, I've added #330, 332, and 336 from your list this week.

ANASTASIA MATILDA SHERMANDWELLER!! (You just can't call someone out without knowing three of their names, so I hadda make 'em up)

THREE --- yes three --- separate and distinct books I, unemployed, broke, library-dependent, *had to* have on this week's list. Three.

One, painful coincidence. Two, unhappy happenstance. But three...that's simply malevolent plotting on your part, I know it!

Sweetsmoke sounds too interesting not to enjoy, involving characters, good plot. Walls of Jericho has too many pluses to ignore...main characters from opposite sides of a great divide, a compelling reason to cooperate vs a compelling reason to hate each other, oooh how could you bring this to my attention when I can't resist this kind of book?!? And The Peabody Sisters! Well!

*whimpers off to block Stasia*

Stasia

You may turn The Peabody Sisters into a best seller! I have American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever waiting for me--hopefully for this year's 999--and the Megan Marshall book sound like it would be a good companion read. It's on the wish list!

yahaha..........I see your evil plan has not yet had an effect on Stasia's Sunday review, richard. ps did not rec. check.
Since I developed a new found restraint, and already a huge amount of books in my cart at Seashell Books I am only going to add The Peabody Sisters at this point although I may add more at another time.
Happily awoke with sniffles and sore throat, I believe a day on the comfy couch with a good book is seriously called for.

Lynda

I hope you feel better! Happy Reading!

Sweetsmoke has gone onto the wishlist and Shadowland has been mooched. Darn you!!!!!!!!

*block Stasia* ....*ponders pros/cons*

nope

just can't do it. I will have to suffer the consequences.

I already ordered Peabody Sisters... 8-/

#226: Caroline, Sweetsmoke is definitely the better written of the two, but Walls of Jericho is a good book for the genre. I hope your husband likes The 5000 Year Leap - I appreciated the fact that the author based so much of the book on the Founding Fathers own writings and makes use of liberal quotations from Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson et al.

#227: Linda, since you are interested in the subject, have you read Eden's Outcasts and American Bloomsbury yet? I read them both last year and they are very good!

#228: Richard, you are not *shocked silence* really considering blocking poor little old me who never did anything to you? (except recommend books you really ought to read anyway)

OK, as far as the name thing goes, I really must point out that Stasia is not in fact short for Anastasia in my case. It is simply Stasia, from the Greek for resurrection. I know this because I chose it myself years ago when I went to court and had it legally changed (we will not discuss what it was before except to point out that I grew up hating it and changed it at the earliest opportunity). My middle name is not Matilda either, it is Christine. So there you have it.

#229: Carolyn, move American Bloomsbury up on the stack if you please and then put both The Peabody Sisters and Eden's Outcasts on the stack beside it!

#230: Lynda, I hope you did get your comfy day on the couch and are feeling much better now! Be assured, Richard's nefarious plot will never get me :)

#232: Hello, lunacat! I know you will enjoy Shadowland especially, so I refuse to be darned!

#237: Kath, I really think you will enjoy the book, but I am hurt that you would even consider joining Richard in the potential block of poor little old me!

Stasia

Eden's Outcasts has been duly added to my wishlist, The Peabody Sisters is already there and I plan to get them the next time I go to Amazon. I think I will plan to read them as a group, along with American Bloomsbury--perhaps as the "last hurrah" of my 999 challenge. I think it would be fitting as an homage to a year of reading. They will fit nicely into my Book about Books category and Biography category.

#238: I hope you enjoy them all, Carolyn.

Stasia, sorry you didn't enjoy Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy -- but I think you either like that sort of thing or you don't.

#240: Hey, no problem. I fall back on my old saw: Not every book is for everybody.

Funny...there are a lot of posts here I don't seem to be able to read...*checks browser tab for name of thread*...OH! Yes, of course, Stasia. Well, since I can't read any of her posts I'm safe!

*kicks off shoes, has a piece of pie*

Ahhh. This is the life. No siren of the book-stacks to tempt me!

Wow... Sweetsmoke, Walls of Jericho, Shadowland... my goodness there's a lot of good stuff here! :) Can't wait to find these ones...

#242: I hope you have a lovely time ignoring me, Richard :)

#243: I hope you enjoy them, Faith!

Stasia
Have no fear, Richard will not be successful in ignoring you. None of us can resist you!

Wow. Eight separate posting logs (a very good idea: doing one for each month!) and 336 books. I'd like to think my silence has unwittingly given you more time to read. ;) Bless you, dear.

#246: Maybe I should change my name to Stasia-the-Borg: "Resistance is futile" lol

#247: I would much rather read your posts than any book, Linda. Come back more often!

It was only momentary...
I tend to check my bank balance before I read your thread..
I also keep my library page open but they rarely have much.

they should hire me...

#249: I'll put in a good word for you at the library, Kath!

:) Thanks ever so much!

#220 I'm so glad that you liked The Peabody Sisters. That's in my TBR pile, but I worked at The House of Seven Gables for 6 years during high school and college as a tour guide and know about the Peabody sisters and Hawthorne quite intimately. They are a fascinating and well educated bunch!

I've read The Peabody Sisters of Salem by Louise Hall Thrap which is a much older book, but I really need to read the new one because I hear it is just so well done.

I've put in an order for The 5000 Year Leap so it should arrive by the time I get back from my trip. My husband is a political nut so a book that contains quotations from such luminaries will go down really well.

Amy-Sue

You worked at the House of Seven Gables! Incredible!!!!!

Rumor has it that it is haunted. Have you heard of this?

I only added 3 of those to my wishlist, Stasia... I think I need to spend less time making lists of books I want to read and more time actually reading!

I might find that book about the Peabody sisters interesting. My kids descend from the Peabody family of Salem - I think the two lines diverge at the third generation! They also connect to one of the witches in that area.

#254 Heard about it and seen it. Friendly spirits...I was never afraid to be in the house alone. It was definitely the best job I have ever had, hands down. Well, except for being a Mom of course :-)

Shadowland looks good. Here's the link to the homepage, http://www.librarything.com/work/63565/b...

Whoa, this thread has been silent for almost two days. Is there a new one and I missed it?

#259: No, not yet - it is still August. My mother has been in town visiting, so I am behind on responding. I have a lot to catch up on, Missy!

LOL -- have fun with your mom!

#261: She left yesterday, so I am working on getting caught up on threads again.

Amazing how RL interferes with LT, isn't it! :-D Hope you had a nice visit with your Mom. Those times are precious.

#263: Yes, the time with my mother was very precious. I do not get to see her nearly often enough, so in this instance, I am not at all upset about RL interfering with LT (well, OK, maybe just a little, lol).

Welcome back! I missed you!

#265: Thanks, Linda!

#220: I've put it off for a few days but I'm going to have to add War against the Jews and Walls of Jericho to my tbr list.

Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen showed up yesterday. I will start it tonight..

#267: What took you so long, Kerry? lol

#268: Looking forward to the review of that one, Kath!

This week's reads:

337. The Lost City of Z by David Grann - nonfiction; I thoroughly enjoyed this true story of a man's obsession of finding a lost city in the Amazon and am grateful to Richard for making me bump it up on Planet TBR; highly recommended

338. Dune by Frank Herbert - Carolyn and I read this together and she has an excellent review on her thread, http://www.librarything.com/topic/61650, so there is not much I can add; I liked a lot about the book, the one thing I did not particularly care for was the amount of politics in it; still overall, recommended

339. The Perfect Summer by Juliet Nicolson - nonfiction; Tui recommended this one on her thread (thanks!) and I enjoyed it very much; Nicolson paints a snapshot in time of a more innocent age, before World War I erupted; highly recommended

340. The Dirty Secrets Club by Meg Gardiner - a decent thriller about a group of people with secrets to hide; guardedly recommended

341. Blue Heaven by C.J. Box - an excellent thriller recommended by JoycePa by the author of the Joe Pickett series, this is a stand alone book; highly recommended

342a. Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith - young adult graphic novel; a fun graphic novel about 3 cousins who get lost and their adventures; recommended

342b. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd - graphic novel; engrossing is the word that springs to mind about this book; Moore has impressed me both with Watchmen and this book and I will definitely look for more of his work; highly recommended

343. Deadly Game by Christine Feehan - more of the Ghostwalker series; recommended for fans of Feehan or of the genre, although this is not the strongest book in the series

344. The Fighting 69th by Sean Michael Flynn - nonfiction; this story of one man's efforts to get the 69th back into fighting shape is a remarkable one; the use of the 'f' word throughout the text is liberal, so be advised; I think the book could have been better written, made tighter by focusing on just a couple of the participants, rather than so many, but I recommend it on the strength of the story

345. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly - cozy mystery set in a bookshop, nothing new here, just a pleasant story; guardedly recommended

346. Dr. Seuss Goes to War by Richard Minear - nonfiction; an indepth look at the political cartoons Theodore Geisel penned for PM magazine during the early 1940s (thanks Whisper for mentioning this on a thread - I forget whose - in the group); highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year, although be advised that there is racism toward the Japanese in the cartoons

347. Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer - young adult; I have an inherent prejudice against books that portray fundamentalists of any stripe as gun-toting, Bible-thumping idiots who cannot see beyond the end of their noses; that being said, for the most part I enjoyed this dystopian novel about a genetically engineered teenager and her escape attempt from said fundamentalists; guardedly recommended

All in all, a pretty good reading week, and a week with a visit from my mother, so a RL good week!

Glad you enjoyed The Perfect Summer, Stasia. I grabbed a copy from my library yesterday and hope to start it soon :)

#271: If you do not like it, blame it on Tui. Of course, if you like it, I will take all the credit :)

I passed Z on to my son, who liked it even more than I did. Good read that.

The Ghost one sounds like a comfy fireside sunday read :)

YAYAYAYAYAYAY no books to add to the wishlist

Of couse, thats only because I already have 4 of them either on the wishlist or in the tbr room, but still...........yay!!

You've made my day Stasia, keep it up ;)

#273: It is, Kath, nothing strenuous there.

#274: Glad I could oblige you, lunacat!

Book 337 - Have it. Must read it!
Book 338 - Read it more years ago than I care to remember. Loved it!
Book 341 - Have it. Will read it one year (maybe).
Book 334 - Have it. Will read it soon.
Book 346 - Want it! For more on WWII Japanese/American racism, see War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War by John Dower (in my collection - unread).

Stasia...

Naturally, I'm adding many of your books to the pile!

Regarding the Dr. Seuss book, I believe it was Terri who pointed me in the direction of this book.

I'm currently reading Z. (I can't renew it because some other biblionut has it on hold) I will be adding my donation to the new library wing on this one.

Love these "Sunday Mornin's On The Acre". Put your own tune to it. I've got mine.
Good morning Stasia.
I rather lucked out this week. Read Z; (Mark shipped the ER edition off to me as a loaner when he finished it). Loved, loved, loved it!~! I am glad you liked it as well.
Read Dune when it came out for my book group (eons ago), read V for Vendetta, don't do graphic novels, so all in all I pulled 3 recx from your thread this A.M.
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women from Kath, (thank you, my dear)
The Perfect Summer,
Blue Heaven and
The Fighting 69th sounds quite good as well.
Thanks. Am glad you enjoyed the mama visit. Mine was actually glad to see me when I got home. She was also very happy when I dashed from the plane right in and changed her bed, did her laundry, cleaned her kitchen & bath and vacuumed. Then she very politely told me it was time for her movie and kissed me good bye. Damn, it is good to be home.
Big hug coming your way. "Hi Catey!~!"
belva

Added Perfect Summer, Blue Heaven, and Broken Angel to the wishlist. Thanks, Stasia!

Added Lost City of Z to the wishlist. All this time I'd been thinking it was sci-fi, which I don't read, and I was happy ignoring it. But as a nonfiction, I've got to take a look.

I added Blue Heaven, and our county library actually has it!

#270

Thanks for the plug for my review! :-)

I own Lost City of Z and am putting it on the "short shelf" (books I plan to read when I finish the 999). I've added Perfect Summer (I almost did when I read tui's review--you pushed me over the edge) and Blue Heaven (if both you and Joyce recommend it, it has to be great) to my wish list--which will soon be larger than my library. :-) Sounds like you not only had a good week, but a buy one, too!

Re: #270 & 277: It WAS me who recommended Dr. Seuss Goes to War! Ha! I actually read and recommended a book before Stasia! I feel so literate! And yes, there was a great deal of Japanese racism in the cartoons, but remember, during that time period, they were "the enemy," and that's when he was drawing the cartoons.

For all those who liked The Lost City of Z - Teddy Roosevelt had his own Amazonian adventure exploring an unknown tributary described in The River of Doubt. I'd say the book isn't quite as compelling as Z, but pretty good anyway.

>#284:
Terri;
Didn't your mother ever tell you it wasn't nice to gloat??????? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm????

***$#@^&*(+%$#@***

Damn, why couldn't it have been me??????????
hee hee hee!~! Good on you!~!~!


glitter-graphics.com

belva

Well, yes, she did tell me that, but I got over it. I figure that if I don't toot my own horn, no one else is going to toot it for me! Besides, it's so rare that I read anything before anyone else in this group. Let me have my li'l moment, Belva!

Glory in it girl!~! It may be the only time any one of us ever gets anything over on her!~!~!



belva

#276: Peter, you need to get reading!

#277: Linda, I am glad you found something you like this week. I worry about that you know.

#278: Lynda, if you like, I will send you my copy of Z so that you do not have to finance a new wing for your local library with your fines :)

#279: Belva, it does not sound as if I did too much damage this week :)

#280: You are quite welcome, Marcia.

#281: Sandy, do give it a try. It is definitely worth the read.

#282: I hope you enjoy it!

#283: I try to give credit where credit is due, Carolyn (sorry, Terri!). I hope you enjoy the books.

#284: I do humbly apologize for messing up who recommended the Dr. Seuss book, Terri. As far as the racism goes, I realize it was a product of the times, I just like to warn people up front.

#285: Jim, I read that one last year and second your recommendation. I thought it was a great book.

I'm adding The Perfect Summer to the list. I've already read The Lost City of Z, Blue Heaven and Dr. Seuss Goes to War, and I'm not quite into graphic novels just yet, so my TBR list thanks you very much!

*whistles through thread, not reading bright blue words*
*sees own name, stops to read*
What?! MY recommendation caused the illustrious Stasia to read Z?? Good! And you liked it, too! Whew. I can hold my head high in polite society.

*skedaddles before reading scary blue words littering Stasia's thread like landmines*

#292: Terri, I had read only the graphic novel Persepolis prior to LT, which I really liked, but had never thought of them as a whole as literature, but I have really had my eyes opened with Alan Moore's work. You should give them a try some time.

#293: Now Richard, I know that you must at least notice a few of the scary blue words.

Yes, your recommendation of Z finally pushed me into reading it, so I thank you very much. It had only been sitting on the shelf for about 8 months before that shove. I am so glad that you can now hold your head high (which makes me wonder where it was before?)

So Stasia;

Am very tired of the toe tapping

While your thread loads.

What toe tapping . . .?

Would you please kindly

Ah, OK

I will be starting a new one September 1

Number 9 for the year

load a new thread????????????????



I and the gods will thank you.
belva

Y not now?

Because it is only August 30, lol

If we weren't in mixed company and if I weren't a lady I just might use an expletive here!~!

Come on, Belva, one thread a month ought to be enough for anybody!

I'm gonna go find laytonwoman3rd and tell on ya!~!
And you know it ought to be, but 4 U it is not my dear.

#307: What are you going to tell lw3 about me?

>302 That enormous glittery thing at 286 doesn't help (with load times I mean) ;P

So Laura, what you're saying is it's my own damned fault? Well, you know you just may have something there. hee hee hee

Stasia;
I think lw3 has dial up and the long threads drive her nuts; or so says Charlie.
blubs n hugs,
belva

P.S. did I tell you that on the way back to Robbi's (the daughter) I pulled into a HPB shop and found April 1865. I was a happy camper!~! Thanx for the rec.

#310: I look forward to seeing what you think of it!

The Lost City of Z has been on my to read list for a while now and all the reviews so far have been positive.
I read Dune and a couple of the sequels back in high school and loved them.

>250 Stasia, having read your scary blue words, I have succumbed to The Lost City of Z. My library has a copy. It's the Saint's fault!

~ TT

#312/313: I do not think you will be disappointed in Z. You are right, TT, we can blame it all on Saint Richard!

>289 Thanks for the offer Stasia but I've been pretty good lately returning my library books so if Z is late I feel it's the least I can do to increase my library's coffers. Have a great day!

Catching up with your monumentally busy thread, Stasia. I also enjoyed the Z book - with the comment that the author's own adventures were somewhat comical when compared with the real explorer's trials. I was disappointed in that part.

I must read that Nicholson book - it lingers on the TBR pile.

Just passing through to say Hello!

(waves)

:)

>294. I also read and enjoyed Persepolis, and actually attended a Marjane Satrapi book-signing several years ago that was only lightly attended, so I got to spend some time talking with her. A very interesting woman.
Since I highly value your opinion, I will have to put the graphic novels on my list. Sigh.

#315: OK, Lynda. Happy reading!

#316: Bump it up a bit, Karen. I do not think you will be disappointed in The Perfect Summer.

#317: Drop by any time!

#318: Just start small, Terri. I highly recommend the Alan Moore books as a starting point. I am certainly not an expert on graphic novels by any stretch of the imagination.

I don't think I've posted here in a while, so now I am even though I have nothing useful to contribute at this time. Hi.

What did you not like about The Dirty Secrets Club that made you only guardedly recommend it? I read the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting

cameling (and Stasia)

I was wondering the same thing!

I love how I back away for an afternoon and come back to 39 posts on your thread. ;) I read the first ... some. Always a good place to beef up the monumental TBR list. It's a damn good thing I never turned on the one-click order on Amazon.

#320: Hi, Mike. Thanks for dropping by.

#321/322: Overall, I liked the story, but reading it back to back with what was an excellent thriller by C.J. Box brought my rating of the Gardiner book down a bit, I think. Does that make sense?

#323: I am sure that Amazon is wishing you did turn on the one-click order, Luxx, even if your pocketbook does not :) Glad to see you back.

Your rating makes perfect sense, now. When I've read several books close together, I know my ratings are affected by the comparisons of how much I enjoyed each one at the time. Often I will go back to check on a book I read a few months ago and will be surprised by the number of stars I gave it then--as compared to what I would say in retrospect. Usually the difference isn't great--no more that a star, or even 1/2 star one way or the other--but there is definitely an influence when you are reading several books at the same time.

Stasia

When I was in Yellowstone in July of this year, I saw a lot of C.J. Box books displayed throughout bookstores both inside the park and outside.

I imagine the setting for many of them is Yellowstone.

Stasia, 45 to read wasn't bad enough.. now I have to go looking for a new one...
woe....woe.. woe.

#327: 45 what, Kath? If you are talking about books, I did not read 45 books last week (I wish!) . . .

Stasia, yes I understand your rating now. Whenever I've read a particularly good book, I've tried not to follow that with another book of the same genre or if the same genre, then at least not the same timbre because otherwise the latter will suffer in comparison.

I find myself thinking back and savoring certain parts of a book I've just really enjoyed, while I'm reading my next, and that's why I need to pick follow on books that are either lighter in tone.

New month, new thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/72211

Come on over everybody!