It is hard for me to believe it is September already! Wow, where did the year go? Another month, another thread.

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

My August thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/70159

Message edited by its author, Oct 2, 2009, 11:26am.

WOW! I get to be the first post on your ninth thread!

Hello there!

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
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

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 by Luis Alberto Urrea
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

Young Adult/Juvenile
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
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

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, Oct 2, 2009, 11:27am.

#2: Boy, you were quick, Linda. I did not even finish my tickers and all the other accoutrements.

Bother - your threads move so quickly that I'd not even begun to get up to date on the last one! I'm officially skipping August...

If you had to pick 1 or 2 from each of your memorable reads lists above, which would they be?

I also really enjoyed The Forever War - I've been on my library waiting list for Forever Peace it's sequel, for a very long time now (I think the book must have been lost...) - have you read it at all?

#5: Flissp, I have not read Forever Peace. I did not even know there was a sequel to The Forever War. *heading off to library website*

As far as my overall favorite picks, I do not know if I can narrow it down to just 1 or 2. I might be able to pick 1 or 2 from each category, though: Nonfiction - Columbine and Speak, Memory; Fiction - Wizard of the Crow and Doomsday Book; Young Adult - The Hunger Games and The Underneath. I am not sure I am even happy with those choices, but it's a start. Does that help?

belva is much happier now Stasia.
Good morning.
Great choices up there going by what everyone on LT says about them. I must admit I have only read two of them.
Have a great day girl. Ours didn't start off so well, but that sometimes happens, doesn't it?
hugs,
belva

#7: Anything to make you happy, Belva! I hope your day improves.

#6 I've a feeling that Forever Peace may not live up to Forever War (or it'd be easier to get hold of), but I don't know about you, but I still want to find it at some point!

Yep, actually, I meant 1/2 per category and yep, that helps! :) Thank you!

#9: Glad the short list helped, flissp.

Gotcha!

#11: It's good to be got, Luxx!

>6 & 9: Forever Peace does not live up to The Forever War. It's fair, at best.

BTW, it's not really a sequel—Haldeman, himself, has stated that. It just happens to share some background.

Message edited by its author, Sep 1, 2009, 5:14pm.

Hi! I've got you starred again! :)

It will get better. Having to bury your favorite kitty is not a good start to anyone's day. And the little 6 year old found him. All four of us were bawling like babies and when my daughter and the 11 year old finally left for school, he was still crying. Moose was everyone's favorite out of all six.
I am not handling it very well and having to be honest, when my husband got up I told him that even though I know it wasn't his fault, right now I want to blame him because this cat and one other are inside cats except for going out to potty. The rest just come in and out and sleep on the pantry where they have a kitty door. While I was gone he made them all stay outside all the time and the two house cats don't know to use the kitty door for the pantry. Moose got into the habit of going across the street at night. Since I have been back, they have been staying in at night again but apparently after I went to bed last night, Moose went to the door and wanted out. Roger let him out and this is what happened. I just want to blame someone. I buried him myself and went to the florist and got a little statuette that has a little girl, a kitty and a butterfly on it to put over his grave.
When Polly (our love bird) died, we put a statuette of a little boy, a dog and a bird on his grave.
Tomorrow will be better. But all day I have just wanted to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head.
Well, enough sniveling. Let's get back to books.

Posting and starring.. and hugging belva again...

Oh oh woe...another month of Stasia tormenting me with books I *must* read but *can't* buy. *sob*

ah hah.... found you. *waves*

#17: There, there, Richard. I know you will survive. After all, I survive your thread.

#18 Waving right back, Caroline!

Happy September!

Hi, Stasia!
Just stopping by your September thread. I also got behind and missed out on August with all the travelling. Loved reading about your memorable reads. You have a lot on there that I have been interested in reading. Maybe next year! (I am already thinking about next year because I have to finish my 999 this year and it is going to be a squeaker!) Have a great day!
--BJ

And Belva, I am thinking about you and your sweet kitty. God bless.

#21: Happy September to you too, jadebird!

#22: Good luck with finishing out your 999 challenge this year, BJ.

*sigh* new thread and 23 posts already. Stop talking people!!!!!!!!

#24 sorry Jenny, no can do!

#13 TadAD, hmmm, not really a sequel. I read the Worlds series when I was at school and didn't cotton on to the fact that they're the same author until fairly recently - I remember that they were a bit silly and certainly nothing like as good as Forever War. How would you say Forever Peace compares?

I know luna.. I am way behind on many threads, AND my reading.. gak!

Belva, sorry over the loss of your cat. My thoughts are with you today.

#24: Umm, exactly how am I supposed to shut them up, Jenny? Besides, I like being one of the threads where people feel comfortable talking about almost anything.

284 unread on the last thread + 28 on this one = a LOT to get through. Phew. Clearly I should never take holidays.

Just had a little browse through your 'memorable reads' list - I got The Hunger Games through the post the other day, but am i right in thinking it's another of these trilogy-with-cliffhangers books? If so I may hold off until I have all three.. Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking has taught me not to start what I can't finish :)

#28 Lol....

Shout at them? Threaten them with 10 million book recommendations?? I don't know, why do I have to be the genius round here??.....

*wanders off muttering about the unfairness of everyone reading good books and being happy and lovely and talkative*

She already gives us 10 million book recommendations....she'll have to come up with something better.

10 billion?

I do not think I have read even 10 million books yet, Jenny, let alone 10 billion!

#29: Glad to see you back, Rachael. Nothing earth-shattering has happened on my threads, so I understand if you cannot get through them all.

I keep getting a message saying "This group has been deleted?!" Anyone else having this difficulty?

Don't panic. It's a side effect of a bug fix that Tim is in the process of fixing...

http://www.librarything.com/topic/69305

Thank goodness! I thought everyone got mad at me and deleted all my groups so they could start over without me. However, I am able to access individual threads from my home page. Plot thwarted!

#36: Too late. I already panicked! Trying to reconstruct 9 threads would be beyond me.

That was scary! Glad everyone is still here.

Me, too. I thought I was going to have to go through group withdrawal.

>#35:
Stasia;
If Jim hadn't had the answer I would have just assumed that the powers that be thought your thread was a "group" and skewered it. LOL
belva

Very funny, Belva!

Starring your September thread... 42 posts already? Sheesh.

I checked your thread and i thought i can't believe it, only six posts! then I got to the end and found another 43!

Happy Birthday - you have one every month!

~ TT

>25: flissp

"How would you say Forever Peace compares?"

The Forever War makes my list of Top Science Fiction. Forever Peace doesn't come close to making it.

My comment at the time of reading probably sums it up: "I read it, I'll probably forget about it some day."

it's SO hard to keep up with you!!
(*stars thread*)

Dropping in.
Like TT, I thought 6 was a nice low manageable number. But then I got to the link to this wonderful new thread.

Ok, back to reading books now.

Laura

I finally made it here!

*waves and stars*

Hey, I am glad you all caught up to me again!

It took me a while to find you. At least I'm ready for Sunday now! :-)

#45 Thanks Tad - maybe I'll wait for it to turn up at the library (rather than going out to buy it) after all then...

What did you think of The Hummingbird's Daughter? Someone kindly gifted me this book and I'm trying to decide if I should move it up my TBR pile or let it take it's natural turn in line

I loved The Hummingbird's Daughter! It is on my memorable reads list for the year. Shove it to the top of the pile, Caroline.

Pushing it to the top and causing other books to loudly protest against cutting the line .. but hey, I'm only acting on Stasia's commands.

#54: Kath pushed it off on me, so turn about is fair play. You will thank me later :)

Okay. This is really the outside of enough. BOTH Stasia *AND* cameling talking about The Hummingbird's Daughter, oh now really!! This has caused me to go to the liberry and get the dratted thing! Not enough that mckait throws it in my face and praises it to the skies, her I can ignore for a week or two or six, but now...! Many are the books that have to be renewed now. Are you both happy with yourselves? Hmmm? Are you?

I am beside myself with delight - oh look, now there are 2 of me :)

LOL at Alcott and Richard Dear!

OMG

No bloody WAY!!!

The Hummingbird's Daughter has FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE pages?! And no one bothered to mention, oh so casually, "oh and beware...this book's a doorstop" or ANYthing?

*broken-wristed moan*

It's 489 pages....ONLY 489 pages. I got sucked into The Crimson Petal and the White because of someone in this group, and that was just about 900. Please don't complain about a mere 489.

Although perhaps the touchstones could begin to show in different colors so that we are aware of book that may be "long" and avoid or postpone them as necessary. Over 200 pages the color is green, over 500 pages, the color is yellow, over 750 pages the color is red....

Richard, no complaining. I'm reading Rhett Butler's People weighing in at 799 pages and when I finish Andrew Jackson:His life and Times at 1024 pages! Dueling doorstops!!!

Message edited by its author, Sep 4, 2009, 11:18pm.

#59: Richard, just think of it as 489 short 1 page books :)

#62 -- you mean, he'll qualify for the 489-Book Challenge? :)

Yep - he can start a group of 1. He has to start somewhere!

You could always read Clarissa instead... (1499 pages)

Read the first billion and a half words of Clarissa long ago, and it scarred me for life. Awful, awful, awful. Agonizing.

So far, The Hummingbird's Daughter isn't catching fire. It's 22pp away from a Pearl Rule out.

Brace yourselves, everyone, and hide the credit cards. Tomorrow's Sunday, and we all know what THAT means. *low, broken moan*

Just passing through. Happened tp notice that rdear is ignoring me again..
Thank goodness that stasia and cameling have gotten his attention, as he is bound to love Hummingbird's Daughter.

Why should I care if he misses that glorious read? I am nicer than he is, that's why.

Seriously rdear, quite whining like a baby and read. It really isn't even a book until 400 pages. Anything under that is a novella.

wimp

Managed to mooch Hummingbird's Daughter and I'm looking forward to getting it in the mail ... it'll be my read for my flight to Tokyo next week.

#66: What does it mean, Richard? You constantly tell me you pay no attention to the pretty blue words on my thread, so I have no idea how Sundays can affect you.

BTW - You must give Hummingbird a chance - Kath and I cannot both be wrong, can we?

#68: I hope you enjoy it, Caroline!

I went through a bit of a book funk this week. I really hate those! Combined with being a busy week and a book that took a bit of digesting, it was rather a slow reading week.

348a. Only You by Deborah Grace Staley - an ER book, an old-fashioned romance that adds nothing new to the genre; guardedly recommended

348b. Greenwitch by Susan Cooper - read for the group here on LT, not the strongest entry in the Dark is Rising series IMO, but I rather liked it in spite of that; recommended

349. Atherton: The House of Power by Patrick Carman - juvenile; I really liked this story of science gone astray and the people whose lives are affected by it; highly recommended

350. A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters - the first book in the Brother Cadfael series, which I have never read before, and I enjoyed it; recommended

351. Have Spacesuit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein - young adult; Carolyn read this recently and I discovered my copy in amongst the boxes of books my hubby carried in, so I thought I would give it a re-read; I thought the story held up well; recommended

352. A Necessary End by Peter Robinson - the third book in the Inspector Banks series; I did not care for this one as much as the previous two, but it was still a good read; guardedly recommended

353. American Progressivism: A Reader - nonfiction; this is the book that took a bit of digesting and was best read, for me at least, in small sections; this book, along with The 5000 Year Leap, was recommended in Glenn Beck's Common Sense, and is an excellent introduction to the progressive movement in the US; highly recommended for students of the progressive movement and/or the US Constitution

354. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin - the next time I have nothing to do, I am just going to whisk myself away to Italy like the 4 ladies in this book did :); highly recommended

School begins again in earnest this week for Catey and I and Beth is scheduling her GED, so lots going on. Catey will also find out Friday if she is going to get the part-time job she applied for the other day at the local coffee bar, so keep your fingers crossed!

I'm trying hard not to add to my tbr pile - Atherton is already there thanks to dk_phoenix and I recommend Patrick Carman's Skeleton Creek. The Enchanted April is on my tbr, I loved the movie.

#72: Skeleton Creek looks good. I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Kerry.

The Enchanted April was a lot of fun, and the movie (available from Netflix) is good too.

Fingers crossed for Catey! My favorite job in college was working at our local Caribou. Nothing motivates you to work like an endless supply of caffeine at your fingertips...

#75: Thanks, Luxx.

Stasia,
I just finished Only You, I enjoyed it but can understand your guarded recommendation -- I think it would only appeal to some people.

Whoop-de-whoop.............no books to add for me!!!!!!!!

YAYYYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYYAYAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

Added Atherton and The Enchanted April... Sorry about your book funk, but you still get more reading done in a funk than I do when I'm not in one, lol! I wish Catey good luck with the coffee house job. I intend to start looking seriously for a part time job this week myself. Not as easy as it looks!

"...it was rather a slow reading week."

"Only" 8 books this week. Okay, rub it in. I consider 8 books a really good month for me! :-)

I've actually read 3 books on that list. I love the movie Enchanted April and own it because I watch it periodically--it's a "comfort movie" for me. I didn't realize it was a book until I saw it mentioned last year on LT and I bought a copy. With your recommendation I'm putting it on my "short shelf" now. If it's as good as the movie it will become a "comfort read" probably. Let me know if you want company on that trip to Italy! :-D

hmph.....slow reading week she sez ..... 8 books she reads in a slow week ...... Stasia, you'll don't KNOW what slow reading is! ;-)

I have to add Enchanted April to my wishlist ... it sounds like a fun read. I love stories where travel features and travelogues, especially ones where individuals take themselves off without too much planning. Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Gelman remains one of my favorite books and has inspired me to look at traveling on my own as opportunities to seek off-mainstream tourist activities.

Hi, Stasia,
Good luck to everyone with the new school year, the new job possibility, and the GED. I never found my copy of Greenwitch although I looked and looked for a whole month. So today I went to 2 book stores and finally came up with one copy. I just started it today and I have to say that I like it so far. Have a great rest of the holiday weekend!
--BJ

I'm adding Have Spacesuit Will Travel to my wish list, for memory's sake; I'm pretty sure I read this when I was in grade school!

Strong work as usual, Stasia!

I had an extremely busy holiday weekend so I am just now catching up. I apologize for the delay in responding.

#75: Thanks, Luxx. I will let Catey know.

#78: Congratulations (for once), Jenny. lol

#79: Good luck with your part-time job hunt, Marcia.

#80: Carolyn, you and I are on for a trip to Italy!

#81: Caroline, I will look for Tales of a Female Nomad. It looks like something I would enjoy. I hope you get a chance to read The Enchanted April.

#82: I hope you enjoyed your holiday and Greenwitch, BJ!

#83: Enjoy Have Spacesuit - Will Travel again, Darryl. I know I did.

Chiming in on Have Spacesuit Will Travel and Robert Heinlein

The American astronaut Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9 mission) quoted this Heinlein poem when he was in space looking down on earth.

I get the chills each time I read it.

The Green Hills of Earth

Let the sweet fresh breezes heal me
As they rove around the girth
Of our lovely mother planet
Of the cool, green hills of Earth.

We rot in the moulds of Venus,
We retch at her tainted breath.
Foul are her flooded jungles,
Crawling with unclean death.

--- the harsh bright soil of Luna ---
--- Saturn's rainbow rings ---
--- the frozen night of Titan ---

We've tried each spinning space mote
And reckoned its true worth:
Take us back again to the homes of men
On the cool, green hills of Earth.

The arching sky is calling
Spacemen back to their trade.
ALL HANDS! STAND BY! FREE FALLING!
And the lights below us fade.

Out ride the sons of Terra,
Far drives the thundering jet,
Up leaps a race of Earthmen,
Out, far, and onward yet ---

We pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave us birth;
Let us rest our eyes on the friendly skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.

Thanks for sharing that, Linda!

I had no idea Heinlein wrote poems - I thought it was only sci-fi books!

>87: In the book, The Green Hills of Earth, is the short story "The Green Hills of Earth", in which the "Blind Singer of the Spaceways", Rhysling, writes a song entitled, "The Green Hills of Earth"...the above are the lyrics.

ETA: The title was taken from a line in a C. L. Moore story, one of the first of the female science fiction writers. I liked her stuff, particularly the things she did with her husband, Henry Kuttner.

Message edited by its author, Sep 8, 2009, 6:22pm.

For all the Connie Willis fans: Willis read Have Spacesuit-Will Travel at age 13 and it started her on her sci-fi path. This was also her first knowledge of Jerome's Three Men In a Boat, which she promptly read, then used later in To Say Nothing of the Dog. Very influential book for our dear Connie!

>89: Interesting factoid! Loved To Say Nothing of the Dog!

Hey Stasia;
Is it okay if I use your thread to broadcast a new group read on the 50 gig?
belva

#92: Have right at it, Belva! Use the Kitchen, too, for people who do not read my thread.

http://paulwinter.bandcamp.com/track/the...

I'm not sure if this will come through. One of my favorite groups is the Paul Winter Consort. His cd Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) is incredible. This clip is performed by the Paul Winter Consort, sung by Susan Osborn. It is a tribute to the earth using the words of Robert Heinlein.

It came through just beautifully for me, Linda. Thanks!

Hi;
Stasia is letting me hijack her thread for a moment.

Mark (msf59) and I have been discussing the possibility of another group read in November and want your input. We have narrowed it down to two books at this point. The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. So chat it up with friends or us and let us know if you are up for it and what you think. Probably the same plan as with Pillars of the Earth which seemed to work out perfectly for almost all of us.
Think it over and give one of us a shout.
hugs and looking forward to hearing from you,
belva

Thank you Stasia.
And I now return you to alcottacre.

Stasia -

You are so consistent in posting ... just wanted to let you and my other LT buddies know that I will be down/off-line for an unknown number of hours to change out the digital modem for Internet service.

Hold the fort as you always do so splendidly, dear one.

WH/Ruth

#97: I will try, Ruth, but I think Richard's fort may do me in!

My fort do you in...? I am verschmeckled...you *never* come visit my thread *ever* so how could I do you in?

BTW...Choosers of the Slain is rollicking good fun and I want to review it soon. Thank you again and again! I'd never have picked it up or even considered looking at it had it not been for you. Have you read other Cobb books? If so, are they as good as this one is?

#99: Never visit your thread, Richard? Have you looked? I posted a kitty eating corn on the cob, remember? I have posted today as well (no graphics, though!)

I am glad you are enjoying Choosers of the Slain - a book I picked up at the library because of its title. It is good fun, although not great literature, but everyone needs some good fun every now and again, right? I have not yet any more of Cobb's books, although I did buy the remainder of the series, since my local library did not have them.

I thought I would take a stab at this, since it is going around. I found it on lunacat's thread, who found it on Terri's thread, who found it ?

Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title.

Describe yourself:
Among the Hidden/Margaret Peterson Haddix

How do you feel:
Quiet as a Nun/Antonia Fraser

Describe where you currently live:
House of Stone/Christina Lamb

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Blue Heaven/C.J. Box

Your favorite form of transportation:
The Lost Fleet/Jack Campbell

Your best friend is:
Brother Odd/Dean Koontz

You and your friends are:
Excellent Women/Barbara Pym

What’s the weather like:
Stormbreaker/Anthony Horowitz

You fear:
Curse of the Blue Tattoo/L.A. Meyer

What is the best advice you have to give:
Eat This, Not That!/David Zinczenko

Thought for the day:
Magic Bites/Ilona Andrews

How I would like to die:
There Goes My Everything/Jason Sokol

My soul’s present condition:
Bound for the Promised Land/Kate Collins Larson

#101

Sounds like fun! This is my description:

Describe yourself:
Lowry, Lois: The Giver

How do you feel:
McPherson, James M.: Tried by War

Describe where you currently live:
Milosz, Czeslaw: Facing the River

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Heinlein, Robert: Have Space Suit—Will Travel

Your favorite form of transportation:
Jerome K. Jerome: Three Men in a Boat

Your best friend is:
Willa Cather: The Old Beauty

You and your friends are:
In California: McCrumb, Sharyn: Bimbos of the Death Sun
In Georgia: Horwitz, Tony: Confederates in the Attic

What’s the weather like:
Humphreys, Helen: The Frozen Thames

You fear:
Millay, Edna St. Vincent: Fatal Interview

What is the best advice you have to give:
Kraft, Heidi Squier: Rule Number Two

Thought for the day:
Stewart, George R.: Earth Abides

How I would like to die:
Marsh, Ngaio: Death in Ecstasy

My soul’s present condition:
Dawn, Marva: To Walk and Not Faint

Stasia;
"How do you feel:
Quiet as a Nun/Antonia Fraser"

ROLF/LMAO!~!~!

>103 - Belva ...

I don't necessarily agree. I thought it fit just right when Stasia chose that title. I think WE/LT friends, are the ones who are rowdy and loud.

There are some awesome nuns out there (said with the voice of a non-Catholic, outside observer of religious folks).

Hope you find your wayward *Axx* somewhere close by, dearest Belva. Don't leave home without it!

WH/Ruthie

Just stopped to say hello! :)

#105: Hey, glad you dropped by!

Hey Ruthie;
There are nuns and then there are nones.
Right now I am feeling like a none.
love ya,
belva

#107 A none? No Way, Belva! You are SOMEONE! :)

Peace and best wishes to you!

After the day I had with my 91 year old mother?
Nah...........................t tonight!~! But thanx.

Message edited by its author, Sep 10, 2009, 11:58pm.

#109: Tomorrow will be better I am sure, Belva!

#109 Belva, hang in there!!!

Will do. Thank you for the encouragement.
I think I will stay home tomorrow unless she calls.

And the hell of it is that I will miss her so much when she is gone.
But my therapist tells me over and over again to stop setting myself up. She is what she is and she is not going to change so get over it. It's just that some days I am stronger than others.
But thanks for all the support guys.
belva

Message edited by its author, Sep 11, 2009, 1:50am.

Oh, Dear Belva - Sorry that it feels hard. No one seems to be able to push our don't feel good about ourselves buttons, like our parent(s). At least I felt that way back in the day.

I, of course, knew just where their's were, too. I was never unkind, but, I did learn slowly to call them out on their stuff and not listen to everything and certainly not take it to heart or as the ultimate truth about me.

Sounds like your therapist is very helpful. Glad you have that support, too, along with us amateurs here on these threads.

My folks died five days apart in April 2002. She left first, my guess is to pave the way for him, and meet him at the *pearly gate* with open arms and a patient smile. That was her way. He depended on her after sixty-eight years, that's for sure.

I have their wedding picture on the top of my refrigerator under a small lamp that I leave on all day to brighten that area. They are a beautiful young couple, back in 1934, poor, working class, but very much in love.

I am what I am, in large part, because of what they gave me and what I resisted that they tried to get me to swallow.

Here's to being ourselves ... the best cure for being their children.

Love you, Ruthie

Came here to say Hi to Stasia. Hi, Stasia. You are gentle on my mind. Sorry to "take over" your thread. I think I mentioned one time that your thread above all others that I visit, read and post upon, feels very much like a comfortable neighborhood public house to me. (Does that place you in the role of friendly bartender/host?) Thank you for your warmth and welcome, and all that you offer to me as an LT friend.

R

Message edited by its author, Sep 11, 2009, 9:49am.

Ruth,
You are wonderful. Thank you for your kind words. I wish that I had the great memories you have. I cannot even imagine................
belva

I remember my parents' wedding photo...eight grinning lieutenants (jg) holding their sabers point-to-point as my laughing father and smiling mother passed under them, wearing matching Navy dress blues, hers accessorized with a huge gardenia corsage. Apparently she thought it would be funny to dress like him for the ceremony, so she had a set of dress blues made, complete with fake medal-ribbon bars. What did she care, it was her third wedding, and it made the junior officers laugh.

It's the last photo I ever saw where *both* of them were smiling.

#101. Stasia, I love your answers! And giving credit where credit is due, I found it on Wunderkind's thread. Great fun, I thought!

Edited to add: It was probably easier for you than for most of us because you have so many more books that you've read to choose from!

Message edited by its author, Sep 11, 2009, 2:30pm.

#116: It was probably easier for you than for most of us because you have so many more books that you've read to choose from!

Only means it took me 3 times as long to do!

whew! did it... read all 50 posts that I was behind..
and paid no attention to the fancy blue words.. not up for it today :P

:)

hang in there belva, btw.. you will be glad you did.

#118: On my thread, the blue words are the least thing you need to worry about :)

lol :)

Does that mean that for the most part this thread runs on the posts of others? Am I missing the boat here? Whaz up? Blue words/meaning ?

Hi, Stasia -

Off track, easily distracted. Sorry 'bout that.

Came by to let you know that I am picking up James H. Cobb's book, Choosers of the Slain at the library this morning. My DH loves this type of book and I may also give it a whirl, who knows. Thanks for the suggestio from both you and St. Richard.

With love, WH/Ruth

#121: I hope your DH enjoys it!

This week's reads:

355. House of Rain by Craig Childs - nonfiction; I have no idea how accurate Childs' theories are about the disappearance of the Anasazi from the American Southwest, but his descriptive passages are absolutely terrific and make you feel as if you are along on his journey; highly recommended

356. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - young adult; I am not sure who recommended this first in the group, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and say a big 'thank you' to whomever it was; highly recommended, and on my memorable reads list for the year

357a. Day of the Assassins by Johnny O'Brien - young adult; this was an ER book and not bad, but not all that great either; I did a proper review for those interested; guardedly recommended for 12-14 year-olds

357b. Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths by Bruce Feiler - nonfiction; I really wish this had been longer because of my interest in the subject matter and Feiler's way of presenting the material; recommended

358. First Person Rural by Noel Perrin - nonfiction; this collection of essays about a man and his Vermont property was very enjoyable; recommended

359. The Short Novels of John Steinbeck by John Steinbeck - I wallowed in Steinbeck for about 3 days - this is a terrific collection of his short novels and I enjoyed them; I had only read Travels with Charley and The Moon is Down by Steinbeck prior to this; my favorite, was Tortilla Flat, but I enjoyed all of the novels in the collection; highly recommended

360. The Burning: Massacre, Destruction, and the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 by Tim Madigan - nonfiction; I was disappointed in this book about a little known race riot that has been well-covered up for all intents and purposes; the book felt very disjointed to me - no sooner would he start talking about one person than he would be on to another one; I am looking for a another book on the same subject by Stephen Ellsworth

361. Deadly Nightshade by Cynthia Riggs - a cozy mystery, nothing new to add to the genre; a so-so read, although a better read than The Burning, IMHO

Another not so great reading week. I hope this next one is better than the past couple!

I like the sound of House of Rain. I'll have to track down a copy.

#124: I hope you can find it and enjoy it, VG. Thanks for dropping by. We do not see you often enough these days.

"Another not so great reading week. I hope this next one is better than the past couple!"

To me it sounds like a pretty good reading week, however if you are unhappy with it, may you have a better one this coming week.

House of Rain and Abraham:A journey to the heart of three faiths both sound like interesting reads and I'll jot them down for future reference.

Mmmmm, the name Bruce Feiler rings a bell, I may have read a couple of his books.

Message edited by its author, Sep 13, 2009, 6:45am.

#126: You may have seen Feiler's PBS series Walking the Bible or read the book in conjunction with it, Lynda.

Yes, Stasia, that's it! I read the book and in fact it is one of the few that I have kept after reading.

Stasia - We have a copy of House of Rain here at the house. My DH (RedHillsReader) really enjoyed it (after his trip out West) and has read some of Craig Childs other books, too. I have been wanting to read it, but, it keeps slipping beneath the waves of other books flooding the area around my side of the bed.

He is well into reading Choosers of the Slain by James H. Cobb, which we picked up after reading your recommendation here on LT. Thanks.

I am interested in Abraham by Bruce Feiler. Sounds like a Bible scholar of note. I know I would like it.

Wishing you an excellent reading week. One that you really enjoy to the max.

Love, Ruthie

#129: Ruth, I hope your husband really enjoys Choosers of the Slain. It is the first book in a series, so you might want to check into getting the others if he enjoys that one.

If you are interested in the American Southwest at all, I recommend you at least give House of Rain a look.

I hope you have an excellent reading week as well!

New quote for today:

To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one. ~ Chinese saying

I found it on a blog that legxleg put a link to on his/her thread. I am also posting to the Kitchen thread, so you can ignore it here if you read it there :)

Hi, Stasia!
I was interested to see The Burning on your reading list. That event is very well-known here, of course. The kids both studied it in school. I am thinking that I need to read a book about it, too. Have a great day!
--BJ

131: what a lovely quote!

House of Rain and Life As We Knew It both look interesting. Thanks for the recs! And I'm glad you found a quote you enjoy on the book blog I linked. Oh, and I'm a 'her', by the way :-)

Glad you enjoyed the Steinbeck collection so much. I have the same collection. Which of the stories did you like the best?

131/3 - Agreed! I love the quote.

Stasia;
I too, love the quote and may quote you on that one.
I got lucky somehow today. You only nailed me with House of Rain which sounds fascinating to me. You would have with Abraham but I have the Feiler collection and you definitely would have had me racing to the bookshop for the Steinbeck, but I have all of those as well.
The best thing you did for me today was let the LT world know that:
Stasia likes John Steinbeck. I am so glad to know that. You rock girl!~!
big hug,
belva

You may not have read as much as usual, but it looks like you read several "winners" and no real "clunker"--so maybe a "not so bad reading week." ? Remember, for some of us that would be a "reading month"! :-D

House of Rain is going on my "get it immediately" (as soon as I finish 999 or course) list. I love the Southwest and am fascinated by the Anasazi. I'm so glad you liked Abraham--I think he did a lovely job with that; if was the first he wrote and the first I read in that series. Steinbeck is now on my "read everything he wrote" list. I haven't read Tortilla Flat yet but one of my favorite short novels is Of Mice and Men.

I said to my family last night that I couldn't wait til Sunday because Stasia will post her list. I wasn't disappointed. :-)

I just started Travels with Charley - I cannot believe it's my first Steinbeck. So far so good, and if I really enjoy it like I expect, I will have to get the book of short novels ASAP!

> Your book #359 - The Short Novels of John Steinbeck

Stasia, I found an affordable used copy of Short Novels and have been notified that it is on it's way to me. The other books residing on my shelves and elsewhere in the house and some dry, outside storage, are all going to give it the warm welcome it deserves.

Just saying ... thanks again.

Ruth

#132: In the book I read, Madigan states that the riot was not discussed in textbooks until the 1990's. Is that when your kids were in school? Also, I am going to read the Ellsworth book and see if it is better than Madigan's, so you may want to wait a bit or go ahead and read the Ellsworth book and tell me how it is!

#133: Glad you liked it, Eliza. Thanks for dropping by!

#134: I hope you like both the books. Thanks for the clarification about your gender - I thought you were a her (for some unknown reason), but certainly would not presume!

#135: That is a toughie, Mac. I really liked the vignette quality of Tortilla Flat, loved the characters in Of Mice and Men - although I was not happy with how it ended, thoroughly enjoyed the Steinbeck's obvious love of the community in Cannery Row. There is really no clear favorite for me!

#136: Glad you liked it, Luxx!

#137: Hey, Belva. I will get you with more than one next week, lol. You have laid down the gauntlet! (sheepishly - although probably not - it is going to be a slow reading week, I can tell already)

#138: Carolyn, I hope you like House of Rain. You must let me know how Childs' theories hold up since your knowledge of the Anasazi is greater than mine I am sure. I am so glad you look forward to my weekly posts!

#139: You definitely need to read more Steinbeck, Angela. Travels with Charley is good, but the short novels I just read are better IMHO.

#140: You are quite welcome . . .again, Ruth. Thanks for dropping by twice!

House of Rain was already on my wishlist, and I read Life as We Knew It a few years ago and loved it. I am, however, adding Abraham.

#145: Well I am glad I did not strike out entirely, Marcia!

I took Tad's quiz, too, and here is my result:

#123, Stasia, I kept thinking I had read a book about the Tulsa riot and searched and searched through my library and couldn't find it. I think maybe I read an article somewhere that was fascinating. Another interesting book dealing with white mobs and African-American middle-class professionals is Arc of Justice by Kevin Boyle.

#148: Rebecca, I read Arc of Justice several years ago. I appreciate you bringing it to my remembrance though. I think it is time for a re-read.

This thread does not exist. I do not see it.

#150: Posting on an invisible thread are you, Richard? Hmmmm.

Oh, I did that test too! I got "Uber Cool Nerd King" or something, it's on my profile.

Stasia, I tried doing that Nerd Test through a link on someone else's thread. I clicked on a wrong something trying to answer the first question about the triangles, and had all kinds of strange computer things happen --including a pop-up message that someone in a neighboring town (that town being mentioned by name!) had a crush on me (? get real!). I had to hit CTRL-ALT-DEL to get out of it. I'm running a virus scan on my computer even as I type.

Sometimes computers creep me out . . .

Stasia
I started to take the nerd quiz and because I was/am tired, it took too long. Also some of the terminology reminded me of the slang used by students I see at the university. .. made me feel old...

#141 Yeah, my kids were in school in the 90s and early 2000s. One graduated hs in 2006 and the other in 2009. However, I am not actually sure that it was in their textbooks. I just know that they did both study it. They had both Oklahoma history and American History with excellent teachers. Actually, all of the history teachers at their school are really great. I think that they studied it especially because we live in Tulsa. I don't really know all that much about it myself (not having grown up here) -- except for stories that come up on the local news from time to time. So I would be interested to learn more about it.
--BJ

#155: I am glad they had the opportunity to study the incident. I cannot imagine how it managed to escape being covered for some 70+ years in history texts - well, yes, I can, but STILL.

I did the quiz too, and I came out as Not a Nerd At All, which I found offensive. Quiz, forsooth. I need no quizzes to tell me if I am nerdy or not. Pfft.

Ya know-----------I could die happy tonight.
My work here on LT is done. LTers all over this planet are name dropping John Steinbeck.
And if I did (die) the first awareness I would have in the hereafter would be hearing these words spoken to me: "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
belva

Mmmmm, Your test Stasia informed me that I was a slightly dorky non-nerd! I'm not quite sure how I should feel about this. Perhaps I would prefer being categorized as slightly nerdy as opposed to slightly dorky.

I ask you would a dork add a goofy smiley or a a a a nerd.

Message edited by its author, Sep 15, 2009, 4:49pm.

Stasia,
Have already written down Life as We Knew It and First Person Rural. "You had me at rural." Thanks for the recs. Hope you have a great reading week.

Arghhh! My eyes! I just caught up on your threads by reading all of 7, 8 and now 9... you've got a lot of recommends and highly recommend which is bad for everyone's TBR. Stop it! Tell us what not to read!

#161: I will try, lol. Your eyes must be very tired by now anyway, so you will not be getting to anything tonight.

I think that everyone who follows and read your threads regularly should be able to count them as one book in their challenge.

>163 Only one? I think they should count as at least three.

Message edited by its author, Sep 17, 2009, 12:08pm.

Jasmyn9 and CatyM...
Thanks for making me laugh out loud. I agree! My tbr file is filled with books noted "recommended by Stasia."

Stasia makes recommendations? Wow! Not reading the bright-blue words is making a difference after all!

ye gods woman! I say again, you make me tired. What are you 20 year old twins?

twins just isn't enough anymore
....

Vampire, mafia and goddess knows what else.. mutter.... leaves....

#167: Nope, just me. Sorry I make you tired, Kath.

Tomorrow's Sunday! Can't wait to see what wonderful "treats" you have in store for us! :-)

Would you believe me if I said I did not read a single book last week?

No, I did not think so. One of these days, I may actually surprise you that way :)

>170 Stasia, if you did that I would guess that a cure had been found for what I thought was your incurable condition of Bibliophago.

Bilbliophago - A Book Eater.

- TT

I like books a lot, but I refuse to eat them, TT!

This week's reads:

362. The Excalibur Alternative by David Weber - Susan recommended this one, a stand alone by Weber, and I thought it was pretty good; recommended

363. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - read for the group read (and snuck in under the wire), I am not sorry I finally read this acknowledged classic, but to me, the book was just too long; still, recommended because it is deservedly a classic just for the creation of 2 memorable characters in Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

364. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie - the first book in a mystery series by Crombie and pretty enjoyable; recommended

365. The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck - juvenile fiction; I am thoroughly enjoying Peck's work and this book, the first in the Blossom Culp series, is no exception; highly recommended

366. Recipes for Life by Rhonda J. Malkmus - nonfiction; this is a cookbook for people following a 'raw food' diet like my father, but I think for the general public, the recipes here are too limiting and the 'chuck everything now in your kitchen' approach WAY too expensive; recommended for those interested in a raw food diet

367. Odd Hours by Dean Koontz - it is official, I love Odd!; highly recommended

368. My Father's War by Lucinda Franks - nonfiction; this book was recommended by torontoc (thanks, Cyrel!) and he wrote a lovely review; I did not like the book as much as he did because I think it struck a little too close to home for me; still recommended

369. Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher - this was a fun read, and one I really needed after finishing the Franks book; I thought Butcher did a great job with the relationships and the action in the book, and am looking forward to the next book in the series; highly recommended

OK, not a great reading week, but not too bad, either.

Wow, Stasia! I would be impressed if you read Don Quixote and nothing else in a week, but seven other books? Strong work.

And, yes, you do deserve the prayer mat. Ommm...

OMG
ONOZ

It's SUNDAY and I've strayed into Stasia's thread!

*flees*

I too love Odd, but have not yet read this one.
I wait for my b i l to get them and loan them :)

I have had some trouble reading lately.. only have 2- books...
its always this way at the beginning of the school year, but
now I have this other distraction...
ahem

>172: Don Quixote is one of the few books I really wish I had read in abridged form. It may be a classic, but I just found it too long.

If you hurry, you can catch up on the Furies series. The sixth one is due out in November. A few days reading and you're good to go. ;-)

Message edited by its author, Sep 20, 2009, 7:03am.

#173: Darryl, I have been doing Don Quixote with the group over the course of the year. I did not read it in its entirety this past week!

#174: Thanks for straying, Richard, I know you like doing that :)

#175: Kath, I know you are happy with the cows right now. The books will wait.

#176: I agree totally about Don Q. As far as the Furies series goes, my local library does not have book 2 (of course), so I am going to have to see about locating a copy. Thanks for the info about book 6, Tad.

I have always.. always wanted to live on a farm.. sine my grams farm when I was a child.. silly old me to find comfort in a cyber one.. but there ya have it ..
:P

That's okay, Stasia; you're still worthy of the prayer mat.

I am in the minority in my opinion of Don Quixote. I didn't want it to end, and, if other books weren't calling, I wouldn't mind reading it again.

#178: I am still waiting for you to win the lottery so we can set up our commune :)

#179: No, I am not, but I appreciate the thought. Great thing about LT: we allow for a lot of differences of opinion, so you can read DQ again, but I will not be doing it for a good long while.

me too......

I had to laugh when I read your thoughts on Don Quixote because I said something very similar in my review! I said I thought that if the book had been printed today it would have had some major editing, because many of the tales/adventures began to sound the same by the end. But you have to love Sancho and Quixote...

I ordered the Crombie book from bookmooch a few minutes ago!

I am in agreement about Don Quixote. The characters are charming and memorable, but the novel itself is just ... too much. It's a great one to have under your belt, though!

I think I must be becoming more discerning in my taste (or my willpower is doing exceptionally well). No books to add this week either!

I added the Peck (I'm in the midst of my first ever right now, and enjoying it enough find him worth my listing). I read Odd Thomas last month and fell in love, so I will (eventually) get to all of them. I would love to read Don Quixote some day, but I may take Tad's advice and find an abridged one.

Okay, Stasia. You say you don't do "horror" but you love Odd Thomas? Isn't that horror? I've avoided Dean Koontz entirely because horror is not a genre I'm into--but I am reading some in October for Halloween month. Should I break down and try Koontz?

I'm adding Furies of Calderon to my wish list. I've had several people mention Jim Butcher to me so I'll use this one to try his work.

Just checked and my local branch of the library has both books--so I can try them with no problem. Although Odd Thomas is checked out until October 7.

I read Don Quixote (unabridged) over a summer when I was a teenager and absolutely loved it. I bought a new translation of it recently because I'd like to read it again. I wonder if I will still feel the same way about it?

Ooh, I love the Blossom Culp books! They were some of my favorites growing up.

I spent hours adding every book in my house to my LT library, tagging each one. Alas, there are hundreds of TO BE READ. I vowed to make a dent in them before adding more...but, like Richard, I snuck on over here for my Sunday addiction and see so many more to add.

I'll try to control myself for a few hours and then most likely come back and add away.

I can't read Dean Koontz for some odd (pun) reason, he always gives me nightmares. Even Stephen King doesn't manage that.

I read My Father's War some time back and I thought it a really sad story, but one quite well written.

Had to add A Share in Death to my wishlist

#182: Angela, I think part of the problem had to do with the fact that I began listening to the book in audio form, which just added to the impression of length. I would listen for 30 minutes and go, 'You mean this chapter is not done yet?' I eventually had to ditch audio for print form and just read a few chapters at a time.

#183: Agreed, Luxx, it is nice to have finally read it, but I think if I ever do again it will be in (horror!) abridged form.

#184: 2 weeks in a row, Jenny! You are making progress :)

#185: I hope you get to read more of Peck's books, Terri. They are really very good - another one of my LT discoveries. Koontz's Odd Thomas books are definitely worth reading, so I hope you do read them all. As far as DQ goes, I agree with Tad!

#186: Carolyn, the Odd Thomas books are not horror to me. The premise is a young man who sees dead people. Koontz does write what I would call horror, but these books really do not fit that category for me. Furies of Calderon is one I think you will enjoy, so let me know once you get a chance to read it.

#187: I already have put the second one on hold at my local library, Marcia.

#188: Linda, the lists will still be here when you get a chance to read them. If LT goes down today and stays down forever, I have them in another form you could always borrow, lol.

#189: Caroline, I will not read Stephen King at all - I tried another of his last year and gave it up, but Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas books are not horror to me and certainly not at all like King. You might just try one of them and see what you think. You never have to try them again if you do not like the first :) I hope you enjoy the book A Share in Death once you get around to it!

Is it anything like Phantoms and Watchers? Because I had terrible nightmares after reading these 2 books

>186 Furies was very good, MM -- hope you like it too.

Stasia -- I took the plunge back into thread reading and here I am :)

Thanks, Susan. It looks like you are having as much trouble as I am in keeping up with threads! :-)

LOL Sad but true!

Furies of Calderon is sitting in my TBR pile, waiting for me to get to it--I've heard many good things about it.

I don't read horror either, gives me nightmares, but I do read weird books, so maybe the Odd books would be okay. When I retire next year, maybe...

Hey Alcot, just stopping by to say hi.

As to Dean Koontz, I used to love him a lot but I felt like he went a bit John Grisham and was just pumping out books. Gosh I miss the days when he could freak me out.

Will be on the lookout for the Odd books. They have an unusual appeal.

Hi Stasia - I've already got a Jim Butcher on my tbr list thanks to LT, I think it's Storm Front. I'm also a fan of Richard Peck and will have to look out for the Blossom Culp series which I've never heard of.
Kudos for finishing Don Quixote, I have it here and am not tempted to pick it up as yet.

#193: Caroline, I have never read the two books you mentioned, so I cannot say.

#194: Welcome back, Susan!

#197: I think you will enjoy Furies, Roni, and I think you would like the Odd Thomas books as well. The protagonist is a very appealling character, IMHO.

#198: Hey, Trish!

#199: I will be interested to see what you think once you have a chance to read them, Diane.

#200: Kerry, I have Storm Front at home waiting to be read, so I have no opinion on it yet. Furies of Calderon was the first book by Jim Butcher I have read, but it will not be the last.

BTW, everyone, I finished Green Grass, Running Water this evening and it is going on the memorable reads list for the year. The book was recommended by Nickelini on her first thread (you can see her review here, message 291): http://www.librarything.com/topic/52808&...

Highly recommended - the more I think about the book, the better I like it, so I bumped it up from 4 to 5 stars.

Not only are the Odd books good, but he has written quite a few that I don't consider Straube or King like horror... Watcher's for instance. A must read.I am not finding a touchstone.. sorry.

I've added Green Grass, Running Water to my wish list, after reading your comments and Joyce's review. Thanks, Stasia!

#205: I hope you like it, Daryl!

Just dropping by to say hello. I don't post here a lot, but I love reading your thread!

#207: You are welcome to drop by any time, tymfos. I am glad you enjoy your visits here.

"It was fun, it was intelligent, it was sophisticated, it was literary, it was interesting . . . what more could you want? " Nothing! Sounds good to me

Green Grass, Running Water has just been added to my wish list. If both you and Joyce love it that much it's got to be a winner. I just wish I have known about it before I made my last books order--because that was supposed the be the last order this year! :-D

>210 LOL!

Hey Stasia, you made me curious to see how my list compared to yours. ATM it's 226 books -- that would be fiction. (0, zero, nada, zilch in non-fiction).

I read a great quote today: "I'm saving Virginia Woolf for when I'm dead.' This is from Flaubert's Parrot by Julien Barrnes.

It made think: What books have been on my bookshelves for so long that I will probably only get around to reading them when I'm dead. Well, I will second Virginia Woolf and add Kafka.

Who would you nominate?

- TT

#212: Who would I nominate: Henry James and probably any book in my house that is unread at the moment, since I tend to read all of my library books and NONE of the books I actually own!

1) Charles Dickens (assuming I go to Hell, as progosticated by several nuns and more than a few Protestant ministers of different flavors)

2) The entire ouevre of Balzac (assuming the opposite destination), under his personal tutelage

>19: LOL! I love that quote! This would make a good thread! There are lots of classics that I would put on my list of books to read "...after I'm dead" but the author that springs out of my mouth first is...uh...don't yell, folks...SHAKESPEARE! I've read some of the plays, didn't particularly enjoy them, and don't feel the need to experience them in any form now that I'm an adult and have a choice.

I just had to add Green Grass, Running Water to my wishlist since you recommended it so highly and after reading the reviews.

I'm joining the Green Grass, Running Water brigade. It's a sad day when I have to be adding Stasia-recommended books on a Monday too...

I've also added Green Grass, Running Water to the wishlist - based solely on the overwhelmingly positive comments. Surely everyone can't be wrong!

#216: I hope you like it, Caroline!

#217: If it makes you feel better, Terri, you can wait until Sunday to add it.

#218: Yes, conceivably everyone could be wrong - but not in this case!

It is strange how all the library books get read and the owned ones sit abandoned!

Green Grass, Running Water hits the pile.

#220

It is strange how all the library books get read and the owned ones sit abandoned!

That's probably because we take the ones we own for granted assuming they will wait patiently for us--kind of like teenage children with their parents! :-)

#220, 221 I must be the exception - most of my library books take two days to read but get renewed twice because I never get around to starting them. Some even go back (gasp! shock! horror!) unread.

>222 Even worse Caty they go back unread and overdue! Paid the fine and didn't even find the time.

>220 Kiwi, I took all my library books back on Saturday and didn't take out a single book!

I am actually reading one of my own books!

Is this heretical, or what?

- TT

#220, 221, 222 I, too, find myself often taking the books on my own shelf for granted, and reading books from the library instead. Frequently, I wind up taking too many books, and not getting them all read, even with renewals.

That's the reason I'm afraid to go in my local library - it's SOOO close to where I work, but I have 300 (and growing weekly) unread books at home and I fear what I will become if I start borrowing books besides!
I can see the headlines now "Local Woman Killed by Book-Slide"...

I think we'd all have to mourn you by selecting one of the 300 books you have on your TBR list.

I took out a library book today Death on Demand and found the body of half a roach in it! ack!!! it's now in a plastic bag and in the car, to be returned to the library tomorrow... i hate roaches, frogs and lizards!

#228 Eww!

>228 Not a roach man m'self, though frogs and lizards seem pretty innocuous to me.

My daughter's high-school BFF had a pet hissing roach. Sucker was at least a foot long, and it made this snake-like ssssssssssssssss when it was disturbed. Came from Madagascar. Have NO idea who thought it would be a good idea to bring the effing thing INTO TEXAS.

She ended up marrying him last year. He doesn't have roaches any more. I don't think. I didn't see any, at least.

maybe your daughter stepped on the disgusting thing

#226: Angela, I guarantee your book slide has nothing on mine, lol!

#228: I can deal with the bugs in books, they do not phase me. My pet peeve with library books is smokers! Oh my goodness - I cannot stand the smell of smoke in a library book - gives me sick headaches. I cannot tell you how disappointed I have been to have to return a book I really wanted to read but could not due to the reek of cigarette smoke. Ick.

I have a larger pile of unread books now than I did at the beginning of the year even though I've read over 100 books so far. The problem is that I've borrowed more from the library than read from the owned pile and bought new books as well.

The future doesn't look like it's going to get any better.

My only solace is that I do run about 50/50 in library russian roulette.

>233 We're twins! That's exactly the trend chez moi.

>232 Smokers who have library cards should have to pay for them...at least the equivalent of buying the library a hardcover a month. Disgusting habit. Terrible smell. Yuck.

>231 I wouldn't put it past her, sensible lass that she is.

>232 While a bug would probably gross me out, I live in the country and have gotten used to squishing ickies (as long as they aren't of the hairy 8 legged variety which cause me to scream). But I have to agree that books that smell of any odd odors bother me. People probably laugh at me when I do go to the library because I give the pages a good sniff before I decide to bring it home.

Oh god, smoke smells trapped in a book?! I've never encountered such a tragedy, but it sounds horrible.

hummmmm...a book about smells trapped in a book might be a good theme....

227- LOL, Luxx! You would all be welcome to them, with my blessings!

Especially since most of my real-life (not on-line) friends and family are not readers and would not want them...sigh...that's why I love LT...

232- Stasia, I thought of that as I posted! My physical TBR mountain has nothing on your planet (even if I combine my physical TBR books with my list of books I want to get). You definitely win! :D

#230 A foot-long, hissing roach? Oh dear. I think I shall have nightmares tonight.

Or cover it with chocolate and have it for dessert? :-D MMM! crunchy! (My husband is an entomologist and we talk about societies that eat insects. At a conference he attended in Monterrey, Mexico, many years ago they served insect "delicacies" at the banquet. That was an experience I wasn't sorry to miss!)

>239 I had nightmares for WEEKS. Horrifying thing. I am not a fan of things born with fewer than two or more than four legs.

>240 If you're hungry enough, insects probably don't sound too bad. I eat lobsters...well, I used to, before gout...and have even eaten a roasted tarantula, which tasted very similar. I sure wouldn't make a HABIT out of it, though.

I used to eat ants when I was a kid.

My grandmother used to put smelly books in a plastic bag with a piece of charcoal wrapped in a slice of bread. Sound weird? They took the smells away after about a half hour.

#240 I'm a vegetarian and I'd eat bugs before I'd eat any meat, fish or poultry. (except bacon - I always liked bacon when I was little)

#232 I hate finding hairs and food crumbs in library books.
After my father passed away we had to throw all his paperback books into the recycling bin -- they reeked of cigarette smoke.

#243: Thanks for passing that method along, Caroline. I will give it a shot next time I run into the problem.

I haven't seen you anywhere Stasia, anywhere at ft anyway.
My library... which I tried again recently was still as bad if not worse.
Terrible. I am refusing to add anything this morning..
No reflection on your reading of course..

#246: I have had my hands full with Dad the past couple of days, Kath. I will probably see you in FT today or tomorrow, though.

Spiders I can handle. Roaches, no biggie. Centipedes on the other hand...eek!!!! Living things just shouldn't have THAT MANY legs!

This week's reads (for those of you who did not cheat and look at the Richard only thread):

370. Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King - a wonderful book recommended by Nickelini on her first thread; highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year

371. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny - this series just continues to get better; highly recommended

372. Gifts of War by Mackenzie Ford - the thing that saves this book, set in WWI, from being a 3.5 star book for me and pushing it up to 4, is the attention to historical detail (not surprising since the author is a historian); recommended

373. The General by Patrick A. Davis - all in all, a good thriller, with a lot of backstory in the Vietnam era; highly recommended

374. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan - juvenile fiction; the last book in the Percy Jackson series and an excellent one; highly recommended, but do yourself a favor and read the entire series

375. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay - a decent thriller, but there were a couple of plot devices that bothered me; for me, this was not as good a book as the only other of his I have read, Fear the Worst; guardedly recommended

376. The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene - nonfiction; I have to confess that I have been enamored with physics since I was a teenager (I think it has to do with the fact that Einstein and I share a birthday, lol), but I have never had the math to do anything with that love; this book makes the physics very accessible and I will definitely be rereading it at some future time; highly recommended

377. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - juvenile fiction; I have never watched the movie version of the book other than a couple of scenes, but a couple of people in the group said the book is so much better than the movie, so of course, I had to read it; I think the book is excellent, a retelling of the Cinderella story; highly recommended

378. Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup - nonfiction; this is a book I picked up at the library based on the title alone and really, it could not have come at a better time for me, after what has been an admittedly difficult week; this book is about a woman whose husband dies unexpectedly leaving her with 4 children, she decides to become a chaplain for the Maine Warden Service (I decided with her descriptions of Maine, I really need to live there); highly recommended

OK, there you have it. Another week down.

I am intrigued by Quantum Physics myself. It makes perfect sense to me..
I have read a number of books on the subject.

as for your 378. I was very disappointed in that one.. I have a review of it here somewhere.. I honestly expected something...more or? ? something.

I have added Green Grass to my "interested " list :)
Never get out of here unadding

#250: I would be interested in seeing the list of books on physics you have read, Kath, especially if they are accessible to a lay reader such as myself.

I put The General and Here if You Need Me on my wishlist. For Here if You Need Me, you sold me on the Maine part..... it really is a great place to live. :)

Added Green Grass, Running Water to my wish list! I've had a hard time keeping up with you at times this year, Stasia, but I recommend City of Beasts by Isabel Allende if you haven't read it already. It's her first young adult book, and is very good.

#252: The book has a heavy Christian slant to it, jayde, so if you find that offensive, I would not recommend it to you. I should have put that in the comments.

#253: Missy, City of Beasts is on Planet TBR already, but the only copy my local library has is in Spanish, and I do not think mine would do the book justice, lol.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.............just peeking in to see the books you have read this week....

just when I vow to cut down on the tbr pile, I visit here and the obsession begins anew. I've heard such good things about Here if you need me and because I have a love of Maine, this one is going to the top of the list of your reads this week....to be added to my reads in the next months.

I'm still hunting for Sea of Monsters, and you are finished with the series!

I put my The Elegant Universe on pause to read Wilczek's The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces, which was, um, different, and then bumbled across Dreams of a Final Theory by Steven Weinberg. I am about half way through. It is such a wonderful book, elegantly written, not patronizing, or crammed with irritating fables. I can feel my brain expanding...

Stasia you delightful dumpling, read David Deutsch's illuminating, clear-as-crystal The Fabric of Reality for a good physics book. It's not a GENERAL physics book, but about the quantum necessity for parallel universes to exist. To me, the Biblical "I my Father's house there are many mansions" is the Christian expression of that idea...read it and see if I'm right.

Stasia

Sounds like a really good week, over all. I hope so, because most of those books are already on my TBR pile. :-)

I'm so glad you liked Here If You Need Me. It was one of my top reads last year. It's a beautiful gentle story of how a wife and mother copes with the loss of her husband by taking his place in fulfilling a dream he had to become a minister. I also loved the way she worked out her "calling--the title says it all!

I, too, think Maine is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been--but when I mention to my husband that it would a great place to live he reminds me that I've never seen it in winter. I'm sure it would still be beautiful, but I don't do well in cold weather! :-) (I have trouble with winter in California, for crying out loud!)

I think I might like Here If You Need Me -- I had put it on my Wishlist a while back, I think, on someone else's recommendation. (It's always interesting to see people's differing opinion on books, and then read for myself.)

(I've been to Maine several times, and absolutely love it! But not in winter.)

I had to add Gifts of War to my wishlist. i'm may be off to a used bookstore if the baseball game ends soon so I have to remember to bring my wishlist titles with me.

the first of course...The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav years ago...most recent PSIence: How New Discoveries in Quantum Physics and a few which I have clearly not listed in my catalog.. so I will have a look around..

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 5:49pm.

> 258 & 259: Yes the winters in Maine can be brutal, yet magical. It is awesome to be outside for the first snowflakes of the season, or to wake up with a couple of feet of snow (no school & skiing)! However, it can get really cold. I used to live in Kingfield village (the western mountain region) by Sugarloaf ski resort, in an apartment where the furnace broke down in December! We woke up that night to 40 degree weather in our bedroom! I think we threw every blanket that we owned on the beds, found the long johns and fleece pj's and bundled up for the rest of the night. We had to move shortly after that because it was not repairable - the landlord found us another apartment in the building that was slightly warmer :)

count me in as a lover of Maine. We visit Princeton, which is on St. Croix river flowage, about 30 miles from Eastport Maine. It is a 13 hour drive from where we live in Pennsylvania. I have a dream of retiring there, but it is only a dream. The reality of bitter cold winters is romantic, but not practical.

The Elegant Universe goes onto the wishlist - I wish science had been as interesting in school as it is now...

Thanks for your list, Stasia - I am definitely adding the Thomas King book and must get to The Elegant Universe also. You are a powerhouse of a reader.

#255: Linda, I am glad to be able to contribute to your obsession, since you (and everyone else) routinely contribute to mine!

#256: Dreams of a Final Theory is going on Planet TBR, jadebird, thanks for the recommendation!

#257: I will give it a try, Richard dear. Thanks!

#258: Carolyn, once you get to the books on your TBR pile, you will have to let me know how you liked them!

#259: I hope you get a chance to read Here if You Need Me. I will be interested in seeing your take on it.

#260: Caroline, I hope you made it to the bookstore, wishlist in hand!

#261: Thanks for passing the titles on to me, Kath. I will look for your recommendations.

#262/263: OK, it is settled, we all need a field trip to Maine!

Field trip to Maine in October, if you really want to fall in love...the color, the smell of woodsmoke, the overcast then brilliant, cool, breezy days...it's fabOO.

Just catching up on the posts here - I have reserved My Father's Secret War at the library. Thanks for the recommendation. Sounds great.

#269: OK, field trip to Maine in October!! How close is that to Saskatoon? lol

#270: I hope you like it, Diana. Thanks for dropping by.

Actually, I will be up there in October helping my sister do some remodeling to her kitchen. :-)

Oh rub it in Tad. I just love Maine.

#262

I grew up in Western Maine (Rumford) and my mother grew up near Phillips, Maine which is near Kingfield. I still remember the cold north wind. Generally only visit in the Fall. Guess the memories of western Maine are why I like the Three Pine Series.

So glad you liked Here If You Need Me. I read it last year and loved it. Her experiences in being chaplain to folks who were having forest emergencies are what I remember most--the holiness of compassion expressed at the right time if you will.

You're ahead of me in the Three Pines series, but I think I'll be starting the third in the next few days.

For those of you who read YA/children's lit, Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a good memoir about a young boy who gets lost in a storm while hiking Mt. Katahdin - the tallest peak in Maine. I got a chance to meet Donn Fendler when he came to speak to the classes at the school where I student taught.

Stasia,
Nice list. I'm looking forward to finding Here if You Need Me. Sounds like a winner by everyone else's responses! Hope things go better this week for you and your dad.
Regina

Wow. So I just followed the yellow brick road from March all the way to here. I am in awe of your book-completion abilities.

And I am awfully glad that you liked Ella Enchanted, because I love Gail Carson Levine and sometimes I feel like she's a bit of a guilty pleasure -- for example, the Princess Tales series she did was delightfully silly (The Fairy's Mistake, etc.) but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

message 276, I've added this book to the pile. Thanks!

#272: Well, the remodeling part does not sound all that fun, but the Maine part does.

#275: I agree with you, Nancy. I would think that being a chaplain of any stripe takes a special type of person.

#276: I am adding that one to the Planet.

#277: Thanks, Regina!

#278: I am amazed that your head is still attached to your shoulders :)

Thanks jadebird for the recommendations you made back in message #256. I have been looking for further reading on the subject after reading The Elegant Universe a couple of months ago.
I'm glad someone mentioned The Dancing Wu Li Masters. I read that back in college and have been trying to recall the name so that I may reread and possibly appreciate it more today.

Once I finally start knocking more books of my TBR list, I'm going to set a bookshelf up just for your recommendations - see how fast it fills up.

#281 Carmenere

My son lent me The Dancing Wu Li Masters when he was in high school I really enjoyed it. I remember feeling several Aha! moments when I read it--as if suddenly a light went on and revealed things that I had found confusing when I was in school. I found a used copy a few weeks ago and bought it because I think it's time for a reread!

>257 Rich, I was interested in your parallel Universe idea as I have come to understand that heaven is not "up there" (it can't be as we live on a spherical planet) but heaven has got to be another dimension. So that is why we don't actually need to go anywhere to be "in heaven" so to speak. It is clear from the Scripture's that God's Kingdom is going to be right here on earth but we will exist in a different dimension - a spiritual dimension. We are alrady in space, in the Uniiverse so we don't need to go anywhere, as such, but we do need to inhabit another dimension. Is that what this book you mention, The Fabric of Reality is about?

- TT

>284 Milord, more or less, though concerned more with the material causes and effects of the multiverse phenomenon than that. I would say that in all probability the idea of heaven and hell could be traced to different alternate-earth views, if you see what I mean. Personally, I wonder if the Revelation isn't a view of one of our less fortunate sister Earths.

>284 & 285 Your comments are fascinating! I can't wait to read these books.

>283 I am hoping that I have the same experience with Wu Li Masters as you.

#282: I will be interested in following the progress of your bookshelf, lol.

#284/285: I agree with Lynda in 286 - fascinating discussion.

I'm simply stopping by to say I'm thinking of you!

> 285 Rich, you must be joking! Can there be anywhere more unfortunate than earth?!

Do you need a list of the earth's woes?

- TT

#288: Thanks for checking in on me!

290 posts? Might I be so bold as to suggest a new thread, Stasia dear?

Staisa

I'm stopping by to thank you for recommending Tethered. I read this in one sitting last night. It was gripping and raw and worth the time spent.

Now then, that means one less to be read book, but I know that come Sunday I'll be adding three times more from your list.

#291: Caroline, I am working on it right now.

#292: 3 times more - highly unlikely! I am glad you liked Tethered, though.

Just stopping by to say hi, so that I don't lose track of your thread again, as I've done over the last month (no way I'll catch up now)!

Happy weekend!

#294: Flissp (and anyone else who might be interested in take 10 of the 2009 reading maraton), October's thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/74345