Starting a new thread because the last one got unwieldy. I'd like to leave a link to my other threads, but I'm not too good at this.

Once more into the fray! Lets see if I can get the link to work this time.

MusicMom'sThread2

I hope this will get Thread 1--can't seem to get both of them in the same message.

Message edited by its author, Sep 1, 2009, 9:36pm.

Actually--if you click on the blue "message edited..." it will take you to the 2nd thread.. Go figure!

Here is a summary of my reading so far in 2009

1st Quarter:

January:

1. Willis, Connie: Doomsday Book (1/06/09) 5 Stars
2. Rich, Adrienne: An Atlas of the Difficult World (1/09/09) 4 Stars
3. Campbell, Jack: The Lost Fleet: Dauntless (1/11/09) 3 ½ Stars
4. Bradbury, Ray: The Martian Chronicles (the revised and updated version of 1997) (1/13/09) 3 Stars
5. Cook, Glen: Sweet Silver Blues (1/17/09) 3 ½ Stars
6. Dunn, Mark: Ella Minnow Pea: a progressively lipogrammatic epistolary fable (1/18/09) 4 Stars
7. Samet, Elizabeth D.: Soldier’s Heart: Reading Literature through Peace and War at West Point (1/21/09) 5 Stars
8. McGregor, Robert Kuhn: Conundrums for the Long Weekend (1/25/09) 5 Stars
9. Stephenson, Neal: The Diamond Age (1/30/09) 3 ½ Stars

Best in January:

Doomsday Book (fiction)
Conundrums for the Long Weekend (nonfiction)

February:

10. Hilton, James: Was It Murder? (2/1/09) 3 ½ Stars
11. Connolly, John: The Book of Lost Things (2/6/09) 3 Stars
12. Horwitz, Tony: Confederates in the Attic (2/8/09) 4 ½ Stars
13. Taylor, Susie King: A Black Woman’s Civil War Memories (2/10/09) 4 Stars
14. Faiz Ahmed Faiz: The Rebel’s Silhouette (trans. By Agha Shahid Ali) (2/15/09) 4 ½ Stars
15. Jerome K. Jerome: Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog!) (2/25/09) 5 Stars
16. Willa Cather: The Old Beauty and Others (2/26/09) 4 Stars
17. Dahl, Roald: The Witches (2/28/09) 3 Stars
18. Milosz, Czeslaw: Facing the River (2/28/09) 5 Stars

Three Men in a Boat (fiction)
Confederates in the Attic (nonfiction)

March:

19. Gaiman, Neil: The Graveyard Book (3/02/09) 4 stars
20. Raskin, Ellen: The Westing Game (3/4/09) 3 ½ Stars
21. Konigsburg, E.L.: The View from Saturday (3/7/09) 4 ½ Stars
22. McEvedy, Colin: The Penguin Atlas of African History (3/14/09) 4 ½ Stars
23. Hornby, Nick: The Polysyllabic Spree (3/15/09) 4 stars
24. Kay, Guy Gavriel: Tigana (3/16/09) 5 Stars
25. Tey, Josephine: A Shilling for Candles (3/19/09) 3 ½ Stars
26. Penny, Louise: Still Life (3/22/09) 4 ½ Stars
27. Heyer, Georgette: Friday's Child
28. Douglas, Frederick: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas (3/24/09) 5 Stars
29. Walsh, Jill Paton: The Wyndham Case (3/27/09) 3 Stars
30. Millay, Edna St. Vincent: Fatal Interview (3/29/09) 4 Stars
31. McKinley, Robin: The Blue Sword (3/29/09) 4 Stars
32. Nabb, Magdalen: Death of an Englishman (3/30/09) 4 Stars
33. Kadohata, Cynthia: kira-kira (3/31/09) 4 Stars

Best in March:

Tigana (fiction)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (nonfiction)

1st Quarter Report:

Genre Read Heard Total

Nonfiction: Biography, et al. 2
Nonfiction: History 2
Nonfiction: Other 7
Fiction: General 5
Fiction: Classics 2
Fiction: Fantasy 10
Fiction: Mysteries 4 + 1 = 5

Total: 32 + 1 = 33 (Nonfiction: 11; Fiction: 22)
Pages: 8,121 total pages read (Personal Library: 5,969 pages)

It was a great 1st quarter this year, especially considering how much RL interfered reading. This is the highest number of books I’ve ever read in one quarter and I read no book I rated less than 3 stars; most were higher. Picking favorites was a challenge and I have only one book that was started that I haven’t finished yet. (It’s on “hold” right now.)

Books Acquired: 44 purchased (new & used) and one was a gift to me. 10 were gifts I gave to family members; 6 of them I read this quarter.

Second Quarter:

April:

Books Read:

34. Achebe, Chinua: Home and Exile (4/12/09) 4 stars
35. Baker, Jean H.: James Buchanan (4/21/09) 1 ½ stars
36. Humphreys, Helen: the Frozen Thames (4/29/09) 4 Stars
37. Marsh, Ngaio: Death in Ecstasy (4/17/09) 3 ½ stars
38. Marsh, Ngaio: Alleyn and Others—The Collected Short Fiction (4/29/09) 3 stars
39. McKinley, Robin: The Hero and the Crown (4/08/09) 4 ½ stars
40. Rawling, J.K.: Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp (4/28/09)
41. Stout, Rex: And Be a Villain (4/28/09) 3 ½ stars
42. Teasdale, Sara: Dark of the Moon (4/07/09) 3 ½ stars
43. Weldon, Fay: Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen (4/11/09) 4 ½ stars
44. Woolf, Virginia: Flush: A Biography, (4/11/09) 4 stars

Best in April:

Fiction: The Hero and the Crown
Nonfiction: Letters to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen

May:

Books Read:

45. Adams, Scott: Random Acts of Management
46. Oliver, Mary: Evidence
47. Greenberg, Martin H. ed.: Murder British Style
48. Forche, Carolyn: The Country Between Us
49. Lewis, C.S.: Till We Have Faces
50. Alegria, Claribel: Fugues
51. Oliver, Mary: Owls and Other Fantasies

Best in May:

Fiction: Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Nonfiction: Evidence by Mary Oliver

June:

Books Read:

52. Salinger, J.D.: Franny and Zooey
53. McCrumb, Sharon: Bimbos of the Death Sun
54. Wallace, Edgar: The Murder Book of J.G. Reeder
55. Harr, Jonathon: The Lost Painting (Audio)
56. Franklin, Ariana: Mistress of the Art of Death
57. McPherson, James: The Battle Cry of Freedom
58. Lowry, Lois: The Giver
59. Le Guin, Ursula: The Left Hand of Darkness
60. McCrumb, Sharon: Zombies of the Gene Pool
61. Bly, Robert: Morning Poems

Books Read PL: 4 (Pages: 1,763)
Books Read other: 5 (Pages: 824)
Total: 1 audio (8 ½ hours) + 9 books (2,587 pages) = 10 books finished

Books acquired: purchased 8 + angel mooch 1 = 9 acquired

Best in June:

Fiction: Franny and Zooey
Nonfiction: Battle Cry of Freedom

2nd Quarter Report:

Genre Read Heard Total YTD

Nonfiction: History 1 1 3
Nonfiction: Biography 2 2 4
Nonfiction: Other 8 1 9 16
Fiction: General 4 4 9
Fiction: Classics 1 1 3
Fiction: Fantasy 4 4 14
Fiction: Mysteries 7 7 12
Total YTD 62

Total: 30
Nonfiction: 16; Fiction: 14 Total 30

Third Quarter:

July:

62. McKillip, Patricia A.: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
63. Rowling, J.K.: Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
64. Dahl, Roald: Esio Trot
65. Dahl, Roald: The BFG
66. Stewart, George R.: Earth Abides
67. Steinbeck, John: Travels with Charley
68. McPhersson, James: Tried by War (Audio)
69. Kraft, Heidi Squier: Rule Number Two

Book Talley for July:Books Acquired 22 (2 read)
Books Read PL 5 (Pages: 750 )
Books Read non PL 2 (Pages: 588 )
Audio Books heard 1 (9 hours)
Audios Acquired 0
Total 7 books, 1,338 pages
1 audio, 9 hours
5 fiction; 3 nonfiction

Best in July:

Fiction: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Nonfiction: Travels with Charley

August:

Books read in August:

70. Tarbell, Ida M.: He Knew Lincoln
71. Willis, Connie: To Say Nothing of the Dog
72. Collins, Billy: Sailing Around the Room
73. Morley, Christopher: Parnassus on Wheels
74. Scott, Michele: Murder Uncorked
75. Stout, Rex: The Second Confession
76. Adler, Bill: The Cosby Wit
77. Bradley, Alan: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
78. Morley, Christopher: The Haunted Bookshop
79. Granger, John: Harry Potter’s Bookshelf
80. Herbert, Frank: Dune
81. Hart, Carolyn: Death on Demand
82. Heinlein, Robert: Have Space Suit—Will Travel
83. Twain, Mark: Mysterious Stranger & Other Stories
84. Beck, Glenn: An Inconvenient Book Audio
85. Leon, Donna: Death at La Fenice

Book Talley for August:

Books Acquired 19 (2 read)
Books Read PL 9 (Pages: 2,958)
Books Read non PL 3 (Pages: 784)
Audio Books heard 1 (6 hours)
Audios Acquired 2

Total 15 books: 3,742 pages + 1 Audio = 16 (12 fiction; 4 nonfiction)

Best in August:

Fiction: Willis, Connie: To Say Nothing of the Dog
Nonfiction: Granger, John: Harry Potter’s Bookshelf

September

Books read in September:

86. Andrews, Donna: Murder with Peacocks
87. Brent, Frances: The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson
88. Bujold, Lois: Shards of Honor
89. Greene, Graham: Our Man in Havana
90. Holland, Julie: Weekends at Bellevue (ER book)
91. Ogawa, Yoko: The Housekeeper and the Professor
92. Peters, Ellis: A Rare Benedictine
93. Rehak, Melanie: Girl Sleuth—Nancy Drew and the Women who Created Her
94. Shakespeare, William: The Tempest
95. Stout, Rex: In the Best Families
96. Stout, Rex: Trouble in Triplicate
97. Windling, Terri: Wood Wife
98. Woodward, Hobson: A Brave Vessel

Book Talley for September:

Books Acquired 14 ( read 1)
Books Read PL 9 (Pages: 2101 )
Books Read non PL 4 (Pages: 846 )
Audio Books heard 0 (hours)
Audios Acquired 0

Total 13 books, 2,947 pages (8 fiction; 5 nonfiction)

Fiction: Windling, Terri: Wood Wife & Ogawa, Yoko: The Housekeeper and the Professor
Nonfiction: Brent, Frances: The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson

3rd Quarter Report:

Genre Read Total YTD

Nonfiction: Biography 5--YTD 9
Nonfiction: History 2--YTD 5
Nonfiction: Other 5--YTD 21
Fiction: General 5--YTD 14
Fiction: Classics 2--YTD 5
Fiction: Fantasy 9--YTD 23
Fiction: Mysteries 9--YTD 21

3rd Quarter
Nonfiction: 10 + 2 Audio + Fiction: 25 = Total 37

YTD
Nonfiction: 35 + Fiction: 63 = Total 98

Message edited by its author, Oct 3, 2009, 10:27pm.

I enjoyed Death at La Fenice as well. If you liked this one, Acqua Alta is another Brunetti crime solver that involves the 2 female characters that appeared in La Fenice.

Thanks cameling. I'm planning to read the Brunetti series in order so I will get to that one in a few months. I'll really be looking forward to it now; I suspect I know which characters it will be. :-)

Got you starred again!

Just posting so I don't lose you :)

Just a quick flybyhi MM41. Hope you are having an awesome day.
belva

Hi Carolyn: Glad I found you over here.

Starring you again! :D

found you and starred you.

Take good care of yourself...

just here to star, as promised :)

Hi, got you starred!

Waving hello!

Hi, everyone! Glad y'all found your way. I've had a very busy couple of weeks and the next 2 will be at least as busy--but I do hope to finish a book or two this weekend. Stay tuned. ;-)

Cripes, it's like the milky way in here, with all the stars. Me too.

>18 too funny! :D

Book 86:

Greene, Graham: Our Man in Havana
999 Classics & Fiction category (9/05/09)
PL 242 pages

When I was in high school if I finished my homework late at night I sometimes would watch the late night movie on the channel that showed the oldies. One movie that always stayed in my mind as a favorite was Our Man in Havana with Alec Guinness and Burl Ives. I didn’t really remember the plot, just that it was funny and in some ways bizarre. When I saw the book last February at our annual used book sale I knew I would enjoy reading it and I was right. The story is about an English single father with a teenage daughter living in Cuba in the late 1950s, shortly before Castro takes over. He owns an unsuccessful vacuum cleaner sales store and is concerned about making ends meet and being able to give his daughter an education. He is approached by another Englishman and reluctantly lets himself get talked into becoming a very reluctant spy. What follows is a satiric dark comedy that is wonderfully humorous but leaves you with something to think about. Highly recommended—4 stars

Book 87:

Holland, Julie: Weekends at Bellevue (Early Review book)
999 Biography/Memoir category (09/06/09)
PL 308 pages

I requested this Early Review book because I was interested in finding out how Bellevue Hospital worked with psychiatric patients. In that sense I found the book disappointing because the psychiatric ER, or Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), is essentially a “clearing house” of psychotic people who are brought in by the police, sent over from other hospitals or are walk-ins. The job of CPEP is to observe, question and evaluate each patient to decide where the patient will go. In the case of violent offenders they will be sedated and observed before being sent upstairs for treatment or back to jail. Others are given the equivalent of “Band-Aid” treatment and then released. Because of the nature of CPEP the reader is given brief views of many types of psychoses but with no follow-up and no information of what ultimately happens to the person. Dr. Holland tells us that for her this is one of the attractions of the job.

In undergraduate school I did the equivalent of a second major in psychology because I found the subject intriguing, as I still do. A joke that went around that department was that people study to be psychiatrists because they need one. Weekends at Bellevue seems to have been written to support that thesis. In fact, Dr. Holland goes to her psychotherapist to discover why she is antagonistic to many of her patients and even some of her co-workers and gives us an intimate look at some of those sessions.

Dr. Holland has written essentially a memoir of her life and this is the “patient” we get to know best as she works through her own psychological problems. I enjoy memoirs, so that would not have been disappointing if she had used her life as framework for the book. Unfortunately, she tended to use a “shot gun” approach, telling her story in brief, often disconnected, episodes. She finds herself to be a more interesting subject than any of her patients. She comes across as a very self absorbed woman with much of her book giving the impression of a “true confession” narrative. She informs us that many of her problems occur because she is still trying to please her father whom she couldn’t please when she was growing up. She brags about her sexual exploits, at one point saying that in one of her summer residencies she managed to get laid by nearly every intern on the staff. She tells how she flirts not only with the men on the staff and the policemen and ambulance workers that bring in the patients, but often with some of the patients as well. Occasionally she describes incidences in sexual terms even when no actual sex is involved. She admits that when the chips were down she avoided visiting her dearest friend who was dying of cancer. The reader is left with the feeling that this book was written to provide catharsis for the author. She is very good at showing us her darker side and displaying her “faults” but not as good in demonstrating how she has solved these problems. Now that she has left Bellevue one wonders if she will be an effective therapist in her private practice. In the rather rushed ending of the book she states she has overcome many of her problem issues, but she doesn’t now show us how this is so because she doesn’t reveal her behavior in her new position as she did in the earlier sections of the book.

Although I did not have trouble finishing this book I did not find it a compelling read. I was hoping for insight into how patients with severe mental problems were diagnosed and treated. When she was talking about her patients I found it interesting but discouraging that there was so little follow-up after the initial encounter in the ER, even when such a follow-up would have been possible. Dr. Holland preferred to not concern herself with what happened the patients when they left the ER area. She considered this to be a form of self protection and it probably is, but it leaves the reader with a feeling of dissatisfaction. She had an interesting story to tell but too often let her own needs get in the way of presenting it to the reader.

Sorry your last read was not better, Carolyn, but I will definitely be checking out Our Man in Havana.

Yeah--I was disappointed. If you want to read a really good book about a psychologist I highly recommend Rule Number Two which is by a Navy psychologist (woman) who is part of a medical support team in Iraq. That one has a much better ratio of concentration on the "job at hand" with just enough about personal information to help you identify with her. I really loved that one.

Greene is an odd one for me. I am still trying to figure him out. NIce review. I am on the look out for a used copy like you found!

Your review of Our Man in Havana was so enticing I had to add it to my wishlist. It sounds like something I'd very much enjoy reading.

Wow! That was a really thorough review of Weekends at Bellevue in which you captured much of my uneasiness with this book. The author's style reminded me a bit of Ayelet Waldman and I wondered if Holland was bi-polar as well.

Edited to try to fix author touchstone. I'm referring to Michael Chabon's wife and author, herself, of many books. The book I was thinking of was Bad Mother or Bad Mom. Neither touchstone is right, so I must have the title wrong.

Message edited by its author, Sep 9, 2009, 5:56pm.

Our Man in Havana sounds good. I've never read Graham Greene. I'll have to look for that one.

#24 bdb, 25 camling & 27 VB

I do highly recommend Our Man in Havana--even though quirky novels with "gallows" humor aren't usually my favorite reads. Greene does a masterful job, imo, because although I laughed, the serious underlying meaning I felt he portrayed gave the story not only substance but also gave made the darker moments more than "cheap laughs."

#26 bonnieb

I started out with a much shorter review of Weekends at Bellevue and asked my son to proof read it for me (ER reviews are more stressful for me) and he said he thought I "pulled my punches" about how I felt about the book so I rewrote it. I appreciate your comment because I am usually "nicer" with reviews even of books I don't particularly like, so I was a little shy about being so negative.

>28 Our Man in Havana sounds lovely indeed. Unfortunately, my book-buying budget (possibly for the next year) has been ALL spent during my trip, but onto the wishlist it goes!

Here is my vote for Our Man in Havana! I loved it. Perhaps you could check it out from the library, gug?

#20 Oooh yes, you make me want to re-read Our Man in Havana - #27 VB, it's definitely a good Graham Greene starting point I reckon...

First, Carolyn, my maiden name started with a b, so being referred to as bonnieb feels so cozy and familiar, thanks. Regarding your review, you did a really good job of describing those episodes/aspects of her story that impacted me negatively as well. Dr. Holland had smarts, energy and drive, but she also had flaws; I think that's what was interesting about her story too. Remember when she described the previous director of the weekends as having "loose boundaries" and admired her so much? Well, I had to smirk a bit when I read that, because my immediate reaction was, "So do you, baby! So do you!"

Adding Our Man in Havana to the wishlist, but I think I shall skip Weekends at Bellevue... Thanks for the great reviews!

#30 Eliza, 32 flissp, & 34 atdarnbooks

I hope you like the book--it is a little dated, but somehow I think it is still appropriate in this day and age. It does make you wonder.... :-)

#31 Christine

Thanks for giving me the nudge to actually get the book read. I enjoyed reading it with you. It made more fun to read and kept me focused and on my toes. Having a "partner" in reading helps keep me on task--I am ADHD and sometimes flit from book to book. LT has helped me get that under control!

#33 bonnieb

I'm glad you don't mind my "shorthand"--it speeds things up and gives me more time to read! :-)

"loose boundaries"--that probably describes the book pretty well, too!

The ironic thing is I really tried to like this book and in many ways I admired and liked Dr. Holland. She needed someone more objective than she was to help her organize and present her story. It could have been a very interesting read if she had found a focus point to use to as a theme--IMHO it should have been her work with the psychotic patients at Bellevue with her life as a sub story including how her work affected her life.

I think others might like her more better than I did.

I really appreciated your review of Weekends at Bellevue. You were very clear about what your issues were with the book.

> 21 re: Weekends at Bellevue First of all, fantastic review! Very clear and to the point! I was so looking forward to this book. I'll skip it now. I did notice that Holland is a psychiatrist and Kraft of Rule Number Two is a psychologist......... I had written a comment about that but I deleted it ;) I have added Rule Number Two to my list, it sounds sad but worthwhile.

#37 & 38 Thanks tymfos and profilerSR!

#38 profilerSR

I think you will like Rule Number Two--there are sad moments in it of course, but it is definitely not a depressing book. There are even moments of laughter. What set this book above Weekends at Bellevue for me was Heidi Kraft shows great caring for her patients--they are the main focus of the book and it really matters to her what happens to them. But she also includes enough personal information that you also care about her.

Book 88:

Shakespeare, William: The Tempest
999 Classics category (9/08/09)
PL 85 pages

I consider this play comedy that is the flip side of tragedy. Shakespeare could have written it either way. It is one of my favorites (or course, that could be said about at least two thirds of the plays her wrote!) and I really enjoyed once again reading about all the antics of the different groups on the island. This is one I have never seen performed and I know I have missed a wonderful treat. “O Brave New World that has such creatures in it!”

This has been called his New World play and I reread it to prepare me for the book: A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways who rescued Jamestown and Inspired Shakespeare’s The Tempest by Hobson Woodward.

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

Book 89:

Brent, Frances: The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson
999 Biography/Memoir category (9/10/09)
Library 216 pages

On the cover of the book is the comment by Elie Wiesel: “Frances Brent’s wonderful book movingly allows Lev Aronson’s Lost Cellos to sing again of dark times and profound yearning.” This sums up this poetic biography very well.

Frances Brent’s story of Lev Aronson ranges from the pogroms before the Soviet Revolution, the Soviet oppression of Jews and then the treatment of Jews by the Germans during WWII. But it is also the story of how the human spirit struggles against these trials and endeavors to rise above them. It shows the struggle for life even in the most devastating conditions and how we endeavor to go on even when there seems to be no hope.

Frances Brent is a poet and this becomes apparent in the gracefulness of her writing and in the way she presents the story. Lev Aronson was a musician whose destiny for a world class solo career was derailed by being imprisoned and put to heavy labor by the Nazis. Often it appeared to me that one of the things that helped Lev survive this ordeal was the music that was inside him. His story is a tribute to the impulse for life in the midst of incredible suffering. Highly Recommended---4 ½ stars

The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson sounds great... onto the list it goes!

The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson sounds marvelous! I'm adding it to my Wishlist.

tymfos & atdarnbooks

I hope you like it--it goes on my list of great reads for the year.

I recently read Night by Elie Weisel, so for someone who's been through so much to say that about the book means it must really capture WWII. Sounds like a moving book.

>41: I had this in my WishList from a chain of recommendations based upon some other Holocaust literature I'd read. I'm glad to hear that it's worth it.

Eliza and Tad

I think this book is very much worth reading. There is more detail on the life of a Jewish prisoner who managed to avoid extermination than in Wiesel's book Night because Aronson was a prisoner so much longer and also an adult. The book also shows that it wasn't only the Germans who mistreated the Jews and there are a couple of brief glimpses of German's that actually tried is some way to help Jews. It is not a long book. I read it in two days and I'm a slow reader. But it packs a big punch. Brent also conveys very well the relationship between a musician and his musical instruments. The loss of a beloved instrument can be as devastating as the loss of a loved one--because it is a "loved one."

Great comments on The Tempest - it is one of my Shakespeare favs too. I absolutely the ending, when Prospero asks to be released by the audience, and makes all sorts of references to Shakespeare's life - the Globe, and all that.

There is a Shakespeare festival every summer in Stratford, ON, which is near to where I live. My best friend and I go all the time, and next year one of the plays they are doing is The Tempest. Christopher Plummer (the captain in The Sound of Music) is going to play Prospero - it should be fantastic!

I am adding The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson to Planet TBR as well, Carolyn. How can I resist?

I too enjoyed your comments on the The Tempest. Made me want to reread it. A Brave Vessel looks interesting, too; I'll look forward to your review of it!

#48 Cait86

I envy you getting a chance to see The Tempest--I think it is one of his plays that would really be enhanced by the visual aspects--especially the dancing of the spirits. When I lived in Oregon (high school years) we went to Ashland, Oregon every summer for the Shakespeare festival. Dad and I would always read the plays together before we went and I was always fascinated to see how they came to life on the stage. All my life I have taken every opportunity I've had to see Shakespeare plays and passed this love on to my children, too.

#49 Stasia

Grab it from the library and read it soon--it would only take you a couple of hours; I read it in two evenings and you know how slow I am!

#50 Foxen

Thanks, Foxen. I plan to start A Brave Vessel this weekend so I hope to be able to review it by the end of the week. I'm excited about this one!

#51: My local library does not have that one. I tried to locate in on Paperbackswap and the title will not even come up!

Stasia

It is a new release. The last time we were up at the house I read a featured review of it in the San Francisco newspaper and went out and bought it that weekend. Sometimes I have no control at all! :-) I have no idea when it will come out in paperback.

Can you make suggestions for the library to buy? I've done that a few times and that also puts me first on the request list. It usually isn't my local branch that gets it but they send it out to me so I can read it.

Book 90:

Stout, Rex: In the Best Families
999 Vintage Mysteries category (9/12/09)
PL 155 pages

This is one that is difficult to describe without giving too much away. Fantastic fiction describes the set up well: “Mrs. Barry Rackham, arriving at Wolfe's old Brownstone in Manhattan, is like a duchess diving into a hockshop. The woman is neurotic - so neurotic that she'll pay $10,000 to know where her husband's money comes from.” This novel takes a turn that is quite unexpected—even though it has been foreshadowed in previous books. I think it is one of the best in the series. Besides Wolfe and Archie the only other regular character that has a big role in the story is Lily Rowen. If you catch the clue that gives the solution to the murder as I did, don’t forget about it as the story unfolds because there is a lot going on in this story and Stout is a master at diverting your attention. This is number 16 in the series and one of the strongest, IMO. Highly recommended for fans—3 ½ stars

#53: Right now, my local library is not buying any new books. I will have to look for it elsewhere.

#48, Cait, I saw William Hutt give his final performance, as Prospero, at Stratford. When he said that speech at the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the house and the applause and cheers shook the rafters. It's a magical play as it is but Hutt just blew it into the stratosphere.

MM, William Hutt was one of Canada's preeminent actors. He gave that last performance in his 80s and died within two years after.

tiffin

What a wonderful memory! Thanks for sharing it with us. It's amazing how many people are still affected by plays written 500 years ago. And 'magical' is the perfect word to describe The Tempest!

MM1,

As promised, Tales of Mystery and Horror Halloween Thread. So, come give me a little input about the order of reading, if you want. The list is posted on the first message.

Everyone is welcome. If you know someone else who is interested, pass along the link.

Looking forward to this.

BDB

#51, #56: Seeing Shakespeare live is the way to go. I love reading his plays, but seeing them being performed is such an experience. I think the comedic aspects especially come through on stage, so that jokes that seem outdated or difficult to understand while reading are much funnier. I saw A Midsummer Night's Dream last week, and it was hilarious. The fairies were dressed in sort of a goth, rock 'n' roll look, which my friend and I loved. Generally I am not a fan of theatres updating the plays, but I thought this really worked.

Tui, Christopher Plummer playing Prospero is really exciting for me, since I have seen The Sound of Music about a million times. I only hope the show is as good as the production you saw. Stratford is lucky to attract such major actors.

Once again, I'm powerless to resist after reading your reviews and The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson and In the Best Families zipped their way ever so quickly onto my wishlist.

#59 - I'm very lucky to live close to the Folger and the Shakespeare Theatres, and I try to make it to 1-2 plays a year. When I was in grad school I tried dragging my husband with me to an assigned performance, and he was very very pleasantly surprised (we saw Comedy of Errors and Much Ado About Nothing that season). Even though he has no interest in reading Shakespeare he had no complaints about going to see them with me.

That production of A Midsummer Night's Dream sounds great.

Message edited by its author, Sep 13, 2009, 7:39pm.

Tui & Cait

To see Christopher Plummer play Prospero would be a highlight of one's life! I'm trying not to be jealous. Of course, imo his performance in Sound of Music was incredible and is certainly one of the major reasons it has remained such a beloved film. But I love Christopher Plummer in just about anything.

Cait

I agree that I usually don't like to see the plays updated, but it sounds like your Midsummer's Night Dream performance worked--especially the goth clothes. I could visualize that.

cameling

Thanks for the compliment (see turns away, blushing) :-)

Luxx

You are very lucky. My chances to actually see Shakespeare plays are severely limited now unless we are fortunate enough to have one available when we visit our son & family in Chicago. We did get to see Anthony and Cleopatra at the Navy Pier about 3 years ago.

Message edited by its author, Sep 13, 2009, 10:53pm.

Book 91:

Stout, Rex: Trouble in Triplicate
999 Vintage Mysteries category (9/14/09)
PL 183 pages

Although this category is finished, we spent a lot of time in the car this weekend and this was the book I carried to pass the time. That is also why it is slightly out of order since I posted Book 16 a couple of days ago.

Fantastic fiction give the following summary: “Dazy Perrit was an underworld kingpin until a hail of bullets sent him underground. Ben Jensen was a well connected publisher until a persistent gunman unplugged him. Eugene Poor made novelties like exploding cigars until one of them blew him to bits.
All three men had a premonition they would die, and now Nero Wolfe and Archie, his ever-faithful sidekick, must figure out why. It's a deadly equation of murder times three.”

Book number 15 in the Nero Wolfe is the third collection of novellas. Book 9, Black Orchids, and Book 10, Not Quite Dead Enough, each contain two novellas that are related to each other. In this collection there are three novellas whose only connection is that in each one the person who hires or tries to hire Wolfe dies. Although I enjoyed books 9 and 10 well enough I generally prefer the full length novels. In this trilogy (imo) the first story has a neat puzzle and is nearly as good as many of the full length books. I caught the first clue that indicated who the villain was but I missed the previous reference which would have identified to whom the clue referred. Stout graciously gave the reader a second chance at it near the end. The second story was interesting and one of the better of his short pieces but the third story was merely “Okay” and quite easy to figure out. Recommended for fans—3 stars

Message edited by its author, Sep 14, 2009, 9:24pm.

How do you like the Nero Wolfe books in general? A friend recommended them to me a year or two ago, and I haven't gotten around to them yet. I just started both brother Cadfael and Amelia Peabody this year, so decided to hold off on additional mystery series.

Hi Carolyn

I really like your comments on The Tempest. Here is some eye candy for you. J.W. Waterhouse painted a marvelous work

http://www.jwwaterhouse.com/view.cfm?rec...

#64 justchris

I enjoy the Nero Wolfe books a lot and I am especially enjoying reading them in order to see how the series developed. I read my first Nero Wolfe novels when I was a teenager and loved them then. I hadn't read any for several years when i had the opportunity to get most of them in used paperbacks and came up with the idea of reading them in order. Some I have read previously but many are new to me, especially in these earlier ones. Sometimes I wonder what Rex Stout would have done with the series had he lived long enough to give Archie a cell phone and a computer. The first one he wrote was in 1934 and the last one he wrote was published in 1975 with a total of 46 books. Although Archie and Wolfe did not age perceptively, they did change with the times. One of the reasons I started this project is to follow that development. If you like older, "classic" mysteries you would probably enjoy these, too.

I've read several Amelia Peabody mysteries and I enjoyed them. I'm just now starting the Cadfael series but everyone assures me I will love them. :-) I love mysteries in general so if they are well written and the author hides his clues well but plays fair I will probably like it.

>66: Although Archie and Wolfe did not age perceptively

I vaguely remember reading something written by Stout that said, "Nero is 58 and Archie is 34. The world ages around them; they do not."

I love that series and will re-read it one of these days. I've got too many other mystery series going right now, though. :-)

Thank, Tad. I didn't know that. I always figured Archie was in his "early thirties" but had no idea how old Wolfe was. Looks like the age difference is about right for a "father/son" relationship--I sometimes think this is how it works out in the novels. They irritate the heck out of each other, but when the chips are down.... :-)

#59: Cait, Plummer will be brilliant. You can't go wrong with him. I saw his Hamlet.

Book 92:

Woodward, Hobson: A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways Who Rescued Jamestown and Inspired Shakespeare’s The Tempest
999 Books about Books Category (9/17/09)
PL 239 pages

The “hook” that had me running to the bookstore as soon as I read the review of this book in the San Francisco Chronicle was the promise that here we would find out where Shakespeare got his inspiration for his play The Tempest and about the man who actually wrote the account of the events and whose words were often adapted to the play. Woodward, indeed, delivers on that promise, even if some of what he relates is based on speculation. In the first part of the book we learn about William Strachey, a friend of John Donne and a hanger on with a literary crowd in London who has aspirations to become a great author and poet. Having little success and squandering most of his resources he signs on to be part of a large contingent that will sail to Jamestown, Virginia in order to strengthen that colony. He is on the flag ship, Sea Venture, the largest of a fleet of nine vessels and containing the men who will become the new leaders of the struggling community. Unfortunately, the fleet runs into a hurricane and the Sea Venture is run aground on one of the islands of Bermuda. Strachey keeps records of what happens during their sojourn on Bermuda and when they finally manage to escape and travel to Jamestown he becomes the secretary who keeps the records of the events in Jamestown.

The last third of the book Woodward gives a thorough account of the episodes in Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest, that were undoubtedly inspired by the account of his sojourn that Strachey mailed to England in a letter to a woman he hoped would become his literary patron and sponsor the book about his experiences he hoped to publish . These two portions of the story provide a very interesting account, not only of the history of the castaways on Bermuda and how they survived for so long, but also giving us insight into how Shakespeare was accustomed to adapt material from outside sources to create his dramas that have stood the test of time.

A surprising bonus this book provides is the middle portion of the story. Woodward, using many sources written by several of the colonists during that time, gives us an incredible account of life in Jamestown starting just after the winter called “the starving time” until Strachey leaves to return to England. We see how the colony was governed, what daily life was like, the problems with the natives, and the attempts to expand and create other settlements. Although I had a few quibbles with Woodward’s speculations, especially with his describing Strachey’s reaction to Shakespeare’s play (entirely speculative!) I enjoyed this book immensely. It is not an academic report but written for the entertainment of the average reader. It succeeds admirably in what it set out to do. Highly Recommended—4 stars

That looks fascinating!

Thanks for stopping by, carlym. Since you like history I think you would enjoy the book.

Carolyn...thanks for the great review! It is obvious you enjoyed this book.

#70: I definitely need to find that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

>35 I enjoyed it, too! You've certainly been busy since then!

I'll be looking for A Brave Vessel at the library! Sounds fascinating!

Stasia

You would definitely like this one, imo!

Christine

It's called "frantically trying to finish the 999 Challenge before October!" :-D

Sounds like a really fascinating read. I will have to look for it at my library when I get back home. thanks for a great review.

Caroline,

If you like history, adventure, and Shakespeare this is a "must read"--and it is also interesting without being a "difficult" read. I reread The Tempest before I read Woodward's book and that added greatly to my enjoyment, although he does such a thorough analysis at the end that it isn't really necessary. But it was fun to recognize on my own some of the references from Strachey's writing that Shakespeare used.

Book 93:

Andrews, Donna: Murder with Peacocks
999 Mysteries after 1980 (9/19/09)
Library 332 pages

Richard on LT was touting this series so much on his 75 Challenge thread (and getting them on Hot Review list—so I got a double dose of the reviews!) that I finally broke down this weekend and decided to try the first one. I picked it up at the library Saturday morning when hubby and I started on our long list of errands. He drove and I read. The first 50 pages I was thinking, “Okay, this is cute. I think I’ll probably enjoy this.” By the time we got home I was half way through the book, so as soon as we unloaded the car I plopped myself in my recliner and continued to read. Suddenly I burst out laughing aloud. Hubby asked what I was reading and I read him the funny part—even he chuckled. I then said to him that this book was definitely getting three stars! About an hour—and several guffaws —later hubby said he thought I was enjoying it enough to give it a higher rating, so I said 3 stars for the mystery and extra ½ star for the humor. By the time I finished the book that night hubby insisted I had had too good of a time with the book not to give it at least 4 stars.

This is not generally the type of mystery I enjoy but this was one of the best humorous novels I’ve read in a long time. The mystery was okay—although I knew “who dunnit” early on—but the delightful characters and the humor made me think of Jerome K. Jerome or P.G. Wodehouse at their best. I will definitely be reading the next one in the series! Highly recommended—4 stars

I've read one of the newest ones in that series, Six-Geese-a-Slaying, and read a few in her other series, featuring Turing Hopper.

Loved them and need to track down Murder with Peacocks and start at the beginning of the series.

uh huh....another Meg Langslow addict ..... richard must be rolling on the floor kicking his heels up in glee. They are all high on the chucklage value and I love them. I know I'm always in for a good time whenever I pick up a new one in the series. Her dad's an absolute riot!

Oh yes, I tried one of the Meg Lanslow mysteries, Owls Well that Ends Well, after reading one of Richard's reviews. I was laughing out loud, too! I want to read them all now! Unfortunately, our local library only has the one . . .

linda

I think reading them from the beginning is fun--you get to see how the characters and relationships develop and in this series I think that wll be one of the attractions.

cameling

I didn't go down without a struggle--but in the end laughter overwhelmed me! :-)

I think one of the things I like best about the book is her dad and the relationship they have. I was one of the lucky ones who had a great relationship with my father so I'm always tickled when that is part of a story.

tymfos

Is it possible they could get it for you from another library? Where I live I can request any book from any library in the San Joaquin Valley (that includes several counties) from my computer and it will be sent to my local branch. That's how I will be getting mine.

Message edited by its author, Sep 20, 2009, 6:29pm.

Yes, we do have a statewide Inter-Library Loan system, and it's very easy for me to use it, as I work at the library and often assist the person who handles ILL. But I'm keenly aware of the limits of our library's ILL budget (or as aware as I can be, given that our state has just finally worked out a budget -- over two months late -- and details of any library funding cuts have not been fully revealed yet). I try to limit my requests to those things I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to read, because when the funding runs out, we may have to suspend doing out-of-county ILL's completely. (And state law prohibits us to charge for them.) Some libraries in our state have had to suspend the service because they are already out of funds. (I heard that there was a threat that the entire Free Library of Philadelphia system would close at least temporarily, but I guess the new budget will avert that.)

ETA to make some information more accurate.

Message edited by its author, Sep 21, 2009, 8:18am.

tymfos

Wow! I know our library system is making cuts--fewer staff, less money for book purchases, and they will have some extra days to be closed this coming year but so far there has been no problem with the ILL's within our Valley System.

You really are reminded how important our free library system is when it starts to get threatened! We shouldn't take it for granted.

I can't imagine not having a good public library. Our township library, covering a population of about 15,000-20,000, had a library circulation of 1.2 million this past year, so, apparently, a lot of my fellow residents agree with that.

#84, 85 Actually, within our own county library system, we'll probably be OK for ILL's regardless, because we have a courier who ferries the books around the county once a week. And, so far, it looks like our libraries will survive, albeit with some cuts.

But the contents of the county system are still rather limited. For so many books, we need to go outside, to the state system. That's where things look rather grim, depending on which version of library funding cuts wound up in the budget.

And yes, we definitely shouldn't take our library systems for granted!

Message edited by its author, Sep 20, 2009, 7:37pm.

Book 94:

Bujold, Lois: Shards of Honor
999 Science Fiction category (9/20/09)
PL 253 pages

A Harlequin Romance (Stasia and I agreed on this point) disguised as a space opera, I should have read this book when I was 18, except I have never been into Romance novels and I have only just begun reading Science Fiction on a regular basis this year. Also, I’m pretty sure I was well past 18 when this book was written. This is the first book in the omnibus called Cordelia’s Honor. In this first book, Shards of Honor, we meet Cordelia Naismith and Aral Vorkorsigan who are from competing planets which go to war against each other. There were some interesting aspects about the worlds that Bujold creates and this novel seems to be mainly a set up for the next book, Barrayar, which will continue their story. The second book was written several years after the first and also won the Hugo award. I am looking forward to seeing how Bujold improved in her plotting, writing style, and character development in the later book. I know she is a highly respected Science Fiction author so I will reserve judgment until I read Barrayar. My bonus for reading this book is that my Science Fiction category for the 999 challenge is now finished!

Message edited by its author, Sep 22, 2009, 5:10pm.

Book 95:

Ogawa, Yoko: The Housekeeper and the Professor
999 Classics & Fiction category (9/22/09)
Library 180 pages

This is a beautiful, luminous story about a young single mother who becomes the housekeeper for a brilliant mathematician who, because of a brain injury, has a short term memory of only eighty minutes. I read some wonderful reviews on LT about this book so I ordered it from my Valley Cat library system. I had to wait more than two months, but it was worth the wait.

This book resonated with me on many levels. My father was a mathematician, so is my older son and I have always been fascinated by math. I was care giver for my father for several years because he suffered from short term memory loss. I love baseball and there is a lot of baseball in this book—the major league in Japan. And underlying all this are the implied themes of love and family, especially in ways that make you reexamine what it means to be a family and what makes a family.

The math in the book is not only easy to follow, it also becomes something that revelatory about life and the universe. As the housekeeper learns to perceive these relationships it changes her life. This is my favorite quote from the book: “Math has proven the existence of God, because it is absolute and without contradiction; but the devil must exist as well, because we cannot prove it.”

I’m going to want to buy this book because it is one I will definitely read again—and compel my friends to read it. :-) Highly recommended—4 stars

The Housekeeper and the Professor sounds lovely. I might try it, since I need to get outside my reading box more often.

I read the Vorkosigan series from beginning to end last year as the best way to cover her 5 Hugo winners for best novel scattered through that ouevre. I am probably a minority opinion, but I liked the two stories of Cordelia's Honor better than the many stories featuring Miles, with the possible exception of A Civil Campaign, which was so hysterically funny and poignant. Perhaps my preference is because I like Cordelia and Aral better than Miles in terms of personality and insights. It sounds like you didn't care for the first story so much and are hoping the later ones are better. I confess that because I read them together and they are essentially the same story arc, I can't separate Shards of Honor and Barrayar in my brain.

Linda,
>89 Your review piqued my interest. Normally, I would never be interested in this book (math=YUCK), but you made the book sound wonderful. Will have to look for that one at the library. Nice job!

#90 justchris

Housekeeper was outside my box, too--but I think most people would like it.. It is actually a rather quick read--even when you stop to figure out the math "solutions".

I'm planning on reading Barrayar very soon which is why I'm suspending judgment. I've had people tell me to skip Shards of Honor and other people tell me it gives good background to the second story. I decided I would like to have the background. After I read Barrayar I'll see whether knowing the "back story" of their relationship enhanced the enjoyment of the second book. In which case it would have been been worth it. I didn't hate the novel--but the love story was a bit sophomoric, imo. Also, I expected better writing from such a famous author.

#91 thomasandmary

I hope you enjoy it. Even if you "skip the math" the story is lovely; but the math adds a deeper dimension to the novel. BTW--you must read richard's thread. My name is actually Carolyn. :-)

I guess people confuse us, Carolyn.

If the book has baseball in it, how bad can it be? I might read it despite the math, which was my least favorite subject. I was more of a history and literature fan.

Message edited by its author, Sep 22, 2009, 10:16pm.

Your review makes reading about maths tempting, but seeing as how I never did very well in the subject, I'm wondering just how much math there is in the book?

linda

This is not the math you had in school--unless you were a math major. The way it is used in the book you get a "feel" for what it means even if you don't fully understand it. Remember, it had a powerful influence on a young woman who was a housekeeper and didn't finish high school. If anything, it will take away your "fear" of math and help you see the beauty of it. And I think you will enjoy how baseball affects their lives--in unexpected ways (including math! :-D ) I really think you might like this book.

Caroline

Hopefully, my reply to Linda will surface (I was writing it while you were posting!) and you will see that you don't need to love math to love the book.

ETA (it did -- # 96)

Message edited by its author, Sep 22, 2009, 10:03pm.

:-) ok, i'll give it a shot. I've added it to my wishlist ... i do love baseball at least. Go Yankees!

I recently read The Housekeeper and the Professor and thought it was very easy to read and understand - math included. The biggest appeal to me was the thought that a relationship could develop and be sustained when his memory lasted only 80 minutes. I thought that aspect was glossed over in favor of showing how the exposure to the math impacted the housekeeper's life. I'm not sure I liked it quite as well as you did, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

The Brave Vessel sounds good. I'll add that to the wishlist. The Housekeeper and the Professor is already on the list or I'd add it. I loved that quote.

Hi VB--Thanks for stopping by! I think you will enjoy both of them--but in different ways. :-)

Caroline,
I am so sorry! It gets very confusing on here with names and there always seemed to be so many Lindas. I guess so if I am ascribing that name to everyone :P

Regina aka Thomas and Mary!

or you could call me Sybil

Message edited by its author, Sep 24, 2009, 5:16pm.

Thx for the nudge on the 'what we're reading' thread -- one more thread caught up.

Now... back about 150 messages (on another thread! LOL) you were discussing Dune. Loved your comments and observations! I have the many of the prequels by his son and really, really like them...

Glad to see you're withholding judgment on Bujold. Even if you end up not liking this sf series, her fantasy, esp the Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls are really superb. My opinion of course :)

Hi Susan--thanks for coming by!

I'll get back to Bujold in a few of weeks, after I finish the 999 cchallenge and the Halloween reads I have lined up. I'm glad you mentioned that she has a couple of fantasy series. I knew she had written other series but I didn't realize they were fantasy. So far in my exploration of SciFi/Fantasy I find I usually like the fantasy a little better--except for Connie Willis, of course! The two scifi I read by her are two of my top reads for the year. I'm still rather a newbie at this and plan to continue next year because I'm really enjoying it and learning to discover what I like. I'm making a note of Bujold's fantasy books you mentioned and will try them before I really decide about this author. Bujold is definitely not one i would consider "dumping" out of hand.

I might try one of the prequels of Dune. There was much about the story I liked but from what I've read about the sequels I decided to stop while I was still ahead--it sounded like I had read the best one already!

@103: I liked Curse of Chalion a great deal, enough to hunt for it in used bookstores at this point.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm adding that to my list for next year as i would like to explore more bujold.

no worries about name changes ... I answer to almost anything yelled in my direction. I'll take all the compliments readily, and I'll just assume all insults are meant for someone other than myself. ;-)

I'm sorry, Caroline. Did I get your name wrong? Or, since I am Carolyn--did I spell it incorrectly? I do try to get the names right--but sometime I slip up! :-)

Book 96:

Rehak, Melanie: Girl Sleuth—Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her
999 Book about Books Category (9/26/09)
PL 317 pages

I found this book entertaining and informative. It was a combination social history, an account of the development of group that became a powerfu forcee in children's fiction in the early 20th century, a little bit of biography of the principal people responsible for Nancy Drew’s creation, and a lot about Nancy Drew and her mysteries, including how she was the product of the "rise of feminism" and also partly the impetus. I never realized the influence she had over the views of women from the time of the Depression through the rest of the 20th century. I just remember loving her books.

A personal note: I was a huge Nancy Drew fan from the time I was eight until I was nearly thirteen, reading and rereading the 32 books I had collected during that time. The summer before I was to enter high school my Dad got transferred from California to Oregon and my folks did the packing while I was at summer camp. When we unpacked in Oregon I was horrified to find out Mom had given away my Nancy Drew books because she thought I had outgrown them. At the very end of this book I discovered I wasn’t alone in this tragedy. …as a Washington, D.C., rock band called Tuscadero made clear in a 1995 song called “Nancy Drew.” Its lyrics recounted “horror of discovering your mother threw out your collection of the teenage sleuth’s books.” (p. 310)

#109: I just got that one from the library today. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did, although I must say, I never enjoyed the Nancy Drew books nearly as much as I loved the Hardy Boys :)

Stasia, I have to agree with you. I discovered the Hardy boys prior to Nancy Drew, and always felt they had the edge on her. My sister, however, has rebuilt a complete collection of Nancy Drew.

#110, 111 I, too, loved the Hardy Boys better! My brothers had the first 36, which I eagerly read as soon as I was able, and then I added the rest that were available at that time. Eventually, however, one of my brothers wound up with custody of the Boys. :)

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 12:29am.

I must confess I never read The Hardy Boys! Maybe I should try to find one to make a comparison--but maybe it's too late. :-) I got my first Nancy Drew as a gift from a friend (who was about 2 years older than I) when I was in the hospital for an extended stay--I was eight. I was hooked!

I never liked either Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys as much as Trixie Belden, but I seem to have a talent for the obscure.

#114 Oh, I liked Trixie, too!

#111/112: I read the entire collection of the Hardy Boys books that my school library had (I was about 12, I think). I had read a couple of Nancy Drew books prior to that, but they just did not hold a candle to the Hardy Boys books for me.

#114: I do not remember ever reading any Trixie Belden.

109 - That gave me goosebumps - I bet you were heartbroken to find all of your books gone!

I only ever read one or two Nancy Drew books myself, and I never read the Hardy Boys, but it seems like one of those series I'll really want to have around for my boys.

message 112...

tymfos...Your comment regarding your brother having custody of "The Boys", reminded me that my sister ending up with custody of MY Chatty Cathy doll. Drat, I'll bet she sold it on ebay for a few hundred bucks....rascal that she was/still is.

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 10:12am.

Mine made the round of cousins, but I eventually managed to get about 30 of them back. Sadly, my son didn't enjoy them. Still, they'll be around for the next generation to try.

I liked the Bobbsey Twins LOL

#118 You had a Chatty Cathy doll, too??? I don't know what happened to mine. She probably drowned when my parents' house flooded. :(

(Thank heavens, some of my favorite books were in the attic!)

I have Girl Sleuth on the October reading list. I always liked Trixie Belden better though. I thought Nancy Drew was a know-it-all.

Ever since you brought up Nancy Drew, with all the conversation that's followed, I've been trying to remember the name of another series I read and loved as a kid, and it's been annoying me that I couldn't remember. It finally came to me out of the blue:

Does anyone here remember the Robin Kane mystery series?

Never heard of those, tymfos.

How about The Happy Hollister series? I had a couple of those.

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 4:55pm.

Ooh I loved Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and The Bobsey Twins. I started off with the Enid Blyton young sleuths in The Famous Five series and Secret Seven first before I moved on to the YA sleuths.

>123 I've been thinking of a series too with the name escaping me... I still have that poor tattered book in storage. 5 peppers isn't right...

I was a huge Nancy Drew fan - but also Hardy Boys and an occasionalreader of Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Jusy Bolton (obviously little life other than reading as a child!!)

I think for girls of a certain generation Nancy represented an independent female, pursuing excitement on her own terms. She had her chums and of course Hannah Gruen, father, and Ned Nickerson, but they were peripheral to her intelligence and capabilities. It was exciting and sort of ground breaking to find a heroine like that and I think that was why I devoured all her adventures. Not particularly great literature - but they made the world seem open to possibilities.

My first series as a young child was the Bobbsey Twins--you can still find tattered copies of a couple of them in my library. Then the Hardy Boys, some Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, some Cherry Ames.

Susan, are you thinking of Five Little Peppers and How They Grew? You can find that and sequels in my library as well. I also have the Pollyanna and Elsie Dinsmore series, but all of these were older series.

What a trip down memory lane this has been! I loved Nancy Drew and my best friend and I each got as many as we could, careful not to overlap, then shared our collections with each other. My brother had Hardy Boys, but I didn't like them as well - boys could do anything in books and Nancy Drew was special because she was a girl. I also had a Bobsey Twins book, a Trixie Beldon book, and that Five Little Peppers book, but none of the sequels - I was just too hooked on Nancy to enjoy reading about anyone else! I also had a Chatty Cathy doll that I think is still packed away in a box in my basement, given me by my mom when they moved. She also gave me all my ND books. I unpacked them for my daughter, but like Tad's son, they didn't "take" with her, so I'm saving them for the grandkids.

hmmm... my post didn't take. Yes it was that series Roni -- thx, but were they (are they) mysteries?

The other series I adored was Warner's The Boxcar Children -- I ate them up!

Fav Nancy Drew: The Old Stagecoach. When we lived on Long Island the nearest crosstreet was Hot Water Street with the tale that it got the name during the Revoutionary War when folks threw hot water on the redcoats. That book kind of continued that idea for me :)

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 9:13pm.

#130 I read The Boxcar Children, too, and those books have been a favorite series for my son. (He's reading one now, even as I type; only, when I was a kid, they didn't include mysteries about computer games, like the one he's reading!)

It's been a long time since I read Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, but I don't recall those books being mysteries. (I have two on my bookshelf; I should look at them . . .)

I was a huge Boxcar Children fan, also. I think I liked those books a well as Nancy Drew because of the independence the young people had. I also read a couple of Hardy Boys and a couple Dana Girls--both of those series as well as Bobsey Twins were by the Stratemeyer Syndicate that also did Nancy Drew. And I had a Chatty Cathy doll--it went by the wayside during the same move when my Nancy Drew books disappeared. The irony is that after I had left home when my folks finally settled down in the home they spent the last 35 years of their lives my Mom started a doll collection and wished she hadn't given mine away. I didn't miss the dolls--just the books.

LOL I love that last sentence!

#124 Tad, I had the entire Happy Hollisters series! My mother was a great one for signing me up for "book clubs." I kept them until my sons were old enough to have no interest in them, then donated them to the school library. I have been sorry ever since. I wish I had them back.

I was also an enormous Boxcar Children fan in grade school. I loved it when my sons started buying them and bringing them home. When I was cataloging their books last year, I read through most of them again!

Carolyn..
All these wonderful, delightful spontaneous conversations posted on your thread..

Naturally, that is why I visit here often.

Isn't it wonderful how we love to talk about the books of our childhood! I surprised that no one has mentioned Anne of Green Gables or Girl of the Limberlost. Those were favorites of my mother's that she got me interested in. We even got my boys interested in the Anne books because we all took a trip to Canada and spent a few days on P.E.I. We visited all the "Anne" sites and ended up at Lucy Maud Montgomery's home. My older son, about 7 at the time, asked us if this was Anne's mother! Mom and I laughed because we realized we had been talking about Anne and her friends all week as if they were real people.

>136 well for me at least those books you mentioned were later childhood (teens) whereas the others were elementary and middle school... That's when I read Narnia too (elementary). Then came The Hobbit and Lloyd Alexander :) Along with the Little House on the Prairie books and Little Women series, Eight Cousins... and Lewis' space trilogy.

They definitely offset the miserable and depressing books required at Middle School (1984, Animal Farm, The Pigman). I really hated my reading classes...

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 12:59pm.

MusicMom, I'll mention Anne of Green Gables! I was a big fan of the series... Still am really.

I clearly missed out though - I never read any of the others you all mention! ...ah, with the exception of the Famous Five - and I had all of them...

What about the Chalet School or Sadler's Wells books? Did anyone else read those?

>136: Anne of Green Gables, Girl of the Limberlost...never read them, so can't mention them. :-)

#136 Love them both, although Freckles was my introduction to Gene Stratton-Porter--didn't find a copy of Girl of the Limberlost until I was in college. You'll find both of those books as well as all the L.M. Montgomery I've been able to find in my library now.

I remember reading all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books in fifth grade. I'm sure I had read Little Women around then as well.

#136

My mum loved A Girl of the Limberlost as a child and introduced it to me. I really enjoyed it as well :)

Now I did read Freckles and still have a copy!

I remember Freckles--I found that one in high school. The others I read before 7th grade. I didn't read Little Women until high school. I have to admit, I missed the Laura Ingalls Wilder books--never read them.

I never could get into Anne of Green Gables ...she was just too good for me, and I just wished she would act out every once in a while.

I read all the Enid Blyton books growing up, and especially loved her school series: St Clare's and Malory Towers - I still own some of them down in the basement. I now feel a strong urge to go grab a couple and re-reading them

Nancy Drew made me the reader that I am today. I received three for Christmas when I was in third grade and I haven't stopped reading since. As a favorite series though it was replaced when I started working in the children's room at the library, by a series called Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. There aren't very many of them but my daughters and I love them.

No Anne of Green Gables for me - I went straight from The Babysitter's Club to Christopher Pike/classic horror to the Brontes. ;)

My mom was never a reader herself, but thought it was important to encourage a love of reading; my dad started handing me books like Wuthering Heights and The Scarlett Letter when I was ten. And now I'm throwing Verne at my toddler...

Did anyone else take a look at the "5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30..." thread on Literary Snobs? It's really neat to see how different LTers have evolved as readers.

>146 I'm afraid mine would show the reverse for the past few years, especially this one! (Did you see the devolving episode of Next Generation -- thought that was pretty clever.)

#144

I loved Malory Towers and still read them as a comfort read when I'm tired or ill. You can't beat a bit of political incorrectness ;)

I read Nancy Drew, The Bobbsey Twins, and an occasional Cherry Ames. I also loved the Betsy, Tacy, and Tib books. And Katie John!
Of course, L.M. Montgomery was ubiquitous here in the Great White North and I read most of them - my favourite was not Anne, but Emily of New Moon - and I liked the Marigold series too. And I always thought Kilmeny of the Orchard was a wonderful name for the book - have never heard of anyone else named Kilmeny though!
I was fortunate to have lots of Enid Blyton's books sent from England - and our school library had the Famous Five series. Loved them! I rescued a couple of those when my school closed in '83 but they seemed to have gone astray...but I got and still have the copy of the Anne of Green Gables that I read in grade 4 or 5.

The Emily of New Moon books are hard to find here--I think there are three, aren't there? I have been on the lookout for them for quite a while but haven't located any yet. Probably people who own them don't want to give them up! I have Kilmeny of the Orchard and it is a nice story but not as good as the best Anne books, imo. I do love the name though! I also have The Story Girl which I haven't read yet.

I saw several boxed set of the three of them on bookfinder.com for between $20 and $25. I filled in all of my Montgomery books when they reprinted pretty much her whole canon in the early '80s in paperback.

Thanks for the information. The last time we went to Vallejo I found a really good used book store that is on the way up there Not only do they have a large selection, you can leave requests with them and if what you are looking for comes in they will hold it for you. I'll request the Emily books the next time I go there.

I have a neat old copy of Emily of New Moon that I picked up at a yard sale - still has its dust jacket; think it dates to the 40's by the jacket illustration but it only has the original publishing date of 1923.
I would be happy to look for the Emily books for you, if you like. They would be somewhat easier to find here - nothing I like better than a hunt! I wouldn't pay more than a $1, they'd be secondhand at the library - yard sales are pretty much over now for the season.

Don't even get me started on L. M. Montgomery! Like Roni, I am a huge fan. I just found a copy of Anne of the Island from 1935 at a used book store. It was the highlight of the month! I have a ton of her books on my TBR for next year - an entire category on my 1010 Challenge. It is so nice to find othe fans here!

Oh, and there are definitely three Emily books - Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily's Quest.

When I was in the fifth grade my neighbor had a big Christmas package for me under her tree. I pestered her for days to give me a hint - finally she said she would tell me what it was; it was something she knew I would really love but I still couldn't open it until Chrismas. Then in great excitement she said it was.......a bottle of perfume. I was so upset I ran home and cried - that was about the last thing a tomboy like me would have wanted.

She fooled me totally, of course - they were three Nancy Drew mysteries and nothing could have pleased me more.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 5:40pm.

>155: Awww! lol! Love the story, love your neighbor! Lucky you!

What a wonderful story!

That's the kind of neighbor to have! My dad, a college chem prof at the time, had a colleague who used to come over occassionally. Each time he'd bring my sis and I each another book in the Oz books --new bindings, but original illustrations.

Book 97:

Windling, Terri: Wood Wife
999 Fantasy category (9/29/09)
PL 319 pages

I have wanted to read this book ever since I read a review on LT describing it as a book that is about Southwestern myth, folklore and culture, an area in which I have great interest. That description, although not untrue, is only a tip of the iceberg and I was really unprepared for the experience of the book. I am not able to write a “review” of the book because in many ways I am still processing it and will have to reread it. For a great review I suggest you go to TadAD’s review on the home page.

Here are some of the impressions I have about Windling’s novel. I would describe it as a collision of “real life” with the myth and folklore of the American Southwest. In addition to the folklore the story handles well several other passions of mine, including music, poetry, and art. Both the “real” characters and the mythical characters are well developed, interesting and sometimes difficult to tell apart. The descriptions of the landscape are so vivid that the reader is pulled into the “place” as well as into the story. I may never use the expression “Words cannot describe…” again. Teri Windling has proven that, indeed, words can definitely describe so vividly that the reader can actually see it all.

Bottom line: I loved this incredibly fascinating book. It was an almost overwhelming reading experience that will stand up to several rereads because there is so much to explore and revel in. Highly recommended—4 ½ stars.

BTW If you read it you will also learn why this is a great “Halloween read!” :-)

Book 98:

Peters, Ellis: A Rare Benedictine
999 Mysteries before 1980 category (9/29/09)
Library 118 pages (over-sized book)

Angela on LT told me about this book and it intrigued me because I’ve been considering starting the Cadfael series. It contains three short stories that Peters wrote in 1988 to fill in some background on Cadfael before he became famous for solving crimes. The first story, “A Light on the Road to Woodstock,” gives a bit of history of his pre-monastery life and tells how he became a Brother at Shrewsbury Abbey. The second story, “The Price of Light” was my favorite. It takes place after he joins the Abbey and tells us a little about how the society of that age worked. It was also the best mystery in this book, even though it was not hard to guess most of the answers. The third story, “Eye Witness” was easy to solve early on but had a surprise (at least for me) twist at the end. Recommended, especially for fans—3 stars

Carolyn, The Wood Wife sounds lovely. Do you think you will continue on to the main Brother Cadfael series after your introduction to A Rare Benedictine? I enjoyed A Morbid Taste for Bones and expect to pursue the rest of the series, but I'm dealing with the backlog on my shelves right now.

Carolyn, The Wood Wife sounds lovely. Do you think you will continue on to the main Brother Cadfael series after your introduction to A Rare Benedictine? I enjoyed A Morbid Taste for Bones and expect to pursue the rest of the series, but I'm dealing with the backlog on my shelves right now.

chris

I think I will read more--at least to try it out. I enjoyed the short stories and I think in a novel we would get even more background of the period and she would be able to obfuscate the reader more successfully. I'm assuming Morbid Taste for Bones is the first one?

One of my "jobs" for next year is to organize my mystery "series". I added so many this year as a result of recommendations on LT I need to see where I am and make a plan on how to keep up with them all! I had no idea how many were out there that I had never heard of! Plus, I've gotten behind this year on the few that I already followed. Ahh, the trials and tribulations LT threads can cause.. :-D

I do recommmend you try Wood Wife. I wish I could have read it in one sitting--or at least not having to wait a couple of days between sessions beccause of a hecticc RL week. I predict you won't want to put it down.

>160: One of these days I'll have to pick up A Rare Benedictine. I've read the rest of the Cadfael books and loved them.

Right now, I'm reading another series that's very similar—the Brother Athelstan series by Paul Harding. They main character is a 14th century Dominican monk who breaks a rule of the Order and, as penance, is sentenced to work as the assistant to the coroner of London. So far (I'm three books in), I'm enjoying Harding's writing.

I'm glad you liked The Wood Wife. Once you get through your current backlog, you ought to try Charles de Lint...very similar.

Glad you liked A Rare Benedictine. A Morbid Taste for Bones is the official "first" book in the series, and I hope to get to that book soon. The Harding books sound good as well. LT has given me SOOOO many series to try - I'm almost hoping that I dislike some of them so there's less pressure! ;)

Tad, how would you compare The Wood Wife to Lindskold's duology, Changer and Legends Walking? I enjoy those fantasies a great deal, also set in the American Southwest. You addressed it a bit in your thread, putting them on the opposite ends of a continuum. I haven't read The Wood Wife yet.

#164 Tad

I plan to try the Cadfael series but I'll also be on the lookout for the Paul Harding Series. I hope my library has them.

I have bought The Wild Wood (which I plan to read soon) and a book of short storied (I can't remember the title off hand--but it uses characters from his Newford series) by de Lint--so he is definitely on my radar now! :-)

#165 Angela

I'm so glad you recommended that book! I think it will end up being a lot of good reading ahead--the Cadfael series seems very popular.

#166 roni

I'll be looking into those two books also if they are similar to Wood Wife. I think you have the wrong touchstone for Changer. I think this one is correct.

You are right, Carolyn. I forgot to check before I posted. I don't know how similar they are to Wood Wife, but I do know I liked them a lot. And they are fantasy set in the Southwest with gods.

Carolyn, my library in Tredyffrin (Wayne) PA had a beautiful hardback omnibus version of the first Cadfael which included a set of photos of the area. Really a gorgeous book :) Almost picked up another Cadfael last night but went with fantasy comedy instead.

#159: Nice review of The Wood Wife, Carolyn!

>166: I enjoy the Lindskold books but I think Windling's writing is better. When I read a contemporary fantasy, one of the measures for me is how much the author does the work of suspending disbelief for me. Windling's world simply feels real; with Lindskold, there was a little more of me aware that I was reading fantasy.

Great review of The Wood Wife - I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

The Wood Wife is one I'd planned to skip because the area libraries don't have it and I wasn't sure if I'd like it. But you 've convinced me that it's probably worth requesting an inter-library loan.

My Wishlist is kind of like the Energizer Bunny -- it keeps on going . . . and GROWING!

@163: Carolyn, I'm slow on the uptake, so your question has been answered by others already. Good luck organizing your mystery odyssey. While I enjoy mysteries, I really haven't dived very deeply into the genre. I too am learning about many interesting series on LT. The Brother Athelstan books by Paul Harding sound interesting. I have read most books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry, Caroline Roe, and Barbara Hambly. I've tried and enjoyed a few by Martha Grimes and Sharon Kaye Penman, and this year I've started Ellis Peters and Elizabeth Peters. I've also read the occasional oddball by authors who I can't remember right now. None of them have been keepers, just brief diversions. The Hannah Swensen mysteries by Joanna Fluke are a perfect example (had to look that up). That's pretty much the extent of my mystery forays.

also @ 163: I, too, am almost overwhelmed by how many mystery series I've found that I want to try and/or keep up with. I had issues with how to do this even before LT, and now I don't know how I possibly can follow them all unless I stop reading everything but mysteries! (Fat chance of that!)

(If only I didn't need to eat and sleep . . . think of the extra reading time! :D )

I spent yesterday finishing up the posting on my 999 Challenge--which is finally COMPLETED! Yes, I'm yelling. :-)
The rest of this year will post my reads only on this thread.

Summary for September

Book Talley for September:

Books Acquired 14 ( read 1)
Books Read PL 9 (Pages: 2101 )
Books Read non PL 4 (Pages: 846 )
Audio Books heard 0 (hours)
Audios Acquired 0

Total 13 books, 2,947 pages (8 fiction; 5 nonfiction)

Books read in September:

Andrews, Donna: Murder with Peacocks
Brent, Frances: The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson
Bujold, Lois: Shards of Honor
Greene, Graham: Our Man in Havana
Holland, Julie: Weekends at Bellevue (ER book)
Ogawa, Yoko: The Housekeeper and the Professor
Peters, Ellis: A Rare Benedictine
Rehak, Melanie: Girl Sleuth—Nancy Drew and the Women who Created Her
Shakespeare, William: The Tempest
Stout, Rex: In the Best Families
Stout, Rex: Trouble in Triplicate
Windling, Terri: Wood Wife
Woodward, Hobson: A Brave Vessel

Best in September:

Fiction: Windling, Terri: Wood Wife & Ogawa, Yoko: The Housekeeper and the Professor
Nonfiction: Brent, Frances: The Lost Cellos of Lev Aronson

This was a good reading month with most books rated higher than 3 stars. It was difficult to choose one “best” in both fiction and nonfiction. At the last minute I ended up not being able to choose in fiction. :-)

Message edited by its author, Oct 3, 2009, 4:09pm.

Congrats on finishing your challenge!

Congratulations on completing your 999 Challenge. What a fantastic achievement. Holler, scream and toot your trumpet ... you deserve the fanfare.

I've had to add Wood Wife to my wishlist.

Congratulations on finishing the 999 Challenge! Great work!

Congrats!

Congrats! So, are you doing the 1010 challenge? :)

Luxx, cameling, tymfos, sgtbigg, and Cait86.

Thank you! It feel good to be able to have complete freedom in choosing what to read for the rest of the year.

Cait86

I like reading in categories but I found 999 to be more restrictive than I had thought it would be. Next year I will stay with the 75 Challenge--one of the main reasons is that there is more discussion in this group--but select some categories to explore in depth. However there will be no required number of books to read in a category so I can read as many or as few in each category as I wish. Since I had 98 books in a Challenge which should have been 81 books you can see I have trouble disciplining myself to stick to a plan. :-) This way I will have some goals to direct my reading but no stress (I hope!). It will also mean that I will only have to keep up one thread, which will be a time saver for me--more time for reading!

ETA Thanks for asking. You just helped me clarify what I want to do next year!

Message edited by its author, Oct 3, 2009, 9:10pm.

Carolyn, did you mention that you're finished with 999 on the "I finished" thread?

Linda

I didn't know about that. I'll look for it after dinner! Thanks.

I'm in awe....congratulations.

Congrats, girl! But I still expect you to go back to Barrayar and give it a chance.

Thanks, orangeena! I'm enjoying "looking back" on it. ;-)

Thanks, Roni. I plan to read Barrayar in November--after the Halloween reads. I haven't forgotten and I think I will enjoy it with no "pressure" of a deadline. :-) I have a bit of the feeling I used to have in college when the last final was completed and I could pick up a book for pleasure! A little bit of euphoria.

What a great feeling! enjoy.

Congratulations on finishing your 999 challenge!!

LOL Thanks, Stasia! I love the gif--cross-eyed--that's about how I looked when I finally finished! One of the reasons I'm staying with the 75 Challenge next year is I'm getting more congratulations here than I have on my 999 thread!

Thanks, "guys"!

If you are cross-eyed, I hate to think what I am! :)

Congratulations! It's been fun watching your reading list grow this year.

Thanks, thomanandmary. Being on LT has widened my horizons and led me to books I probably would never have discovered on my own. So it has been fun for me, too. :-)

Wow! You did the 999 -- super! I've all but conceded defeat! :) Live & learn...

Thanks, Susan!

With the problems you have getting books and most of yours in storage I'm surprised you even tried! I hope you had fun with the reading you did on it--why not turn it into a 999 day challenge--then you have almost 2 more years to finish! :-D

Congrats on 999!

Congratulations both with achieving the goal and for the subsequent freedom. I must say you collect way more data on your reading than I do. Of course, I am just starting out--this is my first year ever tracking my reading. It has been an interesting process.

Congratulations on finishing 999. Quite an accomplishment!

More congratulations coming your way!! Watch out! :D

Thanks all for the good wishes! The book I''m about to post was a great "cleansing the palette" read yesterday. Now it is back to House of Seven Gables for the Halloween read.

#199 chris

I started keeping track of my reading a couple of years before I found LT because I was trying to read more and also to read more widely. I use those "numbers" to keep me motivated to keep reading more and in many different areas. I also keep a reading journal (on my computer) so I can look back on what I read and what I thought about it at the time. So, in addition to motivation, I guess it is also a record of what I read.

Book 99:

Quinn, Spencer: Dog On It
Mystery
Library 305 pages

I picked up this bit of fluff at the library because it had been recommended on LT. It is the first in a purported series featuring a detective, Bernie, and his partner Chet, who is a dog. This was a first person narrative, with added comments on the side, delivered by the dog. The idea is cute and clever but with such a thin story it can’t really stand up to the 305 pages the author has given us. I took it as my “car” book on our long weekend and it was a good choice. It didn’t demand my attention so much that I ignored my husband, I could get some reading done during commercials as we listened to the last SF Giants game of the season and there were several amusing bits that I could read aloud to hubby, who is an avid dog lover.

My favorite quote:

When I woke up, the sun hung low in the sky, and we were driving down a broad avenue lined with weird buildings, weird lights, weird people, weird everything.
“Vegas,” Bernie said. “Welcome to the ninth circle.”
Ninth circle? A new one on me.

Obviously, Chet hasn’t read Dante.

Because I like to see connections between books I read—especially random ones—I should mention that the Bernie and Chet live in Arizona and it was weird seeing the desert landscape through a dog’s eyes after reading Wood Wife last week. :-)

Bottom line: A light mystery for passing the time on a lazy afternoon if you have nothing better to do and no other book to read. You will get a few laughs as you get a dog’s eye view of the world. Because we all probably need these fluffy books this occasionally I can guardedly recommend it, but only if you are crazy about dogs. 2 ½ stars

#202 Oh, I've always wanted to read the House of the Seven Gables. This would be a great time to do so.

I visited there in MA and toured the house once.

Book 100:

Hawthorne, Nathanial: The House of Seven Gables
Classics/Halloween read (10/08/09)
PL 285 pages

What can I say? I thought this book was a great Gothic novel that was very apposite for a Halloween read. One thing that contributed to this being a wonderful reading experience for me is now that I’m finished with the 999 challenge I really treasured the leisurely pace of the story and the long, lush sentences. I loved the way the characters were revealed bit by bit, often with little homilies on their quirks. For those who are looking for a fast paced thriller with twists and turns in the plot this is not the book to choose. If you enjoy stories that are built on atmosphere and character with some philosophy thrown in for good measure I recommend this as a fine example of that type of novel. I also have to admit, that sometimes I suspected that Hawthorn was writing with a little “tongue in cheek” attitude toward the reader and having a sly laugh on us—or perhaps inviting us to laugh with him.

Favorite word in the book: apothegm—a terse, witty instructive saying; a maxim.
p. 137: "...for she had been trying to fathom the profundity and appositeness of this concluding apothegm."

This was the "apothegm" in question: "...Infinity is big enough for us all--and Eternity long enough!"

#205: I am going to have to give that one a re-read some time!

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I didn't think I would hate it, but I thought it might be a little tedious to read--but actually I really got pulled into the story and the characters' lives. I was definitely in the right mood for it when I read it!

Book 101:

Hill, Susan: The Woman in Black
Fiction/Halloween read (10/10/09)
Library 160 pages

This is the third book I’ve read for this years’ Halloween Read and is, so far, the least satisfying for me. Although I have no complaints about the writing, even from the beginning this book seemed somewhat flat. It was written in the 1980’s by an English author who seems to be attempting to write a ghost story in the 19th century Gothic style. At first I though maybe it was because it was more novella length without the time to really set up the atmosphere, but The Turn of the Screw was a novella and the atmosphere was skillfully built up to grab the reader and hold him breathless. It may have been that my problem was that I had just finished The House of Seven Gables with its heavy emphasis on atmosphere that develops much more slowly than in Hill’s story in which there seem to be sudden changes of both atmosphere and mood. I felt very detached as I read this book, almost to the point of analyzing why I thought it was "missing the mark!" Another problem may be that the first chapter of the story shows the protagonist many years removed from this part of his life, well and happy with his family around him at Christmas. Obviously he managed to survive the experience and move on so there was not the sense of great urgency that catastrophe would befall him.

I also found that I was often able to anticipate what would happen and why rather than experiencing what the main character was feeling. This story might have been better told in third person rather than first person. The narrator was very analytical about himself and the strange occurrences going on, which made me also analytical instead of settling into the flow of the story. In spite of that, throughout most of the book I kept enough interest to want to finish the story. My biggest complaint is I felt manipulated by the ending. Even though I saw the final event coming I was still angry when it happened. Perhaps, because I did see it coming!

Bottom line: A lot of people have really liked this book and I can see the attraction, even though it didn’t work for me. I consider it a 19th century Gothic wannabe without the style and the ability to create an atmosphere that would draw me into the story.

A final comment: All of you who disliked Hawthorne’s book because it was “too slow” should enjoy this one. It moves quite quickly!

>208: I'm glad I decided to pass that one up up, then, and read something outside the group I've been wanting to start. It sounds like The Woman in Black is something I would have picked at. :-)

Out of curiosity, I take it that the title is a play on The Woman in White?

Message edited by its author, Oct 11, 2009, 7:21am.

#208 Tad

I don't think it is consciously so--in the Gothic novel The Woman in White the title has significance to the plot as well as being descriptive. In the ghost story The Woman in Black the title is simply descriptive of the ghost's attire. A lot of people on LT really like the latter book--which is why I substituted it for the Collins novel which was on BDB's list.

Woman in Black is a fast read if you'd like to try it. As I said in my review, my biggest problem may have been that I couldn't make the adjustment so soon after The House of Seven Gables where I thought the atmosphere was so well done and the story developed layer by layer. I was also somewhat off-put by the first person narrative--his fear might have been better expressed by a third person narrative. I just wasn't convinced.

Book 102:

Wells, H.G.: The Island of Dr. Moreau
Science Fiction/Halloween (10/15/09)
PL 133 pages

H.G. Wells “scientific romances” have remained popular for over 100 years for a very good reason. They are exciting adventures that also give the reader something to think about and The Island of Dr. Moreau is one of the better ones. In some ways it reads like a horror version of Robinson Crusoe with a touch of Gulliver’s Travels thrown in for good measure. In other ways it reveals the effects of the hubris of a scientist who goes beyond even Dr. Frankenstein in his quest to become a god creating his own life forms. This is a ripping good tale in a small volume that provides plenty of suspense and horror in addition to some moral issues to think about. Highly recommended—4 stars

I finished Dr Moreau last week, Carolyn, and definitely agree with you. I enjoyed this one quite a bit more than Wells's The War of the Worlds which I had read earlier this year. It was fast-paced, exciting and inventive. Like you, I also enjoyed debating in my mind the moral issues that the play brought forth for discussion. Glad you liked it as much as I did!

Message edited by its author, Oct 17, 2009, 7:37am.

After all the glowing reviews here on LT, I really must give The Island of Dr. Moreau a try.

Happy Sunday Carolyn. I'm breezing by to say hi.

#212 Eliza and #213 Stasia

Eliza, I think we both found more to this book than we had expected! Stasia, I don't usually like "horror" and Moreau had more horror elements than the others I've read this month, but the moral and ethical issues made the book compelling reading so the horror elements didn't seem gratuitous. I do recommend it.

#214 Linda

Thanks for stopping by! I have been lurking on your thread but have not had time to do much commenting anywhere. I've enjoyed your reviews--especially the one about the Japanese internment. I have been reading a lot about that since I moved to this area--I know many people here who were interred during the war. I also know of farmers who worked hard to keep the farms of their Japanese friends running during that time so when they returned some of them didn't have to start all over again. It was a sad and difficult time in this Valley.

Book 103:

Houston, Victoria: Dead Angler
Mystery (10/18/09)
Library 265 pages

I got this book from the library after reading a review on LT (can’t remember whose) because I’m looking for some “new” series mysteries to read next year. I took a break from my Halloween reads yesterday because this is due back soon. This is the first in a series called “Loon Lake Fishing Mysteries” and the first fiction book written by this author. Unfortunately, it shows in her writing both in character development and in plotting. The story was okay and I rather enjoyed the fishing references (including the fishing “lessons”) since in my youth I was quite fond of fishing. A couple of the characters were well done but many seemed to be caricatures rather than real people. Houston also had the habit of “telling the reader information about the characters feelings rather than “revealing” this information which interfered with the flow of the story.

Bottom Line: Obviously I didn’t hate this book since I stayed up half the night finishing it, but I found it disappointing. It could have been a much better story in the hands of a more experienced mystery writer. I may try to find one the later books in the series (she has done 10 of them so far) to see if she develops the potential she shows in this first effort.

#216, oops, I'm sure I recommended Victoria Houston. This is one series that has grown, over time, for me, and I absolutely love the northwoods Wisconsin setting since I visit there and love that area.

I met her at a mystery bookstore discussion right about the time the first one came out so this added to my enjoyment. I absolutely love these characters, too--they're among my favorites.

Linda

I think one of my problems is that I'm reading so many well written books because of getting great suggestions on LT that I'm getting even pickier than usual about the quality of the writing. It might also be because I'm reading The Moonstone right now and interrupted my reading of that to read the Houston book because I have to get it back to the library. That may also be why the novel felt a little abrupt sometimes. I'll giver her another try when I'm reading more contemporary mysteries.

Unfortunately, numbers 2, 3, & 4 are not in my Central Valley Library system so I can't get them. I think the next one that I could request would be Dead Hot Mama. Is it okay to read them out of order? I liked Lew and Ray a lot--I thought they were well done. Doc was "okay"--he was the one I thought Houston "told" too much about instead of revealing it in the story; that was my only problem with him. I also really liked the Wisconsin setting--I thought that was well done. Like I say--I enjoyed the book enough to stay up way too late in order to finish it. I just had some quibbles with the writing. The mystery was fun.

Linda : You've made me want to re-read House of the Seven Gables again on a dark and stormy night with a big mug of hot cocoa.

I loved The Island of Dr Moreau - did you see the movie they made of it? Not as good as the book, but not bad either.

I think you should be able to read Victoria Houston out of order. The relationship develops a bit and you learn a whole lot more about Doc and his family.

Most of them were with the same publisher and were pretty widely distributed. For the last few, I think she's been with a new publisher and they've been in trade paperback format.

We used to make an annual trip to the Northwoods every fall but, the last few years, we haven't and I think reading about the Northwoods takes the place of that, somewhat. During recent years, we haven't gone north of Green Bay, WI.

I've never been as far north as as Green Bay, WI! Maybe that's why I liked the setting so much--I love trees!

#216: I just purchased that one recently, so I hope I like it better than you did :)

I think you will enjoy it--sometimes I just get too picky. Especially when I am tired and cranky! :-D Unfortunately, if I decide to continue the series I will have to skip books 2, 3, & 4 because my library doesn't have them. I may check out the used bookstore I recently found and see it they have them.

Hi! I was just stopping by to see what you've been reading. Can your library get the books you mention in #223 through inter-library loan? Cheers, Jan

Hi, Jan

Thanks for stopping by! By computer I have access to all the libraries in the San Joaquin Valley (which covers all of tCeentral California) and none of then has those volumes. Of the others there are only one or two copies in the entire system. With the cutbacks is has become very expensive to try to order outside this system. And there is no guarantee that they will be successful. I might as well buy them--assuming I can find them. They are pretty old by popular fiction standards. :-)

I am SO behind....

Loved Nancy Drew. I only found out this year that 'Carolyn Keene' was a pen-name for a host of ghostwriters, and have to admit to being not a little unsettled by it. I gather that, confusingly, there are several different series, written at different times but all restarting the numbering from 1.. whichever series it is that has The Whispering Statue in it was the one I used to read. Now wondering what happened to all my Nancy Drew books...

Also liked the few Bobbsey Twins and the one Happy Hollisters (The Mystery of the Little Mermaid) that we had at home, originally my mum's. And Anne, Emily and Sadler's Wells. Ooh, children's books... definitely want to check out that Literary Snobs thread mentioned. And now I'm very nearly caught up on LT maybe I can!!

And... well done on completing your 999 AND hitting 100 books. Wow.

I predict now that you will move threads in about 5 posts' time and I'll lose you for another couple of hundred....

Glad to see you, Flossie. I know what you mean by having to catch up on threads--I get caught up and then have several days when I just don't have time and have to catch up again--usually on the week end. But this weekend I'll have no time so I'm frantically using my "free morning" today for LT. :-)

Isn't it fun to read about the books from our childhood! Most avid readers get the habit then and those books are special in our lives.

I won't get a chance to start a new thread until next weekend--and I will leave a link.

I'm off to write the review of my ER book that I finished this week--it was a great one! Stay tuned... :-D

My first "favorite book" was Don and Donna Go to Bat, about a pair of twins--the boy got sick so his twin sister filled in for him at the baseball game (gasp!), unheard of at the time.

I read it to my niece (about 40 years later) and she thought it was a nice story but no deal. She said "girls can do anything boys can do."

It's nice to see that little girls believe that now. Back then, this book was eye-opening to me.

#228 Linda, I think it's funny that you were reading baseball books even back then!

I was chuckling over the same thing! :-)

Book 104:

Kamkwamba, William: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Africa/Memoir (10/19/09)
PL 347 pages

I finished this book ten days ago and am still having trouble trying to find the words to convey the powerful impact it has had on me. This year I started a project to read about Africa, naively thinking it would make a good year’s study. I now realize that I will be reading in the area for several years and will even then have more to explore. My focus right now is to read books written by Africans to get the personal perspective of those who live there. I was delighted to receive this ER book because it not only is a personal memoir of a young man in Africa, it also takes place in an area where I have a personal connection. The son and daughter-in-law of a friend of mine live in Malawi and are the directors of an orphanage there. I have visited with them when they are on home leave and heard about and seen pictures of their work there. This is an area where I have some personal knowledge of what is happening and it made the book very vivid for me.

William Kamkwamba begins his story by telling of his childhood and relating how many of the values he learned were shaped by the folk tales that were told to him when he was a child. In the first part of the book we learn about daily life in Malawi, social customs, family and community relations, and a little about the politics from the time of their independence until now. We see some of the influences which shaped Williams personality and contributed to his determination to try to help his family. We also see the beginning of the dream of being able to bring electricity to his house and to his community to improve both life and working conditions there.

The second part of the book tells of the devastation of the famine of 2002 for most of the people in the country and how one of the consequences for William and his family was that they now could not afford to send William to school. How William deals with this disappointment without losing sight of his dream and what he eventually accomplishes with the help of his friends and later with the help of “strangers” makes for one of the most inspiring memoirs I have ever read.

Bottom Line: I am grateful that this book was about Africa because otherwise it might never have attracted my attention and I would have missed a wonderful experience seeing what the power of the human spirit can transcend if in the face of all obstacles it still strives to accomplish its dream. Highly recommended

Book 105:

Collins, Wilke: The Moonstone
Classic fiction/Mystery (10/27/09)
PL 501 pages

I really do enjoy Wilkie Collins! It is no coincidence that his work somewhat resembles Charles Dickens’ novels because they were good friends and Dickens was a mentor to the younger Collins. I sometimes think of Collins as Dickens “lite” –much quicker reads than Dickens and almost as much fun. It was especially fun to read it along with Stasia!

The Moonstone is a classic mystery story with some exotic overtones. The story is told from different points of view as persons involved in the events leading to and succeeding the theft of the Moonstone have been asked to write down their parts of the story after the facts. One of the delights of the novel is how Collins brilliantly lets the characters reveal themselves with their qualities and quirks as they relate their views of the events. Miss Clack is the best example of this type of revelation—a classic view of someone who has no clue how she is perceived by others.

My only regret in this book is that I would have liked to have gotten more in depth revelations about Rachel, the women who received the Moonstone as a gift. She seemed to be a strong person, similar to Marian Halcombe in Woman in White, and she certainly was headstrong. But we never really get a chance to know her beyond her reactions to the events. Another intriguing character in the novel is the British detective Sergeant Cuff. A foot note in my book says that this police officer was modeled on the famous Scotland Yard detective Mr. Jonathon Wicher. The next book on my list to read is The Suspicions of Mr. Wicher, the story of the case that ruined his career.

Bottom line: An exciting and intelligently written mystery from the Victorian era, this book should appeal to lovers of good literature, Victorian novels, and/or great mysteries. Highly recommended—5 stars

Message edited by its author, Oct 30, 2009, 9:06pm.

Book 106:

Innes, Michael: One-Man Show (aka A Private View)
Mystery (10/29/09)
Library 156 pages

Many years ago when I read mysteries like eating chocolates, (I couldn’t stop with just one but they didn’t count as “real reading”) I read several of the John Appleby novel by Michael Innes (aka J.I.M. Stewart) and enjoyed them. I hadn’t thought of this series in years until Stasia brought them to my attention when she read There Came Both Mist and Snow recently. I had trouble tracking down that book because my library has it under the title of A Comedy of Terrors, but I managed to solve that mystery and I requested it. As a bonus, it came in an omnibus of three Appleby mysteries titled Appleby Intervenes and I decided to read them in order. This is the first one.

First published in 1940 One-Man Show stands up remarkably well, starting with the title which turns out to be a double entendre. I love British mysteries and this one has all the elements of a good one with great characterizations, a glimpse of the aristocracy and what is happening during this era, a puzzle mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and some good action scenes. The plot revolves around the murder of a young abstract painter and the subsequent robbery of his last painting at the opening of his posthumous one-man show. This was an enjoyable afternoon read that went down as pleasurably as a piece of chocolate. I’m delighted that I still have two more to go. Recommended for mystery fans, especially if you like the British mysteries of the mid 20th century!

>232 I loved The Moonstone, it has all the right elements of suspense and intrigue! I too find Collins a more accessible version of Dickens. Glad you enjoyed it, Carolyn.

#232

Thanks for stopping by, Laura. I've noticed that we both seem to like 19th century English novels (I'm also a huge Trollope fan!) :-)

Book 107:

Kreisler, Fritz: Four Weeks in the Trenches
Memoir/WWI (10/30/09)
Library 86 pages

This memoir of Kreisler’s brief service in the Austrian army during WWI gives the reader a realistic and moving account of a soldier’s life during battle. He honestly describes not only his actions but also his feelings during this time and allows the reader to get a glimpse of what it was like to be on the battlefield and in the trenches of WWI. As a musician, I was fascinated to know that one aspect of his musical training came into play—he discovered he could discern the apex of incoming artillery missiles by hearing the sound change as they went from ascending to descending. This enabled his artillery to determine the distance they needed to accurately fire upon those artillery positions. Higly recommended--4 stars

#231: I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would add it again!

#232: I love The Moonstone as well. Something I never noticed before is that Collins' imitates Dickens' habit of having rhyming character names, lol. I am glad you enjoyed the book, too.

#233: I am definitely going to be reading more of Michael Innes' books based on how much I liked A Comedy of Terrors.

#236: I just read that one, too. I loved Kreisler's depiction of life in the trenches.

>233: I don't think I have the capacity for another mystery series! :-)

Stasia--thanks for stopping by. I'm spending this morning (afternoon, now, I guess) catching up on threads--and putting off facing Odd Thomas which I was supposed to finish yesterday! You should try to find The boy Who Harnessed the Wind--it is really a "hopeful" book!

Tad--The John Appleby series is quite old--1940s up to the 1960s--so is somewhat difficult to find now. But if you like those British mysteries from that era it is worth the hunt. You don't have to read them in order--IMO--which is good because that is probably impossible to do now. However, if you want to limit the number of series mysteries you read, I would recommend the Ngaio Marsh Roderick Alleyn series over John Appleby--and they are easier to find, too.

I put Marsh on my TBR list last year along with Leon, Camilleri and Marston. I've gotten to two of them so far and have a Marston waiting. I'll get to Marsh later this year. Still, I'll keep the Innes in mind for when I'm done with some of the others.

#239, a friend at work gave me a bunch of the Appleby series but I've never gotten around to them. Sounds like I should make time for them. Thanks!!

#240 Tad

I've read the first Leon and have the second one waiting "for my pleasure." I just bought the first Camilleri last time I was up in Vallejo--as you can see I plan to ready for my mystery orgy. Marston sounds familiar but I can't place the series--I will have to look that up.

#241 Linda

Lucky you! I have to really scrounge around to try to find them. I'm starting my second one that I got from the library tonight.

I picked up 3 secondhand Ngaio Marsh books last week, breaking my rule of not buying books (but I've been very good) but I couldn't resist. I prefer her to Dorothy Sayers.

#243 dihiba

I can see why many people prefer Marsh to Sayers, although I must confess Sayers holds a special place for me--all her writings, not just the mysteries. Marsh, however, wrote really fine mysteries with great characters, atmosphere, and plots--one of the best of the Golden Age, imho. I especially like Troy and wish she had a larger part in more of them. Of course, Roderick Alleyn is one of the most memorable detectives in the genre. My three favorite are Sayers, Marsh and Josephine Tey--not in any order. Marsh, at least, wrote a lot of books so you get to read her more often (a reread her, too!)

Yes, it's great when an excellent writer is prolific! I have a Tey omnibus which I haven't got to yet - I have read The Daughter of Time which was wonderful.

You are reading some incredible books -- at a fast clip. Congratulations.

Sayers was on my list of authors to discover in 2010. (I've known of her forever, just never gotten around to reading her mysteries or other books.) Now I've added Marsh and Tey. Thanks!

Laura

#245 dihiba

Daughter of Time is really special but I think you will enjoy the other ones, too. There are 5 more featuring Alan Grant--The Man in the Queue is the first--and two others without him--Brat Farrar (aka Come and Kill Me) and Miss Pym Disposes. You have some good reading ahead of you! Brat Farrar is the only one I haven't read yet--I just recently got a copy and I'm saving it for a special time. The Alan Grant series I've read more than once--and have one left to complete my third time through.

#246 Whisper

Thanks, Linda. I was on a roll there for a while--but I really slowed down this weekend! Hopefully next week I will get some extra reading time because my work load will be a little lighter.

#247 Laura

Did you get a chance to read any Sayers? I always warn new potential fans that you have to read more than the first one to really get into them. If you like mysteries of that era Tey and Marsh should be a pleasure for you. I hope you enjoy all of them! :-)

I second the recommendations of Sayers, Tey, and Marsh. I've only read a few books by each of them, so I don't know which one is my favorite...but they have all been wonderful so far.

Hmm... I've not tried anything by Sayers yet. Which would you recommend I start with?

I haven't read any Josephine Tey yet, though I have a copy of Daughter of Time, and have borrowed The Franchise Affair from a friend. Glad to hear she's on your list of bests!

#252: You are in for a treat with Daughter of Time, Rachael! All of Tey is good, but it is my favorite.

>251: I think the best Sayers to start with are either Murder Must Advertise or Strong Poison. The former is one of the best with just Peter Wimsey in it; the second is the start of the sub-series that includes Harriet Vane. The Peter/Harriet books are my favorite overall but the first is not, imo, quite as good a mystery.

Caroline--Tad's suggestions are excellent.

Thanks, Tad! I needed help because I have such affection for that series it is difficult for me to tell someone where to start. I know the first one is not a good place--that one should be saved until one is really hooked and decides to read them in order to see the development of the character! I did think of suggesting Strong Poison but Murder Must Advertise would be great because you would then meet Peter before you meet Harriet.

Spoiler Warning!

--however not before he does! IMO that is one of the reasons for his crazy "antics" in that book. :-)

TadAD -- Thanks for the suggestion. I've just tagged an owner on paperbackswap for a copy of Murder Must Advertise. Can't wait. ;-)

Murder Must Advertise was my first Wimsey, and I agree it's a good one to start with - in fact for a very specific reason it's extra fun to read it before you've read any of the others. Can't think of a way to put it that isn't spoilertastic.

I don't think I read the Wimsey books in any kind of order, but my favorite is The Nine Tailors.

Jan

That is also one of my favorites and it is somewhat drawn from Sayers young life as a Parson's daughter in an area similar to where Nine Tailors is set. In some ways I consider this a novel that includes a mystery rather than a "mystery novel." It is also a good "stand alone" novel.

I like The Nine Tailors, but would hesitate to recommend it as a "first" Sayers, personally - have lent it to a couple of friends who haven't really enjoyed it (and I think they are the sort of people who ought to like Sayers!!).

#260

I agree. someone who is looking for a mystery might be disappointed with Nine Tailors if they weren't already a Peter Wimsey fan. Unless, of course, they were really into bell ringing! :-D

The Nine Tailors is my favourite Sayers! I haven't enjoyed the other three or four I read nearly as much.

#262 dihiba

I think The Nine Tailors is one of those books that you either love or can't get through. Gaudy Night is my favorite (I love mysteries set in schools and I love Oxford!) but Nine Tailors is a very close second for me. But then, I like them all--although The Five Red Herrings is one I reread only in the interest of "completeness" when rereading the series. Sayers set out to write a "puzzle" mystery and she succeeded--but I prefer the ones that focus more on how the characters are affected by the mystery.

Time for a new thread. Hopefully this will get you to the new one!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/76313