Sundays on the Acre, Take 29

Seems like just yesterday I was starting a new thread . . .

A note about my rating scale:

3 stars or below - Not Recommended

3.5 stars - Guardedly Recommended

4 stars - Recommended

4.5-5 stars - Highly Recommended and you best get the book in hand now!

For those interested in my wiki, it is here: http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/User:Alcottacre, but I do not really recommend it, as it is boring. All the action takes place on my threads :)

Books Read from My Personal Library in 2010



Pages Read 2010



Memorable Reads for 2010:

Nonfiction
The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns
Larry Burrows: Vietnam by Larry Burrows
The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift
Waterlog by Roger Deakin
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Slavery By Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebekah Skloot
At the Hands of Persons Unknown by Philip Dray
On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer
Roosevelt and Hopkins: An Intimate History by Robert Sherwood
Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo
The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum
Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides
The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede

Fiction
Salvation by Sholem Asch
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
The Party by Rudolph Von Abele
The Egyptian by Mika Waltari
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
The Straight and Narrow Path by Honor Tracy
Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski
The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip
Silence by Shusaku Endo
In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Troubles by J.G. Farrell
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
Life With a Star by Jiri Weil
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
2666 by Roberto Bolano
Room by Emma Donoghue

Young Adult
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
Iqbal by Francesco d'Adamo
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

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

I'm usually last, not first (though I'd better hurry or someone will beat me). "See" you tomorrow!

Ooooh, I'm early!
Just to repeat -- NO book bombs/bullets, please. *sternly*

#3: I herewith promise NO book bombs/bullets/bazookas for Suz this week :)

I'm here, sitting in my protective bullet bubble awaiting the inevitable.

If I add more books, I'll simply convince myself it was done in a percocet induced state.

#5: It will be a while yet, Lynda. You might make the bullet bubble stronger while you wait :)

#6: That's the spirit!

I'm way behind on your last thread, but was pleased to see that 2666 got your stamp of approval, I enjoyed The Savage Detectives but haven't attempted the big one yet. Travels with Herodotus made my tbr list with Janet's review also.

#9: Kerry, I would suggest that when you do read 2666 you have someone read along with you. I found it of immense help to have Peggy along for the ride on that one. Just a suggestion.

This week's reads:

499. Mandarin Plaid by S.J. Rozan - the third book in Rozan's Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series, this time narrated by Lydia again, and to me, not as enjoyable as the second book in the series, although I will still keep reading; I really like the character of Lydia's mother and the bits of humor she introduces to the books; guardedly recommended (3.5 stars)

500. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan - although I really wanted to love this book, I just did not; I thought the voice of Gwennie was just too young? plus the book seemed to go on too long; not recommended (3.25 stars) Mine

501. The New Annotated Dracula by Bram Stoker and Leslie S. Klinger - if you read this book, I suggest allowing plenty of time to do so because you will be immersed in Dracula lore and legend as well as with facts and trivia regarding both the book and the count - and the complete text of the book is included; recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

502. Little, Big by John Crowley - when I was feebly attempting to describe this book to Linda the other day, I told her it reminded me of Russian nesting dolls, only in the case of this book, it is a story within a story within a story - a new kind of fantasy novel for me, fantasy wrapped in the ordinary - a family home; recommended (4.25 stars)

503. Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke - I have been reading this series for a while now and frankly, am getting bored with the love triangle aspect and in this case, a murder case that is slighter than normal in Fluke's books; not recommended (2.5 stars)

Continuing:

504. Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum - the third of the Oz books and I think I enjoyed this one the most of the 3 read thus far; Baum's imagination seems to know no bounds in this book with his introduction of Billina, Wheelers and a villain of the first water, plus old friends Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Dorothy (who really is a spunky kid); recommended (4.25 stars) Mine

505. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I have been meaning to read this one for a while now and am glad I finally got around to it because I really enjoyed the character of Marion, a strong lady determined to do what is right for everyone; one of my reservations regarding the book concerns the other two female leads, Laura Fairlie and Madame Fosco, who are treated as angel and devil by Collins, but I think Marion makes up for them in the long run; highly recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

506. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - young adult; re-read; I am reading through the Hunger Games trilogy with Carolyn, and so re-read this one before reading the other two books, both of which I have not read yet; I enjoyed this one just as much this time around as the first - I think Katniss, by and large, serves as a counterpoint to the inhumanity around her, especially in her dealings with Rue; highly recommended (4.5 stars) Mine

507. The Narrow Corner by W. Somerset Maugham - I very much enjoy Maugham's works and this is one I had not read before; I think Maugham is just the penultimate writer regarding the human condition: "Fear? He knew nothing of it, that vulgar, cheating, shifty man; there was nothing decent in him, he knew nothing of whatever gave dignity to man, or beauty, and you had only to know him for 24 hours to be certain that if there were two ways of doing a thing, a straight one and a crooked, he would choose the crooked one." This is not Maugham's best book, but still good; recommended (4 stars)

508. The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley - Laura did a review of this one here that rather sums up my feelings for the book; there is a fleeting reference about 50 pages or so into the book to Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm, a parody of the pastoral novel and I kept wondering as I was reading if Wesley was trying to parody war novels as her characters, rather than the heroic and selfless ones seen in a lot of war novels, were all rather shallow and self-centered; guardedly recommended (3.5 stars)

That is it for this week.

hmmm a few that I have read, one that looks interesting....
good morning stasia.. :)

I'm only going to take away, The Narrow Corner by Maugham.
I already own The Woman in White and have it lined up to read next year with other chunksters. I look forward to discovering Marion.
Have a good week, Stasia.

#13: Good Morning, Kath!

#14: I hope you enjoy The Narrow Corner and The Woman in White, Lynda. You have a good week too!

Nothing for me this week, ma'am. I'm also interested in Maugham, but I'll start with On Human Bondage before I consider The Narrow Corner. Congratulations on surpassing the 500 book mark!

Hi, Stasia!

Definitely adding Little, Big to the pile:)

Have a lovely(?) Halloween!

Morning Stasia. I've added Little, Big to my ever-expanding wishlist. The rest of the Rozan series is already on there.

Glad you enjoyed The Woman in White so much - it's one of my favourites. I've always found Laura rather annoying though, she's so passive. Marion's character is fantastic and I could never understand why Walter didn't fall in love with her instead. Ah well.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the Hunger Games series!

#17: I hope you enjoy it, Bente!

#18: I actually like The Moonstone more than The Woman in White, but really only marginally. I wish Walter had been smarter and chosen Marion too. Oh well. Enjoy Crowley, Heather!

Morning Stasia- I wanted to get here early, to somewhat make up for last weeks tardiness. The Earth Hums in B Flat & The Woman in White are both on the WL.
Little, Big sounds terrific! Hope you have a great day!

#20: You too, Mark!

Good Morning Stasia,

I recently read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Since we always watched it on TV, it was traditon to watch it every Thanksgivng; I was suprised to find that there are 13 other books about Oz. I wish that someone had given me the book when I was young. I think I would have liked reading them all.

Just popped in to get my weekly Stasia fix before going to see that new baby again! (She's so cute!) Stasia, I escaped this week with no new hits. Re-hits, of course, don't count because they are already on the list. You must be spending too much time with Linda's thread - your aim is off! Now that Linda is getting better I expect so will your aim.

I'm going to read those Hunger Games books and Dracula eventually!

#22: Tammy, I am enjoying the books even as an adult. I had not read any of them until last year, when I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for the first time - and was surprised at how it differed from the movie. You might give them a try!

#23: Well, no way can my thread stand up to the pressures of Granny-itis. Go see Molly Kate!

#24: I think you would enjoy all of the Hunger Games books and Dracula, Stephen!

The Woman in White is already in the TBR, as is Dracula (although not the annotated edition), but nothing else grabs me this week so I am safe.

I never could get interested in Baum's Oz books, even though I thought the couple I read were much better than the film.

Stasia, You reminded me why I got Little, Big in the first place. Also, since we both were reading Dracula I was perusing Dracula books and found a fictionalization of Renfield! Woohoo!

#26: Maybe next week, Caty!

#27: Tamara, Barbara Hambly has written a book called Renfield. I own it, but have not read it yet.

The pie chart/ticker for your pages read is great!

I remember reading the Oz books when I was a kid--we went to the "big" library every couple of weeks (as opposed to the too-small library close to home, and the big one had tons of the Oz books. I was surprised to find that it was a series. Unfortunately I don't remember the content; I mainly remember that they had weird and cool covers (and also, strangely, I remember where they were shelved).

Oh boy I really want to get to The Woman in White Stasia. We part ways on The Earth Hums in B Flat though, which I loved. Oh well, different strokes I guess. That's why there are so many books:)

Hi Stasia, you got me with a couple this morning:

The New Annotated Dracula--Is this an older edition? I see on the work page that it's a Norton annotated edition and I know Becky raves about those but I've been having trouble finding them.

Little, Big--I don't read fantasy but this one looked interesting and I'll put it on my library list.

The Woman in White--alot of talk on LT about this in the last couple of weeks. I thought it was already on my WL but it wasn't. (Should of gotten that used copy I put back in the bookstore last month.) #14 Lynda--maybe we can "create" a TIOLI challenge for it next year?

I've never read any Somerset Maugham--what's your favorite book of his?

Hmm... I have the first in the series by Fluke on my Kindle. It is good to know that I won't really have to do a lot of catching up after I check out her style.

I thought the whole Hunger Games series was excellent. And it sure is encouraging all my students - both boys and girls - to read.

I've been halfway through The Woman in White for a year now. ;) Eventually I'll get back to it, but it won't be today. I'm glad you gave it such a high review!

Just passing by to say 'hi'. I see that once again I am out of sync - The Woman In White having been one of my giant clunker crappy reads of last year. Ah, well. To each her own.

I think I'll be adding Little, Big as well. I don't always get along well with fantasy, but this one sounds like it is in the right ballpark for me.

I've been meaning to read The Woman in White and your comments reaffirm my need to do that. Otherwise, I dodged the bullets.

Definitely adding Little, Big to my list.

Hi.

Phew, the worst is that I may bump up The Camomile Lawn, which I got from Paperbackswap earlier in October.

Strange feeling to be reading a Stasia thread with less than 100 messages (yet), haven't done that in a long time :)

Little, Big doesn't sound like the kind of fantasy I would normally read, but I think I want to give it a go. And the Oz books too. Never thought about reading them, but of course!

Hooray for reading! I'm sorry you didn't love The Earth Hums in B Flat. I've seen several different reviews. Your reaction was similar to Donna's, I think, but others have loved it. I guess I'll have to see for myself :) The Woman in White has been on my wishlist for awhile. Dracula is also a recent wishlist addition -- looks like it's worth it to check out the annotated version!

Hi Stasia! Good to see you enjoyed both The Woman in White and The Hunger Games; on the TBR pile they go. :)

Happy Halloween Stas. I've got The Earth Hums in B Flat in my TBR Tower and there seems to be some mixed reviews about this. I'll still read it but I no longer have high expectations... which might be better for me in the long run.

I didn't see Laura Fairlie and Madame Fosco as angel and devil actually, in The Woman in White .. I actually thought them both weak individuals for different reasons. I thought Laura could have used more backbone, that she was frail physically and mentally, and that Madame Fosco was weak emotionally, allowing the Count to control and command her. I wish Collins could have made Marion a little more attractive though, beauty with brains and a strong character would have been a nice break from the stereotype that only those who can't get by on their looks need brawn and brains to make it in this world.

On Camomile Lawn, I had a different take from you ... I thought she provided us with an angle to people who were fortunate enough to live with just the barest inconveniences to their lives and lifestyles. By being self-centered, they were able to ignore as best as possible, the ugliness of the war. I have so far found Mary Wesley to write enjoyable but light books.

I too am getting tired of the eternal triangle in the Hannah Swensen series. I haven't yet read this one, but it's already in my obese wish list. I'll probably still read it if only because it's in the series.

I've escaped having to add anything to my obese wish list this week. Whew!

Hi, Stasia! I'm adding Little, Big and New Annotated Dracula to my TBR list. I tried Dracula a few months ago, and gave up. I like the idea of annotation (I read a similarly-formatted Frankenstein and it really got me through the slower parts.

Thanks for the recommendations, and congratulations on hitting 500! Wow! You should post your jumping guy, for yourself!

Karen O.

Waving hello.

I have The Woman in White hanging around here somewhere, and that's all for me this week.
I didn't love The Hunger Games series. I liked the second book the best of all of them though.

Saying hello before I go to bed. No new books for me to add this week - except I know I have read one Wilkie Collins many, many years ago, but am not sure if it was Moonstone or Woman in White, so I may have to (re)read one or other. Of course, if I'd had LT back then, I would have a record of what I'd read.

Hi Stasia: Hope you've had a nice Halloween. Hardly any trick or treaters this year so we've got a lot of candy left over.

Ah, Stasia. You hit me with Little, Big and The Narrow Corner. I used to love Maugham and need to re-read them all.

Like Linda, we had few trick or treaters this year; I'm thinking the huge number of "Fall Festivals" at our local churches and the oddity of Halloween actually being on Sunday but more or less celebrated on Saturday had an effect. I miss the little creatures (and even the big ones).

Looking forward to Middlemarch quite a bit.

Hope you have a wonderful week.

Hi Stasia, definitely will look out for Little, Big, also I'm tentatively adding the Susan Collins series but I might need to finish some other series first. A few re-hits but I think I got off relatively light this week.

Hi Stasia, once again I had a non-LT weekend due to work, so now I have to catch up on hundreds of postings... :)
I did the nerd tests last week, but to my slight disappointment found I am only lightly nerdy with the exception of the literature part. Too many questions about things I had never heard of (GPA?).

Still waiting for the Hunger Games Kindle version and I have read and liked The Woman in White, but found it a bit too long. I started The Moonstone last night for the new TIOLI stasia challenge.

#29: Glad you liked the ticker, Carly! I am really enjoying the Oz books. I want to get to all 15.

#30: Bonnie, I am very surprised that I did not like The Earth Hums in B Flat more! It started off well for me. Anyway, when you get to The Woman in White I hope you enjoy it!

#31: Pat, The New Annotated Dracula is a Norton edition. It originally came out in 2008, I believe, so it is not that old of an edition. My favorite of Maugham's are probably Of Human Bondage, which I just re-read earlier this year, and The Razor's Edge, which is due for a re-read. I do not think you can go wrong with either of those.

#32: The Fluke books are not great literature by any means, Kathy, but just nice easy reads with some terrific recipes included. It is just that the love triangle aspect has been drug out through several books now and I am past tired of it. As far as The Hunger Games series goes, I am glad to see that it is getting kids reading!

#33: Ah well, Luxx, it will still be there when you finally have time for it again!

#34: Hey, Charlotte! Glad to see you here!

#35: Janet, Little, Big is in no way a typical fantasy. I hope you give it a chance.

#36: I hope you enjoy The Woman in White when you get to it, Linda!

#37: Good, Kerry!

#38: Hi, Tad.

#39: Congrats on dodging the book bullets today, Suz!

#40: Tanja, there are 15 Oz books so you can start reading them to the wee one now and still have plenty of them to go when he/she finally arrives :)

#41: I had really expected to love The Earth Hums in B Flat and was surprised when I did not. Donna, Sandy and I seem to all be on the 'not loving' side of the book. I hope that when you read it, Anne, you find it more enjoyable than we did.

#42: Glad to be adding to your TBR pile, Ine! You will not be sorry for adding any of those, I am sure.

#43: Oh, I agree with you about Marion. As far as Laura and Madame Fosco are concerned, it seems he made them the extremes and Marion was in the middle, if you know what I mean. Madame Fosco was certainly not very commandable when she told Walter that if she were the Count, she would have killed him (Walter).

I see your point on The Camomile Lawn. Thanks for giving me something to think about on that one. I am certainly amenable to reading more of Wesley's books.

#44: Thanks for the congrats, Karen. I hope you enjoy the books you chose from this week's list!

#45: I am sorry you did not care for The Hunger Games books more, Jenn. I do hope you like The Woman in White when you get to it!

#46: Well as I loved The Moonstone and The Woman in White, I do not think you can go wrong with re-reading either one or both of them, Genny. Thanks for stopping by!

#47: We had 4 trick or treaters and that was it. Well, the girls will enjoy the leftover candy!

#48: I need to re-read Maugham too. The Narrow Corner was the second of his I have read this year. I may try and sneak in one more before the year ends.

#49: Leonie, I hope you enjoy Little, Big as well as The Hunger Games trilogy.

#50: I hope you like The Moonstone, Nathalie. It is probably my favorite Collins book. I hope the Kindle version of The Hunger Games trilogy comes out soon so that you can enjoy it.

#53 – I don't think I'll get around to them that fast, Stasia. Maybe he'll even be old enough to understand some of it when I finally start to read them, but I guess that's not an entirely bad thing :)

#57: True. I am enjoying Baum's imagination in these books and think any child would enjoy them as well.

Stasia- Back to work for me...boo! At least I can get back to my audios...yah! Have a great day!

Hi Stasia!
Already downloaded The Woman in White but probably won't get to it for a while (unless they add another month to the calendar soon). I'm really looking forward to it.
Am intrigued by other "Oz" books and need to research this.
Also, have added The Narrow Corner to my Whirlpool of Desire . I do love Maugham's writing. Thanks! I think.

#60: I am all for adding months to the calendar! If you figure out how to do it, let me know!

I hope you enjoy both The Woman in White and The Narrow Corner, Claudia.

I added The Narrow Corner to my wishlist. I really have to read some of his books soon!
--BJ

#62: Maugham is a good author, BJ. I hope you enjoy his books!

No BB's for me this week - phew!

I just finished Little, Big this morning and it is wonderful - thoughts on my thread in the next day or so ... I want to mull it over a bit first.

#64: I am glad you liked it, calm. I did too!

Hi Stasia! I'm sitting here still being sick- but at least I can enjoy hot tea/coffee and books/LT :)!!!! Good afternoon to you!!

#66: Sorry to hear you are still ill, Tamara! I hope you enjoy the tea/coffee and LT! You have a good afternoon too. I am heading off to bed for a while.

Have a good nap/rest!

Thanks. I will try. If I can ever tear myself away from the computer :)

okay -- trying again.

11: Glad you enjoyed Dracula. I was waiting to see what you thought of it. What a cool sounding edition too. I love facts and trivia to accompany reading.

Saying Hi on your new thread...with only 71 messages ahead of me this time! :)
I really want to re-read The Woman in White, and I've wishlisted Of Human Bondage so that I can see what I think of Maugham.

Hi, Stasia! How are you today?

.........catching up...kinda...

Agree with you re: The Earth Hums in B Flat. I still want to read Woman in White. other than that, I'm home safe this week.

Hi Stasia, I'm skimming through just trying to catch up. Sorry to see that you didn't enjoy The Earth Hums more. I find a child narrator with too mature of a voice to be more of an issue than one that seems too young. Opinion seems fairly split on this one!

#70: Hey, Susan!

#71: Marie, I recommend the annotated version, but it does take a while to get through. I essentially ended up reading Dracula twice, since I would read the text, check the footnotes and then re-read the text.

#72: Hey, Angela! I hope you enjoy Maugham. He is one of my favorite writers.

#73: Hey, Bente! Doing fine.

#74: I am catching up kinda too, Kath.

#75: Sorry I missed you this week, Bonnie. Maybe next week.

#76: Yeah Joanne, you are right about the Strachan book. Oh well, we cannot all love the same thing.

#56 : Much as I enjoyed The Woman in White, I loved Moonstone and have re-read that a few times.

#78: The Moonstone is my favorite of the two as well, Caro. I have re-read it a couple of times now.

Have yet to read The Moonstone or The Woman in White, though both are currently staring at me from my shelf, but I did read and love The Law and the Lady. It's the first mystery novel with a female lead, and despite its size I found it very readable. Has anyone else read it?

#80: I have not read that one yet, Laura, but I appreciate the recommendation. I will see if I can find it. Thanks!

R.I.P. 2010 Texas Rangers. Edgar Renteria just broke up a scoreless game in the top of the 7th with a two out three run HR, so it's 3-0 Giants, who are nine outs away from their first championship since 1954.

#82: Yeah, I saw it. I said to Kerry as soon as Renteria hit it 'Ballgame.'

Uh oh. Did I speak too soon?

No idea. My hubby turned the game off. I will be so glad when this WS is over. He has been a grouch for a week now!

Two runs is not insurmountable.

Nelson Cruz hit a solo HR for the Rangers in the bottom of the 7th to cut the lead to 3-1, and Lincecum walked the next batter to bring the tying run to the plate. However, he struck out the next two Rangers hitters, and he just completed a perfect 8th inning. So it's 3-1 San Francisco, heading into the ninth inning.

As one of the unit secretaries (who is originally from the Metroplex) said to me this morning, it was a bad week for Texas teams, with the Rangers, Cowboys and Longhorns all going down.

I told Kerry when the Rangers turned out to be facing the Giants that the NL would prevail this year. Good pitching beat good hitting every time!

#88: Uh...where are you planning to sleep tonight, Stasia, once Kerry locks you out of the house?

#89: I do not sleep at night - everyone knows that :)

Bottom of the ninth. Here goes.

I hate it when the starter is sailing along and they take him out.

Ron Washington has routinely done that with Cliff Lee since he (Lee) has been with the Rangers. A mistake IMO.

The Cubs need a closer like this Giants guy.

It's over; the Giants are world champions!

Congratulations to the Giants!

Wow...Bruce Bochy, the Giants' manager, just gave a hug to a little person, who I thought was a ballboy or the son of one of the players; when they pulled away, I saw that it was Tim Lincecum!

I love when the National League wins the Series.

I hate when the baseball season ends though--a long cold winter ahead.

Five months from today, I will be at the Cubs Home Opener.

LOL, Darryl!

#96 Lincecum looks like a kid, or at least a teenager.

Love it when they show how each player reacted.

Does anyone remember when baseball was done before November?

I love baseball, I'm just saying.

#100 Next year, they're starting the MLB season earlier, so it doesn't go into November.

Same thing with hockey. Hockey is not (or should not be) a June sport.

Yeah, I think Opening Day next year is in March to avoid playing into November.

OK, time for me to start counting down to Opening Day!

I'm not a big Giants follower, but I'm happy for all my diehard Giants fan friends (I live in S.F.) who've been waiting a loooooong time.
Lots of horns and cheering in the street outside my building ... ouch - but the streetcar horns are REALLY loud. Hope they don't keep that up for long. :)

#97: I completely agree; I've never liked the DH rule, never liked the Yankees (although I went to a dozen or more Yankees games with my church youth group in the late 1960s and early 1970s), and have never been a fan of any of the AL teams.

I'm sorry to see the baseball season end. However, I'm looking forward to the rest of the college football season (Pitt is the Big East's only undefeated team and is in the driver's seat to win the league championship) and especially the start of college basketball (Pitt is ranked #5 and #4 in the country in the preseason polls). Hail to Pitt!

Who do the Cubs play in the 2011 season opener, Linda?

LOL - MARCH? That could be a problem for the Rockies. We do tend to get feet of snow every weekend or so in the spring. We might have to play all our home games in Arizona.

I am a diehard NL gal. I cannot stand the DH rule. I cannot abide the Yankees at all, so any time they do not make it to the WS, I am a happy camper.

Hail to Pitt (for Darryl)! I am not a basketball fan though.

#104 I was just looking, Darryl. The Cubs play the Pirates in their opener on Friday, April 1st. The average high temp at the Chicago Lakefront on April 1 is 53 degrees.

Awwww, the oldest, supposedly "washed up" guy is the Series MVP. Good for him. I liked Renteria from his Cardinals days.

#107: That is terrific. I thought it would be Lincecum, but am glad to see MVP go to Renteria.

#105 Not sure who designs the schedules but they have Arizona, San Diego, and LA all coming to Wrigley in April. The Giants are here the end of June.

I watch some pro football and, in March, college basketball. Mostly though, when baseball is over, I watch a lot of hockey. Then, come January, don't laugh...I watch a lot of golf.

I watch football on occasion, but mostly baseball. I love having the MLB.com subscription because I can watch any game I want to at any time.

#110 I get the Extra Innings package on cable so I can watch every ballgame. For hockey, the Blackhawks games, Versus, and whatever game is on the NHL network is plenty for me.

After I watch all the election returns tomorrow, I can start reading more again in the evenings. In fact, I'm reading my 10th baseball book for 1010 right now. Or back to it, shortly. When the Game Changed: An Oral History of Baseball's True Golden Age by George Castle. It's about the years from 1969 to 1979.

#111: I'll be eager to read your review of that book, Linda. I started following baseball closely in 1969, when I was 8 years old, the year the Miracle Mets won the World Series.

I'm not an NBA fan but I love watching Big East college basketball games, especially now that Pitt has been a national powerhouse for the past 6-8 years. When I was a med student there (1993-97) the football and basketball teams were abysmal.

Just popping in with a big hug and a hello before running off again!

I read The woman in white this week as well. I really liked it. I think I would have absolutely loved it with less Laura. I kept waiting for Walter to come to his senses, I felt he was better matched to Marion. I have to admit that I found Mrs. Catherick fascinating, though not in a positive way, as well.

#112 My first real life's disappointment was the 1969 Chicago Cubs collapse, when I was also 8 years old. I lived and died with that team. So you're turning 50 next year, too, Darryl?

I have 10 percent more to go but it's quite good. A bit too much oral history and not enough synthesis but good.

#113: Hugs appreciated and returned!

#114: I am glad you enjoyed The Woman in White too, Yolana. Have you read The Moonstone yet?

my goodness Stasia, I haven't learned my lesson yet....

don't neglect this thread for more then 1 day or suffer the consequences :P

hmmmm The Moonstone

#117: Some people just take longer to catch on :)

Have you read The Moonstone and liked it or are you contemplating reading the book, Kara?

contemplating I think... is it a Victorian melodrama?
it sounds interesting but not sure if it's my cup of tea

#119: Not really melodrama. The Moonstone is widely credited with being the first detective novel. I would say give it 50 pages or so and if you do not care for it, stop at that point.

I have The Moonstone in my wish list. Don't know when I'll get to it though:)

Have a nice day, guys!

(It just occurred to me that the whole group probably reads your thread, so then I can wish everybody a good day all at once!)

#121: I am quite sure that the whole group does not read my thread since there are 700+ members, Bente, but I appreciate the implied compliment.

I hope you get to The Moonstone soon. I really enjoy it. I have read it twice now.

I have The Moonstone on my shelf.. because I liked Woman in White so well..

#123: Read it, Kath :)

#115: Right, Linda; I turn 50 on March 24th.

#125 You kid, you. I am 50 on March 1st.

What Stas said, Kath.... read it. :-)

I'm sorry Rangers lost, Stas .... but I'm pleased the Giants won. I thought they played extremely well. And now .. basketball and football to keep me warm during the winter.

Hey everyone, I have a request to pass on from Sacil (bohemiangirl35): "Hi everyone. I need your help, please. My nonprofit is trying to win a grant from Pepsi. Please go to refresheverything.com/newportnewsweedandseedproject and vote for our project. Please click every day this month. The top 10 vote getters in our category win their grant. Thanx in advance for your help."

I know that the 75ers can be of help to her and her nonprofit organization, so please pitch in!

Great idea! Voted.

#129: Thanks, Jenn!

Just popping in to say hello and star your thread, 130 posts late! :)

I avoided being hit by book bullets this visit, as the most interesting ones to me, I've already read!

I'm late this week!

I more or less managed to dodge all your book bullets, though The Woman in White is one I've been planning to read for a while now. I keep being vaguely tempted by Little, Big as well, but then that prominent Magical Realism tag reminds me that I probably won't like it no matter what everyone else says. So, safe for now. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the other Hunger Games books when you get to them.

#131: Maybe I will catch you next week, Terri!

#132: Move The Woman in White up the stack a bit, Zoe. I do not think you will be sorry if you do.

I will move it to my short stack.

I think you will enjoy it, Kath!

OK, I am heading off to the grocery store to do the next couple week's worth of shopping before I come home, put the soup in the crockpot, ingredients in the bread machine, make dessert to be put in the fridge, and then go to bed!

I hope everyone has a lovely day.

>136 alcottacre:: Wow! I'm impressed!

#137: Don't be, Bonnie. This is normal for me :)

I was just going to say Good Morning but maybe I should be saying Good Night!

I found a free copy of Moonstone for the kindle. Needless to say I got. The tbr pile is now reaching epic proportions.

I always see the rather large number of unread messages on your thread, Stasia, and have to take a bravery pill to open it. Not a sports fan, myownself...easy to skim through that section. Whew!
Now that you are sleeping peacefully... I'll chime in with a very soft whisper...
"Hi...rest well" ssshhhhh....
*tiptoes out quietly*

I just went to amazon and bought The Law and the Lady for my Kindle. The free version wasn't working, so I bought the one for 80 cents. Looking forward to reading it...sometime...

Just checking in with you, perhaps for the first time this year. On your list of memorable reads are three I've read and would put in that category, too:

Salvation by Asch
Of Human Bondage (which I read just recently . . . my first Maugham, which is a bit embarrassing)
Roosevelt and Hopkins: An Intimate History

Cheers!

See this is why I want an ereader - free (or almost free) books! The husband has said I can have one if I stop buying paper books long enough to save up. I don't think I can do it! Also the current size of my TBR piles might suggest I don't need free books.

#136 Soup is one of the world's nicest things and with fresh homemade bread it becomes the nicest thing. No wait, what about books?

Okay, I'm back. Monday was the 9 hour car ride home (got a nap and some reading done) but I was still pooped when I got home. Yesterday (1 hour to vote) and today my husband drafted me to work in his office so, still no rest for the weary. Tonight I think I'm just going to cuddle up in my recliner and read. Too bad there's no baseball game - I really wanted Texas to win the series since they'd never been there before. Oh, well. There's always next year. Maybe I'll download some pictures of my precious little peanut, Molly Kate - maybe.

#139: Thanks, Pat!

#140: Yolana, there is a good reason my TBR pile is called the BlackHole :)

#141: Thanks, Claudia!

#142: I just downloaded The Law and the Lady to my Nook the other day, Angela. Let me know if you would like to do a read along at some point.

#143: Hey, Jerry! Nice to see you here.

#144: I agree with you that soup is one of the world's nicest things - right after books :) As far as free books go, Heather, I have downloaded a ton, which is wonderful as far as I am concerned.

#145: Hey, Cheli! Glad to see you back home safe and sound. It would not have bothered me to see Texas win, but on the other hand, I am not really bothered about SF winning either. I hope you do update the pictures of baby. Off to check your profile . . .

#144 - How about eating soup and bread while reading a book?

#147: Works for me!

Stasia- Hope you are having a nice evening! I just started Revolution. I think this will be another keeper! I'll keep you informed.

#149: I already have that in the BlackHole due to a couple of good reviews here in the group, Mark, but I will be interested in seeing your take on it!

#147 Soup, bread, and books, there's nothing finer. Maybe a hot chocolate tossed in.

I'm a soup addict as well. I made loads during winter but apart from gazpacho, I'll now have to wait until next winter, it's just getting too warm. Enjoy yours.

During the fall & winter months, we have homemade soup at least once a week. I love trying different kinds of soup!

A case for marginalia in books, from The Scientists by John Gribbin:

"Among other things, he (Tycho Brahe) bought a copy of a Latin edition of the works of Ptolemy and made many notes in it (including one on the title page recording that he purchased the book, on the last day of November 1560, for two thaler)."

I would love to know what Brahe's notes were!

(posted to the Kitchen too)

Have you read Marginalia? I read it in grad school, and I thought it was fascinating! I'd love to hunt down the personal libraries of some of my favorite authors, and see how they treated their books...

I hope you're having a lovely morning, dear!

#155: No, I have not read that one yet. I will have to see if the local library has it. Thanks for the recommendation, Luxx!

I hope you have a wonderful morning too.

I have Marginalia I have got to stay off the computer and the phone and quit work and just read.

Sounds divine.

Sounds like a wonderful plan, Kath, but I fear the staying off the computer part would likely doom me. The quitting work part I could definitely live with!

Stasia- Have a great day! It's going to be a cool one here today! High 40s!

We are going to have mid-60s weather today, which will be up from the past couple. I hope you have a great day, Mark!

Hi Stasia! I ordered Where the Mountain Meets the Moon from amazon yesterday. Since it was amazon in the US, the book is supposed to land in my mailbox between the 2nd and 22nd of December. Long wait, but think it will be worth it:)

#162: Yes, it will be! I hope you love it as much as I do, Bente!

I am heading to bed for a while. I will be posting an update about Kim some time this evening after I wake up. Hopefully, I will get to talk to her in person today.

It's been more than 8 hours since Stas's last post .... ok, she should be awake by now . Wakey-wakey Stas.

Oh, I am up. Just getting ready to head to work. *sigh*

"Good Morning" Stasia!

Thanks, Pat! Off to work I go, Hi Ho!

Okay, somehow I missed the transition again! I hate it when that happens, and then I have 168 messages to read to catch up again. Hi, Stasia.

Hi, Roni!

Stasi, I have the perfect book for you. It's a soup and bread book, and every recipe that I've made from it has been perfect--which is amazing considering how many times I've messed up bread especially. It's not a fancy looking book, and it's probably 20+ years old, but it's super reliable. It should be in my "cookbooks" collection.

#171: What is the name of it, Bonnie? I will go hunting for it.

Soup and Bread by Julia Older. it was published in 1981, so many there are tons of books that have come out since then. I have other soup books too.

#173: Thanks, Bonnie!

Morning Stasia- It looks like I'll be hosting a Group Read of Cloud Atlas. Probably start in mid-January, plenty of time to land a copy.
We could use another person in the "Book Swap", so if you know anyone. Have a good day!

#175: Yeah, I saw on Bonnie's thread how you were 'elected' to host the group read, Mark. Nothing like being railroaded, right?

Why do we need another person for the Book Swap? As long as everyone has another person's name, I do not know why it has to be an even number. Please illuminate if I am missing something.

My mind is a bit fuzzy in the mornings, (the coffee is helping though) but if it's an odd number, someone won't have a name to pick. Right? Yes, maybe I'm missing something.

Yes, Bonnie is a rail-roader! And you got to love her for it!

#177: If A gives to B and B gives to C all the way down through Q and then Q turns around and gives to A, I do not see the problem.

Hi Stasia,
Glad you tackled that one! Nice explanation.
This is getting me in the holiday spirit... now all I need is a bit of snow!
Does Sherman, TX get snow? It does get cold at night in Texas, doesn't it? Sometimes? :)

#179: We had more snow last winter than I have ever seen in the 32 years of living in this area, Claudia. I think it snowed 3 days :)

Yes, it does get cold at night. It dropped down to 39 last night and is supposed to be even colder tonight.

Stasia- Thanks for the assistance! Have a good day!

Glad I could help out! You have a good day too, Mark!

Just waving hello.

Hello back at you, Jenn!

Whoo. I read it all (except for the baseball) and I'm glad. I think that you've convinced me that the reluctance I feel to read *Earth/BFlat* is justified. I had it on a wishlist, but only because most people seemed to love it..... Too many books! On the other hand, Little, Big is beckoning to me.
AND I will be ready for Cloud Atlas in mid-January, and will invite myself right into that group read.

#185: Cool, Peggy! I am glad to hear you are going to read Cloud Atlas along with the rest of us. It will be a re-read for me, but I am really looking forward to it.

#175 A group read for Cloud Atlas? Hmmm.

I think one of my reading resolutions for 2011 will be to do more group reads.

Hmm.... tempted by the plan for a Cloud Atlas group read .....

*waves hello* Stas .. Happy Friday to you.

#187: I think I am going to do less group reads since in several instances this year, I still have not gotten the book read :)

#188: I hope you join in the group read, Caro! *waving hello* back at you!

Quote for the day from Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese:

"We were free to read whatever we wanted, but Hema required of us a half-page journal entry to record new words we learned and the number of pages we had read. We were also to copy out a memorable idea or sentence to share at dinner.

I resented this winter curriculum, but it did bring Captain Horatio Hornblower sailing into my life. Matron, whose ability to read my soul I did not yet fully appreciate, asked me to borrow A Ship of the Line for her. I opened it out of curiosity and found I had sailed into a world more damp and wretched than my own, and strangely, I was happy to be there."

I love discovering books by happy accident!

(posted to the Kitchen too)

Another good quote, Stasia. I love keeping book journals - I wish someone had recommended I do that a looonnnnggg time ago. Doing so helps me to enjoy a book in so many more ways than I thought possible.

I had kept a book journal for years before I started on LT. Unfortunately, I kept it on my computer and when my hard drive crashed, I lost it all. Now I only have records dating back to 2005.

Love the quote: I love discovering books by accident, too.

Shame about the journal being lost. :( (The full version of mine is on the computer. I really I ought to do a better backup.)

#193: One of the things I love about the internet is that I can track my reading there now and no longer have to worry about my hard drive crashing.

When I was in high school and college and for a year or two afterward, I used to list the books I read in a little notebook, but I stopped and never started again until a year or more after I joined LT and started tracking books in my reading threads and then using the collections feature.

#195: What is so interesting to me in going back to my reading journal in 2005 is seeing the influence that LT had on my reading from 2006 when I joined until now.

I wish I had kept reading journals as far back as high school and college just to see how my literary tastes have changed over the years.

Stasia: I know what you mean, I've seen my tastes change dramatically over the past 3-4 years, and fortunately all of it is recorded right here on LT. I have collection to divide my library by the year I read certain books...and...it's interesting! I don't know if LT is to blame or if I've just matured, explored, and discovered my own tastes...but it's interesting to look at regardless. :)

#197: I don't know if LT is to blame or if I've just matured, explored, and discovered my own tastes

I would say it is probably a combination of both, Stephen. Even now, I see my tastes changing from just a couple of years ago. Part of that is because of LT, part of that is because I continue to discover interests that I never knew I had before.

Morning Stasia- Great quote from Cutting For Stone! I loved that book!

Yes, we are planning a Group Read of Cloud Atlas in mid-January. The more the merrier. Do you hear that Stasia?

#199: Oh, I am planning on being in on the group read. I will draft other people as well :)

I am thoroughly enjoying Cutting for Stone. I hope to be able to finish it tonight.

Our reading group (in town) just finished Cutting for Stone.
Everyone loved it and it's one of my favorites!
In fact, we all liked it so much we have decided to read another of his books My Own Country: A Doctor's Story in January.
I have Cloud Atlas waiting tbr - I might join in mid-Jan.

#201: My Own Country was the first of Verghese's books that I read and I loved it. I hope you enjoy that one as much as you did Cutting for Stone, Claudia!

Looks well rated... and with your rec, can't wait to get to it! I ordered it from Amazon last night. :)

I really liked Cutting for Stone. I kind of wanted more history, but then the book would have been really long.

#195 The summer before my junior year in high school (1976), our assignment was to keep track of what we read. I've been doing it ever since. I have little journals (I think I'm on #5 or so). I also used a sorting program and had it on a diskette, somewhere.

Thankfully, early last year, I heard about LT. I manually entered all 3,000+ books but I feel so much more secure knowing it's all here.

I LOVE looking back at what I was reading 5 or 10 or 20 years ago. Remembering what I was reading at a particular time in my life (e.g., I was reading x when waiting for news about the birth of my sister's first child) is really memorable for me.

#203: Good!

#204: Yeah, it is already over 500 pages, so adding more history really would have made it chunky. I have been adding books about Africa to my 'want to read' list though.

#205: Wow, Linda! You have been going at it for a long time now. That is so cool!

198: Definitely. LT has definitely helped me discover my own likes, by trying things I probably wouldn't have otherwise. :)

205: I'm the same. I love the nostalgic feeling when I look back at what I read in the past.

I love the discussion about keeping a book journal upthread. I still have lists of books that I read in the 1980's and early to mid-90's. My reading tastes have definitely evolved since then.

I kept a handwritten journal with my thoughts about the books as I read them beginning in a Colorado blizzard in 1997. I still enjoy thumbing through that book! I switched to the computer in 2002, continuing through 2007. I actually printed my thoughts on January 1st each year so I could have a hard copy until I realized that they wouldn't mean anything to anybody but me!

Ah, then came LibraryThing where I can blather on about books and access my reviews much more easily. I Love this Site and the wonderful people I've met here. I realize this is TMI, but I'm feeling talkative this morning!

#208 I wish I'd kept a journal of my thoughts on each book.

One interesting thing to me is how much more I read now. When I was in school, I'd read about 40 or 50 books per year. (Didn't count textbooks but did count novels I'd read for Lit class.) When I started working, that gradually increased. One year (1992), when I was off on disability leave much of the year, my total reads skyrocketed.

Now, I read about that much even though I go to work every day.

It IS interesting to see what kinds of things I read then. Mysteries, sports, and history were present of course, but I'm much more focused on those now. I read a wider variety now but know my tastes better now and am far more focused.

For instance, in the 1970s, I had a "fictional disasters" period. All sorts of airplane crash books and the like. I had a courtroom lawyer phase.

Fun to think about.

I think all of us have 'phases' we go through in reading, but I love your idea of journalling your thoughts on each book, Donna. I kind of do that with my book journal too, which I keep on an Excel spreadsheet and e-mail to myself weekly. If my computer ever crashes again, I will only lose a week's worth of data at most.

One of the genres that I have discovered that I really enjoy is the dystopian novel. That is definitely an LT discovery for me.

I am also re-discovering my love of science fiction and fantasy, which I read almost exclusively in my mid-teen years, but never read seriously again until 2 years ago when Carolyn (MusicMom) and I started reading books together.

Me too, Donna. I have lists of what I read going back to 1970, but I wasn't particularly interested in preserving my comments, especially as work drove me to read more mysteries (and then science fiction) and fewer books of lasting value. LT is great since I'm doing a better job again with the quality.
Stasia, I wish I had known you were reading Cutting for Stone now! It follows Infinite Jest as "Best Book of the Year" for me, and may be "Most Enjoyed Book of the Year." My Own Country hasn't been on my radar, but it is now.

#211: Peggy, I am reading Cutting for Stone now. Now you know :)

I hope you enjoy My Own Country when you read it!

#211 Lizzie, you were a Latin teacher, weren't you? I was trying to post a Facebook comment to my sister in Latin (so her 9-year old daughter wouldn't read it, since it was about her).

I'm so rusty that I got only as far as bella puella (which I sure hope means pretty girl).

If you weren't a Latin teacher, as Emily Latella used to say, never mind.

I wish I had kept lists too. To some extent, because I've kept almost all my books over the years, I can tell when I bought a book by its age (and I can usually remember whether I read it or not!). In my 20s and 30s, I read a LOT of mysteries (along with other books, and I can definitely see phases too), and I've gotten rid of a lot of those.

I am not sure I will ever give up mysteries, as I enjoy the genre a lot, but I read far less cozy mysteries these days than I used to do.

My weekly post this week is going to be a short one as I am in the middle of several 500+ page books, just so everyone is aware.

Stasia, I love the book journal discussion. A college YA lit professor started me on my book journal in 2003. I wish I had recorded the books I read before then. I can definitely see the phases that I went through beginning with a YA phase, then non-fiction, and lately fantasy (which I never really read before this class). I am horribly behind on my hand-written journal but have kept track of my reading on LT. I definitely agree with others when they say, "I love LT!"

Stasia,
I voted "undecided" above... not because I am ever gonna decide. More because I really don't mind either way. I'm a work-around gal! Will catch you either way. :)

Stasia, I haven't given up mysteries but I read far fewer of them than I used to in my 20s-40s. There used to be a mystery book store (Murder Ink) near where I live, and the people who worked there would recommend new authors to me as I worked my way through series I like. Since they went out of business about five years (or maybe more?) ago, I have pretty much stuck with new titles by familiar authors. I would like to reread my Dorothy Sayers Peter Wimsey novels some day.

I have always wanted to keep a book journal. I cannot tell you how many of them I have started in lovely,pristine clean page books--such a lovely feeling. And always, after keeping it up for a week or two, it would get left in the nightstand drawer falling further and further behind. Using LT to record what I read is the very first time I have ever been able to stick with it, so I now have 3 years of records of what I read when. I do have the last 8 years of records for my Women in SF online reading group, of our 15 years, but that's only one book a month.

#220 We used to have a great mystery bookstore, called Scotland Yard Books, in Winnetka, IL. They knew my taste in reading perfectly. Sometimes, I'd go over and say "give me 5 (or 10 or whatever) books by authors new to me that I might like."

I miss that place. Hmmm, I used to love to go to their author signings as well. Met lots of mystery authors, often before they were famous.

So I guess what we are all trying to say is, YAY FOR LT! :)

#221 : LOL ... I was the same Roni. I've got a few half started book journals. Much as I loved writing in them, I would put off adding to the journal after a while and then get so far behind, I'd forget about the journal altogether. I'm so glad I discovered LT (nevermind the unexpected bonus of wonderful bunch of friends I've made here) because now I've a wonderful online journal that doesn't gather dust and that I can update whenever I want.

Stas .. a new thread before you post your weekly update, methinks?

I see by the vote I need to start a new thread when I post my weekly update tomorrow.

Darryl, I do not need to start a new thread every week! Geez Louise.

I am with everybody else - Yay, LT!

Just like I asked myself several times on Tuesday, "why are we voting on this?"

#226: At the time I posted the vote, I was just a little beyond 200 posts. That was the reason I posted the vote :)

Just waving hello!

#228: Hey, Sacil! Thanks for waving.

Dear, dear. It's Sunday and there isn't a list! How *can* I have missed it? Drat!

#230: It is not Sunday here yet, Richard. I know you really do not mean it though :)

...not Sunday...? But, but, I thought *everyone* on LT used the New York Time. After all, it's the only important place in the Universe.

#232: I hate to break it to you, but no - on several different points.

Actually, everyone has to wait an extra hour Sunday for my post, since DST takes place in the middle of the night. I normally do not post until around 5am on Sunday morning.

Good thing for the extra hour of sleep. I have to get up early. Busy day ahead.

Unfortunately, all I get is an extra hour of work!

Well it's almost monday here now for me but I will be up bright and early in the morning to see which books I need to make a note of for my reading wishlist.

New thread here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/101961