kidzdoc: 75 from the shelves #1

Currently reading:
     Yalo by Elias Khoury
     An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie
     Lighthead by Terrance Hayes

January:
     1. Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox by Gareth Williams (review)
     2. A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore (review)
     3. The Memory Chalet by Tony Judt (review)
     4. The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago (review)
     5. The Tenant and the Motive by Javier Cercas (review)
     6. Who Killed Palomino Molero? by Mario Vargas Llosa (review)

My 11 in 11 challenge:

A. Read a book I already own by 11 different Nobel Prize laureates
     1. The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago
     2. Who Killed Palomino Molero? by Mario Vargas Llosa

B. Read a New York Review Books book that I already own

C. Read a classic American novel that I already own

D. Read a Booker Prize winner that I already own

E. Read a novel by an African-American author that I aleady own

F. Read a novel from the 2011 Booker Prize longlist (or from longlists of previous years)

G. Read a novel from the 2011 Orange Prize longlist (or from longlists of previous years)
     1. A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore

H. Read a medicine or science book that I already own
     1. Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox by Gareth Williams

I. Read a biography or autobiography that I already own

J. Read a book published by Archipelago Books in 2009-2011

K. Read a novel by a public intellectual that I already own
     1. The Memory Chalet by Tony Judt

Glad to see you are joining us again, Darryl. I look forward to your reviews!

LOL Your GIFs are tres drole, Darryl!

Marking my spot for the debut on 1/1/11

Starred!

Looking forward to seeing what you have planned for 2011, Darryl. You are so smart to reserve some room for growth. I like following the threads of the "smart kids!"

Hi Darryl, love the gifs!

*Snickers at the workman drinking tea in #1*

Reading your threads is so interesting. Besides reading your reviews,also like reading about your travels.

>10 Eat_Read_Knit: Tea?? Oh no, it must be coffee!

You're probably right, Terri. He's probably not a British builder drinking the requisite beverage.

Hi, Darryl, just stopping by to say Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy all the various different bits you seem to be having!

*takes a seat in the front row*

Welcome back! We doing A Philly meet up this year? If so, I can add it to the wiki.

Hello all, and Merry Christmas! I'll post my reading plans in the next couple of days, but my main goals will be to participate in the 11 in 11 challenge (books in 11 different categories in 2011), to read at least 75 books that I've already purchased, to buy less books than I read (no snickering), and to read 150 books or more (which I've done for the past two years).

#13: Builder's tea (Yorkshire tea) sounds really good. I'll have to see if this is available on this side of the pond, otherwise I'll look for it on my next trip to the UK.

#16: I'd definitely be up for a Philly get together in 2011. I'll probably visit my parents in March, depending on what my work schedule looks like, and I may see them (or visit my best friends in Madison, WI) in mid-February. Maybe we could do a spring time get together, once the weather warms up.

Just stopping in to say Hi and Happy New Year, Darryl!

Hey there, Darryl. Glad to see your new thread up here which i have, of course, starred.

to buy less books than I read (no snickering)

*snort*howl*shriek*guffaw*roll on floor and kick legs*

Oh oh oh this place is better than a comedy club I *hurt* from laughing so hard

Why, Richard, I'm surprised at you. Haven't you seen all of us making these virtuous and, at least in my case, undoubtedly foolhardy unkeepable laughable resolves?

Darryl, thank you for all your hard work here. Never mind Richard, we know you'll try for a few weeks succeed in your goal more read than bought.

A springtime meetup in Philly would be fantastic.

Richard's sense of humor seems to be out-of-whack completely today :)

#17/20/21 I'm with Gail on this one. It seems like a perfectly normal, sane and acceptable resolution for the New Year: a noble-sounding goal that will be abandoned completely by the second week of January. ;)

Well, I don't know about the rest of you and these silly resolutions that I see popping up everywhere. My resolution: to buy as many new books as I want and can practically afford and either read them right away or not, and to The Underworld with the consequences! Ha!

Hmph. I'm NOT appreciating the derision and lack of support for my absurd lofty goal. I'm even more motivated to achieve it now.

Oops, my nephew is calling...back later.

>26 kidzdoc: Glad to be of service! I'll just keep laughing. You keep...well, what does one call it? Stubborning? Quixote-ing?

>25 scaifea: Oh, Amber, a girl after my own heart...it's nice to hear something so refreshing amongst all these other folks who keep forgetting what the scorpion said: "It's my nature."

Note to self: reverse psychology works well on Darryl. ;)

>#25: Amber, I admire a completely honest woman!

Hi Darryl: Hope you're enjoying your vacation.

An initial analysis of the books I read in 2010 (162 total):

Books written by female authors: 58 (36%)
Books written by male authors: 104 (64%)
Fiction and poetry books: 126 (78%)
Nonfiction books: 36 (22%)
Books written by US authors: 51 (31%)
Books written by non-US authors: 111 (69%)
Translated books: 77 (48%)

I'm not surprised by the female:male ratio (I thought it would be 2:1 male), but I was disappointed to see that I only read 36 books of nonfiction in 2010. I was very surprised to find out that I read such a high percentage of translated works and books by non-American authors. So, one of my new goals for 2011 will be to read more nonfiction books.

As avaland (on Club Read) suggested, I'll look at the books I read later today or tomorrow to evaluate how I acquired them (LT or other recommendation, Early Reviewer books, bookshop discoveries, etc.)

Wow. Wow to 162 books and wow to your analysis! I have spreadsheet envy. I've done a spreadsheet (thanks to lindsacl, my on-call geek) but nothing this sophisticated.

btw - thanks a ton for the recs on my profile page -- will respond later today.

>33 teelgee:: Terri, it's just a matter of adding columns ... come on, you can do it! :)

And great analysis, Darryl. 162 is really impressive!!!

Greetings kidzdoc! I know I fell off the 2010 challenge hard. Life got outta control :(

Anyway, looking forward to your reviews and I see you already have one of my wishlisted books in your current reads: Lighthead.

Happy new year!

Darryl, I'm very impressed with your total of 162, and with the numbers of translated and overseas books.

Are you setting a target for non-fiction, or just aiming for more than this year?

>34 lauralkeet: Thanks, coach!

#33, 34 Well, I did my admittedly nongeeky analysis the old-fashioned way: printed out a list of the books I'd read from my profile page, and then counted up the number of books by women, by non-US authors, etc, and did the math. Probably faster for me than trying to set up a spreadsheet!

#33: I didn't do a spreadsheet, I simply counted and tallied each book by hand.

#34: Thanks, Laura. I also read 162 books in 2009, and I'll come very close to finishing one more book before midnight, if I can stay awake until 10-11 pm.

#35: Hi, browngirl! I hope that you'll join us in 2011, no matter how many books you plan to read.

#36: Thanks, Caty. Good question; I don't think I'll set a specific target for nonfiction books to read in 2011, but I think I'll monitor my reading every month, as you and several other 75ers and Club Readers do, so that I can read more of the nonfiction books that have been accumulating over the past few years.

#38: Agreed!

Happy New Year, Darryl! I hope you have a terrific 2011.

My one big regret in 2010 is that I did not have the opportunity to meet you while I was up in NY. I look forward to that happening one day.

Happy New Year, Stasia! I'm certain that our paths will cross in the near future, especially since I travel so much.

Happy New Year, everyone! I finished Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox by Gareth Williams just after midnight, my first book of 2011, which was very good. I'll review it later today. I've already finished the first 40 pages of A Gate of the Stairs by Lorrie Moore, which I'm reading for Orange January.

#41: I look forward to your review of Angel of Death. I remember writing a report on Edward Jenner ages ago!

#42: As you can imagine, Jenner figures prominently in Angel of Death. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the origins of the anti-vaccination movement, which I'll mention in my review.

Brrr! The weather has changed dramatically here in comparison to yesterday. It's now 11 degrees and very windy just after 11 am, with a wind chill of 6 degrees below zero. It will only reach 16 degrees today, with a low of 9 degrees, which is much more typical for early January in Madison. We'll still go outside today, for Indian buffet.

9°? *shiver* I hope you have a woolly hat with you.

And good gloves, scarf and weatherproof shoes, Darryl! Ooh.. it's been a while since I've thrown any boots at you ... *running off to line up some therma-lined boots in preparation*

Happy buffet, Darryl, and may the internal heat of good Indian food carry forward into cold resistance!

#44: LOL! I love it!

#45: 11 degrees in January isn't bad for Madison, but it's more than 30 degrees colder than it was at this time yesterday, not including the wind chill. I have plenty of cold weather gear, as this is the weather I was expecting.

Murielle told me today that today isn't cold enough for the kids to skip recess. The wind chill has to be 15 degrees below zero for that, which did happen at least once last month. And, as I've said before, school is only cancelled in the Madison School District if the wind chill is 35 degrees below zero or colder.

#46: For once I look forward to receiving thrown boots from you, Caroline.

#47: We actually went to Hong Kong Wok for juk (or congee, a rice porridge) and dumplings, which was perfect on a day like today. I suppose we'll go for Indian buffet tomorrow.

Guessing that your Madison friends will want to watch the Rose Bowl today. Go Wisconsin!!

I think that everyone but us will be watching the game today. They aren't sports fans, and almost never watch television; the TV is used to watch DVDs of kids' programs and movies.

On Wisconsin! Go Badgers!

Don't sing too much of On Wisconsin or you might have to cough up some cash to Paul McCartney. Didn't he own the rights to that song?

Oops, I was eager to watch the outdoor hockey game from Pittsburgh today but forgot that they moved it to tonight.

Happy New Year Darryl. I love your 11 in 11 challenges and I fully believe what you say about buying books......(chortle, guffaw, snort)

I hereby pledge to be supportive of Darryl's book pledges... It's odd, now that the book buying ban has ended, I don't feel the urge to rush off and splurge. Hmmm...

But then, I do have a few dozen library books, dozens more unread on Kindle, and MOUNTAINS of unread dead tree books staring at me reproachfully!

I will NOT be watching any football games.

Happy New Year, Darryl! I'm going to try to follow your threads more closely this year--you have so many good conversations that it's hard to keep up.

The crew here is engaged in a group Readathon. Mary (the biggest bibliophile of the bunch) and I are lying at opposite ends of the sofa and sharing a blanket (she's reading This Book Is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch, and I'm 2/3 of the way through A Gate at the Stairs); Dave is reading a children's story to Tommy on his new Nook; and Murielle is reading a novel in her recliner. Sigh; life is good.

#51; From what I just read, both Paul McCartney and the heirs of Michael Jackson are rumored to own the international rights to "On, Wisconsin". However, it is the official song of the state and UW's main fight song, and it's in the public domain in the US.

#52: Hmph. Apparently I need to bring my wooden spoon with me to use in 2011, to keep certain people in line. I expected this from Richard and Caroline, but not from you, Bonnie! (Happy New Year, BTW.)

#53: THANK YOU, Suz! I'm with you, I don't feel any urge to go to a bookstore. It helps that I brought plenty of books with me, and my friends own at least several hundred more.

#54: Hi Roni, and Happy New Year to you!

#55 That's funny that you're doing a readathon with your friends. Lucy (sibyx) was talking about doing the same things with her guests the other day. Sounds like a delightful way to spend time together. (Loved the pictures of the junior readers on your profile page.)

Does Mary like This Book Is Not Good for You? I got the first 3 books in that series for my nephew. I made a guess at it. It looked interesting to me. He evidently likes funny books.

Hello Darryl. I'm excited to learn of your new reads in 2011. I'm glad you are here. It just would not be the same without your participation.

#58: Mary loves the Pseudonymous Bosch books I bought for her for Christmas. So far she's read the first two books, The Name of This Book Is Secret and If You're Reading This, It's Too Late, and she's halfway through This Book Is Not Good for You. Her mother had to practically drag her out of bed at 9:30 am, as she was lying in bed reading the third book. I also bought her the fourth book, This Isn't What it Looks Like, and I imagine that she'll start this tomorrow. She first started reading The Name of This Book Is Secret on Wednesday afternoon, so she is plowing through them at lightning speed.

#59: Hi Linda! Thanks for your warm compliment, and I'm happy that you're with us as well.

I'll finish A Gate at the Stairs within the next hour, as I have less than 50 pages to go, so I'll add it to my completed books list (since I may not get back on my friends' computer until late tonight or early tomorrow). I disliked it in the beginning, started to like it in the middle, and I hate it now. I doubt that I'll give it more than two stars.

We are doing a Readathon on LT starting Monday, Darryl, if you are interested :)

Count me in for tomorrow's Readathon, Stasia. I'll be in Madison until Wednesday afternoon; the kids go back to school, Dave goes back to work on Monday, and Murielle will be busy taking the kids to and from school and afternoon activities, so I'll be by myself for almost all of Monday and Tuesday. What time does it start?

#62: 2pm CT. I am not sure what time zone Madison is in. Ellie is heading this one up and will be starting a thread at the appropriate time I am sure.

#63: Thanks, Stasia. (Madison and all of Wisconsin are in the Central Time Zone, BTW.) I'll start reading well before then, and I probably won't be reading from 4-7 pm and after 10-11 pm. I'll post what I've read at 2 pm tomorrow, and continue from there.

Oh good, I can stop vaguely looking at A Gate at the Stairs in the bookshops here. Hope the next book is much better.

Remind me how old Mary is, roughly? Am always looking for good books to read to our son (nearly 7 but I tend to buy them and just keep them on the shelves till he's ready.)

#64: Now, I know. I will probably promptly forget though :) I am glad you will be joining us for the Readathon. I will not be able to do the whole thing either.

#65: DO NOT buy A Gate at the Stairs. However, my friends here and several LTers say that her short stories are wonderful.

Mary is 8 years 5 months old, but she's reading at an 11-12 year old level. Her mother recommended the Pseudonymous Bosch books as Christmas gifts for Mary, and we laughed aloud at the excerpts that Mary showed us yesterday.

#66: Wisconsin is west of Chicago and Illinois, which are in the Central Time Zone, if that helps. I can't remember if Indiana, which is east of Illinois, is on Central or Eastern time, or both; they have some weird rules, I think.

I'll try to watch excerpts of the Rose Bowl (Wisconsin vs. TCU) tomorrow, as it sounds as though it was a good game.

Pitt needs another new football coach. The one that was hired last month was arrested in South Bend on Friday for assaulting the mother of his child, and Pitt rightfully fired him within a few hours after the news became public.

It's ok, I won't buy it! (Plus, I am going to try to keep not buying things locally - the Swiss franc is at an all time high, and I have enough books here for a while.) You don't often say that you hate a book.

I'm going to look for the Pseudonymous Bosch books in the school library and see. Our son's comprehension is ahead, and he tends to like books for older kids, but it's not that far ahead. Very cool that you are all sitting around reading.

>67 kidzdoc:: I can't remember if Indiana, which is east of Illinois, is on Central or Eastern time, or both; they have some weird rules, I think.
Yep, traditionally Indiana never observed Daylight Savings Time, except for a few counties like ones near Chicago. It was very confusing when I went to university there, because sometimes we were on the same time as points east, and sometimes not. TV schedules would sometimes match Eastern Time, and sometimes Central.

But apparently much has changed since the 1980s (who'd a thunk it?). From Wikipedia: "Effective March 9, 2008, twelve counties in Indiana observe Central Time. These twelve counties are Gibson, Jasper, Lake, La Porte, Newton, Porter, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Perry, and Starke. All other counties in Indiana observe Eastern Time. All counties in Indiana, regardless of time zone, observe daylight saving time."
More than you want to know about Time in Indiana, here.

Hi Darryl, found your thread. I don't have that much time to browse through the hundreds to find those I like- so I''m waiting to see when they come on top.
You are starred!

#69 And even more than you want to know about daylight savings time: they don't have it in Arizona, where my sister lives, so for part of the year our time is 2 hours different and for part it is 3 hours different.

Book #1: Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox by Gareth Williams



2010 Wellcome Prize shortlist
Acquired from The Book Depository (2010)

My rating:

Smallpox was successfully eliminated from the human population in 1979, due to — and in spite of — the efforts of physicians, scientists, public officials and private citizens over the past four centuries to rid mankind of one of its greatest killers. The variola virus now exists only in two research centers in the United States and Russia, and it is guarded with the utmost security, as smallpox remains an untreatable and often fatal infection, ready to unleash a reign of terror if it were ever to fall into the wrong hands.

Gareth Williams, a professor of medicine at the University of Bristol, expertly and interestingly describes the history of smallpox from antiquity, when its telltale scars were found on Egyptian mummies, to the present day, where its legacy is most notable for the current anti-vaccination movement, particularly in the UK and United States.

The story of smallpox is intimately linked with the story of Western civilization and medicine. Its introduction to immunologically naïve native civilizations throughout the Americas decimated their populations and destroyed their cultures, permitting their easy conquest by colonialists. The “discovery” of vaccination by Edward Jenner — which is widely attributed to him but was practiced throughout the world for many years — saved millions of lives since its introduction, and led to the development of vaccines against other deadly pathogens. The study of smallpox was instrumental to the future understanding of microbes as the causative factor of many diseases such as tuberculosis, and the manner in which viruses infect human cells and convert them into virus making factories.

Despite his faults, Jenner, a marginally competent clinician and scientist, can rightfully be credited with introducing vaccination to Western medicine. He had many detractors, and fought throughout his life against those who insisted that vaccination was unnatural, ungodly and dangerous. His unyielding insistence that variola vaccination was safe and provided lifetime protection blinded him and his supporters from the cases of smallpox that occurred in previously vaccinated individuals. That, combined with resistance to compulsory vaccination and the draconian measures used to enforce vaccination laws, led to the birth of the anti-vaccination movement, which attracted those with concerns about the safety and efficacy of the smallpox vaccine, along with opportunistic practitioners who sought to make money on unproven methods of prevention and treatment of smallpox, religious fundamentalists and natural healers who believed that vaccination was immoral and in opposition to God’s laws, and civil libertarians that opposed it as a violation of their freedom and right to choose.

The main effect of the bitter war between the vaccinationists and anti-vaccinationists was opposition to vaccination, which costs the lives of thousands of children in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the perpetuation of the technique of variolation, in which pus from smallpox lesions was introduced into the skin of uninfected individuals to produce a local infection that was often less severe than the usual disease. Unfortunately many individuals did contract full blown smallpox and died as a result, and those who were not variolated and not previously infected often acquired smallpox from those who underwent this treatment. The anti-vaccination movement grew steadily from the time of Jenner, and continues to exist in the present day West, as current believers continue to use arguments from the 19th century to bolster their case.

Angel of Death is an excellent addition to the history of medicine, which is well researched and written, one that would have broad appeal to clinicians, scientists, and anyone else interested in this deadly disease and the birth of the anti-vaccination movement.

Book #2: A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore



2010 Orange Prize shortlist
Purchased from Amazon.com (2010)

My rating:

Tassie Keltjin is a 20 year old student at a major university in Troy, a moderately sized and liberal Midwestern city, who answers an ad placed by a couple who seeks to adopt a child. She is the half Jewish daughter of farmers in a small town, somewhat naïve and quirky, and is entranced by her employers, an owner of a French restaurant who is also half Jewish and even quirkier than Tassie, and her husband, a biomedical researcher who is not associated with the university. The couple adopt a biracial child who soon becomes the focus of a relatively benign racial attack by a local youth, which triggers a response by those in the community who are horrified that such a thing could take place in Troy, "the Athens of the Midwest".

Tassie continues her studies and her job as a part-time nanny for the child, falls in love with a mysterious student, and engages with her troubled family and even more troubled roommate. At the same time the adoptive couple faces their own issues, especially a past incident that comes to light after the adoption is approved.

I found A Gate at the Stairs to be a frustrating, maddening, and intensely distasteful novel, as Moore attempted to do too much with this novel, and I found its characters, especially the adoptive couple, to be either despicable, overly quirky, or inscrutable. Was this supposed to be a novel about post-9/11 America? One about racism, or multiculturalism, or the contrast between the rural towns and university cities in the Midwest? Maybe it's supposed to be a coming of age novel? A love story, perhaps? It was ultimately none of these things, as it handled these topics in a most superficial and demeaning manner. Avoid this book like the plague.

Edited to correct innumerable grammatical errors.

I will indeed. Ew.

Angel of Death is definitely going on my wishlist - looks excellent. I'm interested in the history of the anti-vaccination movement (it's quite vocal in NZ.)

Edited to fix the touchstone...

Nice review of A Gate at the Stairs - it is really helpful when someone doesn't like a book and is clear about why, making it easy for me to see whether I am likely to agree (in this case, I am, as I am not a Lorrie Moore fan anyway, unlike many on LT). Have you read her short stories and did you like them better than this?

Happy new year, Darryl! I'm making an effort to visit your thread more often this year. Like Donna, I want to follow the "smart kids" threads! I attempted to read The Gate at the Stairs last year and abandoned it pretty quickly. Glad to see that wasn't a mistake!

I'll jump into the Readathon tomorrow -- that will give me a push to get some books read that are work-oriented and that have to go back to the library next week...

72: I can see that you're going to be a source of TBR (sigh). I'm currently reading Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder (briefly, for the sake of casual passers by who don't care to click through, its focus is primarily on one man's efforts to eradicate tuberculosis from Haiti) and it's gotten me interested in diseases. Thanks for the extensive review.

16/17: Philadelphia? That'd be excellent. I'm a short train ride away.

#69: Thanks, Laura. I read the Wikipedia page on Time in Indiana, and I think I understand it, for the moment.

#70: Hi, Manuel. I have your thread starred as well, and I read it closely, although I rarely post any comments. I hope it's as nice in your part of Wisconsin as it is in Madison today.

#71: More confusion = more reason to avoid states with inscrutable time zone rules.

#74: Ew is right. I think I'd rather catch smallpox than read A Gate at the Stairs again.

#75: I'm planning to read Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure by Paul Offit later this year.

#76: I haven't read any of her short stories yet, but my friends here in Madison are fond of them. I decided to read A Gate of the Stairs so that I could leave it with them.

#77: Hi, Joanne! Thanks for the compliment, but I don't feel like I'm one of the "smart kids", especially when I look at all of the typos and grammatical errors in my reviews.

#78: I'll start tomorrow morning, probably with The Gospel According to Jesus Christ and The Memory Chalet.

#79: You're welcome, qebo. I'll probably read Mountains Beyond Mountains later this year, and I would recommend two books by Paul Farmer that I've read, Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights, and the New War on the Poor and Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues.

Moore attempted to do too much with this novel

I think that's it in a nutshell, Darryl. I gave A Gate at the Stairs 3 stars because I did like parts of it and definitely liked her writing. I actually can't think of a book you liked worse than this though.

The smallpox book looks great and I loved your review. I'm going to wishlist it.

The Memory Chalet is great and should be a good antidote to A Gate at the Stairs.

Adding Angel of Death to my wishlist too. I took a course as an undergraduate on the history of the Black Death and it was one of my all-time favorite classes, so this sounds like it's right up my alley!

(Hm, wondering if I'm coming off a tad morbid here...)

Big thumb up on the review of A Gate at the Stairs; read and disliked that one last year myself. Spoiler Didn't you think it totally out of left field that the adoption agency wouldn't have investigated this couple to realize they were unfit parents?? Geesh.

#83 A Gate at the Stairs Spoilers: Bonnie, I read the book for a book club with two social workers that place foster children. They said that never would have happened in real life. I could go on for awhile about alot of other things that didn't make sense, but I won't.

>71 rebeccanyc:: well that completely explains my confusion about Arizona as well. I thought it was 2 and then later it was 3 and I just assumed I was going crazy.

#71 and 85: My mother and brother live in Arizona and just when I get used to it being one time, it changes!

(Catching up with a vast number of posts...)

Two great reviews to begin the year, Darryl, even if one of the books was a stinker. Angel of Death sounds interesting.

Sounds like you're all having a great time up there in Wisconsin.

Thanks for the Angel of Death review; I added it to my wish list.

#82 Was the class only about the Black Plague? How cool! What university offered that?

#88 Emilie: Yep, entirely on the Black Plague. We read all sorts of historical accounts, both modern histories and contemporary accounts (Journal of the Plague Year for example), plus literature surrounding and influenced by the plague (Boccaccio, etc.). We also looked at all sorts of art on the subject too. This was at Indiana University.

*waves* I'm here I'm here!

Count me in for the readathon. Monday is my New Year's holiday from work. I got some errands to run in the morning but will probably be reading much of the rest of the day.

Darryl, I'm glad (but sorry at the same time) that you didn't like A Gate at the Stairs, one of my most disappointing books from last year. I wanted to warn you away when you said you were taking it to Madison. At least you won't be hauling it back to Atlanta with you. Are you sure your friend will even want to read it now? It would make a good donation somewhere; I think some people liked it!

I'll pop in on Ellie's readathon for awhile tomorrow, too. See you there!

Hi Darryl. Just stopping by to say hello. Happy New Year!

Hi Darryl, I just saw on one of your other threads that you were planning to read So Much for That soon. I just started it tonight and it's good--both funny and heartbreaking.

Darryl, I was watching 60 Minutes tonight and they had a great segment on Wynton Marsalis. He's one of my favorite jazz artists and he looks about 20 years younger than 49. They tagged along on some of his concerts in London and Havana and he looked like he was having a ball. Great music too.

Darryl, I'm thumbs up #6 for your excellent review of the first book of the year!

I added the Williams book to the BlackHole and firmly planted the Moore book on the 'Do Not Read' list. Great reviews as usual, Darryl!

#81: Thanks, Pat. I'll finish The Memory Chalet later this morning. You're absolutely right; it's a fantastic book, and it will almost certainly earn a 5 star rating from me.

#82: I wish I could have taken a class on the Black Death!

#83: Absolutely true, Bonnie. The previous incident involving the adoptive couple was unbelievable, but not as much as the resolution of the case (no punishment???), and the failure of the adoptive agency and the social services department to discover this ahead of time. That was the point where I wanted to hurl A Gate at the Stairs across the room. I also hated the superficial group discussions about race and multiculturalism.

#84: I agree, Pat. Most of the novel either made no sense or didn't ring true.

#87: It's been a great visit to Wisconsin, Caty. The kids go back to school today, and Dave goes back to work, so I won't see much of them for the rest of my visit, which ends on Wednesday afternoon.

#90: Happy New Year, Tamara! I'll take a look at your thread later today.

#91: I'll see you on the Readathon thread, Linda.

#92: I'll be interested to see what Murielle thinks of A Gate at the Stairs. She knows that I hated it, and said that she won't finish it if she doesn't like it (too many books, too little time).

#93: Happy New Year, Tad!

#94: Thanks for your comment about So Much for That, Pat. It will be one of my first book purchases of the year.

#95: Thanks for the info about the Wynton Marsalis story, Caroline. I'll look for the video online later today.

#96, 97: Thanks Linda & Stasia! One of my goals for the year is to submit reviews in a more timely fashion than I did last year, so I'm glad that these reviews were acceptable.

Darryl, your reviews are always more than acceptable! Geez, what are you trying for - the Pulitzer Prize or something? It is just us - you know, your friends, who like you whether you post 'timely' reviews or not? :)

I can't believe I have not visited you new thread till today, Darryl.

I look forward to your out of the ordinary reads which helps me expand my horizons.

#99

If Darryl gets a Pulitzer Prize for his reviews, does that mean it's no longer acceptable to throw things at him??

#101: Yeah, probably, Jenny. Sorry. I guess we have to hope he never wins one :)

Darryl, your reviews are fantastic!! And the ones you started off 2011 with were some of your best I thought, especially the one on the smallpox book.

Love your categories, Darryl, and that you're reading books you've already bought. I'm sure you'll still be adding to my wishlist, but it means you won't be enticing me--hopefully--with books that I won't be able to read for a year. For example, I think you were the first person who talked about Cutting for Stone and, oh my, that was a long wait for it to come out in paperback. Are you going to be listing your books in the BOTS and/or Club Read group too?

>72 kidzdoc:: vaccination was unnatural, ungodly

*sigh* Right there a précis of a major part of what's wrong with our culture.

Anyway, I wouldn't have thought I wanted to know more about smallpox beyond Indian Blankets and the fact that it has been eliminated as an active disease but you make that book sound quite interesting. I'll give it a try.

I just finished The Memory Chalet by Tony Judt, which will almost certainly make my top 10 list for 2011. I'll review it later today or tomorrow, but for now I'd refer you to Suz's superb review of it. I agree with her; I'd give it six stars if I could. I will certainly look for Judt's books in the near future, and I'm a bit depressed that such a wonderful writer and brilliant thinker is no longer with us.

#99: There are several books from 2010 that I didn't comment on that I really liked, and I regret that I didn't get around to reviewing them, including The Sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka.

I still struggle to write reviews, and I'm only rarely pleased by anything I've written. It's an enjoyable exercise, though, and I want to continue to get better at it. At some point in the future I would like to write reviews professionally, possibly for a literary magazine or newspaper, and (as I've probably said on one of my threads from last year) I'd like to combine my loves of medicine and literature in a teaching role in the not too distant future.

Me? Pulitzer Prize? That'll be the day!

#100: Hi Lynda! There are a lot of threads that I haven't visited yet, but I'll probably do so over the next few days. I'm glad to see you here.

#101: Hi Jenny! My favorite tormentor has returned, hooray! You and Caroline have free rein to hoist non-explosive objects at me. BTW, I think your tough girl rating has skyrocketed after last year's "adventures". I hope that 2011 is a bit less interesting for you, and that we see you on LT more often.

#102: If the Pulitzer Prize committee is foolish enough to give me an award I will certainly give LT the lion's share of the credit!

#103: Thanks, Pat! I think that review would have benefited from a bit more analysis and critique, though.

#104: I'm quite serious about reading at least 75 books that I received prior to the end of 2010, and buying less books in 2011. I'm sure I'll buy a good number of books, though, including ones for several literary awards (Orange Prize, Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Wellcome Trust Book Prize, Royal Society for Science Books Prize, etc.), and several others that catch my eye (including at least a couple by Tony Judt in the near future).

I'll definitely list my books on my Club Read and 11 in 11 Challenge threads, and applicable ones in the Reading Globally, Author Theme Reads, African/African-American Literature, and Medicine groups (I'm planning to revive the latter group in the near future). What's BOTS? Books Off the Shelf?

I'll catch up on some threads, and then start reading The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago.

Well, I have added a few books to my Kindle in the last few days, so I don't think I could survive a yearlong book ban. But I am going to cut back on book buying, dramatically.

Glad you liked The Memory Chalet so much. I ended up giving it to several folks for Xmas.

#101 : On the contrary, Jenny .... if Darryl wins the Pulitzer Prize, we have to be even more diligent about throwing things at him when he deserves. After all, if it weren't for our exacting standards, do you think he'd have won the prize in the first place? We owe it to him to keep our throwing arm(s) in peak condition with a ready arsenal of throwable items.

#95 I saw that segment on Wynton Marsalis, too. It's amazing. He's got kids that are old enough to drink, legally, yet he gets carded, he says. Still baby-faced at age 49.

Exactly, Linda. I would have pegged him at maybe 30. He looks nowhere near the 49 he's supposed to be. But the talent, oh the talent .. I could listen to him all day.

I downloaded The Memory Chalet to the Kindle after reading Suz's review. Perhaps yours will inspire me to read it!

Roses...Darryl...roses is what we would throw at you if you won the Pulitzer prize.

Well, I guess I can remove A Gate at the Stairs from the wishlist. Sounds like it was a pain to read.

I admit I'd be envious if Darryl won a Pulitzer. But then perhaps I'd win the same year for literature? And we could both wear those capes of red roses that they fling around the necks of Derby winners!!

#107: Thanks for recommending The Memory Chalet so highly, Suz. I was so eager to read more books by Tony Judt that I almost placed an overnight order on Amazon for three of his previous books, so I would be able to read one of them during my flights tomorrow. I will read Ill Fares the Land in the very near future, which I already own, and look for his books later this year or in 2012.

I'll try to restrict any book purchases to those that I plan to read this year, which will mainly be books for the major literary awards (Booker, Orange and Pulitzer, National Book Award, Wellcome Trust Book Prize, Royal Society for Science Book Prize, and the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award).

#108: *searches Amazon.com for riot gear*

#109, 110: I haven't listened to or purchased Wynton Marsalis' music recently; must change that. I believe that his 1982(?) debut album was the first jazz recording I'd ever purchased, along with Horace Silver's brilliant 1964 album "Song for My Father".

#111: I'll probably review The Memory Chalet this afternoon, after Ellie's read-a-thon has ended.

#112: Roses sound lovely. Please ask Jenny and Caroline to remove the thorns before they throw them at me.

#113: Right, browngirl. A Gate at the Stairs will almost certainly be one of my top 10 worst reads of the year.

#114: LOL!

Okay, I'm going back to the read-a-thon before the kids wake up.

Good luck for the last few hours Darryl!

Thanks, Ellie! Today should be a good reading day, as it will be colder than normal and snowy here in Wisconsin, and the kids will be at school and participating in after school activities until dinner time. I'll continue reading well past the end of the read-a-thon, and hopefully I'll be able to finish "The Gospel According to Jesus Christ" today.

Enjoy! We'll be reading along for another five hours yet so you've got company for a fair bit longer... While the kids are away and all that!

Hallo Darryl, just checking in briefly to say hallo, so I don't loose touch with you - will catch up properly soon!

...and I forgot to say Happy New Year!

Happy Reading, Darryl. I'll look forward to reading your review of The Memory Chalet. I loved it but never had time to do a review. It's definitely a book I will re-read and I'm also interested in reading more of his books.

Hi Darryl, Finally catching up on some threads after being away over New Years. Sounds like you've had some great reads lately (with one notable exception). The Memory Chalet is going on the list, and I'm especially interested in Angel of Death and Offit's book. Paul Offit was recognized by the Gates Foundation last year as an unsung hero, and as part of their campaign to try and eradicate polio (something Americans haven't had to deal with in years) through vaccination.

Darryl, please, please go back to work. A couple of free hours and you create (and cause to create) these humongous threads of comments that seem to take most of my free time.
I'm home, sick unfortunately, and can't read for more than 5 miinutes before my eyes and head start hurting.
Actually, seriously, I do enjoy your comments and reviews, as well as those of all other interventors.

#118: Thanks, Ellie! I hope that you're catching up on well deserved sleep. Thanks for a successful and most enjoyable read-a-thon!

#119, 120: Happy New Year, Fliss! I'll catch up on your new thread later this week, after I return to Atlanta.

#121: I'll definitely read more of Tony Judt's books in the near future, starting with Ill Fares the Land, his penultimate book which I already own.

#122: Thanks for the info about Paul Offit, Lisa; I wasn't aware that he was recognized by the Gates Foundation for his work.

#123: Not if I can help it, Manuel! I won't go back to work until Saturday. I hope that you're feeling better soon.

The Memory Chalet definitely will be a read-sooner-rather-than-later for me, thanks to you and chatterbox. Thanks for the recommendation!

Karen O.

#125: You're welcome, Karen; however, Suz deserves all the credit for recommending The Memory Chalet, as I may not have read it without her great review of it.

I did finish "The Gospel According to Jesus Christ" tonight. It was intriguing and eye-opening, and I'll give it 4-1/2 stars for now. I'll review it later in the week, after I return to Atlanta.

#108

Fantastic. I like your thinking. Of course, we should also make sure we get in plenty of practice in case such an event occurs. After all, we wouldn't want to be found wanting in an important situation.

I feel the need to gather a collection of suitable throwing objects around me. In true Arnie style: I'll be back.

#126: I am looking forward to your review of that one, Darryl. I am hoping to tackle some of Saramago's work this year.

The Memory Chalet is already on my wishlist due to Suzanne but your comment "will most certainly make my top 10 list" is enough to push me to read it sooner rather than later.

#124 - thanks Darryl and Stasia.
I feel doubly bad because besides feeling sick, I'm a little better now), I've had to miss work this year. What a way to start the year!

#127: Uh oh. I see that I'll need much more than the Snow Leopard in 2011.

#128: I'll probably review The Memory Chalet and The Gospel According to Jesus Christ tomorrow, after I return to Atlanta.

I'll start The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa today, which I'd like to finish by Friday. I'll also bring The Tenant and The Motive by Javier Cercas with me, a book of two "darkly humorous novellas" that I bought at Book Culture last month.

#129: I downloaded Amazon Kindle samples from Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century and Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 onto my BlackBerry yesterday. I'll almost certainly read those books, and The Burden of Responsibility: Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French Twentieth Century, in the near future, but probably not before 2012.

Darryl, my daughter gave me a copy of the Vargas Llosa book, that I plan to read shortly. I'll wait to read your review. Maybe I'll do what one of the characters in the movie Metropolitan says (paraphrasing) "I never read novels, I only read criticisms of books. In that way I get the story and some of the arguments why it is or isn't a good book."

#132: Okay; I should finish it by Friday.

That method takes all of the fun (and anguish) out of reading novels, though. No thanks.

>132 xieouyang:, 133: good movie, though !

#115 : Until the interview on 60 mins, I hadn't listened to Wynton Marsalis in about a year. :-( He's been keeping me company today at the office. I think my favorite is his album, 'Mr Jelly Lord for his nod to Jelly Roll Morton

Darryl, just in case you haven't gotten around to buying So Much for That yet, you might want to wait. I'm about 140 pages in and am not liking it as much. Too many rants that go on for too long about the healthcare system and some really sick people that is making it a rough read at the moment.

Glad you're joining us Darryl!



Welcome one and all! I've just posted our new thread for our Jan 7-8 read-a-thon
so come on over and join the discussion there!

I made it back safely to Atlanta, although I barely made my connecting flight in Detroit, as the flight from Madison was delayed by the plane's late arrival and snow (the plane had to be de-iced before it took off). Unfortunately my luggage wasn't as fast as I was, and they will be spending the night in Detroit. I'm just happy that I won't have to spend the night there.

I tried to read The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa, but I couldn't concentrate on either flight, probably because I was worried that I would miss the second flight in Detroit (which I didn't), and that my bags wouldn't make it on the second flight (which they didn't). I'll either start it again from the beginning tomorrow, or pick up a shorter MVL book (probably Who Killed Palomino Molero?) and get back to The War of the End of the World next month.

#134: I didn't see that movie. Then again, I rarely watch movies (I only saw one movie in 2010, and that was at my friends' house in Madison on my last visit there).

#135: Thanks for that recommendation, Caroline; I'll have to look for Mr. Jelly Lord.

#136: Thank you for that heads up, Pat. I'll wait for your review, but I probably won't get it now.

#137: Awww! I love that photo, Ilana; it reminds me of Mary (who would read all night if she could get away with it). She forgot that I was leaving today, and was sad and teary when we said goodbye. *sniff*

Thanks for the link to the read-a-thon; I'll be there!

I hope you enjoy The War of the End of the World, Darryl. It is my favorite MVL to date (not that I have read all that many!)

ETA: Glad you made it home safely!

OK, now I feel better. Only had a few postings to catch up on this thread. This overlapping of people's 2010-2011 threads is causing me some Freaked-Out-I-Have-Alzheimer's moments.

#139: I'll definitely read The War of the End of the World soon, but I'll wait until I have at least 3-5 days off, so that I can finish it without rushing. I liked what I read, but I couldn't concentrate.

I'm glad that I arrived safely, but I'm a bit sad that I'm no longer in Madison. My best friend and I told his wife separately that this was the most enjoyable post-Christmas and New Year's holiday that we could remember (and I think she and the kids would agree with that). I may visit them again soon, possibly as early as next month.

#141: My best friend and I told his wife separately that this was the most enjoyable post-Christmas and New Year's holiday that we could remember

That is wonderful, Darryl!

I feel so completely out-of-it. This thread...the 2010 thread...*eyes roll in opposite directions*

#143: You just reminded me that I had wanted to leave the 2010 75 Books and Club Read groups this week, to avoid the confusion; done.

ANYthing to rationalize the tidal wave of messages! Yee-ikes! Over 6700 messages in the 2011 group, AND over 1700 in the 2010 group!

I agree that you definitely need time to concentrate on The War of the End of the World, especially at the beginning until you get the hang of the different characters and subplots, etc. But after a while it all starts to come together and is wonderful.

Who Killed Palomino Molero? is the least interesting MVL I've read so far, but of course that doesn't mean it's not interesting; it just pales in comparison.

#145: Yep, waaay too many messages. How's a guy supposed to get any reading done?

#146: I'm definitely looking forward to The War of the End of the World, probably as much as any book I plan to read this year. I want to be able to savor it, which is why I'll put it aside until I can devote time to it. I'm off today and tomorrow, but then I'll be working continuously for the next five weeks, and I'd rather focus on shorter and easier reads during that time.

I chose Who Killed Palomino Molero? mainly because of its length, since I'll definitely be able to finish it by Friday.

Posting this message in both 2010 and 2011 kitchens:

I LOVE YOU ALL, but if I haven't gotten to your 2010 thread, please don't look for me there. I purposedly avoided the 2011 until the new year, and I have officially abandoned any more 2010. So if there's something I really, really really need to know, send me a PM please.

I'm now concentrating on reading, with a short/small/skimming/lurking roll through the threads for one hour a day.

Repeat, kisses, smooches, prayers, blessings and happy reading to all of you. May your aunties, hubbies, kids, cats, dogs and hamsters bring you peace love and joy.

May your books bring you even more.

I was so glad when 2011 finally got here and I could abandon the 2010 threads (well, except for one that everyone is acutely aware of) because it's just too hard to read double the number of posts.

Glad to hear that you and your friend had a great time together Darryl.

I left the 2010 group last week because I couldn't imagine keeping up with two groups and I *assumed* the 2010 group would just fade away. Are you telling me it's still alive and kicking? I'm curious about what I'm missing but now that I'm back to work this week I'm having a helluva time just keeping up with the 2011 group and my other "regular" groups. So I'll have to remain ignorant.

#151: You are not missing anything important over there, Laura :)

>152 alcottacre:: :)

#149: Thanks for the message, Tina. It's absolutely understandable; I spent several hours catching up on LT posts yesterday, figuring out which threads I was going to follow and ignoring many others. I'll have to significantly cut back on my LT time starting tomorrow, so I'll focus more on updating my thread and following other threads when I can.

#150: Thanks, Bonnie. It became nearly impossible to keep up with threads from 2010 or 2011 without ignoring my friends or not reading altogether.

#151-153: I agree!

I didn't get as much reading done as I would have liked, but I did finish The Tenant and The Motive, two novellas by the Spanish author Javier Cercas, which were playful and very enjoyable. I've started Who Killed Palomino Molero?, a short detective novel by Mario Vargas Llosa, which I should finish before the start of the read-a-thon, and I'll resume reading An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie.

Now to catch up on some reviews...

Book #3: The Memory Chalet by Tony Judt



My rating: (12.0/5.0)

Tony Judt (1948-2010), one of the 21st century's leading public intellectuals, was born in postwar London to Jewish parents, educated at Cambridge and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, and taught at several universities, most notably Cambridge, UC Berkeley and NYU. He wrote several acclaimed books on 20th century European history, including Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century and Past Imperfect: French Intellectuals, 1944-1956, and was a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books, The New Republic and The London Review of Books.

In 2008 Judt was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that progressively robs the sufferer of his bodily function while allowing his mind to remain intact. Judt first wrote about his condition in a poignant and unforgettable essay in The New York Review of Books entitled Night, which he dictated to an assistant while he was still able to speak:

In effect, ALS constitutes progressive imprisonment without parole. First you lose the use of a digit or two; then a limb; then and almost inevitably, all four. The muscles of the torso decline into near torpor, a practical problem from the digestive point of view but also life-threatening, in that breathing becomes at first difficult and eventually impossible without external assistance in the form of a tube-and-pump apparatus. In the more extreme variants of the disease, associated with dysfunction of the upper motor neurons (the rest of the body is driven by the so-called lower motor neurons), swallowing, speaking, and even controlling the jaw and head become impossible. I do not (yet) suffer from this aspect of the disease, or else I could not dictate this text.

By my present stage of decline, I am thus effectively quadriplegic. With extraordinary effort I can move my right hand a little and can adduct my left arm some six inches across my chest. My legs, although they will lock when upright long enough to allow a nurse to transfer me from one chair to another, cannot bear my weight and only one of them has any autonomous movement left in it. Thus when legs or arms are set in a given position, there they remain until someone moves them for me. The same is true of my torso, with the result that backache from inertia and pressure is a chronic irritation. Having no use of my arms, I cannot scratch an itch, adjust my spectacles, remove food particles from my teeth, or anything else that—as a moment’s reflection will confirm—we all do dozens of times a day. To say the least, I am utterly and completely dependent upon the kindness of strangers (and anyone else).

During the day I can at least request a scratch, an adjustment, a drink, or simply a gratuitous re-placement of my limbs—since enforced stillness for hours on end is not only physically uncomfortable but psychologically close to intolerable. It is not as though you lose the desire to stretch, to bend, to stand or lie or run or even exercise. But when the urge comes over you there is nothing—nothing—that you can do except seek some tiny substitute or else find a way to suppress the thought and the accompanying muscle memory.

But then comes the night. I leave bedtime until the last possible moment compatible with my nurse’s need for sleep. Once I have been “prepared” for bed I am rolled into the bedroom in the wheelchair where I have spent the past eighteen hours. With some difficulty (despite my reduced height, mass, and bulk I am still a substantial dead weight for even a strong man to shift) I am maneuvered onto my cot. I am sat upright at an angle of some 110° and wedged into place with folded towels and pillows, my left leg in particular turned out ballet-like to compensate for its propensity to collapse inward. This process requires considerable concentration. If I allow a stray limb to be misplaced, or fail to insist on having my midriff carefully aligned with legs and head, I shall suffer the agonies of the damned later in the night.

Despite his illness, Judt continued to dictate essays for The New York Review of Books, which comprise most of The Memory Chalet. He describes his life in a touching and engaging fashion, starting with his early childhood in London; his experience living in a kibbutz in Israel and how it affected his view of Israel, Zionism and what it meant to him to be Jewish; his college years in Cambridge and Paris; and his life in the United States, including his explanation of why he preferred to teach at American universities and to live in New York City. Other essays describe his great love of travel by train, the problem of sexual harassment in the university setting, 1968 and the failure of student revolutionaries to force meaningful change in Paris and elsewhere, and Jewish identity in the 21st century.

Judt died in August 2010. However, his NYRB essays, including most of those in The Memory Chalet, are available to all without subscription on the Review's web site, at http://www.nybooks.com/search/?q=tony+judt&origin=magazine. I cannot adequately put into words how much I enjoyed this book, and, similar to an intimate conversation with a dear friend, it is one that I will revisit repeatedly over the years.

#155: I have got to get hold of that one some time. Between you and Suz, it sounds like a 'cannot miss' book. Great review, Darryl!

Gosh, Darryl! You've used up all the stars that the rest of us need! And on *yet another* four-hankies-and-a-pistol read. I'm sure it's an amazing book, but someone with ALS telling his stories is just one bridge too far over the Grisly River into Grimswood for me.

Wow. So you liked it, then. For lots of reasons, I avoid books about (even peripherally) people dealing with severe disabilities, so I am not going to read this one, but it makes me happy to know it exists and people are getting so much out of it. If I eventually overcome my issue with this type of book, this will jump right to the top of my list.

>157 richardderus: - I'm with you on this one, Padre. Amazing review, but a little too much for me - I was sobbing over Fever 1793 last night. :-/

I'm not implying that I'll only read gay, jolly little bagatelles, but some things are too much for me. Sounds like Fever 1793 might be one. I don't mind reading about diseases, even, just...I dunno...not able to get past the horror, the terror, the complete *panic* I feel at the results of ALS.

Here's a case where I'd kill myself as soon as the symptoms showed up. NOT able to fathom "living" like that. Can. Not. Process.

#156: Definitely, Stasia. Thanks for the compliment!

#157, 158: Only a couple of the essays describe Judt's life with ALS, so I definitely wouldn't describe this as a "four hankies-and-a-pistol" read. You could easily skip the essays dealing with his illness without taking away anything from the book, or you could read the book's table of contents online on Amazon, then go to the NYRB link I posted in my review, and read the non-ALS essays, such as "Kibbutz" and "Toni".

>160 richardderus: - Ah, see, for me it's pregnancy hormones. I cry at the drop of a sad hat, and just can't handle really heavy subjects. I also cried when Michael and I saw "I am Legend" when I was pregnant with one of the monsters. And, to be honest, books like The Memory Chalet go a long way to set off my panic attacks.

>161 kidzdoc: - I think I know what I'm going to do during naptime today!

I fear my squeamishness extends far beyond the text here. I *know* why he was dictating these stories, and that's entirely enough for me to flee screaming into the brightest possible light and exercise *furiously* to prove to myself it's not ME that's in that position.

Now if y'all'll excuse me, the dog and I need to go outside and run around. NOW.

#159, 160: Once you get past the portions where he describes his experiences with ALS (particularly in "Night"), The Memory Chalet is full of beautiful and joyous writing, with no mention of his illness. I think he may have briefly mentioned it at the end of one or two other essays, but his illness didn't hang over or prevent me from enjoying this book, and I would have liked it just as much if there was no mention of ALS.

Having said that, "Night", his first written description of ALS is an essay that I will never forget. I did read it in the NYRB last January, and it remains one of the most powerful narratives of illness I've ever read.

Luci (elkiedee) posted this message on my final 2010 thread:

I read Invisible Man more than 20 years ago and would love to join in a group read some time this year, as a push to reread.

I would be happy to host a group read, but probably not before April.

#166: I will for sure be reading it in March, so while I might miss out on the reading together, I would like to join in the discussion.

#165 I would second what Darryl says about The Memory Chalet. Judt's illness plays a very small part in the book and is almost exclusively confined to the first two essays which, while powerful, were somehow not overly sad to read (I think because Judt is pretty accepting of what he had to deal with and is mostly observant rather than railing against what has happened to him).

The main impact of his illness at the end to me was an amazing realization about what the world had lost with this man's death which is his rich mind and that was still very active at the time these essays were written.

Although the essay Night may be the hardest to read, I would agree with Darry that it was exceptional and something you will never forget.

I'll stick to other books in his ouevre. No, no, no. No Memory Chalet for mother.

Book #4: The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago



My review:

In this captivating and intriguing novel, Saramago portrays Christ as an Everyman, an imperfect but deeply sensitive man plagued by doubt, insecurity, and passionate feelings toward and opinions about others, particularly Joseph and Mary Magdalene. It begins with the story of Joseph, a loving husband and good provider, and his young wife Mary, in the days leading up to Jesus' birth in a cave at the edge of Bethlehem. Soon afterward, Joseph overhears a group of soldiers discussing King Herod's premonition about the recent birth of the future King of the Jews, and his plan to kill all male children under three years of age. Joseph chooses to flee with his wife and young son, and his failure to warn the villagers of the plan results in the Massacre of the Innocents, an event that will plague Joseph the rest of his life and have a great impact upon the young Jesus after his father's death.

After Jesus learns of his death he undertakes a journey to escape his father's crime and to determine what his legacy is meant to be. He falls under the wing of a mysterious Shepherd, who seemingly knows a lot about Christ's past and future without being a Jew or a man of God. Jesus later encounters God in the desert, and there he learns about God's plan for him.

The most surprising and controversial aspects of the novel follow, as Christ engages in a relationship with Mary Magdalene after she treats and dresses his infected foot, and becomes conflicted with God's plan to instill Christianity throughout the world, which will result in the death and suffering of millions of believers and opponents.

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ left me stunned and agape at several points, and I can certainly understand why it engendered such strong opposition, particularly by the Roman Catholic Church. However, I'm glad I read it, and I did find it to be most enjoyable and unforgettable.

When did Joseph die? I don't remember this being mentioned in the Bible. Been a while since I read it, though.

Very nice review! No chance in HELL I'll ever read this one, either, Jesus-loather that I am.

ETA I was your first thumbs-up! W00t!

Thumbs up from me too!

#167: Hmm...maybe I can read it in March, especially if my work schedule that month isn't as hideous as it is in January and February.

#168: The main impact of his illness at the end to me was an amazing realization about what the world had lost with this man's death which is his rich mind and that was still very active at the time these essays were written.

I couldn't agree more; at the time of his death he was described as having the "liveliest mind in New York".

#169: I will definitely be reading Judt's books and essays in earnest in the very near future, and my first purchases of the New Year will probably be the three books that I mentioned in my review.

#170: I can understand your POV; I would encourage you to look at his 2010 essays on the NYRB web site, at the link that I provided.

#172: SPOILER ALERT: In the book, Joseph was crucified by Roman soldiers, after he visited a neighbor that had been mortally wounded in battle against them in a neighboring village.

Thanks for your compliment and thumbs up. I might get you with my next review, though.

#173: Thanks, Stasia!

Darryl

Congratulations on two well deserved hot reviews.

Both books are now on my tbr pile.

>172 richardderus:/4 - Historically, I think I remember that Joseph dies when Jesus is a young kid - in the 6-10 range or something like that. Of course, that memory comes from a History Channel documentary and not the Bible, so I could be way off base here. The documentary talked about how Jesus wouldn't have been allowed to attend the funeral, because he wasn't a legitimate son.

Brilliant review, sir. But I expected no less.

The documentary talked about how Jesus wouldn't have been allowed to attend the funeral, because he wasn't a legitimate son.

ROFLMAO

Oh oh oh that is just flat out hilarious!! Whoever wrote that doc was NOT being reverent in the least!

Well, Joseph and Mary weren't married when he was born, right?

Yeah, that's always niggled at me...Joseph occupies such a weird place in this story...is he the Heavenly Cuckold, or History's Densest Man?

Wait! No! They *were* married! It's just that ol' Joe wasn't the babydaddy. God, the whole thing just sounds so completely ridiculous.

Book #5: The Tenant and The Motive by Javier Cercas



My rating:

The Tenant and The Motive are two light yet darkly humorous novellas by one of Spain's leading contemporary authors, who is best known for his novel Soldiers of Salamis, the winner of the 2004 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. In the first novella, a university professor of linguistics experiences a Kafkaesque turn of events after an ankle sprain, as a renowned (but unknown to him) fellow linguistics professor moves in next door to him, takes over his office and classes, and steals his girlfriend while he remains powerless to change his fate. In The Motive, a part-time lawyer and budding writer envisions a novel in which a young couple in financial straits murders an elderly man for his hidden money, but he has trouble putting voices to the characters. The writer befriends a couple and an old man who live in the same building as he, and, in a reversal of the concept of "life becomes art", he injects himself and alters their three lives, using taped conversations to write his story. These novellas were a joy to read, and I'll be looking for more of Cercas' works in the near future.

BTW, I bought The Tenant and The Motive at Book Culture in NYC last month; it was on sale for $3.98. I hadn't heard of Cercas before, but the book looked interesting.

#175: Thanks, Linda! One day I hope to be like Richard, and have 10 hot reviews at the same time. ;-)

#176: Yep, that's about the time that Joseph died in the novel; it was several years later, when Jesus was 13 years old, that Mary told him about the origin of the nightmares that he was having about Joseph.

#177-179: I thought that Joseph and Mary were married at the time of his birth, but I'm not sure if that was true at the time he was conceived. Where's Caty when we need her?

Okay, I'm caught up on reviews now, although I'll definitely finish Who Killed Palomino Molero? by Mario Vargas Llosa later today.

>181 kidzdoc: - Excellent. Maybe I can remember things from time to time!

Yay....I'm not intellectually advanced or grown-up enough to read any of your books so far so I am saved :)

#183: Rubbish. On top of that, Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox was published in the UK, and The Tenant and The Motive was published by Bloomsbury USA, so you should be able to find it there.

Darryl, what a great start to the year you are having! Still not going to read The Memory Chalet, although I accept I am missing something amazing. But I DO intend to read Ill Fares the Land in the net couple of months, so I am not ignorning Judt completely!

I love hearing about new books (to me) that I think I'd love. The Tenant and the Motive is going right on the WL.

#185: Thanks, Janet! It did help that I was off all week, and in an environment (my friends' house in Wisconsin) that was conducive to reading. Each of my friends got the other an e-reader for their birthdays (Dave got a Nook in mid-December, and he gave Murielle a Kindle on Tuesday), so each of them was reading even more than usual, and the kids were lapping up the new books that I bought them. Unfortunately my reading output (and LT participation) will slow down considerably starting tomorrow, once I go back to work for a 7 day stretch.

Let me know when you read Ill Fares the Land. I own it, and will definitely read it this year.

#186: Books like The Tenant and The Motive are perfect examples of why good independent bookstores are so essential, IMO. I had never heard of this author, and almost certainly would never have read this book had it not been on display at Book Culture last month. I'll bet a month's salary that none of my local Borders has this book or anything else by him. There are many previously unknown books and unfamiliar authors that have become favorites, especially The White Family, which I bought at the London Review Bookshop last year.

BTW, I assume that everyone has heard that Borders in the US is in deep trouble (Borders UK went out of business in 2009) and is in negotiations with publishers to delay payments to them, in an effort to avoid filing for bankruptcy:

Struggling Borders to Meet With Publishers

Barnes & Noble, on the other hand, did well last year, mainly due to its sales of e-readers and e-books.

>187 kidzdoc: Borders has been circling the drain for some time now. They just never made the right bets at the right time. When working for Riverrun Press, they were our worst nightmare: Order big, decide they needed a 50% discount and give it to themselves, return 60% of every order placed, and THEN take 150 days to make partial payments.

I only shopped there when I lived on Maiden Lane and they had a store in the World Trade Center. Even then I didn't like it. When Strand opened their late, lamented Fulton Street store, I never stepped toe into another Borders. Ever, actually, since there's never been one convenient to me since then.

#188: For me Borders is my neighborhood bookstore, as there are two in close proximity to where I live (10 minutes or less by car), and another one that I often visit on the way home from work, especially if I want to avoid late afternoon traffic heading back into town. They pale in comparison to places like Book Culture, Strand, City Lights and the London Review Bookshop, but I would miss them greatly if they went out of business. I have bought books there more often in the past couple of years in order to support them, although I know that this is like putting a finger into a broken levee.

I haven't really been paying attention to Borders' troubles until this latest news and I'm sorry to hear it. I just re-discovered the Borders near me after avoiding it for several years because I didn't like it as much as the B&N or the used bookstores around here. Lately, though I've found it to be a great store--having some good books and very helpful staff and comfortable places to sit.

From what you say, Richard, it doesn't sound like they've been doing well for awhile but I'll be sad to see my local store go if they go out of business.

I'm glad you had such a good time with your friends in Madison. have you been reunited with your luggage yet?

The Memory Chalet sounds immensely powerful.

#181 Me? *boggles* When did I get to be the expert? There are several others around here far more qualified to answer questions like that than me (Genny and Terri, definitely) plus lots of others that know at least as much as I do about it.

*Sigh*

The Biblical account states (Matthew 1:18-24) that Mary was betrothed to Joseph when she became pregnant. This was more formal than a modern engagement - it was legally binding and could only be ended by divorce/death - but they were not married. It is very strongly implied that they were married by the time Jesus was born: you'd have to do gymnastics with the text to put the marriage later. This would mean that Joseph was legally the father of Jesus, regardless of Jesus's actual biological or supernatural parentage. Luke 2:41-52 indicates that Joseph was still alive when Jesus was 12, but that is the last time he is mentioned.

Sad news about Borders.

Great review on The Gospel according to Jesus Christ....I had it on my lenten list last year and just didn't get to it. I was attempting to read Thomas Merton instead. So this year, the Saramago is going to the top of the list. I love Saramago's work, and definitely want to read this one.

I downloaded The Memory Chalet to my Kindle in the middle of reading Suzanne's review. I'll read it as soon as I wrap up the excessive number of books I've taken out of the library.

Thank you for some more great reviews.

#191: Yes, Caty; I forgot to mention that my luggage was brought to me just after 7 pm last night.

Thanks for the answers to our questions! Sorry, but you're the resident biblical expert, IMO.

#192: Thanks, Tina. Since Saramago has been chosen as the first mini-author for this year's Author Theme Reads group I'll plan to read one of his books every month from now through April. I'll probably read Baltasar and Blimunda next month, The History of the Siege of Lisbon in March, and The Notebook in April. The other mini-authors for the year are Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio (May-August) and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (September-December), and the author for the year is Mario Vargas Llosa. Anyone who is interested in reading these authors is welcome to join the group.

#193: You're welcome, Nancy; I look forward to your comments about The Memory Chalet. After seeing Murielle's new Kindle on Tuesday and Wednesday I am all but completely convinced to get one this year.

Book #6: Who Killed Palomino Molero? by Mario Vargas Llosa



My rating:

Palomino Molero is a young airman in the Peruvian Air Force who is found brutally murdered near his base by a goatherd. The local Guardia Civil is notified, and Lieutenant Silva and Officer Lituma undertake an investigation. The pair soon find out that Palomino left the base several days before his murder, and suspect that his killers will be found there. The commanding officer, Colonel Mindreau, a haughty white officer, condescendingly tells the pair (who are cholos, like the murdered airman) that he has investigated the case and concluded that no one on the base knows anything about the crime. The lieutenant is far from convinced, however, particularly when the colonel becomes enraged and flustered after he is questioned further. The officers are hampered by their inability to interview anyone on the base by the colonel, until an anonymous tip points them in the right direction.

Who Killed Palomino Molero? is a mystery set in mid-20th century Peru, which lightly touches on class and racial differences, corruption and power. It does not have the complexity or impact of Vargas Llosa's better known novels, such as The Time of the Hero or The Conversation in the Cathedral, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Edited to drop my rating from 4 to 3-1/2 stars.

>195 kidzdoc: W00t! I'm your first thumb again!

Have pity, Darryl..... I've had a really really hard 2 days at work, come to your thread to see what's up and am whacked on the head with not 1, not 2, but 4 .. yes, 4 fantastic reviews of stupendously sounding books that I have to add to my obese wish list. What are you doing to my dangerously rotund WL? How about giving me a break and reading something I am unlikely to enjoy for the rest of the month?

*grumbles...looks for shoes to throw but needs to see where I can get copies of those books first*

#196: Thank you, kind sir! BTW, I did drop my rating of Who Killed Palomino Molero? from 4 to 3-1/2 stars, but I still liked it.

#197: Aww! Fear not, dear Caroline. I'll be working for most of the rest of this month and the first half of February, so I probably won't read more than 1-2 books per week for the next five weeks.

*breathes sigh of relief*

Darryl

I'm stopping by to thank you for your gift No and Me by Delphine De Vigan. I'm enjoying it tremendously.

#199: I'm relieved at the lack of violent responses to my reviews from you and Jenny. I think you two are getting soft.

#200: I'm glad to hear that No and Me is a good read so far, Linda. I bought it last year while I was in London, and I thought that you would like it, too.

I'll read a few pages of African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie, catch up on some threads (a Sisyphean task if there ever was one), and call it a night after that.

It's the start of the year, I try not to resort to violence so early in the year since the goodwill of Christmas still surrounds me. But don't fall into complacency, Darryl ... one day, just when you least expect it ...... *thump*

Here's a nice poem from Linda Pastan, which was selected as the Poem of the Day by the Academy of American Poets. It's from her collection Traveling Light: Poems, which was published last year.

Vertical
by Linda Pastan

Perhaps the purpose
of leaves is to conceal
the verticality
of trees
which we notice
in December
as if for the first time:
row after row
of dark forms
yearning upwards.
And since we will be
horizontal ourselves
for so long,
let us now honor
the gods
of the vertical:
stalks of wheat
which to the ant
must seem as high
as these trees do to us,
silos and
telephone poles,
stalagmites
and skyscrapers.
but most of all
these winter oaks,
these soft-fleshed poplars,
this birch
whose bark is like
roughened skin
against which I lean
my chilled head,
not ready
to lie down.

Great poem Darryl!

Re: Borders and their troubles: I have their non-premium Preferred Customer card, so they send me offers via e-mail. The one that came today said that if I'd pay NOW to join their premium club, I'd get a bonus of $10 in "Borders Bucks" . . . which could be used for a single week at the END of NEXT MONTH. Of course, if they declare bankrupcy, any such offers could be declared null and void by the bankruptcy court . . . even if they are still operating then . . .

#203: I like that one, and I am not normally a poetry lover. Thanks for sharing it, Darryl.

Thumbs up for your latest reviews. I will add the MVL book to the BlackHole, but not be in a rush to get to that one.

I'm ashamed to admit the only Vargas Llosa I have read is Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (which I liked a lot, years ago). I am determined to do something about that this year. I want to read what I have heard are the best 3 (or at least one of them, anyway) - The War of the End of the World, Conversation in the Cathedral and The Feast of the Goat - does this seem right or does anyone want to suggest a better place to start?

#207: I have only read two of the three you mentioned, Janet, The War of the End of the World and The Feast of the Goat. I thought TWotEotW the better of the two books.

OK, I'm reeling from the book bombs. Would you SLOW DOWN, Darryl???? I'm going to have to come back later to digest all these...

It's very possible to read selectively in The Memory Chalet; the essays are very discrete and mostly memoir-ish in nature. And often dryly funny; sometimes very much so. I'm no fan of "misery lit", and I'm ecstatic to have read this.

#208 - thanks, Stasia, I think that probably is where I will start.

#203

How odd. I can happily read posts and my book with the TV on in the background, and be aware of what is happening in my programme as well, but when it came to the poem, I had to mute it in order to read it.

I wonder why my brain couldn't handle it......intriguing.

#138: I'm just now going through all the threads I've neglected since I started organizing the read-a-thon, and just saw your comment about the photo. It put a smile on my face because it's so evocative of either 'our' own childhood memories and of people's children and grandchildren. I'm glad you liked it. Was nice having your presence in our challenge. I'll be back to read your reviews. Have a bunch of my own to post tonight and quickly running out of energy!

Good Lord Darryl are you sleeping at all or just reading 24/7? Amazing reviews and much to think about and add to the teetering tower.

#205: I signed for Borders' premium membership program, which costs $25/year, I think, which gives me an additional 10% off of all purchases. I thought that I spent at least $250 per year there.

#206: You're welcome; I thought that others would like that poem, too. I receive daily free e-mails from the Academy of American Poets, and I'll continue to post the ones I like best.

Although it wasn't a bad read, Who Killed Palomino Molero? was my second least favorite book by Vargas Llosa, after The Notebooks of Don Rigoberto, which I disliked.

#207, 208: I haven't read The War of the End of the World yet, but I'd certainly agree with the other two books, Conversation in the Cathedral and The Feast of the Goat. I would put The Time of the Hero in third place for now, but I expect that The War of the End of the World will displace it after I read it in the next month or two.

#209: You'll have plenty of time to catch up, Suz. I just started a seven day work stretch today, and I doubt that I'll read more than two books before next Saturday, and probably only 1-2 books over the next four weeks after that. Oh...I have to take a PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) renewal course two weeks from today (it's far more extensive and advanced than a CPR or BLS (Basic Life Support) course), and I'll need to study the manual during the next couple of weeks. I also have to take a physician leadership course later this month, I think on a weekend. So, I'll be lucky to read anything at all between now and the 22nd.

I'll also severely curtail my LT time over the next few weeks. I'd like to limit it to one hour per day on workdays, and maybe 2-3 hours on my days off.

#211: Poetry is more challenging than prose (at least for me), and the best poems are more rewarding to me. So, your comment makes perfect sense to me, Jenny.

#212: I love photos like that; my profile page has pictures of my (non-biological) niece Mary reading in earnest, and my friend's wife Murielle reading to her son Tommy. One of these days I'll have to locate an admittedly cute picture of me sitting in a rocking chair and looking up from a book, when I was maybe 5 or 6 years old (a year before my cuteness permanently wore off).

I'm sure that everyone has heard about the tragedy in Arizona today. Please say a prayer for Congresswoman Giffords and the other victims of today's shootings.

#212 a year before my cuteness permanently wore off

Lol. I say 'once cute, always cute' or something equally... cute. I'd love to see that pic, sounds lovely!

ETA: Oops, just saw the last part of your message. My sympathies to the victims and their loved ones.

Yes, I saw the news as well. My prayers are with all those involved and their families.

As everyone else has been saying, your thread is dangerous, I've added several more books to my tbr list or underlined the ones already there.
I've joined the monthly Author Reads group, though I think I might be reading out of sync with the group as the current Reading Globally theme read has to take priority and so I'll be reading Le Clezio before Saramago.
I caught up on the news in Arizona, just awful.

#215: I'll try to get that photo ASAP. Even if they don't have it they did submit a copy for inclusion in my med school yearbook, so I can probably make a copy or take a photo of it there.

#215, 216: The medical reports about Congresswoman Giffords are quite encouraging, given the serious of her wound (and especially since the major news outlets reported that she had died). Hopefully she will make a good recovery, along with the other critically wounded victims.

#217: Thanks, Kerry. Maybe you could post your Le Clezio reviews later in the year, when lilisin posts his thread(s).

I'm in my comfy pyjamas and drinking tea — at work. The weather in Atlanta is horrible (first snow, and now freezing rain), and when I drove in this morning I packed an overnight bag just in case. One of my partners, who is also scheduled to work tomorrow, just drove in to spend the night here. Her car is stuck in the middle of a road close to the hospital, as she couldn't make it up the hill that the hospital sits on. She says that the main entrance ramp and the ramp leading to the ER are closed, and that ambulances are shuttling kids from their parents' cars to and from the ER. Hopefully conditions will have improved enough so that I can get home after work tomorrow, otherwise I'll spend a second night here on Monday. Fortunately the office has a call room with a bed, so I'll migrate over there shortly.

Rats. I should have brought my pjs to work too :)

We had the snow and freezing rain today too and are expecting more tonight.

Wow, here I am living in the Great White North (i.e. Montreal, Québec) and we're hardly getting any of this awesome blizzard action. NOT FAIR!
However, on a more serious note, I have to say that the conditions you describe about the access to the ER and so on are pretty scary. And I'm glad for you that there's a bed at work'n'all, but I hope for your sake you can get home soon.

Freezing rain just sucks. No two ways about it.

I just read your last four reviews, and... WOW. Firstly, I added The Tenant and the Motive and The Gospel According to Jesus to my wishlist. Then I scrolled upwards (yes, I DO know that's going the 'wrong' way, but it's much like reading a magazine back to front) and read your review of The Memory Chalet and I can't say if it's 'just' because I'm tired or what, but I was quite shaken by it. I suppose 'shaken' in a good way and I'd like to read that book someday but maybe it would be best if I read the essays little by little because what he went through and the incredible immediacy of the way he describes his experiences are absolutely heartbreaking. Just that. Thanks for fantastic reviews Darryl.

What horrible weather. Good thing you took the overnight bag to work!

Looks like I'm getting what you've got tomorrow. A foot is the prediction. Luckily, I have all the food I need, and it's so cold out that my osteoarthritis is making me wretched, so I won't be heading outside unless the dog has to go out.

Finally caught up on your thread! Borders' woes make me sad. :(

Great review of The gospel according to Jesus Christ. That one sounds like a must read for me. I really hope my library has it, because I've already ordered 2 books for LT reads.

and I may join in on Invisible Man when you get that read going.

I will miss Borders. I have fond memories of the one in Buckhead which had a section at the front of the store for new books from university presses. Borders is the only bookstore close to me, though there are several independent bookstores within easy driving distance.

I was just on a conference call with a woman from Atlanta who related how no one's going anywhere, how this 5-inches of snow has got everything at a standstill.

Darryl, glad to hear that you're safely inside.

I have to agree with Smiler69 in #220. Up here, except for that day after Christmas lake effect snow (which varied from town to town), we haven't had much at all this season.

Note that I am not complaining--I'm perfectly content to let the South and the East Coast have it all.

Be careful out there, Darryl. What I'm seeing on tv about the storm in Atlanta is horrendous. I'm supposed to be getting what you're getting tomorrow evening. I love that you're in your pjs at work. :-)

I'm sorry about Border's demise .. I will miss the Borders in Burlington, MA.

#219: We're under a freezing rain advisory until 1 am. If anything, the roads will be in worse shape tonight and tomorrow morning, so I'm planning to spend another night in the hospital. I could take the train home, but that would mean walking a half mile on icy sidewalks going to and coming from the stations, as the hospital shuttle and city buses aren't running, so probably not a good idea. Hopefully conditions will have improved enough by Tuesday so that I can go home tomorrow night, either by car or by train.

#220: I hope that this will be the last night I choose to stay in the hospital. Three of us will be staying the night, and we'll split the duties of overnight call, in four hour shifts. Hopefully it will be quiet tonight, as I'll have to work a full day tomorrow and be on call for admissions during the day.

#221: You're quite welcome, Ilana.

#222: Horrible is the right word. My only regret is that I only brought one change of clothes. So, I'll definitely want to leave here tomorrow night.

#223: I'm glad that you'll be able to stay inside. I suspected that our storm would lead to bad news for the Northeast and New England; hopefully it won't be as bad as the nor'easter at the end of December.

#224: I hope that Borders finds a way to become profitable, but I'm not optimistic. I'm not a fan of Barnes & Noble, and neither of the two nearest B&N bookshops are convenient to where I live or work.

#225: Hi, markon! I didn't realize that there were any other 75ers who lived in or around Atlanta. Fortunately the Buckhead Borders is still open, as are the ones in Midtown and Brookwood. Are the independent bookstores you're referring to the ones in Decatur? I really need to check out some of those shops, especially Eagle Eye Bookshop. Which one(s) do you like best?

#226: If I didn't have to work tomorrow I might think of driving home, but it's a 11 mile trip from here (Sandy Springs) to Midtown Atlanta, a trip I dislike on good days, so the thought of driving home and coming back here is not a pleasant one.

The Christmas Day snow was pleasant, and it made for a beautiful drive to work. It is pretty out, but I'll be happy if we don't get any more freezing rain for the rest of the year. Oh, I did take photos of the outdoor playground at the hospital this morning on my BlackBerry; I'll download those to my Facebook account and post them here shortly.

#227: Yep, not going home tonight. Unfortunately, what that means is that I'll have to start my work day at 4 am, since we decided to let the night doc stay home. Fortunately there are only 13 kids in the ER at the moment, about a fifth of normal at this time of year, so hopefully it will be a quiet night for the three of us.

These are a couple of photos I took from the outdoor playground at the hospital I work at this morning. We received 4-5 inches of snow between last night and early this morning, which is the most snow that we've had since I moved to Atlanta in 1997 (and more snow than I saw in Wisconsin last week!):

Hah, well, up here we still haven't gotten rid of the snow that fell on Boxing Day or late last week! So I'm hoping to be able to retrieve my laundry from the laundromat (washed, dried, folded and placed in bags) before the worst of it hits. It requires three blocks in a shopping cart, and I've run out of socks thanks to the snow.

Since I've now got all my boots dried out, have located my snazzy winter hat (it's Tibetan...) and am equipped with enough scarves and gloves to keep half of Brooklyn toasty warm, I feel prepared. Oh, and my neighbor stocked up on anti-slip ice melt goop.

Too bad docs don't get snow days...

#228: Yes, I'm over in the Decatur/ Tucker/Stone Mt. area. My favorite bookstore here is Charis Books & More in Little 5 Points, but I recently discovered Blue Elephant Bookstore in Decatur, & I like Tall Tales in Toco Hills as well.

#228: I live in Atlanta too! I'm in Suwanee where my kids are currently enjoying all this crazy snow..

#229 That's just plain weird! We've got some snow scheduled for Cleveland but forecasts haven't been very accurate lately so I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm so pleased I live in the milder climes of England - although we've had bad bouts of cold at least once a season for the last three years or so. I hope it clears up soon, and - more importantly - that you don't run out of reading material!

Wow! and thanks, Doc! Your thread is proving to be a terrific source of leads for great books.

I'm glad to see that you're safe and warm!

Karen O.

The siege continues. The roads in and around Atlanta were worse this morning than they were yesterday, and one of my partners that made it here on Monday couldn't get out of her subdivision today, due to the 1-2 inches of ice that have accumulated on most major and secondary roads. So, I'll be sleeping for a third night in the hospital, and it's possible that I may stay here on Wednesday and Thursday nights as well, as the temperatures are supposed to stay below or barely above freezing until Friday. At least two of my partners will also spend the night here, and I ran into several others from other specialties who also slept in the hospital or in their offices on campus.

I have two books with me, Yalo by Elias Khoury and An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie, to read, along with my Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) manual, so I won't run out of reading material even if I stay here through Friday. I doubt that I'll stay up for long, as I've been awake since 3:30 am (and didn't sleep well after midnight). Fortunately I only had one admission from 4 am to 4 pm, so it wasn't a bad day at all.

#230: Has it started snowing there yet? My parents aren't home, so I don't know what's going on in Philadelphia.

Nope, no snow days for "essential" personnel, those who are involved in direct patient care or critical support staff. Nonessential personnel at Children's did not have to report yesterday or today, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have to come tomorrow either.

#231: Yep, I know where you are, markon. My two favorite ATL independent bookstores are the Druid Hills Bookstore that was just off Emory's campus (not sure where it is now), and A Cappella Books on Moreland Avenue near L5P. I need to visit the Eagle Eye and Blue Elephant bookshops, which I have heard of, but I've never heard of Tall Tales in Toco Hills. How are the roads in your area?

#232: Cool, another ATL 75er! How are the roads in Suwanee?

#233: I don't expect that anyone here will wish for snow until next winter at the earliest.

#234: I thought that you would be the one person who wished I would run out of reading material, Jenny! There's no danger of that happening, I can assure you.

#235: You're quite welcome, Karen. Hopefully I can get back on the reading wagon starting today.

Just spotted the first few flakes, Darryl, on my way home from picking up the laundry. So, even if I end up snowed in, I will have clean clothes!! :-)

:( Sorry to hear you're still stranded, Darryl - but at least you're safe there rather than having to head back and forth on treacherous roads.

Hope you get more sleep tonight.

So, Darryl what will you do for clean clothes since you didn't bring any? Scrubs?

We are getting the storm. It started a couple of hours ago. Can't tell yet how much it will amount to. I doubt it will be as unmanageable in Pittsburgh as it is where you are...

What Caty said, Darryl!

No more snow and ice here, but very cold (for Texas) temperatures. The wind chill this morning made it feel like it was 5 degrees.

#237: Good. I read that NYC will receive 8-12 inches of snow, so I hope that you also have plenty of food. (Hmm, that reminds me, I should head to the cafeteria soon to get dinner.)

#238: Right, Caty. My partner that just came in for the overnight shift (8 pm to 8 am) said that the roads were "horrific" this morning, and everyone else I've talked to has made similar comments. I should get more sleep tonight, as I won't have any patient care responsibilities until 8 am.

#239: Actually I have clean clothes. I packed an overnight bag on Sunday morning, in anticipation of having to spend 1-2 nights in the hospital, with two extra sets of clothes. They have been washed, so I now have clean clothes for tomorrow and Thursday. My partner that is on long call tonight (10 am to 10 pm) is wearing scrubs, and she will also spend the night here even though she could leave by 10 pm (which is what I did on Sunday night).

The problem here is that Georgia is not equipped to handle significant snow removal, especially when it is compounded by 1-2 inches of ice and thousands of stranded vehicles and motorists (I heard that there were 1000 or more tractor trailers trapped on I-285 south of the city, the highway that encircles Atlanta, which blocked the passage of cars, snow plows and salt trucks). Apparently the roads were a little better this afternoon, and I'm sure I could have made it home; however, we're supposed to have a hard freeze tonight, and the roads may be just as bad tomorrow morning as they were this morning.

#240: Brrr! We'll have a wind chill similar to that tomorrow night, as the air temperatures will drop to the 12-14 degree range.

I assume you don't want to see any more snow this season, right?

Yup, the snow has started falling in New York. We're expecting it to start tonight in MA and continue through tomorrow night. 12 - 18" predicted. I've got my groceries this evening so I'm all set to be snowed in tomorrow.

Not Flake One in western Nassau County. Zip. Rien. Pas du neige. *pouts*

#244 -- Just wait, m'dear. My head tells me it will hit hard around midnight or 1 a.m., at the latest.

From your mouth to the Weather Goddess's ears! If it's bad enough, maybe they won't be able to deliver auntie...she's coming home because the infection's gone, but the sores aren't. I'm worried she'll be here and the nurses won't be able to come. Then before long, we're back where we started.

It's snowing here (1 hr SW of Philadelphia). I don't know how much new snow we have, maybe just an inch at this point, but every time the dog goes out she returns all snowy. And our school district has already declared a 2-hour delay on Wednesday. I left the office today fully prepared to work from home Wednesday if need be (and it's quite tempting, who wants to go out in this yuck?)

Darryl, I can't imagine how difficult this must be for Atlantans. And I can't imagine being sequestered in the hospital all that time. You were smart to come prepared. I assume you have access to the practical necessities like food and a hot shower?

I usually mock Atlanta for panicking at the slightest sign of frost, but that much ice anywhere is a hazard. Sorry you're stuck in the hospital but glad you're not on those roads.

It's started snowing in Manhattan. My company was busy coaching everyone on who could stay home, who could work from home, and what the consequences would be. We can't close unless the various stock markets close, as well as the banks and Fed, and that won't happen tomorrow. Jim and I will be in unless all the trains stop running - unlikely.

This reminds me of my childhood on Long Island, which seemed to be one huge snowstorm after another. I hear the 50s were the snowiest decade in the area in recorded history - just my luck to have my expectations raised so young. But, for about an hour after the snow stops, NYC will look like a wonderland.

#236: I'll find out how the roads are tomorrow morning about 10:30 when I attempt to go to work. If they're slushy I'll drive, if not I'll slide out to the bus.

Frankly, it's not that bad, Laura. It's been an easy week so far, with very few admissions and (at least for me) pretty straightforward and/or interesting patients. Yes, we have a cafeteria that is open for four shifts every day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and again from 11 pm to 2 am for the overnight staff), and the call rooms on the ground floor have two bathrooms with showers. The call rooms are small, but individualized with a bed, desk, chair and TV. I'd much rather be here than stuck in a cold car on an icy road for hours on end, as many hundreds of people have had to do over the past 2-3 days.

I'm counting this entire thread as a book read.
Caught UP!

Uh...will you be reviewing and (cringe) rating this thread, Tui?

New thread here.

When I saw the photos you posted Darryl, I couldn't help but thing 'yes, and...?' because to me that just looks like another good snowfall, of the sort we get several times a year here in Montreal (I posted quite a few pics of our first good snowfall here on my blog in December). But of course, I can imagine that's anything but normal for Atlanta, Georgia.

Exactly, Ilana; 4-5 inches of snow would hardly deserve mention in the Northeast or Midwest, but this is the biggest snowfall in the 14 winters I've spent in Atlanta. I think I read that the all-time record is 8 inches, and had there not been a relatively quick change over from snow to sleet and freezing rain I believe this storm would have set a new record.

#242: Oh no! I will take the snow! I love the stuff.

#236- The roads are starting to clear- PTIndust. is still pretty icy. I've been sending my husband out to sniff out what's open!