Laura (lindsacl)'s 2011 Reading Record - Episode 1

My 2010 reading can be found here:
Chapter 1 * Chapter 2 * Chapter 3 * Chapter 4

Books completed ("details" jumps to location in this thread where review & links can be found)
9. The Winter Ghosts - details
8. The Handmaid's Tale - details
7. One Fine Day - details
6. Anderby Wold - details
5. The Betrayal - details
4. The Colour - details
3. Alias Grace - details
2. Lottery - details
1. Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living - details

2011 Reading Resolutions
cross-posted from my blog

2010 was filled with measurable goals e.g., to read a set number of certain types of books, and participate in specific challenges. Not in 2011. Back in October, I decided to abandon reading challenges, and read what I most want to read at that very moment. I still had a small pile of books I’d planned — but genuinely wanted — to read, so initially my reading wasn’t really all that spontaneous. But with a new year comes a fresh start. Welcome to my “Year of Reading Normally” !

What does “reading normally” mean to me? I’ll try to describe it in terms of a few new year’s reading resolutions:

1. I will not set quantitative goals, since they intensify my “urge to plan.”
2. I will not read ahead of myself. I will wait until the last week of a month to choose the next month’s reads.
3. I will take part in reading events, including Orange January/July and The Classics Circuit, because they are a fun way to discover new authors and chat about great books. If you’re paying attention you’ll have spotted a contradiction here. So yes, book events are a permitted exception to resolution #2. :)
4. I will not join reading challenges. This one has an exception as well (!!): LibraryThing‘s monthly “Take it or Leave it” Challenge. This event challenges readers to find books that fit specific categories. Its very nature will force me to stick with resolution #2. Win-win!
5. I will make steady progress on all reading projects, but especially the Booker Prize, Orange Prize, and Virago Modern Classics. No quantitative goals here (see resolution #1), just reading books that catch my interest.
6. I will make a noticeable dent in my stacks, reading books acquired before 2010. Trust me, I have plenty to choose from.

And I think that’s about enough, don’t you?

I'll be looking forward to your literary pics.

Happy to see you back, Laura! Good reading in 2011!

Hi Laura - just popping in to star you - like your new place - all shiny and new :)

Glad to see you back, Laura! I love your reviews.

>3 mamzel:-6: thanks everyone! I can't imagine NOT being part of this group!

Nice bunny honey.

Welcome back!

Dropping by to wish you a Happy New Year - all the best for 2011

Me too, Happy Reading!

Hi Laura! Happy 2011!

Happy New Year, Laura. I look forward to your reviews.

Happy new year, Laura. Am starring you so I don't miss any of your reviews!

And we're off !!

1. Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange January! This book was shortlisted for 2006 Orange Prize.

In the 1920s and 30s, the Better Farming Train traveled across the Australian state of Victoria, educating isolated rural communities on farming and household management practices. Jean Finnegan and Robert Pettergree met on the train; she was a specialist in sewing and household management, and he was a soil scientist. The train's close quarters stoked their passion, and soon Jean and Robert decided to marry, leave the train and start their own farmstead.

Robert adopted a highly scientific approach to wheat farming, and enlisted Jean's help to conduct experiments in bread production following each year's harvest. He is idealistic and convinced his way is the correct one; she trusts him and provides moral support. She also keeps detailed records for each year's crop, as if writing a laboratory report for a high school science experiment:

The sample has a low bushel weight (61 lbs). In accordance with standard sampling procedure a portion of FAQ (fair-average quality) wheat was critically examined and subjected to analysis and a milling test in the experimental flour mill.

The sample is very bright and plump, and has a generally pleasing appearance. The moisture content and the protein content are normal. (p. 78)

Jean's report continues with a description of the "experiment's" purpose, quality test results, and the measurable characteristics of 10 loaves of bread baked with flour from the year's harvest. This is repeated each year, allowing the careful reader to see for themselves the effectiveness of Robert's scientific farming methods.

When the government launches a wheat-growing scheme to stimulate the economy, Robert uses facts and figures to convince other farmers to increase wheat production by adopting his techniques. What follows is a classic example of the effects of messing with an ecosystem. As farming becomes increasingly difficult, Jean and Robert also suffer -- individually, as a couple, and as members of their community.

Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living is written in spare prose, laced with both understatement and irony. The character development is subtle; both Jean and Robert are fully formed, and yet there's so much more I wanted to know. But the style perfectly conveyed the stark landscape and the harsh life of a farm family.

Wow, a book completed and reviewed already! Brava!! It sounds intriguing, but not quite sure it's up my alley -- but then, there's lots of time this year to ponder that!

Happy reading...

#15: I went to add that one to the BlackHole and discovered it was already there. Great review as usual, Laura!

3 stars seems like a low rating for you Laura, but it sounds like you enjoyed it. ??

Thumbs-upped you, Laura, for making that book sound like something even *I* would like to read...great work, since I'm the last of the farm-book curmudgeons.

>18 teelgee:: Having just done my year-end stats, I know that my average rating is 3.6 (and has been so for 3 years ... weird). So 3 is a bit low for me, but if you look at my profile where I explain my rating system, you'll see I consider 3 "respectable". So, you know, a decent read, certainly wouldn't warn anyone away from it, but didn't do anything to make itself stand out.

>19 richardderus:: thanks Richard ...

I've updated message #2 with my 2011 reading resolutions.

#21: I like them!

>21 lauralkeet: Sounds like a common sense plan Laura. Very good. I'm planning to try to work my way through the books on my shelf (although I don't intend to join that specific challenge). Yay for TIOLI!

And thanks for that review. I think I'll move that one down the pile. 3 stars is not 5 stars.

Love those resolutions. I'm still trying to figure out if I dare have any....

Welcome to my “Year of Reading Normally” !

Glad to be here!

I like your resolutions - sensible yet room to move :)

I agree. The one resolution that would make a huge difference to me would be to read two books off the shelf for every new book I buy. I'm afraid to count to see whether I managed that last year - maybe I was one for one. I'm hoping I didn't buy two for every one read............

>27 LizzieD:: I rarely buy new, but I do buy used books frequently and I acquire loads through PBS. I thought about counting the acquisitions vs. read but was afraid :) I do know I've only read about 33 of my ~150 VMCs ... So I'd say you're in good company around here!

Great review Laura. I always enjoy visiting here.

I'm another 75er that likes your reading goals

aw, you all are so nice!

Hi Laura. I read your Reading Resolutions with bated breath...*whooooshh*...letting breath out. I'm happy to find that I am 'normal' according to your criteria anyway -- with the possible exception that, for the sake of comaraderie and encouragement, I will sign up for the occasional group read.

Enjoy your year of reducing the TBR pile and reading what you want. It helps the latter if the former is a huge pile, right?

Resolution #6 seems to be a common theme in this group. I was looking at the (overflowing) shelf where the unread books already purchased sit and thinking I have to knock it down to at least fit on the shelf. It's hard to imagine that, five years ago, I was constantly muttering about a shortage of new books to read around the house.

>32 Donna828:: Donna, I spent a few years managing a "reading plan" where I would map out the books I needed to read, sometimes a few months in advance, to satisfy a collection of reading challenges. It was fun at first, but then as you can imagine I began to feel confined. Last year I scaled back my reading challenge commitments (these are all challenges outside of LT), but felt I was still planning way too much. Hope this year is a little bit more spontaneous.

>33 TadAD:: yes Tad, I don't think I'm alone! It just seems ridiculous to keep accumulating if I'm not actively trying to read what I accumulate.

>28 lauralkeet: When I say "new," I really mean "new to me." I don't think I bought but 3 or 4 new, new books last year (not counting Kindle downloads), but used books and PBS fill the shelves as effectively. And I have to say that $4 per book eventually mounts up too. So, I almost never read a library book - I hate being on a schedule - but I've lived a long time and accumulated mountains and mountains that I won't live long enough to read. Insane. I love it!

2. Lottery ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange January! This book was shortlisted for 2008 Orange Prize.

Perry Crandall is a 31-year-old man with an IQ of 76, which is just above the level that defines mental retardation. Perry was raised by his grandmother and grandfather, his own parents having bailed on him for reasons that are never fully explained. Thanks to Gram's affirming parenting style and deep love for Perry, he grew into an adult capable of living independently, although complex decisions are difficult for him to make on his own. Perry's life changes permanently when Gram passes away, and shortly afterwards he wins $12M in the lottery.

Perry is innocent and trusting ("suggestible," Gram would say), so his family easily convinces him to let them sell Gram's house and keep most of the proceeds. After Perry wins the lottery, he is besieged by his money-grubbing "cousin-brothers" (his mother's children by another man), and a host of organizations all hoping to benefit from his windfall. Fortunately, Perry has two people who care about him: his boss Gary, and co-worker Keith. Gary provides Perry with an apartment above his store and includes Perry in family gatherings. Keith grows from friend to protector, bringing common sense to situations where Perry lacks experience. Keith uses colorful language, drinks too much, and generally abuses his body; his earthiness is a marked but amusing contrast to Perry's naiveté.

Perry's story is told in the first person, and much like the character of Jack in Emma Donoghue's Room, the narrative voice rang true for me. Seeing the world through Perry's eyes, but armed with a better knowledge of the real world, I could anticipate his brothers' shenanigans, and I knew when Perry was misinterpreting people's actions. And I also felt his ups and downs, his elation and his grief. There were some aspects of the story I wish were better explained, especially some details surrounding Perry's family. But the real story revolved and Perry and his relationships with Keith, Gary, and a young woman named Cherry, who become more like a family than his brothers could ever be. This book moved beyond a "person with a disability overcomes adversity" story, to a story of love and devotion with a surprising emotional impact.

Excellent review, Laura; I'll definitely add this to my wish list.

Another great review! Loved your remarks about your reading. I have gotten so random it is scary. But I find that is how serendipity happens, you know, books that oddly feed you with insights from unexpected directions!

Laura--I had not heard of Lottery but your wonderful review makes me put it right on the list. The story sounds fascinating and I'm always looking for new takes on life situations. I'm listening to Room right now, and that 1st person voice really can pull you into the story, although I'm still not far enough into the book to be totally hooked. I'm at the 'trying to figure out where this is going' stage of the book.

Great review Laura. I'm adding Lottery to my wish list--I had never heard of it before.

I already had Lottery in the BlackHole, but your review made me double check - the library still does not have it, but it is available for the Nook. Woot!

I'd never heard of it before either! I chose it from the Orange Prize shortlist, nudged by a blogger who had recommended it highly.

>41 alcottacre:: double woot for the Nook!

#42: Unfortunately for me, I am under a book buying ban for this year. Lottery will just have to wait until next year :(

Excellent review Laura and onto the pile it goes. Thumb from me. I am also hoping for more serendipity in my reading this year. I want to look at my shelves and say ,"Hmmmm, what do I want to read next?"

I read your blog reviews but just wanted to poke my head in to let you know that my thumb is alive and well for your reviews here as well. {However, my mouse batteries are critical! The msg just popped up...}

>43 alcottacre:: but your ban doesn't apply to the Nook does it? Maybe you could find it there?

>44 brenzi:, 45: thanks for the thumbing! More importantly, thanks for visiting here, I love it!

Another hot review for you! Congratulations.

>47 Whisper1:: woo hoo! I hadn't noticed. Thanks!

#46: The book buying ban applies to any book for which I have to pay. Unfortunately, that includes Nook titles.

>49 alcottacre:: ah, too bad!

I agree!

>36 lauralkeet: Add a thumbs-up from me! Good review!

And I thumbed it too. I might have overlooked this one simply because its title seems so uninspired to me (I'm not a fan of one-word titles that have been used already, either--Trespass;Nemesis; Freedom--you're thinking Franzen, but check out William Safire's much earlier book with the same title;Lost; Gone). But your review does make me want to read it. Thanks, Laura.

3. Alias Grace ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange January! This book was shortlisted for the 1997 Orange Prize, and for the 1996 Booker Prize.

In 1843, Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery were brutally murdered at their home in Kingston, Ontario. Two servants, James McDermott and Grace Marks, were tried and convicted. McDermott was sentenced to death, but Grace's sentence was commuted to life in prison. In Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood uses scant historical evidence, and the character of young Dr. Simon Jordan, to tell Grace's story.

Dr. Jordan is somewhat of a specialist in mental illness, and in 1859 is granted permission to conduct a series of interviews with Grace at the penitentiary. He hopes to learn her side of the story, not just what her attorney told her to say at trial. But Grace has blocked all memories associated with the murders, and uncovering the truth is a long process requiring much patience. Jordan visits Grace nearly every day, and she recounts her life story from early childhood in Ireland all the way up to the murders.

Very early on, I fell into reading Alias Grace as I would any murder mystery. I forgot it was historical fiction, and began reading between the lines, searching for red herrings and expecting surprise plot twists. But the fascinating aspects of this tale are actually due to its basis in historical fact. In the 1840s, the field of mental illness was going through tremendous change, with many new theories and treatment methods. Many psychological conditions were simply not well understood. And Grace herself was a victim of society's prevailing attitudes toward women. Because she was attractive, some thought she must be the mastermind behind the murders. Others claimed her youth made her an unwilling victim. Margaret Atwood brings out another side of Grace, that of a strong independent woman whose psychological reaction to trauma fundamentally changed the course of her life.

Atwood is amazing, historical fiction too. How would you fit this into her overall work, I mean, as far readability.... I'm slowly chewing my way through Atwood these days.

You know Lucy, I have no idea ... I thought I'd read a lot of Atwood but when I checked my library realized I'd only read The Blind Assassin ... duh. I'll be reading The Handmaid's Tale soon. Anyway, I found this one very readable.

I read Atwood's earlier books when I was in my late teens and early twenties but seem to have got out of the habit recently! I think Alias Grace was the last one. I remember thinking Alias Grace was more readable and enjoyable than at least some of her others when I read it.

It's at my local library so I'll heave it onto the list.....

I pick up Orange Prize nominees/winners when I see them at Half Price Books. So, I own Lottery, but have avoided reading it in case it rang false or was somehow exploitative. Your review has completely changed my mind and hopefully I'll get to it soon.

I must read Alias Grace - I have had a copy on the shelf for months. Years, probably.

Nice review, Laura. :)

>57 Soupdragon:: thanks Dee. My daughters are both *supposed* to read Alias Grace for a book group although they've been busy with other things so I don't think they've made much progress. I think the fact that a group of teens selected it as a book group read is another testament to its readability.

>59 nancyewhite:, 60: Nancy & Caty, thank you for your nice comments!

Hi Laura, the last Atwood I read was The Blind Assassin but I know I read some of her earlier works although I can't really remember much about them. I know I've never read Alias Grace, which sounds very good. Thumb on the review.

Good review, but still not enough to get me to read anything else by Atwood. After The Handmaid's Tale and The Blind Assassin I've sworn off her for life. NOT my cuppa, but there are so many others. Glad you did enjoy it that

Great review, Laura. I own that one and am hoping to get to it some time this year.

Hi Laura,
Glad to make your acquaintance. I've enjoyed reading your reviews here and look forward to more. Your resolutions are admirable as well. If you're looking to read more Margaret Atwood, you might want to have a look at Surfacing, which is, for my money, the best of her early works.
Stephen

65 I just read and reviewed that a couple of weeks ago! It was a random pick of the library sale table. In some ways I found it less 'self conscious' than later stuff, not that I've read so many yet -- I'm on an Atwood education program though.

>65 TomKitten:: thanks for the rec Stephen. I'm going to read The Handmaid's Tale next month (because it's sitting around the house already), but will keep Surfacing in mind for a future read!

Looks like this is "the thing to do" today. Below are the NYT Best Sellers for Week Ending 18/02/1962, the week I was born. Go here to create your own list. Note that if you were born before 1950, you will get a list for the year, not the week.

FICTION
FRANNY AND ZOOEY J.D. Salinger
THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY Irving Stone
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Harper Lee
A PROLOGUE TO LOVE Taylor Caldwell
DAUGHTER OF SILENCE Morris L. West
LITTLE ME Patrick Dennis
CHAIRMAN OF THE BORED
THE IVY TREE Mary Stewart
SPIRIT LAKE MacKinlay Kantor
THE CARPETBAGGERS Harold Robbins
CAPTAIN NEWMAN M.D., Leo Calvin Rosten
KIRKLAND REVELS Victoria Holt
TWILIGHT OF HONOR Al Dewlen
THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY Sheila Burnford
THE JUDAS TREE A.J. Cronin
A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME Anthony Powell

NONFICTION
MY LIFE IN COURT Louis Nizer
CALORIES DON'T COUNT Herman Taller
THE MAKING OF THE PRESIDENT 1960 Theodore H. White
LIVING FREE Joy Adamson
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH William L. Shirer
A NATION OF SHEEP William J. Lederer
MY SABER IS BENT Jack Paar
BEFORE I SLEEP James Monahan
THE GUNS OF AUGUST Barbara W. Tuchman
CIA: THE INSIDE STORY Andrew Tully
THE COMING FURY Bruce Catton
CITIZEN HEARST W.A. Swanberg
THE LAST PLANTAGENETS Thomas B. Costain
PT 109 Robert J. Donovan
I SHOULD HAVE KISSED HER MORE Alexander King

Well. I've read one of these: To Kill a Mockingbird. Have I missed anything good?

In the fiction there are at least three books that are still well worth reading -- Franny and Zoey, The Incredible Journey, and Dance to the Music of Time -- from the NF certainly The Making of the President and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich are good reads, oh and my goodness The Guns of August AND Living Free! Actually it's an impressive list! I remember Spirit Lake on my parents' bookshelves, he's, like, a third cousin or something barely claimable.... I think I tried to read it as a teen but whatever it was about it didn't 'take'.

I definitely recommend The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and The Guns of August, Laura.

Your list is similar to mine - probably because our birthdays are only a month apart.

I guess I could have been your babysitter Laura. LOL. In Feb. 1962 I was a freshman in high school. Anyway, I've read Franny and Zooey but it was so long ago I have no idea whether I liked it or not. Also, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Making of the President 1960 and I actually have The Coming Fury on my shelf.

I read The Agony and the Ecstasy a loooonnnnggg time ago and seem to remember liking it. I was very into historical fiction when I was in high school.

And mine, Bonnie!! I was born a few weeks earlier than she was and definitely prefer her list, although it doesn't vary that much!!

I read The Agony and the Ecstacy when I was 10 and we were traveling through Italy. Loved it, but it probably wouldn't hold up well. Never got anywhere with Stone's other novels, though I tried v. hard with one about van Gogh. Lightning doesn't strike twice...

Laura, you read the best of the lot already.

I read The Agony and the Ecstasy about five years ago and thought it held up very well. Michelangelo never goes out of style, and Stone did a wonderful job of portraying the Medici dynasty. I still want to read Lust for Life someday.

I had almost forgotten about The Incredible Journey, one of my all-time favorite children's books. What an incredible (*grin*) story.

hmmm, I've read a few of these:
FRANNY AND ZOOEY; THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD;
THE IVY TREE; THE CARPETBAGGERS; THE JUDAS TREE; LIVING FREE; THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH; THE LAST PLANTAGENETS
and I started grade 9 that year!

>71 brenzi:: I could have been your babysitter Laura. LOL. In Feb. 1962 I was a freshman in high school. OMG. Watch out, if you take me to the supermarket I'll just start throwing stuff out of the cart (I saw your "Lesson 12" on Darryl's thread!)

>75 tiffin:: I started grade 9 that year! so you must be the same age as Bonnie!

Thanks for the link, Laura! I graduated from high school in '62, so I guess I could have been your babysitter or your mama, depending!
Dance to the Music of Time is my favorite series bar none except maybe The Raj Quartet. If you haven't read it, you need to. It's 12 very short novels which move a great cast of characters in upper-middle class England from the time between the world wars to the end of WWII. I LOVE these books!

I must say these books are a lot more highbrow than those which were selling well when I was born! I've got The Dogs of War (Frederick Forsyth), a James Michener and Jaws in my top five. Two of the top ten are on my TBR, though: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The War Between The Tates.

There's also a book called You Can Profit From A Monetary Crisis ... a book with that title could be quite a good seller today!

Your list is a good one - I have Guns of August and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich here waiting. I really liked The Agony and the Ecstasy.

The funny coincidence here is that I've just 5 minutes ago read about The Making of the President 1960 - it's mentioned in Nixonland.

>77 LizzieD:: Hi mama :)
I'm quite intrigued now by Dance to the Music of Time. It looks like my library has several volumes ...

You are going to flip out over Anthony Powell. Of this I am 100% sure!!!!

>81 sibylline:: that's a strong endorsement! I will definitely read this sooner rather than later. I didn't expect to find any "wow" books in that list, because I generally avoid the bestseller lists. I'm actually excited about a new discovery!

4. The Colour ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange January! This book was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2004

In 1864, Joseph Blackstone, his new wife Harriet, and his mother Lilian emigrated from England to New Zealand in search of a better life. Lilian, recently widowed, pines for her former lifestyle and resents having to live on their remote farm. But at the same time, she also hopes to rise above her station, and is disappointed to encounter familiar class barriers in New Zealand:

The familiar feeling of being snubbed -- a feeling she'd thought belonged only to England, where the disdain of the upper classes infected every encounter -- made Lilian want to weep, or, worse, give Dorothy Orchard a vicious swipe across her badly coiffed head. Lilian was particularly vexed by the knowledge that she never understood exactly how people like Dorothy Orchard achieved their instantaneous mastery over others outside their class. It happened before you noticed it, like a perfectly executed card trick. (p. 78)

Joseph is arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to advice from the locals on where to build his house, and what materials to use. Joseph and Harriet have an odd relationship. Joseph has a secret in his past, and married for all the wrong reasons. It's not clear what they see in one another, and it doesn't take long for Harriet to realize she will never truly love Joseph:

For day by day, she kept secret from him her own lovelessness. It piled up in her. At times, it was not merely lack of love that she felt; it was hatred of the blackest kind. And though she struggled to conceal it from him, perhaps she succeeded no better than he did with his blatant heaps of earth? In the nights, she often awoke at first light to see him staring at her, his eye close to hers, his fists clenched around the sheets. Did he know that she did not love him? Did he understand all too clearly that she loved the wilderness he had brought her to, but not him? (p. 95)

Yet both Harriet and Lilian are committed to making their farm a success, even after Joseph finds gold in a nearby creek and decides to join the hundreds of other men seeking their fortunes in New Zealand's gold rush. Circumstances eventually force Harriet to go off on her own, in search of Joseph.

The story is told from alternating points of view with chapters narrated by Harriet, Joseph, and a couple of other characters who weave nicely into the storyline. Joseph turns out to be an arrogant and hapless loner, unable to relate to women and desperate to please his mother by accumulating wealth. Harriet is strong and independent, undaunted by Joseph's failings and refusing to bow to societal expectations of women. It is only through Harriet's intelligence that the couple have any chance of finding gold and making something of their lives together.

But that's only part of this story; Rose Tremain has more to say than "just" historical drama laced with love. She also shows how the quest for gold took its toll on the land and destroyed both individuals and communities. Those who are untouched by greed and continued leading simple lives were by far the happiest and, one could argue, the most successful.

Loved your review of The Colour, Laura, and from those quotes I think I'll love the writing and the book. I haven't read any Tremain but I do own a copy of The Road Home. Have your read that one, and if so, did you like it better or worse than The Colour?

(Just wanted to let you know that I'm a faithful reader of your thread but have become so overwhelmed by the number of threads I read that I don't often post.)

Oh boy 4.5 stars?? That's pretty hard to resist Laura. I've got two other Tremain books sitting on my shelf though. Oh well doesn't hurt to have a highly rated book sitting waiting patiently. Anyway, thumb on your excellent review. Now if I go to PBS.........

>84 phebj:: Pat, I also really liked The Road Home. I rated it 4 stars vs. 4.5 for The Colour, but anything that gets 4 stars is a pretty darn good book. And I'm glad you're visiting here! I understand, it's impossible to comment everywhere. Unless you're Stasia.

>85 brenzi:: Now if I go to PBS......... LOL, somebody beat you to it, Bonnie! They had it on their wish list.

Wow, a 4.5 from you, Ms. Tough Marker...high praise indeed! I liked but wasn't knocked out by The Road Home. Maybe I'll give The Colour a try tho'.

This looks intriguing... (the book, I mean!)

I just got the first volume of Dance to the Music of Time for my Kindle -- apparently all the volumes were just made available for Kindle, not super-cheap but still less than $10 each. So hopefully I'll get to it...

Adding the Tremain book to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Laura!

Great review! Maybe I'll my abandon my current Orange and read The Colour instead. (I'm reading The Room of Lost Things which I suspect is an excellent book but I don't think I'm in the right mood for it.)

Coming late to the bestsellers from the week you were born, but I second (or third, or?) the recommendations for The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and The Guns of August. At the time, or a few years later but still as a child, I loved the Born Free and Living Free books, and also The Incredible Journey, and I know people who love A Dance to the Music of Time.

Thanks Rebecca !

5. The Betrayal ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I bought it shortly after reading The Siege last year, and it took a few months for it to winch up to the top of my TBR pile.

In 1952, Anna and Andrei have survived the hardships of World War II and are now making their living in Leningrad. Andrei is a doctor, Anna is a childcare provider, and together they provide for Anna's 16-year-old brother Kolya. They are content and comfortable; sometimes they actually forget the cold and hunger experienced during the siege of Leningrad in 1941. But life under Stalin presents new challenges that often violate basic human rights.

Andrei's colleague Russov involves him in the case of a boy, son of secret police officer Volkov. The boy's illness is far outside Andrei's specialty, but the boy takes a liking to Andrei who soon finds himself coordinating all aspects of his care. The hospital staff know that if anything goes wrong, Volkov will blame them. And things do go wrong. Suddenly Andrei, Anna, and Kolya are in danger, and don't know who they can trust. The family becomes separated, with each member fighting for survival.

While The Betrayal stands on its own, reading the The Siege first provides a better understanding of the emotional bonds and shared history between the three main characters. I don't think I would have cared for them as much had I not "lived" through the siege with them. And while the tension in this novel is palpable, I was hoping for a bit more suspense and intrigue. Still, I enjoyed this book and would recommend reading it along with The Siege

I remember reading yr review of The Siege -- hmmm - I think I will put it on my wishlist. What is the 'backstory' for Dunmore, why the interest, do you know? I feel curious about that.

And, of course, good review.

Dunmore has written books on a wide variety of topics (I didn't like With Your Crooked Heart, which I read before The Siege, but am glad other LTers talked me into reading it, because I loved it and The Betrayal). I don't know what got her interested in the siege of Leningrad originally, but she did a lot of research and listed some of her sources and options for further reading at the end of the book (as she did for The Betrayal). It is possible that she explained there how she got interested in the topic, but I don't have my copy handy.

ETA From Dunmore's website about The Siege:
"This was another researched novel, which grew from a lifelong love of Russian history, culture and literature."

Excellent review (thumb!) of The Betrayal Laura and I agree that it was important to read The Siege first. Taken as a whole I think it was a stunning achievement although I did like The Siege slightly better. Off to investigate Dunmore's website.

Interesting back story on Dunmore ... thanks for the link to her website, Rebecca. I also didn't realize she'd written children's literature.

Thanks Rebecca, 'lifelong love' that's enough for me!

Good review of The Betrayal, Laura. I do think the books need to be read together and in order. Most likely any sequel would have been a bit of a letdown after the power and passion of The Siege. You can tell that both of these books are labors of love for her, but The Siege grabbed hold of me and didn't let go until the end.

6. Anderby Wold ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Virago Reading week, and I really love Winifred Holtby.

After reading Winifred Holtby's South Riding last month, I was eager to read more of her work. Where South Riding is considered Holtby's masterpiece, Anderby Wold was her debut novel. It shows, but only a bit.

Mary Robson is the novel's protagonist. She's 28, and married to the much older John Robson, who rescued Mary from her father's debts through profitable farming that paid off the farm's mortgage. The book opens shortly after John and Mary have achieved this degree of financial freedom. And while John deserves credit for his farming success, Mary is no slouch. She is somewhat of a pillar in Anderby, visiting the sick and supporting community functions. But she's also a bit of a control freak, insisting on being present at every important event to make sure everything is done right. And she's not entirely happy in her marriage, because John is both distant and dull.

One day Mary encounters a young man traveling by foot. He is quite ill, and Mary provides him with shelter for a few days. He turns out to be David Rossitur, a journalist who espouses progressive ideas about farming and labor. His spirited private debates with Mary soon turn into community organizing down the pub, much to the chagrin of Mary and her relations. David forms an alliance with the schoolmaster Mr. Coates, who is not at all on good terms with Mary. Another man arrives from Manchester to form a union, and before you know it farm workers all over Anderby are threatening a strike.

This central conflict provides an opportunity for Winifred Holtby to explore the clash between progressive and conservative ideas. While Holtby was a very liberal thinker, she portrays characters on both sides of the debate sympathetically and often with a bit of humor. The result is an interesting, if somewhat strident, depiction of early 20th century England, showcasing the talent that created South Riding some 13 years later.

Oh, looking forward to reading this one even more now- thanks Laura!

Just found your thread, and added Lottery to my list (and it's available in our county library system!) I went to add Alias Grace, but found that I'd already put it on my list. (It, too, is available through the county library.)

You've done some good reading -- and great reviews!

#100: Another one goes into the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Laura!

Like you, I loved South Riding and I'm now going to have to add this book to the list as well. Great review!

>102 tymfos:: welcome, Terri! Thanks for stopping by and I'm happy to help topple your tbr pile.
>103 alcottacre:: Stasia, I cannot imagine the size & depth of the BlackHole.
>104 Ygraine:: Winifred Holtby instantly vaulted onto my favorite authors list when I read South Riding last month. It usually takes more than one book for an author to become a favorite of mine, but I was so taken with SR and had also recently read Testament of Youth which features Holtby to a degree. Now I want to read everything she's written!

#105: Neither can I. I try not to think about it too much. Makes my head hurt.

#106

I'd imagine it is something like trying to imagine infinity. Or what is outside the universe. Or what existed before the universe came into being.

* head explodes *

Kind of like Milton describing chaos as inchoate matter full of constantly warring elements through which Satan flew with great difficulty and out of which the son of God creates the universe, right?

Good review of *AW,* Laura. But what is this about shoving me out of the way for the other Holtbys? I thought I was your mama! (I'm #1 for *Crowded Street* and #2 for *M!M!* so you may actually be ahead of me there. But I may have a secret source - heh heh heh heh hee hee hee)

>109 tiffin:: whoa, yeah.
>110 LizzieD:: Ha ha Peggy, I thought you'd like that!

ETA: ahem. it appears I'm already first in line for *M!M!* ... but third for Crowded Street.

Well, I cracked myself up! (re 109)

Laura, my copy of Testament of Youth arrived a couple of days ago but it's quite a tome so I think I'll wait for a break, possibly winter break which starts on Feb. 21. I'm really looking forward to it. Then maybe my number will come up for South Riding. I guess I'll just follow you wherever you go :)

>113 brenzi:: good idea to wait Bonnie, it is indeed a tome and it helps to be in the right mood with some time on your hands.

Oh how I love visiting your thread. Your reviews are so well written.

#107-109: I see it makes other people's head hurt too. Just as well not to think about it.

>115 Whisper1:: aw, thanks Linda !

7. One Fine Day ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Virago Reading Week ...

But in the early morning light, seen from the top of Barrow Down, the huddle of grey and pink and cream houses looked merely charming. Up here, man had long ago been obliterated by the green armies of fern, the invading foxgloves, the cony and the magpie. Bumps under the honeycombed turf marked the site of old shelters for man and beast where cattle had lowed and the smoke of little fires had written "Morning" and "Hunger" in the sky. Wealding children sometimes found old flints buried under the rabbit droppings; picnic parties munched their hard-boiled eggs among ghosts. In spring, dog-violets spilled small blue lakes in the bleached grass, followed later by the pink and white restharrow, clean as sprigged chintz, and the great golden candlesticks of mulleins. Up here, on the empty hilltop, something said I am England. I will remain. (p. 9)

Morning dawns in the village of Wealding, and so begins One Fine Day. It's 1946, the war is finally over, and residents of Wealding and the town of Bridbury are gradually returning to some kind of "normal" life. And yet things changed dramatically during the war. There was, of course, the tragic loss of life, the young men who never returned. But there were also fundamental changes in England's social fabric, which this short novel portrays in exquisite and sometimes painful detail. Laura & Stephen Marshall are an upper middle class couple, and before the war they benefited from daily household help in the form of a cook, a maid, and a nurse to care for their daughter Victoria. Dinner magically appeared on the table every night, the house was always clean and ready for guests, and Victoria was presented to her parents before bedtime, freshly scrubbed and wearing clean pajamas. The Marshalls were shocked into a completely different lifestyle during the war, when their household help found better work at better wages ... and never returned to a life of service.

One Fine Day follows Laura Marshall through a typical day of errands and household tasks, after Stephen leaves for work and Victoria gets off to school. Laura ventures into the town to buy food. She queues at the bakery and the fishmonger, dealing with competitive customers, grumpy shopkeepers, and a shortage of their better merchandise. But this book is not about what Laura does, it's about what she thinks, and what that tells us about her changing world. Occasionally she reminisces about her youth, and the man she almost married, and we gain insight into the society in which she was raised. Through a conversation between Laura and her mother we learn that Laura's parents, who live further away from London, were able to keep their servants. Their home still reflects the golden age of British Empire. "It was like going back to another world, seen through the nostalgic lens of world catastrophe." But then Laura's errands take her to the home of some local gentry, who are no longer able to keep up their estate. They have sold it to the "National Trussed," and are in progress of moving into a flat located near the manor house. She surveys the packing and dismantlement with dismay, noting the marked contrast with poorer families who have bettered their circumstances and "bred and bred like rabbits in their dreadful cottage."

A sense of loss pervades this book. The loss of material goods and comforts serves as a symbol for the loss of Empire that was just beginning to unfold. You can see those "English ladies and gentlemen who would forever inherit the earth," who took pride in turning the world map pink, begin to falter. And yet there is also an air of hope, of accepting one's new circumstances and seeing the possibility of happiness ahead. Much of this is conveyed through Laura's sensory perceptions, as she picks fruit in her garden or rides down a lane on her bicycle. As the day draws to a close, Mollie Panter-Downes shifts the point of view to Victoria, and then Stephen, and somehow manages leaves the reader with the feeling that while their lives are irrevocably changed, everything will work out for them in the long run.

Love your review, Laura, but am not liking poor, poor Laura Marshall who during, and after, the war has to do without her cook, maid, and nurse. ;-)

One Fine Day sounds great, Laura. I just WL'd it and gave your review a thumb. It made me think of The Remains of the Day as far as the British having to adjust to a totally different way of life after WWII.

>119 bonniebooks:: Yeah Bonnie, I know what you mean ... from a more modern perspective that's my reaction, too. But somehow if you get immersed in the story, you get inside Laura's head and experience the impact in a different way. I thought about that as I was writing my review, but wasn't sure how to express it.

>120 phebj:: oh yeah, Pat, you're right ... that's one of my all-time favorite books!

#121 Me too. I loved The Remains of the Day. And your comment about experiencing the changes through Laura's thoughts reminds of TRotD too.

Over on the Virago week thread Belva was just saying how much she liked reading books on this subject. (decay of Empire, basically).... I tried to think of a few, but I bet you have oodles more to add.

There you go again (grumble, grumble), another fabulous review (grumble, grumble), another 4.5 star book (grumble, grumble) that I have to now wishlist (grumble, grumble). Please stop it. Just stop it.

Added One Fine Day to the BlackHole. I enjoyed Panter-Downes' stories in Good Evening Mrs. Craven. If you have not read that one, I would recommend it to you, Laura.

>123 sibylline:: a few? You had lots of ideas there, Lucy! But yes, I'd say the two great wars, the time in between, the aftermath, and the societal/cultural implications have been fertile ground for authors. So many different themes and ways to approach the subject.

I also think One Fine Day would strike emotional chords in a different way if you were English. Rachel, whose review vaulted this book to the top of my tbr, wrote, "I haven’t read a better book about the after effects of war, and neither have I read a better one about my beloved England and what it means to those of us who were born and bred here." Read her review -- you'll love it.

>124 brenzi:: only if YOU agree to stop as well!
>125 alcottacre:: and thanks for the additional recommendation, Stasia!

#126: No problem!

Yet another stellar review from you Laura! I'm #9 thumbs up.

Mine is the 10th thumb. Nice review, Laura!

Woo hoo! Thanks everybody ...

I feel like the Charlie Chan detective series, piping up "number eleven thumb here".

>131 tiffin:: or "turn it up to 11," from This is Spinal Tap.

Could you just once please read something that A) I've already read or B) doesn't sound like my kind of thing?? (No, Alias Grace doesn't count as "A", because we pretty much read that at the same time.)

>133 laytonwoman3rd:: *bats eyes* I'm innocent!

Riiiiiiiiggght! {Noah to God voice/Cosby}

Sometimes when I request a library book and find myself waiting because others have checked it out, I get to thinking about who's requesting the book, and why. If it's a bestseller or recent prizewinner, I can understand, but sometimes the book is more obscure.

Take, for example, Dance to the Music of Time, one of the bestsellers the week I was born (see message #68). This book was first published in 1962, and our county library system has only one copy. I went to request it today, thinking it would be fun to read during the month I was born. AND SOMEONE ELSE HAS PLACED A HOLD ON IT AHEAD OF ME!

Who is this person? Did they also do the "bestsellers the week you were born" thing? Did they also have a Peggy urging them to read it (message #77)? Are they on LibraryThing?

Does anyone else wonder about these kind of things? Or am I just weird? Wait, don't answer that last question :)

I never really thought about that stuff much before...but I will now.

Well ... I had a funny experience recently.

First, the back story: 20 years ago there was a woman at my company with the same first and last name as me, although her last name was spelled "Lindsey" not "Lindsay". We used to get each other's deliveries and laugh about it. She left the company when she had a baby, and we never met face-to-face.

Fast forward to 2010: I still work for the same company, but live about 20 miles away from where I lived way back then. I go to my library to pick up a book I'd reserved. They bring out a book, but it's the wrong one. They look at the slip: "Laura Lindsay, right"? Check the spelling. It's the "other" Laura.

So she lives somewhere near me now. We might have even been in the library at the same time before, who knows?!

*Cue Twilight Zone theme* So....what book did SHE reserve?

Funny, I didn't get a chance to see that, although I was curious. I can't remember what I was getting, but I knew by quick glance that the book the librarian had wasn't it.

I don't know who requested A Dance to the Music of Time but I've had it on my PBS wishlist since last August when someone? somewhere? somehow? convinced me that i'd like it so it may not be as obscure as you imagine Laura.

As far as the woman from work....track her down....you are meant to meet and know her....there's no such thing as a coincidence.

#136 Laura, the same thing has happened to me but I can't remember which book it was for at the moment. I saw something that was raved about on LT (and not a current book) and went to put it on hold on my library's website and someone else was ahead of me in line. It made me wonder if it was another LT member but I don't know of any other LTers from Idaho who are members of the 75ers. Probably just a coincidence but I was so sure that it would be immediately available.

>141 brenzi:: cue creepy music ...
>142 phebj:: Probably just a coincidence but I was so sure that it would be immediately available. Exactly!

The Powell series has just been made available for Kindle, so I'll be reading them that way -- talk about a SERIES of chunksters!

Memo to self: MUST read Winifred Holtby.

Enjoying this conversation!

What a great story, Laura. I love it when these coincidences happen. I often think about others who have read books before me. I buy a lot of used books and don't even mind when people have written in them. It just makes me more curious about them. I also love it when I find a shopping list or other "treasure" in a book, but I'm still waiting for the person who used a $20 bill as a bookmark!

Laura - your reading goals for the year are similar to mine, so I'm glad I finally found your thread (I'll be comparing notes).

The only time I wonder about who might have had the book ahead of me is when I find things in it. If it's a ticket stub, or the like, I wonder in a pleasant way. If I find food or a dead mosquito squashed in the book (yes, I actually did), then I wonder what kind of dolt could leave mustard and dead bugs in a book.

* waves to Nickelini/Joyce * welcome!

*waves back* - thanks, glad to be here!

#148: My local library prints out the checkout list for each patron and I stumble across them quite frequently in the books I get. I always look to see what the previous patron checked out - there might be a book there that I would like :)

Ah, Stasia! Always looking for another book to read like they're hiding from you.

#152: Sometimes they do hide from me. I am sure they do it deliberately too :)

8. The Handmaid's Tale ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I've heard so much about this book! It was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1986, and I enjoy reading Booker nominees.

The Handmaid's Tale is a chilling view of a repressive, controlling society -- the Republic of Gilead -- in which women are confined to specific roles, all designed to meet the needs of men. They lose personal freedom of both movement and speech, and fear for their lives. Women are grouped into castes and wear a common uniform. Marthas are responsible for cooking and housework. Wives represent the highest caste, married to high-ranking men called Commanders ("ordinary" women are known as Econowives). The Handmaids' primary purpose is reproduction. Handmaids are assigned to Commanders, and subjected to a monthly ritual in hopes they will conceive. Those who fail (and yes, it's always the Handmaid's fault) are moved to a new post, and exiled if they remain unable to bear children.

The story is set well into the future, but the characters still remember their lives "before." Offred is one of the Handmaids, separated from her husband and young daughter and assigned to a high-ranking Commander. She recounts her training period in the "Red Center," and the systematic way in which the women are forced to submit to governmental authority. She dutifully dons the required long red habit, and the white headgear that blocks most of her vision. Once in the Commander's house, Offred discovers evidence of the earlier Handmaid, including a mysterious foreign phrase carved in the floor. On her daily trips to the village shops, Offred makes tentative contact with other Handmaids. While they cannot converse openly, every opportunity to exchange a few whispered words helps them better understand the world around them. And yet one never knows who to trust. Men and women are routinely executed and left on display. Fear and betrayal run like electricity through the community.

I don't want to say much more about the plot; it won't do justice to the book because it really must be experienced. Margaret Atwood paints a bleak and disturbing picture, all the more so because of its resemblance to certain aspects of contemporary life. Atwood drops several hints about how the United States turned into Gilead, critiquing many aspects of late 20th-century society. Despite its extremes, it's not that difficult to imagine. Some aspects of Gilead exist in the world today: extreme repression and fear are not uncommon, and even the most "enlightened" societies subjugate certain elements. As Offred adjusted to her new life and struggled with loss, isolation, and confusion, I willed her to find a way out. I wanted the totalitarian regime to crumble. I wanted good to triumph over evil. But that's not the point of this novel, and Atwood won't let her readers off the hook so easily. This is the sort of book that strikes you between the eyes, leaving you with a lot to think about.

One additional comment on The Handmaid's Tale: it was nominated for the Booker Prize in 1986. So I was absolutely stunned to find that the 1986 winner was Kingsley Amis' The Old Devils. This was one of my all-time least favorite Booker winners; I don't even want to dignify it with a touchstone on my thread :) And The Old Devils is a very masculine book, celebrating the joys of drinking, and sex with various partners. I find it really sad that the Booker judges awarded the prize to Amis and not Atwood, who wrote a much more thought-provoking book describing a totalitarian society in which women existed solely for the benefit of the men. Sigh. Have we learned anything in the intervening 25 years? I hope so.

I will be reading The Handmaid's Tale some time this year (I forget exactly when, it is part of Roni's year long feminism in SF group reads). I am glad to see you enjoyed your read of the book, Laura.

Sigh. I agree with Bonnie (message #124) and Linda (message #133). Great review, a well deserved thumb, and The Handmaid's Tale has been added to my Kindle wish list. I hope you're happy.

Perhaps it was the time of my life when I first read it, but The Handmaid's Tale was one of those lifetime left-a-mark books for me. As an allegory for any society which lives by fundamentalism and its absolutes, she nailed it for me. Her use of war as a tool for social control was so astute. A lot has been said about the feminist perspective in the book but for me it really was an enormously important humanist book. It's a plea for all of us to take heed, to see how fragile it all is.

I've got to get back to Atwood. I think I read her early books when I was too young to really appreciate them. And I never read Alias Grace at all so I will definitely be reading at least one of them this year, maybe more. My question is, why hasn't she won the Nobel Prize yet?

#158 The Handmaid's Tale was a left-a-mark book for me too, the only book read as assigned reading at school that I actually enjoyed, and got a lot out of by analysing. I have re-read it numerous times, occasionally my annotated version but more often not, and I get more things out of it every time.

#159

You DEFINITELY have to read Alias Grace. It's different from some of hers, but just as good.

>154 lauralkeet:: This is the sort of book that strikes you between the eyes, leaving you with a lot to think about.

Amen, Sister Laura. I read this book eons ago...and I'm still thinking about it. It's due for a reread one of these years from my older and (ahem) wiser perspective.

>>159 brenzi:: Nobel Prize? That's an excellent question, Bonnie. Atwood is certainly standing the test of time and has written well-received books in different genres. And, let's not forget about her poetry, although the only poems I've read by her have been in the Three Pines books.

Oh, and I forgot to add that I went to a reading by Margaret Atwood last year, and got to get my copy of The Year of the Flood signed by her. She's much older and smaller than I expected, but fascinating!

>154 lauralkeet: So far, that's the only Atwood book I've liked, but to make up for that, it's one of the best, most chilling, most vivid and intense books I've ever read.

drive-by hug, Laura

>157 kidzdoc:: Darryl, ba ha ha ha ha (diabolical laugh) !!

>158 tiffin:-161: Tui, Bonnie, Jenny, Donna, I can see where this book would leave a mark. It didn't hit me quite as hard as it might, since my feminist sensibilities are well-formed. It's still a cautionary tale. And if I'd read it as a student I'm sure it would have packed a whallop. The book came into my house via daughter #1, who had to read it last summer for AP Lit. So full marks to the teacher (male, btw) for assigning it! She didn't have much to say about it at the time (after all she's a teenager and doesn't want to share feelings with mom yet). But recently she had to read a much more masculine book (Kavalier and Clay) and had LOTS to say about its masculinity so I think she's turning out just fine ;)

>162 lunacat:: Jenny, I'm much older and smaller than I expected, too :)

>163 richardderus:: Richard, hi! Thanks for the visit.

I've read 3 Atwood's (in basically one year) since joining LT and I expect I'll be going through here entire oeuvre -- but it is definitely the comments of folks here that got me going!

"Peggy" Atwood grew up in part in the same Toronto neighborhood as my mother and fell into the category of "pesky younger kid" when my mother was a teenager... It's funny, because I have heard so many stories about her from people who know her (like a former Canadian high commissioner and his wife in New Zealand, who hosted her for a week), and in some cases about the stories in her books, it's hard to separate them! One of the overlooked early ones, IMO, really captures the way Toronto was in the 50s, say my mother, and many others -- Lady Oracle. The Handmaid's Tale is definitely a fave, not just because it's an excellent dystopic read but because it's a message about what happens when you get what kind of utopia you think you wanted: first of all, it isn't really a utopia (the commander's drinking and visiting that undercover bar/whorehous) and secondly, you may find that what you thought you wanted isn't what you wanted anyway; that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. I always found the Commander's wife a very intriguing character.

Hmm, maybe we should have an Atwood group read over several months? I agree that she should earn a Nobel; she has def been nominated, but...

9. The Winter Ghosts ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I "won" it through LT Early Reviewers.

Let me see if I have this straight. Freddie, a young man in his late 20s, never recovered from his brother's death in World War I ten years earlier. Recently released from a sanatorium, he goes motoring around France in search of ... something. He is suicidal one minute, inexplicably pulls himself together, and not much later is on the brink of despair again. Then suddenly he's caught in a blizzard and has a horrific car wreck in which he almost goes off a cliff. He hits his head on the windshield, which shatters in his lap, and he's left bleeding and unconscious. But when he comes to, he dusts himself off and manages to walk several miles down a remote, unmarked path to a village and finds a room for the night. A hot bath proves just the ticket, as Freddie is rejuvenated and feels his grief subside, seemingly for the first time since his brother's death. WHAT?

And that's just the first 85 pages. This book was completely improbable and poorly constructed. Freddie's grief was melodramatic and not at all convincing. The beginning of the story should have been believable, but wasn't. The rest of the book was intended to be fanciful, but instead was predictable. And the writing ... ugh. This advance review copy included the usual disclaimer: in quoting from this book for reviews or any other purpose, please refer to the final printed book, as the author may make changes on these proofs before the book goes to press. But I can't help myself. The Winter Ghosts should be entered in the Bulwer-Lytton ("dark and stormy night") fiction contest, for gems like this:

Ironically, in light of my parents' antipathy to my penchant for reading it was a book that did it for me in the end"

Or perhaps this:

Then, one day, it happened. The soldiers came for us.

{End of Chapter}

My heart hit my boots.

On a more positive note, this book was only 260 pages long and I was able to skim through it in about a day. :)

Oh dear. This is on my teetering tower of books...

#167 This reminds me a bit of my first ER book--improbable plot and, although the writing wasn't bad, there were many inconsistencies that drove me crazy. At least you didn't have to waste too much time on it.

*whew* dodged a bullet by not being awarded that one!

I loved Lady Oracle when I read it...so long ago I can't remember when.

#167: Planted firmly on my 'Do Not Read' list!

I think I read some other Kate Mosse and wasn't impressed..... can't even think what it was now.

I'm in no hurry to read more ...

#167

>174 laytonwoman3rd:: YES!! That's exactly the picture I had in my mind!

>167 lauralkeet:: You got my thumb with the quotes you cited. The sad thing about a book like this is that some poor nonreader will pick it up and wonder why the heck anyone wastes time with reading. Thanks for doing your civic duty here on LT and warning the real readers away from this tripe.

>166 Chatterbox: Margaret Atwood was "Peggy"? That warms my heart even though this Peggy isn't really Margaret. And, Donna? The only thing worse, I guess, would be for a nonreader to pick up that book and figure it's wonderful. Or maybe not. I used to have students - more than one - who reread their favorite (generally their only) book and refused to give anything else a try. Hi, Laura!

>177 LizzieD:: Hi Peggy! If you're not a Margaret, what are you?

I had an interesting encounter with a male co-worker today. He saw my review on Facebook and said it was his 20-something daughter's favorite book. Today we got into a very interesting discussion ... I found out he'd actually read The Handmaid's Tale himself because he makes a point to read at least one of each of his daughter's favorite books every year. He told me his daughter was in a book group but he wasn't "allowed" to participate because it was women only. We had a great discussion about women discovering and celebrating literature written by and about women. He "got" that, and I was impressed!

That's neat, Laura!

I'm impressed too. Good for father and daughter!
(Oh, Laura. I don't want everybody to know, but I'm only a 'Peggy Ann.' My dear father named me, and my dear mother let him. *sigh* Very 1940's.)

#167. Teehee! I read her first book, Labyrinth, and had a really hard time with it. In fact I only managed to finish it because I was on a train! And one of those modern ones where the windows don't open, so I couldn't hurl it away from me at high speed.

Still, it sold a gajillion copies... when will we learn that buying books like these only encourages them to write more?

>180 LizzieD:: cute!
>181 wandering_star:: that's hilarious. I haven't read any of her other books and now I won't. I was duped by the fact that she founded the Orange Prize.

You are exactly right, Laura! After I had tried to read -?- whatever her first was and then learned about the Orange, I was flummoxed.
ETA: Never mind. I was thinking about somebody else, so I'll just say that I'm forewarned.

Wow, it's been busy here while I was away . . . Just catching up with all the fun and good reading.

#180 Hey, I was almost "Peggy Lynn" (My mother being Margaret, and my father being Lynn), but my parents took a deep breath and thought better of it. So I'm Linda (very 1950's!), which they deny was based on Lynn, but I choose to think otherwise, loving my Dad and his memory as I do.

A neighbor in the 1960s-1970s was Peggy Sue, born in 1958 and named after the song.

>186 qebo:: oh I like that song! And Buddy Holly in general, what a shame we lost him so young. Just to liven up your day:
Buddy Holly sings Peggy Sue

Enjoy the "ballroom dancing" segment about halfway through.

187: Nice! Thanks.

I was named Suzanne rather than Susan precisely because my mother didn't want to be too 1950s/early 1960s! She was a Barbara, and I think she never recovered from being one of 5 in her elementary school class!

^ And yet, "Suzanne" says to me the song by Leonard Cohen. Pure 60's.

My birth certificate name is Susan (40s/50s) because Mom wimped out from naming me Sarah after my great grandmother. So I went through school with 5 other Susans at any given time in the same room. My family and friends have always called me Tui, the nickname my Dad gave me when I was a newt.

I used to enjoy the progression of names through the classroom, and girls' names are always a bit trendier than boys'. I mean, you're always going to have a bunch of Matts, Joshes, and Brandons. I recall hoards of Jennifers, then Ashleys, and Kaylas with lashings of Brandies, Ambers, and Tiffanies. I was amused once when an Ashley told me that her mother wouldn't buy a dark green car because it was too trendy.
Alas, there are almost no more Barbaras, Susans, or Lindas.

Both of my lads have Gaelic names. One day one came home and announced that he wanted to change his name to Justin. There were about 7 other Justins in his grade level at the time. His father and I howled with laughter causing the young reformer to storm off to his room in a high dudgeon but the topic never came up again.

My grandmother (born 1900) was a Suzanna, and my mom (1926) was named after her. Mom was always a Sue, but when she died and I went through all her papers, I found there was no consistency--her passport, drivers license, immigration papers, and various other government forms all had something different--Susan, Sue, Susanna (and no Suzanna). I guess even to the government a name didn't used to seem that important. I was born in 1963 and my middle name is from my grandmother--except it's the very mid-twentieth century Susan version--not the same to me! One of my daughter's middle names is Suzanna--after my grandmother and spelled the same.

I mean, you're always going to have a bunch of Matts, Joshes, and Brandons. Those are all very late-20th century names. I would say the more timeless boys names are Michael, Andrew, maybe Stephen (although all the Stephens born around me lately are named Stefano).

My parents dithered between Lucy and Adeline (my father's mother) and, of course less seriously, but they never let me forget it! Hepzibah Electra Alumina -- all names of actual women forebears....... I would have liked Adeline a lot, even though Lucy is OK. Too many cats and dogs around named Lucy, but I have yet to meet an Adeline pet.

Ah, suddenly Adeline is sounding like a promising name for our next cat!

Alas, there are almost no more Barbaras, Susans, or Lindas. Well, we're hanging in there...not dying off any faster than normal....it's just that there are very few NEW ones.

Going back generations along the maternal line except for my niece:

Anya (niece)
Lenora (me)
Dale (mom)
Jozie (grandmother)
Eula (great-grandmother)

We have to go back to my great-great-grandmother, Mary Jane, to get to a "common" name.

Paternal sides are all Johns, Toms, Walters, etc.

Wow, look at all this name-related chatter! Thanks everyone for livening up my lunch break. Laura was not a popular name in 1962. Lori was, and I was adamant I was NOT a Lori, or a Laurie.

Guess what I found?
Courtesy of the US Social Security Administration, a list of the most popular names for a particular year of birth. Well, any year after 1879, which should cover most of us :)

This is almost as fun as the "bestsellers the week you were born" game we were all playing a while back.

I was going to chirp up and say I had a friend named Laura born in 1962 . . . but then I remembered she was born in Italy. Had she been born in Canada, you're right--she would have been a Lori! Wow, Lori is such a 1960s name, isn't it! Along with Barbara, Susan, Linda . . . and Brenda, Karen, Sharon and Sandra/Sandy too!

Courtesy of the US Social Security Administration, a list of the most popular names for a particular year of birth. Well, any year after 1879, which should cover most of us :)

That's fun. The big chart is especially fun to look at and to see how long some names were popular for . . . especially Mary.

Interesting re names! My maternal grandmother always insisted on being known as "Mary", although we knew she had never formally changed her name. (eg she signed checks as "Minnie C. (surname)". So, when I started looking into genealogy, and got hold of her birth certificate, I was stunned to realize that she may actually have been named "Minerva", and that her middle name was Chlorinda. She was probably trying to get rid of those fancy names all of her life, hence Mary! (Her sisters were Jean, Cora Agnes, Ida Irene and (!) Grace Darling.)

My generational names:

Julie (niece)
Suzanne (me)
Barbara (mother)
Minnie (grandmother)
Amanda (g-grandmother)
Chlorinda (g-g-grandmother)
Eliza (g-g-g- grandmother)
Mary Jane (g-g-g-g-grandmother; b. abt 1824 in Ireland)

or on my maternal grandfather's line, leaving him out as the male, we get another Mary Jane in only two generations!

OK, I really need to get back to work but Joyce made me go back and explore that web site some more ... while Laura was not a popular girl's name across the country in 1962, it was the 11th most popular girl's name in California, where I was born. Huh.

Must. work. now.

I'll post my birth year names on my own thread to keep from filling up yours, but you may be interested to know that not so many years ago, twins named Laura and Lori came through our high school. I can't easily go back as many generations as Suzanne, but everybody has a good name except me.
Peggy Ann (me - *sob*)
Sarah Margaret (mother)
Margaret Downing (grandmother)
Mary Francis (great grandmother)
On the other hand, my paternal grandmother was Myrtle Mae, so maybe I'd just better shut up about Peggy Ann.

At present we have 8 Mary's on our relatively small staff including 2 Marys, MaryEllen, MaryBeth, MaryAnn, MaryCay, Mary Alice and MaryMargaret. When someone new comes on board we generally christen them accordingly as I am known as MaryBonnie and our secretary is MaryTrish.

My poor mother got Doris, which she loathes.
Amelia Lillian (maternal Nana), always called Lily
Amelia (great grandmother)
Sarah (other gr grandmother)

Isabella (paternal grandmother)
Elizabeth (paternal great grandmother)

Nice sensible names.
ETA: Bonnie, we have some Marys further back. That's funny!

There are two Amelias among my great grandmothers/great great grandmothers -- Julia Amelia was my Norwegian g-grandmother, Laura Amelia was my Yankee g-g-grandmother. (Oddly never having known either, they are among my fave relatives, perhaps because I love the stories I've heard about them.) Laura Amelia was known as "Millie".

(Ah. Double names. Some classmates were {just to make the point: Peggy Ann}, Beverly Ann, Rosalie Ann, Rita Lee, Barbara Jane, Bobby Lou, Mary Lou, Betty Lou, Betty Sue, and Gretchen.)
ETA: In the age of monograms we were all jealous of Gretchen who could choose the prettiest middle initial and make up any name she wanted.

As far back as I can go on my mother's side of the family, the names go like this:

Ruth (GGGM)
Margaret (GGM)
Dorothy (GM)
Margaret (M)
Linda (Me)
Laura (daughter)

When I was a kid there was a neighboring family with lots and lots of children, and they had little imagination, because they named one boy Harry, another Harold; one Leon and another Leonard; one girl Ellen and another Eleanor. I don't know why they stopped that, or started it, or whatever...but the rest of their kids were named Carrie, Grace, and Esther.

Like laytonwoman3rd -- Linda, I was born in the 1950's and have this very popular name. I lived in a small town, went to a high school with a graduating class of 106, of which seven-eight were Linda.

My mother's name was Shirley
Her mother's name was Clara
Clara's mother's name was Lena

I don't have any information about my great, great grandmother.

I like the name Lena. The person who draws my blood for testing is 45 and her name is Lena. It is the only time I've heard that name outside of my family. And, 45 year old Lena loves her name.

From the website: Stasia is not in the top 1000 female names for any year of birth in the last 25 years.

Imagine that! :)

(Of course, that is not my birthname, which made it into the top 20 for the year I was born.)

Stasia, we always knew you were unique!!
I didn't realize Stasia isn't your birth name ... ooh, you have a dark secret :)

#212: I went to court when I was 24 and had my name legally changed. I have now been 'Stasia' half my life.

>213 alcottacre:: that's really cool!

#214: My parents did not think so!

#205: I like the Marys!

Interesting to look at the Social Security list--my dad wanted to name me Nicole (#9 from my year), and my mom wanted to name me Sarah Elizabeth (#s 6 & 11) or Laura (#20), after my aunt, until my dad said that then we could call my aunt "Big Laura" and me "Little Laura," to which my aunt strenuously objected. So I wound up with Deborah Carleton, but they didn't want me called Debbie, so they always called me Carly. Now wouldn't it have been more sensible just to name me Carly? At least none of those are on the top 20 list!

We also have a lot of Margarets, Sarahs, and Elizabeths:

Mary Margaret (mom)
Roberta Desma (Birdie) (grandmother)
Margaret Susie (ggm)
Hannah Elizabeth (gggm)
Sarah Josephine (gggm)
Margaret Elizabeth (ggggm)
Eliza Lois (ggggm)

A ton of the men are named William or John. It gets confusing.

Now wouldn't it have been more sensible just to name me Carly? Sensible doesn't often enter into it---my husband, my father, and two of my uncles are all "middle namers'. They've been called by their middle names, at least in the family, ever since they were born. So why wasn't that their given name to begin with?

>215 alcottacre:: LOL Stasia, aka whoever-her-parents-wanted-her-to-be !

>216 carlym:: Carly, that's a great story!

>217 laytonwoman3rd:: my brother, dad, grandfather, and great-grandfather all had the same name (Charles) with no middle name. I always thought that was strange, because typically in those Jr/Sr/III/IVs at least one would be called by his middle name. Every single one of them went by Chuck. We never had more than three together at one time but it could get confusing.

Then I married a Charles who goes by his middle name, Chris!

Just in case anyone from the thread police stops by, let it be known that I plan to start a new thread after I finish my next book.


Carry on, let's hear more about names! Or whatever!

Both of my girls are called by their middle names just to avoid confusion with the ladies that they were named after. My grandmother is dead now, but was still alive when Catey was born.

I'm married to a middle namer too. When their brother, a bomber pilot in WWII, was shot down over Berlin, the remaining two sisters and one brother named their firstborn sons after him. Only one goes by that name, the others go by their middle names.

ETA: Stasia, I always thought it was short for Anastasia!

#221: Nope, not in my case. It is just 'Stasia.'

All this got me thinking about my Mom's Aunt Jennie, who was born in 1869. I've always heard a lot about her, since even though she was a paternal aunt she was in fact more like a grandmother to Mom. Seemed unlikely that she had been named "Jennifer" back then. Sure enough, her name was just "Jennie". There were a couple other women I knew as a child, who were probably born around the turn of the 20th century, also called Jenny. Genevieve? Unlikely---no French influence in our area at all. Imogen? I hope not. Eugenia? Ack.

This conversation is just too tempting. I married a "middle-namer" who reverted back to his first name shortly after our marriage because he was in the army and it simplified things. He liked his first name better and it stuck...except with his family...who continues to blame me for the change!

One more short story. My grandmother was named Margaret L. (the initial didn't stand for anything!). She hated her name and as a teenager didn't answer to anything except "Daisy." She never changed it officially but was always known as Daisy. I learned about her name confusion a few years ago after my father's death on a visit to his older sister Mettie who will be 96 on Feb. 26. Aunt Mettie and my grandmother Daisy are/were the readers in the family. Daisy worked as a librarian in Battle Creek, Michigan for a long time.

Donna, my husband did the same thing. He went by his middle name all through school and college; then he joined the Coast Guard, and of course his first name became his official name. He decided he liked it OK, and everyone who has met him since that time uses his first name, while those of us "old-timers" who have known him since his pre-military days, still use his middle name. Confusing it can be.

I feel bad about hijacking Laura's thread here but I have always been fascinated by names and their evolution and idiosyncrasies. I am a Catherine with a C but Katie with a K. Go figure. My step-grandmother's given name was Blossom (poor woman). She legally changed it in her 20s -- to "Kerby"! Of all the names she could have picked...*shakes head*...

I had eight names (first and middle) all picked out for my children when I was a teenager and now my husband and I have decided not to have any. All those beautiful names will go to waste - I keep trying to convince preganant friends to use them :-)

My grandmother had an aunt whose name was Cinderella. Really and truly. But everyone called her "Pinkie". (Her middle name was Kate, but of course no one ever called her that---too ordinary, I guess!)

Hijacking is no problem. I like having all this conversation going on because I don't have any books to report on at the moment and it keeps things lively!

Kerby ?! Interesting choice :)

I chose my new name for its meaning rather than the name itself when I changed mine.

#227: That is awesome!

Absolutely delighted about "Cinderella"! And Kerby is fascinating.

I'm having a very busy week. Enjoying my current book (The Hills at Home) tremendously, but it's one that needs to be savored.

Busy + savor = not making progress as quickly as I'd like.

Thanks for keeping things going here for me! Carry on, folks ...

Happy Almost Birthday To You Dear Laura!

I hope the 18th (Friday) is a special day for you.

>223 laytonwoman3rd: I think you're right, Linda. My great grandmother was Jenny Odel with no Jennifer or Guinevere or Virginia in sight.
>226 katiekrug: Oh, Catherine/Katie, I am with you all the way. I had three lovely names chosen for our son and two daughters (Thomas Graham, "Tog," Margaret Ann, and Sarah Edens), but no children to put them to. And since they are family names, nobody else would actually want them. There you have a long-cherished secret now out for the world to see.
>229 alcottacre: I just looked up Stasia and found: "Stasia is a somewhat popular first name for women (#3460 out of 4276)" according to the 1990 census.
Love Kerby and Cinderella! I've been astonished by the English names that my Chinese students have chosen for themselves: Andy, I can understand, but I'm bemused by his brother Simon, and --- Esther???

Having always despised my name, especially since I grew up in the pre-cell phone era of collect calls ("Tod?" "No, Tad" "What, Ted?" "No, TAD!" "Pat?" "Tad!!" "Oh, what's that short for?" "Nothing..."), I was determined to give my children what I think of as "normal" and "traditional" names: Nathaniel (Nate), Abigail (Abby) and Rebecca (Becca). I can't tell you how many times I've thought of changing my name to something a bit more mainstream...particularly an ancestor's name.

>233 Whisper1:: gee thanks, Linda! I like the idea of starting the party early!

>235 TadAD: I feel your pain, Tad. Nobody ever hears my name right on the first try. Plus I was lucky enough to get called "Mildew" in school. I always wondered what the heck my parents were thinking. Then on my 40th birthday my sisters told me that I'm named after the Lithuanian goddess of Freedom and Love. Nice! Why couldn't they tell me that in 5th grade, though? :)

Yikes, Tad and Milda. I feel for you. My husband is named Fabrizio, which is a perfectly nice and normal name if one has any exposure to Italian. However, most people don't, and here in western Canada his name just stops people dead. He might as well have four heads.

Laura--thanks for letting us all clutter up your thread with non-book talk!

>238 Milda-TX:: Hi Mildew, I'm Tadpole.

>240 TadAD: Hi Mildew and Tadpole, I'm Piggy.

Hi, Mildew, Tadpole and Piggy. I'm Menorah.

Tui is pooey, here. My brother was "Ian is peein' "

Children are such darlings to each other, aren't they...

My older brother and sister made this name up for me because I was always whingeing and whining (true, alas): "Lucy lousy squeaky skimpy sillyhead avery andrews" best sort of sung, it's easy to find the meter. My older brother Avery was Ovary, Emily never was subjected to a nickname but I called her Fatty because she was so perfect. She also told me the Vikings would have put me out on a hill to die because I was such a pathetic baby (asthma and funny ankles). But I do love her, rilly! Next bro was Owen eg Ovum ..... the last two were spared, both have the sort of names people leave alone, Marion (Merry) and John -- sigh.

O.K. I have the worst ever. I had a college friend whose last name was Poot. The family pronounced it "Pote," but she pretty quickly gave up trying to teach her grade school contemporaries. (Ovary and Ovum, eh? That's pretty bad too.)
And (since we have permission sort of to hijack Laura's thread while she's busy), here's a song that my grandfather taught my aunt, who was apparently a whiney child. I'm sure he made up the first few lines and added it to the generic "Go to the garden and there I'll cry; eat some worms and then I'll die...."
"When I was born my ma and pa
Took one look and said, 'Oh sha.'
Mama thought I looked like Pa; Papa said I looked like Ma.

The doctor said, 'It's a girl, I think.'
Pa went out and took a drink.
Always, always pick on me. Never, ever let me be.
Go to the garden ----"

OMG, this is hilarious!

No nasty nicknames in my family. I'm Laura, my brother is Chuck. Well, you can imagine the fun his friends had with that from time to time. But never in front of the parents :)

Chuck, Chuck, bo, buck,
Banana, fana,...

That's a great song!!!!! I love 'Took one look and said "Oh sha." That is priceless!

It looks like I will actually have to show up for jury duty tomorrow so I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday a little early. Hope you have something wonderful planned (like a day of reading)!

Happy Birthday, Laura!

glitter-graphics.com

A BIG wish for a Happy Birthday!

Well I don't know how it got by me but Happy Birthday Laura, belated unfortunately.

Thanks everybody for the birthday wishes. Late ones are fun too, Bonnie ... it keeps the celebration going! I had a nice day, and hubby and I went out to dinner which was delightful. Today I spent some birthday money on -- wait for it -- books ! Now on the way from Amazon and Awesomebooks:

- A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why We Read Jane Austen
- 13, rue Thérèse
- My Antonia
- Lucy Gayheart
- Blaming

The last 3 are Virago Modern Classics. Oh, and I bought a cookbook as well, Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.

VERY nice, Laura! Enjoy the weekend!!

Yum re the world vegetarian one.

#255: Nice birthday haul there, Laura!

>256 LizzieD:, 258: it was fun shopping with reckless abandon!
>257 tiffin:: I'm in dire need of a new cookbook. These days I find myself making the same dishes over & over ... need some new recipes to add to our daily dinner repertoire. And the book is an LT recommendation! There's a "vegan kitchen" thread in this group where we are also talking about vegetarian diets, and someone mentioned this book there.

I love name discussions.

I don't know much of my families names going back, other than that my grandmother wanted to name my mum Charlotte, but my aunt (at aged 6) declared that she wasn't going to have a little sister called Charlotte. So my mum was named Caroline.

Twenty-something years later, and my aunt's first daughter was named Charlotte, much to the annoyance of my grandmother. Even more galling, she has never been called Charlotte, always Lottie.

The only other amusing name tale is, when someone was going through the genealogy of our family, they discovered a girl called 'Enough'. She was the eleventh, and last, child of a vicar. Absolutely true.

>259 lauralkeet:: I should mail you some of my vegetarian cookbooks which I NEVER look at.

>261 tiffin:: ah, but perhaps you should look at them ?! Or are they done in that overly enthusiastic style? When we bought our first microwave in the 1980s it came with one of those enthusiastic cookbooks that told you how to make absolutely everything in your microwave. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I imagine those kind of vegetarian cookbooks exist as well.

"Awesome books?" I've never heard of this. I'm scurring off to google it.

I'm glad you had a great birthday.

Thanks Linda! I heard about Awesomebooks over in the Virago group. They are UK-based and a great source for Virago Modern Classics. They carry other books as well. And I don't remember the specifics but their shipping policies are liberal. I got free shipping from the UK on my 3 books.

Sorry I missed your birthday -- got immersed in a readathon -- hope you had a great day and some time for reading!

>262 lauralkeet:: Laura, I have quite a few of them. There is a lovely one from the Australian Women's Weekly people that I never crack open. I tend to stick with the Moosewood ones and a Canadian Living one I have.

Thanks, everyone, for holding down the fort with all the great "name" conversation and so forth. I finally finished a book!

Come on over to my new thread to read about it.