lindapanzo's 2011 reading part 2

Part 1 of my 2011 reading is located at: http://www.librarything.com/topic/96705

Here are my 11 categories, tentatively, for the 11 in 11 category challenge for 2011. I'm aiming for 11 books in each category (121 books), with an 11 book bonus (overflow from the other 11 categories) category.

1. Cozy mysteries--read 9 out of 11
2. Baseball books--read 8 out of 11
3. Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 6 out of 11
4. General nonfiction--read 11 out of 11--category finished
5. Even more general nonfiction--read 4 out of 11
6. Historical fiction--read 5 out of 11
7. Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 6 out of 11
8. Lincoln and the Civil War--read 5 out of 11
9. Next in the series--read 6 out of 11
10. Sports books--read 7 out of 11
11. Chicago books--read 3 out of 11

Bonus category: Overflow from Other Categories

Category 1: Cozy Mysteries--Read 9 of 11

1. Murder, By the Book by Stephen Budiansky--finished on 1/6/11
2. Bedeviled Eggs by Laura Childs--finished on 1/22/11
3. Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke--finished on 2/24/11
4. The Crafty Teddy by John J. Lamb--finished on 3/7/11
5. Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy--finished on 4/14/11
6. The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb--finished on 4/21/11
7. Laughed Til He Died by Carolyn Hart--finished on 5/5/11
8. Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck--finished on 6/5/11
9. Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier--finished on 6/23/11
10.
11.

POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--Threadbare by Monica Ferris
--Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett
--May Day by Jess Lourey
--Dead by Midnight by Carolyn Hart
--Death at the Alma Mater by G.M. Malliett
--Manna from Hades by Carola Dunn
--Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy
--The Chocolate Castle Clue by JoAnna Carl
--English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier

Category 2: Baseball Books--Finished 8 of 11

1. Going, Going, Gone! The Art of the Trade in Major League Baseball by Fran Zimniuc--finished on 1/10/11
2. Chasing Baseball: Our Obsession with Its History, Numbers, People and Places by Dorothy Seymour Mills--finished on 1/25/11
3. A Woman's Work: Writing Baseball History with Harold Seymour by Dorothy Jane Mills--finished on 2/15/11
4. The Joy of Keeping Score by Paul Dickson--finished on 3/4/11
5. Knuckler by Tim Wakefield--finished on 5/9/11
6. Ernie Banks: Mr Cub and the Summer of '69 by Phil Rogers--finished on 5/21/11
7. Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry--finished on 5/28/11
8. The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter by Ian O'Connor--finished on 6/29/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--Wrigley Field's Last World Series
--Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend by James S. Hirsch
--The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood by Jane Leavy
--The Last Hero: A Life of Hank Aaron by Howard Bryant
--Echoing Green by Joshua Prager
--The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls: The Unwritten Rules of America's Pastime by Jason Turbow and Michael Duca
--Roger Maris
--Mint Condition
--The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn
--Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella
--The Greatest Ballpark Ever by Bob McGee
--Baseball: A Literary Anthology
by Nicholas Dawidoff
--Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee by Allan Barra
--Scoring from Second
--Center Field Shot:A History of Baseball on Television by James R. Walker
--My Turn at Bat by Ted Williams
--Pull Up a Chair by Vin Scully
--The Yankee Years by Joe Torre
--Your Brain on Cubs by Dan Gordon
--The Psychology of Baseball by Mike Stadler
--Crazy '08
--Northsiders

Category 3: Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 6 out of 11

1. Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason (set in Iceland)--finished on 1/1/11
2. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear (set in England and France)--finished on 3/30/11
3. A Dark and Stormy Night by Jeanne Dams (set in England)--finished on 5/17/11
4. Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton (set in Scotland)--finished on 5/29/11
5. Blowback by Peter May (set in France)--finished on 6/1/11
6. Weeping on Wednesday by Ann Purser--finished on 6/14/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--The Grave Gourmet by Alexander Campion
--Death of an Addict by M.C. Beaton
--Season of Darkness by Maureen Jennings
--Vices of My Blood by Maureen Jennings
--A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
--Murder in the Marais by Cara Black (set in France)
--Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon (Italy)
--The Prophet Murders by Mehmet Murat Somer (Turkey)
--The Titian Committee by Iain Pears (Italy)
--The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
--The Abyssinian Proof by Jenny White (Turkey)
--The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin
--Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog by Boris Akunin
--The Snow Empress by Laura Joh Rowland (Japan)
--The Widow Killer (Czech)

Category 4: General Nonfiction--read 11 out of 11--category completed

1. Final Flight: The Mystery of a WW II Plane Crash and the Frozen Airmen in the High Sierra by Peter Stekel--finished on 1/8/11
2. Orange Is the New Black: My Year in Women's Prison by Piper Kerman--finished on 1/20/11
3. On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole--finished on 2/5/11
4. The Sound of Freedom by Raymond Arsenaut--finished on 2/7/11
5. Millard Fillmore by Robert J. Rayback--finished on 2/27/11
6. The Diary of a West Point Cadet by Preston Pysh--finished on 3/1/11
7. Porcelain and Steel by Donna M. McAleer--finished on 3/4/11
8. Franklin Pierce by Michael F. Holt--finished on 3/6/11
9. Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides--finished on 3/17/11
10. James Buchanan by Jean H. Baker--finished on 3/27/11
11. American Idol: The Untold Story by Richard Rushfield-finished on 4/23/11

POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg
Hitler's Private Library: The Books That Shaped His Life by Timothy W. Ryback
--Made in America by Claude Fischer
--When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins
--The Light Within: The Extraordinary Friendship of a Doctor and Patient Brought Together by Cancer by Lois M. Ramondetta
--The Great Good Place
--The Narcissism Epidemic
--Seven Pleasures
--Eiffel's Tower by Jill Jonnes
--The Courage of Their Convictions by Peter Irons
--Outliers by Malcoln Gladwell
--Country Driving: A Journey Through China From Farm to Factory by Peter Hessler
--The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
--The Day Wall Street Exploded: A Story of America in its First Age of Terror by Beverly Gage
--Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris
--The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
--Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition by Daniel Okrent
--Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre
--The Publisher: Henry Luce and His American Century by Alan Brinkley
--The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson

Category 5: Even more general nonfiction--read 4 out of 11

1. This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett--finished on 6/2/11
2. The Band that Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner--finished on 6/15/11
3. The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson--finished on 6/25/11
4. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs--finished on 7/4/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:

--In Motion: The Experience of Travel by Tony Hiss
--Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit
--A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
--Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
--Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier
--Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
--Blue Highways: A Journey Into America by William Least Heat-Moon
--A Sense of Place by Michael Shapiro
--Coast to Coast: A Journey Across 1950s America by Jan Morris
--Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory by Peter Hessler
--Great Plains by Ian Frazier
--Brit at the Ballpark: An Englishman's Baseball Tour of All 50 States by Peter Taylor

Category 6: Historical Fiction--Read 5 out of 11

1. Murder on St Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson--finished on 1/4/11
2. The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch--finished on 1/27/11
3. A Marked Man by Barbara Hamilton--finished on 2/4/11
4. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear--finished on 2/21/11
5. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn--finished on 7/2/11
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POSSIBLES:
--Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton
--In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff
--Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
--The Pearl Harbor Murders by Max Allan Collins
--Wings of Fire by Charles Todd
--The Gilded Cage by Troy Soos
--Death of Riley by Rhys Bowen
--A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
--A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
--A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch
--A Burial at Sea by Charles Finch
--Vices of My Blood by Maureen Jennings
--Rutland Place by Anne Perry
--No Graves as Yet by Anne Perry
--Room with a Clue by Kate Kingsbury
--The Jewel of the North by Peter King
--How to Marry a Murderer by Amanda Matetsky
--Dead March by Ann McMillan
--Murder at Manassas by Michael Killian
--Murder in Grub Street by Bruce Alexander
--Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? by Ed Gorman
--Death at Gallow's Green by Robin Paige
--Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo
--The Burning Bride by Margaret Lawrence
--The Dumb Shall Sing by Stephen Lewis
--A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly
--The Dutchman by Maan Meyers

Category 7: Seasonal Books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--finished 6 of 11

1. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming--finished on 1/15/11
2. Off Season: Discovering America on Winter's Shore by Ken McAlpine--finished on 2/12/11
3. Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training by Charles Fountain--finished on 3/22/11
4. Chasing Spring: An American Journey Through a Changing Season by Bruce Stutz--finished on 4/5/11
5. Summer of Shadows: A Murder, a Pennant Race, and the Twilight of the Best Location in the Nation by Jonathan Knight--finished on 4/27/11
6. The Winter of Her Discontent by Kathryn Miller Haines--finished on 6/20/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--Shadows of a Down East Summer by Lea Wait
--Winter of the Wolf Moon by Steve Hamilton
--Summer by Edith Wharton
--Freedom Summer by Bruce Watson
--The Eternal Summer: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Hogan in 1960, Golf's Golden Year by Curt Sampson
--Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines
--When Winter Returns by Kathryn Miller Haines
--Martian Summer by Andrew Kessler
--Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

--Winter World by Bernd Heinrich
--The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam
--Winter Brothers: A Season at the Edge of America by Ivan Doig
--Winter: A Spiritual Biography of the Season by Gary D. Schmidt
--Spring: A Spiritual Biography of the Season by Gary D. Schmidt
--Summer: A Spiritual Biography of the Season by Gary D. Schmidt
--Autumn: A Spiritual Biography of the Season by Gary D. Schmidt
--Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
--The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
--The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn
--The Stones of Summer by Dow Mossman
--Diamond Gems in Autumn by Warren Goldfein
--Winter Prey by John Sandford
--Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
--The Dead of Winter by Paula Gosling
--Europe's Last Summer by David Fromkin
--Last Lessons of Summer by Margaret Maron
--Winter Study by Nevada Barr
--The Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin
--Summer World by Bernd Heinrich
--The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
--One Summer by David Baldacci

Category 8: Lincoln and the Civil War--finished 5 of 11

1. Abraham Lincoln by George McGovern--finished on 4/9/11
2. 1858: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and the War They Failed to See by Bruce Chadwick--finished on 4/13/11
3. The Battle of Gettysburg by Frank Aretas Haskell--finished on 5/7/11
4. The American Civil War: A Military History by John Keegan--finished on 6/9/11
5. Why They Fought: The Real Reason for the Civil War by David Van Drehle--finished on 6/10/11
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LIKELY:
--Reveille in Washington
--Sultana
--General Sherman's Christmas by Stanley Weintraub
--The Siege of Washington by John Lockwood and Charles Lockwood
--A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald A. White
--We Are Lincoln Men: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends by David Herbert Donald
--Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin-own
--Lincoln's Melancholy by Joshua Wolf Shenk
--Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan
--Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief
by James M. McPherson
--For Cause and Comrades by by James M. McPherson
--Lincoln and His Admirals
--The South vs. the South : how anti-Confederate southerners shaped the course of the Civil War
--After the War: The Lives and Images of Major Civil War Figures After the Shooting Stopped by David E. Hardin.
--From Battlefields Rising: How The Civil War Transformed American Literature by Randall Fuller
--This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust
--Mr Lincoln's High Tech War by Thomas B Allen
--State of Jones
--Andersonvilles of the North

POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--John Ransom's Andersonville Diary
--Mr. Lincoln's War by Bruce Catton
--Glory Road by Bruce Catton
--A Stillness at Appomattox by Bruce Catton
--The Civil War: A Narrative: Fort Sumter to Perryville (vol 1) by Shelby Foote
--The Civil War: A Narrative: Fredericksburg to Meridian (vol 2) by Shelby Foote
--The Civil War: A Narrative: Red River to Appomattox (vol 3) by Shelby Foote
--All for the Union by Elisha Hunt Rhodes
--Lincoln President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861 Harold Holzer
--Looking for Lincoln: The Making of an American Icon by Philip B. Kunhardt III
--Confederate ordeal : the southern home front
--Reluctant Rebels by Kenneth Noe
--1858
--Year of Meteors by Douglas R. Egerton
--The Confederate States of America: What Might Have Been by Roger L. Ransom

Category 9: Next in the Series--finished 6 out of 11

1. Fiber & Brimstone by Laura Childs--finished on 1/8/11
2. The False Hearted Teddy by John J. Lamb--finished on 2/19/11
3. Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb--finished on 4/19/11
4. The Treacherous Teddy by John J. Lamb--finished on 5/25/11
5. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson--finished on 6/29/11
6. Smokin Seventeen by Janet Evanovich--finished on 7/4/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:

Category 10: Sports Books--finished 7 out of 11

1. The President's Team: The 1963 Army-Navy Game and the Assassination of JFK by Michael Connelly--finished on 1/2/11
2. A Championship Team: The Packers and St Norbert College in the Lombardi Years by Cliff Christl--finished on 1/16/11
3. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami--finished on 1/18/11
4. The Art of a Beautiful Game by Chris Ballard--finished on 2/2/11
5. Playing Ball with the Boys: The Rise of Women in the World of Men's Sports by Betsy M. Ross--finished on 2/25/11
6. The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes by Kerry Fraser--finished on 3/18/11
7. Holding Court by Christopher Gorringe--finished on 6/22/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--These Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN by John Andrew Miller
--Patrick Roy: Winning, Nothing Else Matters by Patrick Roy-own
--Golden Jet by Bobby Hull-own
--Brodeur: Beyond the Crease-own
--Jacques Plante: The Man Who Changed the Face of Hockey-own
--Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge
--A Passion to Win by Lou Nanne
--Searching for Bobby Orr
--Raising Stanley: What It Takes to Claim Hockey's Ultimate Prize by Ross Bernstein
--Eddie Shore and that Old-Time Hockey by C. Michael Hiam
--Barilko: Without a Trace by Kevin Shea
--The Greatest Game: The Montreal Canadiens, the Red Army, and the Night That Saved Hockey
--Future Greats and Heartbreaks: A Year Undercover in the Secret World of NHL Scouts Paperback
Gare Joyce
--The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association Paperback
Ed Willes
--The China Wall: The Timeless Legend of Johnny Bower
--'67: The Maple Leafs, Their Sensational Victory, and the End of an Empire

Category 11: Chicago Books--finished 3 of 11

1. Chicago's Midway Airport by Christopher Lynch--finished on 2/27/11
2. Oldest Chicago by David Anthony Witter--finished on 4/25/11
3. Popular Culture and the Enduring Myth of Chicago, 1871-1968 by Lisa Krissoff Boehm--finished on 6/13/11
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POSSIBLES INCLUDE:
--Chicago Jazz: A Cultural History, 1904-1930 by William Howland Kenney
--Marshall Field's: The Store That Helped Build Chicago by Gayle Soucheck
--Chicago Noir
--The Great Chicago Fire by Robert Cromrie
--Chicago's Forgotten Tragedy by Bill Cosgrove
--Great Chicago Fires by David Cowan
--On the Job
--Rule 53
--The Chicago River
--A History of Chicago (volume 1) by Bessie Louise Pierce
--Great Chicago fires : historic blazes that shaped a city by David Cowan
--Challenging Chicago by Perry Duis
--Division Street America by Studs Terkel
--The Sinking of the Eastland: America's Forgotten Tragedy
--One Thousand and One Afternoons by Ben Hecht
--Chicago Sports Reader
--Chi Town by Norbert Blei
--American Pharaoh by Adam Cohen and Elizabeth Taylor
--Forever open, clear, and free : the struggle for Chicago's lakefront by Lois Wille
--City of the Century by Donald L. Miller
--Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West By William Cronin
--The Gambler King of Clark Street: Michael C. McDonald and the Rise of Chicago's Democratic Machine by Richard Lindberg
--For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz Age Chicago

Bonus Category: Overflow from Other Categories--finished 0 out of 11

(If I had to guess, it'll be filled with general nonfiction and/or mystery series.)

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Oooh, am I first? Yippeeee! Nice new digs you've got here.

#14 Hi Laura: Yes, you're first. Welcome.

Nearly time for my month-end recap.

FEBRUARY RECAP

I finished only 12 TIOLI books this month (out of 12 books read) but the overall quality of this month's books was excellent. I also changed my chunkster books category to Chicago books, a repeat from 999 and 1010. I found I missed it.

I didn't read any Lincoln/Civil War books but, now that I've finished the Millard Fillmore bio, I will likely get started on this category soon.

Favorite book of the month: Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Least favorite book of the month: Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Here's where I stand so far:

Cozy mysteries--read 3 out of 11
--Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Baseball books--read 3 out of 11
--A Woman's Work: Writing Baseball History with Harold Seymour by Dorothy Jane Mills

Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 1 out of 11
--NONE THIS MONTH

General nonfiction--read 5 out of 11
--On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole
--The Sound of Freedom by Raymond Arsenaut
--Millard Fillmore by Robert J. Rayback

Even more general nonfiction--read 0 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Historical fiction--read 4 out of 11
--A Marked Man by Barbara Hamilton
--Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 2 out of 11
--Off Season: Discovering America on Winter's Shore by Ken McAlpine

Lincoln and the Civil War--read 0 out of 11
NONE READ THIS MONTH

Next in the series--read 2 out of 11
--The False Hearted Teddy by John J. Lamb

Sports books--read 5 out of 11
--The Art of a Beautiful Game by Chris Ballard
--Playing Ball with the Boys: The Rise of Women in the World of Men's Sports by Betsy M. Ross

Chicago books--read 1 out of 11
--Chicago's Midway Airport by Christopher Lynch

The Diary of a West Point Cadet by Preston Pysh

A short book filled with entertaining stories about the author's days at West Point. It tries to be a business book on leadership, which seems a bit of a stretch at times. Not bad.

By my reckoning, you've already read twice as many books this year as I have. I know you always read more than me in a year, but it's usually been about November before you finally pulled out of reach. However, the optimist in me insists that I'll catch up next month. (It's always "next" month!)

You're making great progress, and I'm glad that you've put your Chicago category back into the line-up. I love reading your reviews on Chicago books.

Happy birthday, today!

Thanks, Sandy. I'm off today. Just went to the monthly "senior luncheon" which was nice, though I brought the average age down by quite a bit.

I've got the 800-page book, At Dawn We Slept, which was on the bestseller list on my 21st birthday, this month. It might take well beyond this month. Some other chunksters in mind so I'll probably slow down the pace somewhat.

I agree with you that now that you're finished Fillmore, you should be moving along at a better clip and get to the Lincoln/ACW books soon. You have some great ones on the list that I've already read and ones that I may have to look at after I hear your opinion.

Did you hear about Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox coming out this month?

Thanks, Cheli. I'll have to look for that one.

My ER-winning book his month was the Reagan assassination attempt book (March 1981).

#18 Sandy, I compared my pace this year to that of the past two years and I am ahead of my pace in both.

This year, as of the end of February, I read 27 books. Last year, at that point, I'd read 21 books and, in '09, 23 books.

I usually start out strong and then slow down when baseball season starts (this year, on March 31st).

Happy Belated Birthday, Linda! I hope you enjoyed your day off (yay!) and had time to relax and take it easy. Any chance you stopped by a bookstore? :)

Hope you had an excellent day!

Hi! Found your new thread here. You are making good progress on this challenge!

#23 Thanks, Laura. My second half century is off to a good start.

No bookstores for me on my birthday but I did get a B&N gift card.

#24 That I am, Terri. For some odd reason though, this year, I seem to be reading a lot of books in the same categories. In past years, my reading was more "spread out." I may finish sports by the end of the month (or maybe end of April).

Porcelain and Steel by Dawn M. McAleer

I've read many books about the American military service academies and this is one of the better ones. This remarkable book looks at a spectrum of female West Point cadets, going back to the first year women were admitted in 1976, to see what sort of things they've done.

Yes, there are female generals and career soldiers but hearing about the other branches, such as military intelligence, military police, the quartermaster corps, as well as a military doctor and a military chaplain, was quite interesting. Also of interest: reading about the women who were severely injured, both in wartime and not. One soldier--from the military police I think--was shot during a patrol and lost an arm. Another became paralyzed during a skydiving accident.

Besides addressing why these women first decided to go to West Point, the book also looks at the rigors of Academy life, as well as how they coped with the leadership roles in the Army with balancing their personal lives.

Very interesting reading!!

The Joy of Keeping Score by Paul Dickson

This skimpy little book about keeping score at ballgames has some gem factoids but, to me, was slow and not all that interesting. Thankfully, it's also very short. Some people have loved it. I did not.

I'm a baseball fan who loves to peruse box scores but I'm not a fan of keeping score when I'm at the ballpark. I did not see any joy from this book in keeping score.

The historic timeline of scoring rules was somewhat interesting. I didn't realize, for instance, that the RBI was not a stat until 1920.

I would've liked to see more scorecard artwork.

Porcelain and Steel sounds like a good read.

Franklin Pierce by Michael F. Holt

This short bio is the American Presidents series entry on our 14th president, Franklin Pierce. Thought to be one of our most handsome presidents, Pierce is also considered to be among our worst ever.

He seemed to be a flawed leader who was unsuited for the presidency, someone more concerned with saving his party than with saving the Union.

I'd say this book is only ok. Seemed even shorter than the other American Presidents series books, if that's possible. There doesn't seem to be a lot out there about Franklin Pierce so this one'll have to do.

#28 I've seen in-depth books about one particular cadet or midshipman but Porcelain and Steel was nice in that it went in-depth on a number of them.

The Crafty Teddy by John J. Lamb

This is the third book in the cozy series set in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, featuring Brad Lyon, a former San Francisco cop who was shot in the line of duty and retired (on disability). In this one, Brad works with Sheriff Tina and his wife, a teddy bear maker, in catching the person who killed a museum worker.

I like this one the best in this series, so far. Some teddy bear talk and I enjoy the primary and secondary characters.

Just realized, I'm more than one-quarter of the way to my 11 in 11 Challenge goal of reading 11 books in 11 categories (121 books). So far, I've read 31/121.

Woohoo! Congratulations, Linda! (I think I'm in the same ballpark by some weird chance.) Hope you have a good Friday ahead of you!

Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides

This remarkable book about James Earl Ray, Dr Martin Luther King's assassin, will likely be on my top 10 list for the year. It's a spellbinding look at James Earl Ray from his escape from the maximum security prison in Jefferson City, MO, through the assassination in April of 1968 until his capture in England, 65 days later. Remarkably, Ray eluded police in several nations before his capture.

The author gathers material from many different places and takes the reader inside the mind of James Earl Ray.

An amazing book, painful to read, at times, but one I'd highly recommend.

The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes by Kerry Fraser

Geez, I had a hard time tracking this book down. My library finally found it in a library in the Cleveland suburbs of all places (no NHL team there).

Kerry Fraser has always been one of my favorite hockey referees and I enjoyed this look at his 30-year career in the NHL. His take on some controversial calls and non-calls and his behind-the-scene look at his interactions with some of the greats (Gretzky, Howe, Messier) and journeymen of the game were quite interesting. Not surprisingly, hockey players, coaches, and execs are about as down to earth, respectful, and genuinely nice as I would've guessed before reading this.

Fraser loved his job and, even during his final season, was like a little kid on the day of the Winter Classic at Fenway Park (1/1/10).

Instead of taking a chronological approach, Fraser's book had subject matter chapters, then followed by chapters with some of his memories in many NHL cities. Of course, I enjoyed the Blackhawks stories the best.

Very enjoyable book.

Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training by Charles Fountain

This one starts out exceptionally well, talking about the early days of spring training. Cap Anson took his players to Hot Springs, Arkansas in the 1880s for steaming out winter alcohol because they reported "looking like aldermen." Later, under John McGraw, players started doing more drills, not just calisthenics and medicine ball work. Not too much later, all the teams were holding spring training in warmer climes, interrupted only by World War 2, when teams trained closer to home. (The Cubs went to French Lick, Indiana.)

The author also delves into the discrimination that black players faced in Florida.

Then, the book suddenly shifts from baseball to business talking, ad nauseam, about teams and Florida towns and their dealmaking. It really got tedious. I heard more about political maneuvering than I'd care to read about in a baseball book. The only thing certain about spring training is its inpermanence.

Not one of the better baseball books I've read, I'm afraid.

I'm about halfway through James Buchanan by Jean Baker (the American Presidents series bio). Once I finish that, I'll get started, at long last, on my Lincoln and the Civil War category.

For that, I'm thinking about reading the American Presidents bio on Lincoln by George McGovern, just to get an intro to him. After that, probably 1858 by Bruce Chadwick, Year of Meteors by Douglas R. Egerton, and Lincoln President Elect Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter by Harold Holzer.

I've got four Civil War-related chunksters (the Shelby Foote trilogy and also Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Since this'll likely be at least a two-year endeavor for me, I'm thinking I'll read two of those chunksters this year and two next year.

James Buchanan by Jean H. Baker

I've read yet another book in the American Presidents series, this one about James Buchanan, who is arguably our worst president ever.

I'd always heard that Buchanan was weak and ineffective but, according to this author, he was strong-minded yet pro-southern, bordering on treasonous at times. Amazingly, going into the presidency, he was among the best-qualified presidents ever.

Unlike other books in this series, which are bland and consise, this one is opinionated yet concise.

At long last, I can now move on to Lincoln and the Civil War, an 11 in 11 Challenge category I haven't touched yet this year.

Unpardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

I really enjoyed this third Maisie Dobbs post-World War 1 historical mystery. I enjoy how Maisie tackles all sorts of war-related issues, in this case, how families hope to verify how and where their loved ones died during the war.

Maisie seems much more introspective in this one but, unlike many mysteries, I found all of the threads equally compelling.

This is one series, I believe, that gets better with each book.

MARCH RECAP

I finished 10 11 in 11 Challenge books books this month (out of 10 books read). So, with one quarter of the year down, I've read 36 out of 121 11 in 11 books.

Favorite book of the month: Hellhound on His Trail
Least favorite book of the month: The Joy of Keeping Score

Here's where I stand so far:

Cozy mysteries--read 4 out of 11
--The Crafty Teddy by John J. Lamb

Baseball books--read 4 out of 11
--The Joy of Keeping Score by Paul Dickson

Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 2 out of 11
--Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

General nonfiction--read 10 out of 11
--The Diary of a West Point Cadet by Preston Pysh
--Porcelain and Steel by Donna M. McAleer
--Franklin Pierce by Michael F. Holt
--Hellhound on His Trail by Hampton Sides
--James Buchanan by Jean H. Baker

Even more general nonfiction--read 0 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Historical fiction--read 4 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 3 out of 11
--Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training by Charles Fountain

Lincoln and the Civil War--read 0 out of 11
NONE READ THIS MONTH

Next in the series--read 2 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Sports books--read 6 out of 11
--The Final Call: Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes by Kerry Fraser

Chicago books--read 1 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Chasing Spring: An American Journey Through a Changing Season by Bruce Stutz

The author borrows a huge 1994 Chevy sedan and travels around, experiencing spring in different locales, including the desert southwest and, right before the summer solstice, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

I was expecting a comprehensive look at spring, including social issues (rites of spring and others) but it really was solely a travel narrative, with a heavy emphasis on nature. Oh and a lot of pontificating on climate change.

Not a bad book but just not what I expected. His writing his beautiful but, somehow, overly done.

Sorry I can't work this into an 11 in 11 challenge category.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water for Elephants is probably my favorite book so far this year. Excellent. Great story.

I don’t usually like circuses at all but the detail/information the author provides about travelling circus life is astounding.

Even though my grandparents were born in Poland and I can understand a bit of spoken Polish, I do regret that I can't read Polish. I would've loved to be able to read those words.

SPOILER: I was puzzled by something I read early on but guessed what would ultimately happen and why.

Sorry I can't work this into an 11 in 11 challenge category.

I'd put it in "Historical Fiction." It takes place in the 1930s, and she did a lot of research about the circus at the time. At least, in my evaluation it's as much historical fiction as the Winspear books...

I'm glad you liked it so much! It's also a favorite of my daughter who reads mostly non-fiction. I've noticed before that you and she seem to have similar taste in novels.

Abraham Lincoln by George McGovern

Finally, I've finished a Lincoln/Civil War book. This one, part of the American Presidents series, is a basic introduction to Lincoln's life. Sen McGovern does a good job of touching on all aspects of Lincoln's life and leaves me eager to read more.

Recommended as a good starting point.

I have Water for Elephants on my TBR pile. Glad to see you liked it!

1858: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and the War They Failed to See by Bruce Chadwick

I found this to be a very interesting, very informative book about the landmark year, 1858. A great intro to the leading players of the Civil War. I'd never heard about the Oberlin (Ohio) rescuers so that was interesting. Learned quite a bit about Jeff Davis, William Tecumseh Sherman, and many others. As I mentioned earlier, I never knew that Lincoln won the popular vote in his 1858 U.S. Senate election vs Stephen Douglas.

A few gripes though. The title is misleading. Not much on Lee and I'd be hard pressed to remember the author ever talking about Grant, except in connection with him running into Sherman on a St Louis street and his classmates at West Point calling him Sam.

Even worse, the author had an annoying habit of re-introducing characters he just introduced. For instance, introducing Sherman's foster father and then two pages later, reintroducing him. Sloppy writing and/or editing.

#45 I saw a TV ad for the Water for Elephants movie yesterday. Looks good. I definitely want to see that one.

Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy

This fourth book in Hyzy's White House chef series is an enjoyable (albeit "different") cozy mystery. A quick, unputdownable mystery.

In this one, the chefs have to deal with a new president and first lady (with youngish children). A key point is that someone sent in chicken wings with a note that they were for the first children.

I like the fact that Hyzy is changing things around a bit. This is one of my favorite current series and I'm eager to read the next one. Highly recommended--one of my favorite cozies of the year.

Well, I've now read about one-third of my 11 in 11 books and we've got two weeks left til we're a third of the way through the year so I guess I can say that I'm a bit ahead of schedule.

Things were moving along swimmingly but then, for the past 4 to 6 weeks, I haven't felt as much like reading. I'm getting back into my reading routine so I'm feeling optimistic again about 11 in 11.

You're doing wonderfully well, Linda! I am, as usual, very impressed with all the non-fiction you've read.

I really want to start on that Julie Hyzy series!

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

This latest book in the long-running Lt Eve Dallas series is quite different from the others. Instead of focusing her talents on an unknown assailant, this time, she takes on "dirty" cops.

Not as suspenseful as most of the other books but, in many ways, more enjoyable than usual. My only gripe is that it all seems to come off too perfectly.

hey, girl,
did I hear that you aren't reading that much this month or that you just changed your mind about what you're going to read?

I still have the first in the Julie Hyzy series to read and I have so many "In Death" to read it's not even funny. I think I'm at Vengeance in Death.

Looks like you're on track and so far I'm staying focused, I guess because it's still early and I can fit a whole series into my challenge.( i.e. Maisie Dobbs and Rev Clare Fergusson).

Staying focused, yes.

Reading a lot, no. It's the 20th day of the month and I've read only 6 books this month. April usually isn't good. Between the start of baseball season and the hockey playoffs, I don't read much.

I usually take a week off in April and I didn't do that this month.

The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb

As usual, I loved this teddy bear mystery featuring a retired (due to disability) San Francisco cop who now makes teddy bears with his wife in the Shenandoah Valley.

Usually, these books are cozy but, in this one, the ex-cop goes back to SF and consults on a case so it's more like a somewhat cozy police procedural.

Love this series.

American Idol: The Untold Story by Richard Rushfield

Beyond books and baseball, one of my favorite pastimes is watching American Idol. I'm a huge fan and will argue/debate/analyze every nuance of the show.

For a real Idol fan, this book is terrific, offering lots of insights into the participants during the first 8 seasons (not much on last season and nothing on season 10). Gossip and other information about the judges, the Idol execs and, particularly, the contestants themselves abounds.

Loved it, though I don't think many of my LT friends would feel the same.

I completed my first category. One down, 10 to go.

Congrats on completing a category!

Oldest Chicago by David Anthony Witter

As a lifelong (50 years) Chicagoland resident, I thought I'd known nearly everything there is to know about the longest-standing places in the area. This book showed me that I was mistaken.

Sure, I've been to plenty of the longest-standing Chicago places, such as the oldest hot dog place (Super Dawg), the oldest hotel, the Palmer House, and the oldest Italian restaurant (Italian Village) but there are plenty of places I'd never heard of.

This interesting book also gave me information about things/people I pass by but never knew about.

However, you don't have to be a Chicagoland resident or even a Chicago history buff like I am, to enjoy this book. In fact, it's even more suited to the Chicago tourist. After addressing each "oldest place" for 2 or 3 pages, the author provides a brief look at other interesting attractions and/or restaurants in the same neighborhood or of the same type.

Though I quibbled with a fact or two here and there (the McHenry outdoor theater is certainly not closed) and wish that the author had said something about my county, Lake County, this book is a keeper. An informative and fun look at Chicago history. I'd definitely recommend this one.

Thanks! That one does sound interesting. In the last two years, I have visited the windy city twice and loved every minute of it! This one sounds like it's right up my alley.

Hi Linda! Yeah, not much of a warm-up around here, either. I have had a window open the last couple of days, but only when the sun is out. At least I can turn the heat off until later at night - my electric bill should see some relief!

Congrats on finishing your first category! Oldest Chicago sounds interesting, I'll have to check the library for a copy. (Is this from that pub company with all of the Chicago books in their back catalog?)

I'm about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through Hellhound. It's getting a little easier to handle, but I was really having a hard time listening to all of these people filled with so much hate and anger - I had to limit myself to 30 min a day - but now it's getting a little more into "the story" and there's less world-building so to speak. So far so good! (I wonder what it would be like to read this, as opposed to listening to it like I am now. Hm.)

Have a good night!

>55 lindapanzo: I keep reading good reviews for this Teddy Bear mystery series. I am going to have to try it, so I added the first one in the series, The Mournful Teddy, to my wishlist.

#62 These teddy bear mysteries are definitely on the cozy side but having a former cop adds a bit of an edge to it.

#60/61 Visitors always welcome here and in the city. Laura, this was the ER book in which the publisher gave me pretty free rein on their backlist for only the price of shipping. I think I got 4 or 5 books from them.

One upcoming goal is to get caught up on my ER, netgalley, and Lake Claremont Press books. Not all at once, of course, but I'd like to get cracking on getting caught up.

I'm so relieved to be on my last outstanding NetGalley review for the moment. I'm all caught up with ER at the moment!

#64 I want to read the two baseball net galleys I've got. I've spotted a new baseball one from that same publisher which sounds great but I want to be up to date with them before I ask for it.

Summer of Shadows: A Murder, a Pennant Race, and the Twilight of the Best Location in the Nation by Jonathan Knight
(Early Reviewers book)

This enjoyable, interesting book tells three stories. First, it’s a baseball book about the 1954 Cleveland Indians, one of the greatest teams of all time. Second (and secondarily), it tells the story of the Sam Sheppard case, in which the suburban Cleveland doctor was accused of murdering his wife, Marilyn, on July 4, 1954. Third, the author spends some time talking about the decline of the city of Cleveland, which in 1954 was still called “the best location in the nation” but, by 1969, was called “the mistake by the lake.”

As for the baseball part, I’ve read many similar books and the author does a decent job talking about the great Indians team, which won 111 games (out of 154), and its players, such as Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, and Al Rosen, along with its manager, Al Lopez, and its GM, Hank Greenberg. What is off-putting, however, is how he talks about each World Series game as an “Autumn Interlude” throughout the book. It disrupts the flow of the narrative as the reader needs to think about whether the author is talking about the regular season pennant chase or the World Series. Also, once the final Autumn Interlude is done, I had no interest whatsoever in going back to the text and reading about the anti-climactic pennant chase.

The parts of the book dealing with the Sam Sheppard case were interesting though I wish the author had done more with how the Sheppard case changed the law. He does do a good job of talking about how the crime scene was contaminated—star Cleveland Browns quarterback, Otto Graham, lived nearby and was allowed to traipse through the house after the crime as was a neighbor boy who was looking for his lost pet turtle. The author also talks of how the Sheppard case ended up being a “trial by newspaper” and the legal reforms the U.S. Supreme Court eventually imposed on how newspaper reporters operate in the courtroom.

I enjoyed how the author put the year, 1954, into context, talking about such events as window air conditioners and also frozen dinners coming into widespread use.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, though I’d caution readers to be prepared for an author who jumps around a bit too much.

Linda, great review of Summer of Shadows. I think you captured the essence of the book better than I did.

And I agree -- he did jump around a bit too much, didn't he?

Terri, I would not have put the last World Series game summary that far from the end. I would've ended with that. After that point (even though I knew what would happen), I really didn't care about reading any more about the season.

With my nephew's first communion and luncheon on Sat, I'm not likely to finish anything else so I think I'll do my April recap a day early.

APRIL RECAP

I finished 9 11 in 11 Challenge books books this month (out of 10 books read). So, with one third of the year done, I've read 45 out of 121 11 in 11 books.

My favorite book of the month: my non 11 in 11 book--Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My least favorite book of the month: It was very good but, if I had to pick one, it'd be Chasing Spring by Bruce Stutz.

I've finished one category already, general nonfiction. One category down and 10 to go.

Here's where I stand so far:

Cozy mysteries--read 6 out of 11
--Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy
--The Clockwork Teddy by John J. Lamb

Baseball books--read 4 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 2 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

General nonfiction--read 11 out of 11--category finished
--American Idol: The Untold Story by Richard Rushfield

Even more general nonfiction--read 0 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Historical fiction--read 4 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 5 out of 11
--Chasing Spring: An American Journey Through a Changing Season by Bruce Stutz
--Summer of Shadows: A Murder, a Pennant Race, and the Twilight of the Best Location in the Nation by Jonathan Knight

Lincoln and the Civil War--read 2 out of 11
--Abraham Lincoln by George McGovern
--1858: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and the War They Failed to See by Bruce Chadwick

Next in the series--read 3 out of 11
--Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

Sports books--read 6 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Chicago books--read 2 out of 11
--Oldest Chicago by David Anthony Witter

Good progress, Linda!

Great progress!

Laughed Til He Died by Carolyn Hart

Hart is among my very favorite currently-writing mystery authors and her Annie Laurance Darling "Death on Demand" mystery bookstore series in South Carolina is my favorite of her three series. Loved this one, from last year. I think it's about the 20th in the series.

This one is set at an after-school youth facility but she could set this series anywhere and I'd love it. Hart's writing is beautiful and the plots are always clever.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes cozy mysteries. If you like cozies and haven't read this series, you're really missing out.

I'm going to pretend I didn't just read the above post about cozy mystery series that I haven't yet read. Nope, didn't read it. Uh-uh. *shakes head* See? Anything I read about this excellent new-to-me series just fell right out of my head.

BTW, have you read the Pennyfoot Hotel series at all? It's by Kate Kingsbury. My Mom just called me to ask if I knew anyone who's read them. There's a big wish list for the first one at PaperbackSwap, and the cheapest Amazon has them for resale is somewhere around $35 - yikes! I (or really, we) wonder if it's worth hunting down.

Laura, I've read a couple of the Christmas installments. I think I might have the first one. I'll have to check. Room with a Clue?

I absolutely loved her other series, the World War 2 manor series, but that one has ended.

Yep, Room with a Clue is the first. I'll pass on the info on the WWII series to her - she'll probably just swear at me "Dammit, why are you telling me this?!?", then laugh and ask me to start tracking them down for her. :) It's nice having a book addict for a parent!

Great! Just what I need - a couple more cozy series to acquire. I have to stop reading this thread. It's bad for my TBR. Yeah.. That's what I'll do... stop dropping by... well maybe I'll just read a little while more...

The Battle of Gettysburg by Frank Aretas Haskell

In my Civil War reading, I wanted to read at least one eyewitness account of the war by a participant. This long letter from a lieutenant from Wisconsin to his brother about the battle of Gettysburg is an excellent example of a detailed eyewitness account. Before the war, Haskell was a lawyer from Portage, WI and, at the time of Gettysburg, he was a lieutenant and an aide-de-camp to General Gibbon. (He was later promoted to colonel and died in another Civil War battle.)

Haskell provides a very detailed account of the sights and sounds of warfare and, once I got accustomed to the more flowery 19th century language, I really enjoyed this account from the only remaining mounted officer to help rally the troops during Pickett's charge.

His reports on burying the dead and encountering piles of severed limbs in the hospitals afterwards are unforgettable. Haskell was not at all shy about offering his praise, and his criticism of both his rebel opponents and his fellow union soldiers and their leaders. Praise for how many rebels fought in the battle but criticism for their plundering the dead bodies, for example.

One thing I won't forget: on the second or third day (can't remember which), all seemed clear so some of the soldiers and generals sat down to lunch, a lunch that was rudely interrupted by the start of the day's battle.

Very interesting account.

#77 I may look that one up!

Yes, it sounds fascinating!

Knuckler: My Life with Baseball's Most Confounding Pitch by Tim Wakefield

(my first net galley review)

Knuckleball pitchers are different. For most pitchers, throwing as hard as possible is a key element in their success. Reaching 100 mph on the speed gun is impressive. Not so with knuckleball pitchers. Throwing hard actually makes them less successful.

When knuckleball pitchers release the ball, they have no idea where it’s going and it often travels at speeds that are underwhelming. Managers and pitching coaches don’t feel capable of providing knuckleball pitchers with advice because they don’t know either. Most catchers hate catching knuckleball pitchers. Even on strikeouts, catchers often are unable to control the ball. Wakefield’s stories on these topics are detailed in this wonderfully informative book. But that’s just the beginning.

Knuckleball pitchers comprise a small fraternity of ballplayers—Phil and Joe Niekro, Hoyt Wilhelm, Wilbur Wood, and Charlie Hough are about the only others that spring to mind--and I’ve never seen such an eye-opening look at a knuckleball pitcher before. The autobiography of long-time Boston Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield not only goes behind the scenes to talk about how he came to develop his knuckler but also how he managed to survive in major league baseball with it for nearly 20 years, winning two World Series championships and making him the elder statesman on the Boston pitching staff. Great stuff for the diehard baseball fan and the more casual fan alike.

There’s lots of little-known information in this book. For example, unlike most pitchers who love when the wind is blowing in, knuckleball pitchers actually prefer for the wind to be blowing out, which makes the knuckler dance around more. While most pitchers are held to strict pitch counts, knuckleball pitchers can pile up the pitches and the innings, often starting a game one day and relieving the next, which is unthinkable for “regular” pitchers.

Besides the baseball angle, Wakefield seems like one of the nicest, regular guys in major league baseball and even the nonfan might enjoy reading about that. Highly recommended!!

A Dark and Stormy Night by Jeanne Dams

Jeanne Dams' Dorothy Martin series is among my favorite cozy series. A middle aged American woman living in a small English town. Very traditional. Sadly, she wrote 9 of them but none in years. Until recently.

This 10th one was very good. I've read plenty of old mysteries where the weekend party at the English manor house is cut off from civilization. I thought it would be hard to do this in a modern setting but Dams makes this traditional mystery feature believable in the modern world.

Loved it. If you love cozies, I'd highly recommend this one (and this series) to you.

>81 lindapanzo: Sounds like it was worth the wait. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy! I love the series too.

Oh, it does sound like fun. I like this series. I think because it's good fun and it's not gimmicky at all. I will have to add it to the list.

Nope. Not going to read about that new series. Not gonna do it. Nuh-uh.

*sigh* Oh fine, I guess I'll add it to the wishlist. Honestly, some people and their trying to recommend good books. :)

Hope you have a great weekend, Linda. How's the weather down by you? It's 80 degrees here today, I almost don't know what to do with myself!

You are so mean! Don't I have enough series to keep up with? You have to go and give me another one. I guess I'll just have to suffer through.

*sigh* Let's see how can I get back at her???? Taps her cheek...I'll have to go through my list and give her one back...*evil snicker*

I'm almost done with that teddy bear series, Cheli. Need to read the last one.

Laura, very warm here this weekend, too. I've got my high school alumni outing to the White Sox game on Sat afternoon. I am not a Sox fan but we're sitting on the patio in right field.

Now that my hometown girl was voted off on American Idol last night, I will have a whole lot more time to read.

>81 lindapanzo:

It'll be a while before I get A Dark and Stormy Night from the library, although I'm looking forward to it.

I actually think I prefer her Hilda Johansson series even more. Have you read it?

Ernie Banks: Mr Cub and the Summer of '69 by Phil Rogers

I wanted to love this book about my favorite baseball team and one of my favorite seasons. It's by a knowledgeable writer but he jumps around chronologically far too much for my taste.

Interesting info but could have been much better written.

#87 I've read a few of her other series, the Hilda Johansson series. I enjoyed them but preferred the Dorothy Martin books. Even so, I ought to figure out where I left off and try to catch up on those.

Thanks for reminding me about that other series.

It's too bad that Ernie Banks didn't live up to your expectations. It's such a bummer when you really want like something, to be able to rave about it, and just can't.

I hope your next book is better.

I can't put my finger on why I really like the Hilda Johansson series -- perhaps that as a genealogist I like reading about the immigrant experience? Who knows. You're not the only person to tell me they prefer the Dorothy Martin series.

The Treacherous Teddy by John J. Lamb

Loved this cozy set in the Shenandoah Valley, in Virginia, and featuring the ex-cop who now is involved in the teddy bear business.

When there's a series I like, I'm always pleased when the books are set in the usual place, as this one is.

Right now, this is the last one and, on the author's website, there's only a mention of another series. I hope he continues with these as I really enjoy them.

Despite my recent reading drought, I'm still just barely on pace to finish 11 in 11 this year.

The fun is in the trying, right?

Absolutely! I think you'll finish the 11 this year, no problem. You'll be out of the drought soon enough (though I'm sure it doesn't feel like it) and whipping through lots of excellent books before you know it. You can do it!!! (Plus, it's only halfway through the year and you're nearly at the halfway point - plenty of time still.)

Very true, Laura. Ten books per month should just about do it and I'm right there.

I've got times of the year when I read a lot: Jan/Feb, summer, and late Oct to early Dec. Times when I don't read as much: April-May, the holidays etc.

The fun is in the trying, right?

Absolutely! It looks like you'll meet your goals, but if it starts seeming doubtful, you can always do what I did: just lower the goals!

#95 Good idea, Ivy. Hadn't thought about reducing the goals at all.

Right now, I'm not including duplicates/overlaps but may start doing that.

Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry

I read a lot of baseball books and this is one of the best I've read in a long time. It's the story of the 1981 Triple A (minor league) game between Rochester and Pawtucket, which started on Easter Saturday, and, 8 hours later, at 4 am on Easter Sunday, was still going at the end of 32 innings, only to be finished several months later. It should've ended at 12:50 am, at the usual International League curfew which was inadvertently omitted from that year's set of rules. It was and, as far as I know, remains, organized baseball's longest game ever.

I picked it up to learn more about the then minor leaguers, Wade Boggs of Pawtucket and Cal Ripken of Rochester. The parts about the famous were interesting but the parts of the book dealing with those who never made it were even more so.

An excellent book, one I'd recommend even to the nonbaseball fan. There's plenty about baseball, or course, but even more about life and its tragedies and disappointments.

Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton

I think the long-running Hamish MacBeth series had gotten a bit stale but this newest book in this series injects some new life into the series. I'd still like to see more movement in Hamish's life but this action-packed book had an interesting plot and was not just a revisit with old familiar friends, as had been true in other recent books in this series.

I've worried for a while that I won't finish the full 11 in 11 challenge and have thought about reducing it to a 7 in 11 and then a 9 in 11 so that I can always raise it back to 11 in 11 but then the effort is all the fun!

Last year I fell short by 1 book the goal that I set for myself which is the same as what the 11 in 11 altogether. Even though I didn't make it, the world didn't end last week like they said it was supposed to, so obviously if we can't finish it, the world will go on.

The big question---- what is the 2012 challenge going to be? I like the idea of 6 of 1 and ½ a dozen of another in 2012.

Cheli, I made mine 7 and up to 11. I'm going to consider it complete when I've hit 7 in every category. I've already read over 77 books, but I still have one or two in a few categories to go to meet the challenge.

99 -- I like "six of one, half dozen of another" for 2012! What does it mean? :) On the other hand, I kind of want to try my hand at a 12 in 12...you know, "one gross challenge." I can tell you right now, though, I will not be doing 13 in 13!

I, too, was thinking about the 12 in 12 challenge. Maybe 12 in 2 categories, 11 in 2 categories, 10 in 2 categories, 9 in 2 categories, 8 in 2 categories, and 7 in 2 categories.

I "officially" lowered my goal to a 7/11 challenge (7 in each category), and will be satisfied with that. But of course, as soon as I did that, I kept reading the Maisie Dobbs books and am now past 7 in my British Mystery category.

If I added right, a 2012 step challenge would be 78 books, and "half a dozen" in 12 categories would be 72. Both of those seem pretty achievable to me. But 12 in 6 categories plus 6 in 6 categories would be 96 (I think), and that also seems like a good goal for me -- is that what you meant, Cheli?

I like the modified step challenge, too (in msg 102), but I think that's 114 books -- probably stretching it a bit for me.

I set my minimum goal for 7 in each category, but I can go up to 11 in any or all of the categories if I want to.

I'm not ready to think of 2012 yet. :( This year is going by too fast!

I have 5 books to go to hit 7 in every category. I've already hit 11 in at least one category. I've identified the books I want to use to fill it out, but some are at home (in print). It will be next month before I can finish the 11 in 11 challenge. In the meantime, I'll probably hit 11 in a couple of other categories. I do have one book on my Kindle that I'll use to finish the Asian category. At least it seems that it will fit my description.

For now, at least, I'm still aiming to read 11 books in each of the 11 categories I've chosen.

I'm still slightly ahead of the pace and, if I choose books wisely or else start to count a book twice occasionally, I could still do it.

For now, at least, I still love these categories and wouldn't mind continuing these 11, plus another, for a possible 12 in 12.

Ah what fun, thinking about next year's challenge already!

It looks like you are on track Linda. What usually happens to me is that I have several five hundred page books at the end.

I am planning on making sure that doesn't happen this year.

MAY RECAP

I finished 8 11 in 11 Challenge books books this month (out of 10 books read). So, with 5 months of the year done, I've read 53 out of 121 11 in 11 books.

My favorite book of the month: Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry.
My least favorite book of the month: The Dangerous Edge of Things by Tina Whittle.

I've finished one category already, general nonfiction. One category down and 10 to go.

Here's where I stand so far:

Cozy mysteries--read 7 out of 11
--Laughed Til He Died by Carolyn Hart

Baseball books--read 7 out of 11
--Knuckler by Tim Wakefield
--Ernie Banks: Mr Cub and the Summer of '69 by Phil Rogers
--Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game by Dan Barry

Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 4 out of 11
--A Dark and Stormy Night by Jeanne Dams (set in England)
--Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton (set in Scotland)

General nonfiction--read 11 out of 11--category finished

Even more general nonfiction--read 0 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Historical fiction--read 4 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 5 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Lincoln and the Civil War--read 3 out of 11
--The Battle of Gettysburg by Frank Aretas Haskell

Next in the series--read 4 out of 11
--The Treacherous Teddy by John J. Lamb

Sports books--read 6 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Chicago books--read 2 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

>97 lindapanzo: - Living just down the highway a bit from Pawtucket, I can remember the newspaper headlines when that game took place. And every so often during baseball season it will get mentioned again on the news. Actually was in Pawtucket Sat night to see them play Indianapolis team. (they blew a 7-0 lead and lost 9-7)

I just had to up my challenge from 5 in each category to 6 because I won another ER book and it doesn't fit anywhere excepet my miscellaneous category which is already full.

Some great ideas for 12. I've already started thinking about it too.

Blowback by Peter May
(a net galley book)

I believe that the best mysteries are those that go beyond “merely” having a clever plot and well-drawn characters to include those in which the reader learns something. In this fifth Enzo Macleod cold case mystery, the reader is treated to an intricate plot, well-drawn characters and a world of information about French haute cuisine, specifically via the murder (and cold case investigation seven years later) of France’s greatest chef and owner of a Michelin three-star restaurant in a remote area of France.

I thoroughly enjoyed how the author skillfully explained such things as how restaurants get and keep their Michelin stars and how a man from humble beginnings could become France’s greatest chef. Beyond that, however, I loved the concept of going back to solve cold cases and all the evidentiary problems this entails. Apparently, Macleod, a forensic scientist, is attempting to use modern techniques to solve seven cold cases discussed in a book (this is the fifth of those cases). It wasn’t entirely clear (which was my only gripe about this book) but I think he’s doing so on a bet made in the first book.

By the end, I absolutely could not put this book down and stayed up until the wee hours to finish it. It’s quite possibly my favorite mystery of the year so far.

Needless to say, immediately upon finishing Blowback, I ordered a Kindle copy of the first book in the Enzo series, Dry Bones, and plan to read that one soon. Excellent book. If you like food, wine, or mysteries, I think you’ll love this book.

Darn it, looks like I'll have to add it to my library list. *sigh* Thanks for a very convincing review!

You are so mean! Another series for me to read!

**She thinks it's funny to keep adding books to my wishlist! I'm going to get her one of these days!

Linda - you've hit my weakness! Food and mystery! I suppose that I'm going to have to start with the first book in the series and look forward to this one! On second thought, I may have to see if it's still available on NetGalley and start with this one and go back!

Didn't see Blowback on NetGalley tonight. Guess I discovered it too late!

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett is one of my favorites and I thoroughly enjoyed her memoirs. Not really an autobio because it had anecdotes she thought of as memorable, each a few pages long.

From her early days to her first taste of show biz up through her days after the Carol Burnett Show, this book includes mostly funny, but some sad or poignant, stories of her life and the people she knows/knew, such as Beverly Sills, Lucille Ball, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Of most interest were the anecdotes about her show and Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Vicki Lawrence.

Very interesting and entertaining.

Ooh, I am definitely picking that one up from the library soon. I loved the Carol Burnett Show and I still love watching Harvey and Tim and crew - especially when everyone is working so hard not to bust out laughing at something Tim is doing. Fun times!

As soon as I saw your Challenge and that you'd added This Time Together I knew I'd have to get it from the library and join you. Nice review -- I'm looking forward to it!

Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck

Eventually, any cozy mystery series worth its salt includes a Christmas mystery and the donut shop series by Jessica Beck is no exception. I really enjoy this series featuring donut shop owner Suzanne Hart set in small town North Carolina.

Sinister Sprinkles is the third book in series, which has four books so far and another coming later this year.

For a cozy, the donut shop books are better than average, I'd say. I like the fact that the characters change a bit, too. I'd definitely recommend this one to cozy fans.

I think I have the first one in my TBR pile. If not, it's on my wish list and may have just been bumped up!

I'm doing Glazed Murder later this week.

Oh, drat, more series for me to vainly try to find and follow . . .

The American Civil War: A Military History by John Keegan

If you've read a lot about the Civil War, you might not like this book. I hadn't and wanted a good overview of military strategies and tactics, which is exactly what this book provides. Besides addressing the wartime strategies of both the Union and the Confederates, the author, a British military historian, takes a topical look at a number of issues, such as the role of the black soldier in the war.

I found this book fascinating but, again, someone who's read widely on the Civil War could be bored with it. It never occurred to me that the lack of good maps could hamper the armies, for instance.

For me, the military issues of the war are not my main focus of interest but it was worthwhile for me to learn something about the strategies and the battles.

I learned, too, about several areas I'd like to read more about, such as the war in the west (defined as anywhere besides Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania), the naval war, Sherman's march to the sea, and the prisoner of war camps, among other things.

You're making great progress on the challenge. I'm still reading, although at a pretty slow pace and I keep forgetting to post books here, much less recaps. I'll just get my feeling of accomplishment vicariously from reading about yours!

I was hoping to be at least halfway by June 30th. Looks like I'll reach that.

After reading the Keegan book, I'm reconsidering my Civil War book options. Less emphasis on the military and political angles and more emphasis on other things. I want to read Team of Rivals but most of my other now-planned Civil War reads won't be doorstopper type books, after all. At least not this year. I may well continue Civil War/Reconstruction Era into 2012's challenge.

When I first had a civil war category 2 years ago, I planned mostly nonfictions and did read several. But what I ended up enjoying the most were the novels. I have to say that I have never read a single book that focuses exclusively on battles and military strategy. Even though that was one of my favorite parts in Battle Cry of Freedom, I still have little desire for such an isolated look at the civil war period. I admire you for seeking out all kinds of books - there are certainly enough to choose from, aren't there?

Why They Fought: The Real Reason for the Civil War by David Van Drehle

Ever since Amazon first introduced Kindle singles earlier this year, I'd hoped to read one. Basically, these are either novellas or longish essays. I was unsure whether I should count the Kindle single I read today but, in the end, decided to do so.

The one on the reasons for the Civil War wasn't bad, for what it hopes to accomplish, which is to cut through the clutter and succinctly talk about the reason for the Civil War, slavery, specifically the extension of slavery into the territories.

Beyond some talk about the pre-war years, the author also talks about the Southern infatuation with the Lost Cause after the war and also provides an overview of some Civil War literature.

One fact I was unaware of: President William McKinley was the last Civil War veteran to become president.

My conclusion: With the right topic, I would definitely read other Kindle singles.

I'm really hoping to get to the Reconstruction by the end of the year. I have Keegan's book to finish, then Uncle Tom's Cabin, and April 1865. Then I'm moving on.

Popular Culture and the Enduring Myth of Chicago, 1871-1968 by Lisa Krissoff Boehm

I love reading about Chicago history and I've read plenty of interesting books and articles about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the 1893 and 1933/1934 World's Fairs in Chicago, Al Capone and his cronies, and the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. This book addresses all these topics though not in an interesting way.

The premise of the book sounded good: How outsiders negatively viewed the city from 1871 to 1968. The author's dull, dry writing style did not exactly bring these topics to life. Not recommended.

Too bad - that Chicago one DID sound good.

>128 lindapanzo: You're right -- it sounds as though it would be fascinating. How could Chicago be dull?

I hope your next book is more fun.

Shoot! I was just thinking "hey, this sounds interesting", but then - no. Thank for the heads-up on this one, I think I'll just swerve by it on the Literary Highway.

Hope you're enjoying the nice weather we've had the last couple of days!

Weeping on Wednesday by Ann Purser

I enjoyed this third book in the cozy series involving small British village housecleaner Lois Meade and her cohorts. Though it's a cozy, it's not a typically light and fluffy cozy. Instead, rather dark and almost sinister at times.

Looking forward to reading more of these. I thought the series ended when the author used up all seven days of the week but, happily, I note that she's moved on to numbers now. Good!!

#130/131 I've got plenty of more interesting, more well-written Chicago books. It wasn't horrible but it was more in the nature of an academic book.

I've got another Chicago social history book called Challenging Chicago that I'd like to get to soon. The years only partly overlap with the dry book but, even so, I can come by more recent Chicago history books.

The Band that Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner

I've read plenty of books and articles and nearly every aspect of the sinking of the Titanic. One part that remained obscure, however, involves the eight musicians who played on til the end, then went down with the ship. Who were they?

The book answers that question and more.

It's a somewhat odd book and a tough one to rate. At times, the book is gripping, absolutely fascinating. At other times, dry as dust.

The problem: There is almost no information known about these 8 musicians. The author did a large amount of research and uncovered a lot of interesting information but, in order to write an entire book, added a bunch of filler, too.

Apparently, one firm (two brothers) booked musicians on all the turn of the century ships, including the Titanic. These musicians often were hotel orchestra musicians who then went on to play onboard ships. They had to know upwards of 500 songs and be able to play them instantly as people onboard the ships were given a book of songs and could just ask for #23, for instance.

Also of interest was the fact that, as the ship was sinking but while lifeboats were being lowered, they played peppy music, ragtime and such. As the ship was about to sink, the musicians played hymns, repeatedly playing Nearer, My God, to Thee as the ship actually sank.

Fascinating book and, if you can get past the somehwhat dry filler, highly recommended.

Milestone time. I've now passed the halfway point in my 11 in 11 Challenge, finishing 61 out of 121 books!!

Just about two weeks left in the month so I've got 28 weeks to finish the remaining 60 books.

Yay!!

Congratulations! I'm just about where you are in the challenge, and it seems like I'll never make it. The Band That Played On sounds really interesting to me. I'm a big Titanic buff, and being a former violist, the band that went down with the ship has always been of particular interest. I can deal with some dry parts, as long as it's not all old toast. :-)

#136 I think you'd like it, Laura. I got it for a dollar or two from the Amazon Sunshine Sale for Kindle users.

The dry parts focused on the family history of each of the musicians. A little info would've been fine but the whole family tree wasn't really necessary.

Congratulations on your milestone, Linda! May the remaing 60 books all be wonderful.

>84 LauraBrook: Oddly, given that I like disaster books in general, ocean going disasters have never really been my thing, although you do make The Band that Played On sound interesting -- well, maybe not the old toast parts.

Oh - I should have purchased that one And the Band Played On). I saw it but I wasn't so sure I wanted to spend money on it. Now that you tell me it has family histories in it, I wish I'd purchased it! I'll try to get it via ILL or see if my public library has it or acquires it.

#139 Lori, this one is The Band That Played On while And the Band Played On is a classic book on AIDS, I believe. (Touchstones not working?)

This Titanic one is a new release. There are some pictures. With so little documentation, he had to do a lot of genealogy-type work to track down the musicians and their families. This type of thing is not my thing so those parts seem endless but some people would love it, probably.

#138 Probably too soon but, before too long, I'll compile a list of the remaining books I want to read to finish the challenge. Maybe when I get down to 40 or 50 books left. It's not worth the paper it's printed on (will change the minute I write it down) but it's a guide to the rest of the year. I'm already starting to do it with some of the categories.

ETA: As I think about it more, except for my second nonfiction category, I can pretty much guess which books I'm planning to read to fill out the other remaining categories. For me, the spontaneous books tend to be nonfiction gems I discover, like this Titanic book.

You're making amazing progress through this challenge - half finished already!

The Titanic book does sound interesting, as long as there isn't too much dry toast. I'll try to find it at the library.

Linda - I just typed the wrong title earlier. I was going off the top of my head with the title. I just remembered part of it. Anyway, I'll try to track it down at some point.

#141 Actually, dry toast isn't all that bad as long as I've got some eggs or something to go with it.

#142 Okay, Lori. I just didn't want you to think I lost my marbles.

Now that I'm halfway through, I am giving thought to making a list of my remaining titles, if only to see how many I actually read. hee-hee

>137 lindapanzo: I see that Lori and I both perked up our ears at your mention of family history! People who get interested in genalogy tend to be interested in everyone's history as well as their own...

I'm interested in our family's history but generally not anyone else's. That Titanic book has a lot of photos, such as here's the house where musician x's family lived, as it looks now.

The first time I was in London, I stayed at the Kensington Palace Hotel so it was interesting to me to learn that that hotel once had a hotel orchestra (apparently, many of them did, back then).

After reading the Titanic book, I realized that many a category on music would not be a bad thing for me.

Always subject to change, of course, but, now that I'm halfway through 11 in 11, here's what I plan to read the rest of the way. It'll be interesting at year's end to see how many of these I end up reading.

Category 1: Cozy mysteries
1. Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett
2. Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier--READ
3. Scones and Bones by Laura Childs

Category 2: Baseball books
1. The Captain--READ
2. Stan Musial: An American Life
3. Before the Machine
4. Said in Stone

Category 3: Mysteries set outside the U.S.
1. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn--READ
2. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
3. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
4. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon
5. The Grave Gourmet by Alexander Campion

Category 4: Already Finished!!!!

Category 5: More nonfiction
1. The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson--READ
2. Citizens of London
3. Authors of the Storm
4. The Greater Journey
5. The President Is a Sick Man by Matthew Algeo
6. In the Garden of Beasts
7. Rawhide Down--READ
8. Sweet Invention
9. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs--READ

Category 6:
Historical mysteries
1. In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff
2. The Gilded Cage by Troy Soos
3. A Free Man of Color
4. A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry
5. A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch
6. Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
7. Vices of My Blood by Maureen Jennings

Category 7: Seasonal books
1. The Winter of Her Discontent--READ
2. Shadows of a Down East Summer by Lea Wait
3. Winter in June
4. Summer by Edith Wharton
5. Summer in the South
6. Summer Rental

Category 8: Lincoln and the Civil War
1. Reveille in Washington
2. General Sherman's Christmas
3. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
4. For Cause and Comrades
5. Lincoln and His Admirals
6. This Republic of Suffering

Category 9: Next in the series
1. Dead by Midnight by Carolyn Hart
2. When Winter Returns
3. An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor
4. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich--READ
5. Threadbare by Monica Ferris
6. New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
7. 10th Anniversary by James Patterson--READ

Category 10: Sports books
1. Holding Court--READ
2. Jacques Plante
3. Barilko: Without a Trace
4. Last Team Standing by Matthew Algeo
5. How Football Explains America

Category 11: Chicago books
1. Shadow of the Bomb by Robert Goldsborough
2. Wrigley Field's Last World Series
3. On the Job
4. The Chicago River
5. Challenging Chicago
6. Chicago Sports Reader
7. American Pharoah
8. We All Fall Down by Michael Harvey

Congratulations on reaching the half way point. Looks like you will be able to fill in the end of the year with some bonus reads. At the beginning of the year I made a list of all the books I planned to read this year but, of course, I have not been able to stick to it! The TIOLI challenges often cause me to scramble through my TBR shelves and come up with unplanned reads, which I actually really enjoy.

Thanks, Judy. I'd be surprised if I end up reading half of these.

The TIOLI books do often make me substitute, too.

Congratulations on being halfway there! I just reached the halfway point myself, and it feels pretty good. :) I'm looking forward to reading A Stranger in Mayfair too -- I'm waiting for the paperback to come out so I can buy it!

#149 Thanks and congrats to you, too, for reaching the halfway point.

I've got only 3 more days of work after today and then I've got a week and a half off. Hoping to get in a lot of good reading during that time.

ETA: Nine ballgames during my almost two weeks off so, never fear, it won't be all reading.

The Winter of Her Discontent by Kathryn Miller Haines

This Rosie Winter series is quickly becoming one of my favorite current cozy mystery series of them all. This one is the second in series (out of four).

Set in New York City during World War 2, this series features Rosie Winter, an actress who, along with her bff Jayne, lives in a home for actresses. She's not a star by any means but does get jobs.

I love the wartime atmosphere and how the authors weaves it into the story. It reminds me a bit of the Maisie Dobbs books for WW1 but these are much, much lighter, dealing with serious issues in a lighter way.

My only gripe is that I thought the mystery itself was too easy to solve.

Anyway, I'd highly recommend this series and, immediately upon finishing, picked up the next in the series, Winter in June, which I intend to read soon.

Oh, no! Not another favorite series!!! But I've added it to my list...

151- Glad to hear you liked it! I need to get hold of this one.

#152 A favorite, not THE favorite. THE favorite would be the Louise Penny series, probably.

#153 Somehow, knowing that there'll be only four of them makes it easier.

Linda, congrats on your halfway mark. You thread is my go to for mysteries that I don't know about!

I have to see how I can fit Smokin Seventeen into my challenge.

I'm currently reading Among the Mad. I have to look back and see which one I considered my favorite. It may have been Messenger of Truth. I just love Maisie!

Linda, you're reminding me of my best RL friend, who is also a big baseball fan. She doesn't have so much time off as you do, but they are leaving this Friday and driving to Chicago. She is so excited because they will be watching 6 different teams play 3 different ball games, in 3 different stadiums. A fourth day spent sightseeing downtown, and then they come back home next Wednesday. She's nearly giddy with the anticipation!

#155 I think the one you mention is my next one.

#156 I hope she enjoys her stay here. I'm guessing Wrigley Field, the Cell, and Miller Park. When is she going to Wrigley Field?

I had a rain-out in May and it's rescheduled to Tues afternoon. I'm going to that but not sure if I want to stay for the second game in the day/night doubleheader.

I'm not sure which games are which days, but they are watching baseball on Saturday and Sunday, then downtown Monday and baseball again on Tuesday. Since the Cubs are HERE on Saturday and Sunday, I guess that one must be the Tuesday game. I had the impression from her that both the Chicago games were daytime - is it possible that she could have gotten tickets for the make-up game? Wouldn't it be funny if she is sitting in your row - she's not a reader, but she'll talk baseball with you all day.

>154 lindapanzo: I think I agree with you, that Louise Penny is my favorite -- I may even buy the next one in hardback, which I almost never do with mysteries. But I'm with Lisa on Maisie Dobbs -- it's a close 2nd for me. There are a lot of others, though, and I see that A Stranger in Mayfair is due to be released in paperback in July, and a new Abigail Adams in October, and the 2nd book in the Monastery series in September, and...

Holding Court by Christopher Gorringe

This is not the tennis book that I expected. I expected a book about Wimbledon, with a focus on the matches and the players. What I got is a business book about Wimbledon, with a focus on finances, long-term planning, and committee meetings.

This doesn't make it a bad book, just not what I thought it'd be. I guess I should not have been surprised as the author was the long-time CEO of the All-England Club. There was a lot of fascinating talk about what goes on behind the scenes but very little about tennis itself.

Still quite interesting though.

Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier

I enjoy this cozy mystery series about a woman reporter in a small New England town, though some are better than others. This latest one in this long-running series (running since 1991) which came out last year is one of the better ones, focusing on witches and witchcraft and small town intolerance of people who are different from ourselves.

The newest one is due out in a week or two. English Tea Murder. I am eager to read that one, too.

The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson

I enjoy reading obituaries. Every day, after studying the weather page in the paper, the first thing I look at are the obits. Not the "son of x, husband of y" type obits but the ones that celebrate a life, not the death. I enjoy reading these little mini-biographies of everyday people who've accomplished something out of the ordinary or even those who haven't.

Apparently, as detailed in this terrific book, I'm not the only one who feels this way. The author talks to well-known obit writers and obit fans, and looks at trends in this area.

This book isn't for everyone but it's one of my favorites so far this year.

I don't thnk that I can say any series is my favorite but I have TOP 5!

Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes
Commissario Brunetti
Three Pines
White House Chef
Bears Collector's Mysteries

I love the Mary Russell series! It's the number one series I go around recommending to everybody. Well, that and Thursday Next.

I'm glad to hear all the positive endorsements of the Mary Russell series, since I recently acquired The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Looks like I'll have to start it soon!

Cheli, I've read all of the books in the last three series you mention but I have read only one Donna Leon book and none in the Mary Russell series. I'll have to give these a try.

I have my fingers crossed that I get the Pirate King ER book. It's the next Mary Russell book. I'm waiting ---impatiently!

Christina and Linda - I believe that the Mary Russell series is one of the absolute best! You are in for a treat- especially if you love Sherlock Holmes.

FYI - my husband ( a non-reader) even likes the Mary Russell series (he does them on audio)

#167 Not a huge Sherlock Holmes fan but I will keep an eye out for the first one in that series. The Beekeeper's Apprentice. As a few series wind down/end, I could use some good new (to me) ones to keep me going.

You are in for a treat- especially if you love Sherlock Holmes.

>167 cyderry:, 168 While it's true that the series is great if you love Sherlock Holmes, I've got a friend who hates, hates, hates SH, but loves the Mary Russell series. So I guess it can go either way.

And I'm also hoping to get Pirate King as an ER win. I also keep checking to see when my library catalogs it as On Order, so I can place my hold early and not have to wait six months to get it like I did God of the Hive. (I buy the MR series in trade paperback because that's the format I have of the earlier books and my series must match.)

#169 I used to be a "my series must match" person, too. Now, I'm really disappointed if a book isn't available on Kindle.

I am pretty obsessive about reading series books in order so I wouldn't even try for a later book in a series I'm just starting.

I'm really hoping that the Louise Penny book is an ER choice for July or August. The new one is due out in late August, I believe.

Glad to hear that non-SH fans like that Mary Russell series, too. I don't dislike SH but just not an avid fan.

The Donna Leon series is one I'd hoped to get much farther into this year but no such luck yet. I've still got openings in the mysteries set outside of the U.S. category.

10th Anniversary by James Patterson

I like the Women's Murder Club series set in San Francisco, featuring four women friends, a cop, a medical examiner, a district attorney, and a reporter. As usual, though the plot follows a certain formula, I enjoyed the latest (10th) installment in the series. Nice, quick, enjoyable read.

The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter by Ian O'Connor
(a net galley book)

As Derek Jeter, the captain of the New York Yankees, closes in on the 3,000 lifetime career hits mark, this is a timely book. Going back to 1995, Jeter's first year with the Yankees, he has always been the epitome of class and leadership, grit and effort, the personification of a player who puts his team's accomplishments ahead of his own individual stats and this book does an excellent job of conveying this to the reader.

Much of the information included in this book is familiar to die-hard baseball fans, yet the author manages to get behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the Yankee great's life both on the field and off, much more so than in anything else I've ever read. Jeter is a private guy but the author manages to present the challenges Jeter has faced over the years, before his rise to stardom in the major leagues and after he became the most marketable and perhaps best-loved current ballplayer.

My only gripe with this book is the author's near obsession with the Jeter/A-Rod feud. Yes, the reader needs to know about it but not at this level of detail.

Highly recommended to the baseball fan but a book that others may like as well.

>171 lindapanzo: - I loved this series when it started. I was thrown off after what happened in book 3 ( no spoilers here) and read the next couple just to see what was going to happen. Then somehow I got waylaid by other books and just recently thought I'd start over from book 1 and so have been trying to find them at library sales and Bookmooch to give them another try. Once I get a few, I'll plan a marathon read.

JUNE RECAP

I had an excellent reading month for 11 in 11 Challenge purposes, reading 14 books in June, all of which counted towards my 11 in 11 challenge. So, at midway through the year, I've read 67 books towards 11 in 11, with 54 left to go to complete the challenge.

My favorite book of the month: The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson.

My least favorite book of the month: Popular Culture and the Enduring Myth of Chicago, 1871-1968 by Lisa Krissoff Boehm.

I've finished one category already, general nonfiction. One category down and 10 to go.

Here's where I stand so far:

Cozy mysteries--read 9 out of 11
--Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck
--Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier

Baseball books--read 8 out of 11
--The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter by Ian O'Connor

Mysteries set outside the U.S.--read 6 out of 11
--Blowback by Peter May
--Weeping on Wednesday by Ann Purser

General nonfiction--read 11 out of 11--category finished

Even more general nonfiction--read 3 out of 11
--This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett
--The Band that Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner
--The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson

Historical fiction--read 4 out of 11
NONE THIS MONTH

Seasonal books (books with winter, spring, summer, or fall (or autumn) in the title)--read 6 out of 11
--The Winter of Her Discontent by Kathryn Miller Haines

Lincoln and the Civil War--read 5 out of 11
--The American Civil War: A Military History by John Keegan
--Why They Fought: The Real Reason for the Civil War by David Van Drehle

Next in the series--read 5 out of 11
--10th Anniversary by James Patterson

Sports books--read 7 out of 11
--Holding Court by Christopher Gorringe

Chicago books--read 3 out of 11
--Popular Culture and the Enduring Myth of Chicago, 1871-1968 by Lisa Krissoff Boehm

Howdy, Linda! Excellent progress so far, my friend. Hope you're reading something fun for this weekend. Are you participating in the Read-a-thon on Sunday?

Hi Laura: I'm going to all three Cubs/Sox games but, at least on Sat/Sun, will be reading on the bus. Once I get home from the game on Sun, I do plan to get going on the readathon. I haven't done one in quite awhile. Not back to work til Thursday.

Sounds like you have some perfect summer days ahead! Enjoy your ball games and, of course, your reading!

Hi, Linda! You're making good progress on this challenge.

Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn

This latest mystery in the long-running Daisy Dalrymple series (#19 or so) was terrific. Set in 1920s England, it's a parallel mystery with Daisy's husband, Fletcher, a high-ranking Scotland Yard official solving a crime involving three bodies buried awhile back in the woods and Daisy and her friends involved in a murder at their daughters' school.

I like how, in this series, there's a police procedural angle and an amateur sleuth/cozy angle.

With its World War 1 overtones, this one fits nicely with the latest Maisie Dobbs mystery I read awhile back. This series was one I'd gotten tired of but it seems to me that it's coming back.

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs

This slim little volume about books and reading is an interesting one but, for LTers, it's probably more of a preaching to the choir type thing. The author's aim: Encourage people to Read at Whim. Don't read what so-called experts tell you to read.

One interesting suggestion: If you like an author, read what that author read, which influenced him or her. I rarely do this and instead will try to find similar authors. For instance, he suggests, if you love Jane Austen's novels, read those writers who influenced her.

Especially of interest to me is his take on the value of e-readers, such as the Kindle, which helped him rekindle his love of reading.

Heck, I'll join that choir-preachin'! Thanks (I think) for the rec. And Happy 4th, Linda!

The only thing from that Jacobs book is that he is an advocate of spontaneity in reading. I'm somewhat spontaneous but I do tend to have a long list of books in mind.

He's just so enthusiastic about reading. I like to read a book like that every once in awhile.

Enjoy the holiday, Laura!!

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

As usual, I loved the latest installment in the long-running Stephanie Plum series. As usual, all my old favorites--Stephanie, Lula, Joe Morelli, Ranger, and Grandma Mazur--are back. This time, Stephanie's family is trying to fix her up with old high school classmate who has just returned to town.

Wonderful fun. A great book for a lazy summer afternoon.

Time for a new thread.

Part 3 of my 11 in 11 challenge is at: http://www.librarything.com/topic/120035