brenpike reads

2011 is my first year for the 75 book challenge . . . I joined LT in Oct 2010 and am learning, very slowly, how to manage the business end of Librarything. I know you will be generous and kind when you notice errors in my technical abilities!

January, 2011
1. Symposium Plato
2. The Yellow Wallpaper Charlotte Perkins Gilman
3. The Lotus Eaters Tatana Soli
4. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter Tom Franklin
5. All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, Book 1) Cormac McCarthy
6. In a Strange Room Damon Galgut
7. Left Neglected Lisa Genova
8. The Invisible Bridge Julie Orringer
9. Property Valerie Martin
10. The Map of True Places Brunonia Barry
11. Zeitoun Dave Eggers
12. Survival in Auschwitz Primo Levi
13. Lord of Misrule Jaimy Gordon
14. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration Isabel Wilkerson
15. The Lost Museum: The Nazi Conspiracy to Steal the World's Greatest Works of Art Hector Feliciano

February, 2011
16. Match Day: One Day and One Dramatic Year in the Lives of Three New Doctors Brian Eule
17. Unless Carol Shields
18. The Crossing (The Border Trilogy, Book 2) Cormac McCarthy
19. Sailing Alone Around the World Joshua Slocum
20. The Tower, The Zoo, and the Tortoise Julia Stuart
21. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession Allison Hoover Bartlett
22. The Children's Blizzard David Laskin
23. Every Last One Anna Quindlen
24. Waiting Ha Jin
25. In the Sewers of Lvov: A Heroic Story of Survival from the Holocaust Robert Marshall
26. The Finkler Question Howard Jacobson
27. Cutting for Stone Abraham Verghese

March, 2011
28. All Aunt Hagar's Children: Stories Edward P. Jones
29. A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage Sally Ryder Brady
30. The Circus Fire: a True Story Stewart O'Nan
31. Cities of the Plain (The Border Trilogy, Book 3) Cormac McCarthy
32. The Dangerous World of Butterflies: The Startling Subculture of Criminals, Collectors, and Conservationists Peter Laufer
33. Moth Smoke Mohsin Hamid
34. The Portrait of a Lady Henry James
35. Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
36. Proust's Overcoat: The True Story of One Man's Passion for All Things Proust Lorenza Foschini
37. Ragtime E. L. Doctorow
38. The Return of the Soldier Rebecca West
39. Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut
40. The Reluctant Fundamentalist Mohsin Hamid
41. West With the Night Beryl Markham
42. The World of Gloria Vanderbilt Wendy Goodman
42. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values Robert M. Pirsig

April, 2011

43. And the Show Went On: Cultural Life in Nazi-Occupied Paris Alan Riding
44. Ballistics: Poems Billy Collins
45. The Essential Neruda:Selected Poems Pablo Neruda
46. Kafka on the Shore Haruki Murakami
47. Lit: A Memoir Mary Karr
48. The Pages of Day and Night Adonis
49. The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier Thad Carhart
50. The Red Badge of Courage Stephen Crane
51. The Seige Helen Dunmore
52. Thousand Cranes Yasunari Kawabata
53. The Tiger's Wife Tea Obreht
54. Under the Net Iris Murdoch
55. When the Emperor Was Divine Julie Otsuka
56. White Egrets Derek Walcott

May, 2011

57. Baking Cakes in Kigali Gaile Parkin
58. My Reading Life Pat Conroy
59. The Rarest of the Rare: Vanishing Animals, Timeless Worlds Diane Ackerman
60. Blindness Jose Saramago
61. Visitation Jenny Erpenbeck
62. The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance David Herlihy

June, 2011

63. 84 Charing Cross Road Helene Hanff
64. Annabel Kathleen Winter
65. Breakfast at Tiffany's Truman Capote
66. Hospital Sketches Louisa May Alcott
67. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous Georgia Bragg
68. Love, Loss, and What I Wore Ilene Beckerman
69. On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family Lisa See
70. Private Life Jane Smiley
71. A Room With a View E.M. Forster
72. Small Island Andrea Levy
73. So Much for That Lionel Shriver
74. The Tennis Partner Abraham Verghese
75. Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
*******************************************************************************
76. To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 Adam Hochschild
77. Une Vie Guy de Maupassant
78. We Need to Talk About Kevin Lionel Shriver
79. Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris Michael Allin

July, 2011

80. The Quiet American Graham Greene
81. The Memory of Love Aminatta Forna
82. Summer Edith Wharton
83. The Giver Lois Lowry
84. Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams Charles King
85. Rascal Sterling North
86. Gathering Blue Lois Lowry
87. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt Beth Hoffman
88. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
89. Messenger Lois Lowry
90. The Madonnas of Echo Park Brando Skyhorse
91. I'd Know You Anywhere Laura Lippman
92. Paris Was Ours Penelope Rowlands
93. Alone in the Kitchen With An Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone ed. Jenny Ferrari-Adler
94. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin Erik Larson
95. Blueberries for Sal Robert McCloskey
96. The Road Home Rose Tremain
97. Dry Augusten Burroughs
98. Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe Jane Goodall
99. Grace Williams Says It Loud Emma Henderson
100. The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home George Howe Colt

August, 2011

101. Disgrace J.M. Coetzee
102. Old Filth Jane Gardam
103. Ride the Wind Lucia St. Clair Robson
104. Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History S.C. Gwynne
105. Breakfast of Champions Kurt Vonnegut
106. Doc Mary Doria Russell
107. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott Russell Freedman
108. Big Spring Autumn Bonnie Stepenoff
109. The Personal History of Rachel DuPree Ann Weisgarber
110. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother Amy Chua
111. The Sisters Brothers Patrick DeWitt
112. The Night Bookmobile Audrey Niffenegger
113. Please Ignore Vera Dietz A.S.King
114. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Jonathan Safran Foer
115. The English Patient Michael Ondaatje
116. Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey Lillian Schlissel
117. Angle of Repose Wallace Stegner
118. The Man in the Wooden Hat Jane Gardam
119. Pigeon English Stephen Kelman

September,2011

120. Partitions Amit Majmudar
121. Jamrach's Menagerie Carol Birch
122. Educating Esme': Diary of a Teacher's First Year Esme' Raji Codell
123. Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co. Jeremy Mercer
124. Half Blood Blues Esi Edugyan
125. Far to Go Alison Pick
126. Playing for Pizza John Grisham
127. How to Eat a Small Country Amy Finley
128. Kindertransport Olga Levy Drucker
129. 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn
130. The Pigeon Patrick Suskind
131. Snowdrops A.D. Miller
132. Ethan Frome Edith Wharton
133. Living, Loving, Lying Awake at Night Sindiwe Magona
134. On Canaan's Side Sebastian Barry
135. Saturday Ian McEwan
136. Whose Names Are Unknown Sanora Babb
137. Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books Aaron Lansky
138. The Good Muslim Tahmima Anam

October, 2011

139. Harpsong Rilla Askew
140. The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History John Barry
141. The Sense of An Ending Julian Barnes
142. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout Lauren Redniss
143. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Anita Loos
144. An Owl on Every Post Sanora Babb
145. Nightwoods Charles Frazier
146. Under this Unbroken Sky Shandi Mitchell
147. The Cat's Table Michael Ondaatje
148. The Monster of Florence Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi
149. Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
150. The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945 Wladyslaw Szpilman
************************************************
151. The Story of Charlotte's Web: E.B.White's Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic Michael Sims

November, 2011

152. The Lost Traveler Sanora Babb
153. Nanjing Requim Ha Jin
154. The Language of Flowers Vanessa Diffenbaugh
155. The Plague of Doves Louise Erdrich
156. Baba Yaga Laid An Egg Dubravka Ugresic
157. The Imperfectionists Tom Rachman
158. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven Sherman Alexi
159. Purple Hibiscus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
160. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexi
161. Perfume Patrick Suskind
162. Parnassus on Wheels Christopher Morley
163. Finding Iris Chang: Friendship, Ambition, and the Loss of an Extraordinary Mind Paula Kamen

Wow! When you jump in, you really go big! So glad to get to see your reading list!

Welcome and great reading list!

I know you will be generous and kind when you notice errors in my technical abilities.

Absolutely... but I see no errors, Brenda. In fact, I'm wondering how you got all your touchstones to work. I'm having trouble with that on my new thread.

That's an impressive list. I see some of my favorites on there.

Welcome! That *is* a nice list.

ETA: just in case you haven't come across it yet, here's a link to the group wiki where we keep track of important threads.

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/Groups:75booksin2011

Happy to see you here! Enjoy the group!

Found your thread--welcome!

What a great reading list--I see many books on it that I've loved, and just as many that I'm dying to read.

A very belated 'Welcome' to the group from me too!

Thanks, everyone, for the welcome messages. I now have several more member profiles/threads to watch!
:^)

Wow, you have read so much already and lots of great books! Did you enjoy The Finkler Question? I did, even though I found the main character pretty frustrating most of the time. Am looking forward to seeing what you read next.

I was really disappointed in The Finkler Question. I didn't care about the characters and struggled to finish the book. Glad you liked it though . . . What are you reading now?

Sorry you didn't like The Finkler Question. I liked the subject much more than the characters

I'm reading A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr, which is very good and short. And War and Peace, which is very good too but slooooow. We're about to go away for the weekend and I have to find something else to read so shouldn't be on here!

Have a good trip . . . and some enjoyable reading!

Stopping in to say how much I enjoyed dinner with you tonight! I have a new LTer I can count among my friends!

Terri..How special!

Thanks Terri. I also had a great time. I look forward to our next meeting and to staying in touch on line or by phone. . .
It was a terrific day! Enjoy the museum tomorrow and be careful as you drive home.

Found you! Bless the Wiki! Thanks again for today and all the Lawrence news.

I'm way late to the party, but welcome to the group from me too. I'm seriously envious that you've been able to read so many great books this year. I was wondering whether you'd turn out to be a C.J. Cherryh fan because of your user name, but now I see that you're Brenda, so it all makes sense.

I'm sitting with Brenda in Lenexa, KS, along with Sandy right now!

>19 ronincats:: A live report from an LT meet-up and I missed it! We'll have to Skype the next get together! I know you three had oodles of fun together. You probably didn't even miss the books. ;-)

Hi Donna. It was nice to just sit and talk with Sandy and Roni. Roni said she'd already shipped the books she bought and got from family back to SD, Sandy talked about using the library, and I certainly have plenty of reading material, so I don't think it hurt any of us to miss a book buying excursion! Although . . . Roni did some research on book stores in the area. She may have snuck out this evening and made some last minute purchases!
:-). Are you there Roni? Did you?
Anyway, yes it was a nice meeting. Wish you and Teri could have been here . . .
I received your card with the pictures. Thanks so much. They are a nice reminder of a fun day. Like you, I am looking forward to seeing you in Joplin. You have my number if you need a literary diversion anytime you are in KC!

Sorry to see I once again missed the opportunity to meet you in person, Brenda. I am hopeful for Joplin in November!

Joplin . . . :-)

>21 brenpike:: Book stores in the area? I'll give you a call next time I plan a longish visit to KC. My grandkids are coming down here for a few days this summer so it may be fall. And then there's always...Joplin...*sigh*.

No, my luggage was full and I wasn't going to have the opportunity to ship any extra books. No book expeditions for me.

A show of great restraint! How are things at home?

(Essential background info: I had told Brenda and Sandy that I was going to maintain the house at the level it was when I got back after 15 days away.)

Pretty good! He had, as I knew he would, hand washed all the dishes he had gotten dirty since I left, which included ALL the silverware, so I am sure he did it that morning. He had also cleaned the stove and the kitchen floor, washed the hallway rugs and swept the wood floors in the hallway and dining room, washed the bathroom mats and swept that floor, washed the throws for the living room furniture and replaced them, had the coffee table and dining room tables cleared except for a box of all the mail, washed the sheets and remade a clean bed, and had the litter boxes clean! Hadn't dusted the furniture or the floor under furniture, hadn't vacuumed the bedroom and all my vases of sweet peas were still on my nightstand and over the kitchen sink, all dried out! Still, that's a pretty good level, so I guess I will have to continue my housecleaning duties. Even though I know it was ALL done within 24 hours of my return. ;-)

He lost two cucumber seedlings, my marjoram, two of my basils and 4 green bean seedlings--really not bad considering the weather last week, and nothing was wiped out completely. The tomatoes all survived, and so did my new clematis and snapdragons. I spent an hour this morning cutting sweet pea blooms and peas--I really should just pull them out, but I want to try to get one more set of blooms. We have Swiss chard, beets and carrots ready to eat--I need to plan my meals for the week around those, and I am putting tomato cages around the tomatoes. It is 66 and sunny with no wind, so very pleasant out back--it is odd, but I have noticed that San Diego temperatures FEEL 10 degrees warmer than Kansas ones. For example, mid-80s here is uncomfortable, while it's very comfortable here.

Edited to correct typo.

ahahahahah.. That is what dan has done when I have gone away for a period of time... he takes off from work the day before I come home and cleans. It is only recently that I have convinced him that the stuff you squirt on the floor and then run over with a mop is not cleaning the floor. Now I don't mean the swiffer wet.. that is okay for in between scrubs but.. he was in love with some floor cleaner in a blue bottle.

Glad to hear things were still standing.. lolol

Sounds like hubby did a pretty good job with maintenance chores. . . the only weird thing to me is the vases of flowers past!? I'm not sure what my husband would have done in that situation. :-)
I'm cheering for your sweet pea vines. . . how likely is it you will be able to coax more blooms? Shame about the losses but so cool that you have goodies to eat from the garden. I thought of you working in your garden today as I was sweating it out in my own. Temperatures were in the 80's but humidity was high. . .tonight rain.
Isn't getting home after a long trip the best?! Hoping you've had time for a nice long bubble bath and hours of reading.

I had the nice long bubble bath, indeed, but not the hours of reading unless you count the reading of LT threads!

(Not bad, we've increased your messages by a third already!)

>29 brenpike:: Sweating in the garden...arghhhh...I think I lost a few pounds on Monday....of sweat. And then I vacuumed yesterday. I didn't realize how much humidity had gotten into the house with open windows. It was like pushing the ol' Hoover through the Amazon! Now, on a day with cooler temps and little humidity, all I have to do is shuffle up and deal. It's my canasta day!

Oh yeah, I came over here to tell you I picked up Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly. It has to wait its turn in the book queue, but it looks soooo good. I'm going book shopping with you more often. ;-)

Roni, It's so exciting to see unread messages when I check my thread. . . thanks for getting the ball rolling!

Donna, Nice to hear I wasn't the only one sweating . . . sometimes I feel like it's just me experiencing extraordinary hot flashes!? Hooray for a day inside playing cards, although today was a beautiful day to be outside.
Eager to hear what you think of Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly . . .

I am getting almost zero reading done this month. The big open house/party to celebrate all our graduations/wedding/going away is this Sunday. I've been busy in the yard, in the stores and have to face house cleaning before then. Two graduation ceremonies and all the extras on Saturday, so I'm feeling a bit anxious about getting everything done, but I think we're okay. We leave next Thursday to go with our oldest daughter and her new hubby as they make their move to Akron, OH where he will begin his medical residency program. I may get a chance to do some reading in route, but I'm not counting on it as the car will be full, including two dogs! :^)

Sounds like reading may have to wait a bit, Brenda! I cannot see being able to get much done in a full car, unless audiobooks are involved :)

Wow, Brenda, so much is going on in your life right now. I hope the graduations went well yesterday (good weather, etc.) and the Open House party to cover all your occasions is a big success. At least you will have a few days to recover before your road trip. You'll have to check out the used bookstores in the Akron area when you have time. That's one of my bonuses when I go to Dallas, Denver, and KC!

We are going to an open house/graduation party at my niece's this afternoon. It's more fun to be an attendee at these things; i.e., much less work involved. The graduation for my great-nephew is at 9:00 p.m. tomorrow. *yawn*

Today is the day! What on earth is it doing so chilly there again? At least there is no rain. Hope all is ready to go, and that you ENJOY the party.

Donna and Roni, It was nice to open my IPad and see your kind well-wishes for our big party yesterday. The open house was a big success . . . We had about 70-75 family and friends who came to congratulate the girls and to wish the newlyweds well. The weather was gray and cool (in the mid - upper 50s) for the entirety but spirits were warm! Who could have predicted coffee (with Kahlua :-) )
and a fire in the chimnea would be a hit at party hosted in May! I confess to letting out a great moan when I awoke to brilliant sunshine this morning . . . Oh well, we had a terrific time anyway!
Thanks again for checking in on our big day.

Brenda, are you back from Ohio yet?

Hi Roni. We got back Wednesday. Everything went well with the move and they seem fairly settled in. We visited the main branch of the Akron Library system. . . A very nice facility with lots of activity on the Sunday we were there. They had a terrific used book store . . . $1.00 hardback, $.50 paperbacks. Needless to say, I came home with a short stack to add to my collection. We purchased bookcases for the new place and Bailey sent pictures of her prized Mozart (mostly) collection in their new cases the day we arrived home!
Thanks for asking . . . You have a great memory!

Sounds like a good time was had by all! Glad you are back safely. What did you buy?

I am waiting to see what the haul was too, Brenda!

My Invented Country by Isabelle Allende
Portrait in Sepia by Isabelle Allende
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
The Wild Girl by Jim Fergus
So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
Private Life by Jane Smiley
Ashkenazy: Beyond Frontiers by Jasper Parrott with Vladimir Ashkenazy

Looks like some interesting reading! I went by Borders to use the $5 in Borders Bucks that expired today to buy some coffee beans--and ended up buying 4 books. Do you think it's some sort of congenital weakness?

I'm afraid so . . . We're doomed!

>41 brenpike:: That's a great list of new books, Brenda. I see Private Life there. Does that mean you'll be reading along with the Missouri Readers? I sure hope so... our group is small and needs another voice. I haven't started it yet, but it looks like a quick read.

I'm glad your trip went well and that you're back home to your regular life. It sounds like the Akron library store will profit from your future visits to your daughter and SIL. I haven't checked out the 'store' at my daughter's library. I'll be sure to look into it next time I'm in Overland Park. No trips planned for awhile... everyone is coming here. Yay!

I didn't realize Private Life was the MR selection when I chose it from the shelves, but, yes, I think I'll read along with you all. Discussion starts on June 6?

I spent a long time yesterday reading the TIOLI June thread . . . I was/am amazed that the thread already had 200+ notes before June 1. We are a chatty group! And what a long list of challenges . . . I'm going to have to stay strong in my resolve to read more discerningly.

Glad to hear your family will be visiting you shortly. I'll bet you can't wait to get your hands on that toddler! Hope the owlets make an appearance so she can see them. . .

Are you enjoying you bright new decks? I had to laugh as I read your accounts of the power-washing. . .you can make anything sound amusing!

Hey, aren't you doing any reading this month? Look at how long it's been since you've posted on your thread! Is it hot there in Kansas?

Hi Roni. How are you? I've been following the Wuthering Heights discussion on your thread, but had nothing original to say. I can't remember what I thought about the book, that's how long ago I read it!?

It has been a little hotter here the last few days and is predicted to be hot all week. I sat outside this evening, though, and it was very pleasant. I have been inside mostly hacking away at the stack of books I'd planned to read in June. I typically wait til the last day of the month to update my list and to finalize the TIOLI wiki pages. You will be glad to know that I read my 75th book of 2011 this month.:-)
I am eager to see the July TIOLI challenges, but am resolved to read a number of Orange Award winners and nominees next month. What is on your agenda for July? Any fun plans for the holiday weekend coming up?

Thanks for checking in . . .

My agenda for July is to use the July Juvenile and Young Adult thread to clear out all the books in that category that have been sitting around on my shelves--almost all of them will also fit my Books Off the Shelves category, which I need to beef up as well. I probably have about 20 books sitting here that will fit!

My mom's air-conditioner died yesterday, so I'm sorry to hear it continues hot there. It has been lovely here--spent most of the day out back on the deck--in the low 70s.

Congrats on reaching 75--I'm not quite there yet, working on #74 right now.

Congrats! What was number 75?

Brenda, you are awesome... reading 75 books, going to meetups, helping your daughter move, etc. Can you give us a short recap of your outstanding books of the year... so far.

I'm at No. 62, but I have two very short books I might sneak in before the end of the month. I'll be reading some Orange winners in July, too. Are you in the Orange group? Well, yes you are! I was going to send you the link and ended up joining myself!

#48 Roni, Sorry to hear your Mom's AC went bust . . . today was hot! I hope she is able to get repairs done FAST.
Loved your new colorful pots. I'm so impressed!

#49 Thanks for the congrats. I'm not sure exactly which was #75 . . . We Need to Talk About Kevin or Small Island. I tend to read several books simultaneously and I don't list them on my thread until the end of the month, probably not the best way to keep track . . . :^)

#50 Thanks Donna. Here are 12 which I would highly recommend:
Zeitoun Dave Eggers
Survival in Auschwitz Primo Levi
The Warmth of Other Suns Isabel Wilkerson
The Children's Blizzard David Laskin
West With the Night Beryl Markham
Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank Thad Carhart
Annabel Kathleen Winter
To End All Wars Adam Hochschild
So Much For That & We Need to Talk About Kevin Lionel Shriver
The Reluctant Fundamentalist Hamid Mohsin

I am signed on with the Orange Group. . . As I looked through the winners and long/short listers over the years, I realized I've read a lot of these already. I am planning to read The Memory of Love and Grace Williams Says It Loud to complete the 2011 short list . . . Half a Yellow Sun, The Road Home, The Idea of Perfection from years past. I'm thinking I need to create a new collection heading for the Orange books. . .

I'm off to catch up on the July TIOLI thread . . .:^)

Thanks for that list of your Top Twelve, Brenda. There are two titles there that I'm not familiar with. I'll have to do some research.

I'm going to read The Long Road for sure for Orange July... and maybe a longlisted book or two if I have time. I've also picked out five other books to read for TIOLI. I have to be careful not to get too overbooked. ;-)

May I point out (whilst tapping my foot impatiently waiting for your monthly summary) that if you updated your reviews more frequently,

a) it would not be such a large job to do at the end of the month,
b) you would remember a lot more details of what you read to share with us, and
c) it would generate a whole lot more discussion about your books on your thread! What is NOT to like about all that? Just, consider it, you know...

Donna, I hear you about being overbooked . . . my reasonable plans to concentrate on Orange books and borrowed (friends) have been modified to include several TIOLI challenge reads. They are just too fun! The whole process of matching books to challenges has become addictive. ;-)

Roni, Point(s) well taken with regard to more frequent postings (she says smiling). I shall make a more concerted effort to visit my own thread more often!? Thanks for being the voice of reason, my friend.

How often is more often for visiting your thread, Brenda? It has been a while now since you have been here :)

Ah, well, nearly time for the monthly (bi-monthly?) summary!

You two are ganging up on me . . . Even though I haven't posted conversation here, I have "visited" 20 times to add titles as I have finished books #80 - 99. Do I really need to chat up each book as I read it? Is that what it will take to make you happy?! (she said smiling, knowing just how exasperated Roni would be with her response). :^)

We like chat! ;-)

What Donna said!

See, now three of us are ganging up on you! And the system doesn't register as new when you come back and edit a previous message, so we don't know that you have come and added books. We wouldn't require chatting up EVERY book--just the ones you really enjoyed or really hated, that's all.

I can manage that. . . :^)

#60: We wouldn't require chatting up EVERY book

We won't?

(Shhh, Stasia! We're trying to work her into posting more than once a month--starting gradually! We can always add more later.)

%^) You guys are too funny!

#100. The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home by George Howe Colt

George Colt has written lovingly about five generations of his family and the Massachusetts coast home where they summered. . . an enjoyable memoir, one I would recommend.

4 stars

See how easy that was!

It was not that easy . . . I sat here for probably 10 minutes before coming up with one lousy sentence!

Your followers appreciate the effort involved. It was a great sentence... and it will get easier. I wouldn't mind being on the Massachusetts coast (or any coast for that matter) for the rest of this ridiculously hot and dry summer!

You and me both! . . . about the coast, that is.

#101. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

This 1999 Booker Prize winner is a compelling read. Set in South Africa, the protagonist is a disgraced professor who becomes embroiled in larger issues when he visits his daughter at her farm. Coetzee's writing is straight forward, understated and compels the reader through the action of the story. However, as interesting as the story is, what will stay with me are the societal issues - racism, compassion for animals, personal betrayal - brought to bear.

Sounds like an interesting book.

Stay cool. Fortunately, my mom's air conditioner was totally replaced. It was 112 in Abilene yesterday.

YIKES!

#65: Have you read any of Colt's wife's books? They are very good - especially Ex Libris.

#70: I have got to get to that one some day!

Stasia, I have read Ex Libris, but can't think of any others. What else has she written?
I knew nothing about the Coetzee book and was surprised by how much I liked it. . . I'll definitely read more by him.

Wow Brenda! Just visiting and checking out the books you've been reading. You have quite an impressive list of books at the top there. :)

#74: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, At Large and At Small, and Rereadings are the other titles of hers with which I am familiar.

Thanks for that list, Stasia. It reminds me that I bought The Spirit Catches You... at the Borders closeout sale (I think) and here it sits unread... along with a few hundred other books!

Brenda, our book group read Disgrace a few years ago. I was also surprised by how much I liked it. I "enjoyed" The Life and Times of Michael K as well.

Thanks Stasia and Donna for more recommendations from authors whose work I enjoy . . .

#103. Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson

This fascinating novel tells the story, based on true events, of Cynthia Ann Parker and her life with the Comanches. She and several other members of her family were captured during a raid in 1836 when she was 9 years old. She and her brother were adopted and fully assimilated into separate tribes and came to prefer their lives as Comanche. The 600 page book goes into great detail, not only about her childhood, marriage and birth of her own children, but about the ways of the tribe on the plains of Texas and Oklahoma. A very interesting read which will nicely tie-in to my next read, a non-fiction book about her oldest son, Quanah, who was the last leader of this powerful tribe.

4 1/2 stars

#104. Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne

Though the book does include information on Quanah Parker and his famous mother, Cynthia Ann Parker, it is more a history of the Indian tribes of the southern plains. Informative and enjoyable . . . especially meaningful for a girl with Oklahoma and Kansas roots!

4 stars

#105. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

What can I say . . . weird, funny, pure Vonnegut!

4 stars

Interesting change from your previous two books!

Absolutely . . . The Vonnegut has been my "after-dark" book! I tend to read paper during the day and evening, reverting to my IPad after lights out. Sometimes it makes for some odd combinations . . .

I really must get to some Vonnegut one of these days. . . once I have been cloned :)

I've got my print copy of Slaughterhouse-Five out and ready to go. I didn't realize that the full title is Slaughterhouse-Five or the Children's Crusade.

I like the idea of an after-dark book. I've been looking for a good excuse to make some progress on Our Mutual Friend on the iPad. I do my best reading after dark!

Are you getting some rain and cooler weather, Brenda? Our grass is beginning to grow again!

Hi Donna. I was happy to read you had an opportunity to get out of the house for some girl-time. Dave must be feeling pretty independent! Good . . .
I read Slaughterhouse in March. My first Vonnegut!? Just finished Breakfast of Champions and will be working my way through his other books. I have several titles loaded onto my IPad, so they'll continue to be after-dark reads . . . Seems fitting somehow!
The temperatures have been more normal this week around here. We had rain through the night Tuesday, and it rained a lot here today. It was wonderful. I was out with friends, finishing up breakfast, during a downpour this morning. We sat and just took in the wonder of it! We went to see "The Help" afterwards. Such a great book and the movie was done well.

Hi Stasia. When you say you'll read Vonnegut after you've been cloned, does that mean when you have time or not likely? Just wondering . . . :^)
Any relief, temperature wise, in Texas?

#86: When I have time :)

It was only up to 102 today in Sherman, so the temps have come down a bit. The highest I saw was last week at 111, but it has routinely been between 106-108 here lately.

Makes me sweat just reading those numbers!

#106. Doc by Mary Doria Russell

Great story, great book! Though the story of John Holliday and the Earp brothers is familiar, Russell manages to make it fresh and exciting.

4 1/2 stars

#89: I loved that one too, Brenda! I am glad to see you enjoyed the book!

#107. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman

Freedman's narration of Montgomery's 13 month bus boycott is compelling and poignant. The YA book concisely tells about Rosa Park's arrest on Dec 1, 1955, subsequent organization of the Montgomery Improvement Association lead by a young Martin Luther King, Jr., and the valiant determination of the black community to see the effort through to desegregation of public buses in Montgomery, Alabama. Well written and illustrated with powerful photos from the era, I would recommend this book to readers of all ages.

4 stars

#108. Big Spring Autumn by Bonnie Stepenoff

This book, chosen for the Missouri Readers group read, while an easy read, is not memorable. The author jumps from her own memories growing up in Pennsylvania, opinions on conservation and nature, and history of the Ozarks area and the CCC work there. Written in the fall of 2002, primarily as diary entries, Stepenoff does give us, occasionally, ideas to ponder, but does not stay focused enough to make the book one I would recommend.

3 stars

Just stopping by to see what you've been reading--you've been busy!!

Hi Roni. Yes, I've had my nose in the books. . . Not nearly as productive as you, my friend, with your jewelry and pottery. It is so great to see all your creations.

#91: I need to see if my local library has that one. I have been trying to learn more about the Civil Rights era as my knowledge of that particular point in history is sadly lacking. Thanks for the recommendation, Brenda!

>94 brenpike:: I've had my nose in the books. . . What better place for a nose to be?

I think I liked Big Spring Autumn much more than you did, Brenda. I've spent a few mini vacations there when the kids were younger. We had a few wild float trips, although no alcohol or nudity was involved!

I just read of an upcoming book that you might be interested in... Nanjing Requiem by Ha Jin will be released on October 18. It gives a different perspective on The Rape of Nanking which I may read in conjunction with the Ha Jin book. It is patiently waiting on the TBR shelf for me.

The new Ha Jin sounds appealing . . .
Thanks Donna.

#109. The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber

I have a particular fondness for (author's) first books. This one is no exception. Weisgarber has written a compelling story about a woman and her family as they struggle to endure the harsh reality of life in the Badlands during the 1910s. The book was long-listed for the Orange Prize and the author was nominated for the Orange Award for New Writers. This is a book I would highly recommend and I will definitely watch for new material by this promising writer.

4 1/2 stars

#98: I have seen other good reviews of The Personal History of Rachel DuPree. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it too, Brenda.

#110. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Chua's memoir is at once humorous and sobering. Meant to point out the differences in "Chinese parenting" from parenting practiced by the rest of us, the book ultimately confirms how differently (typically) Chinese view the world, family, and responsibilities. The early chapters are especially funny as she describes her over-the-top Tiger Mother behaviors. Latter chapters begin to feel a little like
Show & Tell.

3 1/2 stars

#100: I think I will give that one a miss. It does not sound like one I would enjoy.

111. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

I loved this dark and funny novel. DeWitt made hired killers amusing and likeable, and their story heartwarming?! How weird is that?

4 1/2 stars

#102: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I just need my local library to get a copy. I am glad to see you enjoyed the book so much, Brenda!

Hopefully it won't be too long before your library can provide you with a copy. . . A very fun read.

#104: Either that or it may be one of the books I find in Joplin come November. Are you planning to be at the meet up? I would love to meet you in person!

Stasia, I am planning on being at the November meet-up in Joplin. Very much looking forward to meeting you too. . .

#112. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

My very first graphic novel, and (wait for it) . . . I liked it, I really, really liked it!
Kidding aside, I think this was a great first graphic novel for me - Audrey Niffenegger is a favorite author and to add her illustrations?!
Strange, but then her work is always strange, but it works for me. I found this book (which is part of a larger group of stories) creative, clever, and thought provoking. I would highly recommend this interesting little book to all readers. The idea that we all carry around a collection of everything we've ever read - our own sort of bookmobile . . . I love that idea!

4 stars

>100 brenpike:: One of the headlines in the Review section of today's Wall Street Journal:

A Long Summer for 'Weary Tiger' Mothers... but the subheading is what makes this so funny... Seventies parenting resembled crate training--now, we're actually expected to watch our kids.

This was such a funny article (written by Samantha Bee, one of the Daily Show writers) about the new style of parenting. She describes herself as "the tiger who lays there helplessly in the sun as her tiger babies climb all over her, tugging on her fur." And her childhood in the 70s? "...my childhood summer vacations were spent languishing in front of the TV watching Phil Donahue and eating Boo Berry until my skin turned purple."

>105 alcottacre:: I'm so glad The Changing Hands Bookstore survived the Joplin tornado. It will be a public service to get as many LTers as possible to Joplin in November to bolster their economy.

>107 brenpike:: Good news that you enjoyed your first GN, Brenda. Radioactive was the turning point in this genre for me, although I still feel like I'm reading a comic book when I "read" a graphic novel. ;-)

I'm happy that you'll be joining us in Joplin. It will be a fun time.

Good Morning Donna. Sounds like a have-to-read article following my Tiger Mother read this week. I'll have to remember to look it up next time I'm at the library. The issue of parenting styles makes for interesting conversation. . . But , indeed, Bee's recollections of summers matches mine - not so much TV, but every single day at the pool playing with friends from early afternoon to suppertime. Sometimes yard games after supper with neighbors. I get a little sad when I think about childhoods lost for children of Tiger Mother parents. . .

Looking forward to Joplin and the Changing Hands Bookstore. I keep meaning to look up the dates for the Johnson Cty Library Book Sale . . . do you know when it is?

#113. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S.King

A well written YA book about an 18 year old, Vera, who is coming to terms with the death of a friend, abandonment by her mother, and emotional distance from her father.

3 1/2 stars

#114. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Weird, witty, quirky, touching . . . A story about a young boy who lost his father in the towers on 9/11, we follow Oskar as he tries to make a connection with his father through searching for a specific lock to a key he's found in his father's closet. I will read this book again. Reading it on my IPad was confusing . . . The visual aids, illustrations, etc. mentioned in reviews did not show up and often I was left to extrapolate meaning from words misprinted. Frustrating and distracting, but not enough to obscure the fact that this is a fascinating book.

4 stars

You've been forging ahead! How is Lawrence? Still hot? Probably getting crowded--are the students back yet?

Hi Roni. Lawrence is good and, yes, crowded again. KU classes started yesterday, so students have been filtering back in for several weeks . . . Goodbye peaceful summer . . . Goodbye plenty of parking . . . Goodbye getting from place to place unencumbered with traffic . . .
Weather has definitely been more seasonable lately. 80s-90s. We had storms last weekend with plenty of rain, so things are not as dry. The reprieve from watering every day has been nice.
I frequently visit your thread to catch up with your activities. What have you been busy with this week?
I'll bet your garden is going crazy!

Hi Brenda, it's been buzzing around the MSU campus too! I got into the moving-in-at-the-dorms traffic on Friday when I went to the bookstore to pick up my Wharton books.

We got a little rain this morning, but it is hot and humid this aft. Supposed to be up to 100 degrees again tomorrow. I thought that nightmare was over.

You know, I've never read anything by J. S. Foer, although I've been so tempted. I have a problem with "gimmicky" books and whenever I see the text splayed all over the page in one of his books, I run away. One of these days I'll get over it and give him a try. Thanks for the nudge.

It would be interesting to me to know if all electronic versions of this book were so different from the original paper ones. It didn't seem gimmicky to me, but maybe the IPad is the reason?! As I said, now I am determined to beta copy of the paper version to compare. . .

Thanks for letting me in on the weather prediction . . . I was perfectly happy going along uninformed! Oh well, my garden hose has probably been missing me!

It is amazing how quickly you scared up a reading group for Age of Innocence. I would join in, but I just read that and Summer vey recently. I am, however, going to join you for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

#115. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

The 1999 winner of the Man Booker Prize, a well-deserved honor, takes the reader to Egypt and Italy, and into the hearts and minds of Ondaatje's characters. Good writing, complete characters, compelling story- it has everything a great book should have.

4 stars

#111: I loved that one! Have you read any of Foer's other books? I liked his Everything is Illuminated too.

Stasia, this was my first book by Foer . . . I'll be reading more though.

I look forward to your thoughts :)

#116. Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey by Lillian Schlissel

Ms. Schlissel has done a masterful job of compiling, analyzing and telling these stories from the diaries of women who immigrated westward between the years of 1841-1867.
I am especially intrigued by stories about women's experiences and lives. . . across time and cultures.
This was a re-read for me. . . A good companion read to the other "western" books I've read this month.

4 1/2 stars

#120: I will have to read that book. Thanks for the recommendation, Brenda.

#117. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

Stegner was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1971 for this novel about an historian who is writing the biography of his grandmother. The book is actually two stories, one of the writer who is struggling with debilitating physical challenges and estrangement from his wife, and that of his grandparents marriage and life in the developing American West of the late 1800s. I enjoyed the chapters about his grandparents for their historical references, less the ones about the writer's own life. After having the book recommended on virtually every LT list for me, I'm glad I read it, but I could have read several more enjoyable books in the time it took me to read this 600 pager. . . Bottom line!

3 1/2 stars

Whenever I'm reading one of those large tomes I always think to myself, gosh, in the same amount of time I could have finished 2/3 books but as long as the book is enjoyable I don't mind them every once in awhile, but definitely can't do them back to back! :)

Hi Valerie. I think, too, the end of the month, when I am trying to complete TIOLI challenge books, is not an ideal time to tackle larger tomes!

I appreciate your honesty in your thoughts about Angle of Repose, Brenda. I sometimes resent those longer books, too, especially if I'm not totally "into" them. I'll be tackling Lonesome Dove at the end of September for my October book group. I've heard such good things about it, however, that I don't expect to regret my time with it.

I don't think you'll regret your time with Lonesome Dove. When I read it many years ago, I think I read it in one sitting, staying up practically all night to finish. And that was when I had young kids and really didn't do crazy reading into the night like I sometimes do now!

#102. Old Filth by Jane Gardam
#118. The Man in the Wooden Hat also by Jane Gardem

These novels are perfect companion reads. Old Filth is an aging barrister, resettled in Dorset after a long career in Hong Kong. The Man in the Wooden Hat is about the same barrister and wife told from the wife's perspective. Both very readable . . . Good writing, interesting characters, a little history thrown in.

4 stars for each

#119. Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman

A 2011 long list nominee for the Booker, Pigeon English is an interesting read. While I initially did not like the characters or storyline, the longer I read, the more engrossed I became. I found it amusing and sad at the same time. The language, once I got used to it, made me laugh. The knowledge that this novel is based on a true event and is reality for children around the world is sobering.

4 stars

You are moving right along!

#128: I brought that one home from the library the other day. I hope I enjoy it. I am a little leery of the language usage, but have been assured there is a glossary in the back.

I especially loved the dialogue between Harri and his sister, Lydia. Typical brother and sister bickering, but also very funny. . .

Good to know :)

#120. Partitions by Amit Majmudar

This (author's first) novel is set at the Indian/Pakistani border in 1948, when India gained her freedom from British control. The story follows four characters, 1 Muslim, 1 Sikh, and 2 Hindi as they endure the conflict that partition brings to their homes and families. The foursome are united as the story draws to a close. Well written, nicely drawn characters, I would recommend it.

4 stars

#133: My local library still does not have that one. Glad to see you enjoyed it, Brenda.

#121. Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

This 2011 Booker long lister is a page turner. Set in mid 19th century, in London and on the seas, it's the story of Jaffy Brown. Based roughly on the tale of the "Essex", and on a real exotic animals dealer, Birch takes her readers on a great adventure as Jaff heads to sea to bring home a dragon. I liked this book a lot. Great writing, wonderful characters and plenty of action made it a quick, enjoyable read.

4 1/2 stars

#122. Educating Esme': Diary of a Teacher's First Year by Esme' Raji Codell

A memoir, in the form of a diary, written by an energetic, creative first year teacher, reminds us how difficult teaching is. She gives us an unflinchingly candid account of the trials she encounters in her first year at a public school in Chicago's inner city. I am eager to talk to my oldest daughter, who was classmate of the author while working on her MLS at Illinois University, about this feisty and opinionated individual.

4 stars

#123. Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co. by Jeremy Mercer

An interesting and very readable memoir by a young Canadian author who landed in Paris (in the mid 2000s) directionless and penniless. He discovered the inimitable Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore and ended up living there for many months. His book is a sweet reflection on that time and on the friendships he made there.

4 stars

>135 brenpike:: Hi Brenda, I've been a little iffy about Jamrach's Menagerie because of the dragon, but it looks like I need to read it. That was a fine review from you and it is shortlisted for the Booker now. There were two copies on the shelf last week so maybe I won't even have to reserve it at the library.

I hope you had a great holiday weekend. It feels like fall here in the Ozarks.

Hi Donna. I was happy to see Jamrach's Menagerie make the short list. . . I'm in the middle of Half-Blood Blues, Snowdrops is waiting for me at the library. . . so I'm well on my way to having read all the shortlisters. I think I've liked the bunch of them more than most LTrs seem to.

I think you will find Jamrach's entertaining. Don't be freaked by the dragon - it's a Komodo Dragon they are hunting to fill a customer's order for Mr. Jamrach who is an exotic animals dealer. I especially liked the author's descriptions: on page 139, describing the smell of a snared dragon
"It was the kind of smell that makes walls cringe and plants curl and die."

The weather has been glorious here as well. I was out late last night after rehearsal and was actually chilled in my shorts and short sleeved top . . . I had to turn the heat on in the car for awhile!

Thanks for the review Brenda!

I am adding Jamrach's Menagerie to the wishlist.

Hope you enjoy it Valerie.

#124. Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

Shortlisted for the 2011 Booker Prize . . . I enjoyed this book about jazz musicians in Berlin and Paris, 1939-1940. Though somewhat uneven from beginning to end and not exactly what I'd expected, I did enjoy the voice given these characters by the author. An intriguing period of history, told from a different perspective, I would recommend it.

4 stars

#125. Far to Go by Alison Pick

Longlisted for the 2011 Booker Prize . . . A disappointing read. The story of Pepik Bauer, a five year old Czech boy, sent to Scotland after the fall of his homeland to German forces, and his family. The author also throws in a second confusing storyline taking place in modern Montreal about the author of the Bauer story meeting up with a grown up Pepik. Just did not work for me.

3 stars

#126. Playing for Pizza John Grisham

Pretty standard Grisham . . . Easy to read due to his straight forward writing, but not that interesting a storyline here. A 28 year old professional football player ends up playing for a team in Parma, Italy after several fumbles with various NFL teams in the states. Predictable.

3 stars

Wow, you've been getting in a lot of reading, Brenda! Glad the weather is starting to cool down, even if it is still somewhat sporadic there. I see KU won on Saturday--what is the buzz about the team this year? I'm hoping to see Gil Turner do well.

Sorry Roni. Believe it or not, we are not sports fans and only know there's a game by the increased traffic! We don't even take the paper any more, so I'm totally in the dark about the team and lots of other things as well . . .
It's always seemed you know more about what is going on here than I do! : )

#127. How to Eat a Small Country: A Family's Pursuit of Happiness, One Meal at a Time by Amy Finley

Picked off the new non-fiction shelf at my local library, I knew nothing about the book or the author. Amy Finley, who was the winner of the third season of "The Next Food Network Star", and host of her own short lived "The Gourmet Next Door", writes about her family's decision to move to France for 6 months after she gave up her show. The book chronicles their stay there primarily through the travels and meals they experienced.

3 stars

#128. Kindertransport by Olga Levy Drucker

One of 10,000 German children transported to England between Dec, 1938 and Sept, 1939 prior to the start of WWII, the author tells her own story of the six years she spent apart fom her parents. She was one of the fortunate (only 1000 of the 10,000), reunited with her parents and brother after the conclusion of the war. An interesting and important memoir.

4 stars

#129. 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn

Fascinating and powerful.

5 stars

Good morning, Brenda. My goodness, you are gobbling up the books.. and some very interesting ones too. The last two are already on my WL. My most fervent wish is that I get to read some of these books I've been listing someday.

I'm breaking down and looking for something warm to wear today. This doesn't feel like summer to me!

Hi Donna. Hear you about the temps. Everyone around here had on jackets yesterday. . . I'm resisting digging mine out of storage! Holding out for some nice moderate fall days.

My TBR list is well over 100 now . . . Culling would probably be a good idea, as I will never get to all of them since I keep finding new books that take priority, such as 102 Minutes.
I would definitely recommend moving that one up on your list . . . It was really amazing.

#130. The Pigeon by Patrick Suskind

The adult version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. . . Jonathan, a 50-something bank guard in France, has spent every day of his past thirty years exactly the same way. On this particular day, he encounters a pigeon at the door of his room when he awakes and his whole day (world) unravels from there. An humorous and thought provoking little book.

3 1/2 stars

#131. Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

I really disliked this book. I'd have abandoned it if it were not a Booker shortlister. . .
I found the characters sleazy and the plot predictable.

2 stars

Sleazy continued . . . I dreamt I was involved in the production of a Russian Girls calendar. : /

#132. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Wharton does angst so well . . . I could almost feel the tension in that household.

3 1/2 stars

#133. Living, Loving, Lying Awake at Night by Sindiwe Magona

A book of short stories in two parts . . . The first nine stories are conversations between black women who are domestic servants in Africa. The second half is a varied collection of stories about women in 1960s apartheid Africa.

3 1/2 stars

#134. On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry

Booker longlister. . . 89 year old Lilly Bere tells her story. From Ireland to America, WWI to Gulf War, father and sisters to grandson, her's is a tale of hope and of sadness.

4 stars

You are getting so much reading done! Probably didn't even notice KU's pitiable performance last week, right? But basketball season is almost here!!!

Hi Roni. We are living in oblivion here . . . we don't watch the news, listen to the local radio, or even read a newspaper anymore, so unless I happen to notice an increase in traffic, I don't even know when games are being played! I know, I know . . . Sad! What I am noticing is the great weather! We have lots of fall yard work to get started on. I'll think of you as I'm cleaning up. . .

I see from your thread that you are also getting lots of reading done. Haven't seen any new pottery lately. . . is your class over?

I let the greenware pile up over a few weeks, then spent all last week's class glazing 7 pots. So tomorrow I should have quite a haul to bring home (and take pictures of).

So glad to hear you are getting great weather! Fall is my favorite time of year for weather in Kansas. While all the gardening magazines are talking about putting your plants to bed for the winter, I am gearing up preparing for my winter garden. Tomato vines come out next week--that is a 6X10 foot bed filled with 10 ft. long vines, so will be fun--so I can put my sweet peas, greens and carrots in, and I'm moving one 10x3 bed to a sunnier spot, and raising it slightly as well. So next week will be a busy one garden-wise here too.

#135. Saturday by Ian McEwan

A day in the life of a British neurosurgeon . . .

3 1/2 stars

#136. whose names are unknown by Sanora Babb

I found this book by randomly searching under the tags for Oklahoma, the state of my birth for one of the TIOLI challenges. What I discovered is a book very close to my own roots. Sanora Babb was born in the Oklahoma Territory the year Ok became a state, 1907. The family moved to the panhandle of Oklahoma where Sanora graduated from the same tiny high school my mother attended. Showing writing ability very early, Babb worked in western KS before moving to Los Angeles to become an Associated Press reporter. In 1938, she went to work for the Farm Security Administration in the San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys, helping organize camps for dispossessed farmers. She kept a diary and wrote a manuscript for whose names are unknown, the name taken from legal eviction notices used at the camps-"To John Doe and Mary Doe Whose True Names Are Unknown". Her notes were shared with John Steinbeck when he visited the Weedpatch migrant labor camp. Babb sent 4 completed chapters of her manuscript to Random House in NY. Co-founder and editor, Bennett Cerf, mailed her a check and asked her to move to NY to complete the novel. However, plans to publish Babb's novel disappeared when Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath hit the shelves (430,000 copies sold in the next 5 months). Cerf, convinced of her talent, paid her an advance for a future novel, and after receiving similar rejections from other publishers, Babb put the manuscript in a drawer and continued writing other things. The author shared her manuscript with scholars later and it was published virtually unchanged.
The story is set around the Dunne family, farmers in the OK panhandle, and their neighbors. The first half of the book describes their life in OK and the second half follows them as they become migrant farm workers in California. Though the story is similar to Steinbeck's, Babb's narrative is more intimate, more domestic in nature. She writes very effectively about the poverty, but does not forfeit the dignity of her characters. "No disgrace being poor," as Mrs. Starwood says, "but cussed unhandy."

4 1/2 stars

Fascinating provenance!

#137. Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books by Aaron Lansky

The name is pretty explanatory . . .

4 stars

#138. The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam

This story centers around a family in Bangladesh, set in two time frames. The Haque family, widowed mother, grown son and daughter, survived the 1972 war for independence in Bangladesh and their lives have taken them in different directions. Maya, now a doctor, returns 12 years later, following her sister in law's death, to find her brother, Sohail, a changed man. This is the second book written by Anam about the Haque family and may have been more interesting with additional background information I missed by not reading A Golden Age.

3 stars

Suzanne (Chatterbox) just finished and reviewed The Good Muslim yesterday here (http://www.librarything.com/topic/122793#2955338), I remember reading. I think she liked it more than you did.

You are chugging right along--4 books ahead of me for the year!

Hi Roni. I went over and read Suzanne's review, and yes, she obviously enjoyed it more than I did. It was okay, but will not be one of my memorable reads.

How are you? I see you've been busily creating more jewels. . . pretty stuff!

You will probably pull ahead of me, number wise, in October. We'll be in Ohio for a week and I'm hosting a baby shower when we get back, so some of my reading time is going to be gobbled up by RL.

139. Harpsong by Rilla Askew

Volume 1 in the Oklahoma Stories & Storytellers series.
A compelling story, told from three perspectives, about Harlan Singer, a harmonica-playing wanderer, and his young wife as they travel around the Oklahoma countryside in the 1930s. I would recommend it highly.

4 1/2 stars

>164 brenpike:: Re: Outwitting History
The name is pretty explanatory . . .

Thanks for showing me how to write a short review. A good title says it all! ;-)

Safe travels to Ohio. I'll be watching some soccer games in Overland Park this week end. It looks like neither of us will get to the Lawrence library book sale.

Safe travels! You can catch up to me in December when I'll be traveling.

Hi Donna and Roni. Thanks for the safe travel wishes. . . We are enjoying our visit here and will head home very early Friday morning. I am going to try and squeeze in a trip to the Lawrence Library book sale this weekend, because we all know I need more reading material!? : )

Glad you appreciated the short review Donna. Sometimes there just doesn't seem to be anything new to add!
I know you'll enjoy your visit with the kids this weekend. . . Hope your team wins!

I hope your having a great trip Brenda. :)
Can't wait to see if you pick up any gems at the book sale!

Thanks Valerie. I'll let you know if I find any goodies!

#140. The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry

An interesting read, though overly long, Barry's book covers not only the influenza itself, but the early history of medicine, social and political ramifications of the pandemic, and biography of the scientists who pioneered in newly
christened laboratories.

3 1/2 stars

Valerie, We went to the book sale today, half-price day, and I came away with 10 books from my TBR list:
Falling Man Don DeLillo
Truth & Beauty Ann Patchett
West with the Night Beryl Markham (to reread or loan)
Brick Lane Monica Ali
Purple Hibiscus Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Madonnas of Leningrad Debra Dean
What is the What Dave Eggers
One Good Turn Kate Atkinson
djibouti Elmore Leonard
We Were the Mulvaneys Joyce Carol Oates

I also bought books at the used book store in the Akron Public Library:
In the Kitchen Monica Ali
Prodigal Summer Barbara Kingsolver
Dancing at the Rascal Fair Ivan Doig
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel Louise Murphy (to
reread or loan)

And one new book, my last read from this year's Booker shortlist:
The Sense of an Ending Julian Barnes

A good week for satisfying my habit! Now, where to shelve them?

Great buys, Brenda!!

Thanks Roni. How are you? I noted some partying going on over your way!

Wine and cheese (aged white cheddar), with tea for the tee-totalers, that's all. Just a quiet little soiree amongst the books and pottery, except that Richard is getting a little carried away. I'm good! Are you back in Lawrence to stay for a while?

We are . . . No travel plans for awhile. How about you? Where will you be traveling in December?

We are taking our first cruise ever, to the western Caribbean.

Hi Brenda, I mentioned the short drive to Lawrence and the promise of cheap books to Lori, but with three soccer games and a husband having a birthday, she didn't jump at the chance for some reason. You got some great books. I've read most of them so no book envy here...except for the new Julian Barnes book. I've heard great things about it. I may see how long the list at the library is before I run out and buy a copy. I'm trying to make my B&N gift card last until Christmas.

I'm staying home for awhile, too. My next trip may be the meetup in Joplin unless I decide to go to Dallas by myself for a longer Haley fix. Right now, home looks pretty good to me. ;-)

Morning Roni and Donna. Wow, a cruise sounds great and the Caribbean is so beautiful! What an exciting trip to anticipate . . .
Meanwhile, back in the Midwest, Donna and Brenda will be keeping the home fires burning. : )

I'm vicariously enjoying your morning not taking exams, Donna. I remember well the stress of tests and papers . . . LT is much more fun!

Happy Anniversary! It was a year ago today that I joined LT . . . who knew it would be so life altering! : )

Wow, that year went by quickly. Happy Thingaversary, Brenda!

I hope you know about the tradition of buying yourself a book for every year on LT plus a bonus book! It's another sneaky way we have of acquiring guilt-free books. ;-)

I like that tradition . . . do I have to count the 15 books I already purchased this month?

Happy Thingaversary! Mine is coming up in 2 weeks--I have to try to remember it. And I'm going out to buy books this morning!

You're so lucky that you find books from your wish list. I usually just find books that I didn't know I wanted!

I didn't take time to peruse books I am unfamiliar with this go round . . . Too many books and too many people for that, so the easiest route was to pull titles from my list. I'm not always so disciplined!

I don't think I've read a single one of those on your list! I will have to check them out or wait patiently until you read them. :)
Ahh, yes bookshelf space, a dilemma that all LTer's seem to have. I can't build them fast enough and so all of my books suffer from lack of organization.

#141. The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes

Shortlisted for the 2011 Booker - Retired, divorced Tony Webster is left a small sum of money and documents by the mother of a girlfriend from 40 years before. Unable to understand why, he reflects on relationships from his youth and tries to renew past connections in an effort to make sense of a friend's suicide and the unusual gift from a woman he met once.

4 stars

#142. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

An intriguing graphic biography, Redniss' concept and artwork were the real winners for me here.

4 stars

#143. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos

Hilarious . . . Lorilei, while seemingly the dumb blond, is one clever gal. The diary format was the perfect way to narrate this funny story. Can't wait to hear the professor's (MSU) comments on how why this book is included in the class on Edith Wharton works!

4 stars

>192 brenpike:: Hi Brenda, I'm glad I have a lighthearted book to look forward to. So far the only comment Dr. C. has made about Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is that it will provide relief to those who are studying for finals and working on papers and presentations. So glad that I'm auditing the class. ;-)

Happy Thingaversary Brenda!

I loved The Sense of an Ending and hope it wins the Booker tonight.

Thanks Cushla. I didn't realize the award was to be given tonight . . . I finished the shortlisted books just in time! I liked The Sense of An Ending, but I loved The Sisters Brothers so I am pulling for the deWitt. Snowdrops was the only one of the list I really did not like.

The only one on the shortlist that I read was the Barnes. I loved The Stranger's Child a bit more, but it didn't make the SL! I also have On Canaan's Side on my ipad Kindle sitting there unloved since it got the boot too. I will probably try to read The Sisters Brothers next year based on the great comments on here. I think the announcement's at 9.45 pm London time, which is 10.45 here in Switzerland and past my bedtime!

Morning Donna. GPB will definitely provide comic relief after the heavy semester of Wharton. I was wondering about his trying to draw a connection or contrast between male/female relationships of the ages, or love vs. money marriages or some other equally heavy analytical or symbolic comparison. I will eagerly await the lecture(s)!

Cushla, The Strangers Child is waiting for me at the library. I'm looking forward to it. I'm thinking you should read the deWitt sooner if you have time . . . So dark and so funny. I really loved it!
I have no idea what time 9:45 London is here. . . I'll be looking for the news on LT! Counting on Darryl to be ready with the latest news . . .

Looks like The Sense of an Ending took the Booker prize so hopefully I can get around to picking up that one. I read Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout last month and I think my problem was I got too caught in all the science rather than just appreciating the artistry. :)

#144. An Owl on Every Post by Sanora Babb

A memoir by the author of whose names are unknown covering the years when her family lived in Colorado. Her father and (paternal) grandfather farmed broomcorn, the family of five living in a one room dugout. Another interesting read about life in the dust bowl/depression of the 30s.

3 1/2 stars

#145. Nightwoods by Charles Frazier

Frazier's new novel, set in 1960s Appalachian Mountains. Twenty-something Luce is left the responsibility of caring for her niece and nephew after her sister is killed by their step- father. The story heats up when Bud, the killer, comes looking for the kids (who witnessed their mother's death) and for money he thinks is in their possession.

4 stars

#146. Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell

Mitchell's first novel is a compelling story about two Ukranian families and their struggle to survive on their Canadian plains homesteads.

4 1/2 stars

Aw gee, Brenda, I wish you'd quit reading those survival stories. I can get lost in reading about how people overcome the hurdles of breaking ground and working hard to make a living.

I'm also interested in the Colorado memoir. Maybe I'll read it when our owls come back again. I heard one the other night. I wonder where they go in the summer?

Have a good week!

But I love survival stories . . . What does that mean?

How much are you loving Major Pettigrew's Last Stand? One of my favorite reads last year. . .

#147. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

A great book . . . 11 year old Michael travels (alone) from Sri Lanka to England to join his mother. The story centers around the 21 day journey aboard the Oronsay, where Michael has made two friends with whom to adventure. The Cat's Table refers to their dining table which is situated farthest from the Captain's. Their table mates are a fascinating group of individuals around whom many of their escapades revolve. I agree with Darryl(kidzdoc) who includes this book in his "books overlooked for inclusion by the Booker committee" list. Highly recommended.

4 1/2 stars

You are speeding right along! I'll never catch up at this rate.

Under This Unbroken Sky sounds really good...

Sandy, Under This Unbroken Sky was a great read. I would heartily recommend it. . .

#148. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

Journalists (American) Douglas Preston and (Italian) Mario Spezi joined forces to write this interesting piece of non-fiction about a series of brutal murders which took place around Florence from 1968-85.

#149. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Set in 1960s Nigeria/Biafra, centers around Olanna and Keinene, twins born into prosperity and position. Told from the perspective of Olanna, Ugwu (Olanna's servant) and Richard (Keinene's mate), we are taken through the turmoil of the war for Biafran independence. An interesting read.

4 stars

#150. The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945 by Wladyslaw Szpilman

A powerful memoir about a remarkable man.

5 stars

I remember loving Half of a Yellow Sun when I read it a couple of years ago - glad to hear you also liked it.

The Pianist sounds very good, even though I'm not normally a big fan of biographies/memoirs. However, my library does not have it, so I will have to do an ILL. Still, onto the wishlist it goes.

Will we be seeing you in Joplin?

Hi Sandy. Yes, I'm planning on Joplin. Interested in riding over together?

I also had to ILL The Pianist, but it was well worth the wait. Have you seen the movie from several years ago. It is also excellent.

#151. The Story of Charlotte's Web: E.B.White's Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic by Michael Sims

A fascinating biography covering White's life from his birth in 1899 to his death in 1985. He was privileged to have been born into a family of (American, East coast) prosperity and to have had freedom to explore to his heart's content as a child. His first work was published he was ten and he continued to publish very successfully throughout his life. He was the first staff writer hired by the brand new The New Yorker magazine. He married editor, Katherine Angell, and they continued their work for the publication for over thirty years. His masterpiece Charlotte's Web was conceived and written on their farm in Maine, where Andy (as Elwyn was known after college) and Karherine lived and worked.
I loved this book. Not only is White's story interesting, but reading about the publishing industry with inclusion of the names of so many beloved authors was an especially enjoyable bonus. Obviously, highly recommended.

5 stars

#213 Yes, I'd be interested in carpooling to Joplin if I don't have to make a side trip. My Grandma lives in Mt Vernon (between Joplin and Springfield) and is in poor health, so I may need to go see her. But we can plan on it for now.

I haven't seen the movie of The Pianist, but will wait until after I've read the book now.

I think I originally saw the Charlotte's Web book on Richard's thread and thought it looked very interesting. Unforunately, my library doesn't have it, but it is going on my wish list.

Hi Sandy and Roni. Let's keep in touch re the drive to Joplin, Sandy. Hope you can get your hands on The Pianist soon. . .

Similarly, Roni, The Story of Charlotte's Web would be worth the time to ILL request - just a great book.

I had a great weekend of reading . . . Two five star books! That never happens!

#152. The Lost Traveler by Sanora Babb

Story of a family set in small town Kansas in the 1920s. Babb writes from inside the family dynamic, making her characters very authentic.

3 1/2 stars

Wow I'm impressed. I know I'm so busy but I really wish I could read as much as you do!

>217 brenpike:: Two five star books... that's great but tough to follow up on. I always have trouble with the first book or two following a 5-star book. Maybe that's why I don't give out that rating very often.

I loved the movie based on The Pianist. I can only imagine the emotional impact of the book.

Two 5 star reads back to back is quite an achievement! :)

5 star ratings are pretty rare for me too, but when the books are good what can you do?! Helps that they were both biographies set around favorite themes . . . Books and survival!

I also loved "The Pianist" movie. The screenplay was very well written and the cast well chosen, I would say having read the book.

#218 This book sounds wonderful, but the library doesn't have it - it like it is an old book. But they do have 2 others by the same author - Whose Names are Unknown and An Owl on Every Post. Do you know anything about either of them? I think Whose Names are Unknown is going on my wishlist, since I can't get The Lost Traveler

Hi Sandy. I read all three of these Babb books this fall. I talked about whose names are unknown at 162, and An Owl on Every Post at 200 above. Each of her books are (somewhat) autobiographical and so are centered around her family - dad, mom, sister. I found whose names are unknown while searching for Oklahoma authors (TIOLI challenge), was fascinated with Babb's own story, and have enjoyed her stories for their characters and settings which are so familiar to me.

I also enjoyed Harpsong by Rilla Askew at 168 above. Again, an Oklahoma author whose writing I very much enjoyed.

Interesting that your public library has the rather obscure Babb books . . . I had to ILL request them, as well as the Askew, and they were forwarded from various university libraries. All have been well worth the wait. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

#153. Nanjing Requim Ha Jin

I liked Ha Jin's Waiting and find the story of the fall of Nanking fascinating, but this book was a disappointment. From the beginning, I could just never seem to get interested in the characters as written. The non-fiction account of the event is definitely more interesting and memorable. I would recommend The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang

3 stars

#224 *sheepishly* you've caught me skimming! I'm not sure I can even get Lost Traveler on an ILL, since I can't get it to pop up in WorldCat - but will try again. It looks like I can't go wrong with either of the 2 books we do have, though.

Read whose names are unknown including all the information about the book's provenance. Interesting . . .

Finally found Lost Traveler on WorldCat - only 2 copies in Missouri - so it's going on the wishlist together with Whose Names are Unknown. Thanks for the recommendations.

>225 brenpike:: Thank you, Brenda, for saving me from the new Ha Jin book. I have The Rape of Nanking ready to go in my history category for the 12 in 12 challenge and I'll just leave it at that. I really should read the books I bought in Kansas City before I buy more in Joplin. Can't wait to see you again!

Me too, re. Joplin! :)

#154. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Slightly fluffy, and predictable, I nevertheless enjoyed this first novel by Diffenbaugh. The story centers around Victoria, who was abandoned as an infant and passed through numerous foster home and care facilities before being emancipated at age 18. Homeless and hungry, she meets the owner of a flower shop who is willing to give her a chance at employment and life, really. The story is told by Victoria in two separate time frames: her time with Elizabeth, the only real mother she had at age 9/10, and her first year and a half on her own at age 18/19.
I loved the historical references to the Victorian era floral messaging!

4 stars

Catching up on your reading. Did you see Google today? Marie Curie's 144th birthday.

I read Nightwoods this past weekend and was floored by it. It started off so slow and easy but gradually picked up speed. When I was done with it I sort of pictured a train leaving a station and getting up to speed.

Hi mamzel. Nice to "meet" you. . . I'll have to check out Google for the info on Marie Curie's birthday.

Glad you liked Nightwoods so much. I agree that it picked up steam as the story went along. Didn't you just hate Bud? I was so nervous for the kids and for Luce. Loved the ending . . .

Bud was the creepiest of creeps! To get Luce's father into drugs to make sure he wouldn't interfere was creep-genius!

I see you've read his other two books. I read Cold Mountain a long time ago and need to read Thirteen Moons. Did you like them as well as Nightwoods?

I have liked each of his books . . . They are all so different, but each has well developed characters, picturesque settings and compelling story lines.

Mamzel, I noticed on your profile page that you just read Ted Hughes The Iron Giant. We often watch (with our 4 year old neighbor) a great animated production of this book. Warner Bros., 1999, directed by Brad Bird. My favorite character, Dean, is voiced and modeled from Harry Connick, Jr. Available on Netflix if you are interested.

#155. The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

Interesting, sometimes confusing, novel centered around a small North Dakota community. Lots of characters, interrelated, told through different narrators over a length of many years and generations made this a challenge, but I enjoyed the writing and the stories of the characters and will read more by Louise Erdrich.

3 1/2 stars

#156. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg by Dubravka Ugresic

Translated from Croatian, stories based on the myths of Baba Yaga, a witch. The book is one of a series based on popular myths from around the world. While I found humor in the stories about older women, I was not ultimately very interested in the mythology. Maybe it would have been more compelling if I'd had more prior knowledge about Baba Yaga.

3 stars

#157. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

An interesting piece of fiction about journalists and the international newspaper they worked for. Well drawn characters, interesting use of various narrators, alternating current and historical chapters, made the story compelling.

4 stars

Hi Brenda, I hope I get to The Imperfectionists this month for TIOLI. I have 3 library books to read first. Erdrich books are woven together in interesting ways; the more of them you read, the more you'll enjoy them. At least that's been my experience.

I'll be seeing you soon!

Hi Donna. Hope you like The Imperfectionists.
I'm embarrassed to say I have lost the tutorial you gave me on Louise Erdrich several months back. I simply chose Plague of Doves as a shared read this month. . . What is your favorite Erdrich book?

And, yes, you will be seeing me soon! : )

#158. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexi

My first book by Sherman Alexi. What a great writer! His writing is humorous and sobering at the same time. I'll read more by this unique author.

4 stars

Good reading going on here.

You could always reciprocate by posting pictures of Clinton Lake!

If I took pictures !? I quit taking photos several years ago when my youngest became so adept at photography, but I'll see what I can do . . .

As if Kansas' Clinton Lake could compare . . . : )

Hey, it has its moments!

Fond memories from your youth there?

Actually, fonder memories of skinny-dipping in the smaller run-off lakes that were submerged into Clinton (Lake Henry in particular) and in running trot-lines for catfish along that stretch of the Wakarusa pre-Clinton.

Aha . . .

#159. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The story is narrated by 15 year old Kambili, whose father is a wealthy, respected businessman in their Nigerian community. While her father is generous and politically active in public, at home he is a religious tyrant. Kambili, her brother Jaja, learn how different life can be when they are allowed to visit their (paternal) Aunty Ifeoma and her three children, and begin to question their father's fanaticism and abuses.

3 1/2 stars

# 160. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexi

I loved this YA book about Junior (Arnold) a high school freshman who made the brave decision to switch schools, transferring from his home school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to nearby Reardon, an all white high school. Alexi's writing is wonderful - humorous, thought provoking. Highly recommended.

5 stars

#161. Perfume by Patrick Suskind

A reread of one of my favorites . . . I love this book about Jean Baptist Grenouille, an orphan possessed with an incredible sense of smell, whose desire for capturing fragrance leads him to murder in 1700s France. Suskind's use of prose to conjer images and smells is incredible. Obviously, highly recommended.

5 stars

#162. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

A charming book written in 1917 about selling books from a wagon, and related adventures. Very enjoyable . . . thanks, Donna, for the recommendation.

4 stars

You're very welcome, Brenda. You can do some in-person recommendations in Joplin a week from today. I'd better get busy and read the last few books you suggested I buy in Kansas City. I love meetups in used bookstores!

Meet-ups and used bookstores are a perfect combo . . .

#163. Finding Iris Chang: Friendship, Ambition, and the Loss of an Extraordinary Mind by Paula Kamen

They were both authors and competitors during their college years, but ultimately Iris Chang and Paula Kamen were friends. Kamen's book explores the reasons behind Chang's suicide at the age of 36. I was most interested in their common history and in the chapters covering mental health and the documented effects of hormone treatment on patients with bipolar disease.

3 stars

Hope you had a good thanksgiving yesterday, Brenda!

We did, thanks. And you?

Quiet (we have no family out here) but nice.

I just got all caught up on your thread, and you have read some great books this year. I see that you have read the entire Border trilogy. I have only read the first book but I went out and bought the next two because I liked it so much.

Have a great day!

It's time . . .

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