Laura (lindsacl)'s 2011 Reading Record - Episode 3

The Hay Wain, by John Constable




My 2011 Reading Resolutions

Previous 2011 threads:
Episode 1 * Episode 2 *

Books completed ("details" jumps to location in this thread where review & links can be found)
46. Remembering Babylon - details
45. Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead - details
44. When Will There be Good News? - details
43. Great House - details
42. William - details
41. All Mortal Flesh - details
40. Molly Fox's Birthday - details
39. The White Family - details
38. The Tiger's Wife - details
37. The Memory of Love - details
36. The Lieutenant - details
35. People of the Book - details
34. The Smart Swarm - details
33. My Antonia - details
32. A Dance to the Music of Time: Second Movement - details
31. A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why we Read Jane Austen - details
30. The Land of Green Ginger - details
29. To Darkness and to Death - details
28. An Artist of the Floating World - details
27. Mind Games (unpublished manuscript, no touchstone) - details
26. Year of Wonders - details

26. Year of Wonders ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I'm trying to read one book each month that's been gathering dust on my stacks. This is one of those.

With its subtitle, "A Novel of the Plague," I was initially worried this book would be a real downer. Far from it. Year of Wonders is the story of one village's fight to survive and keep up a sense of community. Told by Anna Frith, servant to the Rector Mompellion and his wife Elinor, the story takes place in 1665-66 as a late outbreak of bubonic plague takes hold of a Derbyshire village. The Rector is young, enthusiastic, and committed to his flock. When disease strikes and takes its first victim, Mompellion convinces the villagers to quarantine themselves as a form of protection. No one may leave the town, and arrangements are made for food and other provisions to be delivered to a safe space. But this well-intentioned action misses the mark, as increasing numbers of people are struck down, and people who once lived in harmony are filled with suspicion and fear.

But within this tragedy is a story of persistence and hope. The Rector works tirelessly to bury the dead and give pastoral care to the bereaved. Anna and Elinor, too, minister to the sick, especially the children. Anna has experienced her own share of loss, and yet finds meaning in caring for others. For a short time she tries to escape the reality of recurring death by taking an opiate, but stops when she realizes its addictive powers:

How do we tumble down a hill? A foot placed incautiously on an unsteady rock or loosened turf, an ankle twisted or a knee buckled, and of a sudden we are gone, our body lost to our own control until we find ourselves sprawled in indignity at the bottom. So it seems apt indeed to speak of the Fall. For sin, too, must always start with but a single misstep, and suddenly we are hurtling toward some uncertain stopping point. All that is sure in the descent is that we will arrive sullied and bruised and unable to regain our former place without hard effort. (p. 134)

Much later, Anna questions the religious explanation for the Plague:

Why should this thing be either a test of faith sent by God, or the evil working of the Devil in the world? One of these beliefs we embraced, the other we scorned as superstition. But perhaps each was false, equally. Perhaps the Plague was neither of God nor the Devil, but simply a thing in Nature, as the stone on which we stub a toe. ... For if we could be allowed to see the Plague as a thing in Nature merely, we did not have to trouble about some grand celestial design that had to be completed before the disease would abate. We could simply work up on it as a farmer might toil to rid his field of unwanted tare, knowing that when we found the tools and the method and the resolve, we would free ourselves, no matter if we were a village full of sinners or a host of saints. (p. 215)

Anna continues her ministry using herbal remedies learned from another member of her village, and just as the epidemic begins to fade she experiences one more staggering loss. She faces this with the same strength that saw her through the Plague year, and rides off toward an uplifting, if somewhat implausible, future.

I read Year of Wonders in 2006 and loved it. Unfortunately, I don't remember many details, so I think it may go on the list of potential re-reads... Excellent review, btw, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Ha! first visitor... (ETA, whoops, took too long writing the post to make it under the wire...)

It's very odd, I crossed paths with Geraldine once or twice when we both worked at the WSJ (she covered the Middle East out of London); have read all her non-fiction and damn near everything that Tony has ever written (I use some of his articles when I teach, to prove business journalism is NOT dull...) but I have yet to read any of her novels. This must change. I hereby vow it.

Oh, I LOVE Constable. He does such wonderful skies. Seems a shame that Turner gets all the kudos these days!

Laura

Another thumbs up from me for your excellent review of Year of Wonders. This book is on the shelves somewhere and I vow to find it and read it.

>3 katiekrug:: thank you, Katie! I have difficulty remembering details too, but I've found that writing reviews helps.
>4 Chatterbox:: very cool about your connection to Geraldine, Suz. Have you read her latest, Caleb's Crossing ? It was just reviewed in today's NYTimes, and the reviewer compared it (favorably) to Year of Wonders.
>5 Whisper1:: thanks for the thumb, Linda. I think you'd like this book.

Great review of Year of Wonders, Laura. I hope I didn't spoil it too much for you. ;-) I'm looking forward to reading Caleb's Crossing. I've read most everything of hers including Nine Parts of Desire which was my introduction to her superb writing. I'm currently reading Confederates in the Attic by her husband, Tony Horwitz.

Love the painting by Constable.

Hi Laura, I actually liked Year of Wonders best of Brooks' three novels, although I've enjoyed all of them. I had Caleb's Crossing in my hands the other day and then left it at the bookstore. I'm sure I'll read it sometime this year. At any rate, thumb on another great review.

Just seems like every WSJ alum is supposed to becoming a bestselling or critically acclaimed author at some point -- Susan Faludi, Bryan Gruley, Erik Larson, Tony Horwitz, Geraldine Brooks, Helene Cooper (I've got a priceless photo from a hiking trip in Wales of her devouring Harlequin romances while sitting on a rocky "beach" that would probably command millions in blackmail), James Stewart, Julie Salomon, Lucette Lagnado, etc. etc. etc. Just off the top of my head...

I need to read Geraldine's novels, though. I loved her book Seven Parts of Desire, and also Foreign Correspondence, which feels even more dated now than it did when first published, thanks to e-mail!

>2 lauralkeet:: Oh, that does sound good! And I have a copy lurking and previously forgotten at the bottom of the tottering TBR pile- I love it when that happens!

Thanks everyone, it's so nice to see you all stopping by my shiny new thread!

About the Constable painting: I must now confess that I chose this painting not just because of his talent but because it's also mentioned in a rather funny Monty Python sketch where the characters come to life in an art gallery ("Mum! The man from The Hay Wain's here!")

Nice review of Year of Wonders, Laura. I enjoyed that one too.

Thank you Stasia!

Great review of Year of Wonders, Laura! That definitely goes on the wish list.

>14 kidzdoc:: Yeah, I think you'd like it Darryl. Just a caution about the ending. If you read the LT reviews you'll see that aspect gets panned a lot, and well it should. I was kind in my final sentence, because I had enjoyed the rest of the book so much. But it did cost half a star.

27. Mind Games (an unpublished manuscript)
Reviewed: Not formally reviewed
Why I read this now: A friend of mine is trying to get a novel published, and asked me to review and critique her manuscript.

This novel is the story of a small-town journalist battling OCD, who becomes embroiled in a news story she uncovers. It is a mystery/thriller with elements of romance. I enjoyed the book more than I expected to, but also had a number of suggestions for the author which I hope she finds useful!

28. An Artist of the Floating World ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It was nominated for the 1986 Booker Prize, and I'm (very) gradually working my way through past nominees.

It's 1948, and retired Japanese artist Masuji Ono is watching his country rebuild -- physically, emotionally, and politically -- after the damage wrought by the second World War. He lost loved ones and his home was damaged, as were some of his regular haunts. Now his life revolves around his two adult daughters Setsuko and Noriko, and his young grandson Ichiro. Setsuko and Ichiro live far away, but Noriko lives with her father. A marriage deal is in the works, but the sisters are nervous because a previous negotiation fell through. Ono is oblivious to the risk, and even more importantly fails to grasp that his own pre-war activities could be damaging Noriko's prospects.

Ono provides the narrative, and while there's plenty of dialogue, a great deal is inside his head. Details drip out like water from a leaky faucet. He goes off on tangents, and sometimes references important events or conversations, but doesn't fill in the details until later. He often ends a long story by saying it may not have happened exactly as he remembered it. Kazuo Ishiguro uses Noriko and Setsuko to fill in the blanks through conversations with their father. And his portrayal of the Japanese father-daughter relationship is brilliant. When Ono's daughters challenge him, they do so in a very indirect way. They make suggestions instead of overt requests, even when the matter is of the utmost importance. As Noriko's marriage negotiations begin, Setsuko is clearly worried about something from their past, and wants Ono to clear things up with certain associates:

"I wonder how Mr Kuroda is these days. I can remember how he used to come here, and you would talk together for hours in the reception room."

"I've no idea about Kuroda these days."

"Forgive me, but I wonder if it may not be wise if Father were to visit Mr Kuroda soon."

"Visit him?"

"Mr. Kuroda. And perhaps certain other such acquaintances from the past."

"I'm not sure I follow what you're saying, Setsuko."

"Forgive me, I simply meant to suggest that Father may wish to speak to certain acquaintances from his past. That is to say, before the Saitos' detective does. After all, we do not wish any unnecessary misunderstandings to arise."

"No, I suppose we don't," I said, returning to my paper.

I believe we did not discuss the matter further after that. Neither did Setsuko raise it again for the remainder of her stay last month. (p. 85)

As Ono reminisces on his pre-war artistic career the reader comes to understand his daughters' concerns. But Ono is more savvy and self-aware than he lets on, and takes a personal risk at what he judges to be a critical point in the marriage negotiations.

This is one of Ishiguro's early novels, and its style is much like The Remains of the Day, which is one of my all-time favorite books. An Artist of the Floating World is nearly as great, and highly recommended.

Loved your review of An Artist of the Floating World, Laura. It brought back great memories of reading that book and I agree about it being "nearly as great" as The Remains of the Day.

Pat, I thought both books had a very similar style and feel to them. It's made me want to read his first book, A Pale View of the Hills. I've liked his later work well enough but his more recent novels are completely different from these two. Never Let me Go, for example.

I loved The Remains of the Day and I also loved Never Let Me Go but I have never read anything else by Ishiguru. Now I am wondering why! Artist of the Floating World may well be my next one.

Another fab review, Laura!

Another good book that's languishing on my shelves Laura. Another terrific review by you. All's right with the world.

>21 brenzi:: you're sweet, Bonnie ... thanks !

Great review of An Artist of the Floating World, Laura. I enjoyed that one by Ishiguro too.

Memo to self: must read all unread Ishiguro novels. Sigh. the TBR stalagmite is becoming unmanageable.

Thank you, Stasia.
Suz, I think you should!! I'm now quite interested in reading more of his books because, as I mentioned in #19, I see a real difference in style between his earlier and later books. But I need more data points to see if that's truly the case.

I also thought your review of An Artist of the Floating World was excellent. I am adding it to my wishlist. Thanks!

>26 chinquapin:: chinquapin, Thank you very much! It's nice to meet someone new here, so thanks for stopping by my thread.

Very nice write up of An Artist of the Floating World, that was my first Ishiguro. I really need to read some more of his work. A Pale View of Hills does look good.

Great review of An Artist of the Floating World, Laura. Yes, IMO there is a significant stylistic difference between Ishiguro's earlier works and his later ones. I've read this one and A Pale View of Hills, but I greatly prefer The Remains of the Day, which is also one of my all time favorite novels. I keep putting off Never Let Me Go, but I'll get to it this summer.

I've got to read An Artist of the Floating World too. That and When We Were Orphans are the only Ishiguros I haven't read. Anyone have an opinion on WWWO?

I'm not of the predominant view on Never Let Me Go--I didn't care for it, although I often read and like similar science-fictionish books. I've liked all his other novels, even The Unconsoled, which a lot of people didn't like.

>30 arubabookwoman:: Deborah, When we Were Orphans was the first Ishiguro I read, ages & ages ago. I remember only sort of liking it but I just went and read the book description to refresh my memory, and it sounds pretty intriguing.

29. To Darkness and to Death ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I needed a fix!

This is the fourth in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series. This is one of the few series I read, and I enjoyed this just as much as the earlier volumes. As always, the action takes place in Millers Kill, a town in New York's Adirondacks region. Clare (an Episcopal priest) and Russ (the police chief) inevitably find themselves working together on a situation affecting the community, and equally inevitably the romantic sparks fly, but the dramatic tension remains.

This book differs from the others in that it takes place in a 24-hour period. Clare is called out early one morning to volunteer for a a search and rescue operation. Millie van der Hoeven, a young heiress and environmental activist, has gone missing. Haudenosaunee, the van der Hoeven estate, is being sold into preservation. A banquet and dance are planned for the evening, to sign official documents and celebrate the handover. But the environment benefits are offset by impact on local industry, since the property will no longer be available for logging. It's never simple, and emotions run high.

Russ gets involved a couple of hours later, as the missing person case develops into something more complex. Interestingly, the reader knows more details than either Russ or Clare. We know what's happened to the missing person. We know the details of an assault, and a mistaken identity. We know exactly who the good guys and bad guys are, and can only watch as Clare and Russ work it out. So of course, this had me wondering how Julia Spencer-Fleming would wrap things up. I mean, if I already knew everything there was to know, then where was the mystery?

Well of course there is one, and it sure did sneak up on me, delivering the "oompf" one comes to expect from a good mystery novel. And it left me eager to read more from Julia Spencer-Fleming.

Another great review, Laura. I really need to make time for this series. I got the first one out of the library recently but just had too many other things I was reading at the same time to make room for it.

I'm reading Book 2 right now Laura and enjoying it very much. And you said it when you said I needed a fix. How right you are.

I am re-reading the entire series since I received the latest, One Was a Soldier, as an ER book. I am glad to see you are still liking the series, Laura.

30. The Land of Green Ginger ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It was recently reissued as a Virago Modern Classic with this new cover, and I just had to have it. When it arrived, I just had to read it. Now.

Joanna Burton was born in South Africa but raised in Yorkshire, and as a young woman had dreams of traveling around the world. But then she fell in love with Teddy Leigh, and married in haste because of the war. When Teddy returned, she realized how little she knew of him and came to understand the life that awaited her. Teddy was in poor health, and unable to follow his early dream to become a minister. The couple had a small farm but were not successful farmers. They could barely provide for themselves and their two daughters.

When a group of eastern European laborers establish a camp on the outskirts of their village, Joanna and Teddy befriend one of their leaders, Paul Szermai. They offer him lodging in their home as a way to bring in extra income. Paul's presence is welcome at first, but then causes a rift between Joanna and Teddy. Joanna tries to meet the needs of Teddy, her daughters, and Paul, as well as keep up with the farm and household chores, but it all proves a bit much. She imagines correspondence with old school friends, who have long since stopped sending letters:

She used at first to write long letters to her friends, Agnes Darlington and Rachel Harris. But as the chickens increased and the prosperity of the farm decreased, she had less and less time somehow to answer letters. Therefore the letters which she never answered dwindled and dwindled. She seemed utterly removed from the world she had known before her marriage. (p. 38)

Winifred Holtby paints a portrait of Yorkshire village life, with a rich cast of characters from all classes. She shows the stark economic divide between the upper and lower classes, sometimes by describing them directly and sometimes through witty descriptions of a scene:

The passengers on the crowded tender living Tilbury dock buttoned their coats tightly against the keen October air. Third- and first-class passengers, huddled together, regarded each other with the suspicion that precedes the separation of sheep from goats by the unequivocal barrier of a steel railing.

Holtby also depicts most of the villagers as small-minded and cruel. Rumors about Joanna and Paul abound, especially after Teddy insists they attend a dance together when he is not well enough to go. And even though there is a scene, Joanna still doesn't quite grasp how she is perceived by others. When Joanna is finally forced to face the reality of her situation she says to herself, "Bidgood had been right. It was not the truth but people's idea of the truth which made it possible for one to live in society."

Circumstances force Joanna into a dramatic decision, but one left me hopeful that she would one day realize the dreams of her youth.

Excellent review, Laura! (No surprise there.) I have this one to look forward to! YAY!

>36 lauralkeet:: The Land of Green Ginger sounds like a lovely old-fasioned read, Laura. I won't worry about the influx of werewolf and zombie books as long as you keep reviewing these kinds of books about pastoral village life and the like.

Oh good another Holtby book. I'm still looking for Anderby Wold but this looks like another good one Laura. And another excellent review.

Need to read Holtby... Need a year of 48-hour days...

I also need to read something by Holtby. I've had South Riding on my PBS wishlist but so far haven't made much progress towards getting it. Another great review, Laura.

ETA: I love the cover and the name of that book (The Land of Green Ginger).

Wow, look at all these friends stopping by! It's been a hot day here, so let me pass the lemonade:


Thanks for the nice comments Peggy, Donna, Bonnie, Suz & Pat. This book started off slowly for me, but I ended up liking it in the end. I still think South Riding is her best.

I own South Riding and will give that one a read first, but be on the look out for The Land of Green Ginger. Another fine review, Laura, and thanks for the lemonade too :)

Speaking of Holtby, have you read her biography by Vera Brittain, Testament of Friendship? I am just curious and wondering if it is worth the read.

>43 alcottacre:: I haven't read the bio yet, Stasia. I loved Brittain's Testament of Youth though. Testament of Friendship was recommended by ... somebody around here ... while acknowledging it wasn't quite as good as Testament of Youth.

I am doing a re-read of Testament of Youth right now. I may give Testament of Friendship a shot after that. Thanks for the input, Laura.

Nice review, Laura!

So pleased you weren't disappointed with Green Ginger after your initial fears, Laura.

On a different subject I just had to share with you a passage from my current book, The Good Parents which mentions one of your previous reads! Jacob is looking back at a character from his past...

"He'd been away for seven years. It was, as he told Minty, a turning point. She was a person you said those sort of things to as you drank gin and tonic and chain-smoked cigarettes with her. From her perspective, in her sixties, nothing interested her more than what she called 'the long view'. Nothing, she said in her lilting, upper-class voice seemed quite so serious anymore. She was like someone out of A Dance to the Music of Time."

>46 kidzdoc:: thank you, Darryl!
>47 Soupdragon:: oh my goodness! That's really interesting, Dee. And guess what: I'm about to start the "second movement" in the Dance series (a single volume containing the novellas 4, 5, and 6). Thank you so much for sharing that quote!

Guess what arrived in my mailbox the other day Laura?? Oh yeah, the First Movement. On tap for August. Yippeeeeeee!

>49 brenzi:: Woo hoo !

Well ... I started a book on Friday but flung it at the wall after the requisite 50 pages. I'm not going to count it for the challenge, nor will I review it. It's called The Barn at the End of the World, and is supposed to be a spiritual memoir but it just didn't work for me. I picked it up for a book discussion group which I won't be attending. There are only 4 reviews on LT, all of them quite short. Two people thought it was marvelous, but I'm with the other two who found the author a bit pretentious and the content, lightweight.

I am not reading much this holiday weekend but have a book of essays at the ready: A Truth Universally Acknowledged. Yep, it's about reading Jane Austen. Perhaps I'll finish it over this 3-day weekend.

>50 lauralkeet: - yay - a book none of us needs to add to our wish list! ;)

I do so want Joan London that I may have to yield to the impulse to spend my last free credit from PBS to get another earlier novel. PLEASE don't make me start *Dance* again. I do love it so, but I have so many other BIG books on tap.

There is also Testament of Experience by Vera Brittain in that "series", if one can call it that. Again, not quite as good as the original, but then that would be asking a lot!

>52 LizzieD:: * bats eyes *
I'm not making you do anything, Peggy !!!

31. A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why we Read Jane Austen ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I've been dipping into this from time to time, and wanted to finish it.

As the title implies, this book is a collection of essays about Jane Austen's work, written by notable writers from Virginia Woolf to Lionel Trilling to Amy Bloom. Their tone ranges from academic to casual. Each essay conveys a deep and abiding respect, even love, for Jane Austen. The essays were not written specifically for this book; rather, they were written for a specific purpose in the writer's career. Because of this, there are some repetitive themes and elements. Several writers summarized Austen's upbringing, her family, and her all-too-short life. More than one expressed surprise that Austen's work never mentioned significant current events like the Napoleonic wars. Other essayists defended her in this regard. It was interesting, and sometimes humorous, to see how each author approached their task. One essay began with the phrase, "A truth universally acknowledged," while another decried this cliché.

Some of the essays discussed Austen's entire body of work, while others focused on specific novels. I began reading this book concurrent with a re-read of Pride and Prejudice, and found those specific essays enhanced my reading experience. Over the next several weeks I read an essay here and there, and then sat down to finish the book over a long weekend. I do not recommend the latter approach. The essays are so different from one to the next, that sequential reading is difficult to digest. The book did, however, reinforce my intent to re-read Austen's novels. The collection is best as a companion read, and I will take it off the shelf each time I read one of Austen's books.

I'll close with a paragraph from Janet Todd's essay, "Why I Like Jane Austen," which described better than any other my own reasons for enjoying the divine Jane:

Jane Austen seems to the writer nearest to a composer of classical music, her novels well-wrought symphonies; turbulent depths coexist with ordered surfaces and the ration of the expected to the unexpected feels just as it should. Each time I read her -- and she is one of the few novelists who can be read and reread -- I know I have not exhausted the books; something has again escaped me, as it does from a concert performance of a complex musical piece. It was beautiful, but did I listen as closely as I should? Like Lyme in Persuasion, Jane Austen's books "must be visited, and visited again."

I loved the book Never Let Me Go. I also recently watched the movie and was pleasantly surprised that the movie actually followed the book and was very well orchestrated.

Since it may be a while before I "log" a completed book, I thought I'd post what I'm currently reading:

- A Dance to the Music of Time, Second Movement, by Anthony Powell: Peggy/LizzieD turned me on to this series. Each "movement" is a collection of 3 novellas; there are 12 novellas in all. I'm really enjoying the second movement

- The God Delusion - Cushla's recent review inspired me to buy this one for my Kindle. I started reading it now because it's easier to take the Kindle with me to work than the Powell (the latter is a 700-page chunkster).

My reading pace slowed this week and this may continue for a bit, but for good reasons. #1 daughter's last day of high school is today, Senior Prom is tomorrow, and graduation is June 13. My emotions are up and down. Of course I'm very happy to have an adult daughter, but also sad knowing she will soon fly the nest. I'm sure many of you have "been there, done that."

#57: I understand completely about the up and down emotions right now, Laura, having just gone through this with Catey.

Oh Laura, I remember well those up and down emotions connected with the end of high school so forget about reading for now and just enjoy (as much as you can) the moment. I had a harder time with my youngest because it all of a sudden dawned on me that we would no longer have any connection with the school that we'd been a part of for seventeen years. That and the fact that she would be off to college in the fall and we'd be on our own again. But you don't have to worry about that yet. And anyway, I found that we were able to nicely grow into our new roles and a different stage in our lives. Good luck adjusting to your new life.

Yes indeed, Laura, cherish the time!! The new time will be equally as wonderful even if different, I'm sure.
(Do you know how little it takes to make me reread a favorite? Sometimes all it takes is to see "Isobel" spelled like that! And I CAN'T restart something as huge as *Dance* this year. I can't.)

I seem to have slowed down in my reading too, and without any good reason. I think I'll take a cue from you, Laura, and post a little status on my own thread. It will be a while before I finish anything too.

Oh hell, a new message on my own thread reminds me it's been a week since I posted that status.
I'm still reading ... the same books ... plus one my boss requires me to read -- now. :/

Sounds like busy days for you, Laura. Enjoy the end of school year festivities. Why the long break between end of classes and graduation? It works just the opposite here. My great nephew graduated May 16th and the last official day of school was June 3. I didn't understand that either. *shrug*

I usually read more in the summertime, but so far this year I'm reading less. Of course, it isn't officially summer yet so maybe I'll make up for lost time later in the month.

>63 Donna828:: I'm not sure why the long break, Donna (10 days between end of classes & graduation). School is still in session for all others. Finals began today (delayed 4 days to due snow make-up days). But the graduation date may be influenced by availability of the facility they use, which is at a nearby university, not on school property.

57,62: No kids of my own, but May and June have been packed with evening events for the nieces and nephews. I laughed when I saw your message 62, the same books, I can imagine the accompanying sigh.

>65 qebo:: accompanying sigh, exactly! I'm enjoying my reading, but I also like the satisfaction of finishing things.

#66: I just finished up one of my chunksters this week, Laura, but I still have a couple of more on the go. I know how it feels :)

And I took about a week to finish one fairly short book, having been too busy/tired/cold-ridden to manage much reading, so I sympathise too. I managed a record 13 books in May (and only one was a short picture book!), but June looks set to be a low reading tally month.

I'm plodding along with two chunksters, neither of which should be chewing up the number of reading days that they are...

>68 gennyt:, 69: thanks, I feel better now!

32. A Dance to the Music of Time: Second Movement ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: My husband decided to start the "first movement" and that inspired me to read the second (besides, I can't let him get ahead of me ...)

The "second movement" of A Dance to the Music of Time is a collection of three novellas: At Lady Molly's, Casanova's Chinese Restaurant, and The Kindly Ones. Set in England during the years just before World War II, this dance includes many characters familiar to readers of the first movement. The protagonist, Nick Jenkins, is now an established writer working for a film company. In At Lady Molly's, Anthony Powell sets the stage by introducing readers to several new characters who will figure prominently in Nick's life. They include the Tolland family (several brothers & sisters, and their stepmother), and Chips Lovell, a professional colleague whose literary role is to introduce Nick to other people and situations. Social themes are introduced as well, particularly political developments in Germany, and society's preoccupation with psychoanalysis during this time period.

While the first novella has a seemingly endless cast, Casanova's Chinese Restaurant focuses on Nick, his new wife, and their close friends the Morelands. But the dance continues, with familiar characters moving in and out of their lives, including Nick's school friends Widmerpool, Templer, and Stringham. Finally in The Kindly Ones, Powell begins in Nick's childhood, providing a complete "back story" on certain characters and lending new context to their role in the dance.

There is very little "action" in these novels. Instead, there are a myriad of social situations where the dialogue moves the action along. For example, one character will tell a story about another, and in this way we learn of marriages, affairs, deaths, and so on. One of the intriguing aspects of this series is the way Powell conveys the passing of time. It's such a critical element, and yet is only expressed indirectly. Months and years are never mentioned, and rarely do we know someone's age. We get a sense of elapsed time primarily through historical or cultural cues (i.e.; the Abdication), and only occasionally by specific mention (i.e.; "several years passed ...").

I also love Powell's turns of phrase, like this bit:

She was immaculately free from any of the traditional blemishes of a mother-in-law; agreeable always; entertaining; even, in her own way, affectionate; but always a little alarming: an elegant, deeply experienced bird -- perhaps a bird of prey -- ready to sweep down and attack from the frozen mountain peaks upon which she preferred herself to live apart.

And, at the close of Casanova's Chinese Restaurant, this powerful paragraph:

I thought of his recent remark about the Ghost Railway. He loved these almost as much as he loved mechanical pianos. Once, at least, we had been on a Ghost Railway together at some fun fair or on a seaside pier; slowly climbing sheer gradients, sweeping with frenzied speed into inky depths, turning blind corners from which black, gibbering bogeys leapt to attack, rushing headlong towards iron-studded doors, threatened by imminent collision, fingered by spectral hands, moving at last with dreadful, ever increasing momentum towards a shape that lay across the line.

A Dance to the Music of Time is a unique work, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Wonderful review, Laura! I'm pleased to be the first thumb!

Second thumb from me! I bought the First Movement after reading your review but really need to read it before I buy any of the others, although I'd love to have all four to match up the covers.

Rats. I only get to be third. I hate when other people are ahead of me - but then, you can relate, right Laura? :)

Beautiful review of your latest read! You are an incredible writer!

Lovely review! I have the first movement on my Kindle, and must get that read...

Oh my goodness. How nice to wake up to all of your sweet comments.

Peggy, notice "Why I read this now" above my review. Chris is enjoying the first movement. He only reads a few pages each day (and he has Infinite Jest on the go at the same time, silly man), but he keeps mentioning what's going on in the book, asking me about certain characters (Widmerpool!), etc. So I think you have created another fan!

Another thumb from me Laura. I am getting anxious to read the first movement myself.

Just stopping by to say Hello!

Lovin' the thumbs!
*waves to Amber*

I think I told you, Laura, that when I'd call a local friend to see what she was doing in the time that she was reading *Dance*, she'd say, "Oh, I'm Widmerpooling."
(I think that it's fantastic that your husband is reading the series too so that he'll be begging you to buy the other two volumes! I should be so lucky!)

33. My Antonia ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I've been meaning to do so for ages.

While the train flashed through never-ending miles of ripe wheat, by country towns and bright-flowered pastures and oak groves wilting in the sun, we sat in the observation car, where the woodwork was hot to the touch and red dust lay deep over everything. The dust and heat, the burning wind, reminded us of many things. We were talking about what it is like to spend one's childhood in little towns like these, buried in wheat and corn, under stimulating extremes of climate: burning summers when the world lies green and billowy beneath a brilliant sky, when one is fairly stifled in vegetation, in the colour and smell of strong weeds and heavy harvests; blustery winters with little snow, when the whole country is stripped bare and grey as sheet-iron. We agreed that no one who had not grown up in a little prairie town could know anything about it. (from the Introduction to My Ántonia)

If you didn't grow up in a little prairie town, the next best way to experience it is through Willa Cather's writing. Set in late 19th century Nebraska, My Ántonia is narrated by Jim Burden, a young man who comes of age on the prairie and forges a lifelong friendship with a slightly older Bohemian immigrant girl. The novel moves at a leisurely pace, as life probably did in those days. Farm life is filled with hard labor. Town dwellers are considered of a higher class, with more social and educational opportunities. Jim experiences both lifestyles, beginning on the farm as a young boy and moving to town when he reaches school age. Ántonia also eventually comes to town, to work in service for a local family. There's a strong bond between the two, but one limited by age and class.

Cather paints a vivid portrait of frontier life. It's easy to visualize the landscape, to feel the dust on your arms and legs, and the cold wind blowing around the house on a winter night. And as she describes the seasons, you feel like you're right there:

There were none of the signs of spring for which I used to watch in Virginia, no budding woods or blooming gardens. There was only -- spring itself; the throb of it, the light restlessness, the vital essence of it everywhere: in the sky, in the swift clouds, in the pale sunshine, and in the warm, high wind -- rising suddenly, sinking suddenly, impulsive and playful like a big puppy that pawed you and then lay down to be petted. If I had been tossed down blindfold on that red prairie, I would have known that it was spring. (p. 120)

My Ántonia is deceptively simple. Cather recounts the simple events of prairie life: the harvest, tent dances, and town gossip. Years pass and events unfold with few plot twists. But as the novel moves toward its conclusion, there are moments of surprising depth and emotional impact which landed this book its 4-star rating.

Very nice review of My Antonia, Laura. I own it, along with a bunch of other Cathers, none of which I have read. Cather was one of my mother's favorite writers - I really must get to her!

Laura

I'm reading William Morris Artist, Craftsman, Pioneer..It contains lushious prints of his wall paper designs!

I'm in heaven.

I'm glad you enjoyed My Antonia - I read it earlier this year, and absolutely loved it. I'm planning to read O Pioneers! this summer I think. Was this your first Cather novel?

>84 Whisper1:: ooh! Linda, that image reminds me. I bought a lovely set of William Morris Magnetic Bookmarks as a gift for someone not too long ago, and just had to buy a set for me as well. They're sold by the Metropolitan Museum of Art ... the link will take you there.

>85 Cait86:: Cait, I've read a couple other Cather novels, and liked this one best so far. I really want to read O Pioneers! and Death Comes for the Archbishop.

84: Oooooh! Added to the wishlist.

# 86 Very dangerous website you've linked to there, Laura.

>88 laytonwoman3rd:: I aim to please :)

Oh, how lovely! I'm going to control myself and not buy the materials on line. Perhaps a trip to the Met is in order....

34. The Smart Swarm ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: Recently I returned to my office to find a book on my desk with a note from my boss’ assistant. The note read, “Stopped by. Mr. Boss wants you to read this book and give it to Joe Colleague when you are done.” This was that book. Sigh.

The Smart Swarm, by Peter Miller, describes phenomena from the natural world, and applies them to human communications and decision-making. What can we learn from colonies of ants, bees, or termites? Or flocks of birds? Ants are good at self-organization, creating order from chaos. Bees make use of the "wisdom of crowds" to find appropriate sites for their nests. If you have ever relied on consumer reviews to help you select a book, movie, or hotel, you have participated in the human equivalent of these processes.

The book is very accessible and easy to read. Miller adopts a format common to this type of business book: each chapter illustrates an element of his thesis, and is peppered with real-life examples from business or government. As an editor for National Geographic, Miller is good at describing scientific concepts in layman's terms. Some of his examples are more effective than others; a long segment on the Orcs in The Lord of the Rings films was neither about the natural world, nor humans. He also includes a chapter on locusts to describe the "dark side" of crowd behavior. Locusts have always been one of my least favorite bugs, and this book did nothing to improve their status.

While The Smart Swarm succeeds in showing parallels between the natural world and humans, it falls short of helping organizations adopt these principles. It is only in the last 10 pages that Miller sums up the lessons we should have learned in previous chapters ("From honeybee swarms we've learned that groups can reliably make good decisions in a timely fashion as long as they seek a diversity of knowledge and perspectives ..."). But he fails to translate this into specific actions business leaders can take to change the way their organizations run. This would have been a better book if it had taken that next step.

91: My experience in the business world makes me rather pessimistic about specific actions business leaders might take...

So you spent perfectly good reading time on something fairly useless and not entertaining, while the boss feels he accomplished something by passing on this "wisdom" through the ranks. And the world turns on...

>92 qebo:: well yes, same here unfortunately...
>93 laytonwoman3rd:: nailed it!

Laura, I'm glad you liked My Antonia, one of my faves. You're right about few plot twists; it's one of those books that satisfies in a quiet sort of way.

Now I'm off to the MMoA website to drool over things I don't need. ;)

35. People of the Book ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's part of a (slow) campaign to read books from my dusty stacks.

Dr. Hanna Heath is an Australian book conservator, sought after for her unique ability to preserve antique books. When this book opens in 1996, Hanna has been called in to work on the Sarajevo Haggadah, a 500-year-old Jewish text, and one of the oldest of its kind. The Haggadah originated in Spain, and traveled through Italy and Germany before arriving in Bosnia. Tucked into the ancient pages are evidence of its long journey: tiny fragments of butterfly wing, a strand of hair, etc. Intrigued, Hanna decides to analyze these fragments and bring the Haggadah's history to life.

Hanna's modern-day analysis is interspersed with chapters working backwards to the Haggadah's origins. While Hanna can only make inferences based on chemical analysis, author Geraldine Brooks imagines characters and situations that explain the butterfly wing, the hair fiber, and creation of the Haggadah itself. She takes us to Nazi Germany, 16th-century Venice, and 15th-century Spain, painting a vivid portrait of Jewish persecution. Each act of oppression and violence takes the Haggadah to a new country and ultimately to its final home. While this is based in fact, it is largely fiction (Brooks' Afterword clearly explains all of this).

Meanwhile in the present time, Hanna has a contentious and complicated relationship with her mother, and develops feelings for a Bosnian man involved in the Haggadah conservation. The romance was insufficiently developed, and didn't seem credible, and the denouement was a bit rushed. Still, I enjoyed reading the interconnected history of something I knew very little about.

Thumb from me Laura. This is a book I've heard of but never really knew what it was about. It sounds interesting and I like Geraldine Brooks but I don't think it's the book to get me out of my book funk. Great review, as always.

Some people think this is her best book but I liked Year of Wonders better, Laura. Excellent review and I'll add my thumb to it.

>98 brenzi:: Bonnie, I felt the same way. I had both on my shelves, read YoW a month or so ago, and decided to read this one right away. I liked the narrator in YoW more, and I liked being in the past more than in the present time. So in PotB the historic segments were more interesting to me.

Thanks for the thumbs!

Sounds interesting despite your reservations! I've never read any Geraldine Brooks despite having three of her novels on my shelves. Maybe I'll start with Year of Wonders.

Interesting reading your review of People of the Book - I just checked and I gave it 3 1/2 stars too. I think I'd been expecting to love it but I didn't like the modern story much (or the ending). I did love the parts about the Haggadah though, and got to see some other Haggadahs when I went to the Museum of Jewish History in Paris last year. The colours and illustrations were gorgeous.

I quite liked Brooks' autobiography about growing up in Australia, Foreign Correspondence, and the penpals she had as a teenager.

Another thumb from me, Laura. I really wish Brooks had let the story of the book stand on its own. The whole modern bit seemed unnecessary and not very well done. It does seem that I should give her another go, though. Somehow I don't remember your review of Year of Wonders, so must go look it up now.

Interesting how many of us wish Brooks had just focused on the historic elements. I was thinking about the "modern" part last night. As you said Linda, it seemed unnecessary. But if you accept that as part of the book, why did Hanna have to have a love interest? Why couldn't she just be a strong independent woman in a unique profession, making her own way in Bosnia? The romance part was really unnecessary.

>101 cushlareads:: how very interesting that you have seen other Haggadahs. The book certainly piqued my curiosity.
>102 laytonwoman3rd:: You won't have to look far ... I just realized Year of Wonders is the first book on this thread!

Yes, I found it easily, Laura, and am definitely going to add it to my TBR list based on your review. I have to admit there are times when I skim over the reading threads because I'm just so over-stocked with books to read that I avoid exposing myself to more! I think that's what happened with this one when you posted it.

>104 laytonwoman3rd:: oh hey, no worries, I do exactly the same thing!

36. The Lieutenant ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It was reviewed in an early issue of Belletrista, and I snapped it up when I found it at a used book sale.

In every situation in his life, Rooke had seen that there were people with a power of personality that gave them effortless authority. It was not to do with rank or position: the governor lacked it. Rooke did not possess it either, he knew that about himself, but Silk had it, and so did Gardiner.

And so did Tagaran. (p. 175)

Daniel Rooke was an introverted boy, in love with mathematics and astronomy. He was fortunate to receive a place in the Portsmouth Naval Academy, vaulting him into a different social class and affording him the opportunity to meet the Astronomer Royal. At 15 he left school and was assigned to a ship supplying His Majesty's forces in the American colonies. He proved to be a skilled navigator, but naive as to the realities of military service. Rooke returned home permanently changed by war's violence and an early encounter with slaves in Antigua. But he was still a young man, and in 1786, when Rooke was 24, the Astronomer Royal recommended him to serve on one of the first ships taking prisoners to Australia. The journey began in 1788; serving in the same fleet was Captain Silk, a colleague from Rooke's earlier tour of duty. On arrival, the English found the landscape much less hospitable than expected, with very little edible agriculture and game. Not surprisingly, the native people were also less than thrilled by their presence.

Rooke managed to convince his commander to allow him to set up an observatory some distance from the main camp, and there he performed "official duties" in relative isolation. While the men in the main camp struggled to gain the natives' trust, Rooke received regular visits from a group of mostly women and children. He had a special rapport with a girl named Tagaran. Their mutual curiosity allowed them to bridge the language barrier, teaching each other words and progressing to real conversations. Rooke kept elaborate notebooks, trying to make a record of Tagaran's language. He developed a level of respect for Tagaran and her tribe that was far more advanced than those in the main camp. But eventually conflict arose between the main camp and the natives, and Rooke faced a series of ethical dilemmas that threatened his relationship with Tagaran and caused him to question everything he once held true. The resolution of this internal conflict was in some ways inevitable, and yet quite moving.

The Lieutenant is similar in some ways to Grenville's earlier book, The Secret River. Both explore the conflict between white settlers (invaders?) and native Australians. By focusing on feelings and inner conflict more than violence, The Lieutenant offers a rich and sophisticated take on Australia's history.

Nice review, Laura!

Thanks Darryl! Were you just sitting here on my thread waiting for me to hit the "post message" button !?

LOL! No, I was looking through my starred threads, and a new message from you appeared at the top of my list.

How about those Phillies! Still takin' care of business despite all those injuries.

Well Laura you just sealed my fate with that excellent review of a book I've owned for more than a year, actually more like two years. You did it with this line: similar in some ways to Grenville's earlier book The Secret River which was the first Grenville novel I read and which I really loved. I'll get to it this summer.

>109 kidzdoc:: I'm loving the Phillies, Darryl!
>110 brenzi:: Bonnie, I think you'll enjoy The Lieutenant.

OOO. I have The Lieutenant on my Kindle, and now I'm really glad. Thanks for the helpful review, Laura!

Great review Laura, and I loved the other 2 Kate Grenville books I've read (The SR and The Idea of Perfection). Will have to look for this one in the library once we're home.

>113 cushlareads:: I enjoyed those two Grenville books also, Cushla, which is why I quickly snapped up The Lieutenant when I saw it in a used book sale!

37. The Memory of Love ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange July, and this book made the 2011 Orange Prize shortlist.

The Memory of Love takes place shortly after Sierra Leone's Civil War (1991-99). Adrian, a British psychologist, has returned to the country following an initial short volunteer experience. He's left his wife and daughter at home in the hopes of making a difference, helping the people of Sierra Leone recover from trauma. His methods are viewed skeptically at first, but eventually he begins to have a positive impact on his patients. Kai is a brilliant young surgeon working in the same hospital, and haunted by war trauma and lost love:

And when he wakes from dreaming of her, is it not the same for him? The hollowness in his chest, the tense yearning, the loneliness he braces against every morning until he can immerse himself in work and forget. Not love. Something else, something with a power that endures. Not love, but a memory of love. (p. 185)

Kai is still in love with Nenebah, a woman who left him some time ago. He also misses his best friend Tejani, who left the country to practice medicine in the US. Kai toys with the idea of joining him, and takes steps necessary for immigration, but is clearly ambivalent about leaving other loved ones behind in Sierra Leone.

In Sierra Leone, silence rules the day: the war is simply not discussed; personal stress is suppressed, as if it's all a big secret. Most of Adrian's cases suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, having witnessed horrific violence during the war that they have been unable to deal with on an emotional and psychological level. And then there is Elias, the patient who on the surface appears the most "normal." Elias checks himself into the hospital, knowing he is near the end of his life. He has a compelling need to unload his personal story on someone, and Adrian begins meeting with him. Elias worked at the university, first as a lecturer and ultimately as dean. While his personal circumstances kept him away from most of the violence, he and other academics were arrested under suspicion of some vaguely described wrongdoing. Elias describes his response to this event, and its impact on important people in his life, in a matter-of-fact way but gradually Adrian realizes there's much more to Elias' story.

Aminatta Forna uses patient stories, gradually revealed through Adrian's therapy, to help the reader imagine the war's events. She also builds a web of people which I found fascinating. Kai and Adrian's lives intersect first on a professional level and later in deeply personal ways. The connections between people and events unfold slowly, and for me each revelation was very emotional. This is especially true of Elias; when his "sins of omission" are revealed, his real character becomes known, as does a connection that binds him with both Adrian and Kai. The ending was especially wrenching and yet somehow, just right.

This is a superb book; I was transfixed and couldn't put it down.

Lovely review, Laura. I bought The Memory of Love shortly after it came out and am looking forward to having a few days where I can devote myself to it.

Great review of The Memory of Love, Laura! I'm glad that you enjoyed it, too.

Another fine, helpful review and another thumb! (I knew you'd love it!)

Thanks!

I'm just getting started on this one Laura and relishing the opportunity.

Some great reviews here of books I haven't read - and all sound interesting (apart from the one about swarms and locusts and business practice, I think I'll give that a miss!). I really would like to make a start on the Dance to the Music of Time - I've been aware of this for so long. And I haven't read much Willa Cather yet, only Death comes many years ago; I have a couple of VMCs lined up, but not My Antonia - I'll be looking out for that...

>121 gennyt:: I'm happy to add to your wishlist, Genny! Peggy/LizzieD is the one who turned me on to Dance to the Music of Time, and I'm forever grateful. I think you'd enjoy it as well.

#122 I hope so - I've just added all the Dance books to my Bookmooch wishlist, though I'm not very hopeful of copies turning up there, either of the individual novels or the combined volumes. But that is where I now tend to put wishlisted items, rather than on LT, as a reminder of books I want to get to. I may try the library if nothing appears on BM in the next few months.

38. The Tiger's Wife ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange July, and this book won the 2011 Orange Prize

In The Tiger's Wife, Téa Obreht weaves together fantastic tales filled with folklore and a bit of magical realism. Natalia and Zora are two young doctors, traveling to a remote village to administer vaccinations to local children. It's shortly after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, and political/religious tensions are still high. Just before leaving home, Natalia learns her beloved grandfather passed away while on a journey far from home. Her grandmother is justifiably distraught. She was unable to be with her husband at his death, and she doesn't understand what he was doing in the place where he was found.

Natalia mourns silently; she doesn't even confide in Zora. Her grandfather, also a doctor, was clearly a mentor and role model. As Natalia remembers visits she and her grandfather made to the zoo, she begins retelling stories he passed down to her, mostly about his life and the people of his village. The stories read like folk tales. The end of one story often led to another, to flesh out a particular character even further. This put me off at first, because I kept wanting to get back to Natalia, Zora, and the village. I struggled a bit with the magical realism in stories featuring "the deathless man," but I persevered and enjoyed them more than I thought I would.

I really wanted to love this book, but in the end I simply liked it. I spent the first half of the book frustrated, unsure where it was going. Then I got swept up in one of the stories and thought, "now we're cooking, I'm really going to like this!" I found the connections between stories interesting, and became emotionally invested in some of the characters. Unfortunately, I was unable to hold onto those feelings. Téa Obreht is clearly a talented writer, and despite my feelings about this book I'm looking forward to watching her career and reading more of her work.

I'm quite impressed with your reviews Chatterbox. I try to make my reviews interesting so that others will either want to pick up the book or know that it isn't for them. I want to convey my feelings about how the book affected me. Reading is a lifelong obsession with me and let's face it, most of the people on this site, so I know we all have an appreciation for reviews that convey a sense of what the book being reviewed might hold in store for us. I have read some of the books on this thread and can appreciate the reviews. Those books I amnot familiar with I now feel that I know enough about to decide if I would like to read them or not. Thanks for your comprehensive reviews.

>125 mmignano11:: well thank you, but did you really mean to post this on Chatterbox's thread?

Thank you for the review, Laura. You keep me from dashing out to buy *T'sW* immediately. I think I tend to like magical realism more than you on the whole, but somehow, this book is really not calling my name very loudly.

Great review, Laura, and a thumb from me. I was sure I was going to buy The Tiger's Wife until I started to see some just OK reviews on LT. I think I'll be taking this one out of the library. It sounds like it was frustrating to think you were finally going to love it but didn't.

Thumbs up on the review Chatterbox Laura; I guess I appreciated the magical realism a little more than you and I still think this was not the best choice for this year's Orange especially as I am now deeply ensconced in The Memory of Love :)

>127 LizzieD:: for some reason I thought you'd already read it, Peggy. Who knows, you might like it. Or not !
>128 phebj:: funny Pat, I originally thought about buying this one too and opted for a library loan. I'm glad I did.
>129 brenzi:: Bonnie, I'm glad you're deeply ensconced!

Somehow I managed to get almost 50 posts behind. I had better not let that happen again. Too much good reading going on here!

39. The White Family ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange July! This book was on the 2002 shortlist.

Alfred White has had a long career as a London park keeper. His days are spent patrolling the park, monitoring its condition and making sure visitors adhere to park rules. Alfred is close to retirement, and has seen a lot of change over the years. He longs for the Britain of his youth, during and after World War II. He is especially upset by the influx of foreigners, changing the ethnic mix of his London neighborhood and, consequently, the park visitors.

One day Alfred collapses on the job and is hospitalized. His sudden weakness shocks his wife and adult children, who have grown accustomed to Alfred's firm, controlling hand. His adult children have all gone their separate ways, but are brought back into contact at Alfred's bedside. Darren is an established journalist living in the US, and is on his third marriage. Shirley is in a relationship with a black man, which caused a rift with her father. Dirk has been unable to establish an independent adult life, and lives at home while working in a corner shop. He has developed disturbing extremist political and racial views.

May, the wife and mother, held this crew together over the years. Like many women of her generation, her husband made all the decisions. When Alfred went into hospital, May found she couldn't even withdraw money from the bank on her own. But May is also strong inside, in her own way, and she has a suppressed intellect that remains an important part of her life:

She always liked to have a book in her bag. In case she got stuck. In case she got lost. Or did she feel lost without her books? There wasn't any point, but she liked to have one with her, a gentle weight nudging her shoulder, keeping her company through the wind, making her more solid, more substantial, less likely to be blown away, less alone. More -- a person. (p. 19)

Through short chapters narrated by different family members, Maggie Gee develops the White family's history and the nature of the parent-child and sibling relationships. Each of the children bear scars from their father's discipline and temper. Darren appears successful on the outside, but is deeply wounded inside. Shirley has been unable to have children, and struggles with issues of faith. Dirk is a ticking time bomb, prone to alcohol-infused bouts of temper as he acts out his resentment towards anyone better off than himself. Alfred and May, for all their flaws, have shared a long and loving marriage, and are likeable in their own ways.

This book is not for the faint of heart. There's a lot of sadness, as the entire family copes with Alfred's medical condition. May considers, for the first time, that Alfred may not always be there for her. Alfred struggles with weakness & infirmity. Each of the children relive their childhood and their relationship with Alfred, and rather than bond together each of them struggles individually. There are also many disturbing moments, particularly Gee's portrayal of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. This would have been a 4.5-star book were it not for a too-tidy denouement about Shirley which struck me as both unrealistic and unnecessary. Still, this is a well-crafted story, with a strong emotional pull and an intense and startling climax.

I just thumbed your review of The White Family Laura. I guess I liked it better than you (I gave it 4 1/2 stars). The only thing I didn't like about it was the ending. That was a huge disappointment. It almost didn't seem like it was written by the same author. Nevertheless, I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by Maggie Gee.

Pat, I was heading for 4 or 4.5 stars until that ending! But it's a very, very compelling read.

Another fine review (and a thumb), but I don't think I can read this one for awhile.....too much other angst going on in Sacred Hunger, and I have Matterhorn coming up!

Terrific review of The White Family Laura. I liked it slightly more than you but I guess the compelling nature of the story made it hard for me to put it down. I will definitely look for more by this author.

I've just changed my rating for The White Family to 4 stars. I was thinking about it all afternoon, and realized I would have given it 4.5 stars if it weren't for the ending, so taking it down to 3.5 stars was too much. 4 it is!

#137 Yay!

Excellent review, Laura! I have The White Family on the TBR shelves - think I'll move it up a few notches.

Another thumb from me on your review of The White Family, Laura. Fortunately for me I can dodge that book bullet as I have already read it :)

40. Molly Fox's Birthday ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: It's Orange July, and this book made the 2009 shortlist.

In this quiet, contemplative book, an unnamed narrator spends a day reminiscing about her long-time friend, Molly Fox.

Molly Fox is an actor, and is generally regarded as one of the finest of her generation. (She insists upon 'actor': If I wrote poems would you call me a poetess?) One of the finest but not, perhaps, one of the best known. ... She likes the fear, the danger even, of the stage, and it is for the theatre that she has done her best work. Although she often appears in contemporary drama her main interest is in the classical repertoire, and her greatest love is Shakespeare. (p. 2)

The narrator is a playwright, using Molly's house as a retreat to work on her latest play while Molly is away in New York and London. During the course of a day -- which happens to be Molly's birthday -- she relives significant moments in their lives, and reflects on their relationships with friends and siblings.

The two met many years before, when Molly was cast in the narrator's play, and supported each other through the highs and lows in their careers and relationships. The narrator's older brother, Tom, is a priest who befriended Molly and may have counseled her through some difficult situations. Molly's brother, Fergus, suffers from undefined psychological difficulties precipitated by traumatic events in his childhood.

As the narrator putters around Molly's house, she recounts several events in her relationship with Molly, painting a clear picture but one that seems just a bit too cut and dry. I suspected there was more to the story than she was letting on, perhaps more than she was willing to admit to herself. I began to pick up on tiny clues to a deeper perspective. When Fergus drops in to visit Molly but finds only the narrator at home, he stays to chat and ultimately provides critical insight to Molly's character and history, casting entirely new light on everything that was revealed before.

This was a very interesting study of memory and point of view, and how personal experience shapes relationships.

Yet another nice review, Laura!

Great review of Molly Fox's Birthday Laura. I've picked this book up several times in bookstores and read the first page(s) but I never seem to actually get it to the checkout counter. It sounds interesting though--maybe I'll take it out of the library.

Yes, another great review! I liked Molly Fox's Birthday a lot and think it is the most polished of the four Deirdre Maddens that I've read.

Getting caught up with you again, Laura. You have reminded me about The White Family and helped to move The Memory of Love up the TBR queue. By that I mean that I'm thinking of buying it rather than waiting for the slow line at the library.

I hope August is a slower month so I can get to some of these books that I want to savor instead of reading them in bits and pieces.

>143 phebj:: Pat, I hope you enjoy it. It's a quiet read -- not a lot of action, more like a slow drip of revelation.
>144 Soupdragon:: Interesting, Dee. Her novel, One by One in the Darkness was also shortlisted for the Orange Prize, so I will probably read that some January or July.
>145 Donna828:: if it's as hot where you are as it is here, you won't want to do much more than laze around and read. go for it!

146: Dropping by your thread to say hello. 96 degrees outside at the moment, and not enough less inside. Wishing for a sterile air-conditioned corporate office...

>147 qebo:: same temps here qebo (not surprising since we live near one another), and I'm on vacation this week and next, so no sterile offices for me! On the whole that's a good thing :)

Just a quick note to say that I'm off on vacation for a week, starting tomorrow. I'm bringing some good books with me of course, and I'll be lurking on LT via my iPad, but reviews will have to wait until I return!

Have a great vacation, Laura. The reviews can definitely wait!

Ooooo. Happy Vacation!!!

Have a wonderful vacation, Laura!

Have a great holiday Laura!

Squeezing in one more before I'm off ... !

41. All Mortal Flesh ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I needed a break from the intensity of Orange Prize nominees. This series never disappoints!

This is the fifth book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mystery series, and I can't write this review without first mentioning something that may or may not be a spoiler. So if that matters to you, you'd better stop reading right now.

Russ is chief of police in Miller's Kill, New York. Clare is an Episcopal priest in a local church. At the beginning of this book, Russ' wife Linda is found dead in their home. At first Russ attempts to take control of the investigation, which is admittedly ridiculous. One of his officers escalates the matter to the state police and another investigator is assigned. Russ and Linda recently separated after Russ revealed his romantic relationship with Clare, so naturally both Russ and Clare are suspects. But as the investigation moves ahead a tangled web emerges, involving identity theft, animal cruelty, mistaken identity, and troubled teenagers.

Pretty soon the reader doesn't know which end is up, and that's exactly where Julia Spencer-Fleming wants us to be. And then she begins to connect the dots, slowly revealing elements of the mystery. This series is known for placing the protagonists in impossibly hazardous situations, and I was a little disappointed when I accurately predicted the scene. But there was so much more I could never have predicted, including the murderer's identity, and the shocking ending. This was my favorite book in the series so far!

Nice review, Laura! I am glad to see you have continued to enjoy the series.

Have a great vacation!

Happy vacationing!

Have fun Laura. Excellent review. I'm going to be reading the third one in the series soon. It looks like it just gets better. Right now I'm enjoying the second Jackson Brodie book.

This is a series I haven't even started yet! But it looks good and all my favorite LTers keep singing its praises. What to do . . . ?

I've got All Mortal Flesh at my house from the library--surely it's moving up in the reading queue! I'm finding the series terrific on many levels.

Karen O.

42. William ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I like to read one Virago each month, and this one came highly recommended by a member of the LT Virago group. I have also really enjoyed other books by this author.

It had been different when they were all young and at school. She had felt then that they were her own, but perhaps she had been mistaken, perhaps she had not known their secret selves, and she remembered, for the first time for years, how she had once found Lydia crying in the nursery and had not been able to find out what her trouble was. It seemed to her that what she had missed then might be evading her still. She had given birth to five bodies and she would always be a stranger to their souls. This was a terrible thought and it would have been more terrible still if she had known that it was William's too.

William and Kate Nesbitt raised five children; all but the youngest, Janet, have left home to start families of their own. William has a successful career in shipping, and they live comfortably. The extended family often gathers at their home, for Sunday lunch and special occasions like Kate's birthday. William and Kate should be content, happy with the success of their children and ready to resume life as a couple.

But Kate, in particular, struggles with letting go. She's not completely happy with some of the choices her children have made, choices ranging from partners to articles of clothing. She frets constantly, where William is more pragmatic. He understands that children grow up, separate, and forge their own paths. But both William and Kate are sorely tested when their second-youngest daughter Lydia leaves her husband to live with another man. In the early twentieth century, this was simply was. not. done.

Kate is crushed because Lydia confided in William instead of her. She is outraged by Lydia's decision, and cuts off communication. She tries to prevent siblings from contacting Lydia as well. But instead of feeling satisfied, her self-righteousness leaves her feeling miserable. William is equally unhappy, but his feelings are directed more at Kate than Lydia. Who is this woman? Why has she built a wall between herself and her daughter? He is intensely irritated by Kate's petty behavior and her hardened exterior. Meanwhile, Janet is threatening to fly the nest in her own, quiet way. As she asserts her independence both William and Kate try to influence the outcome. Sadly, Kate's efforts seem controlling and shrewish. William remains a confidante, inherently good. Both Lydia and Janet's situations are resolved in the course of the novel, but not without much emotion and pain for William and Kate.

I found this book quite emotional, perhaps because I will soon experience my eldest flying the nest. Like William and Kate, my husband and I often reflect on who our children have become and hope that we continue to be involved in their lives to an appropriate degree. And I could empathize with Kate, whose efforts to forge adult relationships with her children often fell flat. E. H. Yong has a keen eye for mannerisms and foibles, as well as the dynamics of human relationships. In William, she created a very realistic family portrait that remains valid today, even though social norms have changed.

Lovely review, Laura, and I got the first thumb in. I love E.H. Young too, and am delighted to have this one to look forward to!

I missed this entire thread somehow! Cripes. Can I count it as a book read *hopeful expression*?

ETA: love the Constable...have this one on a cookie tin!

Hi Tui, thanks for visiting. I for one really like the idea of counting threads as books!!

43. Great House ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: This was my fifth and final book for Orange July. And despite the late posting of this review, I did finish it in July, on the 31st to be exact!

Great House is an unusual novel that makes considerable demands of the reader. The book is made up of four loosely connected stories, but I didn't pick up on that at first. Part I has four chapters -- the first part of each story -- and felt disjointed, like four unfinished, disconnected works with weak character development. At the close of Part I, I was enormously frustrated. I broke one of my cardinal rules and read some reviews of this book. They inspired me to continue reading, and I'm glad I did. I finished the first story in Part II and was flooded with emotion. The same thing happened with the second, third, and fourth stories. And suddenly the book made sense, and I was reminded of a quote I'd flagged early on:

There are moments when a kind of clarity comes over you, and suddenly you can see through walls to another dimension that you'd forgotten or chosen to ignore in order to continue living with the various illusions that make life, particularly life with other people, possible. (p. 14)

I found myself warming to the characters which include a writer telling her life story, an older man reflecting on his relationship with his adult son, a man who discovers a secret his wife kept from him for years, and the adult children of an antiques dealer. Woven through Great House are themes of exile, loss, and betrayal, all in a Jewish context. It was fascinating, and I kept flagging quotes like this:

What is the point of a religion that turns its back on the subject of what happens when life ends? Having been denied an answer -- having been denied an answer while at the same time being cursed as a people who for thousands of years have aroused in others a murderous hate -- the Jew has no choice but to live with death every day. To live with it, to set up his house in its shadow, and never to discuss its terms. (p. 175)

Towards the end I could see how Nicole Krauss was building a kind of metaphor for the Jewish experience:

if every Jewish memory were put together, every last holy fragment joined up again as one, the House would be built again, said Weisz, or rather a memory of the House so perfect that it would be, in essence, the original itself. Perhaps that is what they mean when they speak of the Messiah: a perfect assemblage of the infinite parts of the Jewish memory. (p. 279)

Well as I said, this book does make demands of the reader. I'm not even sure I understood it all, but I felt rewarded in the end.

#165 A review worth waiting for Laura. Well done on fitting in five Orange reads in July.

I'm glad you stuck with Great House and ended up liking it. It was one of my favorite books of last year.

Well that one is going on the must read list. Thanks, Laura.

Laura, I just moved that one onto my wishlist at last. A RL friend of mine read it and really hated the ending (did not tell me any more than that) and has put me off it till now, but it sounds really interesting.

Great review, Laura. I have a copy of Great House but have been putting it off due to the mixed reviews. Yours makes me think I will like it, as long as I have patience!

I really need to get to Great House soon. I very much enjoyed Krauss' The History of Love.

It's on my TBR list too, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. It will be awaiting me at the library when I do.

Great review of Great House, Laura. I'll probably read it sometime this fall, or next year for Orange January at the latest.

Hi Laura and great review of Great House

I have felt kind of ambivalent but now I'm adding it to my teetering tower, maybe for Orange January.

Thank you Heather, Rebecca, Tui, Cushla, Katie, Stasia, Darryl, and Bonnie ... (Whew! So many visitors!!)
I would be very interested to see what all of you think of Great House, it has stuck with me all this week which is saying something. Usually books fade into the background once I've finished them.

That said, I'm enjoying something much lighter right now (the third Jackson Brodie mystery) and it's just what the doctor ordered.

The third book of the Jackson Brodie series has been my favorite thus far. I hope you like it, Laura!

#177 I would be very interested to see what all of you think of Great House

Since you are interested, here is my review from last year. In fact, right after I posted that review, you wrote "that sounds intriguing"! Glad you were intrigued.

>176 alcottacre:: it's shaping up to be my favorite so far too Stasia! I'm about 100 pages from the end now.
>177 rebeccanyc:: Rebecca, thanks for that link! I follow so many threads that sometimes I forget who it was that first got me interested in a book. But I do think you are the one for Great House! And yeah, I guess it was "intriguing."

#178: Oh good!

Good review of Great House, Laura. I enjoyed it very much when I read it last year. I like books that challenge me. I think I will reread this sometime in the future to get even more out of it. I think I likened it to a puzzle in my review. It took awhile to piece the connections together.

I'm so happy you are loving the Powells. I mislaid yr thread for a bit, my apologies.

>181 sibylline:: Welcome back, Lucy! It's always nice to see you.

44. When Will There be Good News? ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I needed a fun read, and I wanted to read this book before the series airs on PBS Masterpiece in October.

This is the third book in the Jackson Brodie mystery series, and the best so far.

Joanna Hunter seems to have it all: she's a successful doctor and mother of a darling baby boy. But thirty years ago Joanna's life was dramatically changed by tragedy: her mother, sister, and brother were all killed in a random act of violence. Joanna appears to have left those emotional scars behind, or at least covered them up really well. Reggie Chase works for Joanna as a mother's helper. She is sixteen and forced to leave school and live on her own after her mother's recent death. Reggie has seen some hard times, but has a keen wit and a love of learning that keep her going. She admires Joanna, and is also somewhat attached to her former teacher, Ms. MacDonald, who is tutoring Reggie for her A-levels. When Joanna disappears and her husband offers a weak explanation, Reggie is sure there's trouble afoot. She follows up on a chance encounter with Detective Chief Inspector Louise Monroe, and gets her involved in finding Joanna.

Meanwhile in a parallel story, Jackson Brodie is just going about his business, traveling from London to Edinburgh. A harrowing event brings him into contact with Reggie, and then with Louise, who it turns out is an old friend. The problem is, several people think Jackson is someone else, and the person they think he is may have stolen Jackson's identity as well. And all Jackson wants to do is make it home before his wife returns from a business trip and finds him missing. But first there's the matter of Joanna Hunter that now requires his attention, too.

There's so much about the story that I can't say, because every thread is so tightly wound with all the others and I don't want to ruin it with even the tiniest spoiler. But was with Case Histories and One Good Turn, Kate Atkinson has written a compelling mystery with some major surprises, and a delightful dose of humor expressed primarily through the thoughts and actions of her well-drawn characters. I enjoyed this book from start to finish.

Thumbs up! I am glad to see that you enjoyed the book, Laura.

Ok, that settles, it I will stop hoarding this one and read it after I finish Wolf Hall. Nice write-up!

>185 sibylline:: definitely, Lucy ... because the series will air on PBS Masterpiece 3 Sundays beginning in mid-October. I wanted to be sure I'd read the books before viewing! Which reminds me, I should add that bit to my "why I read this now".

I loved the Atkinson books about Jackson Brodie and am eagerly anticipating the PBS series. I wonder who will play my hero?

I didn't realize there was going to be a PBS series! That's exciting! I've read all her books through One Good Turn (truth be told, my favorite is a non-mystery - Behind the Scenes at the Museum), but haven't read the latest ones. Your review has encouraged me to pick them up.

>187 Donna828:: Jason Isaacs plays Jackson. You may recognize Jason as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. But in real life he looks more Jackson-like.

>188 DorsVenabili:: Ooh, a new visitor! Welcome Kerri ! I really liked Behind the Scenes ... too.

It's actually a British Series being aired by PBS. Click here for IMDB's information on it, including a trailer and episode guide.

Laura, I just finished this book as well and loved it. So glad you did too. I'm really looking forward to the PBS series.

Now I'm chomping at the bit to get this one read, although I do like to space them out and I know there's only one more. But I will definitely be ready for the TV show in October.

The TV series covers the first three books. So I'm holding off on the 4th (Started Early, Took my Dog) because I don't want it to end!

My local library does not have Started Early, Took My Dog yet and I am most displeased.

I put my fingers in my ears, said "la la la la" and skipped to the last paragraph of your review so that I don't know anything at all about the story - but even just your last para is making me hurry up! I have books 2 and 3 waiting here to read and I loved Case Histories.

45. Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I like to read at least one Virago Modern Classic each month ... this is the one for August.

This is a very quirky novel, at times comic and at others, incredibly dark. The story opens with a disturbing description of a flood sweeping through a village:

Swans were there, their long necks excavating under the dark, muddy water. All around there was a wheezy creaking noise as the water soaked into unaccustomed places, and in the distance a roar and above it the shouts of men trying to rescue animals from the low-lying fields. A passing pig squealing, its short legs madly beating the water and tearing at its throat, which was red and bleeding, and a large flat-bottomed boat followed with men inside. The boat whirled round and round in the fierce current' but eventually the pig was saved, and squealed even louder. (p. 1)

The details continue for two more pages, and then we meet Ebin Willoweed and his family, who are a pretty unique group. His crotchety, outspoken mother is constantly complaining and belittling everyone around her. He has two daughters, Emma and Hattie, the latter of mixed race. Ebin also has a young son, Dennis, who he repeatedly refers to as a "cissy." This is definitely not "Leave it to Beaver."

And the flood is only the beginning of the hardship that will befall this small village. People start dying left and right, and no one knows why. Ebin's already dysfunctional family becomes even more so, drifting from one funeral to the next while still trying to work through a host of family dramas. How can Ebin become financially and emotionally independent from his controlling mother? Will oldest daughter Emma ever escape? Can Dennis redeem himself in his father's eyes?

Barbara Comyns' very direct writing style takes some getting used to. Her words are spare, yet the characters and setting are still well drawn. Once I became accustomed to the writing I turned the pages eagerly, wanting to see what would happen next. The story was quite surreal. I hated Ebin's mother; she made me cringe on more than one occasion. The novel moved quickly from one event to the next. A great deal happens in 146 pages, but to me it felt rushed. I wanted more plot development. I wanted to be more emotionally invested: feeling sadder about the tragedies, and laughing harder at the novel's many humorous moments. This book is a favorite of Comyns fans, but I enjoyed Our Spoons Came from Woolworths more.

Sorry you didn't like it as much as I did, Laura.

I'm intrigued, I think I missed that one somehow.

#189 You know, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think Jason Isaacs IS Jackson Brodie, without even looking at the trailer.

>198 laytonwoman3rd:: he sure is!

*waving* at Laura

Thanks for sharing the link to the Jackson Brodie trailer. I thought I would have problems separating Jason Isaacs from his Lucien Malfoy persona, but nope - I agree with Linda - he is Jackson Brodie.

I think that once you remove the Malfoy long white hair, Isaacs' face looks very different. When I watched the series, I knew I recognised him but could not place what I'd seen him in before until I looked him up afterwards. He's got a very 'lived-in' face which seemed just perfect for Jackson Brodie.

>201 gennyt:: 'lived-in' is an excellent description, Genny!

#202 I'm glad you think so :)

46. Remembering Babylon ()
Reviewed on LibraryThing & on my blog
Why I read this now: I'm working my way through Booker Prize nominees and the "1001" list. This meets both criteria.

Set in mid-19th century colonial Australia, Remembering Babylon explores issues of race and class through a young man named Gemmy Fairley. Gemmy turns up in a Queensland village, seemingly out of nowhere. He is white, but "appears" black and speaks the language of native people. He is most comfortable communicating with the three children who first discovered him, members of the McIvor family. Through various means of communication, Gemmy shares his background as a ragamuffin boy tossed from a ship, who lived with aboriginal people for 16 years. The McIvor family take him in, providing for his basic needs and giving him work to do around their property. Gemmy baffles the community:

He had started out white. No question. When he fell in with the blacks -- at thirteen, was it? -- he had been like any other child, one of their own for instance. (That was hard to swallow.) But had he remained white?

They looked at their children, even the smallest of them chattering away, entirely at home in their tongue, then heard the mere half-dozen words of English this fellow could cough up, and even those so mismanaged and distorted you could barely guess what he was on about, and you had to put to yourself the harder question. Could you lose it? Not just language, but it. It.

For the fact was, when you looked at him sometimes he was not white. His skin might be but not his features. The whole cast of his face gave him the look of one of Them. How was that, then? (p.40)

But Remembering Babylon isn't so much Gemmy's story as everyone else's. Janet, Meg, and Lachlan are forever changed after finding Gemmy. Several settlers actively work to oust Gemmy, showing their true selves and straining Jock and Ellen McIvor's relations with them. And just beyond the hubbub lives Mrs. Hutchence, an eccentric woman who offers love and kindness to everyone she meets. Malouf introduced every type of character imaginable: angry, bigoted settlers, a young schoolmaster, a preacher nearing the end of his career, etc. Most were not as well-developed as the McIvor family, and after a while I found the frequent new faces a distraction. The ending was also strange, jumping ahead in time while leaving a number of loose ends back in the 19th century. Still, this was a worthwhile read, an interesting study of human nature, set in a historic period I enjoy reading about.

So well put, Genny, I was pleased when I heard it was Isaacs.

#204: Nice review, Laura, and woot! - my local library actually has that book :)

Just catching up, Laura!

I'm encouraged that you think the third Jackson Brodie is the best. I have it waiting for me but was a bit put off by the second in the series after loving the first. I can't remember exactly why but something to do with too many coincidences and heightened expectations after the first, I think!

I haven't read Who was changed but judging from the Comyns that I have read, I seem to prefer the more realistic novels with an autobiographical feel. If you enjoyed Spoons, you should also like A Touch Of Mistletoe though it does seem a difficult one to find at a reasonable price.

Great review, Laura; that goes onto my wish list.

Excellent review Laura. I haven't read anything by David Malouf but I do have one of his on my shelf, The Great World.

I can highly recommend Malouf's Ransom, a version/retelling of the Iliad Book 24 (but a great story even if you don't know the Iliad).

#210: I already have that one in the BlackHole and really wish my local library had a copy of it!

>205 sibylline:-211: Thanks everybody ... I've been having a busy week. I just realized I've been reading your posts but not acknowledging them. I appreciate you stopping by and offering up more book recommendations (like any of us need more to read ... but you know how it is!)

Well, it is hump day, Laura, so maybe the remainder of the week will slow up for you!

Hi Laura, no more book recommendations from me just yet - but I'm getting a nudge that I ought to read some Malouf some time myself!

>213 alcottacre:: doubtful, Stasia: on Saturday we are taking #1 daughter to university for the first time ... but I appreciate your hopeful thoughts!

#215: Ah, I understand.

#215 That must be quite an exciting/challenging time for everyone! Where is she going to study? Will she be far from home?

>217 gennyt:: Genny, Kate is going to Kenyon College, a small (1600 students) liberal arts college in central Ohio (btw, in the US the words "college" and "university" are pretty much synonymous). She plans to study English, and has aspirations to become a writer. Kenyon has a fine English program, and boasts of some notable alumni (the most notable is perhaps Paul Newman!). Kate participated in a summer program for high school students last year and loved it. We know she's going to get a great education; the downside for us parents is that it's an 8-hour journey by car. Fortunately she will be able to fly home for certain holidays, but this weekend we have to drive since we are taking all of her belongings. And of course we want to be there to help her settle in although Kenyon requires all families to leave by 5pm Sunday!

I have been up and down (mood-wise) about this all week. Very excited for Kate of course, but also know I will miss her terribly and it marks a new phase of life for my husband and me (even though we have a second daughter at home who has 3 years of high school left).

Ah, it's so hard when the first one leaves the nest. The only thing worse is when the last one leaves! Best of luck to No. 1 daughter. I'm sure she will be a shining star in the English Department because of her inherited genes from both mother and father. Your husband is a great book reviewer. Does he have an LT account?

>219 Donna828:: Chris isn't on LT Donna, he doesn't read as voraciously as I do and he's prone to bursts of activity: reading, working outdoors, woodworking in his shop. He'll do one of these consistently for a period of time and then -- boom -- he's on to something else.

I can understand the mood swings, Laura. I hope the transition goes smoothly for you all.

Oh and thanks for visiting me on my new thread :)

I want to say something but my mind froze up -- my dau has been driving me nuts lately -- and yet I have a sense of safety that we have three more years with her at home. I can anticipate (since I am a worrier) what lies ahead. Plus I've watched many of my friends (we are 'old' parents, go through this.)

I sympathize with having kids far away. I'm sitting in a hotel in Clemson, South Carolina, after having unloaded my son's possessions into the townhouse he's renting this year with friends. He's 9 or 10 hours away by car, and we won't see him again until Christmas. After a few years of this, though, we've gotten used to it, and I'm really happy he's doing well here! We're also finding an empty nest has merits too. :)

>223 drneutron:: oh thanks so much Jim ... it actually helps to hear (er, read) that!

218: Best wishes to your daughter! My nephew will be dropped off at college 10 hours or so from home, the following weekend, and parents are not permitted to stick around.

I can understand the mood swings too - it was my youngest leaving the nest though, not the oldest. Hang in there!

8 hours away - that's a lot. But your daughter is lucky to have parents willing to drive her there and see her settled in. I hope she appreciates you! I can remember being so wrapped up in my own new experiences at that age, I didn't really spare a thought for how my parents were feeling. What's the longest she's been away from home before? I expect you'll all take a while to adjust but I hope she soon finds she is happy there.

One of the greatest joys of my life has been the change from actively parenting to enjoying the friendship and companionship of my adult sons just for who they are. All unlooked for and totally unexpected, this dimension to our relationship is the richest, warmest, and most delightful of developments. Take heart, Laura. Although I confess that every now and then I wish I could hold them as babies again, just for a minute, as it went by awfully fast.

Comforting words, Tui -- as my own little darling moves through her teens and I begin to understand why, in the end, they really do have to leave home! This middle period of having a half-grown up is so...... um, challenging and terrifying. I look forward to what you describe. I had a wonderful adult relationship with my mother, so there's hope. (LD and I get along, she is simply very very independent and strong-minded, except of course, when she isn't and sits in my lap for an hour).

I'll be thinking of you, Laura. Time for a really really comforting Virago?

Well I'll comment from the other end of the spectrum. We went through the empty nest syndrome and weathered it pretty well. My children are adults whose company I truly enjoy and now, getting ready for my daughter's wedding in October is feeling like the happiest time of my life. Just so very joyful and something you will have to look forward to Laura. It's all good.

Laura I hope your weekend is going well. I am sure she'll have a wonderful time at Kenyon - I had a couple of friends at grad school who'd been to some other great liberal arts colleges and the whole experience sounded fantastic.

Like Genny, I never thought much about how hard it must have been for my parents when I took off to New Haven at the grand old age of 22, but now that I have kids I do. I was about a 27 hour flight away. It made me appreciate them so much more.

Aw, you guys are the best. We had a fantastic weekend! For reasons I don't fully understand, all of my anxiety and sadness evaporated once we set foot on campus. It just felt so "right". Now she's all settled in and we're back home. And I'm glad I decided to take today off from work to recover from all that driving!

I'm so glad to hear that Laura! Now you will be able to picture her there, and enjoy that she is in the right place for her now.

Good decision to take a day off to recover, too.

That's wonderful! Enjoy your day!

Glad she's settled and you're ok with it. Very smart to take a decompression day!

So glad you got that "All is well" feeling, Laura. That's worth a million bucks.

Your daughter will be well taken are of, I'm sure - Kenyon is quite good at that. Wishing her (and you!) all the best.

I really appreciate all the words of support. Amber, I'm sure you were sending "Kenyon Karma" all the way from Wisconsin!

NOTE TO THREAD POLICE:
New thread coming soon, with next book review ...

It's a wonderful adventure for all of you, this sending a child off to school. I have fond feeling for Kenyon because my dear Mrs. Chalmers, the English professor for whom I did my scholarship work at school, was the widow of a past president of the school. She wouldn't have been mixed up in anything that wasn't top of the line!

FINALLY -- I finished a book! Come read about it on my new thread!