ivyd's 2011 books, part 2

Since the changes on LT, the longer threads seems to be loading faster, but June 1 still seems like a good spot to start a new thread.

January-May: http://www.librarything.com/topic/105572
11 in 11 Challenge (January-September): http://www.librarything.com/topic/97422
11 in 11 Challenge (October-December): http://www.librarything.com/topic/124637

June

~~ Book 4 of The Landmark Thucydides
37. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riodan, 3*
38. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, 3 1/2*
~~ Book 5 of The Landmark Thucydides
39. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, 5*
40. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, 4 1/2*
41. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy, 3 1/2*
42. Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy, 3 1/2*
43. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, 3 1/2*

July

44. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig, 3*
45. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, 4*
46. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, 5*
47. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, 5*
48. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, 5*
49. Smash Cut by Sandra Brown, 3 1/2*
~~ Book 6 of The Landmark Thucydides
50. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, 5*
51. Whirligig House by Anna Rose Wright, 4*

August

~~ Book 7 of The Landmark Thucydides
52. King Lear by William Shakespeare, 5*
53. The Fatal Touch by Conor Fitzgerald, 3*
54. A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch, 4*
55. Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely, 3*
56. King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles
~~ "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
57. The White Mountains by John Christopher, 4*
58. The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher, 4*
~~ The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger, 3*
59. Exploring King Arthur's Britain by Denise Stobie

September

60. The Landmark Thucydides
61. Chill Factor by Sandra Brown, 4*
62. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand, 5*
63. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny, 4 1/2*
64. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, 3 1/2*
65. Beloved by Toni Morrison, 4*
66. The Curse of the Pharoahs by Elizabeth Peters, 3 1/2*
67. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman, 5*
68. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, 5*
69. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, 4*

October

70. The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters, 3*
71. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman, 5*
72. Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters, 3*
73. Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley, 3 1/2*
74. Q: A (Timeless) Love Story by Evan Mandery, 2 1/2*
75. Whiplash by Catherine Coulter, 3 1/2*
76. The Alibi by Sandra Brown, 3 1/2*
77. Naked Heat by Richard Castle, 3*
78. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, 3*

November

79. Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk, 4 1/2*
80. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain, 3 1/2*
81. Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs, 3 1/2*
82. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie, 4*
83. The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs, 3 1/2*
~~ "Chi-wee's White Boots" by Grace Moon
84. The Runaway Papoose by Grace Moon, 4*
~~ "Unit 3. Indian Stories" (pp 69-106 of Near and Far by Nina Banton Smith) (November)
~~ "Chot-say's Trip in the Desert" by Grace Moon
~~ "Doki and Pah-ta" by Grace Moon
85. The Magic Trail by Grace Moon, 3*
86. The Missing Katchina by Grace Moon, 3 1/2*
87. Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain, 3*
88. Miss Julia Takes Over by Ann B. Ross, 3*

December
89. Glastonbury by Donna Fletcher Crow, 4*
~~ The Life of Gildas by Caradoc of Llanfarcan
90. Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine & Leslie Meier, 3*
91. Christmas Mourning by Margaret Maron, 4*
~~ The Life of Gildas by the Monk of Ruys
92. The Chimes by Charles Dickens, 3*
93. A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry, 3*
94. A Christmas Secret by Anne Perry, 3 1/2*
~~ "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas
95. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd, 4*
96. The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz, 4 1/2*
97. Rumpole and the Reign of Terror by John Mortimer, 3*
98. Myths & Legends Explained by Neil Philip
99. A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry, 3*

June

~~ Books 4 & 5 of The Landmark Thucydides

These last 2 books have been easier reading for me, and more interesting as well. I know the end result of the war, but I'm becoming ever more curious about how they got there.

37. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Kane Chronicles #1), 3*

I spent quite a while a few days ago writing a review of The Red Pyramid and explaining why I was disappointed with it. I clicked "Post message" and it disappeared somewhere into cyberspace. I haven't since felt like reconstructing the review, so I'll just say that I don't think this new series has the appeal or the quality of his Olympus series.

38. Heartsick by Chelsea Cain (Gretchen Lowell #1), 3 1/2*

A gritty, gory police procedural that begins with a grammatical error in the first sentence ("it's her"). I usually prefer the cozies, and there are other rather amazing errors: "belied" used to indicate the opposite of its meaning; the color "pedigrees" (??? - verdigris?), and a few that are less egregious -- HOW can an editor let this happen?!!

BUT Ms Cain has a very good eye for detail. The setting in Portland, OR (where I live) is brought to life, her characterizations are excellent, the characters are unique and very memorable, the mystery is well paced and well plotted. I'm eager to read the next book in this series.

39. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games #2), 5*

What can I say? I was just as captivated by this 2nd book in the trilogy as I was by the first. It begins a little slower than The Hunger Games, which had me hooked from the start, probably mostly because of (very well integrated) reminders of what happened in the first book, but I quickly became totally immersed in the story. And it ends with a cliff hanger, so there's no question what book I will be reading next

I had meant to start this thread on June 1, but got distracted by work and events. Yesterday I cheered on my younger daughter, who ran a half-marathon in 2 hours and 6 minutes. That's an average of 9 1/2 minutes per mile for 13.1 miles! It's not quite good enough to qualify for the Portland Marathon (2 hours or less), but that wasn't her goal anyway; she was just hoping to average less than 11 minutes per mile. I'm really impressed, and proud of her!

Hi Ivy, just checking into your new thread. I bet you are off somewhere reading Mockingjay! :)

#9 Hi Ivy: Wow, that's very impressive. My father (now 74) was a marathon runner before he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He was part of what they call the penguins. Much slower than your daughter but he did finish 19 marathons (from age 50 to 68) and I don't know how many half marathons.

Tha's a pretty tough qualifying level to get into the Portland Marathon. For Chicago, I think anyone who wants to can enter, though it's now so popular that it sells out right away.

I'm walking the American Cancer Society Relay for Life on July 9th but that's about my limit.

I love new threads. Now I can pretend I was caught up all along.... ;)

I'll look forward to hearing what you think of Mockingjay.

And congratulations to your daughter for that impressive half-marathon time!

>10 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy! Glad you found me! You're right about what I was doing -- I will probably finish it tonight.

>11 lindapanzo: I'm really impressed by your father, Linda! A full marathon is rather incomprehensible to me, even as a penquin! According to my daughter, some marathons are open to all comers, but others -- such as Boston and Portland -- are rather restrictive, she thinks partly because of the location and how long they are able to shut down traffic.

Good for you for doing the Relay for Life walk! How long is it?

>12 _Zoe_: Hi, Zoe, thanks for stopping by. I have to laugh about the new threads -- I've done the same thing! I'm finding it impossible to keep up with the 75 group, even with those I've starred.

And thanks from my daughter, Linda & Zoe. She just started running a year or so ago when she was in China, definitely does not come from a family of fast runners, and is rather proud of herself. She's also pleased that I bragged about her on LT.

Dad had Guillain-Barre (paralyzed nerve endings) back in the mid 1980s and he always said that, if he would recover, he'd take up running. Well he did, in a big way.

Many of his were local (Chicago and the now defunct Lake County marathon) but some other more well-known ones, like the Walt Disney World marathon, the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati, Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN, and one in Alabama. He'd finish in 6 hours but he would finish.

After colon cancer, he ran half marathons for awhile but now he just runs for fun and hardly even does 5Ks anymore.

Phooey. I think I messed up. Anyway, after Dad had Guillain-Barre in the mid 1980s, he said he'd take up running if he recovered. Well he did. Many of his 19 marathons were local (Chicago or Lake County) but he also did the Walt Disney World one, the Flying Pig one in Cincinnati, and Grandma's in Duluth, MN. One in Alabama, too, I think.

Lately, he just runs a bit with friends.

As for my Relay, each team is supposed to keep someone on the track at all times. It's from 6 pm on Sat night to 6 am on Sun morning. I think we have 15 people on our team from work but we figure we'll send the kids out more. I don't plan to spend the night. It's a fundraiser but I basically want to be there for the survivors lap and also to partake in all the events (though I'm not sure what those are, exactly).

>14 lindapanzo: & 15 Going to all those places sounds like fun. And even if he's not doing marathons anymore, it's great that he's still running!

I wonder if your contributions will be down this year, because of all the disasters. My older daughter and her family did the Cystic Fibrosis walk a few weeks ago (my granddaughter has a little friend with CF) and their receipts were lower than usual. The speculation was that people had already used their contribution budget for Japan -- with all the technology companies here, there are a lot of ties to Japan. Good luck with the walk -- let us know how it goes!

Checking in, Ivy!

Sorry you did not like The Red Pyramid more. I loved it, but then I am prone to loving all things Egyptological.

40. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games #3), 4 1/2*

I want to avoid spoilers, so all I'll say is that I was riveted to the book until I finished -- to the extent that I felt a flash of annoyance when my daughter, who was cooking our dinner while I was reading, asked me to cut some chives (my "garden" consists of chives, mint and rosemary). It isn't my favorite book of the trilogy, but it's still really, really good.

>17 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia! I didn't dislike The Red Pyramid; I thought the plot was rather predictable and had trouble differentiating the voices, but I think my biggest problem with it was that so much of the action turned on magic. Maybe kind of a silly objection, since we're talking about fantasy, but I just kept wishing that they could more gradually discover or learn things, rather than the situations being resolved by their suddenly having magic powers that they didn't know about. Nevertheless, it did seem that much of the book was setting the scene for the series; I intend to read the 2nd book, but probably not right away.

My local library has the second book in the Kane Chronicles, The Throne of Fire, and I am hoping to get to it soon. I am hoping I enjoy it as much as I did the first book. When I read juvenile and young adult books, I try and bring myself down to the age level that the books are written for (really not hard for me to do at all!) and grade the books accordingly.

>20 alcottacre: When I read juvenile and young adult books, I try and bring myself down to the age level that the books are written for (really not hard for me to do at all!) and grade the books accordingly.

So do I, but I may not have done that very well with The Red Pyramid, having recently read The Lost Hero and been impressed with its sophistication, and having just read The Hunger Games, which I think transcends a YA designation. I think I said (or meant to, anyway), in my original lost review, that I thought late grade-school age children would enjoy The Red Pyramid with its non-stop action.

I'll be interested to see what you think of The Throne of Fire!

I understand what you are saying about YA books transcending that designation. Some of the books that are shelved in the YA section of my local library baffle me. Case in point: The Book Thief. Why? I do not get that at all!

>22 alcottacre: "baffled" is the perfect word to describe how I feel about "YA." I really don't see any great consistency in the designation, except that it supposedly appeals to the 10-21 age group (which covers a lot of territory). And sex, violence, abuse, language or drugs doesn't seem to disqualify books from being "YA." Does that mean that Fanny Hill and Lady Chatterley's Lover, which I was hiding under the bedcovers at the age of 16, should be designated YA? They definitely "appealed" to me at that age! Some of the books I read as a teenager are now considered YA, but they weren't then, nor were they written for a teenage audience -- e.g., The Catcher in the Rye was in the adult library and rather controversial back then.

And I would have been offended to have been told that a book about a 12-year-old was "age appropriate," although I'm sure I would have loved The Book Thief and Pullman's Northern Lights trilogy and The Hunger Games as much then as I do now (and that's without making any effort to "bring myself down to the age level"). Other recent "YA" books, such as the Percy Jackson series, I might have read and enjoyed, but I definitely would have seen them as children's books.

And certainly at least by the age of 18, I viewed every book in the world as being available and appropriate (and so did my college professors).

So I don't get it. But I'll get off the soap box, and go do what I'm supposed to be doing...

I am right up there on the soap box with you, Ivy!

41. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #1), 3 1/2*

I thoroughly enjoyed this culinary mystery set in the White House, and I've already started the 2nd book in the series. Learning something is not necessary for me to enjoy a mystery, but it's always a bonus when I do -- in this book, the inner workings of the White House, and especially the kitchen.

>25 ivyd: Glad you enjoyed it!

#25: I wish my local library had that series!

Trying to catch up with threads - I would like to say that I would enjoy Riordan's Egyptian series much, much more if it didn't have that annoying change of viewpoint. Not just the change of perspective but how they talk to each other. Really annoying, IMO.

I think that a lot of books designated YA have teenage protagonists. Many books that were written for adults can easily fall into this category (The Secret Life of Bees jumps to mind) since the main character was young but Lady Chatterly wouldn't. If the main character is younger than 13 I tend to characterize it as Juvenile fiction. Teens rarely will pick up a book with a kid younger than them.

What's the most difficult to classify is adult books with a protagonist younger than 13. The Flavia deLuce series (Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) and Room (which I have waiting for me to read) for example. I love the Bradley books and think Flavia is a fun character but I have yet to sell it to a teen (character is 11). I will probably donate Room to my library and I predict the kids will eat it up mostly because of the abuse theme which is always a best seller.

>26 thornton37814: I did like it, Lori. I'm less excited so far about the 2nd book (Hail to the Chef), but I've had a busy weekend and haven't read but a few pages at a time, and I'm not very far into it, so that impression may change.

>27 alcottacre: So frustrating not to be able to get ahold of a book you want to read, Stasia! I'm presently in a really bad mood about a book that I know I have (about Egypt), now want to read and can't find -- I know where it used to be, but what did I do with it from there?

>28 mamzel: Mamzel, I sort of discounted the smart-alecky interplay as probably appealing to younger readers, but I really didn't see much difference in the voices and had to keep checking to see who was telling the story. Maybe it would be better read aloud, or in audio version. Have you read the 2nd book in the series?

As for YA, yesterday I read on someone's thread (and I apologize for not remembering whose or who made the comment) that "YA" is a marketing decision by publishers, rather than a real guide. I totally agree about teenagers not wanting to read about younger protagonists -- as I recall, after about age 12 or 13, I mostly wanted to read about adults (or at least teenagers older than I was). I find that even now I often don't particularly like adult books about children, though I love many books written for children, with a child's perspective rather than an adult's perspective of childhood. I did, however, enjoy The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and have the 2nd one on my tbr stack.

ETA: I found the comment about YA lit. It was posted by ReneeMarie on LauraBrook's 11 in 11 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/103364, msg 178

42. Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #2), 3 1/2*

After a slow start (which I think had more to do with me than the book), I raced through the last 2/3 of the book and enjoyed it very much. These books differ from the usual cozy in that the mysteries (so far anyway) involve political intrique rather than personal situations. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

I am definitely going to have to check out that White House Chef series. I have read several positive reviews of them.

Chiming in on the YA discussion: YA is too large of an age range. I don't want my 14 year old reading the same books as my 17 year old, but they are both in the YA age range.

I recently read Chicken with Plums which is shelved in my library in the YA section and I would not want my 14 year old reading that either.

It is true, YA lit makes mega bucks for publishers and many of their decisions are based on where a book can make the most money.

Also, many adult books are great for teens. To Kill a Mockingbird, The Secret Life of Bees, the Maisie Dobbs series even, especially the first book. I guess I think the labels/catagories both limit and mislead, as they usually do.

And....just remembering what I read in high school, lots of Taylor Caldwell. I read her Captains and the kings at least two or three times and, yes, I liked it that I was reading about adults.

>31 chinquapin: chinquapin, I'm enjoying them! I hope you do, too!

>32 mks27: I agree, Michelle! What is interesting and appropriate for a 12-year-old and what an 18-year-old wants to read are usually quite different. Since there was no YA classification when I was a teenager, and I considered myself beyond the children's library, I read a real mishmash of "adult" books (To Kill a Mockingbird, Auntie Mame, The Once and Future King, Agatha Christie and Erle Stanley Gardner and Frank Yerby (!!) come to mind), and by high school I'd moved on to truly adult books such as Exodus and Gone With the Wind, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Tolstoy.

While it's nice that more books are being written for teenagers now, in a way I consider YA a disservice to late teenagers, since it implies that they shouldn't be reading adult books. And then the flip side is that some books that really do appeal to late teenagers and adults get stigmatized by being labelled YA. It seems to me that a 10-14 or 12-15 category would be helpful, though.

>29 ivyd: I started but did not finish the second one. I don't know if I'll go back to it or not.

We have added lots of adult books to our high school library. The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Lovely Bones, and books by Isabel Allende, Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver, Amy Tan, and others. The books by Dave Pelzer are (unfortunately, IMO) perennial favorites. We have had requests for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but think it's a little too intense for high school. Amazingly the librarian did bring in Push.

I don't think there is any hard and fast rule about what constitutes a YA book, and I don't foresee any ratings like for movies and video games (words aren't as potentially harmful as pictures ?!?).

I remember reading a lot of Michener, John Irving, and was encouraged to read Salinger and Hesse by my friend. Gone with the Wind was my default book when I had nothing else to read. I would open it to a random page and just read from there. The fatter the book the better because then I didn't have to worry about having another book to read too soon.

43. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, 3 1/2*

During the Siege of Sarajevo, 22 people were killed while they stood in line to buy bread. On each of the following 22 days, a cellist sat in the crater and played. That much is true history, and Steven Galloway's book is an imagining of the lives of 3 Sarajevans during the siege, and the effect on them of both the siege and the cellist's tribute.

I thought the book was okay. My personal preference would have been more history and less internal agonizing. At times, the characters and their reactions didn't ring true for me, but I could be wrong; I wasn't there, but neither was Steven Galloway, although he apparently did quite a lot of research. Although I wanted to sympathize with these ordinary people who found themselves in an incredibly awful situation, I just didn't feel much of a connection with them, despite the extensive descriptions of their thoughts and feelings.

I like Mr Galloway's writing style, though I thought at times he was trying too hard to be "literary." The result for me was being distracted from the story to appreciate (or not) his literary acumen, some awkward sentences, a few incomprehensible sentences. I don't know what to say about the bad grammar.

Happy 4th!!

Time to catch up on my postings.

Favorite Books of the 1st half of 2011:
(a lot of favorites, out of 43 books, and surprisingly heavy on fantasy/dystopia)

Fiction:
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
World War Z by Max Brooks

Mysteries:
Maisie Dobbs series, by Jacqueline Winspear
A Marked Man by Barbara Hamilton
White House series, by Julie Hyzy

Non-Fiction:
The White Cascade by Gary Krist
A Safe Place for Women by Kelly White

Children / YA:
The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

July

44. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig, 3*

This book was not what I expected: far more romance and less history and mystery. I liked it, but I thought Amy was rather silly, and I'm not a fan of silly young women. I loved Jane, and hope to see more of her in later books.

45. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, 4*

What an interesting book! I loved the pictures and the stories of the children. I also thought it had some depth -- a coming-of-age story of sorts. I hope there will be more books about the Peculiar Children.

46. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, 5*

I think it's been close to 40 years since I last read this book. I read it 3 or 4 times in my late teens and early twenties, and for many years claimed it as one of my favorite books. I still think it's wonderful, but it doesn't speak to me now as it did then, and I was surprised to find that it is less polished than I remember. It is, nevertheless, a mammoth accomplishment for a young man in his mid-20s, and Jake and Brett are some of the finest characters in literature.

I just realized that all 3 of these books are first novels of young writers.

Hi Ivy - I had the same reaction to Willig's book. I thought it was going to be historical fiction, as opposed to historical romance, but it was still kind of fun. I am listening to the second one on audio and it is proving to be good entertainment during my daily commute.

I hope the second half of the year holds as much good reading for you!

I am looking forward to getting my hands on the Ransom Riggs book one of these days!

>39 katiekrug: I'll be interested in what you think of the 2nd book, Katie. The premise amuses me: Ellie's doing historical research on the Scarlet Pimpernel and his successors, never mind that he was a fictional character! I'm not sure when I'll get to the next book, though I do intend to continue the series.

>40 alcottacre: I hope you'll be able to get it soon, Stasia! I love books that are truly original, and I thought it was well done.

I'm back. The power was out at home from 8 am Mon til 2 am today. At work, it's been out since 4:15 on Mon and they're hoping it'll be back on, on Thurs.

What a miserable, hot, dark few days. Power lines, power line poles, and trees blocking the roads. Some stores were open in the dark, cash only. Almost no gas stations though, once we found one and got gas for the generator, things were a bit more bearable as we had a fan at least.

>42 lindapanzo: Wow, Linda! That's a long time to be without power! I'm always amazed, when we have an outage, how incredibly dependent we are on electricity. I'll think, "Well, I can't do this without power, so I guess I'll do that -- no, can't do that either!"

We live not far from a major artery, so unless the lines are affected between it and our house, we are usually among the first to get power restored. We've lived here for 30 years and I can't remember any time it's been longer than about 10 hours without power.

Glad to know you now have power and cooling!

We've lived here longer than that and have never gone more than 12 hours or so without. This time, all the main power lines into town are in the road. They said it'd be back around noon on Fri but, because we're near the fire station, it came on earlier, I suspect.

Thankfully, school was not in session because the live power lines on the street were across the street from the elementary school. This had the feel of "staying home during a blizzard" but with better weather.

#41: Unfortunately my local library does not have the book yet. I am hoping it does soon!

47. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, 5*

It's 1937, and Andras Levi is a young Hungarian Jew who has just won a scholarship to architectural school in Paris. From our perspective, we know that his situation is perilous, and this knowledge adds to the tension in the book. The book is, though, more than a war story -- from the interesting and less known perspective of Hungary's part in WW II -- and picture of despair and horror that rivals any imagined future apocalypse. It's also a love story, a coming-of-age story, and a story about families (and there is one more theme I could add, but won't since I think it would be a spoiler -- at least, I wouldn't want to know it before reading the book.)

This book is the kind of historical fiction that I'm always hoping for: beautifully drawn characters that are so real that it's hard to believe they're fictional; precise and detailed settings that make you feel you are there; complete and understandable explanations of events and politics, so that I didn't have to go running to wikipedia to find out what was going on; an elegant, straight forward writing style; an engrossing story. It could easily have been 3 times as long, and I would happily have read it all; the book's biggest flaw, in my opinion, is that the last couple of sections moved through time and events too quickly, so that some passages read more like straight history than being fully integrated with the story.

I'll be recommending this book to just about everyone I know.

Nice review, you got it spot on! It is a 5 star for me as well.

Thank you, Michelle! It's definitely at the top of my list this year. Have you finished?

#48 I have about 200 more pages, but I am having a crazy week and weekend, so I am not sure if I will be able to finish it until next week.

#46: I really must get to that one soon!

>49 mks27: I'm sort of envious, Michelle! I want to keep reading it! I'll be interested in your thoughts about the ending.

>50 alcottacre: I think you'll like it, Stasia. At least I hope so!

48. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (Newbery Medal 1990), 5*
Category: Children of Yesteryear

A lovely and touching little book that explores the situation in Denmark in 1943. Annemarie Johansen is 10 years old and must exhibit courage that she didn't know she had in order to save her best friend Ellen Rosen.

As with books I've previously read by Lois Lowry, I'm amazed by her ability to so concisely yet fully describe settings and develop character. Number the Stars is well-deserving of its Newbery Medal, but although adults can appreciate the book, I think it is clearly a children's book.

Just dropping in to tell you I finished listening to Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet yesterday, and I loved it. At first the narrator seemed a little dull, but I revised my opinion as I got farther into the story. He did a nice job with the children's voices, and with Sheldon's voice. My father listened to part of the book with me in the car and he really liked it, too.

I read Number the Stars last year and it was a 5-star read for me, too. I agree with you - children are definitely the primary audience for the book. I'm impressed with Lowry's ability to write in a way that communicates to children on their level without "talking down" to them.

I finished The Invisible Bridge yesterday and now miss it terribly.

>53 cbl_tn: So glad that you enjoyed it, Carrie! If you're ever in Seattle, it's well worth spending a couple of hours having tea at the Panama Hotel and visiting the nearby train station.

I asked my granddaughter, age 7, if she were interested in Number the Stars, but she seemed a bit lukewarm about it. I really think she'd enjoy it more in a year or two, so I didn't push it.

>54 mks27: So do I, Michelle!

#52: I agree with you about Number the Stars, Ivy. A terrific read!

49. Smash Cut by Sandra Brown, 3 1/2*

Even though my preference is for cozies or classic mysteries, there are several authors of thriller-type mysteries that I've read and enjoyed. I hadn't read any of Sandra Brown's books, but a friend of my daughter loaned me this book and wanted to know what I thought. It definitely falls into the category of popular fiction: an excellent, exciting, page-turning plot with plenty of twists and turns that I didn't see coming; mostly one-dimensional characterizations, but with interesting and/or likable characters; adequately written.

The book is set in Atlanta, and features an egotistical and not-very-nice millionaire, a 30-something art gallery owner who is involved with the uncle of the millionaire, and a successful defense attorney. Someone is murdered in the first few pages. And I really can't say much more without spoilers.

I enjoyed the book, and I'd like to read more of Ms Brown's books when I'm in the mood for some light but engrossing fiction -- just the right kind of book for a long airplane flight or a hot summer day (which we don't seem to be having this year). She apparently has written quite a few books, but I think they're stand-alone books, not a series.

~~ Book 6 of The Landmark Thucydides

I'm still plugging along on this, not finding it terribly interesting, but really glad to finally read the original account that so much of 2500 years of literature and history is based on. I really should have read it years ago.

50. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, 5*

A completely delightful little story! Ms Watson is an acute observer of human nature, and has a real gift for dialogue. The situation is somewhat dated, and there are some minor instances of prejudice, but this Cinderella story is still a real pleasure to read. I understand that this book is quite different from Ms Watson's other 5 books, but I think I'd like to read the others, too.

I loved Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. I haven't read Winnifred Watson's other books either, but I keep meaning to.

BTW, the film version isn't bad -- some changes, characters combined, that sort of thing. Give it a try if you're a movie watcher.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is on my wishlist, and the fact that you liked it so well makes me want to get hold of it soon. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

I was just looking through the TIOLI wiki to see if I need to add anything else to my August TBR list and I noticed that you had signed up for Glastonbury. It was my first Donna Fletcher Crow book and I liked it better than any of her others that I've read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I am also a fan of Miss Pettigrew. I am glad to see that you enjoyed it, Ivy!

Wasn't there a movie by this name? I think I saw it, though I watched at home right after my last eye exam/pupil dilation and listened more than watched, if I remember right.

#62: Yes, there was a movie made in 2008.

I loved the movie but I'm unsure of whether to read the book.

>59 Dejah_Thoris:-64 I'm going to keep an eye out for the movie of Miss Pettigrew. I'm rather curious about how it might be "updated" for the 21st century. Many years ago, I saw a college play production of it; I remember it being clever and funny, and a well-done production, but not much else, and I hadn't ever read the book. For those who haven't read it, I highly recommend it when you're looking for a light, amusing book to lift your spirits!

>60 cbl_tn: Carrie, I'm glad to know you liked Glastonbury so much! I discovered Donna Fletcher Crow when I won an ER book in her new detective series. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the 2nd book in the series, which I believe will be released this fall. I was rather excited to learn about her historical fiction books, especially Glastonbury, since it ties into several of my (recently neglected) interests, and I bought it right away... just to leave it sitting beside my reading chair. Glastonbury is one of my favorite places on earth (that I've been to, anyway), and I'm determined to read it this month -- and really looking forward to it!

51. Whirligig House by Anna Rose Wright, 4*

I first read this book when I was about 9 or 10 years old (and haven't read it since). It is a charming story of 5 siblings, aged 7-13 years old, whose mother becomes ill, and has to be hospitalized for a lengthy time: consumption, I would guess, though the nature of her illness is not specified. Mrs Wright's children's books are mostly only slightly fictionalized accounts of her own childhood or of her children's; she also wrote non-fiction adult books about her foster children, under the name Anna Perrott Rose. This one (published 1951) is based on her own childhood (she was born in 1890), though the time period is (rather carefully) not identified: a bus is mentioned and they have a telephone, but neither carriages nor automobiles are mentioned at all.

When I was 9-12, having only 1 sister who was 4 years younger, I was fascinated with stories of large families: Five Little Peppers, All-of-a-Kind Family, Little Women, Cheaper By the Dozen, some others that I don't now recall. Mrs Wright's more famous book Summer at Buckhorn -- which was a standard read-by-the-teacher-after-lunch book in the 1950s -- and Whirligig House fit right in.

I'm not sure why Mrs Wright's books are now out of print. She understands children, and a child's view of the world, and is so wise about raising children (more specifically adressed in her non-fiction books, but apparent in the children's fiction) that I think every parent should read her books. And I don't really understand why today's children, with mostly smaller families, wouldn't be as fascinated as I was with the interactions and workings of large families; a book really doesn't have to include magic to appeal to children. My granddaughter, anyway, loved All-of-a-Kind Family.

So... I enjoyed this book, and recommend it for grade school aged children and all parents -- if you can find it, that is, which isn't easy.

August

~~ Book 7 of The Landmark Thucydides
Category: World History

I got interested in Athens' attempt to subdue Sicily, right in the middle of its war with Sparta, and went right on with Book 7 to see what happened. I think this book is my favorite.

#66: I loved the All-of-a-Kind Family books as a child too, Ivy, so I will definitely look for Whirligig House. Thanks for the recommendation of that one.

>68 alcottacre: I hope you're able to find it, Stasia.

#69: No luck with the local libraries unfortunately. *sigh*

Just stopping by to catch up with you and see you have been reading an interesting variety of books.

The history about Athens and Sicily might be interesting for me....my mother in-law was born and raised on the south coast of Sicily and I know very little of its history, although my mother in-law has done a good job educating me on the culture. Thanks for sharing.

52. King Lear by William Shakespeare, 5*

What a magnificent play! Every time I read Macbeth or King Lear or Othello, I think, yep, that's my favorite! So I don't really know which one it is, but it's not Hamlet, though I know that many scholars view it as his finest.

This time through I was particularly interested in how he turned the legendary story into a tragedy, and by the one-dimensional characterizations of Lear's daughters -- either completely evil and immoral, or saintly and almost Christ-like.

>70 alcottacre: I'm sorry you weren't able to find Whirligig House, Stasia. It's become rather hard to find and usually very expensive to buy, though I lucked out on my purchase of it as part of a book lot of about 10 books, none of the rest of which I wanted. I think Anna Rose Wright's books are good candidates for one of the small companies that are republishing out-of-print children's books.

>71 mks27: Thanks for stopping by, Michelle! I had no idea that Sicily was largely settled by Greeks 2500 years ago, and had never even heard about this Greek campaign. But as slow and difficult as I'm finding Thucydides, I'm really glad I'm finally reading it.

Interesting comments on King Lear - I think it is one of Shakespeare's best plays too, along with Macbeth. I hate Othello though; Desdemona drives me crazy! I think The Tempest is my absolute favourite.

>74 Cait86: I'm quite sure that my love of Othello comes in part from having seen Sir Laurence Olivier's wonderful performance in the film while I was still in high school and hadn't yet read the play. It's been a while since I last read it, but I have it scheduled for a re-read sometime soon, so it will be interesting to see what I think this time around.

I also love The Tempest. Have you read A Brave Vessel by Hobson Woodward, which tells the real story of the shipwreck that is the basis for the story? And for some reason that I can't quite define, A Midsummer-Night's Dream always delights me. The biggest surprise to me was Troilus and Cressida, when I read it a year or 2 ago for the first time since college Shakespeare class; I thought it was a rather stupid play when I read it then, but this time I saw it as a poignant tale of young love and liked it very much, though I still wouldn't rank it as one of Shakespeare's best.

>75 ivyd: - Ah, well, maybe if I see Olivier's movie version, I'll reconsider my views on Othello; I love Olivier! Thanks for the mention of A Brave Vessel; I haven't read this, but it is on my TBR now. I teach The Tempest to my senior English class, and it will be good to have some background information.

I love A Midsummer Night's Dream too, partly because I saw an amazing production of it a few years ago. Much as I love King Lear and Macbeth, I think the comedies are Shakespeare's best, especially when it comes to performance. I enjoy reading and dissecting the tragedies more, but for live theatre, I would chose a comedy every time! Actually, I am going to see both Twelfth Night and Titus Andronicus next week - there is a Shakespeare festival near where I live that I go to every year - and they should be interesting. TN has never been one of my favs, but it is funny. I've never read Titus Andronicus before, so I will be going into it blind.

I've never read Troilus and Cressida either; hmmm, maybe 2012 will be a Shakespeare year for me - even though I've taken two university Shakespeare courses, I've never read Hamlet, or any of the histories.

One of my favorites is Merchant of Venice - I loved Dustin Hoffman's Shylock.

When I was in college, I took an acting class (believe it or not it was my major) and they always used Shakespeare's plays for these. I did Emilia in Othello's death scene. It was great fun. I also took a English class for Shakespeare's writings and that's the only book I kept from college - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. A few years ago, I borrowed from the library the entire collection of the plays on audio and read along as the actors spoke. I was a great experience, like really being at the theater.

But Shakespeare will always have a special place in my heart, because I remember one of my biggest thrills as I was growing up was going to the Shakespeare festival in San Diego with my father (Mom didn't like that stuff.). We talked about something that even my Mom didn't understand. I felt very special.

I read a short article this am about Othello, WA. Have you ever heard of it? Lots of Shakespearean names.

Can't remember where I read it though. Must be old age. Probably the NYTimes or the Chicago Tribune.

>76 Cait86: What a great play to teach, Cait! And also for high school students to read! I think you'll enjoy the Woodward book; it's very readable. Quite a lot of it is about the Jamestown settlement, but I found that very interesting, too, even though my purpose in reading the book was the connection with The Tempest and Stephen Hopkins, the Mayflower Pilgrim (though there wasn't as much about him as I had hoped).

I hope you'll let us know about the productions you see next week! (I was going to make a comment about Titus Andronicus, which I read for the first time a couple of years ago, and then changed my mind -- since you haven't read it, I don't want to say something that could be a spoiler.)

>77 cyderry: I'm impressed, Cheli! I always think about how difficult it would be to act Shakespeare and make it understandable to the audience.

I also read from my college Complete Works, even though the print is far too small for my aging eyes. I love seeing the notes I have made, and what I chose to underline at various times (a different color pen each time) -- it's one of my few exceptions to not defacing books.

What a wonderful and special memory, to have attended Shakespeare festivals with your father! And what a wonderful way to be introduced to Shakespeare!

>78 lindapanzo: No, Linda, I haven't heard of Othello, Washington! And I should have at least seen road signs for it, since it's apparently only about 20 miles off the route that we take driving to Montana.

It's three hours southeast of Seattle.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/us/11outhere.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Othell...

53. The Fatal Touch by Conor Fitzgerald, 3*
Category: World Mystery

A series of muggings is plaguing the foreign guests of Rome hotels, but when Irish-born Henry Treacy is found dead, it appears that he may not have been a random victim, but that his career as an art forger may instead have led to his death. Commissioner Alec Blume and his newly appointed assistant Caterina Mattiola are at work on the case in this 2nd book of Fitzgerald's mystery series.

The details of art forgery and art theft are fascinating -- and for me, the best part of the book and what saves it from being a 2* book -- even though they are primarily presented somewhat awkwardly though pedantic conversations and excerpts from Treacy's notebooks. My biggest difficulty with the book, however, was the plodding, meandering plot, so obfuscated that through most of the book I wasn't even sure what the mystery was.

#83: I think I can live without reading that one!

I hope your next read is a better one for you, Ivy.

54. A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch (Charles Lenox #4), 4*

I always love it when I can see a new, often (but not always) young, author develop confidence and polish as they continue to write. I've really enjoyed all of the Charles Lenox mysteries, but I think Finch has reached a new level with this installment, and it is (so far) my favorite of the series.

Set in England in 1867, this book involves the death of a footman, and quite a bit more, but I can't really say much without spoilers of the backstory. Although it could be read as a stand-alone -- and Finch does a nice job of presenting pertinent facts from earlier books -- the books should be read in order to avoid spoilers of Lenox's story.

>83 ivyd: Hi, Stasia, thanks for stopping by! As you can see from my last post, it was definitely better!

#86: it was definitely better!

Good!

55. Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely (Elizabeth Parker #3), 3*

Elizabeth Parker's cousins have recently inherited the proceeds from the sale of their father's home in St Michael's, MD, but their ditzy stepmother doesn't want to turn the money over to them. Then the new owners discover a body buried under the swimming pool, which was built 8 years earlier, and it turns out that pretty much everyone has a motive for murder.

The story line is apparently based on Jane Austen's Persuasion, a book I've not read (though I looked up a plot summary), so I undoubtedly missed some important similarities, though I enjoyed the quotations from Austen, Shakespeare and others. I thought the mystery plot was quite well done, and although the quirky characters had no real depth, I found them interesting and sometimes amusing.

The book, however, is a strange combination of snobbery coupled with sophomoric use of cliches, trite phrasing and 21st century jargon. But what I disliked most was the main character's constant nasty, jealous denigration of the others, including children and animals, for their looks, accomplishments and characters. While people's foibles can indeed be amusing, there is a big difference between unpleasantly belittling them and kindly showing the humor in their actions.

As we've talked about privately, it's definitely for a younger generation of reader . . . and I don't consider myself "OLD" yet!

56. King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles

This re-telling of the Arthurian saga is quite old, originally published in 1861. According the the Preface of my 1923 edition, Tennyson had at that time (1861) published the first 4 books of "Idylls of the King," and Sir James' book led to a deep friendship between the two and influenced the completion of Tennyson's "Idylls."

As for this book, Sir James says, "It is little else than an abridgment of Sir Thomas Malory's version of them as printed by Caxton -- with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth and other sources -- and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more or less consecutive story."

The content that Sir James chose to include is rather gory, with many heads clove in two and gushing streams of blood, in the continual wars, challenges, and jousts. The circumstances of Arthur's conception, his relationships with his half-sisters, Lancelot's affair with Guinevere, and other sexual matters were glossed over (Victorian sensibilities?). He nevertheless includes the most well-known stories, including of course the Grail legend, and I have to wonder if perhaps his choices have contributed in part to those stories being so well known, since his book was apparently frequently republished for more than 50 years after its first appearance.

I appreciated that Sir James made little or no attempt to reconcile contradictory elements in the tales or to logically explain the magical elements. I also loved the style: as a sort of half-way point between the Middle English of Malory and modern English, the archaic phrasing and word use was easily understandable and read almost like poetry.

57. The White Mountains by John Christopher (Tripods Trilogy #1), 4*

I enjoyed this little book and will almost certainly complete the series. The plot is rather ordinary and predictable: machines have taken over the world, and 13-year-old Will embarks on a quest to find the remnants of civilization who are not enslaved by the Tripods. But it is well written and well paced with likable and interesting characters.

This trilogy was orignally published in the mid 1960s, and it reflects sci fi trends of the 50s and 60s; it also seems to me that some of the more recent children's sci fi (Lois Lowry, Suzanne Collins) may have been influenced by these books.

I have a pile of books by John Christopher that I want to read. It can be quite noticeable how these older books are echoed in more modern ones.
The Knowles book sounds fascinating, sounds like you really enjoyed reading it.

I read the Tripods trilogy as a child - my father gave them to me for Chirstmas one year (he is a big sci-fi fan) - and I loved them. I recently ran across The White Mountains in a used bookstore and snapped it up. Looking forward to a re-read!

Delurking to add my love for the tripods trilogy. I discovered the series when I was in elementary school and The White Mountains was serialized in comic book form in Boys' Life. It wasn't until high school that I discovered the books and thought them even more exciting than the comic books.

Then when my son was in elementary school, we read them together at bedtime. The books may reflect sci fi trends of the 50s and 60s but for my money they've held up remarkably well.

I hope you like the rest of the series as much as I have, Ivy!

58. The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher (Tripods Trilogy #2), 4*

In this 2nd book of the trilogy, Will and his comrades are sent on a mission and we learn quite a bit more about the Tripods.

I'm still really enjoying this and I'm eager to find out how it ends, but I won't have access to the 3rd book for a couple of weeks.

>92 avatiakh: Kerry, I had no idea that John Christopher was so prolific until I looked him up. I'll be watching for your reviews!

Yes, I did enjoy the Knowles version of King Arthur, and I think it would be an excellent choice for reading aloud. I've liked almost every book I've read about King Arthur, but it seems to me that sometimes, in an attempt to make it "real," that some of the magical quality is lost.

>93 katiekrug: Katie, I hope you enjoy the re-read as much as you did the first time! I've rarely been disappointed with books that I loved as a child, but I've found that I don't always remember them accurately -- maybe my own imagination adding or subtracting from the story?

>94 swynn: Hi, Stephen, glad you delurked! After reading the 2nd book, I'm definitely still enjoying the series!

I didn't mean the 60s trends as a criticism, but more as a comment on the structure and content. I haven't read a great deal of sci fi, so maybe I'm off base, but my impression is that the alien invasion scenario tended to change to the space exploration scenario around the 1970s, and more currently to vampires and zombies. My personal preference is the alien invasion and yes, I think the Tripod Trilogy holds up very well!

I think that trend is true of science fiction films; I don't know so much about print. Alien invasion stories go back at least to H.G. Wells's War of the Worlds, to which Christopher's tripods owe a huge debt.

Glad to hear you're still enjoying it, and I hope you find the ending satisfying as well.

I read the Tripods trilogy for the first time last year. I am glad to see that you are enjoying the books, Ivy!

~~ The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger, 3*
Category: History in the Making

Interesting. I liked the first part very much, but then it turned... odd?

That's about what I gave it, too, Ivy. It was my first, and probably last, graphic novel. Didn't care for it much.

>102 lindapanzo: I'm not so sure about graphic novels, either (and calling this a novel is stretching it a bit, I think). I won an ER book last year that was a children's graphic novel, more like a comic book in my view. I liked it and gave it to my granddaughter who was delighted with it. And I loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret (also for children), but it had alternating text and illustrations, with the pictures telling part of the story, and didn't have a comic book feel to it. I keep hearing good things about Maus, so I may try that one sometime. But I'm thinking that this is probably not a genre for me, even though I love photos and illustrations and maps in "regular" books.

My cat just brought me a (dead) baby squirrel! He was very proud, and I told him he was a good boy, because he's such a good mouser, and I like that. Makes me sad, though, that it was a squirrel this time, and especially that it was a baby.

And I spent most of the morning ordering a new computer. This one is on its last legs, and I'm hoping the new one arrives before it dies entirely. But if I disappear for a few days, that's why...

I remember how my beagle used to like to sneak up on small animals, rabbits etc, but then the jingle of her collar would give her away. One time, she actually cornered it but then didn't really know what to do with it.

Good luck on the new computer. I will be scrambling to finish my current book for the August TIOLI. I haven't had a chance to read at all today and I've got 40 pages to go.

Ivy, I got a new computer early last week and I'm still trying to get all my records transferred over. And of course, there are changes that are supposed to be "improvements" which are only driving me pazzo! because I can't get the screen to look the way I want! Hope you have better luck.

59. Exploring King Arthur's Britain by Denise Stobie

This is a coffee table type book that I picked up from the bargain sheves at Barnes & Noble about 10 years ago. The photographs of Cornwall and Somerset -- and particularly those of Glastonbury -- are lovely. I'd looked at the pictures many times, but hadn't read the text until now, and was surprised to find how much information Ms Stobie was able to pack into such a brief text. She shows competing locations for the Arthurian tales, discusses differences in versions of the tales, mentions archeological discoveries, and references very early sources, as well as providing a brief re-telling of the Arthurian saga.

>105 cyderry: Oh, Cheli, that's what I'm afraid of! And why I've waited until the situation is getting desperate before getting a new computer. I love the things a computer can do, but I just want to do them -- the process of getting it the way I want it does not interest me in the least, and I'm very bad at it. My son-in-law has labelled me "technologically challenged" and both he and my brother frequently express their mystification at my lack of comprehension. They are really nice about helping me, though.

I am among the 'technologically challenged' too, Ivy :)

Ivy, the worse part of the switch over is that half or more of the audio books I have on my old PC didn't make the transfer so I have to download them to a flashdrive and upload them again. I don't want to lose my books!

60. The Landmark Thucydides

I'm really, really glad to be done; I'm also glad that I finally read this seminal work of western civilization. I can't count how many times that I've run across references to Herodotus or Thucydides; it's nice to know, at long last, what they're talking about.

The trouble for me with Thucydides is that it is essentially a military history. I have little interest in military tactics or operations except as it relates to the people making the decisions or its effect on people in general. Thucydides very infrequently gives personal history or comments on personality or character, and even when he does, it's usually only as it relates to the military actions. While I didn't find Herodotus any easier to read, I did enjoy his human interest stories and recounting of rumors.

I'm grateful for the group reads of Herodotus and Thucydides. I'm not sure that I would have ever made it through without them.

I need to read my Landmark Herodotus. I am planning to do it in November. One of these days I will get my hands on the Thucydides too. Kudos to you on making it through, Ivy!

Thanks, Stasia! There are few books that I consider an accomplishment, but Thucydides is one of them.

Though I found it rather slow reading, I enjoyed Herodotus and his chatty, gossipy style. I didn't have the Landmark edition, but wish I had; my edition had good notes, but I struggled with locations, and the maps in the Landmark are wonderful.

Congratulations, Ivy, on completing such a challenging read!

>113 mks27: Thanks, Michelle!

61. Chill Factor by Sandra Brown, 4*

During a massive snow storm, Lilly Martin finds herself stranded with Ben Tierney in a mountain cabin. She'd met him previously, but knows little about him, and five women have disappeared from the nearby town of Cleary, North Carolina, where Lilly's ex-husband Dutch Burton has recently become police chief. Who can be trusted?

Sandra Brown's books are a combination of thriller-type mystery and chick lit romance. She is a master of plotting, and the twists and turns kept me quickly turning pages to find out what happened.

I've never read anything by Sandra Brown. I know that one of our librarians absolutely loves her. I didn't know there was any mystery to her writing. I thought it was all chick-lit. I may have to check this one out! Sounds like a perfect winter read!

>116 thornton37814: I'd never read any of her books before this summer, either -- I'm not quite sure how I missed her, except that I prefer the cozies to the thrillers, and I don't read much straight chick lit. One nice thing about them is that they're apparently all stand alone books, so they can be read in any order as one happens onto them -- although there were a couple of FBI agents in Chill Factor (secondary characters) that I would love to see again! Not great literature, but very enjoyable, and definitely perfect for a cold winter night (or the beach or an airplane or light relief from heavier reading).

62. Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand, 5*

A marvellous story of hope and courage, beautifully told. Ms Hillenbrand's research was extensive and included obscure written materials and many interviews of participants -- just before those impressions and stories were lost forever. But the genius of her book is that it isn't a cobbling together of those materials and memories, but told as a continuous story of the magnificent racehorse who captured the hearts of Americans during the Great Depression, and of his jockeys, his trainer, and his owners.

Thanks to lindapanzo for her suggestion of this book!

63. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache #7), 4 1/2*

We're back in Three Pines in this installment, with the cast of characters who have become my friends, too. And this book again is about art, and art shows and art dealers, which I find interesting. And, as always with Louise Penny, there are deeper themes being explored: light and dark, hope and despair, cruelty and kindness, amends and forgiveness.

I thought the mystery was good, though not outstanding, but I think that the reason I'm so enthralled with this series is the depth of character and the insights into human nature. It's not a 5* book for me because of an assumption that I think she's making (I can't be more specific without spoilers). But she certainly has caused me to think about it, and her characters are struggling with it too; I'm eager to see where she goes in the next book.

64. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #1), 3 1/2*

Amelia Peabody is a delightful character! I love the setting -- Egypt in 1880 -- and although I had the mystery almost completely solved long before the end, I look forward to continuing this series.

#119 It is true for me too, the mystery is not the main reason I read the Three Pines series. It is the characters and the insights Penny shows about human nature and life through her stories. She gets to the heart of why we do what we do and what we struggle with through our lives. I like depth and she delivers, where many mystery writers do not. She is in my top two or three for mystery writers...and I love Gamache.

65. Beloved by Toni Morrison, 4*

I don't really know what to say, or what to think, about this book. It's different than any book I've ever read; it's difficult -- because of the subject matter, and to a lesser extent because of the writing style and construction (which is beautifully done); it's powerful and disturbing; it's undoubtedly an important book, probably even a great book. But I didn't enjoy it very much; hence, the 4* rating of what is probably a 5* book, because after all, ratings are subjective.

At its simplest, it's the story of Sethe, a slave who escaped to Ohio in 1855; eighteen years later, her early experiences are still part of her life and identity. There's a ghost, but it's not a ghost story. It is, instead, an exploration of the meaning of freedom, and its cost and value. But there are layers and layers of meaning in this book; I feel that I should read it again to try to understand some of it... but I'm not at all sure that I will.

I read her more recent book A Mercy and hope to read Beloved sometime because I've read so many great reviews of it. It definitely sounds like a book that I will appreciate, even if it's not one I might "enjoy."

#122 - Thank you for the review! Beloved is actually my least favorite Toni Morrison novel, so far. I think the ghost story aspect turned me off a bit. I much prefer The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Sula.

I just pulled a lot of her books for our display of the most banned/challenged books of 2000-2009.

>123 thornton37814: a book that I will appreciate, even if it's not one I might "enjoy."

Exactly, Lori! I also have A Mercy and had intended to "try" Toni Morrison with that book, but then decided to join the 11 in 11 group read of Beloved. It will probably be next year before I attempt A Mercy; I believe it also deals with slavery.

>124 DorsVenabili: Good to know, DorsVenabili! The blurbs in the back of the book made me think I might like Song of Solomon and Sula better than Beloved. The ghost is so symbolic that it didn't bother me as much as ghosts and other paranormal often do; and, also, I think she left open the interpretation/explanation of it, so that the reader can make of it what s/he wishes.

>125 mamzel: Good, mamzel! I abhor censorship in general, but (based on just this one book), I think Toni Morrison has some very important things to say. And as for Beloved, 150 years after the Civil War, I think it's far too easy to forget or ignore the horror of slavery. We need to remember, and to keep being reminded.

66. The Curse of the Pharoahs by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #2), 3 1/2*

I'm still enjoying this series and am eager for the next one, which I should have in hand sometime this week. Apropros of Lori (thornton)'s comments about modern women plopped into historical situations, I have some doubts about Amelia having behaved and thought as Ms Peters describes, but she is nevertheless a charming character. And I'm really enjoying the information about Egypt, which I assume is accurate since Ms Peters / Mertz has a Ph.D. in Egyptology.

I hadn't realized that Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels are both pseudonyms of Barbara Mertz. Back in the 1970s & 1980s, during my gothic romance period, I read several of the Barbara Michaels books, but not any Elizabeth Peters -- that I recall, anyway.

67. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale (My Father Bleeds History) by Art Spiegelman, 5*

Brilliant! About as close to perfect, on several different levels, as it can get. I hope to have Part II soon.

68. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, 5*
Category: US History

I love this book.

After some deliberation, I decided to put this book in my US History category. First, because of its effect on those who reached adolescence between 1950 and 1970. And second, and more importantly, because the world of 1951 doesn't exist anymore. I had suspected this was the case, from reading some of the comments of younger readers, who "just don't get it," and it was one of the reasons that I wanted to read it again. In my opinion, the book a true classic, with Holden's questions of adolescence and attempts to cope with tragedy transcending time and place. However, I can also understand today's teenagers being unable to identify with Holden and, for example, his concern with not wearing a tie on the streets of New York.

My well-worn copy (though not as decrepit as you might expect) says on the cover that it cost 75 cents.

69. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (Newbery Honor Book 1945), 4*

Wanda is a little Polish immigrant who wears the same faded blue dress to school every day. But when she claims to have a hundred dresses lined up in her closet, she becomes a target for schoolyard teasing.

The specific circumstances in this story are somewhat dated, but the concepts are still fully applicable today. The "lesson" is obvious -- too obvious, in my opinion -- but it's a good lesson and a good book for early grade school age. I'll be immediately passing it on to my second-grade granddaughter, and I expect that she will like it.

So happy you enjoyed Maus I! Both books were difficult to read at times, but his family's story is impossible to forget.

I can't say I love The Catcher in the Rye, but I am glad I read it. I agree, it could be considered a classic today. Truly, Holden's life as a teenager has very little if any connection to the lives of my own teenagers.

>130 mks27: I'm still impatiently waiting for Maus II to arrive. Difficult, yes -- even horrifying. Yet his presentation makes it possible to get through it, and we need to know it and remember it.

I think that Catcher is a book that speaks to you, or it doesn't. Even in the early 1960s when Holden's world was still pretty much the world we lived in, I had friends who weren't much taken by it -- as well as those who loved it. But I do think that the details of that time and place, and Holden's reaction to them, is so foreign today that most teenagers won't see beyond that to the more universal themes of adolescence and grief. There are other more recent books that would be more attractive to 21st century teenagers.

#128, 131 I'm glad you mentioned 'coping with tragedy' and 'grief' as significant themes in The Catcher in the Rye. I read this book for the first time last year, and was surprised at how little if at all this aspect was mentioned in any of the reviews on LT which I read afterwards. So many people seem to see Holden's character as (and either love it or hate it as) an example of typical teenage disaffection and rejection of the adult world, whereas it seemed to me that the story was about bereavement and a very lonely experience of grief.

>132 gennyt: Thanks for stopping by, Genny! Holden's struggle with his grief -- and his sometimes inappropriate and ineffective ways of trying to deal with it -- were fairly shouting at me on this reading. But... I must say that when I read it (several times) as a teenager, my focus was on his rebelliousness. Until now, the only time I've read it as an adult was 15-20 years ago when my daughters were reading it, and at that point I was trying to identify passages that I needed to discuss with them. It's a hallmark of great literature, I think, that one can see different things at different times, and keep finding more on subsequent readings. I still agree with Holden's disdain of phoniness, but this time I mostly saw him as a young man in pain.

70. The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #3), 3*
72. Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #4), 3*

I enjoyed the next 2 books in the Amelia Peabody series, but I was not as enthralled with them as with the first 2 books. Part of it is that I've now read the first 4 books in less than a month, and I usually find that 2, or perhaps 3, books of a series is plenty for a month. But also... in the 3rd book, I found the precocious child just too over-the-top to be believable, and the phonetic representation of his speech defect was annoying. (It was better in the 4th book.) In addition, I found the mysteries in these 2 books disappointing (for reasons that I can't say without spoilers) and would have enjoyed more information about ancient Egypt and archeology. Nevetheless, I definitely intend to continue this series, just not right away.

71. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale (And Here My Troubles Began) by Art Spiegelman, 5*

The quote on the cover of my edition, from the New York Times: "An epic story told in small pictures."

73. Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley, 3 1/2*
Category: History in the Making

In a very clever and funny satire, the President appoints a TV judge to the US Supreme Court. I enjoyed it and thought it was very well done.

74. Q: A (Timeless) Love Story by Evan Mandery, 2 1/2*

The narrator meets and falls in love with Q, but shortly before their marriage he is visited by his future self, who advises him, "You must not marry Q." Somewhat inexplicably, he chooses to follow this advice, and he thereafter repeatedly changes the course of his life as numerous future selves advise him that he is not on the best path.

The idea of exploring alternate futures, depending on the choices one makes, is interesting; Mr Mandery's style is crisp and clear and flows smoothly; some passages are poignant or clever or funny. But dialogue is frequently a bit stilted, the book is poorly and unevenly contructed, some episodes are too detailed and overlong, and there are constant digressions into literature, movies, television shows, people. Some of these details and digressions contribute to the theme, a few are interesting bits of trivia, a couple of them are amusing. But mostly they're overdrawn, ostentatious and, even worse, just plain boring -- especially the 40 or so pages of the narrator's attempt to write an alternate history of Freud, which he then abandons as boring!

I'm always disappointed when a book might have been really good, but misses. I had a hard time getting through it, and I am fairly certain that I would have abandoned this book, had not been an Early Reviewers win.

75. Whiplash by Catherine Coulter (FBI Thriller #14), 3 1/2*

I started reading this series back with the first book The Cove, which caught my attention because it is set in a small town on the Oregon coast. I think I've read all the books in the series, which features FBI agents Savich and Sherlock in detective/thriller/romance mysteries set in a variety of places. In contrast to most of the cozies, the personal life of the recurring characters is not a strong element, so that they could be read out of order with few spoilers.

The main plot of this installment, set in Connecticut, concerns a pharmaceutical company and a shortage of an important cancer drug. There is also a subplot involving a US Senator. Although I enjoyed the book -- light, fast-paced, entertaining -- I don't think it is one of the better books in the series.

Hi Ivy: Glad to see that you're joining me, via TIOLI, on the new Barbara Hamilton mystery. I always enjoy those. I think this newest one is set at Harvard.

I may make this my final 11 in 11 book.

Hi, Linda! I'd forgotten that the new one was available until I saw your TIOLI entry. So I immediately ordered it, and will probably read it as soon as it gets here, even though it's overflow for my 11 in 11 (the reduced version of which I probably won't finish until December -- congrats on your excellent progress!).

Did you notice that I used your library to experiment with the tag-mash challenge? I picked "mystery" and then at random chose "read in 2011-04" -- a serendipitous choice, since 2 of the 3 mysteries you read in April are ones that I am hoping to read this month!

Thanks, Ivy. I'm flattered re the tag mash. Also curious to see who picks what book in the "Oct 75er recommendation" category. I think a key point is that it had to be recommended and reviewed in Oct.

I will be perusing friends' tags as well as their Oct reviews/recommendations.

As for the tag mash, I was thinking a nice golf mystery would be nice (and these are two of my own tags) so I did that only, so far.

Oops! I forgot to post the last few books read in October on this thread!

76. The Alibi by Sandra Brown, 3 1/2*

Set in Charleston, SC, this was a thriller/romance with engaging characters and plenty of twists and turns. I was somewhat dissatisfied with the ending, not of the mystery but of the choice that one of the characters made. Of the 3 Sandra Brown novels I've read in the past few months, Chill Factor is my favorite.

77. Naked Heat by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #2), 3*

I've been a fan of the television series Castle since the beginning, and these books, supposedly written by Richard Castle, are rather fun. The mystery was good, but I don't think the books are very well written. I know that the real author is said to be a famous mystery writer, but they read more like scripts than novels. The snappy repartee that is so entertaining on the show often falls flat and makes Castle (that is, Rook) appear foolish or childish. A rare case, I think, of the screen being better than the book; perhaps it's the actors' ability to elevate their scripts. But I will probably read the next book in the series...

78. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (Kane Chronicles #2), 3*

I liked this 2nd book in Rick Riordan's Egyptian god series better than the 1st book, but I still think they are inferior to his Olympus series. I don't know much about the Egyptian pantheon; as far as I can tell, he's interweaving actual mythology in a very interesting way, but it frustrates me that I don't know what he's drawing from other sources and what he's making up. I'm undecided about continuing this series.

79. Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk, 4 1/2*

This is the 3rd time I've read Marjorie Morningstar. The first time, I was a teenager; I loved it, but I had a vague sense that Marjorie hadn't chosen right, had sold out on her dreams. The 2nd time, in my late 20s, I read it more to learn about the NY Jewish community in the 1930s than for the story; I enjoyed it, but thought it was dated -- and was sure that Marjorie had sold out.

Marjorie Morgenstern, aged 17 in 1933, has a grand dream of becoming an actress -- Marjorie Morningstar -- rather than following her expected destiny of marrying, by her early 20s, a respectable and suitable young man and settling down with home and children. In her pursuit of fame and career, she meets and falls in love with songwriter Noel Airman, the quintessential "bad boy": handsome, exciting, talented, cynical, disdainful of social conventions.

A rather ordinary story; dated, with its extreme emphasis on the importance of a woman's virginity at marriage; somewhat sexist, with the implication that a woman's destiny and contentment lie in husband and children.

But it's also much more than that. It's a beautifully written book, with fully developed fascinating characters (both major and minor), a story that kept me interested and eager for more (even knowing, as I did, how it ended), and a great deal of depth in secondary plots and situations and conversations. In 2011, I think it has to be read as historical fiction, since it is so firmly set in the New York Jewish community of the 1930s, its warmth and traditions and mores, and it is fascinating as such. Yet, as with all good literature, the characters and situations and emotions are not confined to the historical setting; even in 2011, young women agonize over sexual relationships, and fall in love with (and hope to reform) dreamers and rebels; they dream of -- and pursue -- important careers; they fight with their parents, certain that they know the better way.

And the ending: I see it differently this time. Perhaps inevitable, but rather sad that the Morningstar didn't continue to shine.

Congrats on hitting 75!

Got Throne of Fire on my list for 2012. Looks like I'll have to check out some Amelia Peabodys as well.

>143 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! It's a number that I usually -- but not always -- reach, and I've read some longer & slower books this year, so I'm pleased that I made it!

>144 cyderry: In a way, those 2 series are complementary! I think what I need is a crash course in Egyptian history and mythology...

I'm planning to read Riordan's 2nd Heroes of Olympus book next year -- really looking forward to it.

I'm Son of Neptune (2nd in Heroes) next year too!

80. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain (Gretchen Lowell #2), 3 1/2*

These books are too grisly and gory for my taste; I usually refuse to watch a movie or tv show if there's too much blood and carnage, no matter how excellent it otherwise might be. But I'm fascinated with this macabre series about police detective Archie Sheridan's obsession with sadistic serial killer Gretchen Lowell.

Part of it is the Portland setting. It's fun to read about places that you know well, and Ms Cain's brief descriptions and odd facts about Oregon are excellent, to the extent that I usually know where and what she's talking about even if she doesn't specifically identify it. And I love the way that she takes local news stories and events, and twists and fictionalizes them -- in this book, a politician's (alleged?) affair with his 14-year-old babysitter, as well as lesser references to other events and people. The characterization is also excellent: fully developed, quirky individuals that I can't help liking despite their stupid mistakes and serious flaws. The mysteries are okay, but not outstanding and a bit predictable; what the characters might do is highly unpredictable.

But I don't really know why I'm enjoying this series so much. The best I can say is that it holds the same kind of fascination for me as the tv series Dexter, which I've been (uncharacteristically) watching from the beginning. I have the 3rd book on audio and will probably begin it today (also an oddity for me, since I have poor audio retention and rarely listen to books).

81. Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #3), 3 1/2*

It's been over a year since I read the first 2 Tea Shop mysteries, and although I've been intending to continue the series, I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed them. Delightful characters, a good mystery (though I did figure it out early), and a great setting with the Tea Shop and Charleston.

82. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie, 4*

A while ago, I read and loved The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. I've since been meaning to read other of Sherman Alexie's books, but hadn't gotten to it until this month's TIOLI challenge motivated me.

It's difficult for me to review this, even to come to terms with it in my own mind. Despite the flashes of humor, I mostly found it sad and heart-wrenching. The book is a series of short stories and vignettes about growing up on the Indian reservation near Spokane; they're loosely connected and there are several recurring characters, but each is also a stand-alone, so there isn't the cohesiveness of A Part-Time Indian. Nor are the stories for YAs; they are instead semi-autobiographical snippets of a young man (Alexie was in his mid-20s when this book was first published) trying to understand his history, his environment, what it means to be an Indian growing up on the reservation in 20th century America.

Mr Alexie's writing style is gorgeous, more poetry than prose. It touches the emotions more than it tells a story, yet the story is there too. I'm not sure that I understood all of what he was saying; there's a lot to explore in this book.

This is a very inadequate review of a beautiful book.

83. The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #4), 3 1/2*

Another enjoyable episode in the life of Theodosia Browning and her friends. Even though I didn't figure out the culprit ahead of time in this book, I didn't find the sunken treasure theme as interesting as the Heritage Society themes of previous books. And I do wish her resolutions included a bit more explanation of events, clues and red herrings; the books end with a lot of questions still unanswered.

~~ "Chi-wee's White Boots" by Grace Moon
84. The Runaway Papoose by Grace Moon (Newbery Honor Book 1929), 4*

Grace Moon and her husband, photographer and artist Carl Moon, lived among the Indians of the Southwest for a number of years early in the 1900s. After their children were born and they moved to California, they began writing and illustrating children's books about Indians of the Southwest.

The Runaway Papoose is a charming story about little Nah-tee, who becomes separated from her tribe, and with the assistance of Moyo, a young shepherd, travels across the desert in search of her people. The time period is indistinct; reservations are not mentioned, but there are white traders and white teachers. It seems to be a time when the traditional culture and way of life is still strong but undergoing significant changes. The book is rich with descriptions of Indian culture and tales from Navajo (and Pueblo?) mythology -- including a rather interesting explanation of why the cliff dwellers left their homes; I'd really like to know if she based that on tales she had been told!

I read quite a few of Grace Moon's books when I was about 9 or so. The strengths of these books are the warm and rich descriptions of the culture and traditions; her obvious admiration for the noble and honorable Indians; her understanding of children and a child's point of view. However, the story and the characterizations take second place to the culture -- to the extent that I don't now remember which books I read as a child or almost anything about the stories (I think I read this one, since I have a very vague recollection of a child being lost). In addition, the age level is difficult to pinpoint: the protagonists are quite young, perhaps 4-6 years old (still young enough to be called a papoose in this book), but the setting and cultural descriptions would likely be tedious to a 6-year-old -- probably more appropriate for an 8-10 year old, who wouldn't want to read about a 5 year old.

I really enjoyed the book -- on an adult level -- for the cultural descriptions by someone who had experienced them. Though it isn't my planned reading for this month, I think I'm going to go ahead and read her next book.

~~ "Unit 3. Indian Stories" (pp 69-106 of Near and Far by Nina Banton Smith)
~~ "Chot-say's Trip in the Desert" by Grace Moon
~~ "Doki and Pah-ta" by Grace Moon
85. The Magic Trail by Grace Moon, 3*

Near and Far is a 3rd grade reading and activity textbook published in 1935. I got this book when I was collecting the works of Grace Moon, since she wrote 2 of the stories in the unit on Indians: "Chotsay's Trip in the Desert," a legendary tale, and "Doki and Pah-ta," a "modern" story of 2 Indian children seeing a railroad train (steam engine) for the first time. According to the publication notes, she wrote these stories for this book, which explains why I haven't seen them anywhere else. Expecting some condescension, given the 1935 publication date, I was pleasantly surprised by the positive treatment of Indian culture. The information, however, is very basic -- probably appropriate for 3rd grade.

The Magic Trail is, I think, my least favorite of Grace Moon's books that I have read in the past few years. Mrs Moon's standard story-line is a quest to find something, and/or often someone, that is lost, and this book is more plot-driven than the others, but it also contains fewer descriptions of Indian culture. Because of the stronger story-line, however, and because the protagonist is a 12-year-old boy (with a small girl as a side-kick), this book might well have more appeal to a young reader than some of the others (that I preferred).

I had thought that this would be the last Grace Moon book that I would read right now, but there were so many hanging threads at the end that I checked the next book (I've been reading them in order of publication), and sure enough, the next one The Missing Katchina is a continuation of the story of Kawani and Yahze. So I'm now in the middle of that one (and liking it quite a lot).

86. The Missing Katchina by Grace Moon, 3 1/2*
Category: Children of Yesteryear

This book is a sequel of sorts to The Magic Trail: it's about the same two children, 12-year-old Kawani and the smaller Yazhe, sort of picks up one of the hanging threads from the previous book, and has a few veiled references to the previous adventure. But it easily could be read as a stand-alone, or before the earlier book without significant spoilers. Curiously, The Missing Katchina also leaves a major hanging thread, and I don't see any continuation in the books that I have. I am, however, missing 3 books (all 1930s -- limited numbers must have been printed then, as I've had trouble finding books of that vintage); 2 of them appear to be set in Mexico, but perhaps it's the 3rd one.

In any case, I am greatly enjoying these charming books about a lost (or at least significantly eroded) culture, an unplanned diversion in my reading sparked by the Sherman Alexie book, the reading of which was the result of the TIOLI challenge. I think I've had enough for now, though, and I'm going to move on to something else, though I fully intend to get back to Alexie's other books and the rest of the Grace Moon stories -- perhaps next year.

Happy Thanksgiving, Ivy!!

Thanks, Linda!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and to everyone else celebrating today!

Hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend, Ivy.

Thanks, Judy! We had a small but lovely Thanksgiving celebration.

87. Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain (Gretchen Lowell #3), 3*

I listened to this book. Some years ago, when my daughters were in high school, I listened to quite a few audio books; for me, they are a way to make long commutes or housework more pleasant, but not my favorite way of "reading." So, keeping in mind that it may have affected my rating and enjoyment of this book, this is my least favorite of the 3 books. I did, however, like it (and got 9 hours of housework done), and I'm really looking forward to the next book, which is scheduled to be released in paperback next week. It appears that she may be changing directions with Archie's story -- probably just at the right time to prevent it from becoming overworked.

88. Miss Julia Takes Over by Ann B. Ross (Miss Julia #2), 3*
Category: Southern US Mystery

I'd thought that I would read either a Laura Childs or Carolyn Hart mystery for my penultimate book for this category. But I don't have the next books in these series, so I scoured my tbr shelves for a substitute, and found this one that's been sitting there for several years. A long time ago -- shortly after it had been published, I think -- I read the first book Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind and found it amusing. For a long time, I didn't realize that it was the first book in a series, but bought the 2nd book after discovering it was.

Miss Julia is a very correct, somewhat self-righteous, quite prudish older Southern lady. The humor of the book comes from her lack of perception, of both herself and others, though it is obvious to the reader. She reminds me somewhat of Hyacinth in BBC's Keeping Up Appearances, and it is the same type of humor: exaggerated pretensions and foibles, of which she is totally oblivious.

In this book, the safety of the illegitimate child of Miss Julia's late husband is threatened and the boy's mother has disappeared, so Miss Julia takes the matter in hand. It's definitely cozy, but light on mystery (not a murder mystery); the situations and characters are often ludicrous. But it's also quite funny, and Ms Ross does an excellent job of maintaining the 1st person voice and viewpoint of Miss Julia and of moving the story along.

I enjoyed the book, and will most likely read another one at some point. I can't say, though, that it's among my favorite series.

89. Glastonbury by Donna Fletcher Crow, 4*

I enjoyed this book. It took me several months to get through it, not because I didn't like it, but because I enjoyed reading it slowly, thinking about what I had read and checking out facts and scenarios that Ms Crow had presented. The different sections were mostly stand-alone stories of historical or legendary figures whose life affected Christianity in Britain, and Glastonbury in particular, from the crucifixion of Christ through the last abbot of Glastonbury, Richard Whiting, during the reign of Henry VIII.

There is quite a lot I could say about the book, and a lot that I would like to discuss. Ms Crow extensively researched her subjects, but I'm rather bemused by some of the choices she made in presenting legends and the spin she put on them. I really wish she had included a larger bibliography.

I would recommend this book only to those who have a significant interest in early British history, or perhaps those who have found Glastonbury -- as I have -- one of the holiest places on earth. I personally thought that the many prayers in 16th century English were rather tiresome and disruptive to the earlier periods, and there was more detail in miltiary engagements that I would have preferred. The format (acknowleged by Ms Crow to have been inspired by Edward Rutherfurd's Sarum) is not as cohesive or polished or compelling as in Rutherfurd's histories.

But I liked the book, and will probably read Ms Crow's similar histories of early Ireland and Scotland.

I have read Glastonbury and The Fields of Bannockburn in that series. They are both chunksters, but I learned quite a bit about the history of both countries in an enjoyable and entertaining format. It's amazing how much better I was at Trivial Pursuit after reading the Scottish one (which was the first one I read). I liked these novels much better than some of the other fluff she's written though.

>161 thornton37814: Lori, the "enjoyable and entertaining format" is why I love historical fiction. The problem, though, is that then I want to know what is factual -- or in the case of legends, a previously recorded version -- and what the author has imagined. Because she obviously used so many and such diverse sources, but only included a brief bibliography, I found it difficult to make the distinction in this book.

I enjoyed the "Monastery Mystery" that I won on ER some months back, and intend to read the next one when it gets published (I think the publication date has been pushed back a couple of times). I haven't read any of her other books -- in fact, I discovered Glastonbury from having received the ER book.

I think she got her start writing the fluffier books, Ivy, but she's really matured as a writer. I went back and tried to read one of those after her historical chunksters, and it just didn't quite cut it for me. She is one of the few Christian fiction writers that I enjoy.

90. Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine & Leslie Meier, 3*

A Christmas mystery anthology, published in 2010.

The Joanne Fluke story was enjoyable, but the mystery pretty obvious. The recipes sound wonderful, though, and I may try a couple of them.

I really liked the Laura Levine mystery -- with the cat named Prozac, that Jaine's mother calls Zoloft. Ms Levine was a writer on some of the 1970s tv series that I thought were clever and funny; perhaps I should read some of her other books. The problem for me, though, is that she's almost too clever, so that by the end of even a novella, I'm getting slightly tired of her brand of humor.

I didn't like the Leslie Meier story. Despite touches of family warmth, I thought the story was too dark and depressing.

91. Christmas Mourning by Margaret Maron (Deborah Knott #16), 4*

I think this 16th book of the series is one of the best in one of my favorite series. Set during the week before Christmas, there is tragedy and sadness when a high school cheerleader crashes her car and dies, but also hope and warmth in the family relationships and Christmas preparations.

Although the numerous nieces and nephews are at first confusing, mostly because so many of them appear in this book, the exact relationships are unimportant; the feelings of kinship in a large family, even among cousins, is what is significant. The mysteries were very well done, and kept me guessing to the end. Ms Maron has masterfully balanced a satisfying mystery without sacrificing the joy of the holiday season.

An interesting note to this series: my grandmother was the youngest of 11 (surviving) children. Her father, like Deborah's, was something of a reprobate, though his vice was gambling rather than moonshine. Her mother, like Deborah's, died long before her father. And 2 of her 6 older brothers were named Will and Herman! Although it was nearly a century earlier, I see in these books some of the family dynamics of my grandmother's relationships with her older siblings and in the interactions of the cousins.

Several short works that I haven't commented on:

~~ The Life of Gildas by Caradoc of Llanfarcan
~~ The Life of Gildas by the Monk of Ruys
Category: British History

These two Lives were a follow-up to Glastonbury. Ms Crow obviously used both of them in her section on King Arthur. The one by Caradoc is believed to have been written ca 1130-1150 and is the briefer and more interesting Life, since it has Gildas returning to Britain and Glastonbury and includes Arthur in the story. The one by the Monk, however, was probably written in the 11th century and may be partially based on a 9th century text. It is a more traditional Life, replete with mortifications and miracles; in this one, Gildas remains in France (Gaul) rather than returning to Britain, and the story (and miracles) continue long after his death. Neither of them, of course, offers an explantion for Gildas' failure to mention (the presumably contemporary) King Arthur.

92. The Chimes by Charles Dickens, 3*
Category: British History

This Christmas story (more accurately, a New Year story) was published the year after A Christmas Carol. It is a bitter invective of those in power, their disparagement of the poor, and their (sometimes well-meaning but totally misguided) actions and attitudes. The message -- that the poor must not accept the assessment of their "betters" but must keep hope and joy in their lives -- strikes me as a bit odd, but I suppose Dickens' intent was that his readers become aware of the destruction of human dignity inherent in the poor laws and the attitudes leading to their enactment. All in all, not nearly as powerful -- or wonderful -- as A Christmas Carol.

93. A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry, 3*
Category: British Mystery -- 11 COMPLETED

In the end, I liked this story, with its message of hope and the possibility of change, no matter one's age. In the middle, I grew a bit tired of Mariah's repetitive reflections, but it was a very fast read, so I kept going -- and I'm glad I did.

94. A Christmas Secret by Anne Perry, 3 1/2*

I liked this novella -- more than the last one, A Christmas Guest.

~~ "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Dylan Thomas

A lovely reflection on memories of childhood. So beautifully written that I want to call it a poem.

95. A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd (Bess Crawford #1), 4*

Bess Crawford is a World War I nurse who promises a dying soldier that she will deliver a message to his brother in England. Several months later, she visits the soldier's family in Kent, and begins to unravel the cryptic message.

Although the subject matter of this series interested me, I was afraid that, having so much enjoyed the Maisie Dobbs series earlier this year, I would be disappointed in this one. Not so -- I loved it! Although there are significant similarities in themes and settings, with the horrors and effects of the war, and in both women being nurses, Maisie and Bess are very different women with very different backgrounds.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

#168 Same here, Ivy. I need to advance with both of those series. Really like them both.

Ivy, I loved the first book in the Bess Crawford series and I was disappointed with the second book. Bess seemed like a different person in it. I just finished listening to the 3rd book and Bess seemed much more like the Bess of the first book. Maybe you'll like the second book more than I did, but if not, it does pick up again in the 3rd book.

>169 lindapanzo: Linda, I have only one book left in Maisie Dobbs, although I think there's supposed to be a new one sometime next year. I just couldn't get enough of them early this year, and liked some of the later ones best.

>170 cbl_tn: Carrie, I'm sorry that the next one isn't as good, but glad you mentioned it -- I won't have my expectations so high, and I can look forward to #3. If I have it right, there are only 3 (so far) in this series.

It will probably be next year before I get back to either series, though. Sup with the Devil is probably what I'll read next, though I might read another Christmas story or The Long Walk, which I've been wanting to read and was just loaned to me.

Have either of you read the other series by Charlas Todd?

I haven't tried the other Charles Todd series. I think it involves a ghost, and I'm not sure how well I would like it for that reason.

Without being too spoilerish, in books 1 & 3 of the Bess Crawford series, Bess has a much better reason for getting involved in the mystery. In the second book, she seemed to be just plain nosy. She didn't have a good reason for getting involved with the mystery in the first place, and she was too stubborn to let it go.

96. The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz, 4 1/2*
Category: World History

Slavomir Rawicz was a young Polish Army officer in 1939, when Russia invaded Poland. He was arrested, convicted and sentenced to 25 years hard labor in Siberia. He, and 6 other inmates of the camp, escaped and walked 4,000 miles to freedom, through Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, Tibet and the Himalayas, to India.

I was mesmerized by this harrowing account of indomitable human spirit and the value of freedom. More than 1/3 of the book is the story of Rawicz's imprisonment, "trial," transport to Siberia, and camp conditions, before the escape and Long Walk take place -- but I found it just as fascinating (and horrifying) as the saga of the Walk itself.

After finishing the book, I looked up comments about the book and found that its veracity has recently been questioned. I was curious, because there were some situations that seemed too extreme to be strictly true. However, given the detail provided, the malleability of human memory, the physical stress that the group was experiencing, and other amazing feats of human survival, I find it hard to believe that this is anything other than a mostly true story. Soviets documents claiming that Rawicz was released strike me as less reliable than a comprehensive and detailed account of escape -- and that they perhaps saw Abominable Snowmen does not disprove his story.

>172 cbl_tn: Carrie, I'm not fond of supernatural stories, either. I have a lot of mystery series that I want to try, so a ghost puts this one at the bottom of the list.

I'm planning to read the 2nd and 3rd Bess Crawford books early next year. I'll let you know what I think of them!

97. Rumpole and the Reign of Terror by John Mortimer (Rumple #18), 3*

I'd not read any of the Rumpole books, though I'd watched some of the television shows years ago. This book -- one of the last published before Mortimer's death in 2009 and one of his few full-length (though short) novels -- deals with the erosion of civil rights in the aftermath of terrorist attacks.

I enjoyed this book. Rumpole is an entertaining character and I liked the courtroom scenes. The mystery was rather light-weight, though. And I didn't care for his depiction of women, who are definitely less intelligent than men -- although I must admit that the comments and antics of She Who Must Be Obeyed were amusing.

98. Myths & Legends Explained by Neil Philip

I've been reading this off and on, and in a piecemeal fashion, for a couple of months. Each mythological concept, hero or story has a 2-page spread with a painting or other objet d'art. After a brief summary of the story, the various elements appearing in the art are identified and explained in side bars.

I really enjoyed the art. And, although the information is far from comprehensive, I especially liked that he mentioned relationships amng the gods and heroes, and that mythology from all over the world was included. This is a good addition to my reference library.

#175 When I was in law school, our law library had a complete collection of Rumpole books and I'd often check one out for the long train ride home on Fridays, for instance.

I always liked She Who Must Be Obeyed and many of the other recurring characters, such as the Portia of his chambers. Chateau Thames Embankment for his after-work drink, I think it was.

Merry Christmas, Ivy!!

99. A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry (Christmas #7), 3*
Category: British Mystery

This was the 3rd and last Anne Perry Christmas mystery for this year, finished just before Christmas. I'd not previously read any of her Christmas mysteries, and I've enjoyed them, though I don't think they're as good as her regular series. A Christmas Promise was interesting, written from the point of view of a 13-year-old waif living in London's slums, with most of the conversation in dialect; I don't think I've read any other book by her which features a child protagonist. I thought the setting was particularly vivid and well done.

>176 lindapanzo: & 177

Thanks, Linda! We had a very nice Christmas. Hope yours was great, too!

I can see how Rumpole would appeal to law students. Similar to meeting for lunch where there was a tv, to watch Perry Mason reruns (which the local station still runs everyday at noon!). I may see if I can pick up a few of the earlier books -- I think they will be good light entertainment when I want something a little different than a cozy.

Favorite Books of 2011

I feel a bit guilty leaving some really, really good books off this list, but these were the ones I liked the most -- that I loved all the way through -- though the reasons for each tend to be quite different. They're roughly in order, but tomorrow the order might be a little different.

1. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
2. The Passage by Justin Cronin
3. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
4. The Hunger Games (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins
5. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
6. The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz
7. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (re-read)
8. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (re-read)
9. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
10. King Lear by William Shakespeare (re-read)

Favorite New Series: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Books I Hated

Only 3 out of 99 books -- a very good percentage, I think.

1. Tideland by Mitch Cullen (well written, but a distasteful story)
2. Skeleton Key to the Suicide of My Father, Ross Lockridge, Jr., Author of Raintree County by Ernest Lockridge (very strange and bitter)
3. Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark (good procedural, but I despised the protagonist)

My 2012 thread:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/129371