Donna828 is Overbooked: Chapter 11

Sculpture by Clear Creek in Golden, Colorado

"There are books so alive that you're always afraid that while you weren't reading,
the book has gone and changed, has shifted like a river." ~Marina Tsvetaeva

Best of the bunch so far in 2011:
The Siege - Helen Dunmore
Unbroken - Lauren Hillenbrand
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
The Invisible Bridge - Julie Orringer
The Portrait of a Lady - Henry James
The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
Confederates in the Attic - Tony Horwitz
Anatomy Of A Murder - Robert Traver
The Road Home - Rose Tremain
The Memory of Love - Aminatta Forna
Fifth Business - Robertson Davies
The Water is Wide - Pat Conroy

Books Read in September
86. Once Upon A River by Bonnie Jo Campbell. 3.8 stars.
87. The Water is Wide - Pat Conroy. 4.5 stars.
88. Falling Man - Don DeLillo. 3 stars.
89. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation - Jacobson and Colon. 4 stars.
90. Sovereign - C. J. Sansom. 4.1 stars.
91. Death of an Expert Witness - P.D. James. 3.5 stars.
92. Ethan Frome - Edith Wharton. 4 stars.
93. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett. 4.2 stars.
94. A Trick of the Light - Louise Penny. 4.3 stars.
95. Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. 4 stars.
96. My Own Country by Abraham Verghese. 4.2 stars.

11 books read in September. I own 5 of them.
Total of 3,173 pages read for the month.

"The river persevered...and people would eventually give up. Margaret would not give up on making the river her own." (73)

Book No. 86: Once Upon A River by Bonnie Jo Campbell. 3.8 stars.

Bonnie Jo Campbell does down-and-out characters very well -- and she hits another bull’s eye with her portrayal of Margaret Louise Crane in her latest book. Sixteen-year-old Margo is a true river sprite who feels most at home in nature. She doesn’t talk much but knows the language of sexuality and how to use it to get what she needs. She acts like a woman but has the heart of a girl who has suffered a loss and wants to find her missing mother.

This book is part fairy tale and part odyssey. It is a beautiful story about a wild girl who doesn’t want to be tamed. Ms. Campbell has taken the story of Annie Oakley and given it a modern slant. It makes for a good read about a comely maiden who is sorely abused and escapes to search for her mother and ends up finding herself. I didn’t always like Margo, but I ended up respecting her for knowing herself and not giving up on the life she was meant to live.

Hey, I'm first! Yah! I was just going to go and read a couple chapters! Perfect!

Good review of Once Upon A River. I was just hoping for a higher rating. This one is not getting the love that American Salvage received and I loved that book.
I hope you have a great holiday weekend!

Found and starred!

Nice review of Once Upon a River which I m very interested in. I was this close to buying it at Borders today, but decided to either wait for a library copy or paperback.

Maybe I'm second! And then again maybe not. I have Once Upon a River as well as her Q Road and there's no telling which one I'll read first :)

Great picture and great quote at the top of your new thread! Thanks for sharing! :-) Have a fun weekend with Haley (and with Ben and Mary, too)!

>4 msf59:: Hi Mark, I think I kept comparing it to Winter's Bone because the protagonists were both young women on a quest who could kill and skin a squirrel (and a bunch of other critters) in the blink of an eye. I preferred Winter's Bone, maybe because I read it first or maybe because it was set in my neck of the woods. ;-)

>5 katiekrug:: Katie, I was fine with a library copy. It's not a book I will revisit.

>6 brenzi:: Bonnie, you were very close to being second. Hmmm. I know nothing about Q Road. I'd better check that one out. From the two books I've read, I'd have to say her novels are fine but her short stories are outstanding.

>7 Nancy618:: Hi Nancy, it makes me smile when you pop into my thread. They are getting close - just crossed from Okahoma into Missouri. I hope they get here before Dave goes to bed! ;-)

Another thread already? Wow, I'm impressed. Starred and lurking!

Hi Donna, caught up on your thread. Firstly a belated happy birthday. I'm envious of your going back to school taking the classes you want and also about the adult literacy. You are an icon here and take a bow.

Nice reviews.

Hi Donna, I've come to drop a star, and I'm leaving slightly wounded by a book bullet. I loved Winter's Bone and so I can't resist Once Upon A River!

How nice that Haley is bringing her folks along with her to visit this weekend. Have a wonderful time, and a fun birthday party tomorrow.

Keeping up with you Donna, want to make sure I don't lose you! :-)

Have fun with Haley and family . . .

Have a terrific weekend, Donna! I cannot wait to see more pictures of Haley :)

Hi, Donna! :-)

11 threads in 9 months! Wow!

It's Haley time! Enjoy!

Hi Donna! I know you are having lots of fun.... carry on! ;-)

>9 London_StJ:: I'm glad to have you here, Luxx, lurking or not!

>10 mausergem:: Thank you, Gautam. I am honored (and humbled) by your words.

>11 DeltaQueen50:: Gotcha, Judy! I'm usually the wounded one so it's nice to be on the other side for a change.

>12 sjmccreary:: We're having a great time, Sandy. The party was fun. I forgot my camera, but my brother promised to send me some of his pics which will be better than mine anyway.

>13 Smiler69:: I'm glad you're here, Ilana. I'll have to catch up with everyone Monday or Tuesday when our kids leave.

>14 brenpike:: You bet I will, Brenda.

>15 alcottacre:: I am getting the camera fired up, Stasia, while Haley takes her nap.

>16 Porua:: Hi Porua, I'm hoping to keeping my threads down to one a month next year. It's taking away from my precious reading time - even though I enjoy the interaction with you and others.

>17 ronincats:: I wish I had more Haley Time in my life, Roni. She's walking, waving, and blowing kisses. What a charmer.

>18 -Cee-:: Hi there, Cee. I may sneak in a quick power nap so that I can carry on! We've put up lots of barriers which I thought were to keep the dogs segregated, but found out that it's also a good way to keep a busy little girl contained! Much easier on Grandma D.!

Have a great weekend, Donna!!

Just checking in on your new thread and waving hello, Donna!

Camera fired up! Where are the pictures? :)

>20 Copperskye:: Thanks, Joanne! You too.

>21 EBT1002:: Big wave to Ellen!

>22 alcottacre:: Bad Grandma... I only took a few pictures yesterday. Too busy playing with Haley!



In the first picture she was still wound up from the party. The second picture was before bedtime. She doesn't get cranky. She just wants to curl up with some books and read. She looks at the pictures and whispers to herself!

Wow, Haley is growing up fast and still such a "cutie"! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

What an adorable granddaughter!! She not only gets cuter every day....now "she just wants to curl up with some books, look at the pictures and whisper to herself!" She's your perfect reading companion! Thanks for the pictures -- I know we all want to see more!

Adorable . . . A grandmother's dream come true!

You know Donna, the best compliment I can give you is to say I'm not really a 'baby person' as I tend to get more excited about animals than humans, no matter what their size... but your Haley is one adorable little peanut, and your description of what she's like when she's tired and whispering to herself makes me wish I had such a little one to play with too! I'm sure you're the best grandma ever. Give her a little soft stroke one the cheek for me.

#23 Aww, she's so cute!

Oh my goodness, what a big, beautiful girl! It's so amazing how fast they grow. Enjoy your visit!

she just wants to curl up with some books, look at the pictures and whisper to herself!

OMG Donna, she's "pretend reading" and you know that's the pre-cursor to real reading; at, what, 1 year old?? A prodigy for sure!

My little prodigy is off to bed... and I'm not going to be far behind. It's so much fun - and so exhausting - to have a baby around. She really does entertain herself well. She pushed her dolls and bear around in the shopping cart most of the day and spent the rest of her time either napping or looking at books. I think Haley got more reading done this weekend than I did. They're leaving for Dallas mid-morning tomorrow. *sad face*

Thanks for the visits and Haley-love from Mark, Nancy, Brenda, Ilana, Heather, Anne, and Bonnie. I'll catch up with everyone in a day or two. Recovery time is in order.

Here are today's pictures. I'm still waiting for the "professional" shots from my brother.



That's all, Folks!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful family with us. How wonderful that you get to see them often (though I'm sure it's never often enough!)
You liked Once Upon a River a bit more than I did. I too was reminded of Winter's Bone and perhaps it's not fair to compare any character to the incomparable Ree. How 'bout that mother from the Campbell novel?! Margo certainly had to learn early, and often through terrible mistakes, how to survive on her own.

Somehow I missed the last thread or two, but I'm back! Hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend, Donna!

Love, love, love the pictures. And your description of Haley curling up with her books and "reading" when she's tired is just too perfect. What a lucky grandma you are!

Oh my, Haley is just gorgeous and I love that she curls up with a good book and whispers to herself, I'm sure I do exactly that just before my eyes drop for the final time each night! Happy Belated Birthday as well Donna!

Love the photos of sweet Haley. Thanks for sharing. :)

"She looks at the pictures and whispers to herself!"

How adorable!

Lovely pics of Haley, Donna!

Thank you Jenny, Laura, Sandy, Leonie, BJ, Porua, and Cushla for your visits! I had a quiet R&R day yesterday after Haley and parents left. I was so despondent that I couldn't even clean house. ;-) But I did get some reading done and managed to fit in a Glee-athon, watching the last four episodes of my "guilty pleasure" before the new season starts. I plan to get caught up with my LT friends throughout the day... another 'guilty pleasure'!

"The year became a search for what was right for the Yamacraw children: a magic formula to rescue minds stunted through disuse... I did not and could not know how irrevocably my ideas about education, those sacred and pontifical utterances, would be battered, bullied, disproven, and changed." (170)

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy. 4.25 stars.

I loved the movie “Conrack” based on this true story of Pat Conroy’s experience of teaching the black children who populated an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina in 1969-70. It was well done, but it couldn’t capture the passion and profundity of Conroy’s prose. He honestly described his own prejudiced background and the personal turnaround he made in his feelings toward black people. I liked the juxtaposition of his youthful idealism next to the rigid thinking of the school board and superintendent. Some things never change.

The rest of my review of this amazing and eye-opening book can be found on the book's page. This was a good book to read during the traditional start of the school year, although school has been in session several weeks in many places. Too bad more teachers aren't allowed to think out of the box to meet their students' needs.

Love the photos, Donna! Haley is adorable and I agree with everyone else that your description of her when she's sleepily whispering to herself with a book is just so sweet. Love to see them growing up to love books as much as we do. :-)

Hi Donna!

Just 40 something messages on your new thread isn't too shabby. :)
Such cute and adorable pictures of your granddaughter. I just love the fact that she curls up and whispers the books to herself. My little guy isn't quite there yet. His favourite activity with his books is chewing them like chew toys. I hope that develops into a love of the written word....someday. :)

Lovely pictures of Haley!

# 39 I am a regular 'Glee watcher' too but I watch it for the songs than for the private lives of the show's characters. Thanks to them I have discovered so many new favourites! Lucky, Valerie, Don't you want me?, She's Not There, to name just a few.

>41 EBT1002:: Hi Ellen, I'm very happy that all four of my grandchildren are big fans of reading. I love buying them books for Christmas and birthdays... and, so far, they love receiving them!

>42 jolerie:: Valerie, I wouldn't worry about chewing on the board books. At least your little guy is interested in them. Haley is the only one of mine (including my own three children) whom I have noticed whispering to her books.

>43 gennyt:: Thank you, Genny.

>44 Porua:: Porua, I loved the homage to Fleetwood Mac that they did on Glee toward the end of the season. It brought back some great memories. The music is great, but I must admit I got a little teary-eyed when I watched the funeral episode for Sue Sylvester's sister. I like what the show has done for teens who don't fit in with the popular crowd. Of course, it helps to be immensely talented!

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It's a slow school week for me. Monday we were off for the Labor Day holiday and Friday is another day off because my absent-minded professor goofed in the schedule! We finished with The House of Mirth and will begin discussing Ethan Frome next week. I was happy to see so many TIOLI readers planning to read this book. It's a short one so I don't expect anyone to keep with my slow pace. I'll try and post some "tid-bits" about the book here after the classes. Here is the proposed schedule:

9/12 - Intro; Ch. 1-2
9/14 - Ch. 3-6
9/16 - Ch. 7-8
9/19 - Ch. 9-End

I'm looking forward to it!

I've wishlisted the Pat Conroy book, Donna. Thanks for the great review!

I haven't watched Glee yet - I have tons of RL friends who love it too.

I rented Glee from the library and since we only get it for 1 week, I zipped through the entire first season in about 4 days. It was good and the songs got me humming along for a long time afterwards. I'm waiting till the holds on season 2 calm down and bit and then I'll binge on season 2 as well. :)

I'm a Gleek as well. My favorite episode is the one where Kurt's father has a heart attack, and the favorite song I've discovered is Alicia Keyes' New York, which opened last season.

I love the way Glee blends songs from my generation with that of my kids (Journey, Fleetwood Mac, etc. as well as Lady Gaga, Alicia Keyes). Of course that's why it appeals to such a broad audience but it's turned into a fun show to watch as a family. Hubby and I resisted all through Season 1, but got sucked into Season 2 and then had to catch up on Netflix.

Yup, another Glee Fan here. And again, mostly for the music, less for the stories. I was glad to see that they let some of the other people sing a bit more this last year, as good as Rachel's voice is, the rest of the cast is extremely talented as well.

Sorry to have taken so long to catch up with you!

Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures, and belated congratulations on helping someone learn to read. :)

LOVE Glee. :-)

I'm going to be the only person here to say I don't get Glee. Never been much of a fan of musicals. Sorry, I sound like I'm raining on your parade. I just march to my own drum I guess (music analogy, get it?)

Donna, I just got Ethan Frome from the library yesterday. Got the cool Penguin Classics Deluxe edition too. I finished The Sisters Brothers last night, so guess I'll start on it tonight.

What a lovely family you have, Donna -and such a sweet little granddaughter. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us! As for Glee... I've never watched it...... shrinks away in shame........My TV show that I really love is The Mentalist!

I'm a Gleek!

Welcome to my visitors -- Gleeks and NonGleeks!

>46 cushlareads:: As a future educator, you will enjoy reading The Water is Wide, Cushla.

>47 jolerie:: Glee Binge. Love it! That's sort of what I did when I watched the last four episodes at one stretch. It helped with the void when Haley left. Can't watch Glee without tapping toes and smiling!

>48 ronincats:: That was another tear-jerker, Roni. Most of the time I could care less what the characters are up to, but there are those times when it strikes a chord. ;-)

>49 lauralkeet:: I resisted it at first, Laura, but then I got hooked by the music.

>50 DeltaQueen50:: I agree, Judy. It was pretty much The Rachel Show for awhile there. What a talented cast... let them all shine.

>51 BookAngel_a:: Hi Angela, good to see you here again. Thanks for your kind words.

>52 EBT1002:: Look at all the Gleeks owning up to their addiction! You're in good company, Ellen.

>53 Smiler69:: All opinions are welcome here, Ilana. Glee is not for everyone. My husband does a lot of eye-rolling when it's on. I'm glad you'll be reading Ethan Frome with us. I'll get started this weekend.

>54 vancouverdeb:: I'm a Mentalist fan, too, Deb. It sounds like I watch a lot of TV, but I don't. However, I am loyal to the few shows I watch. The only TV I watch in the summer is The Closer and Masterpiece. I also like Hawaii Five-O for the lush scenery... and I'm still in mourning about Lost.

>55 Morphidae:: Welcome, Morphy. You found the right place to be surrounded by Gleeks!

I'm a Gleek, too! And I'm also mourning Lost, but the show I'm in deeper mourning for is Friday Night Lights -- the best show about football that wasn't just about football! I'll really miss The Closer when it ends -- I think it's the best series on TV right now. I can't believe we're talking about TV on an LT thread, so back to books.... ;-)

I'm going to join the Ethan Frome read, too and also plan to read The Age of Innocence when the time comes.

I loved LOST! We were totally hooked on that series but the ending of the show was rather a disappointment. :(
My husband doesn't get glee either so I have the luxury of enjoying it all by myself. :)

I'm definitely in the eye-rolling camp with Glee. Started on the first chapter of Ethan Frome last night and I'm hooked in. In fact, will go sit in a park shortly during my walk with Coco to read on.

>59 Smiler69:: it's not often you see "Glee" and "Ethan Frome" in the same sentence ... :)

Ilana, you're not alone, I don't watch Glee either although I love going to musicals, stage shows and operas. The tv show just doesn't appeal. I prefer shows like Breaking Bad, brit comedy and of course Game of Thrones.

>57 Nancy618:: Hi Nancy. As you know, I'm a FNL and Closer fan as well. I hope the fall season brings some new shows of substance to replace our favorites. I hope you like the two Edith Wharton books you're reading with me. They're quite different from each other.

>58 jolerie:: Valerie, I think a lot of viewers were disappointed in the ending of Lost. TV shows must be as difficult to wrap up as some books are.

>59 Smiler69:: I'm glad it's nice enough there to read in the park, Ilana. I love reading outside when the weather cooperates. I may do just that tomorrow!

>60 lauralkeet:: Thanks for that big laugh, Laura.

>61 KiwiNyx:: Hi Leonie, I'm glad there is such variety in TV, movies, and books so that there is something for everyone. It took me awhile before I learned to ignore the teen angst in Glee and just go with the flow of music and the few story lines that mattered.

"It was not a street anymore but a world, a time and space of falling ash and near night." - First sentence of book.

".....this picture burned a hole in her mind and heart, dear God, he was a falling angel and his beauty was horrific."
(222 - only reference in the book to the famous Richard Drew photograph)

The title of DeLillo's book comes from the performance artist who plays a bit role in his story.

Book No. 88: Falling Man by Don DeLillo. 3 stars.

I don't have much to say about this book except that I'm relieved that I read it and can put it behind me. I've delayed ten years reading or watching much of anything about the events of 9/11/01. At that time I was glued to the TV set for days - and those images were permanently seared into me. I have no desire to relive the visual memories by watching those events again as they are commemorated this weekend.

This book wasn't that difficult to read for the most part because it delved into the fictional account of a family in the years after 9/11. I can't judge it by the fragmented style and subdued tone except to say that it adequately portrayed a few individuals in a state of prolonged shock. I expect to get more of a reaction from my proposed read on Sunday of The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation. I'm not looking forward to that book either, but it's my way of acknowledging what happened. Like many people, I'm still trying to make sense of it.

Interesting description of your experience with Falling Man, Donna. I really like your way of acknowledging and commemorating the events of 9/11. It seems like a genuine and deeply felt tribute to those who died or lost loved ones or just lost a sense of trust in the world.

Take care of yourself this weekend.

Hi Ellen, thanks for reviving my thread. People don't seem to be in the mood for my gloom and doom reading. ;-) On the lighter side, I'm reading the third book in the Matthew Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom called Sovereign. It's a big book (almost 600 pages) about Tudor England. With nine letters in the title, it fits right into TIOLI Challenge No. 7!

It's a beautiful late summer day here and I've been tidying up what's left of my perennial garden. We're having our front yard mowed tomorrow, but I'm not sure why. We haven't had any rain since the last mowing three weeks ago. I'll be picking up the fallen black walnuts which will give my back a nice workout while hubby watches. He worked four days this past week and seems to be right on track after his back surgery.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

After a hot spell at the beginning of the week, we are back in the mid-70s, but only after a massive blackout--did you hear about it? I need to get out in the garden and get rid of the cucumbers and green beans--they've stopped producing. The tomatoes are still going well. Glad your hubby is back on track. Good weekend to you as well.

Hi Donna - I am always in the mood for doom and gloom reading ;) Just been busy so lurking a lot. I want to read Falling Man and wish I had a copy to read for my own TIOLI challenge this month. I appreciate the way in which you are commemorating the anniversary.

Donna, I lost you for a while -- a couple of threads worth. No time to catch up on it all, but glad to have found you again.

I'm reading Among the Heroes about United Flight 93, the "fourth plane" that crashed in Pennsylvania (not so very far from where I live) after passengers and crew rose up against the hijackers on 9/11.

Hi Donna, I'm currently reading both Sovereign and Falling Man as it happens. I've had the latter from the library for a long time, but now seemed the right time to read it. And I'm enjoying Sovereign very much - I hadn't worked out which TIOLI challenge it would fit into, so I'll add it with yours, thanks!

>66 ronincats:: Hi Roni, I did hear about the big power outage in San Diego - on your thread no less! I've been doing more lurking than talking lately. This is my last year for growing tomatoes. The squirrels and super hot weather got most of them.

>67 katiekrug:: Katie, I tend toward the dark side in much of my reading. It makes real life seem better by comparison!

>68 tymfos:: Lost and found... there's a lot of that on the 75-Book Challenge thread. People are always starting up new threads without me catching them. Your latest book sounds like an emotional read. I'll be watching for your comments on it, Terri.

>69 gennyt:: I can't believe we're reading the same two books, Genny! I'll be starting Ethan Frome as a third book tomorrow for the class I'm taking. Want to join in on that one, too? ;-)

I'm about halfway through Sovereign and enjoying it as much or more than the first two Matthew Shardlake mysteries. I'll be caught up with my Tudors and ready for the sequel to Wolf Hall when it comes out.

Hi Donna- I like Don DeLillo, although I haven't read him in over a decade. I like the "idea" of Falling Man but the reviews have been lukewarm.
Were you the one reading the 9/11 graphic story? That one sounds very interesting.

Mark, you know I'm not a graphic book fan, but the 9/11 Report Graphic Adaptation looks interesting. I'll know more tomorrow when I actually read it. It is less than 150 pages long.

Thanks for stopping by. I've been lurking on your thread. Just haven't had much to say.

I haven't read anything by Don DeLillo but have sort of had him on my "authors I want to read someday" list. Hmm.... I wonder if that could be a tioli challenge? It probably already has been....

Hi Donna, Funny, I was considering checking Falling Man out of the library last week and decided against it. I hadn't heard of the 9/11 Report Graphic and thank you for mentioning it. I put a hold on it at the library but I probably won't have it until the end of the month so I'll be interested in what you will have to say about it.

Have you read 102 Minutes? I read it a few years ago. It was simply outstanding.

#70 I do have a copy of Ethan Frome on hand, and it's quite short, isn't it... Maybe I will join you on that one too :).

Donna, I loved Sovereign - it's my favourite of the first 4 Shardlakes. Glad you're enjoying it.

I was doing a new book display in the school library last week and put up a graphic novel version of Anne Frank's Diary - by the same authors as the 9/11 graphic report. It was excellent, so I will be keeping my eyes open for the 9/11 one. I can't believe it's 10 years. We were working in New York when it happened, and I can remember so many awful details.

>73 EBT1002:: Ellen, that sounds like a great TIOLI challenge. There are so many authors I want to read someday that I could probably make it a year-long challenge!

>74 Copperskye:: Joanne, I plan to do more reading about the events of 9/11/01 now that I've broken my boycott of the subject. Your recommendation of 102 Minutes will go at the top of the list. However, don't look for me to rush out and buy or reserve it. I'll need plenty of recovery time between the 9/11 books.

>75 gennyt:: That's great, Genny. There are several other LTers reading Ethan Frome... and there is a shared TIOLI read on the "Full Name in Title" challenge (No. 17 I believe).

>76 cushlareads:: I finished the 9/11 graphic, Cushla. I'm going to try and put together a few coherent thoughts on it. I would never have read the official report so this was a good way for me to get acquainted with the findings of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks. I can't imagine being on the scene. I'm sure those memories will never leave you.

Hi there Donna, I read Falling Man a few years ago and was equally unimpressed. That was my second DeLillo book and there won't be a third. Not my cuppa I guess. Looking forward to you class this week on Ethan Frome:)

Hi Bonnie, you've got me curious about your other DeLillo book. I read Underworld before LT and remember liking it. I think I missed much of the symbolism and literary merit of Falling Man. It's hard to grasp the full intent of a book when reading with one's breath held and eyes squinched!

I'm starting Ethan today. Another "happy" little book. ;-)

"The Commission believes the 9/11 attacks revealed four kinds of failure: in imagination, in policy, in capabilities, and in management."

Book No. 89: The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation. 3.5 stars.

I was hooked from the beginning when this book started with a parallel time-line of the four U.S. airplanes that were hijacked on September 11. 2001. What an excellent device to depict the mounting horror and confusion on that unforgettable day. A large portion of the book gives an overview of terrorism which includes the rise of alQuaeda and the lack of cooperation between government agencies which allowed (and perhaps still allows) terrorism to thrive. The most difficult part of the book for me to read was Chapter 9, the twelve pages devoted to “Heroism and Horror”.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about the background that led to the events of 9/11 and what is being done to prevent another such attack. I think it would be appropriate for the mature middle-schooler and up. I think younger children would get lost in the labyrinth of the alQuaeda network and the politics of national security. Heck, I almost did… mainly due to the small print and the confusion of the busy layout on some of the pages. I think I read some of it out of order, but then I’m not a seasoned reader of graphic books. They tend to give me a headache.

Don’t miss the report card at the very end. The Commission gives lots of Cs and Ds, and a few Fs.
“The results were dismal…Progress in many important areas has been slow or nonexistent, while the terrorists have been learning and adapting, we have been moving at a bureaucratic crawl.” …James R. Thompson, Commission member.

My thanks to Leonie (KiwiNyx) who brought this book to my attention. I refer you to her review on the book’s page for a good summary and response. I wasn’t aware of this graphic adaptation until I read about it on her thread. It lulled me out of my fear (for lack of a better word) of reading about this horrific day in history.

On a personal note, this is one graphic book that I can’t call a “comic book”!!!

Nice reviews, Donna. I still could not get myself to read books like that; I tremble just thinking about it. I can't even imagine how survivors can put one foot in front of another day after day after losing their loved ones in such a horrific way.

For that challenge, I chose The day the world came to town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland about the many planes enroute to the US which were diverted to Canada that day. Concentrating on the planes, crew, and passengers who landed in Gander, and what the local residents did to help them through that time.

nice reviews on both books Donna.

you are not alone in your feelings about reliving that tragic day through TV broadcasts or other forms of media....I had to change the channel this weekend when children were reading the names of the deceased and the last name was their father/mother etc.
I understand the remembrance being televised I just couldn't watch it.

IF I was going to read about that day I might consider Among the Heroes as Terri suggested

Just passing by and *waving*

Wow, Haley has grown!

>81 countrylife:: Hi Cindy, the "Gander" book sounds great; it's been on my list to buy since Stasia and others raved so much about it last year.

>82 curlysue:: Yesterday was a tough day for a lot of people, Kara. I'm glad to be moving on, but like Cindy said, those affected personally have a harder time going on with their lives than I do.

>83 Deern:: It's great to see you here again, Nathalie, I left a message on your thread about my new and improved experience reading One Hundred Years of Solitude following your advice to read it like poetry. It worked!

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Today was pretty much a waste as far as my class is concerned. The professor was 30 minutes late to a 50-minute class. He was apologetic and quite rattled about his depression over 9/11 and his health problems. I feel so sorry for him, but he clearly shouldn't be teaching in his condition. After extensive tests with his neurologist last week for "failure to initiate movement" he has a likely diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. It would be hard to keep your mind on teaching after getting a blow like that.

In our limited time, Professor C talked about how superior Edith Wharton was as a writer compared to Henry James. They were good friends and even HJ admitted that her books were better than his!

The only discussion of Ethan Frome was about the unreliable narrator. I get the concept, but my (unasked) question is... if the story is fiction, does it matter whether or not the narrator is reliable? It is a story made up by the author who is speaking through the narrator. Just a thought...

I hope I have more ideas of substance to report on Wednesday. I'm glad I'm not paying for this course. ;-)

It sounds like your course got off to a very rough start. I hope your professor is okay. The older I get, the less patience I have for that sort of thing. I had a course taught by an instructor who was totally unprepared, which seemed like a circumstance not entirely her fault. I felt sorry for her, and hoped she would succeed, but I felt like I had to be an advocate for my own learning. I am definitely motivated, and capable for being responsible for my own learning, but as I WAS paying for that course -- a lot! -- I complained, and they brought in some support for her.

I haven't started Ethan Frome yet -- not sure if I'll be able to join you, but I'll try! Hope Wednesday is better for all of you!

Such a frustrating experience for all of you. . . Hope things improve soon.
Started Ethan Frome yesterday but didn't get far . . . Watching the 9/11 coverage was not the best idea, I've had no patience for fiction reading since . . . Trying to shake it off and get back to it.

Darn, I was hoping for more from your professor although I can sympathize with his health problems. I'm not looking at this from a professorial standpoint I guess but the unreliable narrator is not what I was looking for Donna.

Hi Donna, glad to see you liked the 9/11 Report. I wish I could comment more on your Ethan Frome discussion but I haven't read it and am really no help except to say that I thought the 'unreliable narrator' was a recognised writing style, where the reader is aware that the narrator's view is slightly biased to events.

Donna, that's really sad news about your teacher. And you're right, he's not really in a good place to teach, but one of the problems in cases like these is that people often need to keep a semblance of normalcy going, not to mention keep getting a paycheque.

You raise a good point about the 'unreliable narrator'. My sense is that when we have a narrator telling us a story from a neutral and 'knowledgeable' position, we are willing to accept the story as it is presented to us, as something that has actually taken place, even if only in the realm of imagination. But with an unreliable narrator, the story becomes much more open to interpretation and invites the reader to reconstruct it at will. That's just off the top of my head anyway, but it's something I'll be mulling over for sure.

>85 AMQS:: Anne, I completely agree that an instructor is responsible for being able to teach the course. We all have bad days, but if it is something like a major illness, it is not acceptable to shortchange the students over the course of a semester. I hope the good professor either gets some medication that can get him to class on time or that he realizes that he is unable to do the job. I'm not sure what recourse there is with a Professor Emeritus. I've always thought of them as one step below God. ;-)

>86 brenpike:: I hear you, Brenda. Yesterday was a day of mourning for me.

>87 brenzi:: Hi Bonnie, I guess when you consider it all narrators have their shortcomings. In the case of our unnamed narrator in Ethan Frome, he tried to get the complete story about what happened 23 years ago and did his best to "put together this vision of his story...." The unreliable narrators that get to me are the tricksters who cover up what they know or slant the "facts" for their own gain. Are those the kinds of books you throw against the wall???

>88 KiwiNyx:: That's true, Leonie. I think Professor C. is just trying to educate us about a literary term. I hope we get down to the nitty-gritty on the story at our next class.

>89 Smiler69:: Ilana, I have a lot of compassion for my professor. He told us on the first day that he was so glad to see us because he had been lonely all summer. He's in his 70s and I think this is the only class he teaches. I hope he gets the help he needs and can continue because he has a lot of knowledge and experience to share. I admire him for being open with us and telling us the nature of his health issues. It's going to be an interesting semester. ;-) I like your thoughts about the unreliable narrator. I am not the best English student as I don't enjoy picking apart the style and literary devices.

Sounds like a rough start to the course Donna, but you are right that at least you don't have to pay for it. The teacher sounds like he has a tonne on his plate so it's not wonder he is so frazzled, but hopefully the rest of the course will pick up!

Wow, tough diagnosis for your professor (my father-in-law has Parkinson's and it is no picnic) and it's too bad it's affecting your class so much. I had high hopes for the experience for you. I hope he is able to set some of his personal struggles aside enough to use the teaching as something in which to absorb himself -- then it might benefit him and the students.

In any case, you've been doing some interesting reading and I concur with Ilana's thoughts about the "unreliable narrator." I think of it as a way in which the author "converses" with the reader -- as if s/he is saying "so, are you following me? Are you believing me? Because if you are, I have some real estate in south Florida I'd like to sell you!" (Of course, I realize that little saying doesn't work so well anymore since they've filled in most of the swampland in Florida and put houses upon it!). Anyway, I'm not sure I'd really recognize an "unreliable narrator," and even if I did, I'm not sure I could articulate why an author would implement the technique, but it's an interesting literary concept.

I haven't yet started reading Ethan Frome so can't comment on that aspect, but my take on the 'unreliable narrator' term is something like this: sometimes when we tell stories we are doing our very best to tell the truth (as we remember it) about what we know and have experienced. But sometimes we tell stories in order to mislead, to hide something, or to put a more positive spin on something and maybe show ourselves in a more positive light. An author giving someone voice as a narrator might opt for either of these approaches, or even a blend of the two. As readers when we encounter a narrator we perhaps tend to take their story at face value and assume they are reliable at first - the shock of discovering perhaps only at the end that there is another whole side to the story that was being withheld from us can be a very powerful literary device. Readers who have encountered a lot of unreliable narrators perhaps get more suspicious and start asking much sooner: "What is this narrator leaving out? Can I trust him/her to tell the truth?"

Anyway, I'm looking forward to finishing my current book and seeing what Ethan Frome is all about...

>91 jolerie:: Valerie, I hope that Dr. C is able to continue to hold it together because I do think he is a fountain of knowledge. The books are good so that's a plus. As he said on the first day, "Edith Wharton didn't write a bad book."

>92 EBT1002:: Ellen, this whole unreliable narrator discussion has me smiling because in my heart I keep thinking... why should I care if the narrator makes up a story that is made up (fiction) in the first place.? Maybe I'm too much of a realist!

>93 gennyt::Genny, you and others have made some thoughtful points. I'm beginning to see through all these comments on unreliable narrator that it makes the art of storytelling more interactive if we ask questions while we read. I was always telling my 4th and 5th graders to formulate opinions and make predictions in their reading. I think questioning the validity of what we read is another way of engaging with the written word and making sense of what the author is trying to convey.

I think you will enjoy the dark tale of Ethan Frome when you get to it. It's a quick read. I'm glad I've read it before or I would have trouble keeping up with the slow pace of my class reading schedule.

Whew! That was close! I rescued my thread from the very bottom of page 1...
I hate it when I have to go on to the next page to look for me. ;-)
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"The King, Head of the Church, fount of law and justice; to meet with him was the greatest glory an Englishman could dream of. Now I had met him. I felt for a second that he'd shown me what I was, an unworthy creature, a beetle crawling on the earth."

Book No. 90: Sovereign by C. J. Sansom. 4.1 stars.

Poor Matthew! So intelligent and moral yet so afflicted with a twisted body that makes him the target of bullies like King Henry. This is Book 3 of the Matthew Shardlake mysteries, and like many series, it gets better with each book. There was the usual large cast of characters; I found my homemade flow chart quite helpful especially at the beginning. As the book wore on (it was 581 pages), however, many of the players were conveniently killed off making it much easier to keep track of everyone. ;-)

I'm not complaining about the length. These books read quickly with the fast-moving plot of life in Merry Ol' England under the reign of Henry VIII. This book was set mostly in York which I have fond memories of visiting a decade ago. The underlying distrust and fear is palpable, keeping me turning those pages at a brisk pace. I'm not doing a proper review because I don't want to give any spoilers. Suffice it to say that I am looking forward to the next adventure of the crookback lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his sidekick Barak.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I seem to be on a mystery kick. Sovereign was dedicated to P. D. James. I read recently that Sansom's first book Dissolution was highly praised by her and is one of her favorite books of all time. Ms. James isn't getting any younger (maybe in her early 90s?) so I'd best get on with her Adam Dalgliesh series. For my next book I'll be reading Death of an Expert Witness which will be my sixth book by P. D. James.

Good news... I'm next in line for A Trick of the Light -- and I know my BFF Nancy618 will read her copy quickly so I can get it soon! I'm doing my part for September Sequel and Series month.

Donna, every time you review of the the C. J. Sansom book it makes me want to start the series already. Will get there eventually, it's been on my wish list since you reviewed book 1.

Haven't read any P. D. James yet, and only found out very recently (like in the last month or so), that 'he' was a 'she'. But I think I've got one or two of her books on my wish list thanks to you.

94> LOL! Yes, um, it is fiction, after all, right?

Okay, Donna -- I can take a hint! I'm actually more than halfway through with A Trick of the Light and I'm going to go read some more right now! I'm reading as fast as I can *wipes sweat from brow*! It's a great book! :-)

Hi Donna! I lost your thread for a while. I am planning to read Sovereign this month, so it was nice to see your comments. And Ethan Frome.

(Also belatedly chiming in as another Glee fan. But I still have to watch last year's season finale.)

Thanks for the review Donna! None of these books I've heard of so I'll definitely look them up. :)

Read your last thread. Read this thread. *staggers from all the information/entertainment*

I loved Ethan Frome as an adult; absolutely hated it as an adolescent. So depressing but so good. I'm thrilled that you're taking this class--nothing like a little vicarious education!

Haley remains charming.

Aw, Donna! I fell behind again. I guess I deserve a time-out or something, but I swear it was an accident! :)

I really like historical fiction!

so I added Dissolution..... your review made me add it :)

nice review of Sovereign by the way!

Hmmm I've got Dissolution up next Donna which probably means next week although it could come up faster than that because I'm about halfway through the absolutely delicious When Will There Be Good News?

>104 brenzi:: delicious is right!

Hello, lovely people... I decided I'd better start earning my keep around here and did some long neglected household duties after my class today. The cooler temps and rain gave me some energy!

>96 Smiler69::Hi Ilana, I've started the book by Phyllis Dorothy James White. Yup, she's a woman! She started writing in 1962 but I'm not sure why she wrote under the P.D. name. If I would ever find a good used copy of Time To Be In Earnest, her 1999 autobiography, I might know the answer to that. One of these days...

>97 EBT1002:: Ellen, I think fiction is fiction whether or not the narrator is reliable. I won't hold it against him or her if a good story is the result.

>98 Nancy618:: Take your time, Nancy, I have a few other books around here that I can be reading. I don't want to rush your trip to Three Pines. Have a good trip to St. Louis while you're at it!

>99 AnneDC:: Anne, I enjoyed holding off on the Glee finale (and the three shows leading up to it). It will still be fresh in my mind when the show starts up again - next week maybe?

>100 jolerie:: These mysteries are quickly becoming my comfort books, Valerie. They can be a little predictable sometimes, but that's a good thing when I've been reading heavier stuff. They're not exactly light reading, but they're different than my usual heavy-duty literary reading.

>101 Matke:: Gail! Good to see you... I've been lurking over on your thread a lot. I've liked Ethan both times I've read it.

>102 Ape:: Stephen! Ditto what I said to Gail. I haven't seen your zombies lately... are you saving them up for Halloween?

>103 curlysue:: I'm glad you liked my nonreview of Sovereign, Kara. I'm becoming a big fan of historical fiction too.

>104 brenzi:: Bonnie, I hope you like the C.J. Sansom books when you get started next week. I'm trying to read all of them before I start in on your Julia Spencer-Fleming series.

>105 lauralkeet:: Laura, I "third" the word "delicious" - love Kate Atkinson.

I forgot to say that class went much better today. The Professor was feeling better and on time. He gave quite a bit of background info on Edith Wharton. He's crazy about her which is a good thing.

Apparently, Ethan Frome was based on a real-life sledding accident that occurred in Lenox, MA when she lived there. She wrote the book in French as a writing exercise for her French tutor. She had taught herself French and spoke it with a very formal accent. She divorced her husband and moved permanently to France after EF was published, but never renounced her American citizenship. One more thing... the original title of the book was to be "Under the Snow."

Maybe the zombies are saving me for Halloween. :o

Ooh, you now have me really wanting to get Ethan Frome out from the library. What a fascinating history behind the book.

The truly claustrophobic feeling of a New England winter comes across beautifully in this book, I think. My husband lived in a very small town in Maine and has described how stifling it could be. So glad you love the book.

Hi Donna! Thanks for visiting my thread! I do envy you your Ipad! My BIL has one -not for reading, just because he loves that new gadgets. I'd love one - but since I'm planning to use my kindle as a reading device- I went with the less expensive Kindle. If I could afford it -and who am I kidding with all of the books I purchase... I'd love to have an Ipad. Perhaps in the future!
Oh Donna! May I recommend PD James to you!!! I began reading her books some 29 or so years ago, and I've simply loved them, with the exception of one of her books, which was not a mystery.

Off to engage in a few domestic duties! As you say, I guess I ought to earn my keep around here! ;)

>98 Nancy618: No pressure Nancy! :) I've often wanted to nudge people to finish up a library book I was waiting for... I never actually had the opportunity though - lol.

Thank you for the background info on Ethan Frome, Donna. I appreciated the book much more as an adult than I did in high school. By the way, the movie with Liam Neeson is grimly interesting.

I agree with KiwiNyx - I read Ethan Frome many years ago and I remember loving it but have only vague images (and, I dare say, a fairly clearly recollected image of Ethan, himself) from the story. Thanks for sharing some of the content you're learning in your class - I love knowing more about the "back story." Now I think I'll be searching out a copy to re-read.

Very interesting back story! That's one Wharton I have yet to read.

>108 Ape:: Lol, Stephen. Be careful.

>109 KiwiNyx:: Do it, Leonie. It's a short book and a good well-told story.

>110 Matke:: Gail, I've spent a few snowed-in winters in Upper Michigan, so I'm familiar with that claustrophobic setting. Too bad Ethan didn't have a computer!

>111 vancouverdeb:: Hi Deb, I love my iPad. My laptop is old and cranky so I'm using the new shiny toy more and more. Reading books on it is just a bonus. I got it more for the size and convenience. I'm glad to find another P. D. James fan. I'm currently on No. 6 in the Dalgliesh series. It's been interesting to see the progression in her writing. Not only are the stories getting better, but my library has newer copies of the later books. This is the first one that hasn't had stained and yellowed pages. Now that's a problem you won't have with your Kindle!

>112 Copperskye:: Nancy and I overlap in much of our reading. We're both in the library book group and here on LT. It's great having a RL friend to share books with! Thanks for the movie alert, Joanne. I'll be on the lookout for the Ethan Frome adaptation.

>113 EBT1002:: Ethan is a book that I revisited, Ellen, and I'm glad that I did. I'm getting much more out of it this time.

>114 lauralkeet:: Hi Laura, I'm surprised at that. We're reading Custom of the Country next. Your comments about it on Bonnie's thread tell me I'm in for another treat. I love a nasty provocative protagonist!

Hi, Donna!

I'd like to second Joanne's recommendation of 102 minutes as a 9/11 read -- I read it last September. It is very well written.

Among the Heroes is worthy subject matter and content, but I wasn't so impressed with the writing.

Ever since I read We Have Always Lived in the Castle, that's the first book I think of when I hear the term "unreliable narrator."

>116 tymfos:: I loved We Have Always Lived in the Castle! That kick at the end was great, from my point of view. I know some folks hate that sort of thing, though.

Donna, Donna! Found you! Missed an entire thread! And almost missed this one, too! You are a popular gal!. Congratulation on changing Cindy's life; adorable grandkids; all of those fascinating Edith Wharton posts; so sorry about your teacher. Think I have Once Upon a River on the WL - must check because your review was very tempting....

>116 tymfos:: Okay, okay... 102 Minutes is duly entered in the dream book after recommendations from Joanne, Brenda (on her thread), and now you, Terri. I think someone wants me to read this book! Thanks for the comparison to Among the Heroes, which I still want to read someday.

>117 Matke:: I haven't read We Have Always Lived in the Castle. A "kick" at the end of the book isn't such a bad thing, but now that I'll be reading with a suspicious mind maybe I won't be caught off guard.

>118 PrueGallagher:: Prue! It's so good to see you back on LT. We miss our people when they disappear but certainly understand that other things intervene.

I'm getting ready for company this weekend. Thank goodness, my aunt and uncle are staying with my brother so I don't have to clean the entire house. I am having nine people for dinner tomorrow so I'll be busily cooking today and tomorrow to get ready. We have some big eaters coming!

"Murder was always solved at a cost., sometimes to himself, more often to others."

Book No. 91: Death Of An Expert Witness by P.D. James. 3.4 stars.

P.D. (Phyllis Dorothy) James is turning out to be a reliable mystery writer for me. Her books don't have the cozy atmosphere of Three Pines as in Louise Penny's books or the intrigue of living in the times of Henry VIII courtesy of C.J. Samson, but they are dependable and solid. Adam Dalgliesh is no Inspector Garmache or Matthew Shardlake. He doesn't mind not being in the spotlight and is in fact kind of a drab character.

Dalgliesh may be a bland protagonist, but he always gets his man (or woman) in the end and James always makes the resolution believable after some twists and turns mixed in with some psychological probing.

Stopping by to say hi!

Busy weekend for you . . . enjoy your company.

Stopping by to agree with you on the mysteries of P.D James. Good luck with dinner tomorrow.

Hi Donna, I was interested in the additional information from your class about Ethan Frome as well. Didn't know about the sledding accident being based on a real-life event, but the intro that comes with the Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition I got from the library goes on to explain how the novel drew on many personal experiences, even though based on first impressions, one might think it was a complete departure from her writing about the cosseted upper classes she was a member of.

(...) I was going to go on relating some very revealing excerpts from said intro, but then decided I'd best keep those notes and include them in my upcoming review. Which I would normally hold off writing because there are several books in line for reviews beforehand, but i think I'll break my own rule and go ahead with this one, which I'll finish up and post out of turn. And all because your thread has inspired me to step out of line! :-)

I've put a few more PD James books on my wish list—including the one I have on Audible, as there are better chances of me getting to her faster on audio, so I should get acquainted with Dalgliesh in near future. I only wish I could do same with Dissolution. They have the first three books in the series, and narrated by a reader I like quite a lot too, but blast it all, only in the ABRIDGED version. UGH!!!

I hope you have a great time with your visitors, but also that you don't work too hard and find time to rest and do things for yourself.

Thanks for the comments about Ethan Frome Donna. I hadn't really considered the unreliable narrator angle. That ending packs quite a punch doesn't it?

A big hello to Madeline, Brenda, Regina, Ilana, and Heather. We had a great time with my Uncle Eric and Aunt Nina this weekend. Eric always has lots of family stories to share. We spent much of the day over at my brother's yesterday and they were here all afternoon. Nobody complained about my cooking, either! The worst part was watching the football game with all those Lions fans. Our Chiefs look pretty awful this season.

I've been enjoying my time with Ethan Frome; yes, the ending was pretty tragic, Heather, but it didn't come as a total surprise because of all that foreshadowing. We'll finish up our discussion of the book in class tomorrow and I'll share anything new or interesting I learn about it.

Our next book will be Custom of the Country. I'm going to be reading it on my iPad which should be interesting. They were out of it when I bought my other books so I saved a few bucks with a free download.

In my recreational reading, I've gotten far enough in State of Wonder that I may try and finish it tonight. It depends on how tired I am. I'm liking it better than some others on LT who were disappointed in it. I'm eager to revist Three Pines. Louise Penny is patiently waiting for me.

"It seemed to Ethan that his heart was bound with cords which an unseen hand was tightening with every tick of the clock." (133)

Book No. 92: Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. 4 stars.

It's hard to talk about this book without giving spoilers, but the cover did a pretty good job at that. What were the publishers thinking? Actually, Edith Wharton allowed the unnamed narrator to give a major plot element away with his questioning about the "smashup." I learned that this type of bookended story that begins and ends with a narrator constructing a story is called a frame story. Makes sense, although I like my "bookend" term just as well.

The big question of the book asked by Professor C: Was Ethan a good man or a fool? He pretty much answered it himself when he said both could apply. I tend to look on the optimistic side and say he was a good, moral person especially in regard to his 'sickly' wife.

I can't remember when I first read Ethan Frome, but I liked it then and I still like it. I'll leave my rating at 4 stars due in part to the writing which bordered on the sentimental and was pretty heavy-handed with the symbolism. I did learn another new term, organic imagery, which is illustrated by the quote underneath the book cover. Pretty self-explanatory about the tightening of the heart.

I thought it was interesting to learn that one of the reasons EW wrote this book was to counteract the "rosy" image of New Englanders implied by Sarah Orne Jewett in her writing. Edith was more like Nathaniel Hawthorne in her gritty portrayal of rural New England. Next up is the first six chapters in Custom of the Country on Wednesday.

love your write-up, Donna. I'm not sure who Sarah Orne Jewett is, but I've always perceived New Englanders as rather stoic and cheerless--probably thinking of the Puritan history of the area and no dout, Ethan Frome is to me the epitome of the type. Love the novel-- so evocative and chilly!

Ok ok I surrender...Ethan Frome goes on the WL...darn it!

I think we are all going to learn a lot from you taking this class. Thanks, Donna!

>128 GCPLreader:: Jenny, I didn't know who Sarah Orne Jewett was either until I took the American Realism class last winter/spring. She wrote a wonderful book, The Country of the Pointed Firs. I didn't notice an especially "rosy" image of the characters in that one. There was a crusty old fisherman and a cranky woman or two that I recall.

>129 PrueGallagher:: Hi Prue, the book is short so even if it's not your kind of book, you won't waste much time with it. But I think you'll like it. Hope so!

>130 thomasandmary:: Regina, I love learning new literary terms that I can try out here on LT. And I'm loving the deep look into the life and works of Edith Wharton. I'll continue to share interesting information without going into too many dull details.

Donna, you are never dull! I always enjoy visiting your threads, literary lesson or otherwise. Looking forward to tomorrow's lesson!

I have no idea what Ethan Frome is about but visiting your thread has convinced me Donna! Onto the list it goes. :)

Hi Donna, I have been away from your thread for way too long! There is so much of interest going on here. I will comment on only two topics. I am so happy you enjoyed The Water is Wide! It had a huge effect on me when I read it years ago and it is still with me. The lack of dignity shown his students appalled me, but his courage was inspiring.

Now just Glee...never thought I would like it, but watched a few with my own teens on Netflix and found I loved it. The music is good, but I mostly love how they depict the personal struggles of each student. It is about love, acceptance, and being yourself. That is a message we all need to hear more of.

I think Ethan was a fool to think anything could come of his relationship with Mattie but I loved him anyway. I think i loved his innocence really and I absolutely loved Wharton's writing, even if it bordered on the sentimental and was pretty heavy-handed with the symbolism;-) I must like that sort of thing.

Donna- I just finished Ethan Frome and I loved it. Thanks for the nudge. It might have taken me years to get to it. It did help that it was such a shorty but what wonderful writing.
BTW- I enjoyed your review! Good job!

>132 thomasandmary:: Thanks, Regina. So far I've loved what I've read in The Custom of the Country. I hope our professor is on his game. This should be a "fun" book!

>133 jolerie:: Valerie, in a nutshell Ethan Frome is a love triangle that turns into a grim nightmare of dependency and dashed hopes. Not a fun book but a very compelling one imo.

>134 mks27:: Hi Michelle. I'm glad you liked The Water is Wide. It will be one of those books I'll remember for sure. I think knowing about the dedication and courage that Pat Conroy showed make him shine even more brightly in my eyes. He's already one of my favorite authors and may be the one I'd most like to meet in person.

Don't forget to watch Glee tonight!

>135 brenzi:: I definitely like what some people might call overdone writing. Bonnie, I can't believe how different my new protagonist is. Undine Spragg (what a name, huh?) is self-absorbed and totally clueless about how to get along in her new world of New York. The Custom of the Country is a laugh-out-loud book in some places. I'm just getting started but so far it is the polar opposite of Ethan Frome. You must read it someday!

>136 msf59:: Hi Mark! You sneaked your message in while my back was turned. I'm cooking dinner and posting here... not a good combo. I'm so glad you liked Ethan Frome. Your kind of dark, gritty story - kind of a precursor of Jon Clinch perhaps? Have fun with Bree tomorrow.

>137 Donna828:: so glad you are enjoying The Custom of the Country!!

The DVR is capturing tonight's Glee episode as I write. My daughter's Chemistry tutor is here and we can't very well have Glee blasting during their session! So I guess we will be time-shifting on Tuesday nights. Thank goodness for the DVR!

>137 Donna828: Oh I'll certainly be reading it at some point Donna. I'm a Wharton fan now.

>138 lauralkeet: I don't think we watch anything that hasn't been recorded Laura. It's just so much more pleasant to skip all the commercials and watch the show in half the time. I just watched the recorded Glee episode and it was a good one, as usual.

We enjoyed it too, Bonnie!

Oh, Donna! I just discovered your new not so new thread. Unfortunately I will be unable to read E. Frome this month but the rave reviews from you and other LTer's will keep it on the radar.
Have a wonderful day! BTW: Any city that has a sculpture of mother w/child reading is a city I want to be in.

Didn't get to watch Glee last night, but have it waiting for a free hour on the DVR, can't wait.

Donna, you're making The Custom of the Country sound like a must read! I have a copy on my kindle so after I've got through my next couple of reads perhaps it will be back to Wharton again.

Laura and Bonnie, what can I say? We're all Edith Wharton fans - and we like our DVRs - and Glee! Birds of a feather...

>141 Carmenere:: Hi Lynda, I wouldn't exactly call Golden, CO a city. It's more of a mountain village, but it does have some cool sculpture around the river and downtown area. It's also the home of Coor's beer!

>142 mks27:: Something to look forward to then. I canceled out on my church group so I could watch the first episode of Glee last night. Bad girl!

>143 souloftherose:: Speaking of bad girls, Undine is despicable, deplorable, and detestable all rolled into one character. I'm enjoying her very much, Heather. I am a bad girl!

“I don’t know who decided to package hope as a virtue because it’s not…Hope is like walking around with a fishhook in your mouth and somebody just keeps pulling it and pulling it.”

Book No. 93: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. 4.2 stars.

The above quote is one of Karen Eckman’s reactions when she learns of her husband’s death in a remote area of Brazil. There is no body and only a vague letter with sketchy accounts of his death. His research partner, Dr. Marina Singh is delegated the task of finding out the state of the project to find the magic potion that lengthens the female capacity to bear children. She also wants to know the details of what happened to her partner so she can give Karen a sense of closure. The problem is the lack of communication from Marina’s former teacher, the dedicated but elusive Dr. Annick Swenson. She is so elusive, they don’t even know how to make contact with her.

The book has mixed reviews here on LT and I can certainly understand why that is. This is one of those books where one has to accept or overlook a plot that meanders into the zone of incredulity. It helped me a great deal to know that some of the more preposterous events were not just figments of Ms. Patchett’s imagination. Here is some of the backstory from The Wall Street Journal’s review on June 2, 2011. Caution… there may be a few slight spoilers ahead…

Ms. Patchett spent ten days in this area and the animals described in the book were ones she became familiar with. The anaconda scene seemed overly dramatic unless you knew that she had an experience while traveling down a remote river with a herpetologist guide who pulled an 18-foot anaconda - “working triple time to bite his head off” - into the boat. Now that’s research! In the same article she admitted her “penchant for outlandish plot twists.” The Lakashi tribe with their incredibly fertile women were completely unreal and in fact named after Kashi cereal.

It was easier for me to appreciate this book after I knew about the blending of fact and fiction. One more interesting thing I learned from the WSJ article: Ann Patchett likes to have her characters cut off from technology. In State of Wonder, the sense of isolation is complete when Marina is separated from her satellite phone when her luggage gets lost. She uses a similar technique in Bel Canto and Run. I like learning these little tidbits that tie an author’s books together in a small way. This is the sixth Patchett book I’ve read. She’s not my favorite author, but I’ll continue to read her books for the entertainment factor…. and I’ll be looking for a lost phone in her next book. ;-)

I love that you're loving Undine!

#144 Mmmmm, Coors light! My favorite.

Oh dear you just reminded me Donna that I won State of Wonder during Orange July from Jill's FB contest. Gah my bookshelves are packed and I don't know what I actually own. Anyway, 4.2 stars sounds pretty darn good.

I put State of Wonder on my wishlist after reading a NYT review, and while I agree the reviews here have been mixed, a 4.2 from Donna is good enough for me!

Donna, thanks to your nudge I picked up Ethan Frome from the library yesterday and I hope I enjoy it as much as you did.

So glad you like State of Wonder, Donna. I'm looking forward to it!

>146 lauralkeet:: Lol. What is it about nasty characters that make them likable? (as long as they don't hurt other people - just themselves)

>147 Carmenere:: I'm not a beer drinker, Lynda, so the smell of hops hopping and beer brewing is wasted on me when I visit Golden, CO.

>148 brenzi:: ...my bookshelves are packed and I don't know what I actually own.

That sounds familiar, Bonnie! It kinda surprised me how much I enjoyed State of Wonder.

>149 lauralkeet:: Thanks, Laura. I hope you're not disappointed. I happen to be quite fond of adventure stories so I bumped up my rating for the risky exploration factor.

>150 KiwiNyx:: That's great, Leonie. I think you'll like it.

>151 Copperskye:: It's an entertaining read, Joanne. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's raining here this morning so the walk with the dog and hubby isn't happening! Here's how I used my time instead. I'm playing around with a 2012 Pyramid of Reading. If my math is correct, that's 78 books which leaves room for plenty of wild card reading:

......................................... GN(1)....
........................................ BIO (2).....
..................................... HISTORY (3).....
.....................................KIDDIE LIT (4).....
.................................SHORT STORIES (5).....
...............................THE BUTLER DID IT (6)......
............................SPECULATIVE FICTION (7)......
.........................BOOKS TOO GOOD TO MISS (8)......
....................SEE THE WORLD WITHOUT PACKING (9).....
..............SO MANY BOOKS - SO LITTLE TIME - LT RECS (10)....
........KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES - NEW RELEASES (11)......
MADELINE’S TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH (12)........

Love the pyramid! Maybe I'm just slow this morning, but what is "GN" and why only one of them?

Hi Sandy, 'GN' stands for Graphic Novel and there's only one because that's my least favorite genre. I'm concerned about reading seven speculative fiction books. That is truly a leap of faith for me!

Darn, it's still raining here. I may have to get out the vacuum cleaner to get my morning exercise. I'm certainly not getting any here on the computer.

Donna, you know that there is an entire challenge group that will be reading books in 12 categories next year, right? Lots of 75'ers are there, plus more great folks who aren't in the 75 group. Just saying.

Chris is down in your neck of the woods this week. When I talked to him this morning, he said it's raining in Branson. It's a perfect fall day here - cool and sunny.

Donna, I've had Bel Canto in my possession for quite a while, and still not read it, but when I saw the book description for State of Wonder was very tempted to jump on it. Now your review has convinced me that I must read it, so onto the WL it goes!

Love your twelve categories and the fact that you've made them into a pyramid shape typographically too. I just assumed those were for the 12/12 challenge as mentioned above, is that not the case? I've been working on my categories too but not quite done nor nearly as elegant about it as you are!

FYI, I finally posted my review for Ethan Frome though you'll notice most of it is plagiarized directly from the book! :-)

Oh that pyramid is really something, Donna. How creative!

I LOVE the pyramid Donna. It totally appeals to the visual side of me to see all that organized and orderly layout. :)
Based on you description, I will have add Ethan Frome to my list!
Thank you for your review on State of Wonder. I've seen this book everywhere, and I mean everywhere but each time I've passed it up because the summary on the back has not appealed to me but your review is definitely making me want to reconsider.

I spent way too much time on my Reading Pyramid to just let it sit on my thread so I decided to post it on the 12 /12 group. I'm not sure how active I'll be over there, but I can list the books that apply. Thanks for the nudge, Sandy.

And hello to Ilana, Laura, and Valerie. I'm off to do errands and visit a friend. Don't worry... we'll be talking about books!

#152 I'm not a beer drinker (don't like the taste) but I do really like the brewery smell. I've always been disappointed the beer doesn't taste that way.

Love the pyramid!

Donna- I'm so glad you enjoyed State of Wonder. I had that one on the WL, a couple months ago, after hearing some great reviews and then the lack of LT love has had me moving it down the List. Thanks to you, it's moving back up. I have not read Patchett.
BTW- Graphics are not a genre but a format...just saying! What is the one at the top of the cool pyramid?

Love the pyramid and you've chosen some good categories.

Love your pyramid Donna. And i really like your categories (but 7 speculative fiction??). I don't think that kind of thing will work for me because last year I tried doing the 10/10 category thing and it was great the first couple of months and then....I got sick of sticking to my categories. I've found I do better with a sort of serendipitous reading approach and I'm really loving the "this book led to that book" thing also. But I'll be following you no matter what plan you decide on:)

>160 souloftherose:: Heather, my husband says that same thing about coffee! Some things do smell better than they taste.

>161 msf59:: Graphics are not a genre but a format...just saying!

That's true, Mark, but I was trying to be kind and give them an upgrade. ;-)
I also find the term 'graphic novels' a bit misleading. The two graphics I've enjoyed have been nonfiction: Radioactive and The 9/11 Report. Do you have a favorite graphic novel to recommend?

>162 KiwiNyx:: Thanks, Leonie, I had fun doing it - and you'll notice I left some of those categories open to interpretation so I don't get too "locked in" to my reading choices next year. Should be fun.

>163 brenzi:: Bonnie, I thought about that. I don’t like to be tied down to a plan either. My total adds up to 78 books (shhhh - 100 books is my real goal) on the pyramid and, other than the spec fiction, I can read comfortably in the other categories. As for that dreaded Category 7, I plan to try some of Atwood’s dystopian fiction, the LeGuin Earthsea series, and the sequel to The Sparrow. Golly, that might just be getting close to seven books there. We’ll see how it goes. I can knock my pyramid down at any time! I wish I'd thought of a "This thing leads to that thing" category. Brilliant!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had waaaay too much reading to do tonight for class. My professor is very uneven in his assignments.

Undine is now married and is spending her way through Europe. What a mismatch. Her husband Ralph wants to be a poet and Undine wants to be a party princess! His family is filthy rich but he has a "profession" (lawyer) instead of an income. In other words, his name is on the door of the family firm but he doesn't seem to do any work. Maybe they deserve each other, however Ralph is much nicer than Undie.

The plot thickens. How will they get back to New York? How will Undine deal with her pregnancy? How will Ralph keep his sanity? Stay tuned...

The plot thickens. How will they get back to New York? How will Undine deal with her pregnancy? How will Ralph keep his sanity? Stay tuned...

I soooo want to read this one. But will have to wait. :-|

Staying tuned in the meantime. :-)

Donna, I love your pyramid, including the categories you developed. I'm still deciding whether to do a 12/12 pyramid of some kind. Yours helps me think about what mine might look like. I like the idea of having the "12" be Madeleine's tioli challenges. I think I'll make that commitment for 2012 even if I don't do a pyramid.

eta: what exactly is "speculative fiction"?

Donna- Stop by my thread, there was a nice long list of graphics going on over there. The latest BOTNS podcast also deals with graphics.
BTW- I have the 9/11 graphic at home.

Hi Donna

there are 167 message since I last visited. I hope that in the next weeks I'm able to post more. I so enjoy visiting here. I love the photos of Haley. Aren't grandchildren wonderful? Will and I so enjoy our eight year old Kayla. She provides so much love and laughter. She is a gift from God and a wise soul.

The photo of tired Haley is so darn adorable.

Hey, Donna, that pyramid is cool! I'll be over on the 12 in 12 challenge, too.

>160 souloftherose:, souloftherose. You sound just like me. Hubby laughs at me every time I open a beer for him. I love to inhale the smell of it. But whenever I take a sip, I'm always disappointed to find out that it still tastes the same.

>164 Donna828: Do you have a favorite graphic novel to recommend?

My current recommendation is Joe Hill's Locke & Key series. Note that Joe is Stephen King's son and a really good horror writer in his own right. So his work is pretty dark. There's also the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series by Alan Moore - so much better than the movies. Hellboy is another that really goes beyond the movies.

>165 Smiler69:: Thanks for staying tuned, Ilana. The Custom of the Country is much like reading a soap opera. Maybe I'll start liking the read a few chapters, discuss, read a few more routine. It's probably a little like reading the serializations in the time of Dickens.

>166 EBT1002:: Ellen, my take is that speculative fiction is a more inclusive term for fantasy and sci-fi. I may have gotten the idea for the pyramid from your thread. All I know is that I had trouble sleeping for a few nights until I got something down on paper!

>167 msf59:: Mark, I hope you like the 9/11 graphic as much as I did. I learned a lot! I have the list from BOTNS but it will be easier to look up the books using the touchstones on your thread. Thanks.

>168 Whisper1:: Hi Linda, it's good to see you here. You won't get any argument from me about grandchildren being blessings. ;-)

>169 tymfos:: Terri, it was good to some some familiar names on the 12 in 12 Challenge. That looks like a fun group. I hope I can keep up with myself!

>170 countrylife:: Hi Cindy, my husband isn't a beer drinker either so I don't even get to smell it.

>171 drneutron:: Thanks, Jim. It's always good to get recommendations for a type of book that I am pretty clueless about. I'll check out the ratings and descriptions, then go with what I can get from my local library. I notice they are rapidly building up their graphics section. These books must be getting popular or something. ;-)

Oh Donna, I've been away too long. I started reading eagerly and conscientiously and then gave up. Two comments - or 3.
Haley is precious and getting cuter all the time. You've caught me in the C.J. Sansom series, and I keep forgetting to read Revelation or whatever the next one is. And I understood that The Private Patient was the last of P.D. James's Dalgleish series. Somebody please correct me. I'd love that not to be true! (Another one I haven't read yet...............)

"Not for the first time Three Pines struck Myrna as the equivalent of the Humane Society. Taking in the wounded, the unwanted. The mad, the sore. This was a shelter. Though, clearly, not a no-kill shelter." (96)

Book No. 94: A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. 4.3 stars.

Another comforting read (well, except for that murder) set in a place so special that it doesn't even appear on a map. I never thought of it as a shelter, but I can understand the disenfranchised feeling a sense of belonging in Three Pines. I know I do!

I really liked the theme of forgiveness in this book. It's something we all need to do at some time in our lives. I also think the book raises an important question: Can people change for the better?

As usual, I don't want to give away any spoilers so I'll keep my comments on the brief side. I need to read more about the art term chiaroscuro. If it is a word that can be applied to the art of literature, then this book would be a perfect example. It has the shadows and the blending of light and dark both in mood and in the plot.

Like many other LTers, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment of life in Three Pines.

>173 LizzieD:: Hi Peggy. I'm glad you found me. Thanks for you kind comment about Haley. We're going down to Texas next week end for a quick visit to deliver some belated first birthday gifts.

Like many series, the C.J. Sansom books get richer with each new one. I'll keep plugging along at these like I've been doing with P.D. James. I wouldn't be surprised if Private Patient (pub. in '08) isn't the end of the Dalgliesh series. The good news is, I have seven books of hers to read before I get to PP!

I've seen this book on so many threads! I'm taking it as a sign that I need to get my hands on a copy soon. :)

Ah ha another 4.5 rating for ms. Penny. Excellent Donna. Now don't you agree with me that she needs to write faster?

>176 jolerie:: Yes, you do, Valerie... but make sure you read the five six (!) books leading up to this one first!

>177 brenzi:: I almost always agree with you, Bonnie. I guess we'll just have to be as patient as Clara will have to be and wait out the year until we find out what's going to happen in that marriage AND who will be the next victim in Three Pines!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been read-a-thonning today among other things. It's great to have a self-indulgent weekend for a change. I'm hoping that it rains tomorrow. Nothing better than reading the day away listening to the patter of rain. I'll be spending my time with Abraham Verghese in Johnson City, Tennessee, regardless of the weather.

Hi Donna! Have you read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate diCamillo? It would probably be a great book for your grandchildren (it was one of our favorite read alouds). I'm thinking of it because it has a character named Chiaroscuro, and as in Ms. Penny's book, a plot that blends the dark and the light.

Good morning, Anne. I've heard of that book but had no clue what it was about. I think I need to check it out. It's great having a future librarian as a friend who can alert me to books like this. Thank you! Have a great Sunday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Luce decided she lacked passion, which was a word she hated. Ask her what she craved, and she'd get a little frantic about things like books, the woods, music. Plants and the seasons. Also freedom."

Book No. 95: Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. 4 stars.

Luce, a semi-reclusive North Carolina woman, inherited the twin children left behind after her sister’s murder. They don’t speak but can make a fire quicker than “tiny cavemen on Benzedrine.” Luce’s isolated life at Wolf Lodge, a decaying relic of a more prosperous past, lost its peacefulness and freedom, turning into days of endless watching to keep Delores and Frank amongst the living. Yes, they’re that wild! Frazier goes a little over-the-top with his depiction of traumatized children. If they were that disturbed, they shouldn’t have been left with their aunt who was a complete stranger to them.

The quiet life of an unlikely family trying to get along was disrupted by the arrival of Bud seeking what had been taken from him. Bud was Lily’s husband and is another character who is exaggerated as a person of utter vileness. If Lily was such a fine person, there must have been some goodness that she saw in him. Frazier doesn’t shy away from dark characters that make the more likeable people in Luce’s world shine brighter. There’s Maddie, a true hermit, who is always there for her distant neighbor and who can even make fried hog spine into company fare, and there’s young Stubblefield, who inherited the lodge along with 1,500 acres of pristine yet unprofitable land, when all he really wanted was to be part of Luce’s life.

Now that I've told you what I didn't like about the book, you can read my glowing words of praise as my review continues over here.

Another great review, Donna. Have you read anything by Frazier before? I read Cold Mountain a couple of years ago and have something else by him on my wishlist already, and now this one. In my mind, I always put Charles Frazier in a group with Daniel Woodrell - does that make sense to you?

Hi Donna, going way back I have to say that I'm enjoying your running commentary on the Edith Wharton book as well. Also, thank you for clearing up what 'Speculative Fiction' is, I have never heard of this term before and it may now creep onto my own category list for 2012.

Hi Donna. I also read Cold Mountain when it was first out and I own but have not read Thirteen Moons. I didn't realize Frazier had a new novel out. I liked Cold Mountain quite a lot.

A thumb for your review, Donna. I expect that I will read Frazier beyond Cold Mountain when it finally comes my way.

Another hot review! You're becoming so well-known for your reviews that I'm going to ask for your autograph the next time I see you!

Another thumb for your review, Donna. And I'm adding the book to my WL. I grew up spending part of my summers in the mountains of NC and my sister lives there still; the region feels like one of my "homes" and I love to explore literature set therein.

I'm so impressed with your reading pyramid, Donna. I'm undecided about doing the 12 in 12 challenge next year. If I do, it will be 1 book in each of the 12 categories . I read so slowly that I would be reading nothing but books for that challenge and barely anything else,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,unless! I look thru my tbr's and select 78 very thin books, what do you think?

>181 sjmccreary:, 185: Charles Frazier and Daniel Woodrell in the same group makes perfect sense to me, Sandy. They both provide lots of dark atmosphere in their books and make nature come alive. Autograph? Me? Surely you jest. ;-)

>182 KiwiNyx:: Hi Leonie, glad to help! I'll have more to say about EW this week. I'm beginning to see a few parallels between scenes in The House of Mirth and The Custom of the Country. I guess she wrote about what she experienced.

>183 EBT1002:, 186: Another Cold Mountain fan here, Ellen. I'd have to put Nightwoods slightly behind CM and ahead of Thirteen Moons, although all three were enjoyable reads. He's quite a writer despite his lack of quotation marks. Thanks for the thumb!

>184 LizzieD:: There are lots of lovely descriptions of the NC mountains in Nightwoods, Peggy. You are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state.

>187 Carmenere:: Hi Lynda, it was fun doing the read-a-thon with you over the weekend. I should have read my assignment for today during that time. Like a true college student, I was up way too late last night with homework!

As to the 12 in 12, I see no problem with setting the goal of reading one book in each category. Maybe you can choose your favorite category and read 12 books in that one. Just a suggestion. I wouldn't do anything that makes reading seem like a chore.

Donna- Loved your review of Nightwoods. I just read a glowing review in EW and also did not realize he had a new book out. I was a big fan of CM too! He seems to be one of those writers, who divide readers.

He seems to be one of those writers, who divide readers.

Well Donna and I don't disagree about books very often but here's one we do part ways on: I abhorred Cold Mountain.

Thank you, Mark. I think your EW means Entertainment Weekly. This semester, my EW means Edith Wharton. Lol.

I like Frazier's writing and his two previous books. He's a great storyteller and can create great atmospheric background for these stories. If you liked Cold Mountain, I'm pretty certain you'll like Nightwoods.

>190 brenzi:: Cross-post, Bonnie. "Abhor" is a pretty strong word. Do you remember why? It was in my Top Ten in 1997. I think I liked everything about it. ;-)

I really liked Cold Mountain, too, but I haven't read any of his other books. Your lovely review has me more interested in this new one.

>191 Donna828: Maybe that was too strong a word Donna. On second thought, no it wasn't;-) I can't actually say why I didn't like it but I know that I dreaded opening the book, could not get into any kind of rhythm. I slogged through around 200 pages before I gave up. I should have loved that book. It was just the kind of book I would normally love (sweeping epic, post-Civil War narrative) but for some reason it just didn't work for me.

Just popping by for a quick hi before I walk the dog, Donna. I landed on your profile page and noticed that The Seige by Helen Dunmore was one of your favourite reads this year! How encouraging for me! I've got The Siege arriving by mail any day or week now. I happened to grab The Betrayal by the same author from the library , and while apparently it can be read as a stand alone, most people recommended reading The Seige first, so I was able to find at a online second hand book shop. Can't wait to read the Seige!

Donna, I feel ashamed of myself that I'm not a Three Pines lover like so many on LT! That said, as a Canadian, I'm thrilled that Louise Penny's works are so popular world round, it would seem. I read a couple of Louise Penny 's - maybe even three -and of all things - I found Inspector Gamache to be to smug for my liking, and the folks in Three Pines to just be too odd for me.

Be back later to more fully read your thread.

>193 brenzi:: I'm with you on Cold Mountain, Bonnie. I slogged for a while and gave up, just like you did. And like you, I'm not sure why I didn't like it. It had everything going for it, but never clicked with me.

I hugely enjoyed Cold Mountain but couldn't get through Thirteen Moons, despite multiple attempts. I put it down to "second novel syndrome," and I'm looking forward to reading Nightwoods. Thanks for the heads-up.

I liked Cold Mountain and also enjoyed the movie that was based on it. My husband, who didn't read the book, did NOT like the movie - not sure why. Now I'm looking forward to both Thirteen Moons and Nightwoods. But, Becky, thanks for the warning that Thirteen Moons might be a letdown.

Hi to Joanne, Bonnie, Deb, Laura, and Becky. I'm taking a break from reading tomorrow's assignment. I'm such a procrastinator these days. I really like the book but I don't like staying up to read it. Must plan better.

That Cold Mountain seems to be a love-or-hate book. I had no idea! Oh well, we can't agree on everything. I noticed Frazier jumps around quite a bit in his narrative, and then, he also "forgets" to use quotation marks. I guess I wasn't bothered by either of these techniques. Becky, I did like Nightwoods better than Thirteen Moons.

Deb, I wouldn't apologize for giving up on Three Pines. You certainly gave it a fair shot. It would be so boring if we all liked the same books all the time. I'm just glad that nobody gets their feelings hurt over a book. ;-)

Okay, two more chapters to read in The Custom of the Country. I'll make some comments after class tomorrow.

Donna, I was looking for your class reading schedule to see when you're reading The Age of Innocence—well, the whole schedule actually, but can't seem to find my way back to your last thread— I'm considering reading it for TIOLI as a shared read perhaps?

"I slowly turned my body 360 degrees, taking in the vista from Gordon's vantage point. Frothy white clouds, tinged with gray, spilled over the tops of the mountains and looked as if they would flood the valley. It was drizzling though the sun was shining. The valley was so green that it was almost too much for the eye. The mountains ringing it pressed on me as if they were God's own toes." (125) Gordon was the first patient Dr. Verghese lost to AIDS. These were his observations from the gravesite.

Book No. 96: My Own Country by Abraham Verghese. 4.2 stars.

In my short review, I didn't even mention the lyrical writing. Anyone who has read Verghese's book, Cutting for Stone can expect the same quality of writing in this medical memoir.

Dr. V. probes deeply into the private lives of his patients, perhaps a little too much so, but it makes for emotional reading. He also bares his soul as far as his own insecurities about being a foreign doctor go. I'm afraid to look into his present-day marital situation because he is so forthcoming about the issues his wife has with him treating AIDS patients.

This was a tough read because of so many unhappy endings, but it is an important and remarkable look at how quickly AIDS spread across the country.

Hmmm... maybe not. Though I have Cutting for Stone among my TIOLI selections this month.

>199 Smiler69:: Hi Ilana, I'm going to set up the group read for The Age of Innocence as soon as I get back from our whirlwind trip to Texas. We're leaving early on Friday and coming home on Sunday. It's a good thing I saw Haley recently or I'd be upset at the short time together.

My Class Schedule for Age of Innocence has us starting on Oct. 26 and ending on November 7. That won't work for TIOLI so I'm planning to set up three threads beginning October 10, allowing a week for each (approximately) 120-page section. That would put the ending thread the week of Oct. 24 - 31.

Of course, as always, people can participate however they choose. I know some will want to read the whole book that first week. Fine with me. I'll have the threads set up and they can post comments accordingly. I hope this makes sense!

ETA: Does your "maybe not" comment mean that you don't want to read a book about AIDS? It would fit perfectly into CitizenJoyce's challenge! It really was a wonderful book.

I would add my two cents about My Own Country. Verghese is one of those people I would read no matter what the subject--his writing is that good. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir, although I agree that the subject makes it a "difficult" read.

Verghese is a man of tremendous compassion, intelligence, and empathy. His eye for detail must make him an excellent diagnostician--it certainly makes him an excellent writer. And it's that eye for detail that makes this book difficult to read. AIDS is a terrible disease, and Verghese doesn't let the reader look away from it--not even a little. I found that this book was so strong, sometimes I had to take it in small doses and sometimes I couldn't put it down.

Hi Donna
Thumbs up from me for your excellent review of My Own Country.

Donna, love your review. I've had Cutting for Stone on my TBR pile for months and your review of My Own Country makes me want to move it up. I love lyrical prose.

Hi there Donna, I have avoided this book for some time. Oh I loved Cutting for Stone, like most others. I picked up his book The Tennis Partner but haven't gotten to it yet. But I do have a close connection to AIDS that I'd rather not revisit so I'll let this one go for now. Your excellent review makes me want to get to it when the time is right though.

Good, glad we're not starting on Age of Innocence right away. Have totally overbooked myself again, even though I made a resolution not to do so this month. What's with that??

Probably not going to read this My Own Country — I try to stay away from emotional "tough reads" and have to admit that no, not all that keen on reading about AIDS. I've got the Pulitzer Prize-winning Polio instead.

Ohh just popping by to say hi!! And thumbs up for a great review of My Own Country! I loved Cutting for Stone and I'll be on the look out for My Own Country . So many books, so little time!!!

>203 labwriter:: Your two cents was stated very eloquently, Becky. I know what you mean about reading the book. Compelling and heartbreaking at the same time.

>204 Whisper1:: Hi Linda, thank you for that thumb!

>205 EBT1002:: Ellen, I hope you move both of Verghese's books up to the top of the pile. He's a terrific writer.

>206 brenzi:: Ah Bonnie... having a close connection to AIDS would make this book even more difficult to read. He mentions tennis in this book. It's another subject I'm not that interested in, but I'm sure he would make it fascinating.

>207 Smiler69:: Ilana, I remember Polio as being somewhat like AIDS during my growing up years. Lots of confusion about how it spread, etc. had parents scared to let children out of the house. And then, those iron lungs were enough to give me bad dreams.

>208 vancouverdeb:: Thanks Deb, I'm with you on that mantra about too many books...

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I've been remiss about posting about my class. Part of the reason lies with my professor. Case in point... we read Chapters 20-25 for yesterday's assignment, and he picked up his book and started talking about Chapter 12! Sheesh.

I have a few more tidbits about Edith Wharton to share. The quoted material is from my notes and are the professor's words.

In The Custom of the Country, EW has a "blast" with the plot. It's necessary to suspend belief some of the time. In the story, Undine Spragg and her family moved from Apex City (thought to be based on Kansas City) to New York City. Daddy had money and Undine had beauty but not much else. She was chameleon-like in that she took on the characteristics of those around her. She's self-absorbed but "bad people are more interesting to read about than good people." I agree!

Edith Wharton's generalities about people were mostly based on her peer group. The men in EW's life were an ineffectual lot of intellectuals. Their lives are reflected in the character of Lawrence Selden in House of Mirth and now Ralph Marvell in The Custom of the Country.

I'm enjoying the book quite a bit... the class not so much. I won't mind missing tomorrow. We're driving to Texas for work and pleasure. I'm looking forward to seeing Haley and delivering her late birthday presents in person. We'll be home late on Sunday. Quick trip!

Have a good trip!

Happy late birthday to that darling little grand daughter!

I hope you have a lovely time in Texas.

Have a great trip Donna. Sorry you're not enjoying you're class so much, but I enjoy the EW tidbits you share with us.

Have fun Donna. Boo to the ineffectual professor who doesn't know what a serious student he's working with;-)

Somehow I got 160 messages behind here. But I'm all caught up for now. It was great seeing your thoughts on the new Louise Penny, and you keep reminding me that I really want to try the Matthew Shardlake series! :)

Wonderful - a weekend with Haley! - and possibly her parents?!!
You encourage me to read My Own Country, which is the first of the Vergheses that I have been able to pick up from PBS. I don't know when I'll get to it though. I have to say that The Custom of the Country is my favorite Wharton so far. I read it when a couple of my English students did. This is the same couple that thought the oldest daughter in The Poisonwood Bible was cruelly mistreated by her family. They thought that Undine was wonderful and also misunderstood and mistreated - or at least they said that's what they thought. I was bemused to say the least.
Going backward a bit, I finally loved Cold Mountain, but it took at least 100 pages for me to get into it, maybe more. And N.C. is a beautiful, beautiful state. We've talked in other places about the affinity a person has for her home country, so I even appreciate the beauty of sand and swamp.

Have fun in Texas Donna. I'm definitely adding My Own Country to my wish list. I still have to read Cutting for Stone by him... The only book about AIDS that I've read was And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts, which was excellent but very depressing.

I have enjoyed hearing about the ups and downs of your class. And put me down as another who liked Cold Mountain quite a bit. It also took me a little while to warm up to it. Have a great belated Birthday party for Haley!

We made it! Yesterday's trip went well. I must say traveling with my iPad is a delight. I can't read in the car, but for some reason, I can play games. I have an addictive app called Word Solitaire that made the 8 hour trip more bearable. My husband has his own addiction - FOX satellite radio - so we were both entertained!

Hello to Brenda, Linda, Ilana, Bonnie, Angela, Peggy, Cushla, and BJ. I always enjoy my visitors here. We're meeting a co-worker from Seattle for breakfast and after a short (I hope) business meeting, the rest of the week end will be devoted to Haley and her parents. It won't be long enough. I'm glad they spent three days with us in early September or I would be one unhappy Grandma!

I'm loving my book visit to Texas along with my RL visit. I'm only on page 149 out of 843 pages in Lonesome Dove. It looks like I have a long ride ahead of me. :-)

Hi Donna - Enjoy your weekend (and the lovely weather we are - finally - having)! Lonesome Dove is one of those books I've had forever but keep putting off reading. I look forward to your thoughts on it.

Hi Donna, I envy you - reading Lonesome Dove, it is one of my all time favorite books. I hope you love it as well.

Lonesome Dove is one of my desert isle books Donna. I'm hoping to get a reread in sometime soon.

Hi Donna, hope your Texan visit is going nicely, how could it not with adorable little Haley. New pics would be a delight.
I loved Lonesome Dove and yes, it is a long cattle drive but fortunately reading won't give you saddle sores.

I'll be looking forward to your comments on Lonesome Dove when you get there Donna.

Lonesome Dove is a perfect book to read while in Texas. Enjoy your book and all the benefits Texas provides! : )

Give Haley a hug for me!

Oh Donna, I read Lonesome Dove many years ago and I just loved it. Enjoy your trip and your reading.

Hi Donna -- hope you're having a great trip. I also hope there will be more photos...? I also look forward to your comments on Lonesome Dove. I've never read it -- need to remedy that!

I never thought I would enjoy Lonesome Dove, but I did and it had everything...I remember laughing, crying, and just loving being in Larry McMurtry's world. It is on my list for a reread. I hope you enjoy it.

I got behind! Now I'm caught up, thank goodness.

I loved Cold Mountain and have recently acquired Thirteen Moons - glad to hear that another Frazier is worth reading too.

PD James, on the other hand, I've been avoiding for the past 15 years or so. I read a lot of hers in the 80s and early 90s, but increasingly, for some reason I cannot quite put my finger on, her books left what I can only describe as 'a bad taste in the mouth'. It is something to do with the underlying view of contemporary society which she holds, I think. I know that I disagree with her on her views on the Church of England, which may play a small part in it. She is a member of the Prayer Book Society who think that the church has gone downhill by abandoning the traditional language of the old prayer book. Some of that attitude crops up in passing in her novels but I'm not sure that's really what's bugging me. Perhaps I should read one more and try to work it out.

I did read and enjoy her non-detective-fiction work: Children of Men when that came out in the early 90s.

Just trying to catch up on the threads...I have Lonesome Dove on my SoS...started it once but only got a couple of pages in - don't know why..must revisit..I will look forward to your review...

We got home last night and it's been nonstop catchup since then. I am woefully behind here. Still plugging along with Lonesome Dove. I may have to sacrifice some sleep this week - but it will be worth it. Thanks to Judy, Bonnie, Lynda, Brenda, and Michelle for sharing some cowboy love. ;-) I like being in Larry's world. It's a good sign when several of you mentioned rereads of this big book.

I strongly urge Katie, Ilana, and Anne to read Lonesome Dove ASAP. I'm sorry I've been avoiding it for so long. Who knew I had an inner cowgirl? Lol.

>229 gennyt:: Genny, I'll be watching for P.D. James's subtle hidden agenda in the next book. I haven't picked up on that yet. Thanks for sharing your thoughtful views and insight.

And for those of you (Lynda, Roni, and Anne) who requested pictures of Haley, here they are:

>230 PrueGallagher:: Oops, missed you, Prue. We must have cross-posted. Do pick up Lonesome Dove again sometime when you're in the mood for an American western. It's a great look at a bygone time. I feel all dusty from the cattle drive while I'm reading it!

Love those pictures!

Swinging by to catch up Donna and I'm so glad I didn't miss these precious pictures of your granddaughter! Absolutely adorable. :)

Great reviews as always. Cold Mountain is a book that I want to read one day even though I've never actually seen a copy of the book, my guess is that it's a chunkster of a book??

Hi Donna- Love the Haley pix! does she ever take a bad picture? I'm so glad you are enjoying Lonesome Dove. It's easily one of my top reads of all time. How about that Gus?
You have to set aside some time to watch the mini-series next. It's wonderful.

I agree that the mini series is great. . . Robert Duvall is cast perfectly!

Adorable pics, as always. . . Haley's looking taller these days.

Look at the cutie pie!

Love, love, love the photos! Thank you. Lonesome Dove is on its way via Bookmooch. When I'll have time to read it is another matter...

Haley just gets cuter and cuter!

I adored Lonesome Dove - it was such a great book to immerse yourself in!

I should have checked earlier to see if you had pictures of Haley up yet! (But I was giving you time to read another couple hundred pages of Lonesome Dove!) Anyway, just when I think Haley can't possibly get any cuter......she does!! :-)

Stopping by to say hi and say how darling little Haley is! I've gotMy Own Country on my wishlist.... Enjoy Lonesome Dove when you can!

Wow. Have I missed a whole thread???

wow. Well.. Hi! anyway, and I think I will just wait for the new one to try to catch up :)

Haley is adorable.

Thanks, Roni! I saved a couple of pictures to start my new thread with when I get around to it.

Valerie, Cold Mountain is an average-sized book of 356 pages. I hope you like it. I loved it but my feelings aren't universal.

Mark, I watched the mini series on TV when it came out (?) quite a few years ago. Loved it so much that I recorded it a few weeks ago when it was replayed.

Brenda, Haley is losing that baby look as she toddles around. She still has the baby fat, but has gone down to the 90th percentile for height and weight. We may have to quit calling her "giant baby"!

Bonnie, you said the magic words... "cutie pie." That's one of my phrases of endearment for her. It definitely sounds better than Giant Baby!

Thanks, Anne. Lonesome Dove is a big book but it's one that flows along so smoothly that it's easy to gobble up the pages.

Hi Joanne, thanks for the Haley love... everyone seems to have love for Lonesome Dove. I can understand why.

Thanks, Nancy. Today will be a Donna-thon for me! I'm at page 305/843 in LD. I have more book(s) than time these days. If my math is correct, I need to read 180 pages per day for the next 3 days - and that doesn't include my Edith Wharton book. I AM overbooked. ;-)

Deb, I think you will like My Own Country if you can get past the sad stories. I don't think anyone would pick up a book about AIDS thinking they were in for a good time.

Hi Kath, it happens. I have trouble keeping up with your thread, too. I'll be starting a new one as soon as I have an October book to report. I need to finish The Custom of the Country for tomorrow's class.

Thanks, Ellen. We think she's pretty adorable, too.

Gorgeous gorgeous little girl - no wonder you are so proud!

Thumbs up on your review of The Custom of the Country. Four stars is pretty high praise from you, so I guess I'll have to add it to my TBR list! But luckily I won't have to read it on a deadline for a class. ;-) Back to Lonesome Dove.....

Gorgeous cutie there Donna, your weekend sounded great.

Thanks from the proud Grandma, Prue.

Hi Nancy, I'm on page 504 in Lonesome Dove. I think I'll make it to the end by Thursday night. And, thanks for that thumb!

We had a great time, Leonie. I wish it could have been longer. I hope I'll be able to stay longer next time.

MY NEW THREAD IS here.
Open for visitors... although I'm going to bed early. Catch you tomorrow!

# 231 Oh so cute! Loved looking at Haley's pics!

Off to your new thread now.