LizzieD: 2011*7

Here is a private joke (the memory of trauma!) which I will share. In American Lit we read "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Teacher asked, "What is the season?" Lizzie answered, "Spring." Teacher was highly disappointed. "Oh, no, Lizzie dear, it's autumn. Leaves turn gold in the autumn. They fall off the trees in the autumn" If Frost had seen our maple, he might have changed his mind too.....

"Nothing Gold Can Stay"
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
~Robert Frost






LizzieD: 2011*1
LizzieD: 2011*2
LizzieD: 2011*3
LizzieD: 2011*4
LizzieD: 2011*5
LizzieD: 2011*6

BEST FROM THE FIRST HALF OF '11
All Clear
Ex Libris
Devices and Desires and Evil for Evil
Cloud Atlas
A GLASTONBURY ROMANCE
Oryx and Crake
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Our Tragic Universe
Dissolution, Dark Fire, and Sovereign
Brooklyn
The Seas
The Invisible Bridge
Letters Between Six Sisters
The Memory of Love

(* denotes a review on the book page)

JULY
42. Cold Comfort Farm* - rural Sussex and a sensible woman - as funny as everybody claims
43. Unnatural Death - Lord Peter Wimsey - three - We have the body and the suspect, but was it murder?
44. Pagans and Christians* - a macrocosm - Western religion, second through fourth centuries C.E.
45. A Visit from the Goon Squad - for Orange July - Life's a network and Time's a goon - clever and beyond
46. The Magicians and Mrs. Quent - pastiche, magick (!) - no clarity in authorial intention
47. Sacred Hunger - 18th century slave trade - a restrained epic
48. The Shadows in the Street - Simon Serrailler mystery #6 - wonderful characters, concerns, plot!
49. Fingersmith - for Orange July - two motherless girls in Victorian England - cross, double-cross, cross some more

AUGUST
50. The Constant Nymph* - for AV/AA - living or not with a musical genius or two - pretty good
51. Bidding for Love - pure chick lit - a Sunday afternoon confection
52. The Wise Man's Fear - day 2 Kingkiller Chronicles - great fantasy!
53. Bel Canto - music, romance, genius, tragedy - love the writing; love the characters; LOVE it!
54. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club - Lord Peter #4 - a reread - not a favorite but good enough
55. A Note in Music* - for AV/AA - middle-aged dreary lives with some hope of resolution
56. The Winter Sea - a dandy old-fashioned historical romance - 1708 - restore James to the throne of Scotland?
57. My Animal Life* - literary memoir - ER - Maggie Gee's celebration of life
58. Cemetery of Angels - ghost story - pretty creepy
59. Mayflower - history of a couple of generations of Pilgrims and Indians - highly recommended!
60. Friday's Child - fluffy, witty, silly regency - enjoyable the second time through

SEPTEMBER
61. Love Letters - chickie lit - but it has a book festival in it!
62. Truman - great man; great biography
63. The Orlando Trilogy* - a mix of modern mythology and politics in mid-century England - pretty good!
64. Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip - an excuse to look at related events
in 1953 - lots of fun
65. Fasting for Ramadan* - poetic and brief from a blog and a private journal - not as good as I had hoped; better than I had felt at the beginning
66. The Reluctant Widow - not much romance but all the elements of a Gothic adventure with tongue in cheek - Love it!

OCTOBER
67. The Blood of Flowers - historical romance set in 17th century Isfahan - entertaining
68. Kraken - a giant squid and the apocalypse - new weird going on for a little too long
69. The One You Really Want - chick lit again - fun and silly
70. Emma - a perfect heroine with a few flaws - a perfect book with a very few flaws
71. Reamde* - the perfect thriller - LOVED IT!!!
72. Outwitting History: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books - books, book lovers, language - LOVED IT!!!

NEW IN SEPTEMBER

(---but ordered in August)
The Namesake - PBS
Lives of the Monster Dogs - PBS and Messenger of Truth as a gift added in
(Real September!)
Daughter of Earth - a gift!!!!!
Dietrich Bonhoeffer ✔ - Kindle Daily Deal, and what a deal it is!
Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip ✔ - Kindle
Fasting for Ramadan ✔ - June ER selection
Soulless - Kindle Daily Deal
Exile - PBS
Halting State - a gift!!!!!
All Passion Spent - a gift!!!!!
Portrait of a Marriage - a gift again!!!!!
Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity & Grace - PBS
Out Stealing Horses ✔ - PBS
Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 - Kindle Daily Deal
Outwitting History ✔ - PBS
The Life of Jane Austen - AMP
Love at All Ages - PBS
Jane Austen: A Life - AMP ✔
Mr. Timothy - PBS
There Once Was a World - AMP
Means of Ascent ✔ - PBS

(✔ = Read already!)

All the talk about typing has led me to consider handwriting I have known. Mine looks pretty good some days, upside down. I wish I had learned the very pretty, very legible handwriting that girls seemed to learn in the 80's. Now they all print. The worst I ever saw, and I could never read more than one word in ten, was a girl who squared off every letter, and wrote them all exactly the same size: no tails or tall things. (Oh dear. They have names. Somebody will tell me, I'm sure.) She also didn'tleavespacesbetweenwords. I had to get her to read every single paper she handed in. Awful! Then there were a couple of boys who I was sure were brain-damaged because their writing was so peculiar: cursive with connections in weird places and no connections in other easy ones. I was interested enough to google the topic, but I don't see pictures like their writing. The nt he re w a s thebo ywh o pr int e d l iketh i s. I was able to do something about him!

HA! I have been first to a thread two days in a row! Of course, beyond that what do I have to say. My handwriting (not to talk about me or anything) varies according to my mood, the more excited and engaged I am the worse it gets........ so it is a real sign that I'm down (or making a HUGE effort) when I write very neatly.

Hi Peggy. You have a pretty ambitious list. And I am the first to visit. I've never been first before. I want to hear about Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Hi Peggy! I'm here and you're starred! I am definitely not known for good handwriting. I was the very last student in my 6th grade class to be admitted to the "Pen and Ink Club," membership of which was bestowed upon those with penmanship neat enough for graduation from pencil to pen. My children's school still teaches (and grades) handwriting and penmanship, which was sad news for my older daughter, who inherited her struggles naturally, I'm afraid.

Handwriting was always my lowest grade in elementary school. *hangs head* And it varies greatly from time to time--sometimes smoothly rounded and sometimes very jagged, depending on what? Mood? Coordination for the day? But always slants to the left--supposed to be a sign of contrariness. My 7th-8th grade teacher certainly thought so!

Handwriting is becoming a forgotten art-form which I think is sad. I write with a cursive script that I learned when I was about 8 but I also have my 'quick - must jot down fast' scribble hat seems to be the rule of thumb for today's kids, or the big block printing style. I think we can squarely place the demise of cursive script at the feet of the almighty computer.

Hooray, a new thread, and handwriting instead of typing! I'm a part-time (very part-time) calligrapher. I can write beautifully when I take the time to do so, and before everyone became their own desktop publisher I used to do posters and tickets for events and things to keep my hand in. I have even in the past cut my own goose quills and reeds (once, on a workshop)! ... But usually I am in a rush, using cheap ballpoints, and writing illegibly.

MydoctoralthesiswasabouthowIrishScribesinthe7th century started introducing spaces between words, bless them - before that they were not considered necessary!

And they are ascenders and descenders, those 'tails and tall things' :)

Welcome to the new thread, Lucy, Beth, Anne, Roni, and Leonie! I thought I had posted a response sometime earlier, but I see that it went somewhere else.
Roni, my handwriting always looks like the same person did it, but some days it's awful and other days it's O.K. I envy my mother whose writing is perfect; she learned it in secretarial school in the 40's. I also note that before the days of projection systems, I had to print on the board because the kids couldn't read my cursive script. I often had to read the comments I had made on their papers to them too. Wasn't I reading about the value of cursive writing for brain development? I know I did; I just don't know what it was.
(I continue to read *Truman* - headed toward page 800, but I won't make that tonight, I fear.)

I have very "teacherly" handwriting when I take my time. My grocery lists - and some of my book lists - are hurriedly scribbled. I recently got the Noteshelf app for my ipad so I can write with a stylus. I'm very thankful that the program comes with a virtual eraser!

Peggy, I liked your opening story and the Frost poem that refutes your teacher!

I have been---well, no, I don't suppose "enjoying" is exactly the right word, but following with avid interest the recent conversations on these threads, and felt that I had to just pop in and say that after quite some time of trying I have finally managed to get my hands on a copy of Richard Lederer's Anguished English. The cover quote is a student's assertion that "Sir Francis Drake circumcised the world with a 100-foot clipper". One shudders to think where it might go from there. :)

Hello, hello!
Love the story and the poem!

Yes, that is a lovely poem about Spring Autumn!

Ah, boys and handwriting ...

I remember working very carefully on my handwriting on some thank-you card way back when. "Who is this from?" asked the recipient, and then when told it was from me: "From Steve? Oh my goodness! He writes like a girl!"

I recognize it now for a compliment, but it was hard to take it that way at the time.

Okay, call me stupid, but I'm not sure I see why that poem IS about Autumn. First it's a flower, THEN it's a leaf, first it's gold BEFORE it's green - one's a Spring reference, one an Autumn reference, no? (See, this is why I don't like poetry, it's confusing.)

I've gotten pretty good at deciphering poor handwriting, but when it's obviously bad on purpose (because the student couldn't remember to proper ending for the pluperfect subjunctive and so just ended the word with a scribble), I'd chuckle to myself and mark it wrong. My motto: if I can't read it, I assume you've got it wrong. No benefit of the doubt in *my* classroom! Ha!

17 - You've got it right, all of those things are in it. Just think: fleeting, precious - each phase, and the whole. youth, flowering, etcetera. It's like digging for potatoes. Buried treasure at many levels. Just when you think you've got all your spuds you find another.

LOL Lucy. I love that analogy.

Welcome Genny (we cross-posted, I think), Donna, Liz, Steve, Janet, Amber, and Lucy and the poetic potatoes! (Do people in other parts of the world "grabble" potatoes? We do.) Amber, on tests, I used the "I can't read it, so it's wrong" rule too, but when they turned in whole pages of illegibility..... Most kids even here have access to computers now, but that makes for other problems as we well know. ("If I wanted to know what's on the Internet, I'd just go to the website and save you the trouble of handing in anything." "I don't give grades; I keep score." etc., etc. I should have made a CD and saved my voice.)
I see that PBS has copies of Anguished English up for grabs, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to get one. I love and adore my early Dr. Seuss Pocket Book of Boners from 1941..... My all-time favorite: "Tell all that you know about Keats." "I don't know anything. I don't even know what they are." My life-time friend Truman (his first name, not to be confused with Harry) did ask the geometry teacher to "repeat that about circumcised circles over again one more time."
Steve, I have to say that it was a boy who gave me one answer to my question of why kids were sticking Weird capital letters in the middle of their sentences...."I like the way I write my capital B's."
("Ascenders and descenders" Very clear. Thank you, Genny!)

I was thinking Truman Capote.

The Keats (I don't even know what they are) had me falling off my chair.

Hilarious post, Peggy. However, you are going to have to tell me what "grabbling potatoes" means. I have never heard the phrase...

>16 swynn: lol, believe me that was a great compliment!

Grabbling is a sublime word. I do believe people sometimes grabble around in refrigerators late at night and maybe the freezer (ditto, late) looking for one more carton of ice cream..... seems to be a word that involves food. I have to go consult my OED.....

Grabble is excellent - very much how it feels, especially in the dark.

My handwriting varies. When I'm trying to be very logical or businesslike, it's small and spiky like my father's. His secretary once got our handwriting confused, and she'd been working for him for decades. When I'm endorsing checks, on the other hand (oo - pun?), my style is much more fluid, and sometimes reminds me of my mother's. Alas, she can't write the way she used to, elegantly and legibly. The brain and the hand don't coordinate much anymore. But she did have lovely cursive.

In between, it's usually legible to me, as long as I don't wait too long! And the more I work with computers, which is all I do these days, the more difficult it gets. I can't really blame the kids - they get no practice, whereas I hand-wrote all my schoolwork until high school, as I recall, and most of the drafts after that. Now, when I think of keeping a journal of some sort, my instinct is to hand-write it but the muscles don't always cooperate. I'm caught in an inarticulate ditch between the emotional satisfaction of handwriting and the familiarity of type.

When Hurricane Irene was bearing down a few weeks ago, a man I work with was lamenting the possible loss of power because then there would be nothing to do. I'm afraid many people are like him, unable to make their own fun without electricity, or write their own names without a computer. Somehow, it makes me think of Cloud Atlas.

Penmanship! When I was a kid, the grades consisted of two parts -- a letter grade for how you measured against the standard or the curve, or whatever; and a number which was supposed to measure your performance against your own potential.

I got an A-2 in penmanship.

When my mom asked how one could be expected to do better than an A, the teacher claimed that my writing was A-level compared to other kids in my grade; however, (at that time, in HER opinion) I was bright enough that I should have been able to do better if I really tried. (As if intelligence and motor skills were the same thing.)

Re: the discussion of keyboards on the last thread, I started learning piano before I started typing, and seemed to do OK at both.

In 4th grade we got these gorgeous fountain pens from the school when our penmanship passed a certain 'level'...... I didn't get mine until the end of the year, and I don't think I ever made the grade, it's just at the end of the year they gave them to everyone. We actually had to write our final drafts with this particular fountain pen, real ink, ink pots, etc. You stuck it in the little pot and pulled out this metal bar and it caused ink to be sucked into the pen. We all had blue fingers. And no, I didn't go to school in the 19th century, but I did start out at a very very old-fashioned all girls school.....

Fountain pens!

Hi, Becky, Lucy, Megan, Terri, Judy, and Jenn. I never looked "grabble" up; we just did it and knew that was what we were doing because Grandmama had told Mama and Mama had told me. OED says that our use of it (feeling around with your hands is not quite the OED's words) is intransitive, but I don't remember saying "grabble for." Anyway, if you want just a few potatoes for dinner, but you don't want to harvest the whole crop, you grabble.
"As if intelligence and motor skills were the same thing"! How many kids suffer because of that kind of casual assumption! I wonder that anybody dares to get in front of a classroom for fear of just that unconscious cruelty.
Fountain pens indeed!!! I used bottles and bottles of brown ink in my younger years and always loved filling the pen! I had forgotten the common Shaeffer Skrip? bottles with the little well at the top. Thanks for the memory!

You mean you guys don't use your fountain pens any more? My husband and I always write birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc., using ours. It's like dressing up for special occasions.

I'm a bit envious, Janet. My last one blew its gasket, and I've never tried to replace it. I'd prefer to do important stuff with a fountain pen too.

For a little extra money I proctor SAT exams. There is one part where the students have to copy a statement and the directions tell them to do it in script. I guess they don't teach script any more judging by the hew and cry. "Well, can I just print it?" "I just read what I am told, do what you can!"

There's not much I remember from high school except learning calligraphy in a graphic art class. I still love lettering but I use the specially tipped markers instead of the India ink and pens.

This will sound weird, but I love writing the notes to school after one of my girls has been sick, it's one of the few times I get to write a proper letter nowadays. Sad when that is something you look forward to.

I had a lovely Parker -- used ink cartridges -- but they seem to have stopped making the pens and even though I could still get cartridges up to two years ago the two pens I had eventually imploded and started leaking so I had to give up. I keep meaning to choose a new 'fountain' pen because I do like them but when I look on the 'fancy pen' rack at Staples I get a bit overwhelmed and just give up. I've done this several times now.....

Frankly, it's the bottles of ink that terrify me.

Oh, delighted to be in good company with lovers of fountain pens and fine handwriting! I have a thing for lovely pens - I don't know many others who do, save for one colleague, but once more my idiosyncracies seem to fit right in here on LT! I'd love to own a Pelikan fountain pen, but I've never been able to justify the $ outlay.

ETA: had to fix my typo "colleague" in my original post

I recently addressed a hundred wedding invitations using calligraphy, albeit with a felt tip pen rather than the old pen and ink, which is how I got started. I've always loved doing calligraphy but there's not an awful lot of call for it. My actual handwriting is a mix of writing and printing. It's unfortunate that there's so little call for using handwriting.

Hello to pen-and-ink sisters mamzel, Lucy, Leonie, Jenn, Nancy, and Bonnie! It's sad about the printing, mamzel; that's how it is here too. I would have loved to learn calligraphy, but nothing much artistic happens when I have pen in hand - the exact opposite, in fact. No uses for caligraphy??? You must live in a big town, Bonnie, or not have any contact with the local high school. We had only one generous soul that we could appeal to when we needed certificates made out for awards at the end of school.
Just reporting that I am now 875/992 in *Truman*! It's good, but I'm ready to devote most of my time to Harry Truman's Great Adventure, which I will use for my study club program. If I haven't said, this is a delightful book so far in which the author retraces and writes about the Truman's drive from Independence back to D.C. and NYC after his retirement.

Here are my prides and joy. I have 5 cartridge fountain pens and 1 antique pen that pulls the ink up into the reservoir by lever, as noted above. I have a bottle of green ink and one of red ink that I use for Christmas cards with with these glass pens.

#39 Oh, beautiful, Roni! Thanks for posting : ).

>38 LizzieD: I would have helped with your high school certificates! I love calligraphy, but ever since my pen got stolen I havent done much. Plus...I dont have much use for it these days. Once for Christmas I wrote out the lyrics of each persons favourtie song for my close friends. That was nice- and I think they appreciated the time taken in each present.

What beautiful pens!

I like to drool over the Levenger catalogs and their fancy fountain pens. I have a couple, and I try really hard to use them, but I don't think I know how to use them properly. Sigh.

Roni, thank you for giving my thread a lot of class! Those pens are gorgeous! It's wonderful to see something beautiful in the hands of a person who knows how to use it. Levenger catalogs, Amber? I'm so challenged as not to know the name even. I'll google. The unattained summit of my ambition was one of those gorgeous wood pens from Hallmark back in the 70's or 80's. Now I'm thinking I'll ask for a nice pen for Christmas.
Megan, what a creative gift - both the plan and the execution! I'm sure that your friends treasure it.
Hi to Nancy and Janet!

Oh, yes, the Levenger catalogs (and website) are definitely drool-worthy!

Peggy, your thread already has a lot of class! But they are beautiful, aren't they?

Speaking of which a Levenger catalogue arrived in my mailbox today...... does any one know what's good?????

*curtsy to Roni* I looked at Levenger online, Lucy, and I'd say "Everything!"
No reading for me today. I mean NO reading at all. I'm going to hope to fix that a little bit in just a minute.

The bungee bookmarks are great--protect your book pages when you are carrying around in a bag or purse really well.

I've always written with a fountain pen since I was allowed to use one at primary school after having learnt 'joined-up' handwriting. I think I was 8 or 9? I currently use a 10 year old Waterman pen in black ink at home and a cheap Parker fountain pen in blue at work. My handwriting seems to get completely out of control when I write with biros.

LOVE LETTERS by Katie Fforde

At last! A book read in September even if it's not Truman!
This is the lightest, fluffiest of chick lit; I'm calling it chickie lit instead. Laura is retiring and timid and has spent her life reading. Friends manipulate her into organizing a literary festival and she meets and falls in love with a wild Irishman, her favorite author, who is bitter about a years-old writing block. Hmmmm. Wonder what happens!!! I'll tell you what happens. I lap it up like Bavarian cream and have a great old time.

TRUMAN by David McCullough

This is probably the best biography I've ever read - certainly nothing else springs to mind as being equally engaging. McCullough respects and shares the affection for Harry Truman that almost everybody seems to share who knew him at all . Truman emerges as a fully rounded character and not at all the simple man that his legend proclaims. He was the first President that I knew anything about, but my knowledge of the time was only childish and personal. This book gives substance to my vague ideas about the nation and world in the late 40's and 50's. I hated for him to die last night as I finished the book, but this morning I'm back on the road with Harry and Bess, sharing in Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure. AND I have his letters to Bess. I do believe I've been overcome by another passion.

Hooray! I am glad you enjoyed it so much. McCullough is exceptional, isn't he?

Truman is one of the books I had planned to read this year. Well, I still have over three months to go so it still might happen. It's the length of it that makes me reach over it for another book. He dies in the end???? Oh no! ;-)

Hi, Lucy. Oh, Donna, I'm so sorry that I spoiled it for you.... As to the length, don't worry. It reads easily without being simple.

I loved that biog. Glad to hear you did too, Peggy.

I did. Becky, have you read the Robert Caro volumes on LBJ? They are also supposed to be exemplars of the biographer's art. I'm not going to be ready for more politics for a good while, but when I am, they are next on the list.

Truman sounds great. Another long one to add to the list...

#51 You finished it - congratulations! The best biography you've ever read is certainly a high commendation. To my shame, I had to look up who Truman was though. He dies in the end? Aw, shucks.

I recommend without reservation the Caro books on LBJ. They are superb. Whether you care about Johnson or can't stand him (or both, which is me), you will like these books because they're so well-written. Plus you'll learn a lot about how Washington worked back in Johnson's time. One of the volumes is titled Master of the Senate--he certainly was. Caro is working on the fourth and last volume. I only hope he lives to finish the book.

Hi, Heather and Beth! I also have D. McCullough's John Adams that is supposed to be at least as good.
Becky, I think I had asked you about Caro before; this time I'll remember what you say. I am slapping my hands between letters to prevent my ordering the first one from AMP. I just ordered 2 bios of Jane Austen (one recommended here by Claire Tomalin, whom I love and the other recommended as being better at Amazon by a writer who got all the mechanics right....I'm such a sucker for decent writing.......) and Stasia's There Once Was a World. I'm about to go overboard again.....
*Departs with manic giggles*

And of course, I ordered the Caro. I found the 2nd volume at PBS, and since it was coming my way, I had to have the first, didn't I? I thought so.

Are you leaving any books on PBS for the rest of us Peggy?? LOL You got me with the Truman though, although I have a couple of bios to get to first including Cleopatra, the Stacy Schiff version, which I'm very anxious to get to.

#60 Ooh, who was the second JA biography written by? (who/whom?)

Heather, the second one is The Life of Jane Austen by John Halperin. It looked like a slightly different approach. I'll hope to be able to read both of them! (That's a silly statement, I realize. Of course, I mean to read them if I buy them, don't I?)
Bonnie, I'm so bedazzled by having more than 2 credits at PBS that I've gone wild. Actually, I think that I haven't gotten the only copy up for grabs of anything there. Now I'm doing some more handslapping about today's Kindle deal that is a mystery set in 1930's Chicago, True Detective. It's only 99¢ today, so I'll have to get it, but I really don't know when I'll read it.

>49 souloftherose:: I've become quite a fountain pen addict. I started using one to relieve some hand stress—I bear down too hard with ballpoints. I use a modern Pelican 800 with Diamine Umber as everyday ink, a British 1949 Parker Duofold AF with Noodler's Legal Lapis for checks (it's impervious to water), and a 1930s Pelikan 100 with an extra-flexible nib and a various inks for cards, et al.

There are various Sheaffers, Parkers and Pelikans sitting in a drawer that I can't reasonably use (how many pens does one need?) but haven't gotten up the gumption to eBay, yet, because I love their looks. I mean, something like this Sheaffer Balance Slimline (the one on the right)—I never use it but I can't bear to part with it.



ETA: The only real problem with fountain pens (from my perspective) is flying. If you leave the ink in, there's a good chance of a soaked pocket when the air pressure drops. So, I have this little plastic travel bottle for ink...

51: This is probably the best biography I've ever read
Curse you. :-) Several McCullough books added to a wishlist already beyond a plausible lifespan... I'm thinking of a personal US History challenge for 2012.

Oh Tad, they're gorgeous!!! I will absolutely ask Santa for a really good pen for Christmas - maybe a Sheaffer Balance Slimline! And I don' t fly............
Qebo, I almost never get to do that to somebody else, and it's done to me all the time around here. Really though, Truman is splendid. (I can't think about the plausible lifespan thing. I have a friend, younger than I, who is already being very, very picky about what he reads because he doesn't have much time left. I can't operate that way. Silly me.)

>67 LizzieD:: They're no longer made but you can find them used. With most of the brand name pens of that era (40s and 50s) they can be serviced to effectively new by the right people. And the material they used then was so much more beautiful than most of the pens you find now. Check out Richard Binder's site. It's educational and he does good work. I had that Sheaffer and a Parker Vacumatic restored by him. They both write wonderfully now.

Btw, if you go to his site and look at the picture of his last month's restorations, the third from the right is a Sheaffer Balance II I have coveted. I love that shade of blue.

The Balance IIs were a reproduction of the original Balances that Sheaffer did about 10 years ago. I'm sure they can still be found unused. If you think you'd prefer a cartridge pen over using bottled ink, that's an advantage of the newer ones.

These are inspiring pens! I'm going to have to look into this more seriously. I don't like 'fat' pens because I have small hands -- that's why I liked those Parkers so much.

Ooh, pretty pens.

I have small hands and I actually prefer fatter pens. I could never get comfortable with the slim but heavy Cross pens. My hands felt like they were cramping. I have to admit that my nascent glitter gene kicked in when I saw the cool sets of gel pens sold by Office Depot that were half the size of regular pens. I've used up or lost all of them now, alas. Like my coffee mugs, I would choose a color to match my mood de jour.

#64 Thanks. I think I found the review on amazon you that led you to the Halperin book. I don't think I agreed with all the reviewers comments about the Tomalin book but then it sounds like the reviewer is a more critical reader than I am (and by that I don't mean critical as in negative but critical as in questioning and thinking about what you read) which is no bad thing and something I should perhaps do more of myself but, I don't know, I think I just like reading and take a lot of it at face value.

Anyway, the Halperin bio definitely sounds interesting. I think I would like to read another Austen bio at some point anyway and it would also be interesting to reread the Tomalin bio with that review to hand (oh, for an infinite amount of time).

#65 Those are beautiful looking pens.

Btw, Peggy, you can get creative. My daughter wanted to try a fountain pen, but she thought that most store-bought were (I quote), "Boring, Dad!"

So, I bought a used Pelikan 140, had her choose a block of acrylic from an online supply house, and had a new body (binde) and grip (section) for the pen turned on a small lathe. You can only do this with certain pens (ones where the binde can be separated from the filling mechanism) but, fortunately, some of them are pretty inexpensive second-hand.

Here's the result:

My dad was a salesman and always used the Cross ballpoint pens. He also had beautiful penmanship. I can picture him now, "warming up" with his Palmer penmanship circles above the page. Oh, I miss him terribly--

Gorgeous pens, Tad!!! Your daughter's is certainly not boring!! Thank you for Richard Binder's name. I just found my old stainless steel Targa, and while I was never crazy about it, I'm wondering whether I couldn't get it repaired for less than the cost of a new pen. I have no idea what it was worth new; pretty low end, I'd guess. Anyway, I'm going to have DH take a look at it to see whether he can figure out what was wrong with it. I think that it leaked....... I don't like fat pens either although I have rather big hands; we'll see.
(Oh, Becky, how I miss my father too! It was his father that wrote with the very old-fashioned copperplate hand.)

I've never thought about pens in the fat vs thin style, I'm learning so much here. I still have my parker that I was given as a kid, with extra cartridges, and also two calligraphy pen, still with extra ink for those two. I obviously need to write more.

I found my Targa online, but the dates of production start in 1980, and I thought mine was older. Hmmmm.
Just a word about Isabel Colegate's Orlando King, the first in her *Orlando* trilogy. I finished it today, and like it very well for its construction. It's a riff on the Oedipus story; our Orlando does have a hand in his father's death and later marries his father's wife, but she's not his mother. I don't have a problem with what would be a gross spoiler in another book because Colgate is playing with time so well. I can't guess from one paragraph to the next what particular time I'm going to find. On the other hand, there is a movable "now" in which Orlando progresses. She also sometimes telescopes time. For example, when he gets his first car, there's a paragraph about that. The next paragraph describes him driving his next car; the next, the car after that; and the next, "his first Bentley." I'm on to Orlando at the Brazen Threshold, and I think that this is a Virago that I'm going to be able to recommend with enthusiasm.

Thanks for the Orlando info, Lizzie. It's one I've had on my shelf and wondered about for a while now. I also have Deceits of Time and have thought about reading that first as it's much slimmer, to get an idea of Colegate as a writer before embarking on the chunkier trilogy. I suppose with a trilogy you don't really have to read all three together though I always feel as if I must!

>78 LizzieD:: I think 1976 was the earliest: History

I had a black one with a 14K gold nib that I kept at the office for years because cartridges were easier than bottled ink in that environment. I liked it though it put out a bit too much ink on poor paper. The plastic section eventually cracked, however. I think I tightened it too much when changing cartridges.

If I find any cartridges (I think there may be a few packs lying around somewhere), I'll send them to you, if you want.

HI, Dee! I almost always think I have to read the whole trilogy-in-one volume too. I'm pretty sure that if I don't, I won't get back to it. This one is pretty much a pleasure though - I'd order at least the second book if I had them separately.
Tad, my pen had a pump and bladder, said bladder now being totally deflated and rotting away. '76 sounds more like what I had in mind. I'm now confused about whether what I have is a Targa, but that's what I remember, and it seems to be the brushed chrome classic rather than the stainless one because there is no black line at the bottom of the bindle (thanks for the word!). Anyway, thank you for the offer of cartridges, but they won't do in my pen............
And, btw, have you received your copy of Reamde yet? I know it's too early to be antsy about it, but I am.

>81 LizzieD:: I didn't think the Targa was made for bottled ink. However, I'm certainly not an expert on them. Replacing a bladder is something many places can do quite trivially.

Nope, Reamde hasn't arrived. I'm still missing several ER books. I guess publishers were just slow this summer.

Hmm I've been gloating over stuff in the Levenger catalog, but I really seriously think given my tendency to be a whirlwind of chaos that the cartridge type fountain pen is a better idea..... and these guys don't do those.

hmmmm, never heard of Levenger Catalogue, last thing I need is another shopping opportunity
*runs away with eyes closed*

>83 sibylline:: Actually, I think most of the fountain pens they sell take cartridges.

Hi Peggy. I've added Truman to my wishlist - I have 1776 by McCullough in storage in NZ, and have heard good things about that too. I read an excellent biography of Dean Acheson a few years ago... hang on I will try to find the title...Acheson: the Secretary of State who Created the American World and Truman featured quite a lot in that. It was by James Chace.

And Becky, I have the first Caro volume in a box in NZ too and will try to read at least that one next year now that you've mentioned it.

Nice fountain pens - I had a Parker when I was little.

They don't show any cartridges in the pictures and uh I didn't see any mention, but how hard did I look? Lots of little ink bottles. They really push the ink! I'll go look again.

Hello to Lucy, Megan, Tad, and Cushla. Cushla, Truman might have considered Acheson his best friend especially after his old business partner died. I'm sure that he did figure prominently in an Acheson bio. Now that you mention it, I think I have a copy of 1776 too....nope. It's one to go on a wishlist; I think I'll skip the Acheson though.
On the pen front, I talked to a man at an office supply store today, and he said, "Let's send it to Shaeffer." I'm going to take it in Monday and we'll give them a call to see what they can do. He thinks that it will still be under warranty - said that he had just gotten back a 60 year-old calligraphy pen that the company had repaired for the cost of shipping only. We'll see, but that would be a delightful turn of events.

Edited to get rid of an intrusive "c."

Wow! I'm just stunned at the number of people using fountain pens, either ink or cartridge. Apparently, I have been missing out but then I think of how little writing I do with pen and ink and I wonder whether an investment would be worth it. Hmmm, that Levenger catalog is mighty tempting....

>89 brenzi:: Bonnie, Levenger is a nice place to browse but their selection is somewhat limited. If you see something you like, it's worth a few minutes to go check out Fountain Pen Hospital or Nibs.com or any of several other sites that carry a lot of pens.

For example, if you find yourself in love with a Sailor 1911, Levenger has any color you want...as long as it's Black with Rhodium Trim (with all due apologies to Mr. Ford). Nibs.com will sell you Black/Rhodium or Black/Gold or Burgundy/Gold or Transparent or Red, all for the same price. Fountain Pen Hospital won't do Red but will add Yellow or Sterling. Etc.

ETA: I keep thinking about that pen since I no longer have a cartridge pen for work, where I don't like to have ink bottles. I like those cigar shaped styles and the Yellow/Gold would be something different than my other pens. Of course, I need another pen like I need a need a hole in the head...

Bonnie, I used to write everything with my pen. I hadn't realized until now how much I miss it. Tad, I think your last name must be Penman. I've just been browsing at Nibs.com, and I want everything I see.

If you haven't been to the Google homepage today, do get by to play with the Muppets before Jim Henson's birthday is over. SO cute!!! You can get some mouth action by clicking away from whichever character you're manipulating.

>91 LizzieD:: There's something sensuous and relaxing about a good fountain pen. It evokes another era for me, a time when things were a bit slower and more deliberate, when utilitarian or efficient weren't the overriding factors. And the good ones are minor works of design, even art. And the writing they produce is much more beautiful than the uniform, slightly sticky line of a ballpoint.

Well said! Very apropos for me too as I've been 'rereading' (by ear) to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The ballpoint is functionalism sans romance utterly. The writing equivalent of the big box store.

>92 LizzieD: I definitely found a favorite Muppet to manipulate!

Indeed, Tad and Lucy. I always feel as though I've stepped back in history in real time. I can't wait to get my pen restored - or my DH's mother's pen restored, which is a prettier one. hmmmm.
Lori, this morning I found more that the muppets do - involving the long-necked one and the guy on the end. I don't know their names, I'm sorry to say.

Yes - those guys on the end were my favorites!

I missed manipulating the Muppets, I feel so sad..

Leonie, I'm sad too. Here's a link to what some enterprising souls did by adding music.
Nothing much doing here after church. I managed to read a little Heyer and nap and walk. Pretty nice!

Are you still reading The Reluctant Widow? That one is a lot of fun, perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Yep, The Reluctant Widow is the very one. Let's hear it for Bouncer!

Just catching up with the thread...

I love Katie Fforde's books as the perfect antidote to "real life"; you might also try Trisha Ashley's books, such as The Urge to Jump. I love her heroines, who tend to be older, a tad eccentric and not necessarily classic romance fare. Ashley is also v. witty, especially in her earliest books; very whimsical.

I really want to go back to using an ink pen. For a while, I had a Waterman cartridge pen (well, it was a dual -- also had a fountain pen thingummy) but the cartridges got too hard to find. The problem I have is finding a well-made/designed pen that is both thick and lightweight -- both are VERY necessary as I hold the pen one finger over (between middle and ring finger) and tend to clutch too tightly when I scribbble. But I love the feel of it and the way the ink always flows smoothly. For a while my allegiance has shifted to rollerballs, but now it's getting hard to find the one that is thick. Why people prefer a teeny scratchy nib is beyond me. So Tad, any suggestions???

>102 Chatterbox:: How thick is thick? Can you give me a model for comparison? I'm assuming you're referring to the pen body, itself, since most name brand fountain pens come in nib widths stretching up to magic marker size.

I use a Pelikan M800 for everyday use, which isn't a cuban cigar but is also not a thin little pen. I like the weight of it—more correctly, I like the balance of it. Because it isn't a cartridge pen, the weight of the ink is closer down to the point. Also, I don't post the cap when writing because that pulls the weight too far back on the pen. So, even though it's not a featherweight like an old Parker Vacumatic, it feels right in my hand.

If you're more a cartridge type of person, I have an Aurora Talentum that I keep red ink in for marking up documents that is about the same dimensions but uses easily-found cartridges.

Since you're a NYer, I'd recommend you go to some place like Fountain Pen Hospital (10 Warren St.) or Art Brown's (West 45th) and pick up a few to see how they feel in your hand.

ETA: Here's a photo from someone's site showing the Aurora Talentum being held in a woman's hand to give you an idea of scale. The Pelikan is very similar in size. As I said, I don't post caps because I like the weight lower down, but...



ETA2: ...but the cartridges got too hard to find Cartridges are pretty easy to find online or at any good pen store. However, I agree they're not in every little mom-and-pop stationery store and this can be annoying if you need one right this minute!

Another option if you get back into fountain pens is to use a converter. It's a little doohickey that turns a cartridge pen into a bottled ink pen. Then you buy a bottle of your favorite color (hundreds of choices instead of just blue, black, blue/black and, if you're lucky, red) and you have three or four hundred cartridges of ink. A bit sloppier, true...but consider it a contribution to the environment in plastic savings. *smile* That's what I use on the Aurora.

Hmmm. That one's way too fat for me. In fact, my Targa is on the borderline, and I like the weight at the back, so the chrome is darkened down there from my posting the cap...more language that I didn't know. I just got a call that my ink is in, so I'll take the pen down there today and see what's what.
Thanks for the expertise, Tad, and to you, Suzanne for joining the discussion. (I inherited a bunch of British chick lit, but I don't think that Trisha Ashley is in the mix. I have lots of Jill Mansell, Marcia Willet, Kelly Something and her sister Sarah Something - I'll have to look more carefully.)
Meanwhile, I'll maybe finish *Orlando* today and have something to say about him. Yippeee!

I'm afraid I like very thin -- that looks too plump for me. That's why I was so contented with my ole Parker. Oh well. Maybe I can find them still on line.

A Sheaffer Balance Slimline is less than half that thickness. It's the thinnest pen I've seen...more like a Cross ballpoint. I did love the wartime Parkers, Lucy, they were a nice size. I have a plain black English Duofold and a gold pearl Vacumatic like the one below.

Peggy,

Do you want the pen discussion gone? :-D

Hey, Tad and Lucy... No, please, talk about pens! I'm seeing a new world open and remembering more every day how much I enjoyed my two good pens. I found some gorgeous ones in the Pilot/Namiki Nippon Art collection, but I didn't bother to check out prices. If I can get this one back in working order, I'll be beyond content - and write everybody a note just to show off!

Thanks for the Muppets link, too much fun.

$25 for cleaning and an ink delivery upgrade with a 2 to 3 week turn-around since they're a bit behind. Pen is packed and ready to go. I do wish I felt more secure about the USPS.

Thanks, Tad! Yes, I was referring to the part of the pen that you hold, primarily, as I know that when I get one I can choose a thicker nib as well. The one is for how it feels in my hand; the second, for how it feels when I write! I'm think of something that is around 1/2 inch thick, at a guess. Thanks for the tips! The one I had when I was a child was too skinny and didn't have that little bump before the nib, so my fingers kept sliding down and getting inky... I do put the cap on the end of the pen as I am incredibly prone to mislay small and vital objects, such as pen caps, subway passes, library cards, earrings, cell phones, etc. No point using it and then have it dry up because you were a dolt and put the cap somewhere.

Tks for allowing the thread hijack!!

No hijack! I've loved it, and I've also found a Trisha Ashley - Singled Out, I think - so that's in line when I need something light and when I finish the Erica James in progress.

THE ORLANDO TRILOGY by Isabel Colegate
These three short novels follow a family from the 1930's to the 1950's (mostly skipping WWII) as the men move from the center of political influence to the periphery and the women go their own way. I liked it without loving it and will be happy to be able to talk about impressions if anybody else has read this VMC. I did review it if you care to look at the book's page.

Peggy, lovely to "see" you this evening over at my place, hehe. I'm green with pen-love. I have to get another fountain pen! I haven't read any The Orlanda Trilogy, but I'm off to read your review.

Singled Out is very good, too. I do enjoy chick lit that isn't just a nice ingenue looking for love, but an older woman trying to figure out what love means. Yes, it's conventional romance, but with a fun twist. I hope you'll enjoy it!

I don't think I've read the Colegates, but I have this feeling I tried them ages and ages ago -- and didn't finish the first one -- I wonder if it was because of the 'coldness' you describe in your so excellent review.

Morning to Nancy, Suz, and Lucy. I do like visitors!
I'm stopping in to announce that I won Dangerous Ambition: Rebecca West and Dorothy Thompson: New Women in Search of Love and Power from ER and am excited about it. Seems as though they're announcing a little early this month. I'm still waiting for Reamde to come from the August list and will now have two sizable volumes to get through for them. That's not counting the very small Fasting for Ramadan which goes up and down for me, but which is not a quick read. What a lovely problem!!! AND I've ordered 3 Iain Bankses from PBS in a lucky find as a result of talking about him on Lucy's thread. (I do hope that something arrives today......)

HARRY TRUMAN'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE: THE TRUE STORY OF A GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP by Matthew Algeo

I finished sooner than I expected since a good 24% of this book on Kindle is taken up with sources, bibliograpy, index, and a preview of Algeo's next book about Grover Cleveland. Algeo does trace the Trumans from Independence to DC, Philadelphia, NYC, and back. In fact, he followed in their tracks in 2006 and contrasts what he saw then with 1953. The Trumans' trip, then, turns out to be the hook. I could have done with a great many more Harry quotations and a lot less of the history of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, for instance. However, this is a pleasant, enjoyable book which will be helpful in my study club program. I do wish I had checked it out of the library though.

Good morning, Peggy! (At least, it still is here.) I won Catholicism, which sounded interesting. I'm lapsed, but the rest of my family is still devout and I'll pass it on to my sister when I'm done.

Good afternoon, Roni. I confess that I looked at Catholicism too, but there were a couple that interested me more, so I didn't ask for it. I'm working on Fasting for Ramadan this afternoon and finding less to quarrel with than I did early on. I guess I'll need to reread the first before I write my ER review.

Hi Peggy, your wonderful review of The Orlando Trilogy has me tempted but since my WL consists of 304 books already, I'm going to pass for now. I'm one of the lucky ones I guess because my ER books all (but one) have arrived within a couple of weeks of my being notified that I'd won. Nothing appealed to me this month but I still have Sleepwalkers from last month to read.

You guys are dangerous for the wallet - now I want to order from the Levenger catalog and buy an expensive pen!! ;)

I think that catalog is an excellent place to go to develop one's christmas/birthday list........ I got a little item from there for my birthday that I love -- this little rectangular thing you can keep notecards in -- I have it handy all the time in my 'thing' bag (as my family calls it) and use it constantly. The cards are index card size - I use them as bookmarks and write notes on them and keep my stickies on them. I'm thinking about pens and xmas ...... very intently....... of course I also want a puppy. But I think I have a higher likelihood of getting a nice fountain pen.

A "thing" bag! I need one!!

Bonnie, you're nice and fair play is that you should be bitten at least once by something I've read since I've ordered so many things from your reviews.
Yeah, Angela, I know. Lucy, I'm glad to see fall arrive because it means that I can break out my "thing" bag too although I don't have a nifty card holder. A fountain pen is certainly quieter than a puppy and chews less -------
Hi, Nancy!

FASTING FOR RAMADAN by Kazim Ali
This was my June ER book (ordered because Lucy loved it so much), which arrived only this month. I liked it better by the time I finished than I did when I started. I went back and reread a lot of the beginning, but I still found the review hard to write. At least I quoted a lot so that people could see what they might be getting into. I think I'm too prosaic a character to have much patience with Ali's suggestive writing. I don't think I'm being fair, but it's how I feel. I do see from the other reviews that people's reactions are all over the place.
I'm glad to be moving on!

THE RELUCTANT WIDOW by Georgette Heyer
Even though this is not a lough out loud zany Heyer, it is a lot of fun because the hero and heroine are such practical people in such an over-the-top romantic situation. We have a governess, a marriage of convenience, a death of convenience, a secret passage, a Heyer dog, the obligatory little brother (who does seem a bit young for Oxford), SPIES!, and even a very small spot of romance.

(A reminder to myself. I have signed up for the following TIOLI challenges, so I should read these books! I went overboard last month and had to take so many off the wiki that I was a little disgusted with myself.)

#1 - a book from this semester's English course - Emma
#10 - a book surprise from Book Browse - The Blood of Flowers
#18 - a book mentioned in fewer than 150 conversations - Jane Austen: A Life

I noticed you signed up for the Austen bio -- kudos! Tomalin is an excellent biographer, IMO. I quite liked The Blood of Flowers -- think I read it last year or the year before? I'm quite happy with some of the final challenges as they are broad enough for me to get some library books read and some other stuff off my TBR mountain...

I have been ignoring the TIOLI for several months. Sigh. Too busy to go there now. Maybe in December... on reflection, thinking I'll have more time in December is seriously funny. :)

I read The Reluctant Widow this week while trying to ignore my sinus infection. I really enjoyed it. Especially Bouncer. After that, I felt happier, so I read Cotillion, Black Sheep, Venetia and False Colours. A total binge. It's been great.

Lizzie - I recently read the Tomalin biography too - I found it very readable. It usually takes me months to finish biographies but I managed this one in a week. Hope you enjoy it!

I was very excited to find that Tomalin/Austen bio in a charity shop over the summer. Perhaps I should read it this month too...

The Tomalin/Austen bio is fantastic and very readable as Athabasca said. I have her bio of Pepys to read although I won't be able to squeeze it in this month without squeezing out something else...

I wishlisted The Blood of Flowers after reading someone's review in the Orange group (can't remember whose unfortunately).

I have the Tomalin right here! Are you about to read it? Or just thinking of reading it. I can't take it on right this minute, but I could soon.

I reached age 40 with a giant Austen-shaped hole in my reading life, but I have filled it over the past 12 months with 5 of her 6 major books, mostly on audio. Emma is my favorite -- enjoy!

Hi, Suzanne, Jenn, Atahbasca, Dee, Heather, Lucy, and Anne. Great to hear so many positive things about the Tomalin Austen! (And about The Blood of Flowers too.) I've happily started them both. However, Lucy, if you're ready to read CT on JA, I'll put it aside and wait for you. I think it goes pretty quickly. In fact, I might start the other Austen bio (John Halperin) and drop him when you can get to CT. Lemme know. Dee? Join us?? The only other CT that I've tried is The Invisible Woman about Nelly Ternan and C. Dickens. I really liked it but put it down shortly after I arrived at LT because there was just so much going on and so many new things coming in. Oh. And I had just read the Orange-nominated Girl in a Blue Dress and was a bit topped out with them. What a place though!
I was vastly excited in the biography department when the first volume of the Robert Caro *LBJ* arrived in the mail today - except that it wasn't. The seller sent me the second volume instead - which I just got from PBS. I thought I had finally lost my last marble if I had ordered the same thing twice, but it was their mistake. I hope they make it good. Actually, I first thought that I had finally gotten my copy of Reamde, my August ER ARC. Nope. Not yet. It's a long wait until mail delivery Monday.
Anne, I'm happy that you are filling your Austen hole. I have ranked Emma in the upper middle of my JA list, but of course, it's wonderful.
Jenn, I'm sorry that you're busy and sick. Heyer is good for what ails you, though. I need to get back to Venetia; the other one on your list that I haven't read or can't remember (same difference) is Black Sheep. It's good to have a Heyer to spare!

Hi, Peggy. I'm hoping to start the Tomalin bio soon but it probably won't be that soon so no need to put it on hold on my account. I look forward to hearing Lucy's and your thoughts on it!

Hi Peggy. I'm glad to hear so many positives about the Tomalin biog of Austen. The only one I've read is the one by Park Honan (1987), and I read that one when it came out, so it's been a lot of years. I'll be eagerly waiting your joint read to see what you have to say about it.

I should be ready to read the Tomalin in a week or two? Whenever you finish the other one, if you feel like plunging into a second one?

I won't finish the other one now, but I'll read it for additional insights and then save it for later when we go back to CT. Two weeks sounds fine to me, and maybe Dee will be ready by then.
Today I'm going to give my non-nap time this afternoon to Kraken. I'm taking too long on it, but it's really too long itself...intriguing, but too long. Hi, Becky! Don't you want to join us? You probably need to start another bio.......

Oh woe, Peggy, I'm so tempted, which would make that about Book #7 in progress. Not good. I guess it depends on when you start, since I'd love to join you, but we'll see. I'm going to order the book so that I have it on hand "just in case." It looks very good.

Just think about it Becky, since we aren't starting tomorrow....
Not a good day for reading but a good day for cheap Kindle deals which I'll put in the next post. Also a day for another good seller at AMP who sent the wrong book (well, that wasn't good) and immediately credited my card for the full purchase. I don't mind giving them 5 star rating at all - and I've reordered the book from somebody else, so I'm good.

NEW IN OCTOBER

The Hangman's Daughter - Kindle Daily Deal
Mariette in Ecstacy - Kindle (from Bonnie's thread)
The Whistling Season - PBS (also from Bonnie, I think)
Reamde✔ - ARC ER YAY
Dangerous Ambition - ARC ER "Yay" again
The Path to Power (Vol. 1 of the LBJ bio) - AMP
Body and Soul (but the real title has an &) - PBS
Whit - PBS
The Bridge - PBS
Canal Dreams - PBS
Eyewall - Kindle Daily Deal
Life and Fate - AMP
Invitation to the Dance - Kindle
Porius - AMP
The Miracle Game - PBS
The Journey Home - PBS
The Land of Green Plums - PBS
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex - PBS
1Q84 - Kindle
The China Lover - PBS
Master of the Senate (Vol. 3 of the LBJ bio) - AMP

Did Reamde arrive?

No, Tad. Not yet. Does it come by USPS (in which case I'm beginning to despair - they lose books more frequently than I'd think possible) or UPS? Maybe today...........

If I remember correctly, mine came by USPS.

Uh oh.

Did I say? I sent my pen off to Shaeffer repair last week, and the USPS says it arrived on Friday. I am on tenterhooks waiting for them to call to say what it needs to work again and how much it will cost. I'll be disappointed if it's more than $25 - the new bladder and a good cleaning should be all. Just thought I'd report.

Just swinging through to catch up and say hi!

I wonder what sort of 'backlog' they have?

Hi, Leonie! Lucy, they said 2 or 3 weeks turn-around, but I thought that they would call me pretty quickly. It begins to appear that I'm wrong about that.
I don't know why I did this today - trying to avoid something I must do, I guess - but it occurred to me to wonder how many of my new books this year I've read. I started keeping count in February, so in these 8 months I've bought or acquired 136 books and read *drrrrrrrrrr* 24 with a couple in progress. That's 17%, not as bad as I expected but serious.

JOY! JOY!! JOY!!! My ER copy of Reamde arrived today by UPS, and it's a beautiful first edition - well worth waiting for. I'm not sure that I can put everything else on hold, but topping 1000 pp, I should.

Hurray! So glad your copy showed up.

I've been recording which of my acquired books I've read, but not counting them, if you know what I mean. So I went to my list and counted, as you made me curious: 56/122 read, 46%--it's all those books bought at Borders closing sales that have killed me! I am doing much better this year than last year. Not so good with books off the shelf as a result, only 25 this year.

Well, Roni, your percentage of this year's new books is very good. Everything I read is something that I own, but I'll have to live to be more than 100 to ever read all of them.

I love your enthusiasm for your books, Peggy. Enjoy the Reamde!

OK, for my profound questions of the day..... How are you supposed to pronounce Reamde? Is the title a (one letter exchanged) pun? Are the answers so obvious I should be embarrassed?

I've got a hold on Reamde at the library, but suspect it will take quite a while for the book to reach me as other borrowers will hang on to it until they are finished. So I'll be relying on you to let me know if it's worth purchasing!!

>153 sibylline:: I'm pronouncing it "reem dee" since the characters are speculating that it's a misspelling of "read me."

ETA: It strikes me as rather different that most of Stephenson's work—not in tone or writing style, simply that it's not particularly high tech. So far, nothing that isn't early 1990s. I'm enjoying it a lot, though.

I was actually thinking 'reamed' as in, ripped off, ecteral -- I have no idea what the plot is, of course! Just my busy little mind buzzing around.

Happy Day, Becky, Lucy, Suze, and Tad! Tad, a reviewer here said that he heard NS speak somewhere, and that he was saying, "Reem - dee," so it looks like you're exactly right. (I was thinking "reamed" too, Lucy. Looks like that might be another layer of meaning.)
*Reamde* is about an online gaming universe, the man who created it, and a virus that attacks the files of its players and holds them hostage. I get that from the cover blurb. Stephenson is unique and hiply geeky. This one is not supposed to have a lot of science in it, and I can't say yet whether I'll miss it. I'm encouraged that Tad is enjoying it. My favorite remains Cryptonomicon that slides between WWII with British cryptoanalysts (I think I may have made up that word - code-breakers, then), and action in the Philippines, and a near-future attempt to set up a data haven there.

That plot description from the cover is really not very good. It's factually true, but it's really a thriller where the computer virus component is just a vehicle.

Thanks, Tad. I'm ready to ride. Meanwhile ----

THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS by Anita Amirrezvani
This historical romance/woman's book was on the long list for the 2008 Orange. It's been sitting on my shelf since July of that year, so I was happy when a TIOLI challenge spurred me to read it. I will think of this as a shorter, Iranian The Invisible Bridge. It's a very entertaining novel (I did finish in record time for me), very well researched (I guess --- how would I know?). Even with the author's claim, however, that it reflects Persian diction, a very entertaining novel is the extent of it for me. This is no little accomplishment, but I want more.
Briefly, our narrator is a 17 year old who goes to Isfahan with her mother after her father dies, to find refuge with her father's brother, the colorist for the shah's rug industry. She is a talented rug-maker herself, and her uncle values her, but his wife makes her and her mother into servants. The unnamed narrator is too naive and impulsive to think things through, so she goes through some hard times including a temporary marriage with a wealthy young man. Each chapter ends with a traditional Persian story or myth, intended to add depth to the action: sometimes effective, sometimes not.
I rated this at three stars, but I think I need to change that to 3½ because it did hold my attention, and some people will love it.

What a day for the mailman! Three of Iain Banks, Body and Soul, and my first volume of R. Caro's LBJ bio. I'm feeling glutted..........well, that's a lie, but I am happy.

Hooray for new books! Enjoy.

Three Iain Banks! Wow! That will keep you very busy. As will the Caro. But happy is good.

Finally caught up again Peggy. Loved all the pen talk - I hope yours arrives back safely after its overhaul.

I'd go and count my books read as proportion of books bought, but I think I'd be embarrassed by the result...

Hi, Anne, Lucy and Genny! I'm a step closer to actually reading one of my new books but only a step. (I'm embarrassed, Genny, just not enough to change.) (I'm also ready to hear something about my pen. It got to Iowa on the 30th, but they haven't called yet to tell me what repairs will entail. I'm calling them Monday if they don't call by then.)

KRAKEN by China Miéville

I'll confess that if CM writes it, I'm going to read it. This is a real trip into new weird where there is the London of ordinary folks like you and me and the London that is a heresiopolis of folks who work their knacks. Billy Harrow lives in the first until the day that the Kraken, a giant squid that he has preserved for the Darwin Institute, is stolen in the winking of an eye. When his best friend disappears, he joins one of the museum's guards, a worshiper of the Kraken, to find it. Soon Billy, Dane, and the reader know that more is at stake than one huge museum piece. Nothing less than the end of the world is coming, and coming quickly, ushered in by such baddies as the Tattoo and Goss and Subby. (I had to get them in my review; they are disgustingly fascinating.) My only real problem is that it takes so long for Miéville to bring it on.
Any fans of Tim Powers will recognize the imagination being spun out immediately. In fact, I think that CM must have read Powers because at one point Billy and Dane use TP's "nobody here" shuffle from Declare to disguise their presence out on the streets. Nevertheless, reading this is an entertaining and mind-stretching experience, and I'm glad I did!

Mieville meanwhile languishes on my groaning shelves..... great review, you temptress!

>164 LizzieD:: I am so backed up on Mieville it's not funny. I have 3 monsters sitting here, waiting.

Hi Peggy, 3 stars for an Orange?? I think I'll pass on that one. As far as the Mieville goes, I've pretty much decided he's just not going to be my cuppa, although I'm always tempted. Happy Sunday!

In reverse order---
Bonnie, I went back and changed my rating to 3½ stars, I think. I meant to anyway because I was not in the mood for something that light. It's quite a decent historical novel, and Isfahan is a wonderful setting, but that's all it was for me. Miéville is certainly not everybody's cuppa, but he's one of mine.
Tad, everybody says that Embassytown is much better, and I have it to look forward to also. Heh heh heh, Lucy. I can't predict whether you'd be entranced or repulsed. So far nothing of his has come up to Perdido Street Station for me. Meanwhile, I'm feeling freer about getting into Reamde. It's definitely the NS voice, but I miss the science. I like it though, so this is one time when my anticipation is well-founded. I see that you've reviewed it, Tad, but I'm not looking yet!

In a way it is a relief when I don't like someone -- but when enough of my readerly friends do, then I doubt myself and have to go back and try again and again. In this case though, I haven't even opened a Mieville yet.

I have Perdido Street Station staring at me from the shelf. I think it will be somewhere in my next 5 books, but not sure where yet. I've been looking forward to it for ages, just not got around to it.

Let me know when Embassytown percolates near the top and maybe we can read it at the same time. As for Reamde, we'll talk when you're done.

I too have Perdido Street Station staring at me. Apparently it's everywhere. Creepy.

Lucy, Janet, and qebo, I may be in a minority of Miéville followers who love *PSS* best. I think I was as captivated by the city as by any of the characters or the plot twists - nah - I just loved the whole thing.
Tad, it will likely be next year before I'm ready for Embassytown although it is shorter than Kraken, so I might be ready sooner. If it calls you first, let me know and I'll try to join in.
Meanwhile, I'm making slow but sure progress into Reamde - the Russian mafia was totally unexpected!

I have Kraken and Perdido Street Station in my library. Someday...

Mamzel, I know all about someday. I do hope it arrives for you and Miéville though, and that you enjoy him when you get to him.
Reamde is so much fun! Anybody who has ever thought about online fantasy gaming but never done it will find a lot of wish fulfillment going on. Of course, it's not just about that fantasy game, being Neal Stephenson, but it's a lot easier reading than some of his other books.

Aaack! Somehow I accidentally sent your thread into oblivion a week ago. Thank goodness for the group wiki that helped me find it again. Because I really really wanted to stop by here to say:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Laura, thank you! I got book $ and am off to spend some of it on the Kindle in only moments. What a lovely thing!

Is it your birthday? Hope it's a great one!

It is, and it is! Thank you, Anne.

All my well-read friends may know about this already, but I just found out --- P.D. James/Jane Austen. I'll have to save some book money!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from me too!

Cool, I'm here in time for cake. Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Enjoy the new P.D. James. I have great hesitation about a mystery sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I can't wait until the book is released and you read it so you can tell us if it's worthwhile!

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, Peggy! I love P.D. James--91 years old! She's my hero. That book definitely goes on my list.

Hope you are having the happiest of birthdays, Peggy!

Happy Birthday!! Hope it's the best one yet!

Dear Lucy, Donna, Jim, Becky, and Roni - THANK YOU!!! A great part of the fun is checking back here and finding jolly messages....
I guess I have to tell you about the cake since Donna brought it up. I was just over on Becky's thread commenting about food, but the truth is that I also have a child's palate. I love and adore old fashioned, gooey, icing. Every year DH gets me an old fashioned "bought" birthday cake from whatever local bakery is trying to make a go of it. This year he felt safe ordering what he wanted by phone (pound cake, trim it, put the trimmings in the center hole, ice the whole thing) since they had done a bang-up job last year. The baker called yesterday morning, leaving the message that he should not come for the cake yet because it was too hot to ice by the time he had requested. When he finally got it, the still-warm icing had drooled into the center hole so that the top read "Happy Birthday / /\". It's a pound cake, all right --- 7¼ pounds of pound cake. I wish you were here to help eat the thing. It's actually pretty good.

Happy Birthday Peggy! *wanders off eating virtual cake (munch, munch)*

Happy Birthday and many happy returns -- and the icing is the best part of the cake.

Felicem diem natalem, Peggy!!

Happy Birthday! Cake sounds tooth-achingly delish.

Happy Birthday!

Thank you, Athabasca, Beth, Judy, and qebo! Magnas gratias tibi ago, Linda!
I acquitted myself with my Truman program, so I can now relax and enjoy the rest of the year. We're about to walk May, and then I'll have to go to handbells - the one downer of the day. But doing at least one thing you don't want to per day is good discipline, I've heard.

Oh my, I got here just in time. Happy birthday Peggy. I for one will look forward to the P.D. James sequel to Pride and Prejudice. It sounds like fun.

Happy birthday! Hope it was a good one.

Hi, Bonnie and Jenn, and thank you. It was so much fun that I hate to let it go.

Oh no, I missed your birthday! I just thought to myself yesterday that it couldn't possibly hurt to have a day off from LT, but it looks like I chose the wrong day! Hope it was a good one.

A belated happy birthday to you! The cake sounds yummy.

I've never read Mieville, but I've now added Kraken to the wishlist. Also--very admirable of you to tackle Caro's biography of LBJ--Someday...

Hi Peggy. A belated Happy Birthday from me too! I can definitely appreciate your love of cake. I've always wanted to eat dessert first.

Thank you, Janet, Deborah, and Pat. I love coming here because birthday specialness isn't gone yet! I wish I had some of you here to work on this cakey monster!

Virtual pound cake with gooey icing - count me in, please! Happy belated, Peggy!

Peggy, belated happy birthday! The cake sounds delicious. By the way, I ordered Truman after reading your thread. I couldn't believe how big it is. Hats off to you for finishing it. I'll be starting it soon.

Thank you, Nancy and Jan!!! The cake is still good, still gooey ---- still 5 or 6 pounds of it left, I'm afraid.
Jan, I think you'll find that Truman reads like a much shorter book. I was fascinated!!!
(I also gave my program on Thursday, and everybody seemed to enjoy it. I certainly enjoyed the reading for it!)
Just reporting that I'm a little better than half through Reamde. It's nothing at all like I thought I was getting, but it's an easy adventure novel, so I'm good. It would make a great mini-series: Chinese hackers, cyber credit card theft, the Russian mafia, a Welsh-West Indian Muslim terrorist, an online/worldwide game, an MI6 spy - I'll stop there. No wonder it's going to take over 1000 pp to get it all straightened out!

Belated Happy Birthday to you dear special person!

Thank you, Linda, DSP yourownself!

A question for my pals in the UK or anybody else who knows --- My ma is reading Rebecca Shaw, and has run across a character that at least two other characters refer to as "Fitch {or Mr. Fitch} plc." What on earth does plc stand for?

I think it stands for "public limited company", doesn't it? - which is a British company that is allowed to offer some shares to the public - although I'm not sure what's being implied about Mr Fitch by saying that - anyone??

Peggy, sorry I missed your birthday. Belated birthday greetings to you!

Liz, I couldn't make that one work either. I also tried "pathetic loser club," but that doesn't seem right. Maybe I'll go ask some folks on their threads..
Thank you, Terri! Good wishes are always welcome.

Hi. Have just answered on my own thread, but will repeat here - yes, PLC = Public Limited Company, like Inc. in the US. If used to describe a person, I suppose it could mean they are very corporate in their thinking, or always trying to sell themselves, a product more than a person? I don't know the book, so can't guess further.

I'm glad you're enjoying Reamde. It made me nostalgic for when I wasted time in online games. :-D

Janet, I'm headed back to your thread for a reply to your reply!
Tad, if I were immortal, I'd like nothing better than to get lost in online games. Since I'm not, I'm having a great time with *R*!

THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT by Jill Mansell

I suspect that I'll tire of this chick lit in another five or ten years. Meanwhile, this one was fun. Every one of the ten or so characters that we like ends up with the one he really wants, from the mother of the divorced woman to the 16 year-old daughter of one of the dream men.

Yes, what is the context? I poked around -- in the Marines someone with a PLC has done some Platoon Leadership Course or something like that..... there are several other PLC possibilities -- just google that and look for one that works???

Lucy, there's no real context. The man is new to the village, and the first time he's mentioned, the rector asks his friend, "How are you getting on with Fitch plc?" That's it. And nothing that I've googled so far works. Oh well.

A very belated happy birthday Peggy. I'm glad you had some good cake. I had to google 'pound cake'. I think the closest equivalent we have in the UK is a Victoria sandwich (named because it became popular in Queen Victoria's reign) which my cake book says is made from equal parts (in this case 175g or 6oz) butter/margerine, sugar and 3 eggs. I wonder if the 3 eggs weigh 6oz? It says the original version was baked in an oblong Yorkshire pudding tin and then sandwiched together with jam and cut into fingers.

Re Fitch Plc, I can only echo what Janet said above. From googling, there is an actual UK company called Fitch Plc so perhaps the characters in the book are making a joke about Fitch's name? From the company's website they "influence the world around you by translating brand into consumer experience". What? What?

Thank you, Heather. I've never even read about a Victoria sandwich! Here, pound cakes are typically baked in a round, Bundt-like pan. It's a pretty dense cake, which we slice, and most of the time I prefer mine un-iced.
I especially appreciate the link, and WHAT? is my reaction too. I thought I knew all those words, but maybe not.
I think that Fitch plc is going to remain a mystery. If you had to google to find the real company, I can't imagine the average consumer of ladies' fiction knowing Fitch Plc off the top of her head.
I'm off to bed with Emma and Company!

>216 LizzieD:: Here, pound cakes are typically baked in a round, Bundt-like pan. Really? I'm not sure I've seen it in that form, at least not in the last decade. That's because my daughter loves making pound cake and our recipe (from the Fannie Farmer Baking Book) calls for a loaf pan.

I have a very old Fannie Farmer cookbook, falling apart. Maybe what I should say is that down here we make round pound cakes with holes in the middle. I'm trying to think whether I've ever seen one baked in a loaf pan.

I think I've only seen them in loaf shape.....

Loaf shape, yes that's what i think of too.

Ah, the spring pans with the center hole. My grandmother used to make the most delicious sponge cake in that kind of pan. But pound cake is a brick up here in the metropolitan north.

My grandmother left this world without passing on her recipe for sponge cake, or her wonderful, indescribable oatmeal cookies. Alas. Although, were I able to make them myself, I'd be twice my current circumference.

Alas, indeed. Grandmama's tea cakes - big, ugly flat things - buttery, not too sweet, absolutely delicious, absolutely lost!
Now that I think about it, I have seen pound cake loaves in the stores, but we use the spring-form pans. A sponge cake is the same as angel food, isn't it?
(The irony that my thread should have a food discussion! I do love to bake though, and we think my wholewheat-honey rolls are fabulous.)
I'm nearly through Emma. I love it, but it's still not my favorite JA.

I'm not really familiar with angel food, but it might be the same. It needs a spring-form pan, and is usually really dry, but somehow my grandmother made it cool and moist and delicious.

I was very surprised at how much I liked Emma myself, in the year I was reading all of Austen. The only dud, in my mind, was the one with Fanny - the title escapes me now, but I found it a downer.

I'm pretty sure the density scale goes: densest (and moistest)=pound cake (loaf shaped!), next = American defined sponge cake, as well, I think, as "coffee cake", the kind from Entenmann's with crumbs on top, next = Victoria sponge, least dense (and driest)=angel cake. Don't think any of the US ones are exact equivalents of the UK ones. I have never been able to find what I would call "real" pound cake in London, although since my mom never made home made cakes, I can't say for sure that I know what a real one is! Anyway, they're all good.

Thank you for the cake density scale, Janet. I would have been happy to be a tester if we could have arranged it.

EMMA by Jane Austen
This was a happy reread. It's still not my favorite Austen, but it's awfully good and I enjoyed everything again from Emma's much-vaunted self-esteem to her eventual private humiliation. And what an unexceptionable man is Mr. Knightley!
I was able to appreciate JA's writing ability this time through, and while I can't say anything rational about it, I admire it greatly.

Hi Peggy. What's your favorite Austen? Mine is Emma--I love her. I think she's such a wonderful character. I had to read P&P at least four times when I was in college, so I got pretty tired of it, although I think that would be #2 for me.

Also, I've been lurking here and having a small laugh to myself about how your thread seems to have turned into a "foodie" thread--laughing because of our conversation on my thread last weekend. {grin}

I have no opinion about pound cake, except that traditionally wasn't it made with a "pound" of everything--like this:

Pound Cake Ingredients:

1 pound cake flour (3-1/2 cups)
1 pound butter (2 cups)
1 pound sugar (2-1/4 cups)
1 pound eggs (9 large)
2 tablespoons vanilla or brandy

Yikes!

Emma is my favorite Austen. Glad you enjoyed your reread!

I can absolutely see why you both love Emma best, Becky and Anne. I love *P&P* more, maybe out of loyalty, and Persuasion next.
Grin away, Becky. Nobody is ever going to believe me as a foodie.
AND DON'T TRY BECKY's POUND CAKE RECIPE!!!!! That's the traditional one though.

Your PLC query -- just replace it with Fitch Inc. in your mind -- I suspect the author is suggesting the character is a corporate drone type person?? That is what PLC stands for, in any event.

Oh, curses on you for identifying a book I simply must own (the PD James sequel to Austen). I'm not much of a fan of Austen sequels, but P.D. James??? Must own, must own, must own. For the record, I really like the Jill Paton Walsh sequels to Lord Peter Wimsey...

ETA: Happy belated birthday!

I'll add to the chorus of *Emma, Emma, Emma* for a favorite Austen book. I did my own Austen-a-thon a few years ago and only read the 4 books I had never read before. It has been many years since I read Pride and Prejudice. I should probably read it again to compare to Emma.

ETA: Well, I lied. I rated Emma at 3.5 stars and P&P at 4 stars. I'm not ready to read them both again to readjust my ratings. Just call me unreliable when it comes to rating books. ;-)

>226 labwriter:: Yikes! indeed. They should call it "Ten Pound Cake"!

Hi, Suz, and thanks. It's actually my ma who's reading the book, and I guess Fitch, Inc. makes some kind of sense although he is running some kind of private club business (maybe?) from the large house he recently bought in the village. Even the lower classes call him Fitch plc, which strikes me as odd. Now Ma has found a British phrase I'd never seen, "and not a half." It obviously means "thoroughly done" or "gone way overboard," but we wonder where that came from. Is it an "end of the day" kind of thing? (Or was it?) Thanks for birthday wishes. Any time is good!
Hi, Donna! Isn't memory a tricksy thing though? I probably won't read another Austen for some time even though the bio is making me itch to see what she wrote at 16.
I've been reading a little Reamde tonight. Quite a cast of characters - most of them unsavory to say the least - but I still care about them and find it hard to put down once I get into it again.......it takes about a paragraph to get into again for me. At the moment the #1 hero is guiding the jihadist into the states by his old dope-smuggling trail to save the life of his niece who has plans to escape from other jihadists while the Chinese hacker with his $2,000,000 is about to leave Manilla with the innocent Chinese girl, the Russian's hacker, and a CIA operative. And the MI6 agent has reconnected with the Russian's security man to be hot on the trail of the jihadist in Canada. Got that? Too much fun!!! (p. 836/1042)

Just catching up and I find I've missed your birthday. I hope it was a lovely one!

I agree exactly with your thoughts on The Blood of Flowers. It was an entertaining but not much more, 3 star read for me too.

Early this year I re-read P&P, loved it and appreciated it more than the first time, and decided I would re-read one Austen each year. Emma is my re-read for 2012. I am really looking forward to it because I think I have a greater appreciation for Austen overall now, and will respond to the book differently.

I haven't read any of Austen's "minor" works (Lady Susan, Love and Freindship), but I have them on my Kindle. Has anyone read them?

#233 I've read Lady Susan which I thought was delightful although very different to her other novels. It's a less serious and more witty story told through letters. The main character, Lady Susan, is far from being a nice person but she is very amusing to read about. That's all I can say without spoilers!

I haven't read Love and Freindship but hope to next year.

HI, Dee, Laura, and Heather! Reading C. Tomalin's JA bio is making me want to read the early work too. I think JA was no older than 16 when she wrote Lady Susan. Like Laura, I have it on my Kindle, so I need to get back to it. I love the lightness and the wit!
(And thank you, Dee. The B-day was good, but the cake is almost gone - and I hope by next month the extra pounds from that cake will be too.)

>234 souloftherose:, 235: thanks for your thoughts on the early JA books!

Hello!
*races through the room*
Goodbye!

Love And Freindship is HILARIOUS - particularly if you're familiar with the sentimental novels of the period, although you don't need to be to get the jokes.

I'm familiar with 'not by half' and 'not half-bad'.

Yep, Lucy, me too, but this is "not a half." A little weird. I guess I need to see who owns R. Shaw here and ask them.

REAMDE by Neal Stephenson
Because this was an ARC from ER, I reviewed it, so you can check that out on the book page if you're a fan of thrillers. I am, and this is a dandy one. It's huge, and unlike Tad, I didn't think that it was padded at all. Non-stop action had me flipping pages non-stop. I do see an equally huge mini-series as its future.

#240 1042 pages? I still have the weighty Cryptonomicon sitting unread on my shelf so I won't be rushing out to buy Reamde but it does sound good. (Why have I still not read Cryptonomicon?)

Thumb for your review, Peggy. Nice. The book certainly gets high praise from LT reviewers.

Heather, I'm not sure why you haven't read Cryptonomicon; it may be my all-time favorite NS, but then, I'm a great fan and a scifi geek wannabe. It is also a whale of a book, and a reader has to have some interest in cryptography and cyber-tech to support it, I think. Reamde is a different animal, showing only a tenuous family relationship.
Thanks for the thumb, Becky.

#243 I suspect it's the size, keep telling me how good it is and hopefully it will get closer to the top of the TBR pile.

Yeah, Cryptonomicon - it looks so inviting, but it's so big. I really am going to try to read it next year.

for the review Peggy and you've certainly piqued my interest. I'm going to look for Reamde.

Good luck, Heather and Janet. It is big, and it's not flawless, but I hope to have enough mind left in another five years or so to reread it. I also have the last ⅔ of the *Baroque Cycle* yet to read, but that's different!
Thanks, Bonnie for the thumb.
I wonder.....does anybody know how we are to say 1Q84? I just read in the NYTBooks that Pat linked for us that "9" in Japanese is pronounced "Q." So --- "1984? or "Qteen84"? or "One Q 84"? I'm itching to read it; I'd love to know how to pronounce it.
Uh Oh. To make matters worse, I just read this on Amazon in the book description. I assume that the '' " denote a quotation from the book.
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.”

OUTWITTING HISTORY: The Amazing Adventures of a Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books by Aaron Lansky

Many thanks to the 75'ers who guided me toward this one. I know Stasia read and loved it, but I'm too lame to remember who else. It has everything. I laughed out loud at the Borscht Belt hoteliers instructing Lansky on how to improve his act (actually a lecture and plea for donations to finance retrieving and housing books in Yiddish.) I wept more than once as old people gave up their beloved books with totally mixed emotions. And I bawled when Lansky was able to give a Russian poet's widow a copy of all his work which she hadn't owned for 50 years.
What's not to love?

Another one you are reminding me I have to read!

Great review -- I remember reading about that one. Adding to my wishlist!

I'm now #2 on the library waiting list for Reamde. I know when it arrives I'll have to drop everything else, as it won't be renewable...

Janet and Anne, you will love it, I promise. (And thank you for a compliment, Anne!)
Clear the decks, Suz. You'll want to speed through it, I think, and it won't take you anything like 2 weeks.
I am going to give myself to C. Tomalin and Jane Austen today. The book is very well-done, but I've been preoccupied elsewhere. I want to finish it soon because it's so good and also because I'm antsy to get into Robert Caro's LBJ bio. My friend Kokipy says that it's as compelling for her (in a different way, to be sure) as *Lymond Chronicles* was, and we both are huge Lymond fans. I love this time at the end of a month when I can realistically begin to look around to see what I want to start next - even though I have a bunch of stuff that carries over.

I meant to wait until November to change threads, but somehow I found myself doing it tonight. Please visit me again at LizzieD: 2011*8.