vancouverdebs 4th Thread for 75 books in 2011 - no 4

Number 4 thread for the 75 books in 2011

Welcome to my thread!



*A Favourite

Januray 2011
The White Lioness by Henning Mankell 4stars
The Man Who Smiled byHenning Mankell 4.5 stars
The Heart Specialist by Claire Holden Rothman 3.8 stars
Gold Diggers:Striking it Rich in the Klondike Charlotte Gray 4.5 stars
SweetGrass & Motorcycles Drew Hayden Taylor 5 stars and a favourite for me!
Jar City Arnaldur Indridason. 3.8 stars.
William and Kate : A Royal Love Story 3.5 stars and a very fun read! :)

February
Silence of the Grave Arnaldur Indridason 4.2stars
Voices Arnaldur Indridason 4.5 stars
The Draining Lake Arnaldur Indridason 4.5 stars
Arctic Chill Arnaldur Indridason 4 stars

March
The Good Man of Nanking :The Diaries of John Rabe 3.7 stars
Bride of New France Susan Desrochers 4 stars
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Aspberger's by John Elder Robinson 4 Stars
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields 4.25 stars
The Bookshop by Penelope Lively 3.00 stars
Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason 4 stars
After River by Donna Milner 4.5 stars

April
My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir 3.5 stars
Atlas of Human Rights by Andrew Fagan 3.5 stars
The Beggar's Garden by Michael Christie 3.5
Sidetracked by Henning Mankell 4.25stars
Long Song By Andrea Levy 4.75 stars Favourite!
Small Island by Andrea Levy 5 stars Favourite!

May
Mennonites Don't Dance by Darcie Friesen Hossack 4 stars Favourite!
84 Charing Cross by Helene Hanff 3.5 stars
The Water's Edge by Karin Fossum 3.7 stars
Memory of Love Aminatta Forna 4.75 stars
Grace Williams Say it Loud by Emma Henderson 4.25 stars
Love You More by Lisa Gardner 3.5 stars
Room by Emma Donoghue 3.75 stars.

June
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe 3.25 stars -but 3.5 by LT
Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum 4 stars.
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym 3.5 stars
Coventry by Helen Humphreys 4 stars
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet / David Mitchell 3 stars
He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum 4.00 stars
William and Harry by Katie Nicholl 3 stars

July
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson 3.8 stars
Bird Eat Bird by Katrina Best 3.2 stars
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 4.5 stars Favourite!
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill 5 stars * Favorourite!
When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson 3.75 stars
Where White Horses Gallop by Beatrice MacNeil 5 stars *
Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson 4.25 stars

August
Far To Go by Alison Pick 4stars
The Sisters Brothers/ Patrick deWitt 5 stars*
The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai 3.8 stars
Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan 4 stars *
Comedy in Minor Key by Hans Keilson 4 stars
The Accident by Linwood Barclay 4 stars
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman 4.25 stars
A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette Edwards 4.35 stars.

September
Our Spoons Came from Woodwards by Barbara Comyns 3.9 stars
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson 3 stars
Outrage by Arnaldur Indridason 4 stars
A Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood 2.5stars
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje 3.4 stars
When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum 4 stars
Touch by Alexi Zentner 5 stars *
Clouded Vision by Linwood Barclay 3.5 stars
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford 4 stars
Stitches:A Memoir by David Small 4 stars

October
Tell it to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami 4.5 stars
Remembering the Music,Forgetting the Words by Kate Whouley 3 stars
Two Generals by Scott Chantler 3.5 stars
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque 5 stars
Extreme Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean 4 stars
The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns 3.2 stars
The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker 4.5 stars

Hi everybody!!

Just too refresh your memories I am currently reading two books

Extreme Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean

And I'm also reading a second book

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque.

I love visitors, so I hope you will drop and anchor here and come to visit!:) I had a busy evening with a Thanksgiving Dinner. I'll try to visit your threads tommorow -but for now, I'm planning to get to bed.

Hi Deb, dropping my star!
Enjoy your holiday Monday!
My fiance is home for the weekend and I'll be done work in 2 hours so I'll at least get to spend one day with him and our families. I'm looking forward to some homemade apple pie! :)

You are officially starred, Deb. Enjoy the rest of the Thanksgiving-holiday. All this talk of thanksgiving dinner and homemade apple pie makes me hungry.

I really liked All Quiet on the Western Front though it is disturbing.

STARRED!!!

Deb - your agent calling in just to inform that the agency has affixed a star to this thread!

Hi. Starred. Have a great Monday!

Hi Deb- Love the new thread! You are a rising star, my friend. I NEED to get to All Quiet on the Western Front. I've always been a big fan of the original film.
I really like the new photos on your profile page. You have a great looking family. Is that a younger shot of you, in those red shorts? What a cutie.
Have a good day!

Hi Deb! I'm just dropping off a star. Hope you have a great week!

Hi Deb, starred! Laughed out loud at #9!!

Btw, I remember a conversation we had on Carsten's thread about audiobooks, iPods, iPhones, etc. When my sister was here in the summer, she had downloaded several podcasts from CBC Radio of Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe stories. As you might imagine, the haul across the country from NS to BC is a long one (even flying!) - she was SO entertained! Just one more reason you need an iPhone!!

Extreme Vinyl Cafe has the Waterslide, right? I bought the book just so I could read that story. I could hardly drive I was laughing so hard the day I was listening to that story on the radio.

Found and starred - before I go on holiday and get all behind again!

Hi Deb, hope you are having a restful day. I am enjoying a quiet holiday Monday after a rather hectic Thanksgiving weekend. Thankfully all I have to do today is curl up and read a good book. Thank heavens for Turkey leftovers!

@ 5 -Chelle - thanks so much for dropping by with your star!

@6 Carsten Thanks for stopping by! Well, we did not have apple pie. For some reason pumpkin pie ( yuck!) is the tradition for Thanksgiving in Canada. Only a few family members like pumpkin pie, so one of my sisters had made chocolate cupcakes, and my other sister made home - made doughnuts. I was so busy catching up with my brother from Edmonton and his family and then chatting with my sister and BIL who just got back from Italy - I didn't get around to eating dessert!

@7 Hi Morphidae - thanks for dropping your star - I hope we can give you some idea of which Scandi crime to read next...

@8 Claudia! Wow - such fancy Stars! Thanks for that!

@9 Good to see you, Paul. I'm still smarting from the juvenile title you had for my book. I think I may have to drop your pay by quite a bit. I do wonder how you manage at your day job... Hmmmph! ;)

@10 - Thanks for starring me, Ellen, always great to see you!

@11 Mark - always great to see you! Yes, that picture of me in those ridiculous shorts is from my early twenties.. That picture is there to prove that I actually have curly hair. Paul was doubting my word.. Thanks for your kind words about my family.

@12 Anne! Thanks for dropping a star!

@13 Nancy, my brother in Edmonton works as a commercial airline pilot out of Toronto, so he flys to get to work several times a month! He of course had his iphone, ipad etc and yes he uses them to keep entertained as he flies to work, and also to keep his in touch with his young family. He is hoping next bid he can base out of Vancouver and have less of a commute to work. Thanks for one more reason to justify my i-phone. First I have to figure out when my currrent contract with my non -smart phone runs out!

@14Hi Elizabeth! I'm not sure if Extreme Vinyl Cafe has the waterslide story. Maybe it does - earlier on in the book now that I am thinking. That's the danger of reading two books at time -which I rarely do!!!!! Next thing I be chuckling at All Quiet on the Western Front and crying while reading Extreme Vinyl Cafe because I can't keep one book straight from the other!!!! I'll check my kindle and see if the waterslide story is in Extreme Vinyl Cafe.

@15 Genny - thanks for stopping by - and have a wonderful holiday in Portugal!

@ 16 Judy - yes, I am hoping for a quieter day today! It's kind of nice! So much rain today - curling up with a book is a good idea!!!

Thanks everyone for stopping by! For the moment I'm just catching up on laundry etc and I'll hope to get to your threads later today!

Starred! And I ordered Extreme Vinyl Cafe from Amazon - first book I think I have ever found that I couldn't get on Book Depository...

@19 - oh you will love Extreme Vinyl Cafe , Prue! Any question about a " Canadianism" just ask me , or Nancy - I think Nancy is also very familiar with the Vinyl Cafe books - must of us Canadian's are! ;)

Elizabeth, Raidergirl, I went and checked Extreme Vinyl Cafe for the Waterslide story - it is next up after the story that I am just beginning! So, yes it the Waterslide story is in Extreme Vinyl Cafe., I've just not gotten to it yet. I laughed and was so touched by the story of the janitor at the elementary school of Dave' and Morley's son Sam. The kids hear that the janitor will have to be " cut" and they take that literally and go out to defend him, not realizing it is a budget cut! I had a good laugh, but I also remembered, just as these kids did, how kind the janitor was and that we used to sometimes hang out in the janitor's area as kids, just like Sam and his friends .

It also brought to mind my grade 11 French teacher. She was elderly - as far we kids in grade 11 French could tell - and she would put on a record player and get the class to sing to French language records -and we did, without even giving her a bad time. Even the young men! By then , French 11 was an elective, so you didn't have trouble maker students in class, and we realized that she was fragile, older lady, and quite kind. So the class, though initially shocked, just sang along to the record in a quiet French.

That is what I love so much about the Vinyl Cafe series - they are very funny, but Stuart McLean really touches on real subjects too .

Deb - I'll make sure that any future suggestions are suitably mature! I also, in truth, often wonder how I manage at my day job!

@21 - Alright then Paul, but really, not to throw it in your face, but what were you possibly thinking when you came up with the name "The Poodle and the Bad Vancouver Hair Day" for my pastiche??? I can tell that you have young children that you read books to.

As for your alcohol issues as per Nancy and Prue's threads, fear not, I believe you when you say that you rarely imbibe. In any case, my husband drinks in December as he always gets Bailey's Liqueur for Christmas. Occasionally, when we go to a Brew Pub that my late father loved to go to for dinner, my husband has a glass of some kind of dark brown ale as toast to my father. Me? I stick with Coca Cola - the drink of champions.

Happy Thanksgiving Deb, and yum to the apple pie (and also to pumpkin pie...). I really loved All Quiet on the Western Front.

Hahaha Deb - agents must have thick skin - actually I was trying (failing as usual) to be tongue-in-cheek - I never expected my suggestion to be taken seriously!

Tell your hubbie to look up Haagen-Dasz ice cream if it is available in Vancouver as they have a Bailey's flavour which is delicious and has very minimal alcohol. In England as a youngster growing up we tried hard not to fall under the Coca-Cola spell. The English had basically three main alternatives; these were - Dandelion & Burdock, Tizer and Irn Bru. Without decrying english soft drinks of which I was fond Coca-Cola won out and the three aforementioned beverages struggle to compete. The dark brown ale sounds just the drink that I struggle to avoid on my rare trips home - tell your hubby to enjoy one for me next time up while you drink your cola!

@23 - Thanks for visiting, Cushla! I finished All Quiet on the Western Front late last night and I'm so sorry that I didn't read it sooner. It was a mix of horror, sorrow, wisdom and great insight. Later on , I hope to come up with a review.

@24 - Paul, you know I'm teasing you! :) My husband is Mr Over the Top Health Eater, so I doubt if I could convince him to eat any Hagen Daz, even if it has a Bailey's flavour , but I'll ask him. He only gets it at Christmas because December is both his birthday and Christmas - so no one knows what to get him for both occasions. As for the nut brown all - he only has a glass a few times a year- so I think that's okay. He's one of of those sorts that eats O fat Greek yogurt, spinach and egg white sandwiches on multigrain bread, with a glass of skim milk, only salmon and steamed vieggies for dinner. He and I are kind of alike that way, though my husband was less healthy in his young days - whereas I eat a bit more of " junk"eater as I get older.

Deb - your husband sounds like a man after my own heart! Minus the multi-grain bread, I am a bit of an egg white omelette girl myself. Paul - Irn Bru!! That brings back memories - my first husband was Glaswegian and his family was almost equally divided between teetotallers who drank Irn Bru, and alcoholics who drank - well they just drank. It is more of a Northeners drink, isn't it? Also remember glucozade - usually the 'morning after' tipple!

@26 - I eat very much like my husband . White egg omlettes are my thing too -and I've been drinking skim milks since my dad " converted" me at the age of 12 or so , before which my family of origin drank 2 % fat milk. My dad, in true persuasive fashion, extolled the health benefits of skim milk, downed it himself, set up blind test tastes for we kids , offered to pay us $1.00 if we'd try skim milk - and he won over all but one of my brothers, who changed his mind over the years. I have to chuckle how modern and democratic my dad was - at least with the skim milk thing.

Then there was the book - Aerobicsby Kenneth H . Cooper. As jogging was not so much the fashion, my dad got me to read the book and I became his jogging partner. I have to laugh- my dad was 30 my 11 years - and we'd be out jogging and I'd of course be just about dying trying to keep up with my dad - and he would say - what - you can't keep to an old 30 year guy like me! At that age I had no idea that actually my dad was a very young -and I was a just shrimpy 11 year and there was no way I could keep up with him. In those days , being the eldest, I was very persuadable - but as Nancy can attest - I've inherited my dad's persuasiveness . However, no one could quite compare to my dad!!!!!! My mom would go along with some of my dad's ideas, but fortunately she had a moderating influence on him.

#27 Great story about jogging, Deb! You've obviously learned your persuasive techniques from a master, hehe!

I finished All Quiet on the Western Front. All I can say for now is wow. How touching, how insightful, how graphic, how heartbreaking, - and what a remarkable book. I've got yellow post it's all over the book - so I hope to get to reviewing it. All I can say is why did I wait so long to read the book? You know, I'm actually a pacifist, so that book further convinced of my beliefs. That said - I do wonder what we could have done but fight in WWW1 and WW1. I'm more conflicted about more modern wars. But as Erich Remarque mentions - it's not countries who go to War , nor the head of countries - it's really the young and largely uneducated that end up actually fighting the wars, and there in lies the tragedy - or at least a part of it. Paul's inability to connect with his family and friends on his breaks from the war helped me better understand why my grandfather would never speak of WW11 . I remember my grandma saying that one one may left for the War and another man returned. I guess my grandpa had troubles adapting to ordinary life. I never asked her the details, but I do know that for a time he had alcohol problems after WW11. I guess many a man did.

#29 Deb, so delighted that you also were "wow"ed by All Quiet on the Western Front. Like you, I am very conflicted about our modern wars. And you make an excellent point that it's by and large young, uneducated men who fight wars - not nations and certainly not political leaders (or their children). Michael Moore drives this point home in Farenheit 9/11. Also think your point is excellent that many a man had alcohol problems after the war(s); I know I had great uncles whose experience sounds similar to your grandfather's. Putting that in perspective, I wonder how I would manage - from the front of a brutal war to being sure the hydro bill was paid on time; can't really compute that.

I think you have just reviewed it, Deb. That's what it's all about in terms of reading. That a book can leave a mark on your own life and make you reflect on the story as you just did. I too remember the part of the novel where he's visiting his family. It's almost surreal....his comrades are fighting, he's at home.....but going back...no normal life is ever possible again. And he knows it. Only him.

>29 vancouverdeb:: I think you kind of liked All Quiet on the Western Front, Deb. It has been on my WL for such a long time now. I really hope I can draw a line through it after next week's library book sale.

I always have such high hopes for these sales. I usually am pleased with what I purchase, although not many of my dream books are being found. Maybe I'll just place a gigantic Amazon order before Christmas and tell my husband that his shopping is done!

Prue - Irn Bru and Tizer were both northern drinks and your analysis was spot on. I think the other drink you meant is Lucazade which has morphed into a sports drink and which my mother swore by when we were younger.
Deb - must say very impressed by you and Prue and your health consciousness. I think with a little discipline a healthy diet can be just as much fun as one full of all the wrong stuff. Yesterday I had a meeting on a project I am doing in the lovely island of Langkawi which is a 135 meter tower with shopping dome and restaurants, al fresco dining, a public square for communal gatherings and a 4*hotel with wellness centre. The Client is a lovely chap who has always lived life to the full but who had a serious heart attack recently resulting in him being resuscitated twice having passed-away. The reason for mentioning the matter is that we had a long discussion the whole afternoon about making sure that we are healthy enough to enjoy the fruit of all our labours by having a more healthy lifestyle.
Btw I also loved All Quiet on the Western Front when I read it some time ago. There is more gritty realism there in contrast to most of the British accounts and it properly conveys the horror of what they all went through.

Since reading Ian Rankin's Rebus series I have wanted to taste an Irn Bru. For the longest time I thought it was a Scottish beer brand as Rebus had one so often!

I've never heard of Dandelion & Burdock, Tizer or Irn Bru before! Paul, surely there's ginger beer as well? What childhood would be complete without drooling over descriptions of Enid Blyton's Famous Five's scrumptious picnics with simply lashings and lashings of ginger beer! (And orangeade, which I assume is like Fanta.)

Hm, feeling peckish now...

Mmm Tania you are right - ginger beer - also very much a childhood favourite (also seems to be a popular drink in Australia too from what I can see).
Dandelion & Burdock was similar in colour to Coca-cola, Tizer was a very bright red and Irn Bru a striking orange colour - the taste of all three is undescribable and nothing like any other drinks I can think of.

Orangeade is exactly like fanta - in Egypt when I worked there they had bottled orange fizzy drink called Crush which was delicious on warm, dry, desert days.

Starred!

Deb, your thread is moving at lightning speed. :)

@30 Excellent points, Nancy. I also remember my two great uncles who fought in WW1. As a young child we lived with extended family, including two great uncles, both of whom were the WW1 veterans. One of then was a fabulous and fun great uncle -but he really spent most of his time at The Legion - where he and his cohorts drank and played cards. No doubt the damage done from WW1 helped create his drinking and mild gambling problems -which I was recipient of! :) He was still a wonderful great uncle. I'm so glad that I finally read All Quiet on the Western Front.

@31 Such wise and kind words, Carsten. Thank you!

@32 Donna, as I said on your thread, yes , overall I think I could say I enjoyed reading All Quiet on The Western Front. It's a difficult book to read, but contains so much wisdom and I gained so much knowledge. I am actually a pacifist -so that book supported my view of the world . Honestly - I wish in some ways that they would get rid of - say - Lord of the Flies or some such book that one must take as part of high school reading and replace it with All Quiet on the Western Front. That would open young peoples eyes, and help take away from some of the hero worship that is sometimes seen in societies as a part of being a soldier. It's a difficult topic.

@33 Irn Bru and Tizer? Tis all a mystery to me. I don't drink and I loathe beer! Once I tried something called chocolate beer at Christmas. I was lured into that by the " chocolate" . Ugh that was bad. I say if you have to develop a taste for a food or drink , it's probably bad for you!!!I'm glad you are getting some health tips , Paul. We can all use them. And even then it's no guarantee.

@34 LOL Judy!!! When I read a few of Louise Penny mysteries, the Inspector Gamache always made me hungry for Chocolate Ganache. You can see where my weakness lies!! ;) Chocolate!

@35 LOL! I remember reading Enid Blyton' books and I can't say they left me hungry . But I was always curious about ginger beer, until I was served some when I was 12 or 13 and in company - and I could barely drink it down without puking it back up! I'm a Coca Cola - and I can tolerate 7 Up - but that's it in the pop department . Ugh to Fanta, Ugh to Ginger beer. or Root Beer! Blech!

@36 Paul and Tania - I love you both, but I don't understand your love of those drinks!!! Ohh we've got Orange Crush here. May it never darken my door! ;)

@37 - Hi Valerie! Indeed, with all of this foodie talk, my thead is moving right along!!! LOL!!!

Thanks for visiting everyone!

Well, I'll try to visit your threads later. Yesterday I popped by the library to pick up a book that they had on hold for me. Of all the nerve - now, after closing for a statuatory holiday, they close at 5 PM the next day , instead of the usual 9 pm! So the library was closed when I got there! The nerve of them!!!

So , back I go again today! Still reading Extreme Vinyl Cafe and enjoying it very much!

Yesterday I picked up The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler - Oslen, the new scandicrime guy. They had 30 % off all of the books! Why did I only purchase one book? I might have to stop back at the bookstore :)

BTW - you all know how I've mentioned the rain that we get here? In the daily newspaper today, for the weather summary it showed a partial sun, two clouds and some rain ,and the word below was " TYPICAL." Oh how true!

#38 Deb to be critiqued on soft-drinks by a self-confessed coca-cola drinker!! Ginger beer is nothing like beer in point of fact and is actually quite refreshing - Tizer, Dandelion & Burdock and Irn Bru I will admit are pretty awful beverages but as a kid I loved them along with everything else likely to do damage to my then pristine set of gnashers.

@41 - I had the great misfortune of being served ginger beer when I was about 14. Since it was served by " the host" - and adult - I had to drink down that Ginger Beer. I nearly vomited drinking down that vile beverage!!!! By contrast, my husband sought some out a few years ago and he loved it. Now he cuts up bits of fresh ginger and makes himself tea with it. I have to keep my nose well away from that! Even the dog is on the run from Dave's hot ginger tea - but it's real ginger. At Christmas he loves candied ginger! Oh Paul! He loves seafood and I won't even look at it. As a result he only has seafood if we are out and I can sit up wind of his plate and try not to look at things like little shrimp eyes staring at me!

Well I can sympathise with you fully Deb. Don't think that Ginger tea is quite my bag. I have tried a few versions of it as the chinese say it is great to expel wind (why that is a good thing though I forget) but never could take to its bitter taste. Candied ginger is also a bit too much but I do like ginger biscuits.
We are also in full agreement on certain types of seafood - I detest squid but Hani loves it and I am usually at a loss how to eat crab and lobster still full clothed is their shiny shells. Should ever Dave and yourself manage to break bread with Hani and I in Vancouver or Kuala Lumpur Deb we would have to organise the seating carefully to suit ourselves!

#39 Yesterday I picked up The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler - Oslen, the new scandicrime guy.

Oh Deb, you must put it to the top of the pile - it's called Mercy in the rest of the world - and I'm reading it at the moment. And LOVING it. Well written and interesting characters and touches of humour...really excellent! I think Paul is a fan as well!

Hi Deb- I've been hearing good things about The Keeper of Lost Causes. I'll have to track down a copy. Have a great day!

Mmm..ginger candy was a life saver when I was preggo to help with the nausea and gingerale was a lifesaver with the stomach. :) Never really thought about it before, but I guess I kinda like ginger flavoured stuff!

Oh, I love ginger! Love it fresh, pickled, candied, you name it:)

@43 - Yes, Paul, ginger tea would not be my bag either. I think my husband may have lost his taste buds! ;) I think it's all genetic - or family upbringing. All of my husband's family, save for his mom, are keen seafood fans -and can put lobsters into a pot of boiling water and gulp them down as part of a picnic -whilst I bring along my ham sandwich. They are all quite keen on exotic fare. Not so much me! Crab, shrimp , raw mussels ( in the past )my husband will eat it. Ugh!

@44 Well, Prue, that's a lot of us that have either Mercy or The Keeper of Lost Causes. In North America they seemed to have decided that we shall call it The Keeper of Lost Causes. Great to know you are reading it and that it's great. I'm still finishing up the Extreme Vinyl Cafe. Not entirely certain what is next for me.

@ 45 - Hey Mark! Great to see you! After reading that 1000 page tome of yours , you may opt to read a 100 page novella , just for a change of pace! ;) But please do join us in The Keeper of Lost Causes.

@46 Oh Valerie!!! Ginger when you have nausea from pregnancy!!! Ugh! Ginger ale, that I can understand. I found for me I had to eat spicy things because I got that dreadful metallic taste in my mouth. I recall my first pregnancy being the worst by far for nausea. And I hadto commute by bus 45 minutes each way. Sometimes I had to make unanticipated stops on the way to work. My dad got me vomit bags from the airplanes, but somehow I did manage okay . Lovely conversation I am creating as usual. Those days are well behind me now, though!

@47 - Well, Anne and Valerie, you two and my husband are proof that North Americans have the palate for ginger!

I'm just finishing up Extreme Vinyl Cafe and very much enjoying it. I find I'm getting nervous - I'm so close to 75 books -and yet so far!!! I am at 67 or 68 books. Once I hit 70 books, I'll feel like I'm in the homestretch.

I went back to the Chapter's yesterday and picked up another 30 % off book Gillespie and I by Jane Harris. For some reason it just grabbed me! 550 pages though....

Anyway, I'll be back later to chat - off to the dentist - always a good time! ( kidding! )

Deb - great to hear you got yourself to read All Quiet on the Western Front. I read that at uni, where I also read Goodbye to All That, which I liked even better (but it may have been the context of the class that led to that reaction). If you're in the mood for more of AQWF view of WWI, you might want to hunt down the Graves memoir.

Have you read Peace Shall Destroy Many? It's about pacifism in WWII. Rudy Wiebe lost his job as the editor of the MB Herald as a result of his novel! (Which just makes me laugh because I can't see the problem, but anyway).

Thanks Joyce. I really did enjoy All Quiet on the Western Front. I'd like to read Peace Shall Destroy Many - I think that would be a fascinating read! Somewhere along the line I did here that Rudy Wiebe lost his job as the editor of the MB Herald as a result. I can't see what the problem would be either. Thanks for stopping by - and I'll have a peek at Goodbye To All That.

Oh, Gillespie and I! I've heard great things, and requested that the library buy it, but I don't know where that request is up to and I'm having to resist buying it in the shops...

I do have her The Observations out from the library, I'm hoping to get to that soonish.)

I've finished up Extreme Vinyl Cafe and very much enjoyed it. It's a light read, humourous, but also very poignant. Slight spoiler - I think my favourite story was when Dave's mom, aged 84 , remarried after many years as a widow. 4 stars.

I'm just about 50 pages into
The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns. I read Our Spoons Came from Woolworths by the same author back in early September, and I really enjoyed her unique voice. So far, The Vet's Daughter is very sad , one where her father is abusive, her mother has passed away , and the family is quite impoverished. More than anything, both of the books I have read about Barbara Comyns are largely autobiographical.

Anyway, it's a touching and interesting book so far.

You know I had lots of a nausea, but I actually didn't throw up once! Many, many close calls just standing in the washroom, but I can't saying to myself, mind over matter! I don't know if that was a good thing or not since my friend who threw up every morning said that she would feel better once she got it out of her system. But I can't imagine having to do that every morning...just the thought makes me feel, well rather, nauseous. @.@

@55 -Valerie, that is great I suppose if you never ever vomited once during your pregnancy. With my first - I found it kind of amazing that while I took that bus every morning to work - on that 45 minute commute - I'd be really close to work before I had have to get off to the bus to vomit. I spent a lot of time in the washroom at work (ugh) with the dry heaves -but if I could actually vomit - I felt a lot better. I can't count the number of times I made it to the park and ride on the way home , got off the bus and vomited behind a car in the park and ride. I'm amazed that I never actually threw up on the bus!!!! One thing that I found is that if I got too hungry - bingo - that would trigger a episode after work. My problems ended at about 16 -20 weeks.

My SIL - who is a pediatrician - has four young children -and with each one her nausea and vomiting got worse. Her nausea lasted until the babies were born! She'd tell me that she'd be at work and she 'd with a patient or colleague and all of a sudden she's have to run from the room. By the second child she was hospitalized with dehydration. With the next two kids, she had too be off work, with a IV in her arm and run fluids through a few times a day. Good thing she was doctor and could do most of it herself. She was one determined mom! I don't know if I could have gone through her level of nausea 4 times!!!!!

Pregnancy sounds like such a charming experience! Deb, I'm back in the loop. Most embarrassingly, I managed to un-star my own thread!

The Vet's Daughter is proving to be a most enthralling and so far, very sad read. However, Barbara Comyn has the most unique voice that just kind of rolls with what happens in the story. I think she is an amazing writer -and the thing is, both Our Spoons Came From Woolworths and the The Vet's Daughter are largely autobiographical.

BTW - @57 - I think pregnancy, despite is challenges, is one of the most wonderful times of life.

Hi Deb- I don't have much to add about pregnancies, but I sure love books!!

Now, why would that be , Mark!! ;) I'm perplexed!! Well then, read my current read, The Vet's Daughter - it's excellent so far!

Good stuff that you've enjoying The Vet's Daughter, Deb. I remember how much you enjoyed Our Spoons Came from Woolworths.

Hi Deb. That's all. Just hi.

Just stopping by to say hi :) Most of the books you have read this year is in my TBR pile and a few I've actually managed to read.

I read All quiet on the Western Front a few years back and was also 'wow'ed. New Zealand since WW2 doesn't really get involved in wars so it's not in our culture to see young men join the armed forces and then actually go off to war. It deepened my respect for the young men, younger than me, having to shoulder that responsibility. The Things They carried by Tim O'Brien about the Vietnam War also evoked the same feeling.

Thanks for stopping by, Nancy and Ellen! Great to see both of you.

As for The Vet's Daughter I noticed today when looking for more of Barbara Comyns second hand books that she seems to be enjoying a resurrgance of interest - here is a link to new publication of The Vet's Daughter http://www.nybooks.com/books/imprints/classics/the-vets-daughter/ and a great review.

Here is a bit of the review - The Vet’s Daughter combines shocking realism with a visionary edge. The vet lives with his bedridden wife and shy daughter Alice in a sinister London suburb. He works constantly, captive to a strange private fury, and treats his family with brutality and contempt. After his wife’s death, the vet takes up with a crass, needling woman who tries to refashion Alice in her own image. And yet as Alice retreats ever deeper into a dream world, she discovers an extraordinary secret power of her own.

Harrowing and haunting, like an unexpected cross between Flannery O’Connor and Stephen King, The Vet’s Daughter is a story of outraged innocence that culminates in a scene of appalling triumph.

I was just thinking that The Vet's Daughter had an element of Dickens in it and a touch of the gothic - and if you read further in that link - some other author makes the comparison to Dickens.. Not having read Flannery O' Connor and not a reader of Stephen King - that had not occurred to me. But, I certainly don't see Stephen King in Barbara Comyns!

Do read further in the review. I've ordered up The Skin Chairs by Barbara Comyns - once again , second hand - but when I looked on Amazon , it appears to me that several of Barbara Comyns book are making a comeback with brand new publications of her books.

I have to say I was feeling a bit " book weary" -and The Vet's Daughter has re -energized me!

One book that Barbara Comyns wrote was based on a true episode of ergot poisoning, so I imagine that is the book that reminds some of Stephen King.

ETA - I have read some Flannery O'Connor, but just a few of her short stories.

@63 Lisa, sorry for not noticing your post earlier! Thanks so much for visiting my thread. New Zealand does well to keep out of the current wars and thank heavens Canada only entered the Afghanistan mess, and I Canada has just left a few troups - if any - behind to help in the transition.

We do have a lot of books in common, you are correct! I'll come and visit your thread!

I have to say I was feeling a bit " book weary" -and The Vet's Daughter has re -energized me!
That's quite a recommendation! I enjoyed your comments, and on to the WL it goes! Hope you're having a good weekend.

After promoting The Vet's Daughter and Barbara Comnyn's in my post number 64, I did not care for the ending in The Vet's Daughter.

Book Review:

The Vet's Daughter started out wonderfully, with a Dickens flair to it. Alice Rowlands is the unfortunate daughter of a brutal and bitter man . Her mother, long brutalized and beaten by her father , lies dying in her bed. Alice tried to tend to both her father and her mother. Not far into the novel, Alice's mother dies and Alice suspects that her father has sped along the death of her mother. After her mother dies, her father soon takes up with a trollop named Rosa Fisher. Rosa moves into the family home and is dreadfully jealous and cruel to Alice. Eventually Alice is sent away to be a companion to an elderly woman. There is somewhat of a gothic and frightening aspect to the home in which Alice serves. Events go wrong there too, and so Alice is sent back home to live. In the course of these events, Alice gradually realizes that she has a supernatural power that did not fit the story for me. The ending culminates in Alice using her supernatural powers - or not - it is a challenge to discern. Either way, I did not care for the ending, though it could be taken as a triumph or a tragedy, depending on your point of view. For me, it was a surprising and difficult ending to the story.

3 stars.

Oh no! That's the worst -- when a book you enjoy has a poor ending. Hope your next read is 5-star worthy:)

Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed Our Spoons Came from Woolworths and I've got the The Skin Chairs on it's way. Despite the turn of events in The Vet's Daughter, I look forward to reading The Skin Chairs and I'm still re- energized, if somewhat disappointed.

Anyway, I've now started reading

The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker. It won the 2010 Dublin Impac Literary Award and it caught my attention in the bookshop some months ago. I'm only a short way it, but the story takes place in on a lonely isolated farm in the Netherlands. Helmer reluctantly returned home after his twin , Het passed away some years ago. Helmers' mother has also passed away, and as the story begins, Helmer is resentfully looking after his ailing father , as well as looking after the farm. It looks to be bleak -but I do like the spare prose and the shocking intimacy of the book . Here are a couple of quotes that have caught me so far - Page 18 - " Mother was an outrageously ugly woman." or on page 33 " I shit twice a day. First, just after the milking, the second time after coffee. On very rare occasions I get an urge to go again later in the day, usually in the evening, but I always ignore it."

Interesting narrator. It's clear that a great resentment lies between father and son, and I'll be curious to see where the story line goes.



Of interest to me is that the Original Dutch title " Boven is het stil "means “It’s quiet upstairs.” . And upstairs is where Helmer keeps his father, who is bedridden.

@ 66 and 68, thanks so much for visiting my thread, not once, but twice and encouraging me on! I'm not sure if this will be a 5 star read -but you never know. I like spare prose, I don't mind a book about the aging - and so far I am finding it refreshing. I've had it on the shelf for a while and finally it shouted at me to be read. I think hitting that 70 book mark was some kind of psychological barrier to me - as I got closer, I thought - oh I just can't seem to get there. Or maybe I just had a " book burn out "for a few days.... ;) Thanks Anne for the lift!

Hi Deb - I adored The Twin! I read a copy from the library and then found a copy for my shelf.

I hope you like it, too. I thought it was very different.

Oh thanks for that encouragement, Joanne! I think it looks to be very interesting and different too!

Be interested to see how you end up with The Twin Deb as it has been in my pile awaiting attention for a few months.

Hi Deborah. Coming to keep up to date with you. Not an easy task, believe me! :-)

Appreciate your honest review of The Vet's Daughter, Deb. Based on your remarks, I can certainly see how Alice discovering that she had supernatural powers did not fit with the rest of the story; I understand the disappointment. Hope that The Twin will be a kicker! It's usually a good omen for e whe a book calls out to be read!

Morning Deb- I've had The Twin on my WL for ages. I hope it works for you. Is this a library copy or do you own it? Have a great Sunday.

@ Paul, Nancy and Mark - The Twin is not a kicker -but it's a compelling and reflective read. It moves very slowly and yet somehow it works. It's a reflective and relatively sad book. I am beginning to understand why Helmer, the twin, treats his ailing father so badly - and yet, not quite. It's an interesting read. Mark, it's a book off the shelf. I'm about 3/4 of the way through - not quite sure.

If you enjoy a reflective, slow but startling honest book - you may enjoy this. I think it may be a 4 star read for me -but I'll wait until the end until I decide.

Ilana, thanks so much for stopping by!

No regrets with finally picking up The Twin. Slow but fascinating in it's way.

Hi Deb!
The Twin huh? Hmm. Looks interesting. I'll keep my eyes open for this one.
The reviews are snagging me. :)

As a twin myself I should be up for reading it shouldn't I? Reflective and honest are normally good attributes to enable reading pleasure.

Hi There!

The TBR list now contains Tell It to the Trees.

Thinking of you and sending all good wishes!

Hi Claudia! Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad that the reviews are snagging you. It is an interesting read...

Paul - yes, you are a twin , aren't you? A fraternal twin , as I think you described a height difference between you and your twin. Interestingly - at least to me - both of my grandfather's were fraternal twins.
The Twin is in part the story of identical twins, one dying in his late teens, and the other having to take his place in life and not quite differentiating himself from his now dead twin. An interesting story, but slow and reflective.

Deb- I like the way that one sounds! Let me know what you plan to do with your copy. Nudge nudge, hint hint.

@80 - Hi Linda. I must have missed you when I did my last post. Thanks for visiting and I'm so delighted that you have put Tell it To The Trees in your TBR list. I really hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!

82 @ Mark - oh you are so subtle!!! Glad you like the way that The Twin sounds.

I'm so surprised at the interest in The Twin . I assumed that no one would have really heard of it, or be interested in it - and so it's great that people have so much interest!

chiming in to say I'm the grandmother of fraternal twins. They are both very different in appearance and in personality. It is a wonderful experience for me, but sadly they live 12 hours away.

Yes, Linda, I should think that fraternal twins have not much more in common than brothers and sisters , since fraternal twins don't share any more genetic material than do brothers and sisters, as I am sure you know. Still, sharing a birthdate together still makes for a difference. I know my sister and I were born in the same year - me in January and my sister in November. We to school in the same grade and schools together -and I don't remember a life without my sister.

Linda - congratulations on being a grandmother to fraternal twins - and I'm so sorry that they live so far away from you.

The Twin was an outstanding read in it's way. Deceptively simple and yet so very complex. It moves very slowly but well worth the read. I'll write more on it later, but I can certainly see why it won the Dublin Impac Award.

It's not a book I'd recommend to everybody, because of it's slow pace and very bleak subject matter. And yet - what an enthrallling read. 4.5 stars . So glad I happened upon that book and read it.

I'm glad you enjoyed your latest read. Definitely not for me at this time, as I'm steering clear of 'very bleak subject matter', as you say.

Have a great day Deb!

Morning Deb- Subtle Mark, that's me! Hey, it worked, right? LOL!

Hi Deb. Glad you enjoyed your last read! I'm in a weird book mood so I think I'll avoid that one due to the slow pace.

Delighted you enjoyed The Twin so much, Deb. I know you were in a bit of a book funk, so hopefully this 4.5 star has helped : ).

@ 87,89 Ilana and Chelle, I so understand if you are not in the mood for bleak. I'm not sure that I was - but I was really captured by The Twin. You now how I really came to read it? Well, I often hide my new /or thinking of reading books in with my library books , hoping my husband will not be able to tell the difference. However, he had nicely sorted out my books from the library books I keep in my library bag. I had been thinking of reading it, but there it sat in the living room, calling to me! ;) My husband doesn't say a word, I think it's just to let me know he's not as out of the loop as I hope he might be.

@88 Tut Tut Mark! ;) That's all I'm going to say! Subtle Mark , perhaps that shall be your new name!!! :)

@90 Yes Nancy, it really did get me out of my book funk!! The Twin was a real page turning, despite it's bleakness, it's everydayness - it's hard to describe. I shall attempt to do a book review later today, or tomorrow. The Twin is a book I would urge people to read , except of course it won't work for everyone. It's one that a person could re read and then take in more of what it's happening on a psychological level on a second read. Beautifully translated from the Dutch! Amazing work by the translator. Gasp - it could turn into a favorite for me!

Anyway, it's a beautifully sunny day and so for now I am off to go for a nice walk

BTW everyone, as I was discussing on Lit Chick aka Nancy's thread - last night PBS had Masterpiece Theatre on and I watched a two hour program - the TV adaptation of Case Histories by Kate Atkinson! I thought it was wonderfully done and I thought that Jackson Brodie was just perfect! :) As I understand it, the next book in the Jackson Brodie series will be on PBS next Sunday -check your listings. For me it's 9-11 pm on ? KCTS/PBS. I'll have to check that. But I'm in the Pacific Time zone.

Deb, I found the TV adaptation of Case Histories. I have set to record Brodie for the next two Sundays. I am THRILLED : ). Thanks for that : ). Btw, I went on my PVR for "Case Histories" and discovered that BBC also has a TV series which is Brodie - hour long segments every week I think. However, I don't get BBC Canada; so won't be watching it any time soon. (I could subscribe to another channel but don't think I wish to do so just now).

How funny, my book group just read The Twin. My copy turned up too late (I did order it rather late from The Book Depository) so I didn't join in the discussion. I'm glad you liked it, but I'm avoiding bleak reads at the moment. :)

Not sure if I'll be keeping my copy yet.

I watched the PBS Case Histories last night too and thought it was wonderful. Great music too. Went to the library today and got another one of her books.

92 Nancy - I'm so glad that you have your DVD / PVR set for the next two Sundays!! Me, I'll have to remember to set my VCR! I'm so yesterdays news!

93 Oh Tania - Do keep your copy of the Twin!!!! Read it!! I think that you will love it!! It's so subtle in it story telling , so fascinating, so full of symbolism as I reflect back on the book. It's wonderful!!!! Oh - but it's difficult if you were present for the discussion, as perhaps already know a great deal about the plot via your book group. I find that the Book Depository can be quite slow in it's deliveries too.

@94 - So glad you that you enjoyed Case Histories and went and grabbed one of her books. I felt that PBS / whoever did a very good job of capturing the novel on TV.

Deb, the copy has been rescued from the "register for Bookcrossing" pile and put back on the shelves. :)

The Book Depository can be fast, can be slow. It was definitely my fault though, I did order it quite late. Time got away from me, as it does far too often. Which reminds me, there were some Lego books that are required for Mr Bear's birthday... (Talking about time getting away from me, he's turning nine next month! NINE! It was only yesterday that he came home with me from the hospital, I swear.)

I'm so glad you like The Twin, Deb!

I had to go look at my review to refresh my mind about the book. I know the storyline was bleak, but I didn't remember the book being sad necessarily. So, (and I hope you don't mind) here's part of what I had to say about it back in May 2010:

"Feelings of anger, loss, and longing permeate the narrative from page one and yet it is written and translated (from the Dutch) with a light, almost humorous touch. Altogether, The Twin is a beautifully written, marvelously spare, and ultimately uplifting book."

See, I liked it so much, I'm still trying to get people to read it! :)

eta - I really liked the first ep. of Case Histories, too!

Have the last two Jackson Brodie's to catch up on - must fit in at least one of them next month.

@ Ah Tania! I"m so pleased that you rescued the The Twin rescued from the Bookcrossing pile. I found it to be such a fascinating read. Some things were so subtle ( and maybe I'm just dense! ;) but when I closed the book - I had to consider on something that I realized was very important to the plot but was only oh so subtly alluded too. Truly a fascinating book!

@ 97 - Joanne, we must have quite similar taste in books - I recall that you really liked Touch and now we've got our love of The Twin in common. Neither of them are widely read books ,but they so deserve to be. Thanks for your encouragement on getting others to read the The Twin. Such a lovely book. So glad that you caught Case Histories on TV! I wonder if most of we females on library thing caught Jackson Brodie! ;)

@98 Yes, Paul, my partner in various crimes, do catch up with the Jackson Brodies!

Big sigh - finally got the review done for The Twin

The Twin is a spare and beautifully written tale of a man in his mid -fifties reluctantly living on an isolated small farm in The Netherlands, while also looking after his dying father.

Identical twins Helmer and Henk were almost inseparable as children. As time goes on, Helmer plans to leave the farm for university in Amsterdam. Henk , clearly his father's favourite child,intends to carry on farming with his father .Riet, Henk's fiance, is a part of that future.

When a tragic accident kills Henk, Helmer regretfully returns home to the farm to take Henk's place. Father and son have a difficult relationship, to say the least.

As the story opens, Helmer is in his mid -fifties, still resentfully carrying on as a farmer and looking after his now bedridden elderly father. Helmer decides to make a few changes, moving his father to an upstairs room as well as doing some redecorating of the house.

The plot, which moves along slowly, picks up when Helmer's dead twin's former fiance , Riet, contacts Helmer for the first time since Henk's death. Riet,now the widow of another man, asks Helmer if she can send her teen-aged son, also named Henk ,to live with Helmer and his father. Apparently young Henk has been struggling emotionally and Riet thinks that Helmer's assistance will be of help to young Henk.

The intrusion and change that young Henk brings to the household shakes up Helmer's plodding and solitary life . Helmer and his father continue to have difficult relationship.

This is a fascinating read, rich with symbolism, reflection and fraught with loneliness. So subtly told is the story that an undercurrent of the plot that had puzzled me finally gelled as I closed the pages of the book.

A memorable read.

4.5 stars

Nice review, Deb!

Sounds like a winner Deb - the best Dutch novel - you've read? (am joking as I can only think of about a dozen or so Dutch writers anyway!)

Good review btw

Good review Deb! What's next on your reading list?

Great review - on my WL already. :)

Excellent review, Deb. Thumb!!

I concur. Excellent review - I'm intrigued as to the "undercurrent", Deb.

Very nice review of The Twin, Deb; I'm glad that you also enjoyed it.

In my review two years ago I had mentioned that plans were underway to make a film based on the book, but I can't find any evidence that this actually happened.

@101 Tania - Thanks so much - I hope you enjoy your read of the The Twin is as enjoyable as mine was.

@102 LOL! I'm not sure if I've read another book by someone Dutch or not? I've read Hans Brinker when I was a kid, but I've no idea if that's from the Dutch or not! However, should Gerbrand Bakker write another book, I'll be sure to read it.

@103 Thanks Chelle! I'm not quite sure what is next of the the reading list. I've got a couple of possibilities, including Natural Order - Canadian author , The Hero's Walk - Canadian author - or maybe a Scandi Crime! ;) Black Seconds. I've got quite a few books on the shelf. Decisions!!!!;)

@105 Thanks so much Nancy, I sure hope you can find a copy of The Twin.

@106 Thanks Carsten. I'm glad I've intrigued you . Just by saying there is undercurrent you may catch it faster than I did, or maybe I'm dense... ;)

@107 Thanks so much for your kind words, Darryl. I'd love to see a film based on the book.

I'll be back later to visit your threads- thanks for stopping by.

My hope is that more people are encouraged to read The Twin. That said, I realize it's not for everyone, but I sure loved it.

#108 Deb I've noticed when you enjoy a book your enthusiasm is absolutely infectious. I would never find it possible to delay in placing one of your recommendations into the TBR forest.

Got me thinking about Dutch writers and I struggled also to come up with many - however here are a few worth looking at:
Michel Faber - Dutch passport but writes in english
Willem Elsschot - Actually Belgian but wrote in Dutch. His novel Cheese is a quirky look at the disappointments in life of being a cheese salesman.
Cees Nooteboom - probably thought of as the pre-eminent Dutch writer still living and is often tipped for the Nobel. His novel Rituals introduced him to an international audience via translation.
Kader Abdolah - Persian-Dutch - I bought his The House of the Mosque earlier this year and will get around to it soon. It has been rated one of the best ten Dutch novels of the last 100 years.
Willem Frederik Hermans - Has a somewhat staccato style that is not for everyone but The Darkroom of Damocles is worth a try though difficult to find nowadays.
Gerard Reve - His most famous work is probably De Avonden but translated copies of this are thin on the ground.
Harry Mulisch - This notoriously bad-tempered writer was probably the most widely translated quality Dutch writer. His The Discovery of Heaven is a classic in any language.

Not despite the name dropping much of an advocate for Dutch lit as it is a little too thin on the ground - but as you discovered with The Twin of what little there is - some of it is very good indeed. My best friend locally in Malaysia is a ships engineer who lives near Gouda (yes the cheese is also a small town in Holland!) He married a local lady here as did I and he spends six weeks in Argentina cleaning the River Plate and six weeks in Kuala Lumpur. He got me a little interested in Dutch writing and I have helped him see the virtues of Scandi!

Deb- I'm sure your Twin review is excellent. I just skimmed it and eye-balled your high rating. I like going into the book with complete ignorance. Hugs!

@ 109,Paul, when I love a book, I can't help but try to share it far and wide! and that is a great segway into my next bit of information The Twin can be found at the Book Depository on the web for the small sum of $9.97 CDN - with shipping free!. There, just want to get the word out there! :) Thanks Paul for all of the Dutch authors that you've listed for me - I'll be looking into them! Ohhh I want to live in Gouda!!! Is there a place in the world called Chocolate or Nestle or something like that? Because I cannot pass a day without chocolate.

@110 Mark - at least give me the thumb, subtle Mark, even if you only skimmed the review!!! :) I understand wanting to go into a book with total ignorance -but I thought I ought to give people an idea of what the book is about. What's that you say - you want to me send you Fruit : A Boy with Nipples? I remember you laughing at that one. Sorry - I've not read that one, Marky! hugs back and a chuckle!

HAWT reviewer, Deb!!

Hi Deb! Just passing through as I try to catch up on all the threads! Threads like yours that has like over 50 messages are killer, but oh so interesting. :)

A girlfriend of my just gave birth to twins a couple of months ago. I CAN'T imagine doing everything you have to do for just one baby, and having to do it TWICE! All the time! I would go nuts and not figuratively either! @.@

ETA: Great minds we two are. Just caught us cross posting. :)

I'm pretty sure that this is going to be my next read. Natural Order by Brian Francis. It's by a Canadian author and I picked it up in the bookstore a couple of months ago. So far it's about an elderly lady, Joyce Sparks, who is living in a rather depressing care home. She has quite a sense of humour She says of her roommate in her semi private room , Margaret .. was soft in the head. She'd sit in her chair , knuckle deep inside a nostril for the most of the day. " If you find an escape route up there, let me know," I'd say to her.

I anticipate both a humourous and poignant novel. Ami McKay of The Birth House says " Honest, tender, and mesmerizing, Natural Order is a must read. Jessica Grant and Kathleen Winter of Annabel also give glowing review on the book jacket. I think it's the story of eldery woman looking back over mistakes made in the past.

@112 - Thanks, Hot Lit Chick! ;)

@113 - Before I had my first, I though having twins would be a good way to have my children all at once. Well, I waited about 3 years after my first child before I could summon up the courage to go through another birth and sleepless colicky months. As it happened, our second child was much easier. But yes, twins would be way too much! I have a very close friend who had two children - nearly 2 and 1 years old and one day she looked at me palely and said - Deborah - I'm already expecting again. Well - several weeks later she looked a lot paler when she told me - Guess what Deborah - I'm having TWINS! So, she had 4 children below the age of 3!!! I cannot imagine! We all helped out as much as we could. Now they are grown up - but oh boy!!!

Just one child is a 40 hour a week job in the first year. Until you have a child, one cannot really know just how much work it is!

Deb, as a woman with no kids who much loves downtime and reading time, your story about 4 kids under age 3 scares the bejeesies out of me!!
The thought of how much time 1 baby takes is enough to scare me! I'm 30 now and probably won't get around to making one for another 2 years ... I'm going to be an old crabby mom I fear!

I believe I might have nightmares now!

Oh Chelle , you crack me up!!! For me, our first came as a surprise and it was probably best that way, because I would have worried endlessly about " The Best Time to Have Child." I was a lot more anxious in my twenties than I am now. I think my husband and I were fortunate to have our first just 18 months after we got married. My husband was intially laid off from work , then he commuted from Vancouver to Calgary to work for about 3 months , while I worked p/t and looked after the baby and so - we never had much time to establish a life without children.

I'm sure you won't be a crabby old mom at all !These days, people wait longer than they used to do.

Nightmares! Oh I'm sure not! :)

I work with a girl who had 3 under 3, just kept getting pregnant again before each mat leave was finished. (3 boys!) The stories she tells is enough to make me want to double check my birth control!

I think it will be interesting when Nate and I start making babies, he is 5 years younger than me so I can see him being the fun daddy and me being the mean mommy. ( But I'll be the bedtime story mommy!! )

If I get nightmares of mass amounts of babies I will blame you ;-)

#110 Deb - Joshua Cadbury built a township for his workers called Bournville which is still a chocolate brand and the town is still standing. Don't think they get any extra chocs there however.
"Boys with Nipples?!" obviously missed that one! Just for info for Mark and yourself - all boys are endowed with nipples the same as the female of the species only it still hasn't been figured out what on earth we are supposed to do with them.

Nancy "HAWT"?

Valerie - I have also noted that Deb's thread does seem to be moving along at an alarming clip. Fun trying to keep up though.

Chelle - can understand your reticence especially in the face of such rampant fertility. Hani and I also had Yasmyne quite soon after marriage 13 months (lucky for us!) followed by Kyran two years later and Belle after a six year "recuperation". Like Deb I guess the life without children will be after the kids are off our hands but with Deb's recent experience of having her groceries subject to disappearance this may not be sooner than we think! Sure you'd be a great mum - get them reading from an early age - it keeps them quiet!

Yes, you earned a well-deserved Thumb!

Deb, your story totally reminds me of my sister and brother in law who had been trying to have kids for over 7 years! They finally got pregnant which made the entire family ecstatic but since it took such a long time the first time around, they started right away to try to have their second. Again, it seemed like it was taking a lot longer than they wanted so they decided to adopt and so now they have a newborn infant son but within a couple of weeks of bringing their second son home, they found out they were pregnant again! So in short, they ended up with 3 boys under 3! We all had to chuckle because this was the family they had always wanted except they prepared for it to be in such a concentrated time frame. She is one amazing woman though because when I hear how a typical day sounds like for her, I'm surprised she doesn't just collapse at the end of it.

@118 - I hope you slept well, Chelle, and didn't have nightmares about having children! You were beginning to scare me that I might be relegated to the same fate - in my dreams!

@119 Paul - so you think you can find me a town with some name close to chocolate? Hmmm , maybe I'll have to invent one! I certainly have a good enough imagination. Hehe Paul, once I read Fruit A Boy with Nipples - I'll convince you that you need to read it , if I like it! ;) I certainly understand Hani's wife's recovery time of 6 years after two children so quickly.

@120 - Thanks Mark. Hugs are due to you today, my friend. Take care.

@121 - Wow, Valerie , that's quite the story! 3 boys under three! It's feast or famine, it would seem! As it happened, my friend had a son, a daughter and identical twin boys! Now she is already the grandmother to 5 grandsons !!!!!It would seem that fertility runs in her family! ;)

Some friends have had "four under four" - two sets of twins, four years old and two years old. Thank goodness they're even-keeled with a good sense of humor.

Just returning the visit, Deb. :) Think I'll try and keep up with from now on. Interesting mix of books in these parts.

@123 jnwelch! That's amazing!!!! Two sets of twins in a row!! Yes I think it makes a big difference if the kids are even keeled with a sense of humour, and that would be a great trait in the parents too! :)

@124 Hey thanks so much Micky for visiting my thread! I'll be back to your thread in later today. Whether the books are interesting or not -I think that they are - the conversation is always varied and interesting here!;)

Thanks Deb, I slept like a baby (pun intended:)

It's funny, Paul and Deb, I always thought I would end up being a young mum. It's funny how life never really turns out as planned eh!

@126 - Indeed Chelle, life has a way of doing it's own thing!;)

By the way I am LOVING Natural Order. It's combination of fantastic humour and a poignant story . The narrator is an elderly lady who is quite a character in nursing home, oh boy, she tells it like it is. But, it also goes back in time where she has some deep regrets.

If I still LOVE the book by the end - you all know what that means... I'll be twisting everyone's arms to read the book! ;) I think it may be a ripsnorter, as Tania would say :)

Chelle I get the feeling reading between the lines (something guys are particularly bad at btw) that Nate will soon come to know that you are getting broody! Hani and I are sort of trying for number four (well we don't do anything to stop nature shall we say) but Belle (my smallest) is adamant that she should remain the baby of the house indefinitely.

Deb, Natural Order sounds interesting. I'll be awaiting your final thoughts! ( I still haven't figured out exactly what a ripsnorter is!)

Paul, it's funny but he is the one that is pushing to make sure I want some little rugrats. I'd be ok with getting another dog ;) Dogs don't talk back ...
I imagine late next year we might start trying, or at least early the following year

I love the name Belle! Is it short for Isabelle or just Belle? I'm sure she would grow to love a little baby brother/sister ... eventually!

@129 hhhmmmm Paul, I am loathe to say it , but I think you might be one of those guys who cannot read between the lines very well, judging by Chelle's reply..... are you certain Hani is truly on board with your idea of baby number 4? What's your phone number again - perhaps I should give Hani a warning.. I mean - perhaps I should ring up Hani....

@Chelle, I'm not entirely sure what ripsnorter is either, but I picture myself ripping through the pages and perhaps snorting with laughter or some such thing. Belle and Chelle - that will make a pretty name combo! are you certain you don't prefer the very tried and true name of Deborah? I think it's just on the cusp of making a grand return to popularity....like Grace, Isabelle, Ava, Ella - maybe you want to ahead of the curve with the latest in names....;)

Hahaha Deb when it comes to the commissioning of new children - Hani is most definitely ex-directory!

#128> I think it may be a ripsnorter, as Tania would say :)

I may indeed think this one is a ripsnorter, ace, or even a corker. :)

Chelle, dogs may not talk back, but that is half the fun of kids, watching them slowly become independent. (Then turn into teenagers. I'm not particularly looking forward to that phase.) Mine are cracking me up by using "OMG!" far too often this week. I'm waiting for "random" to be used, that's a slang term that tickles my funny bone.

Paul, good luck with your lack of stopping nature. :) I'm happy with two, I don't think I could go through the baby phase again, although I do get a bit clucky around babies. (Mainly because I can give them back now, and I think I'm finally over the new parent lack of sleep trauma now they're 6-and-a-half and almost-9. ;)

Deb, I think Paul can somewhat read behind the lines .. as best he can anyway when the lines I've laid are rather wiggly!

I would have been happy without kids, when I was in my early 20's I didn't want any at all. As I got older I didn't mind them as much and once Nate got talking about all the things we would miss without having a 'family', he started making me think we should have a couple.

Someone once told me that if you are 100% sure you don't want kids, then don't have them. BUT if you are on the fence and might want them then have some or else you could possibly regret it. I thought she was pretty smart.

(I still want another puppy though ;)

Tania, I say dogs don't talk back, but I guess mine barks instead. Same thing probably LOL!

That's funny that your kids say OMG so much. It's funnier that I say Random a lot though! :)

Chelle - I have started reading an interesting poetry anthology by Carol Ann Duffy called Answering Back. In it a famous poem by Philip Larkin (one of my favourites and the pithiest of english poets) is responded to by Carol Rumens. Given our present topic of discussion it is so apropos:

LARKINS
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy stern
And half at one another's throats,

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.

is answered by
RUMENS
Not everybody's
Childhood sucked:
There are some kiddies
Not up-fucked.

They moan and shout,
Won't take advice,
But - hang about -
Most turn out nice -

If not better
Than us, no worse.
Sad non-begetter,
That bean't the verse.

The poetry of the former is superior but the sentiment of the latter is preferred.

@132 - err Paul - what is ex- directory? I cannot find it in the dictionary. Also - err - @135 - You've turned my thread into an x-rated thread and I try to my keep my thread either PG or 14+. But , hello.

@ 134 Tania, I'm going to have to keep all of those great adjectives in mind when describing my books - corker, ripsnorter, and Ace -those are great!

@135 Well, there you go Chelle, you are feeling " broody" after all. As far as dogs talking, I think my dog even talks to me first!She opens and shuts her mouth at me and if I don't respond , she will bark at me. I'm sure that she is trying to talk to me.

Paul I see how that fits into our kiddie discussion, thanks for sharing!! Better watch out though, you wrote bad words on Deb's PG13 thread and the thread police are looking for you!

Deb, I guess dog's can be just as bad but the difference when they talk back you don't get words, just woofs!
Jax (our lab) was trying to play with my mom's dog yesterday (who is old and sickly) and my mom tried to tell him 'NO' and Jax stopped and started barking at her. I thought it was hillarious, mom not so much! ;)

Hi Deb, just stopped by to say Hi. I see Paul's on the naughty stool. I think you should let him off because his poems are funny and actually quite accurate as well.

FYI: If you are interested in getting 1001 Books Chapters has it for $9.99. I just grabbed the original one, not the new and improved one

Deb, I just wanted to tell you I enjoyed your review of The Twin, and I look forward to your review of Natural Order. Sounds very promising!

I don't think I could go back to the baby phase, either. I have so enjoyed every phase of my girls' lives -- the current one is always the best:)

Post removed.

Wow, F-Bomb after F-bomb over here! I'm glad I decided to not bring the kids along. LOL. Hey, nothing wrong with a bit of spice once and awhile.
Funny, I just said shit on my thread, using an asterisk. How wimpy is that?

@ 138 Chelle, well, my dog would likely bark at me if didn't do watch she expected at a certain time of day - feed her, talk out for a walk. She lets us know what is up. Yes, dear Paul has written " bad words" on my thread. Tsk Tsk!!!!!!!!!!!!

@139 - Chelle, thanks for the information! I wonder if " my " Chapters" has the book. Maybe I'll phone.

Now Paul, let me give you some parental advice. I still love your dearly, just as I did when my sons went off the rails - but I have to set some limits with you. Personally neither I nor my husband uses " bad words" not even " OMG". As you raise your children, I think you will want to model that, just as my parents did to me. And no double standards for parents. 1 minute time of out per year of age for infractions of rules ( only works up til about age 5) but in your case we will try it anyway. Okay, I think you've had you time out. Back on the thread!!!! No more infractions please Paul! You can see how I raised two reasonable, well behaved sons :) Lecturing my children when needed is also one of my well known talents - just ask them. They get a huge laugh out of it now. ;)

@140 - Thanks so much Anne for your kind words re my review. Natural Order - I"m about 1/2 way through, is shaping up to be a great read. On one hand it is very funny - and on the other hand is very heartbreaking. A cantankerous elderly lady in a nursing home looks back over her life from teenage on, and has many regrets - the biggest being how she tried to deal with her son , who died at the age of 31. I don't want to give too much away, but it's written by the same author of Fruit - so that may give you an idea of what it's about. So far, I can't see that anyone on LT has actually read it, but I am very much enjoying it. I nearly can't turn the pages fast enough!

@ 140 Hi Judy! Poor old Paul, on the naughty stool;) He's been released from his time out. I'm glad ( I think) that you enjoyed his " poem."

@141 Nancy, I believe you when you say that your Malamute used to talk to you. My parents had two Irish Terriers and my mom swore ( as in she crossed her heart , Paul) that the Molly smiled at her. Well, I never personally witnessed it, but I believe it. Tsk tsk Nancy, enjoying Paul being naughty, that could be grounds for time out for you too!!!! ;) hehehe!

#136 Deb - suitably chastised! but since released from the sin bin - would state to be fair though that the bad words are actually Larkins' not mine! I did consider an expletive deleted version but Larkin was notoriously grumpy and I didn't fancy him reaching out from beyond the grave...also with the Rumens it wouldn't have rhymed with sucked!
Ex-directory - in Uk there is a book per town where everyones number is listed if you don't want your phone number to appear and prevent also the operator from giving it out easily you have the option to make it "ex-directory" i.e. not in the book.
Nancy, Chelle, Judy, Mark - thanks for the support but - Mark is right discretion ought to have been the better part of valour. Deb, don't be too hard on Nancy friends should stick together!

@144 Dearest Paul, yes you are released from the sin bin. Ah, here , ex - directory is would be an unlisted number. Thanks for the info. Yes , friends should stick together and you are one of my dear friends , as are so many here on LT. No worries! :) I'm very silly myself and often slide off the rails . Sometimes I even have to apologize to my kids for my own stupidity.

@ Mark, Oh dear! I'd better head over to your thread and keep the peace. ;)

hugs and great welcome to all!

Deb - my thoughts entirely (with sighs of relief). SHE-WHO-MUST-BE-OBEYED and Yasmyne my eldest seem to be in a constant state of war at present. Yasmyne is 14 and I guess her hormones are running riot. Deb I think you were lucky having your two boys and not having to cope with a growing female of the species stealing your make-up and flexing her muscles ever more daily. Poor dad trying to keep the peace and often getting caught in the cross-fire as a result.

@146 Paul, I'm not sure that having only masculine hormones in the house is the solution either! A professional once told me that ideally a daughter in the family would help bring civilization to the family - however, one cannnot order up a particular sex of a child... at least it evaded me!;) And - I recall when when we chose our first dog, Geordie the Border Terrier - the breeder took me aside -and said - you realize you are adding another male to the family! That made me chuckle , because I don't the sex of dog influences the family.

I feel for with the hormones flying ! All the testosterone in my family made for some " exciting moments" for me - such " You're not the boss of me" " I'm taller than you" " Surely you will change the oil in your own car" and much err - wind passed at the table and plenty of burps . I too had to act as the peace keeper, as bless my husbands heart, he is the more " particular" member of the family and nearly went mad during the teen years.

The teens are really not that bad. You'll get used to it. That said - I'm glad that my two sons are 26 and 21 and they are more or less happily launched into adult hood.

Deb thanks for sharing! To paraphrase "it will get worse before it gets better, but it does eventually get better!"

Hi Deb, delurking to say I like your enthusiasm for The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker. I read it last year and rather liked it, although I think it -like you said- might not be to everyone's taste. In retrospect, I think it's one of those books that stick and stand out.
Re # 108, Bakker has written other novels which may not have been translated yet, but I think De omweg (The Detour) will be. I read it earlier this year and really liked it (http://www.librarything.com/topic/106043#2646027).
Re # 109 Willem Elsschot - Actually Belgian but wrote in Dutch... erh, in Belgium there are three official languages: Dutch (Flemish), French and German. Appr. 60 % of the Belgians speak Dutch, appr. 40 % speak French and a very, very small minority speak German. So, if Elsschot wrote in Dutch, it's because it's his maternal language, like the majority of the Belgians speak... I believe it's a persistent misconception around the world that Belgium is mainly French. It's not.
And I wanted to add I continued my Jackson Brodie-quest, having finished One Good Turn yesterday. He's growing on me and I'm sure I'll read the other ones sooner rather than later.
I'm adding Eline Vere by Louis Couperus to the list of interesting Dutch books you might want to check out. And if you look for a Belgian (Dutch :-)) read, you might like Madame Verona comes down the Hill by Dimitri Verhulst. It slightly reminded me of Gerbrand Bakker's style.
I also noticed you highly rated Karen Fossum's books. I discoverered them a while ago and really loved them. I want to read them in order and I'm still waiting for someone at the library to return the next one in the series now (I think's it's gone missing...). That's the only reason I haven't continued so far.
Oooh, I talk too much. Well, there's so much going on in your thread, it's hard to keep quiet.

@148 - yes, Paul, that about sums it up. But you never know. One of my two sons was so easy to raise, he practically raised himself.

@ 149 JustJoey Thanks so much for de-lurking and giving me so many wonderful suggestions . I'll be particularly interested in looking into De omweg since it is by Bakker. Unfortunately I will have to wait until it translated into English. Thanks so much for the suggestions for me to look into - and your info on Belgium.

Indeed, I'm a big Jackson Brodie fan! I recommend reading the Jackson Brodie books in order, but it's not essential.

And yes, indeed, Karen Fossum is on the verge of being listed as one of my favourite authors. I very much enjoy her multilayered why done it's!

Thanks so much for stopping by - I'll come and visit your thread in the next short while.

Well, good news. I just discovered The Detour will be available in English in March 2012 (http://www.amazon.com/Detour-Gerbrand-Bakker/dp/1846555442). Btw, I found John Burnside's The Devil's Footprints somewhat similar to Bakker's style. I wonder if you'd like it.
Hm, I don't know why I give you all these recommendations. It's not like you need them. Is there anything else you want to recommend? We seem to have very similar (eclectic) tastes :-)

Good heavens, your thread has become a little infamous...
I would say that this is a fantastic thread, and very healthy! :)
*waves*

@151 - Just Joey, thanks so much for the suggestions! Much appreciated!

@152 Thanks for your kind words, Kath. I'll come and visit you soon.

And with that , I think it's time to start a new thread -

Here - http://www.librarything.com/topic/125548

#149 No misconception whatsoever. The discussion was about Dutch writers and I mentioned Elsschot who is a Belgian and who writes in Dutch. This is a statement of fact. The division of Belgium along language ties is well known to most Europeans but this doesn't alter the fact that Elsschot writes in Dutch and is Belgian.

# 155 - Paul, oops, then it's my misconception, my mistake, sorry.

Woah, I missed the first 156 posts.....cant even pretend Ive got time to read them all today.
*Ill be back*

#156 No problems mate - I think you probably know more about the genre the me anyway! Nice to exchange views with you - keep it coming.