Katiekrug's Climb to 75, Part the Fifth

Part the First is here
Part the Second is here
Part the Third is here
Part the Fourth is here

JANUARY
1. Still Life by Louise Penny
2. England, England by Julian Barnes
3. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
4. Mirabilis by Susann Cokal
5. Trespass by Rose Tremain
6. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
7. I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali

FEBRUARY
8. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
9. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
10. Down the Nile: Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff by Rosemary Mahoney
11. The Church of Dead Girls by Stephen Dobyns
12. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
13. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

MARCH
14. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
15. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
16. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
17. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
18. A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie
19. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
20. Life Studies by Susan Vreeland
21. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
22. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
23. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
24. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill
25. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

APRIL
26. Something Missing by Matthew Dicks
-- Haunted Ground by Erin Hart (Did Not Finish)
27. In the Woods by Tana French
-- And I Shall Have Some Peace There by Margaret Roach (Did Not Finish)
28. My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
-- How To Be Cool by Johana Edwards (Did Not Finish)
29. Disquiet by Julia Leigh
30. Without by Donald Hall
31. Room by Emma Donoghue
32. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
33. Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

MAY
34. Idyll Banter: Weekly Excursions to a Very Small Town by Chris Bohjalian
35. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
36. The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
37. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
38. Silk by Alessandro Baricco
39. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
-- A Window Across the River by Brian Morton (Did Not Finish)
40. The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie
41. The Last Talk with Lola Faye by Thomas H. Cook
42. Animal Farm by George Orwell
43. The March by E.L. Doctorow
44. Soulless by Gail Carriger
45. The Lion by Nelson DeMille

JUNE
46. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
-- The Hustle: One Team and Ten Lives in Black and White by Doug Merlino (Did Not Finish)
47. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
48. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
49. Eighteen Acres by Nicolle Wallace
50. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
51. The Outlaw Sea by William Langewiesche
52. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
53. Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott
54. Amore and Amaretti by Victoria Cosford
55. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West

JULY
56. All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie
57. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
58. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
59. The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill
60. Partitions by Amit Majmudar
61. The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
62. Emma by Jane Austen

AUGUST
63. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter
64. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
65. Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
66. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
67. The Chopin Manuscript by Jeffrey Deaver et. al.
68. Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch
69. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
70. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
71. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

SEPTEMBER
72. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan
73. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
74. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
75. Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
76. The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
77. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George
78. Burning Bright by Helen Dunmore
79. Bossypants by Tina Fey

OCTOBER
80. Undone by Karin Slaughter
81. A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr
82. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
83. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
84. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
85. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
86. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

NOVEMBER
87. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
88. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
89. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
90. Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich
91. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
92. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
93. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

DECEMBER
94. Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman
95. Persuasion by Jane Austen
96. The Perfect Elizabeth by Libby Schmais
97. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
98. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
99. A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz
100. Jane by April Lindner
--- 12 Stocking Stuffers (holiday anthology) (Did Not Finish)
101. A Thinking Man's Bully by Michael Adelberg
102. Felicia's Journey by William Trevor
103. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
104. Lady Susan by Jane Austen

Welcome everyone! This will probably be my last thread of the year. Thanks to all of you who have visited me and made me feel welcome in my first year on LT. It's a great community!

Hi Katie. Nice new thread. Dropping off a star. :)

Hi Katie. It's great to look back on the year's reading, isn't it? You've read a lot of good books this year. I second your comment about what a great community this is.

Hi Katie, just dropping by to add my star. That's a lovely picture at the top, autumn is my favorite time of the year, and I am enjoying all the colorful pictures that people are posting to their threads. Your picture makes me want to stroll through, crunching all those leaves.

Starring your thread. :)

I keep seeing such mixed reviews for The Sense of an Ending that I'm hesitant to pick up it and yet curious at the same time to see what my reaction to it will be.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy TMR as much as I did. I think I was so caught up in the story that looking back I actually have no idea how the writing was. You are right about some of the lines that were rather cheesy but I chalk it up to the fact that it was a YA book.

>6 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky :)

>7 BLBera: Good to see you, Beth!

>8 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy. Autumn is my favorite time of year. Unfortunately, we don't get lovely foliage like that in Texas, but we did where I grew up. I remember jumping into huge piles of raked leaves as a kid. Such fun!

>9 jolerie: Valerie - The Barnes book is short and if you borrow it from the library - no harm, no foul if you end up not liking it :) I liked The Maze Runner enough to consider reading the other two in the trilogy - just not right away.

______________________

Denver is lovely and brisk and I have a window that opens in my hotel room so I've been sleeping like a baby all snug under the covers. So far the meetings are going well but we haven't hit the crazy busy period yet so we're still having fun. That will change!

Another star from me. Glad you've enjoyed your first year on LT so far - and I hope you have good reading for the remainder!

Thanks, Genny!

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

”’Nothing stays forgotten for long, Elly. Sometimes we simply have to remind the world that we’re special and that we’re still here.’” (page 105)

When God Was a Rabbit tells the story of wise and precocious Elly, her brother Joe, and their wonderfully strange family, as well as Elly’s mysterious friend Jenny. It is broken into two parts – Elly’s childhood and adulthood – both of which combine stories of the major and minor, big, historical moments alongside the mundane of the everyday.

I absolutely loved the first half of this book. Winman managed to capture the essential mix of wonder and pain and mystery that we all experienced as children – to such a degree that though she depicted fictional scenes, they rang true to me and made me remember small moments from my own childhood. The writing is, for the most part, lovely:

”I sat on the bed noting her qualities in a way most people would have reserved for an epitaph. My fear was as silent as her multiplying cells. My mother was beautiful. She had lovely hands that lifted the conversation when she spoke, and had she been deaf, her signing would have been as elegant as a poet speaking verse. I looked at her eyes; blue, blue, blue; same as mine. I sang the color in my head until it swamped my essence like seawater.” (page 29)

”You had to translate his actions, for they were seldom accompanied by words, because his world was a quiet world: a disconnected, fractured space, a puzzle that made him phone me at three o’clock in the morning, asking me for the last piece of the border so he could fill in the sky.” (page 183)

I felt that the story lost something towards the end – almost as if Winman had run out of the manic energy that propelled the first part of the novel. But there are books that sometimes just speak to you, no matter their flaws; books that touch something and draw something out of the reader. This was such a book for me and one I will return to. 4.5 stars

I received a copy of this book through LT’s Early Reviewers program.

just catching up with you Katie!
well, trying to at least :)
Nice review on When God Was a Rabbit!

the quotes from the book alone make me want to check this one out.

But there are books that sometimes just speak to you, no matter their flaws; books that touch something and draw something out of the reader. This was such a book for me and one I will return to.
Nice! totally get it, and I love it when that happens :)

still doing the Denver thing?

Hey Kara - Good to see you! I leave Denver tomorrow morning; I'm SO ready to be home :)

Katie: When God Was a Rabbit sounds like a winner. Great review.

Thanks Beth!

*starred*

Beautiful, beautiful photo! Hope you had a great week in Denver :)

Here you are! Love the photo -- I'd prefer to be out there wading thru the leaves in the fresh air than sitting indoors trying to keep up with the news from Greece.

Katie- Good review of When God Was a Rabbit! Sounds interesting. Hope you have a safe trip home.

Good review Katie! I have this one on my shelf. It was one of those whimsical and random purchases when I was at the bookstore so your positive rating gives me some relief that I didn't make a bad choice with that one. :)

Lucky you, being in Denver for not one but two autumn snowstorms. Dallas should look good to you when you get home!

I'm glad you received a winner for an ER book. Love the title and description.

Hi Anne - I did enjoy my time in Denver, despite the long hours. I would move to Colorado in a heartbeat but the hubby has major issues with the altitude :(

Suz - Glad to see you over here. I've mostly been lurking on your thread recently as I grab random minutes to check-in on LT.

Mark - Thank you, sir!

Hiya Valerie - I requested it as an ER on a whim myself as the description normally wouldn't interest me. I think it was the title that caught my attention :) Hope you like it when you get around to it...

Donna - Yes, I arrived in snow and then it warmed up a bit. And then Tuesday night, a group of us were at dinner (at the excellent Vesta Dipping Grill which I highly recommend - see below) and when we left, we walked into a mix of snow and sleet with a hard wind. The next morning it was just snowing and I was happy as a clam walking the short distance from my hotel to the Convention Center in the cold and dark and snow. But I'm weird like that :)

I have arrived back in Dallas after a good week in Denver. The hours were long but we managed to have some fun. I also had several excellent meals - I didn't realize how diverse and top-notch some of the restaurants there are, though in my defense, I've only been to Denver once before. So as a public service, here are some recommendations (I know there are a bunch of Colorado peeps around here!):

Row 14 Bistro and Wine Bar (14th Street across from the CCC) - amazing wine list and excellent pita and hummus appetizer

The Capital Grille (Larimer St. (I think), just south of 15th) - holy schnikeys, I ate so much at this dinner! French Onion soup and the sirloin au poivre were delicious, and they served the most amazing cheesecake I've ever had (they sprinkle sugar on top and torch it like a creme brulee so you have to break it with the side of your spoon...)

Vesta Dipping Grill (somewhere on Blake St) - they make 40 sauces in-house and pair them with the proteins, or you can choose your own. I had garlic seared scallops with a pesto, a chimichurri, and a black pepper aioli for dipping.

I don't always focus on the food when I travel (despite what my hips might tell you!) but these were really outstanding meals.

I'm off tomorrow and Monday for a nice long weekend in which I hope to clean out closets and get lots of reading done... Currently, I'm reading the 4th Inspector Gamache - A Rule Against Murder - and listening to My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass is the New Black (love that title!) by Jen Lancaster.

*drooling at the thought of garlic seared scallops*

>24 katiekrug:: With all those great eating places, I wonder why we usually end up at Chipotle's when we go to Denver? I'm going to request the Capitol Grille next time we're near the downtown area... and save some room for that yummo sounding cheesecake. Darryl is not the only one drooling after reading your thread, Katie.

My Fair Lazy sounds like just the thing to read after a hectic time away. The subtitle is a hoot!

I love the title of My Fair Lazy; I'll be interested to hear what you think about it.

Oh that cheesecake sounds heavenly but I'm betting it's one of those deserts that would break my calorie count meaning that is all I get to eat for the day. :)

Oh my.... they would have to butter my thighs to get me out the door of any one of those restaurants, I would stuff myself!

the food sounds fantastic Katie and I hope you have a restful weekend even tho your plan was to clean out closets :)

Nice review of When God Was a Rabbit, which I've not heard of before.

And thanks for the food bulletin--I'm not sure whether the garlic-seared scallops or the choice of three dipping sauces sounds more appealing. Enjoy your weekend.

Hi, Darryl - They were quite good :) So often, scallops are over-cooked but these were absolutely perfect.

Donna - LOL! Yes, next time you are in Denver, you must branch out (though I quite like Chipotle myself). I forgot I had borrowed My Fair Lazy as an audiobook from the Dallas Public Library back in mid-October, so it's due date is almost upon me. I will put it on my WL to revisit later...

Hey Beth - See my comment to Donna above. I listened to about 30 minutes of My Fair Lazy and it was perfectly diverting so I will get back to it at some point...

Right you are, Valerie! Any diet would be out the window with that cheesecake :)

Kara - I love that "butter my thighs" comment! I do plan some rest this weekend, but dear God, these closets are in desperate need of some weeding!

Thank you, Anne. I'm not even sure if When God Was a Rabbit has been released in the US yet. And yes, the sauces were amazing. We were dipping everything - bread, vegetables, fingers (!) - in them.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

A short, spare novella detailing the doomed relationship between a man and his wife’s cousin. There are plenty of reviews, so I won’t rehash any of it. What I found most compelling was Wharton’s ability to make her reader invest in a story that does little more than detail the bleak landscape of New England and the icy nature of New Englanders’ emotional existence. A total downer, but a beautifully written and evocative one. I listened to this on audio, narrated by Scott Brick, and will return to the story in printed format at some point, as I think I missed some powerful writing. 3.75 stars

A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

”Armand Gamache was the explorer. He went ahead of all the rest, into territory unknown and uncharted. He was drawn to the edge of things. To the places old mariners knew and warned, ‘Beyond here be monsters.’” (page106)

I will probably not be one of the die-hard fans of this series, though I can see their appeal. And I will keep reading them, but I won’t be waiting with bated breath for the next book to be published. I think I still have three still to get to. These are decent enough mysteries, though in all four that I’ve read so far, I’ve found the actual crime and mystery to be secondary to the excellent character development and lovely descriptions of everything from food to flowers to furnishings. I did find this entry to be more interesting, as it tells more of Gamache’s personal story and I liked very much the relationship depicted between he and his wife. 3.5 stars

Nice review, Katie. One of the things I enjoy most about the series is the vivid sense of place.

Thanks, Beth. The books certainly do make me long for a quiet holiday in a picturesque village :)

Gosh, it's quiet over here. Oh, right, probably because I haven't finished a book in what seems like ages! I am (slowly) making my way though State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. It's good but a bit of a slog in parts. I picked it up for a RL book group I was thinking of joining, but apparently they always meet at 4pm on Sundays which just doesn't work for me during football season :) I'm also still listening to Sex on the Moon which is decent but not really captivating. I may ditch it... I certainly hope my next picks are better!

Katie: Good luck with the next read. I did enjoy State of Wonder -- I thought the setting was so vivid, I felt like I was in the jungle as I read. I am a sucker for great descriptive writing.

Beth, It is very vivid and I like that aspect of it. I'm just finding no connection - good or bad - to any of the characters.

Enjoyed your comments re Ethan Frome, Katie. I'd not read any Wharton until recently when I joined several others in reading The Age of Innocence. I was so impressed; it became a new favourite. Must read more Wharton.

Aha, here you are! I'm completely in your camp when it comes to both Ethan Frome and Gamache! It's not that Wharton's other books are tremendously upbeat, either; perhaps it's just that this time the physical setting is also icy cold... Am going to have to re-read some of hers (first read in the 80s). Gamache -- well, I simply don't get the charm, I'm afraid. My fave was def the one set in Quebec City rather than Three Pines. Everything there is just so quaint, and I confess I find Louise Penny's writing somewhat stylized.

OK, must now wipe drool off my keyboard, having read your food descriptions.

Hi Nancy - I have several of Wharton's books on my shelves and I look forward to delving more into her work.

Hello Suz - I do get the feeling at times that Penny is very conscious of the preciousness (can't think of a better word...) of the world and characters she has built. The saving grace of the series for me is that there is some real darkness explored, and I like that (though sometimes it's a bit outlandish and then I get annoyed).

As for Ethan Frome, I grew up just across the border from western Massachusetts and thought she captured the feeling of the winter just perfectly. It doesn't seemed to have fundamentally changed much between her time and mine...

No lovely food notes to share - we're having Chinese delivery :)

Morning Katie- I'll be watching for your thoughts on State of wonder. When this book came out, I was blown away by the reviews but then LTers have had a more mixed response to it, so it's sort of on a back-burner now. I have not read Patchett before.
I really enjoyed Ethan Frome too!

Confession Time: trip to Half Price Books on Friday night (this has become the regular date night with my husband - dinner at Grimaldi's where we share a pizza and a bottle of wine and then a trip to HPB once the wine has removed all inhibitions :-) )

Memory by Philippe Grimbert
A Cafe on the Nile by Bartle Bull
The Good Muslim by Tahmima Anam
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar
Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb
A Mirror for Witches by Esther Forbes
Death and Nightingales by Eugene McCabe
The New York Stories of Henry James by Henry James
Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich
Kim by Rudyard Kipling
A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence
The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marghanita Laski
Fires in the Dark by Louise Doughty

I forgot to confess the previous week's haul, so we'll just pretend it didn't happen...

I forgot to confess the previous week's haul, so we'll just pretend it didn't happen...

LOL!

I like your idea of date night. :)

Katie: I can't wait to hear about these books. I'm glad there isn't a HPB close to my house.

I'd be happy to have a standing date night at Half Price Books and look behind the counter at all the "new" books coming in. I can see why you need to go there once a week.

Hi Pat, Beth and Donna - I appreciate y'all enabling my habit :)

What a great date night tradition!

Katie interesting book haul (does it include last weeks too?)
Btw I love the intro photo very autumnal and atmospheric.

Thanks, Laura :)

No, Paul, I neglected last week's... ssshh... But rest assured, books were purchased!

What a wonderful way to spend a Friday evening!

eta - Tomorrow's Friday again, isn't it?! :)

Looking forward to seeing what you score this week!! I just hope you have lotsa shelves...

Well, tomorrow is my Thingaversary so I'm entitled to at least two books! And I have a B&N 20% off coupon.... So stay tuned :)

Abandoned a book last night: In Search of Rose Notes by Emily Arsenault was an ER book I won. Very mediocre and pedestrian, with one-dimensional characters. The 70 or so pages I read were a slog, so buh-bye!

I have to do a review for State of Wonder which I ended up liking. I want to do it justice since there is a lot going on in the book. I have some notes written down, but I usually end up being too lazy to put much effort into it. We'll see how it goes.

I'm almost done with the audio of Sex on the Moon which has been okay. And I started Robopocalypse last night which is, I think, just what the doctor ordered: a little escapism....

It's my Friday off (we work a 9/80 schedule with every other Friday off) and I have a bunch of errands to run... Back later...

Katie: I'm glad you ended liking State of Wonder. Thanks for the heads up on the new Arsenault book. I wasn't impressed with her first book and was wondering if I should give her another try. I'm thinking not.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

”…{H}er desire for the impossible eclipsed every piece of science she had ever known.” (page 3)

And here, at the very beginning, the reader is presented with a central tension of the book: science and creativity, the objective and subjective, rationality, emotion, empiricism, feeling… How do we reconcile two sides of a dichotomy? Can we even do such a thing? No plot summary from me (it’ll make it sound boring!), instead, I will laud Patchett’s gorgeous writing and her lush, evocative language.

Describing the air in Brazil: ”The outside air was heavy enough to be bitten and chewed. Never had Marina’s lungs taken in so much oxygen, so much moisture. With every inhalation she felt she was introducing unseen particles of plant life into her body, tiny spores that bedded down in between her cilia and set about taking root.”

Describing the impenetrable darkness before her eyes adjust: ”In an instant the veil of insects lifted and Marina saw nothing as she had never seen nothing before. It was as if God Himself had turned out the lights, every last one, and left them in the gaping darkness of His abandonment… Beyond the spectrum of darkness she saw the bright stars scattered across the table of the night sky and felt as if she had never seen such things as stars before. She did not know enough numbers to count them, and even if she did, the stars could not be separated one from the other, the whole was so much greater than the sum of its parts. She saw the textbook of constellations, the heroes of mythology posing on fields of ink. She could see the milkiness in everything now, the way the sky was spread over with light.”

Where Joseph Conrad’s Marlowe ventures into the heart of darkness and finds brutality, Patchett’s feminist re-telling of the ancient quest myth leads to the opposite. Conrad depicts man’s ultimate power as the subjugation of one to another; Patchett sees ultimate power in the ability to bring forth life and the unstoppable turning of the circle of creation. But State of Wonder is far from an empty paean to the superiority of women, native tribes, and pristine environments. Patchett raises fascinating questions of right and wrong, situational ethics and moral subjectivity, and what it means to see the world in black and white. Good stuff. 4.25 stars

Hi Beth - SoW was one of those books that I almost liked better once I was done with it. There was just so much to think about, and lots of interesting connections to be made... I haven't had a good read like that in a while!

Awesome review, Katie. Ann Patchett's books never fail to move me to tears and you did this one justice.

Katie- Good review of State of wonder. I've had that one on the WL, since it came out, but it has moved up and down due to differing opinions. I have not read her before.
I'm nearly 2/3rds done with Robopocalypse. It's not perfect but if you are looking for some fun escapism, this is the ticket.

Thanks, Nora and Mark! It's an interesting book - I think I didn't like it so much in the beginning because I was fighting against it. Once I let myself just go with the story, it was quite something.

Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich

This was mildly diverting, but I have never liked smarty-pants college kids who think it is okay to do something just because they can. The author tries to treat Thad Roberts, the brilliant university student who stole lunar rock samples from NASA (and yes, had sex with his girlfriend on top of them), in a balanced way, but seriously? I’m sorry his home life was messed up and that he was shy and socially awkward, but I have no sympathy for this guy who threw away amazing opportunities and turned his back on people who believed in him. His enormous ego and sense of entitlement landed him exactly where he deserved – federal prison. Some people really are too smart for their own good. 3 stars

Super review of State of Wonder, Katie!

Great review of the Patchett novel, Katie! I didn't like it as much as you did, and I think the lushness of the language left me feeling as limp as someone who's been traipsing through Amazonian humidity for too long, but it was an intriguing & imaginative novel and I'm not sorry I read it.

Thank you, Laura!

Suz - I need to go find your review. I don't remember seeing it and I'm intrigued by your reaction.

____________________-

Got stood up by the hubby for our regular Friday night date. Actually, he and a friend of ours wanted all of us to go out after work, but I'd just gotten out of the shower and all I wanted was to put on fleecy PJs and veg, so we amicably agreed to do our own things tonight :) My plans include snuggly PJs (check), a bowl of pasta (cooking), glass of wine (check) and watching the Jackson Brodie TV series which I recorded but have yet to watch.

My one book purchase today (with a coupon!) was the newly released paperback of Started Early, Took My Dog.

Aha, I'm watching the Jackson Brodie series, too. Third instalment is presently in the PVR ready for viewing. Fun that you purchased Started Early, Took My Dog; it's the only one of Atkinson's Brodies that I've left to read : ). Enjoy!

Katie - happy thingaversary! Ann Patchett's book looks interesting. How does it size up to Bel Canto which I have waiting on my shelves?

Hi Nancy - I have all three episodes waiting patiently. Tonight, I have gotten distracted by random household chores :-(

Hello Paul - Bel Canto is the only other Patchett I have read, though I own all her novels. I adored Bel Canto when I read it several years ago, but I remember few details of it. It definitely swept me up sooner than State of Wonder did... The two books are similar in their depiction of groups of people in seemingly untenable situations somehow forging together a kind of community. I'm thinking of having a category for re-reads in my 12 in 12 challenge and think BC would be a definite candidate!

Ooh, great review of State of Wonder, Katie. I've been on the fence about this book but your review has convinced me to give it a try.

I like your description of your night in wearing PJs, eating pasta and drinking wine!

And, a big Happy Thingaversary.

Hi Pat - Nice to see you popping up! I was also on the fence about State of Wonder but am glad I finally picked it up.

Hi Katie, I just found your thread after a week or so. I had placed a star but it must have slipped off! I hope you enjoy the production of Case Histories when you get to them, I thought all three were excellently done.

Glad you found me again, Judy! Still haven't gotten to the shows...

Hi Katie -- just dropping in with well wishes. Hope you have a great weekend!

Thanks, Anne. You, too!

Quick note to report on my Thingaversary books... As I mentioned above, I bought a copy of Started Early, Took My Dog at B&N on Friday. This is only my first Thingaversary, so I am only allowed two books. But I'm not good at following rules, so this morning I ordered 5 from Amazon:

South Riding by Winifred Holtby
A Singular Pilgrim by Rosemary Mahoney
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
After Midnight by Irmgard Keun
Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

I am trying to make sure I get my money's worth on free shipping with my Prime membership ;)

I don't buy books unless I can get the free shipping! That is the beauty of Amazon. :)

>73 katiekrug:: Rules are definitely for bending! And I loved South Riding. Great choice!

Katie I haven't read any of those! Will look forward greatly to hearing your thoughts on them.

I like your style, Katie. Belated congrats on your thingaversary. Will you be coming to Joplin for the meetup? Of course, you'll be expected to buy books there to help the local economy. ;-)

>74 TheTortoise: - Hello and welcome. Thanks for stopping in!

>75 lauralkeet: - I think it ended up on my WL thanks to you, Laura! The only copies I've been able to find have shots from the TV adaptation and I hate tie-ins. The one I snagged has a "real" cover :)

>76 PaulCranswick: - It's an eclectic mix, Paul, if I do say so myself. Rural England, a memoir with a spiritual bent, fantasy, Nazi Germany, and a mystery... I either have a wide array of interests or am schizophrenic :)

>77 Donna828: - Hi Donna! I am still hoping to make it but it's our budget season at work (I've never been involved before and it's insane) and our office is moving the week after T'giving so I just don't know if I'll be able to take the time off. I am ready to go if I can - got a hotel rec from Stasia, have Google mapped it, etc... I would really love to meet everyone!

Katie I have a gag for most subjects but schizophrenia is a little bit dodgy because I could fall out with myself before I've finished posting! I have a dyslexic friend who is proud of his affliction as he likes to say Dyslexia rules KO!

I like your math, Katie - first anniversary, buy five books, hehe! Works for me!

Hello! I'm behind in lurking lately. Good review of State of Wonder, got a thumb :) I have that one on my wishlist

Katie: I am reading The Sense of an Ending and loving it.

Hello Paul, Nancy, Chelle and Beth!

I am very behind on the threads, including my own. Been busy at work trying to NOT go in tomorrow and have 5 days off from work. I think I've succeeded... I may be wishing for the office tomorrow as my husband and I have a date at the car dealership to look for a new set of wheels for me. I'm thrilled by the prospect of a new car but dread the whole process. Ideally, it would just appear in the driveway with a big red bow around it :)

I'm currently reading Robopocalypse which is good fun and not demanding at all, and listening to Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World. The latter is quite good and very interesting, as I know little about one of my favorite authors. I've especially enjoyed the information on her various novels, as they are all fresh in my mind thanks to the Austenathon this year (well, except for Persuasion which I haven't gotten to yet).

Chelle - Thanks for de-lurking and for the thumb! I lurk quite a bit and am not nearly so good at making myself known on occasion!

Beth - I'm so glad you are enjoying the Barnes book. It's definitely going on my list of top reads for the year.

Katie, you might check out A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz. Most of the time I hate what I call "stunt memoirs" (like the year of living Biblically, etc.) but I found the author here has a light touch -- he goes through the novels, and extracts meaning from each one, even though he starts out reading them a defiant Austen-phobe. Nothing massively insightful, but a fun read.

What is it with all these Austen sequels??? OK, I confess, I'm about to read Death Comes to Pemberley, but that's by PD James, for heaven's sake, for whom all rules must be waived!

Thanks, Suz. I have the Deresiewicz book on my shelf. I've been saving it for after I read Persuasion and have all 6 comfortably under my belt :)

I read one Austen sequel - can't remember the name of it but it was by Linda Birdsoll (?) and was basically about Darcy and Lizzie's sex life after their wedding. Bleh.

Good luck with the car shopping. Hope you find the perfect ride!

I'm not a fan of those Austen sequel/spin-offs. I haven't read any, mind you, they just don't appeal to me at all. I'd rather read her earlier lesser-known work, like Love and Freindship, which are available free on my Kindle.

A really good biography of Austen to try, Katie, is Becoming Jane Austen (which yes, was the basis for the film with Anne Hathaway). I read it earlier this year and quite enjoyed it. Look forward to your thoughts on Persuasion.

Hope you are having a great Thanksgiving, Katie.

Hi Katie! Just passing through as I try to catch up on all the threads. Hopefully I didn't miss to many great books you've read in the meantime. I hope you are having a fantastic Thanksgiving. :)

Thanks, Pat! I am trying to be good and responsible and take the process slowly rather than jumping at the first thing I see.

Laura, I will look for Love and Friendship for my Kindle. Was it Project Gutenberg?

Thanks for that recommendation, Micky! I think I saw part of the movie of Becoming Jane Austen on a flight a few years ago.

Thank you, Judy. We had a nice holiday, and I managed not to eat myself sick!

Valerie, you haven't missed much as I haven't been reading very quickly :) I'm glad you and the monkey are feeling better!

Hi Katie- I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

>91 katiekrug:: Katie, I found Love and Friendship, as well as Lady Susan, and lots of other classics available for free in the Kindle store. In fact, I downloaded all of the free Jane Austens. I think I found them through a link to "Free Book Collections".

Here's a link to my Kindle edition of Love and Friendship on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002RKSV5M/ref=r_soa_w_d

Awesome - thanks, Laura!

Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

This story of the human war with machines in revolt is told in a fragmented, episodic format that leaves some gaping holes and questions unanswered, but which is a fun ride, nonetheless. There were a few problems with the narrative, especially in terms of clumsy foreshadowing that ended up not being connected to anything later, and the writing was labored in parts. For all that, it was good, mindless fun. And I like the cover art. 3.5 stars

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Very clever story by a master of the genre, though I was slightly disappointed in the resolution. Still, a solid read that I gobbled up in one day. 3 stars

#96 Interesting, thanks Katie. This is one I haven't read - it was banned by our school district a couple of years ago. Our local first nations found it offensive. I need to read it!

>96 katiekrug: I had to read that one in junior high for English and really enjoyed it but I will admit that I have no memory of whodunnit. At least that makes any re-read more fun. :) Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Hi Nancy - more than the "Indian" references, I found the casual anti-Semitism disturbing. Different era and all that, but it is rather jarring to the modern reader...

Thanks, Micky. I thought I had read it before - back when I was 11-12 and on a Christie kick - but it did not seem familiar at all... Am having an okay weekend - we bought our Christmas tree today and it is windy and gray and drizzly out which is good winter weather here in Texas :) Good for reading anyway - I'm in the middle of The Imperfectionists which I am enjoying.

Katie- I think we felt very similar about Robopocalypse. I'm going to try writing up my mini-review tomorrow. One thing I have to say, the author did come up with many fun & interesting ideas.
Have you tried World War Z? The same structure but with a much stronger & effective outcome.

Hi Mark - I own, but have not read, WWZ. My husband did read it and liked it very much. It's on tap for early next year. I have heard it is better than Robopocalypse...

Katie- WWZ is amazing! I know The Imperfectionists has gotten a mixed reaction from LTers, but I loved it and I'm glad you are enjoying it so far.

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

I very much enjoyed this collection of linked vignettes. At turns heartbreaking and comic, these peaks into the lives of people associated with a failing newspaper depict the way in which we delude ourselves and others into believing everything is good and fine and normal in our lives. Just as the paper is barely surviving, so are many of these people about to drown under the weight of misconception, miscommunication and missed opportunity. Rachman is a fine writer, providing surprisingly full portraits of his characters despite the limits of the story format. And he is funny! The chapter about the Cairo stringer is a wonderfully exaggerated portrait of naiveté and egotism. Asked how he likes Cairo, the young wanna-be journalist replies:

”I have a couple of gripes, but they’re pretty minor.”

“Like?”

“Nothing serious.”

“Tell me one.”

“Well, the air is kind of hard to breathe, with all this pollution. Sort of like inhaling from an exhaust pipe. The heat makes me faint sometimes. And the food isn’t all that edible. Or maybe I’ve just been unlucky. Also, it’s a police state, which I don’t love. And I get the impression the locals want to shoot me. Only when I talk to them, though. Which is my fault – my Arabic is useless. But basically, yeah,” he summarizes, “it’s really interesting.”

This book won’t work for everyone, but I appreciated Rachman’s ability to do so much so well in so limited a way. 4 stars

Great review of The Imperfectionists, Katie. I've been wondering about this book because I've seen mixed reviews. But I loved the quote so it's definitely back on the WL!

I hope you like it, Pat! I wasn't sure myself, given the mixed reviews, and some stories work better than others, but overall, I thought is was great (obviously!).

I really loved The Imperfectionists; a fave book from last year. Hoping his followup will be just as fun -- and not fall victim to the dreaded 'sophomore slump".

Have you heard anything about a new book from Rachman? I could probably do a quick Google search, but you are always on top of these things....

Hi Katie, just catching up on your thread and your reads. Great review of State of Wonder--that one is sitting on my shelf. (I had to have it when it was just out but I guess the urgency faded a little). Time to move it up the pile.

I enjoyed The Imperfectionists too. So funny and so sad.

Hi Anne - Nice to see you! Re: books we need to have - I am doing an entire category in my 12 in 12 challenge just for books I bought as soon as they came out or as soon as I heard about them with every intention of reading them Right Now... and still haven't gotten to :)

All I've seen, Katie, is a Kindle Single, The Bathtub Spy, which I have but haven't read yet.

drive by wave!
just trying to catch up on the threads and keep you in my radar :)

I'll have to look into The Bathtub Spy. Thanks for the heads up.

Hi Kara! Good to see you and so glad your vacation was a success :) But the coming back to reality is always so hard...

So December is shaping up to be my Jane Austen Month. I am currently reading Persuasion, the last entry in the year-long Austen-a-thon. I am planning to read Lady Susan, a short epistolary novel for one of this month's TIOLI challenges. I am listening to Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World, and I've begun reading A Jane Austen Education. I am also contemplating buying a copy of Death Comes to Pemberley, but we shall see. So far, I am feeling no ill effects from this over-indulgence :)

Yay for huge doses of Austen! I'm hoping to actually getting around to reading Jane Austen's Letters next month, but we'll see if it gets bumped back by all the shiny library books. Again.

>113 katiekrug:: sounds heavenly! Earlier this year I decided to re-read one Austen each year. This year it was P&P, early next year I'll read Emma.

Katie: An Austen immersion is always fun. I'll be anxious to hear what you think of Persuasion -- my co-favorite Austen. I think I will have to give myself the P.D. James book... I am sixth on the reserve list at the library and don't if I can wait that long.

Hi Micky, Laura and Beth! I am loving Persuasion, which I have not read before. It may surpass P&P at the top of my list of Austens :)

Persuasion was my first Austen, and my first audio book. It kicked off a year of reading them all, mostly on audio. And a great year it was!

Anne, Now that I will have read them all, I expect that when I feel a need to revisit one or more, I will try them on audio.

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Okay, here's the haul from Friday Night Date Night at Half Price Books :)

Broken Colors by Michele Zackheim (Europa Edition in pretty good condition)
Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner
To the North by Elizabeth Bowen
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman
Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
Black Mountain Breakdown by Lee Smith (which I read when I was 13 or 14 but don't remember much about except that it started me off on a Lee Smith Appalachia kick...)

I was also lucky enough to snag the following NYRBs:
A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 by Alistair Horne (I've been fascinated by this conflict since a seminar in college on political violence)
Contempt by Alberto Moravia
The New York Stories of Edith Wharton (this one is like new - nary a mark upon it!)
In Parenthesis by David Jones (a memoir of sorts about World War I)

Great haul Katie. So, what are you going to read first ;)

Wow impressed with that haul Katie. Not familiar with the Zackheim or the Lee Smith (or the Alistair Horne) but they all look fascinating.

Beth, Of the 10, I'll probably get to the Lee Smith first for one of my 12 in 12 categories (re-reads). But it won't be for a while yet!

Paul - I am simply trying to keep up with you, sir, in the book purchasing department ;-) In truth, I appreciate your honesty about your acquisitons, as it makes me feel slightly less weird about my own!

Katie I'm only honest on the ether with all my friends on LT - God forbid that SWMBO ever found out the extent of my purchases! I have a partner in crime with my maid Erni - normally she will take up occupation in the kitchen, the door of which she opens with the grille door closed across it. I will pass by the kitchen door at our condo on my way to the main entrance stopping to pas my purchases through the grille. Erni will locate them in my reading room while I am busy greeting SWMBO empty handed!

LOL - that is priceless! My hubs is pretty tolerant, though I occasionally get a raised eyebrow. He does not acquire at the same rate I do, but nor does he read as much as I do so it all evens out, as far as I'm concerned.

SWMBO likes reading too to be fair when the mood takes her but she doesn't seem to realise a just what expense the carefully assembled collection that has appeared around her and how fewer handbags she has been able to extort in consequence!

Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman

An engaging study of Jane Austen’s life and works, and their reception and appreciation (or lack thereof) at different times in history. This is not a weighty academic tome, but it is filled with interesting tidbits about Austen’s relationships with various family members; Harman makes a convincing argument for Austen’s acerbity and ambition, two traits that were papered over by her family after her death in favor of a “Saint Jane” hagiography. Not being a scholar, and not having read much in the way of Austen’s biography, I found this book to be both entertaining and informative. I especially enjoyed the section towards the end on various film and TV adaptations of the novels, as well as treatments of Austen’s life, from Becoming Jane to Miss Austen Regrets. Overall, a good survey of some primary questions about Jane Austen for the casual reader or curious fan. 3.5 stars

Persuasion by Jane Austen

I love both Anne Eliot and Captain Wentworth; I think Persuasion edges out Pride and Prejudice as my favorite Austen because of the depth of characterization and emotion we see in each, thanks to the maturation of the author. It may be the least overtly witty and most overtly romantic of all of Austen’s work – despite that, or maybe because of it, I find it near perfection. 4.75 stars

Katie I have Persuasion up for my 12 in 12 next year and you have whetted my appetite for it nicely with your enthusiastic review.

>127 katiekrug:: I think I agree with you there, Katie. I read P&P many years before I read the rest of Austen's novels, and then Persuasion was the last one I read. I liked it best of all. Then I decided to start re-reading, beginning with P&P since I'd first read it so long ago, and I was more blown away than the first time. So which one do I truly like better? Does it matter? No ... I'll just have to keep re-reading them!

Katie- Persuasion will be my next Austen. I'm so glad you loved it!

Katie: Very perceptive comments about Persuasion; it's my favorite, too. Jane's Fame also sounds like something I should pick up. It sounds like you've had a great week in Janeland.

Thanks, Paul! Do you already have a copy or will it necessitate a trip to the bookshop? ;)

Laura, For a long time, the only Austens I had read were P&P and Emma, but I always felt like I would love Persuasion given what I knew of hte story. It's hard for me to rank her novels, so I tend to group them - P&P, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park are at the top, with Northanger Abbey, Emma and Sense & Sensibility just below them. I love them all, just some a bit more than others :)

Hi Mark - I hope you like it when you get to it!

Beth - It's been cold and rainy here, so perfect for curling up with Jane Austen and a cup of tea! I've also read two essays in William Deresiewicz's book A Jane Austen Education - it's okay; I like his discussion of the novels but am not all that interested in how he ties them to different life lessons he's learned. I'll finish it but it will be spaced out over the course of the month, I think.

Katie I bought it again fairly recently and am looking forward to reading it in the new year.

I'm in the same boat as you, Katie. I can never rank Austen's novels and instead they all have my love, although a couple get a bit more love than the others. :)

It's funny how we all react differently to Austen, isn't it, Micky? I think I'm probably in the minority in ranking Emma on the low side - objectively, it is one of her best works, I think. I just don't like Emma herself and that totally colors my reaction.

Emma was my first Austen, so it definitely is more loved by me than you. But everyone is entitled to their favourites. As long as they love Austen. If they don't... ;)

Hi there, another absolute Persuasion fan here, reread it every year because I just need to be reminded what a great book can do to the soul. I liked your comments on the characters, nice.

Thanks, Leonie. Good to see you!

The Perfect Elizabeth by Libby Schmais

This is a book that I’ve had on my shelves since May 2001 – I think my aunt passed it along to me during a visit I made to Texas when I lived in Washington, DC. It then moved with me four years later from DC to Dallas, where it has languished another six years or so. Poor book. The problem, sometimes, with books that have been sitting around a long time is that they reflect one’s reading tastes of many moons ago. I used to inhale this kind of light and breezy “women’s fiction” with less substance than cotton candy. Now it’s just kind of bleh to me. So this story of two sisters trying to figure out what they want out of life struck me as unimaginative and banal. It’s not particularly well-written and doesn’t explore any new issues in any kind of new way. 2.5 stars

Life is very busy lately - trying to get Christmas stuff done, longer commute with an office relocation, preparing to be gone for two weeks, etc, etc. Luckily, I am enjoying some great books - on audio, Pat Conroy's narration of My Reading Life is not particularly polished but very effective. I think this is a book I will need to own a copy of... I am also enjoying the second Jackson Brodie book One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. And I continue to dip into A Jane Austen Education which is okay, but not great.

Lots of errands to run today and then I hope to get some quiet time to read. Happy Weekend!

Hi Katie, just passing the word that the threads are up for North and South group read. Sounds like you are crazy-busy (or should I say life-busy!), but everyone is welcome!

North and South (Non-Spoiler Thread)
North and South, Chapters 1-26 (Spoiler Thread)
North and South, Chapters 27-52 (Spoiler Thread)

I’ve also added the threads to our group’s wiki page.

Katie, I know what you mean about reading books you acquired ages ago. I've found that with some that have languished on my stacks far too long. By the time I get around to reading them I wonder what ever possessed me to buy them! You deserve a Jackson Brodie after reading The Perfect Elizabeth! I have Started Early, Took my Dog on my December pile but I want to wait a week until I'm on vacation from work, so I can really enjoy it to the fullest.

Katie- I did read my copy of My Reading Life. It was very good! ( Actually it was a Christmas Swap book from last year). I didn't realize Conroy narrated the audio.
I loved One Good Turn. I NEED to get to the 4th.

Hi Katie, I just recently read Persuasion and rated it the same as Pride and Prejudice; I will read Emma in February. Austen is fairly new for me but I'm really enjoying each book as I read it. I also know what you mean about books that you acquired years ago not appealing any more. My taste has greatly matured and I no longer read the kind of books I read in my twenties.

Thanks, Nancy! I may try to join the group read at the start of the new year.

Hi Laura - I am thinking of putting the Atkinson aside until I can devote longer stretches of time to it when things calm down. I am having trouble focusing on the various narrative threads because I am reading in short snatches.

Hey Mark - I actually lucked out and snagged a gently used copy of My Reading Life this afternoon :) I am enjoying One Good Turn but see my comment to Laura above...

Hi Bonnie! I guess I shouldn't be surprised about my taste changing - I just wonder what to do with all these books I've had for years and still haven't read!

My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

I have read and enjoyed three of Pat Conroy’s books, and have another three still to read sitting on my shelves. He is a gifted storyteller, and I very much enjoyed this book focusing on his love of literature and reading and the various influences throughout his life that set him on a literary path. I had the audio version of the book, which is narrated by Conroy himself. He’s not the most polished reader, but to hear his own story from his own lips (soft Southern slur and all) was very effective and made the telling more intimate. At turns funny and sad, My Reading Life is both a memoir and a manifesto; a memoir of one man’s life journey through books, and a manifesto on the value of all things biblio – books, libraries, writers, bookshops, etc. While in the middle of listening to the book, I had the opportunity to purchase a gently used hardcover copy of it, which I snapped up to add to my permanent collection. This one gets five stars because how can I quibble over such a passionate articulation of the value of books and reading? 5 stars

This has gotten so many rave reviews that I'm just going to have to break down and get it. Thumb for your enticing review Katie.

Thanks, Bonnie. I think you will like it very much!

Katie the Pat Conroy book looks very good. Like books on books and have Sebastian Faulks on Fiction lined up this month if I dont run out of time. Your latest will go into my TBR forest.

Wow! 5 stars is a pretty compelling reason to add that one to the top of the wish list.

Katie, I can't quibble about giving you a thumbs up for your review of My Reading Life. I didn't hesitate to give this memoir about Pat's lifetime love affair with books the 5 stars it deserves when I read it last year. I LOVE Pat Conroy!

Thank you, Leonie and Donna! It is definitely a favorite now.

Katie: My Reading Life is definitely going on my list. I've never read any Conroy, so I ignored it. It sounds like a book I would love.

Beth, I do hope you enjoy it! Conroy's style isn't for everyone, but My Reading Life is pretty straight forward. And includes some information on why he writes the way he does!

Oh, what a wonderful review of My Reading Life, Katie! a memoir of one man’s life journey through books, and a manifesto on the value of all things biblio ... hard to argue with that! Well said!

Thanks, Nancy :)

Your comment about having books for too long and how they reflect a different time in your life is something I'm recognizing more and more on my shelves. Classics aside, there are hundreds of books that I've owned for years and years and no longer fit into what I'm looking to read now. I still plan on reading them (since they're familiar "faces" and all) but I'm more looking forward to getting rid of them and making space for titles that are a more accurate description of my reading life.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Hi Laura - Well put! I feel almost guilty about even thinking of purging them without having read them, but I need to try to be realistic... ha! Easier said than done :)

Laura and Katie, very good observations, I think I can see different periods in my past reflected on my shelves as well.

One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

Not quite as good as Case Histories and much more bleak. Atkinson once again tells several different stories and then slowly reels them in and integrates them into the primary narrative. I love how she does this, without relying on cute coincidence or contrived set-ups. I missed the warmth provided to the first book in the series by the presence of Jackson’s daughter – she humanizes him and brings out his softer side. Still, I look forward to the next book. 3.75 stars

Keep going, Katie. I liked the first and third better than this one. And I'm reading the fourth one right now!

Delighted you enjoyed One Good Turn, Katie. I have to echo Laura's sentiments that I enjoyed the first and third more than second and fourth!

Laura and Nancy - I may have to bring When Will There Be Good News on my Christmas trip to my MIL's!

Hi Katie -- once again trying to catch up here... loved your comments about Persuasion -- that was my first Austen, and I loved it. I still think Emma is my favorite. I've had My Reading Life on my WL for a while -- your comments make me want to run out and get it -- thanks!

I really do think I am the only one who thought Case Histories was too coincidental for my liking, maybe I should try these next ones.

I must have become addicted to Jackson Brodie this year; I'm all jittery waiting for the next episode. Which will probably be a couple of years...

Hi Anne - I know from lurking on your thread how busy you are, so I appreciate the visit! I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday!

Leonie - If we all liked the same things, this would be a very dull place indeed! I am okay with the Jackson Brodies because I feel like what coincidences there are are plausible and part of the larger story, rather than the act of an author desperate to tie up loose ends.

Hi Suz - I think I read somewhere that Atkinson was taking a break from Jackson because she didn't want to become known primarily as a crime writer. I have a collection of her short stories, as well as Human Croquet and Behind the Scenes at the Museum on my TBR shelves. I'll be interested to see what I think of her non JB works.
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Today is my last day in the office until January 9! Bliss! The hubs and I leave Thursday for my MIL's in Florida. We drive there every year (it's about 24 hours of driving time which we break up over a day and a half) and this year we are bringing Louis, our dog. Should be an interesting trip...

I have a stack of books - and the Kindle - to bring with me, as well as a back log of magazines. And last year I discovered several good used bookstores in the area, so I should be covered no matter what mood strikes me :)

Katie: Have a lovely break. So, what reading do you have planned -- or do you play by ear?

Katie- Enjoy your time off and have a nice & safe trip to Florida! Merry Christmas!!

Hi Katie, I thought One Good Turn was the weakest of the three I've read but not by much. I just love Atkinson's writing, she draws me in immediately and doesn't let up. I'm also looking forward to reading her non-JB books in 2012:)

Have a great time on your break!

Merry Christmas, Katie : ).

Hi Beth - I'm bringing a little bit of everything since I never know what I'll be in the mood for. I will definitely report back on what I end up diving into!

Thanks, Mark. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Bonnie - It seems to be a bit of a consensus that One Good Turn is not the strongest entry in the series (which is pretty awesome since I still liked it a lot!). I totally agree with you about how Atkinson just grabs the reader right from the beginning - I love that.

And Merry Christmas to you, too, Nancy!

A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz

This is a decent, if not very profound, look at the impact of Jane Austen’s novels on one man. It’s kind of a memoir, kind of a literary analysis. I appreciated some of his insights into the texts, but the sections where he connected his analysis back to his own life were often clunky and riddled with cliché. It’s an interesting premise for a book – especially having a male perspective on an author and novels usually more identified with women, but the superficiality and rather banal conclusions ended up making it more of a boring read than anything else. Eh. 3 stars

Hi Katie, lucky you getting to spend Christmas in Florida. The road trip sounds like fun to me, but I do like to be shut in with a good book to listen to. Last year started off with a short (8 hour) trip to your area listening to The Defector. I plan to finish the year with another Daniel Silva, thanks to that intriguing TIOLI Challenge #21.

Have a save trip and a warm and peaceful Christmas.

>172 katiekrug:: It seems to be a bit of a consensus that One Good Turn is not the strongest entry in the series
Perhaps not coincidentally, my copy of Started Early, Took My Dog has on the front cover: "A novel by the author of Case Histories and When Will There Be Good News?" Totally dissed the second book in the series!

Hi Donna - we road trip a lot. Hubs hates flying - he's not scared of it but he has some weird streak of libertarianism running through him where he resents having to take off his shoes for security and doesn't like being treated like cattle. So we drive whenever possible :) Fine by me as I fly enough for work! Last year coming home from FL, I discovered that reading in the car no longer made me sick so I'm hoping that holds true this year. I also have a good audio going on my MP3 player for when it gets too dark to read :)

Hi Laura - That is a major diss! Well, if it's the worst of the lot, I'm glad to have it behind me!

Wishing you the best for the holiday season, Katie. Travel safely.

Have a great holiday, Katie!

Hi Katie - Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Katie!
hope you like 80 degree weather for Christmas cuz that's what we are getting :)

Hello Judy, Pat, Joanne and Kara!

We've arrived safely in beautiful South Florida where the weather is gorgeous (as Kara noted) - not very Christmas-y as far as this New Yorker is concerned, but the hubs loves it :)

I read most of the drive down so will have a review probably tomorrow. I am trying to decide what to pick up next - signs point to either a trashy holiday romance or a not very taxing mystery... My brain is pudding!

Merry Christmas Katie!

Katie I think I'd take the warm Florida air over the frigid cool of NYC as well. Wishing you and yours a very happy christmas and a prosperous and peaceful new year. Pleasure getting to know you a little this year.

Merry Christmas Katie!

Merry Christmas Katie - soak up some sunshine for us Northerners!

Merry Christmas to you, Katie! With best wishes.

Special holiday wishes (and some Florida sunshine for those who want it) to Bonnie, Paul, Chelle, Laura and Anne! I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a joyous new year.

And to all my visitors - both the visible and lurking varieties - Happy Holidays! And thank you for making my first year here on LT such a wonderful one!

Merry happy Xmas!!! May it be filled with lots of excellent reading...

Merry Christmas Katie!

Merry Christmas, Katie!

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the holiday and your time off. Happy Reading!

Katie- I hope you enjoyed your holiday and keep soaking up all that sunshine down in Florida. It's actually pretty mild in the Midwest, right now.

Merry Christmas Katie and thanks for the visit. Have a wonderful time in Florida.

And, I liked One Good Turn well enough but loved loved loved When Will There Be Good News. The audio version was excellent too.

My thanks to Suz, Nora, Micky, Laura, Beth, Mark, and Anne! Hope you all enjoyed your holiday, as well!

I received one - count it one! - book for Christmas (Paris 1919 about the treaty negotiations to end WWI). I think my family figures I buy myself enough books - and they're right! I did also receive a Barnes & Noble gift card.

And today, I dragged my husband to two used book stores in Fort Lauderdale that I had discovered on our Christmas trip last year. I acquired:

Old New York by Edith Wharton (rec. by Donna)
Perfume by Patrick Suskind (on the WL for a while)
A Way of Life, Like Any Other by Darcy O'Brien (NYRB edition)
The Way I Found Her by Rose Tremain (on the WL for a while and unable to find)
Total Chaos by Jean-Claude Izzo (Europa edition)
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray (pristine hardcover; on the WL for a while)
River Thieves by Michael Crummey (fairly recent addition to the WL)
The Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake (on the WL for a while; hubster also interested)
The Distant Echo by Val McDermid (I think Suz has recommended this author?)
The Dork of Cork by Chet Raymo (a favorite of my teen years; I once had a hardcover edition signed by the author but it's long gone :( )
A Traitor to Memory by Elizabeth George (collecting all 1432 books in the Inspector Lynley series)
A Place of Hiding by Elizabeth George (ditto)

Jane by April Lindner

A contemporary re-telling of Jane Eyre for the young adult audience. It wasn’t awful but it definitely could have been better. Mr. Rochester is a rock star; Jane is a college student forced to drop out of school and find work; there is still a mad woman in the attic and suspicious goings on. The biggest failure here, though, is Lindner’s inability to capture the atmosphere of the original – or really any atmosphere at all. It felt neither mysterious nor foreboding. And Jane was incredibly annoying and “woe is me” for most of the book. Despite all the flaws, I am a bit of a sucker for contemporary versions of classics and this one was kind of fun. 3 stars

Sorry Jane didn't work better for you, Katie. I really liked it. :)

Katie: You've picked up some good books -- lucky you're driving ;)

Micky - To each her own, right? I'll still haunt your thread looking for recs!

Beth, It is one of the better reasons to drive on vacation ;-)

Feel free to haunt all you like. I'll definitely be hanging around yours next year. :)

#195 Good haul Katie - if I'm ever in Fort Lauderdale........!
14 books (I assume the Peake is the trilogy) with a very nice mixture of genres to get your teeth into. If you collect all the Inspector Lynley's you will have a library with more books catalogued than Liz (lyzard)!

I swear, Paul, if I catch you using me as a negative example one more time...!!!!

:)

I'm glad you found some used bookstores in Fort Lauderdale because the last time I was in the airport there, I had run out of reading material on my cruise and was hoping to find something engaging to read. I finally settled on a popular non-fiction book of the time because nothing else grabbed me. It was somewhat disappointing, and I had finished it before I reached my final destination. Fortunately, I was where I could go to a good bookstore at that point.

Nice haul of books Katie!
glad your enjoying the weather in balmy Florida :) windy and rain here (Central Florida) today, maybe it won't reach as far south where you're at so you can soak up some sun :)
chilly tonight and tomorrow tho!

Hi All! I hit two more bookstores this afternoon - it was pretty cloudy and windy here today (no rain, Kara!) so the beach was out and I was tired of sitting in the house...

Today we ventured to Davie and Pembroke Pines, each of which has a respectable used book shop (and are located only 10 short minutes from each other!)...

The Cave and The Stone Raft by Jose Saramago
Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst
Together and Apart by Margaret Kennedy (VMC edition)
The Misses Mallett by EH Young (VMC edition)
Elizabeth Alone by William Trevor
The Information Officer by Mark Mills (set on Malta during WWII; I have a bit of an obsession with Malta)
Blue Water by A. Manette Ansay
Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian (mediocre writer - so why do I keep reading him?)
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor (for when I am in need of comfort reading)
Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire (I've been wanting to try Maguire's books...)
The Terror by Dan Simmons (not a huge horror fan but the historical setting interests me)
Citizen Washington by William Martin (I'm a fan of his historical fiction)
A False Mirror by Charles Todd
Thornyhold by Mary Stewart (rec'd by Suz, I think)
The Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt (I have #1 and #3 in the series, so had to get #2...)
Voyageurs by Margaret Elphinstone
Mama Day by Gloria Naylor (rec'd by Kara)
Swann by Carol Shields
The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead (essays on the greatest city in the world)
The Night Inspector by Frederick Busch
Time and Again by Jack Finney (I remember my parents had a copy of this on our bookshelves growing up...)
Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon (an early work by an author I like)
The File on H by Ismail Kadare (may read for the Reading Globally Q1 theme)
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang
Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell
3 more in the Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George

So that should conclude my book purchasing for 2011. I am going to hold on to my B&N gift card for a little while yet, I think. I have kept a list of all books purchased in 2011 (including for my Kindle), and the grand total is 1,189. I'm tempted to go find 11 more to buy to make that a nice tidy 1,200 even -- but that might be a little extreme :)

Katie: What a haul. Some of these I've had on my wish list for a long time. You are lucky you drove...

Whew! 1189 books in one year is very impressive.

At first I was going to ask how the heck are you going to get all those books back home but then I remember you guys drove to Florida :) make room in the back seat!

Oh I got chills when I saw Mama Day on your list!!!! I vow to read that one again!
what's 11 more to your list? I say go for it! No such thing as extreme ;) make it 1,200 it's such a pretty number :)

Beth - What a haul, indeed. May need a U-Haul to get home...

Micky - I think it might be more ridiculous than impressive. But oh, well :)

Kara - You are such an enabler! (See post below...)

Big Apple Books - Fort Lauderdale, FL

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid (pristine hardcover for $2.50!)
After River by Donna Milner (ditto)
Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks (non-fiction about the lives of women in the Middle East)
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie
Death of Riley by Rhys Bowen (must get over this need to have all books in a series before I've even started it!)
Wings of Fire by Charles Todd (ditto)
Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson (ditto, though I have read the first in this series)

Oy.

hehe :)
wait just one minute!
that's only 8....you need 3 more to make 1,200
you can do it! I have faith ;)

I was going to feel sorry for you, Katie, because of your lone book for Christmas...until I saw the hauls you've been making at the used bookstores in the Miami area. Be sure and get your tires inflated for the trip home to accommodate the extra weight. I love the idea of a book road trip. I'm certain you can find more bookstores on your way home. ;-)

Hi Donna - I don't know about any stops on the way home - my husband might kill me and I will just want to be home already!!

A Thinking Man’s Bully by Michael Adelberg

I found this debut novel to be eminently readable, despite not liking a single character in it. In a series of vignettes, we learn about one man’s past history of bullying and that of his son. The format is not very smooth and feels rather disconnected; the main characters are pretty obnoxious, and I found the ending to be a little too tidy. Despite these flaws, I stayed up late to finish the book, as the writing was clear and succinct and had a definite “voice.” 3 stars

Received through the LT Early Reviewers Program

Felicia’s Journey by William Trevor

”She knows she is not as she once was… The innocence that once was hers is now, with time, a foolishness, yet it is not disowned, and that same lost person is valued for leading her to where she is.” (page 207)

I have several of William Trevor’s novels and short story collections on my shelves, but this was the first work of his I’ve read. What a dark and creepy introduction! Felicia is a naïve Irish teenager, left pregnant by a local boy and abandoned upon his return to England where he supposedly works in a factory. She travels there in search of him but meets up with the helpful Mr. Hilditch instead.

The novel started off rather slowly for me but as the tension mounted and the atmosphere of foreboding and menace increased, I found myself more and more involved in the story. Trevor’s great gift here is to present the reader with “warts and all” portraits of his characters but to stir a sense of empathy for them, as well. The snatches of memory and dreams he describes give the novel a disjointed, uneasy feeling that only adds to the dark atmosphere. It’s all very bleak but also very well-written. I am glad I have more of Trevor’s work to explore. 3.5 stars

Katie - I am truly am amateur who must kneel at the feet of the master (oops I mean Mistress!) 1197 books is almost 400 more than even my magpie sensibilities managed!

William Trevor is a favourite of mine. Would recommend The Children of Dynmouth for a similar experience.

#202 Methinks you misconstrue Liz! I am holding you up as the very best example! You have the most books catalogued in the entire group, how the heck can that be deigned to be a negative assertion. You have catalogued over 10,000 books this year alone. As someone struggling to catalogue my own collection which will rumble well into 2012, you have my admiration indeed!

Paul - I plan to cut back (a little bit at least) in the new year :)

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

This is the first book in a trilogy concerning a steampunk alternate history of World War I. Utterly delightful and inventive. I listened to the audio narrated by the actor Alan Cumming which was fantastic. The book itself has some great illustrations (I’ll be buying a copy), so either way you can’t go wrong. The characters are wonderfully developed, and I can’t say enough about Westerfeld’s imagination in creating this world. 4 stars

Lady Susan by Jane Austen

I loved this short epistolary novella detailing the selfish and devious nature of the titular character. What an incisive sketch of a horrible woman! Besides providing an hour or so’s entertainment, it has inspired me to seek out the other minor works of Austen. 3.5 stars

>219 katiekrug:: ooh, and it only took an hour? I have this on my Kindle and really should just read it over lunch someday.

The illustrations in Westerfeld's steampunk trilogy really make it a must-see in print, imo. They are just so fantastic and give so much more reality to the fantastic world that Westerfeld created. Glad you enjoyed the audio though, I'm sure Alan Cummings would be a really good narrator. :)

And I agree, Lady Susan really is a fascinating character study of a horrid but entertaining woman.

Your review of Felicia's Journey has piqued my curiousity and I really love the quote at the beginning. Thanks for that, Katie! :D

>220 lauralkeet: - Yes, Laura - about an hour. I read it on my Kindle which gave the total page count as 89. Since it's told in a series of letters, it reads very quickly and there would probably be a lot of white space on the pages in a print book.

>221 MickyFine: - Micky, I'll be reading the other two in the series in print format for that very reason. Do give the Trevor a try - it's really dark and really well done.

2011 Quarter 4 Summary
Books Read: 25
Pages Read: 5364
Audio Hours: 48 hours 22 minutes

Favorites:
A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Persuasion by Jane Austen
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

2011 Totals
See Year End Summary post below

2011 Year End Summary

Books Read: 104 (88% fiction, 12% non-fiction)
Novels: 81

Mysteries/thrillers: 24
Literary Fiction: 23
Classics: 12
Young adult: 9
Historical Fiction: 5
Other: 8

Novellas: 8
Short Story Collections: 2
Poetry Collections: 1
Non-fiction: 12 (primarily narrative non-fiction and memoirs)

“Real” books: 75
Kindle: 11
Audio: 18

(Abandoned Books: 11)

Unique Authors: 89
Male: 37 (42 %)
Female: 52 (58%)
US: 53 (59%)
UK: 22 (25%)
Canadian: 6 (7%)
Other: 8 (2 Irish, 1 each Yemeni, Nigerian, Australian, Italian, Haitian, German)

Total Pages Read: 24, 861
Average # Pages per Day: 68.11
Average # Pages per Book: 289.08
Total Audio Hours: 133 hours 19 minutes

Favorite Books
Trespass by Rose Tremain
In the Woods by Tana French
Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Bright’s Passage by Josh Ritter
Partitions by Amit Majmudar
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Comments: In 2010, I read 23 books. In 2011, I read 104. In 2010, I'd never heard of LibraryThing. In 2011, I was a LibraryThing junkie. In 2010, I never knew any of you lovely people existed. In 2011, I got to know you. Here's to an even better 2012!!!

Katie: What a great year of reading you have had. Happy New Year -- here's to more great reading tin 2012.

Katie- That is an amazing "Favorite Book" list! Good title after good title! So many of us, have had such a great reading year! Should we do it again?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Beth and Mark!

Happy New Year Katie!