Madeline might read 75 books in 2012... :)

For 2012, I have the following going on. Please don't complicate my life with even more tempting challenges! ;)

In the meantime, see the white bunnies run...!

THE RACE OF THE WHITE RABBITS!

1. Read 75 books in 2012:



2. Read 20 books acquired before 2010 - now known as TBR bombs: (Msg #37)



3. Make one recipe each month from 12 never-before-used cookbooks - from the 12 in 12 mini-challenge:



4. Count down to 15,000 pages read in 2012:



My 2012 Calendar:



About the TIOLI challenges:
If you want to know what they are, please private message me for details.

Now follow my animal photos of monthly reads...

January:

Update: 4/1/12
License to this photo was subsequently changed to "All rights reserved". You may see the original photo here. It's worth browsing this photographer's photos as they are GORGEOUS!!

Photo by Parowan496 - Flickr, CC-A
I adore the tuft of snow on this deer's nose. How cute!

My bookish plans for January:
1. January 15 - The mega Jewish book sale at Tikvat Israel in Rockville, Maryland!
2. January 28 - Bookcrossing Meet-up in Ballston to bid farewell to felllow Bookcrosser Swanje who is moving out of town. New BookCrossing members invited (as always!).

Books read this month:
1. Turning Angel - Greg Iles - TIOLI: Read a book set in a state mentioned in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (Mississippi) - 501 pages
2. The End of California - Steve Yarbrough - TIOLI: Read a book set in a state mentioned in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (Mississippi) - 303 pages*
3. Sam the Cat and Other Stories - Matthew Klam - TIOLI: Read a book which has a beverage mentioned on page 10 - 243 pages*
4. Stay Awake: Stories - Dan Chaon - TIOLI: Read a book where a word in the title can be used as a verb as well as another part of speech - 254 pages
5. This Beautiful Life - Helen Schulman - TIOLI: read a book whose acknowledgement section is less than 6 paragraphs - 222 pages
6. The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole - TIOLI: Read a book written by someone who was already famous for something OTHER than writing (politician) - 128 pages

*Good for the book bomb - acquired before 2010.

Photo by Dawn Huczek - Flickr, CC-A
I'm a backyard birder so I find this photo quite a visual treat.

My bookish plans for February
1. February 18 - A baby shower for a fellow BookCrosser combined with a BookCrossing meet-up. What fun!

Books read this month:
7. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See - TIOLI: Read a 2 Word Titled Book BUT the First Letter of the First Word Must Come After the First Letter of the Second Word - 314 pages*
8. Sister Teresa - Barbara Mujica - TIOLI: Read a book with an animal on the left hand page, a beverage on the right hand page, and the number 3 in both page numbers - 384 pages
9. Riding Lessons - Sara Gruen - TIOLI: Read a book with an Ungulate in the title or on the cover
10. (continued next thread)

*acquired before 2010 - good for the book bomb!

Hi Madeline - looking forward to another year of great TIOLI challenges. Have a great year:)

Thanks, calm.

All the best to you in 2012!

Hi Madeline! Love the racing rabbits, great idea!

Last year it was butterflies. I figure the rabbits will be faster! :)

Oooh, love the animal pictures!

I do, too! I've been finding some absolutely beautiful animal pictures that can be shared among the Creative Commons licensed photos on Flickr.

I love your pictures.

Thanks. There are some pretty amazing photographers out there in Flickr land!

You did it before and you can do it again. . .

Just popping by to say Hi Madeline and hoping you have some great reads for 2012! :)

> 12

I'm not sure I want to push full steam ahead. I need to make this the most relaxing year ever!

> 13

Hi Valerie!

It was a good year, but I still have a HUGE mountain of other good books to read for the coming year. Happy 2012!

#14: OK, I guess I will cut you a break :)

I'm giving up on Loving Frank, a novel about a woman's affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. I'm up to page 45, and I'm simply not interested in this story.

#16: The reviews I have seen of Loving Frank seem to be of the 'love it or hate it' variety. I thnk I am going to pass on it myself.

I hope your first book of the new year turns out to be a better read for you, Madeline!

It will be. I'm reading Turning Angel by Greg Iles. He does murder mysteries, which I usually don't read, but I find this author's writing good. He bases his stories in his home town of Natchez, Mississippi. The setting becomes a very important part of all Iles' stories while plot points are slowly and steadily revealed.

Even knowing that the book has almost 500 pages has not been a turn-off for me either. Now I've finished more than half of the book, and I'm still very much interested in "who done it?" :)

I love your nature theme, Madeline, and your laid back reading "goals" for 2012. May the best rabbit win!

May the best rabbit win!

:)

Happy new year, Donna!

Forgive me for not catching up... I am just trying to stake a place :)

Hi Kath!

I, too, am so bad at followng everyone's threads. Hope you have a wonderful 2012.

Love the theme, love the race. Excellent ideas.

I love the nature theme, Madeline. With better planning, I hope to be more active on the TIOLI Challenges this year.

happy new white bunny year!

Happy New Year, Madeline!

Wish you all the best for 2012 Madeline and look forward to following your progress again. Thanks for your sterling job with the TIOLI although this month (oops last month here already) has been a disaster for me with health and work stress issues impeding. Will tidy up on the wiki later today !

> 23, 24,25,26

Happy New Year, Luxx, Caroline, Mary and Paul!

> 23, 24

Nature is very near and dear to me. I can't wait to look for more great pictures on Flickr for the coming months.

Looking forward to seeing more of you on TIOLI, Caroline.

> 26

Setting up the TIOLI challenges is really lots of fun for me, Paul. Glad you like them.

#18: I have read several of Iles' books. I hope you enjoy Turning Angel. To be honest, I did not care for that one overmuch, but that is just me!

So far, I'm liking it well enough. It's been a while since I've read a book by Iles sI i really can't fairly compare the one I'm reading now to the other two I previously read.

Can't wait to follow along this year again! I'm planning to set a challenge again too - since I didn't quite get there this past year.

Happy New Year, Madeline!

Enjoying the nature theme!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Madeline! Wishing you all the best in 2012!
Thanks for challenging us for, yet again, another year of TIOLI!

Happy New Year!

> 30

Good luck with your challenge, Liz.

> 31

All the best for the new year, Stasia.

> 32

Happy 2012, Katherine.

> 33, 34

Happy New Year, Linda and Brit!

Happy New Year, Madeline! I look forward to your reading plans and your TIOLI challenges in 2012.

Hi, Darryl!

Looking forward to a year of interesting conversation. Happy 2012!

18> I'm interested to hear what you think- I've been seeing Iles' name a lot but haven't picked up any of his books yet.

I like Iles' books, at least those I've read, because his plots are interesting and he makes his home city of Natchez, Mississippi, a very important part of all his stories.

ETA...and I am one person who reads very few murder mysteries.

I have a friend in Mississippi who absolutely loves Iles' books.

Happy New Year Madeline--looking forward to following your reading this year

Hi Anne!

All the best in 2012. See you at the next DC LT meet-up!

Hi Madeline,

Cheli explained the TIOLI process to me, so I'm thinking I'll be chiming in every once in a while. Some of those look very interesting. And I'm going to keep an eye out for the next DC area LT meet-up and try to plan a trip to my mom's in baltimore when the time is right. Enjoy your 2012 reading.

Oh, Tina, that's great! (...about all of the above)

It'll be so nice to have you participate with the TIOLI challenges. Your sister Cheli is an expert so we both can help you along. It's basically just to find a book that fits a category, add it to the list on the wiki, read it, and mark it COMPLETED when you finish it before the month is over. If you dislike the book or can't finish it before the month is over, you just delete it from the wiki. That 's the "leave it" part of the challenge. That's it. Truly!

The 75-ers are planning a meetup again sometime this spring. If you follow norabelle414's thread, you'll get a good idea of when it will be as she is the one who will be planning it. I have enough to do with the TIOLI challenges so I'm happy she is nowthe one planning the LT meetups.

Have a fantastic 2012.

Well, I did no reading today but rather hosted a New Year's Day open house here in our small house. I finally invited the in-laws-to-be (parents of my daughter's fiance and my son's financee) to our house. I also invited a very dear friend and her family, people whom I haven't seen for perhaps fifteen years, but they never responded to my invitation. But, wait! Later they came to visit anyway and surprised me. It was soooo much fun to see the five of them (two parents and three grown children).

I did offer some books to others today, but I got not even one taker! :)

I've not read any of Iles' books, Madeline, but I do enjoy mysteries so I've added it to the old wishlist.

You offered books and none were taken?! What is wrong with these people?!

Consider the imaginary LIKE button hit on Stasia's comment in #48!

#48: Madeline is obviously hanging out with the wrong crowd at home!

re: 48 above.. I agree

I have had it happen to a few times, though..
( but then I tried to give them to workman, like the fireplace installer guy..
the plumber and the UPS guy. I did give one or two to a Comcast tech once.. )

I wish random people would offer me books!! lol

> 48

You offered books and none were taken

I guess they have too many books of their own. One is a librarian. We're all bibliophiles so I really do know why they declined my offer of books.

About The Snowy Day - a picture book

I read a terrific article in this morning's copy of The Washington Post.

‘The Snowy Day,’ first picture book with black child as hero, marks 50 years

I used to borrow this book from the library to read it to my three kids when they were young. It's a child's picture book by Ezra Jack Keats and features an African-American boy walking though his neighborhood in the city on a snowy day. The art work is just beautiful. It's really a memorable book.

What blew me away was just today discovering that the author and illustrator of this book was not an African-American at all but rather a Jewish man of the former surname Katz (which also happens to be my maiden surname!).

Fun with tutored reads!

This is the thread in which Morphidae is being tutored by aulsmith in the book Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I think it will be fun to lurk on this thread!

I had so much fun with my own tutored read of Emma and with the lessons by lyzard this past year that I'm very excited for others who are going to take advantage of this same opportunity.

More about tutored reads can be found here.

Go for it, 75ers!

> 53. Madeline, I read that article this morning too -and thought how cool is that. I love The Snowy Day...Now if only we could get some snow down this away....

Now if only we could get some snow down this away

I'll skip the snow, Liz! I'd rather just see it in books. Gve me warm weather any time! :)

54: I lurked on your Emma thread, and _almost_ wanted to read it myself... again, since I had read it, oh, maybe 30 years ago and didn't get anything near what you got out of it. I'll be lurking on the Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell thread also. I have not read the book.

I'll be lurking on the Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell thread also. I have not read the book.

Since this is a book I'll most likely not want to read anyway, I figure it won't do me any harm to learn what aulsmith is teaching! :)

Psst . . .

DC Spring Meet-up planning thread

I just hope I don't go too slow for ya'll. Normally I'm a quick reader, but I'm taking this one really slow.

> 60

Morphy, I found that the slower I took it, the better my experience was. I literally read Emma about 5 pages a night. Luckily Emma's chapters were that short. However, if the chapters in your book are longer you might want to chop your "message title" into chapters *and* page numbers to break your reading down further.

I just hope I don't go too slow for ya'll.

A "tutored read" should have nothing at all to do with "y'all". It's a read to go at just the pace that the tutee wants and/or needs. The rest of us are there for lurking and occasional comments.

Your own experience with "pacing your tutored read" would make for a good discussion on the "tutored reads" main thread.

Hi Madeline, congratulations on your son's upcoming wedding! Hmmm...I foresee a wedding-related challenge from you on TIOLI. ;-)

I'm with Stasia and others who were flabbergasted that your guests turned down free books! Wish we lived closer to each other.

54: A tutored read...that sounds awesome!

> 62

Thanks, Donna!

I foresee a wedding-related challenge from you on TIOLI.

I'm glad you can see it because I can never see what's coming - even in a week or two! :D

> 63

The tutored read is such a fabulous experience. I did one with Liz (lyzard) in 2011. We spent two months together as she tutored me through Emma, my first ever Jane Austin novel!

I think it's really great that she has set up the tutored read as a 75-ers feature. I hope many people take advantage of this exciting new feature.

I'm enjoying my new ER book of short stories, Stay Awake by Dan Chaon. The stories are a bit bizarre, but often they make me laugh...

This is from "Patrick Lane, Flabbergated":

In the parking lot he collected empty shopping carts, stacking them, inserting one into the next until he was propelling a kind of millipede of metal and wheels across the asphalt.

#66: That quote draws a perfect picture in my mind!

I loved that Chaon described the row of carts as a "millipede". I'm sure I'll find some more quotes to post while reading this book. I'm really enjoying it so far, but, then again, I love stories which are a little bit "off". :)

I hope you continue to enjoy the book, Madeline. I look forward to your review when you are done.

1. Turning Angel - Greg Iles



This is the third book of this author's I've read. Although I don't usually do murder mysteries, I've come to like the style of Greg Iles' stories which incorporate the setting of his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, located deep in the heart of the American south. I enjoy reading Iles' contemporary novels as I like to trace the development of black-white race relations in the American south, always with the hope that it is improving as the years go by. This topic happens to be a component of this novel. My full review can be found here.

Rating- 3.5 stars

#70: Congrats on getting book 1 out of the way for the year, Madeline! I am glad to see that you liked it more than I did.

I'm finding it fun to read two books back-to-back, both based in the same setting but written by different authors. The term "Parchman" came up again in the second book in reference to a prison. That had me looking up "Parchman" here on Wikipedia.

I'm finding it fun to read two books back-to-back, both based in the same setting but written by different authors.

I had that too, the two books I read this year were both set in the White House and both mentioned a protestor that apparently has been in Lafayette Square since the Vietnam War or somewhere around then. When it was mentioned in the first book I thought it was just the author making it up for flair, but after the second one I figured there might be some truth to it after all.

in Lafayette Square since the Vietnam War or somewhere around then.

I wonder if that protester is now part of Occupy DC?! :)

Who's taking part in World Book Night?

Haha! This line from "Long Delayed, Always Expected" in Stay Awake by Dan Chaon makes me think of upper class Native American Indian women who are also psychotherapists...

Now their skin had a rosy, post-maternal glow, and they spoke in gently therapeutic voices as they walked around carrying their babies in expensive papooses.

How about this line from the same story? :)

"You're smoking, too," he said. "I can hear you breathing smoke."

...or how about this one? Same story again...

"You know what they say," he told her. "Fifty is the new thirty." ...
"Really?" she said. ... "Does that mean that thirty is the new ten?"

Here's another one...

She put a French fry to her mouth, and the shape of it made her wish for a cigarette.

...or this...

It's so stupid. It's like trying to explain something to a cat.

Okay. I'll stop. :)

great quotes!

This is actually the first Dan Chaon book I've read, although I think I've read one of his short stories previously of a book I had to return to the library. I have his novel here at home so I'm looking forward to reading that...whenever!

P.S. I like the cat quote the best (and put it in Common Knowledge). :)

I like the cat quote the best too, Madeline. I have not read any of Chaon's books. I will have to remedy that!

Oh, no! Another rabbit entered the race! See message #1.

Want to take bets on which of the five white rabbits will win?

Yikes! I can't believe I've been enticed to join yet another challenge. I think (but am not 100% sure) that this one is do-able.

wow 5 racing rabbits now?!
I put my money on the recipe rabbit

I put my money on the recipe rabbit

LOL!!

I think I'm supposed to do one of those a month.

One a month is easy, as long as you like cooking! ;)

More of Dan Chaon's prose from Stay Awake:

From "To Psychic Underworld"...

He had the image of his own personal thoughts softly detaching and being carried off by the wind like dandelion seeds, floating through the city.

I'm going to be working at this book sale at Tikvat Israel in Rockville, Maryland on January 15th, 2012. If you're around that day, stop in to say hi to me!

hi Madeline
stopping at your thread to drop a *star*, as we share 3 challenges now ;-)

I've come by to star your thread. I'll try to keep up, but you guys are just at a runaway speed over here! :) Wishing you a great reading year!

Hi Anita and Eva,

Hope your 2012 is perfect! I know how hard it is to keep up with everyone so it's nice to have you both drop by.

2. The End of California - Steve Yarbrough



Ew! I really like Steve Yarbrough's writing, but this story of people living in a rural town of Mississippi left me feeling uncomfortable. If interested, you may read my review of this book here.

Rating - 3 stars

89> I know how you feel. Sometimes there's something in a book, like a plotline or the actions of a character, that make you so uncomfertable, no matter how well written the book is. To be honest, I wouldn't have even finished the book, going on your review.

> 90

The only reason I did finish the book is that I've read two other books by this author that I really liked. He has a knack for bringing some deplorable characters to life. Therefore, even though the story is disagreeable, the writing is not.

By the way, I just got back from lurking on your tutored thread and am learning lots of good stuff from your excellent tutor, Nora! I love your questions, too!

What's fun for me is that I can learn from these tutored theads - knowing I'd never in a million years read some of these books that are being tutored.

In the past, my husband, who loves to read historical novels, read many books by John Jakes - including the book North and South that you're now reading.

>91 SqueakyChu:

I love the whole tutored read. I think I could get addicted to tutored reads very easily! Right now I'm the tutee, but in March I'll be the tutor for a non-fiction book called Maps of Time. I peek in to other tutored reads with great pleasure as well.

Right now I'm the tutee, but in March I'll be the tutor

That should be fun...switching roles later!

You may be learning more American history, but so am I...and I live here! :)

I think that's whats most fun about these tutored reads: the massive amount of things you learn. I could have read this book and just shrugged off everything I didn't 'get', because I could follow the story without getting my questions answered, but I think I would have missed whole layers of the novel that way. So I'm very happy to get answers to all the questions that pop up while reading.

(And I'm totally blaming you and lyzard for my new addiction to tutored reads! As if my TIOLI addiction wasn't big enough on it's own. :D)

And I'm totally blaming you and lyzard for my new addiction to tutored reads! As if my TIOLI addiction wasn't big enough on it's own.

LOL!!

You know what I like best about tutored reads? Goodreads doesn't have it!!

..and I hope they never find it and copy it. :-O

3. Sam the Cat and Other Stories - Matthew Klam



This book was basically one horny man who moved from one story to into each different story, although he was made into a different character in each. Perhaps that's why the cover of this book features a man's (covered) crotch. Who knows?

The last story of this book was dreadful, while the others were okay. I have no idea why Dave Eggers called Matthew Klam's stories "so, so alive".

'Nuff said.

Rating - 2 stars

I'm in the midst of reading Shanghai Girls, and it's taking a long time. It's, er, so-so.

By the way, the book sale (see message #2 above) was super. We sold over 5,000 books and made 20% more money than last year. I told the rabbi I didn't want any of his leftover books because I simply have no room to store them in my house. Nevertheless I did succumb to a $5 bag of books (from the bag sale). I'll use those for Bookcrossing. It was really a fun day! I hope they do it again next year. Sadly, the rabbi will no longer be there because he's retiring in June. :(

You know what I like best about tutored reads? Goodreads doesn't have it!!

..and I hope they never find it and copy it. :-O

Have they found and copied TIOLI? I'd be surprised because it's so well hidden!

I'm glad the book sale was a big success.

Have they found and copied TIOLI? I'd be surprised because it's so well hidden!

Well, you never know! They've found and copied so much already.

Nice to see your booksale was a success. How many of the 5000 books did you reserve for yourself? Have a lovely weekend.

Good Reads has a Seasonal Challenge which is built similar to TIOLI in that there are various challenges. Theirs runs on a three month basis and you get points for reading books in each challenge versus points for reading the same books. It is more of a competition with challenges worth 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 50 points.

I've been known to steal ideas from the Seasonal Challenge but I only attempted doing the challenge once. It was far too stressful with many more challenges.

>102 Morphidae:

Good Reads has a Seasonal Challenge which is built similar to TIOLI in that there are various challenges.

*sigh*

It's too similar to be just coincidence.

:(

Nope, coincidence. I just checked and theirs started in 2008. People just like challenges.

> 101

Paul! How did you know I found some for myself?! That wasn't my idea of working the sale. :)

I brought home Disobedience: A Novel by Naomi Alderman, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (only because I gave my original unread copy of this book to a friend who then passed it lalong to her mother - which was fine with me), and Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson.

So really...only three. :D

> 104

Nope, coincidence.

So...when do you think GR will start tutored reads?

By the way, how are you enjoying your tutored read so far? I'm following it along closely and am truly enjoying the tutoring.

I'm also following the one with Samantha_Kathy. What I find interesting is that, of the one that she's doing, I stopped reading her chapter summaries and am only reading the questions and answers. I'm really enjoying lurking on her thread as well.

All of the questions are so interesting because their content is (to me) obscure (usually). I am learning so much (most of which I'll probably forget, though)!

The most interesting fact that I've learned from hers so far is that Texas was once a part of six different "countries". I always hated history so it's not surprising I had no knowledge of that fact. :)

I wonder how much attention GR really pays to LT, because LT is so much smaller. But there are plenty of ideas that I'd like to see LT copy from them!

And I think I'll check out this seasonal challenge, if I can find it, though I won't actually participate. I don't read enough books to do serious competitions.

> 107

Well, I guess the GR Seasonal challenge is different because it's a competition. I specifically did *not* want the TIOLI to be a competition. I wanted it to be (and it remains) a mutual activity in which members encourage others to branch out in their reading, share their reads, and talk to each other about their shared reads at the time all are actively reading the same book.

The bottom line (or two): Most of all I wanted it to be fun and not stressful. I also wanted it to be ever-changing so that it would not become boring...ever!

P.S. to _Zoe_: Thanks for sharing with Jeremy how making LT *fun* is good for this website (referring, of course, to the 75-ers group and RL meetups).

P.P.S. to _Zoe_: I just had a dream this morning that I was saying goodbye to group of people I'd just met (I have no idea who they were!) and told them, if they ever needed a place to stay...well, you know the rest. :)

For those who are curious:

Here's GR's The Seasonal Reading Challenge.

For the record, I looked at the GR challenge and it was exhausting! There are so many rules, and I didn't even manage to read through all the categories before I gave up. It's still a fun idea, though. I may be a challenge addict....

I'm really glad that Jeremy has taken to participating in meetups and in this group. It's good for LT staff to get another perspective on what the site can be ;)

106>

I'm also following the one with Samantha_Kathy. What I find interesting is that, of the one that she's doing, I stopped reading her chapter summaries and am only reading the questions and answers. I'm really enjoying lurking on her thread as well.

I'm mainly writing the summaries because my tutor has no knowledge of the book, but I have to admit that writing the summaries also forces me to read slower and take in the story more.

That's another thing that I really like about the tutored reads, somehow knowing I've got someone to ask question to lets me see more of the story, where I would normally have skipped understanding deeper meanings or foreshadowing because I didn't know the history. There's a lot going on beneath the surface tale of this book that a reader might miss completely if you're not familiar with this period in history. And I think that's a real shame, because it gives this book such depth.

To the Chu-ster:

So...when do you think GR will start tutored reads?

I don't think they will. GR is much more for the masses. I see them doing group reads with a bunch of people, but not getting personal enough to do one on ones.

how are you enjoying your tutored read so far?

I like it. See Samantha-kathy's second paragraph in post 111. Explains it exactly! I'm getting more out of the story since I've got my eyes peeled for details to ask about.

I specifically did *not* want the TIOLI to be a competition.

Which is why I stuck with TIOLI rather than the Seasonal Challenge. I stress out enough about all the challenges and TBR lists I have. Trying to keep up was awful because OF COURSE, I had to try to WIN WIN WIN and do all the challenges. Yikes.

To Zoe:

it was exhausting It was, wasn't it?

To Anyone:

writing the summaries

I'm just writing a quick one line summary (sometimes attempting at humor) in the fashion of the writing style in order to keep track of which chapter we are actually talking about other than the number.

> 112

I'm just writing a quick one line summary (sometimes attempting at humor) in the fashion of the writing style in order to keep track of which chapter we are actually talking about other than the number.

That worked best for me because that at least gave others an idea where in the book we were. I also did not want to tell the whole story, thinking that might have precluded others from reading it.

However, as in Samantha_kathy's thread, I simply stopped reading the story summary so, at least from that point on, I no longer knew what happened in the novel. Not that I particularly want to read a book about the Civil War! :)

I'm getting more out of the story since I've got my eyes peeled for details to ask about.

That is the part I love!

However, as in Samantha_kathy's thread, I simply stopped reading the story summary so, at least from that point on, I no longer knew what happened in the novel.

And that's why I label the summary and the questions clearly - easy to skip whatever you don't want to read :D

> 112, 114

Thank you both for jumping onto the "tutored read" bandwagon. Now that both of your threads are so successful, I imagine that more people will also willingly participate in threads of their own in the future. That must make lyzard very happy! :)

Today is thread bump day, people! Drop by later and see what other tutored reads are in the works! :)

Today is thread bump day, people! Drop by later and see what other tutored reads are in the works!

I'll gladly do so!

Here are some more lines that I find amusing from Dan Chaon's book Stay Awake. These were in the story "Sheperdess":

"Your kisses are unpleasantly moist," she says.

It has a kind of perfumey, mentholated flavor, like a cough drop dissolved in Earl Grey tea.

Her dark hair stands up stiff, like a shrub.

Heh! I've had such bad hair days as well. :)

#105 It was a no-brainer Madeline - you are a key memeber of this group after all! Not possible that you could watch 5000 books go and not get a few for yourself...you picked some good ones too!

Just catching up. Hi, Roni.

Hi, Roni.

???

I have an Israeli cousin named Roni!

More amusing lines from Dan Chaon...

This is from the short story "Take Tis, Brother, May It Serve You Well"

Along with his poor heart, his lungs were blackened; his liver was growing fatty; he was, in general, out of shape and "obese" (the word used by a very smug and judgemental prick of a doctor). Nevertheless, the prick MD had a point.

Here's a line from that same story that's more serious, but I like it...

There is a stage you reach, ...a time somewhere in early middle age, when your past ceases to be about yourself. Your connection to your former life is like a dream or delirium, and that person who you once were is merely a fond acquaintance, or a beloved character from a storybook. This is how memory becomes nostalgia.

Yet more...

A fat raindrop falls from above and makes a splattered Rorschach out of the word "punk" and so he is compelled to quickly close the notepad and tuck it into the pocket of his suit jacket.

and...

He scopes the dark street for signs of a common pay phone. He can't recall the last time he actually used one, and they may, in fact, be extinct--he's not sure. Certainly there is no sign of one on this block--where the darkened buildings have the blank, unwelcoming faces of people on a subway train. No lights but street lamps, spotlighting the tangles lines of rain.

4. Stay Awake - Dan Chaon



I thought this book was great. I happen to like short stories if they are well written. I also like that a collection of short stories has a common thread. That makes them easier to read.

This book dealt with painful or bizarre situations with which individuals had to deal. If you've been following the quotes that I've been posting on this thread, you know how much I like Dan Chaon's precise prose. My full review of his book is here.

Rating - 4.5 stars

I'm very excited that I'm going to be a tutee in another tutored read. The book I'll be reading will be The Castle of Otranto. I chose this book because I like to read contemporary novels that are tagged "gothic". I really don't know much about what comprises a "gothic" novel and chose the book I did because it was called by wikipedia "the first gothic novel". It was published in 1764. That's not my usual kind of read. That's for sure!

My tutor will (once again!) be lyzard (Liz). She will be assisted by Smiler69 (Ilana). Hooray for my tutors!!

When I get hold of my book, I will start a separate thread and point you to it. I'd love to have lurkers! :D

124: I am unlikely, ever in my life, to read that book, and therefore I will be avidly following your tutored read.

I am unlikely, ever in my life, to read that book

Katherine, I had no idea that I, ever in my life, would be reading that book either! :)

However, last year I never thought I'd make it past page 1 in Jane Austen's Emma -- so there's lots to be said about a tutored read!

Anyhow I think that will be a lot more fun than studying for my medical coding examination which I need to retake in March. Blech! I so dislike studying that material because I never even use it in my work any more.

Apparently my department is hiring someone who used to be a coder. I thought of you when I was told that. :)

> 127

I'm a coder who can't hear! That is always a limiting problem in applying for jobs. I told my boss I'm sticking to my current job as I have everyone there already trained for how to deal with me. I don't think I could start all over in a new position somewhere else.

Medical coding is bad enough, but next year the entire coding system is being completely changed. I don't want to think about it now - but Darryl (kidzdoc) keeps on reminding me! :(

By the way, I just put The Castle of Otranto on hold at my library although, in the meantime, I'll also try to find my own personal copy of it. I prefer to read books that don't have expiration dates on them. :)

I should get the library book very soon. If I find the book at the used book store tomorrow, maybe we can even start my tutored read this week. That would be fun!

I am planning on picking up my copy tomorrow from the academic library I frequent - long loan periods and generous renewals.

Just so you don't feel pressured. :)

FYI, there are several "three-in-one" releases that include Otranto - one I know of where it's bound with Frankenstein and Vathek - you're more likely to find one of those than Otranto on its own these days, but sometimes they can be hard to spot, according to how they're shelved.

Just so you don't feel pressured.

Haha!

I saw one of those 3-in-1 copies I could mooch now on BookMooch, but I was hoping to find a single copy. Well, if no one else wants the library copy, I can renew it three times (up to 9 weeks). I hope I'll be finished it by then!!

I would feel pressured to read the other two stories in the 3-in-1. My goal is always to get rid of books I finish reading so I don't like one novel to be tied with another (or two others, in this case). That is, unless it's a book that is composed of short stories or, let's say, three novellas by the same author.

...and so my tutored read of The Castle of Otranto gets under way. I'm so excited!

That's a hilarious beginning of the tutored read!! :) Starring!

Nice succinct review of Stay Awake. I also like short stories well written Madeline so on the humungous hitlist it goes.

> 132

Liz is so much fun in her tutoring, Eva. I hope others take advantage of her knowledge and good spirit.

> 133

Thank you, Paul. I think you will really like Stay Awake. Have you read any of Chaon's other books?

I haven't read anything by Chaon Madeline but I notice Await Your Reply also seems to have plenty of admirers. I will try to purchase one of these next month ~ when I have read enough to justify it!

> 136

I actually have Await Your Reply. I just need time to fit it between all my other reading obligations. :)

>128 SqueakyChu: Medical coding is bad enough, but next year the entire coding system is being completely changed. I don't want to think about it now - but Darryl (kidzdoc) keeps on reminding me! :(

Me??? I don't want to think about ICD-10 either! My partners & I do our own coding, which is fortunately much easier than it used to be now that the hospital has adopted EPIC as our electronic medical record system. I strongly suspect that the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 will be painful for everyone, though.

> 138

Today I was trying to talk my manager out of having me take the ICD9 coding re-exam this year. She actually agrees with me because neither of us uses the codes in our job any more. It's not her call, though.

Her re-exam is coming up this month. She heard that it was easy so she said she'd take it anyway. I can't say I'd be disappointed if I were told I didn't need to take it in March, my scheduled re-exam month.

*fingers crossed*

I like today's State of The Thing, LT's monthly newletter for these reasons:

1. It has lists - of which I created the one called "Books That Made Me Cry".

2. It promotes drneutron's group, 75 Books Challenge in 2012 - also my favorite group.

3. It has an interview with Shalom Auslander, although Auslander, true to form, makes short shrift of Jeremy's interview questions.

I'm moving along in my tutored read of The Castle of Otranto and find this book much more fun to read than Emma, my previous tutored read. It's a small book so I should finish it rather quickly.

5. This Beautiful Life - Helen Schulman

"It was human nature, it seemed, to Google. Rediculously tempting, highly addictive, a weakness of the flesh."



Did you ever read a book in which you liked the writing, but you felt shortchanged by the story itself? That was precisely my reaction to this book. More here.

Rating - 3.5 stars

I hadn't actually looked at the State of the Thing yet, so I'm glad you mentioned it!

Does anyone get anything out the State of the Thing? There's nothing new or interesting. The announcements are always about stuff I already know about from reading Talk. The author interviews are usually about authors and books I've never heard of and am not interested in. And lastly, the top 10 lists are available on the Home page. About the only interesting thing for me is the bit on what are the most popular ER requests.

144>About the only interesting thing for me is the bit on what are the most popular ER requests.

That's also on the home page.

I totally agree with you, there's rarely anything I would classify as news. And the authors are always unknowns to me, and rarely have they written anything I'd be interested in reading.

> 144

Morphy,

You're absolutely right! May I forward your message to Jeremy, and (concurring with what you just said) ask that he make tSoTT more interesting to those of use who are active LTers? I'm assuming, of course, that we should be his target audience rhather than those people who use LT very little.

Actually, the interview with Auslander was the first interview I read on tSoTT, and I didn't care for it that much. It was Auslander (not Jeremy, who interviewed him) who provoked that reaction in me.

I think tSotT is directed at people who use the site more casually than we do. I think it's a very valuable resource for people who maybe need to be reminded that they have a LT account at all, and definitely for people who don't pay as much attention to the forums as we do. (Particularly "New Features" and RSI)

I use tSotT as more of a reminder of the things that have happened this month than a source of new information.

I would suggest maybe having a second newsletter for more advanced/frequent users, but I think it would be pretty irrelevant since the frequent users talk amongst each other here so often.

Yeah, I was pretty much thinking the same thing as Nora: State of the Thing is aimed at people who don't already use the site obsessively.

And I'm glad they're doing that sort of promotion. I've been pretty shocked to see how low the participation numbers are for Lists, even after the SotT mention. I know plenty of active members who will probably start using the feature once it's been discussed more in regular groups like this one, but still. It makes LibraryThing seem deserted. Are there really so few active members?

> 147, 148

Okay. I won't bother Jeremy, but I'm not sure tSoTT really brings in more members to be active.

What I think LT is missing is *marketing*. Tim, showing up at a once-a-year ALA conference in assorted cities is not enough. However, I've complained about lack of LT marketing for years and nothing has been done so I finally shut up.

LT is not growing. It is declining (relatively speaking). I know that comparison charts between LT, GR, and other book sites don't tell the whole story, but I look at them and feel depressed at the stats. If Tim is making enough money on LTFL to keep him happy, that's okay for him, I guess. I always wanted LT to be the innovator, not the follower. It's unbelievable that we are at the point were we have to copy GR features. Sad!

By the way, I think Jeremy has turned out to be a great asset to LT.

>146 SqueakyChu: Feel free to share my post with whoever if you'd like.

>148 _Zoe_: Are there really so few active members?
No, it's that the type of lists LT created aren't anything new - GoodReads does it bigger and better and has been around longer. Plus, I don't think it's what people wanted when they asked for lists. I want personal lists that I can mark as read not popularity lists.

But LT dropping the ball on new features isn't really anything new, eh?

But LT dropping the ball on new features isn't really anything new, eh?

Agreed. Playing catch-up is not fun, either.

Tim doesn't seem to be around and interactive with his members much these days - unless he's working on a new feature. I wonder what's up. Perhaps Jeremy is now the admin face to the world?

> 151

I want personal lists that I can mark as read not popularity lists.

...and I know qebo wanted heirarchal lists.

Oops! Mistake! :s

I think that the new lists features is quite complicated, but I don't think that's necessarily bad. I like the new lists feature, but, as you said, Morphy, it does not address the wants and needs of many LT members when they were thinking of "lists".

> 151

Feel free to share my post with whoever if you'd like.

After considering that tSoTT might really be earmarked for less active members, I'll forego doing this.

I originally heard about LT on NPR, but goodness knows I haven't seen anything about them in the media since. I really think that LT's two biggest problems are a) not enough publicity and b) the awkward "add a book" interface.

And I agree that Jeremy is pretty much the cat's pajamas.

153: Hierarchical tags. That's a different thing (and I gave up long ago).
Re lists... I haven't been in RSI much lately. When I'm on LT, I'm mostly in the 75 and NF book groups, and otherwise I'm, y'know, reading books. I don't have any immediate thoughts on the uses of community lists, so there's too much of a learning curve for too little return on the investment. Re SotT, yeah, it's supposed to be a reminder / overview for people who aren't on LT so much.

Yup, I agree that Jeremy is amazing.

I'm still optimistic about Lists. Allowing personal lists seems like it should be easy once the basic system is in place, and I have an argument all prepared for why they should happen: people will otherwise just create their own lists via the group lists system, producing noise/clutter. We already have "Graeme's List" and "Graeme's Second List" there.

Also, Tim seems to have said yesterday that read status is coming. I still can't quite believe it.

I'm curious to see how the content of the LT lists compares to the GR lists once they're more developed. Do LTers have different reading tastes, on the whole?

I'm tempted to make a personal list with the list feature, but with other people's input. Like "What do you think Nora should read next??" type thing. But so far I have restrained myself.

But so far I have restrained myself.

No need to restrain yourself. Now is the time to test out the feature...and see just how the feature will be used. It's good to get that kind of thing up front.

>159 norabelle414: That seems like a legitimate use to me ;)

But I know if someone else did that, I would be super annoyed with them.

Speaking of which, I had this amazing idea for a list last night: "Things I wish were not cataloged on LibraryThing". People can fill it with perfume and pencil sets and DVDs and all by this author and Twilight.

But I know if someone else did that, I would be super annoyed with them.

But why? Not everyone has to use all the lists that are created. I would sooner post to the list you want to create than I would to a list called "Best Female Detectives and Cozy Mysteries" (which we now have, by the way).

I also like your second idea.
Perfume
Home Movies
Dolls
Toy Cars

:)

Nah, the existence of more lists that aren't of general interest will just show how we need other ways of sorting and browsing lists.

But can't other people change a list you create?

Yeah, I'd actually be interested to see what would happen with "What should Nora read next?". How many people would weigh in? Would they take into account reading tastes or just recommend their favourites? I think it would be a fun experiment.

There, Nora. Now I've messed up and cannot remove my entries. I didn't understand what you meant so my entries (4 of them) on your list are inappropriate, and I cannot remove them.

I think I need to stay away from those lists. :(

>168 SqueakyChu: No, I think it's fine! It's fun to see book titles listed as proxies for inappropriate things.

Lists should have a TIOLI attitude applied: don't stress about it! You won't permanently break anything. It's all in fun. Etc.

> 169

It's fun to see book titles listed as proxies for inappropriate things.

Okay, I see your point, Zoe. I still want to remove them, though.

However, I did list a *wrong* book on another list. I got the right title, but the wrong author. So, naturally, the book I chose in error doesn't fit the parameters of the list. :(

It's okay, they're still experimenting so no one is going to care if the wrong things are on the lists. It might be that once everything gets solidified we'll want to redo all the lists anyway. Just post more stuff to my list and then the "wrong" things will go to the bottom :-)

ETA: I like how the "books that changed the world" list has Black Beauty on it. I know it was a mistake, but it just makes me laugh every time I see it.

I don't think Black Beauty was a mistake. Wasn't it one of the first books about animal activism?

> 171

It's okay, they're still experimenting so no one is going to care if the wrong things are on the lists.

...which is exactly why I told you to post your lists. Then, I got upset at myself for doing stupid things...none of which are innately wrong. Other people will do similar, if not worse, things when "lists" comes off beta.

I'm sure that Black Beauty had a more of a benefit to the world than some others world-changing books.

> 172

I don't think Black Beauty was a mistake. Wasn't it one of the first books about animal activism?

...which is a good reason to be able to add comments to these entries. At least I could say I made a mistaken entry! That would get me off the hook.

Yup, I'm really looking forward to comments.

I had a fun day with my Bookcrossing buddies in Arlington, Virginia. I came home from the meeting with two books I might want to use for future tutored reads: Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Far From the Maddening Crowd, both by Thomas Hardy.

I love the turored threads - both my own and the two I'm following. I'm trying to encourage @petrini1 to join a tutored read for Ulysses. She said she'd consider doing so in the future.

So, I was just about to leave the computer and do some reading, and then I see that you're posting on LibraryThing and so I'm tempted to wait around in case of TIOLI.... Hehehe.

By some coincidence, I was looking at another Hardy book at the library today. I didn't end up checking it out, though.

I'm headed for the end of my tutored read on this thread. What fun reading The Castle of Otranto has been!

6. The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole



I'm not going to review this book as it's a classic that's been reviewed many times by others. I just want to say that this was an especially fun read for me, not only because of the story itself, but also because of the excellent tutoring I received from lyzard (Liz). If you'd like to see what a tutored read is like, or even what my experience was like reading this book, have a glance at this thread.

Rating - 4.5 stars

Hi Madeline!

Look at that, 4.5 stars for a classic (one which I haven't read, however).

Yeah...and, me, who has always refused to read classics. The last third of this novel just blew me away. In it, all of the main characters kept turning up in unexpected places doing and saying unexpected things with unexpected results until an ancient prophesy was fulfilled. That part of the book was jaw-dropping!

7. Shanghai Girls - Lisa See



In this novel, Lisa See does what she can to teach her readers about the plight of Chinese families who came to the United States during the onset of World War II. Although most of the characters in this novel are fictitious, some actually existed, and the situations in this novel are drawn from many which actually happened to others.

I had a bit of a problem with this novel as it seemed somewhat contrived. Each main character needed to fit into the personality of his or her Chinese zodiac sign as well as into the place in history that the author wanted to describe. It was almost as if the novel did not allow individuals to "do their own thing". Nevertheless, the story was educational for me as I never realized the full extent of discrimination toward Chinese Americans at that time in history.

I found the end of the novel a little less than believable when daughter Joy, upon discovering a family secret, suddenly runs away to China. I'm not sure this wasn't simply a chance for the author to introduce her readers to the next book of a series.

If you happen to have read and enjoyed other books by Lisa See, you might just enjoy this one as well. I found it slower going than previous books by the same author, but otherwise a worthwhile read.

Rating - 3 stars

I have her On Gold Mountain, non-fiction account of her family from arrival in the US in the 1860s, hoped to read it for the January TIOLI re Chinese immigrants, but didn't get to it. I'd expect overlap of people and events.

Let me know what you think of On Gold Mountain, Katherine. I'm debating whether or not to now seek out Dreams of Joy, the sequel to Shanghai Girls.

I'd hoped to read Shanghai Girls for January's TIOLI challenges, but I finished it a day too late. I found a place to slip it into February's challenges, though. :)

Well, I'm up for another "tutored read", this time of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Very kindly, lyzard offered to be my tutor again. She will also be tutoring Smiler69 (Ilana) on a parallel tutored read of the same book It will be fun for me to lurk on Ilana's thread for this book when she gets it up. :)

I'm in no hurry so I'll just take my time in getting started. I know now not to fear Jane Austen books! :D

Hooray! I was just chosen to be a "giver" for World Book Night. The book I chose to give away is The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. I think he is such a talented author. I hope that is the set of 20 books they send me .

To learn about World Book Night and to sign up to be a "giver", check out the web site. The deadline is Febrary 6th (Monday) - so HURRY!

"It's the instructor that makes all the difference."

I always said that about some of my college subjects, but now I find the same thing is true about reading classics here on LT.

On another thread, I found this quote by LT-er @debherter:

"I've never been able to "get into" classics like the works of Jane Austen, Frankenstein or The Canterbury Tales"

This is a statement I would have made up until I began having "tutored reads" for just such novels. I wonder if people who make such statements (like me!), and then had the chance to be tutored through them, would then feel the same way about them.

I'm about to start Classic Book #3 and have gotten to the point of being eager to try them. (Will wonders never cease?!) It's a different kind of reading for me. Lyzard asked if I found this kind of reading "work"? It is work, but not in the drudgery sense of that word. It's enjoyable work in that it enriches me through learning in a fun, interactive sort of way.

For those who have not yet tried a Tutored Read, why wait? Jump on the bandwagon today!

Stopping by for a look-see! :) Seems like you enjoyed The Castle of Otranto a lot more than Emma. :) Good to hear you're enjoying classic-reading more now, although I know your first love is modern literature.

> 188

Hehe! I love the process of being tutored through a more difficult book, Eva. I'm now very much looking forward to reading another. I know that Liz was hoping I'd like the books she was teaching.

One thing I really love is the process of learning. I loved being in school so much. I can't really participate in real life classes any more because I don't hear well at all. This type of learning is just perfectly suited to me, however. I think that might be why these "tutored reads" have exceeded my expectations of them.

A second good thing about them is that I've been reading the classic books so slowly that they don't interfere with other contemporary books. I've got three books going at the same time now which sometimes is a problem but not at this time. These books are so dissimilar that one does not interefere with another.

Fun idea!
I'm encouraging readers everywhere (and especially Bookcrossers!) to sign up to give away copies of a free book of your choice to light readers or nonreaders on World Book Night (April 23rd).

The deadline to apply has been extended to February 6th - so don't delay in signing up.

P.S. I have already been chosen to be one of the "givers". I'm so excited!!

Me too - if I could be a student full-time, that would just be such a dream! I figured that you were squeezing some modern stuff in there as well. :)

Heads-up, the latest Etgar Keret book, Suddenly, a Knock on the Door is released on March 27th.

> 191

I figured that you were squeezing some modern stuff in there as well.

Haha! You know me so well.

Do you know how hard it is to get hold of Etgar Keret books?! If I want to get them by swap, that is! :)

You do make the tutored reads sound awfully tempting--even if I'm already a full-time student!

> 193

They really don't take much time as you can do them as slowly as you'd like. With Emma, I did about 5 pages per day. I did The Castle of Otranto faster because I found that book more fun to read.

Maybe in the summer :)

I guess you have enough reading for your schoolwork!

Hello SqueakyChu! Just catching up with your thread. I think I will look for the Walpole.

The Walpole is a fun read. Enjoy it, jadebird!

My tutored read of Northanger Abbey is now in progress.

Thanks, lyzard!

“Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.”

- - - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

>200 SqueakyChu:: So true!

> 201

Samantha-kathy, I just love lurking on your tutored thread. How are you enjoying it?

8. Sister Teresa - Barbara Mujica



I loved this book so much. I tell all in my review (warning: it's kind of long) - which just happens to be the only one on LT. :)

I have another book of short stories by this author, but it's going to be part of my permanent collection as it's signed and appears to be self published.

Rating - 5 stars

>202 SqueakyChu::

I'm enjoying it a lot! I'm learning so much, and it really adds to my understanding of the story. I could have followed the plot without the tutored read, but I would have missed a lot of the undercurrents present, because I simply don't have the information needed to pick up on it.

The only thing I've discovered is that working with a library copy is really not a good idea - especially with it being 725 pages. I had to return the book to the library even sooner than I expected because someone else had reserved it, so I couldn't re-loan it. So I caved and have ordered my own copy. I'm hoping it will arrive next week.

> 204

Samantha-kathy, since I am a member of Bookcrossing, I try to keep books that are my own now. It's easy for me to get gently used books to keep - either for free or for very low cost.

I love the library, but I limit my use of it to CDs, books for my husband (especially those in large type), and books that are so new or popular that I can't find them elsewhere.

I just had an experience similar to yours with The Night Circus. When I was halfway through that book, I had to return it to the library. Then, I didn't feel it was worth it to try to remember what I already read or reread the entire first half of the book. I simply moved on to read something else. A pity, though!

I could have followed the plot without the tutored read, but I would have missed a lot of the undercurrents present, because I simply don't have the information needed to pick up on it.

I agree with that. However, for me, it has also been to encourage me to read some books that I never would have read otherwise. Liz has knack for arousing my curiosity in some of those books. :)

However, for me, it has also been to encourage me to read some books that I never would have read otherwise.

On my list of future tutored reads I want to do is Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I heard such great things about this author that I finally asked which book people would recommend to me as an introduction to this author. Kafka on the Shore was the unanimous answer, but still this author scares the crap out of me. So it's definitely on the list for a future tutored read, because I will never pick it up otherwise!

> 206

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Oh, that is such a fun read! Murakami is not a hard author to read. It's just that some parts of his books are a bit surreal. Just let your imagination wander, and try to interpret it the way you want. He's just having fun with his readers. Don't take his writing too seriously. I don't think he is trying to be profound.

For a great taste of his writing, try his book of short stories called The Elephant Vanishes. The stories are *excellent*. They're easy to read as well.

Haruki Murakami is one of my all-time favorite authors. Also, try The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle which is an older book, but it's also quite interesting.

>207 SqueakyChu::

Yeah, it's the bit of surreal that's scaring me :D.

I am so loving my tutored reads!

I'm actually finding it fun (!) to be reading another Jane Austen novel. I actually like this one better than Emma because I have sort of an idea of what to expect. The time period of Northanger Abbey is beginning to feel less like "foreign territory" to me now.

On another note, I just started reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Osca Wao (which I found on my own TIOLI challenge as a COMPLETED read by another challenger and am enjoying learning abit more about the Dominican Republic, its people, and its recent history.

I keep singing...er, humming* actually...an old song that I loved called "Santo Domingo". Now I'm curious to know if that was a song about the Domican Republic. I'm going to look it up! :)

*I don't know the words!

I'm so impressed with your progress through your tutored reads. You're completing so many classics!

> 210

The funny thing is that I'm liking them! Who'd ever have imagined that?!

Seriously, though, these are not books I'd read by myself just for reading pleasure because there is just too much I don't know about them. I guess that's why classics are often taught in school in preference to contemporary literature. For me, the extra explanations make them clearere and so much more enjoyable.

I found the song I was looking for! You can find anything on the net!!

The problem is that I found the words, but they were in Italian! I had to have my husband translate it into Spanish so I could figure out what the words meant. It turns out the song was about a love that began in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

*Feels deeply sad that she can't hear music well any more*

*sigh*

By the way, the book The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao has so much untranslated Spanish in it. I love that about it!

Oscar Wao was one of my favorite reads of last year. It generated a lot of discussion in my f2f reading group as well.

> 213

Oscar Wao was one of my favorite reads of last year. It generated a lot of discussion in my f2f reading group as well.

Judy, I'm finding this book fun as I've taken it upon myself to learn more about the Dominican Republic as I'm reading the story.

I did read Yo! years ago which was a book written by Julia Alvarez who also was a native of the Dominican Republic. I really should read more of her books now.