Markon’s treasure hunt for 2012

Welcome to my 2012 thread. I love books and reading, so in my imagination, this is me, opening the chest of discoveries I’ll make this year. I’m glad you’ve stopped by.

2011 Reading

I read mostly fiction last year. The books that got a 5-star rating from me were the following (in no particular order):

Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje- Can one discover truth when to speak truth is to risk death?

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago - irreverent magical realism

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden - losing and finding oneself during war

Mara's Stories by Gary Schmidt - bittersweet tales depicting Jewish reality in a concentration camp

Other highlights include discovering some authors I like a lot. These include Elly Griffiths (mystery), Tana French (mystery, but really character studies), Tahmima Anam (The good Muslim, A golden age, I can hardly wait until the final book in the trilogy comes out!), and Daryl Gregory (science fiction), and a first novel, Oil on water.

If you want to know more about 2011, here are links to my threads.

2011 Thread #1
2011 Thread #2
2011 Thread #3

Update on my parents


For those who have followed my thread in 2011, I had a good (and busy) visit with my family over the holidays. Mom is recovering well from her broken leg, and Dad is doing a great job taking care of her. Due to some chronic health problems they have decided to move into an assisted living facility, and they are #1 on the list for a spot that we expect will open up within the next two months. It was good to see for myself how they are doing.

I must admit I’m a little anxious about them being alone for the next couple of months since, including the daily medication & therapy routines, there are currently something like 10-12 individuals and organizations they’re interacting with to get the care they need. But my brother lives 5 miles from their condo, and my sisters are within a couple of hours drive, so I will just call more often to check in.

“Plans” for 2012

I read for fun, and I don’t make lists of what I’m going to read because although I like making lists, I hate following them. I do hope to read more non-fiction this year (only about 10% of my reading in 2011), so I’ll be lurking over on the non-fiction challenge for suggestions.

In addition, I’m excited about two opportunities coming my way this year. Fiesta of Books is a portable children’s library my spiritual community is putting together to promote literacy. We’re shooting for our first event on the first Saturday in February. And I’m beginning an Artists Way group in January!

Ratings & Lists

My ratings are:
5 stars = excellent read and excellent writing!
4 stars = good to excellent read and/or writing, something about this book really pleased me
3 stars = good read and writing, but nothing to write home about (worth reading)
2 stars = something about this book kept me reading, but it wasn’t very good
1 star = don’t read this! (I didn’t)

Since I often have more books available than I can read, I’ll sometimes list abandoned books. Abandoning doesn’t mean they aren’t worth reading, just that I had something on my plate that I enjoyed more.




January

1. The last Kashmiri rose by Barbara Cleverly *** 1/2 (mystery)
2. A lesson in secrets by Jacqueline Winspear *** (mystery)
3. Crunch time by Diana Mott Davidson ** 3/4 (mystery)
4. Manifold: Space by Stephen Baxter *** (science fiction)
5. The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin ***** (non-fiction, audiobook read by Don Leslie)
6. Steps through the mist by Zoran Zivkovic*** (short stories?)

February

7. Doc by Mary Doria Russell ****
8. Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear *** (science fiction)
9. The boy who didn't believe in spring by Lucille Clifton **** (picture book)
10. Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel (non-fiction)
11. A trick of the light by Louise Penny *** 1/2 (mystery)
12. Crooked letter, crooked letter by Tom Franklin (mystery?)
13. Faithful place by Tana French (mystery?)
14. Hull zero three by Greg Bear (science fiction)
15. Tenderness of wolves by Steff Penney *** 3/4
16. Visibly Muslim by Emma Tarlo ****
17. Where the mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin ****
18. Wastelands: stories of the apocalypse ed. by John Joseph Adams ** 3/4
19. the dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon ***
20. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris ***




Editing to add

Dewey categories
for my non-fiction reading

1. 347: The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin ***** (300=social sciences, 40=law, 7=American and British (by which do I assume they mean the US or the American continents? Silly me, I'll bet it's US)

2. 297.2? Acts of Faith: The story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the soul of a generation by Eboo Patel (200 = religion, 90=non-Christian religions, 7 = Islam, Baha'i

3. 391.2?? Visibly Muslim: Fashion, Politics, Faith by Emma Tarlo (300=social sciences (anthropology), 90=customs and folklore, 1=costume, cosmetics & fashion), .2 = costumes of women)

4. 958.1 (or B Sidiqi Tze) The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (Biography of Kamila Sidiqi; 900=biography & history, 50=Asia, 8=Afghanistan, Turkestan, Baluchistan), .1=NE Afghanistan, Kabul)

Glad to see you back with us again, Ardene! Like you, I love the idea of opening a treasure chest of books!

Somehow your last thread became unstarred, Ardene. Sorry! I've got you starred now, and look forward to lots of good book talk in 2012.

I'm glad you enjoyed Anil's Ghost as much as I did and probably for similar reasons, given the quote you chose.

hi Ardene
I like the picture in your first message!

*waves* I know what you mean about liking making lists but not following them. I'm a list-maker-a-holic, but then I find I don't want to read a bloody thing on the list when I'm looking for my next book. My brain is a rebel that way...

Hi, Ardene - lovely picture! I'm a list-lover too, but I'm also obsessive about following those lists, so enjoy the freedom that comes with not having that particular neurosis. :)

Hi Ardene! I'm eager to see what nonfiction books you're planning to read this year, in particular.

Hi Ardene, Happy New Year! I also agree about liking the making of lists but hate the following of them. Roll on some more excellent reading for 2012!

Happy New Year, Ardene! I sometimes make lists of things I've already done just so I can cross them off--so satisfying.

I am glad to see I am not the only rebel in the group!

I don’t make lists of what I’m going to read because although I like making lists, I hate following them.

LOL! Me, too. Happy New Year. I love the picture in your first post.

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for visiting Stasia, Becky, Anita, Faith, Amber, Darryl, Leonie, Roni, & Terri.

I'm off to a great start this year with three non-fiction books started.

Coming of age in Mississippi by Anne Moody is one I started at least a month ago. This is a memoir of growing up black and female in the southern US in the 1950s & 60s.

I'm listening to The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin, read by Don Leslie about the Supreme Court, which is fascinating.

And I'm also enjoying a book I purchased when I shopped Amazon for Christmas, Visibly Muslim by Emma Tarlo. Tarlo is writing from an anthropologist's perspective about the many rationales Muslim women in London have for wearing hijab, and the multiple reactions people have to making their religious affiliation visible.

I look forward to seeing what you think of Coming of Age in Mississippi. I have not heard of that one before.

I finished the 3rd section out of 4 in Coming of age this weekend. (The three sections I've read are "Childhood," "High School," and "College." The fourth & final section is titled "The Movement," referring to the civil rights movement of the 1950s/60s.)

I simply cannot read this one quickly, because I am struck over and over again by how hard Anne Moody works and how many obstacles she has to overcome/work her way through or around. She's worked to help feed her family since she was 12, seen neighbors burned in their home, worked for white women who were members of the KKK, left home at age 16 because of her stepfather, finished high school and managed via scholarhip & her wages to make her way through college at Tougaloo. It infuriates me that people in my country were (are?) treated like this in my lifetime.

I needed some light reading this weekend, so I picked up two mysteries: The last Kashmiri rose by Barbara Cleverly and A lesson in secrets by Jacqueline Winspear. They were what I needed - something light and quick to read.

I'm adding Coming of Age in Mississippi. I think I'd like it more than The Help, which I did like, but found unrealistic in parts.

The Help was fun, but as you said, not realistic. It did stimulate some interesting discussions about race among a group of people I know though.

I've been working my way through some books recommended here by the Association of Black Women Historians, and Coming of Age is one of them.

Excellent list! Thanks for posting it. I will be exploring. Have you read any of the other books on the list?

Coming of age is the only non fiction book on the list I've read, but I've read all but one of the fiction books, and they were excellent.

My favorite of the two I read recently was The book of night women, but I also enjoyed A million nightingales. I had read The Street and Blanche on the Lam several years before, which is the first in a series of mysteries, and probably the lightest one on the list since it's genre fiction.

Have fun!

Ardene....I also have A Lesson in Secrets sitting here from the library. So many books, so little time, and Coming of Age in Mississippi looks fantastic. Have you read Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter yet? It's also set in Mississippi and was a great read...story of two boys, one black, one white, and their coming of age in the same town.

#24: Tina, I enjoyed the latest Maisie Dobbs book - it's interesting to see her setting up things for World War II coming down the pike in this one. I checked out your blog, and I'm looking forward to the new Elizabeth George, though it will probably be a few months before I get to it.

I have not read Crooked letter, crooked letter but it looks like my cup of tea - characterization is big for me in fiction. Thanks for the recommendation.

Alas, I have my first abandoned book for the year. It's due back at the library, it's the only copy in the system, and someone else wants it. I hope to finish the last section later this year.

Coming of age in Mississippi I'm giving it ***3/4 stars for now.

ETA image.

Hi Ardene, I'm sorry you had to abandon your first book! Hopefully you'll be able to get back to it later.

I LOVE the picture at the top of your thread!

Thanks Anne! I haven't abandoned the first book, just the first one that was "meaty" so to speak.

Crunch time by Diane Mott Davidson was fun fluff reading that went on a bit too long. ** 3/4 stars, recommended for those who like the series, or like mysteries with food (and recipies).

That is hard when you know you won't have time to finish a book from the library. Hope you can get it back soon.

>28 markon: I enjoy some of the Diane Mott Davidson books more than others. Most are in the solid "3" area though.

#29: Leonie, I will try to get it again in a few weeks. Right now I have another one coming up on the Horizon - The new Jim Crow - that will take some time and energy.

#30: Lori, I like them too - I was close to the end, and just wanted it to "finish after all!"

Hi, there! I am making a point of catching up my reading of 2011 posts and getting the matching 2012 threads starred--it seems like a hopeless task, but I'm glad that I've got your thread all safe and sound!

Your leading photograph is incredible! I can see why you chose it, and I wish you nothing but great reads this year!

Karen O.

I too have been catching up on 2011 threads and moving gradually on to 2012. I love the book art at the top of yours.

I will second Tina's recommendation of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. I read it last year and found the characterizations to be not at all routine, if that makes sense. And I'm putting Coming of Age in Mississippi on the wishlist.

Are you thinking of reading Boyden's quasi-sequel to Three-Day Road this year? A friend urged me to do it last year, although I didn't think it could possibly be as good -- and I ended up thinking it was better.

Re earlier comments about Muslim women in London: I had to laugh as I recalled walking down the street behind a woman wearing hijab -- and a pair of skin tight jeans, high heels, and a very tight-fitting turtleneck sweater. (on Brompton Road in London) Given that the reason for hejab is modesty and to avoid attracting attention from men, the irony was hilarious. True, you couldn't see her hair, but you could see a lot of other stuff...

#33&34: Thanks Karen & Genny - I found that photograph here.

>35 Chatterbox: Is that Through Black Spruce, Suzanne? Maybe I'll add that one to my someday list.

I'll "third" that recommendation of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. I thought it was excellent!

#35: Suzanne, I did read Through Black Spruce last year, and liked it a lot. I liked the first one a bit better, I can't remember why now. I think the back and forth between points of view of the uncle and niece in Spruce disconcerted me somehow.

Vail, hijab, jilbab - I'm trying to learn a whole new vocabulary!

Any Stephen Baxter fans out there? I just read my first, Manifold: Time and enjoyed it, though I'm not sure my head is wrapped around the science and it seems a bit bleak. 5 stars for panorama/big picture, 2 stars for character development and I'm curious enough to get the next one to find out what happens in Manifold: Space.

#34, 38: Alright already! :) Since I finished my audiobook last night, I've put Crooked letter crooked letter on my audiobook hold list at the library. I'm #3 on the list, so hopefully I'll get hold of a copy within the next month.

First 5 star read of the year is The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin. A spellbinding account of the development of the Rehnquist court and it's transformation with the appointment of Roberts and Alito. I'd love to hear Toobin's take on further developments with Obama's addition of Sotomayor and Kagan.

Also completed my first non-fiction book of the year!

>41 markon: Why is it that as soon as someone decides to read a book I've recommended, I instantly start worrying that they won't like it? :) I'll look forward to hearing what you think of it!

No worries Julia, I promise not to pelt you with rotten tomatoes even if I don't like it. And I suspect I will.

I'm mulling over a modified and easy version of the Dewey Decimal challenge for my non fiction reading this year. I am NOT going to be orderly and pick one book from a category & read it - no, no, no. I am going to read what I want and see what categories these books fall in, and find out whether I am as omniverous (is that a word) a reader as I think I am.

What an interesting idea! I too will look at my nonfiction list at the end of the year to see how I do (if I remember). I predict however that I will land predominantly in the eight and nine hundreds.

Better than meh, but I'm not really excited about this one. Steps through the mist is a collection of short stories. Each figures a woman. And mist. The are thought provoking, each one stands on its own (though my mind kept trying to create connections.) The last one about the old woman and the alarm clock is haunting me, but . . . It gets three stars because the writing is good.

#45...Mark that is exactly how I've been doing the Dewey Challenge. I read what looks interesting, and hope eventually to get at least the classes, and divisions done. Sections may take a bit longer, but I'm not pressuring myself with any specific order, nor am I passing up interesting books just because I've already read in that designation.

BTW I agree with your enthusiasm for The Nine which I read about 2 years ago. Right now I'm just starting Five Chiefs by retired Justice John Paul Stevens. It will be interesting to compare his opinions of many of the same personalities.

#48: Tina, I will be interested to learn what you think of Stevens work when you finish. And I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that looked at the Dewey challenge & said - I want to do that, but no way am I going to insist I read category by category!

This quote from Saturday by Ian McEwan struck me; I'm not sure why.

Emerging from small rooms in council flats or terraced houses, and from cramped side streets, into a wider view of generous sky and a tall stand of plane trees on the green, of space and growth, people remember their essential needs and how they're not being met.

Interesting quote. Do you agree with it? I'm not sure it's true of me. When I'm in "space and growth", I'm happy and think happy thoughts. It's when I'm cramped that I think of essential needs-like the space and growth of nature.

Weekly reading summary:

Finished two mentioned above (The Nine & Steps through the mist)

About 2/3 of the way through Visibly Muslim, still enjoying this assessment of the nuances of choices Muslim women make in wearing clothes that mark them as Muslim (or not). Taking extensive notes as I read and hope to do a summary when I finish.

I'm also savoring slowly Saturday, a novel, and Frail-Craft, a book of poetry. And browsing through an anthology of 20th century American poets edited by Rita Dove. I also came up top of the list for Doc, Mary Doria Russell's novel about Doc Holiday, so this should keep me busy this week. Clean house? Not when there's a good book at hand! (But I'm having friends over for dinner Wednesday! May have to clean 15 minutes & then read 30.)

51: Becky - It rings true for me somehow. I think in the context of people (me) sometimes getting "blinkered" in my own life/space/routine and not seeing anything outside until I change the space/routine I'm in. And then look around and see something I want that I'm missing. I'm experiencing that to some degree right now with the creativity group I'm involved in. The good thing for me is that while I'm aware of some ways I haven't been caring well for myself, I'm also getting tools/opportunities to grow into things.

Had a real up & down week this week. The good things that happened were 1) I was awarded employee of the quarter at work! This came out of the blue for me, and is a morale booster, since we're looking at more furloughs again this year. 2) Ran into a friend I haven't seen for about 10 years while running errands one day - we have a lot to catch up on.

The not so good things were a traffic ticket that will cost me money I don't have (but it could have been a lot worse - it was totally my fault and no one was injured and no cars were damaged.), and my parents name came up on the assisted living facility, and they've decided not to go. They are looking at another place, and I'm OK with them where they are for now, but not in the long run.

OK, it's time for me and the puppy dog to wind down for the night. See you next time!

Congrats on the Employee of the Quarter award! :)

Wind down with your puppy dog. Get some rest.

Congratulations on being Employee of the Quarter! You would be in serious contention for LT-er of the Quarter, too, I'm sure!

Karen O.

Reading sabbatical. Argh! I'd forgotten about this. Week 4 of the artists way group I'm in, and we are to take a sabbatical from reading, TV, social networking. No, I'm not happy about this, but I'm going to give it a try. See you next week.

Wow, that's grim. Good luck with it.

> 58: We will read next week how you survived Ardene ;-)

Ugh! (Why in the world would any group promote a sabbatical from reading?)

That reading sabbatical sounds hard, it doesn't exclude music I note so how about audio books?

>61 tymfos: I think the idea is to clear away outside creative influences so that you can pay attention to the inner artist yearning to break free. At least that's what I got out of The Artist's Way when I did it many years ago.

Ergh! Let us know if it unleashed any inner artist.

#64, Roni, it did, more later.

A gold-feathered bird
Sings in the palm,

. . .

it is not the reason
That makes us happy or unhappy.
The bird sings. Its feathers shine.

Excerpt from Of Mere Being by Wallace Stevens

Distraction deprivation

I’m back! It was a useful week, though a tough one. Surprisingly, I discovered that it was harder for me to give up social media than reading! (Though I did “cheat” on the reading a bit – I read briefly during my lunch hour and listened to an audiobook at bedtime.) If I was naming this week, I’d call it distraction deprivation, rather than reading deprivation, because in addition to reading we were to give up TV/radio/internet.

The idea behind this week was to 1) find out what time sinks we have in our lives and 2) free up some time for creative pursuits – whether that’s practicing the violin or clearing out some clutter.

What did I learn? Well, I learned that some (not all, just some) of my reading and social networking functions to help me avoid some things in my life that I don’t want to deal with. The gift to me of the week was some space around my reading and other activities. I seem to be more focused, and I think this is a tool I might use once or twice a year.

I've missed you all, and I despair of catching up on threads, so I'm not going to catch up, just plunge in and start reading (and commenting on occasion.)

On the reading front I've finished three titles.

Doc by Mary Doria Russell was a pleasure to read and what historical fiction should be - a story about real people that could have happened. I enjoyed the way Russell structured the novel as a series of poker hands, and I also liked the way that she made it clear at the beginning of the book (for those who wanted to know) which characters were historical and which were fictional. The writing was good, the characters complex, and the story entertaining. A four-star read for me.

Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear was also a fun read. Though I didn't realize until I was part-way into it that this novel was commissioned about an XBox 360 game (I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I had.) Apparently the game is set about 10,000 years after the events in this book (and two others that will follow). If you like science fiction, Bear is a good writer, and I enjoyed the story of rebellious forerunner Bornstellar and the Didact and the fate of the universe.

The boy who didn't believe in spring by Lucille Clifton is a wonderful picture book about a young boy living in the city who doesn't believe the adults in his life when they talk about how spring is coming.

One day King invites his friend Tony to go looking for this spring everyone is talking about, and they go looking outside their normal haunts - and find it in a surprising place. And are found as well - with consequences the book doesn't go into.

I enjoy Clifton's work greatly. Maybe it's because of where I am with the creative stuff, but I think this is also a great book about hope, and finding things in unexpected places.

Good to see you survived the week ;-)
Every lesson can be usefull, but personally I am not ready for such a week..

Thanks, Anita, it's good to be back.

Welcome back! I know that my computer time is a HUGE time sink, much more than my reading.

Ardene, so glad you enjoyed Doc. I found it to be a really fun read. The video game book didn't tempt me, but I am intrigued by the Lucille Clifton one. It sounds quite interesting.

Thanks to Tina (tututthefirst), terry (tymfos), & Julia (Rosalita), I am reading Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and enjoying it thoroughly.

Set in present-day Mississippi (with trips into the 1970s/80s), this is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. The two main characters, Larry and Silas, meet one cold winter morning when Larry's father Carl stops to pick Silas and his mother up from the side of the road while driving Larry to school. The boys are on opposite sides of the color line, and Larry is a social misfit, but since Silas and his mother live on Larry's family's property, a friendship of sorts develops between the two adolescents when they are at home. This relationship is never acknowledged in public. Guns, a fistfight forced on the unwilling boys by Larry's father, and the adolescent daughter of a neighbor figure in the action. One fateful night the neighbors daughter doesn't come home, and Larry falls under suspicion, leading ultimately to the ostracism of his family from the community.

Thirty years later Larry is known by the nickname "Scary Larry." He spends his days "at work" at the family mechanic shop, which no one frequents. Silas is now a local police officer known by the nickname "32," the number on his high school football jersey. When another young woman goes missing, suspicion automatically falls on Larry. Shortly after, Larry is found shot in the chest at his home and most people assume the wound is self-inflicted. Silas is assigned to work the shooting, while his supervisor works the more important missing persons case.

I am fascinated by these characters, and a story that seems to be exploring race and class with subtlety. Narration is in third person and weaves back and forth from the late 1970s/early 1980s to the "oughts" of the first decade this century. From early narration in the book, the reader knows that Larry didn't shoot himself. I wonder "whodunnit," but I also wonder whether Silas will be able to figure out who did, and what it will cost him if he does.

My one criticism so far is that the publisher should have hired a reader who does better southern accents and dialect, as I'm listening to this as an audiobook.

So glad you're enjoying Crooked Letter Crooked Letter I think it was one of last year's sleepers.

I'll echo Tina's comments about Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. That was a book that stayed with me for a long time last year. Can't wait to hear your thoughts once you've finished it.

Another "thumbs up" for Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Sounds like I should be glad I read this one instead of listening.

#74-77: Makes me want to read his other books - my library has a copy of Hell at the beach, but not Poachers or Smonk. We'll see what happens.

I finished Eboo Patel's Acts of Faith last night, in time, I hope, for some reflection before we discuss it at my faith home Wednesday night.

Patel, an American Muslim of Indian descent, is the founder and director of the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), an organization that promotes interfaith service and dialog.

Patel makes a case that religious violence (suicide bombings, etc.) can and is being taught to youth around the world, and that if we wish to counter it we must teach youth a different response:an ethic of service that recognizes common values in a variety of religions while acknowledging and respecting the unique paths each tradition follows.

ETA cover art & fix touchstone.

I'll echo the gladness that you're enjoying Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Like rosalita, I also found that it was a book that stayed with me. It's one of those rare books that I'd consider re-reading. Thanks for the heads up about the audio -- I had considered re-reading it via audio, but now I'll pass on that format.

I heard about Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter but never picked it up. I'll add it to my wish list.

Acts of Faith sounds interesting as well.

I've finished several books recently, but haven't had time to write reviews. Three of them are classified as mysteries, but I enjoyed them more for character development than plot. One was Crooked letter, crooked letter, which I commented on above, and the second was Tana French's most recent novel, Faithful place set in Dublin, Ireland. Both four-star reads with complex and deeply flawed characters. The third mystery, Louise Penny's A trick of the light was also very good, but I knocked off half a star because the villian seemed a bit too one-dimensional.

Also finished were Hull zero three, a science fiction novel by Greg Bear and Daughter of the shining isles by Elizabeth Cunningham, an alternate history combining Celtic mythology and the education of Jesus as a druid.

Interesting to read your thoughts on the deprivation week, it actually appeals to me which I am surprised about! 'Acts of Faith' does look very good, I enjoy a read when the author is obviously intelligent and has a fair equal message for all.

#80: Teri, definitely one to read rather than listen to.

#81: Darryl, I enjoyed reading Acts of Faith. It is well written, in a conversational tone, and I think has an important point in that we can teach respect for religions as opposed to one way is right and any other is wrong.

#83: Leonie, I'd encourage you to try it - it changed my perspective.

Reading completed last week:

Visibly Muslim by Emma Tarlo has been an enticing glimpse into the intersection of fashion and Muslim women's covering, as well as a good reminder of the factors that influence a Muslima's decision whether or not to dress in a way that identifies her as a Muslim. ****

Where the mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin is a delightful fable/fairy tale of Min Li's journey to improve her family's life. Read it in hardback for the artwork that punctuates the stories. ****

I found Wastelands: stories of the apocalypse, edited by John Joseph Adams disappointing. Worth reading, but . . . I guess stories about the apocalypse aren't supposed to be hopeful, but nevertheless, I prefer stories of hope, even in the midst of struggle. ** 3/4

I finally read Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney. I tried it last year when everyone was raving about it, and just couldn't get into it. It came up on my radar again because I've run across good reviews of her new book, so I decided to try it again, and this time I loved it. I'm not sure what was different this time *** 3/4

The dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon tells the story of Kamila Sidiqi and her sisters and brother in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the reign of the Taliban. Kamila and her sisters start a business making dresses and teaching neighborhood girls how to sew in order to provide themselves with the income to survive. ***

Pure fluff, Charlaine Harris' Dead Reckoning.

I decided to try it again, and this time I loved it.

Funny how the same book can seem totally different when read at a different time.

Pure fluff

We all need some of that now and then!

Glad you enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon--I found it totally delightful!

Terri & Roni, thanks for stopping by!

I do plan to write a review for Visibly Muslim, but in the meantime . . .


Source: New York Times

I told myself a year ago I was going to try to follow (and understand) the farm bill the next time it came through Congress, and here it is, time for committee meetings and lobbying, and I still don’t have it straight in my head. So I may be reading websites and pdf files and reporting on things here as I try to make sense out of who the players are and what titles 1-15 actually accomplish.

The first farm bill was passed in 1933, during The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. About 21% of US citizens lived on farms at that time. Farm income had dropped due to falling prices because more food and crops were produced than people wanted to buy. Price supports (parity prices) were set for certain crops (commodities) and were available to those who “voluntarily” participated by reducing the amount of land planted to that crop. In other words, if you signed up to plant less corn, you would get a higher price for it. In addition, farmers were paid to plant crops (grass, legumes, cover crops) that would enrich the soil (and were not worth as much in cash) rather than those that would deplete it (such as corn, cotton, and wheat). This did get farmers to take some marginal land out of production, and got more income to farmers (and tenant farmers), but it did not reduce surpluses, as production per acre kept increasing due to improved seed, the use of commercial fertilizer, etc.

Some interesting facts about the agriculture in the 1920s and 1930s (from www.agclassroom.org/gan )
• 1920 saw a postwar depression that becomes a twenty year agricultural depression – surpluses cause a drop in prices for agricultural products
• Mechanization of farm labor leads to increased production
• Even though yields increase, the percentage of agricultural exports decreases: in the 1920s agricultural exports accounted for 42% of all US exports; in the 1930s it was reduced to 32%
• 1920s see the beginning of radio as a carrier of news and entertainment, as well as the beginning of farming cooperatives and farm organizations to lobby government and educate farmers
• Use of hybrid seed corn becomes common in the 1930s
• The early 1930s saw the first federal assistance to school lunch programs
• 1939 is the year the food stamp program begins

ETA my parents were born during that late 20s & early 30s.

I took an unofficial timeout from the computer for a while recently and found that my stress levels dropped dramatically. I would like to try the 1 week no electronics that you talked about. Maybe this summer when both my daughter and I can benefit.

Hit by a couple of book bullets, glad you enjoyed Doc, and thanks for posting about the history of the farm bill.

Hi Ardene, I just wanted to delurk and say I'm looking forward to your ongoing comments about the farm bill. When I read The Worst Hard Time about the Dust Bowl it was interesting to learn about the big picture connections between the farmers, the government, and the world markets (or the lack thereof), all too often to the detriment of the land.

You've been reading some books I want to get to (Doc, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon) as well as one I also liked (The Tenderness of Wolves).

Hope you have a great weekend.

Becky, I highly recommend a hiatus from the computer on occasion. And from the news.

Pat, great to see you here. The Worst Hard Time is on my radar, but nowhere near the top of my list yet. Farmers, government, world trade . . . it's so convoluted & hard to get a handle on! But I keep poking along.

Although I'm not near the 200 message mark, I'm starting a new thread here.