calm reading 75 and beyond in 2012 - part 2

Welcome to any visitors. I appreciate any comments and recommendations. I must admit to being a great lurker on other people's threads but I do try to say something occasionally. Though I tend to just sit in the corner and read:)


glitter-graphics.com

I'm aiming for a double 75 - so here's the ticker




I also take part in the 12 in 12 and the thread is here http://www.librarything.com/topic/127110

I will also be tracking number of books read per category here




The categories are

Current affairs - contemporary fiction (3 of 12)
About the past - non-fiction history (3 of 12)
Long ago and far away - historical fiction (medieval and earlier) (4 of 12)
More from the past - historical fiction (post-medieval) (3 of 12)
Chills down my spine - horror and mysteries (4 of 12)
Once upon a time - mythology, folklore and fairytales (3 of 12)
Unlikely things - fantasy (3 of 12)
New friends/Old friends - recommendations, early reviewers and re-reads that don't fit anywhere else (4 of 12)
To space and beyond - science fiction (3 of 12)
It's Greek to me - books in translation (3 of 12)
Need to know - non-fiction (3 of 12)
Great books I should have read - classics and prizewinners/nominees (5 of 12)

and I can't abandon last year's book worm so here he is



Let the reading continue:)

Book List

February continued

17) Crown of Silence by Storm Constantine (post 34) 424 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
18) Ragnarok The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt (post 42) 177 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
19) Blow on a Dead Man's Embers by Mari Strachan (post 51) 312 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
20) Shadow's End by Sheri S Tepper (post 81) 388 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
21) The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck (post 88) 288 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; Group Read - Steinbeckathon)
22) The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (post 98) 257 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
23) Bleak House by Charles Dickens (post 114) 808 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
24) The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (post 115) 504 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
25) God's Philosophers By James Hannam (post 116) 435 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; group read)
26) We Never Make Mistakes by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (post 126) 138 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

March
27) London Under by Peter Ackroyd (post 143) 202 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
28) Kil'n People by David Brin (post 144) 612 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
29) The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (post 145) 304 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
30) The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton (post 155) 382 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; ER)
31) Tallis' Third Tune by Ellen L Ekstrom (post 180) 248 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
32) The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz (post 181) 294 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
33) The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal (post 182) 354 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
34) The Way of Light by Storm Constantine (post 198) 408 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
35) Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai (post 199) 228 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
36) In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse (post 200) 574 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
37) The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck (post 227) 366 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; Group Read - Steinbeckathon)
38) Helen of Troy by Margaret George (post ?) 755 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

Book list for previous threads

No touchstones here, when there are comments they will be in the post numbered. I am also tracking number of pages and other challenges.

Books read in Part 1 http://www.librarything.com/topic/129166

January

1) North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (post 74) 502 pages (TIOLI; 12 in12; group read)
2) The Idea of Prehistory by Glyn Daniel (post 94) 190 pages (12 in 12)
3) The Russian Dreambook of Colour and Flight by Gina Ochsner (post 95) 370 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
4) Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley (post 111) 191 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
5) The Earthquake Bird by Susanna Jones (post 125) 257 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
6) Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah (post 133) 274 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
7) Sea Dragon Heir by Storm Constantine (post 134) 343 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
8) The Underpainter by Jane Urquhart (post 143) 340 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
9) Marvels and Magic edited by Richard Barber (post 171) 191 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
10) Brother to Demons, Brother to Gods by Jack Williamson (post 182) 184 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
11) Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris (post 189) 363 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
12) Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian (post 200) 510 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
13) People of the Lake: Mankind & Its Beginnings by Richard E. Leakey (post 210) 226 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
14) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (post 214) 318 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

February

15) The Kingdom of the Wicked by Anthony Burgess (post 229) 391 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
16) White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi (post 245) 245 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

I'm here, calm! With this automatic starring dohicky it's possible to never miss a beat.
I so look forward to what you think of Bleak House as it is my March chunkster read.

Ohhh Lynda beat me to first place ;)

Hi Lynda - Bleak House is going well, it did take a bit of getting used to. There doesn't seem to be a central person to focus on and he keeps introducing more characters so not the easiest of reads but I hope it will all come together. I wasn't really expecting that as I had only read some of his more focused novels - at least Oliver Twist; Great Expectations; A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield (which I can only remember the start of so not sure if I ever did get to the end) seem more focused on one character with a great cast of supporting characters.

Hi Chelle - second isn't a bad place to be but Lynda was very zippy this morning:)

Hi There!! I enjoy the new fast forward doo dad too.. heps to keep track of our
LT friends.. I don't think I ever did read Bleak House..

Hi! Don't mind me... *waving on her way through*

Hi calm - jumping straight into thread 2 since I'm so far behind on thread 1. Lots and lots of characters in Bleak House indeed, though a small number do emerge as the main ones whose story is being told. But it is different from those others you mention which have definitely one main protagonist... (I did Bleak House for A level - sort of did it to death then, but I enjoyed re-visiting the characters when the BBC did that version a few years ago).

Like Genny, I was feeling daunted by the length of unread posts in thread 1... so I hereby pledge to try and keep up better!!

Very much liked your review of White is for Witching, calm!

Kath - I think the feature came in just after I created my last thread last year so this was my first time:) Just glad I didn't create a double.

Well the edition of Bleak House I am reading is around 800 pages but it has been sitting on the shelves of shame for a while and the 200th anniversary seemed like the right time to move it:)

Karen - waves back.

Genny - No worries about the last thread - not much going on there:)

Missed Bleak House at school, definitely read a lot of Dickens and I finally read A Christmas Carol a couple of years ago and I'm sure of the other three I mentioned being on the syllabus and I have a very vague recollection of reading A Tale of Two Cities as well

Suzanne - The only way I can read threads is to speed lurk and I very rarely delurk to post:) So thanks for posting.

Richard - Thank you kindly sir:)

Found you!

The BBC adaptation of Bleak House is excellent, although I remember thinking that it would be a confusing book to read.

I still haven't tackled any Dicks since school except for A Christmas Carol. I keep promising myself that I'll try, but Great Expectations for GCSE English put me off completely.

Hi Carrie - thanks for finding me:)

Hi Kathy - It is strange that I can cope with multi-character fantasy tomes (Malazan for example) but I'm finding it harder to keep track of who is who in Bleak House though I am enjoying it. I tend not to watch TV adaptations of classics (or costume dramas); I'm not sure why apart from the fact that I prefer to read.

Like you I also studied Great Expectations at school so this is my first Dickens (apart from Christmas Carol) since then and I am liking it.

Popping in to let you know that another loyal fan has followed you here!

Hello, admitting to serial lurking as well and promising to do better this thread.

Calm - exhausted but checking in after just returning from Bangkok - congrats on the new thread.

Hi Calm, I finished Bleak House yesterday and ended up absolutely loving it. I hope you do too.

I read Great Expectations two years ago or so, and it just wasn't my thing at all. Mostly I didn't like Pip, Dickens was highly impressive as a writer. One of these days I plan to try something written before he was a bitter old man. I've heard that Bleak House is a bit more vibrant, and less dreary than G.E. I never would have guessed that by the titles!

I like to throw geology tidbits out into the wind to see what happens to them, so here goes. A few of the standard geologic ages are named after Wales, where some of the oldest fossil-bearing rocks were first identified in the 1830's. Cambrian (easy enough), Ordovician and Silurian, both named after native Celtic tribes, Silures in the south, Ordovices in the north. Aberystwyth looks like it is between the two tribal areas, but definitely surrounded by Silurian Age rock (about 450-415 million years old, first appearance of bony fishes in the fossil record). Lots of dirty-looking limestone. In my neighborhood (Michigan), the lower Great Lakes basins are scoured away from soft salt-rich Silurian Age rock. Just a fun fact, do with it what ye will...

Kim, Megan and Paul - thanks for stopping by. Good to see you:)

Bonnie - I noticed your 5 star review, pleased you enjoyed it so much. I'm about half way through and some of the things I were expecting are coming together but there is still a lot of story to go.

Ryan - yes the title is a bit off putting but the book itself isn't too bleak:)

Yes Wales is fascinating, very old rock which makes for some interesting landscape and then you have to add thousands of years of human habitation and the effect that has as well.

Waving towards the fascinating rocks of Wales........and you too, of course, calm.

Just catching up and saying hello, calm!

Thanks Lynda and Kath.

Still no books finished recently:(
It's cold here and I'm watching too much mindless television for some reason ... oh well the books are patient and will wait for me.

But I have added some more to the shelf today ... (oops I really should try to get a few off the shelf before I add any more)

onto the shelves of shame:-
Adam Bede by George Eliot
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Stardust by Neil Gaiman

from the library:-
Ragnarok : the end of the gods by A. S. Byatt
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Oooh Adam Bede! Enjoy that one, calm, soon...your chilly weather won't seem so bad.

Both Cleopatra's Daughter and The Dovekeepers I have wishlisted :)
Have not read Stardust by Gaiman but I like Gaiman!
looking forward to your thoughts on them!
when you get to them of course ;)

I adored The Dovekeepers!!
It is a real keeper imo..

Whoop, a new thread ...

Glad to hear you're enjoying Bleak House calm.

I like the new additions to your shelves ... especially Adam Bede and Stardust, both of which I've thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Richard - not any time soon unfortunately - I'm aiming for a classic a month this year so hope to get to it sometime but I have her The Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch already sitting on the shelves of shame and as they have been there longer I should read those first.

Kara - those two were both off my wishlist as well - the Moran on the basis of her Nefertiti and The Dovekeepers because of Kath:) I've seen the Stardust film but not read the book yet - but I do like Gaiman.

Kath - borrowed from the library on the basis of your review:) If I like it that much it will go on my to buy list.

Caro - thanks for stopping by. I've stalled a bit on the reading so picked up a fantasy to try to kick start it again - still going slowly but I hope to get back into a bookish mood soon.

Another vote for Adam Bede ... I really must get around to reading some more Eliot:)

I loved Middlemarch and Bleak House, calm, so I hope you enjoy them. Stardust was primo Gaiman. Now you've got me thinking about Adam Bede.

>30 jnwelch: Joe, don't think! Act!

Howdy do, miss calm ma'am. Sending warm thoughts your way.

Sorry - didn't feel up to posting yesterday:(

Joie - nice to see you out of the cafe, thanks for visiting. Bleak House is going slowly but I hope to finish it in February:) I love Gaiman so I'm sure that Stardust will be a great read. I am determined to get at least one of the Eliot's read sometime this year but not sure which will take my fancy.

Richard - how lovely to see you. Thank for the warm thoughts ... must have worked as it is really mild here.

Despite being slightly stalled on Bleak House I have finished another two books - Crown of Silence, the second of the Magravandias trilogy by Storm Constantine and A. S. Byatt's entry in the Canongate myth series - Ragnarok The End of the Gods. Thoughts up soonish:)

Stopping in -- enjoyed your 12 in 12 goals. Looking forward to the Byatt thoughts.

17) Crown of Silence by Storm Constantine (8 - 12 February)

The second of the Magravandias trilogy changes focus, so we have a new viewpoint character in a different country though as the story unfolds we do get to see what happened to some of the characters from Sea Dragon Heir. I must say that I found this slightly less enjoyable than the first - still good but there was something that did not quite work. I wonder if my reaction was because of the change of focus, and lack of strong female characters, or maybe it was the tone set in the first traumatic chapter when we are introduced to Shan, a young village boy, as his home is attacked by Magravand soldiers. Rescued by a magician we follow his story and eventual quest for the Crown of Silence.

Constantine can definitely tell a story and this book moves the trilogy forward. I like the world building and the characters are nicely flawed, no "Mary Sue's" here. I will definitely be reading the concluding volume and look forward to the way Storm Constantine brings the stories together.

Hi Lucy - thanks for stopping by. I like my 12 in 12 goals as well:) Thoughts on the Byatt either later today or tomorrow as I only finished it this morning and like to let the book settle into my thoughts before writing something. I did like it though.

Your thread is getting scary again... too many enticing books....

But I've only posted about one Kath ... the rest are only titles ... so far:)

passing through calm :)
avoiding the blue words above :P
still recovering from the past BB's ;)

The trilogy by Constantine sounds interesting! Just what I need, more for my TBR pile. LOL

>32 calm: Despite being slightly stalled on Bleak House I have finished another two books
I too am stalling on Great Expectations and foolishly starting others that look good before knuckling down on my current reads. Those pesky covers that jump out at me are too irresistible.
But then again....if I just had 2 hours to myself one of these days Id make a great big old dent in it for sure.

Kara - fair enough. Pleased you stopped by:)

Lisa - it is interesting. I loved the first, liked the second and will see how it all turns out next month. I really do need to finish up the books I have already started and the library books before I start something else from my own shelves.

Megan - Part of the problem is that it is such a chunkster, with really small print, so I am only reading two or three chapters at a time (they are quite short) but only in the morning when I feel rested enough. Then there is the pile of library books that need to be read and returned so it feels easier to just focus on those and poor Bleak House just sits on my bedside table and waits for me to return to it. The strange thing is that while I am reading it I do really like what I am reading, though I'm not in any hurry to add more Dickens to the TBR pile:)

With your little ones I expect it is difficult to find that time just for yourself. I hope that you do manage to get some quality reading time soon though.

18) Ragnarok The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt (12 - 13 February)

I like Byatt's writing and this latest addition to the Canongate Myths series is wonderful. Byatt simply retells Norse mythology as seen by a young girl evacuated, with her mother, to the country during WWII. I don't think there is a word wasted in this short novel. Beautiful language, with a clever use of repetition, makes the whole thing read like the sagas and creates an evocative picture of the time. Adding to the feel are the illustrations of some of the scenes from the myths. At the end of the story is an essay "Thoughts on Myths" and a bibliography.

I've only read a few of this series and I definitely feel like I should read the rest. Canongate seems to have done a fine job in the actual publication of these books and my love of mythology means that this is a collection I would like to own. Too bad that I have only one on my own shelves (so far).

Even one more that sounds good is one more that might end up on my tipping tbr :PPP

I've never read any Byatt, and I don't know a thing about his myth series... how is this possible?!?! Retelling of Norse mythology??? I need it!!!

Fair enough Kath, please feel free to ignore any blue words:)

Faith - A. S. Byatt has been writing for years, she won the Booker for Possession which I thought was wonderful. The Canongate myth series is a publishers series, each book is written by a different author - here's a link to the series page http://www.librarything.com/series/The+Myths

Hope you like it.

Well, I have to put the Byatt on the wishlist...... sigh..... resistance is futile.

Hmm, I have middlemarch and Silas marner but don't know much about Adam bede. Is it a chunkster?

Happy Valentines Day calm!

Sure is Lucy:) LT is a very dangerous place if you don't want your wishlist to grow.

I'm just so pleased to have a reasonably stocked local library and enough reasonably priced second hand sources to keep me supplied without going bankrupt:) and the list keeps growing and I'll never find all the books or all the time to read them ... *sigh*

Hi Lynda - I don't know much about it either but for 25p from the library sale shelves it seemed like a good idea to pick it up and there seem to be a few fans out there:) So hopefully it won't sit gathering dust for too long.

How do you define a chunkster? Ignoring the introduction, appendices and notes in the edition I have the actual text is around 500 pages. As I am still reading the 800+ page Bleak House (and someone else mentioned that their copy was over 900 pages!) it looks quite reasonable:)

Hi Kara and the same for you.

ETA - Cute gif:)

19) Blow on a Dead Man's Embers by Mari Strachan (13 - 15 February)

It is 1921 and Non (Rhiannon) Davies is one of the lucky ones. Her husband has returned from the Great War but not all injuries are physical and he is no longer the man she once knew. Stepmother to his two children from a previous marriage, with an adopted child, a nephew, in-laws and neighbours who all need something from her can she manage to find a way to get her husband back. Mari Strachan has created a vivid picture of post war Wales. Non is a believable and strong protagonist; the secondary characters are fully realised and the life and times ring true.

I loved this novel. Mari Strachan has obviously done her research and the pace and style of her writing is perfect at creating a slice of life. This is an emotional piece of work and, for a subject that could be harrowing, she has included enough light and shade; touches of humour and believable characters that it deserves the full five stars I am giving it. Simply wonderful!

Glad you enjoyed your latest read, calm.

For me any book over 500 is a chunkster. So Adam will have to wait.

The Constantine and the Byatt are enticing, but my local library has neither one. Rats!

Mari Strachan is already on my hitlist and your review confirms it Calm.

she has included enough light and shade; touches of humour and believable characters that it deserves the full five stars I am giving it.

nicely said!

Hi calm, going back to the A. S. Byatt, you're reminding me that I've only read one of her novels so far, which is The Children's Book. I recently added two other books of hers I have in my tbr which are Possession and Angels & Insects to the list of books I'd like to get to this year. I'd seen the latter in the movie interpretation with Kristin Scott Thomas and Patsy Kensit, many many moons ago and was deeply impressed.

oh dear.. Possession does look good..
I know.. but I couldn't help but look.

How are you? I am way behind in threads..
what is happening to my time?

*smooch*

Lynda - the Mari Strachan is my favourite of the year so far. Maybe Adam Bede can be one of your chunksters for next year:)

Ardene - I was lucky to spot the Byatt on the new arrivals shelf at the library and I think I found all three of the Magravandias Chronicles at my favourite second hand shop. As they are fantasy from the late 1990's/early 2000's they are the type of books that are harder to find at libraries - part of the reason that my own physical collection of books is heavily slanted towards fantasy:)

Paul - thank you for your kind comment. I do hope that you like her books when your book-fast allows:)

Ilana - I liked The Children's Book but haven't read Angels and Insects yet. I'll look forward to your thoughts. Nice to know that there was a good film.

Kath - I really liked Possession when I read it but, for you, I'd choose a time when your life is less stressed. You have enough going on and it isn't a light read. Nothing really upsetting though.

Your time - let's see - sprained ankle; new baby in the family; his mother having complications after the caesarian; worry about Dunker's and your children ... have I remembered everything. I think you have enough reasons to be behind on the threads:)

Richard - *smooch* - hope you are nice and warm.

LibraryThing thinks you will love Blow on a Dead Man's Embers
and 5 stars!
I will be adding this one :)
I have her The Earth Hums in B Flat on the TBR pile and see you liked that one also.
good to know

Kara That will you like it feature is fun. My result:-

LibraryThing thinks you probably will like Blow on a Dead Man's Embers (prediction confidence: very low)

I think part of the reason I liked it so much was that I know some of the places she mentions and because she gets them right I can trust her research on the things I don't know about. I also love her characters:)

As I gave The Earth Hums in B Flat four and a half stars and I liked Blow on a Dead Man's Embers more I had to give it the full five but it is probably a 4.9 as there was one little thing that did get slightly irritating (though in character).

So not perfect but very near (for me!).

Thanks foar the warning on Possession! I wil keep it in mind..

I have read The Earth Hums in B Flat and liked it a lot.. I
have just added Blow on a Dead Man's Embers to my wishlist.

LibraryThing thinks you will love Blow on a Dead Man's Embers (prediction confidence: very low)

the little curser thingy almost flew off the right end of the page ! lol

Hi calm. So glad you enjoyed the latest Mari Strachan as that's one I've been wanting to read since it came out.

I like the idea of Canongate's myths series. So far I've only read one which was a bit weird but I have another two in the TBR pile of shame.

Kath - the LT oracle is fun but I would never take it seriously - lol indeed:)

As I said I do think Possession is a good book but it needs a bit of attention and not everybody gets Victorian poetry and there is a fair bit that is integral to the plot. I hope you do read it someday as I would like to know what you think:)

Heather - it was definitely my kind of book. I hope you manage to get hold of a copy soon:)

Which one was a bit weird? I can see that the Canongate myths would be variable. Different authors appeal to different people but I would still like to read the whole set as I love the idea.

Nor do I, but I like to play with it. Whenever I find myself on that page I click.
I enjoy getting its opinion.

How is Wales this morning?

Are you all cozy and done with the chores for the day?

#63 Baba Yaga Laid an Egg - it's a massive understatement to say that book went straight over my head. Probably very cleverly done but I just didn't get most of it. I'm glad I read it but I hope the others in the series are more approachable!

Hi Calm,
Just checking in again after a long absence (sorry!)
Hope the Dickens has progressed since my last visit....my problem with reading in general lately is that my eyes close while Im reading and then all of a sudden Im half dreaming, and when I open my eyes again Im not sure what is real and what isnt!
One of the problems of saving reading til night time.
Im over half way through Great Expectations now and am enjoying the writing, even if the story is eluding me slightly.

Just keeping up and waving :)

Sorry, I've not been feeling very sociable the last couple of days:( Got a check up at the dentist tomorrow and I hate going out. But I will be picking up The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths at the library as I've finally got to the head of the queue - for a book that is three years old I was surprised how many people wanted to read it. I'm sure there will be other books added to the TBR shelf as well.

Now for my very kind visitors:)

Hi Kath - definitely one of the fun features of LT. I nearly always click when I'm on a work page:)

Heather - that's one the local library doesn't have though it was one of the one's I fancied as I like Russian folklore and Baba Yaga. Hope you find any others you read more enjoyable.

Megan - Dickens is still going slowly - I'm reading two or three chapters every morning curled up in bed with the cats and a mug of coffee:) I'll definitely finish it this month at that rate. I'm still not sure if I'm in any hurry to pick up more of his work though - there are other books that I might enjoy more.

Kath (again) thanks for keeping up even when I'm not:) *waves back*

I have finished another book but thoughts will wait until I recover from tomorrow's trip out:) It was a bit of a comfort re-read - Shadow's End by Sheri S Tepper. Good but not one of my favourites. More in the next day or two. I've also, finally, started The Wayward Bus as my bedtime read - going well so far. I'll wait until I finish before going to the group read thread as I am so far behind and don't want to risk spoilers:)

Well dental check up is done, all clear. Home now with a pile of books:)

from the library - The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths and Kil'n People by David Brin.

from various second hand places around town
Eva by Peter Dickinson - seemed like an interesting idea
Arranged Marriage : Stories by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - loved her Mistress of Spices and The Palace of Illusions
Merlin's Wood by Robert Holdstock - slowly collecting all the Ryhope Wood series
The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing - there has been some discussion about Lessing on the threads recently and I thought I would pick up something by her as I haven't read anything apart from some of her SF when I was much younger.
The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi - recently read White is for Witching and was interested enough to try another of her books
and Pattern by K. J. Parker - second in a trilogy I read years ago and have been looking to add them all to my shelves now I have them all but it took me a long time to find this one. Maybe someday I'll actually get around to re-reading them:)

I was stressing out today but that might have been a bit excessive as I don't think that is a very good balance of books read from the shelves of shame vs. additions as a lot of my reading this month has been from the library. Oh well that's why they are the "Shelves of Shame":)

In reading news I finished The Wayward Bus - oh my Steinbeck writes beautifully with a real understanding of nature and character. I might not like the people very much but he captures it all so well that I think it is a 5 star read.

I'm still slowly reading both Bleak House and God's Philosophers and picked up We Never Make Mistakes by Solzhenitsyn, two novellas that seemed like a nice light book to put in my bag today. I have already completed the first of the novellas and I'm looking forward to read the second.

Off to check what else is happening on the threads.

#69 - I hope you enjoy The Grass is Singing.

David Brin is an author I'd like to try again. I read Sundiver many years ago and was a bit disappointed, but he seems to he highly regarded, so I'd like to try something else.

Congratulations on the clear checkup (I can't stand going to the dentist) and on your book haul. Enjoy!

Kerri - I hope so too.

I've read Sundiver and have the second of the Uplift series on the shelf but am waiting until I have them all before reading them. So a standalone seems like a good idea I hope I like itas the plot looks good.

Dejah_Thoris - I hate going as well I think that is why I needed the retail therapy:)

I do enjoy Elly Griffiths... and Susanna Kearnsley too... good soft mysteryish sorts of books..
They both write great characters .. important to me.

Hope the trip out wasn't too bad. I have to say that all of this running is getting to me
a bit. My anxiety level has been extra high. I am about ready to hide under the bed.
Maybe tomorrow..

#69 Well I think you deserved books as a reward for your dental appointment - no stressing aloud.

Books are a great treat after going to the dreaded dentist!! I'm well overdue for a visit but refusing to go. Ya, I'm stubborn, but oh well ;)

Kath - the Elly Griffiths is one of your recommendations:) It is probably next after I've finished some of the pile I am already reading and The Dovekeepers which I took out of the library earlier this month. I think that was one of your as well:)

Out was horrendous:( Got to the library and it took them a while to find the book that they phoned to say was ready for pick up; the supermarket's home delivery machine had gone wrong and it took ages to sort out - I'm now waiting for the groceries to arrive and hope they turn up; at the supermarket someone behind me started to take stuff out of the trolley and putting it on the conveyor belt; at the dentist I had to fill in a medical questionnaire; in the end I didn't feel up to bussing it home and got clunked by the boot (trunk) of the taxi after putting my bag in. Not surprisingly me anxiety level shot through the roof. Ah well I'm home and safe, not too injured and the furkids were pleased to see me.

Heather - The book haul was the best part of going out:)

Chelle - I always stress about going but fortunately I very rarely need anything done. With the system here if you don't keep your appointments you are kicked off the book and it would be very hard to find another dentist so a bit of stress every six months is not too bad.

Hopefully I will feel up to some book thoughts later today.

Dovekeeprs was most likely from me.. I adore that one.. it sits next to Night Circus on my shelf :)

Oh dear, the pressure! The pressure! lol
I sure hope you like them :)

No pressure Kath - I chose to pick them up and they are both from the library so no money involved. Though Dovekeepers might end up on my wishlist:)

Ugh.... I must get to the dentist...... many many books here, the Strachan and the Griffiths that I MUST also get to!

Hi calm!
hope today is stress free for you :)

20) Shadow's End by Sheri S Tepper (16 - 18 February)

One hundred years before the story starts something wiped out human life on colonised planets in a certain sector of space, only Dinadh was spared. Now this is happening again and Lutha Tallstaff is sent to this planet where there might be answers. On the planet Dinadh Saluez is about to undergo a ceremony that all women take at the time of their first pregnancy and on Earth (now Alliance) Snark is a shadow, a person who has been unable to fit in with society. Ultimately the paths of these three women will meet.

Not my favourite Tepper but still a good read. Some of her usual themes of population growth; an ecological message and an interesting plot and good female characters. Unfortunately, as usual, most of her male characters are not very appealing or sympathetic though in this one at least I ended up liking the King, Jiacare.

Tepper is an author I keep returning to. She is not the most subtle of authors but I know what I am getting when I open one of her books and I like her story telling.

Lucy - sorry you need to go to the dentist, maybe a bit of retail therapy will be in order:)

I thought the Strachan was very good and I'm looking forward to the Griffiths as well.

Kara - relatively stress free here. Hope the same is true for you:)

Congratulations on reading 20 books thus far!!!

Hello to you!

Thanks Linda, very kind of you.

Hi calm, way behind, quick wave, scurries off, hope all's well.

Hello darling calm, coming over to say I'll never again in life read Tepper, but I liked your review! xo

Thanks for stopping by Lynda. Waves back:)

Thanks Richard. Not surprised by your reaction to Tepper - definitely not your type of book but thanks for liking the review. xoxo:)

21) The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck (19 - 21 February)

This is a day in the life of a group of people. Starting at Rebel Corners, California - a diner and garage run by Juan and Alice. In this small place a group of five travellers have had to stay the night after a mechanical problem with the bus. Tensions are obvious from the start and as a storm approaches their onward journey is also going to be a stressful experience.

From the first page when we are introduced to Rebel Corners I was immediately drawn into the story. Steinbeck writes beautifully with a real understanding of nature and character. I might not like the people very much but he captures it all so well that this is a 5 star read for me.

Now I know why I have stayed away for so long...too many good reviews!! Your thread is trouble lady! : )

Hi Kim, thanks for stopping by. You could always ignore the pretty blue words:)

I like Sheri S Tepper.. but I don't think I have read that one..
I can't remember which I have and am too lazy to see if they are in my library .. lol

I agree with Kim.. your thread is trouble! Such good books show up here :)
Hope your day is turning out to be a good one !

Kath You've only got one catalogued - The Family Tree. I do like her work and have read most of it except her latest The Waters Rising and the books she wrote as A.J. Orde or B J Oliphant.

I wouldn't call my thread trouble - I just tend to read what I think I'm going to like - helped by recommendations from people like you:)

I hope to have a good day as well:)

Back later as I have another book to talk about.

I thought I was remembering something abut a tree.. lol. I think I read one after, too..
not sure.

Trouble for those of us who are trying not to add books to WL... lol
You have great reading taste :)

Thanks Kath but I'm not the only one - the BB's come thick and fast on lots of threads:)

True, but you and Kara are my worst ones for BBs

I guess I could say the same Kath, I get lots of BBs from you and Kara:)

Hope you've already read the next one.

I have some of the same response to Tepper -- not the most exciting narrative..... but I always end up coming back for more because of the ideas.

22) The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (21 - 22 February)

This book was first published over fifty years ago and I did read it as a child. Looking at it as an adult I'm so relieved that I found it as fresh and delightful a read as I remembered.

This is the story of young Milo and his adventures after receiving the magical tollbooth that takes him to the Kingdom of Wisdom. Full of playful use of language and lovely images by Jules Feiffer I really enjoyed revisiting Dictionopolis; Digitopolis and many other wonderful places. The characters are quirky and fun and the journey that Milo takes is a sheer pleasure to follow.

If you didn't read this as a child I still think that you would get a great deal of enjoyment from this novel. This is a highly recommended read for anyone and I'll definitely be reading it again someday.

Hi Lucy - I think that there is something about Tepper and she is one of my favourite authors. I also like her ideas but can see that she wouldn't work for everyone and she isn't the most subtle of writers but when she gets it right I love her work.

I loved The Phantom Tollbooth. I can't believe that I forgot it. Thanks for reminding me and letting me know that it's still good as an adult!

Hi Calm - just stopping by to star your thread as I can see that we like similar books. I bought Blow on a Dead Man's Embers at the weekend and it's near the top of the TBR pile as I loved The Earth Hums in B Flat. The A.S.Byatt is waiting to be read too.

The Phantom Tollbooth was my son's favourite book for at least two years around the ages of 9 or 10, so it's one of those books that I feel quite familiar with despite never actually having read as it always seemed to be lying around. It's been demoted now unfortunately.

Re #32, 40, and 41 - I stalled on Great Expectations for awhile, so many books to finish (due to library or TIOLI challenge, or something). But last night I made it through part 2 and expect to finish this weekend (First free weekend in awhile).

I have learned as I've reached a slightly older age than I was at before, that the format and font size really do matter. Gone are the days when I could handle anything. Cheaper but small or cramped just doesn't work any more.

I had never even heard of The Phantom Tollbooth until last year here on LT and did enjoy it - what a fun discovery.

Just delurking to say hi, calm.

#98 I loved The Phantom Tolbooth as a child and I love it as an adult. Tempted to try and squeeze in a reread this month but I have a couple of other books I want to finish so I don't think it will happen.

#76 Sorry to hear your day out was so horrible - you definitely deserved the book therapy in that case.

Hello there calm! I've read both your most recently reviewed books so I am unhit by your book bullets, you AK-47 of literature you.

It seems many have read, or are reading The Wayward Bus. It is now on my tbr pile.

>68 calm: I'm reading two or three chapters every morning curled up in bed with the cats and a mug of coffee:)
You have no idea how jealous I am right now!

>88 calm: That's IT! I have to put The Wayward Bus on my WL now. There's just too much good said about it.

>102 lauranav: small cramped font is not OK in my book :)
I go large print sometimes just as a treat for my eyes and for my self esteem, as the pages get turned far more frequently than normal. lol

Just popping in ( with my eyes closed ) to say hello!

What a lot of visitors, pleased to see you all.

Carrie - Cheli read it for TIOLI this month and, as I finally picked up a copy last year, I decided to join her. I was just so pleased that I still liked it:)

Rhian - Good choices, hope they manage to migrate to the top of the TBR soon. Your son had good taste It is a fun book:)

Laura - I'm still hopeful that I'll finish Bleak House this month - less than a hundred pages to go now I am liking it but only in small doses:)

The Phantom Tollbooth was a good one pleased to see more love for it:)

Hi Caro - Thanks for delurking - I tend to do a lot of splurking (speed lurking) - I wish I could remember where I saw that but I was splurking at the time:)

Heather - Yes it definitely stood up as an adult re-read. I was so pleased to finally reread it:)

I must admit that it wasn't the best of days out but I did get a nice pile of books:)

Richard - So pleased that no BBs hit you ... and I'll probably miss you with everything I'm currently reading as well:)

Linda - It's Ilana's Steinbeckathon - I read Cannery Row last year and as the local library had The Wayward Bus I thought I would hop on board. Hope you like it.

Megan - I don't have children to disturb my mornings - just the cats and they can make it difficult to read sometime as they want cuddles and strokes and sit in the book until I oblige:)

I'm just so sorry that I put off reading Steinbeck for so long. I just got the idea that he was depressing - I suppose not surprising after the ones I read at school.

Unfortunately I've got to toss up between the weight of the book and the size of the print and I tend to go for the lighter option. I'm sure that someday I'm going to be reading more large print.

Kath - Nice to see you:)

The Phantom Tollbooth is an excellent example of a book which pleases children and adults, equally well. If you've not read it.... any one.... Read it as soon as you can.

I like Tepper as a writer as well, but I haven't read the one you reviewed. I found her at the beginning of her career, with the True Game books.

I also really like Brin's Uplift trilogy--the first one. Sundiver is not great but sets up the universe for Startide Rising and The Uplift War, the latter of which is one of my all time favorite books ever! And Kiln People is very funny, especially if you like old noir detective tropes.

The fact of the matter is, however, that you can totally skip the second Uplift trilogy. After setting up all kinds of possibilities, he basically completely cops out and doesn't resolve anything. I've never forgiven him for it. Especially since I bought the second trilogy in hardback.

Calm - I remember reading The Phantom Tollbooth to my bunch a number of years ago and them liking it heaps. The old 'uns can still capture the imagination of youngsters even in this fibre optic age. Have a lovely weekend and I hope it is slowly warming up in the Principality.

Karen - nicely said. I think it is timeless and well worth reading at any age:)

Roni - The True Game was my first Tepper and I think I've mostly read them as they were published since then. I'll probably go on reading her for as long as she publishes:)

I still haven't got a copy of The Uplift War:( Until I do I won't be reading the first two, though I did read the first a long time ago. I'll bear in mind what you said about the later Uplift books and just read the original trilogy when I have them all on my shelf.

Kil'n People looks like fun and it also fits Mystery March:)

Paul - I'm sure your children appreciate(d) being read to and The Phantom Tollbooth is a good one.

Had a beautiful clear day yesterday though it is back to damp and grey today. Still warmer than it normally is at this time of year.

In other news I have finally finished Bleak House - 808 pages in approximately three weeks! Still have to think about what I am going to say.

Still reading God's Philosphers and The Dovekeepers and should finish both in the next day or two.

Hopefully back later with some book thoughts:)

23) Bleak House by Charles Dickens (5 - 27 February)

As it is the 200th anniversary of Dickens's birth I thought I would read one of his novels and chose Bleak House. First published in monthly instalments in the 1850's this is a long and convoluted story. The link to all the plot elements is Jarndyce vs Jarndyce, a long and convoluted court case. I'm sure that the elements of satire and social commentary would nave been more apparent at the time of publication but, even with some knowledge of Nineteenth Century British history, it did take some time for various elements to slot into place.

I think the strongest part of Dickens writing is his characters and his social awareness. I did struggle in places and can't imagine how this would have worked originally with so long between the chapter's publication. Eventually most of the strands do connect and as I got towards the end of the book I could read faster and wanted to know how it would be resolved.

I'm not sorry to have read this but I can't say that I am eager to pick up another of his books. I do appreciate why his work is still popular and has such longevity but I don't think Dickens is really for me.

24) The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (22 - 27 February)

This will probably contain spoilers for anyone who has not heard about the events at Masada.

This is a well researched and very interesting story about Masada. Hoffman has used both the work of Josephus and archaeological evidence to tell her tale. The story is told by four women as we discover how and why they ended up at this Jewish fortress in the first century AD after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Four very different women; four very different lives - drawn together in one place at a certain point of history. To begin with I wasn't sure how the format would work as each part is told by a different person but Alice Hoffman's ability to tell the story is strong, Even knowing about what is to come I was drawn into the lives of all the characters and not knowing who the survivors are added to the tension.

I really enjoyed Hoffman's take on this period of history. I also appreciate the fact that she includes a further reading list for anyone who wants to know more about the history and lives of women in the first century AD. This is first class historical fiction.

Read as part of the group read memorial for JanetinLondon



25) God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science By James Hannam (3 - 28 February)

The title says it all really. Hannam takes a look at Medieval science, though he doesn't use that word as it wasn't coined until a lot later, here it is natural philosophy, alchemy, astrology and early medicine. He looks at how people viewed things and the fact that studying nature was a part of a belief in God and his creation. Not surprisingly as most educated people were priests, monks and other religious people. The language of study was Latin and there was an international community of thought connected by the newly founded centres of learning - the first universities.

Hannam explains how Medieval thoughts and ideas developed. How this could skirt the boundaries of heresy and the later schism in the Catholic church that led to Protestantism. How ideas were suppressed by later generations, how the crusades and the reconquest of Spain introduced older Greek ideas and also Arabic thinking. This is a vast subject and Hannam covers it all in a very readable fashion. He includes very useful appendices - a timeline and a list of key characters were particularly interesting. He did lose me by his obvious bias, especially when it came to his thoughts on his further reading suggestions - a bit too blunt in my opinion.

So he came to his subject with an obvious bias. The idea that Medieval thought has been neglected though science is a sum of everything that has gone before including this period of history. I found this overstated as I had heard of a lot of the people and ideas he talks about already so there were no real surprises for me. That said I did enjoy reading this book and the way he presented his thesis. A very good overview of this period of history.

So glad you enjoyed The Dovekeepers - I'll add it to my library list (once I finish my current library haul). And sorry you didn't love Bleak House as much as I do but it's ok not to like Dickens - I can understand why people don't like him.

#115 - Hi Calm - I hope you're doing well.

The Alice Hoffman sounds interesting. I read one of her YA books a while back (The Foretelling) and it was quite good. Something about an all female tribe and someone becoming a queen on the Russian steppe (I think. It's been a long time. I could have it all wrong.)

>116 calm: thoughts pending
Sometimes its like that ay, you have to let the words settle before you can form your opinion. Ill be interested to hear, as this one has been on my radar for a while

Heather - I think that maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for Bleak House - some of the chapters took a while to "click" but in the end I am pleased to have read it. I'm just not in any hurry to pick up any more of his work:)

I really liked The Dovekeepers and if I spot a second-hand copy I'll probably add it to my re-read shelves/permanent collection:)

Kerri - this was my first Alice Hoffman - she was a writer I was dubious about trying but Kath's review last year added it to my wishlist and it took a long time for a library copy to be available. I liked the way she writes so I might try something else by her someday.

Just looked at The Foretelling - looks like her take on the Amazons, might be interesting if I ever see a copy. That's one of the periods of history/mythology that I like reading about.

Megan - I started out following the Group read thread but the whole bias/agenda conversation wasn't really something I wanted to follow as I would rather from my own opinion. I'm still mulling but he had some valid points and with the title I expected a Christian bias. He was also very readable but then his comments in the further reading section dropped my rating so I'm having a problem about what to say. I'll let it sit for a day or two before putting down my final comments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've got around 40 pages to read before midnight in order to finish up my last February TIOLI book - should be doable:)

I've also signed up to Monica's (crazy4reading) readathon which starts in around half an hour. Off to fill in the starting meme and then take some books to bed. See you all tomorrow (UK time)

February Summary -

Books read - 12

11 - fiction
1 - nonfiction

Pages read - 4340

Book list
(All books marked with * were from the library, all others from my own shelves.)

1) The Kingdom of the Wicked by Anthony Burgess
2) * White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
3) Crown of Silence by Storm Constantine
4) * Ragnarok The End of the Gods by A. S. Byatt
5) * Blow on a Dead Man's Embers by Mari Strachan
6) Shadow's End by Sheri S Tepper
7) * The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck
8) The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
9) Bleak House by Charles Dickens
10) *The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
11) *God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science By James Hannam
12) We Never Make Mistakes by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

They all fitted into TIOLI categories and I am still on track for my 12 in 12 challenge with at least 2 books read per category so far.

Last month I marked the books with LT stars. This time I'm going to try to find something more subtle. Also as I haven't completed comments or ratings for the last two books read in the month I'll edit this post when I have done so.

Books into the house in February - total 14

onto the shelves of shame:-
Adam Bede by George Eliot
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Eva by Peter Dickinson
Arranged Marriage : Stories by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Merlin's Wood by Robert Holdstock
The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing
The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
and Pattern by K. J. Parker

from the library:-
Ragnarok : the end of the gods by A. S. Byatt - read
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman - read
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
and Kil'n People by David Brin.

from ER
The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton

More books came into the house this month than were read. I read 6 books from the library and 6 from my shelves. There were 10 books added to the Shelves of Shame. Not so balanced this month:(

I read fewer books than last month but I did read more pages this month - I blame the 808 page Bleak House:)

Now onto March:)

I am so happy that you liked the Dovekeepers !
That and Night Circus were my two stand out reads in the last year.
They stand side by side on my shelf.

That is quite the summary! I am not nearly that organized !
and yes.. on to March... hooray!

Calm - happy St. David's day!

Hi calm! Eagerly awaiting your thoughts on God's Philosophers.

Hi Kath - yes it was a good book, thanks for the recommendation.

I know that not everybody does the monthly update but I quite like it when I see other people's stats so for a little bit of time I think it is worth doing.

Thanks Paul.

Still mulling Richard:) Thoughts will go up sometime in the next few days.

One last book to post for February and then I'm continuing with the readathon. So book thoughts will be delayed.

26) We Never Make Mistakes by Alexander Solzhenitsyn (21 - 29 February)

In short this is a collection of two novella's - Incident at Krechetovka Station and Matryona's House. The first is set at the start of WWII and the other a few years after, both look at the system in Russia at those times and how people's lives are affected. I'm actually surprised that they were published in Russia in 1963. Solzhenitsyn is an amazing writer and the translation by Paul Blackstock seems to be very good.

In Incident at Krechetovka Station we basically follow a day at the eponymous station as a young officer. Lieutenant Zotov, deals with the routing of trains and the "stragglers" from the front lines. This gives a vivid picture of the time and the worries of the young Soviet officer.

In Matryona's House it is 1953 and a young man looks for work as a teacher and ends up boarding at Matryona's house. An elderly woman who believes in the system and helps out her neighbours but finds that she has less and less.

Both stories point out the flaws in the Soviet system. Both stories have their tragic side but Solzhenitsyn creates believable characters in an impossible situation. I will definitely be reading more of his work.

Confession time again - I wasn't expecting to go out today but someone offered to take me to town - normally a walk and bus ride - and as I needed a few things I went. Of course me and town always means books:)

From the library - The Winter of Our Discontent for the Steinbeckathon.

Onto the shelves - Angels and Insects by A. S. Byatt (from my wishlist)
Transgressions by Sarah Dunant (from my wishlist)
The Secret River by Kate Grenville (thanks to Mark and Ilana's recent reviews)
and Hunting the Ghost Dancer by A. A. Attanasio (just looked interesting)

In other news I am readathoning and have finished another two books. Thoughts can wait until after the readathon - though I am getting quite a backlog now.

>126 calm: wow, that's one surname Im not sure I could pronounce.

Glad your own readathon is going well :) and is being fueled by your purchases!

So happy you enjoyed Kiln People--I thought it was great fun.

Megan - I think I can pronounce it but anyone who speaks Russian might not agree:)

The readathon is going well - since it started I've managed to read 946 pages and finished three books We Never Make Mistakes Kil'n People and London Under. I'm also about half way through The Crossing Places. Not doing so well on my mythology/folklore read though I did read Beowulf just haven't got around to opening the book again and moving on to Cuchulain. It is a good collection though.

The purchases have been moved to the Shelves of Shame:) Not sure when I'll get to them but books are patient:) Actually I forgot to list one that came in the post. The author offered it on Hobnob and, as I failed to win the member giveaway she also tried, I asked for a copy and got

Tallis' Third Tune by Ellen L Ekstrom

I love the cover



and hope the contents live up to it:)

Roni - Kil'n People was definitely fun. I think I'm going to have to find a copy for my shelves as I can see myself wanting to re-read it someday.

#130 That is a lovely cover calm. I think I've seen the author posting in some LT groups and not shamelessly promoting her books but having real conversations about other people's books which impressed me. I noticed from her website that her publishers' are giving away free ebook copies of Tallis so I've downloaded a copy and will give it a try.

That's right Heather she posts in the Historical Fiction group and Hobnob at least. She does comes across as a nice person and fits into LT very well.

I'm definitely going to read it very soon but I've got an ER to read first (my December win).

ETA - Pleased you are also going to read it and if you get to it this month I've put it into TIOLI challenge 6 - homophone/heterograph.

That the author of the beautiful looking book is perceived by you as nice and interested in others
pushed me over the edge. I too, noticed that it was a beautiful cover on Tallis Third Tune, so I went to Amazon to investigate .

I an happy to know the author is so friendly. I picked it up for kindle.. ( shhhh) I am trying to not buy books.. :(

#132 Thanks for the heads up - I'll add it to my tentative list for this month.

That's alright Kath - I also noticed that she is doing an author chat next month. It might make it more interesting if there are a few people who have read the book.

Heather - If you can fit it in it would help Madeline's wish for more shared reads;)

And I've added another book to the completed list The Crossing Places one of Kath's recommendations and a good one:) I'll definitely be continuing with the series as I like Ruth and want to see what happens to her next.

Beautiful cover on Tallis' Third Tune. It's not available from my library (and I don't do the ebook thing yet) but I'll be looking forward to hearing your review. I can always buy it, after all....

Hi Dejah - if you are interested in the book should check out this thread http://www.librarything.com/topic/133200.

The author may have more review copies on offer. I guess I should have posted the information earlier but didn't expect so many people to show interest:)

Thanks for the link -- but I'd hate to have her send me a book to the U.S. from the U.K.

I'll wait to read some reviews -- the trade paperback is available here. If it worksout, I'll join you in a shared read!

She's in the US (California) and sent the book to me in the UK - as I said she seems like a nice person and it got here incredibly quickly:)

I've got an ER to read first and then I'll be reading Tallis' Third Tune so hopefully I'll get some thoughts down in a week or so:)

139: I think I'm reading the same ER- The Girl in the Box? It took me a while to get into the "rhythmn" of the book as it felt a bit clunky at first but I'm now quite absorbed by it. It's certainly thought provoking.

Hi Dee - I haven't started it yet. I tend to read fiction last thing at night and first thing in the morning but I will be starting it later today. It definitely looks interesting.

Readathon is over so I suppose it is time to update me reading:)

Titles and covers going up now, book thoughts sometime soon.

Thanks to kkunker for recommending this book.



27) London Under by Peter Ackroyd (29 February - 2 March)

This is a brief look at what goes on under the surface of London. Split into chapters that cover various aspects of what there is under the ground - from buried rivers; sewers; services; transportation; burials; etc. there is much more down there than most people ever think about.

This was my first book by Ackroyd and he certainly packs a lot into a few pages. Sometimes I could have wished for more details but what is here is very interesting, though maybe some prior knowledge of the geography and history of London would be helpful for a reader. I liked the use of original illustrations and the bibliography is useful if you wanted to expand on any one aspect.

So, I would say, this is one for someone who wants an overview of the subject not for any particular depth. It is readable, accessible and left me wanting to know more.

28) Kil'n People by David Brin (28 February - 3 March)

Oh my this was a well paced and fun read. I loved it! In the future everyone has the ability to make clay copies of themselves. This story is about Albert Morris a detective in this future as he investigates the disappearance of one of the founders of Universal Kilns, the company that provides the technology.

Albert and his dittos provide a number of story lines that converge in a way that I did not expect. This is a fresh take on Sci-fi and I really liked Brin's ability to provide a plausible futuristic society based on the technology. I am so pleased to have to read this and actually hope that Brin will revisit this society someday as I am sure there are plenty of other stories that could be told.

29) The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (3 - 4 March)

The first in a series of books about Ruth Galloway, an archaeologist at the fictional University of North Norfolk, called in to date some bones discovered near her home. DCI Harry Nelson is hoping that they are the bones of Lucy, a young girl who disappeared ten years previously. Ruth is unwillingly drawn further into the investigation when another child goes missing.

Great setting and sense of place; Ruth is a likeable and well drawn character and the way the story unfolds has enough twists and turns to make this a real page turner. I did work out part of the answer before the end but that didn't spoil my enjoyment in any way. I already have the next book in the series requested from the library - I definitely want to know what happens to Ruth next.

I am so glad that you liked Crossing Places. It is a nice relaxing
read and I like Ruth a lot too.:)

If you think of it, and go to Ellen L Ekstrom's chat thread will you post ? I have no idea where to find the list... but I am sure that there is one somewhere.

I wanted to start to read her book last night, but didn't I have another have to read that I should get to. It looks good too, and the author sent it my way, so I do owe her a review. I need to get busy. It has been so hectic lately :PPP

Hi Kath - I've already requested the second Ruth Galloway book from the library though I'll have to wait until somebody returns a copy. I really like Ruth a lot as well:) I'm trying to get the comments up for all the library books today as I am going into town tomorrow so hopefully there will be something there later:)

Ellen's author chat thread will start on 2 April and I'll definitely be posting as that was part of her reason for offering review copies. No link yet though the announcement of forthcoming chats is on the homepage. I'll post the link when it goes up.

I'm reading an ER first and then I will be reading Tallis' Third Tune.

Thoughts up for everything from the library.

For reference that is God's Philosophers By James Hannam (post 116); London Under by Peter Ackroyd (post 143); Kil'n People by David Brin (post 144) and The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (post 145).

So that is the lot except the Solzhenitsyn which is off my shelves. Might get to it later:)

#144 - Hi Calm - I'm so glad to hear that you liked Kiln People, and it sounds like a fascinating premise. As I said earlier, I've had a previous "meh" experience with Daivd Brin, but had always wanted to try something else, as I know he's highly regarded. I'll definitely put Kiln People on my wishlist.

Good reviews, calm. You've got me interested in all three!

Kerri - well not every author works for everyone. Kil'n People just suited me.

Thanks Joe - nice of you to say so:)

As mentioned I went to town yesterday - lunch with friends and a visit to the museum which had a retrospective exhibition of works by a local artist - Mabel Pakenham-Walsh. Here are a couple of examples of her work though I can't seem to be able to find much on-line:(





I also visited the library and discovered that they now have ebook loans so when I got home I spent too much time going through the catalogue and trying to decide if I wanted to test it out but haven't pressed the button as I am not too sure about reading a book on the laptop.

And, of course, a few books made their way home with me - all purchased as I am already overbooked for March and didn't want to add any "must reads" from the library.

An Imperial Possession Britain in the Roman Empire by David Mattingly
Merlin Through the Ages A Chronological Anthology and Source Book by R. J. Stewart
A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich
and A Children's Book of Saints by Hugh Ross Williamson.

I also finished my ER read - The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton (as always thoughts pending) and have started Tallis' Third Tune - I'm liking it so far.

Off to check out what has been happening on the threads. Back later:)

I really like the two examples of your local artist's work..
beautiful both! I don't think I myself could read on the computer...
not sure.. but? Luck if you decide to try it :)

Thanks Kath - she sounds like an interesting woman - she sculpted and painted odd bits of wood before ill health meant she could no longer continue. I din't like everything that was in the exhibition but a few pieces definitely caught my eye - I just wish I had taken some photos (or that I was able to find more on-line) as, unfortunately, the exhibition will be over before I go into town again.

I'm still thinking about the e-loan thing. Maybe if I spot something short that I have read before it might be worth a try - just to see how it works. That way if I don't like it I'm not left part way through a book and wondering where the story goes.

Obviously I didn't feel up to the book comment thing yesterday. Time to post the cover, etc and see if inspiration strikes. As this is an ER it is one that I have to do and Dee's (Soupdragon's) review is in the hot reviews and I'm trying to avoid being influenced by other people's thoughts:)

I received this book from LTER.



30) The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton (4 - 6 March)

This was certainly different and interesting. A whydunit rather than a whodunit. Jerry a Canadian analyst is in Guatemala in 1983 when he comes across a mute and traumatised girl, Inez, who is kept in a box by her parents. He ends up taking Inez to Canada and trying to help her. The story is mainly told by Jerry's long term lover Caitlin with some chapters about Jerry's time in Guatemala.

There is a lot to this book. Obviously Jerry's occupation means that there is a lot of discussion about therapy techniques; Caitlin herself has had a traumatic experience in her past; the plight of the Maya during the Guatemalan civil war is also discussed - all of this sounds rather heavy but Sheila Dalton has created a thoughtful and sympathetic character in Caitlin as she tries to understand Inez and her actions. Inez herself is beautiful, enigmatic and worthy of understanding.

Overall this is a thought provoking novel. I enjoyed the story and characters. I think that this is a book I will want to re-read someday as knowing the ending might add something to what came before.

155: I liked your review, calm. I had a very similar experience of the book and also gave it four stars.

Between your review, calm and Dee's, I know I'm going to have to get my hands on The Girl in the Box. Thanks!

Dee - it was a good one wasn't it? I've been reasonably lucky with my ER choices:)

Dejah - hope you like it.

Off to see what everyone else has been reading. Back later:)

Comments for We Never Make Mistakes now up in post 126.

I have also finished Tallis' Third Tune, still mulling on it but I found it quirky and unusual, very readable - a nice twist on telling the story of a girl and her relationships in the late sixties and seventies. But I am definitely going to have to give some real thought to a review.

>152 calm: Hi calm, just dropping through. I love the artistic works, especially the hands. Were they painted or fabric?

Won't pretend to catch up after ten days away, no home internet, so I'll leave a *smooch* and keep up from here.

Just trying to keep you on my radar! Fortunately it is quiet here this morning. Cold and bright, too!
It feels like Sunday. I am not sure what the day will bring.. but I hope that yours is playing out
to be nice and serene...

Jen - the hands (and most of her art) are painted on sculpted wood. Interestingly most of the wood is reclaimed from a variety of sources - old gates; school desks and even old toilet seats!

And I went googling again and found the interview that she did for the exhibition - it is about half an hour but she talks about her life and you can see more of her work here - http://www.culturecolony.com/videos?id=8596

*smooch* to you as well Richard. Hope that your internet behaves itself from now on - no fun to be without it.

Kath - hope your weekend remains quiet and peaceful. No plans today - bit grey and overcast here so probably a good day to snuggle up with the cats and not do much:)

The Girl in the Box looks very interesting. Consider it on my radar!

Seconding Megan, Calm - I have seen three other reviews for The Girl in the Box and all of them have been positive. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I hope it is not too windswept on the West Wales coast.

Hi Megan - it was definitely one of the better ER offerings - hope you manage to find a copy,

Hi Paul - All the reviews I have seen are positive. Hope it makes it to th KL bookshops:)

Not too windswept today, we actually have a bit of sunshine:)

>126 calm: I enjoyed your review of We Never Make Mistakes, calm. I have read a number of Solzhenitsyn's novels, but had not been aware that he also had a collection of short stories.

Linda - I have got another of his collections of short stories which I haven't read yet - Matryona's House and other stories which actually includes the two novellas from We Never Make Mistakes another 4 short stories and several prose poems. They are by a different translator, Michael Glenny, so I'm not sure how different the translation of the two novellas will be but, as there is more content in that collection, it might be a better one for you to find if you are interested in reading his short stories.

It is probably going to be some time before I read it but that's the thing when books have different titles you don't always realise that you are getting duplicates:)

*lurking* *waving*

ditto what karen said..

*whispering* I didn't say anything, did I?

Hi Karen and Kath:)

Well, if you are going to get particular... no.. you didn't say anything!

Just being sociable, we are :)

Yes, Kath, I was being a tad "snarky". Really unnecessary, but sometimes my snarky angel gets the better of my better self. Sorry.

Ah, I'd better have some coffee and see if I can civilize myself this morning.

Karen you can be "snarky" any time you want. Just nice to have visitors:)

Kath - thanks for being sociable. I enjoy your visits:)

Now three books behind on comments - oops! But must say that it is hard to type with no/little feeling in my right arm. Think I'll have a long soak in a hot bath and see if that improves things. Might be back later:)

Boo hiss arm troubles! Begone!

Baths can cure a lot of things In my experience. Hope it worked for you :)

Hey , thanks so much for the heads up on how to sort the postings as you mentioned on Paul's thread! I really appreciate that!

Richard - thanks but no go this time:( It'll ease up sooner or later ... at least it usually does.

Megan - Didn't work as well this time but I feel clean.

Deb - no trouble as I said over there I did the same thing shortly after I found LT. There are so many things to click that I doubt if anyone knows all the features.

I think I'll post covers and date read for the three books I mentioned yesterday. Comments will follow when I feel up to it:)

31) Tallis' Third Tune by Ellen L Ekstrom (7 - 8 March)

This is a dreamlike and lyrical tale as befits the title and the wonderful piece of music that is Vaughan-Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. Alice finds herself in a strange place where historical characters interact with her as she revisits certain moments of her life, mainly two of her past relationships. The figures from history hint and suggest as she relives the past and slowly things don't go quite as Alice remembers. Can her life be changed by this experience?

There is a disjointed aspect to this novel as Alice drops into random moments of her life, interspersed with time in the quaint English shop. The episodic nature of her experiences means that the reader is left putting together the pieces but I really enjoyed the puzzle that is Tallis' Third Tune.

32) The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz (8 - 10 March)

Beth Weeks is fifteen and growing up in a small farming town in British Colombia during WWII. Her father was traumatised during the First World War and his behaviour is becoming increasingly bizarre and extreme. This leads to a further isolation of the family from their neighbours.

I found this book quirky and enchanting. As a picture of life in this time and place the story worked well. Maybe there were a few too many people with mental problems in this debut novel, bearing in mind the small cast of characters, but I still liked most of them. There are some extremely disturbing scenes but I think the way Gail Anderson-Dargatz told the story was worth a bit of distress.

Gritty and disturbing but one I am pleased to have read and I will definitely be reading more of this author's work.

Thanks to Caro (cameling) for recommending this one



33) The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal (3 - 12 March)

Edmund de Waal inherited a collection of Netsuke from his great uncle. He already had a fascination with Japanese art and pottery but this collection led him on a search of the history of his family and how the netsuke travelled through a nineteenth and twentieth century Europe rich Jewish family.

Looking for the history of the Ephrussi family from their origins in Odessa, to their presence as rich bankers and art collectors in Paris and Vienna leads de Waal to study old documents and the buildings the family had constructed. The inevitable anti-semitism and displacement of the family leads to a disjointed narrative but de Waal's story is more about his search for the family's past than that actual past.

There are some old photographs, though I would have liked to see more of the netsuke that sparked his quest. The traces of the once powerful family are fascinating but ultimately there was something vaguely unsatisfying about this book.

I have Tallis.. I think it is on my iPad? I have to find it and read it..
thank you for the reminder. Sorry to hear that your arm is troubling you :(
Hope it feels better soon...

I found you calm, eeek, All three books look pretty good, if only for their covers. Looking forward to your reviews.

I think you said that you picked up a copy of Tallis Kath - just had a quick check up thread and yes you did - for Kindle:)

Pain free will be good - just trying to be patient waiting for it:)

Lynda - yes they are pretty covers and I enjoyed all three in their very different ways. Though I would say that Cure for Death by Lightning is not for the squeamish as there are some very disturbing scenes.

One year I'll finish The Hare with the Amber Eyes...I just know I will....

>179 calm: clean is a good start.....
now to work on the rest :)

Also sorry to hear your arm is troubling you calm. Looking forward to your reviews when you feel better and hoping you do feel better soon.

Delurking to express good wishes! Take care.

Hey calm -- I hope your arm is doing better soon. I'm looking forward to your reviews! I'm far, far behind on reviews myself, but I don't actually have an excuse....

Richard - I hope you finish it one day as well.

Megan - clean is always good:) Just wish I was up to doing the house:(

Heather - thanks

Kim - thanks for delurking

Dejah - so do I this bout seems to be dragging on a bit. I like reading your reviews as well hope that you find the time and energy to catch up sometime:)

Did a do nothing at all day yesterday and it still didn't help:( I'll see how I feel about typing later but I'm off to see what everyone else has been up to. Please forgive me for limited posting on other threads ... I am reading them.

I looked at Tallis last night, but didn't get any further than that.
I do want to read it soon though..

Sorry not to have posted here over the weekend - been a bit worried about one of the cats. Somehow she has cut one of her pads and she started limping on Friday, couldn't put any weight on it on Saturday, and her paw was very swollen yesterday. Thought I would have to take her to the vets today but it seems slightly better so I'm going to leave it another day or so and see if she keeps improving. She is very difficult to give pills to and stresses out at the vet so would prefer to avoid a trip if at all possible. So I'm bathing it in salt water and was pleased to see her put some weight on it today. Of course I haven't been feeling very sociable:(

Kath - hope you do get to it soon.

I'm determined to get some thoughts down for the books I've already posted soon and the other two books I've finished since I last posted. Back later:)

HI Calm! Hope your kitten feels better soon!

#193 - Hi Calm - I missed the cat issue the other day. I hope everything is ok.

Tallis' Third Tune.... Thank you for finding it :) I liked it.

Hi Chelle and Kerri - cat is improving and spending a lot of time outside in the sunshine:)

I'm still reading and lurking on LT threads but don't feel up to book comments just now:(

More covers and reading dates coming up.

34) The Way of Light by Storm Constantine (11 - 15 March)

The third and final part of the chronicles of Magravandias brings together the characters and story line from the first two volumes. As the old emperor dies a power struggle between his sons seems inevitable but some people have a different idea of who should now rule.

Storm Constantine has created a vivid world with real and flawed characters. The way the story unfolds seems a right and fitting conclusion to what comes before. This is quality fantasy and I'll definitely be reading more of this author's work.

35) Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai (16 - 17 March)

This book is more like two novellas than one novel. Connected by being about the same family the first is about the eldest daughter in India and the second about the son who is studying in America. I found the first part the stronger of the two. Uma's life changes after the birth of her brother, taken out of school to help run the family home; unmarried she turns into more of a servant within the family. This part of the story covers a longer time scale so we get more of a picture of the life of the family. Arun's story takes place over one summer vacation that he spends with an American family.

As a picture of life this works but there is also something incomplete about the telling. There are no real conclusions to either part of the story. I wouldn't say that I won't read any more of Anita Desai's work but I'm not going to go out of my way to find another of her novels.

36) In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse (17 - 23 March)

This is a fictional account of the life of Charles d'Orleans. Very readable prose and a fascinating story. Highlights included - the appearance of mad French king Charles VI, Agincourt, Jeanne d'Arc, politics, poetry and warfare. An interesting mix of topics and I did appreciate the addition of Charles' own poetry as it gave a feel for the real man. I really liked it.

There is an interesting story behind is publication as well. It was first published in 1949 in Dutch and, according to the introduction in my copy, was never out of print but after the death of its first English translator the manuscript wasn't rediscovered for twenty years and the book first appeared in English in 1989.

>200 calm: Pretty cover! Glad your companion is able to be out enjoying the sunshine.

Good book as well Richard - the life of Charles d'Orleans. Highlights include - Mad French king Charles VI, Agincourt, Jeanne d'Arc, politics, poetry and warfare. I really liked it.

In a Dark Wood Wandering... pretty indeed.. sounds good too...
Don't feel bad about not reviewing a book or two. I have decided
to not worry about it. I will review the ones I have to.. ER and ARC books
and other than that, just the ones I feel like reviewing. No point letting
a lack of review spoil the read is there?

I concur re: the cover in #200....like the calligraphy too...and the authors name makes the book seem exotic and interesting and one I'd like to read.

>202 calm:, 203

Kath, Megan and Richard - Interesting story behind it as well - first published in 1949 in Dutch (and never out of print) but after the death of its first English translator the manuscript wasn't rediscovered for twenty years and first appeared in English in 1989.

Kath _ I would like to get some comments down for the books I've read but that is just me:)

Megan - it is a pretty cover and there is a very medieval feel to the artwork and calligraphy so it fits the book very well.

Richard - thanks:)

Hi calm, just dropping by with weekend greetings! I agree, #200 cover is very alluring. and the story sounds good too.
Hope everyone's paws are feeling better today

Calm also delurking to send my happy weekend wishes to you in what looks on the reports to be a very pleasant weekend in Aberystwith

Thanks Lynda and I hope your weekend is going well. The Haase was a very good read but I think it falls under your definition of a chunkster - nearly 600 pages - but it read nicely for me. Cat is still limping but at least it is on four paws not three:)

Paul indeed a very pleasant weekend - more like summer than spring. It was 20 degrees yesterday! Not sure of the conversion.

I am certain that Cat will be all sorted soon.. kitties are fabulous healers.
Crazy weather.. it has been extra warm here, too. I suspect that we will
pay for the weather goddess quirkiness this year, because such is life.

Just wanted to say hello.. hope the weekend continues to go peacefully along :)

Sorry to hear about your cat calm - glad to hear that she's improving. In a Dark Wood Wandering sounds interesting and I also like the cover :-)

*lurking, lurking, lurking.....*

Kath - cat is fine now. I was just a bit worried as she is not a young one any more and she seemed to be taking a long time to heal. The weather is indeed very strange not sure what the rest of the year will bring.

Heather - thanks. I really liked In a Dark Wood Wandering - so pleased that it was finally translated into English. Noticed that you started reading Tallis' Third Tune - hope you like it:)

Hi Karen - thanks for lurking:)

And in other news I finished another book - The Winter of Our Discontent for the Steinbeckathon - now I need to decide whether to read the Group Read thread now or wait until I am caught up on the book comments .... decisions, decisions:)

I am back to not reading just now.. Hopefully that will sort out by the weekend..
Glad kitty is doing well.. I always have faith in kitties to heal injuries quickly :)

Well Kath you have a lot going on at the moment. Hope the appointment for your ankle helps you heal and that you can manage to get some rest.

I've managed to write some comments for Tallis' Third Tune (post 180) and The Cure for Death by Lightning (post 181) hopefully there will be some more catching up later today. Though 5 behind is slightly better than 7:)

Thanks for the reviews, calm. They both sound interesting. I hope you have a wonderful and pain free day!

Thanks for stopping by Dejah .

The day is lovely ... more sunshine.

Pain free day! ... what's one of those:)

Well I've snagged another ER - It's Time by Pavel Kostin. It is translated from Russian so fits with some of the other books I have in my library:) Though I am still waiting for my January and February wins. I just hope that they don't all turn up at the same time.

#215 Interesting reviews calm - I've almost finished Tallis' Third Tune and will definitely be able to mark it 'completed' on the TIOLI wiki before the end of the month. I am definitely going to struggle with what to say about it though; I found it unlike anything I'd read before.

#218 Well it looks like it has good reviews already - athough as most of them are in Russian I can't see much apart from the score!

Hi Heather - Tallis was definitely different. Hope you can manage to say what you want to say about it:) The author let me know that Quinn's story is due to be published at the end of the year. I think I would like to read it.

Yes the positive ratings for It's Time in the original Russian led me to request it. I do like work in translation so hope this one turns up in a timely fashion:)

Well I went out today so of course I have added some more books to the shelf

Emotionally Weird : a comic novel by Kate Atkinson - really liked Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet. Though I don't fancy the Jackson Brodie series:)
The Android's Dream by John Scalzi - liked Old Man's War and its sequels so picked this one up.

and from the library
A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore - this has been getting some good feedback recently
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths - 2nd in the Ruth Galloway series which I requested straight after finishing The Crossing Places:)

just passing through and wishing you well ~

#221 - I really like Emotionally Weird (although I think Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet are better). I'm not quite as thrilled with the Jackson Brodie stuff either (you're the first person that I've met on LT that shares that opinion. Yay!), although I'll probably read the rest of them at some point - I've only read the first two. I'm not sure how to label those first three novels (quirky, warm, clever, literaryish fiction?), but I wish she would go back to that style.

Hi Kath - thanks for taking time out of your hectic life:) Cute gif.

Kerri - I haven't even read any of the Jackson Brodie's - they just don't appeal - but I did like Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet. I like quirky books:)

I liked both of the books you brought from the library :)
Hope you do too!

I hope so Kath - you are one of the people who influenced me picking them up:)

March Summary -

Books read - 12

10 - fiction
2 - nonfiction

Pages read - 4727

Book list
(All books marked with * were from the library, all others from my own shelves.)

1) * London Under by Peter Ackroyd
2) * Kil'n People by David Brin
3) * The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
4) The Girl in the Box by Sheila Dalton
5) Tallis' Third Tune by Ellen L Ekstrom
6) The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
7) The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
8) The Way of Light by Storm Constantine
9) Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai
10) In a Dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse
11) * The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
12) Helen of Troy by Margaret George

They all fitted into TIOLI categories and I am still on track for my 12 in 12 challenge with at least 3 books read per category so far.

4 from the library and 8 from my shelves. Not too bad:)

Here comes the bad part - once again more have come into the house than I have read.

A total of 20! 16 of which are additions to the shelves of shame.

From the library - The Winter of Our Discontent (READ)
A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

From the author - Tallis' Third Tune by Ellen L Ekstrom (READ)

Onto the shelves -
Angels and Insects by A. S. Byatt
Transgressions by Sarah Dunant
The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Hunting the Ghost Dancer by A. A. Attanasio
An Imperial Possession Britain in the Roman Empire by David Mattingly
Merlin Through the Ages A Chronological Anthology and Source Book by R. J. Stewart
A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich
Children's Book of Saints by Hugh Ross Williamson.
Emotionally Weird : a comic novel by Kate Atkinson
The Android's Dream by John Scalzi

and the six I picked up today

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Orcs by Stan Nichools
The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman
The Knot Garden by Gabriel King
The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman

I am so pleased that I am not taking part in the Read more than you buy challenge as I would be failing miserably.

I read the same number of books as I did last month but more pages. As I am so far behind on book comments I decided to read more "chunksters" but I still haven't caught up on book comments:(

Need to put up the covers and dates for the last two books read in March - will do that now. Book comments will be whenever I get around to them:)

37) The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck (24 - 26 March)

This is Steinbeck's last novel and once again I am kicking myself for taking so long to start reading his work (I blame school!). In this story of a man, his family and the moral decisions he has to make Steinbeck has created a memorable character in Ethan Hawley. The descendant of a wealthy family he is now the sales clerk in the store he used to own. Ethan is seen as a good and honourable man but pressures from outside lead him to consider how he might change.

Told in two sections - the first around Easter and the second the Fourth of July. We follow as Ethan questions whether he is truly a good man and whether he can perform one bad act and then return to be the man he is at the start of the story. Post-war America is changing and whether Ethan can adapt to the more corrupt world that he sees is an intriguing question.

As always Steinbeck has created a vivid picture of time and place. I might not like his characters but they do make for interesting reading. I'll definitely be reading more Steinbeck..

38) Helen of Troy by Margaret George (26 - 31 March)

Thoughts pending.

uh oh! pressures on! :)

I am pretty sure that you will enjoy them...hope so, anyway :)

Hope your Sunday is turning out to be a pleasant and happy one :)

So looking forward to your thoughts on TWoOD, calm. There is alot there to mull over.

Helen of Troy must have been a chunkster, yes? But one I would certainly like to read. I have George's Cleopatra on my 12 in '12 list, but you already know how that's going :}

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!!!

No pressure Kath - I chose to add them to the TBR pile:)

Another sunny day here. Heard from my sister and I'll actually be seeing her later this week so that's good,

Lynda - I liked TWoOD - Steinbeck really gives a great picture of time and place. His characters might not be the most pleasant people but they come across as real.

Helen of Troy was definitely a chunkster about 750 pages in my copy but I enjoyed everyone of them. I'll definitely be adding more of her work to the shelves.

Sunday not going too badly:)

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Helen of Troy, calm. I picked up a second hand copy somewhere last summer, not knowing anything about it or the author. I really should get to it soon.

Oh, but The Android's Dream is so worth it!

Linda - Helen of Troy was a good re-telling of the myth. If you are familiar with her story there aren't really any surprises bit I did enjoy it. Hope you get around to reading it soon.

Roni - I'm sure it will be as I really liked his Old Man's War series (well I've only read the first three so far). It sounds like it will be a fun read as well.

I have read a book or two about Helen of Troy in the past, not that one though.
I will ponder that...

Hi Kath - hope you are having a good day. The Helen is a good one if you are interested in that myth, I like what Margaret George did with her story.

Hi calm!
catching up with you :)
Good to hear about Helen of Troy I have that one- well actually my mom does (for now) ;)

kitty good?

Hi Kara - kitty is fine, back to her normal self.

Pleased you can get hold of Helen of Troy.

Also nice to see you back posting - hope your test went well today.

passed with flying colors :)

Calm -- Roni's been encouraging me to read The Android's Dream, too. I've got to get to it soon - the library is going to want it back! I'm going to put it under Challenge #21, if you want to join me.

congrats Kara.

Dejah These are the ones I have already listed for TIOLI

The Tale of Murasaki - Liza Dalby - completed
Blackwater - Kerstin Ekman
*Sacred Hearts - Sarah Dunant
#The Janus Stone (archaeologist) - Elly Griffiths
Britain B.C. - Francis Pryor - reading
#*State of Wonder - Ann Patchett
*The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon
*Stardust - Neil Gaiman
*On the Black Hill - Bruce Chatwin - reading
#A Place of Secrets - Rachel Hore

(* is a shared read and # is a library book that I have to read before the end of the month)

I probably have room to read another 2 or 3 books this month so I'll definitely think about The Android's Dream unless the ER books I have won turn up before the end of the month.

I had a busy day yesterday. My sister is visiting family in Wales for a few days so we had time for lunch yesterday. Unfortunately I already had plans for the afternoon so couldn't spend more time with her. I did enjoy the tour of the National Library of Wales ( http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=2 ) that was booked before I knew she was going to be in the area. Also had time to pop into the town library and picked up the copy of State of Wonder that was on hold for me.

That looks like an amazing place ! How long was the tour and what did you see ?
Sorry you didn't have enough time with your sister though...

Hi Kath - the tour was over one and a half hours. We saw a couple of the exhibitions that are currently on ("Step by Step" at the start of the tour and "Following the Flame" at the end); a film about the history of the library in the Drwm; then we moved behind the scenes and saw the three stages of the building - as it has been extended over the years; the outside of the quarantine building; the CO2 system in case of fire; one of the storage rooms which contained maps and artwork. I'm sure there was more but it was all very interesting and informative. Also good to know how all the material they hold is well protected in case of any natural disaster.

My sister retired last Friday so she is planning on coming to Wales more frequently now. So I expect I'll be able to catch up with her properly next time she visits. I didn't even know until last Saturday that she was going to be coming this week - so I couldn't cancel what I had planned as it involved a couple of friends.

that is a lovely library calm!
and you can get married there, neat! what a different place to do that in :)

Sacred Hearts has been on my list for awhile. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Kara - Well if I ever did get married that would be a great place for it. Not likely though:)

I'm definitely hoping to start getting some thoughts down for books read soon. I was going to try and fit some in today but didn't get around to it but I hope to keep up to date going forward. Sacred Hearts is for later this month though as I think I better get the library books read first.

glitter-graphics.com

Nice that you will be seeing more of your sister in the days to come.

I think the film about the three stages of the library would be interesting..
I went to a museum in Cardiff years ago and was not only fascinated by the many
exhibitions, but the fact that there were so many things that one could actually reach out and touch..
no touching for most things here..

Thanks for the cute gif Kara.

Kath - not sure when she will make it back to Wales, even retired she is a busy person. She is off to Portugal soon to spend time with our mother and then she is taking some business trips with her husband. I know that I'll be seeing her in September for my brother's wedding and hope to see her before then. It's all a matter of when she can find the time and where our father is as she stays with him when she comes to Wales ... and he is another traveller:)

I really like British museums - a lot of them are free and have things you can touch or interactive exhibits. Nit much touching at the National Library though there is a jukebox with old sound recordings:) After all the years I have lived nearby it was well past time for me to take the tour and I'll definitely be going back to take a closer look at the exhibitions.

I know that I am getting close to having the thread police after me:) New thread will be up in a day or two. At the moment I am taking part in the weekend readathon so all comments for my April reading will have to wait until then.

Hope that everyone who celebrates is having a happy Easter.

Hope you are having a great holiday weekend, enjoy your readathon!

Thanks Chelle - I did have a great readathon.

And I pressed the button so please follow the link to the new thread - http://www.librarything.com/topic/135586