Donna Juggles June Books (7)

Painting by Ruth Wright Paulsen, wife of author Gary Paulsen.

The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns;
the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose."
~Kahlil Gibran

The flower for the month of June is the rose. Roses are a symbol of love and appreciation. They are also known as the flower of passion. Please join me in my passion for books...

Books Read In May:

38. That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis. 3.9 stars.
Merlin (of King Arthur fame) and Dr. Ransom (with a little help from the gods Mercury, Mars, and Saturn) join forces to thwart the team of scientists trying to abolish humanity as we know it. Yup, this is a mashup of science fiction, fantasy, and theology!

39. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen. 4.5 stars. ER book.
Quindlen at her best! She ruminates about aging and life experiences, sharing memorable bits of wisdom to celebrate.

40. Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis. 4.6 stars.
This reread of Lewis's most-praised fiction work reminded me to be more real and show my "true face" in daily life.

41. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming. 3.4 stars.
Another page-turner featuring the unusual pairing of crime-fighters Clare and Russ. This time they encounter hate crimes and environmental issues in Millers Kill, NY.

42. Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery. 3.7 stars.
A world-renowned food critic is dying in Paris, and his thoughts turn to...well, food. Delicious writing!

43. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. 4.2 stars.
Storytelling meets political oppression in 1960s Czechoslovakia told by a philosophical narrator. Something for everyone!

44. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom. 3.8 stars.
Yet again, Matthew Shardlake upholds the common man (and woman) so that they receive their legal rights in a time in England's history when justice was hard to come by.

45. The White Mary by Kira Salak. 4 stars.
Mosquitos, near starvation, and severe malaria accompany Marika as she searches the jungles of Papua New Guinea in search of a fellow journalist.

46. Angel by Elizabeth Taylor. 3.75 stars.
The despicable Angelica is hard to like, but Elizabeth Taylor's angelic writing puts me firmly in her fan club.

47. Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding. 4.3 stars.
This shortlisted Orange Book told a powerful story about WWII in Romania through the drawings of a deaf/mute witness to the atrocities.

48. Clabbered Dirt, Sweet Grass by Gary Paulsen. 3.6 stars.
A gifted writer remembers his early years on the farm.

49. The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow. 2.5 stars.
This alternate history of the passion of Christ told through the eyes of Mary Magdalene was a disappointment to me.

May recap:
3,852 pages read.
12 Books read.
9 books owned by me: 8 "real" books, 1 e-book; 3 library books.

Books Read in June:

50. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. 4.1 stars.
Grit, grime, blood, and blisters are all part of a broken woman's journey to restoration.

51. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. 3.3 stars.
The 11-year-old narrator has the slowing of time to contend with as she looks into her future and doesn't like what she sees.

52. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. 4.7 stars.
Thomas Cromwell is still with King Henry but his, Henry's, queens don't last as long as his trusted advisor. Anne Bolelyn lets the power of royalty go to her head in this brilliant historical novel.

53. Clair de Lune by Jetta Carleton. 3.2 stars.
A young woman leaves her Missouri home to teach in a community college. The mistakes she makes in her personal life pale in comparison to the eruption of WWII.

54. A Passion for Books edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan. 3.8 stars.
This collection of stories, essays, lists, and cartoons about reading would be a welcome addition to any book lover's library.

55. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh. 4.6 stars.
The journey that started in Sea of Poppies continues as the opium trail leads to Canton, China and the beginning of The Opium Wars in the mid-1800s. I am eagerly awaiting the completion of the trilogy.

56. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. 4.1 stars.
These stories of the people in one of Mumbai's slums demonstrate that hope can be found in the most dire circumstances.

57. The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson. 3.6 stars.
A fast-paced thriller about extricating a Chinese national and an American citizen being held for ransom in Shanghai.

June Recap:
2,859 pages read.
8 books read: 5 owned by me.

Okay, about those books I'm planning to juggle this month...
The books between the bookends are my Summer Reading Books. They're the ones I put as TBR this year in my 12 in 12 Challenge that I haven't gotten to yet. I don't like book pressure, so I'd like to read these over the course of the summer. You may notice a few chunksters such as Truman and The Name of the Rose - that's the title that is most difficult to read - and a book that I'd love to get to in June to go with my rose theme. However, there is that stack of books to the right which are my TIOLI (Take it or Leave It) books for the month:

Challenge #1 - Read a book where the third word in the title has three letters:
A Passion for Books, not pictured as it resides on my coffee table to remind me to read these essays in my "spare time"!
Another possibility for this challenge is Bring Up the Bodies if I get it from the library in time.

#3 - Book by the younger relative of another author:
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, daughter of Clifton Fadiman.

#7 - Book set in a country that begins with the letter "I":
Behind the Beautiful Forevers (India)

#8 - Title has same or more letters from second half of alphabet:
River of Smoke, not pictured as I haven't picked it up from the library yet. This is a shared read for TIOLI and a Group Read hosted by Mark.

#12 - Title or author's name contains a food beginning with the letter "P":
The Risk Agent, an ER book by Ridley Pearson.
Traveling with Pomegranates, only if time allows.

#14 - One word title; female author:
Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Another library book which I've started and can't wait to get back to.

#16 - Roll of the Die: (I rolled a "5" - Read a book set in North America):
Clair de Lune which I'm also reading for this month's Missouri Reader's group read.

If I have time to read The Name of the Rose it will be for the most convoluted challenge ever:
#17 - Prominent Tag that is on another 75er's tag mirror but not on mine!
_Zoe_: "Historical Fiction"

Another book that I'll qualify with "if time allows"...
#18 - Author with a 4-letter first name; two letters the same.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. (It's hiding in the Summer Reads lineup)

#23) Book that includes the word "of" in the title:
The Age of Miracles, an ARC for Thursday night's Book Group.

That is twelve titles in all. I did it in May. Can I do it again in a month that includes babysitting and a MeetUp in Kansas City? Stay tuned to see how well I can juggle my time and books. ;-)

Hi Donna: I love your roses. And I am your first visitor. You had a month of great reading in May. Several of your May books have made it to my wishlist. Happy June reading. What's next?

Nice new thread! Love your May summary.

>4 BLBera:: Hi Beth, I'm always happy to suggest new titles to you. I am reading Wild Cheryl Strayed. That should be Wild by Cheryl Strayed. That's the only way I can get the proper touchstone (???). I haven't gotten too far into it but I'm enjoying it much more than my last book.

>5 Crazymamie:: Welcome, Mamie. My summaries are fun to do but difficult to keep concise.

I like the title the way you have it- sounds like you're reading porn!!!

Wow I love your new thread Donna but I don't envy you trying to get through that pile of books in the month of June. I would have to reaqd non-stop and probably w/o sleeping much. But then I think I'm a slower reader than most.

7: Haha, Mamie. Not the usual sort of porn; however, it's a very seductive read. My body says go to bed early because it was a very busy day that included three hours of yard work and I am so tired...but my mind and heart wants to read some more "porn"... I guess a compromise is in order. Take the book to bed and read until the eyes don't work anymore. Hey, that's what I do most nights.

8: Hi Bonnie, I'm only committing to eight of those books. I probably wouldn't have trouble with the full dozen if I weren't going to KC for 5 days in the middle of the month. Very little reading gets done with three active children vying for my attention. My reading speed depends on what I'm reading. I'm going to fly through my Wild book.

Hi Donna- I like the new thread! Bright & bouncy! Truman is a major chunkster but it really is quite the page turner. One of my favorite bios.
I also loved "Wild". I've never read The Name of the Rose.

Hi Donna, you've got some very interesting reading lined up for the month. "Wild" is on my wishlist, and I've seen rave reviews for The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. I'll be joining you on the Group Read of River of Smoke, a book I am really looking forward to.

Hi Donna: You have an ambitious June planned. I see Oprah has chosen the Strayed book as her first 2.0 book club book. I read The Name of the Rose years ago and was just looking at it on my shelf thinking I would like to read it again. Maybe with a little convincing... The Fadiman book is also fascinating. Happy reading.

Donna - love your new thread. Words of wisdom from Kahlil Gibran indeed to kick off. Must also say that I think Watership Down is my all time favourite YA read.

I like your reading list. I've just read Clair de Lune. I liked it. Bring up the Bodies is next on my list. I also loved Watership Down when I read it - years ago. I'll be interested to hear what you think of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Love the title. :)

What a woderful idea to take a picture of your tbr stack. I wanted to copy you, but then rememebered that at least half of mine are on the Kindle or audio.

I am planning The Name of the Rose for June as well. In case you want to add it to the TIOLI - I've got it in challenge #1, because the German title "Der Name der Rose" fits in there, but I could move it ti #23 as well.

Wishing you a wonderful reading month.

Great quote from Gibran, Donna! Nowadays I often find myself staring at the thorns. Must try to change mind set.

My dad's birthday is in the month of June. He gets kind of annoyed if I say that the flower for this month is Rose. A guy thing, I guess. But I keep reminding him of it just to annoy him! :-)

Mark - I moved Truman to the summer reading nook on your say-so. I plan to visit the Truman Library as my reward after I read it.

Judy - I am really looking forward to getting back to Ghosh. I want to buy the trade PB when it comes out to go with my copy of Sea of Poppies. I hope we're not disappointed in River of Smoke after such a wonderful book.

Beth - So I'm reading an Oprah rec? Well, I'm not proud. Actually, I read and liked most of the many books she chose for her Book Club.

Paul - I'm looking forward to reading WD...can't understand how it has slipped by me. Thanks for the visit!

Jenn - Have you read The Moonflower Vine? It will be hard to top that one. I'm hoping people read BUTB quickly so that I get my library copy in June.

Nathalie - I want to take my time with The Name of the Rose so I may not finish it this month. I see a new TIOLI category has been added that will fit the book...or vice versa.

Porua - I've always been fascinated by such a beautiful flower protected by those nasty thorns. I'll be trimming my rose bushes today while I ponder Gibran.

Donna - Morning! I checked with my son about the Paulsen book you mentioned on your last thread - Winterdance, and he has not read it but was very interested in reading it, so thanks for that. I love the photo of your June (and summer) possibilities - what a great idea. I am wanting to get to the Maya Angelou book also as I have had it on my shelf forever, so I might try to sneak that in this summer. I think you will love both Watership Down and Behind the Beautiful Forevers; I know I did.

Lots of great books on your June reading list, Donna. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail is already sitting on my wishlist from Mark's recent read. Sounds like a great book for a break. I'll look forward to your review.

Donna, Nothing pleases me more than seeing books displayed so nicely and calling out to me to tickle their spines. So needless to say I love your pic.

I don't see the thorns on a rose, but I'm just a little sad because they look sad and a little droopy. So I filled the vase with more water, k?

Marking my place on your June thread. Saw you somewhere else (Paul's, I think), and I know you're doing yard work today ... enjoy!

Hi Donna, I am trying to catch up here. I like your reading list -- should be a great month of reading for you!

Hi Mamie, I'm looking forward to reading Behind the Beautiful Forevers as I've heard many good things about it. I'm not so sure about Watership Down. I like rabbits but fantasy isn't my thing. Time will tell.

Linda, thanks for uncovering the "lost" touchstone for "Wild". Cheryl Strayed's life on the trail is making me feel like a complete wuss about my sore muscles and a few blisters from working outside two days in a row. I'll just start getting in shape when it gets hot and I retreat back into the house.

Lynda, I also like tickling my book's spines. It's hard to do with an ebook, though! Thanks for reviving my droopy roses. They appreciate the drink!


Nancy, I do like working outside. Unfortunately, now the inside is looking neglected. Tomorrow is my day of R&R - rest and reading, so the housework can wait until Monday.

Hi Anne! Are you finished with those Kindergartners? I'm sure there were some tears on the last day of school...maybe some bittersweet tears of relief from you?

It's a rainy morning here...a perfect time to make my list of favorite books for this century. Mark started it, and several people posted their list on Paul's thread. I think the original blog that Mark posted was about books that people would be reading 50 years from now. I don't know if my list will stand the test of time. I certainly hope so!

My Best Books of The 21st Century: 1st Decade, 2000-2009

Gilead by Marillyne Robinson - 2004 - Pulitzer
Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 2006 - Orange
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese - 2009
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh - 2008
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - 2006
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver - 2009 - Orange
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - 2006
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell - 2004
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Life of Pi by Yann Martel - 2001 - Booker

I had a very difficult time picking my Top Ten. Here is my list of close contenders that, on another day, could probably be in my top ten!

Thread of Grace
The Master
The Siege
Someone Knows My Name
Atonement
Plague of Doves
Wolf Hall
A Mercy
The Secret Scripture
Bel Canto

My Best Books (so far) of The 21st Century: 2nd Decade, 2010 - 2019
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer - 2010
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna - 2011
Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding - 2012

Love your list of favorites. What a good exercise to do, also. You've stimulated me to think about the same thing...some would overlap with yours for sure.

Stopping to say hi!!! I like your lists and I'm glad most of them are already on my wish list. :-)

Helllo Donna! Congratulations on the new thread.

#24 - The Book Thief - hooray! That one will definitely stand the test of time, in my opinion. ^_^ Thanks for showing this list to me, because that gives me an idea of what to do with my lagging thread.

Donna - LOVE your lists! I have read and loved 5 out of your top ten; the other 5 I haven't read. You know what that means! One of my favorite books from the 21st century that no one has mentioned yet is The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli - anybody read that? Really beautifully written, it is historical fiction set during the Vietnam War and told from the perspective of a female photojournalist.

Throughout the threads I'm finding wonderful ideas regarding lists. I love the photo of your tbr pile. That would be an incentive for me to do the same and to actually read them. I'm trying so hard to read books that I added to the list when our 2012 challenge group began in 2008. My current read is from that pile.

Thanks for your creativity and inspiration!

Hi Donna -- great lists!

No tears on the last day of school except a few from parents. None from me, though :)

>25 RebaRelishesReading:: Hi Reba, I really enjoyed making my list. I forgot to say that I reserve the right to make changes as I think of books that I probably left out. There are several books that have been duplicated on the few lists that I've seen on various threads.

Tammy! Good to see you again. These are mostly LT recommendations so I'm sure they appear on many a wish list. I don't think there is a chance that I'll ever get caught up to my WL!

Eris - Hello back and thank you. I'm glad you liked my inclusion of The Book Thief, a rare 5-star read for me. In fact, only the first five books on my list garnered 5 stars. I have a bajillion 4.5 star books for some reason.

Mamie - I have The Lotus Eaters on my WL and a good friend that has offered to lend it to me at any time. So you're saying I should read it ASAP? I'll try to fit it in this summer. Thanks for the nudge.

Linda - what can I say...Mark started it! I think we all love a good list whether it's our own or someone else's. I can't take any credit for creativity but I'm always ready to jump on the bandwagon!

Anne - I'm looking forward to your list of favorites from your summer class. I don't think I've ever seen a teacher cry on the last day. ;-)

"The trees were tall, but I was taller, standing above them on a steep mountain slope in northern California. Moments before, I'd removed my hiking boots and the left one had fallen into those trees...impossible to retrieve. I let out a stunned gasp, though I'd been in the wilderness thirty-eight days and by then I'd come to know that anything could happen and that everything would. But that doesn't mean I wasn't shocked when it did." (From the Prologue)

Book No. 50: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. 4.1 stars.

The 2,663 mile long Pacific Crest Trail spans the western mountains of the U. S. much like the Appalachian Trail traverses the eastern part of the country. Its construction that began in 1968 and reached completion in 1993 was the long ago dream of a retired teacher in Washington. Cheryl Strayed was a 26-year-old broken soul when she spent three months in 1995 hiking through California and Oregon trying to find peace after the premature death of her mother and a recent divorce. This is ultimately a book about grieving and repairing a broken heart.

I'm pretty sure that a solo hike through wilderness is not the type of therapy I would choose, but pushing her body to the point of shattering exhaustion worked for this young woman. The mental and physical determination to take one weary step after another on blistered and bleeding feet left no energy for self pity.

If you like true-life adventure stories, you will probably enjoy the story of this transforming journey that features a plethora of rattlesnakes and other wildlife -- some of the human variety. Ms. Strayed writes well about the natural world and gives her readers the bonus of a brief survey class in literature as she shares details about the variety of books she reads and burns along the way. She learned through experience to keep her physical and emotional burdens light to facilitate healing.

Hi Donna- I love the Lists! I've read 8 of the top Ten but only 2 of the lower 10, although I own at least 5 of the others. Interesting. the Kite Runner is also a very good choice, along with his follow-up.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

ETA- Good review of "Wild". I really enjoyed it too. She is a good writer, with a strong voice.

The mental and physical determination to take one weary step after another on blistered and bleeding feet left no energy for self pity.

If you like true-life adventure stories, you will probably enjoy the story of this transforming journey that features a plethora of rattlesnakes and other wildlife -- some of the human variety.

I'm out! You lost me at blistered and bleeding feet and plethora of rattlesnakes. Seriously, I would rather have a root canal than hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I would try fixing a broken heart and grief with alcohol and chocolates while listening to You Can't Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones. I'm just saying.

Ha ha, what Mamie said!

Hi Donna!
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Nice review...
Sounds like a good book to me. I love stories of hikes and journeys :)
Reading the book would be the best way to "hike" this trail. (As long as it's someone else's feet that are blistered and bleeding, it's ok by me.)

>33 msf59:: Why, thank you, Mark. We have good taste in books, don't we? I had so much fun making my list. I found several that qualify for the 1990s. I might do that list next.

Mamie and Katie - But what if I told you there was alcohol, chocolate, and rock music in the book? I'm not trying to trick you. Mark can vouch for me!

Cee, I am with you! Just because I enjoy reading about the adventures of other people doesn't mean that I want to experience the same hardships. Ha! We didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, did we? I think that was last week. Lol.

Hi Donna! The Lotus Eaters is ready and waiting whenever you want it! You know I thought it was a terrific book -- I'm glad you got another nudge! ;-)

I applaud your lists Donna, some great books there. I have read a few and many are on either my shelves or wish list, so it's great to know I have some good reads coming!

Great review of Wild: From Lost to Found, Donna. I also applaud your lists; I'm terrible at narrowing books down so concisely ... decisions, decisions. I haven't read all of those, but The Book Thief, The Kite Runner, and Water for Elephants were also five star reads for me : ).

Your lists just confirm how much we think (and read) alike! Three of my 5 star favorites are included on your 2000-2009 list: The Book Thief, Water for Elephants, and Life of Pi.

Donna, your thread is my last stop before I must call it a night and get some sleep. I like your top ten list --- I've also read and loved Half of a Yellow Sun, Water for Elephants, The Lacuna, and Sea of Poppies. Oh, and I adored Life of Pi -- that might be my favorite on your list.

I was thinking I might see a picture of you literally juggling books, but perhaps that would be a bit, well, awkward.

Nice review of Wild: From Lost to Found, Donna.

Nice list also. Everytime I see one I think, "Oh, I forgot about that book." So many good ones and so hard to decide. Although I have to say that I tried to read Gilead and just couldn't connect with it. So you can keep Marillyn Robinson and I'll keep Kenzaburo Oe! But maybe they're both worth a second try? :)

Donna: Great lists -- the only thing more fun than making lists of good books is reading them! Beautiful roses. I attempted some much needed yard work on Sat. and got eaten by mosquitoes, so after about an hour I retreated back inside.

Wild sounds great -- seriously, where is the touchstone? I'm going to see if our library has it.

Still lurking...

I like your list(s), too, Donna. I did one going back only 10 years, so I had to leave off Bel Canto and The Siege for a different reason. And I'm going to do a Young Adult list and put The Book Thief on that, although whether it really is young adult is a subject for debate. It's a great book, whatever you call it.

Thumb from me for your well-done review of Wild: From Lost to Found. I want to read that one.

waving hi

I'm almost done with Angel, Donna! I should finish it up sometime today. Thank you for doing a review of it, thus leading me to it, because I doubt I would've discovered it on my own. It's extremely enjoyable, although I really want to strangle Angel. Or feel very sorry for her.

I'm taking a short break from housework so responses will be short and sweet.

Nancy, I will borrow and read The Lotus Eaters the next time it qualifies for a TIOLI challenge. I'm not addicted, no, not me.

Judy - I hope you make a list. You could put some zombie titles on it!

Nancy in Canada - It was easy to make my decisions for the 5 star books, much more difficult when I ran out of those!

Brenda - I'm not too surprised that we have similar reading tastes. We'll have to "work" opposite ends of the book sale (next week!) so we don't fight over books!

Ellen - I have a wonderful illustrated copy of Life of Pi that I bought with a reread in mind. Richard Parker is one of the most inventive characters - ever - imo! Oh no... It would be a real danger zone if I attempted book juggling.

Continued responses...

Hi Linda - I loved your list over on Paul's thread. "...you can keep Marillyn Robinson and I'll keep Kenzaburo Oe!" It's a deal!

Sandy - Welcome home! I want to hear all about your trip when we meet in KC next week. Bring pictures!

Beth - those mosquitoes are out in force this year. I have a few bites but I'm elated that I didn't have any ticks this time. Ugh.

Joe - Are you going to do a 90s list? I have almost a complete list of books I loved from that decade that didn't fit into my 21st century lists. Thanks for the thumb!

Hi Michelle - I am so glad to see you posting on LibraryThing again. I think you started something with your Orange shortlist idea. Those lists are hard for me to resist.

Eris - I know that feeling about wanting to strangle Angel. But wasn't the writing sublime? I hope to find some more of her books at the Summer Sizzlin' Book Sale in Kansas City next week. If not, I'll be requesting them from other libraries.

Back to work...

#50 - The writing is amazing! Elizabeth Taylor was an extremely gifted writer, and I am happy to be learning about her. If you have any other recommendations for her books, please let me know. ^_^

You know, I had a nice chunk of time this lazy weekend to work through favorite reads published in the last 10 years, Donna, and I don't see a similar chunk coming up soon. This coming weekend is two plays and a book fair, and the one after has events planned, too - I know Dad's Day is one of them. After that we're taking a vacation trip. But I'm intrigued by the idea of doing a 90s list. Are you going to do one?

49> LOL --- perfect picture for that flight of fancy!
Yes, I agree about the character Richard Parker. And not just because I love cats.

*lurking, lurking*

Why am I not surprised that almost all of the books on your favorites lists are either on my favorites list, or ones I haven't read yet?

I posted some lists over on Paul's thread but I think I might have to take them back over to my thread so I can find them again. I like the way you broke your list into decades. I'm not sure whether that would make my list more or less manageable. I had trouble limiting it to 30.

51: I'll do that, Eris. A View of the Harbor is the one I want to read next. It's been highly recommended by several LTers lately whose advice I trust.

52: You do sound busy, Joe, but in a good way with fun stuff coming up. I might put up a 90s list in the next few days. I have nine books that have come to mind without any research.

Hi Ellen and Roni -- my two cat-loving friends. It's a good thing Richard doesn't visit my thread!

53: We cross-posted, Anne. I could have easily made a list of 30 as well! I also noticed lots of similarities in our lists. It's good to be on the same page. *groan*

>51 ErisofDiscord:: If you have any other recommendations for her books, please let me know.
I agree with Donna's recommendation of A View of the Harbour, and also suggest A Game of Hide and Seek. Both of these have been very popular and have stimulated a lot of discussion in the Virago group this year.

I will look into those books, Linda - thank you for the recommendations! I just finished up Angel, and I very much enjoyed it, and Taylor's writing. Thanks so much, Donna and Linda!

Hi Donna!
Great review of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail! You make me even more excited to read it but unfortunately I am still 10th on the hold list so I don't think I'll see it until July

I love your Best Of list as well! I am happy to see The Book Thief on your list as I have that one already!

Hi Donna! It's always fun to catch up on your thread. Wild was on my TBR list even before Oprah put her stamp of approval on it.

And I've read (and loved) 7 of your top 10! Guess I should just put Cloud Atlas, The Book Thief, and Sea of Poppies on my TBR!

>49 Donna828: that placard is particularly relevant in my house! (even if we have only had one or two quakes in the last month....)

What is it about that favorites list Donna...there's something about it...I'm racking my brain but...oh wait yeah most of those books are among my favorites too. Well what do you know?

I also loved The Lotus Eaters. And excellent review of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.

For whatever reason, I've fallen behind on the Elizabeth Taylor Centenary but will be reading my third book this month A Game of Hide and Seek.

Hi Donna, I liked looking at your favorites list and you've reminded me that I still have The Lacuna to read. I also like your bookends with your initials.

I'm waiting for my turn with the audio version of Wild: From Lost to Found. There is quite a long wait.

How did you find Ruth Wright Paulsen's art and know that she is Gary Paulsen's wife?

Hi Donna. I enjoyed your favourites list. All the lists people are posting keep reminding me of all the books from that decade that I still want to read: 6 of your 10 books are on my wishlist or lurking somewhere in my TBR pile.

Greetings Donna, I've been seeing Wild all over the place. Your review is inspiring me to find a copy. I'm great for armchair adventure.

Joanne- The audio for "Wild" is excellent. Be patient!

hmm, seems I misplaced you for a bit...

Just stopping by to say Good Morning!

It's great to see visitors after a busy day. This was going to be a stay-at-home day but it turned out to be an on-the-run day!

Laura - thanks for the other rec for Eris (and me). I am just going to be scanning titles for anything by E. Taylor at the Book Sale next Thursday and hope I spot them before Brenda or Nancy!

Eris - aren't LT people helpful? That's just one more thing I love about this group.

Chelle - I imagine Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail will be even more popular now that Oprah is wild about it!

Megan - ...only had one or two quakes in the last month... Yikes! I have never experienced an earthquake and hope that I never do.

Bonnie - I strongly suspect that when I get around to reading Matterhorn that our lists will be even more similar. I'm waiting for a week with nothing on the agenda. Maybe July or August?

Joanne - Ruth Wright Paulsen had some full-page color illustrations in Clabbered Dirt, Sweet Grass which I read last month. It seems that she does most of the book covers for his books as well. I love this one...


Hi Heather - I love reading other people's lists and finding new books or remembering beloved books. I'd like to see some genre lists done as well. Most of my reading is literary fiction but I find that I'm liking mysteries more than I used to.

Lynda - I must have been more adventuresome in a prior life. I dislike sweating and hardships in general unless I'm reading in a comfy chair with either heat or A/C, depending on the season.

Hi Mark!

Kath - I'm glad you found me...I didn't even realize I had been misplaced.

Amber - Good afternoon! I saw your good morning message first thing this morning and thought I'd have plenty of time to say it back to you but life intervened. Maybe tomorrow will be my lazy day this week.

Tried an image, no luck. :-(

60: Amy, I missed you in my earlier rush to read and respond. Sorry 'bout that! I beat Oprah to the punch too! I've had the book on reserve since I first heard about it on one of my book websites. You won't be sorry if you add those 3 books to your WL.

70: You've got me curious, Ellen. Are you going to give any clues about the mysterious image? Maybe a book juggler?

Hello Donna - agree that most people's lists seem to contain either books I have read (and loved) or books on my TBR. I am currently reading Gilead and I'm with you - I think it is wonderful. Now, I would add to the list any one of the Frank Bascombe trilogy by Richard Ford that was published in that period - if I was allowed, I would include all three! And ditto for Anne Tyler (no surprise there). I have looked up Wild on BD, but only available in a prohibitively priced hardback edition so far. PB is being published in 200-odd days time. I am a patient woman. I can wait!

Hi Donna, I've placed my lists on my thread. I couldn't narrow it down very well so I broke it into three - fiction, YA, and Mysteries/Crime. You'll be pleased to note that I managed to slip a couple of zombie books into the mix!

#69 Donna828 > I thought Matterhorn was a great book. It brought back some uncomfortable memories, but it is a strikingly realistic account of a Marine platoon operating under impossible conditions and political idiocy. It is absolutely NOT recommended for anyone who might be offended by language, gore and explicit description. For that reason, it is also a masterpiece of anti-war literature. You have been warned. Enjoy.

Must read Matterhorn, must read Matterhorn...

And it looks like I must read Wild: From Lost to Found. Great review! And great lists as well! I am almost hoping for a rainy weekend to make my own.

69> Ha! You could have said "Good Morning!" anyway, since I'm just now getting back round to your thread!

72: Prue! So good to see you again. You remind me that I need to complete the Ford trilogy and read The Lay of the Land. His new book, Canada, is calling to me as well.

Judy - good job on making three lists. I plan to read some of your mystery/crime favorites in the coming months.

Mike - thanks for the "warning." I expect a war book to have rough language and violence. I figure if our brave men and women in the armed forces can live it, I can honor them by reading about it. Soon, very soon.

Nathalie - I look forward to your favorites list(s) even if it means a rainy week end for you!

GOOD MORNING, Amber. I'm going over to catch up with you right now before I get busy with chores.

I expect a war book to have rough language and violence. I figure if our brave men and women in the armed forces can live it, I can honor them by reading about it. Soon, very soon.

:) :) :) :) My military family and friends would thank ye.

I expect a war book to have rough language and violence. I figure if our brave men and women in the armed forces can live it, I can honor them by reading about it.

Amen!

Just now saw your question up in 71.... yes, I was trying to get a good image of a woman juggling books. It was going to be more of a project than I had, um, prepared myself for. :-)

I am in line to read Matterhorn, as well. It's on the infamous shelf....

Hi Eris and Terri. As one who grew up as an "army brat," I've always held the military in very high esteem.

Ellen, I thought that was what you had in mind. Thanks for the effort. One of these days we'll both get to Matterhorn - and put it on our best of the century lists.

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


"How quaint the old twenty-four-hour clock began to look to our eyes, how impossibly clean-cut, with its two twin sets of twelve, as neat as walnut shells. How had we believed, we wondered, in such simplistic things?" (70)

Book No. 51: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. 3.3 stars.

Eleven-year-old Julia narrates this story of uncertain times when the days inexplicably lengthened, throwing school and work schedules out of kilter and making everyone uneasy, especially after the birds started dying and insects started multiplying. Adolescence is a difficult time, but when the world began literally changing before her eyes and family and friends were reacting in peculiar ways to the sudden time shift, life became more and more perplexing to Julia.

I read this debut book for tonight's book club and, once again, there was a division in the reactions. Our main discussion revolved around the narration and why it was told from the POV of a 6th grader. We were fortunate to be able to Skype with the author. Karen Thompson Walker was delightful as she spoke to us from her New York City apartment. She told us that the story was originally a 14-page short story where time sped up rather than slowed down. She got the idea from the earthquake that preceded the 2004 Indonesian tsunami. Scientists apparently determined that there had been a shifting of tectonic plates in the Indian Ocean that started the devastation. She did "some" scientific research about her vision of what could happen to interfere with the 24-hour rotation of earth, but stressed that this was a novel -- and one that was not particularly geared to the young reader but to all ages. My own opinion is that it should be classified as a Young Adult book. It was a quick read that didn't make a lasting impression.

Dodged the BB on that one, Donna, but HOW COOL to skype with the author!! Do you guys have special contacts, or did you just ask?

81: Interesting review! Why do you think the book didn't leave a lasting impression, Donna? I only ask because the concept of the story sounds potentially powerful and I wondered if it was the writing or something else which let it down?

OT here, but I love 24 hour clocks. The best one hangs in the book-in room at the Newton County jail in Neosho. It is a round clock, white face, black hands, but the length of the hands is reversed with the hour hand larger than the minute hand, which makes sense when you consider that hours are larger than minutes. I can recall some hilarious incidents when we brought intoxicated persons in for booking and asked them what time it was. They always looked at the clock and knew they were drunk!

82: Hi Prue, Skyping with Karen Walker was a very cool experience. Our librarian won a drawing at an ALA convention in Philadelphia that included 30 ARCs of the book and a session on Skype with the author. Our book group is about half that size so the books (and 30 minutes of Skype) were shared with another library.

Dee, that is a good question. I should have said I don't think it will leave a lasting impression. After all, I only finished the book on Wednesday! Some of my book group loved the book. While I liked the idea of it and the writing was good (the author used to be a book editor), I had trouble relating to the young narrator. There was a lot of preteen angst in the book - and I'm pretty far removed from that situation. I also felt that the time shift angle moved too quickly to be believable, but what do I know? I don't want to turn anyone away from the book. I'm giving it to my daughter next week as I think she'll enjoy it.

Thanks for the amusing clock story, Mike. I'm sure you have many good stories from your interesting career. I hope to hear more of them in person next week. ;-)

If I'm not on LT much this week end, blame it on Bring Up the Bodies. Thanks to my friend Nancy, I got a copy of the book last night, and I want to complete it before my Kansas City trip on Monday. I read the first 30 pages last night. I'm hooked!

I can't catch up! I can't catch up! But! I thumbed your review of *Wild*, Donna - maybe I'd like to hike a few miles and then retire to my sofa, my chocolates, etc. I'm happy to see another E. Taylor convert. Angel is one of her better-known novels, but I like it less well than some of the others. I'm also happy that you're going to read Truman and The Name of the Rose. They are both top-notch, the kind of books that I feel a proprietary interest in just because I've read them. I had forgotten the group read of River of Smoke, and I had intended to join. Now I've started so many other things that I don't know if I can get to it. AND I'm enjoying your enjoying *BUtB*. What a fine, fine book!

Skyping with the author of your Book Club's choice is too cool, Donna! What fun! Based on what you say of the book's premise, it does sound like Young Adult fiction. Not to say I haven't thoroughly enjoyed some of that genre, (The Book Thief was a 5* favourite) but I'll pass on this one.

Cool! Very cool skyping with the author. I think I'm going to take a chance on this book anyway Donna. I'm intrigued that the Random House rep read the first page and paced her kitchen up and down and signed the author before the weekend was up. She saw something there and I want to see if I can figure out what it is. OTOH I usually agree with your assessment.... We'll have to see.

Hi Peggy, it's good to get your affirmation of some of my planned reads. I do remember how much you loved Truman. It's also good to know that the other Elizabeth Taylor books resonated even more with you than Angel.

Nancy, I still don't see how The Book Thief got classified as Young Adult. It just didn't read as a typical YA book to me while, on the other hand, The Age of Miracles just screamed "YA" and it is classified as fiction. Period. That's why my "job" is to read books, not to analyze or classify them!

Bonnie, I'm glad I didn't scare you off. That's a good story about the Random House rep. Karen Thompson Walker is going to be the Hot Girl this summer in the book world. She is so personable, too. I wish her every success.

Now... for my reason to resurrect my thread. I told Paul I was going to post my 90s list and be done with it. This one is not as well researched as my 2000s list. These are mostly "leftovers" from that decade.

My "Best" Books of the 1990s:

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry - 1996
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx - 1994 - Pulitzer Prize
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - 1998
Plainsong by Kent Haruf - 1999
The Hours by Michael Cunningham -1998 - Pulitzer
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace - 1996
Possession by A. S. Byatt - 1990 - Booker Prize
The Brothers K by David James Duncan - 1992
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields - 1993
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier - 1997 - National Book Award

Runners Up:
Stones From the River -1994
A Thousand Acres - 1991 - Pulitzer
Snow Falling on Cedars - 1995
The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan - 1995

Oh no, I wanted to put my first Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club, on the also-ran list but it was published in 1989. I am not doing an 80s list. I am not..
I'm also missing books by Louise Erdrich and Toni Morrison. Perhaps I was a bit too hasty posting this list. I'll let it stand for now.

I've read all of McCullough's books and enjoyed everyone. He has the most amazing ability to take a subject that I wouldn't think would interest me (a flood, building a bridge) and present it in a way that is just fascinating. I read Path Between the Seas because I was going to go through the Canal and wanted to know more about it. I expected a pretty dull read (it was my first non-biography McCullough) but I could hardly put it down once I had started.

#89 - I still don't see how The Book Thief got classified as Young Adult. It just didn't read as a typical YA book to me...

I've seen it classified as both adult-fiction and YA, so your classification is not far off. I suppose it's kinda like The Hobbit - a book that is for children, but is at an adult's level of writing, and both audiences read it. Whatever it is, it's wonderful!

Kudos for your 90's List, Donna. I've decided to skip doing one as when I think back on the 90's all I seem to remember is a blur of Ian Rankin mysteries and Patrick O'Brian sea adventures! Your list has a few that I am very interested in, particularly Plainsong, The Brothers K and A Fine Balance.

Very interesting 90s list Donna (I love all these lists). I considered doing a 90s list but when I looked at the books I'd read from that decade I could only find 3/4 really memorable ones. But The Poisonwood Bible would definitely be on my list and I remember being wowed by The Hours despite still not having read Mrs Dalloway. Possession is shamefully still in my TBR pile.

Happy weekend, Donna! I don't remember what I was reading in the 90's how do you do it?
I must have been stupified the whole decade! I now own several of the books you've mentioned and I hope I can get to them before this milleneum is out :0}

Love your 90s list Donna probably because I see a few of my own favorites. I'm actually glad to see Possession on it which is a book I own but haven't read. But I know a lot of people consider it unreadable so you have given me hope. After I posted my list I thought of Louise Erdrich too (although I read many of hers in the 80s) and I also forgot about Richard Russo (Straight Man is my favorite). Oh well I suppose I can add them at any time.

Skimming to catch up, Donna. I just finished The Age of Miracles myself, which I won as an ER book. I liked it a bit more than you but agree with what didn't work for you. Does that make sense?!?!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Edited to fix touchstone....

Woo Hoo! Company!

Reba, the only McCullough book I've read was The Johnstown Flood so I am familiar with his riveting style. I don't know why I've held back so long on Truman. I'm not usually scared off by the length of a book.

Eris, The Hobbit is another fine example of a book that can be read and enjoyed by all ages. I'll add my friend Huckleberry Finn to the mix.

Judy - three fine choices, though I might be a tad bit biased. Lol.

Heather - I love all the lists popping up too. I just had to admit to Roni that I haven't read any books by Ray Bradbury. I think we all have our reading voids. I'm madly trying to fill mine in!

Lynda - I am a list maker from way back. I can tell you the name of every book I've read from 1987 on. I read 36 books that year. It looks like I was reading books by Jeffrey Archer, Chaim Potok, Robin Cook, and Stephen King back then...and another author who shall remain unnamed with the initials D. S. This is beginning to sound like True Confessions!

Bonnie - Oh yes, Russo, most definitely. I think Empire Falls might have been my favorite, at least that's the title that immediately came to mind.

Katie - makes perfect sense to me. Sometimes I think book lovers have their own language. Other people wouldn't understand how I can say, "I loved reading The Road"!

I'm sending hubby out alone to do yard work today. I helped him yesterday at the newest rental house. We have a vested interest in this one...

****************BIG NEWS!!!****************

Ben, Mary, and Haley are moving to Springfield at the end of this month! Get ready for lots of Grandma Swooning! It's about time one of our chicks came home to roost.

Donna, what wonderful news!! I'm ticked for you : ).

Oh, wonderful, such opportunity for more Haley pictures!!! And no more long drives down to Texas.

97: That is wonderful news, I am so happy for you!

89: Your nineties list could equally be a list of books I have been meaning to read since the nineties! The exception is Possession which I was very close to adding to my list. It was probably only excluded because I remember the others better!

So happy for you concerning your BIG NEWS! So exciting!

That is so wonderful! I'm smiling at your excitement! ^_^

Followed you over here from your tease of "big news" on my thread--and wow! is it big news! You must be walking on air, and I bet you can't wait. They are so cute at this age, and so amazing to reexperience the discovery of the world anew with them.

My Boden has only 13 more days (and about 12 hours) in Seattle before they take off for Houston. :( We're planning to skype, and I have plans to visit in mid-August, and at least every other month after that. Of course, going to Houston is a "two-fer" since my mother lives there too (as well as a couple of sisters, nieces and nephews).

Love your lists. I'm pretty sure my 90's list would include A Fine Balance, The Shipping News, Possession, Cold Mountain, and maybe A Thousand Acres. I know it wouldn't include Poisonwood Bible or The Stone Diaries, as I seem to be among the few, if any LT'ers who didn't care for them.

I'm sure you're looking forward to your KC meetup. We of the Pacific NW are trying to arrange a meetup June 23 at Third Place Books in Seattle, so if anyone reading your thread is in the area and hasn't heard, we'd love to have you join us.

Grandkids are the best things ever!! and best when they're near-by. Congratulations :-)

Nice list, Donna! I'm so glad to see Plainsong getting some love. I've read and enjoyed most on your list, but not The Brothers K, which I've thought of reading before. You have me looking at it again.

Hi Donna- That's a great 90s list and I completely forgot about Stones From the River. A worthy addition. I still need to get to A Fine Balance & The Stone diaries. I own both. It's so good to see Plainsong mentioned again. It is such a beautiful book.

That is great news, Donna! For you...

For myself, I'm sad it means we won't get to do a meet-up anytime soon :-(

Note to self - must get to Joplin!!

I just finished the book I need to take back to the library on the way out of town tomorrow morning. I'd like to get to bed at a decent hour so I'll just say hello to Nancy, Roni, Dee, Mamie, Eris, Deborah, Reba, Joe, Mark, and Katie. Next week will be a blur in Kansas City with grandkids and a MeetUp so I'm asking for indulgence in putting off lengthy responses for awhile. I do appreciate the visits and hope they continue.

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


"Anne had been charming to him, laying her hand on his arm and chattering away in French about nothing very much. As if she had never mentioned. a few weeks before, that she would like to cut off his head; as if she was only making conversation...Queens come and go..." (41)

Book No. 52: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. 4.7 stars.

It is not a good idea to get on the wrong side of Thomas Cromwell. Just as he, Cromwell, knows it is not a good idea to cross King Henry VIII. This book picks up where the wonderful Wolf Hall leaves off. In the latter book, Queen Katherine was out of favor and put in exile. Now, it's Queen Anne's turn to cross Henry and...well, you know. Maybe I can just say the power of being Queen goes to her head?

I found this book much more accessible. It grabbed me from almost the beginning. I think it's because I've spent so much time lately in Tudor England with Matthew Shardlake from the C. J. Sansom novels. This book has it all: brilliant writing and the intrigue of court politics complete with bits of humor and bawdiness. I'm already beginning to look forward to my next history lesson and the completion of the trilogy.

Well not 7 stars but close enough. I know you're pretty stingy with your stars which is fine Donna. I think I'll always rate the books I like a little higher than you. Or a lot. Oh alright a ridiculous amount. But I'm glad you liked it. I'm almost ready to read Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety but I must wait until July. Other books need to be read first.

Great news about Haley and her parents coming home to roost. You must be very excited. I'm happy for you. Now that my daughter and her new hubby have purchased their dream home I'm hoping we won't have to wait too much longer to welcome a little one.

Danielle Steele? Really? Hmmm I never succumbed. And I mean that in the most complimentary way;-)

Very exciting big news, Donna!

And I love your 90s list. (It has a lot of overlap with my 90s list--imagine!) But I have A Fine Balance, Possession, Cold Mountain and Stones from the River calling from my shelves--now they're calling a bit louder.

I am averting my eyes from Bring Up the Bodies because I am on page 30.

Bonnie, now that my D. S. secret is out, I can't very well turn up my nose at reading fluff, can I? I think there is a definite time and place for escapist reading.

Re: my reticence to give the full 5 (and beyond!) stars. In looking over the 39 out of 1,208 books listed (which do NOT include Danielle Steel) that I've rated 5 stars, I'd have to say that each one touched me personally somehow and made an impression that either changed me or made me want to change. My 4.5 star books are ones that I consider top notch in all other respects.

Anne, it's a given that you will enjoy Bring Up the Bodies. I'll be watching for your comments on it.

Good night, All!

Excellent review of Bring Up the Bodies, Donna. I'm looking SO forward to Wolf Hall and this one. Went to the main page to drop a thumb, but you haven't posted there ... at least not yet.

Such great news, I am happy for you, Donna!

You're right about ButB, much more accessible. I am listening to WH again, and it is not only the 'he' issue that made it difficult, there were also those many time jumps, many things fell into place only in the second half of the book. ButB runs through the events in order most of the time and is therefore much easier to follow.

And I have to quote this, because you say it so very well:
In looking over the 39 out of 1,208 books listed (which do NOT include Danielle Steel) that I've rated 5 stars, I'd have to say that each one touched me personally somehow and made an impression that either changed me or made me want to change. My 4.5 star books are ones that I consider top notch in all other respects.

I have noticed on their websites, several different authors willing to to
Skype with book clubs. Talk about working overtime ! Cool for you and your club :)

I agree with you about Gook Thief. Baffling about theYA tag. IF they are going to tag any
books with children in it, as YA... then I get it, but otherwise? That was a really good read !
I loved The Poisonwood Bible, but potential readers be warned, it isn't exactly fast paced :)

The Road... was NOT for me :PPP

wow great news! That will be so nice for you to have your family closer now!

Great news about your family, Donna. Great 90's list, too. Cold Mountain and Possession are up there among my all-time favorites. Have a good meet up. Maybe one of these times, I'll be able to join you.

Great news about the kidlets moving closer to grandma!
And I love your review of Bring Up the Bodies. Still trying to get to Wolf Hall but it gives me something to look forward to when I complete that one! (ha! - as if we didn't always have plenty of books to look forward to!!)

Great news that you and your husband can look forward to lots of grandparent time - that's the best time of all!

I like your approach to 5 star reads, I agree that there has to be some sort of personal resonance within the book to rate perfection.

Greetings to Nancy, Nathalie, Kath, Chelle, Beth, Ellen, and Judy. I'm in Kansas City now being worn to a frazzle by my three oldest grands! The girls are at a golf lesson and 4-year-old Griffin is making pizza...out of the dreaded Play-Doh. I'm good for one big mess per day. The 10-year-old has a late afternoon softball game...daughter comes home tonight from her trip to New Orleans. Relief! Maybe I can open one of the two books I brought with me. ;-)

#119 What a fun day you're having alone with the kids today. Thursday, you can sit on a bench in a quiet corner and rest. We'll look at all the books and let you know if there is anything good!

Ha! Not going to happen. I have tomorrow to rest up. At this rate, I'll need it. I need to update my loooong wishlist in my "free" time. ;-)

Charlie asked if we could play with his Play-Doh yesterday. Sigh. I lugged it out and we played, but I always dread the Play-Doh days...

Hi Amber, Play-Doh is a one-time per visit deal with me. I'd much rather play "fireman" - a make-believe game that involves saving multiple girls from a burning building and putting out fires. Lots of siren sounds but no clean-up!

Meetup is tomorrow. Can't wait. I managed to read almost 50 pages in Clair de Lune. It's probably a good thing that it's a slow book as I can't keep up with anything complicated while I'm visiting the munchkins.

Ugh, just the mention of Playdough brings to mind the strange smell of it. I hated the mess and the cleanup, picking up small pieces of playdough from the floor before it got tracked into the carpet. I'm with you Donna, let's play Fireman!

Play dough got eaten one too many times here, I warned what I would do if it was eaten again, and that was it. Never had it in the house since. Harsh maybe, but Im not mourning its loss :)

Great news on kids coming home to roost. *waiting for pics*

And love the top ten list. Is giving me lots of tips....

Day One of Kansas City Meetup...
Sandy(sjmccreary), Nancy618, Brenda(brenpike), Donna828, Chris(potential new member), and Terri(tloeffler).

Johnson County Library Summer Sizzlin' Book Sale @ Metcalf South Shopping Center in Overland Park Shopping Center.

Terri, Chris, Brenda, and Sandy may still be there!

My books are in the trunk of my car. I'll post them when I get home on Saturday. Day Two will be in downtown Lawrence, Kansas tomorrow.

I LOVE Lawrence. My hubby went to KU and we always visit Lawrence when we're in the area and, preferably, eat at Tellers. His charge nurse today is also a KU grad who's temporarily in San Diego but going home in a couple of months. They had lots of fun being JayHawks together :-)

Hi Donna,

I'm catching up at last - great news about the family moving to you!! And I must be the only person here who loves Playdough - it's been one of Teresa's favourite things for years, and the last 2 Christmases has been her main present. Even Fletch (now 8) still likes doing it. (But yes it is very painful when it dries up and goes that playdough brown colour.)

I loved Bring up the Bodies too and gave it the full 5 stars. I need to get stingier though - I was just looking at my 5 star reads to do a top 10 list and decided there are too many. I think I've been getting tougher over the last couple of years but still have a way to go.

Loved your top 10 90s list, and am aghast that I have read none of them but nearly all are vaguely-kind-of on my wishlist and have been for years now.

Great picture Donna. Maybe next time I can join in.

I totally missed that your family is moving closer.. good news that !

Lovely picture of everyone at the meetup!

How wonderful to have grandkids to make playdoh messes and fire engine noises!

Picture is great. I love being able to put a face to a name.

Nice pic, Donna! Look forward to hearing about your haul and day two.

Donna, did you move the picture elsewhere in your Photobucket account? I can't see it; instead there's a message that the photo has been moved or deleted.

Day Two of the meetup was great. Lawrence is a scenic little city. Lots of restaurants and cute shops in the historic downtown area. Of course, the shops we were interested in were the ones that sold books! I loved The Dusty Bookshelf (used books) and the independent bookstore, The Raven. We had a quiet and yummy lunch at The Eldredge Hotel, and I came home for more fun with grandkids. Brenda was going to take Terri and her cousin Chris on a tour. Terri will post some pics on the KC Meetup thread.

Laura, I did move the picture to a new folder (oops) and had to enter the new code. I hate it when computers are smarter than I am. ;-(

I am heading back home tomorrow and will post the rest of my pictures taken from my "real" camera on the meetup thread. I only know how to post iPhone pics using the iPad.

I will also post my book haul. I used great restraint, but I couldn't resist the three Europa editions that were in the used bookstore.

Phew. I take 2 weeks off and I get really behind around here. The meet up sounds so fun! Can't wait to see what you've bought.

Haley and parents moving to Springfield is great news! I'm so happy for you! Hope to see many more adorable pics of her from now on.

From your Millennium list I have read only two, Gilead and The Book Thief and I couldn't say they are my absolute favourites. Both are very good books though. From your 90's list I haven't read even one. Just goes to show how different our tastes are. And yet I regularly visit your thread. Wonderful how LT brings so many different kinds of readers together. :-)

What a lovely photo of you all - thanks for posting it!

Lovely photo Donna.

I love putting faces with names, so thanks for posting the photo.

Thanks for fixing the photo link Donna! You guys look fabulous!
Potential new member, eh? How can she resist after meeting that illustrious group?

What a fantastic meet-up, and I can't wait to see your book haul!

Hi Donna!! Glad to hear about your wonderful big news!!! Now Haley will really be spoiled!!!

Thanks for sharing the photo of the smiling book lovers!

love the picture of another happy LT meet up, Donna. *waiting in anticipation for the promised book haul*

I love the picture of your meet up, too, Donna! : )

Hi Donna, some great reviews here. The lists are fabulous. I have read some and the rest go to the TBR list.

The one thought I had after reading the concept of books which will be still read 30 years from now, is that only authors with a quantum of good books will be remembered and not individual books. For example, I know W Somerset Maugham as a great writer but if he had had just one good book say Of Human Bondage no one will remember him today.

More visitors! Thanks for keeping up with me when I can't keep up with myself. ;-)
I have a list of people who have posted here and will spend some time later today and tomorrow visiting your threads. In the meantime, a few quick responses...

103: Deborah, I know you'll miss Boden very much. It's good that you have multiple reasons now to visit Houston. Have fun at your upcoming meetup in Seattle!

107: Katie, that was one of the first things I thought of when this move got finalized. No more visits to Texas. Wait a minute, we still own the business in Dallas and I could tag along with DH on one of his restocking trips. He's down there at least once a month. If you and Stasia plan something, be sure to let me know and I'll see what I can do. Maybe he can drop me off for a couple of days at Half Price Books in McKinney! And yes, you must get to Joplin.

112 and 113: Nancy and Nathalie, I was tempted by a new-looking copy of Wolf Hall at the used bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas. I'm not planning to reread it anytime soon so I left it for a more worthy customer.

116: Beth, who knows, the KC meetup may become an annual thing. We've done it two years in a row now. We'd love to have you join us.

127: Reba, I love Lawrence too. This was my first time there and I'll definitely go back.

128: Cushla, I'm glad someone (besides a kid) loves Play-Doh.

136: Welcome home, Jenn. The meetup was fun. When is our next CO gathering?

137: Porua, I'm glad we're friends despite our different reading tastes. I'll get to my first Agatha Christie one of these days!

146: Good point, Gautam. Maybe we should be making significant author lists instead.

Again, thank you for the many good wishes about Ben, Mary, and Haley moving here next month and about the meetup. If you haven't done so and have the opportunity, go to an LT meetup. They are such fun. Not only can you put a name and face together, you can have actual conversations about books without having to use emoticoms. ;-)

My List of Recent Acquisitions:

From the Booksale/meetup:
City of Thieves - David Benioff
The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters
Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese (reread for August book group; permanent library)
The Rebel Angels - Robertson Davies (Book 1 of Cornish Trilogy; I have the other 2)
Breakfast with Buddha - Roland Merullo
To My Daughters with Love - Pearl S. Buck
The Opposite of Fate: Memories Of A Writing Life - Amy Tan
Pioneer Women - Joanna Stratton (5-star recommendation from Brenda)
The Tennis Partner - Abraham Verghese
A Bestiary of Bridge - Because I need comic relief from my Bridge refresher course.

From The Dusty Bookshelf in Lawrence, Kansas:
The Coroner's Lunch - Colin Cotterill (because everyone seems to be loving this series)
Sorry - Gail Jones
Old Filth - Jane Gardam
Everything Happens Today - Jesse Browner
(The last three books are Europa editions which I seem to be collecting)

From The Raven...to support a very cool independent bookstore:
Postcards from Penguin - (to use as bookmarks and mail a few out on occasion)
A refrigerator magnet/finger puppet of Mark Twain, one of those Missouri authors you may have heard of!

That's it other than the stack of children's books I bought on Wednesday: train books for Griffin, Nancy Drew for the girls, and a few "better" books I thought they should be reading by Sharon Creech among others. I forget...

Great bookhaul, Donna. Sounds and looks like another great LT meetup was had by all.

Great haul, Donna. City of Thieves and Old Filth are among my favorite reads in the last couple of years. Yes, Cotterill sounds like an author to check out...because I really need to find another series to read.

It sounds like you had a great time; my nephew lives in KC, so let me know about the next meet up.

Love the acquisitions list, Donna! I've got both Sorry and Old Filth on the list, and have had for some time. Time!

I lived in Lawrence for 12 years, and enjoyed it. Sorry to miss the meet-up--darn class reunion anyhow!

Donna, it looks like you had a blast! Great pic of the meetup (and I'm with Mamie, I love getting to put a face with a name) and you got some great books. I think you'll like The Coroner's Lunch (I'm one of the recent converts) and I have Old Filth sitting on my TBR shelf (and now you do, too). The Europa Editions are just so lovely.

You may recall that I went on a postcard binge a couple of months back. They are fun to send out and they make great (sturdy) bookmarks! I think my favorite collection has turned out to be the Beatrix Potter cards.

Jeeze I miss a couple of days on LT and your thread explodes Donna. First things first, I love the meet up photo. Everyone's smiling because they're surrounded by books and fellow LTers. And what a great haul. I have a small collection of Europas (that's growing) because they are so beautifully done. I read and loved Sorry and Old Filth earlier this year during Orange January. I'm planning on succumbing to Dr. Siri at some point too.

Judy - it was great fun and the books were a cool bonus!

Beth - I have you to thank for Old Filth. I'll be on the lookout for the sequel too. I didn't know they were Europa editions. I doubled my small collection to a total of six! Let me know next time you visit your nephew in KC. I am always looking for a excuse to visit the grands. Sandy and Brenda live in the area so we could have an impromptu meetup.

Nancy - please let me know if you figure out a way to carve out more time for reading. I'm already sleeping less than I used to. ;-)

Roni - I think Lawrence would be an awesome place to live. Brenda loves it there. San Diego isn't so bad either!

Ellen - the Penguin cards are kind of plain but I love having them. I'm going to put off the Dr. Siri book until I can line up the next one at the library. I read about the cliffhanger on your thread. Thanks for the heads up.

Bonnie - my thread was a dud while I was gone -- as was my reading. Some days I was lucky to get ten pages read! I'm back to Dullsville now and plan to spend much of the day finishing my Missouri Readers book and then dive into River of Smoke.

Nice haul, Donna! I loved Cutting for Stone, City of Thieves, and The Coroner's Lunch. I guess I need to check out Old Filth because you all seem to know what it is and I have never heard of it! Hope you are having a great weekend!

Just skimming through to catch up, Donna.

Great news! Great photo! Great books!

My, this is a fun thread!

Hi Donna!
I am sooo happy for you!
Having your kids closer is a great development - YAY! for Grandma ;-)
Meet ups look like fun - nice picture of all of you...
LOVE your book haul!
You are a very lucky lady on all counts :-)
*Lots to look forward to*

Hi Mamie - Do have a look at Old Filth. I'll be reading it and its sequel soon I hope. And, no, it's not another one of my "dirty" books. The Filth in the title stands for "Failed In London Tried Hongkong." Intriguing, yes?

Terri - Great comments. Sorry, I couldn't resist. ;-) Thank you for the compliments.

Cee - I am a Lucky Lady these days. Basking in the glow of my three KC grandkids and eagerly anticipating the arrival of Miss Haley. It will be fantastic seeing her more than every two to three months.

I finished the book I've been reading all week. I was disappointed in it, but I wonder if it might have struck a better chord if I had been able to read more than ten pages a day while I was in KC? Here's my report...


"...Southwest Missouri, on the edge of the Ozarks...1941. And there is a war in Europe. It hangs like haze in the distance, like the threat of violent storm or heat wave. But it may go around, as they say in those parts; it could miss us. It is far away." (Pg. 3)

Book No. 53: Clair de Lune by Jetta Carleton. 3.2 stars.

I really, really wanted to love this book instead of merely liking it. It is set in my neck of the woods of Southwest Missouri and is about a teacher in the 1940s. All pluses in my reading world that were offset by the three strikes against it: too sentimental, too dramatic, and a disappointing ending.

The moon cast its spell on the main character, Barbara Allen Liles, known by her middle name in honor of her deceased father. She was away from home for the first time and made some bad decisions. I wavered between forgiving her inappropriate behavior and wanting to shake some sense into her! Hope of redemption for the book came in the middle when her "lunacy" was overtaken by the growing awareness of World War II and the threat of American involvement. Too little, too late, however, to raise it out of its mediocrity.

In Ms. Carleton's defense, this manuscript (in draft form) was discovered after her death. She had been working on it for over twenty years. Perhaps it was unfair to publish a work in progress that had to be tweaked by an editor. It certainly didn't measure up to the excellence of The Moonflower Vine, which garnered a rare 5-star rating from me

LOL! Donna, you beat me to the "dirty" book punchline!! You know me too well! I did look it up and added it to my WL as it does look interesting. Thanks.

Enjoyed your comments on Clair de Lune. Too bad the author had to submit to too sentimental and too dramatic; that puts me off, too.

Wow - Donna I didn't realise how far behind I had got to. Love the photo of the Kansas City meet-up - so many faces put to names!

Hi Donna- Just trying to catch up, after being AWOL for a few days. Love the Meet-Up photo. What a Happy Bunch! And congrats on a very nice book haul! Some terrific titles there.

>159 Crazymamie:: Mamie, I enjoy your sense of humor, and I don't even mind my new "reputation" here on LT!

160: Thanks, Nancy. I guess they can't all be winners. Others seemed to like it slightly better than I did. I think my loving The Moonflower Vine so much added to my disappointment.

161: Paul, it's so easy to fall behind on threads. I'm surprised you can keep up with your own. I certainly can't!

162: Glad you got some time away, Mark, and that you are back rested and refreshed to tackle River of Smoke. I read the first few pages last night and hope to make a little headway in it today. I've been AWOL too.

***For those of you who enjoy looking at pictures of LT folks, I posted a few more over on the Kansas City Meetup Thread. I think Terri has even more pictures to add but she's probably busy catching up at work, etc. I left before the tour of Lawrence so I'm eager to see those pictures myself.***

Pictures look great! Looks like a great meetup

#147 That's a great book-haul Donna. I really need to get hold of a copy of The Coroner's Lunch...

#163 Off to check out those photos!

Hi Chelle and Heather...I'm glad a few people are looking at our Kansas City pictures. I've been very busy since getting home on Saturday afternoon. I've caught up with the laundry but have a major grocery shopping trip in store this afternoon. On Sunday we celebrated Father's Day with my brother and SIL at Olive Garden, then went and bought a new refrigerator for the house our kids will be living in...and a new TV for DH.

Today I'm taking a special friend out for her birthday lunch. We're both reading River of Smoke so you can be sure that a mini book discussion is on the agenda. Maybe I'll even have a chance to read more of it this evening. ;-)

I like your review of Clair de Lune. I had the same feeling about Allen. I wanted to shake her. The lady who opposed her being hired was right. She was too young for the job.

ACK! I am so sorry yo be so far behind...

I'm so disappointed I wasn't able to make Lawrence - I thought about everyone all day, wondering what you were finding that I was missing. But I'm glad I got to go on Thursday and I can't complain about not having enough of a chance to get some books!

I'm still not finished with Clair de Lune - we've been going nonstop since I last saw you on Thursday and I haven't read a single page. Hopefully, tonight will be quiet and I can make some progress in that book.

167: Thanks, Jenn. Allen should have listened to her mother.

168: No problem, Kath, as I've been behind all year! We are forgiving souls around here.

169: Sandy, I missed you in Lawrence. I really wanted to hear about your trip to Mexico. I thought we had another day together. Oh well, I'm just glad you made it on Thursday as I know how busy you are.

I think the solution is another meet-up next month when Roni comes through town . . .
Roni?!

Puff puff....I got left behind! waaahhh! Great pixcs, great news about the family, great book haul - and great 90s list! Very pleased to see Possession make an appearance. Also enjoyed The Hours, Poisonwood Bible, Shipping News The Stone Diaries. Cold Mountain meh. Not so much. But really enjoyed Snow Falling on Cedars, A Thousand Acres and Joy Luck Club.

Yes, Donna? You called????

Oh Donna, I am sooooo far behind.... Congrats on the kids coming home - yay!!!

Thanks for sharing your meet-up picture - looks like you all had a lot of fun and bought some great books (I loved City of Thieves, The Little Stranger and The Coroner's Lunch.

Sorry Claire De Lune didn't work out for you - don't you hate it when you really want to like a book and then don't? You managed to remind me that I have The Moonflower Vine waiting to be read!

171, 173: That was Brenda that called. I just know that you three (I'm counting Sandy) will have a hot time (literally) in Lawrence next month. July is crammed full of company - and Haley - for me so I won't be able to make it. Sad face.

172: Hi there, Prue. I'm glad you liked most of my book choices. So Cold Mountain left you cold, huh? Maybe it's a book that appeals more to Americans because of the Civil War time period? Or maybe it's just not your cuppa...
Have you read the new Anne Tyler book? I'm afraid to look at the hold list at the library. It may be autumn before I can get hold of it.

174: Hi Joanne, it's fun having visitors in "real time." I'll get over my book disappointment. There are many books that I don't expect much from that turn out to be great, so it probably all evens out.

I'm glad to hear you liked The Little Stranger as I wasn't sure about that one. I listened to the first six CDs of Night Watch on my drive to and from KC...I'll finish it in print as that is my preference and I have the book. It is just getting interesting...and I'm around 200 pages into it. I don't follow the Pearl Rule!

I loved The Night Watch, too - my first Sarah Waters book!

So you don't follow the Pearl Rule either Donna? If I did I would have missed out on some terrific books along the way. Sometimes the overwhelming background information, or the set up takes a bit of time to develop before the real story can kick in. I'm hoping to get to The Night Watch in July.

I'm realizing that the only work by Sarah Waters which I've actually read is Tipping the Velvet, which I very much liked. I need to get to The Little Stranger and Fingersmith and The Night Watch (the latter being the only one we own).

Joanne - my favorite Sarah Waters is Fingersmith. It's also the only one I've read so far. I think it would be a tough one to beat!

Bonnie - As usual, I totally agree with you. I think the books that I've struggled to get into have for the most part turned out well for me. But then, I like a challenge!

Ellen - It sounds like you might be reading The Night Watch with Bonnie and me next month. The more the merrier!

Hi Donna- Hope you are staying cool. Another 90s day today. It supposed to get better tomorrow. I've only read Fingersmith, which I really liked and I have the Night Watch waiting impatiently in the stacks.
Hope you are enjoying ROS. I'm getting ready to start Chap 8.

Hi Mark, I'm staying cool...when I'm indoors in the A/C. I worked outside this morning but there was a nice breeze blowing. We get a brief reprieve tomorrow with highs in the mid-80s and a chance of some much-needed rain. Then it's back to the 90s.

I'm two chapters behind you in River of Smoke. I stopped at Part II so I could study Bridge for my big game tomorrow. It's the second time I'll have played at the Bridge studio with strangers who are better than me. Very stressful. ;-(

I finished the book of essays I started several months ago. I enjoyed having such a handsome book on my coffee table. I took my time with it to make it last longer!


Epigraph: "Without books, God is silent, justice dormant, natural science at a stand, philosophy lame, letters dumb, and all things involved in darkness." ~Thomas V. Bartholin.

Book No. 54: A Passion for Books ed. by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan. 3.8 stars.

Who on LT would not like a collection of essays about books? Books in libraries, both public and home. Books in shops. Borrowed books, stolen books. Book selling, book buying. You get the idea!

I posted Henry Ward Beecher's thoughts about "Books are the Windows of the Soul" a few months ago when I began reading this collection. I also enjoyed this short essay by Plutarch simply titled "My Friends."

"I have friends, whose society is extremely agreeable to me: they are of all ages, and of every country. They have distinguished themselves both in the cabinet and in the field, and obtained high honors for their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to gain access to them; for they are always at my service, and I admit them to my company, and dismiss them from it, whenever I please. They are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them. Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of nature. Some, by their vivacity, drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits, while others give fortitude to my mind, and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires, and to depend wholly on myself. They open to me, in short, the various avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon their information I safely rely in all emergencies. In return for all these services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace for these friends are more delighted by the tranquility of retirement, than by the tumults of society." (Pg. 221)

Who on LT would not like a collection of essays about books?

Can't think of anyone ;-). I certainly can't resist books about books and I love that Plutarch quote.

Hi Donna: It was hot and humid here, too. A Passion for Books sounds great. I'm going to have to look for that.

Love the Plutarch quote, Donna, and essays about books in general!

Heady stuff: Without books, God is silent, justice dormant, natural science at a stand, philosophy lame, letters dumb, and all things involved in darkness. As far as books about books, the only one I own is 1001 Books; it is the best smelling book I've ever come across! Just love to open the pages and smell it - wouldn't admit that anywhere but here, amongst a bunch of fellow book-nuts, LOL.

Sounds like a great book! I loved the quote too.

Good luck with the Bridge.

Greetings to Dee, Beth, Linda, Nancy, Roni, and Judy. I'm doing another fly-by on my own thread. I have to go over to the new house and wait for a refrigerator to be delivered. Ah...just me, my coffee, a book, and an empty house. No distractions! With my luck, they will be there promptly at the beginning of the 3-hour suggested delivery time.

186: Haha, Nancy, you had me running to the shelf that holds my copy of 1001 Books. While it smells very bookish, I am more taken in by the pretty pictures of book covers and the siren song of more books to read. It will be a great resource if I decide to follow Paul's example and compile a list of one significant book I've read from each year of the 20th century. I know I'll have lots of gaps to fill in, but it sounds like a personal goal I'd like to work toward.

188: Thanks for asking about bridge, Judy. Do you play? It is such a complicated game with all those bidding steps and opportunities to not make the bidding contract. I am fascinated by it and, now that I have paid to join the ACBL, I'm determined to become an adequate bridge player. Let's just say I was less than adequate yesterday. :-(

I don't care much for the smell, but I loooove the feel of the pages of 1001 Books - so smooth!

Hello Donna - I HAVE read the new Anne Tyler - and it is wonderful...

Hi Donna! Love the book lists and congrats on having family move closer...yay! I love bridge and have completely lost my husband recently to an on-line version bridgebase.com. Have fun!

Hi Donna, with nearly 200 posts to catch up on, I admit I didn't read every single one, though I'm pretty sure I got all the essentials and greatly enjoyed your various lists and reviews, as well as that quote from Plutarch. Speaking of reviews, I'm always amazed by those one-sentence summations you do every month, very impressive and always informative. The meet-up looks like it was lots of fun. I'm always quite envious of those as would love to participate. Someday... Though of course I did get to meet with Lucy (sibyx) here in Montreal last year, which was very enjoyable.

What great news about Haley and parents! You must be besides yourself with joy. That child is one lucky girl to have you as a granny!

A passion for Books looks like a great gift too, Donna.
From you recent Sarah Waters discussion, I have heard so many good things about Fingersmith but have The Little Stranger waiting to read before I can justify any new books.

>189 Donna828: it was fun compiling the list myself, even if I limited it to only books from each year of my own life. Scanning each year gave me a great idea of exactly when books were published, I havent paid mush attention to publication dates really. I will now though.

Hi Donna, I used to play Bridge. We learned in our college days (instead of going to class much of the time) and were avid players. But I found as time wore on that people became overly serious about the game, and it just wasn't fun anymore. Also I moved away from my regular partner and never really hooked up with another that had the same attitudes toward the game as I.

I come from a huge game playing family, but Bridge never was on the agenda at home. Of course I married into a family that doesn't play games.

Donna - the Plutarch quote is magical and could be a Mission Statement for this group IMO. Have a gorgeous weekend enacting the mission statement.
Ellen - Heartily recommend both Fingersmith and The Little Stranger.

Dropping by to say hi!

A Passion for Books looks like an interesting book, Donna. I really like the cover.

190: I like those smooth pages too, Morphy. River of Smoke is another satiny smooth read.

Prue - why am I not surprised? I was just talking to a friend this week about how Anne Tyler can draw one into her stories.

Hi Kim - I play against the computer sometimes but I'm not ready to engage with real people who know what they're doing online. I am so a beginner at bridge.

Ilana - meetups are fun whether it's with one other person or more. And yes, I am beside myself with joy - and impatience - about having a grandchild in the same city even though she will be living almost 25 minutes away! That's 7.5 hours closer than Dallas!

Megan - I might start with choosing a book from each year of my life, but since I was born mid-century, I might as well be a completist!

Judy - I know what you mean about marrying into a non-game-playing family. My husband is a good sport, though, and will play if needed. He prefers the the party games played in teams where we can sit around the living room in comfortable chairs as opposed to card games at the kitchen table.

Paul - today's mission is to get this house in shape! I'm a fast worker when it comes to housework so I'll have some down time for reading this afternoon. Date night tonight!
I'm glad so many were taken by the Plutarch credo. You have a great weekend as well.

Hi Porua! I'm going over to see what's new in your reading world.

Joanne - I love a book that lives up to its cover. I found a way to display this one as a face-out as I enjoy looking at it. I've enjoyed reading about the antics of Boomer!

Morning Donna- I saw you and the gang in the LT newsletter! Congrats! What a lovely bunch! Now you are famous, although you've always been a star to me. Enjoy your weekend.

Wow! Does our appearance in the LT newsletter make us famous? Who knew?!

D--People can list their level of experience on this bridge version and, no, not everyone knows what they are doing! There is also a way to talk while you are playing so you could inquire if the other person knows certain conventions or not. Some people are very chatty and it can be very funny!

Ellen, I agree.. do read more Sarah Waters

Glad to see that you liked Fingersmith, Donna!
I loved all of her books, except Little Stranger.

And yes.. An appearance in a newsletter that goes all around the world does indeed
give you a measure of fame :) yay on y'all! what fun!

hmmm I'm glad to see that I am not alone is being a fan of a good cover :)

Mark - I'm surprised you find time on your trip to keep up around here. I'm glad you have found some cooler weather in my old stomping grounds. I consider Marquette, MI the true home of my heart. I would love to have a summer house on Lake Superior. Or maybe I should just visit my relatives more often. ;-)

Brenda, the paparazzi haven't been camping out in my driveway. How about you? I am in hopes of getting more people in the area to attend our next meetup. I know there must be more Kansas/Missouri LTers out there.

Kim, thanks for the info. I might check it out if I need another Internet obsession! It probably would be a good way to practice bridge.

Hi Kath. Happy Sunday to you! I'll get back to The Night Watch soon. There seems to be mixed opinions on The Little Stranger. Guess I'll have to make up my own mind. Works for me!

No paparazzi here . . . An APB for KS/MO LTrs?

Just saying "hi" for now while I am catching up on your thread. Love the meetup picture (and saw it on the newsletter!). Now working my way through those 80 posts...

Edit: belatedly chiming in with the others: Great haul!

Who on LT would not like a collection of essays about books?
Hm... I like those collections and have a shelf dedicated to 'books about books', but in the end I enjoy the 'real books' usually much more than the books about them. Maybe I am just not an essay reader. As much as I love for example Virginia Woolf's novels, I can't get through her The Common Reader. I also own a wonderful hardcover copy of Umberto Eco's Die Kunst des Bücherliebens (The Art of Bookloving, no English edition it seems). I just had to buy it when I saw it. Never finished it.

An exception is my copy of the 1001 Books. It's so used now it'll soon lose its pages, and I might have to buy the new edition this year.

Brenda, we can start by recruiting your friends!

Nathalie, It took me several months to read the essays in A Passion for Books. I can't read too many essays or short stories in a row without my eyes glazing over. I read them more like treats to be consumed sparingly.

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


"...the greatest of Canton's suburbs is the river itself! There are more people living in the floating bustees than in all of Calcutta; fully one million some say! Their boats are moored along the water's edge, on eiher side, and they are so numerous you cannot see the water beneath. At first this floating city looks like a vast shanty town made of driftwood, bamboo and thatch; the boats are so tightly packed that if not for the rolls and tremors that shake them from time to time you would take them for oddly shaped huts." (Pg. 170)

Book No. 55: River Of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh. 4.6 stars.

The sequel to Sea of Poppies was disappointing to some because it wasn’t a direct continuation of the same characters. Instead, we get the parting of ways among the Ibis castaways and those that were caught up in the storm. Most of the story is set on land rather than the open sea. Ghosh’s background as a social anthropologist comes through in his details of daily life and the politics that surround the opium trade. Ghosh has followed the opium trail from the poppy fields and factories in India to the city of Canton in China. The Brits have figured out a way to make the colony of India profitable, ignoring the question of morals vs. free trade. “…There was no language like English for turning lies into legalisms.” As is often the case in trade between countries, greed sets in, and corruption on both sides is apparent.

I enjoyed this book almost as much as its predecessor. It is really the middle of a big story as there is a third book planned. This is the part of the story where we get the historical background and Round One of the Opium Wars which was mostly a financial loss for British traders. While I missed some of the characters that were in the first book, I really enjoyed the complexity of some of the new characters as they tried to play by British rules in the Orient. I was completely taken by Robin Chinnery and his gossipy letters to Paulette, who was barred from entering Canton because she was a foreign woman. The chatty discourses about art, love, and horticulture provided some relief from the growing tension in Canton. I’m looking forward to seeing how Mr. Ghosh constructs the next book. I’m pretty sure things will heat up when English troops get involved -- and we can always hope that there will be a big reunion of characters at the end.

I will join you Donna in waiting (impatiently, for me) for the third part of this trilogy and then I think I may read all three, one right after another. I really missed Deeti, initially, because she was such a complex and interesting character. But I grew to love the other characters that Ghosh portrayed. I thought the main character was Canton itself. especially after I heard Ghosh speak about it. Excellent review. I'll go look for it to give a thumb if you posted it.

Donna, thumb for a superb review of River of Smoke. Your comment(s) about moral vs free trade made an impression. Too true!

Donna, great review of River of Smoke and a thumb from me also. I had hoped to join the GR, but was not able to get around to reading Sea of Poppies in time. So I would be a good candidate to join Bonnie in reading all three books of a trilogy back to back!

I'll have to come back to read your review of RoS after I'm done with it, but congrats on landing on the Hot Reviews Donna!

Excellent review! I am still finishing it up...um, the book that is, the review I was able to finish in one sitting! And you're right, initially I was disappointed with the characters that featured in this book because I wanted to know what happened to everyone, but it quickly draws you in to the stories of those that are featured, and the new characters that are introduced are just so fabulous! I will be sad when I am finished.

Donna- I just finished ROS! And I love your review! You gotta' Thumb! If you have anything else to add, make sure you post it on the G.R. thread.

Bonnie, that sounds like a fabulous idea. I am certain I would get even more enjoyment out of a reread. You were so lucky to meet Mr. Gosh. Did he happen to tell you when the next book would be released?

Nancy, I think the bottom line in most business transactions is profit! This was such a timely book. It made me think about the huge amounts of drugs coming across our border from Mexico.

Linda, I think you will like the books. Reading them together would only magnify the experience.

Thanks, Ilana. I have been so busy reading that I've been neglecting the group read thread.

Mamie, we do get attached to characters when they're portrayed so well. Deeti was very memorable. At least we got a brief look at her new life in the opening chapter. I had that let down feeling when I finished the book. I'm sure to perk up when I pick up Behind the Beautiful Forevers tomorrow.

I'll check out the group thread tomorrow, Mark. I've been busy cleaning house for Mary and Haley's visit on Wednesday. They will be moving in while my son finishes up the work week (and his CPA career) in Dallas. The girls will be here for two days then they're off to meet up with Ben in Dodge City and head out to smoky Colorado for a family reunion. *cough* Thinking about that makes me less apt to complain about our 99 degree temp today.

Great review of River of Smoke, Donna. Now we begin the wait for the third book.

Ah, yes, unfinished trilogies. I'm enough of a completist to wait for #3 before reading #1 and #2. As many books as I read, I couldn't remember enough of the first two to enjoy the third by the time I obtained a copy. But I do have Ghosh marked as an author for my 'To Obtain' shelf. Thanks, Donna.

Judy, I am not very good at waiting. I want the rest of the story - and I want it now!

You are right, Mike, I should have waited on this trilogy until the third one is published. I like Bonnie's suggestion in Post #208. Although I'm not sure I can spare that kind of time with so many other books vying for attention.

Great review of River of Smoke, Donna! I enjoyed it as much as you did, and I completely agree with your assessment of it, and your eagerness to read the last portion of the Ibis Trilogy. I also think that the characters of both books will come together in the final book.

Great review of River of Smoke - I guess I'm one of those waiting for the entire trilogy to be completed before I begin it. Unintentionally, however. I've been wanting to read Sea of Poppies for a while now.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but I've been loving the book lists I've seen around the site. Do the dates represent publication, or are they reading dates? Since I never kept track of my books until joining LT, anything before that would only be a guess. But it would be fun to list books by publication dates and find out what is missing.

Just noticed that yours is currently the #1 Hot Review! Congratulations!

Hi Donna, thanks for posting the photo of your KC meetup! Hopefully we can have another in Denver before too long. Also, so glad to hear the great news about your family moving home! How wonderful.

218: Thanks, Darryl. I'm all for a reunion of characters. I'm sure I'll like wherever Mr. Ghosh decides to take us.

Hi Sandy, those book lists make great reading, don't they? I'll join in the fun one of these days but not anytime soon. I've got too much going on right now; plus I'm embarrassed about the many gaps I would have in the early part of the 20th century. I think most people are using the publication years for their list.

Anne, my Denver son and DIL are coming here early in July so I'm not sure if I'll make it to Denver this summer. Maybe a fall meetup? How is the air quality out there? I feel so bad for those in the path of the wildfires.

I've had my first day with Miss Haley. My day started early with meeting the movers and figuring out where everything should go. Mary did a terrific job packing and labeling boxes, but there were so many of them! They arrived around 1:30 in time for Haley's nap. Mary will tackle some of those boxes tomorrow while Haley and I play. No reading (except to Haley) got done today.

Let the party begin!!!

Donna, it's not good. Not too bad where I am, but the fires are devastating, and the air is hazy. We flew in to Denver yesterday, and saw ominous brown skies and parched earth. Lat week we were in the Dolomites in northern Italy with the Chorale, and it was so lush and green and clear. Hope we can get some relief soon.

I think I'm too lazy to list all my books by publication date. It would be fun to see, but it doesn't sound fun to do...

I second what Anne says about the fires. It's awful. We need rain so badly. Rain sans lightning, to be more specific. We had just a little rain today. Enough to cool things off, but not enough to put out a fire. Air Force Academy is in danger from one of the fires. Another one up near Fort Collins has been burning for 2 weeks? Something like that. We drove through the haze of smoke on our way home from Oregon two weeks ago.

Hooray for having Haley and family nearby. How nice!

#224: Lat week we were in the Dolomites in northern Italy with the Chorale
You must have been close to where I live, I am glad you liked it. It's green because we had so much rain in April, May and early June after an exceptionally dry winter.
I hope the fires in your region will be brought under control and you'll get some rain soon.

I can't imagine how bad it must be in Colo. I remember, as a child, being in Denver when there was a fire on Mt Evans and seeing ashen pine needles falling on the deck at my grandparents' house. I used to love driving up Mt Evans to the restaurant/shop at the top. We drove up there again a couple of years ago, and the old stone building is still just ruins. (But we were able to play in the snow in August - just like when I was a kid!)

Praying for rain for you.

Anne and Jenn, thanks for the update on fires in CO. I am concerned about you guys and Joanne AND my kids. Mary And Haley are meeting Ben in Dodge City (Mary's hometown) on Saturday. They are heading into the smoke of COS to visit Mary's sister and check on the house they still own there. The renters have been evacuated! They were going camping in the foothills but that's out of the picture now. They will attend the 200+ family reunion somewhere in Denver before coming back HOME on July 8. I'm thinking about buying a hazmat suit for my precious granddaughter!

My KC daughter Lori and her family are heading to a smoky vacation in Estes Park on July 6. The good news is that Mike and Rebecca will get a week's relief from the smoke when they come here the second week in July. I'm praying for rain and heat relief for the entire midsection of the country. They are beginning to talk about fire danger here in Missouri.

Nathalie, please send us some rain. I miss the green look we usually have this time of year.

Sandy, I wouldn't mind a little snow about now. Haley missed out on last week's Snow Fest at Jordan Valley Park when they shave the ice at the rink there for the kids to play in. Lots of music and kid stuff going on. Next year!

We're heading outside to the (wading) pool and frog sprinkler before it gets too dang hot for Grandma D!

Grandma D, We need some updated photos . . .

Here you go, Brenda..a future artist at work...wild hair and intense expression...



I'll post our outside pictures during nap time...soon, I hope. ;-)

Wow, how did I get so far behind? It must be that I'm hunkered down with River of Smoke (which I'm very very far from finishing). Wonderful meet-up photo and excellent book haul.

Oh, your granddaughter is so precious! I would chip in to buy her a hazmat suit.

I'm also praying for rain to come, and I pray that all LTers that are in the fire danger zone will be all right.

Anne, River of Smoke is a book that shouldn't be rushed. Glad you are enjoying it.

Peace and quiet. Actually, Haley is very easy to be around. She likes my cooking, silly songs, and books. I'm glad I'll be seeing more of her after she takes up permanent residence on July 8 or 9.


These trees are sooo tall!

It's hard to stay on the road when you can't see where you're going!


Cooling off!

>226 Deern:, 228 thank you -- as Jenn said, we had some rain yesterday, but not nearly enough. It's supposed to get really hot again this weekend. It's a bad, bad summer.

>226 Deern: Nathalie, it was wonderful! I had never been to Italy before. We went for the Alta Pusteria Valley Choir Festival, and had just an amazing time.

232: Thanks, Eris! I'm sure the Gushy Grandma posts will slow down once the euphoria of having easy access to a 22-month-old granddaughter wears off. I'm going to try to get a bookish picture to top off my next thread and that's it for awhile.

Now for a bit of reading while the princess naps!

Oh I just want to poke that tummy. She's grown so much, Donna!
I must have missed something -- what's this about Haley taking up permanent residence?

Oh! What a precious princess! The pictures are all wonderful - can't even pick out a fav. Maybe "Cooling off!" since there is food involved... she's so sweet. Summer fun on tap for you! And the lucky parents to have your help with Haley as they move ;-)

Your review of River of Smoke was great. Haven't finished it myself yet - but I am loving this 2nd book and I can certainly see book #3 in my future.

Donna, looove the pictures . . . Haley is too cute! I know you are in grandma heaven . . .

Great pictures, Donna. If it gets too hot there maybe Haley will scootch over and share her pool with you!

Donna- There's the little princess! And she's getting to be a big girl too! Thanks for sharing the lovely photos. Hope you are keeping cool! It's been brutal.

Little princess is TOO cute! Delighted you are enjoying grandma time, Donna.

I wanna sit in that pool and have a popsicle - I love the coconut ones (just in case you want to stock up for my visit)! Miss Haley is too cute - thanks for sharing her with us.

That pool is a good idea for today, Donna! I'll bet Haley had to eat the Popsicle fast though!

Donna, every time I see pictures of Haley I think she just can't get any cuter -- and then she does! I sure am anxious to meet her -- glad I won't have to wait much longer! ;-)

Popsicle and swimming pool - at the same time! Where else but Grandma's house? What a great day you two had today!

ooooo! Coconut popsicles? I'd like one of those too, pls! Is there enough room in the pool?

Oh my precious, adorable Haley around you all the time now? Sounds heavenly Donna.

I think posting toddler pictures is a great way to jump start a thread! Thank you to Laura, Cee, Brenda, Judy, Mark, Nancy, Mamie, Amy, Nancy in Springfield (currently in S. Carolina!), Sandy, and Bonnie for the Haley love. She sends out smooches to all her admirers!

236: Laura, my youngest son Ben is fed up with working 60-70 hour work weeks as a CPA and my husband is supposedly going to retire from the luggage business he has built up over the last decade. So...moving back to his hometown and learning the family business looks good to our son...and looks absolutely wonderful to me.

242: Ooh, coconut Popsicles sound like something I'd better stock up on for future visitors. I joined Haley in her strawberry fruit bar and found it pretty yummy and refreshing.

245: Sandy, I'm glad you picked up on my brilliant idea. Makes cleanup a breeze. Lol.

246: Cee, we might have to take turns in the "pool." There was room enough for Haley and my feet!

Oh, that picture of Haley in the wading pool is adorable!! Those were the days...

Hmm, does she like pink by any chance?

I'm so glad they moved back, Donna!

Just adorable!!

>248 Donna828:: oh Donna, that's a wonderful turn of events! Great for you, and no doubt we'll benefit from more adorable photos too!

I'm one of the vacationers headed for Estes Park today. Overnight in Salina after a day at Worlds of Fun in KC with temperatures 108F. At least the lines were short! Estes Park says their air is clean and the local fire from last week is out. The big High Park fire to the north still burns.

Lots of time for bird watching and reading, along with time for the grandkids. I hope everyone is praying for rain in Colorado to help with these fires.

Great photos, Donna! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Oh my, What a cutie!!!!!!

Safe travels, Mike. I spoke to my Aunt and Uncle in Colo Springs yesterday. They have gotten pre-evacuation notices and are packed and ready to go if needed. Aunt Mary said they were watching the flames on the mountain - only a couple of miles away - from their dining room window the other day. They think the fires in that area are arson. Unbelievable. FBI is investigating.

>252 mldavis2: You should have lovely weather! Estes Park's tourism has been suffering from the fallout of the fires (not to mention the one they had).

>255 sjmccreary: I had a friend in a similar position. Scary stuff. I hope your Aunt and Uncle are home soon. I missed tonight's early news for any updates, but I know the Springs area has had an arsonist setting several small fires for a weeks now.

Hi Donna!

Donna - what lovely photos of the two girls - how great to be able to have some quality time with them all.

Pray that you stay safe from the fires and I've got Belle to sing a few songs as this invariably leads to rain here!

>249 Copperskye:: Joanne, I think Haley's mother likes pink! Haley isn't too concerned about her wardrobe...yet!

Thanks, Reba.

You can be sure of getting more photos of Haley, Laura. At least until she learns the fake "cheese" smile that my other grands are fond of.

Mike, I hope you are having a great vacation in Estes Park. I am so saddened about these fires as CO is such a beautiful state. This must be devastating to the wildlife too. Enjoy your family time!

You're very welcome, Darryl.

Hi Kath!

Sandy and Joanne, I don't understand arsonists. I hope they catch the culprit if indeed the COS fire turns out to have been started on purpose. The (alleged) perpetrators should be on the front firefighting lines.

Lol, Paul, that was probably too many pictures of one girl! I'm looking forward to lots of quality time when they get back from the fire zone. Sing loud, Belle. We need lots of rain in the midsection of the U.S.

"As India began to prosper, old ideas about accepting the life assigned by one's caste or one's divinities were yielding to a belief in earthly reinvention. Annawadians now spoke of better lives casually, as if fortune were a cousin arriving on Sunday, as if the future would look nothing like the past." (from the Prologue)

Book No. 56: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. 4.1 stars.

The subtitle of this book is: "Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity". While India's economy is prospering, there are some groups of people who are still living in squalor. The residents of a slum near the modern airport in Mumbai are the focus of this eye-opening expose of the inequalities of life in the 21st century.

I liked how KB portrayed the people of Annawadi with compassion yet without sentimentality. The spirit of these survivors shines through as they do what it takes to put food on the table, although tables are rare in the shacks they live in. There is even a curious beauty to be found here: "The pale sun lent the sewage lake a sparkling silver cast, and the parrots nesting at the far side of the lake could still be heard over the jets." (Pg. 5)

After reading this book I'm convinced that it is possible to become inured to suffering. I couldn't believe how many people passed by the slumdweller who had his leg crushed by a car. Are there no Good Samaritans in "Slumbai"? Well, at least one. I admired the idealism of Abdul which KB compared to water and ice. Just as ice is better than the water of which it is made, Abdul wanted to be better than the dirty water of Mumbai. There is more to this book than just one story about an entrepreneurial recycler, however. There is much about the corruption of local officials who make money at the expense of the weak. That came as no surprise to me. I was a little taken aback at how the social hierarchy works in the slums. Despite the hope expressed in the opening quote, there were many incidents of residents taking advantage of their neighbors in order to make their own lives better. Sheesh, why can't we all just get along?

Donna I know I'm normally joking but this time not guilty! I was also referring to the lovely photo in #230 and mistook Haley as she looks a touch older as her swimming pool shots.

Awww...so many lovely pics of precious Haley! I love the one of her eating the popsicle!

Well, there are some advantages. Smoke and haze makes for some awesome sunsets and sunrises. Fires kill the pine bark beetle that is devastating the pine trees. And it keeps the tourist level lower so lines are shorter and there is less traffic. Rocky Mountain National Park is, so far, unaffected - the big fire is well north of here - and the air is clear although distant peaks are all in a haze.

Back on topic, I am reading The Last Child by John Hart which was given to me by a friend. Looks to be a good beach book. Looking forward to some good hiking and bird watching.

Nice review of Behind the Beautiful Forevers - I read that book earlier this year and really liked it. I especially liked the passage that you summarized about the ice and water - that was one of my favorite parts of the book. I also really liked where the title came from.

Donna- Great review of Behind the Beautiful Forevers. I think it's a very special book. I know some LTers were turned off by it, but it sure worked for me.
Post the review, so you can get a Thumb!

>260 PaulCranswick:: Paul, I know what you mean. Haley is starting to lose some of that baby fat and often looks older than she is. At 32 pounds and almost 3 feet tall she tops the charts for both weight and height for her tender age of 22 months!

Porua, that is my favorite picture as well. I also loved that those sticky fingers could be cleaned with ease.

Mike, I love your positive attitude. Colorado sunsets are usually pretty magnificent even without the added "help" from the smoke.

Thanks, Mamie, the book was very good but after seeing "Slumdog Millionaire," I had a pretty good idea about what the slums of Mumbai were like.

Mark, I don't need "thumbs" but I do appreciate the kind words from LT friends who read my reviews.
Here's another one. This was an ER book so I had to post the review. It was too hot to do anythng but read today. At least that's my "excuse" for reading the day away!

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


I loved the Chinese proverbs in the book. These are just a few of them:
A rat who gnaws at a cat's tail invites destruction." (103)
"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter." (140)
"How can you catch tiger's cubs without entering the tiger's lair?" (242)

Book No. 57: The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson. 3.6 stars.

Time is running out for the two men kidnapped for ransom in Shanghai. One of the hostages is an American which complicates the situation. Once the ransom is paid, Clete Danner is as good as dead. This is a first class thriller that includes detailed descriptions of both modern Shanghai and the Shanghai of the past with “laundry hung like colorful prayer flags from bamboo poles jutting from apartment windows commandeered by old, toothless men in white undershirts.” I loved these atmospheric sketches sprinkled throughout the book.

This is the beginning of a series featuring Grace Chu, an American-educated Chinese woman who follows the money while being able to hold her own in an altercation, and John Knox who works zealously to extract the two hostages, one of whom is a personal friend. I look forward to reading more adventures set in China where the author spent a memorable year teaching creative writing. No wonder his depictions of Chinese life seemed so real. Ridley Pearson has a new fan!

Donna, thumb for an excellent review of The Risk Agent. Sounds like a promising new series (just what I need, LOL). I like the Chinese proverbs, too, and also this visual quote: laundry hung like colorful prayer flags from bamboo poles jutting from apartment windows commandeered by old, toothless men in white undershirts.

>259 Donna828:. After reading this book I'm convinced that it is possible to become inured to suffering.

Excellent point Donna. I read this book at the end of 2011 and it has stayed with me and the suffering of these people is what remains. And yet they continued on with their daily routines as the world around them imploded. I thought Boo did an excellent job of getting out of the way and letting the residents of the Mumbai slum tell their own story in their own tortured way. Such a good and revealing book.

Friends, I don't think a meet-up is going to work out for this visit. On top of the class reunion and my husband's birthday while we are back, we now have a family reunion on the second weekend, and my sister, who I had counted on for transportation, got her summer school schedule and she has to work the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I had fingered for the possible dates, as well as the following week. Add to that that the nephew I usually visit in Olathe has now moved with his family out to Abilene, it is highly unlikely that I will get east of Topeka on this visit (we are driving out).

While I will be very sorry to miss you all, I will tentatively plan again to hit the Johnson County Book Sale next year.

>266 lit_chick:: Thanks, Nancy. I am not a very good judge of thrillers. I think this one appealed to me because of the look behind the scenes into Chinese politics. I learned that private detectives are not legal in China. That gives new meaning to the word "undercover"!

Good morning, Bonnie. Can I tack your spot-on comments to the end of my review?

Roni, that will give us even more reason to have another meetup centered around the JoCo Book Sale next June. I wasn't going to be able to make it back to Lawrence this month, but I know Brenda and Sandy will be disappointed. I hope you have a wonderful time with friends and family in Kansas - and that the brutal temps let up for your visit.

I enjoyed your review of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Donna. I think this is an ebook choice through our library, so I definitely need to carve out the time to read it.

Donna, catching up on your thread should count as a book toward my 75! The book set in Mumbai looks interesting. Your granddaughter is lucky to get to have this time with her grandma, who appears to be spoiling her quite nicely :)

Linda, Beautiful Forevers is a relatively short book. It won't take much of your reading time and it is so worth the effort.

Hi Carly! I think Grandma and Grandpa are the lucky ones to be able to have more opportunities to spoil Haley.

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