calm reading 75 and beyond in 2012 - part 5

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


glitter-graphics.com

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




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




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

The categories are

Current affairs - contemporary fiction (12 of 12)
About the past - non-fiction history (9 of 12)
Long ago and far away - historical fiction (medieval and earlier) (8 of 12)
More from the past - historical fiction (post-medieval) (11 of 12)
Chills down my spine - horror and mysteries (12 of 12)
Once upon a time - mythology, folklore and fairytales (9 of 12)
Unlikely things - fantasy (10 of 12)
New friends/Old friends - recommendations, early reviewers, continuing series, favourite authors and re-reads that don't fit anywhere else (10 of 12)
To space and beyond - science fiction (9 of 12)
It's Greek to me - books in translation (10 of 12)
Need to know - non-fiction (9 of 12)
Great books I should have read - classics and prizewinners/nominees (9 of 12)

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



Let the reading continue:)

Book List

August

100) Jezebel by Eleanor de Jong (post 28) 453 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
101) The Women's Decameron by Julia Voznesenskaya (post 47) 330 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
102) Flood by Stephen Baxter (post 56) 473 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
103) The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (post 73) 296 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
104) Dissolution by C. J. Sansom (post 107) 462 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
105) The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (post 111) 599 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
106) Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (post 114) 404 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
107) Soul Catcher by Michael C White (post 117) 418 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
108) Fireworks by Angela Carter (post 123) 120 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
109) The Cathars by Malcolm Lambert (post 124) 344 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
110) Silence by Shūsaku Endō (post 125) 306 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

September

111) Ark by Stephen Baxter (post 205) 537 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
112) The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler (post 206) 318 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
113) The Magician King by Lev Grossman (post 207) 548 pages (12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
114) Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura (post 239) 154 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
115) The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (post 252) 611 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
116) A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (post 253) 183 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
117) City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish : Greek lives in Roman Egypt by Peter Parsons (post 258) 258 pages (12 in 12)
118) The Valleys of the Assassins : and other Persian travels by Freya Stark (post ?) 365 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

Currently reading

Baudolino by Umberto Eco

Book list for previous threads

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

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

January

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

February

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

Books read in Part 2 http://www.librarything.com/topic/132388

February continued

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

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

Books read in part 3 http://www.librarything.com/topic/135586

April

39) The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby (post 25) 416 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
40) On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin (post 26) 249 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
41) The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths (post 27) 327 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
42) Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant (post 28) 471 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
43) Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman (post 44) 444 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
44) Britain BC: Life in Britain and Ireland before the Romans by Francis Pryor (post 50) 500 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
45) State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (post 58) 353 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
46) Heroes and Saints edited by Richard Barber(post 67) 252 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
47) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (post 76) 431 pages - 411 text + 20 pages of additional stuff (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
48) Abbeys, Priories and Cathedrals (post 79) 96 pages (12 in 12)
49) Stardust by Neil Gaiman (post 86) 210 pages - 196 + 14 pages additional stuff (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
50) The Stars My Destination (Tiger, Tiger) by Alfred Bester (post 87) 258 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
51) Women in the Wall by Julia O'Faolain (post 99) 326 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
52) A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore (post 100) 456 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
53) In the Shape of a Boar by Lawrence Norfolk (post 106) 322 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

May

54) One Blood by Qwantu Amaru (post 117) 478 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; ER)
55) The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter (post 125) 200 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
56) The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths (post 135) 356 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
57) Eva by Peter Dickinson (post 141) 249 pages (TIOLI: 12 in 12)
58) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (post 142) 352 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
59) The Master of Whitestorm by Janny Wurts (post 143) 413 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
60) The Making of the British Landscape by Francis Pryor (post 144) 812 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
61) It's Time by Pavel Kostin (post 145) 245 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; ER)
62) In Praise of Cats by Max Cryer (post 166) 212 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
63) Katherine by Anya Seton (post 168) 575 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
64) The Knot Garden by Gabriel King (post 192) 495 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
65) A.D. 500 A Journey Through the Dark Isles of Britain and Ireland by Simon Young (post 193) 260 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
66) Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (post 194) 604 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
67) The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (post 202) 271 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
68) Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski (post 214) 501 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
69) Dewey by Vicki Myron (post 215) 277 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
70) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (post 217) 476 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; Steinbeckathon)

Books read in part 4 http://www.librarything.com/topic/137902

June

71) Now You See Me by S. J. Bolton (post 14) 395 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
72) Religion Explained by Pascal Boyer (post 32) 430 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
73) Imajica by Clive Barker (post 35) 1136 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
74) Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (post 49) 184 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
75) Stonemouth by Iain Banks (post 58) 356 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
76) Silk by Alessandro Baricco (post 77) 104 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
77) An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears (post 92) 698 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
78) A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths (post 98) 346 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
79) Illywhacker by Peter Carey (post 112) 600 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
80) Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill (post 120) 244 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
81) From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple (post 121) 483 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
82) Peaches for Monsieur le Curé by Joanne Harris (post 122) 459 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

July

83) The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveney (post 155) 320 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
84) The Ruby in Her Navel by Barry Unsworth (post 168) 328 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
85) Dead Scared by S. J. Bolton (post 169) 378 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
86) Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (post 172) 220 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; Group Read)
87) The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt (post 175) 356 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
88) Lies by Enrique De Heriz (post 203) 401 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
89) The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (post 205) 344 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
90) The Garden of Martyrs by Michael C White (post 210) 359 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
91) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint (post 231) 368 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
92) Infinite West Travels in South Dakota by Fraser Harrison (post 260) 188 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; ER)
93) East of Eden by John Steinbeck (post 261) 567 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; Steinbeckathon)
94) Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood (post 262) 317 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
95) Ash by Malinda Lo (post 263) 291 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
96) History and Romance by Richard Barber (post 264) 258 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
97) Spiderweb by Penelope Lively (post 265) 218 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
98) Coraline by Neil Gaiman (post 266) 171 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
99) Morality Play by Barry Unsworth (post 267) 188 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

Planned August reading

Possible August TIOLI reads

challenge 1 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
challenge 6 The Future Homemakers of America - Laurie Graham
challenge 13 The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
challenge 15 Fairweather Eden : life in Britain half a million years ago as revealed by the excavations at Boxgrove - Michael W. Pitts
challenge 16 Dissolution - C. J. Sansom
challenge 17 The Cathars - Malcolm Lambert
*Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Jezebel - Eleanor de Jong
The Women's Decameron - Julia Voznesenskaya

I also have some books on loan or requested from the library

Ark by Stephen Baxter (didn't realise that this was the second of a duology - first is requested)

Flood by Stephen Baxter
Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (will fit challenge 17)
Soul Catcher by Michael C White (haven't found a challenge for this)
Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (for challenge 2)

As always plans are subject to change:)

Well I didn't get around to writing book comments for my last few July reads, will go back and do it sometime:) But this is August and time for a fresh start.

Hope everyone is having a good day and this thread is now open for any one who is kind enough to visit:)

Yay! I'm first!

Great list for August. I really liked Snow Falling on Cedars when I read it last year and I have The House at Riverton slotted for August as well. :)

I'm second up. Congrats on a new thread Calm and on your impressive reading this year.

Congrats for being first Valerie - pleased to hear that about Snow Falling on Cedars. It has been sitting on the shelves of shame for a long time:( Bot, as always so many books so little time:)

I'm looking forward to The House at Riverton and seeing what you think as well.

Thank you Paul:)

Delurking to say hi.

Thanks for the delurk Kerry:)

*too wowed by your books read to comment further*

(ok, just this: hello!)

Hello from a fellow lurker

Megan - I don't have youngsters to look after, my time is my own and I read a lot of short books last month:)

Carrie - thanks for delurking, nice to know you are here.

I'll be flying by and reading what you're thinking. I always enjoy your comments! Have a great August.

Thanks Karen- nice to see you:)

Hi calm - I enjoyed your reviews on the previous thread, particularly East of Eden, which I must read someday and the Margaret Atwood, which I've never heard of.

I look forward to your comments on Galileo's Dream. I love Kim Stanley Robinson! I think he has a new book coming out too, or maybe it's already out - too lazy to check at this particular moment. I think the title is a date.

Good evening to you! I'm simply stopping by to wave hello and check what you are reading.

Greetings calm, I read The House at Riverton a year or two ago and really enjoyed it, hope you do as well.

I'm finally starting my read of EoE. :)

Hi Calm, forgot to mention on my last visit that I had listened to the audio version of Stonemouth and really enjoyed it. I've read his The Wasp Factory and a couple of Culture novels and found this one a real treat. The narrator, Peter Kenny, was really good with the accents. I'll have to read some more of his work.

Hi calm, happy new thread!

I thought I'd let you know I've put up the discussion thread for The Red Pony: http://www.librarything.com/topic/140559

Kerri - Thanks for liking my comments:) EofE was really good. I like Atwood as well and I'm slowly collecting her books.

I really like KSR as well - his Mars Trilogy is amazing. When I heard about 2312 I remembered that I hadn't got around to Galileo's Dream (the old so many books so little time thing) and decided to read that first. It's available to pick up at the library and I'll be reading it as soon as possible:)

Linda - thank you so much for stopping by, hope the surgery later this month will finally solve your neck pain.

Lynda - I hope I do as well. Pleased to know that you enjoyed it:)

Valerie - hope you like it:)

Kerry - Stonemouth was good. Pleased the narrator did a good job. I think that Banks' mainstream fiction is well worth reading, for some reason I never really got into his SF.

Thanks Ilana - I'm still thinking about reading The Red Pony. It was a set text at school and I found it quite upsetting. But I'm loving the Steinbeck's I've read so far this year, have put The Red Pony in this month's to read pile and will see how I feel. I'll definitely keep an eye on the thread though:)

HI Calm! Happy new thread :)
Congrats on already hitting 100 books

Happy new thread calm - 100 books!

Thanks Chelle and Heather. Still have to get some comments down for the 100th book, hopefully later today.

Off to see what everybody else has been doing and reading:)

Oooohhh.... 100 books read! Congrats!

Thanks Lori:)

100) Jezebel by Eleanor de Jong (31 July - 4 August)

This retelling of the Biblical story of Jezebel presents her in a more favourable light than that given in Kings I and II. Jezebel is Princess of Tyre and two embassies arrive at the same time, one from Judea and one from Israel. Jezebel falls in love with Jehu, a Judean prince, but is given in marriage to King Ahab of Israel for diplomatic reasons.

The timeline and events follow the Biblical story but the author has managed to present these things in a slightly different light. Naturally enough as the Old Testament is written from the point of view of its monotheistic religion but archaeology and other sources give us numerous gods in the region. Jezebel is not always likeable as a character but she does ring true and human. I did like this book and I will look out for more from Eleanor de Jong.

I don't feel so bad - I am only 28 messages behind on this thread! :)

Hi Stasia - no worries, just pleased to see you when you have time:)

Well I made it seven days into August but it is confession time again! The only thing that makes it worth going into town, apart from such non-essentials like food:)

From the library

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Soul Catcher by Michael C. White
Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
Flood by Stephen Baxter

Onto the shelves

Fireworks by Angela Carter
Collected Stories by Peter Carey
The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville
Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura

I am shocked and impressed that the first touchstone that showed up for Peter Carey's Collected Stories was the right one!

I did finish a book today The Women's Decameron by Julia Voznesenskaya but not feeling up to book comments yet. Started Fireworks on the way home, it is the perfect size for taking out and it is a collection of short stories so that might take me a while to read. I've also looked at the beginning of Flood which is my next fiction read. Still reading The Cathars - it might be a bit more detailed and scholarly than I was looking for but I'm taking it a few pages at a time:)

Hope everyone is having a good day.

#30 Woot - book haul! I'll be interested in your thoughts on the Stephen Baxter as I've been wanting to try some of his books since enjoying The Long Earth.

Hi Heather - Thanks. I like book hauls:)

I had the exact same thought about Baxter - picked up his Ark at the library last time and discovered, when entering it into LT, that it was the second of a duology. Fortunately the library also had Flood and I will be reading it straight away.

Hello calm - Happy new thread!

I very much enjoyed your review on Jezebel. I found the book on Amazon for my kindle. So hopefully I can squeeze it into my August read.
I saw that you read and liked The Dovekeepers as well, I thought it was a beautiful written book.

#22 - Hi calm - I was just looking at KSR's bibliography and was shocked by how much he's written that I haven't read yet. I guess I'll have to get to work!

Nice book haul, of course. I'm interested in trying Stephen Baxter as well.

Hi there, calm. I discovered from my bible study earlier this year that it wasn't easy getting the Israelites to accept monotheism and they often slipped back into the practice of multiple gods. I would never have known that had I not taken the course. Anywho, wishlisted Jezebel.
Happpppppy 100!!

100! That's great!

drachenbraut23 - good to see you here. Hope you like Jezebel. The Dovekeepers was very good.

Kerri - I think I've read most of KSR's novels. I'll have to check that out sometime and see what I'm missing.

I finished the first Stephen Baxter this morning - I liked it. Onto the sequel soonish:)

Lynda - yes it is there in the Bible mostly in the Prophets, Kings and Chronicles. we hear about the polytheistic nature of the society but any one who doesn't just worship the one God is bad or evil. Fascinating period of history and I like learning more about it. Hope you like Jezebel.

Thanks Carrie.

So now I'm two books behind on this thread and I haven't got around to writing anything about the last July reads:( Oh well - I'm taking advantage of no rain to catch up on laundry and a little bit of gardening. So not much typing as I try to keep the pain levels down.

I'm sure it will be wet again very soon and you never know I might manage to catch up.

I'll be interested to see what you think about Ark - both me and Mr SandDune read Flood on holiday three years ago and enjoyed it (although I always wanted more of an explanation as to why the sea level rose so much), but that was before the sequel came out so I've never got round to reading that. The reason that I can be so precise about the dates before I had a reading log is that my son was fascinated by the maps of the increasing sea level rise and the whole premise of the book generally: whenever either of us put the book down he would be looking at the maps. We had so many conversations with him about whether or not that could that happen in reality that the book is forever linked in my mind with that holiday in Croatia.

Interesting review Calm of Jezebel - quite inventive historical faction - I must look it up. Trust you have a wonderful weekend as the Olympics come to a crescendo.

Hi Rhian - yes the maps were a nice touch. I thought the explanation of the sea level rising worked and in his afterword Baxter did give sources for the theory he uses.

Hi Paul - Thanks:) I enjoy reading re-imaginings of mythological and religious stories. Jezezbel sticks closely to the biblical timeline but gives a different spin to her story, my kind of book:) Yes the Olympics are coming to a close - I don't think I've had the television on as much for a long time:) I'm actually enjoying it more than I thought I would.

Still dry today so will be doing more gardening, rain forecast for tomorrow so hope to catch up on book comments then.

Off to see what everyone else is up to:) (AKA - lurking!)

Your last book sounds interesting! Will add that to my list of books to look out for.

Great list of books there both from the library and onto your shelves! Congrats on reaching 100 with time to spare. :)

Congrats on the book haul!

I'll be looking forward to yr thoughts on the female Russian version of the Decameron -- any version of the Decameron sounds like a nifty idea to me.

Thanks Valerie - hope you like it:)

Thanks Stasia - hopefully I'll even get around to reading them sometime:)

Hi Suzanne - it was interesting, very much about 1980's Russia and women's lives. It gave a good picture of the time and I really enjoyed it.

#44: I know exactly how that goes!

Don't we all:)

101) The Women's Decameron by Julia Voznesenskaya translated by W B Linton (4 - 7 August)

While in a hospital in Leningrad ten women are put into quarantine. From various backgrounds with very different lives the only thing they have in common is the fact that they have just given birth. One of them is reading Boccaccio's Decameron and the women agree to tell stories to pass the time. Each day a different theme is suggested and what follows is a collection of tales happy and sad, of love and hate, of life and death.

Voznesenskaya has created a cast of wonderful characters as each day goes by we learn more about these women and life in the Soviet Union in the 1980's. Though very different the women find connections and sympathy for the other's lives. In the end they are all women and all have a story to tell and the way Voznesenskaya does this makes for a very enjoyable read.

Wow.. I really am behind. Nice list of books there... as is typical for you :)

Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
The Future Homemakers of America - Laurie Graham

I loved the first, the second not so much.. and Galileo's Dream look really good!

Hi Kath - thanks for finding me:)

I try with the books:) I'm looking forward to Snow Falling on Cedars, not sure if I will actually get to The Future Homemakers of America this month or not but, if not, it can go back on the shelf for a while.

Haven't got around to Galileo's Dream yet but hopefully I'll read it before the end of the month. Got my mother coming to stay for a few days in early September and then my brother's wedding so I'd like to clear the library books from my to read pile:)

Library books tend to put pressure on me :P I always feel likeI need to read them NOW, which makes me not want to read them at all. GR make me feel a bit pressured, too. Silly, but part of my crazy I guess. The Umberto Eco looks interesting, too....

all-purpose *smooch*

Thanks for visiting my sad little second thread, me lurve.

Calm - The Women's Decameron looks enthralling - added to my wishlist and thanks for an intruiging review.

Hi again Kath:) I try not to get too many library books out at one time but LT recs are tempting and I sometimes can't stop myself putting something on reservation. Group reads are another thing - I like reading the book but I'm not very good at commenting:(

Yes I liked the look of the Eco as well:)

My gosh a Richard sighting on my little thread! I'm honoured. *smooches* to you as well:)

Hi Paul - you snuck in there while I was typing, good to see you.

It will be interesting to see a male perspective on The Women's Decameron:)

I just delurked is all....

102) Flood by Stephen Baxter (7 - 10 August)

At the start of this book a group of hostages are being transferred to yet another hiding place in Spain. Some of them have been held for five years and they are just about to return to a changed world. This gives Baxter the chance to explain the situation - severe flooding and rising sea levels are affecting the world. Following the ex-hostages over the years we learn theories for these changes and the effect this has on society.

I found this gripping and readable. In some places, maybe, there was a little bit too much info dumping but on the whole Baxter manages to keep the pace up. In some ways this is an old-fashioned end of the world disaster novel and that isn't a bad thing. The use of maps to chart the affect that the rising sea levels have on the remaining land gives a real idea of how fast things can change. A good mix of possible science and a diversity of characters made this an appealing work of speculative fiction. I'll definitely be reading Ark, the follow up novel, soon and I will be reading more of Baxter's work as well.

Then thank you for de-lurking Rdear, I rarely do so myself:)

You snagged me with The Women's Decameron, but that seems like a normal thing around here. ;)

Hi Valerie - yes that one seems to have caught a few people's attention. I hope people can find it as it was published in the mid eighties and I have no idea if it is still in print.

Off to see what everyone else is up to, wonder if I'll de-lurk today:)

The Women's Decameron snagged me too, calm.

Hi Lynda - hope you like it:)

If I ever get to it! My wishlist abyss runneth over.

Not so much de-lurking as returning after a long 'hibernation' - the Women's Decameron sounds interesting, where did you come across that one?

Doesn't everyone's Lynda:)

Genny - You've been busy, hope you are having a great time up there in North Wales:)

The Women' Decameron was a second hand book that I found last year at the local recycling shop. A great source of £1 books - I buy a lot from there:)

Yes I'm enjoying the little bit of Wales I'm seeing - not getting out much, as I only had a car for the first few days. While I had the car I visited LLangollen, Valle Crucis Abbey, St Asaph, Bodnant Garden, Holywell and Rhuddlan castle. The only other trip I have planned this time is into Liverpool so that will take me out of Wales for the day!

A local source of £1 books sounds useful. I get at least half of my books from my local Oxfam, which tends to stock many fairly recent paperbacks as well as some interesting older ones. But they are all priced at £1.99 or £2.49 - not bad, but £1 beats that.

Well if you ever make it to Aberystwyth - the shop is at the train station:)

I tend not to get many from Oxfam - as you say they are more expensive but there are also a couple of charity shops in town that do 50p books! Not such a great selection though and not in alphabetical order so harder to skim through.

Just a stop in to say that I hope you are having a good day :)

Thanks for de-lurking Calm. It always make me feel special when you do so. :)

Hi calm! I hope you're doing well. I just put the Stephen Baxter on my wishlist - sounds good.

Sorry to not get back sooner - not sure why except I can't get my thoughts together for the last two books I finished:(

I'm still reading other people's threads but don't seem to have much to say - oh well!

Thanks for stopping by Kath
Valerie - I nearly always delurk when some people start a new thread. They are the ones I keep up with first:)
Kerri - not too bad physically:) Hope you like the Baxter.

The Women's Decameron looks really interesting calm and Flood also sounds pretty good!

Thanks Heather:)

103) The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (10 - 12 August)

When recently retired Harold Fry receives a letter from an old work colleague he starts his unlikely pilgrimage. As he walks we learn more about him, his wife Maureen and why their relationship has drifted apart. As he travels he grows as a person, becoming more open and understanding of humanity. Left at home Maureen also looks at their past.

I really liked this book. The pace is uneven as is fitting for the journey, both physical and emotional, that Harold undertakes. Some of the characters are more fully developed than others but the less developed ones are the people who Harold contacts briefly and some of them do stand out. In turns poignant and touching at others gently humorous this struck me as a particularly English story but one that is universal in its message. This is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to seeing what Rachel Joyce does next.

Great review, Calm! This one is on my WL already so thankfully, no book bullets. :)

>73 calm: Very nicely aimed, that book bullet...mean, horrible calm!

Thank you Valerie. Pleased you escaped the BB:)

Love you too Rdear:) *smooch*

#73 I really enjoyed *Harold Fry* too :-)

I don't think I have time to read Harold Fry this month, but we have the book at the library, and I'll try to eventually get around to it.

delurking to say *hi*

Calm - I am glad to see you enjoyed "Harold Fry" as some of the other reviews have been, shall we say, mixed. I was one of the few last year to enjoy Snowdrops so I look forward to seeing who I agree with for this divisive one!
Have a wonderful West Wales Weekend.

It is a good one Heather:)

Lori - hope that you do get around to reading it.

Hi Roni - thanks for delurking

Paul - I wonder if it is a Brit thing? I haven't read many other reviews but I did like it. I haven't read Snowdrops - it didn't sound like my type of book.

Wales is still wet:( I really do wish we could have had a bit more sun this year.

Harold sounds interesting...

A lot of this country would have traded off some sun for some of your rain..

Hi Kath - Harold was good for me:)

Agreed on the trade off - both countries seem to have had extreme weather. I'm not sure which is worse but I must admit all the greyness is getting me down:(

Off to see what everybody else is up to, hopefully back later with some book thoughts.

Happy Sunday to you. What a great book haul! the Women's Decameron sounds fascinating.

Here is A Tale From the Decameron by J.W. Waterhouse, my favorite Pre-Raphaelite artist:

Thank you Linda - that is a lovely picture.

I have to bite the bullet on Jezebel and Flood. Okay, and maybe The Women's Decameron. This place is dangerous! Why did I come here again?

Hi Kim - well if you visit threads there is always the possibility of some BBs hitting you:) Part of the fun of LT and the 75ers!

Confession time again:)

From the library
City of Sharp-Nosed Fish by Peter Parsons - spotted on nandadevi's thread
The Magician King by Lev Grossman - sequel to The Magicians

Various places around town
The Angel in the House by Kate O'Riordan - new to me author but only 20p!
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - been meaning to try this series and spotted a near perfect copy for 50p:)
Watcher of the Dead by J. V. Jones - book 4 of a series was on my wishlist - this was a brand new hardcover from the pound shop:)

Then I came home and a copy of The Decipherment of Linear B by John Chadwick had arrived thanks to a very kind 75er:)

Still trying to catch up on threads - I'll try for book comments tomorrow.

I'll be interested in your thoughts on The Magician King calm - I really enjoyed the first book but I'm not sure how I feel about a sequel for some reason.

*lurking*

Hi Heather - I'll let you know when I finish it and I like what I've heard about it and am looking forward to reading it.

Thanks for lurking Kath:) Hope you are having a good day.

I've been a bad Lter this week:( Though I am reading (AKA lurking) everyone's threads but have completely neglected my own.

I have three books to write comments for but I can't get motivated even though they were all good books. Hopefully I will get to them in the near future.

I have been pretty bad myself. So busy~ No time to read either.. hopefully all of that will sort soon :P
Nice to see you :)

Great to see you Calm! :)

HI there! And don't talk to me about book reviews. I think I owe 5 or 6. Shhhhh!

Hi Kath - at least you have something to show for being busy:) I am still reading but very slowly:(

Thanks Valerie:)

Hi Kim - well I did finally catch up on my July reviews so that is one thing.

Off to see what everyone else is up to. Back later.

>73 calm: glad to see you liked this one, I am aiming to source it at some point in the near or distant future ;)

Flood is duly added to the WL. Thanks, Calm. I can always count on you to grow my already too big list... :)

Megan - I don't think I've seen any really negative comments yet so I hope you like it.

Valerie - Thanks for being interested in what I read. Hope you like everything that ever catches your notice:)

Today was car boot sale day in the village so I wandered down for a look and managed to find some additions to the shelves of shame:)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (been on the radar for awhile and I decided to give it a try)
The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind by Davis Guterson (Snow Falling on Cedars is one of the books awaiting comments and I liked it enough to grab this collection of short stories)
Sorceress by Celia Rees (the sequel to Witch Child which is already on the shelves of shame)
A Blackbird in Darkness and A Blackbird in Twilight by Freda Warrington (books 2 and 4 of a series, I've already got book 3 and am keeping my eyes open for the first)
and most exciting The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - I borrowed this from the library and am pleased to finally get my own copy.

When I got home discovered that the announcement for ER had gone out and I'm looking forward to receiving A Poet and Bin Laden by Hamid Ismailov

Hope everyone is having a good day. Need to go out again for a short time. Back later:)

Doncha just love scoring a sequel like that? Yay you!

Sure do Kath -:) I'm looking forward to those two.

Obviously home again ... time to see what everyone else is up to and maybe even get around to writing something about my recent reads ... maybe:)

Hi Calm! Nice collection of books there from the car boot. I spotted a copy of The Uncommon Reader yesterday while dropping in to my formerly favourite Oxfam bookshop in Oxford. But I was struck by a fit of stinginess and didn't buy it since it was £3.95 or thereabouts, and the several other books which I did end up buying were only £2.50-3.00 each. In retrospect, the Alan Bennett was not much more, so I don't know why I felt it was too expensive! I would like my own copy one day too...

HI Genny - nice to see you.

Spotting The Uncommon Reader was great and the person selling was doing buy 3 books for £1! I also had a nice chat with her as she had a lot of literature course books from her time at Uni and, even though I didn't buy any of them, gave her the suggestion of advertising them at the relevant department so that other students can see what she has - probably be more likely to sell them that way:)

Still haven't got around to writing any book comments. My mother arrives Tuesday and a clean up of the house has turned into re-arranging things and hefting furniture wasn't the best idea:(

Just taking a quick break having a coffee and catching up on threads. Maybe try and fit in a bit of reading as well. It has been a slow month book-wise.

See you later.

Good luck with cleaning and rearranging the house! Visitors are a good incentive for having a tidyup, aren't they. I was using my most recent lot of visitors as an excuse to clear the dining room table which I've not used since Christmas (as the piles of Christmas decorations on it bear witness!), but my friends turned up early before I'd had a chance to get to that room. I almost felt like telling them to go away and come back in an hour once I'd had a chance to finish it - but I didn't (and the decorations are still on the table, but shoved up to one end so there was room for us to use the other).

Thanks for reminding me Genny - living alone I tend to do the tray on a lap thing:) I now have a usable table that is free of clutter and the boxes that were living under it are somewhere else.

Yes, I know about the tray on lap thing too. I've even let the kitchen table get so cluttered there is no room for me to eat there either. Must Do Better! Well done for retrieving a usable table at your end!

I think I'm ready (or as ready as I am going to be) apart from the last minute vacuuming and dusting:)

Also need to fit in a trip to town sometime before Tuesday.

So now I am going to start catching up on the unwritten book comments!

104) Dissolution by C. J. Sansom (12 - 15 August)

The first in the Matthew Shardlake series sees the hunchback lawyer travelling to an isolated monastery. Part of his mission is to uncover any scandal, whether financial, sexual or against the new rules for the church in England, so that the monastery can be dissolved. But the previous commissioner was murdered and Shardlake also has to investigate the death. Was it caused by someone inside the monastery?

I really enjoyed this story. A good mix of history and mystery. Shardlake grows as a character over the course of the novel as the events he uncovers lead him to question his belief and trust in his employer, Cromwell. I enjoyed the variety of characters and their various secrets. Also the answer to the death was one I didn't expect. I will definitely be reading more about Shardlake.

Glad you enjoyed that one, calm. It's a deservedly popular series.

IMHO the Shardlake books get better and better as they continue, so you have in for a wonderful time. I love them :)

Thanks Genny and Jenny. Fortunately I have the next two sitting on the shelf already:)

Plans for more book comments temporarily delayed as my mother accidentally called me when she got a new mobile! Put me behind on a couple of other things. Back in a little while. Only 4 more to go:)

Also looking at the September TIOLI. I'm not going to put up a challenge this month and don't know how much reading I am going to manage in the next couple of weeks but I have found a place for one of the library books. Hopefully I'll find somewhere for the other 3.

105) The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (15 - 19 August)

98 year old Grace Bradley looks back at her life as a maid at The House at Riverton. From the start we know that there was a tragedy during a house party in 1924 but we go further back to the day when Grace first went into service in 1914. Her relationship with the household, mainly with the eldest daughter Hannah Hartford, is at the core of the story from the past. At the same time we see Grace in 1999 as a film is being made of those events in 1924 and learn more about of her life.

I liked Grace and her story. Kate Morton gives a good picture of life in a large house as the changes brought on by the First World War lead to a different attitude both for those in service and family. The central tragedy is built up to slowly and the events seem to flow naturally from what went before. I would like to know more about Grace's life in the intervening years, the pieces we learn during this story mean that she is a character I would like to see again.

I have been busy doing the same.. rearranging and so on.
Very satisfying to see when done, isn't it? Hope you have fun with your mum...

Hi Kath - well it seems like I have more space but I keep going to the wrong place to get things:)

No plans for things to do with my mum ... been focusing on getting in the right frame of mind to go to my brother's wedding a week tomorrow! I haven't been away since my sister's wedding four or five years ago!

In good news my mum has bought/put in an offer for a place near her sister. So she is moving back to Britain after years of living abroad.

Time for some more book thoughts:)

106) Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (19 - 24 August)

A few years after the Second World War on a small island near Seattle, a local fisherman is found dead. A chance remark by the coroner and the thoughts of the victim's mother lead to a Japanese-American man, Kabuo Miyamoto, being charged with murder. As a snow storm covers the island the trial unfolds.

The story goes back in time to before the war; the relationship of the man and his wife with other islanders; the treatment of the Japanese during the war; the life of the local reporter and others all intertwine into a compelling tale.

I loved the sense of place and time that Guterson gives in this story. The characters are flawed and human. As each layer of the past is revealed we learn how it affects the actions of the people. This is quality story telling and there is definitely more Guterson in my future.

Glad to see you enjoying Guterson, but I think SFoC is his masterpiece. Nothing else I have read by him lives up to it. However, hopefully you have a different opinion and can find others of his to enjoy.

Jenny I've already got East of the Mountains and The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind on the shelves of shame. I had heard that Snow Falling on Cedars is considered his best work but if either of them come close I don't think I will be too disappointed. I think I'll put off buying more until I've tried those two though.

107) Soul Catcher by Michael C White (24 - 28 August)

In 1850's Virginia Augustus Cain is a war scarred man, addicted to laudanum, he has one talent - the ability to track and return runaway slaves to their owners. Each time he does this he thinks it will be the last time and he will go west. Unfortunately he gambles unwisely and ends up in debt to a man who wants two slaves returned. As he tracks and finds the runaways he questions what he is doing and the companions foisted on him by his employer.

This is a wonderful picture of time and place. I loved nearly every word of the story as we learn more about Cain and his moral dilemma. The tensions between North and South; abolitionists and slave owners are well described. The two main characters, Cain and the runaway Rosetta, have a realistic relationship as both learn something from each other. The supporting characters are a mix of types and all add their own flavour to the story.

Michael C. White is one of my favourite discoveries of the year. This was the second of his books that I have read and he writes quality historical fiction. I can't wait to read more of his work.

Hey there, calm! It's been way too long since I stopped in to visit. I'm glad you liked The House at Riverton. I thought it was a pretty good story back when I read it.
One day I hope to get to the Sansom's and I have Snow Fallin on Cedars on my bookshelf. Years need to have 24 months in them. :0}
Hope you're doing well.

Hello calm,

I took the liberty and added both of us with The Swan Thieves to Challenge 12. :)

Hi Lynda - nice to see you:) Books are patient you'll get to them when the time is right.

Hi drachenbraut23 - thanks for doing that. I've found my copy and will get to it sometime this month:)

I like the idea of years having 24 months if it only applies to reading; 75% of 24 months = 18 month, and that might be the amount of time I'd have to tolerate Seattle's rainy, cool, gray weather. Oh, my, I don't think I can.....

Hi Karen - yes that sounds about right to me as well. Just extra reading time ... not all the other stuff:)

108) Fireworks by Angela Carter (7 - 30 August)

9 short stories from Angela Carter. As always Carter plays with language enveloping us in rich, dense prose. This is a strange collection though - ranging from the experiences of an unnamed European woman (or women) in Japan in A Souvenir of Japan, The Smile of Winter and Flesh and the Mirror; life in remote areas in stories such as The Executioner's Beautiful Daughter; Penetrating to the Heart of the Forest and Master; to the even more fantastical - The Loves of Lady Purple and Reflections and one set in London in a time that seems like the 1970's to me but a London on the verge of anarchy - Elegy for a Freelance.

I did enjoy reading this collection but I think this is one for established Carter fans. The brevity of the stories doesn't leave much space for character and all of the stories, except for the last, are more about the imagery and ideas.

109) The Cathars by Malcolm Lambert (22 July - 31 August)

Well this was more than slightly out of my depth. It is a good synthesis of the research into the Cathars in France; Italy and Bosnia, the places where there is the most surviving source material. But, for me, it was too detailed in names and places, many of which were very similar. So why did I continue slogging my way through it for over a month? Partly because I am interested in the subject and partly because I am just stubborn that way. And I did learn some more about the Cathars; their beliefs and the course of their persecution.

I can see this book being helpful to people at university level. Unfortunately it wasn't quite as accessible for me. There were maps and some illustrations to break up the text but that text, in the edition I read, was in small type and densely packed on the page. I can say it would have been more understandable if there had been a glossary and a short biography of the major figures included as appendices. As it was I had to try to remember definitions of some unfamiliar terms and also which Bernard or Arnaud (to take a couple of the more common names) was being referred to.

Would I recommend it? Not to the casual reader looking for information on the Cathars but if you have some familiarity with the subject already it will probably add more to that knowledge.

110) Silence by Shūsaku Endō translated by William Johnston (28 - 31 August)

This is a powerful work of historical fiction. In the 1640's two Portuguese Roman Catholic priests travel to Japan, where Christianity is banned and the rumour is that the mentor of one of the priests has apostatized. Seeking any Christians and to find out what really happened is foremost in the mind of Father Sebastian Rodrigues but his faith will be sorely tested.

The question of faith and martyrdom is central to this novel. As Father Rodrigues and his fellow priest try to bring the comfort of Christianity to the persecuted believers can they be as strong as the Japanese and are the people they meet actually Christians. Is it right to introduce a different faith to another country. And as the characters suffer for their faith why does God allow such things to happen. As the story unfolds these questions are important to the decisions that Father Rodrigues has to make.

Overall I was really drawn into this story. One thing that did jar with me was the hubris of Father Rodrigues and his comparisons of his life with that of Christ and the Japanese guide, Kichijiro, with that of Judas. Apart from that I think this is a great novel about belief and suffering and the Silence of God. I'm not a believer myself but through novels like this I can at least try to understand those who do believe and I think Shūsaku Endō has written something that helps me towards that understanding.

Hello calm,

Just wanted to recommend to you The Perfect Heresy by Stephen O'Shea and noticed then that you read it already, and that you liked it. I read 1/3 so far and I am really enjoying it. :)

August Summary

Books read - 11

10 - fiction
1 - nonfiction

Pages read 4205

Number of books and pages read down from last month:( But I have been a bit distracted and unfocused.

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

1) Jezebel by Eleanor de Jong (post 28) 453 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
2) The Women's Decameron by Julia Voznesenskaya (post 47) 330 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
3) Flood by Stephen Baxter (post 56) 473 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
4) *The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (post 73) 296 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
5) Dissolution by C. J. Sansom (post 107) 462 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
6) The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (post 111) 599 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
7) Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (post 114) 404 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
8) *Soul Catcher by Michael C White (post 117) 418 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
9) Fireworks by Angela Carter (post ?) 120 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
10) *The Cathars by Malcolm Lambert (post ?) 344 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
11) Silence by Shūsaku Endō (post ?) 306 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

3 from the library and 8 from my shelves - pretty good

All fit into a TIOLI challenge and a 12 in 12 category. I am still on track for the 12 in 12 with at least 8 books read per category

Books into the house - -I received one book from a very kind 75er; I borrowed 6 books from the library (and have read 3 of them); I also bought 14 books.

So 21 into the house versus 11 read - not so good.

From the library

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - read
Soul Catcher by Michael C. White - read
Flood by Stephen Baxter - read
Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
City of Sharp-Nosed Fish by Peter Parsons
The Magician King by Lev Grossman

Onto the shelves

Fireworks by Angela Carter - read
Collected Stories by Peter Carey
The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco
The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville
Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura
The Angel in the House by Kate O'Riordan
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Watcher of the Dead by J. V. Jones
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind by Davis Guterson
Sorceress by Celia Rees
A Blackbird in Darkness and A Blackbird in Twilight by Freda Warrington
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett -

and a copy of The Decipherment of Linear B by John Chadwick arrived thanks to a very kind 75er:)

Oh well September is here I am only one review behind for August. I don't have a major TIOLI list as I am going to be busy over the next week or so. This month is going to be more Leave It as I concentrate on reading those library books and recovering from my busy week:)

So don't expect too much from me this coming week, any reading I manage will be a bonus and I'm not sure how much time I'll have online.

drachenbraut23 Yes I read that one. If I remember correctly that was one of Richard's recommendations. Pleased you are enjoying it and thanks for thinking that it might be one I would like:)

wow! Busy thread! I am not a huge travel fan either.. but to see my kids, I just do it.
Youhave my sympathy as you try to gather your resources for your brother's wedding.

Snow Falling on Cedars is a fantastic book. I read it ages ago, and loved it. I have no idea what SFoC is, but I have never followed this authors books, despite liking SFoC so much. I assume it's something of his?

I also really liked The Secret Life of Bees! I hope you do too, when you get to it :)

Hi Kath - well my mother will be driving and we are staying at a B&B that my sister arranged. The neighbour who will be feeding/looking after the cats is arranged. So it is all out of my hands now. I expect everything will be fine.

Snow Falling on Cedars was great. The other book of his I picked up is a collection of short stories. I hope there are a couple of good ones at least:)

I didn't note everyone who has mentioned The Secret Life of Bees but if you liked it I hope to as well:)

Hi calm - I hope you're doing well. Great reviews! I think I'll skip the Angela Carter short stories, but I'd like to get to one of her novels at some point soon.

Hi calm, wow was this visit ever fruitful! Admittedly, it had been a while, so there was plenty here to keep me busy! Several of the titles you've read or obtained recently are on my TBR and calling my name. I got The Lies of Locke Lamora sometime last year and am dying to get to it. I cracked and got Dissolution some months back, and it's another one I can't wait to get to, and now that I've read Wolf Hall, and was thoroughly tutored by Suzanne on the court of Henry VIII I feel better prepared to tackle it. The House at Riverton has been on my radar since well before I joined this group and here's hoping I get to it soon. Same for Snow Falling on Cedars—I've seen nothing but great praise for it, and must make a point of reading it this winter. I've added you in my tags as a recommender for all of the above, save for TLoLL, which you obviously haven't reviewed yet. All that plus a couple of bullet hits with The Women's Decameron and Soul Catcher, not bad in a day's play! Just wondering though, do you think it's advisable to read the original Decameron before tackling Voznesenskaya's book? Seems to me one might get more out of it, but maybe not necessarily?

I see you didn't get to The Red Pony after all. If you've seen some of the comments on the thread, then you know that your initial impression of it at school is the same one it's made on just about everybody who's read it this month, including yours truly. I came away not liking it very much, but then when I looked up SparkNotes and saw the comments about it, it helped me see it in a whole new light. If you feel like it, you might just read the entries from SN I've posted on the thread, and consider it as your re-read. Though of course, there's zero obligation to do so!

Hi Kerri - I like Angela Carter and hope you do get around to reading some of her books. I haven't read them all ... yet:)

Thanks for stopping by Ilana - great choices:)

I haven't actually read the original Decameron so I see absolutely no problem there. I don't know for sure but it seems like just a way of giving the women a reason to tell their own stories. I don't know how close the themes are to the original.

I did take The Red Pony off the shelf and I followed that thread and saw the reactions. I must say that didn't tempt me to give it another go - that was one of the books, along with Of Mice and Men and The Pearl, that meant I didn't read another until Cannery Row last year. As they were read for school and I was an animal lover even then I found them too upsetting. Maybe when I have read the others I can find I might consider finding the time for re-reads:)

I have enjoyed the ones I've read for the Steinbeckathon so thanks to you for organising it.

HI Calm. Hope you have a great week and manage to fit some reading time in. Hope everything goes perfect for your brother's wedding!

Hi Calm, that's a very comprehensive summary of August reading; reminds meI haven't listed my August acquisitions yet, which also exceeded my total read last month...

Thanks Chelle so do I:).

Genny - Well I am trying to keep track and I must admit that when the car boot sale is on I tend to pick up nearly everything that catches my notice:) The prices are great and it is only 2 miles away not the 11 to town!

Mini rant - as some of you may know my mother is due sometime today. Last night ... after 10pm my landlady called and told me that she had arranged to have new insulation for the loft installed ... TODAY!!!!

After telling her it was NOT convenient, explaining why, etc ... she said that they would be here at 8.30 and it would take 40/45 minutes. Fair enough ... or so I thought. They turned up at 9.15, took over an hour. Oh well at least it is done, it will be warmer this winter but it has put me behind.

Still the house is clean again, I've been to the shop and got fresh milk and bread but I'm not going to have time to catch up on what everybody else is doing ... or write that last August review.

Hope everyone is alright, has a good week and I'll pop in if I get some time. If not I'll be back next week.

Hi calm,

Well, what an inconvinience. Nevertheless, I do hope you have a great time with your mother.

Have a great time with your mum, calm. If it makes you feel any better, I'm *only* behind with 6 reviews for August, and haven't found time to pick TIOLI reads. I'm finding the challenges difficult this time round. Take care!

Thanks drachenbraut and Ilana. My mum turned up just as I posted the message and we will be going out somewhere for the day. I'll try to read a few threads before getting ready but probably won't take the time to comment.

Ilana - I must admit I found the challenges tough this time, I do have a few picked out but for this is one of the few times I won't be able to do Madeline's challenge. It would take too long to go searching wishlists and. bearing in mind it would have to be a book I haven't read and that I buy all mine second hand and I am a book hoarder, the chances of my finding another copy might be very slim:(

See you all ... sometime:)

Oh my, so many goodies on your thread, Calm. Although I've come to expect that now everytime I come to visit. :)

Loved SFoC so I'm doubly glad that you enjoyed that one.
Dissolution is going on my WL and House at Riverton is already on TBR mountain. I've read one other Morton book and really enjoyed it. She is a great storyteller!

Enjoy your visit with your mom!

Thanks Valerie - I try to read books I will like, hope you like them too:)

Hi Roni - I'm hoping to, final verdict will be when she leaves on Monday morning. Had a lovely Indian meal yesterday, browsed a few charity shops in a town I rarely visit, as it is only half an hour by car but there is no direct bus route to it for me, and also drove around the countryside looking at the scenery. It was a lovely sunny day after all the rain we have suffered this year.

I managed to find a few books:)

The Epic of Gilgamesh (penguin classics edition) - which has been on my wishlist for years.
The Good Women of China by Xinran - I read her Sky Burial and wanted to read this one as well
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple - I've read a couple of his books and wouldn't mind reading more
and Always Coming Home by Ursula Le Guin - I mostly like her work and don't think I've read this one yet.

Just off to read as many threads as possible before my mum wakes up.

We're are leaving tomorrow to go to the wedding. So I won't be online over the weekend. I'll try to catch up properly when I get back:)

Hi Calm,
interesting book haul there, I only know the Le Guin one. I wish you a great time at the wedding and especially a great time with your mum. Have a lovely weekend.

Thanks Drachenbraut - Mum's just woken up so I'm just about to go offline:(

See you all ... sometime:)

Have a nice time at the weekend!

I am adding Flood to the BlackHole. Several of your other recommendations were already there, so at least I dodged some BBs!

Calm - interesting book haul - The Epic of Gilgamesh is one I am also on the look-out for. Lovely image of you driving slowly through the West Wales countryside a-green after all the mid-summer showers.

I think I've got a little bit of time:)

Thanks Laura - I hope to have a good time as well:)

Well dodged Stasia. I just finished the sequel Ark - it was different, a bit more hard science to begin with but once things really get started it does get interesting.

Thanks Paul - As I buy all mine second hand and don't do online buying it is all a matter of serendipity of what I actually find. That one has been on my wishlist longer than I've been on LT! I did read it many years ago but the details are a bit fuzzy.

Yes Wales is very green, but for the last few days the weather has been beautifully sunny and the forecast is good for the weekend as well. Mum didn't need the Wellies she brought with her this year:)

Aberystwyth yesterday, more charity shop browsing so more books

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other stories by Washington Irving (might be some good Halloween reading there)
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier ( liked Remarkable Creatures and this one fits a period of history that I like)
The Water of the Hills by Marcel Pagnol (the omnibus of Jean De Florette and Manon of the Springs - I've seen the films but never read the novels)
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald (somebody read this recently, sorry can't remember offhand who but I thought it sounded like one I would like)
and Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (I know I have got a copy of this out of the library but I haven't read it yet; the library copy is a big heavy hardback and I'm not entirely sure if I will have the time to read it before it is due back)

Also bought a copy of Chocolat for my mother as she refused to borrow mine, not being sure when she could return it to me.

We'll be off shortly, see you all next week.

Another nice little book haul you have got there. My parents told me I am not allowed any charity shops in October, they are always to scared HOW much I will find. However, I just can't help it. We have got alltogether 6 charity shops not far from where I live in London - so the temptation is very, very high.

I read those Marcel Pagnol novels last year and really enjoyed them. I saw the films a couple of years earlier.

Hi calm,
I think you will like The Lady and the Unicorn sde it is historical, interesting and amusing.
Have a great weekend!

Well... sort of caught up...

>114 calm: I have been meaning to read Snow Falling on Cedars for an absolute AGE. I recently bought another of his based on my predicted liking of his style.....do you do that? Think you are really going to like an author even though youve never read them? Anyway, Ive also got East of the Mountains on my shelves. And I hope to read both books one day soon!

Hope you have a great weekend! Best wishes for your brother

#153 I'm another one who has had Snow Falling on Cedars on my wishlist forever!

Calm have a wonderful West Wales weekend if you'll excuse a lip into alliteration for just a moment.

Snow Falling on Cedars could possibly be the book which has been on my wishlist the longest. It sounds like I should read it!

I read and enjoyed a story from another Angela Carter collection this week for Luci's challenge and I do have a copy of Fireworks so may well dip into that one before too long.

I hope all is going well this weekend!

Thanks for all the messages. I'll reply in the morning; just saying I survived the weekend; the wedding was beautiful and for practically the first weekend this summer it didn't rain until I was nearly home:)

Only downside was not time for much reading and none for finding a bookshop:(

I might even put up a photo or two, if I managed to get anything decent, when I upload them to Flickr and see if you can guess which person is me:) Give me a couple of days as my mum will not be leaving until sometime tomorrow.

Glad to see you had a nice time :) I would love to see a pic of you ! You are so mysterious ~

Also glad to hear that you had a great time - and that the weather was playing nicely.

Yes, I would love to see who is sitting behing the owl in the rocking chair :)

Great to hear that you had a nice time, and no rain! Yay! Hope you have a relaxing couple of days to recover :)

*waving* at calm

Mum has left, I've managed to get the few halfway decent photos I took onto Flickr (I only had my phone so the quality isn't brilliant)

But I'll do some catching up here first, hope I don't miss anyone and get all the names right:)

Bianca - my mum loves charity shops and can scarcely pass one without having a look:) Of course I take the time to browse the books. I don't need clothes or bric-a-brac:)

Kerri - It is years since I saw the films but I expect I will like the books. Nice to see that someone else read and enjoyed them recently:)

Lynda - I had a brilliant weekend, apart from the fact that my mum goes to bed shortly after 10 and I was sharing a room with her so couldn't have a light on to read:( and there didn't seem to be a place for residents to sit at the B&B except for the garden and a small sofa on the landing.

Pleased to hear that you liked the Chevalier.

That's alright Kath; I still have to try and see what else has been happening in LT-land while I've been away. There seem to be a lot of messages when you don't get the chance to check in everyday!

Megan I sure do - I think I've had East of the Mountains sitting on the shelf nearly as long as I had Snow Falling on Cedars.

Thanks Chelle - they both seem very happy; close and very much in love. It was also wonderful to have so many of the family in one place at the same time as well:)

Paul - your wishes must have done something right - the sun shined for them:)

Dee - those books sure do pile up. fortunately they wait patiently until it is time for them to come off the shelf:)

Kath - I'm not really mysterious, I just never seem to go places where someone might take a photo of me and there are other people in the 75ers with my "real" first name and I like being called calm:)

Bianca (I hope I got that right - it seems to be what people are calling you on your thread) I like being the owl in the rocking chair:)

Thanks Jenny - it was a lovely weekend.

Hi Stasia - *waves* back, still haven't had time to check into the Acre - I'll be over soon and hope not to be hit by too many BBs:)

Photo and link to a few more coming up in the next message

So as promised I'm in this one:)



and here's a link to the rest:)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40205143@N03/sets/72157631496949734/

Now I'm off to make a cup of coffee and then I'll start catching up with what everybody else has been doing:)

You will not get hit with any BBs this week - I decided not to post my list until Wednesday, the first day of my new school session.

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

OK then Stasia - I feel a bit safer visiting your new thread then:)

LOL!

I went to Flickr to see your wedding pictures. It looks like it was a lovely day, and I'm sure the bride and groom will remember it very fondly.

I also added you as one of my Flickr contacts. I am Photomaggie there if you want to look at my photographs.

I hope you have a great week!

Thanks Stasia - didn't warn me about the cuteness though:)

Thanks Karen - I found you and added you as a contact. Must admit I don't take many pictures and I suck at organising them. I think it took me an hour or so of faffing around to get that set uploaded from my camera!

I'm very slowly reading all your threads. Not taking the time to comment, still a bit tired from all the travelling and knocking back a whole bottle of wine after getting home yesterday:)

Hello calm,

lovely pics of the wedding. It looks like you had a lot of fun - I think I found your hiding place behind the owl - your outfit for the wedding looked lovely.

Thank you for sharing the nice pics. :)

I hope you enjoyed your bottle of wine !

Thanks Bianca.

It was a good weekend though I did spend a lot of the reception sitting outside catching up with one of my cousins who I hadn't seen since my sister's wedding.

I do appear in one of the other pictures but I haven't seen any that anybody else took yet. But then again the others have gone back to work or looking after children and my mother won't be home for a couple more weeks, she is still travelling and also is arranging completion on her new flat. In the UK after 28 years abroad!

I did enjoy the wine but I expect I won't be doing the whole bottle thing in the near future ... though I am still waiting to hear if my very busy cat sitter can come round for dinner sometime this week.

I have read every thread that I have ever posted on and a few more that I regularly just lurk on but still haven't managed to catch up with all the 75ers ... hopefully sometime in the next few days but people don't seem to stop posting:)

Now that was a clever way to do it, posting a link to the rest! nice photos, and clearly a nice wedding :)
I am pretty sure that you are NOT the one in a suit? :)

Good plan, probably to not drink a bottle of wine at a time.. but sometimes, it is just the right thing to do...

Thanks Kath - Well I must admit that I didn't fancy posting the lot on this thread. I didn't take many and the crowd outside the church was pretty large so I didn't try to take any there but was pleased to get the one of them leaving in the car ... I was the other side of the road sitting on a bench:)

and yes the one in the middle is my brother:) We popped into the pub for a drink and a sandwich before the service and my brother also turned up, then my father and his wife ... not planned at all but it was good to have a quick word before the ceremony.

No the wine is not a regular thing but it was a hectic week for me.

I have read every thread that I have ever posted on and a few more that I regularly just lurk on but still haven't managed to catch up with all the 75ers ... hopefully sometime in the next few days but people don't seem to stop posting:)

Indeed it is like painting the Forth Bridge isn't it? Still it is fun though even though it could replace full time employment.

I'm fond of the old churches and the one in your pictures looked particularly quaint.

Hi Paul, yes it was a nice old church - St Florence near Tenby. Just tried to find some images online. I can't find much on a quick search but here's one



obviously not my brother's wedding:)

I think there were about sixty or so people at the ceremony and I don't think the church could have held many more.

Wow, just trying to catch up on your thread, Calm! Looks like you had a lovely time at the wedding. It must be nice to get back to a regular routine after all the festivities, as much fun as they usually are. :)
I love the look of all the churches in Europe. We have nothing like that here. Everything looks so "new" in comparison, but then lacking the history, which in my opinion, is what makes them magical!

Agree. It's nice to do something unusual and fun, but getting back to home and comfort is best.

Thanks Valerie - Still not quite back to routine - I'm catching up on laundry and have invited my cat sitters around to dinner as well. So I have to do a bit of prep and go to the shop tomorrow.

I love old churches, it is just sad that so many are locked these days. Fortunately there are a few in the area that I can visit - I find them to be a calm and soothing place to be (as long as there is no one else there!)

Kath - I must admit to be being pleased to get back to my own bed; books and cats:)

Speaking of books I did finish another one this morning - which makes a grand total of 2 for September so far! Book thoughts can wait for a few days though:)

I still haven't catalogued the ones I bought while my mother was here; am still trying to catch up on all the 75ers. Ten threads or so at a time. Lots of good books and interesting things going on. Not much commenting but then I am always more of a lurker:) I think I've got it down to only one page of threads now so hope to be up to date later today.

Well unless someone posts while I'm typing this I'm caught up, with I must admit some skimming, on all the individual 75er threads. Not a couple of the group read threads as I still intend to get to Half A Yellow Sun and Paradise Lost sometime:)

Time for a break and then I better do some cataloguing and then think about updating my latest reads:)

Back soonish ... I hope:)

I feel the need to write something, just so you're not caught up :P

I don't stay that way for long Jenny:) How's Connie - have you had the chance to take her to the beach recently?

Glad the wedding went well and well done on catching up on all the threads! I still feel like I'm trying to catch up but I can't remember why I got behind in the first place anymore!

Connie is doing great thanks. No visits to the beach since the one in the summer as she is now into full competition mode, and it wouldn't do to disrupt the schedule with a blast on the beach, however fun it is. We spend a lot of time when working up to competitions making sure that she listens, and things like the beach tend to cause horses to blank out their riders for at least a week afterwards, they have so much fun!!

Heather - work; commuting; a life? I tend to be housebound most of the time so slip onto LT a lot during the day - beats watching television:) Though I still try to find time to read:)

That makes sense Jenny, good luck with the competitions. Hope she does well and has fun doing them:)

drive-by hug

Good morning,

I also like this old little church, and especially the really old ones you find in the small villages in the country side are absolutely stunning. During my first year in England I went to a trip to Saffron Waldon, I remember when I passed a small village, I actually stopped to have a look at the church. It was a church I guess build in the 13th or 14th Century and was just beautiful.

I went to a trip to Romania last year and one of our stops was in the Maramures, because they are known for their wooden Churches. My friend, myself and our children were utterly impressed especially after we visited the monastery in Barsanna.

Here a pic of the monastery :)



BTW: I started The Swan Thieves yesterday evening. :)

Thanks Rdear:) *smooch*

Hi Bianca - That place looks amazing. I haven't started The Swan Thieves - yet. But it will probably be reasonably soon. Just clearing up the libraries books first so I can take them back before they are overdue:)

Just need to pop down the village to get some things for tonight - I think I will buy a frozen desert as I don't feel up to cooking one; a quick tidy and clean the bathroom. Already made a pasta sauce and the rest can be cooked after my friends arrive. Then hopefully I will be able to sit down and catch up on some book thoughts and maybe, cats allowing, get a bit of reading in.

Back later:)

Oh wow, I'd love to go to that place in Romania.

I've been to an awful lot of churches in England as my granddad was really into them. I love how they are all the same yet all so different, and you can't drive through a village without one. It worries me (despite not being a practising Christian - I am technically CofE but I certainly don't go to church) what will happen to them as village populations fall and attendances dwindle. I hope they hang on.

Hi Jenny - it is much the same for me - technically CofE but not an active believer. It is sad to see churches being disused but as society changes I suppose it is inevitable. I just hope that the buildings can be preserved for the sense of history. I'm not too sure about them being converted into homes but at least that way they don't end up derelict.

I am an atheist but very much interested in religion itself, and I love especially churches from the medival times. They are so different and I just hope that they can be preserved.

The churches in Romania are quite impressive. However, it's not just the wooden churches, but they still have got all these old wooden house structures as well, with great wooden gates - which are most stunningly carved. I loved Romania last year and definately will go back another year. Although, we just roamed the villages and part of the carpathian mountains. We also went to see "The laughing Cemetery" - the only cemetery of its kind in the whole world. That was very impressive as well. Calm, I can imagine that this would be something you could enjoy as well.



All crosses are made individually by an artist, who paints something specific about this person, underneath the painting you find some funny anecdotes from that person's life. That's where the laughing bit comes in.

Beautiful Bianca - almost tempts me to start travelling:)

I would totally do a European tour just to see all the different churches you guys have over there!
Whether, one is religious or not, I think all can appreciate the history and culture inherent in them so I do hope they survive all the changes!

Definitely a lot of history in Europe Valerie. Hope you can make it someday:)

Obviously didn't manage to get back here yesterday. Off to check out what everyone else has been doing. Then, I'll try to get this thread back to books:)

But first a short message, As some of you know I like doing the TIOLI challenges. This month Madeline's challenge is to read a book someone else has wishlisted and pass it on. So here is an offer for anyone who is interested.

I've just realised that I have got two copies of Kazuo Ishiguro's A Pale View of the Hills. So if anybody has it on their wishlist and is willing to give me their mailing address please let me know and I'll send it to you this month.

Hi Calm. Love the pictures from the wedding. Looks like it was a great day :)

Thanks Chelle:)

Still haven't got around to writing any book comments for my September reads but Caro's gift to Paul reminded me that I hadn't reviewed one of my favourite reads of 2010! So my latest review is for Night Train to Lisbon:) Definitely still needs to go on the re-read pile though.

Richard posted this

It's international book week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you, turn to page 52, post the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the title. Copy the rules as part of your post.

Round about the public buildings cluster private houses great and small, mostly of two or three stories.

(anything inside quotes counts as one sentence for this meme)

Okay, I give: What were you reading?

Thought you weren't meant to say but as it is you - City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish by Peter Parsons

"Do you remember me from school?", he asked.
Page 52 5th sentence of a book I bought today.

Have a wonderful weekend.

>199 calm: Not supposed to POST it with the quote...the meme's purpose is to make folks curious about each others' reading.

And drat the luck! My liberry doesn't have the book!

Well Paul - you bought 5 (6 including the one for SWMBO, but I doubt if it from that) but I haven't read any of them so no guesses:)

Sorry to hear that the library has let you down Richard. It was first published 5 years ago so you might have some luck finding a second hand copy - Just looked on Abe books and there seem to be several copies available starting from $6.

Good morning *wave*.

Aha, I see you revealed your book already.

Good morning (oops afternoon) Bianca:)

Well Richard asked nicely:) Should have guessed yours came from a Murakami novel:)

111) Ark by Stephen Baxter (1 - 7 September)

This is the sequel/companion book to Baxter's Flood. In the first we learn about the rising waters engulfing the world; in this one we follow as some people attempt to create an Ark - an escape for a few people from the flood. There are a few characters that appear in both books but on the whole this focuses on a different set of characters - the young people who are trained to crew the Ark. To begin with I found some of the technical details of the construction of the Ark a bit hard but as the story continues I got drawn into the characters fates.

I must admit that I preferred Flood slightly more but this is still an interesting read. The stresses on society as the water level grows; the fate of the young people who may be the last hope of the survival of the human race and the conflict of being in a small space for an extended period of time as they seek a new home are all worth reading. Like Flood this novel covers a long period of time but, somehow, it isn't quite as cohesive. Still good and I will read more Baxter and hope that he revisits some of the characters and their continuing stories in the future.

112) The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler (7 - 12 September)

This is a wonderful piece of historical fiction. Set against the pogrom against the Jews, and New Christians, of Lisbon in the early Sixteenth Century a young man, Berekiah, focuses on the murder of his uncle. Despite the violent background to the murder Berekiah is sure that this murder has been committed by a friend or associate of his uncle.

Zimler has created an evocative novel. The background of the violence against the Jews adds tension to the story. The characters are diverse, and on the whole, well fleshed and believable. The historical research seems sound to me and the resolution to the murder had me guessing until the end. I'm definitely going to read more of Zimler's work.

113) The Magician King by Lev Grossman (12 - 15 September)

This is the sequel to Grossman's The Magicians so there will probably be spoilers for the first book in these comments.

Following the end of The Magicians Quentin, Julia, Janet and Eliot are now Kings and Queens of Fillory. Quentin has matured some between the two books and continues to do so as this story unfolds, he is still Quentin though:) During a hunt someone unexpectedly dies and Quentin and Julia go on a quest, leading them to places they do not want to be. Interspersed with this story are chapters about Julia's past and how she became a witch. The actual quest and the meeting with characters new and old was good fun. To be honest I actually found Julia's story the more interesting but also unsatisfying in that I am still unclear about some aspects of her life.

Overall a good sequel, with less of the teenage angst, drinking and sex of the first. There is still strong language, death and violence - some of the language seems unnecessary but the death and violence does fit the story. Grossman has successfully written his own version of a fantasy novel, the themes are all present and not too over the top in the context of the story.

I hope to see what Grossman does with these characters next and I will definitely carry on reading his work.

I'll be interested in your thoughts: reading pending....

Coming soon Karen - I have to return two of them to the library tomorrow or the next day:)

Good morning Calm, I am curious on your thoughts on "The Magician King" - I have read both books at the beginning of the year and experienced very mixed feelings with these two books.

Hi Bianca - didn't feel up to writing any book comments yesterday. I thought that The Magician King was very uneven and I'm not sure that I "got" it all. More thoughts later but must see what everyone else has been doing - better save my typing hand though:) More lurking:)

Hi calm, what a joy it was to catch up on your thread this morning. The wedding day looks like it was perfect! and I love the bride and grooms getaway car!
I'm also a sucker for old churches. Hard to imagine they were built by human hands hundreds of years ago.
Enjoyed Bianca's pics of Romania as well. I'm a 1/4 Romanian and love learning more about the country.
Richard's post is cool too, I think I'll give it a try. Have a good evening!

Thanks for stopping by Lynda - yes it was a lovely day. Practically all the summer here has been wet and miserable - a few days before the wedding it dried up and the rain stayed away until after I got home - just started drizzling as I got back:)

The thirties theme worked really well for the wedding and so many people had great costumes. The happy couple have some wonderful and creative friends:)

1/4 Romanian! That's interesting.

Hope you and your mom are having a good day.

Hi Calm! I lost you somehow, but I'm back. You can't shake me that easily!! Glad you survived the wedding and I've decided that if I have to be buried, I'd really like to be in a laughing cemetery too! That sounds ideal. : )

Hi Kim - pleased you found me again:) Yes I just about survived the wedding:) The laughing cemetery does look good.

Went to the doctors today and have been taken off the drug that doesn't seem to be doing me any good. Hopefully I will be able to concentrate again now.

Of course while out I stopped and looked in the second hand bookshop and had to bring a few home with me:)

Onto the shelves of shame
Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury - the sequel to Dandelion Wine
Baudolino by Umberto Eco - I originally borrowed this from the library shortly after it was published and I want to read it again
Every Day is Mother's Day by Hilary Mantel - well it's Hilary Mantel, how could I resist:)
and The Portrait by Iain Pears - liked the sound of this one and have liked the other Pears books I have read so far.

Off to see what else is happening on LT:)

just a quick hello... glad you were able to get rid of an unhelpful med!
As always your books look appealing :)

I purchased a copy of Flood and so I believe I have you to thank for that. :)

Hello calm,

congrats to the nice book haul. I am 1/3 through the Swan Thieves, so far very good. Very descriptive in a nice way :). Glad to hear that you could stop one medication you didn't tolerate well, so hopefully that will make you feel better.

Hi Kath - yes I hope I can get back to where I was before we tried this one. But I don't think the stress of travelling and socialising has helped me so I might settle a bit anyway.

Appealing books ... Well I try to read books that I will like, I'm just pleased of other people like them too:)

Valerie - it could have been me:) Hope you like it, as I said I didn't like the sequel quite as much but it was still interesting. I like SF about people, society and coping with a different situation more than all the technical details.

Hi Bianca - I can't resist books:) It's just trying to be selective about which ones come home with me.

I think I'm about a quarter of the way through The Swan Thieves - I'm liking it more than The Historian ... so far:)

Another great book haul, you always seem to come across some great titles.

Glad to hear that you are coming off medication, hope it goes well.

Thanks Kerry - I think one of the good things about this area is a good variety of second hand books. I'm quite close to a University town so, at certain times of the year, there is a really good selection as students go home and don't take all their books with them:)

I think the side effect I hated most was being unable to concentrate for very long - so my reading slowed down - and I couldn't see any good things happening while I was on it so it was an easy decision to stop taking it. Back to just the long-standing meds but I guess I just want my problems stabilised as much as possible and to be able to read:)

Good morning Calm,

I enjoyed your review on The Magician King - I didn't like the book as much as you, and couldn't quite see the point of the quest, nor did I see much of a maturing process. I just could not really connect with the characters in the story, and very often just felt annoyed about their shallow behaviour, Quentin's sulking.

I am 1/2 way through The Swan Thieves now - so far I really enjoy it. I wouldn't say it is better than the The Historian, as they are two entirely different books. What I do enjoy is her descriptive writing style.

Hi Bianca - oh well we don't all react o books in the same way and it would be pretty boring if we did:)

I'm about 2/3 through The Swan Thieves and liking it a lot. Hope to finish it in the next day or two:)

Still need to play catch up with the other reviews but need to go to town. I've got a couple of books to pick up at the library and some shopping to do. Back later - probably with another confession time:)

I have The Magician, the first book, and The Swan Thieves on my TBR mountain, but I think you should be sick of me writing that by now. Story of my life! ;)

The same happens to me with other people, Valerie. So many books on that TBR pile and so many more coming into the house. But people keep finding little treasures and if I see them ... well what's one more when there are so many waiting already:)

Speaking of books I was reasonably restrained today.

From the library
The Valley of Assassins by Freya Stark - thanks to Stasia for the recommendation
Hunting Midnight by Richard Zimler - the second in the Zarco series, still need to write comments for The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon but the fact that I immediately requested the second book says something:)
Initiate's Trial by Janny Wurts - The latest (published in 2011, but this is a new paperback) a series I have been reading since The Curse of the Mistwraith was published.

Onto the shelves
Your Blue-Eyed Boy by Helen Dunmore - haven't read this author before but decided to give this a try. I have seen a lot of her books around so probably worth investigating at least.
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber - was on my wishlist
Ilario by Mary Gentle - I like her work:)

Off to check out what everyone else is up to.

Hey! I just purchased a copy of The Crimson Petal and the White a couple of weeks ago as well. :)

Yeah, I know too well what you mean. I have plans to go purchase at least 2 bookshelves today since they are on sale and will commence to organize my books. Wish me luck!

I need to move The Crimson Petal and the White up the stack a bit.

Good luck Valerie - I do need more shelves but don't really have anywhere to put them and I would rather spend the money on books - as long as I don't have to start leaving piles on the floor:)

Hi Kath - a lot of people have said that it is good - no idea how long it will stay on the shelf though:)

I'm putting them in the bathroom if I have to at this point. :)

Hi Calm,

what a great book haul. I think especially this one Ilario by Mary Gentle sounds great. I have never read anything by this author.

Oh yeah, book space - this is getting to depressing *sigh*

Have a lovely weekend !

I read The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon when it first came out and loved it. I didn't have the sequel to go on with back then but recently became aware that it was now part of a series (thanks LT series feature) and now have a couple more of the books. Just need to find time to read them.

Looks like some good acquisitions!

Hi calm. Interesting discussion about The Magician King - I'm still in two minds about whether I want to read it.

Hope the change in meds means you can concentrate better and get more reading done! :-)

Kerry - it was a good one, unfortunately the library only had the second in the series so I'll have to keep my eyes open for the rest.

Thanks Roni:)

Heather - well I liked it but it was more disjointed than the first. The Julia chapters just seemed to be placed randomly - I did like learning about her back-story though:)

Feeling a bit more "normal" already. I'll have to see about the reading, with everything else that went on this month this is going to be the month I read the fewest books that I can remember:(

Still have to get my thoughts organised and I'm definitely not going to get to target for my 12 in 12 (one book per category per month) - but I have read more in some categories so hope to catch up before the end of the year:)

It is a wet and cold day here so maybe I'll settle down to getting some thoughts down:)

Back later.

Hi calm, glad you're feeling well after dropping that med. The second hand store and library hauls look great! I hope you enjoy The Crimson Petal, a chunkster but a quick read none the less.

Quick ? - Do you cut back your butterfly bush this time of year or wait till spring?

Hope you're having a nice afternoon.

Hi Lynda - thanks, I think that you are one of the people who made me look out for The Crimson Petal:) I hope it doesn't languish for too long on the shelves of shame!

The Butterfly bush - normally in the spring. Though this year I didn't get around to doing it and have just been lopping off large bits as it finished flowering. Already getting new growth so am a bit worried about how it will react to frost this winter. They are hardy plants though and it takes a lot to kill one:)

Hoping for a quiet afternoon - not quite there yet:)

Looks like things are calm and peaceful here as usual!

I have been lopping off bits of trees and shrubs myself. I am not looking forward to the morning glory tug... the day when I have to pull up the glories. I always hate that day.

Not so sure about the calm and peaceful Kath - it is so wet out that one of the cats is being a little troublesome - just won't settle. Makes it difficult trying to do things when she wants to sit on my right arm:)

This has been such an awful year that the garden has really suffered. I dread trying to start afresh:(

114) Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura translated by Mark Ealey (13 - 18 September)

For such a short novel this one is very atmospheric and poignant. It covers three years in the life in an isolated coastal village in medieval Japan as Isaku, the young narrator, takes on the role of provider for his family. The father having sold himself for three years in order to provide grain for his family - a tradition of the village during the lean years. As Isaku learns more about the traditions of the village and what his vague memories of the previous O-fune-same mean to the survival of the villagers we learn with him. There is a certain repetition to the story - the appearance of the blossom on the nearby mountain in the spring; the short fishing seasons as various species make their appearance and the rituals that the village holds in order to attract the O-fune-same. But Isaku's reactions to these seasonal happenings develop as the story unfolds.

Sad and powerful, even in translation, the day to day life of such a marginal community as seen through young Isaku's eyes is wonderful. This was my first Yoshimura novel it probably won't be my last.

I find Japanese history fascinating, especially during the isolationist years! Thanks for the review, Calm. Is it still raining? Is the cat still lounging on your arms?

Valerie - I seem to have read a few novels set in Japan over the last month or so. I'm really enjoying them:) I still owe a review for the one I read at the end of August - Silence and I finished A Pale View of Hills last night. All different periods of history and all interesting in their own way but I do think that Shipwrecks was the best of the three:)

It is still grey but I can't hear any rain. As for the cat I just gave her some food and she is curled up fast asleep. Bliss!

Hello calm,
enjoyed your review on Shipwrecks, sounds like a book I also would enjoy. :)

Glad to hear that you are feeling a bit more "normal" already after they dropped one of your meds, and hopefully that will further improve soon.

This has been such an awful year that the garden has really suffered. I dread trying to start afresh:(
I wholeheartedly agree with this - my garden, seriously suffered this year. So, many of my beautiful plants just died, I really hope that I am going to be a bit more lucky with the climbing roses I planted.

We have had most of the day storm, lightening, thunder and heavy rain - exactly the right weather for reading - IF there wouldn't be my brothers little dog, who is so scared of thunder that she wants to sit in your lap all day.

On Wednesday I am going back to London for five weeks and just hope that the weather isn't going to bad.

I wish you a very nice evening Calm!

#239 I read Shipwrecks earlier in the year. I think it definitely counts as the saddest book I have read all year. I did feel that I needed to know a bit more about medieval Japan to fully appreciate it.

>239 calm: *grumble* Hit by a book bullet. *grouse*

>239 calm: duly wishlisted, thanks you. And possibly a good gift for my dad....
(just in case you go check my wishlist and dont see it, its because I put books on my library "for later" list, and just call that my wishlist...Id hate you to think Im making up stories!) ;)

Oh, and Tenby looks so lovely. Im not sure if I went through there on my visits to Wales, but it sounds very very familiar to me so maybe I did.

Bianca - hope you like Shipwrecks.

Well dropping that med means that I am getting back to where I was before I started it - not perfect health but bearable. Just hated not being able to concentrate and, as I said, my reading suffered - not a good side affect and there is only so much daytime TV you can watch without going completely brain dead:)

As the rain continues to fall I hope it stops soon. I think this has been one of the wettest years I can remember. I need to go to the village but don't feel brave enough to go out:( Really hope it dries up soon and you have pleasant weather for your trip to London - can't say I would fancy being on the ferry with high winds and rain!

Rhian - sometimes reading a novel sends me off to find more information about the time and place but, strangely, not this one. I just took it as it was. Might have something to do with being semi-brain dead while reading it:) But I agree that it was very sad.

Richard - Oh dear ... sorry to hit you with a BB.

Megan - I hope you and your father like Shipwrecks.

Tenby is a very interesting town, not that I really went into the town this time as the wedding was a few miles away and we stayed in a small village outside Tenby. There is definitely a Norman influence and some very old buildings and an English atmosphere to the area. Well worth visiting but maybe not at the height of the tourist season:)

Still playing catch up on the books I have finished recently. Only have one chapter left in my latest nonfiction read but I have been reading that since the start of the month:( I also started Baudolino - guess I'm getting my reading mojo back to even consider an Eco:)

Off to check out the threads but if the weather eases up some I am going to take a walk down to the village. Back later.

I confess I'd love to come visit Wales. Even in the "off" seasons. A little bit of rain never stops me here at home where we are also famously wet. Our August and September have been way dry, and warm, and we are enjoying it. June and July were both wet and cold. But I am getting ready for rainy October - June.

Hope that the rain has stopped for you! It is currently NOT raining here, which is a great relief because it means the cats have been put out instead of charging round the house being annoying.

I can even see blue sky!

Karen - I hope you manage to get to Wales it is a beautiful part of the world. I actually prefer visiting places when it is quieter - easier to see things, get a seat in a cafe, etc. But then I am not fond of crowds:)

We don't seem to have had much dry weather this year - a few really nice days but the ground is so saturated that even a little bit of rain is troublesome and we aren't just getting a little bit:(

I don't mind taking pleasure walks while it is raining so it is not so much the rain as walking nearly two miles, half of it on a main road (no pavement) with poor visibility and potentially crazy drivers. I would be soaked before I got halfway there and it is more dangerous than usual. Tomorrow is supposed to be a bit better so I'll go out then.

No Jenny it is still raining, no blue sky at all. For once the cats have been behaving themselves - well there is only one who gets a bit annoying and she is the one who actually prefers staying in. My other girl has done her usual curl up on the bed with an occasional sit on the window sill and look out. Must admit it has been a bit strange to have the semi-tame one sitting under the kitchen table most of the day. He normally disappears after breakfast and then comes back later in the day:)

Still ruminating on the book thoughts - I will get there sooner or later:)

hmm not up for sad. I can make myself sad enough with no help form a good book :P

just popping in and sort of catching up...*waves*

Thanks Kath - *waves*

115) The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (16 - 22 September)

A noted painter, Robert Oliver, is arrested for attempting to damage a painting in a museum and sent for psychiatric help. Unfortunately he refuses to speak; obsessively paints the same woman and reads some nineteenth century letters. His psychiatrist, Andrew Marlow, becomes increasingly exacerbated by his patient and contacts the man's ex-wife in order to delve into the mystery. Interspersed in this story are the letters and, later, more complete chapters about their author.

Kostova has successfully created a fictional back story in the nineteenth century - complete with a little known Impressionist artist and her family. The reason for Oliver's obsession is never fully explained but I still liked reading about Marlow's quest to help his uncommunicative patient. I loved most of this novel but was disappointed by its abrupt ending. Maybe the characters are not the most fully fleshed but on the whole the story drew me in and kept me turning the pages. I just wish the ending had been stronger.

116) A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (21 - 23 September)

What to say about Ishiguro's debut novel? This is a difficult one, enigmatic and perplexing. From my limited knowledge of Ishiguro there are certain themes I recognise - the unreliability of memory and the after-effects of social change. In this one the narrator is Etsuko a Japanese woman living in England who after the suicide of her oldest daughter is visited by her youngest daughter. During this visit Etsuko remembers her time living in Nagasaki just after the Second World War; her friendship with another woman, Sachiko, and a visit from her father-in-law.

There is something shadowy and unreliable about Etsuko's memories. Things are not explained directly and most of the story comes sideways, subtly building up a picture that is disturbing. I'm still not entirely sure of everything that happened to Sachiko and her daughter; why or how Etsuko ends up in a second marriage to an Englishman. What happens in her relationship with her daughters.

This is hauntingly beautiful though. I love the way that Ishiguro's builds a story and the images he uses but I was left unsettled and unsure at the ending. No answers but worth reading anyway.

As always West Wales is full of wonderful reading! Ishiguro is nice way to anglicise your Japanese reading after what seems an intriguing read in Shipwrecks. Must admit though that I got stuck on Swan Thieves and will have to revisit it someday.

Hi Paul - thanks for stopping by. I seem to have hit a Japanese streak and it isn't over yet - I've got 1Q84 on hold at the library:) For me Shipwrecks was a slightly better read than A Pale View of Hills. I will definitely be reading more from both authors sometime:)

I can see how someone could get stuck on The Swan Thieves - I was disappointed by how it ended but I enjoyed the journey until the end. I think that is it for Kostova for now - at least I don't think she has published a third book yet.

Still playing catch up on the September reads. Hope to get the last one written today so I can finish up September reasonably caught up and I want to take part in Suz's Readathon this weekend as I would like to finish at least two more books this month:)

Back later:)

Love your review of A Pale View of Hills. I remember having a fairly similar reaction to it when I read it a few years ago.

Thanks Rhian.

117) City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish : Greek lives in Roman Egypt by Peter Parsons (1 - 25 September)

In the nineteenth century archaeologists digging near the Nile in Egypt discovered a treasure trove of ancient papyri. What they found includes classical literature; personal letters; administrative records and much more. Translating this vast collection is still going on but Peter Parsons describes what is known about life in Oxyrhynchos, the City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish, mainly during the period of Roman rule through these documents.

Starting with the history of the discovery and the archaeologists Parsons then divides the documentary evidence into different subjects. There are some great illustrations - both of the site and the papyri; the story of life covered by the source material and the extracts that Parsons includes builds up into a fascinating picture of the times.

This is a good popular history, reasonably well laid out. The wealth of details included about the inhabitants and their daily life; the recovery of texts that were thought lost and the fact that the work of translation continues made this worth reading. Now I just need to wait and see what else will be uncovered from this treasure trove of papyri.

Thanks for the review, it looks like something I'd very much enjoy, so onto the wishlist it goes :)

Are you joining the 1Q84 group read in October?

Hi Jenny - whichever book caught your notice I hope you like it:)

Roni - I think I posted on that thread. I'll be picking up the books (it is split into 2 volumes at my local library) sometime at the beginning of the week. Don't know how much I'll contribute but I do hope to lurk there at least:)

Just about to sign in to the Readathon thread and then I better get some reading in before I go to sleep:)

speaking of catching up :)
Interesting books, as always :)
Hope all is well?

Thanks for stopping by Kath. So many people read interesting books that I can't help myself - I just pick the ones that look interesting to me as well:)

Things aren't too bad - just about to go to bed and settle down to reading for a while.

Hope all is well for you.

Hello calm,
beautiful reviews up there, and very fitting. I finished The Swan Thieves as well, and felt very similar about the ending. To be honest, I think I prefer The Historian by her.

I am back in London since Wednesday night and was surprised to find the weather ok. I wish you a very happy weekend.

Thanks Bianca - I still preferred The Swan Thieves to The Historian - I had trouble distinguishing between the various voices in that one - the characters all sounded the same to me:) I also think that the subject of The Swan Thieves was one I liked better, though The Historian did sound like it should be a good fit for my tastes:)

Pleased the weather is behaving over there, still not so good here:)

Hope you have a good weekend.

I put the fireplace on for just a bit, to banish the damp, as best I can. It will be pleasant today, but it has been so damp for so long I feel a wee bit mildewed around the edges :P

I need to go off and pick a book.. good day to you !

Hi calm! I'm just trying to catch up here. Thank you for sharing the photos. However, I've always liked to believe that you're an owl and now that's ruined. Oh well. : )

Oh my gawd, Calm, I just read and loved Shipwrecks. Thank you so much for that particular BB
:)

Sorry Kerri:) You can go back to imagining me as the owl as I doubt very much if another picture of me will appear:) Unless by some miracle there is a meet-up in Aberystwyth:)

Megan - just come from your thread. So pleased you loved it - such a powerful little book:)

Monday-morning *hug*

Thanks Richard *hugs* back.

I finished my last September book just before midnight - will try to get some thoughts down a bit later today. Organise my abysmal September stats and then click the "Continue this topic" button. I'm way past the 250 posts but thought I would like to do a new month; new thread and the thread police don't seem to be around this year :)

Back later.

As recommended by Stasia:)



118) The Valleys of the Assassins : and other Persian travels by Freya Stark (26 - 30 September)

This is a collection of essays about Freya Stark's travels in Persia in the early 1930's. In her preface she admits that these travels were mostly for fun - not any serious purpose. so, accompanied only by local guides, this is a personal account of a woman who was travelling just because she could. Though she did have an interest in the geography, history and archaeology of the region. She meets various peoples - Kurds, Shia and others - during her travels; attempts to visit certain sites of potential archaeological and historical interest and describes the landscape she travels through. Along with some more personal musings.

There were some aspects of this that I did not like - a casual attitude to illegal activities; a degree of "looking-down" on some of the people she meets - but on the whole this was a fascinating insight into a culture that was undergoing change and is even more changed now. I think that the author's attitudes were very much of her time, and bearing this in mind, I did enjoy reading about her travels.

Unless by some miracle there is a meet-up in Aberystwyth:) That sounds like a challenge.. and also, you never know where Caro will turn up, never mind Paul....

September Summary

Books read - 8

6 - fiction
2 - nonfiction

Pages read 2974

Number of books and pages read down from last month:( But I have been a bit distracted and unfocused.

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

1) *Ark by Stephen Baxter (post 205) 537 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
2) The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler (post 206) 318 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
3) *The Magician King by Lev Grossman (post 207) 548 pages (12 in 12; September Series and Sequels)
4) Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura (post 239) 154 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
5) The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (post 252) 611 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
6) A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro (post 253) 183 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)
7) *City of the Sharp-Nosed Fish : Greek lives in Roman Egypt by Peter Parsons (post 258) 258 pages (12 in 12)
8) *The Valleys of the Assassins : and other Persian travels by Freya Stark (post ?) 365 pages (TIOLI; 12 in 12)

4 from the library and 4 from my shelves

6 fit into a TIOLI challenge and all fit a 12 in 12 category. I am not quite on track for the 12 in 12 but I have read at least 9 books in 11 categories and am more than half way through the ninth book for that twelfth category. As I have read more than 9 in some of the categories I still hope to be able to do a full 12 in 12.

Books into the house - I borrowed 3 books from the library (and have read 1 of them); I also bought 16 books.

So 19 into the house versus 8 read - not so good.

From the library

The Valley of Assassins by Freya Stark - read
Hunting Midnight by Richard Zimler
Initiate's Trial by Janny Wurts

Onto the shelves

The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Good Women of China by Xinran
In Xanadu by William Dalrymple
Always Coming Home by Ursula Le Guin
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and other stories by Washington Irving
The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
The Water of the Hills by Marcel Pagnol (the omnibus of Jean De Florette and Manon of the Springs)
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury
Baudolino by Umberto Eco - Reading
Every Day is Mother's Day by Hilary Mantel
The Portrait by Iain Pears
Your Blue-Eyed Boy by Helen Dunmore
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
Ilario by Mary Gentle

Well I wasn't expecting to be able to read very much this month but I kind of expected that I would manage a bit more:( Oh well it is now October so hopefully I'll be able to fit a few books in:)

Taking a bit of a break before moving onto an October thread, See you later:)

Hi Kath - you posted while I was sorting out the September stats.

I never said I would actually go to an Aberystwyth meetup:) There's not very much there to attract the 75ers ...

Please ignore book purchase lists and visit to National Library.

I think I've managed to move here http://www.librarything.com/topic/142873

hope to see you over there:)