Donna Harvests Books in September (10)

Books Read in August:

66. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. 3.9 stars.
Love overcomes cancer. Have a tissue handy when you read this!

67: Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. 4.7 stars.
Summer, 1928, Green Town, Illinois. 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding is recording the rituals of summer vacation from school and the big truths that can be found in everyday happenings. New favorite!

68: A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul. 3.5 stars.
This book had so much potential but I slogged through the second half because I plainly lost interest in the lackluster protagonist.

69: The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. 3.6 stars.
A heartbreaking quartet of stories about a young boy experiencing the hardships of ranch life.

70: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. 3.9 stars.
Compelling but twisted tale of the doomed marriage of Nick and Amy Dunne.

71: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. 4.8 stars.
A reread of a sentimental favorite about growing up poor in Brooklyn in the early 20th Century.

72: Palace of Desire by Naguib Mahfouz. 4 stars.
An Egyptian family moves on after the death of a beloved son and brother in a political uprising.

Dismal total of 7 books for August: 5 owned by me; 2 library books.
Total of 2,293 pages read...My lowest total for the year!

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September's Harvest of Books:


73. Animal's People by Indra Sinha. 4.2 stars.
Animal tells the story of the aftermath of an epic chemical explosion in India (based on the actual event in Bhopal) that killed thousands and maimed his body to the point where he has to walk/crawl like an animal. His voice is original, extremely earthy, and convincing.

74: Becoming Madame Mao by Anchee Min. 3.5 stars.
Another fictionalized autobiography that tells of a strong woman who rose to her high position in China through scheming and greed for power.

75: Restless by William Boyd. 4 stars.
I loved this suspenseful novel about an aging British mum who had been a spy in WWII and was being haunted by her past life. Great mother-daughter book.

76. Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis. 3.1 stars.
This book about the abduction of Dr. Ransom and his time on Mars stretched my credibility to the limit.

77. Perelandra by C. S. Lewis. 3.6 stars.
This second book in the Cosmic Trilogy fared better with me. A retelling of the Adam and Eve story was at least a bit more in my comfort zone.

78. In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck. 4.5 stars.
The inner workings of a migrant worker strike in California had some help from Communist workers. Great psychological fiction about the downtrodden told through the experience of the idealistic Jim Nolan.

79. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. 3.7 stars.
A teacher in an Edinburgh girl's school trains her group of six chosen girls in a rather unorthodox manner. "Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life." Well, not all the time, Miss Jean.

80. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for A Hat by Olive Sacks. 3.3 stars.
Some interesting neurological diseases are humanized through these case studies. A bit on the dry side.

81. Sugar Street by Naguib Mahfouz. 4.2 stars.
The satisfying ending to The Cairo Trilogy, a wonderful family saga that takes place in Egypt during the decades of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. "Change" might be the key descriptive word for these books.

Significant Books of the 21st Century:

2012: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
2011: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna
2010: The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
2009: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
2008: Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
2007: Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
2006: Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Orange Prize
2005: A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
2004: Gilead by Marillyne Robinson - Pulitzer Prize
2003: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2002: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
2001: Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Booker Prize
2000: White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Hi, Donna! Hope you are well. Love the photo.

Hi BJ. I'm glad to welcome you as my first visitor. I think we've both been too busy this summer. I haven't seen you much around the threads. Maybe because I've been AWOL much of the past month. Don't forget about Joplin in November!!!

Nice new thread, Donna! What a sweet picture of your granddaughters up top - and I love the quotes you chose. Congrats on your double digit thread!

Aww! What a photo. A new generation of readers - love it!

Hi Donna! Happy New Thread and all the best for September. I'll have to go back and look up those reviews I missed on the last thread—I see we both gave Gone Girl a similar rating. Haven't started on Dandelion Wine yet, so I missed my chance to read it in the summer season, but I'm sure it'll be just as good whenever I do get to it.

Hi Donna - Nice new thread. Great picture and I love the Yolen poem , very apt.

Hi Donna -- love the photo! Have a wonderful weekend.

Beautiful grandchildren, Donna! Happy September to you.

A big Ozarks welcome to Mamie, Joe, Ilana, Beth, Anne, and Laura. Having visitors is a great way to begin a new month. We are also getting some much-needed rain here. It's a good day to stay inside reading. I'm determined to,have a better reading month in September!

Popping in to say Hi! and check out the new digs. Wishing you more reading in September along with Happy Birthday (since you are still celebrating until Sunday!) : )

Good morning, Donna. Happy September! Looks like her cousins are enjoying having Haley living closer to them.

Lovely new thread Donna, especially those cutie pies at the top.

Sweet picture of the lovely grands!
Stopping in to say hi on your new thread...

Love the picture of Sadie, Audrey and Hayley! My, the grands are getting big!

Donna - on board for your latest installment. As usual some great reading over here and your Noughties list is shaping up fabulously.
The girls look immersed in good books already...Gran is obviously a good influence.

Hi Donna! I haven't been commenting as often as I would like, but I've been trying to keep up, and you are doing brilliantly. Only three more books till the big 75! :D

Stopping by to say hi! It's hard to believe today is the 1st of September! I was surprised that I had to turn over the pages of our calendars! Still nice weather here, but we had a slow start to the summer. I've had a slow summer as far as reading goes this year, Donna! Look at you - just 3 books to go til you reach 75!

Kim, you are still good with birthday greetings -- although it will be over in a few hours. We are meeting my brother and family for brunch in a bit. It's his birthday tomorrow so we're used to celebrating together.

Roni, we're all enjoying Haley's presence. She lights up my life these days!

Thanks, Bonnie.

Good morning, Cee. Thanks for the colorful "Hi"!

Stasia, they are growing up way too fast. Maybe it's time for Ben and Mary to have another one!

Paul, I'm blessed that all the grands love books. They always get new ones from me for birthdays and Christmas which makes my shopping fun.

Hi Eris, I'll have to look for a special book for No. 75!

I'm with you, Deb. September crept up on me. I do like the autumn and can't wait for some crisp mornings. We've had rain for two days making it very humid here...but I'm not complaining as we desperately needed rain.

Finally caught up on your last thread, Donna. You asked where my sister lives in Missouri - she lives in Excelsior Springs, but alas, she is not a reader. I also discovered that I missed your birthday, so a belated Happy Birthday from me. Sorry I missed that. Hope it was a good one.

What a great picture of your three adorable blonde granddaughters! I also love the poems! But how do you keep coming up with these great thread titles? I could think for hours and never be so clever!

(Btw, should I tell Ben and/or Mary to check out your thread on LT? ;-) Just wonderin'!)

Hi Donna- Love the new thread! Adore the photo of your precious granddaughters. That Haley is still the centerpiece, isn't she?
Hope you are having a great weekend.

Hey Mamie, too bad your sister isn't a reader. I think that is a gene that skips around in families. Yup, birthday was good...and now it is over. No more parties, lunches out, etc. I do have a gift card from B&N which I will probably horde for awhile.

Hi Nancy! Mum's the word about a new brother or sister for Haley. I guess it'll happen when its meant to be!
Next year my thread titles are going to be named: No. 1, No. 2... I'm about out of cleverness!

Good afternoon, Mark. It does seem that Haley is the center of whatever we do. After our brunch at Bass Pro, we all had to go look at the fish, turtles, and alligator. We were like lemmings following in the wake of Miss Haley!

"This story has been locked up in me, it's struggling to be free. I can feel it coming, words want to fly out from between my teeth like a flock of birds making a break for it. You know that sudden clap of wings when they take off in a hurry, it's that sound, listen, clap, clap, clap.... Now the tape is running. I'm remembering the eyes that hide inside your eyes, you said I should ignore you and talk straight to those who'll read these words, if I speak from my heart they'll listen. I am talking to the eyes that are reading these words. I am talking to you." (12)

Book No. 73: Animal's People by Indra Sinha. 4.2 stars.

Animal is the self-named narrator of this book set in fictional Khaufpur, India. He is telling his story into a tape recorder about the huge chemical explosion that rocked his city and created a living hell. Thousands of people died, many more, like Animal, were permanently disfigured. Animal's twisted spine forced him to "walk" using his hands, arms, and upper torso to drag himself around. However, there was nothing wrong with his mind (unless you count the voices in his head) or his heart. He was lucky enough to attract the attention of Nisha and Zafar who rescued him from the streets and gave him a purpose in life seeking justice for his "people," the Kingdon of the Poor who suffered the most after the deadly gas leak and explosion.

Indra Sinha has created a powerful retelling of the Bhopal tragedy using the unique voice of a survivor. Animal is not seeking sympathy; he just wants to get this remarkable story told to the world. It takes awhile to get used to the many Hindi phrases he uses and the crude language when he obsesses about sex and bodily functions. This adds to the authentic nature of his narrative as he talks openly to the Eyes who will someday read his story about hope and justice. Animal's People was chosen for the Booker shortlist in 2007. I'm not sure which book won the award that year, but this is a book I will never forget.

Nice review of Animal's People, Donna. I read it during the Booker season in 2007, and I thought it was one of the best longlisted books from that year.

Hi, Donna! I just read your review of Animal's People and gave it a thumb! I wasn't sure I wanted to read it, but it sounds like I'm going to have to! 4.2 stars from you is high praise!! ;-)

Hi, Donna! Lovely poem and what a cute picture of your granddaughters! Little Haley looks so much like you!

I just finished reading your last thread and saw that I missed your birthday.
So, though very belated: Happy Birthday, Donna!!

And a thumb for your review of Animal's People.

Thanks, Darryl. Animal certainly made an impression on me.

Nancy, you'll just have to ignore the crude language -- or see the humor in it. I did both! It should be a very interesting discussion Thursday night.

Porua, everyone sees that resemblance between us. I wish I had Haley's sunny disposition!

Nathalie, thanks for the thumb and birthday wishes.

What an adorable picture gracing your new thread!

I think I'm a whole thread behind. That is a great review of Animal's People and I'm adding it to my wishlist.

HI Donna
Love the picture of your grand babies!

Donna - just catching up (again) after being mostly absent from LT the last couple of months. I won't go back and find the threads I missed, although I'm sure they're full of wonderful books. Love the poems at the beginning and the great photo of beautiful girls reading together.

Hi! Love the photo. Hope you had a good holiday weekend. :)

Hi there, Anne. Thanks for your kind words. I'm not sure that Animal's People is an enjoyable book, but it tells an important story.

Hi Chelle, and thank you!

I've missed you, Sandy. I do know there have been at least two Sandy sightings so,I know you've been busy. I hope you've had some time for reading this summer. Thanks for stopping by.

Hey Jenn, the week end was good. We got some rain - finally! I hope you had a good one, too.

Hi Donna -- great review of Animal's People. I am also looking forward to crisp mornings... not quite there yet, but hopefully not too long now. Our trees are starting to change up in the high country:)

Terrific review of Animal's People Donna. I had never heard of this book but have added it to my WL.

Hi Donna.
I read Palace Walk in August and plan to read Palace of Desire this month. I was glad to see that you gave it four stars, as a few folks have said it is the least strong of the trilogy. Of course, "least strong" is perhaps still an endorsement since the first was so excellent (and I guess the third is, too).

August must have been a busy month for you.

Stopping by to say hi! Tomorrow is the start of school for us here in BC. My kids are finished school, but we live close to both an elementary school and a High-school, so the dog and I will be battling the crowds on the road tomorrow ..sigh! I'll get used to it!

Great review of Animal's People, Donna! It sounds like a very compelling book.

Anne, we are seeing signs of an early autumn here, but I'm afraid it's mostly due to the drought and high temps we had this summer. I'm hoping that the rain we got from Isaac will mean more fall color - other than the brown crunchy leaves that have been falling!

I hadn't heard of Animal's People either, Bonnie. Our librarian chose it for our book group on Thursday. I'm really looking forward to the discussion.

Ellen, I thought Palace of Desire was a pretty good transition book. Much less intense than Palace Walk. I enjoyed the "humor" of the love triangles.

Deb, the beginning of school interferes with our morning walk, too. Timing is everything. If we leave even a minute or two later than 7:00 a.m., we get caught in the traffic around the local middle school. No extra snooze time for me in the mornings anymore!

Thank you, Linda. "Compelling" is a very good word for Animal's People.

Donna - Just stopping by to catch up. Very nice review of Animal's People, which i also had not heard of before.

Ooh, I'm another fan of your review of Animal's People and adding it to the wishlist in a moment. I got curious so just checked who won the Booker Prize in 2007: it was Anne Enright with The Gathering. Not sure I'm tempted by that one. Actually, scratch that, I won't be reading it, period. Especially not after reading your review of it just now. Eek!

Oh, and Hi Donna! :-)

Nice review of Animal's People, Donna. I went to add the book to the BlackHole and discovered it already there. Unfortunately my local library still does not have it yet. *sigh*

Hi Mamie, I'm always surprised when a book comes my way that I'm not familiar with, especially one that was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Ilana, I remember intensely disliking The Gathering. I hope my review wasn't too scathing. I try to play nice even for a book that didn't suit me. Maybe someone else liked it?
ETA: I just reread my review. Yup, you can tell I didn't like this book at all.

Well, apparently you had heard of Animal's People, Stasia. I'm sure your book radar is better than mine. After all, you did introduce me to The Siege and The Betrayal. ;-)

"Not only does the girl love drama, she creates drama in her daily life. It becomes her interest first, then it extends itself to become a need, an obsession and an addiction. Finally her entire existence is based on it, her fantasy--she has to feel dramatic, has to play a role, or she gets restless, stressed and sick. She doesn't get well until she assigns herself another role." (19)

Book No. 74: Becoming Madame Mao by Anchee Min. 3.5 stars.

Written in a simple style, this fiction book in the form of an autobiography of the infamous Madame Mao was a quick, informative read. Jiang Ching was a strong-willed child who refused to have her feet bound in the traditional way. Her 'Liberation" feet led her on a path from obscurity to becoming an actress, and on to being the most powerful woman in China during the Cultural Revolution.

I was slightly irritated by the writing style. Short, choppy sentences. Jumping from first to third person for no discernible purpose. However, in the end, I learned more about this period in China's history, and I was entertained. Maybe not the highest praise, but it fits into my description of a 3.5 star book: "Good but not great."

Thanks to Brenda (Brenpike) for the loan of her book!

Hi Donna! Just dropping by to make sure I have my star firmly in place on your thread. :)

Of course, you suck me in with both of your reviews. Becoming Madam Mao is on my WL to read at some point, but your review will probably keep it on the list for a tad bit longer since there are so many other great books out there!

Love the pictures and the poems that opens your thread since I love FALL. :)

>46 Donna828: I did actually like The Gathering, Donna, although I didn't think it was Booker-winner quality.

That's too bad about the short choppy sentences and the jumps in narration because the subject is so fascinating. I'll have to see if the library has it.

After I got used to the changes in narrator perspective in Becoming Madame Mao, I found it a useful and effective tool. How Madame perceived herself and her actions was obviously very different from the way she was viewed historically, so for me, the constant switching helped put reality checks on her perceptions. She was clearly a very complicated person and her situation and her own personal history so foreign. I DO agree that it wasn't the easiest book to read, but it provided a look into this appalling era in Chinese history, one I find fascinating, however creepy that is . . .

Stopping by to hi, Donna! I confess, I have not read The Gathering. I think I may have it in my TBR pile... which is ever growing.

Donna- Excellent review of Animal's People. Sounds dark & gritty. Just my cuppa. I had not heard of this title or author. Have a great weekend.

Stopping in to say "Hi!"

Are you reading #75???

Yes, you are getting very, very close to the magic number, Donna.

Yep right after 74 comes right before 75. I thought The Gathering was absolutely dreadful Donna but that was way before LT so I never reviewed it. I would add Animal's People to my WL because of your very convincing review but it's already on it from when Linda reviewed it.

Hi Donna, as always you're reading some very interesting books, both Animal's People and Becoming Madame Mao have caught my attention. Waiting with bated breath to see what you are reading for Nbr. 75!

#46: My book radar is broken these days. Too much school! lol

Adorable Grands, Donna! Such a cute picture. Have a great weekend!

I agree (as usual) with Bonnie. I hated The Gathering.
Have a lovely weekend Donna and I hope you celebrate your 75th book with one you really enjoy.

Well, I did it again. Went AWOL from LT for a few days. Well, not completely. I did some lurking here and there, and even posted on a few threads. I may have another busy time next week if I'm selected for jury duty. It's something I've always wanted to do, just not right now. Lol.

Hi Valerie, I hope you like Madame Mao when you get around to it. She was an interesting woman with such ambition.

Linda, once again we disagree on a book. But there are plenty of them we do agree on. That's what I love about LT. We can have different opinions and still be friends. ;-)

Fascinating indeed, Mamie. Go for it!

Brenda, I wish I had known about the changing voice beforehand. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so distracting to me. I am very glad I read the book and would like to read Min's memoir about China.

Deb, The Gathering was about a very dark and troubled family. Sometimes those books work for me, but this one didn't for some reason.

Mark, it was dark and gritty enough for you and compassionate enough for me. I'll be thinking about Animal's People for some time.

Hi Cee, I am. Few pages into Restless and can already see its worthiness as #75!

Roni, the magic number is coming over a month later than last year. But that's okay. I made a big deal in the beginning of the year saying I was going to slow down and read between-the-lines, and I've done just that!

Thanks for backing me up on The Gathering, Bonnie. You are my No. 1 recommender, and you didn't steer me wrong with Restless.

You can let your breath out now, Judy! Thanks for stopping by.

Stasia, you always make me smile. Plenty of time for radar repair in the future. I think The Black Hole could keep you busy for some time. Good luck with your new session of school.

Thanks, Joanne. It's so much fun when all four of them get together. It's going to be a lovely late summer week end here. You have a good one, too!

Hi Paul, I appreciate your week end visits. I hope to spend lots of time outside in this terrific cooler weather. There's a hint of fall in the air this morning. I see some reading on the deck time for me after chores are done.

Many moons ago I worked with a post doc from India who had volunteered for the Bhopal relief effort. India had asked its university students to help with relief work for the megadisaster and she was a graduate student in chemistry.

I remembered the news coverage with bodies piled up along roads. However, she said that no matter what I had seen or heard on news reports, the reality was much, much worse. This was 5-10 years after the spill and she said she still had nightmares.

So do I have the courage to read Animal's People? I honestly don't know.

Donna, I've had jury duty twice and didn't serve on a jury panel either time. I think I only ended up reporting twice within the two week period each time. We spent a lot of time sitting and waiting outside the courtroom, and I saw quite a few potential jurors passing the time with books.

Donna - It's hard to keep up with you. Animal's People sounds like a must read for me. Thanks for the great review. When I've read Anchee Min, I have also not loved her style. Still, Becoming Madame Mao sounds interesting; it just won't go to the top of the pile.

Good luck on almost 75.

Just stopping in to make sure I don't get behind on your thread again! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Fall's a comin'!

*waving* at Donna

Janet, thank you for sharing that personal experience with a colleague who witnessed the aftermath of the Bhopal tragedy. I'll just say that our small group of seven who discussed Animal's People on Thursday night agreed that while it was difficult to read about the situation, the incredible courage of the survivors made it a life affirming book. I'm sure you will know if and when the time is right for you to read it.

Hi Carrie, I have a number to call tomorrow night to see if I have to report to the courthouse on Monday morning. Since I am in Group Two, I think I'll have to go. Whether or not I'm chosen remains to be seen. I'll definitely have my book, bottle of water, and iPhone with me! Those are my top three survival items.

Beth, neither one were perfect books, but both added to my sketchy knowledge of foreign events. I'm happy when I can learn something from a book.

Fall is a-coming, Mamie. Thank goodness. This summer just about did me in!

Waving back at Stasia!

Just popping in to say that I like Anchee Min. the only book I've read of hers that I did not like was Pearl of China, but that may be because of my very strong feelings about Pearl Buck...

I am so ready for fall! I want to wear sweaters. I don't want my winter coat out yet, but I really want sweaters. I may start running around singing "Try to Remember" from the Fantastiks, just to help things along. Our leaves are turning here, have been for a couple of weeks, in spite of very warm weather. OK, HOT weather. I even saw a dusting of snow up on the peaks the other morning. Last night was our first below 50F, so it's coming. Apparently I require many straight weeks of 95+ degree weather to be able to contemplate winter, but I truly love fall.

ETA - re-reading the above, I think I am very tired. Not going to rewrite though, so enjoy. :)

Oh yes - sweaters! And comfortable boots! But it will be many weeks until I can finally start wearing those, it's still far too hot during the days.

Can't comment on the books of which I haven't read a single one, but I really must get to that Palace Walk trilogy soon, everyone seems to love it.

Happy Sunday, Donna!

Stopping by to say hi! We are enjoying a rather nice extended summer ! We had very cool and rainy June, so I am delighted that September is treating us nicely.

Oh no @70 , Boots, rain, hair ruined by the rain...etc etc - short dark days... I love the summer season - so long as it stays in the 70's F area!

Jenn, I love your Ode to Fall! Now you've got me humming "Try to Remember" and wanting to wear sweaters. I'm with you on heavy winter coats, though. I leave mine stashed in the car for emergencies and try to do without except on the bitterest of winter days.

Nathalie, I think you will enjoy The Cairo Trilogy. Our dear, departed friend JanetinLondon was fond of them.

Deb, I love the kind of weather you describe. It sounds more like our spring and fall rather than the hot, humid summers we have here in Missouri. We're expecting another 70 degree day today. Perfection!

I stayed up late finishing Restless. It's that kind of book! Comments later today after church.

"I'd like you to read this, she said.

I took it from her. There seemed to be some dozens of pages - different types, different sizes of paper. I opened it. There was a title page: The Story of Eva Delectorskaya.

Eva Delectorskaya, I said, mystified. Who's that?

Me, she said. I am Eva Delectorskaya." (10)

Book No. 75: Restless by William Boyd. 4 stars.

How would you like to find out your aging mother had been a British spy in such a fashion? The real story of who Ruth's mother was and her role in WWII as part of an undercover espionage team is slowly revealed as Eva becomes more convinced that her life is in danger because of her past. Boyd has created a mystery and spy thriller that kept me up late last night so I could finish it. This book was quite different from Any Human Heart and makes me want to keep reading books by this talented and versatile author. I'm not going to give many details about the book...just read it and find out for yourself. You won't regret it!

Donna, Restless has been on my TBR list for quite a while. You've just nudged it a bit higher!

Intriguing review of Restless, Donna. I have several of William Boyd's books waiting unread, and according to LT, Restless is among them, although I wonder where I have it stashed!

Another book for the pile :)

Carrie, Linda, and Jenn...I hope you all like Restless when you get around to it. I also have Ordinary Thunderstorms by Boyd which I hope to read in the next month or two.

I got good news a little while ago. I have been released from jury duty and I didn't even have to go down to the courthouse. Thank goodness for out-of-court settlements!

I'm happy for you on getting a reprieve from jury duty, Donna. I know it can be very disruptive to schedules, but I would like to just ONCE have the experience. I've been registered to vote for 30 darn years and I have NEVER been called.

I had to sit on my first jury this summer.

It was nasty, ugly drug-related stuff. Dealers giving evidence against other dealers for deals. A toddler trying to wash stuff down the drain when the cops showed up.

I don't know that I'd want to do it again.

Yay for getting out of the jury duty without too much hassle, Donna! I have never been selected for jury duty and keep fingers crossed that it won't happen anytime soon (although I do understand the importance of it)!

I liked Restless too Donna. And I also liked Ordinary Thunderstorms almost as much but you really have to suspend disbelief for that one. Congratulations on hitting 75!

Congratulations on hitting the magic number of 75, Donna!Hmmmm.... I like the sounds of Restless by William Boyd. I love the idea that my mom, now 70, could maybe be a Canadian Spy, if not one for Britain. I may have to ask more about her past.....;)

I envy those of you who CAN serve on jury duty. I would love to do that now that I'm retired, but my years in law enforcement have "blacklisted" me from any jury duty. The one thing lawyers do NOT want on a jury is a non-emotional, logical thinking person with a knowledge of criminal evidence. Juries are 'stacked' during selection by both sides to achieve the results they want. So sad. We should have rotating, professional juries with experienced members, not a collection of old retired people (like I am now) who fall asleep the same time the judges nods off.

If jury duty were the lottery, I would be rich. I have lived in this city for 25 years and have been called 5 times, while some people who were born here have never been called. I served on three juries. I probably shouldn't have said anything; it's been a while since I've been called. Now, I'll probably find a summons in my mailbox tonight. It is a great system, and I am happy to serve when called.

Restless sounds great. I'm going to take a break and see if the library has it.

What an interesting review, Donna! I liked Any Human Heart, and he's a good writer. This one sounds so different! Plus I love mysteries and spy thrillers.

So what did I do with my "free" day today? Some much-needed housecleaning! I caved got smart and bought a third vacuum cleaner so now I have one for every floor. I know I could have bought books instead, but my back will thank me for a more practical purchase.

78: Julia, I would like the experience of serving on a jury too...next time. This is canasta week and I need to do more shopping for Haley's birthday party on Saturday. Ha - so much for public service.

Janet, that trial does sound nasty, especially training a child to flush the evidence. I hope you threw the book at those parents. Not literally, of course. We don't throw books around here!

Valerie, it would be especially difficult to be on a jury when you have to arrange childcare. I was summoned when my youngest was an infant, but was excused because I was nursing him.

Bonnie, I'll have no problem suspending disbelief. I have been reading science fiction for two days! Crazy, huh?

Thanks, Deb. let me know what you find out about your mother. ;-)

Mike, I shudder to think about professional juries but you may have a point. I know that's a job I would never apply for.

Beth, you must be the type of person those lawyers are looking for. I like your attitude about giving of your time that way.

Hi Joe. Boyd's good writing is evident in his thrillers as well. I'm glad he has such a long list of books I haven't read. It should keep me busy for some time.

Three vacuum cleaners? Holy cow. I'm still lugging ours up & down. Although we're thinking of getting one of those robot thingies for the main living areas, to deal with the constant pet hair.

Adding Restless to the BlackHole. I enjoyed the one and only William Boyd book I have read to this point, Any Human Heart.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Sometimes I throw books. If they're really aggravating.

Oh...that is a brilliant idea, Donna! A vacuum on every floor makes so much sense! Maybe if I had that, I would be more willing to do it more often. I hate lugging that thing up and down our stairs...

#86 Donna828 > The idea of jury by peers is ingrained in our society, but few jurors are well educated enough to understand expert witness testimony. Judges who spend an entire career on the bench have enough trouble, much less a group of hand-picked citizens with no experience in either forensics or the tricks, traps and antics of courtroom attorneys. It's a nice idea, but it doesn't work well for those cases in which technical testimony is key. It has long been known by defense attorneys that a guilty person has a better chance of acquittal by jury than by judge and an innocent person should avoid jury trials if at all possible and opt for a bench trial (judge only). There are some good books along the lines of non-fiction courtroom drama with Grisham's The Innocent Man and others. Landay's Defending Jacob is a good novel written by a prosecutor that shows both sides of the litigation.

A vacuum for every floor is something I dream about. Mine is *so* heavy. Sigh. I thought about dreaming about one of the robot ones, but I'm pretty sure I'd be suspicious of how well it was cleaning (hi, I'm a micromanaging maniac, have we met?) and would just vacuum again after it anyway.

Hi Donna!

#83 - my husband is an engineer, and is usually excused as well. Maybe it's the stereotype of logical, unemotional thinking. Oh who am I kidding. It's not a stereotype. :)

I wonder if the phrase "jury of our peers" has been skewed somewhat from the original intent as well?

Oh Amber. I think we might have something in common...

Laura, dog hair is the reason I have three vacuum cleaners. I do the main level several times a week and always have a full canister of white Lab hair. Now that my granddog comes over for play dates with Lucky, I have an interesting mix of black and white.

Stasia, I really liked Any Human Heart too. Restless is quite a different kind of book, but good in its own way.

Lol, Terri. Would that have been your book in German by any chance? I get more aggravated with myself than the book when I fall for book hype.

Valerie, the jury is still out *groan* as to whether or not I vacuum more frequently on the other two levels. I know I won't grumble as much about it.

Mike, you are very persuasive. Yet I keep remembering how our politicians were supposed to come from the pool of ordinary citizens. Without mentioning any names, we now have professional politicians who have never held a real job -- and look where that has gotten us. My husband liked An Innocent Man and I've heard good things about the Jacob book. Thanks for the recommendations.

Amber, my daughter has a robot vacuum that she uses in the bedrooms because it cleans under the beds. I would love that feature, but I would probably be like you and at least go over the main traffic areas again.

Jenn, I see myself as a logical thinker; however, I can be swayed by my emotions in areas where children or animals are concerned. I'm sure I'll be picked for jury duty sometime unless I get too old to do it. Hmmm, I wonder if there is a top limit on age?

Birthday presents are bought and wrapped. My cousin and his family are coming down from Michigan this week end so there will be lots of people at Haley's party Saturday night. They are staying with us so I'll get to use all three vacuum cleaners on Friday and Saturday. I may share the fun with Dave. Yay!

Congrats on reading 75 books, Donna!!!

Woot! Congrats on 75! :)

Donna, congrats on 75 from me too, especially for reaching that goal with such a fine book too! I've read (listened to, actually) 3 William Boyd books so far, including Brazzaville Beach and Any Human Heart. I now consider Boyd to be among my favourite authors and fully intend to read every one of his novels, and possibly his short stories too. Are you tempted to discover more by him too?

Congratulations on reaching 75, Donna! Unfortunately I don't know any of those books, so I have nothing interesting to add, but I have been enjoying the discussion of jury duty. I'm not old enough to be called for jury duty, thank goodness, but I find a bit of the justice system interesting. Thanks for the insight, mldavis2!

Oh, I totally missed that you finished your 75th books! Congrats Donna! :)

Donna- Congrats on hitting #75! Hooray! Good review of Restless. I just landed a copy too, a few weeks ago. Any Human Heart was my first and I loved it.

Thanks much for those congrats, Terri, Mary, and Ilana. Yup, I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more books by William Boyd.

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


"Ever since he awoke on the space-ship Ransom had been thinking about the amazing adventure of going to another planet, and about his chances of returning from it. What he had not thought about was being on it. It was with a kind of stupefaction each morning that he found himself neither arriving in, nor escaping from, but simply living on, Malacandra."

Book No. 76: Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis. 3.1 stars.

Earth was known as The Silent Planet because it was being held hostage by hostile spirits known as eldils and communication with other planets was cut off. Dr. Elwin Ransom, a linguist, became acquainted with the "good" eldila when he was abducted by the evil scientist Professor Weston and taken to Malacandra (Mars). He became entranced with the stark beauty of the planet and the goodness of the inhabitants and learned the Old Solar language while he was there, but elected to return to earth with his abductors.

Lewis has been accused of being anti-science. I don't believe he is that -- just that he is more pro-supernatural.
His background is steeped in the Middle Ages, and he is more at home in the world of mythology and spirituality than one of cause and effect.


"Preface: This story can be read by itself but is also a sequel to Out of the Silent Planet in which some account was given of Ransom's adventures in Mars--or, as its inhabitants call it, Malacandra. All the human characters in this book are purely fictitious and none of them is allegorical." ~C.S.L.

Book No. 77: Perelandra by C. S. Lewis. 3.6 stars.

Ransom has been contacted by Oyarsa, the friendly eldil he met on Mars and was asked to undertake another journey into the heavens. With a huge leap of faith, he travels in a coffin-like vehicle to Perelandra (Venus), not knowing what to expect or what was expected of him. And who should he meet there? The evil Weston who has a vision of Manifest Destiny on a planetary scale. He wants to use up one planet then overtake another with no regard to its inhabitants. Ransom also meets the Green Lady, who will be the mother of future inhabitants of Venus. Note that this is a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve rather than a true allegory. It doesn't matter that much to me, but it seems to be important to Lewis!

This is a very feminine planet with lots of description of frothy waves and fluttering plants. Since Mars is considered to be a masculine planet, it makes sense that the third book in the cosmic trilogy, That Hideous Strength, has much to do with marriage. I read that one under the guidance of my gifted professor and got much more out of it. I love C. S. Lewis, but these books were a little too far out for me. Pun intended!

Well, apparently I spent far too long on my two short book reports as I missed some visitors. Hello and thank you for more congrats on 75 books to Eris, Valerie, and Mark.

Hi Donna -- congrats on 75 books and beyond!

Hi Donna - Looks like you're starting on your second set of 75 books. Congrats to you for reaching your first 75! :)

I plead distraction by vacuum cleaner and jury discussions. Congratulations on passing the 75 book mark!!

Congrats on 75!

Congrats!

Yay on the 75!

Way to go, Donna! The first 75 are the hardest. :)

Congratulations on 75+ books Donna!

And I hope you and the family will have a great party tomorrow.

Thanks so much for more congratulations, Anne, Joanne, Roni, Morphy, Jim, Rachel, Julia, and Nathalie.

I will be busy for the next few days with preparations for Haley's party and house guests. I'm looking forward to meeting my second cousin Sabrina, who is 22 months old. Haley will have to share the limelight!

Hi Donna, chiming in on the congratulations for reaching the big 75! And with months to spare too :)

Congrats on your 75! Have a great birthday party. I hope we'll see some pictures?

Zooming right on past 75 (CONGRATS!!!).

A bit belated maybe to offer felicitations on your 75 but I will do so anyway. I haven't read Restless but I am a fan of much of Boyd's writing.
Have a lovely weekend dear lady.

And congrats on hitting your 75th from me too! I'm glad it was a good one.

I also had to de-lurk to add in to the jury discussion, as I have been called more than anyone I've ever heard of. In twelve years I've been called six times! It's like they're waiting at the mailbox for the moment they can call me again!

Congratulations, Donna! I'm looking forward to more photos.

Congrats on 75 and the jury dismissal!! Just once though, I'd like to make it out of the pool room. I have been 5 times and nada. : (

Ah, visitors. Thanks to all who kept my thread alive while I was busy, busy, busy with our Michigan guests. We had a great time. Haley's 2nd birthday party was tons of fun with 12 adults and six children to help her celebrate.

I appreciate even more congrats on 75 books read from Megan, Beth, Claudia, Paul, Jennifer, Darryl, and Kim.

Beth and Darryl, I happen to have a few party pics on my camera...most of them a whirl of happy little kids. I'll see if any of them are post worthy.

Jennifer, you must fit the ideal juror profile!

Kim, you will probably be chosen at the most inconvenient time. That's how the court system works.

I have a house to put back in order, two more chapters in my current book to read, threads to catch up on, and pictures to edit. But first, I'm going to take Lucky for a walk on this cool almost-fall day. After several days of rain and clouds, we finally have a sunshiny morning. I hope everyone has a good day!

Some weekend pictures as promised:


Our son Ben, Haley, DIL Mary. That's Haley's look when I say "No cheesy face!"


Sabrina, age 22 months; Haley with her cheesy face.


Our weekend guests from Ann Arbor, Michigan: Melissa, Sabrina, my Aunt Jan in background, and my cousin Jon. It's almost impossible to take a picture of Sabrina without Gamma Jan in it!

But I love Haley's "cheesy" face! Thanks for sharing the pictures!

I love Haley's cheesy face, too, and I am drooling over her red sneakers - so cool! Looks like she had a fabulous birthday. Thanks for sharing the photos!

And congrats on reaching 75! WahHOO for you!!

Ah, the cheesy face:) We always got the exaggerated grimaces whenever the camera came out -- it's so hard to get young children to smile naturally (or to keep Callia from putting Marina in a headlock so she would look at the camera). We would try to say something funny so they would be laughing, but that's not always easy to do either. We finally hit on a phrase that for some reason worked for a good long time, until they were old enough just to smile naturally: "CHEESE-APPLESAUCE-MONKEYBONES!" The first time we "debuted" this phrase in Cyprus, it cracked everybody up, and it's become a family joke.

Go Haley! Go Haley! Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos!

Those two little ones are so adorable, Donna! Thank you for sharing. I love the comment that it's hard to get a picture of Sabrina without "gamma" in the shot. Ha. Don't I know about that. I'm an auntie and a great auntie and I love, love, love the role.

Nance, I like the cheesy face on occasion -- just not in every picture!

Mamie, she is so proud of her new shoes. They go well with her Chiefs outfits. Too bad our team is off to a rocky start. My back-up team (the Broncos) lost last night, as you know. Maybe I should quit trying to be a football fan.

Anne, that is so funny. "Whoopee Cushion" always makes my older grandchildren break out in big smiles. I'll have to think of something that tickles Haley's funny bone. She usually laughs when she talks about her Uncle Mike. He made a big impression on her this summer.

You are welcome, Mark. I'm going to try and get a picture of her with the sand and water table we got her. We set it up a few days early in anticipation of the planned outside party. Unfortunately, our prayers for rain were answered in a big way and the party had to be held inside.

Ellen, I love the role of being Grandma D, but I try not to be too obnoxious about it. My aunt talked about Sabrina all the time they were here. It would have been different if Sabrina hadn't been here. We were all charmed by her and could see how smart she is, etc. Didn't need the running commentary. ;-)

Awwwww! Such adorableness!!

What, no sand and water table allowed inside? You're pretty strict, Donna. :)

Such lovely pictures, Donna! My guy is totally going through the "cheesy" face phase as well. His Grandma would rather he NOT squint his eyes like that because she wants to see eyes OPEN in all pictures, but it's not something we can undo at this point. To me, it's just super cute.

Thanks for sharing the pictures Donna. Haley is cute as ever and Sabrina is also an adorable munchkin!

Lol, Joanne. I was so strict with my own kids that Play-Doh was a deck or driveway activity! I wouldn't care if Haley's sand and water table was in the house because it isn't my house. Well, technically it is, but it wouldn't be my mess. ;-)

Valerie, I can relate to your mother. My kids encourage her because it is gosh-darn cute but Grandmas like to see "normal" expressions part of the time.

Ilana, I have so many cousins in Michigan that I rarely see. It's such a joy to get to know my 2nd cousin Sabrina, especially since she and Haley are close in age. They had fun together but it may be years before they see each other again. *Sniff*

ETA: we had the same situation with my cousin Jon being close in age to my youngest son Ben. They probably would have been great friends if they had seen each other more often growing up.

"There aren't any beginnings," Burton said. "Nor any ends. It seems to me that man has engaged in a blind and fearful struggle out of a past he can't remember, into a future he can't forsee nor understand. And man has met and defeated every obstacle, every enemy except one. He cannot win over himself. How mankind hates itself." (199)

Book No. 78: In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck. 4.5 stars.

Wow, I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. From what I had heard about it, I couldn't decide if it was about social justice or socialism. Did Steinbeck have Communist leanings? Who cares! He writes a heckuva story about manipulation on both sides: the apple orchard owners and the migrant worker strikers. The strike was spearheaded by two Radicals, also known as Reds. Mac was the strike veteran and field worker for the Communist Party. Jim Nolan was a young man who saw his dad beaten down by life and wanted to do something about it.

This is psychological fiction at its best. The battle is between the land owners and the radicals, while the casualties are the workers who want to earn a decent wage to take care of their families. Steinbeck gives an excellent picture of mob mentality which takes the form of a huge animal with one goal in mind -- to tear down the barricades that contain the workers. This book grabbed hold of me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I'll be looking for my own copy so I can reread this one.

Nice review of In Dubious Battle, Donna. I picked up a few Steinbecks at a used book sale last weekend, at least one of which will be a reread, but I haven't cataloged them yet and I don't remember whether this was among them or not. I don't know if that's a sign of a failing memory or just buying too many books!

BTW, nice family pictures!

I agree, good review, Donna! I'll add that to Steinbecks I'd like to read.

Great photos, Donna; Haley's cheese face is precious!

Nice review of In Dubious Battle; I hadn't heard of it before, so I'll add it to my wish list.

Great review of IDB! You snagged me with that one. :) I'll have to see if my used bookstore has it! :)

Hi Donna -
Looks like great birthday fun with the kids. Love that age! Yes, even 2! Thanks for the pictures ;-)

Looks like a few are loving In Dubious Battle and it is one I haven't read by Steinbeck. Will have to correct that soon!

Great review of In Dubious Battle! I also finished it today and thought it was outstanding. My 2nd favorite Steinbeck.
I have to do more research but I never got the impression Steinbeck had communist leanings. He just cared about the little guy.

I LOVE the cheesy face Donna! And your review of In Dubious Battle. I guess I should have joined in on the is Steinbeck thing as the few of his that I've read I've enjoyed; will be looking for this one. 4.5 stars is hard to resist.

Great photos, Donna! The "cheesy face" thing reminds me of some old photos I have of me at that age.

Thanks for your review of In Dubious Battle. That's a Steinbeck with which I wasn't very familiar. I may try it!

*lurk* *skim* *lurk somemore* *skim* **SHUDDER* (Vacuum cleaner stories make me nervous---I haven't touched one more than a dozen times in the last 32 years---gave it up for pregnancy and never looked back. My husband knows how it works.) *skim* SO far behind. *skim* Awww....those kids are beyond adorable. *reads review of In Dubious Battle very carefully* I love Steinbeck, and haven't read that one. Must remedy. CAUGHT UP!!!! *phew*

Just popping in to say that I finally finished Infinite Jest last night. It was not infinite after all. I had mixed feelings about it and it did not end in a satisfying way for me. However, I am glad that I read and might even reread it someday (years from now). :)

I just don't have the reading time that I used to have anymore. But I keep buying books like I do!

So far behind. Thursday has become a grueling day for me. A 2-hour bridge class in the morning, a 4-hour bridge game in the afternoon (both very stressful for me), and then an evening church meeting. There are only 6 or 7 more bridge lessons so this won't last too long.

132: Linda, I'm glad to hear you are a Steinbeck fan. The more I read his books, the better I like him.

Thanks, Joe. I'm pretty certain you will enjoy In Dubious Battle.

Darryl, Haley has such an expressive face. She's so serious much of the time that it's good to see her silly side once in awhile.

Thanks, Valerie, I'll be searching for a good used copy for my permanent library. I had to order mine from a St. Louis library. If I lose or damage it, I'll be charged $125!! I've borrowed many books from out-of-town libraries, but this is the first one with that kind of warning.

Cee, sometimes age 2 can be challenging, but I can always send her back,to her parents if Haley's alter ego takes over.

Mark, I'm glad you liked the book as much (or more) than I did. Steinbeck is The Man! I thought he did a great job sticking up for the oppressed without being too heavy handed about it. There are always two sides to every story and/or battle. I could relate to Doc's philosophy.

Bonnie, there are a few more Steinbeck books coming up that I haven't read. I love the idea of "adopting" an author for a whole year and hope we do it again next year.

Hi Terri. Oh yeah, I have a few monkey faces in my past life that have come back to haunt me.

Linda, I like your style. I like vacuuming (kind of a Zen state takes over) but there are some other jobs that my husband can take over when he retires.

Congratulations, BJ. I consider reading Infinite Jest the triumph of my reading year. I know what you mean about the ending. Let me know when you're ready for a reread. ;-) Keep on buying those books. They can keep you company in your Golden Years.

I like the act of vacuuming, in principle, and certainly like the results...I just never could seem to get along with the equipment. The hose would kink, the cord get caught on something, the canister bang into the back of my legs....we just weren't meant for each other. I can get that "zen" thing from ironing sometimes, though.

Thanks for the photos, Donna. Everyone looked happy. In Dubious Battle sounds great; I haven't read it yet, but will move it up. I, too, like the idea of choosing an author to read for a year. Any ideas for next year? I'm thinking I might do Vargas Llosa and Isabel Allende -- I have lots to read by both.

Wow!! 125 dollars??? What makes that particular copy so expensive or it it just a really BIG incentive not to damage their books??

143: Ironing is my nemesis, Linda. There are a few things that must be ironed at my house, but most things come out of the dryer unwrinkled enough for me! I remember my mother ironing my father's t-shirts, and even as a young child, I thought she was crazy for doing it!

Beth, those are both good choices for "author of the year." I think my first choice would be William Faulkner, but I doubt if there would be enough interest for a Faulknerthon amongst LTers. I might just have to attempt it on my own!

Valerie, I'll ask the librarian about it. I need to report a torn page. I didn't do it. I swear! It's a Penguin Classic trade paperback edition so not all that valuable imo. Maybe it's their way to discourage sending their books across the state.

"...my prime has truly begun. One's prime is elusive. You little girls, when you grow up, must be on the alert to recognize your prime at whatever time of your life it may occur. You must then live it to the full."

Book No. 79: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. 3.7 stars.

I spent an enjoyable afternoon reading this short book about a teacher in an Edinburgh day school for girls. Miss Brodie is most unconventional to the point where I questioned her mental health. She liked to target impressionable students to form a small group that she could mold into her way of thinking. The headmistress and other teachers, with the exception of the two male teachers (red flag alert!), wanted her out of the school but they had no reason for dismissal until years later when one of the girls turned her in for her Fascist leanings. I'm not giving anything away as this information is given quite early in the book, though Miss Brodie never finds out for sure who the traitor is.

I found the way Miss Brodie influenced and manipulated these six girls fascinating. It's like she had her own little group of fascist soldiers (much like the Italian troops she admired) to do her bidding. She may or may not have had an affair with Mr. Lowther, the art teacher, but it was very curious that his portraits of some of the girls in the "Brodie Set" had a strange resemblance to Miss Brodie. She is definitely not the kind of teacher I would want as a role model for my daughter. One of the most chilling lines that was repeated several times in the book will stay with me: "Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life." Creepy!

Ironing? Vacuuming?! yech. I'm with Donna on ironing and vacuum only when I have to. Usually my husband feels the need to do it before I do, at least in the main living areas.

I don't iron. That's what the dry cleaners is for - they do it so much better than I could, anyway!

Thanks Donna, for your kind words re Our Daily Bread. I very much think that you would enjoy it, with your Christian background. Initially I was afraid that as a Christian I would be offended by the book -but I think that you'll see that the so - called " God -Fearing" people of Gideon are rather more hypocritical than truly Christians. (and of course that happens in real life too! ;)

I must get to the The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. One of the most chilling lines that was repeated several times in the book will stay with me: "Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life." Creepy! I agree!

Donna - Actually, Faulkner is a great choice for a year's exploration. I might have to alternate with a woman author, though. I love Muriel Spark. Great review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

I'm thinking of exploring Joyce Carol Oates next year. I have a ton of her books, but have only read (but liked!) a few of them....

Laura, my husband could wade through the dog hair and not notice it. I wish I had selective vision like that.

Hi Katie, you have found a good solution! I also like your choice for 'author of the year.' Joyce Carol Oates is such a profic writer that she could keep you very busy.

Deb, I think hypocrisy goes along with Christianity. It's hard to "walk the walk" 24/7, and I'm speaking from experience. The spirit is willing but the body is weak!

Beth, you are right...a little Faulkner goes a long way. Huh, I seem to be full of trite maxims today. I'm not sure which female author I would like to concentrate on. I've read a lot of Allende's works, but might explore Ms. Oates with Katie. The few books I've read by her have been very different from each other. I'll have to give this idea some more thought...or wait until Ilana, Mark, and Ellen come up with another idea of an author to focus on. Steinbeck was a brilliant choice.

>147 Donna828: I picked that up from the library many years ago but only got a few pages in before it had to go back. Your review has made me put it on the wishlist.

As to ironing, it's a last resort as it means hauling the ironing board upstairs. I've been pleased with the wrinkle sprays like Downy. Spray it on and stretch the wrinkle out.

Love the pictures! Cheesy face or not. And I might have to check out the ironing spray...that is something I don't do. Normally leave it for the dry cleaners, but sometimes a little sprucing up would be nice (if I didn't have to iron!). I admire you guys for concentrating on one author. My reading is a tad more arbitrary.

I read the Sparks book a few weeks ago and had just about the same result as you did Donna. A very unlikable character yet the book was enjoyable proving that that entire concept is certainly possible.

I like the idea of exploring an author for a whole year. I'm thinking probably Edith Wharton would work really well for me. I've only read three of her books so far and I own a couple more plus her autobiography. The rest are easily accessible (and free) as e books. I'd like to get to the Hermione Lee bio too. But that's today. Who knows what idea tomorrow will bring? LT is full of ideas. I could explore Steinbeck a year after everybody else. I don't think I could take a year of Joyce Carol Oates. Prolific, yes. Also, depressing and gut wrenching. That said, I've read a few of hers and have Blonde on my shelf.

I'm not sure I could be faithful to an author for a whole year...

I have never done ironing as an adult except to iron the piece of clothing I am planning to wear that very day--I remember too many times ironing pillowcases for my mom after school (watching Mike Douglas on TV). And since I've retired, that ironing board might get out maybe once a month, maybe. Of course, with the cats, the vacuum does have to come out at least weekly, but everything is on one floor here, and most have wood floors with area rugs.

Just to clarify for myself, I wasn't going to read Oates exclusively for a year! I was thinking a book every month or 6 weeks...

I was thinking of choosing two authors and alternating months. But since my "planned" reading doesn't usually follow any plan, I won't promise to follow that.

Regarding ironing: I like linen, so during the summer, I iron. Anything sitting on my ironing board for 6 months or more goes to Good Will. It's one way to go through my closet.

Very interesting conversation you have going on here about following an author over the course of a year. I have really enjoyed participating in the Steinbeckathon, so I think it would be great to do it all over again with a different author. LOVE Beth's idea about choosing two authors and alternating months - that would also be fun.

Jennifer, I'm going to get some Downy wrinkle spray and keep it in my closet for "smushed" clothes. Thanks.

Kim, I know what you mean by arbitrary reading. I kind of miss that. My reading is guided by TIOLI these days and reading books off my shelves. The problem is, I read more BOTS to choose from. Too much success!

Bonnie, Edith Wharton is an excellent choice for author of the year. I haven't read everything by her, but my class added to my numbers...and appreciation of her talent.

Hi Roni, sounds like your parents kept you busy after school. At least you had a good show to watch. I remember liking Mike Douglas back in his heyday.

Most definitely, Katie. Like you, one book a month is more what I had in mind for my author(s) of the year. I like to mix things up a bit.

Lol, Beth. That is a great plan for your unplanned reading. Also on the ironing. My husband knows better than to give me any mending to do other than sewing on a button. I once sold a bag of kid's clothes that needed mending at a garage sale!

Mamie, I've also enjoyed the Steinbeckathon this year. I haven't joined in on every book, but it was great to read the ones that I've missed over the years.

I didn't do as much reading or LTing as I had planned to yesterday. Haley and crew went to church with me, and then we watched The Chiefs win their first game. Hooray! Last night I got sucked into The Emmys. I was hoping for a little more love for Downton Abbey.

I don't do very well with planned reading, but anyone who wants to spend some time with Faulkner can count on me to join the discussions. I've read most of his novels at least once, and welcome re-reads almost any time.

#159 BLBera > Since I retired, I've been trying to broaden my reading exposure as much as possible, especially since I have been guilty in the past of sticking with one author for "fluff" reading. At one point I had read everything by Dale Brown, W.E.B. Griffin, Stephen Coonts (action stuff) and other more luminary names such as Poe and Doyle. I am now enjoying myself with assigned reading from two book discussion groups, an occasional carefully chosen solicitation from LT (I haven't won anything from GR now since January) and my own list of "must reads" gleaned from lists such as this and from other online award sites. So I've fallen off the wagon and into the Mary Russell series of Sherlock Holmes pastiche novels by Laurie R. King, and fortunately I only have two yet to go before I run out and have to move on. No self-discipline ...

Ironing? No luck. I've been trying to get my sweet wife to iron my shoelaces for me ever since we were married over 40 years ago, but she is still resisting ...

Hi Donna, I enjoyed your review of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I listened to it on audio last year and loved it.

I, too will try the wrinkle spray -- I detest ironing and never have the time anyway.

Donna, I'm afraid I got very behind with your thread(s) so a very belated happy birthday and congratulations on reading 75 books from me. Also loved the Hayley photos :-)

In yesterday's reading, I came across reference to a woman who read while ironing by propping her book on a music stand. Anyone tried that?

#166 Sounds like a bad idea to me....I do watch TV while ironing, but I think I'd ruin a lot of clothes, or never get anything finished, if I tried to read while doing it.

Am I the only one here who loves to iron? My favorite household chore, actually, as long as there is something decent on tv for distraction. The rest of them are just, well, chores.

I might join you on a Faulkner or two, Donna, if the timing is right.

I love ironing! Especially when it gets all steamy and the fabric smells real nice. It's very calming, as opposed to cleaning the bathroom.

I love the photos of your grandchildren. They are adorable!

Eek! Behind on my thread again. Thanks to my lovely visitors who have kept things moving along here for the past few days: Linda, Mike, Anne, Heather, Brenda, Linda in New York, Eris, and Linda in Pennsylvania. And now I am redirecting this conversation from household chores back to books! Yes, I have been reading...just not as much as I want to these days...


"Hippocrates introduced the historical conception of disease, the idea that diseases have a course, from their first intimations to their climax or crisis, and thence to their happy or fatal resolution. Hippocrates thus introduced the case history...but they tell nothing of the experience of the person, as he faces and struggles to survive, his disease...To restore the human subject at the centre--the suffering, afflicted, fighting, human subject--we must deepen a case history to a narrative or tale." (from the Preface)

Book No. 80: The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat by Oliver Sacks. 3.3 stars.

The strength of this book lies in the humanizing of neurological diseases. Some of these cases are somewhat humorous yet some are heartbreaking. Dr. Sacks writes with empathy but he is first and foremost a medical doctor, and his clinical jargon can be a little off-putting. He goes into detail with some of his cases; others are merely sketches of a patient's behavior.

He organizes these case studies into chapters he names: Losses, Excesses, Transports (the power of imagery and imagination), and The World of the Simple. It doesn't take long to read these essays, some of which I will be thinking about for some time. To be perfectly honest, I was a tad bit disappointed in the book. I suppose I wanted even more human interest than he depicted and less doctor talk!

162: Oops, I just realized we have two Lindas in Pennsylvania! Perhaps you can be known as Linda, our Faulkner advisor. I would love to have your guidance if we do get to Bill next year. I still have the list of more accessible Faulkner books that you gave me a few years ago. For some reason, the man intrigues me.

Hi Donna, catching up at last. Congratulations on reaching 75 books a while back, and I'm glad your 75th was a good one. I've not read any William Boyd yet; one of his was read by my book group last year and I got a copy of the book but never managed to read it and missed the group. I shall make an effort to try him soon.

Lewis' space trilogy is not my favourite of his writings, though I might be curious to read them again some time (it was about 30 years ago when I first read them).

And Haley is just so cute, and growing up fast!

I agree with you on The Man Who Mistook His Wife for his Hat. I was pretty disappointed myself. I didn't realize it was going to be so clinical.

Hi Donna, lovely family pics! great review of In Dubious Battle. I'm still working my way through it and find it much more enjoyable when I can immerse myself in it for long periods of time rather than short spurts. I've so enjoyed this years Steinbeckathon. What a great way to get a feel for an author.

My S-I-L, who is a psychiatrist, admires Oliver Sacks and has mentioned his books as essential reading. But then, I guess he wouldn't object to the clinical aspects, would he?

I rather enjoyed The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, but I don't mind clinical. On the other hand, his stories aren't actually real. He takes little bits and pieces from different people and puts them together to make the "perfect" clinical example. Sometimes, I'm guessing he exaggerates. Current neurologists aren't too happy with him, I'm told by my neurology-resident friend.

I'm another one who liked The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I don't remember it as being overly-clinical, but maybe like Rachel I just don't mind it as much as you did, Donna. Interesting to hear current neurologists aren't too happy with him. He has that gift for making it all accessible. It was a big bestseller back in my bookselling days. Great title.

Donna, I felt about the same way you did when I read that one not so long ago. I thought the patients he talked about were interesting, but his way of presenting them wasn't. I understand Sacks has suffered from some of the same facial recognition problems he detailed in the book.

Hey there, Genny, it's great to hear from you. I've loved the two Boyd books I've read and look forward to reading more. The Cosmic Trilogy was interesting but not in the same realm as Lewis's books on theology.

Yay, Morphy, great minds think alike!

Lynda, I'm glad I have no memory of reading Tortilla Flat, though I may have read it in high school. I've missed Mr. Steinbeck those months when I had already read the selected book.

Linda, I liked the Sacks book better when I skimmed the more technical parts. It's a good thing I didn't want to become a neurologist...or doctor of any kind...or nurse, lab technician, etc. Well, you get the idea.

Rachel, I kind of surmised that from the quote I chose that mentioned deepening a case history to a narrative or tale. I suppose a little embellishment helps sell books.

Joe, I didn't realize you had been a bookseller. I liked doing that on a part-time basis when we moved to Colorado and I didn't want to update my teaching certificate.

Jennifer, that is a sad irony regarding Dr. Sacks. I have that same trouble with female movie stars. They all seem to have perfect hair, teeth, noses, complexions, bodies, etc.

I was hoping to have another book to report on today. I am nearing the end of the wonderful Cairo Trilogy and should be able to finish it tomorrow.

We have to drive to Purdy, Missouri, for my husband's high school reunion. Yippee! I'm (kind of) being sarcastic as I've gotten to know these people over the years. They are a small tight-knit group who have welcomed this outsider into their fold. I think there were less than 30 graduates in 1962. Most of them are still alive and kicking. ;-)

Hi Donna, just came by to wish you a nice weekend. Hope you have a lovely time at the reunion.

I am doing the same as dear Judy and wishing you a happy weekend. Great reading and photos here as always and your unerring judgement always impresses. To wit In Dubious Battle versus The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - a definite point to Steinbeck.

Hi Donna! In Dubious Battle is another Steinbeck that's slipped past me. It sounds like something I'd really like!

Hope all is well!

Hi Donna - I hope the reunion was fun. I'm anxious to see what is next for you. You've done a lot of good reading this year.

Happy Sunday Morning To You!

I like Oliver Sack's works, although I can't comment on their accuracy. I do believe it's common for any popular science work to have bits and pieces combined to make one interesting story rather than the scientific journal style of describing accurately each case separately. I especially enjoyed Musicophilia which I listened to as an audiobook last year. I picked up Island of the Color Blind at the recent library book sale, so I hope to get to that one eventually. (Unless of course, MT TBR falls on me and smothers me first!)

Hi Donna, a very belated birthday and congrats on crossing the 75 mark. I was impressed by you review of Animal's People. Speaking as an Indian the Bhopal gas tragedy has been in the news since last 30 odd years and recently the US Company Union Carbide was absolved of all charges of neglect which created a huge outcry in the country.

I loved being a bookseller, Donna, and that's where I met my lovely wife (she was a storyteller there). Tough to raise a family on that income though.

We've talked about doing it part-time somewhere in the next phase of our lives. One couple advertised to have someone take over their store for 3 months down in Kentucky (I think) because of their need to go somewhere, and we both thought we might have done it if we were footloose and fancy free.

Hi Judy, my husband had a great time last night, and I had an okay time. The best part is that he now owes me TWO social occasions of my choice. I haven't forgotten the Cattle Baron's Ball in August which was not fun for me. Him either, but he could suck it up as a business outing.

Paul, Steinbeck will probably always get the point from me if I am the referee.

All is well here, Joanne. My biggest complaint is that I don't have enough time and energy to do everything I want to do. I believe that's a universal complaint, though, so I won't complain about it. Confused yet?

Beth, I enjoyed hearing some stories about DH's exploits in high school, but my favorite thing was reading the description of "sophisticated" under his picture in the yearbook! I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of that one.

Happy Sunday to you, Linda. It's great to see you out visiting today.

Oh Janet, I hope you don't get smothered or crushed by Mt. TBR! But what a way to go. ;-). Dr. Sacks has some great titles for his books, doesn't he?

Hi Gautam, thanks for that personal reaction to Animal's People. I'll share it with my book group this week.

Joe, book selling, like teaching, is a labor of love. I really enjoyed the people I worked with in the independent bookstore and learned so much from them. I followed my supervisor to the book dept. in Media Play when they came to town and it was an entirely different experience.

Hi Donna, glad you had an OK time last night. I've had a few of those obligatory occasions myself. What can you do but grin and bear it I guess. Payback can be good though:)

Hi Bonnie, I was just visiting you on your thread! I forgot to say that last night's food (catered) was decent, but the desserts (homemade by our generous hostess) were superb. Several kinds of cookies, peanut butter balls, cake pops, chocolate covered strawberries, and several kinds of candies. Maybe DH doesn't owe me for this outing after all!

Hi Donna -- just passing through! Hope you're having a good weekend. And plans to come to CO soon?

#180 Donna828 > Purdy. Ah, yes. Close-knit indeed. They had national attention a few years back when they refused to allow dancing at the high school. Just a mere stone's throw from Neosho, but a place I've never been. Hope the reunion didn't include a dance band. :-)

Well, I'm way behind! The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat sounds quite interesting to me, even if it was not quite your cup of tea. Ohhh - nearing the end of The Cairo Trilogy - good for you - I'll look forward to your comments!

>192 AMQS:: Hi Anne, this has been an interesting week end. We were supposed to be spending time with my DIL Mary's parents who are visiting from Dodge City, KS, but her father has been in the hospital almost the entire visit. He is in poor health after a stroke two years or so ago and doesn't travel much at all. I suspect this will be his last trip - and it may last longer than he wishes. I'm clearing my schedule to have Haley over here during the days next week as Mary and her mother are at the hospital almost all day and Ben will go back to work tomorrow.

Part Two of "interesting": we woke up early this morning to flashing lights and police cars and a wrecker fishing a car out of the lake behind our house. We didn't hear anything during the night but we think it might have been a teenager (older red Civic) who had been partying a little too heartily and missed the curve and drove into the lake. Nobody was in the car so we're hoping he/she/or they got home safely. Strangely enough, an elderly woman was found dead in her car after driving into another lake in our subdivision just last week end. We've lived in this particular area quite a few years (both before and after CO) and have never heard of any vehicles in the lake. I hope things don't always come in threes!

We have no concrete plans to visit Denver, but will try for late fall. Mike and Rebecca were here for a week this summer so we didn't make it out there. I really missed our late summer get-together.

>193 mldavis2:: No dancing or booze at last night's reunion, Mike. As you know, this is Southern Baptist territory. And yes, Purdy got quite a bit of publicity back in the day with their no-dancing policy at the school. There was a local song written about it called "Purdy Dirty Dancing" and, of course, it was one of the inspirations for the movie Footloose. Another bit of Purdy trivia and the movies... The Grand Torino featured in the Clint Eastwood movie was discovered in somebody's shed in Purdy. We found lots of interesting junk antiques in my husband's parents' sheds and barn when we cleaned things out after their deaths but no cool cars.

>194 vancouverdeb:: Hi Deb. Hang on for my comments on Sugar Street. Only two reviews have been posted so I'll try and think of something coherent to say about it. Stay tuned.

"Kamal left the room with a heavy heart. It was sad to watch a family age. It was hard to see his father, who had been so forceful and mighty, grow weak. His mother was wasting away and disappearing into old age. He was having to witness Aisha's disintegration and downfall. The atmosphere of the house was charged with warning signs of misery and death." (Pg. 9)

Book No. 81: Sugar Street by Naguib Mahfouz. 4.2 stars.

It is the end of an era in the history of the al-Sayyid Ahmad family. The younger generation is taking over as Hitler comes into power raising the question of whether or not life would be better under German rule than it had been under 50+ years of British occupation. The Cairo trilogy focuses on the changes that took place in the years after WWI leading into a more modern era. These changes occurred slowly which Mahfouz mirrors with his slow methodical style of writing.

I thought this book was a strong ending to an excellent trilogy. I gained a better sense of the social, religious, and political ramifications in this part of the Muslim world. "The teachings and precepts of Islam provide a comprehensive answer to the problems people confront in reference to this world and the next. Those who assume that its doctrines apply only to the spiritual and devotional aspects of life are mistaken. Islam is a creed, a way of worship, a nation and a nationality, a religion, a state, a form of spirituality, a Holy Book, and a sword." (275)

It is good to know that human nature is much the same no matter what country one lives in. Parents care about their children and wish the best for them, love and marriage is challenging, people get old and die, but life goes on. Mahfouz pulls off an almost-perfect ending which isn't an easy feat after 1,000 pages and three decades of the inner workings of one extended family experiencing problems and changes in their personal lives and political and societal changes in their country.

Oh my, that's quite a lot for a weekend, and how unsettling to have cars dredged out of lakes nearby. I'm hoping this phenomena will stop at two as well. I'm so sorry to hear about your DIL's father. That is so hard on the family. They are lucky you can step in to care for Haley. My mother is taking a semester off from teaching in Germany, and it is so wonderful to have her here as I start my new job -- she is helping so much getting the girls picked up from school and taking care of us as we adjust to our new schedule. I am very grateful.

I loved your review of Sugar Street. I'll probably reread the series in a few years.

I missed our late summer get together, too! Hopefully it won't be too long before we can do it again.

I've been lurking here throughout, Donna, but without much to say. Sorry to hear about your DIL's dad, although the silver lining is your time with Haley. And I also hope the cars into the lakes phenomenon stops at two. Glad the reunion went well, and is past. And your reviews of the Cairo trilogy have been very readable and encouraging as well.

Yes, Anne, it was quite a week end. I just hope Mary's dad gets out of the hospital soon. He will probably go to a nursing home until he gets some strength back.

Hi Roni, thanks for your kind words. I need to check out your thread to see if you have put up pictures of more of your "pretties".

I'll be starting In One Person today for Thursday night's book group. It looks like it's almost time for another new thread as well. Later!

Health Update: Mary's father got out of the hospital this afternoon. He and Mary's mother are in Lawrence, KS for a rest stop at their son's house before they head back to Dodge. Mary, Ben, and Haley all have some kind of intestinal bug now...probably from hanging out in the hospital. I guess I won't be babysitting after all as I don't want to get sick.

Okay, now I've reached the magic number so I can begin a new thread. So where's my continuation feature?

One more time...

huh....

It's there - can't you see it? Below the text box.

Mamie, I'm waiting for my new glasses... I really am.

No worries - I have bifocal contact lenses, and trust me, they DO NOT work well.