Donna is Leafing Through the Pages (11)

October
BY ROBERT FROST

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

My brother's picture taken two years ago. I doubt that this fall will be as colorful because of the summer drought.

Books Read in September:

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.



Books Read in October:

82. In One Person by John Irving. 3.6 stars.
Billy Abbott reflects on his long life of embracing sex in all its forms. This book is not for everybody!

83. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. 3.8 stars.
Harold walks away from his life to help an old friend and finds himself on the journey.

84. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny. 4.1 stars.
Chief Inspector Gamache and Jean-Guy are called away from Three Pines to the seclusion of the north woods of Canada where the silence is broken only by Gregorian Chants - and a murder.

85. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng. 4.8 stars.
I loved this book about memories and Malaysia's role in WWII as a female Chinese survivor falls under the spell of a Japanese gardener.

86. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss. 3.1 stars.
An amusing look at the importance of punctuation in written communication.

87. The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. 3.25 stars.
An extremely powerful and graphic book about Japan's invasion of China in the early stages of WWII.

88.The Round House by Louise Erdrich. 4.7 stars.
After a Chippewa woman is brutally raped, her son and his friends help solve the crime and make certain that justice is done.

89. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. 3.3 stars.
Some comical and some disturbing vignettes about Danny and the friends who inhabit his inherited house after he returns from WWII.

90. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. 4.2 stars.
A Russian secret service agent goes rogue to find out who is responsible for the gruesome murders of children under the reign of Stalin who supposedly abolished crime.

91. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. 3.1 stars.
An atmospheric ghost story provided just the right mood for Halloween reading.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​
Rating System:

One Star.........Not worth my time so you won't see any 1-star books in my library!
Two Stars.......Finished grudgingly
2.5 Stars........Fair, but not for me
Three Stars....Liked it pretty well but had reservations
3.5 Stars........Good but not great
Four Stars......Great book; I recommend anything with a 4-star and beyond rating
4.5 Stars........Excellent, a keeper
Five Stars.......Timeless, a real treasure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

2012 Favorites (in order of reading):

Woe To Live On by Daniel Woodrell
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck

Favorite Rereads:
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

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

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

Very clever, as always! : )

Lovely new beginning to a thread!

Donna - still in progress but congrats on your latest thread. x

Nice new thread, Donna! Love the picture up top. Also love the mini-review of all your September reads!

I give up...now I see two pictures of my big leaf on the book! I really hope they call me about my new super glasses soon. I thought about asking for the special blue filtering lenses so I wouldn't add so many books to my wishlist, but then I wouldn't have nearly as much fun on LT.

A Big Welcome to Brenda, Roni, Paul, and Mamie!

What a lovely beginning for your October thread, Donna!!!

Love the picture at the top, Donna! Both of 'em. :-)

Which reminds me, I am due for an eye checkup myself ...

Hi Peggy, it's good to see you here.

Thank you, Julia, I changed the image in Message 2. I'm still getting used to my new computer. I use the iPad most of the time so there are still some things I need to learn here. But right now I'm going to read before bed!

Well, that new picture is gorgeous, too!

Hi Donna, What beautiful pictures! And thank you for the Robert Frost poem. Fall isn't my favorite season, having to do with the promise of winter close behind, but we had such a pretty day today, I could almost get to like it!

eta- Leafing through the pages... :)

ooooh, gorgeous new picture in message 2!! Love it!

Another beautiful beginning, Donna! Once again I'm in awe of your creativity! :-)

Yay, a tribute to Autumn, my favorite season, and that picture up top - beautiful! Congratulations on having your eleventh thread!

What a lovely picture of the fall foliage! You know, I was worried that we wouldn't get the colors this year, too, but it looks as though we may, from the way things are turning around here, at least...

Love the leaf on book pic. Spiffy new thread!

What a lovely way to begin October...thanks for sharing the poem and that stunning photo, Donna. Robert Frost always makes me think of my husband's grandmother, who loved his poetry. It was the only thing I ever saw her read.

Hi Donna- Congrats on the new thread! Love the fall photos! Hope you had a great weekend.

New thread, so the old one must be somewhere far up on my list of starred threads, with lots of unread posts...

I am checking in here for now, wishing you a wonderful week.

Nice new thread, Donna. You had a prolific September. How are you starting October?

Ah, your start to the thread is giving me that good, strong Autumn feeling, Donna. Congrats.

Lovely new thread Donna and I will try to keep up with this one.

I feel like I've been hanging out up the road from you in Independence and Kansas city because I'm in the middle of Truman. After 350 pages he is President but BOY I learned a lot about Missouri first. Am really enjoying it but it's not a fast read is it?!

Hi Donna. I love seeing your brother's photographs. I hope you have the one up top framed and hung up for all to see somewhere.

I still need to go back to your last thread to see what you've been up to but wanted to stop by before this one got too long.

Are you taking any courses this fall?

Hi Donna!
That picture taken by your brother is awesome - beautiful colors and reflections!
Hope this October is beautiful for all of us. We need a reprieve after this last awful hot/humid summer.

If I see one more good word about In Dubious Battle, I will have to drop everything and go place it firmly on my nightstand! I just might anyway...

Hi Donna, I love that picture up at the top. Your brother must be handy to have around. And the Robert Frost poem is perfect. We actually were talking about him in class not long ago and apparently he was a miserable person but boy could he write. Stopping by Woods is one of my favorites (of any poet).

I see you finished up The Cairo Trilogy and I have to say that I really, really enjoyed it.

I love new threads because I get lots of visitors. Some are regulars. Some I just hear from on occasion. All are welcome! Ozarks greetings to Julia (again), Joanne, Roni (2nd time), Nancy, Eris, Amber, Morphy, Linda, Mark, Nathalie, Beth, Joe, Cushla (loved Truman), Pat, Cee (one word: GREAT), and Bonnie.

I see I need to pay some return visits tonight and tomorrow. Time to get busy!

Another one checking into your new thread, Donna. I love how your thread gives a big nod to fall as this is my favorite time of the year. Your list of September's reads is very impressive. I am definitely going to give both William Boyd and Muriel Sparks a try next year. I even made up a category in my 13-13 challenge for authors I have been afraid to try/authors I want to try. It seems everyday here on LT, I learn of another author that I didn't know of before and I am eager to give some of them a try-out.

Hi Donna, I have been laying low on LT, but thought I would drop in and say hi. I always love reading your threads and reviews. Just bought Restless at a book sale for .50 cents so am glad to hear you liked it.

I thought fall in CO would not be so colorful this year, but a friend of mine said that was not so. Looks like I will have to go up in the high country and look around. Great picture of fall in your area. I am not active in any groups right now but I am reading a lot and making comments on books but not so many reviews.

Hi Donna, I am thrilled to hear from you. I thought I had lost you somehow. It happens sometimes and I always wonder what happened. So have you read anything great lately?

Oh, and there's Judy! Sorry I didn't see you until after I posted. I know what you mean about new authors. I am still on the lookout for Alan Furst books, an author I learned about from you.

Well, I have been reading all kinds of things. My 4 star reads lately are Midnight's Children, Property, Ender's Game, On Beauty, and a special favorite of mine lately is the first book in the Conrad Richter trilogy called The Awakening Land. So far I have only read The Trees, but am really looking forward to reading the rest of the books.
My comments on the book are: A beautifully written book on early America during the expansion to the west. Richter uses the rich vernacular of mainly unschooled pioneer stock to tell this story of hardship and beauty in the deep woods of the Ohio Valley. As Richter says of this dialect "a purely native form of speech but which, wherever found, should be recognized with its local variants as a living reminder of the great mother tongue of early America."

I have read 91 books this year so I am on a roll.

Happy October! I love the photos.

HI Donna! Love the photos! Happy new thread :)

Stopping by and checking out the new thread, Donna! I love the beginning of fall and all the wonderful colours that pop up! We had our very first snowfall for the year and although it didn't stick to the ground, it reminds me that our fall, as lovely as it is, is always too short for my taste. :)

34: Donna, you have sold me on The Awakening Land. It only has two reviews on LT, and one calls it "Little House for grown-ups." I grew up with the LH books and loved the family values the series promoted along with a look at the pioneer spirit and hard work that made our country what it is. Thank you for your recommendation.

Hi Linda, I hope you are enjoying some of this crisp autumn air. I love this time of year. It's energizing!

Thanks, Chelle. How are the newlyweds? I'll pay you a visit tomorrow. It's past my bedtime.

Snow, Valerie? I'm not quite ready for that. I hope you get some moderate fall weather before winter sets in.

Hello Donna,
taking the opportunity to visit your new thread and introduce myself as well. I am from Voerde (a small town) not far from Düsseldorf or Köln, approximately 400 km from Bad Kissingen. I have never been in Bad Kissingen myself but heard that it is supposed to be quite nice there. As you obviously spent some time in Germany do you speak German? And Thank you for having nice memories of Germany. :D
I love your autumn photos at the top of your thread, and also just noticed that I have got quite a few of the books you read on my TBR pile, some of them even not entered in my catalogue, yet.

Hi Donna, new thread do tend to draw in the crowds don't they. We're always all of us struggling to keep up, and a new thread is so easy to jump on to! I wish I were a more frequent visitor, but I'm glad you welcome us occasional droppers-in as well. Have another great reading month.

Hi Donna! Just keeping up with your thread - hope today was a good one.

39: Welcome, Bianca. I wish I did speak German. I went to Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades in Bad K. Any German I learned then has long been forgotten. I'll be following your reading to see if you pick up any of the books we have in common.

Ilana, I have been jumping onto new threads because I got so far behind last month. That's an easy thing to have happen around here. I always enjoy our visits, frequent or not. I hope you have a good reading month, too.

Thanks for checking in, Mamie. Today was a lovely day here in The Ozarks. I even enjoyed my trip to the recycling center and grocery store. Then I had two evening meetings; one was my book group. I'm going to let my thoughts simmer overnight as I don't quite know what to say about John Irving's latest book.

"...don't put a label on me - don't make me a category before you get to know me." (Pg. 198; repeated in last paragraph of book)

Book No. 82: In One Person by John Irving. 3.7 stars.

People are complicated. We all have urges of many different kinds. Some we act on, some we don't. Irving writes in the first person about Billy's desires as he grows up in a quirky small-town Vermont family. John Irving does quirky very well. He can take a subject that I ordinarily wouldn't be interested in reading about and infuse it with pathos, humor, and grace to the point where I quickly overcame my discomfort in reading about Billy's sexual mutability and conflicts and accepted him the way he was, which turned out to be a bisexual man who didn't want a monogamous partner and didn't want to change. However, Billy or William, as he came to be known in his career as successful novelist, formed some long lasting friendships among both men and women.The novel was written with Bill as an older man looking back on his life as one filled with both joy and pain...as most of us will be reflecting on in later years.

Make no mistake, this is a book with an agenda that Irving stated succinctly in the quote above. There is lots of sex and sex talk in the book as would be expected from even the briefest description. There are some haunting scenes with AIDS patients and a disproportionate number of characters who don't subscribe to the "norm" when it comes to sexuality/gender. We have cross-dressers, transgenders, lesbians, gays with different preferences, bisexuals, etc. Irving is preaching tolerance, and what better way than to acquaint the "straight" reader with all kinds of people who get pleasure in different ways. This may not be a great example of an Irving novel, but he succeeds in promoting tolerance, which is a good thing. I applaud his bravery and tenacity.

I hope I haven't offended anyone with my thoughts about this book. There were six women at my book group last night and we had a frank and earnest talk about the issues Irving raises. Keep in mind that I live in the heart of the Bible Belt yet there was no disparaging talk whatsoever, only a desire to understand a different way of thinking and living. I will be reading Giovanni's Room soon. It's been on my WL since I read Go Tell It on the Mountain, and I am interested in Baldwin's perspective on this subject.

I haven't read the new John Iriving, Donna. I find him to be either 1) unreadable; or 2) my favorite author. One of my all-time favorites is A Prayer for Owen Meany, but there have been others of his that I haven't been able to read--and I've tried.

I appreciate your comments here and glad you posted them. I will definitely give In One Person a try!

Becky I so agree with you. Owen Meany is in my Top Ten All-Time Favorites. One the other hand (warning, bad pun ahead), I had to put The Fourth Hand down after a few pages. My librarian friend has convinced me to give it another try. I should be clear that I probably would have quit early on In One Person if I hadn't been reading it for my book group. Good luck with the book -- and thanks for the visit.

Nice review of In One Person, Donna. I look forward to your comments about Giovanni's Room, which is one of my favorite novels by my favorite author.

# That's an excellent way to describe my feelings about Irving, too. I have given up on The Fourth Hand and A Son of the Circus and A Widow for One Year, but when I love him, I love him-- Owen Meany.Cider House Rules, Last Night in Twisted River, Saving Piggy Sneed. He's so quirky and unpredictable. Sometimes that can be a delight...other times it's just peculiar and even distasteful. I've been meaning to read Giovanni's Room too, although my daughter tells me I will need many hankies.

>45 Donna828: I think I still own The Fourth Hand. I tried reading it, but like you, Donna, I didn't get very far. I'll be interested to hear from you about it if you pick it up again.

>47 laytonwoman3rd: I feel exactly the same way about every book you mentioned. "Distasteful" is a good word for some of his stuff. I was so glad when he finally got off the Amsterdam sex worker jag--ha. I would also put The World According to Garp on that list. Such an odd book--quirky is a good word, maybe way beyond quirky. It's instructive that the original title for the book was "Lunacy and Sorrow." That was one that I read and enjoyed, despite (and sometimes because) it was so weird.

46: Thanks, Darryl. Sorry I didn't have a list of planned reads for you to peruse. I'll get right on it!

Linda, I'll be sure to have an ample hanky supply when I read Giovanni's Room. Good point a out Irving's quirkiness sometimes turning into distastefulness. Fair warning! He may have crossed that line a few times in his latest book.

Becky, I read Garp so long ago that I may have to reread it at some point. I remember that it was the "It" book when it came out. Oh my, that's a lot of "its"!

Lynda...I totally agree with you regarding John Irving's books.

And I join those of you who love his book A Prayer for Owen Meany

>50 Whisper1:: Hi Linda, I know that Owen Meany is one of your favorite books, too. You have good taste!

There is something magical about that book! I laughed, I cried, and I didn't want it to end.

And now, here's that list I promised Darryl.

Projected TIOLI Reads:

Challenge #1: Random Tag Generator
Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss.
The cool thing about this book is that it's the book my friend Nancy handed off to me last month for Madeline's Challenge.

Ch. #3: Read a book released in 2012
In One Person by John Irving ✔
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

Ch. #4: Book set in China
The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang

Ch. #6: Starts with "Un"
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Ch. #8: Book Written by a Dead Author
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

Ch. #14: Letters and Numbers in Title
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.

Donna, I've heard great things about Child 44. I haven't read it yet, but hope to do so before the end of 2012.

Busy, busy, busy over here Donna! I am apparently woefully behind in my John Irving books having only listened to Cider House Rules. When I was about halfway through the book I was hit by a pickup truck while I walked down the road with my Walkman (it was 2001) going. I guess it left a bad taste in my mouth because I never picked up another Irving until I bought A Prayer for Owen Meany on your recommendation a couple of years ago. Maybe I can actually get to it one day soon.

I liked Child 44.

Thank you for the interesting review of In One Person Donna. I'm another who would put Owen Meany on my list of favorite books ever. (In fact I think I just did that a few months ago.)

I haven't read any John Irving yet (shame on me!), but have A Prayer for Owen Meany on my audible WL. Reading the posts here it seems to be a good starting book. Would you say it's good audio material?

I am planning The Garden of Evening Mists and Harold Fry as well for October. Too lazy however to make a TIOLI list. This reminds me I still haven't done my September stats...

And yes - hankies are recommended for Giovanni's Room. Wonderful intense book, one of my 5star reads.

Have a happy weekend!

Hello Donna wish you a wonderful weekend with lots of lovely reading.
I have read a view of John Irving and my favourite will always be The World According to Garp. :)

Thanks, Donna! ;-)

Two of your planned reads are amongst my 5 star reads, The Garden of Evening Mists and The Rape of Nanking.

Morning Donna- Good review of In One Person. There has not been much LT buzz on that one, so it's good to hear you liked it. I know we've chatted about Irving over the years. He mostly works for me. My favorites being Garp and Cider House.
I LOVED Child 44!

Simon Birch is a movie based on the book A Prayer for Owen Meany. It adheres to most of the book, but plays loosely with some parts.

>58 drachenbraut23: Wow, what an interesting thought--audio version of Owen Meany. You would need the perfect narrator to pull that one off, because one of the big "things" in that book is Owen Meany's voice, which is represented in ALL CAPS in the print version of the book.

What do you think, Donna? With the right narrator, it might work, but I think it would be hard to do well.

Nice review of In One Person, Donna. I need to put that on the wishlist. My favorite Irving book is his memoir The Imaginary Girlfriend. It helps explain why so many of his characters are former or current high school or college wrestlers!

52, 54, 61: Magical is a good way to describe Owen Meany, Linda. Yes, I've seen the movie Simon Birch, although that has been too long ago as well. Must revisit,

Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie...what a chilling story. You and Stephen King! No wonder you haven't read anything else by John Irving. Yikes.

Anne, it looks like Owen is pretty popular around here.

Nathalie, I think Owen Meany would be a joy to listen to. We'll have to compare notes on Mists and Harold.

Thanks, Bianca, hope you have a great week end as well. My librarian friend's favorite author is Irving and her favorite book is Garp. I need to revisit his wonderful world soon.

Darryl, I'm looking forward to reading those 5-star books. I suspect The Rape of Nanking may fall into the category of 'most powerful' books I've read. I'll finally have an answer for Bonnie.

Mark, I have no idea why I have put off reading Child 44 so long. It has been around here so long that even my husband has read it. I think In One Person is the type of book that will be read by people with more open minds and ignored by the people Irving wants to change.

Becky, I don't listen to many audiobooks, but I know there are some excellent performers who could pull off that squeaky voice. My memory of the movie is vague. Makes me want to see it again just for the voice thing.

I haven't read that one, Julia. Irving has taught me more than I care to know about the wrestling world! I do like looking for the motifs in his books. The bears mentioned in In One Person were of the human variety (!) and, yes, wrestling played a big part in the book.

Hope you're having a good weekend, Donna. You know I liked Mists a lot, so I hope you enjoy it. I'm another one who likes some John Irvings and not others, and I liked Owen Meany. My daughter loved Cider House Rules, and I haven't read that one yet.

Hi Donna - I have a question and a confession. I really liked Cider House Rules and Garp. My question: Have you ever been so turned off by a writer's interview comments that you stopped reading him/her even though you liked the writing? My confession: that happened to me with Irving. Still, Owen Meany sounds like something I should read. I'll try to get over it. I was just wondering if anyone else has had that experience.

Joe, I'll be having a great week end just as soon as I can get out of the bedroom closet! Hubby wanted flannel sheets on the bed so we flipped the king size mattress and I'm going through a maze of shoes while the mattress pad is being washed. TMI? I guess my point is that one thing leads to another. I hope your week end is off to a better start.

Interesting question, Beth. I'm wondering what Irving said that was so offensive. I try to separate the person from the product. I have more experience with movie stars because my husband refuses to honor an actor's work with his $ if he doesn't like their politics. That eliminates most of Hollywood! I know many authors (and Hollywood stars) have dreadful personal lives but I also think that's part of what gives them a boost in their creativeness. I'd be very interested in what others have to say.

The only Irving I've ever read was The World According to Garp back in the day, and it left me rather cold. Speaking of which, flannel already?

Donna - It wasn't so much that he was offensive, he was just being a jerk. I thought my response could be to not buy his product. Of course, that can be cutting off my nose... On the other hand, there are so many good books out there, why not support nice authors?

Hi, Donna. Marking my spot. Loving the discussion of Irving; lots of his stuff I treasure; some is just pointless to me. I tend to like weird a lot, though, as long as it isn't Paul Aster.

On the person/product issues: I try to divorce the two, unless something really egregious occurs. My daughter, on the other hand, will "get a mad on" at an author and not read him/her for years.

I would never give an author points off for poor social skills, although maybe that's because I'm not particularly gifted in that area myself.

Mmmm....I can't say I'd ever blackball an author because I heard an interview that turned me off, but then I would expect to dislike the work of an author who I found personally unlikeable. Philip Roth comes immediately to mind; can't stand him, can't read most of his stuff. As for Irving, I've seen him in a live appearance, and thought he was quite charming. If he said something I disagreed with, or acted the jerk, I would be saddened, but not to the point that I'd stop reading him. I can see being so offended by an author's pronouncements that I wouldn't BUY his/her books. But I have a feeling that "nice" isn't a word that would apply to many of my favorite writers, and I try to judge the work, not the creator of it. Sometimes, of course, the two are fairly inseparable, and that makes the judgment easy.

*waving* at Donna

Hi Donna. I am another huge fan of Owen Meany, as well as some of John Irving's other works (I still remember reading Garp with relish). I will put In One Person on my list; your comments are candid and intriguing.

I read Giovanni's Room last month and thought it was brilliant. That Baldwin wrote it in the 1950s is a miracle of courage and insight.

#67 Donna828 > Rarely do I boycott authors for their political or social biases, although I do boycott a few corporations that cross over my imaginary line of outspoken support for or against certain causes. The banned book lists are a goldmine of great literature. I guess if "corporations are people," then people who work as authors for a living might be considered corporations. Having admitted that, I do try to remain open minded and read works by authors whose views might vary from my own, because I recognize that while my values may be 'universal' to me, they aren't necessarily for others, and I may not be right. In general, I avoid political works outside of historical biographies and avoid the contentious brain-dead rhetoric from the far right and far left, so that leaves open most of the library.

I think we cannot properly reconcile our views by always reinforcing what we already think we know. It is only by continually testing, comparing, studying and reconsidering that we reach toward a better understanding of issues, and by risking internal conflict, we either alter our stand or confirm it - a test of fire, if you will. If we truly believe something, we should never be afraid of challenge, and should never be afraid to change a stance. As a scientist, I like to think I am open minded and objective in my reasoning and acceptance of empirical evidence and facts. I know I am not, but I try, hence I am not afraid to read most everything.

Hi Donna,
to jump into the author discussion - I usually try to seperate the two as well, because I want to read the book, enjoy a story. However, I think there are some stories which are greatly influenced by some authors experiences in life. Spontanously coming to mind are authors such as Charles Bukowski and Edgar Hilsenrath Although, if one of my favourite authors would say/do something which really would clash with my personal ethics/view - honestly, I don't know what I would do.

Wish you a lovely Sunday!

A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorites, too. :)

68: Not a Garp fan, huh, Roni? You might try Owen Meany. I think he is easier to like. It was supposed to get down to 28 degrees last night. I boycotted the flannel sheets and slept upstairs where the heat wasn't turned on. Brrr.

Beth, I've never seen Irving in an interview, but I've always thought of him as an author with a chip on his shoulder. Perhaps he was having a bad day when you saw him. I do see your point about supporting the nice authors.

Gail, your daughter sounds like my husband. He takes things too personally!

Oh Becky, you make me laugh. What you call poor social skills, I call honesty.

Linda, apparently you saw Irving on a good day. I see authors as real people who have their ups and downs. It would be difficult to be at one's best all the time while on a book tour. I'm sure they get tired of the same questions asked by people who may not have read their book.

Hi Stasia. Waving back!

Ellen, yours is the review that put Giovanni's Room on my WL. The role it played in In One Person made it a priority.

Well said, Mike. I like the way you think through a question and state your position with such clarity.
The banned book lists are a goldmine of great literature.. Hear hear!

Bianca, I echo your last statement about a clash of values with a favorite author. I hope that never happens to me. Wishing you a lovely Sunday as well.

Rachel, it was a very memorable book. That's why I think Roni should read it. ;-)

Donna - Great discussion. And I'm very tempted to pick up Owen Meany.

So it looks like Owen Meany has just climbed to the top of the teetering tower.

As far as author interviews irritating me enough to stop reading their books---well, it's never happened but I certainly think it could. I have to say I don't pay an awful lot of attention to author interviews but I've attended a few author events and found them quite enjoyable. Maybe if I were a Phillip Roth fan (I'm not) I'd be annoyed with some of his outrageous statements. Even V.S. Naipaul, with his denigrating remarks about women, hasn't scared me off---I still plan to read A House for Mr. Biswas.

Yay, Beth, my work is done...as soon as you pick up and read A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Another hooray for Bonnie for moving the book up without making the teetering tower fall down. Reminds me of playing Jenga, at least I hope that's the game I'm thinking of.

"If we don't go mad once in awhile, there's no hope." (32)

Book No. 83: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. 3.9 stars.

I don't have a lot to say about this book except that it had a deeper meaning than I expected it to. It started out on a farfetched premise with little background as to why Harold was walking the length of England to "save" a coworker whom he let down over 20 years ago.

As Harold walked, he grew more philosophic and began to let the reader into his heart a bit. He met many interesting people along the way and even became a sort of celebrity. It wasn't an easy journey, but those things that change us are never easy. Even Harold's cold and cranky wife Maureen changed with his absence. She came to know that "it was not a life, if lived without love." (147)

This is a debut book by a promising author. It didn't blow me away, but it awakened my compassion for those who seem to have given up on life. I don't know if this one goes in the category of "feel good" book but it is definitely one that leaves the reader with a sense of hope.

#78 Actually, I saw Irving at a reading for charity in New York a few years ago. He shared the stage with J. K. Rowling and Stephen King, and he read from Owen Meany. The whole evening was an utter delight, and Salman Rushdie made a surprise appearance with his young son at the mike during the Q & A that followed the readings. I don't doubt you're right, though, about the chip on Irving's shoulder.

Wow! That was some gathering . . .

>67 Donna828: We could've used some flannel sheets over the weekend, Donna. Our furnace cut out on us, and it got pretty nippy in Hacienda Welch. Hopefully the furnace guy will have a good solution today, although we think that it may be "time for a new furnace." We've been lucky in stretching out the life of the current one, and it may finally be time.

I don't worry about movie star politics too much (I guess Clint Eastwood's politics should've been predictable), but I do find the Scientologists scary. Still, I've watched Tom Cruise in movies and occasionally found him good (e.g. his hilarious turn in Tropic Thunder), and have often found Travolta good.

Hi Donna. I appreciated your thoughts on In One Person. I've had a copy of A Prayer for Owen Meany on my TBR list for years based on some of the 75ers recommendations but I think I'm a little intimidated by it...

Also glad you enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage - I think it was a feel good book for me in some ways, but one that gave some food for thought too.

Hi Donna!
Well. It looks like I MUST put Owen Meany on my WL and start there. Nice reviews of In One Person and Harold Fry.

I guess I was able to overlook any rough patches in Harold Fry as I quite liked that book a lot! I love books about journeys. Will be interested in any future Rachel Joyce books.

Well Harold Fry went back to the library before I could get it read so maybe I will reconsider Donna.

>83 laytonwoman3rd: Linda: Ha! That made me think of that hilariously uncomfortable scene in Bridget Jone (the movie), in which Bridget is trying to introduce the man who will introduce the author of their publishing company's new book...

Oh, hi, Donna! :)

Morning Donna! Finally leaving my mark on your newest thread and what a good time to do so. I own a copy of Owen Meany and it looks like it needs to zoom up the list of "to reads".
Hope you have a wonderful day!!

PS: I also thought that the summer's drought would bring little color but looks like I worried for nothing. The colors here are outstanding, hope yours will be too :0)

Flannel sheets are on the bed here in southern Colorado. 26 low the other night. I, too, am an Owen Meany fan along with so many others (mainly women?) Also it is interesting to hear Giovanni's Room might be a great read as James Baldwin is such a favorite of kidzdoc.

Harold Fry seems to be the kind of book that you have to be in the right mood to enjoy it. Some people love it and others are less than impressed. I think I'll wait for the right mood to give the book a fair chance. :)

I was very surprised to see Harold Fry being ripped to pieces by my favorite German literature critic on TV some days ago. But I'll read it anyway as I already own it.

Re. Owen Meany as audio: the performance/ narration got excellent votes on audible, seems the narrator reads Owen with a special voice. I'll give it a try soon, although the length is scaring me a bit (almost 30 hours if I remember correctly).

Hey Donna! I wasn't blown away by The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, either, but it was certainly a cute book. Certainly a nice debut!

I missed the beginning of your new thread, Donna, but at least I finally got here. I haven't yet read Harold Fry - haven't managed to get hold of a copy yet and I'm trying to stick to the ones I've already got on my shelves (though that doesn't stop me checking my local well-stocked charity shop at regular intervals and coming away with handfuls of new-used books. But Harold Fry has not yet appeared among them, so he'll have to wait. Also haven't read Owen Meany, or any John Irving for that matter - I've got a lot of catching up to do!

Lots of visitors. I'll respond in the next message. I wanted to share some pictures about what I've been doing the past few days. Birthday for Ben on Monday involved cooking and cleaning house. Then had a sleepover with Haley! She's back home, but we have an extra dog for the next four days while they are in KC.

In keeping with my autumn theme, I'll give the other grandkids their time on my thread as well. I need to get up to Kansas City before they forget their Grandma D!


Sadie (10) and Audrey (8) playing in the leaves. Griffin is barely visible in background...but here he is picking out the best pumpkin at the pumpkin patch!

Now, back to my visitors:

83, 84: Linda, I agree with Brenda that this was some gathering. I love author events.

Joe, I hope your furnace woes are over. Our weather has been up and down the past few days. A typical autumn in The Ozarks.

Heather, please don't feel intimidated by Owen Meany. He's quite the lovable little guy!

Cee, I love journey books, too, even though this one didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I think I would have wanted the proper shoes and a map!

Bonnie, I had the same experience with NW slipping away from me. It's too bad those libraries want their books back!

Hi Amber!

Lynda, our trees haven't shown much fall color yet. I wanted to take some "leaf" pictures with Haley...that will have to wait a few weeks before we have enough leaves on the ground.

I never thought about Owen Meany as being a book that would appeal just to women, Donna. I seem to remember baseball and the Vietnam War being part of the story. Maybe I'll give it to my husband to read when he retires to get a male perspective.

Good idea, Valerie. I hope you like Harold when you get in the proper frame of mind.

Wow, a critic ripped Harold Fry to pieces? I thought it had the usual flaws of a debut novel but I certainly wouldn't be that harsh with it. Thanks for that bit about Owen Meany on audio, Nathalie. I figured that the voice had to be special because it was such a big deal in the book.

Agreed, Rachel. I will be interested to see what Rachel Joyce comes up with for her next book.

Genny, I've been concentrating on reading books from my shelves this year, too. Until this month, that is, when I got a boatload of books from the library. I'm finally catching up and only had to send a few back unread.

Today, I plan to read as much as I can in The Beautiful Mystery. I'm enjoying it so far even though some of my favorite Three Pines characters aren't in this one.

#96 & 97 Lovely photos Donna.

"Today, I plan to read as much as I can in The Beautiful Mystery." Sounds like a great plan for the day!

Hi Donna -
Great pictures of the grands!

re Harold: Everyone takes their journeys with different levels of preparation. Like you, I would have been much better prepared or at least made adjustments along the way.
And everyone has different reasons and expections for their journeys. Harold needed this one to make sense of his life - even if it didn't make much sense to us.
It was different and thoughtful.

Catching up! I am really behind around here. Love the poem at the beginning of the thread and the photos of the grandkids!

Life is a little crazy. We are considering moving... not far, but we want a bigger yard and a smaller house payment. We're looking for a fixer around town, so not in a huge rush, but also starting to get our house ready to sell. Why we do these things to ourselves I don't know. Other than we have a kid going to college in 4.5 years and it seems wise to reduce our living expenses.

You've been busy! As always, enjoyed the pictures of the grands and love reading about your day to days with Haley and family in town. I am also reading The Beautiful Mystery . . . What is your reaction so far? How do you think it compares to the other 7 in the series?
BTW, I really liked Harold and his journey. What an endearing character he was!

Love the photos of the grandkids - they seem to be having so much autumnal fun that it makes me long for the seasons myself.
Not quite sure about Irving - always found him a tad obscurist. His Setting Free the Bears is as weird and strangely wonderful as debuts go - sounds like Rachel Joyce has done something similar with her own first novel.

Hi Donna- I also love the grand-kids photos, especially the precious Haley! She always puts a smile on my face.

Thanks, Heather. I had a lovely day of reading. I needed my fix!

Hi Cee, I liked Harold Fry the book better when I began to understand the force that was driving him. I always liked Harold Fry, the character, just thought he was a bit on the simple (as in flaky) side at the beginning.

Good to see you, Jenn. I hope you find a house that you all love. Be sure and get plenty of room for your chickens!

Hi Brenda, I thought the most recent Penny book was more thought provoking than some of the others. I don't mind a change of pace once in awhile, bit I hope she returns to Three Pines in her next book.

Paul, I haven't read Irving's earliest books, but I don't think Rachel Joyce comes close in the weird department. "Strangely wonderful" is a more fitting description, however, if one is able to forgive a few flaws. I'm a picky reader these days.

Mark, Haley puts a smile on my face too. We get her for four days at the end of the month while Ben and Mary attend a wedding in Miami. I think I passed the trial run! ;-)

"They (Gregorian chants) were learned by heart, passed down orally, after years of study, from one monk to another. The chants were simple, but there was power in that very simplicity. The first chants were soothing, contemplative, magnetic. They had such a profound effect on those who sang and heard them that the ancient chants became known as 'the beautiful mystery.' The monks believed they were singing the word of God, in the calm, reassuring, hypnotic voice of God." (From the Prologue)

Book No. 84: The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny. 4.1 stars.

The above quote states that there is power in simplicity. Louise Penny has chosen to retain only three of her regular cast of characters whom we've grown to look forward to. She has pared it down to Inspector Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and the despicable Superintendent Francoeur, who thankfully doesn't arrive on scene until the middle of the book. Fewer characters worked in these quiet, secluded surroundings.

The setting is a remote area of Quebec where an old order of Saint-Gilbert monks has been "discovered" after their release of an underground CD of Gregorian chants went ballistic in the pop music scene. The Chief Inspector and his right-hand man have been called in after a monk has been found murdered in a private garden of the monastery. As usual (for me anyway) the solving of the mystery is not the main attraction. I enjoy the interaction between characters and the patient way Inspector Gamache has with people, especially the rough-around-the-edges Jean-Guy.

This is most assuredly a continuing story. We have flashbacks to the bloodbath in the warehouse where several of the Chief's men were killed. Jean-Guy was seriously injured and developed a drug dependence during his recovery that almost ruined his career. The affection between these two men is in jeopardy thanks to the interference of the superintendent from hell. This man is evil!

While I missed the relationships between the quirky characters of Three Pines, I was fascinated by the inner workings of the monastery. In particular, the role of music in a place where silence reigns was one of my favorite things about the book. I may even have a CD from a few decades ago when this music was so popular. I'll dig it out for those times when I need more peace in my life.

What lovely grandchildren!!!!! They are what we live for!!!!

Your grandchildren are gorgeous! I'm glad all of them are getting their fair share of oohs and aahs from us! Attention is very important for us children. :)

For some reason the thought of a Gregorian CD made by monks going nuts on the pop charts made me giggle. If only that were true...

Gregorian chant recordings have indeed from time to time made the charts - see here for example...

Hi Donna,
I luv the pictures of your grandchildren. They are adorable and they all seem to have a lot ot fun.

?Gregorian Chants? We used to listen to them from time to time when I was younger for Halloween, they used to help to create a creepy atmosphere. However, I also found they could be quite soothing at times.

Hi Donna, I haven't had much to say but wanted you to know I'm still here, following your thread with interest!

Donna, what lovely grandchildren you have! No wonder so much of your time is spent with them, they are all so adorable! :)
Glad to see the last instalment of the Three Pine series was to your taste. I have yet to start the first book in the series, but that can only happen when I actually have all the books ready on hand so it will be awhile yet! :)

Nice review of The Beautiful Mystery, Donna. Very much in accord with my reaction to it.

I own several CD's of Gregorian chants...sometimes it's just the tonic I need.

Hi Donna - Nice pictures. Great review of The Beautiful Mystery -- your ideas about it matched mine, so of course it's a great review :)

Look at all the cutie patooties up there! You are a very lucky grandmother Donna. It's not often that you rate a book higher than me but this edition of the Inspector Gamache series will be one we'll just have to disagree with.

Wow Donna, so many interesting discussions here! I had a lot of catching up to do so am coming late to the party.

I thought your comments about In One Person were completely respectful and couldn't imagine anyone taking offence about anything you said. Extremism of any kind that seeks to be "in your face", i.e. disrespectful of other people has always been something I've shrank away from. Yes, I definitely think we all need to be tolerant, but I also think that includes being considerate of other people's sensitivity.

Interesting comments by everyone about whether or not they would read an author who's views differ from their own. Just a few months ago, I chose to purchase an audio version of Ender's Game, which I had to think about a little bit after seeing a discussion on one of the threads about Scott Card's views. I decided that while I wouldn't necessarily want to get to know him as a friend, I was curious to see what the fruit of his creative efforts were like all the same, especially as had seen so much positive feedback about this particular book. If I knew a writer to be affiliated with hate-mongering groups on the other hand, there's a good chance I'd stay away from their books. That being said, while I've never considered reading Mein Kampf, it's isn't completely out of the question either... after all, there's still a certain fascination with trying to understand how monsters might think and behave.

I too have Owen Meany on audio. It's one of the very first audiobooks I purchased, in fact. I've only ever read Garp, and that was when I was a teenager, and while I remember loving that book at the time, I have always been quite traumatized by a certain sex scene in a car that immediately results in quite tragic circumstances... That being said, I almost picked up APfOM the other day, so it's just a matter of time.

107: you are so right, Linda.

Hi Eris, I hope I haven't been neglecting you. You may technically still be a child in years, but you have a mature outlook. You are a wonderful addition to the LT Group!

Thanks for that link, Genny. I haven't been able to find my CD. A visit to iTunes may be in order.

My grandchildren are a lot of fun, Bianca. The older ones can wear me out -- maybe we'll listen to some Gregorian chants on their next visit to settle them down.

Hi Laura, I do my fair share of lurking on your thread. Thanks for letting me know you're here.

Valerie, I think you have the right idea. I hate the thought of having to wait another year for a Three Pines fix!

Thank you, Joe.

Linda, "tonic" is the perfect descriptive word for soothing music. I went through a terrible period of insomnia about a year ago and found that Enya was better than sleeping pills.

Beth, I guess great minds think alike. *chuckle*

Only half a star higher, Bonnie. My highest rated Penny book was A Trick of the Light at 4.5 stars. Having all our 3 Pines friends included made it more enjoyable for me. Her other books are either 3.5 stars or 4 stars on my list.

Hi Ilana, thanks for your kind words about my thoughts on the Irving book. I bend over backwards to be truthful, fair, and inoffensive on sensitive topics. It is so easy to be misunderstood in print. I appreciate your thoughtful response about reading an impertinent author. I guess if one really crossed a moral line with me, I would avoid his or her books. I do hope you listen to Owen Meany soon. I think you would like it.

You haven't been neglecting me at all! I am afraid I haven't been commenting a lot on your thread either, as I don't know many of the books you read. You always write reviews that make me sorely tempted to check them out, though, were it not for my huge reading list. :)

And you are so right about Enya! She helped me through a lot of restless nights. I'd put on my headphones and I was out by the sixth song.

Skimming through, a bit behind, Donna.
I let The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry go back to the library unread. I think I might just have to let that one go, given the HUGE number of books that I so badly want to read!

Happy Weekend to you.

Hi Donna- Be careful bending over backwards, we're not as young as we used to be. Hope you have a nice weekend.

Eris, I think C. S. Lewis is our common ground when it comes to books. I'm also planning a reread of The Hobbit before the movie comes out.

Ellen, it's hard, but sometimes necessary, to let a book slip through our fingers. As you said, though, there are many worthy books lined up to take its place. I like knowing that I'll never run out of books that I want to read.

Mark, you must have missed my TV debut last week. Or maybe you didn't recognize me doing those 35 consecutive backflips! Aleve is my secret weapon. ;-)

>>120 EBT1002:, 122 I'm feeling the same way about The Unlikely Pilgrimage, Donna and Ellen. It sounds intriguing, but there are so many others I want to read.

Hi Donna - Thanks for sharing your grandchildren with us!

Interesting Irving discussions. My favories remain Garp, Cider House, Owen Meany, and A Widow For One Year. I have some catching up to do on some later books but I know there are several I have no interest in reading.

I'm skipping your thoughts on the new Penny book as it's waiting patiently for me on my nightstand...

Great pics, Donna! Haley is as cute as a button! She reminds me of my baby niece.

Hi Donna - Just stopping by to say hi. I think we'll both be reading The Round House soon. I'm looking forward to it.

Also just stopping in to wish you a good Sunday. I've loved all the grandkid pictures.

HI Donna
Love the pics of the grand kids playing! Fall is such a great time of year

I'm glad to see you enjoyed the latest Penny book! I loved it but I was very mad with the characters by the end. I hope it gets resolved in the next book!

Hi Joe, it sounds like we're all suffering from "So Many Books, So Little Time" Syndrome.

Joanne, I hope you like the new Louise Penny book. There has been a bit of mixed reaction about it on LT.

Thanks, Porua. I love that expression, though I don't tend to think of buttons as particularly cute. Wonder where the idea came from?

Beth, I always look forward to a new Erdrich. I'll read it next week end if all goes according to plan.

Thanks, Roni, it has been a good Sunday. The kids picked up their dog this afternoon. I like having Cassie hanging around with me as Lucky is a Daddy's Boy.

Oh, Chelle, I know exactly what you mean. I don't want to have to wait another year to see that rift mended.

The key to the issue is that it is not the button on a shirt that is meant here, but a flower bud seen in the popular name of small flowers, such as bachelor's button (q.v. "button" (n) in the OED, meanings 2 and 3).

:D

#130 Well, thanks for clearing that up...I always love to know the origins of common expressions that just don't seem to make sense when you think about them.

Wonderful pics, Donna. My how Haley has grown!

#96/97: Beautiful grandchildren, Donna!

Thanks for that quick explanation, Morphy. I would never have come up with that on my own!

Me too, Linda!

Thanks, Lynda. Haley is getting to be a big girl - as she would be glad to tell you!

Stasia, you have me blushing; though I quite agree. ;-)

"The stillness of the mountains awakens me. The depth of the silence: that is what I had forgotten about living in Yugiri. The murmurings of the house hover in the air when I open my eyes. An old house retains its hoard of memories, I remember Aritomo telling me once." (Pg. 1)

Book No. 85: The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng. 4.8 stars.

I love a lyrical historical novel, and this one does not disappoint. Set in Malaysia, it recalls the time of Japanese occupation when many residents, including Teoh Yun Ling and her older sister were interned in prison work camps. Yun Ling survived and was working in Kuala Lumpur as a judge when the Japan Peace Treaty was signed. Outraged about the lenient terms, she was asked to leave her position because her bitter comments were reported by the press. She returns to her sanctuary, Yuguri, in the Highlands and decides to write down her memories because she is slowly losing them due to a neurological disease. Sounds a bit contrived, doesn't it? Perhaps it is, but when we learn that her memories center around a Japanese Garden, it makes more sense.

One of my favorite passages is applied to a garden, though when I read it, it reminded me of the way I feel about some of my treasured books: "The garden has to reach inside you. It should change your heart, sadden it, uplift it. It has to make you appreciate the impermanence of everything in life. That point in time just as the last leaf is about to drop, as the remaining petal is about to fall; that moment captures everything beautiful and sorrowful about life." Sublime writing like this made the book fall into the company of other books that transport me to a magical place where I can experience a book's reality as my own.

Yun Ling's story is about an unlikely friendship between herself, a Chinese woman who had been tortured by the Japanese, and Aritomo, who had been the Japanese Emperor Hirohito's gardener. Yun Ling wanted Aritomo to design a Japanese garden in memory of her sister who had died in the prison camp. He refused but offered her a job as his apprentice which led to… Well, I think I'll stop right there and urge you to read this one for yourself. Just as every step inside The Garden of Evening Mists is meant to "open your mind, to lead you to the heart of a contemplative state," I hope you find the same sort of peace that I did in the juxtaposition of terror and the beauty of nature.

In addition to meandering through three different time periods in Yun Ling's life, we follow her complexity of emotions through a rich history of war, ethnic conflicts, and communist guerrilla fighters in the mountains of Malaysia. She vacillated between numbness, anger, and forgiveness. The variety of Japanese art stands out against this harsh backdrop just as the view of the distant mountains catches a visitor by surprise as they stroll through the controlled beauty of the garden. Sorry, it is difficult to write about this extraordinary book without speaking metaphorically. Even if it doesn't win the Booker Prize, it will take top billing in my list of 85 books read so far this year.

I just gave you a thumb for your review, and I know it's the first of many thumbs! I'm #1 on the hold list for that book at the library, but I froze the hold 'cause I am waaay overbooked right now! Guess I might have to unfreeze it, you think? ;-)

Thanks, Nancy. I'm glad I came back here to read your comment because I noticed I had given it 3.8 stars instead of 4.8. I came very close to giving it the Full Five!

I would save this book for a quiet time when you didn't have book pressure or upcoming trips. It's definitely a book to be savored.

Well, Donna, Louise Penny just commented on her Facebook page that she has completed her third draft, with much relief.

Hi Donna, I was wondering about that 3.8 rating given the rave review! Thanks for clearing up my confusion :)

Ooh, another great review of The Garden of Evening Mists. Really must read it! Off to thumb now ...

Um hymm, Lyrical historical novel; um hymm juxtaposition of terror and the beauty of nature; um hymmm complexity of emotions. Yep you and I read and loved the same book Donna. Terrific review.

Sounds like a wonderful read, Donna! I'm curious about what held you back from giving it the full 5 stars since it was so close!

Excellent review of The Garden of Evening Mists, Donna! Tonight is the Booker Prize award ceremony, and I hope that it is chosen as the winner. However, I suspect that Umbrella by Will Self will come out on top.

Great review of The Garden of the Evening Mists Donna! I'm only about half-way through... But I'm loving it so far.

Adding my appreciation for your review of The garden of evening mists - I know I will want to read that one, though i don't yet have a copy as I usually wait to get hold of used copies or from the library. Looking forward to seeing if it or one of the others will win the Booker...

Loved your review of The Garden of Evening Mists. A bit disappointed that he didn't win the Booker and I am a little surprised that he got zero media attention over here and his books are not so easily available.

Donna- Great review of The Garden of Evening Mists! This sounds like a MUST READ! I'll have to get to it.

Thumbs up for your wonderful review!

Still waiting for my copy of The Garden of Evening Mists from the library.....
Giving your very nice review a hearty thumb.

It looks like I am guilty of thread neglect again. In my defense, I was hostess for my church circle last night and had to prepare food for 20 voracious women! Many of them come to the meeting directly from work. All went well but I'm glad to get back to books today.

>138 ronincats:: Thanks for the Penny update, Roni. I don't want to rush her, but it is a long time to wait to see what happens next in LouiseLand!

Hi Katie, I was just trying to see who was paying attention! You passed the test with flying colors.

Thanks for the thumb, Laura. I predict you will like this book.

Thanks, Bonnie. This one touched my heart.

Good question, Valerie. I rarely give the full five stars. Looking back, it was 11/12/2010 when My Reading Life garnered 5 stars. It was the perfect book -- for me. The Garden of Evening Mists fell a tiny bit short because I have a problem seeing tattoos as an art form. It's just me being picky again!

Darryl, I was surprised but pleased that Bring Up the Bodies won this year's Booker. Like others, I thought that Mantel wouldn't win because she won for Wolf Hall. Good for the judges not holding this against her.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Mists, Rachel.

Genny, I will be looking for a good used copy for my permanent library. It's one I'll want to revisit. Plus, I now want to read Tan Twan Eng's debut, The Gift of Rain.

Paul, I am surprised that Eng's books don't have star billing in the bookstores in KL. I learned a lot about Malaysian history and he describes in country in elegant prose.

Definitely a MUST READ, Mark. Unfortunately, many others are as well. I think you have the right idea to listen to books on your route so you don't waste any reading time.

Thanks for the thumbs up, Linda.

And, thank you, for that hearty thumb, Ellen. Mists is a book worth waiting for.

More appreciation for that charming review of The Garden of Evening Mists, Donna, and a thumb from me. What a book! I thought The Gift of Rain was really good, too.

Thank you, Joe, for both the thumb and the go-ahead for The Gift of Rain.

I was a little disappointed in my last read. It started out great but then it got repetitious and the humor wore a little thin. I read Eats, Shoots & Leaves for TIOLI Challenge #1: Random Tag Generator, "writing reference". The cool thing about the book is that it is the one that my friend Nancy618 handed off to me last month for TIOLI Challenge #1.

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


"...the world cares nothing for the little shocks endured by the sensitive stickler. While we look in horror at a badly placed punctuation sign, the world carries on around us blind to our plight. We are like the little boy in the Sixth Sense who can see dead people, except that we can see dead punctuation." (Pg. 3)

Book No. 86: Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss. 3.1 stars.

eats shoots & leaves is a tongue in cheek look at punctuation and how it is used and misused we've all seen those signs that drive us crazy the author Lynne Truss gives many humorous examples to me however the value of the book lies in remembering that using proper punctuation is a courtesy to readers its a way to help them understand the meaning behind the words as the author states punctuation herds some words together keeps others apart pg 20 there are rules to be learned about the apostrophe in particular a good part of the book is dedicated to the redundant apostrophe with both disastrous and humorous results humor of the dry english variety is a big part of this book but there is always the underlying theme that punctuation matters if one wants to communicate clearly on a personal note i learned that i probably overuse the ellipsis and that emoticons are a paltry substitute for expressing oneself properly pg 193 yet i say they are fun and will continue to use them… ;-)

Hmmm funny I had exactly the same reaction to this book and I love your completely grammar and punctuation free review. And yes, I appreciate the fact that you usually observe the conventions of grammar Donna.

Very clever review, Donna!!

I so want to thumbs up that review! And yes, I too probably overly rely on emoticons, and I have a bad habit of using dashes all the time. Oh, well, they're a lot of fun!

>152 Donna828: LOL! Well done, Donna.

>152 Donna828: haha. I've been thinking of reading that book, but maybe I shouldn't have high hopes. Good review ;) ;) ;)

Fun review I wanted to thumb too Donna

Clever review! It is so unusual in this group to read a review that lacks punctuation, I knew something was up before I'd finished reading the first sentence (or what I presume is the first sentence without punctuation to guide me!).

I read this one last year at long last. I agree, as I'm sure must of us here do (hence well-punctuated posts being the norm), that punctuation matters. I would want to add though that punctuation has changed and will continue to change, and I felt that Truss was a little too prescriptive about it, although in an amusing way. I'm coming at this from a historical perspective: I did my doctoral thesis on punctuation in early mediaeval manuscripts!

I agree with you Donna, the book did get a little repetitive, but I still enjoyed it enough to give it 3 stars. I loved your review, too! Would you consider posting it on the book page so it can be thumbed?

P.S. Your touchstone leads me not to the book, but to the BBC radio series that inspired the book ...

Thanks to Bonnie, Nancy, Eris, Darryl, Rachel, Joe, Genny, and Laura for not thinking my review was too "cutesy." Or, maybe you did, but were too polite to say so. I had fun writing it. With over 200 reviews on the book's page, I don't think I'll post it. I did it mainly to satisfy my weird sense of humor.

Genny, I think that's a wonderful topic for a thesis. I know language has changed quite a bit since the Middle Ages, but hadn't thought about punctuation changing. When I tutored my adult student in reading, she had the most trouble with punctuation. She understood the concept of periods but just kind of sprinkled some commas and apostrophes around in random order -- kind of like some of the examples in the book.

Laura, thank you for alerting me about the touchstone. It is fixed now.

152> Love it.
And I know that I overuse the ellipsis, too.....

Donna - I'm another one with thumb extended vertically in appreciation of your review sans punctuation. Fascinating that Genny did a doctoral thesis in punctuation in medieval manuscripts - how is it possible to tell whether the blood spray from another session of the inquisition is not a comma, colon, semi-colon or full stop?
Have a lovely weekend.

Ah, Paul, my manuscripts predated the Inquisition by at least 400 years, and were all written in civilized Britain and Ireland where torture was rarely allowed in the scriptorium or library!

Genny I didn't know that was your PhD topic - very cool! Donna, I loved your review too. I am very uptight about punctuation but am guilty of too many ...s, -s and ()s. (And now I am going to be selfconscious for at least the next half hour...) (see!)

Hi Ellen, I've been thinking about punctuation a lot this week... I suspect Lynn Truss would disapprove of those many abbreviations used on Twitter and in texting as well. Lol. I think we all have a unique style of writing which sometimes uses punctuation in a creative way. Good for us!!!

Paul, only you would think of splattered blood as punctuation. ;-)
Thanks, Genny, for clearing that up.

Cushla, I'm glad the punctuation police don't patrol LT. My particular nemesis is the quotation mark. I guess Americans do it incorrectly by always putting periods on the inside. It just looks so odd to me to see them hanging "outside".

I finished reading The Rape of Nanking today. Wow, this book is a real sucker punch to the gut. I'm going to have to sleep on it before I can write any comments. It really knocked the words out of me.

Definitely an unforgettable book for me . . . Haunting really.

Brenda, I believe you we're the one who put it in my hands at Prospero's Books in Kansas City in 2011. Thanks?

ETA: Too funny. After all my talk about punctuation, my autocorrect made a big boo-boo on "were" -- and it just tried to do it again!

Donna - I remember feeling the same way about The Rape of Nanking -- harrowing but important. I'll be interested to see your comments. I'm going to start The Round House shortly.

Hi Beth, I should probably let "Nanking" set awhile. Right now I'm still in a state of numbness thinking about how cruel people can be to each other. I agree that it's important that we know what happened.

Here's my punctuation/spelling/capitalization problem, Donna: I go back and forth between my iPad and my PC. The dang auto correct on the iPad (I waver between loving it most of the time and hating it when it second guesses me incorrectly) has me typing along with nary a worry in the world and paying no heed to what I'm typing. Unfortunately, I fail to auto correct myself when I'm typing on my PC and since it lacks that very handy feature I end up with a barely readable passage. Grrrrr.

Sorry about The Rape of Nanking and double sorry that I wusses out on you:(

Donna

My physical therapist is a great person. He loves to read and loves to discuss books with me. He recently finished Unbroken and I'm going to purchase a copy of The Rape of Nanking for him.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrDon't get me started on punctuation. Alas, in the academic college world I find students who cannot write, cannot spell, cannot punctuate. I do believe there is a direct correlation between social media, texting, email and the lack of written and verbal skills.

As an example, during registration last spring I received a curt email from a student that said..."I need you to get me in J11 Basic Newswriting." My reply was "I need you to say please and thank you!"

I have read quite extensively about the Nanking Massacre. One again I was left stunned by how low we human beings can go!

I do not plan on reading The Rape of Nanking though and it's disturbing content is not the only reason for that. The book's author Iris Chang suffered from depression and killed herself. Her research into the Nanking Massacre and the Bataan Death March were blamed at least partially for her suicide. Having dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts (not to mention having a close family member who had attempted suicide and had issues with self-harm), I often find myself unable to read books by authors who took their own lives (i.e. Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf; etc.). I suppose it is childish of me but it is what it is.

Porua

I don't think your inability to read books by authors who took their own lives is childish in any way.

Hahaha well of course had Genny specified that it was limited to the UK I would have had no doubts that the punctuation was from a nib and not a thumb-screw!

>171 brenzi:: Bonnie, I commiserate with you on the iPad. I solved the problem of going back and forth with different results by buying a Mac PC. My old computer was 9 years old and starting to make funny noises! I'm still going through the learning curve. Change is hard for me. No worries about the book. No one forced me to read it. I was just looking forward to comparing notes with you.

Linda, I think a history junkie would appreciate The Rape of Nanking more than I did. I absolutely loved your reply to the student. I hope he/she learned a lesson in common courtesy.

Porua, I didn't know that about Iris Chang. Or you. Like Linda said, your attitude is not a bit childish. I would feel the same way in your shoes. We have to do whatever we can to preserve our mental health. It will be a long time before I read about atrocities of this magnitude.

Well said, Paul.

I am having a slow start to my Saturday. Due to *ahem* a few more sleep issues because of reading a certain book, I slept late. The dog got walked as usual and now I'm getting my LT time in. Next up will be morning coffee with the Saturday Wall Street Journal. We let our subscription lapse months ago when they said our renewal rate would be close to $500 a year. DH has been in serious withdrawal. Lo and behold, we got an offer of less than half that price so we are happily (as of midweek) back in the WSJ groove. Today's lead article in the Review Section is "My 6,128 Favorite Books" by Joe Queenan, an excerpt from his book coming out next week titled One For the Books. It looks like my comments about The Rape of Nanking will have to wait.

172> GO, Linda! I love your response to the student.

"Whatever the course of postwar history, the Rape of Nanking will stand as a blemish upon the honor of human beings. But what makes the blemish particularly repugnant is that history has never written a proper end for the story. Sixty years later* the Japanese as a nation are still trying to bury the victims of Nanking--not under the soil, as in 1937, but into historical oblivion." (From the Epilogue)

*Published in 1997.

Book No. The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. 3.25 stars.

I finally worked my way through this book. And work it was. Some of the atrocities described were so horrible that I could only read short sections at a time. Over 300,000 men, women, and children were killed in creatively cruel ways during a six-week period of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China, in 1937. I quickly learned after a few nights of interrupted sleep that reading this in the evening was out. All year long I've been trying to read more slowly to get more out of my reading; however with this book, I read as quickly as possible to the point of almost skimming some of the more heartbreaking scenes. Now that I've convinced some of you that it's a book you should never read, I'll explain why it's an important book to read.

In the author's words: I became terrified that the history of three hundred thousand murdered Chinese might disappear just as they themselves had disappeared under Japanese occupation and that the world might actually one day believe the Japanese politicians who have insisted that the Rape of Nanking was a hoax and a fabrication--that the massacre never happened at all. By writing this book, I forced myself to delve into not only history but historiography--to examine the forces of history and the process by which history is made. What keeps certain events in history and assigns the rest to oblivion? Exactly how does an event like the Rape of Nanking vanish from Japan's (and even the world's) collective memory? (Pg. 200) We can't change things by ignoring them. By learning about what happened, we can become advocates for justice and mercy so that history doesn't keep repeating itself. I don't want to have to read another book about mass rapes, torture, killing contests, blowing people up in icy ponds, and half burying people and letting vicious dogs tear them apart.

I rated this book at 3.25 stars. The writing was excellent and the research was impeccable so perhaps it deserved a higher rating. According to my criteria, any book that is 4 stars or more is recommended by me, and I can't recommend this book to just anyone. If you have read the last sentence of the second paragraph and think this book is one you can handle, then I say "go for it." The rest of you should stick to Louise Penny. The Rape of Nanking is one of the most difficult -- and most powerful -- books that I have read in the past few years.

Please post your review so that I can give it thumbs up. Thank you for taking time to put thoughts and words in such an excellent way.

Hi Donna- It's interesting that 2 of my favorite LTers read or attempted to read The Rape of Nanking the past few days. Loved your honest review. I've had this one on the radar for many years. I'm sure I'll give it a try at some point.

Donna, I have added The Rape of Nanking to my WL. It sounds like a powerful, painful, and important work.

Thanks for your review of TRoN, Donna! I saw a movie a long time ago on the subject and it made me sick to the stomach at the climax of the movie. I don't think I could stomach reading a book as the images are still so fresh in my mind and this is years and years after watching the movie!

>166 Donna828:. Donna wrote: I guess Americans do it incorrectly by always putting periods on the inside. It just looks so odd to me to see them hanging "outside".

Sorry I'm late to the party, Donna. I'm a stickler for punctuation, having taught freshman comp at the university. I just can't help myself, after grading a million freshman essays. Americans do this differently (in the same way that they spell words differently, etc.), but if you're writing American English rather than British English, putting the periods on the inside of quotation marks is correct. Colons and semi-colons, on the other hand, are placed outside quotation marks. Question marks--"it depends"--on whether the question is part of the sentence or part of the quotation.

I've fought this issue with DH for years when editing his articles for work. He's a computer tech guy, and he simply WILL NOT put the period on the inside of quotation marks--because no one else in his office does it that way, and it doesn't "look right." Well, it may not look right, but it's correct. I suspect that this is one of those punctuation/grammar issues that is evolving. I will remain a dinosaur on the issue. --Ha.

I've got Rape of Nanking on my possibilities list for November. I'd like to read The Woman Who Could Not Forget: Iris Chang Before and Beyond the Rape of Nanking- A Memoir by her mother, Ying-Ying Chang when Darryl reads it in December.

Oh pretty please post your review of Eats Shoots and Leaves! It will definitely stand out from the other two hundred you say is already on there and it sooooo needs a thumbsie.

Thanks for your review of The Rape of Nanking. I guess I don't need anything else to disturb my sleep so I'm really grateful to the yeoman's effort to get through it. I hope you're reading something more soothing at this point:)

Great review of The Rape of Nanking, Donna. I am going to attempt to read it and also have The Woman Who Could Not Forget waiting.

Linda, the review is posted. I couldn't think of a reason why not to after your request. ;-)

Mark, it was kind of a harrowing read for me, but it's one of those books I'll look back on and be grateful that I had the fortitude to push through it

Those are some excellent descriptive words, Ellen. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Oh, Valerie, it would be even more difficult seeing these atrocities on the big screen. There were some pretty graphic black and white pictures in the book that I didn't dwell on.

Hi Becky, thanks for your expertise on the punctuation matter. I'll know who to consult when I have a question about it.

Janet, the review of Eats, Shoots & Leaves is also posted on the book's page. I couldn't very well fulfill Linda's request and ignore yours. Oh my, that memoir by Chang's mother will be a tear jerker. I think I'll pass it up, but I'll be looking for your review.

Bonnie, I am reading Louise Erdrich's latest book. It is a wonderful mind cleanser. I'm so glad she's back on the rez and writing about the Nanapush tribe again.

Good luck with both of those books, Linda. Like I told Janet, I'll look forward to your thoughts. I noticed when I posted the review that Nanking is a fairly highly rated book. Maybe that's why I didn't want to post my comments. Not that I mind going against public opinion; I just don't want people to think I read only light books. Guess that's part of being a book snob.

That's a sharp review of The Rape of Nanking, Donna. Kudos to you for getting through it. Thumb from me, glad you posted it.

What a shame it apparently contributed to her suicide.

I've starred your great review of Eats, Shoots and Leaves. I'd never realised that there was a difference between British and American punctuation before reading this book. I wasn't always so pedantic about punctuation but then in my last job I had to proof read a report produced by a global consulatancy company for which my company had been charged thousands and it was full of punctuation errors. Something just snapped! Unfortunately, where I work now I have to walk past a notice that says 'box's' when it means 'boxes' and it drives me mad every day!

Donna, I've just caught up on your thread and enjoyed your three very different reviews of three very different books. I loved the review of Eats, Shoots and Leaves which I have read, I'd like to read The Garden of Evening Mists at some point however I don't think I will read The Rape of Nanking. I have a lot of respect for people who do read books like that but I'm not sure I would be up to it. Just reading your review was helpful in making me aware that those atrocities had been committed because I'm sorry to say that I hadn't heard about this aspect of WWII before.

#173 Porua, I also don't think that's childish in any way.

Donna - I am so far behind...apologies. I am trying to catch up, but in the meantime I thought that I would pop down here to let you know that I have not forgotten you! Hoping you had a lovely weekend!

The Rape of Nanking is obviously not a book written for one to get enjoyment out of but is important nevertheless. We often overlook the stunning casualties inflicted on the Chinese by the Japanese in the last World War - the numbers are up there with the Russian war deaths. I'm with Bonnie though in thinking that it may be too much for me too to wade through so I'll experience it vicariously through you Donna and thank you for it.

A huge thumbs up to your punctuation free review of Eats, Shoots and Leaves. I also really enjoyed it when I read it.

I have added The Garden of Evening Mists to my pile, it looks wonderful.

I read The Rape of Nanking years ago in college. I had not previously been so aware of that aspect of WWII. We tend to focus a lot on the Nazi side of things and not so much the war in Asia, with the possible exception of how it affected our own soldiers. I remember it as a difficult read, but also fascinating. I agree with the author that it is an important book. If you can stand it, it's worth the read.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

# 174, 176 & 190 Thanks! I often feel apologetic for 'feeling' anything.

From low self esteem, social anxiety disorders, mild forms of self harm (nail biting; etc.), OCD to severe depression, attempted suicide, cutting, postpartum depression I have seen everything at close quarters. So, mental health is kind of a touchy topic for me.

Hi Donna, I also enjoyed your review of Eats, Shoots and Leaves. I find that besides all of the ways punctuation works in a sentence it also keeps me alive. I've noticed, as I read your review, that without stops or pauses, I didn't take time to inhale nor exhale. :0}

Hi Joe, I was doubly devastated when I heard that Iris Chang committed suicide after researching and writing the Nanking book.

Good to see you here again, Rhian. Have you considered using a magic marker to correct the *shudder* box's sign?

Heather, I hope you do read The Garden of Evening Mists someday. It's a book I can recommend wholeheartedly.

Thanks, Mamie, the week end was great. You'll have plenty of time to catch up and share your Georgia adventures when you get settled in.

You're so right, Paul, about the lack of emphasis about what happened in Asia in WWII. I think Unbroken was the book that first called it to my attention.

Thanks for those kind words, Jenn. And the thumb! You have yourself a good week too.

I can see why mental health is a touchy topic for you, Porua. You do not want to read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn as its about cutting, a topic I knew little about. Personally, I think we're all on the edge of some kind of breakdown with the mad pace of society these days. That's why I take so many 'mental health' days to do what I want to do.

Lynda, you always make me laugh. Long live punctuation!

Hope you had a fun weekend and your week is off to a good start, Donna. I can't remember, are you going to join in on the Team of Rivals group read next month?

I've probably mentioned before that DD spent last year at the International Foreign Language University in Shanghai. She said the atrocities in China (and they happened elsewhere besides Nanking) are still a very hot topic in China. Japanese students coming to the University would have never heard of them before coming to China and their reaction was always total denial that they could have happened. Apparently this is Japan's official position--they didn't happen.

China uses the atrocities to escalate tensions between the two countries. For instance, there was a recent altercation over an ongoing disputed island between Japan and China. DD said that in the coverage she heard, the Japanese WWII atrocities were brought up several times by the Chinese newscasters.

I believe that part of Iris Chang's depression was fueled by the negative reaction to the book by those who denied the atrocities took place.

Porua, I've also had to deal with the things you describe, so I totally understand your stance. I send you many hugs and lots of empathy for what you've had to go through. I just have the opposite response. I want to read more, to understand. I just finished an LT ER book, January First, a memoir of dealing with childhood schizophrenia. Very very powerful book. I'm working on my review.

Thanks, Joe, My week is off to a great start. It's Friend's Preview Night at the library sponsored book sale beginning at 5:00 p.m. I'll take my Aleve and my tote bag to fill with some good, cheap books. It's like an early Christmas for me. No Team of Rivals group read for me. I do want to read it someday, but I've borrowed Stephen King's 11/22/63 to read in November. Only one doorstopper per month for me.

Thanks for those on-the-scene comments from your daughter, Janet. I can see why the Chinese are still angry. Chang did tell about the atrocities committed in other places. The march from Shanghai to Nanking was a sickening precursor to the bloodbath in Nanking.

"You have read this far and you know that I'm writing this story at a removal of time, from that summer in 1988, when my mother refused to come down the stairs and refused to talk... She had lashed out at me and terrified my father. She had floated off, so that we didn't know how to retrieve her. I've read that certain memories put down in agitation at a vulnerable age do not extinguish with time, but engrave ever deeper as they return and return." (142)

Book No. 88: The Round House by Louise Erdrich. 4.7 stars.

Joe Coutts turns 13 in the summer of 1988 on the North Dakota reservation that is the setting of many of Erdrich's previous books. It's also the summer when his mother, a tribal clerk who works with sensitive (i.e., secretive) ancestry information, comes home seriously injured after a brutal rape that leaves her in shock and incommunicado. Joe's father is a tribal judge who works within the system to seek justice. Joe is only 13, but he is intent on finding out exactly what happened in the Round House, a place built by his Ojibwe ancestors as a sacred place of worship. Joe and his three buddies combine their sense of adventure and comradeship to solve the mystery.

Erdrich has written a wonderfully suspenseful book about strong family (and friend) ties that involves the conflict of a deep moral struggle. Her coming-of-age tale propels Joe from carefree boyhood to making decisions that would test a man of the world. Joe learns that justice is not a simple matter and that it always comes with a price. This book is Erdrich at her best -- and she's always very good. Highly recommended.

#196 Have you considered using a magic marker to correct the *shudder* box's sign? I have, but that would only cover the notice on the wall - not all the other copies that have been posted out to the people who use our services! And everyone would know it was me - it's a small office.

I like the sound of The Round House - I hadn't come across Louise Edrich before.

Hi Donna, I hope you had a lovely weekend. I was busy working and moving so now I had a bit of catching up to do. The Rape of Nanking is on my TBR list and I haven't read it yet, because of the daunting topic.

My brother works regular in Japan and has been quite interested in their history and he once told me that everything to do with WWII is not a favourite topic with the japanese.

Just gave you a thumb (the first!) for that great review of The Round House. 4.7 stars -- that's pretty darn high from you! I'm glad I'm getting to that soon -- book after next! See you tonight! ;-)

I'm #12 thumbs up for your excellent review!!!!

Hi Donna! I'm planning on reading The Rape of Nanking this year as well. Sorry that it was a difficult book for you. It will likely be a very difficult book for me as well. But it's good to have a grasp on history, too, I think. Kudos to you for finishing it. :)

Hi Donna, I feel in love with Louise Erdrich's writing last year when I read The Plague of Doves and now I am delighted that I have The Round House to look forward to!

Hi Donna- Wow, you are on a nice roll lately! It's like keeping up with Bonnie! One Must Read gem after another!
I can't wait to read the Erdrich! Do you have to read The Plague of Doves first? Will it help? I've had that one sitting on my shelf for a couple years.

Well what a great follow up to soak up all the, er, blood and guts from your last read Donna. I gave The Plague of Doves 5 stars and expect I'll probably do the same with this one too.

Um. You got me again. Now The Round House is on my WL. I guess I best put The Plague of Doves there, too. Sigh.

# 196 "I think we're all on the edge of some kind of breakdown with the mad pace of society these days. That's why I take so many 'mental health' days to do what I want to do."

You're right. I'm so tired most of the time that I don't whether I'm coming or going. That can't be good. Oh the 'mental health' days is a brilliant idea! Wish I could take some 'mental health' days myself!

# 197 streamsong, thanks for the hugs!

I guess I'm more of an escapist than you. :-)

>201 SandDune:: I'm a longtime Erdrich fan, Rhian. She writes about the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian tribe of which she is a member. Most of her books contain some Native American folklore which adds to the stories.

Bianca, I can see why the Japanese don't want to talk about their actions during WWII. And it still may be true that the young Japanese are still not aware of what occurred.

Nancy, you will love The Round House. Guaranteed!

Thank you very much, Linda.

Rachel, sometimes it's necessary to plow through these difficult books to be informed. I'll keep an eye out for your comments.

Judy, I'm happy to welcome you into the Erdrich fold. You might enjoy going back to some of her earlier books.

Mark, The Round House will be a good read as a stand alone. It might be slightly better with the background of her earlier books. Like Faulkner, she has created a fictional community on a ND Indian reservation and weaves her characters in and out of her books. In The Round House, she tells some of the backstory of Nanapush who is one of the early leaders of the clan. You should definitely read Plague of Doves because it is such a good book!

Bonnie, Ms. Erdrich was a cleansing balm that did me a world of good. She just gets better and better.

Heh heh, Ellen. That's part of my job here. I certainly get my share of recommendations from you. That's why we will never catch up!

Oh Porua, I feel your tiredness. I drag around here much of the time. But you should have seen me perk up for last night's book sale. I'll list my books in the next message.

Books acquired at last night's preview sale for Friends of the Library:

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
The Woman in Black
The Quiet American
A Place of Greater Safety
The Good Good Pig
A Wild Sheep Chase
Winter in Madrid
The Blush

And the one I will get the most use out of:
Audrey Grant's Better Bridge Series: Defense

After my last doctor's appointment this morning, I stopped by Dollar Tree to pick up some things for Halloween. And what did I find? BOOKS!!! Brand new hardcover books for a dollar!

I bought:
Cost
The Secret Speech
So Much For That

To quote Haley from one of her visits over here, "I'm so happy."

The dollar store never ceases to amaze me! What will they think of selling next?? Craziness, I tell ya! :)

I loved Shriver's So Much For That. A great story about an average guy who has done everything "right" and just can't get a break!

Some great steals buys there Donna with two of my top ten in the Mantel and the Greene.
I read The Antelope Wife last year and was a tad disappointed with it but your excellent review of The Round House tempts me to give her another try.

Wow, Donna! 3 very well-deserved hot reviews. Congratulations!

Valerie, now that I know they have books, I'll stop by the dollar store more frequently. There are big signs throughout the store saying that everything is $1.00. So, like an idiot, I ask how much the books cost. I guess my brain couldn't register that low price!

That's good to know, Brenda. It's been on my WL for awhile.

Paul, The Antelope Wife and Shadow Tag are my two least favorite books by Erdrich. I do hope you give her another go.

Thanks, Pat! I had to scroll all the way down, and, sure enough, there's my mini review of The Round House. I didn't want to give too much of the plot away.

Donna- The reason I asked about reading the Plague of Doves first, was I saw a review and they mentioned the Round House was 2nd in a projected trilogy.
Nice book haul! And a Diaz and a Murakami too! Yah!

Nice pile of new books you have there, Donna!

I'm so glad you liked the new Erdrich - I know she's a favorite of yours and no one likes to be disappointed by a favorite author! I have some catching up to do with her more recent books.

Donna - I am so far behind here, but I am attempting to catch up. Just dropping down here to let you know that I am lurking about 100 posts above! LOVE the pictures I have seen so far - that Haley is too cute for words!

Brand new hard covers cor $1! That is unbelievably cheap. Good finding, I liked So Much for That, it wasnt too heavy, or deep. But still good.

I am tempted by your review of Louise Erdrich's book in post #200, I will certainly give her another try after my last one of hers didnt go down that well with me (Tracks). Oh, and I collected my copy of The Garden of Evening Mists from the library today, I am really looking forward to getting into it.

It's not crazy to ask about prices. At our dollar store, there is stuff that is more than $1.

Ooooh, I *love* the Dollar Tree and their book shelf! Charlie likes going in there, too, because while I look at books, he gets to pick out a helium balloon (also only $1).

I guess I'm going to have to stop monitoring this site. I now have over 600 books on my "to obtain" shelf and you guys open up yet another source for my addiction. Shame on you for contributing to the delinquency of a reader!

I've put Louise Erdrich on my shelf as a genre not yet investigated. I also understand that Tony Hillerman novels contain a lot of Native American links and background but haven't gotten into him yet, either.

I became engrossed with Sherlock Holmes pastiches (having read the entire Doyle canon twice) and just finished all but the last (#12) of Laura R. King's Mary Russell series and I'm currently reading The Sherlockian by Graham Moore which is a nice mystery involving Doyle rather than Holmes. More on that when I finish. The amazing thing I discovered while looking for Sherlock Holmes 'continuations' (or pastiches as they are commonly called) and Holmes/Doyle-related books is that I've found over 600 of them! I thought maybe there might be a dozen or so. I'm cataloging all that I find complete with ISBN numbers in a spreadsheet for future reference. Someone may ask for a copy of my list someday. I'll never live long enough to read all of them.

So, anyway, thanks Donna for adding to my recreational workload. I'll find a way to get even, maybe. :-)

Hi Donna, When my daughter was about eight years old she went to the Dollar Store with her father and some of her savings and was quite put out when she got to the check out and was told that the item was $1.08. That was her first encounter with New York State sales tax. She thought it was some sort of false advertising to claim everything was a dollar and then charge 1.08 haha.

Ok, all caught up! I loved your last several reviews - The Garden of Evening Mists, Eats, Shoots and Leaves, and The Rape of Nanking. Thumbs for you for those! I added the first to my WL, have already read the second and agree with your comments, and think the third one is not for me, although I acknowledge its importance.

Also loved the comments about authors and their personal politics and viewpoints. I guess I try to separate personality from product - there are authors that I love to read whose personal views I do not agree with. I think if it gets to the point of feeling like my dollars used to purchase the product are then used to finance the politics, then I check the book out from the library instead of purchasing it. Like any kind of art - paintings, music, literature, acting...I can love the art but not the artist.

Lovely haul from the Friends of the Library! You have a few in there that I really want to get to in the near future.

Bonnie - LOVE that story!

Yup! Not crazy at all, especially in this day and age where the Dollar Store is not truly just a dollar anymore. I've seen some that sell framed photographs of hockey players for at least 100 bucks and call me crazy, but that's nowhere near $1.....

It's great to have all these visitors! I'll be back tomorrow with personal responses. Haley is here for the next four days while her mom and dad are in Miami for a hurricane wedding. My time on LT will probably be limited until they get home Sunday night.

Lucky you . . . Lucky Haley!

Have fun with Haley! And take lots of pictures. :)

A hurricane wedding... Is that what comes after a whirlwind romance? :)

Hi, I've just been catching up since realising I'd been accidentally ignoring your thread - ie that little red cross had been checked. This happens a lot since I've started using an iPad! So much to say but will just stick to a couple of things:

I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves with my older son at the moment and am surprised at how much we're both enjoying it.

I too, am struggling with supposedly bifocal contact lenses since hitting that age where one becomes long sighted as well as short sighted. They don't quite work, do they?!

>231 gennyt: Very funny, Genny!

I have the bifocal contact lenses, too, and that is just it, Dee - "They don't quite work, do they?!" So frustrating. I think I am going back to contacts to give me the distance vision (I am nearsighted) and just use reading glasses for the stuff up close.

>234 Crazymamie:: I've worn contact lenses since I was 17. In recent years as my vision -- erm -- matured, my eye doc prescribed "monovision" in which one eye is optimized for distance and the other for reading. It's worked well so far but I'm sure there's a practical limit to this approach. I've just decided to get a pair of bifocals because my glasses are really old and I want to have an alternative to wearing contacts for certain situations.

HI Donna, congrats on your lovely book haul. A Wild Sheep Chase is still on my TBR :).

Reading glasses are crap as well. Sorry, to say so! I had to get some beginning of the year and I am still not used to them. I use them mainly for work - so that I can read what stuff they write on the ampules and to write on our ICU charts, which are created for people with eagle eyes - and they just annoy me, most of the time. Because I only need them to see near - they sit on the front of the nose, where they could fall down any second, if people talk to me I have to peek over the rim of the glasses that I can see them *bah* - and if you don't need to read the small print I try to keep them either on my head, in my pocket or on those strings around the neck - where they constantly dangle around *sigh*.

218: I still think that The Round House is only loosely connected to The Plague of Doves (and some of her earlier books as well), Mark. If it will make you feel better, by all means The Plague of Doves first. They are both good books.

Hi Joanne. If DH will go with me on Saturday to help keep an Eye on Haley, I'll be back at the book sale for half price day. There were three long tables of biographies that I want to look over.

Aw gee, thanks, Mamie. So far we are having fun just hanging out in the game room. Haley is "reading'" books while Grandma D does her "work."

Megan, I don't believe Erdrich has universal appeal. I like her books because she shows the long-term effects of the raw deal we gave the Native Americans in the U.S.

That is true, Morphy, of some dollar stores, but apparently (according to the patient check-out clerk), everything in The Dollar Tree is $1.00. What a concept!

Amber, I'll have to remember that about the balloons when the next birthday rolls around.

Mike, your post made me smile. We all are enablers here on LT. That's why I love this place! Wow, that's a lot of Sherlock-related books. I love the guy, but could never read all of them either!

Thumb up for your clever review of Eats, Shoots and Leaves! Love it :)

Cute story, Bonnie. I still have trouble with sales tax, especially on big ticket items.

Mamie, congrats on getting caught up. I'm afraid I've fallen behind on your thread now. Things move quickly here in the 75 group. More quickly than I do for sure!

Wow, Valerie. They ought to call that the "$1.00 x 100 Store!"

Thanks, Brenda and Pat. We're having fun. Tomorrow we're having lunch with a friend and her 2-year-old granddaughter Olivia. Wish me luck! I'll try and get some pictures of the girls.

Good one, Genny. I hope the hurricane (or tropical storm) doesn't interfere with the wedding plans.

Dee! I've missed you. These iPads can be tricky. Mine likes to put unintended words on the screen. What a fun book to read with your son. Good luck with those contact lenses.

Mamie, Laura, and Bianca. Eyesight is precious and so challenging with the changes that come as we age. Like Laura, I had mono vision contact lenses for many years. I had problems with dry eyes in Colorado, so had ocular implant surgery allowing me to be glasses free for several years. Unfortunately, the aging thing is playing havoc with my eyes, and I am depending more and more on prescription glasses. It's great to see better again. Hope it stays this way for quite awhile.

I missed you, Chelle, while I was posting. I had fun writing that review. Glad you liked it.

Ah, yes, glasses. I abandoned contacts waaaay back in the '60's when I got caught in a high wind during a track meet and had cinders blown into my face. My glasses were back in the locker room and inaccessible as we were lining up to run. I dealt with corneal abrasions and threw the contacts away as impractical. Today, I spend a lot of time reading for closeup and looking through a camera viewfinder or binoculars for distance. My distance correction is strong enough that glasses are heavy and uncomfortable, but I'll never go back to contacts because I don't blink often enough and my eyes get dry even with glasses when reading. The only bright spot is that my vision is correctable to 20/10.

#237 Donna828 > Yes, Doyle is my favorite mystery writer for several reasons. First, he was the first (with apologies to E.A. Poe) to use deductive reasoning in his analysis of crimes. Second, he created a character that has stood the test of time and reader imagination as a classic. Third, his characters are arguably the most imitated and 'pastiched' of any fictional character in literature. And last, since I spent so many years in criminal investigation, it speaks to my soul in ways the artificial CSI programs have failed to do, as they have all turned into soap operas.

On another topic, I have the LT group marked on my calender for Tuesday Nov 27 in Joplin. Have we reached a consensus on that?

# 224 & 241 mldavis2, I love Sherlock Holmes too! The Sherlock Holmes stories were my first foray into the mystery genre. So they hold a special place in my heart.

I have read the entire Doyle canon at least five times. I haven't read any of the pastiches though.

Mike and Porua...have either of you watched any episodes of the new TV series, "Elementary"? I have them taped on the DVR but haven't had a chance to watch it. Yet another take-off on our man Sherlock.

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


"This is the story of Danny and of Danny's friends and of Danny's house. It is a story of how these three became one thing, so that in Tortilla Flat if you speak of Danny's house you do not mean a structure of wood flaked with old whitewash, overgrown with an ancient untrimmed rose of Castile. No, when you speak of Danny's house you are understood to mean a unit of which the parts are men, from which came sweetness and joy, philanthropy and, in the end, a mystic sorrow." (from the Preface)

Book No. 89: Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. 3.3 stars.

I found this book entertaining but not in the same category with some of my favorite Steinbeck books. It reads like a group of character sketches based on whomever shows up at Danny's inherited house that puts him a step above the average bum of the times. The good times shared by these people consists of drinking wine and stealing whatever they can to buy their fun. The only philanthropy I noticed was when the Pirate turned over his buried treasure of accumulated quarters to Danny for safekeeping and Danny decided not to rob him as had been planned. The "good" deeds were a result of twisted morality which often times had comical results if the reader didn't take these antics too seriously.

I'm sure there is a much deeper meaning, but it escaped me the first time I read it (in high school?), and it still eludes me. I didn't really care for most of the inhabitants of Danny's world so I didn't spend much time digging for Steinbeck's purpose in writing this. Sometimes a book is just a book.

>243 Donna828:: I didn't like that book much either Donna.

#242 Porua > I am using Holmes/Doyle pastiches as 'fillers' between more serious books and enjoying them immensely. Not all are great literature, but mysteries seldom are much more than fun reads. My spreadsheet, with which I am attempting to list all related books and Doyle characters, is now at 621 entries (!) and is available to anyone who would like a copy (Microsoft Excel format) with the understanding that it is a work in progress. I'm slowly adding ISBN numbers as I work through the list.

There are several highly-regarded pastiches such as the Laurie R. King series of (so far) twelve, the Anthony Horowitz novel The House of Silk , Neil Gaiman's A Study in Emerald , Lyndsay Faye's Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson and the list goes on.

#243 Donna828 > Yes, I have watched the first "Elementary" and recorded the last two but haven't watched them. There is quite a bit of controversy over at Goodreads on the show, many being upset with the modernization of the setting, the drug addiction of Holmes, and the substitution of the jovial old Dr. Watson by a young Asian female. This substitution works for Laurie R. King in her successful Mary Russell series, but she maintains the original turn of the century time period. I'll refrain from judgement until I watch a couple more, but my initial impression is that it is just another crime show with borrowed names. With so many of these shows, the writers just don't understand the idea of deductive reasoning and analysis that made Doyle such a great writer and they put too much emphasis on character development, thus turning them into soap operas (as with CSI).

Others have used the basic theme and diverged more widely, notably the "House" series and "The Mentalist." Personally, I prefer reading about Holmes-related themes rather than watching them, and "The Mentalist" never appealed to me in the couple of shows I watched. I don't watch much TV as my wife is the sports-junkie in the house and I prefer to read rather than view.

But enough. Back to my little paperback Elementary, Mrs. Hudson by Sydney Hosier.

# 243 No, I haven't watched Elementary but I'm curious about it.

# 245 That list sounds impressive.

I actually enjoy CSI and CSI:NY. House was interesting up to a certain point.

I had a similar reaction to Tortilla Flat, Donna. Entertaining but disappointing.

Hello again to Mike and Porua...guess I should get back to reading Arthur Conan Doyle again...and/or the Mary Russell series. I kind of left them both hanging!

Hi Joe, I seem to remember that Tortilla Flat was written fairly early in Steinbeck's career. To me, it didn't seem as polished as some of his other works.

I'm going to try and post these pictures while Haley is napping. Her parents come home tomorrow night Sob!
She loved seeing all the books and people at the book sale this morning. Here she is playing peek-a-boo while Grandma was trying to take her picture!



Got it!

What a little stinker . . . And how appropriate is it she was "reading" a book on skunks?!

Hi Brenda. Yup, she is a little stinker sometimes. She laid down almost every time I tried to get her to pose with her little friend yesterday when we were in the playroom at Chick-Fil-A.

Aw, Haley is so cute! :) :) :) I can rely on you, Donna, for making me less cynical about the world with adorable kiddie pictures.

Ooooooh, are we talking about Sherlock Holmes here? Hurrah! I ate and breathed Sherlock Holmes for a good part of my young kidhood, and it still is a significant part of my reading habits. I have read the entire Canon, and I have seen quite a few film and TV adaptations. The best are the Granada Jeremy Brett and BBC Sherlock ones, with the Basil Rathbone movies for a close second (I just wish Nigel Bruce's Watson was less bumbling - that was not how Watson is like in the books!). Martin Freeman and Edward Hardwicke are my favorite Watsons.

Some of my favorite pastiches are the Enola Holmes mysteries, which are a children's book series about the fictional sister of Sherlock Holmes. They could've been done wrong but they are a really delightful and clever series. The deductions in those books are more smart than the ones on Elementary, I'll give you that.

#252 ErisofDiscord > Any time you want to visit about ACD pastiches, have at it. There is a mystery group here on LT but it isn't very active. That would be a good place to conduct such conversations if you're interested. I'm just sticking my toes into that hallowed water. Having spent a great deal of time working on my pastiche listings, it is apparent that Doyle and his Holmes stories are a good bit deeper than a childhood reading (such as mine was) is able to appreciate. There are some very serious Sherlockians out there.

Donna, that's an absolutely adorable picture of Haley! And I'm impressed you get shopping carts at your library book sale. Baskets are the best I can hope for at ours.

I am sort of caught up with you, Donna - and join the rest in praise of your adorable grand-kids and the goodness of your reviews. I am patting myself on the back for putting The Garden of Evening Mists on my Kindle although I seem already to have planned November without it. I'll have to try again.
I enjoyed *Eats/Shoots/Leaves* too and really enjoyed your review and the ensuing conversation. Genny's dissertation - wow! I just hope that people won't feel so uneasy about punctuation that the casual posting on threads suddenly becomes stiff. I don't think that's going to happen, but we're talking to each other, so I don't think there's any need for apologies about dashes and ellipses and emoticons and parentheses, etc.
Do not make me read The Rape of Nanking. Do not make me do it. Do not. I don't want to. Don't. (I do want the Erdrich!)
Oh! I spent one whole summer as a child stretched across my granny's feather bed reading Sherlock. The best!

HI Donna,
love the pics of Hayley, she is adorable. Especially, sitting in the trolley surrounded by books. YEP - that's so great.
I wish you a lovely weekend :-)

Morning Donna- I love the Haley photos! Book shopping with Grandma! You'll have to let us know how big the "book haul" was.

Hi Donna - Cute pictures - it's always nice to see kids with books. I finished The Round House. I liked it a lot -- although not as much as you did. I miss the early Erdrich.

Love the pics of Haley helping you shop for books! She is a cutie! And you reminded me that there is a library sale near me this Friday and Saturday. I may have to see if I can find any bargains! Hope Haley's parents have a safe trip back from Florida.

# 249 Oh Haley hiding behind a book about skunks! How ridiculously adorable!

# 252 ErisofDiscord, I really liked Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. I watched re-runs of the show as a kid. normally avoid TV/movie adaptations of books I love like the plague but this one I liked.

#260 - Jeremy Brett was a genius. Whenever I read the Sherlock Holmes stories or novels, I picture Brett in my head. He just had that cutting, snide, arrogant, sophisticated, suave air around him when he played Holmes. Sigh. I never thought I'd see another Holmes like him until I watched "Sherlock." If you get the chance, do check the show out! It's a modern adaptation, certainly, but they keep so true to the spirit of the books that it shocked me. I was doubtful at first, but I was amazed at how brilliant the show was when I watched it.

# 261 ErisofDiscord, "He just had that cutting, snide, arrogant, sophisticated, suave air around him when he played Holmes."

You've said it! I totally agree with you.

Will keep Sherlock in my mind.

Eris - I must say that for me Basil Rathbone will always be the personification of Sherlock Holmes and it is his aquiline features I envisage reading the books.

Donna - Haley is cute and I think you would have got a lot of takers when you got her to the check-out if she was still in the trolley! What books did you get btw that day?

>249 Donna828: I love how you have a shopping trolley for all the books you are getting, no one else in the photo has one. Did you bring it yourself? lol

#261-Is "Sherlock" the one with the younger Sherlock Holmes being portrayed?
I should have said hi and introduced myself for those of you who don't recognize the name so...Hi, I'm Mary Beth and I finally managed to finish reading this thread. As always I am simply amazed at the people I find on LT. Their intelligence, candor, wit, and kindness are a constant source of stimulation and comfort to me. As I try to make my way through the threads of everybody in the 75 book challenge, it becomes more and more evident . And it is always a pleasure to learn from and converse with all of the people on
here

Sorry, my post is getting a bit cattywompus as I dozed off a bit with my hand on the enter key. The storm woke me up and is blowing and blustering, raining hard. It is all a kt scary. We are pretty well-prepared but it is still scary. I'll have to come back to say anything useful as I keep falllng asleep and typing whatever I have a finger on. So bye for now!

Hi Mary Beth! I am praying for everyone in New Jersey, and I hope you stay safe. ((hugs))

"Sherlock" is the show with the younger Holmes being portrayed! He's fairly young-ish, in his thirties, but since most of the Holmes stories took place when he was in his fifties and forties, that is pretty young.

#263 - Paul, you and my dad both! My dad introduced me to Basil Rathbone when I was very young, and I so enjoyed watching the movies when I was a little grasshopper. Such a lot of fun, and it gave me a love of mysteries. My mom had enough of me waxing on about Basil, though, so she had her turn at indoctrinating me and my brother, and showed us Jeremy Brett. Then I had my turn at showing her Sherlock Holmes, and showed her "Sherlock." It all comes around. :D

Woo, that Haley is a cutie, Donna. Hard not to be charmed by her, I'm sure.

Basil Rathbone was so good as Sherlock. I do like the new guy, whose name is Cuddlewumpus or Cumberbun or something like that (uh-oh, I'm going to hear from his fans about that one). We're also enjoying Mr. Knightley playing Sherlock in Elementary with Lucy Liu.

Don't worry, Joe, I am a very forgiving Cumberbabe. All that matters is that you like Benedict Cumberbatch! :)

Haley is adorable, Donna. How sweet of her to help you shop for books. :-)

Donna is missing from her own thread!

Hi Mary Beth! I am another lover of the new Sherlock featuring Benedict Cumberbatch - WONDERFUL! (Like Paul and Joe, I also like the Basil Rathbone portrayal.

Donna - Love the new Haley pictures!

Yay! I found my own thread. I haven't had this much activity in a long time. Thank you Sherlock-lovers! I must admit that my own love for Sherlock Holmes was revived by the Robert Downey, Jr. movie a few years ago. That's when I purchased my copy of his complete works and lost myself in a different era and type of criminal investigation. I still have quite a way to go before completing Doyle's little masterpieces. I've also enjoyed the few Laurie R. King books I've read about an older Sherlock and Mary Russell.

I've read and enjoyed comments from Eris, Mike, Pat, Peggy, Bianca, Mark, Beth, Amy, Porua, Paul, Megan, Mary Beth, Joe, Caro, and Mamie. Forgive me for not responding personally to everyone. I'm still in a post-Haley funk after returning her to her parents last night.

Eris, regarding the Enola Holmes mysteries... What age were you when you read them? My oldest granddaughter has more time to read now that soccer season is winding down and she loves mysteries. Would they be age-appropriate for a 10-year-old 5th Grader?

Pat, Bianca, Paul, and Megan... We were very lucky to be able to wrestle a shopping cart away from a little old lady who was leaving the book sale as we entered. To "pay it forward" we relinquished said cart to a young mother with three children who needed it more than we did. Haley preferred walking and counting the books as I shopped: "free (three), four, five, eight, nine, lebben, firteen" etc.

Mark... *News Flash* I only bought three books on Saturday:
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Them
Human Croquet.

Haley found four books she loved and my husband bought seven or eight books. He whisked them away so quickly, I didn't get to take note of titles. He's off to California today with my new copy of Dandelion Wine. I told him it would be a pleasant change of pace from his crime novels.

Beth, I'm glad you liked The Round House. I like Erdrich's older books, too. Some of my favorite parts of her more modern ones are when she recounts Indian legends.

Amy, best of luck at your library book sale. I think we all love a good book bargain. Ben and Mary had a fun four days in Miami despite the 24-hour deluge that greeted them.

Mary Beth, thank you for visiting. How nice that you are planning to stop by everyones' threads at some point. When will you find time to read a book? Lol. I hope Sandy passes you by without damage. In fact, I hope all our LTers on the east coast are safe and sound as Sandy does her thing.

Caro, where have you been? Probably around the world a few times in the past few months. Thanks for checking in here.

Mamie, I've been missing for a good reason: I finished another book today! One more to go before the end of the month, and then I can read my book for Thursday's book group. I'm giving these new glasses a real workout.

"His job was to find evidence confirming a suspect's guilt, not question the guilt itself...The system didn't allow for deviation or admissions of fallibility. Apparent efficiency was far more important than the truth." (232)

Book No. 90: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. 4.2 stars.

I don't read many thrillers, but this one based on a true story, has made me want to read the other two in the trilogy. How convenient that I bought The Secret Speech last week. Smith writes about a serial killer of children in Russia during the early days of communism. Leo Demidov is a war hero and an idealistic member of the MGB, forerunner of the KGB. He is a good comrade who believes in his country and carries out its new policies such as a presumption of guilt. Unfortunately, he gets demoted when he suggests there just might be a crime spree occurring in a country realizing its golden age where poverty was just a memory. Stalin had such a death grip on his country that no one was immune from being suspected of subversive activity, not even a highly placed security officer.

As Leo and his wife Raisa flee their stalkers, they get help from local villagers who are not convinced that Russia is a safe place after the bodies of children keep showing up in the forests. Leo faces formidable odds in solving the crimes and redeeming himself. I didn't mind suspending belief and going on this wild ride with them. I thought Smith did an excellent job of conveying the paranoia that came about from living under Stalin's rule.

Donna: Eris, regarding the Enola Holmes mysteries... What age were you when you read them? My oldest granddaughter has more time to read now that soccer season is winding down and she loves mysteries. Would they be age-appropriate for a 10-year-old 5th Grader?

I first read them when I was twelve or thirteen (and I've had a ton of rereads since then!), and I think they shouldn't be a problem at all, especially if your granddaughter loves mysteries. Enola is a remarkable heroine and a clever detective who notices things that her elder brothers do not, yet she is still realistic for her age (which is fourteen, I believe). Although the books are childrens books they are also very adult-friendly, something I appreciate a lot in kid books.

The Enola Holmes books also taught me quite a bit, too! I learned about cryptography, the language of flowers, the covert communication of people via fans, and also a bit about what London during Victorian times was like. Very fun! The first book in the series is called The Case of the Missing Marquess, and I am very sad to say that there are only six books in the series, but all are splendid.

Well, I hope I haven't just given a rotton recommendation! If she reads them I hope she likes them.

Haley at the book sale!! I see you're just coming down from your Haley-high Donna so I'll just say that I had just about the same reaction to Child 44 read I read it although I haven't read any further.

You had a whole cart and only walked away with 3 books, Donna?? ;)

I typically am not drawn to crime books because they tend to keep me up at night, but Child 44 sounds like one worth looking into!

Nice review of Child 44 - I have that waiting in the stacks somewhere and need to bump it up.

Sorry that you had to give Haley back!

De-lurking to say hello and to ooh and aah over the Haley adorableness. My parents are on the other end of the grandparents' high, as Charlie and I are preparing to visit them again next week...

I've never been to a library book sale. I really want to go to one though. The crowds make me leery though.

That's amazing self-restraint - only three books from that whole book sale! Though I note that Haley and your husband added to the total.

Hope you have recovered from the excitement of having Haley to stay - it must be tiring although I'm sure it's wonderful having her around!

Thanks, Eris. Wow, these books are highly rated on LT. I may be reading them along with Sadie!

Bonnie, I'm back to earth today after my 'Haley High'. It helps knowing that I'll spend time with her and Mary tomorrow. We're driving down to our plant in Aurora to show off her costume to the workers and have lunch with Daddy. Grandpa will miss out as he will be flying back from California.

Unbelievable, isn't it, Valerie. Keep in mind that this was my second visit to the book sale.

Mamie, sometimes giving the grandkid(s) back is a good thing. Haley hasn't discovered the Terrible Twos yet!

Hi Amber, hooray for your parents and their time with Charlie. Have a fun visit.

Morphy, the crowds are daunting on Preview Night. For the most part, it's a friendly crowd. Everyone is happy to be getting books at bargain prices.

Genny, my two-trip total was 13 books. Feel better? That's fewer than I normally get but still a good haul considering the number of unread books I have from previous sales. Haley is easy to have around. Most of the stress is self-imposed as I worry about her getting hurt somehow. We have lots of stairs in our house and a cranky dog so either my husband or I am on constant watch.

Cool to see you picked up The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Donna. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Hi Donna. Loved seeing the photos of Hayley from your trip to the book sale - she's a cutie :-)

I also really enjoyed your review of the new Louise Erdich book. She's an author I've seen praised by quite a few folk in this group so I've added The Plague of Doves to my long library list as a starting point.

Very nice review on Child 44 you just ensured that it went up my TBR pile :) . However, I didn't realize that it is a trilogy.

Liked your review of Child 44, Donna. I added it to my obese wish list and can't wait until my challenge year is over so I can go mad and start buying books again in 2013. Is this the first in the trilogy or is Agent 6 the first one?

Hi Bianca and Caroline... Child 44 is the first book in the trilogy, followed by The Secret Speech and then Agent 6. I know nothing about the second and third books.

Has anyone lurking out there read them? If so, what did you think?

Caro, have you gone all year without buying books? I don't buy many, but if I want a new book badly enough, I want to buy it right then. This isn't Russia under Stalin! Lol.

Donna- Good review of Child 44! I loved the book too! I have the Secret Speech in the stacks but for whatever reason, I've still not read it. Bad Mark.

I seem to have skipped over some earlier visitors. Sorry 'bout that.

Way back up there in Msg. 255, I meant to tell Peggy that I am NOT going to make you read The Rape of Nanking. I am finishing up my annual Halloween Read tonight, and I must say that it is not nearly as scary as that book. I still cringe when I think of the cruel, viscous behavior of the Japanese.

Hi Joe, I have had The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind on my wish list for quite awhile. I'm always glad to be able to cross off a book on the list. I'm sure I'll be even more glad after I've read it!

Heather, I think Plague of Doves is a very good beginning point for Erdrich's books. If you enjoy that one, you might want to go back to the beginning and read some of her earlier - and shorter - works.

Mark, you are not bad, just busy reading as fast as you can. I have quite a few follow-up books to get read myself. Maybe that will be my focus for 2013: "Donna Tries To Catch Up With Herself"!

Talk about someone whose thread ran away while I was away! Hundreds of new messages!

This seems to have become a common gathering place, Donna.

I just returned from Changing Hands Books with a couple of books including Louise Erdich's The Last Report on the Miracles of Little No Horse. I'll save The Round House for later. I also picked up a copy of The Lighthouse by P.D. James, a well known mystery author whom I have never read. Which brings up another topic for consideration ...

In surfing the shelves with a 68 year old memory, I find it frustrating when choosing books. Many authors I recognize. A few titles I recall as being on my 'to-read' list. But my 'to-read' list is over 600 books long which would take a lot of paper to be continually printing that out and carrying around in the store. Additionally, some titles I have rejected for various reasons but still remember them - I just don't always know if they are on my 'to-read' list or my 'forget it' list. I have resisted spending the money on those fancy fones, but being able to call up LT or GR listings and ratings while in the store would be nice. (My wife has one but it's always with her and not generally available to me.) They are almost instantly obsolete and I resist buying a 2-year contract for one, not to mention the monthly fees which can be excessive. But then I'm somewhat of a Luddite. I'd be interested in hearing how others deal with book selection in the face of overwhelming selections.

Good morning, Mike. You raise an interesting question. I don't have a tried and true method for purchasing used books. I have a notebook with my wish list in it. I also have a smart phone but I don't keep my WL on Evernote as current as I'd like. When I go into a used bookstore, I am very picky about what I buy. I carry a "must have" list with me. This list contains books that our library doesn't have or that I want for my permanent collection. I'm more lenient at library book sales. I buy what appeals to me, keeping in mind the many recommendations I receive from LT readers. My goal is to keep the number of books in my house at the current number approximating 1,200 books. Many of these are unread and have been the focus of my reading this past year. That is probably not very helpful to you. I'm sure others have better methods for buying books. I agree that it can be overwhelming, but it is one of the great joys of my life.

"...I recalled that the way to banish an old ghost that continues its hauntings is to exorcise it...I would write my own ghost story. Then perhaps I should finally be free of it for whatever life remained for me to enjoy." (17)

Book No. 91: The Woman In Black by Susan Hill. 3.1 stars.

Arthur Kipps is enjoying Christmas Eve with his new wife and stepchildren when they clamor for him to join in the telling of ghost stories. He refuses because his story is too painful for other ears, but he decides to write out his tale of haunting and grief for his eyes alone. This novella is much more of a melancholy story than one of terror. Susan Hill creates an eerie atmosphere centered around an isolated house where Arthur is sent to sort out a deceased woman's estate. His only companion is a small dog and the woman in black who comes and goes at will. She never speaks yet creates such a malevolent ambience that Arthur succumbs to the fear and sense of tragedy that surrounds her. It is a well-told tale yet one that I read and enjoyed...and will quickly forget. I guess gothic ghost stories aren't my thing!

I thought The Woman In Black wasn't bad, and I certainly thought she kept up that eerie mood really well. But there wasn't anything special about the novel, that I could see, other than good mood-setting. However, other people love the book! :)

I've been wanting to read The Woman in Black but since the book isn't even on my TBR shelf, I think it will be awhile yet....

hi donna -
looks like you had great fun with your sweet little haley! don't let her grow up!

btw, i added The Garden of Evening Mists to my wl

Happy Halloween!

The Woman in Black is the perfect Halloween read. Very atmospheric.

Hi Donna, I have read Child 44 which I loved, and The Secret Speech which I liked but didn't think it was as good as the first book in the trilogy. The second book was much broader in scope, but for me, didn't have as much atmospheric tension. I still plan on reading the third in the trilogy, Agent 6 eventually.

#291 Donna828 > My problem seems to be that I recognize so many authors' names but cannot remember how they were rated on LT/GR. For example, I picked up a copy of the Erdich and James books (see #290 above) on name recognition and overall reputation, without knowing how they were rated. Even the best authors lay an egg from time to time.

I do keep an up to date listing on GR but that list is so long that it is a bit unwieldy to print up-to-date copies and carry them around with me. Then the time involved in finding the books on the shelf, one by one, is daunting. Consequently, I'm not too efficient at book sales. On the other hand, I have a stack of 'to-read' books that will take me quite some time to complete, though nowhere close to 1,200! My wife is a purger with the philosophy that if you haven't used something during the past year, you don't need it.

Oh, my! Donna, I've missed this whole thread and lack time to properly catch up.

I enjoyed The Woman in Black. I just saw the movie, and think that perhaps I liked it even more than the book -- very well done.

Clever review of Eats Shoots & Leaves.

Wow I had so much to catch up on here, and what a bunch of great reviews Donna! The Garden of Evening Mists is a book I've wanted to read since Darryl fell in love with it, and I've been adding names of recommenders as they pour in. It's available at the library and I really want to read it soon, but then I have quite a few reading goals I'm thinking I should concentrate on these last two months of the year. I just now almost went ahead and purchased it mind you...

Add me to those who would have loved to put a thumb on your review of Eats, Shoots & Leaves. I'm just wondering how come you didn't give it a higher rating since you did seem to quite enjoy it?

Very brave of you to have made your way through The Rape of Nanking. I don't think I have the fortitude for it, and am thankful you've read and reviewed it for those of us who are grateful to know about, but don't care to get every detail of those atrocities. I did get a pretty good sampling with The Headmaster's Wager, a book I though was brilliant and was clearly well researched. It's set in Vietnam, which was also occupied by the Japanese apparently, and with the protagonist being of Chinese descent, there are plenty of descriptions of the kind of sporting fun the Japanese made of killing people. Not for the faint of heart, to be sure.

I gave up on Tortilla Flat when I got about halfway through and realized I was only halfway through and couldn't stand the idea of sticking with these characters any longer. I may or may not return to it someday. No guilt there at all. I'm still a fan of Steinbeck, but that doesn't mean I have to love every single thing he wrote.

Child 44 has been on and off my wishlist a few times. Now it's back on there thanks to you. There are a few stories out there about serial child killings, none of which I've read yet as I'm not sure I have the stomach for it, but there's only one way to find out I guess...

Back to Steinbeck, I thought you wouldn't mind if I posted the following public message:

I just recently created the discussion threads for The Pearl: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144208 and Travels with Charley: http://www.librarything.com/topic/144209 our two Steinbeckathon short reads this month.

You can join either one or both—I know I've planned to read both as I loved The Pearl the first time around, and I've been looking forward to reading Travels with Charley for a long time!

Rachel, I can see why people loved The Woman in Black...it's just not my favorite type of book.

Valerie, I've been hearing about it for years now so I satisfied my curiosity. It's a short book and oh so sad.

Hi Jenn, I learned a new word in TWIB. Those heavy fogs that come up suddenly are called "frets." Who knew? I hope you had a good Halloween. Only 19 trick-or-treaters here. I imagine it's a very busy time in Highlands Ranch.

Judy, I plan to read The Secret Speech either next month or in January. My goal is to continue on with some of the series and trilogies I've started.

Mike, I've picked up some klunkers at sales, but they don't cost much so I don't feel too badly about putting them in my donation pile unread. No way can I keep all that book info in my head. And, like you, I don't want to spend the time looking things up on a spreadsheet. Stand firm on not letting Mrs. Mike purge those bookshelves. Her rule is a very good one...for clothes and household items -- but not books!

Terri, I can see where the movie would be a good one. Hearing those eerie cries over the foggy marsh would translate very well to film.

Hi Ilana, thanks for all your kind words about the books I've read recently. I did like Eats, Shoots & Leaves but as I said in my comments, she repeated herself quite a bit so I took away a star for that. I'm a tough critic at times and then sometimes I am a pushover.

I don't mind a bit doing a little free advertising for the Steinbeckathon. I read Travels With Charley not too long ago so I won't be joining in on that one, but The Pearl is another overlooked-by-me Steinbeck. I'm glad to hear you loved it. I was also disappointed by Tortilla Flat but hung in there to see if it got any better. It didn't...but it's still Steinbeck so I'm glad I read it.

It's NEW THREAD time....