Donna828 is Wrapping Up Another Year! (#13)

I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending."
~Fred Rogers

I like this crazy time of year. I'm a lot busier than I like to be but it's a joyful kind of busy. As I shop for presents and wrap them, I think about all the blessings I have in my life. I'm also wrapping up a year of reading. In Message 2 I have my list of books sorted by ratings. It's a big job to do this, but I get to remember all the wonderful books I've read and talked about here. It's the sharing of books read and experiences of daily living that makes this group such a wonderful community. As we wrap up another year, I want to express my pleasure in chatting with old friends and making new friends here. Thank you!

I've been wrapping up my reading list for the year. My decimal ratings help me list the books in the order that I enjoyed reading them.

Here are the 99 books I read from January through November:

5-star books: Superb; timeless treasures.
The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng
The Great Divorce - C. S. Lewis (reread)
Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury

4.5 Stars: Excellent - these books are keepers.
River of Smoke - Amitav Ghosh
Truman - David McCullough
Woe To Live On - Daniel Woodrell
Go Tell It On the Mountain - James Baldwin
Bring Up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel
In Dubious Battle - John Steinbeck
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith (reread)
The Screwtape Letters - C. S. Lewis (reread)
The Winter of Our Discontent - John Steinbeck
Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis (reread)
Painter of Silence - Georgian Harding
The Round House - Louise Erdrich
The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood


4 Stars: Great books; recommended.
The Wayward Bus- John Steinbeck
No Great Mischief - Alistair MacLeod
Mere Christianity - C. S. Lewis (reread)
Cannery Row - John Steinbeck
Our Mutual Friend - Charles Dickens
A Gathering of Old Men - Eugene J. Gaines
Surprised by Joy - C. S. Lewis
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen
The Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Behind the Beautiful Forevers - Katherine Boo
Gillespie and I - Jane Harris
The Weight of Glory - C. S. Lewis
The Pearl - John Steinbeck
Palace Walk - Naguib Mahfouz
Palace of Desire - Naguib Mahfouz
Sugar Street - Naguib Mahfouz
Animal's People - Indra Sinhi
Restless - William Boyd
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith
Outcasts United - Warren St. John
11/22/63 - Stephen King
The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny
Revelation - C. J. Sansom
February - Lisa Moore
One by One in the Darkness - Deirdre Madden
Rules of Civility - Amor Towles
The Narnia Code - Michael Ward
Iron and Silk - Mark Salzman
The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides
Gourmet Rhapsody - Muriel Barbery
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
Heartstone - C. J. Sansom
The White Mary - Kira Salak
Angel - Elizabeth Taylor
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail - Cheryl Strayed

3.5 Stars: Good but not great.
Stoner - John Williams
Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck
Becoming Madame Mao - Anchee Min
That Hideous Strength - C. S. Lewis
A Passion for Books - Harold Rabinowitz
The Night Watch - Sarah Waters
Fruit of the Lemon - Andrea Levy
The Red Pony - John Steinbeck
How to Read Literature Like A Professor - Thomas C. Foster
A Possible Life - Sebastian Faulks
The Good, Good Pig - Sy Montgomery
In One Person - John Irving
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce
The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Get - Kjersti A.Skomsvold
The Ghost in the Little House - William Holtz
The Children's Blizzard - David Laskin
The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer-Fleming
When the Devil Holds the Candle - Karin Fossum
The Enchanted April - Elizabeth von Armin
The Outlaw Album - Daniel Woodrell
The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammett
The Postman Always Rings Twice - James Cain
A Fountain Filled With Blood - Julia Spencer-Fleming
Clabbered Dirt, Sweet Grass - Gary Paulsen
The Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker
The Risk Agent - Ridley Pearson
The Book of Color - Julia Blackburn
I Was Amelia Earhart - Jane Mendelsohn
Old Books, Rare Friends - Leona Rostenberg, Madeleine Stern
A Bend in the River - V. S. Naipaul

3 Stars. Liked it pretty well but had reservations.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves - Lynne Truss
The Woman in Black - Susan Hill
A Most Wanted Man - John Le Carre
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
Perelandra - C. S. Lewis
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Muriel Spark
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat - Oliver Sacks
The Rape of Nanking - Iris Chang
Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age - Kenzaburo Oe
Clair de Lune - Jetta Carleton
The Fault in Our Stars - Brian Green
Out of the Silent Planet - C. S. Lewis

2.5 Stars. Fair but not for me.
The Secret Magdalene - Ki Longfellow

Books Read in November:

92. Outcasts United by Warren St. John. 4.2 stars.
The inspirational true story of The Fugees, a soccer team in Clarkston, Georgia, made up of refugees from a dozen or more war-torn countries in Africa and the Middle East.

93. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. 4.1 stars.
This is one of those "what if" books that changes historical facts. King made it an enjoyable though farfetched read. I liked it much better than I expected to.

94. Stoner by John Williams. 3.7 stars.
A sad story about a college professor whose dreams are spoiled by his spoiled wife. A dark, well-written story that probably suffered because I listened to it rather than read it.

95. Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy. 3.4 stars.
A young English woman visits family in Jamaica to discover who she is. The racial and immigration themes of Small Island are told again with a different cast of characters.

96. How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster. 3.6 stars.
There would be more English majors in the world if there were more Dr. Fosters teaching the elements of literature in such a fun and entertaining style.

97. A Possible Life by Sebastian Faulks. 3.5 stars.
This was a bit of a disappointment after reading the wonderful Birdsong. It read more like five separate stories than "A Novel in Five Parts" as was promised by the subtitle.

98. The Good, Good Pig by Sy Montgomery. 3.6 stars.
Christopher Hogwood was the runt of the litter given to Sy and her husband to raise. This is the porcine version of Marley and Me.

99: The Pearl by John Steinbeck. 4.1 stars.
A fable about good and evil set in LaPaz, Mexico. Short and memorable.

Books Read in December:

100: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. 4.25 stars.
Good story and passionate writing about the influx of Monarch butterflies on a rural mountain top in Tennessee.

101: Blood and Milk by W. D. Blackmon. 3 stars.
Loosely connected stories about the family life and the sandwich generation by a local author.

102: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. 3 stars.
A graphic memoir about a childhood view of the uprising between Iran and Iraq.

103: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. 4.8 stars.
Heartwarming true story about the books read by a dying mother and her son. Lots of great book talk made this a wonderful tribute that should be read by all book lovers.

104: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. 4.5 stars.
Dickens writes about the best and worst of human experiences in his tale of London and Paris and the horrors of the French Revolution. A timeless historical classic.

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
Truman by David McCullough
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

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

Wow! I'm the first one here -- that's a first! (I know, bad pun!)

I've been checking since last night to see if your new thread was up! I'm hanging on to this thread since you have ALL your lists on it. You have quite a few 4.5 star books that I still need to read!

Lovely new thread here, Donna! I am loving reading through all of your lists!

New Thread! Yay!

Nice picture of the Joplin meetup on your other thread, Donna. I'm always jealous when I see meetups. :p

Hi Donna! I hope you had a great year of reading, and I'm sorry I missed out on so much of it. *Hugs*

>4 Donna828:: Hi Nancy! Now that I have my priority of making a new thread out of the way I can tackle the Christmas tree and boxes of decorations.

>5 Nancy618:: Mamie, I'm glad you're enjoying my lists. You should see my "to do" list. That one is not so much fun.

>6 Crazymamie:: Rachel, you had a very special meetup yesterday. I hope you post some highlights of what you and Stephen did. I think I remember something about visiting a bookstore...

>7 The_Hibernator:: Stephen! I thought you had forgotten all about me. *pout* I need to visit your thread to see if you have posted your annual meme about books read during the year. I thought I had a copy of it somewhere (and I might), but who knows where? Loved the picture of you and Rachel. *Hugs right back atcha*

Look at your new festive thread! And nice and short, too--just right for catching up. I'm impressed with your lists--I think I'll be waiting until the very end of the year.

Hi Donna, lovely new thread here. I'm much happier at this time of the year than when I worked and was completely overwhelmed by the whole presents/cooking and baking/decorating and stress, stress, stress. Now it's just a nice kind of busy. We've got just two matching 2012 favorites: Bring Up the Bodies and The Garden of Evening Mists but now I have your other favorites to look for. Good, good, good.

Lovely new thread, Donna, and I'm impressed by your ratings list!

Like the comic drawing at the top of your new thread, Donna. Happy December!
Um, do I see a triple-digit about to occur?

Congratulations on your latest thread Donna. Hope you have a lovely week ahead.

HI Donna, beautiful new thread *smile*. I love your bookstats according to stars given.
So, you enjoyed Oryx and Crake as I can see. That and The Year of the Flood are still waiting to be read by me.

What a spectacular year of reading you've had, Donna! What will be book 100? I'll look forward to finding out.

Congrats on the December thread! Looks like you've had a great reading year.

I completely agree that this time of year is crazy busy, but so much fun. And this year promises to be the most fun yet with Charlie - he *loved* getting the house decorated this weekend, and he's so excited about Santa Claus coming. Christmas with a four-year-old: I'm excited!

I certainly didn't forget about you, Donna, but I've fallen behind on many, many LT threads this year. *Sigh* I posted a link to the meme on my thread. :)

Hi Donna - Beautiful new thread. I love looking at the "best of" lists as the end of the year approaches. It's so much fun to look back at the year's reading.

I'll wait a while before doing mine. I still have three weeks of class left. That will be my treat when I am done.

10: Hi Anne, I'm like you jumping on these new threads before they get too long. Not enough time for Lt (or much else) lately.

11: Bonnie, I remember those days of teaching all day and then coming home to decorate, bake, etc. plus having 3 kids at home. Not fun!

12: Thanks, Roni.

13: Ellen, I am slowly but surely reading my hundredth book. And it's a good one too!

14: Thanks, Paul. You too.

15: Bianca, I recently bought The Year of the Flood so I will be reading it soon before I forget O&C, though I doubt that will happen. Pretty memorable stuff happened in that book.

17: Lynda, it's no secret. I'm reading Ms. Kingsolver's new book Flight Behavior. I bought myself a copy while I was Christmas shopping. ;-)

18: It's been great, Mark. I very seldom read a book I don't care for thanks to the helpful people around here -- including you!

19: Four is a great age to appreciate the holiday season, Amber. I'm going with Haley and Mary to see Santa tomorrow. I'll be surprised if she sits on his lap.

20: Thanks, Stephen. I added it to my favorites. Like you, I will wait until the end of the month so I will have more book choices.

21: Beth, I agree that looking back on a year's worth of reading is a treat. I know you are looking forward to your break.

Oh no, there won't be any Santa visiting with Charlie. He's not a fan of getting up close and personal with strangers, and I think he'd take issue with the notion that it's really Santa, even already at 4. He's certainly excited about the Real Deal coming down our chimney, though. :)

I envy you having your new thread all wrapped up, and the year's reads sorted, and ready to get onto the decorations next... I'm way behind, and will be doing most of my wrapping up of all varieties on about 30th December at this rate!

But I've enjoyed seeing your star-rating list and your 2012 favourites. I've got lots of those still to look forward to, but I agree re The Great Divorce - have read that a couple of times myself and really enjoy it.

This is not the official shot. Since we were paying $25 for a small set of pictures, the photographer let me take one with my iPhone. Then we noticed her pants leg was up showing her birthmark and they offered another sitting -- the third one! Turned out to be the charm as Haley worked up the nerve to sit on Santa's lap by herself Yay! The first time no pictures were taken. Just a few High Fives and a quick hug were exchanged. And what does Haley want for Christmas? Apparently a Christmas tree!

23: Amber, it wasn't easy but, as you can see, mission was accomplished.

24: Genny, my list was sprinkled with quite a few C. S. Lewis books due to last winter's class. I still have several I want to read and will reread some others by him. I get more out of each successive read.

I think that picture is adorable, "official" or not! It makes it even more special having Mary in it with her! I'm glad you got to take your iPhone picture! ;-)

Oh, great picture! And I *love* Haley's shoes!

When Charlie is asked what he wants Santa to bring him, he used to say "a Christmas tree" until we put ours up last weekend, and he also says, "snow" and "candy canes". Adorable.

I think it's an adorable picture too. $25! I take it Santa doesn't care about the under-privileged?

27: Thanks, Nancy. Those phones are handy, aren't they? I liked having Mary in the picture too, but she wasn't thrilled about it.

28: Amber, I'm not sure Haley knows what snow is. She lived in Texas until July. She has her cousins' pink snowsuit and some purple boots so she is ready if we ever get some.

29: Rachel, I thought those pictures were pretty pricey. Of course, I also think groceries fall into that category. Mary got a 5x7 and 4 wallets for $25. At least we made them work for it with three visits!

"This butterfly forest was a great, quiet, breathing beast...Once while she and Ovid were working in the middle of all that, he had asked her what was the use of saving a world that had no soul left in it. Continents without butterflies, seas without coral reefs, he meant. What if all human effort amounted basically to saving a place for ourselves to park: He had confessed these were not scientific thoughts." (317)

Book No. 100: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. 4.25 stars.

Ms. Kingsolver's latest book is a study in contrasts. Set in the mountains of Tennessee, the inhabitants of Featherstone are contrasted against the group of scientists who invade as quickly as the 15 million Monarch butterflies that uncharacteristically chose the Turnbow property as their winter destination. While the local inhabitants see the beauty of God's work, the scientists foretell the earth's doom because of pollution and global warming. Even the constant rain and enveloping grayness is contrasted by the orange mass of butterfly wings. The main character, Dellarobia, is a conflicted young woman who feels trapped in her marriage while she genuinely loves her two children and cares for the wellbeing of her husband.

As usual, I was enthralled with the exquisite writing of one of my favorite authors. Dellarobia is halted in mid-flight on her way to a rendezvous in an old hunting cabin by the sight of the butterflies which her myopic vision interprets as a "lake of fire" that looked like "the inside of joy." As a biologist, Kingsolver depicts the images of nature extremely well and portrays her characters with emotion. The two children act in age-appropriate ways, and the in-laws, Bear and Hester, remind me of some cranky old people set in their ways that I know. I also learned a lot about butterflies and sheep and how tedious gathering scientific data can be.

This could have been a five-star book for me except for the fact that I felt I was being repeatedly lectured about the fragility of the earth's ecosystem. I admire Kingsolver's passion for the environment, but I resent books with such an in-your-face agenda. She could have made her case with a lighter touch. Sometimes less is more. However, I still got caught up in the story and can recommend this book to Kingsolver fans and those who enjoy thought-provoking reading.

Donna,
I also read Flight Behavior and your thoughtful review really echos my feelings about the book.

I also just finished Gone Girl Whew! What a ride!

I'm looking forward to reading the Kingsolver - I haven't got hold of a copy yet though. Glad to read a review and know something about it.

She's one of my favourite authors too, and I don't seem to mind the environmental agenda.

I haven't started to look for this one yet Donna but, although I usually like anything Kingsolver writes, her more recent books usually have a hidden agenda which is a turn off for me too. Good review!

Love the Haley pic.

Sweet santa shot!
And how did you get a photo of me wrapping presents by the tree (up top)? lol, Oh that my skin were that taut and my waist that slim ;)

4.25 is a pretty good endorsement for Kingsolvers latest.

Nice recap, Donna! What an impressive year of reading you've had.

I want to read Flight Behavior but feel I should read The Lacuna first, since I have it here. Too. Many. Good. Books.

#25 Haley looks like a little angel!

Love the Santa picture and the story that went with it!

32: And I agree with you, Donna, about Gone Girl...it was quite a ride. As are her other books. I recommend them if you haven't read them.

33: I'm pretty certain you will love the new Kingsolver, Genny, especially if you aren't concerned with an author stating her own convictions in a novel.

34: There is no hidden agenda in the book, Bonnie. It's right out there in plain sight!

35: Thanks, Megan. That picture is my alter ego...the skinny girl inside of me that is waiting for release. Ah, one can dream...

36: hi Joanne, to me Haley is an angel, but I'm not so sure her mother would agree! The Lacuna was 5-star book for me. I don't have many of those these days.

37: Thanks, Roni. After our first encounter with Santa, I was giving Haley a pep talk about how he loves little girls, etc. and Haley in all seriousness said, "I gave Santa LOTS of hugs!" Not true...but after the third attempt she did tell Santa that she loves him!

Happy December thread, Donna!
And what a lovely Haley picture again. She doesn't look nervous at all.

I am so impressed that you've already started the wrapping up of the 2012 reads. You were so good with the 5 stars! I gave too many once again and not enough 3 star ratings.

Interesting comment about Flight Behavior. I had forgotten that Kingsolver was a biologist. Recognize that I suspect most of her fans are not scientists and many are either unaware or selectively ignorant of the ecological cliffs we are facing. Perhaps she felt overkill was necessary, or is that just an integral part of her characterization? It's on my list to read.

It does seem Kingsolver has become a bit more strident in recent years. I love her writing and agree with her points of view, but it still niggles at me.

40: Nathalie, I am pretty stingy with my 5-star ratings. I compare the book I'm reading with some of my all-time favorites so it's easy to knock them down to 4 or 4.5 stars when I remember how much I love To Kill A Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath, etc.

41: Mike, I think Kingsolver's background makes her who she is. I respect that and don't mind the environmental slant. I just don't want it to be the main theme in a fiction book. Other than that, I loved the book!

42: Laura, "niggles" is a great word! And it fits so well in this case.

#43 Donna828 > I'll give her a break on the background theme since it isn't a topic that she pushes continually. The Poisonwood Bible was somewhat of an anti-evangelical theme with no environmental spin that I recall. How else to write passionately unless it's something in which you have an interest.

Hi Donna!
LOVE the picture of Haley w/ Santa. She is a little sweetheart - I'm sure she melted Santa's heart and will get her Christmas tree!

So glad to hear Flight Behavior is a good one. She is a fav author of mine. Nice review - unto my WL it goes!

44: How else to write passionately unless it's something in which you have an interest.

Excellent point, Mike.

45: Cee, I don't know about Mr. Claus but Haley can sure melt this Grandma's heart. I hope you enjoy Flight Behavior when you get to it.

Hi Donna - am catching up on here and lots of great reading! Glad you really liked Flight Behaviour. I looked at it in a bookshop last week but put it down because I felt like The Poisonwood Bible was a bit too lecture-y near the end. I loved The Bean Trees though.

We cross-posted, Cushla. I think lecturing is becoming BK's style more in her later books. I still enjoy her writing, though, and will continue to read whatever she cares to write. I liked The Bean Trees too!

I read Kingsolver's memoir, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle which was also preachy but it was a memoir and preachiness "works" in that genre more than in her fiction, I think. I really enjoyed the book; it inspired my gardening, food shopping, and eating.

Nice review of Flight Behavior, Donna. I am not much of a Kingsolver fan, but the discussion of her increasing "preachiness" is interesting. As an author develops, you would think that the opposite would happen - that they would become more effective at subtlety.

Laura, I need to read some of Ms. Kingsolver's nonfiction work. Since I have High Tide in Tucson, I'll begin there. I don't want to give up my bad eating habits right before Christmas so I'll save Animal, Vegetable, Miracle until the new year.

Linda, I guess it could work both ways...with her name established as an author perhaps she feels more comfortable revealing her core beliefs through her work. Just a thought. Maybe she will be the featured author at one of your seminars and you can find out what makes Barbara tick!

Book 101: Blood and Milk by W. D. Blackmon. 3 stars.

I'm going to try and wing a short review for this book. I took it back to the library without making any notes on it or saving a quote. It was quite short and I read it in two sittings yesterday before last night's book group met. It fits perfectly into my 3-star criteria of "liked it pretty well but had reservations."

Becky Hawkins has a can-do attitude. She is part of a large family, but has sole responsibility for her grandfather who is slowly losing his mind. She also has three children to raise by herself because she is separated from her husband Mike. The middle child, Ruby, is brain damaged and unable to talk, though she can understand what is said to her and seems to be a happy child.

We've all known a Becky, otherwise known as Super Mom. She can change diapers on a 2-year-old and 80-year-old, soothe Ruby after a seizure, and commiserate with oldest daughter Claire on a boyfriend issue -- all while fixing Thanksgiving dinner for her huge family! One of the guests at the celebration was an older gent who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Blackmon clearly has experience in this area and wrote some very amusing conversations between the two fading patriarchs without being condescending. He also did well at the other end of the spectrum, capturing the personality of 2-year-old Jack and his obsession with bodily functions.

This is the author's debut book. He may be writing more as he has a large collection of completed stories written over the course of his career as a college English professor. He is a local author who met with our book club and graciously told us the background of his characters and answered our questions. Some of the best parts of the book were the photographs introducing each story. His wife Julie is an acclaimed photographer with an international following and several books of her work to her credit. It is always interesting to hear the author talk about his motivation for writing. In this case, the characters were based on his wife's family. It sounds like there are many more stories in his head and in his portfolio. I look forward to reading more by him.

That sounds like an extremely interesting book club meeting!

Donna- Good honest review of Flight Behavior. I hope to get to this one early next year. I also plan to get to The Bean Trees soon.

Well done Donna for breezing past the 100 mark with a little in hand. Have a lovely weekend.

Oops, missed that! Congratulations on passing the 100 book mark, Donna!

100? Wow, I'm in awe. This has been my slowest reading year ever but don't get me wrong it's been enjoyable. Way to go Donna!

Congrats on 100, Donna!

Nice work on the 100 book mark, Donna! Haley is so cute. What a big smile she has!!!!! Hope you have a good weekend!

Congrats on 100, Donna. Nice review of Flight Behavior; we had very similar feelings about the book. I loved Dellarobia and her kids. I thought the characterization was wonderful.

Congratulations - 100 is a lot of books!

101 books? Milady Donna, my hat is off to you!

I'm happy Haley had a good picture with Santa - so adorable! She's a brave lass for sitting on Santa's lap by herself - I cried and was scared when I sat on Santa's lap when I was a kid, so I admire Haley's fortitude. :)

Congratulations on 101 books Donna! I enjoyed your review of Flight Behaviour - it's one I definitely have my eye on.

Congratulations on topping 100 Donna! I'm going to be happy to hit maybe 85 this year which will still be my best year ever. How do you do it? I'm quite envious.

53: That it was, Roni.. One bad thing about having the author present is that some people who didn't like the book kept pretty quiet.

54: Win-win, Mark. I have enjoyed all of the Kingsolver's books that I've read so far.

55: Enjoy your weekend as well, Paul. It was a great day today as I got to witness Haley enjoying her first parade. She liked the bands best! A budding musician?

Thanks to Roni, Laura, Katie, Callia, Beth, Rhian, Eris, and Heather for the congratulations on 100 books. I think I have found my comfort reading pace; I'm at the same place I was in at this time last year. Please forgive my group thank you. I don't have much reading time this week end, and I want to get back to A Tale of Two Cities. I knew you would understand. ;-)

While I was out today, I stopped by my favorite used bookstore which is going out of business. Things were picked over but I got good copies of:

The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing
Fludd by Hilary Mantel
The Giant, O'Brien by Hilary Mantel
The Children by Edith Wharton
Dawn by Elie Wiesel.

Looks like I'm in for some good reading next year!

64: Missed you in the group thank you, Bonnie. How do I do it? ...One page at a time...and having a blind eye toward dust and dog hair!

Hi Donna! I'm glad you liked Flight Behavior. I agree that Kingsolver's agenda was pretty transparent, although it might have been more so in Prodigal Summer. But I still really like her writing!

Hi, Donna! I'm just getting to your latest thread. Very nice! Great lists, and I love the photo with Santa.

I have Flight Behavior on hold. I can't wait.
Love the Santa pic!

oh yes! Nice haul. Will be waiting to see what you think of Lessing's book.
Also - Dawn by Wiesel.
I read and loved Night.

: ( Sorry to hear your favorite used book store is going out of business. . .

Too bad about the bookstore, but nice haul! Blood and Milk sounds interesting. How fun to have the author at your book club.

I lost a full day yesterday due to the 24-hour crud. I'll spare my readers from details except to say it wasn't fun. I was very sad to miss my grandson's 5th birthday party. We make a special effort to celebrate with the grandkids. This is the first one we've missed. Poor Griffin. Poor Grandma.

67: Amy, I like BK's books despite her politicizing. Good writing and interesting stories are what I look for in a book. She certainly delivers on both counts.

68: Thanks, Terri!

69: I have a strong hunch you will love the book, Ellen. At least I hope so.

70: I'm looking forward to reading all my new books, Cee. I will be looking for a copy of Day and then plan to read all three of the Wiesel books. I was incredibly moved by Night.

71: Me too, Brenda. It's a long drive to The Dusty Bookshelf in Lawrence!

72: Regina, my book club gives me a chance to read books that I would otherwise overlook. Having the author visit was a bonus.

Sorry to hear about your crud . . . hope you are feeling better today!

Hi Donna. Congratulations on reading 100+ books! I'm glad to hear you liked Flight Behavior. I heard two interviews with Kingsolver in November on NPR about the book and it sounded interesting. I don't think I've read anything by her yet although I own copies of The Poisonwood Bible and The Lacuna.

Hope you're all better now and thanks for posting the picture of Haley. She's a real cutie. You must be looking forward to celebrating Christmas with her.

74: Thanks, Brenda...I feel almost human today. ;-)

75: Pat, you own two of my favorite Kingsolvers! Haley is going to make Christmas extra special this year for sure.

"It was funny to see how much Marx and God looked like each other, though Marx's hair was a bit curlier."

Book No. 102: Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. 3 stars.

Well, it took me almost all year to read the graphic novel memoir for my poor neglected 12-in-12 Challenge. A picture book was about all I could handle today so the timing was good. This book was a simplified look at the history of Iran and the reaction of a young girl to the revolution there. That's about all the talk I can muster for this one.

Sorry to hear that you missed your grandson's birthday party. Hope you are feeling better now!

Waving a quick hello and agreeing that I have been less than thrilled with the environmentalist agenda in Kingsolver's latest books. I'd rather read something with an agenda I can ignore if I choose... I hate being beaten about the head with it. :)
Hope you're much better.

Hope you're feeling better now.

I was kind of meh about Persepolis, too.

Hope you're feeling better now Donna.

Hi Donna! Hope you are fully recovered from the crud!
Love the pic of Haley with Santa! Too adorable :)

The crud?! So sorry to hear that, Donna. And I'm even sorrier that you had to miss Griffin's party - you poor, poor baby! Hope you are feeling better today.

I am also sorry to hear that you've been under the weather, Donna. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Feeling any better today? Sure hope so!

Bummer that you had to miss the birthday party.
I don't get to many grandkid birthday parties anymore and miss them. They've kind of evolved over time to sleep overs - which I don't want any part of as there is never any actual sleep involved. And who wants a Gram at a sleepover? LOL

Wishng you an easy, healthy day.

Just sending my good wishes as well - hope you're feeling better!

Morphy, I'm glad I'm not the only one who had a meh experience with Persepolis. I keep trying graphic books, but for the most part, they don't work for me. It also didn't help that I was puny when I read it!

Thanks to all the get well and thinking-of-you wishes from Regina, Jenn, Porua, Heather, Chelle, Mamie, Judy, Cee, and Rhian. They mean a lot to me. I AM feeling better today. I even took Mr. Lucky for his walk in the cold winter air. DH is in Atlanta for a few days. I also found the perfect cure for "the crud." I spent yesterday afternoon and evening reading this wonderful book straight through...


"We all have a lot more to read than we can read and a lot more to do than we can do. Still, one of the things I learned from Mom is this: Reading isn't the opposite of doing; it's the opposite of dying." (7)

Book No. 103: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. 4.8 stars.

This remembrance of a very special book club warmed my heart and gave me a strong sense of hope that, even as the end of life draws near, there can still be meaning and purpose. Mary Anne Schwalbe faced her terminal illness in the same way she lived her life of service to others -- with faith and courage.

The other member of this exclusive book club was the author who wrote this homage to his mother and books with great love and sensitivity. As he accompanied his mother to doctors' visits and chemo treatments, they discussed the many books they read together over this two-year period. It was a joy to see how books allowed them to open up to their innermost feelings. It was also fun to reminisce along with them as they talked about books I have read and loved.

I was afraid that this book would be maudlin or overly sentimental. I didn't find that at all...just a loving tribute of the deep caring between mother and son and the acknowledgement that "reading all kinds of books...is how you take part in the human conversation. Mom taught me that you can make a difference in the world and that books really do matter; they're how we know what we need to do in life, and how we tell others." Highly recommended.

So sorry to hear about the attack of the crud and its abominable timing! I'm glad you are starting to feel better.

I've put The End of Your Life Book Club on my Christmas List so we'll see if Mr SandDune takes the hint.

Loved your review of The End of Your Life Book Club Donna and just gave it a thumb. I'm about halfway through it but am having a hard time getting back to it what with reading Team of Rivals, A Tale of Two Cities and Safe from the Sea at the same time! Hope you're as good as new soon.

Added a thumb for the Schwalbe review and added it to my wishlist. Sounds like a very special book. Glad to hear you're feeling better.

Hi Donna- Sorry, Persepolis didn't work for you. Maybe GNs, are just not for you. I loved it. But I'm glad you loved The End of Your Life Book Club. Nearly 5 stars too! I was crazy about that one too! Good review! Let's keep spreading the word.

Donna: I hope you're feeling better -- you used the same quote that I did in my comments on The End of Your Life Book Club. Great minds... I agree with you about the tone -- it was a fitting memorial to his no nonsense mother.

89: Roni, I'm glad I put in a few long days shopping so at least the grandkids are taken care of. I'm always afraid they will run out of toys. Lol.

90: I wouldn't mind having my own copy either as I read a library book.

91: Pat, I am in Part 3 of ToTC and next up after that is Safe From the Sea. I am steering clear of Team of Rivals, though. It's too long for me to read in December.

92: Thanks for the thumb, Regina. It is a special book.

93: Mark, I think you're right about GNs not being for me. It doesn't help that our library labels them as comics. At least we agree on The End of Life Book Club.

94: Beth, I'm 95% functional. I get tired easily but the dizziness is gone. I read your review but didn't remember the quote. There were so many good ones! I inhaled the book and didn't take my usual notes. It was the perfect recovery book for me.

Glad to see you loved The End of Your Life Book Club too, Donna. I'm not sure how anyone could not like it... I bought a copy for myself the last time I was at the TC. Will Schwalbe had done a talk in the Lodo store several weeks ago and they had some signed copies on the shelf. I couldn't resist.

I only wish I could share it with my own Mom.

Nice review of The End of Your Life Book Club Donna. Interesting that we're all reading it , one after another, Bing, Bang, Brady. And all enjoying it too.

I'm alive just busy like everyone else. Thursday was Canasta Day and yesterday was the factory Christmas party. I spent two hours in the car round-trip listening to Christmas music on the way down and crying and listening to reports about the horrific school shooting in CT on the way back home. So very sad.

Joanne, it's great that you could get an autographed copy. I wish I could share it with my mother, too. I'm going to have my son read it so he'll know what is expected of him when my demise comes. And I'm not kidding either. ;-)

Bonnie, you know I can't pass by on a good book recommended by so many here. One more thing to love about LT!

Donna - Glad to hear that you are feeling better. What a wonderful review of The End of Your Life Book Club. I have a Barnes & Noble gift card, and may use part of it for that book. It sounds like one I might want to have on my shelf.

I know what you mean about the news from CT. We heard the news right before we were to go to Matt's school for Diversity Day. We spent the afternoon in the gym learning about all of the countries the third graders had researched, and it was hard not to think about how a typical school day can be shattered in a moment. My hearts breaks for those families.

I received a copy of The End of Your Life Book Club from my swap buddy and I'm really looking forward to reading it. It has been very popular on LT of late.
I hope you are feeling better and better, Donna!

The End of Your Life Book Club looks a good read Donna but I don't want to join that club for a few more moons yet.
Trust that you are having a lovely weekend.

99: Hi Amy, the news from CT must be especially difficult for parents of young children to hear. I've always thought of churches and schools as places of safety. I appears that there is no such place anymore.

100: Ellen, your book buddy chose well for you. Congratulations. As Amy said, it's a book that needs a place on our shelves, mine included. I'll mention it to my book buddy Dave!

101: Paul, I don't think I'm ready for that particular club yet either! My week end is a busy one with a little down time this morning. My thoughts keep returning to CT and wondering how these poor parents will get through this first Christmas without their precious children. Ah, life can be so sad.

Morning Donna- I really want to get back into playing Canasta. I'm not sure we played this year. You NEED to have the "right" couple to play with...at cards I mean.
Drop by my thread, I could use some Challenge participation.

On a brighter note, I finished my reread of A Tale of Two Cities. I'll let my 4.5 star rating stand for now, though it could easily go to 5 stars upon further consideration. This book has the distinction of having very strong and memorable opening and closing lines.


"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."

Book No. 104: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. 4.5 stars.

Dickens writes about the best and worst of human experiences in his tale of London and Paris and the horrors of the French Revolution. He explores love between a father and daughter and between man and woman right alongside the extreme cruelty of men and women in times of war. He ends with one of the most selfless acts of love and redemption in literature summed up by these words of Sidney Carton:

"It is a far, far better thing that I do , than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

103: You sneaked in there, Mark, while I was doing my mini review of ToTC. I plan to do more short reviews next year, especially on books that so many have read.

Yes, I am a Canasta Geek as well as a Book Geek. Part of it is the camaraderie of the group that I've been in these past eight years. I'll be right over to pay you a Sunday visit!

#104 Glad you enjoyed your reread of aToTC Donna :-)

You've convinced me on The End of Life Book Club, Donna. And I like that A Tale of Two Cities review a lot, too. Great book.

Hi Donna - I loved it too and can see why you re-read it. I am now a Dickens fan and have just been downloading some of his other novels instead of making the kids' school lunches.

Hope you're having a good Sunday with a bit of doing nothing much time. This is a crazy time of the year!

Hi Donna. I still have a way to go with A Tale of Two Cities but the more I read it the more I like it.

It was a good time, Heather. I'll keep checking the group reads thread for more words of wisdom from you and Liz. Thanks so much!

I think you will find it to be a good read, Joe. You might even pick up some more book titles you want to look into. I did.

Cushla, it's always great to welcome another Dickens fan to the club. Too bad many of his books are so long as I know you will be quite busy with your new career.

Yay, Pat is going to join The Dickens Fan Club, too. Be sure and have a tissue handy when you get to the ending!

I'm bummed tonight. I got summoned (again!) for jury duty on Dec. 17. I was hoping for a repeat of what happened in September when I didn't have to report. No such luck. I called the courthouse number and I have to be there bright and early tomorrow morning. What rotten timing! I just hope I get a chance to read more in The Hobbit.

HI Donna :) still trying to catch up on all the threads. Thank you for some wonderful reviews. I started Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood a few years back and never finished it for some reason. It is currently on my TBR pile for next year, because it had quite a few very good reviews on here.

I finally finished The Rape of Nanking and I hope I will able to get a review together when I am off work tomorrow. As mentioned on my thread I had very mixed feelings about this book. On one side I thought it was a very powerful and disturbing read by drawing attention to this part of history during WW II and on the other hand the author's emotional involvement and the way she depicted some of the political and historical backgrounds almost drove me nutts.

Due to my current work shedule I had not much time for pleasure reading and I am currently still more or less with my nose in medical textbooks *grin*. However, only until Friday and then I am going to head home to Germany for Christmas and New Year.

I wish you a great week Donna.

Sympathies on the jury summons! Hopefully you'll be excused earlier rather than later . . .

Hi Donna, just skimming through and enjoying your pics and reviews. Flight Behavior is definately on my radar as Kingsolver is one of my faves also.

I just finished my reread of AToTC and it touched me as much, if not more, than it did 30 years ago.

Have a great week

Hope you can complete your jury service today! In Idaho, they consider that you have served as long as you've been called even if you never have to go in. Then you don't have to serve for another two years. They called me back a year later and I called to ask about it and they took me off the list.

Hi Donna! I'm behind on your thread again! I've not been on the internet lately. It's too bad you were "meh" about Persepolis, I rather liked it (or at least, I liked the first one). But to each her own. :) I haven't read A Tale of Two Cities since I was in the 9th grade, when I hated it. I might like it better now, since I'm actually a fan of Dickens. :)

I suspect we're all "geeks" of one kind or another. I purposely never learned to play bridge while in college because I knew it would consume my time. Canasta? Well, I have played a time or two, but my passion is chess. Unlike canasta, however, chess is not conducive to conversation during play, so although it is a social event requiring an opponent (or a computer), it nevertheless can be a very solitary endeavor like reading. Food for thought...

And while I'm at it, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and whatever else you celebrate this time of the pagan winter solstice diversion - to all of the crew here on Donna828's circle of book geeks. I have grandkids coming in Thursday and I'll be busier than a one-armed paperhanger, so I may not have a chance to log in between now and then.

Love you guys! Thanks for including me.

Bianca, I'm glad you will be home with family in Germany for Christmas! I also had mixed feelings about The Rape of Nanking. As difficult as it was to read about the atrocities, I'm still glad I read it.

I had to stay all day, Brenda, but that is better than being selected for the jury and giving up the week before Christmas. It was an interesting and overly long process.

Hi Lynda, I'll definitely be doing more reading of old favorites in the future. A Tale of Two Cities stood up very well to the test of time. I was surprised by the things I remembered...and by the things I had forgotten.

Pat, I'm not sure what the jury rules are here, but if I get another summons in 3 months, I will find out!

Rachel, I'm pretty "meh" about the whole idea of graphic books in general. I like to form my own pictures in my head when I read!

Awww, Mike, what a sweet message. Merry Christmas to you, my friend. Enjoy the grandkids! We're going up to KC this week end for a late birthday party and an early Christmas. I'll have more fun at my daughter's house because I won't have to feed everybody!

Sooo, I don't have jury duty and have four 'extra' days this week. They told us up front that the trial would most likely go through Friday with the possibility of some evening sessions. I am celebrating today by going to see Lincoln. I might even get some reading done. I sat by some talkers yesterday so my book stayed in my purse.

Donna, so glad you didn't have to do jury duty so close to Christmas. I suspect that you've already completed your shopping and other preparations, but still....

We were in Kansas Sun & Mon with family and there was much talk about Lincoln. No one had seen it yet but everyone had heard about it. My son and his friends were going to the late show last night, but he's not up yet so I don't know what he thought. I'll be watching for your reaction to it. Enjoy your bonus week!

Hi Donna, finally caught up here. Congrats on the upcoming grandchild. Nice reviews and some book bullets.

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year in advance.

Jury duty again? How did you get so lucky Donna? Well, at least you only lost one day during this busy time of year. I'm glad to see that A Tale of Two Cities is just as good the second time around. I'll be continuing my journey with Dickens in 2013.

Stopping by to say hi! Ohh jury duty you say! Ugh! Glad you enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities. I confess, that's a Dickens that I've not read.

HI Donna! How did you manage to get called for jury duty twice so close together?!

Hi Sandy, Lincoln was a good movie with some great scenes and much verbosity. While I liked it, I liked Life of Pi more! So that's my "review" in a nutshell. I'd better stick to reviewing books!

Good to see you here, Gautam. Happy Holidays to you! Do you celebrate Christmas in India? I am so ignorant about the rest of the world.

Bonnie, I'm thinking about a reread of David Copperfield next year. I have it listed as a 5-star book based on my memory of it. I would also love to read the Tomlin biography of Dickens.

Hi Deb! ToTC is a good one to consider next time you get in a Dickens frame of mind.

I'm not sure how that happened, Chelle. Mistake maybe? I will set them straight if I get summoned again in 2013. It was a waste of a day for me. Too many questions that seemed pointless to me. Funny, I was actually kind of bummed that I wasn't chosen. But I got over it quickly!

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the end of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

Book No. 105: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. 4 stars.

Bilbo Baggins was clearly out of his comfort zone on his "journey there and back again." While accompanying the 13 dwarves on their quest and meeting up with trolls, elves, and goblins, he was constantly wishing he was back home in his hobbit hole. I don't have much to say about this beloved book except that I am eager to see the movie. I expect to learn more about hobbits from the movie as it only covers one-third of a relatively short book. It had better be great or I won't pay theater prices for parts two and three. Bah humbug!

Hi Donna!
Good job not getting chosen for jury duty this time around.
End of Your Life Book Club on my WL now. Can't resist being swept away by the LT mob - lol

I'm hoping Ron and I can go see Lincoln - maybe right after Christmas...

Donna - One one hand, I'm sorry you didn't get picked for jury duty. Depending on the case, it can be an interesting process to go through. But sitting there for a day only to be told at the end that you can just go home can indeed be a waste of time ...but I bet you had a book to read while you were waiting. :-)

>123 Donna828: I'm thinking about a reread of David Copperfield next year. I have it listed as a 5-star book based on my memory of it. I would also love to read the Tomlin biography of Dickens.

Haha you read my mind Donna. I'm planning on reading David Copperfield, Our Mutual Friend and the Tomalin bio.

It dawned on me this afternoon as I was taking what seemed like my ten thousandth cookie out of the oven that I had completed my 12-in-12 Pyramid Challenge.

Here it is, folks, wrapped up with an imaginary red bow:
......................................... GN(1)....
........................................ BIO (2).....
..................................... HISTORY (3).....
.....................................KIDDIE LIT (4).....
.................................SHORT STORIES (5).....
...............................THE BUTLER DID IT (6)......
............................SPECULATIVE FICTION (7)......
.........................BOOKS TOO GOOD TO MISS (8)......
....................SEE THE WORLD WITHOUT PACKING (9).....
..............SO MANY BOOKS - SO LITTLE TIME - LT RECS (10)....
........KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES - NEW RELEASES (11)......
MADELINE’S TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH (12)........
......................

.....CATEGORIES

Graphic Novel
1 Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - Finished 12/10

Biography, including Autobiography
1. Old Books, Rare Friends by Rostenberg & Stern - 7/31
2. The Ghost in the Little House by William Holtz - 2/13

History, including Historical Fiction
1. Truman by David McCullough - 7/28
2. I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn - 7/17
3. Animal's People by Indra Sinhi - 9/2

Children's/Young Adult
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik - 4/1
2. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker - 6/7
3. The Fault in Our Stars by Brian Green - 8/4
4. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck - 8/14

Short Story Collections and Essays
1. The Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell - (2/6
2. The Best Short Stories of O. Henry - 3/30
3. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen - 5/6
4. The Weight of Glory by C. S. Lewis - 7/20
5. The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat by Oliver Sacks - 9/5

Mysteries
1. When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum - 3/7
2. Revelation by C. J. Sansom - 3/11
3. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain - 3/26
4. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett - 4/6
5. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom - 5/19
6. The Risk Agent by Ridley Pearson - 6/30

Fantasy/Sci-Fi
1. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood - 1/22
2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis - 2/21
3. That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis - 5/1
4. Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis - 5/9
5. Out of the Silent Planet - C. S. Lewis - 9/10
6. Perelandra - C. S. Lewis - 9/12
7. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien - 12/20

Classics:
1. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck - 1/12
2. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (highly recommended by Peggy - LizzieD) - 2/29
3. The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck - 3/16
4. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace - A Modern Classic! - 4/26
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - 8/22
6. In Dubious Battle - John Steinbeck - 9/18
7. Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck - 10/26
8. The Pearl - John Steinbeck - 11/30

Books set in foreign countries:
1. One by One in the Darkness by Deirdre Madden - Ireland - 1/3
2. February by Lisa Moore - Newfoundland - 2/5
3. A Most Wanted Man by John Le Carre - Hamburg, Germany - 3/20
4. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin - England, Italy - 4/23
5. The White Mary by Kira Salak - Papua New Guinea - 5/21
6. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh - Canton, China - 6/25
7. Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz - Cairo, Egypt - 7/27
8. Palace of Desire by Mahfouz - Cairo, Egypt - 8/30
9. Sugar Street - Naguib Mahfouz - Cairo, Egypt - 9/30

Recommended by LTers:
1. The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin (recommended by Bonnie (Brenzi) and many others! - 1/16
2. The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am by Kjersti A. Skomsvold (recommended by Caro (Cameling) - 2/25
3. The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (recommended by janetinlondon) - 3/4
4.No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod (recommended by Brenzi et al.) - 3/23
5.Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (recommended by Brenzi et al.) - 6/10
6. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (rec, by mckait) - 8/8
7. Becoming Madame Mao - Anchee Min - (recommended by brenpike) - 9/5
8. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce (rec. by bahzah) - 10/7
9. The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng (recommended by kidzdoc) - 10/14
10.Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith (recommended by msf59) - 10/29

New Releases:
1. The Marriage Plot by Jeffery Eugenides - 1/9
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - 2/18
3. Gillespie and I by Jane Harris - 4/29
4. Painter of Silence by Georgina Harding - 5/26
5. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed - 6/3
6. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo - 6/29
7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - 8/19
8. In One Person - John Irving - 10/4
9. The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny - 10/10
10. The Round House - Louise Erdrich - 10/22
11. A Possible Life - Sebastian Faulks - 11/25

TIOLI:
1. A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines - finished 1/6/12
2. Rouse Up O Young Men of the New Age by Kenzaburo Oe - finished 2/2
3. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - 3/14
4. Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman - 4/9
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera - 5/14
6. A Passion for Books edited by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan - 6/20
7. Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin - 7/5
8. A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul - 8/12
9. Restless by William Boyd - 9/8
10. Eats, Shoots & Leaves - Lynn Truss - 10/17
11. Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy - 11/16
12. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - 12/17...

DONE!!!

>125 -Cee-:: Ruled by the mob! That's us! I think you would like Lincoln, Cee, even though we all know the story. It's interesting to see that politics doesn't change all that much.

>126 cameling:: Caro, even the jury selection process was interesting. I was impatient because I had lots of last minute Christmas prep to do this week. We're leaving in the morning for Christmas in Kansas City with all four of our grandchildren. Yay!

>127 brenzi:: Bonnie, I was a big fan of Our Mutual Friend when I read it earlier this year. I'm pretty certain you will like it.

Congratulations on finishing your 12 in 12 challenge, Donna. I loved the way you summed it up. Have a wonderful time in Kansas City with your family. Will you be on LT while you're gone?

Wow, that's a great accomplishment, Donna! Congratulations!

Well done! That's a good-looking list of books you read for your challenge!

Congrats on finishing the 12 in 12 challenge!

Impressive! What's for next year?

Congratulations on your 12 in 12! I love the graphical summary too, very clever.

WOOHOO!! Congrats!

Oh, nice! I love your 12/12 pyramid.
Congrats on a job well done :-)

Got cookies?

Cool pyramid challenge, Donna. Congratulations! That makes for a wonderfully diverse but high quality year of reading.

Very clever pyramid - congratulations on finishing the challenge.

Congratulations on your 12 in 12! I love the pyramid idea. Much more manageable. :) I have taken your advice - not giving up on Cloud Atlas, tackling it over the Christmas holidays when my shop is closed and things are relatively quiet.

Donna, congratulations on completing your 12-in-12 pyramid challenge!!
I think it's cool that you participated in every one of Madeline's TIOLI challenges. I am not making that an official facet of my own "four thirteens" for next year, but I do plan to try to read one work for each of her challenges if at all possible.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love LT? :-)

Love the pyramid, Donna and congratulations on completing your 12 in 12!

Congratulations on your 12in12 challenge. What a fabulous year of reading you have had. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Well done for completing your challenge Donna and what a wonderful way of setting it out.
Have a lovely christmas surrounded, I hope, by all your loved ones.

Morning Donna- Great job on the Pyramid Challenge! Very impressive. Hope you are having a terrific weekend.

Congrats on finishing your 12in12 pyramid (looks like a Christmas tree!) challenge, Donna! And congrats on reading so many good books this year!

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Thank you so much for all the congratulatory messages on completing my "Christmas Tree" Pyramid 12-in12 Challenge. I won't be doing a 13-in-13 as I have enough trouble keeping up with one thread. Once again, my reading will be guided by TIOLI, group reads, and recommendations from friends. I'm also toying around with the idea of some personal challenges.

Right now I can't think about anything except getting a good night's sleep. There were four very excited grandchildren in Kansas City that kept us up last night. We celebrated Griffin's late birthday yesterday when we got there, and then had Christmas chaos this morning. Much fun. My daughter took most of the pictures. I'll see if there's anything post-worthy tomorrow.

I'd love to have the energy to respond personally to my visitors. Instead I'll wish a Merry Christmas to:

Pat, Roni, Carrie, Porua, Mike, Laura, Amber, Cee, Joe, Rhian, Jenn, Ellen, Lori (a big first-time visitor welcome to you!), Regina, Paul, Mark and Joanne.

I hope Santa brings each one of you and any lurkers out there good health and much happiness for the new year. Oh yes, a good book or two would be appreciated as well!

Merry Christmas to you and your family Donna. I hope Santa brings a few literary treasures your way. And congratulations on completing your 12 in 12 challenge:)

Thank you, Bonnie. I'm not expecting to get any books, but an Amazon gift card is on my Christmas list!

Mark, I love the Christmas bears. That is Missouri State's mascot so I have a soft spot in my heart for Bears. One more thing that we share. Lol!

I've done a little thread hopping and dropping a few Christmas greetings along the way until I realized I'll never get around to everyone. Soooo... I am leaving my main Christmas message here for all who stop by today and tomorrow.



I can't resist posting one more picture of my precious grandchildren. We had a wonderful time together over the week end.


Griffin (5), Audrey (8), Haley (2), Sadie (10)

Dear Donna, first of all :) congrats on finishing your 12 in 12 Challenge.

Second: I love the picture of your beautiful grandchildren *big smile*

And LAST I wish you and your family a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR *Even bigger smile*

Merry Christmas Donna!!

Your grandkids are just the cutest! Hope you have a great holiday!

Merry Christmas, Donna, enjoy the holiday and your gorgeous grandkids!

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Merry Christmas, Donna!

Lovely photo of all your grandchildren, Donna. They're adorable. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, indeed!

Merry Christmas to you Donna and all your beautiful family!

Merry Christmas, Donna!

Blessings and Love!

All the best to you and your loved ones Donna and looking forward to continued exchanges in 2013.

Merry, merry Christmas, Donna!

Merry Christmas, Donna!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas Donna, a wonderful time with the family, and all the best for 2013!!

Have a Merry Christmas with your lovely family, Donna! Congratulations on completing your 12 in 12 challenge.

glitter-graphics.com
Wishing you a wonderful day with your family, Donna!

Just dropping by with some Christmas cheer from me and the Moomins (another great LT find). I love the picture of the grandkids. Somehow there's nothing better than a picture of kids in front of a Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas, Donna! Hope it was full of fabulous!

A belated Merry Christmas, Donna! :-)

Donna - Belated Merry Christmas. I love your pyramid and your grandkids' picture. I hope your holiday was happy.

Happy New Year of reading.

Wow, look at all the pretty pictures! Thanks for coming by with Christmas greetings...Bianca, Chelle, Judy, Roni, Julia, Claudia, Ellen, Linda, Ilana, Anne, Terri, Nathalie, Darryl, Lynda, Pat, Mamie, Porua, and Beth. I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas as well.

DH and I went to see The Hobbit yesterday. I enjoyed the special effects that were good even in 2-D. We had a choice of that, 3D, or IMAX. My husband was probably happy to save the extra money when I told him I was hesitant to sit through a 3-hour movie with things crashing at us and each other because of my vertigo and predilection toward motion sickness. There was a big "What the...?" response from the audience at the "end." Didn't these people know that there are to be two more sequels to complete the story? We both liked the first LOTR better but were glad we went and will see the next two. Martin Freeman was fantastic as Bilbo Baggins.

Hi, Donna

it sounds like you had a very nice Christmas weekend/holiday. I love the picture of the kids in front of the tree. I took a picture of my kids in front of our tree after it was decorated. They aren't as adorable as yours are, but I'm pretty fond of them. I should see if I remember how to post a photo from my camera onto my thread.

Sandy, I'd love to see a picture of your adorable kids! I hope your last Christmas in your present house was meaningful and memorable. While you're posting pictures, how about one of the new country estate?

We had a very nice Christmas and I'm ready to start moving in earnest now. It is our turn to host New Year's Eve with the 2 other couples that we always celebrate with, and they've already declared that they want to have the party in the new house, so we'll need to get some furniture out there this weekend.

You've tutored me in the past about posting pictures, but I'm a slow student. I may be asking for help again later when I have time to sit down with the camera. I might have one or two that are worth sharing.

"Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago. Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town. A great black stove is its main feature; but there is also a big round table and a fireplace with two rocking chairs placed in front of it..."

Book No. 106: A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote. 4.5 stars.

Believe it or not, this was my first reading of this heartwarming autobiographical story by Truman Capote. It tells about an unusual friendship between Buddy and his much older distant cousin Sooke. It inspires memories of simpler times....going out in the woods and cutting down a Christmas tree, gathering the windfall pecans that were missed by the orchard owner, and scrimping and saving all year to purchase the ingredients for the 30 fruitcakes that will be made with love and delivered to a strange collection of acquaintances and people they admire, including President Roosevelt. This story of love and friendship is charmingly illustrated and will become a family tradition that reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas.

So glad you enjoyed A Christmas Memory Donna. I first read it two years ago based on a recommendation from Joanne (I think). I had never heard of it before then. Loved the picture you posted from the book.

"All I know for sure is that we were off that boat... Right away we were bailing water and still we were up to our ankles in it. Not just water, Superior water, water so cold it would've hurt to drink... I remember all of it. The cold. The wet. The dark. It should have been impossible for me to notice the glow behind us with all that commotion but I did. It was like a ghost already. In the snow and sea spray, I could see a hazy light where the ship was....That spot just flickered, coming in and out of view as we rode the waves. The farther we got the fainter it got until it was gone. We rode up a wave and I looked and there was nothing but the night." (183)

"Rounding one of the steep, uphill curves, he came upon an awesome panorama of the lake and skies. A battlement of cinder-colored clouds broke and the sun reflected off the water in a million different directions. The lake was well below him, down a granite cliff, and the distance eclipsed the reflection. He could stare right at the sun's image off the lake." (196)

Book No. 107: Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye. 4.25 stars.

This debut book was an interesting variation of the Prodigal Son story. In this case, the father mentally left his family after he survived the shipwreck of the Ragnarok, a huge ore boat on Lake Superior. He spent most of the next twenty years on the lake and in the seedy bars of port towns trying to forget what happened. It was only when he was dying that he called his estranged son Noah in Boston and asked him to come home.

This book was as mesmerizing and moody as the cover picture showing the rocky coastline and the dark sky with light breaking out in the far horizon. It's the story of a dying man's memories where he unloads his burden of guilt for something that wasn't his fault. There is something for everyone in this book: beautiful writing, a shipwreck, love stories between husband and wife and father and son. Peter Geye did an excellent job describing the beauty and danger of Lake Superior and the crustiness and courage of the men who sail upon her. My grandfather was a Norwegian immigrant who worked on ore boats all his life in this country and my uncle was a ship's captain on the Great Lakes so I grew up hearing stories similar to this. I'm looking forward to more books by this new author. Highly recommended...and many thanks to Joanne (coppers) for making me aware of this wonderful book.

>174 phebj:: Pat, I was on a quest to find A Christmas Memory after Joanne recommended it. My local used bookstore called me in April and said they had a copy for me. I almost forgot about it until Joanne mentioned it again. I loved it, too!

I just went to thumb your excellent review of Safe from the Sea but didn't see it posted yet. I'll check again later. I had no idea you had such a connection to the topic of this book--I was pretty sure you were Scandinavian but didn't know you were Norwegian and that both your grandfather and uncle worked on the Great Lakes. That Joanne is a source of great recommendations!

Donna- I'm glad you liked The Hobbit. We are planning to see it on New Years Day. I have Safe From the Sea high on my WL. It sounds so good.

I hope you had a merry Christmas, Donna! *hugs* May next year be wonderful for us all, and filled with fantastic books, too. Your opinions on The Hobbit sound just about right - not as good as LOTR, but still worth seeing. My brother and I cannot wait to see it, along with Les Mis.

Your grandchildren are all so wonderfully photogenic, Donna! What a happy crew!

Imagine the great books we'd be missing without LT - it'd be so sad... A Christmas Memory was such a great find!

I'm so glad you liked Safe From the Sea. It's fascinating that you have that family maritime history of working on the Great Lakes - it sounds like the book was a great match for you and I'm very happy about that! (An aside, my grandfather was a tugboat and ferry boat captain plying the rough seas of the Hudson River and New York Harbor in the early decades of the 1900s.)

Hi Donna, great to hear that you enjoyed The Hobbit. I haven't seen it myself yet, but my son went with my parents and he also said that the special effects were fab. He also said that there were a few people who obviously didn't know that this is going to be a trilogy. Wish you a great time the rest of the week :)

Hello Donna, Happy Third Day of Christmas!

I'm glad you enjoyed The Hobbit film - I did too, although I went feeling rather skeptical like you about it being made into three films. I was glad that it meant that none of the incidents in the books were omitted, and the extra stuff was mostly derived from Tolkien's own ideas and background info in the appendices to LOTR.

I re-read the book back in November prior to seeing the film, and I did think that (partly because of the extra material and the emphasizing the bigger struggles going on in the background) the film had a less light-hearted feeling than the book. Also, in the book, the main emphasis of the dwarves' quest to begin with seems to be retrieving their treasure - as I recall it, the idea of reclaiming their lost homeland is far less emphasised in the beginning, whereas in the film this seems to be the main point from the start, which makes their quest seem nobler and changes the feel of it a bit.

Oh, and belated congratulations on the forthcoming new grandchild - is Hayley feeling excited about becoming a big sister?

Donna - Love the look of Safe from the Sea, you do seemto unearth some gems! Speaking of gems your granchildren look a credit to their Grandparents and I can understand your joy and pride in them.

So glad you enjoyed The Hobbit!!! And I'm glad to hear it was worth it in 2D too... I may have to see it a third time to test that out... ;)

Two lovely reviews, Donna! A Christmas Memory is an old favorite of mine - I reread it every few years, and it never loses its magic for me. Safe From the Sea sounds like one for the WL, so thanks for that.

>177 phebj:: Pat, I posted reviews for both of the Peter Geyes books I read this week. I am on a Minnesota jag! The only thing that would make these books better would to have them set on the Michigan shore of Lake Superior! My uncle's career was particularly interesting. He worked as a ship's captain of foreign vessels in the Great Lakes. There is some sort of maritime law that says ships have to be piloted by an American in U. S. waters.

>178 msf59:: Safe From the Sea is an excellent book, Mark. I hope you enjoy The Hobbit. The time went by quickly for me...and my husband only fell asleep once. ;-)

>179 ErisofDiscord:: Hi Eris! A belated Merry Christmas to you - along with an early Happy New Year! Les Mis makes me tear up just thinking about the coming attractions. I'm waiting until my friend comes back from Florida to see it with her.

>180 Copperskye:: Joanne, it's funny that both of our grandfathers worked on the sea. When my grandfather left Norway at age 16, he worked on whaling vessels to pay for his voyage to America. I'm pretty certain he was an illegal alien!

>181 drachenbraut23:: Hi Bianca. I'm glad your son enjoyed The Hobbit. I hope he saw the 3-D version. I might see the next one wearing those cool glasses! Enjoy the time leading up to a new year. I'm so glad we met here on LT.

>182 gennyt:: Good to see you here, Genny, after your busy Christmas. I too noticed the change in tone of The Hobbit movie. I guess they wanted more sympathy for the elves regaining their homeland rather than just being greedy elves! Oh yes, Haley is super excited about the new baby, especially after getting to hold her newborn cousin a few weeks ago.

>183 PaulCranswick:: Paul, Joanne deserves the credit for finding that gem of an author, Peter Geye. I can't wait for his next book!

>184 dk_phoenix:: Faith, I imagine seeing it in 2D after watching the 3D movie would make the action seem rather slow. I'd rather be slow than be nauseous so I tend to err on the side of caution.

>185 Crazymamie:: Hi there, Mamie. I'm sure A Christmas Memory will be an annual tradition for me from now on. I might even eat some fruitcake while reading it!

I finally got this house cleaned up and have started putting some Christmas things away. Its much more fun putting things out than packing them back up!

"The pictures of his mother, now tucked inside his coat, had awakened something inside him. Was it sadness? Surely the look on her face in those pictures conveyed nothing if not sadness, even the picture in which she held him. Was there another word for this feeling? If he dove into the winter water, would it wash away? He shuddered at the thought of the lake..." (103)

Book No. 108: The Lighthouse Road by Peter Geyes. 4.4 stars.

I don't usually read consecutive books by the same author but both of the Peter Geye books were available at the library so things worked out that way. He may be the best find of the year for me!

This book begins with the birth of a baby boy named Odd after his Norwegian grandfather. It jumps around in time between his birth in 1896 to the time when he is raising his own son in 1937. It's what happens in between that makes this book a page turner. There is everything from the pathos of a lonely immigrant having a baby out of wedlock to attacks by wolves and a rudely awakened bear. I got caught up in the drama and emotions that ebbed and flowed like the tides on Lake Superior.

Peter Geye's second book doesn't suffer from a sophomore slump like so many do. It is just as strong as his Safe from the Sea. Other than the setting in northern Minnesota, this was a different kind of story. Much of the story was set on the land, though the Big Lake played a role in helping Odd earn his livelihood and moved him from the rough settlement at Gunflint to the lights of Duluth where he gained perspective on what he wanted from life. The cast of characters interacted with each other in peculiar and unpredictable ways. Geye does a terrific job of depicting the Scandinavian melancholy of the people who inhabit this cold, bleak world. It would be difficult to read this book without some tugging of the heartstrings despite questioning the actions of some of the characters. I highly recommend this beautifully told book from a talented storyteller.

Oh, Donna, I feel your pain about putting away Christmas decorations. I dread leaving FL for the mere fact that's will have to undertake that chore when I get home.

I am really looking forward to reading the Geye books - I have Safe from the Sea and I think I won The Lighthouse Road as an ER but I'm not sure I've received it yet.... Sad that I can't remember...

Another wonderful review, Donna!

There's some family lore about my grandfather being a stowaway on a ship from Ireland, but my father always dismissed it. I'll need to go through my mother's family notes again to see what's there.

Putting away Christmas stuff should really be a cinch for me this year as I put out very little. Those pesky fur kids are making life easier for me!

Great review of The Lighthouse Road Donna. Good to know it's just as good if not better than Safe from the Sea. I was your first thumb on both reviews!

I agree about having to put away the Christmas decorations. It's never something I want to do. I commend you for getting started so soon.

Good Morning, Everybody! We have our first snow on the ground here. It is barely covering the grass but it's still pretty. The streets and sidewalks are clear so I'm off in a few to walk Lucky.

Katie, I'm not sure I would decorate if we were going to be gone at Christmas just because I would have the same dread you are feeling. Maybe your hubby will pitch in and help!

Joanne, I feared for our Christmas tree on Christmas morning when we had two big Labs running around with their Christmas goodies and toys. Cassie is back home now, and I think Lucky misses her.

Thanks, Pat, for those thumbs. I'm thinking about leaving the lights and electric candles in the windows up until Epiphany. Everything is on timers and will be a breeze to take down. I love coming home at night and seeing the lights so it will be as much for me as the neighbors. The tree is the big thing as I have so many ornaments on it. DH will take them off and I'll put them to bed for another 11 months.

I'm off for my walk; then will start back in the end- of-year readathon. I'm loving Sweet Thursday which will be my last completed book of the year.

A belated Merry Christmas and a timely Happy New Year from me, Donna! I was goofing off with my family over in Ann Arbor.

Intriguing reviews, and I love the pic of your grandkids. What a good-looking crew!

Stopping by on the fourth day of Christmas to wish you a Merry Christmas Donna and congratulations on finishing your 12 in 12 challenge!

Oh boy. I can't wait to see The Hobbit. I plan to do the 3-D.
And Safe from the Sea is going on my wish list.
I hope you're continuing to have a merry holiday season, Donna!

Hi Donna,
Happy Holidays! And congratulations on having such happy and healthy looking grand kids! They look so sweet- although Im sure they can raise the roof on the odd occasion ;)

Morning Donna! the Geyes' look great and I've wishlisted both. Wishing you and your lovely.........and growing family a wonderful new year!

Just stopping by to wish you and your family a Happy New Year, Donna. I've enjoyed following your reading this year and am looking forward to 2013!

Hello Donna,
Yes, my son saw the 3D version with this fancy glasses. Presently he is watching (here at home) the whole production of LOT again. He got from my parents the special edition with extended "something" for christmas hehe.

Just stopping by to wish you a fab and magical New Year!

192: Hi Joe, I hope you had fun "goofing off" with your family!

Thanks, Heather. Let's see...this is the fifth day of Christmas now. I like the idea of 7 more days. In fact, I'm going to try and keep my Christmas spirit going all year!

Ellen, I kind of wish I had seen the 3-D version now. I'll go that route for film #2. Maybe it won't be quite as long.

Megan, the grands were subdued (and busy) at Christmas, but, yes, they can raise the roof occasionally!

Lynda, I hope you like the Geye books. I think he's an author who deserves more attention. Happy New Year to you!

Same here, Linda. I'll be following your Nobel author progress and, of course, those wonderful author seminars you so graciously share with us. An abundant new year to you and yours!

Bianca, we own the LOTR set and may watch it again after we finish up with The Hobbit trilogy, although I'm not sure I want to wait until 2014! Thanks for those colorful fireworks!

Happy New Year, Donna! I am adding Peter Geye to my "new-to-me" author list for 2013. Both of those sound excellent. It's so nice to start the new year with an abundance of TBR books!

Amy, one can never have too many TBR books, right? It's nice to have a good stack to choose from.

I finished my last book for 2012. How appropriate that it was by John Steinbeck. I've really enjoyed reading some fine Steinbeck books this year with the group. Many thanks to Ilana and her elves for organizing and hosting the various reads in the Steinbeckathon.


"It was a Thursday, and it was one of those days in Monterey when the air is washed and polished like a lens, so that you can see the houses in Santa Cruz twenty miles across the bay..." (Pg. 115)

Book No. 109: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck. 4.2 stars.

What fun it was to be back on Cannery Row in the company of Doc and the gang from the Palace Flophouse. WWII is over, and Doc returns as a changed and melancholy man. Mack and the new proprietress of the local whorehouse, Fauna, get it in their heads that Doc needs a wife. Suzy, the new girl in town, is a prime candidate because she is obviously not cut out to be a hustler. The book is a mixture of humor and philosophy that was pure joy to read. I'm so glad it came to my attention by way of the 2012 Steinbeckathon.

The Peter Geye books sound terrific, Donna. I'll have to throw those on the old wishlist. Thanks as always for your thoughtful reviews.

What a great year of reading, Donna! Happy New Year and see you over in 2013!

Donna- I think that was a perfect book to close out the year with! I also loved Sweet Thursday. I agree, the Steinbeckathon was a major success!

Happy New Year to you and your family!

Hi Donna, you read all the Steinbecks that I wish I had read this year. Is there some author study going on in 2013? Well it doesn't much matter. I'm planning on reading more of the Edith Wharton oeuvre and that should quell my hunger for some classic literature. Along with more Dickens. You had a terrific year of reading. Happy New Year to you and your family, especially those beautiful grandchildren:-)

You are most welcome, Julia. I hope you enjoy the Geye books as much as I did.

Oops, almost skipped you, Genny. My eyes are blurry from taking part in the end of year Readathon! I'm looking forward to starting fresh in 2013 but realize I am already way behind on peoples' threads.

Thanks, Mark. I thought since I started in January with Cannery Row (it was the fourth book I read) that its sequel would be a good one to end with. As you said, I could end the year singing and dancing!

Bonnie, as far as I know we are on our own with an author focus for the year. I plan to read my first Kurt Vonnegut book, and if I like it, may read some more of his. I'd like to find a female author I haven't read yet and do the same thing. Thanks for those new year wishes! You had a pretty terrific year of reading yourself. I'll see you in 2013... if not sooner. ;-)

As far as female authors go, I don't know how much Geraldine Brooks you've read, but she's got a fairly wide oeuvre. I realize you're probably looking for something more on the classic side, but I'm having trouble thinking of someone unless it's Agatha Christie. I'll keep thinking ...

Here is the meme I like to post each year. Thanks to Stephen (Ape) for helping me locate it again.

Using book titles read in 2012, answer the following questions. Feel free to borrow!

Describe yourself: I have A Passion for Books

Describe how you feel: Restless

Describe where you currently live: Palace of Desire

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?: The Garden of Evening Mists

Your favorite form of transportation: The Wayward Bus

Your best friend is: An Angel

You and your friends are: Our Mutual Friends

What's the weather like?: It's cold In the Bleak Midwinter

You fear: When the Devil Holds the Candle

What is the best advice you have to give?: Go Tell It on the Mountain

Thought for the day: The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am

How I would like to die: Surprised by Joy

My soul's present condition: The Beautiful Mystery

Oh, I do like the "How I would like to die" answer. :)

207: Julia, Brooks is a great idea except that I've read most everything by her. I first "discovered" her back in the 90s when I read the excellent Nine Parts of Desire. Now you may be onto something with Agatha Christie. For some reason, I haven't read ANY of her books. Shocking, isn't it? Thanks for those suggestions.

209: Me too, Eris. It's a good way to go and a wonderful book!

I kind of suspected you might have already read Brooks. She seems right up your alley, so to speak. :-)

Glad you finally got some snow, at a fairly convenient time, Donna!

Yay snow!! What a great way to end the year. Wishing you a Happy New Year in 2013. Love your book answers up above. Maybe I will start off my new thread with that... Hugs!

Donna - wushing you and yours a veryHappy New Year! Thanks for all your small kindnesses over at my place and here of course during 2012.

I've also read almost everything by Brooks. The last book I haven't is Foreign Correspondence and I just got that from the library.

Happy New Year, Donna!

I love that meme. I may borrow it. I also love the cover of your copy of Sweet Thursday. I think it'd make a lovely framed print.

Happy New Year, Donna, and best wishes for 2013!

Glad you enjoyed Sweet Thursday, Donna. Nice one to end the Steinbeckathon on. Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR DONNA!

Happy New Year, Donna! I like your answers to the meme--especially your favorite form of transportation. :)

Happy New Year, Donna!

Lovely reviews up ther, Donna! Adding the Geyes to my WL. Stopping in to wish you and your lovely family a very Happy New Year. May it be filled with fabulous things and lots of magic!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Enjoyed reading your meme. Off to post it on my thread, just for fun.

Happy New Year! See you on the 2013 threads :)

Here's to a great new year ahead, Donna!

I got behind here in 2012 but I'm looking forward to catching up again in 2013.

Well, look who's here...Julia, Roni, Kim, Paul, Morphy, Katie, Joanne, Joe, Rachel, Pat, Cushla, Mamie, Jenn, Chelle, Roni (again), and Anne. Well, Guys, all good things must come to an end. It's been fun having you on my 2012 thread and you are hereby cordially invited to join me over here.

Um... Donna that link takes us back to the top of this thread...just saying. Is this your way of "losing" a few of us?! LOL!

Donna, Happy New Year!!
I love your answer to "how I would like to die" -- Surprised by Joy, indeed.

Thanks, Mamie. The code was correct but I left out the = sign! I don't want to lose anybody. Lol.

Happy New Year, Ellen!

Enjoyed following your reading this year Donna, not to mention the Haley photos, even if I rarely commented.

Best Wishes for the New Year!

Aha, I was hoping I had some lurkers! Thanks, Deborah. I hope you have a fantastic new year.

You know I'm always lurking, too! But I had to drop in and officially wish you an LT Happy New Year! (And I forgot to tell you how much I like your meme!) Now I'm headed to your new thread so I can give it a star! ;-)

Happy New Year Donna! The Steinbeck looks like a great book to finish the year on.