Nittnut's Big Reading Chair -2013 -1

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I'm thinking there's room for everyone. Grab a pillow, and come on over!

Lucky 13 Thread - http://www.librarything.com/topic/147107

Welcome back!

That is some reading chair. I think I'll need to grab my reading tiara before I join you!

Happy New Year, Jenn!

I wish you the best year yet, Jenn - and that includes a lot of reading!

Love the chair! I think we need a ladder, though. Hope your new year is starting off shiny and bright, Jenn!

Jenn - the chair is a bobby-dazzler, so are you. Happy New Year!

Hi Jim, and thank you. :)

This is for you Amy. Will it work?


Thanks Peggy! The same for you.

Hi Donna! My son invited a bunch of friends to go downtown for fireworks tonight. 5 girls and 1 boy showed up. Gotta love those odds. Ack! they just got back.

Paul. Thanks. I had to look it up - and thanks. :)

LOVE the chair!! I'll be right there:)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Jenn! I think that we could probably fit all the 75'ers in that chair!

Happy New Year to you and your lovely family Jenn!

I have just grabbed my cuppa coffee, my comfy pillow and now I am ready to join you on that "huge" reading chair. If I should talk too much just give me some quiet time :)

I have seen on your old thread that you just finished The Giver quartett and enjoyed it. I read them in November and very much enjoyed them, also I didn't like Son as much.

I loved your answers to the book title theme AND you still managed to read two more books than I did *grin*

I saw that you read the first four books of The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. My round up for 2012 was The City of Lost Souls which was actually pretty good.

That looks mighty comfy, Jenn!

Great chair! Do I have to wear my purple outfit to be allowed to sit in it?

Happy New Year!

#7 - Jenn - That tiara looks like it is just my size! Lovely!

Quite a chair!

Happy New Year, Jenn!

Hey Jenn!

Just wanted to pop in for a quick hello and to wish you a wonderful 2013. Looking forward to seeing what great books you will be reading as well. :)

Hi Jenn! Just dropping off my star.

I love that chair but given that it's 12F here, I'll climb up there with a thick snuggly blanket and of course a book.

Great Amy! Climb on up!

Hi Joanne, Happy New Year to you too!

Hi Valerie! Great to see you. :)

Hi Pat, so glad you did.

Hi Caro. It's been similarly chilly here, but we're having a January thaw, so it's about 40F today, but 15F tonight. Bring on the blankies.

The reading begins!

#1 Wildwood - mine, YA, 13/13

This first novel by The Decemberists' Colin Meloy, is a fanciful tale of talking animals, bandits, coyote soldiers and of course, a wicked witch. All of these characters inhabit an "impassable wilderness" across the river from St. Johns, Oregon. The heroine of the story, Prudence, must enter the wilderness after her baby brother is kidnapped by crows. It's a pretty easy read, rough in places, but generally fun. The references to the evils of ivy and blackberries will be especially funny to anyone who has ever lived in the Pacific NW. Meloy's wife is the illustrator and the illustrations are great.

Rock stars don't often make great writers but glad you enjoyed that one.

Have a great weekend Jenn!

I just figured out what "nittnut" is and thought I'd better run right over and drop a star so I won't miss any knitting talk. Also looking forward to following your reading, of course.

Hi Reba! Knitting talk does occasionally happen around here. Are you on Ravelry?

Not personally but the charity I knit for is (Women4Women Knitting4Peace) and I have downloaded some patterns from there.

I will have to go take a look at that group, Reba. I don't have tons of time, but I like to do some charity knitting during the year. I was working with a group that does a monthly charity goal, but I couldn't quite make it work. Knitting in the carpool line is productive, but maybe not productive enough for monthly contributions. :)

#2 Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes - library, NF, 13/13

This book is a nice effort to explain the political and social mood in China in 1975/76 as the Chinese experience the loss of Zhou Enlai, a terrible earthquake in Tangshan, and the death of Mao. It was probably not the best read for me, as I was looking for more detail regarding the earthquake and less of the political details. I have read several other more exhaustive tomes on the subject of the political climate of the time and so was less interested in that aspect. This book was about 30% earthquake and 70% politics. There were some really interesting stories of survivors. One section I particularly liked was about the Quinglong district and how their leaders, who happened to be very interested in earthquakes on a personal level, took the warnings and signs very seriously and made a big effort to prepare their district. It is possible that their efforts led to fewer casualties in the rural areas than some of the other districts experienced.
Another story told about how soldiers worked in 10 minute shifts through the night to open the floodgates of the Douhe reservoir: The reservoir's floodgates had to be opened and the water let out into the spillway before the dam gave out under the strain, but the electricity that fed the dam's controls was dead. In an astonishing feat of physical endurance and communal spirit, the artillerymen seized the winding mechanism that controlled the floodgate, never designed to be moved by hand, and began to lift the fifty-ton gate millimeter by agonizing millimeter. It took eight torturous hours to lift the floodgate and release the water, sparing Tangshan from a second disaster.
Overall, this was a pretty decent read, well researched and fairly insightful for such a short book.

A Peace Pals can be knitted in an evening -- plus an hour or so to finish (put on face, stuff, sew up, etc). They're fun to make and a good way to use up those little bits of yarn we all can't bear to get rid of. Web site is knitting4peace.org

Interesting review, also probably not for me if it contains 70% of politics.

That charity site looks very interesting. I have to look at that later on a bit more closely.

#3 The Fat Resistance Diet - library, 13/13

If, like me, you eat a reasonable number of calories a day and are moderately to very active, and yet, you can't lose weight, this is a good book to read. Dr. Galland explains how the hormone Leptin works in the body, it's relationship to weight gain and loss and how to change the biochemistry of your body so that it functions the way it is meant to. It is easy to read and it makes more sense than anything I have read on dieting, ever. The diet plan and recipes included with the book are balanced and reasonable. The ones I have tried so far are delicious. I will be buying this book and giving the diet a try. Day 1 was great!

My library has The Fat Resistance Diet so I'm going to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!

Keep us posted on how it goes -- may have to go looking for that book

#4 Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? - mine, YA, 13/13

Richard Maybury provides a concise and clear explanation of the relationship between law, economics and prosperity. Great for kids, and great for adults who aren't quite ready to tackle a more in depth study.

Hi Jenn The Fat Resistence Diet book sounds very interesting. I will check if I can get that one as well. Just stopping by to wish you a great weekend :)

Hi Bianca! A great weekend to you too, with healthy kiddo and everything nice!

#5 To Kill A Mockingbird - mine, read-aloud with Jonah

The setting is a small southern town, the time is the Great Depression, just before WW II. Jem and Scout are growing up without their mother, but surrounded by caring neighbors. When their father Atticus is assigned to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman, their lives are changed forever. Harper Lee is a gifted storyteller. Her sentences are so beautifully written and so layered. Her sense of humor is acute and Scout's voice is especially precocious and charming. I can't imagine getting tired of this book, ever. Every time I read it, I get something new out of it. Reading it with my son was a great experience. He often wanted to stop and discuss issues that came up in the book, and it added a lot to the experience. He did make fun of me a little when I cried at the end. It always gets me when Atticus says thank you to Boo Radley. Every time.

Jenn - Isn't To Kill a Mockingbird perfect? I wish I still had a child discovering it for the first time. I guess I'll have to wait for grandkids.

Love, love, LOVE To Kill a Mockingbird!

I had 274 75ers last year who gleaned 60 posts or more. If they were all polled I could pick 13 books of fiction by 13 different writers (for 2013) - I hazard the majority would have To Kill a Mockingbird on that list.

Mine (in no order)
1 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2 I, Claudius by Robert Graves
3 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (sorry Richard)
4 The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkein
5 The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham
6 The Quiet American by Graham Greene
7 La Bete Humaine by Emile Zola
8 Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
9 The Redundancy of Courage by Timothy Mo
10 Shame by Salman Rushdie
11 A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
12 The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman
13 Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Jenn that's so wonderful that you read To Kill A Mockingbird with Jonah and discussed it. I first read it in fourth grade with a favorite teacher and then reread it a couple of years ago and loved it all over again.

Love that chair, I wouldn't mind having something like that maybe a little smaller though.

Oh, Jenn, how wonderful! I just treasured reading To Kill a Mockingbird aloud with the girls this summer, and like your experience, we often stopped to discuss issues. We all cried throughout -- Marina was sobbing when the verdict was returned. Still -- and always -- my favorite book of all time.

BTW, we have a family concert next Saturday in Parker -- I'll PM you info if you're interested.

Hi Jenn To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my faves as well and I only re-read it last year. Alex listened to the audiobook, and quite liked it. Hahah have to chime in with rosalita LOVE; LOVE; LOVE it :)

Hello Beth and Julia. Thanks for stopping by!

That is quite a list Paul! I have read several of them - and some are on my list.

Hi Pat. It just gets better, doesn't it?

Hello takenby05! Are you new to the 75 group? If so, Welcome!

Hi Anne - yes please!

Hi Bianca. :)

#6 Reckless - library, YA, 13/13

Jacob Reckless entered Mirrorworld years ago, attempting to find his missing father. He made the world his own and it was his secret, until one day his younger brother followed him inside. It's a wild adventure with hints of every fairly tale you've ever heard thrown in. A happy ending with promise of another installment. A fun new offering from the author of Inkspell.

I think maybe I need to give To Kill a Mockingbird another try as an adult. I was forced to read it in ninth grade English and hated every second of it... but I suspect now that may have had more to do with the teacher than the book...

I don't think I ever returned my copy, either, and it's still on my shelves in the basement... haha. Well, maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't give up on it. :)

I read To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time a couple of years ago and loved it. What a great experience to share it with your son! I'll have to keep that in mind in a couple of years.

Hi Faith. I think I would give it another try. It never helps the reading experience when you "have" to read something. I feel the same way about James Joyce. My HS English teacher adored him. I hated every second... although on second thought, there really is no comparison...

Hi Amy, I am so glad I read it with him. It is required for 9th grade English here, and I didn't want that to be his first experience with the story.

>40 dk_phoenix: Faith, that's why I was determined to read it aloud this summer. Callia had to read it this fall for 8th grade English, and I didn't want that to happen to her. She loved it. Marina was perhaps a bit young for it, but still clung to every word. I'll probably read it aloud again the summer before her 8th grade year. I hope you give it another try:)

I'm another one who loves, loves, loves To Kill A Mockingbird. Maybe this is the year I'll do yet another reread. I wish I had someone to read it to. Lucky Jonah!

Oh ya...loved To Kill a Mockingbird both the book and the film!!

Hi Anne, Donna and Reba! So fun to have such a large To Kill a Mockingbird fan club :).

We watched the film the other night, and he didn't like it. He said the book was so much better and Dill should have been fatter. LOL

#7 When You Reach Me - library, YA, 13/13

At first, I was a little skeptical about this 2010 Newbery winner. After chapter three, I was hooked. The main character, Miranda, is a 6th grader and a self described "latch-key kid." Her favorite book, in fact, the only book she will read, is A Wrinkle in Time. She starts receiving mysterious notes from someone who says he is coming to save her friends' life, and her job is to write him a letter telling him all about it, even though it hasn't happened yet. I can't tell you any more without spoiling it. 4 stars.

Oh, I've read so many good things about When You Reach Me! I nearly bought it recently, but exercised restraint. Good thing, too, because I have a copy sitting on my shelf, I discovered... I borrowed her latest book Liar and Spy from one of my libraries to read over Christmas but haven't yet. Thanks for the nudge!

I loved When You Reach Me. I read it on an airplane a couple of years ago, and it was a great book to sink into. Anything that makes me forget that I'm flying is OK by me! I liked Liar and Spy too, but I thought When You Reach Me was better.

Hi, Jen! What a treat to read To Kill a Mockingbird with your Jonah! I'm due for a reread in the next year or two.
I also want to thank Reba for her comment about knitting4peace. What a great site!!! I'm glad that she thought to put it on your thread.

Thanks so much for the idea of To Kill A Mockingbird as a read-aloud. My youngest is a 6th grader and we're just about 50 pages away from the end of the Harry Potter marathon...does anyone have any thoughts about whether age 11 is too young for To Kill A Mockingbird? It's one of my all time favorites and I wouldn't want to spoil it for her by reading it too soon.

Peggy -- glad you liked the Knitting4Peace site. We can always use more knitters/crocheters :-)

Hi Jenn - I just reread To Kill a Mockingbird before Christmas. I then gave a copy as a Christmas gift to a friend. It is an amazing book for all ages.

Hi Anne! So glad I could recommend a book! You've hit me with so many BB's :)

Hi Amy! I'll have to see about Liar and Spy. I'll add it to the pile.

Peggy, it was a treat. I love reading with him. He chose our next book - I think it's called The Name of This Book is Secret. I agree! Knitting4Peace is great! I love the peace buddy, it's quick!

Vivians - I don't know. I would say it depends on the 11 year old. I might wait a couple more years. Anne? Chime in here. :)

Hi Reba! Always, always. More knitters/crocheters.

Hi Kiwi! A perfect gift, I couldn't agree more.

#8 The Time of the Wolf - library 13/13

I picked this book up off the "new" table in the library because it interested me to read about Hereward. There isn't much written about this medieval warrior, but he is an interesting historical figure. I didn't love the book. It was almost good, but never quite reached its potential. It was definitely fast paced with lots of heads being lopped off and blood everywhere, but I felt like there were places where more character development could happen and did not.

Jenn - Hereward was indeed an interesting character. I havent read The Time of the Wolf but it is a period I am distinctly interested in.
Have a lovely weekend.

#9 A Possible Life - mine, ER

A Possible Life is is described as a "novel in five parts." It is true that there are five distinct stories. The first, set in 1938 is about an English school teacher who goes off to war and returns changed, but is somehow able to make peace with that change and carry on with his life, however lonely it may be. The second is set in 1859 and tells the story of a boy who is sent to the workhouse by his parents. He eventually makes his way out of the workhouse and becomes successful. This was my favorite story of the five. The third is set in 2029 and is not a bad depiction of a possible future. A young woman who struggles to have meaningful relationships with people, including her own parents, finds one person who she loves, but they can't be together. I didn't love the story, but it was still compelling. The fourth story was set in 1822 and was about a woman who spends her entire life caring for someone elses children. It was poignant because in many ways she seemed to be unappreciated, but in the end, she found a connection with the boy of the family who was wounded in war. He took care of her in her old age and her life didn't seem terribly pathetic to me, in the end. The last story was set in 1971 and followed the rise of a musical sensation through the eyes of her lover. I did not enjoy this story at all. The love story was a little nauseating and the main characters seemed to leave all their redeeming qualities behind when they got together.
While each story was interesting and compelling in its way (excepting perhaps the last one) they failed to be truly cohesive as a novel. In spite of the faint connections that may be drawn between the stories, I did not find a strong enough thread to create a unifying theme. Even the title question of "How many possible lives?" did not seem to be answered by the stories. Not the author's best work, in my opinion.

#10 Dead End in Norvelt - library, YA, 13/13

This Newbery winner is a semi-autobiographical sketch of the author's life in his home town of Norvelt. Norvelt was one of the towns established during the Great Depression as part of the NIRA. This particular story takes place in the summer of 1962, as the original citizens of the town are dying off and the younger citizens are leaving to find work. Jack is grounded, and spends his summer helping the arthritic neighbor lady write obituaries. Unfortunately, the elderly citizens of the town seem to be dying off suspiciously often and close together. Are they being poisoned? This was a quick read and a really fun story. Highly recommended.

Real life was lived like doing a math problem: one and one always equaled two. But church had a different kind of math. You could never be sure what anything added up to, which meant that what was in your imagination while sitting in a pew was just as important as what the preacher was saying - maybe even more important. It's like when you read a book and you know that the words are important, but the images blossoming in your imagination are even more important because it's your mind that allows the words to come to life.

Jenn, you and I had similar reactions to 'A Possible Life'. It just didn't hang together for me.

Hi Jenn! What do you think about The Name of This Book is Secret? We had started and then abandoned a (different) read aloud because it just wasn't grabbing us, and felt way too young for both girls, but I had been really excited about it (and it had won the E.B. White read aloud award...) I may finish it myself just to see if it gets better and we should take another look... In the meantime I had a brainwave and decided to try 84, Charing Cross Road as a read aloud, and the girls LOVE it!!! I love having such very short letters -- it makes it easy to read as much or as little as we want. I had thought of reading When You Reach Me next, but I'll see what the girls want. I really enjoyed Liar and Spy.

>50 vivians: Vivians, I read To Kill a Mockingbird aloud this summer, and first experienced it as a read aloud when I was probably 14 or so. My girls absolutely loved it. They were 10 and 13 when we read it. I agree with Jen -- whether or not it would be a good read aloud for an 11 yead-old would depend on the 11 year-old. My 10 year-old daughter followed all of it, laughed, cried, etc, but has not reread it on her own, which my girls typically do after a read aloud. I might not have read it yet, except that my 13 year-old had to read it this fall for 8th grade English, and I have known far too many people who hate the book because they had to read it in school. I didn't want that to happen to my daughter, so we read it this summer. It seems to have worked, for this daughter has re-read it two or three times more, including for English, and loves it. I'll probably read it aloud again before my younger daughter starts 8th grade. Hope that helps!

Hi Julia, glad it wasn't just me. Sometimes I wonder if I'm completely missing something that other people are getting...

Hi Anne. I think The Name of this Book is Secret is a fun read so far. It's so hard to come down from To Kill a Mockingbird, so it's taken us a while to get into it, but I think we'll enjoy it. Jonah has read it before and wants me to read it with him, which is fun. I hadn't thought of 84 Charing Cross Road. What a great idea!

It is hard to follow To Kill a Mockingbird! We followed it up with a reread of a favorite: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and followed THAT up with The Hobbit, which was new to all of us! That's probably why our next one was such a let-down. It is a "regular" children's book after three consecutive outstanding favorites and classics.

Hi Anne -thanks for those words about To Kill a Mockingbird. I think I'll wait a year or so - not too worried about it being in the curriculum in 6th or 7th grade. I so want her to enjoy it so I don't want to jump the gun!

#57 - I got Dead End in Norvelt for my son for Christmas. I'll have to go sneak it off of his shelf!

#11 Cloud Atlas - mine, 13/13

I'll be honest, this book was really difficult to get into. What finally made it happen was I got sick and we had company, so I was quarantined to my room and the only book I could reach from my bed was Cloud Atlas. It was interesting to read it right after A Possible Life. It is similar in style, with six distinct stories. The difference is that in Cloud Atlas, the connections, however faint, are clear and believable. The theme of the book is hinted at in the second story, that of hopeful musician/con artist Robert Frobisher, who is acting as amanuensis for an older composer. He begins a "sextet for overlapping soloists" which becomes his life work and unites the six overlapping stories. Most impressive is the completely distinct genre of each story. One is a sailor's narrative with hints of Moby Dick, one is epistolary, then a mystery and a pulp thriller. Next we are whirled into futuristic science fiction and then into a post-apocalyptic world where even the language has changed enough to be a challenge to read. Once the reader is wound up to this point, the story is slowly unwound in reverse order until the book ends, at the beginning. Each story was filled with references to the classics of literature, art, philosophy and music which enriched the stories and added depth to the characters lives. I found some stories much more compelling than others, but as a whole the book is an amazing work and well worth the effort it took to read. Also interesting was the author's note at the end of my edition where Mitchell discusses the experience of seeing his book made into film and the necessary changes that were required.

Quotes
from The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish:
Sometimes the fluffy bunny of incredulity zooms round the bend so rapidly that the greyhound of language is left, agog, in the starting cage.

from The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing:
Scholars discern motions in history and formulate these motions into rules that govern the rises and falls of civilizations. My belief runs contrary, however. To wit: history admits no rules; only outcomes.
What precipitates outcomes? Vicious acts and virtuous acts.
What precipitates acts? Belief.

#12 The Secret of the Nightingale Palace - mine, ER

Anna, still grieving over the death of her husband drives her also widowed grandmother, Goldie, across the country from New York to San Francisco. They have been estranged, and the first part of the journey emphasizes their differences and the reasons they may never completely reach an understanding. Goldie grew up in a poor Jewish family and through hard work, managed to marry up the social ladder and achieve success and a sort of safety. Anna, growing up with everything her grandmother had to work to achieve lacks appreciation for her status in life. Interwoven into the story of their travels is the story of Goldie's youth, her marriages and her one true love. The second part of the journey highlights the love they have for each other, in spite of their differences. It is also a love story; Anna coming to terms with her relationship with her late husband, a new relationship and culminating in Anna's discovery of the great secret romance of Goldie's life. I enjoyed it.

Cloud Atlas sounds amazing. I'm getting an image of modern music which is really interesting even when it isnt melodic or even really "enjoyable".

Sorry to be so behind in checking on your thread, Jenn. You have been reading some good books this year!

Great reviews, Jenn. I particularly liked your comments on Cloud Atlas which I have stalled on somewhere in the middle of the distant future story because of the language. I really need to get back to it because I was enjoying it.

Hey Reba. It took some work for me to get into it, but it was really good. I kind of want to put music to it myself.

Hi Stasia! I got your hug yesterday. :) Nice to see you drop by when you can!

Hi Pat. As Donna told me, keep at it, it's worth it in the end. :)

I just stopped by Pat's thread because she asked for an update - but I wanted to say that I have been trying the diet plan from The Fat Resistance Diet that I read earlier this month. The food is good and plentiful and I've lost 11 lbs in less than 3 weeks. A few of those pounds could be attributed to a bout of illness I had earlier this week wherein I was unable to retain even fluids for most of a day, but should have been balanced by a visit from my in laws wherein I could be found in my car in the grocery store parking lot scarfing a tube of Rolos as though my life depended on it...

Phase 1 of the diet involves giving up sugar and most grains and adding in enough fruits and veggies to keep a family of rabbits fat and happy. So far, I really haven't missed the bread, etc. I've had my moments with sugar, but not too serious. It's fortunate I like rabbit food. Phase 2 is coming soon. In phase 2 we add back in a few whole grains and legumes. The only tricky part for me so far is dealing with his use of tofu as a protein and soy products. I am allergic to soy, which may be part of my fat issues anyway. Soy is ubiquitous like wheat. It's hard to avoid if you don't make stuff yourself from scratch.

An example of a day:

Breakfast:
1 cup Greek yogurt (plain)
1 cup blueberries
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 Tbsp whey protein powder
Blend and drink

Lunch
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup chopped apple
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (for apples)
1/4 cup walnuts
Mix together and enjoy

Dinner
Citrus Chicken Kebabs
marinate chicken in juice of 1 lemon, 1 Tbsp EVOO, salt, pepper and fresh parsley
Put chicken on skewers with
Pear tomatoes
button mushrooms
onion chunks
Lemon slices
Grill until done and enjoy on a bed of lettuce

There are also snacks, but I haven't needed them much. I feel plenty full. For example, the cottage cheese lunch was too much food. Apparently walnuts and blueberries are appetite suppressants, among their other wonderful qualities.

Another lunch I've eaten a bunch is a spinach salad:
Baby spinach
chopped apple
hard boiled eggs
walnuts
and a delicious dressing made from olive oil, pomegranate juice and lime juice

Sorry. Too much information. :) Long story short - so far, so good.

Not too much information at all. I really appreciate it. I need to stay away from some soy too because of my estrogen positive breast cancer diagnosis but I think soy from whole food is fine.

I don't know if you're aware that Madeline started a Losing Twenty Pounds While Reading thread (http://www.librarything.com/topic/147715). So far there's about 20 people participating. If you're interested, your post is exactly the kind of thing that people are posting about.

Thanks Pat! I'll go check it out. :)

Thank you for the thumb -- I'm pretty sure it's my first ever :-) Fatelessness isn't as hard a read as you may think. It's short and written in such a matter-of-fact way that it causes you to think but doesn't smack you around emotionally the way some WWII lit does (or that was my experience anyway).

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Hi Reba! Having a great weekend. Just had lunch with a friend and off to the movies with my husband later. We're finally going to see Les Miserables. Glad to hear regarding Fatelessness. I have read a lot in that genre, and some of the books, while excellent, leave you pretty smacked around.

At lunch, there was a man dining with a lady right next to us. He talked non-stop. Among some of the gems:
"I am constantly improving my vocabulary. I do it by reading T.S. Eliot. There is at least 1 word per page that I have to look up."
"I put it in my will that when I get old and sick, my kids need to take me out in the forest and leave me there. Seriously."
And a LOT about his glowing soul.

The charm and the awkwardness of close dining.

Don't you sometimes wish people around you had volume switches? We were in a crowded restaurant one night and a man a couple of tables ago was pontificating in a loud voice. I would love to have turned him down!!

LOL Reba! Wouldn't that be nice? I'd probably spend the whole day going around and turning people's volume down. Starting with my own family...

Just got back from Les Miserables. It did not disappoint. I am so glad I get to go see it again with my son. This time, however, I am not getting a drink. A brief intermission would not have been unappreciated.

#13 The Dark is Rising - mine, YA 13/13

I needed a break from Anna Karenina. Nothing like spending the weekend with a 900 page train wreck.

This Newbery Honor book is one of my long-time favorites. It's set in England and is about the battle between good and evil and the people who fight it. A great mix of mythology and fantasy and a fun read.

#14 Fairy Wings - mine

This was given to my 8 year old daughter. She thought it sounded scary and asked me to read it first. She was right - too scary for an 8 year old. A little mediocre for me. It's a spin off of A Midsummer Nights' Dream. Titania ends up having a baby after that fateful night and the baby is adopted out to the human world. Unfortunately, the goblins figure out who she is and try to kidnap her to start a war with the fairies. The writing seemed a little stiff to me, and the story was just OK.

#15 My Reading Life - library, 13/13

What a fabulous time I have had over the last several days reading about the books Pat Conroy has read and the books he has written. There is nothing in my experience to help me understand his life. I am a child of the West, the 1980's, the casual acceptance of Southern California, but I related completely to his love affair with books and reading. Books were a kind of salvation for me too, a way to have something of my own that my 5 younger siblings couldn't intrude on and I didn't have to share. His love and admiration for his mother just oozed out of every page. Meeting Mr. Conroy would be nice, but I'd really love to sit down with his mother.
My favorite essay was Gone With the Wind. I have never heard a better explanation of the power of that story and its effect on the South. I also loved The Count. I totally know what he means about Tolstoy. I found quotes to remember, words that resonated in nearly every section of the book.

The Lily
Mom fell head over heels for the lovely man the day Colonel Harrison read the Whitman poem, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd." With the softest of voices, he read to his class the poet's moving elegy on the death of Abraham Lincoln. Halfway through his recitation, he confessed to us that he always wept whenever he read that particular poem. He apologized to the class for his lack of professionalism. He wiped his glasses, and with tears streaming down his face, he dismissed the class and headed toward his office. The grandson of a Confederate officer had been moved to tears by a poem commemorating the assassination of Abraham Lincoln."

The Librarian
"What on earth are you doing here?" she said.
"I'm reading a book ma'am," I said.
"I can see that. Do I look like an idiot or something?" Miss Hunter snapped. "It's against the rules for a student to use the library during lunch time."
"Sorry ma'am. I didn't know that," I replied.
"What's that book you're reading?" She grabbed it out of my hand and examined it as though it were pornographic contraband. She studied the book, then eyed me with a ferocious scowl.
"This book's never even been checked out. Are you reading it for the dirty parts?" she asked, as though she had cracked the mystery of this strange encounter.
"I didn't know it had dirty parts," I answered.
"If it does I'll toss it with the morning trash. If you find anything dirty report it directly to me. Hugo's a Frenchman. I don't like his books. You know what I hear about this Hugo guy?"
"No ma'am."
"His characters," she said, studying the cover of the book. "He's depressing. All the folks he writes about are just so... just so miserable. We've got another one of his books. You ought to try that. It's about a football team. Do you like football?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Eileen Hunter seemed pleased at my answer and pulled another volume of Victor Hugo from a shelf. Then she handed me a copy of The Hunchback of Notre Dame for my reading pleasure.

The Count
Once you plunge into the inexhaustible depths of War and Peace, Count Tolstoy will take you prisoner for more than thirteen hundred pages. He will exhaust your with the deadly movement of troops the length and breadth of Europe; dance with you at soirees where you meet some of the most fascinating people in literature; make you happy to be young, fearful to be old, eager for battle, terrified of battle, anxious to fall in love, betrayed by the deepest soundings of love; place you in the middle of conversations with serfs and in the company of tsars - Tolstoy will do everything a novelist can do with all the magnanimity and confidence one possesses when one is born to be the greatest novelist who ever lived.

The City
I have built a city from the books I've read. There are thousands of books that go with me everywhere I go.

Here is all I ask of a book - give me everything. Everything, and don't leave out a single word.

Summary of January Reading:

Fiction:
Wildwood - mine, YA, 13/13
To Kill A Mockingbird - mine
Reckless - library, YA, 13/13
When You Reach Me - library, YA, 13/13
The Time of the Wolf - library 13/13
A Possible Life - mine, ER
Dead End in Norvelt - library, YA, 13/13
Cloud Atlas - mine, 13/13
The Secret of the Nightingale Palace - mine, ER
The Dark is Rising - mine, YA 13/13
Fairy Wings - mine

Non-Fiction:
Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes - library, NF, 13/13
The Fat Resistance Diet - library, 13/13
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? - mine, YA, 13/13
My Reading Life - library,13/13

I just finished My Reading Life by Pat Conroy. I have never read anything else by him. I'd love a recommendation for my first Conroy read. I am most interested in The Water is Wide. Has anyone read that?

Jenn, I've never read 'The Water Is Wide' but I've heard very good things about it. I really liked Lords of Discipline and, more recently, Beach Music which made me want to pack up and go to Charleston, S.C., immediately. The city is as much a character in the book as any of the people.

Hi Jenn, I'm glad you liked My Reading Life because I have an unread copy on my shelf. I think my favorite book by Pat Conroy is The Prince of Tides, then The Great Santini and then Beach Music. Unfortunately, I haven't read The Water is Wide. If I remember correctly, the movies of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini were good too, just not as good as the books.

I also liked My Reading Life--you are so right, great quotes!--but I've never read anything else by him. And The Dark is Rising is one of my lifetime 5 star books, a great favorite!

Count me in among the fans of My Reading Life. I loved the book when I read it!

Hi Jenn! I've read several favorable reviews of My Reading Life that have piqued my interest, but the quotes that you shared have vaulted it up on my TBR list. I haven't read anything else by Pat Conroy, so I'll be watching to see what else you pick.

Hello Julia, Pat, Roni, Stasia and Amy!

I have ended up with South of Broad because that is what my library had. That's the way it goes sometimes.

Roni - Same with me, a lifetime 5 star. I love the entire series, and I think that maybe The Grey King is my favorite. I love the setting.

Pat and Amy - I hope you enjoy My Reading Life. :)

You know what, Jenn? I think 'South of Broad' was the one I was thinking of when I talked about Charleston being a character of its own. Sheesh, my memory is atrocious. I hope you enjoy it!

Well there you go. Haha! I have read the first chapter, but I got distracted...

Hi Jenn, My goodness, I think I lost your thread for a while there! I also loved My Reading Life, so much so that after listening to the audio, I bought the book. I have only read The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini. I loved the former but remember little of the latter. I have South of Broad but haven't read it yet. I'll be interested in what you think of it. BTW, Donna is a HUGE Conroy fan...

Enjoy the wonderful weather while you can!

Hi Joanne! Nice to see you. I guess the wonderful weather just went a way for a few hours. :) We do need the moisture though. Loved the rain tonight.

It's my birthday (Thursday) and as Paul has been entertaining us all with snippets from different years, I thought I'd post some highlights of 1972.

Assorted books from 1972

The Stepford Wives
All Creatures Great and Small - read
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day -read
Surfacing
My Name is Asher Lev - read
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - read
Snow In April - read
Transparent Things

Best Seller list the week I was born

THE WINDS OF WAR, by Herman Wouk
WHEELS, by Arthur Hailey
THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, by Frederick Forsyth
THE EXORCIST, by William Peter Blatty
RABBIT REDUX, by John Updike
THE BETSY, by Harold Robbins
MESSAGE FROM MALAGA, by Helen MacInnes
OUR GANG, by Philip Roth
NEMESIS, by Agatha Christie
THE NAIVE AND SENTIMENTAL LOVER, by John Le Carré

Top Hits

It’s really a toss-up between American Pie and Let’s Stay Together, for the top hit the week I was born. Which one would you choose?
Not an amazing year for music, IMHO.

1 Roberta Flack The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
2 Gilbert O'Sullivan Alone Again (Naturally)
3 Don McLean American Pie
4 Nilsson Without You
5 Sammy Davis Jr. Candy Man
6 Joe Tex I Gotcha
7 Bill Withers Lean On Me
8 Mac Davis Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me
9 Melanie Brand New Key
10 Wayne Newton Daddy Dont You Walk So Fast
11 Al Green Let's Stay Together
12 Looking Glass Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)
13 Chi-Lites Oh Girl
14 Gallery Nice To Be With You
15 Chuck Berry My Ding-A-Ling

Films

The Godfather
Winter Soldier
Cabaret
Play It Again, Sam
Deliverance
What’s Up Doc?
The Heartbreak Kid
The Poseidon Adventure
Solaris
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

History

Quite an eventful year...

January - Bloody Sunday - 13 killed in Northern Ireland and the seed of one of my favorite U2 songs is planted
February - I am born and President Nixon visits China
March - debut of The Godfather
April - Apollo 16 launched
May - Dawn of the video game age with Magnavox Odyssey
June - First Libertarian Party National Convention held in Denver - U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and White House chief of staff H. R. Haldeman are taped talking about using the C.I.A. to obstruct the F.B.I.'s investigation into the Watergate break-ins
July - Jane Fonda tours North Vietnam, during which she is photographed sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun
August - The last U.S. ground troops are withdrawn from Vietnam
September - Bobby Fischer defeats Boris Spassky in a chess match in Reykjavík, Iceland, becoming the first American world chess champion
Munich Massacre: Eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich are murdered
October - Alex Comfort's bestselling manual The Joy of Sex is published
November - At a scientific meeting in Honolulu, Herbert Boyer and Stanley N. Cohen conceive the concept of recombinant DNA. They publish their results in November 1973 in PNAS. Separately in 1972, Paul Berg also recombines DNA in a test tube
December - Roberto Clemente dies in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico while en route to deliver aid to Nicaraguan earthquake victims

Other famous people my age :P

Amanda Peet
Claudia Pechstein (speed skater)
Shaquille O'Neal
Mia Hamm
Shawn Bradley (basketball - I went to college with him and he is freakishly tall - always ended up in front of me in History and I couldn't see a thing)
Jennifer Garner
Manny Ramírez
Keyshawn Johnson
Gwyneth Paltrow
Eminem (oh hooray)
Hermann Maier (skier)
Jude Law

Happy Birthday Jenn!! I hope you have a wonderful day!

1972...I feel so old.....:)

I love your lists. I'd go with American Pie, it seemed to have run on a loop through most of the 70s. Chris had an American Pie phase a few years ago while he had his learners permit and we were driving around a lot. First he seemed a bit surprised that I knew ALL the words, then he didn't believe me when I said it would start to wear thin soon, and then it did...eventually.

Jenn - I have always been tickled by The Joy of Sex being the work of Dr. Comfort! One of the bestselling graphic books ever. Thanks for taking up the mantle for "your" year and have a wonderful birthday!

Happy birthday, Jenn! Yes, 1972 was a bit of a desert music- and book-wise, wasn't it? Still, any year that gave us YOU can't be all bad. :-)

Hey 75-ers! Did you notice we made the State of the Thing news again?

Other News and Features

Up for a challenge? For the sixth year in a row, an intrepid group of LibraryThingers has started a 75 Books Challenge group, with more than 500 members so far. I've joined the fun again this year, and am having a grand time. With monthly themes, group reads, meetups and readathons, the challenge group's got something for everyone, and don't worry if you don't read 75 books in a year, (or if you read many more than 75) … it's really more about the fun of it than the numbers of books. For more information, check out the blog post, or visit the group page.

Yay! 75-bookers!

Karen O.

p.s. Hi, nittnut!

Happy Birthday, Jenn! My favorite thing that happened in 1972 was that you were born. :) Although, I have to agree with Joanne, it makes me feel old. I was 18 in 1972. So are you going to be buying yourself any books?

Happy Birthday, Jenn! And hooray for 1972. You are just a month younger than I am. Can you believe Don McLean is doing a concert in Iowa City this summer? I'm tempted to go and hear American Pie!

Happy birthday, Jenn! But Roberta Flack's If Ever I Saw Your Face is the definite standout in that group!!

87: Yes, I am. Huge Conroy fan. We are the same age and both grew up in military families but my dad was a peach compared to his. South of Broad does paint a memorable picture of Charleston. I read it in conjunction with a trip there a few years ago. As much as I enjoy his flowery southern writing, I think he went overboard in SoB. The Water is Wide is a wonderful story of his experience as a teacher and one that I highly recommend. Jenn, I'm so glad you connected with My Reading Life. It is my favorite book about books.

Happy Belated Birthday, Jenn. I hope you had a great day. What a wonderful summary of the year you were born. I agree with Roni about Roberta Flack. I also adored the James Herriot book.

Ah yes, James Herriot -- fun book. Didn't like the TV series nearly as well though.

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Hi Joanne - Haha. When my youngest is in college, I will join you in the well-earned kid free zone and enjoy it to the fullest... :)

So true, Paul, so true. A perfect pairing of author name and book material.

Thank you Julia ;)

Pat, it's amazing how the 18 year difference seems so much smaller now than it was in 1972..

Thanks Roni, but I have to disagree about the song :P

Donna, I am not loving South of Broad. the language is a bit over blown for me. I may trade it in for The Water is Wide if I can find a copy.

I totally agree Reba - the TV series was a total snoozer, but the books were LOL funny.

MUST. FINISH. ANNA KARENINA. TONIGHT.

Good luck Jenn -- AK is quite an undertaking.

-Spoiler Alert-

#16 Anna Karenina - mine, for better or for worse

Here's the review from The Guardian:

Each time I reread Anna Karenina, picking my way past the attics and cellars and rusting machinery of Tolstoy's obsessions and prejudices, a new layer of his craft emerges, to the point where, for all my admiration of Joyce, Beckett and Kelman, I begin to question whether the novel form isn't too artisanal a medium for the surface experimentation of the modernist project ever to transcend the flexing of space and time that apparently conventional language can achieve in the hands of a master.

Did anyone else read that and think "Huh?"

Here's what I think:

I have now read both of what could be considered Tolstoy's "major" novels. They are both very long. Both contain social commentary and autobiographical elements. I liked War and Peace so much better.

The first half of Anna Karenina was really difficult for me to get through. Anna's transformation from gracious, composed and respected society hostess to overwrought, lovesick drama queen was like watching a train wreck. I didn't feel like Vronsky's character was well developed enough for me to even see the attraction on her part. Most of the characterization of Vronsky is through the eyes of others, many of whom don't really like him. His character is developed more fully later, but early on it was hard to see what Anna saw in him. Anna's life reads like a cautionary tale that is way too long. Her husband is unlikeable at first, but over time, as I got to know him better, I liked him better. He was definitely a product of his time and society. He was extremely concerned with his reputation and his position, and perhaps too preoccupied with those concerns to be a good husband and father. However, his decision to forgive Anna and the way he attempted to care for his son and her daughter was admirable.

My favorite characters in the book were Levin and Kitty. Kitty does some silly things, falling in love with Vronsky, refusing Levin, making herself ill - shades of Sense and Sensibility - but she makes a decision to change and become better. At the same time, Levin, who is devastated by her refusal to marry him, goes home to his farm and also determines to become a better person. Over time, as Kitty and Levin work on improving themselves, they come closer to each other in character and temperament and this is the foundation of what will be the most successful relationship of the book. Levin is an introspective person, given to over-thinking things. He is alone a lot on his land and spends too much time trying to answer the unanswerable questions of life. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Levin is harvesting hay with the peasants and he works alongside them for a day. He gains respect for them and they gain respect for him. Unlike some other reviewers, I also liked the end. Levin has spent roughly 1000 pages of the story questioning the purpose of life and the existence of God (even if he's not literally on that page, you just know he's somewhere thinking it) and finally, FINALLY, in the last few pages of the book he has a conversation with a peasant and it all becomes clear to him. He realizes that he has known the truth of things in his heart because that has been how he has directed his life. He accepts that he can't know all things and that he can only act on what he knows to be right. Things he realizes he seems to have been born knowing. I thought that in contrast to Anna's total despair and suicide, Levin's hope and acceptance of life is a beautiful ending.

In spite of its flaws, Anna Karenina is at least a study in contrast. Aside from the contrast between the two love stories, Tolstoy forms a rather unflattering picture of Russian society in its final years before the revolution. Some snapshots of society are the parties and social rounds of the nobility in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the lives of the soldiers with the horse racing and womanizing, life in sumptuous country houses, all in contrast with life in the country, working on the land, the lives of the peasants and Levin's honest work.

Overall, I am glad I read it, but I can't say I loved it.

Very good review of Anna Karenina Jenn. I have a nice new hardcover edition of it that I bought at Borders' going out of business sale but I think I'll just let it continue to wait to be read on my shelf. I'm glad I didn't try to tackle this after failing to finish A Team of Rivals. I have a feeling I might have bailed on it as well.

Good review of Anna Karenina, Jenn. You've done a good job of tying the various elements of the novel together.

Jenn - Congrats on finishing Anna Karenina! I'm just getting ready to try to write up my thoughts about it, but I popped over here to see what you thought first. I think that I may have liked it a bit better than you did, but I haven't read War and Peace, so perhaps I haven't yet experienced Tolstoy at his best.

Thanks Pat and Lori. I found it difficult to review. It's a lot of book. :)

Hi Amy, I will pop over and see what you thought. Of course, it's just my opinion. I have very low tolerance for characters like Anna, who make poor decisions and can't ever quite take responsibility. Maybe I have a hard time getting past that...

Hi Jenn, excelllent review of AK, I am still working on it and so far only finished book one. I have read and loved it when I was in my early twens, but sort of have very romantic memories. After reading all your reviews, which didn't match MY memories of the story at all, I felt it's time for a re-read.

Wish you a great week.

Hi Bianca! Good to see you around the threads again! After reading all your reviews, which didn't match MY memories of the story at all LOL. Funny how we all see different things - and if I'd read it as a teen or early twen, I may have seen it more romantically as well...

#17 Pinterest Savvy: How I Got 1 Million + Followers - minie

I've been on Pinterest for awhile, but hadn't quite worked out how to use it effectively for my business. This little book is packed with tips and examples on how to use Pinterest well to increase traffic to my website. There are still a couple of hitches in my process - Etsy doesn't support a verified link - but I have tons of good ideas to work with. It took me about an hour to read through the first time, then I went back and spent time in the specific areas where I needed the most help. It's short, sweet and really well written. Highly recommended for Pinterest users.

Hi Jenn, just stopping by to wish you and your family a lovely and relaxing weekend!

#18 Slow Democracy - library, 13/13

"Rediscovering community, bringing decision making back home" is the premise of Slow Democracy. In America today, politics have become increasingly polarized, especially on the national level. However, some communities are discovering that by bridging political divides and working together through a deliberative process, they can make decisions that benefit their entire community. The book is well written and thoughtful, citing many studies on how people think and receive information and how deliberation and story-telling can change perceptions. Highly recommended.

Quotes:

A group of self-described Republicans and Democrats were subjected to unflattering information about their own party's candidates. According to their MRI's, when subjects were confronted with information that contradicted their biases, their brains actually under-processed the information. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for conscious reasoning, hardly even fired.
Instead, the emotional circuits of their brains lit up, including those associated with regulating feelings and resolving conflicts. Effectively, participants brains used emotion to ignore information that they didn't like to hear but could not discount intellectually. And once they had used emotion to reinforce their preexisting beliefs, the reward centers of their brains lit up - essentially patting them on the back for ignoring information that contradicted their beliefs. (Chapter 5, p 83)

People say, "Think globally and act locally," noted Hermansen. "But I say you have to think locally and act locally, and the rest will take care of itself." (Chapter 5, p 104)

At the local level, the lessons of sustainability come naturally. If we are paying attention to the place where we live, we can hardly take a step outside without sensing the connections. The farm where the chickens lay my eggs has a place in nature; it also has an economic link to the downtown grocery. The factory nearby belches chemicals into my environment; it also provides income for my neighbors. Every decision we make, whether we sit on a planning commission, a community visioning task force, or an arts committee, affects at least one side of the triangle, and through inclusive local processes we come to comprehend the need to consider its connections with the other sides. A vibrant local democracy ensures that we interact with and understand the balance that creates a sustainable community. (Chapter 6, p 112)

One reason slow democracy is slow is that it requires a thoughtful engagement with citizens' concerns. Unlike executive power, where someone makes a unilateral decision, and unlike adversarial democracy, where people simply vote for their side of an issue, slow democracy requires that people understand each other. It is only then that they can talk clearlly and figure out the best decision - one that will last. (Chapter 6, p 114)

#19 Take A Chance on Me - library

Let's just call it a good airplane read. Totally predictable, but relaxing and fun.

I'm in Oregon for the weekend, visiting my parents. Nice to trade snow and freezing temps for rain and humidity...

Slow Democracy sounds great, Jenn. I loved all the quotes and just put a copy on hold at the library. Hope you had a great time in Oregon.

Hi Jenn, I hope you had a great time visiting your parents for the weekend. However, was it really better to swap snow for rain? LOL

Hi Pat! I hope you like it :).

Hi Bianca! Yes, trading snow for rain is better. Much better. :) I didn't need my coat all weekend. Karma is after me though. We're expecting 8 inches of snow tonight.

I went to Powell's Books while I was in Oregon. I was limited by my carry-on luggage, but I picked up two books off the bargain table. West of Here and The Emperor of All Maladies.

#20 Nadia Knows Best - library
#21 Rumor Has It - library
#22 An Offer You Can't Refuse - library

All I can say is that between my non-fiction reading this month, including a U.S. Constitution class, and the travel, I needed a day or two of brainless reading. Fun, predictable.

#23 The Water is Wide - mine

I loved this autobiographical account of Pat Conroy's year teaching school on Yamacraw Island. He was presented with a class of black children who could not read, didn't know who the President of the United States was, or that they actually lived in the United States. His efforts were pretty heroic considering the cultural and geographic challenges he was facing. I'm not sure what else to say about it - there is a lot that could be said about racism and refusal to change with the times - better to just read it!

Jenn, I definitely want to read 'The Water Is Wide' someday. I don't think our library has a copy, so I'll be on the lookout at the used book stores.

I read The Water is Wide years ago and hadn't thought about it for a while. It is, indeed, a thought-provoking and touching book, isn't it?

So glad you liked The Water is Wide, Jenn. The movie based on it, Konrack with Jon Voight, is also very good.

I have got The Emperor of All Maladies sitting on my TBR :) It's such a chunkster *smile*

A chunkster but worth the time.

Waving a big hello to you all - Julia, Reba, Donna and Bianca! Hi! Thanks for stopping by.

I found this funny article about punctuation marks - thought I'd share it here.

http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6872071/8-new-and-necessary-punctuation-mark.... I am especially partial to the Morgan Freemark...

lol Thanks for sharing that.

I love the mockwotation marks hehe

#24 5 Love Languages of Children - book club, mine, Kindle

Very similar to The 5 Love Languages, so no surprises. There are specific parenting tips and ideas related to children which are helpful. I admit to getting pretty bored by the end.

#25 Little House on the Prairie - mine

One of my most favorite books from childhood - read with my 8 year old daughter. I love the descriptions of daily life as a pioneer.

February Reading Summary

Fiction

Anna Karenina
Take A Chance On Me
Nadia Knows Best
Rumor Has It
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Little House on the Prairie

Non-Fiction

Pinterest Savvy: How I Got 1 Million+ Followers
Slow Democracy
the Water is Wide
The 5 Love Languages of Children

#26 The Grey King - mine, 13/13

My favorite of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. I love the setting, the bits of Welsh, the mythology. Great read.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Besides being really busy with my son going to the Junior Olympics this coming weekend, I just haven't been able to really get into a book. I am currently reading Original Intent, The Light Between Oceans and The Beach at Galle Road. I haven't really engaged deeply with any of them, but at least I still have them. I made a valiant attempt at Deliverance and I just can't do it. Can't. That and about 4 other books just went back to the library unread. Unusual, but liberating...

Reading slumps are annoying, Jen, but it sounds like the rest of your life is more important right now. What sport does Jonah compete in?

Is your son swimming in the Junior Olympics, Jenn? How exciting!

Hi Jenn. Hope you find that truly engaging book soon but meanwhile, enjoy your son's athletics.

Hi Julia, You are so right. Life does sometimes take priority over reading... sometimes. :)

Hi Joanne and Reba!

So I'll just take a brag moment. Jonah is swimming in the Junior Olympics this weekend. He is qualified in the 50 freestyle (ranked 21st in the state), 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke. I think he'll only do 4 of the 5 events, plus two relays. He's in a good position, so it's down to whether he has a good day or a bad day...

Well then, I hope he has a very good day. Go Jonah!!!

Go Jonah, indeed!

Very impressive about Jonah! Hope he has a good day.

Woot - go Jonah!!! Where are the competitions taking place, Jenn?

Wow, that's exciting news about Jonah in the Junior Olympics. Wish him well for me! No wonder you can't focus on reading.

Woohoo! That is amazing! I hope that all goes well for Jonah!

Hope Jonah is doing well and enjoying himself!

Hi Jenn, oh I am so, so far behind, and worst of all, I missed your birthday!! Hope it was a good one. So much to say, where to start? Good luck to Jonah -- how wonderful!

Congrats on finishing Anna Karenina -- it's quite an undertaking. I read it and really enjoyed it a few years ago. I have so little time I'm not reading much, but sadly, I'm pretty reluctant to pick up the big honkers, so I've picked up -- but then set aside -- books like War and Peace, Bleak House, The Count of Monte Cristo, etc. Need to get to those because I really want to read them!

Love that you read Little House. An all-time favorite of mine as well. Have you read Caddie Woodlawn? I have also been meaning to read The Dark is Rising. Can I read it alone, or do I need to start with Under Sea, Over Stone?

Hope you're having a great weekend. Is the Junior Olympics here? Still taking place despite the snow? Hope everyone stays safe and warm.

Hi Reba, Julia, Pat, Joanne, Donna, Amy, Roni and Anne!

Thanks for the good wishes for Jonah. His meet is in Fort Collins, CO. He made it into the finals in the 50 freestyle. He is ranked 17th right now. Hoping he can take a little more time off. We'll see. He will swim at 5:30 tonight.
His medley relay was OK today. He swam the butterfly leg. His goggles fell off when he dove in, but he stuck it out. :) His relay team advanced 1 level in the rankings.
I didn't get to go this time. My brother and his family came in to town late last night (or early this morning) and I am home spending time with them. He has two adorable little boys, 2 /12 and 9 mo.
Kind of glad to be at home. It's snowing and windy and cold. :)

Anne, I would consider The Dark is Rising to be the first book to read. Over Sea, Under Stone could fall between it and the next one, easily, but it isn't first. IMO. I have read Caddie Woodlawn, and I loved it. :) I hope you get back to the Count of Monte Cristo. It's one of my favorites. It doesn't feel as long once you get into it.

#27 The Name of this Book is Secret - mine, 13/13

This is the latest read-aloud with Jonah. He had read it a while ago, and wanted me to read it with him. It' was pretty good. It's the beginning of a series, which I doubt I will read more of, but overall, a fun, easy read.

Sounds like Jonah is doing well. How exciting to make the finals of the 50 free! That's great.

How exciting! Anxious to hear how he did tonight!

Fingers and toes crossed for our own swimming champ (well he was with us a goodly time last year anyway). Go Jonah.

17th in the state in the 50 freestyle. 24.3 seconds. A very, very good swim.

Congratulations to Jonah!!!! How wonderful!! Send him my congrats and the same to you, Jenn. Makes those hours sitting by the pool worthwhile, that's for sure, not to mention all his hard work.

Jenn - Give the fellow a pat on the back when he gets back. 24.3 seconds sounds pretty nifty to a whale like me.

Way to go, Jonah! That's fantastic.

Great news about Jonah! Congratulations.

Thanks everyone! I will pass on the congratulations!

I got a little more reading done this weekend. Not sure I'm out of my reading slump yet, but progress is being made.

*Spoiler Alert*
#28 The Light Between Oceans - library

This is the story of Tom, a former WWI soldier, turned lighthouse keeper, and his wife Isabel. They live alone on a small island off the coast of Australia and keep the light. Isabel has had three still born babies and when a baby and her dead father are washed up on the island, they decide to keep the baby. There were things I really liked about this book. Stedman is a good story teller. The setting is interesting. The characters could use a little more development. Tom is the only one who is well developed, and there are still many things we don't know about him. I had a hard time having sympathy for Isabel without thinking of her as a little nuts. I understand the pain of dealing with the inability to produce children. I won't deny that I had a fantasy about a baby being left on my doorstep. Even so, I could never have pretended that baby was mine like she did and once they chose that path, I was every bit as uncomfortable as Tom was in the story. Another troubling part was the way the child was removed from Tom and Isabel so abruptly. I really felt for her. I thought the ending was a little too convenient, but hey, everyone loves a happy ending, right? It should make an interesting book club discussion.

#29 Leviathan - library, 13/13

Leviathan came highly recommended by my son, Jonah. I really enjoyed it. I haven't read much steam punk, but I think this is a good one. It is set at the beginning of WWI and we follow two main characters from opposite sides of the conflict: the (imaginary) son of Archduke Ferdinand as he flees for his life after the assassination of his parents (Clanker), and a young airship soldier in training on one of the giant flying ships (Darwinist). They both have secrets, but they also have a strong sense of adventure. A fun read, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

#30 Deadly Stakes - library, 13/13, Murder Mystery March

I have really liked the J.P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady series, but I haven't really loved this one. I have read a couple of them, and they are just OK. There is maybe a little too much going on...

#149 - Hi Jenn! I've had my eye on The Light Between Oceans for a while. Your review makes it sound intriguing. And congrats to Jonah - that's a fast swim!

I'm going to be reading Leviathan later this month for a reading group, so I'm glad to hear you liked it. Congratulations to Jonah!

Hi Amy and Roni!

#31 Behemoth - library, 13/13

I am really enjoying this series. Last year I read a lot of WWI history, and it's fun to read an alternative ending type fantasy about the same time period. I am interested to see where we go next. Behemoth explores the conflict between Britain and the Ottoman empire over a ship that the Ottoman's had commissioned and paid for, but Churchill appropriated. Some believe that was the impetus for the Ottomans entering the war on the side of Germany. In Behemoth, since we are exploring an alternate history, disaster is averted for the time being due to the intervention of both the crew of the Leviathan and a group of revolutionaries in the city of Istanbul. Looking forward to the next installment!

The Leviathan series is highly recommended by my son as well and I keep meaning to get around to it.

Since you read a lot of WWI, would you please direct me to some of your favorites. This is a time period I know so little about and am interested in learning more. Many thanks.

Delurking to say I loved the Leviathan series! Behemoth is my favorite of the three books in the trilogy but Goliath is still a good read given the interesting mix of historical figures that show up in that one.

Hi Rhian - I hope you get to it. It's been really fun. I hope to start Goliath - the third in the series - this coming week.

Hi Linda! How are you? Last year I read several non-fiction books about WWI. My favorite is A World Undone: The Story of the Great War 1914-1918 by G.J. Meyer. It is not for the faint of heart, since it is about 700 pages long, but it is well researched and well worth the read.

Hi Lori! Delurk any time. :) I am looking forward to Goliath. The whole thing is fun - better even than I expected.

Belated congratulations to Jonah! I have The Light Between Oceans on reserve at the library. I believe it is one I wanted to read because it is long listed for The Women's Prize for Fiction; i.e., Orange Prize. Hope all is well at your house, Jenn!

Belated congratulations to Jonah from me as well. What a fantastic boy you have Jenn.

I have got the Leviathan series on my wishlist as it has been recommended to me many times. As my son reads mainly non-fiction and Graphic Novels I was very surprised to hear that he started to read the Edge Chronicles, which I used to read to him when he was younger and apparently he picked up a couple of Terry Pratchetts - well we will wait and see if he finally manages to read something without pictures *grin*

Hi Donna! All is well here. We caught a nasty little virus from my nephews when they visited last weekend and it's gone around the family, one at a time, of course. All better now and hoping for a good week before Spring Break. Are you quite recovered from babysitting grands?

Hi Bianca! I haven't dropped by your thread in a while. Nice to see you here. I think you will enjoy the Leviathan series. I bet your son will end up liking books without pictures eventually. He sees you read and enjoy and he will follow. ;P

#32 Liar and Spy library, 13/13

Georges is a typical middle school kid in a less typical situation. His family has sold their home and moved to a nearby apartment. He is making new friends at school and at his new apartment and things are a little up and down for him. There is also something else going on, but we don't know what until the end, and I'm not going to spoil it. A heartwarming story about being yourself and making your own rules - and keeping your parents in the loop. An excellent read. Highly recommended.

Hi Jenn, hope you're all feeling better by now. I got sick around the same time and still do not feel better. I even missed school and I almost never do that!

I enjoyed Liar and Spy when I read it...earlier this year? Late last year? I agree with you -- a terrific read.

#33 The Emperor of All Maladies - mine, 13/13

Written for just about any reader (perhaps someone who works in cancer research would want more scientific detail) this history of cancer and the progress that has been made in treatment of the different forms of cancer was a page turner. I liked his honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the research methodologies as well as the strengths and weaknesses of cancer treatment. It was fascinating to glimpse the personalities of the doctors and researchers and see how it affected their treatment and research styles. It was also interesting to read about how politics effects medical research. Very deserving of the Pulitzer and an excellent read. Highly recommended.

I've just been thinking that I've been reading way more fiction than nonfiction this year. Sounds like The Emperor of All Maladies might be a good way to change that. Thanks for the rec, Jenn!

That one's on my wishlist too. I finished Leviathan today and loved it! But I didn't realize I needed Behemoth immediately on hand. I've ordered it and Goliath from the library, but it will probably be a couple of days before it is available.

Hi Jenn

Thanks for your comments regarding The Emperor of All Maladies. Years ago when I read And The Band Played On, I was also surprised at how politics influences research in certain diseases.

Jenn, I've already got 'Emperor of All Maladies' on my wishlist, but your review makes me want to move it up the list.

Hi Amy! I hope you get a chance to read it. It's a great choice for a non-fiction read.

Hi Roni, I am looking forward to Goliath. I had to read a couple of books for book clubs and finish Emperor of All Maladies but now I am going to try and finish that series.

Hi Linda! I will have to take a look at And the Band Played On. It sounds interesting. Hope you are well!

Hi Julia, I look forward to hearing what you think of it. Don't be daunted by the size. It has a chunky reference section at the back with notes and biblio, so it's not as big as it looks... I did enjoy the interview with the author at the very end of my version.

It's Spring Break, and I am finishing up Huckleberry Finn and playing with my kids. We went to the Hammond Candy factory on Monday, then we've had dentist appointments, but tomorrow we're going to take a tour of the Bronco's stadium and the Colorado sports Hall of Fame.
We've also been doing March Madness, but I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say that I chose Gonzaga to win the whole thing and I am not happy.

#34 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn mine, 13/13, book club

One of the first American novels written in the vernacular, Huckleberry Finn is either considered to be "the Great American Novel" or has been banned due to "racist" content. I would guess that the truth is somewhere in the middle. I do not believe that this story should be banned due to the language and content that is true to the time period, any more than I believe a book that contains f-bombs, etc. should be banned today - even if I object to the language. Huckleberry Finn provides a unique view into the pre-Civil War South. Instead of the plantation life of Gone With the Wind, we see small, very small, town life along the Mississippi River through the eyes of a poor, homeless boy named Huck Finn. If you've read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you will have met him before.
Huck Finn has a deadbeat dad who takes him from the Widow, who has been trying to adopt him and raise him properly, and imprisons him in an old cabin. Huck escapes to an island in the middle of the river where he meets up with Jim, a slave who has escaped from the Widow's household. Together, they begin a journey down the Mississippi, having incredible adventures along the way. It doesn't take long to see that Jim has been made the moral center of the book and Huck is the transitional character who has to discover the error of his way of thinking and make sense of his world under these new circumstances.
Some of the themes of the novel are slavery and racial division, Christianity, Superstition and Morality. There is no lack of material for discussion. Although it is a little difficult to read due to the vernacular - I kept wanting to correct the grammar - it is well worth the effort.

Quotes

After supper she got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers, and I was in a sweat to find out all about him; but by and by she let it out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then I didn't care no more about him, because I don't take no stock in dead people.

Pap always said it warn't no harm to borrow things if you was meaning to pay them back some time; but the widow said it warn't anything but a soft name for stealing, and no decent body would do it. Jim said he reckoned the widow was partly right and pap was partly right; so the best way would be for us to pick out two or three things from the list and say we wouldn't borrow them any more - then he reckoned it wouldn't be no harm to borrow the others. So we talked it over all one night, drifting along down the river, trying to make up our minds whether to drop the watermelons, or the cantelopes, or the mushmelons, or what. But towards daylight we got it all settled satisfactory, and concluded to drop crabapples and p'simmons.

"Well," says Buck, "a feud is this way: A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man's brother kills HIM; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the COUSINS chip in - and by and by everybody's killed off, and there ain't no more feud. But its kind of slow, and takes a long time."

Nice, Jenn! Terrific review. Did you read it aloud? I read Tom Sawyer aloud a couple of years ago, and we had a lot of fun with it.

It sounds like your family is enjoying a nice spring break. I am finally starting to feel better, but now Marina is sick, so our spring break is very quiet, which is just as well. My master's portfolio is due next week, so we have mostly stayed home so I can work on it. The next 6 weeks or so will be a slog, but I'm so close I'm finally starting to feel excited.

Hi Jenn, brilliant review of The Emperor of All Maladies the book will definitely move several notches up the TBR.

However, I am just stopping by to wish you and your family a lovely and fun filled Easter weekend!

Hi Anne, Sorry you are having a sick month. Hopefully Callia misses it completely...
I didn't read Huck Finn aloud. I think it would be a little harder than the average because of the language. I did listen to a lot of it. I streamed it on my phone from libravox. I found it easier to listen to than to read.
Good luck with the portfolio! Won't it be great to get that done! When you're done, let's talk about getting together again. :)

Hi Bianca! Thank you, and the same for you and your family. Will you be back home for Easter?

We are having some interesting conversations around here with the youngest. He seems to equate the Easter Bunny with Santa Claus. Time for a rude awakening. LOL.

Just wanted to stop by and say hello. Sounds like you're having a good spring break!

Hammonds and then the dentist....LOL! :)

Hi Joanne. I hadn't realized. That is kind of funny.

#35 The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - library, YA

A fun story about a young girl - smack in the middle of 6 brothers - who is more interested in natural history lessons than in housekeeping.

March Reading Summary

Fiction

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - library
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - mine
Liar & Spy - library
Leviathan - mine
Behemoth - mine
Deadly Stakes - library
The Light Between Oceans - library
The Name of This Book is Secret - mine
The Grey King - mine

Non-Fiction

The Emperor of All Maladies - mine

I think my favorites were The Emperor of All Maladies and Behemoth.

Hi Jenn, it looks like March was a good reading month despite illness in the family. I recover more quickly from babysitting the three older grandkids these days. It's probably a combination of them being older and my frequent workouts with a 2-year-old building up my stamina.

Happy reading in April!

Hi Donna, thanks for stopping by. :)

#36 The Night Circus - library, 13/13

*SPOILERS - In case I am not the only one left who hasn't read it*

I have picked up this book at the library and looked at it more than once, and set it back down again. After reading so many great reviews here, I decided to stop being so wishy-washy and just get it. I liked it more than I expected to. To quote a comment on the back of the book "The Night Circus made me happy. Playful and intensely imaginative, Erin Morgenstern has created the circus I have always longed for and she has populated it with dueling love-struck magicians,precocious kittens, hyperelegant displays of beauty, and complicated clocks."
I was surprised by the overall upbeat nature of the story, in spite of the "to the death" challenge that the two magicians are engaged in. I loved the characters. Although some are less developed than others, they appear enough that by the end, I felt like I knew them. They also remain "in character" throughout the book. Perhaps my favorite character was Isobel. She may have determined the direction of the entire story, in spite of seeming to be a minor actor. The ending was somewhat unexpected to me, but very satisfying. There is a perfect mix of danger, romance and adventure, and while it's obviously difficult for me to describe, it is well worth reading.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

"Stories have changed, my dear boy," the man in the grey suit says, his voice almost imperceptibly sad. "There are no more battles between good and evil, no monsters to slay, no maidens in need of rescue. Most maidens are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves in my experience, at least the ones worth something, in any case."

You've been doing some great reading! (Which means you've been reading a lot of my favorites!;-))

No, I think I am the last person to get to The Night Circus (which I actually own, and even actually bought new in a bookstore), so I am skipping your review. I even optimistically declared that I am now reading it, but I am unlikely to read much of anything these last 8 weeks of school:) So I only glossed over your review.

Hope you're having a good week!

I loved Night Circus, too. Hmm, I wonder what the author has been up to? Maybe she's writing another book? I must go check.

Thanks for the lovely review and the reminder of this very good book.

Karen O.

I haven't read 'The Night Circus' either, Anne, if it makes you feel better. I have the best of intentions but I think we all know how that goes. :-)

Hi Jenn, as you may remember I also loved The Night Circus and I was really sad when it finally ended. Not long after that I went to see a 3d cinema film about the Cirque de Soleil, which kind of brought the memory and the images of the book very much to life again.

Hi Anne and Julia - It's a relief to know I wasn't the last person to read The Night Circus. :)

Hi Karen and Bianca, I am still processing the book. Sometimes it is better not to review so early. LOL. Bianca - you must know that I attribute my reading of the book to your review of it - I have been wanting to see the Cirque de Soleil film. My husband and I went many years ago, and when I read in Night Circus about how it was the kind of circus you had always hoped for and more... it made me think of Cirque.

#37 The Inn at Rose Harbor - library

I was stuck home with a sick kid all day and so I read this newer offering from Debbie Macomber. It was kind of boring. I felt like I was reading bits of stories I had already read before, and not in a good way. Finished it up for lack of better reading close at hand.

#38 Dumbing Us Down - library

And now for something completely different...
John Gatto delivers a scathing indictment of the American educational system in a collection of essays and speeches he has written and made over the years. It was extremely interesting, and while I was somewhat skeptical at first (not about his indictment of the public school system, so much as his motives) he won me over. It is an interesting follow-up read after Slow Democracy. Slow Democracy was about gathering in a community for civil dialogue and coming to a slow and measured consensus about the things that are truly important to that community. In Dumbing Us Down, Gatto calls for the same thing. He calls for a civil, but energetic debate in communities about schooling vs. education. He calls for the community to regain control of the education of its children and for families to take back their proper place in the process.

I will post quotes tomorrow. Too tired tonight.

OK. Some quotes:

Global economics does not speak to the public need for meaningful work, affordable housing, fulfilling education, adequate medical care, a clean environment, honest and accountable government, social and cultural renewal, or simple justice. All global ambitions are based on a definition of productivity and the good life so alienated from common human reality that I am convinced it is wrong and that most people would agree with me if they could perceive an alternative. We might be able to see that if we regained a hold on a philosophy that locates meaning where meaning is genuinely to be found - in families, in friends, in the passage of seasons, in nature, in simple ceremonies and rituals, in curiosity, generosity, compassion, and service to others, in a decent independence and privacy, in all the free and inexpensive things out of which real families, real friends, and real communities are built - then we would be so self-sufficient we would not even need the material "sufficiency" which our global "experts" are so insistent we be concerned about.

Speaking of his teaching career:
You must understand that first and foremost the business I am in is a jobs project and an agency for letting contracts. We cannot afford to save money by reducing the scope of our operation or by diversifying the product we offer, even to help children grow up right. That is the iron law of institutional schooling - it is a business, subject neither to normal accounting procedures nor to the rational scalpel of competition.

Now here is a curious idea to ponder: Senator Ted Kennedy's office released a paper not too long ago claiming that prior to compulsory education (1850) the state literacy rate was ninety-eight percent and that after it the figure never exceeded ninety-one percent, where it stands in 1990.

The great crisis that we witness in our schools is interlinked with a greater social crisis in the community. We seem to have lost our identity. Children and old people are penned up and locked away from the business of the world to a degree without precedent: nobody talks to them anymore, and without children and old people mixing in daily life, a community has no future and no past, only an continuous present. In fact, the term "community" hardly applies to the way we interact with each other. We live in networks, not communities, and everyone I know is lonely because of that. School is a major actor in this tragedy, as it is a major actor in the widening gulf among social classes. Using school as a sorting mechanism, we appear to be on the way to creating a caste system, complete with untouchables who wander through subway trains begging and who sleep upon the streets.

Schools were designed by Horace Mann and by Sears and Harper of the University of Chicago and by Thorndyke of Columbia Teachers College and by some other men to be instruments for the scientific management of a mass population. Schools are intended to produce, through the application of formulas, formulaic human beings whose behavior can be predicted and controlled.

It was this philistine potential - that teaching the young for pay would inevitably expand into an institution for the protection of teachers, not students - that made Socrates condemn the Sophists so strongly long a go in ancient Greece.

The lesson of my teaching life is that both the theory and the structure of mass education are fatally flawed; they cannot work to support the democratic logic of our national idea because they are unfaithful to the democratic principle. The democratic principle is still the best idea for a nation, even though we aren't living up to it right now.

Sixty-five years ago Bertrand Russell, one of the great mathematicians of this century, its greatest philosopher...saw that mass schooling in the United States had a profoundly anti-democratic intent, that it was a scheme to deliver national unity by eliminating human variation and by eliminating the forge that produces variation: the family. According to Lord Russell, mass schooling produced a recognizably American student: anti-intellectual, superstitious, lacking self-confidence, and having less of what Russell called "inner freedom" than his or her counterpart in any other nation he knew of, past or present. These schooled children became citizens, he said, with a thin "mass character," holding excellence and aesthetics equally in contempt, being inadequate to the personal crises of their lives.

You can't do a good act that is global... a good act, to be good, must be acceptable to what Alexander Pope called "the genius of the place." This calls for local knowledge, local skills, and local love that virtually none of us had, and that none of us can get by thinking globally.

By allowing the imposition of direction from centers far beyond our control, we have time and again missed the lesson of the Congregational principle: people are less than whole unless they gather themselves voluntarily into groups of souls in harmony. Gathering themselves to pursue individual, family and community dreams consistent with their private humanity is what makes them whole; only slaves are gathered by others.

Phew! That's a lot of quotes!

I thought that those of you who are experiencing lovely, warm spring weather might enjoy our weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow... springtime in the Rockies.

A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 9 to 15 mph becoming east northeast. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph.
Rain likely before 8pm, then rain and snow between 8pm and 11pm, then snow after 11pm. Some thunder is also possible. Low around 18. Windy, with a north wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
Snow with areas of blowing snow. Temperature falling to around 15 by noon. Wind chill values as low as -2. Blustery, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Note the temperature drop from 70F to 18F, which will occur between 4 and 8 pm.

#39 The Beach at Galle Road - mine, ER

I was interested in this book because when we were in graduate school we had neighbors who were refugees from Sri Lanka. They never talked much about the specifics, but we knew that they felt they could not go back. We became friends through their little daughter who thought I looked like her Aunt and so she always called me Auntie.

This collection of short stories is mostly about average families living in Sri Lanka and how their lives are torn apart by the war. There are occasional stories about Westerners who are in Sri Lanka as English teachers or Red Cross workers. When the stories intersect, there is a sense of the tension between East and West and a sense that the Westerners don't quite understand Sri Lanka or the conflict. The stories are engaging and well written. The characters are believable and interesting. In the end, however, I still felt that there was a significant disconnect in regards to the war. The stories only skirt around the conflict and never really deal with it at all. Maybe that was the point, to show the disconnect, but I only felt the lack of completion.

#40 Clockwork Angel - mine, 13/13

I have read most of the Mortal Instruments series, and this is the first in the "prequel" series. I enjoyed the read, mostly, but it was nothing spectacular. I kind of felt like I was reading the same book again in some ways. Maybe because I was being introduced to characters from the other series, just at an earlier time.

That Bertrand Russell quote is really powerful, isn't it? Thanks for sharing.

Oh my goodness, Jenn — 70F to 18F in the course of four hours! That is nightmare fuel right there. Do. Not. Want.

Coincidentallly, I'm also reading a novel about Sri Lanka, A Disobedient Girl, by Ru Freeman. I'm liking this author's debut novel very much. She'll be speaking at the Bellingham Booktopia--her new novel comes out later this spring, but this one I was able to obtain through my (very small) library's ILL. I've gone from knowing nothing at all about Sri Lanka, to being very intrigued by it. This book is one of my favorites so far this year.

I'll keep an eye out for The Beach at Galle Road. I've added it to my spreadsheet--which is supposed to keep me from acquiring lots more books (but doesn't).

Hi Roni, Julia and Janet!

We didn't get nearly as much snow as predicted, but we did get a snow day. That's a mixed bag. My kids had a pretty good day and I didn't really get much done. :) My teenager made limeade from scratch. This involved about 15 limes (who knew we had that many?) and simple syrup and my kitchen is incredibly sticky. I will be starting my day with a good mop of the kitchen...
It is currently a miserable 5F and I'd much rather mop the kitchen than leave the house.

Janet, I will have to take a look at A Disobedient Girl. It sounds very interesting. I know that I would like to read more about Sri Lanka.

I am almost finished with Regeneration, which was recommended by Pat (phebj). I have liked it very much. Hopefully I will be able to review it later today.

#41 Regeneration - library, 13/13

Last year I read several non-fiction books on WWI, including A World Undone: The Story of the Great War. Regeneration was a completely different experience. It is written as a novel, but fact and fiction are very well woven together. The main character, Sassoon, is a real person who really did protest the war. The hospital he was sent to and the doctor who treated him were both real, as were some of the other patients he met there. Surrounding their stories are other, fictional stories based on real experiences. When I read the non-fiction accounts of the terrible conditions at the front and the hopeless situations in which the men were sent into battle, I was disgusted. Reading this more personal account, even if fictionalized, was absolutely horrifying. On top of that, the traumatized men then come home to recover and are accused of cowardice by people who have no idea what they've been through. A truly amazing book about the horrors of war and what it does to the men who fight.
There is a lot to discuss in this book. There is the obvious - war vs. peace, there are other things less obvious. How to treat what we now call PTSD, what to think of an institution that discourages thought to the point of allowing wholesale slaughter of it's own resources, how war changes the soldiers so completely that society changes...

Quotes:

He'd found himself wondering once or twice recently what possible meaning the restoration of mental health could have in relation to his work. Normally a cure implies that the patient will no longer engage in behaviour that is clearly self-destructive. But in present circumstances, recovery meant the resumption of activities that were not merely self destructive but positively suicidal. But then in a war nobody is a free agent.

A society that devours its own young deserves no automatic or unquestioning allegiance.

Hi Jenn,

LOL back - great to see that it was thanks to my review that you picked up Night Circus.
Hm, I read all of the Mortal Instrument series so far, but I have to say that I have to be in a particular mood to enjoy them as they contain so much teen angst and sometimes Clairy just get's on my nerves. Although, I do enjoy the theme of the series. I didn't realize that Clockwork Angel is a prequel of this series as I do have the book on my TBR.

I hope you and your family are going to enjoy a fun filled weekend!

Hi Bianca! The teen angst gets on my nerves too. :)

#42 Friendship Bread - library, book club

We are gradually introduced to the residents of a small town in the Midwestern U.S., each of whom has struggles of their own. One day, one of them receives a gift on her doorstep. A plate of delicious bread and a bag of starter with instructions. She almost tosses the starter out, but because her daughter is so excited to make it, she keeps it. When they bake, the instructions include making a couple extra bags of starter to share with friends. She shares it, and something amazing starts. While not everyone in town is excited about getting "Amish Friendship Bread" a lot of people are. They begin sharing the starter and recipes and eventually feeding another entire town after a flood. I enjoyed the story. I liked how people's lives were changed by getting to know their neighbors. It's a good, easy read, and you might just give in to the urge to start some "Amish Friendship Bread" when you're done reading.

#43 Someone Knows My Name - mine, book club (YES, I'm in more than one book club...)

Crafting a story that is beautifully written and impossible to put down, Lawrence Hill has written the female version of Roots. Taken from her family at the tender age of 11, Aminata Diallo survives the journey from Africa to the American colonies. Throughout the story, the main theme is the importance of recognizing the humanity and individuality of other captives, how the sharing of names acts as both a memorial to those who are lost and as an anchor to those who survive. Aminata's journey from freedom to slavery and back to freedom is difficult and often frightening and painful, but also full of hope. Aminata's courage and strength in the face of truly terrible circumstances is amazing. She uses her strength to survive and her intelligence to improve her situation and eventually becomes the
"face" of slavery for an abolitionist group who founds Sierra Leon. Highly recommended.

Quotes:
I remember wondering, within a year or two of taking my first steps, why only men sat to drink tea and converse, and why women were always busy. I reasoned that men were weak and needed rest.

The abolitionists may well call me their equal, but their lips do not yet say my name and their ears do not yet hear my story. Not the way I want to tell it. But I have long loved the written word, and come to see in it the power of the sleeping lion. This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here. In the absence of an audience, I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and heart beating.

#44 Make Money Editing from Home by Michael LaRocca - mine

Useful, brief and quite casually written for being a book on editing.

#45 Summer in Sonoma - library

Light romance novel - unique in the sense that the marriages in trouble get help and the people looking for love find the right person and nobody has an affair. Otherwise, just OK.

Jenn, I absolutely loved Someone Knows My Name. I read it several years ago, and I clearly remember it. That is a testimony in itself!

We had a good quickie trip to Denver, but I was disappointed that I couldn't even fit in an equally quick trip to The Tattered Cover. ;-(

I am another that loved Someone Knows My Name, which I know by its other title, The Book of Negroes. Such a richly told story!

Hi Donna. Sorry you didn't get to Tattered Cover. I am glad that you came between storms though. :)

Lori, I agree, a richly told story. :)

#46 A Week in Winter - mine

I love Maeve Binchy. Her stories are some of my favorite "get lost in a book" reads. A Week in Winter is her last book, finished just before she passed away last year. It is true to form. All kinds of people, all walks of life. Different mistakes and choices. They cross each others paths and change each others lives in simple ways, and you find yourself involved with them as though they were real people. A great read for the last couple of COLD AND SNOWY days.

I also enjoy Maeve Binchy's books. Have you read Circle of Friends? If not, I highly recommend it.

Hi Linda, Nice to see you :). I have read Circle of Friends. Loved it. :)

I've been in bed for 2 days - let's just call it spring fever... it's what I get for being the only one who didn't get sick a couple of weeks ago when the rest of my family was down. At least I got a lot of reading done.

#47 Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe mine, 13/13

A fantastic true story about running, people who run impossible distances, and a little known tribe called the Tarahumara who have made running those distances a part of everyday life. I really did not want the story to end. The narrative was excellent, moving smoothly from science labs to grueling races in the mountains or desert and back to the author's own experiences with running. Most interesting was the claim that modern high tech running shoes are the source of our running injuries. I have the most supportive running shoes in the world (no joke) and every time I go out to run, I get plantar fasciitis. When I started this book, I had pretty much decided that running was not for me. By the end, I felt inspired to try again. Highly recommended.

#48 The Secret of Platform 13 - mine

A cute story about a lost prince and the unlikely heroes who are sent to rescue him. My 9 year old daughter recommended it, and it was quite enjoyable.

#49 Candide - mine 13/13

I am not sure I am qualified to review this tale, but I will make an attempt. Voltaire writes a satire of 18th century life, using the misadventures of Candide and the Lady Cunegonde as his background. The violence of the times is portrayed in a humorous way, reminding me of Jonathan Swift, with whom I am much more familiar. Candide's misadventures begin after he was discovered disporting himself with the Lady Cunegonde and kicked out of the castle that has always been his home. He is then conscripted into the army. Being a naive and young philosopher, taught by Dr. Pangloss to believe that everything is for the best, he tries to make the best of every situation. Over many miles and through many countries, Candide's endless ability to find new money, to land on his feet, to acquire new traveling companions, are unbelievable to the point of being ridiculous. In the end, everyone thought to be dead is alive, the money gained is lost and everyone finds, if not happiness, at least some contentment in working hard all day on a farm.

#50 Across the Nightingale Floor - mine

A little confused by the touchstones for this. The author on my copy of the book is Lian Hearn. Curious if this is another name for the author in touchstones?

Set in an imaginary world (a lot like Japan), this is the story of a young man who was raised in a village where he was taught not to kill. When he was about 15, his village was raided and burned. He was rescued by a member of the warrior clan, and his life changes completely. He learns more skills, discovers more about who he is, falls in love and saves his people from an evil overlord. It's an easy read, a page turner and I look forward to the second book in the series.

I have a copy of Maeve Binchy's A Week in Winter. Good to know you enjoyed it, Jenn. She's an author I think would make for great comfort reading (or snow-day reading!). And I'm another who loved Someone Knows My Name (The Book of Negroes here in Canada).

eta: have just looked at your profile page, and you've got me interested in Georgette Heyer. The first book on her LT page is The Grand Sophy ... is this as good a place to start as any?

*waving* at Jenn

Hi Nancy! I have really enjoyed most of her books. The Grand Sophy is lots of fun. My personal favorites are Cotillion and Frederica. I've been caught laughing out loud more than once reading those. I can't wait to hear what you think. We Heyer fans love increasing club membership :).

Hi Stasia! Great to see you around. I will drop by your thread to see what's going on...

I finished The Third Son tonight, but will have to wait until tomorrow to review it. It's kind of late here.

#51 The Third Son - mine, ER

Set in Taiwan during the transition from Japanese rule to Nationalist rule, this novel is the story of a boy named Saburo. He is a third son, neglected, overlooked and disliked by his family. Despite his evident disadvantages, Saburo grows up strong and determined. He is able to overcome the obstacles put in his way and become who he wants to be. Maybe I am reading too much into this story, and there are certainly some aspects of the story that stretch the imagination, but it almost seems like the story of Taiwan itself. Taiwan was mostly ignored and neglected for centuries, only becoming important in the 1600's as a base for trade and for troop movements in the Asian territorial wars. Since then, it has been fought over almost endlessly. One of the characters in the book commented about the Taiwanese that they didn't know who they were. They just knew how to adapt to each different ruler as they came along. I would tend to disagree. Not that I have extensive experience of Taiwan, but my father-in-law has lived there, both in the 1960's and in the 1990's, and we have visited. Judging by their more recent history, I tend to believe that the people of Taiwan have been very successful and managed to retain a national identity outside of that of China in spite of the hardships suffered as a result of that relationship - just as Saburo did. A very readable story with engaging characters.

I hope you are feeling better today.

Thanks, Jenn! I've added Cotillion and Frederia to my "for later" library shelf : ). Great review of The Third Son, particularly as you have personal perspective, as does your FIL.

#195 For a very brief time my RL book club had a parallel children's book club and my son chose The Secret of Platform 13 as his choice. The idea was you talked about the book (briefly) and then did a craft activity so we made coconut mist makers. They turned out more like coconut blobs but the children seemed to like them!

Hi Linda, :) Thank you. I was feeling better, then, mom-like I over did it. I also overdosed on caffeine last night to banish a migraine and have had very little sleep and a racing heart. One calamity to another, LOL. I've been drinking water and eating bananas all day to try and banish the caffeine.

I really think you'll enjoy them Nancy. They are perfect relaxation books. I don't know how much perspective I have on Taiwan, really, just been around a lot of Taiwanese and my FIL having lived there and having an opinion I trust. Thanks for the thumb on the review. :)

Rhian! Coconut mist makers? How? My kids would love it. Even if they turn out blobby. lol

Jenn - A whole day eating bananas and you'll be swinging through the trees! Nice to finally catch up and I trust that, caffeine-free or not, you have a lovely weekend.

#203 Jenn I can't remember the exact recipe we used, but it was a recipe for coconut pyramids which we made into mist maker shapes (we had a picture on the front of our book, I remember) and put currants for their eyes. The children seemed to like them - they were quite young - I remember that J was in the being read to stage rather than reading it himself, so they might have been six or seven.

Thanks Rhian. I will find something. It sounds like fun. :) My two youngest are 6 and 9, so they should enjoy. The 14 year old will enjoy the eating part even if he finds the story a little elementary.

Hi Paul. I managed to not swing through any trees, but we have had a lovely weekend. We finally got some nice weather and we're all a little sunburned and very happy to have the windows open. The kids are out bouncing on the trampoline instead of fighting over the wii, so all is well.

#52 The Fever Tree - mine, ER

Frances is a wealthy and spoiled young woman who is orphaned after her father loses all his money in a bad investment. After his death, she has to choose between an unwelcome marriage or becoming a nursemaid to her aunt's children. She chooses the marriage and leaves London and her former privileged life for marriage to her cousin, a poor, but principled doctor in South Africa. The idea is good, the setting is interesting. The historical aspects seem to have been fairly well researched. The writing felt a little forced at times and I had a terrible time liking Frances at all. She spends 98% of her story waving her hands around helplessly, complaining about her poverty and doing absolutely nothing to adapt to her new life. Only after she loses everything (through a Biblical series of calamities brought on by her own bad choices) her desperation to not return to London (and the nursemaid job) as a failure finally prompts her to change. Then, miraculously, everything turns out perfectly for her in the end. I really despise characters who can't adapt. I also don't like books with unrealistic endings, unless they've been sort of unrealistic all along and we've grown to expect it. The only thing missing from the neatly wrapped up ending of this tale was the demise of the villain. We don't actually know what happened to him...

Hi Jenn! The Secret of Platform 13 was a superb read aloud, and got us hooked on Eva Ibbotson for life. I love the idea of coconut mist makers/blobs!

I still have read only one Georgette Heyer (The Convenient Marriage), but I've always wanted to try more. I'll look for an audio of your recommendations.

Adding The Third Son to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Jenn.

I hope the bananas and water helped!

Hi Anne. I hope you find a Georgette Heyer to enjoy. I wonder how they would be on audio. I'll have to see if I can find one. Hopefully a great reader.

Hi Stasia! Bananas and water did help, but I think I'll stick to Dr. Pepper next time. :)

#53 Indian Creek Chronicles - mine, 13/13

If you want to know exactly what it would feel like to live all alone in the wilderness for 7 months - through the winter - this is the book to read. The writing is fantastic. I picked it up and didn't want to put it down, even when I was finished. A huge thank you to Pat (phebj) for the recommendation, and I pass my own recommendations along.

#54 Weapons of Mass Instruction - library

The follow-up to Dumbing Us Down, this series of lectures go more in depth into the history of compulsory public education in America. Gatto explains where the roots of our educational system come from and how "institutionalizing" our children and their teachers makes real education nearly impossible. He delivers a scathing indictment of standardized testing (which most of us - don't pretend you don't - know is a total joke) and ends his book with the story of Bartelby the Scrivener (Melville) and a recommendation that students write "I would prefer not to take this test" at the top of their standardized test form and put their pencils down. A little militant, but extremely interesting.

#55 Bringing Up Bebe - audio, library

Rather unrelated to the book, but my favorite thing about this audio, is how the reader does all the voices, including accents, of each person interviewed and quoted.

I thought this comparison of French and American parenting styles was very interesting. In some ways, it's a broad generalization, but there's more truth to it than not. French parents see Americans as slaves to their children. Americans wonder how French parents keep their kids from running crazily around restaurants at dinner time. French kids sleep through the night by 2-4 months old. American kids take much longer. French kids eat chevre, Gouda, fish. American kids eat Kraft Mac n cheese. Americans have a plethora of child-rearing theories to choose from, the French all seem to follow the same set of principles. The comparisons go on and on, with advice from French parents on how to achieve a full night of sleep and get kids to sit politely at the table and eat "strange" food. I liked it.

#210 I think Bringing up Bebe is the same book as French Children Don't throw Food which I read last year, although they seem to be listed separately on LT. I enjoyed it as well, partly because I think I may have adopted a slightly French approach to child-rearing without actually realising it. My main experience of looking after children before I had my own was as an au pair in Italy, where the two year old sat down at 8pm to dinner with her parents. So that's what we did with our son, supper with the grown-ups every night, although at 7pm rather than 8 as a concession to Britishness.

Hi Rhian, I think it is the same book. I may have liked the book so much because I also have adopted a similar attitude - sort of a "you came to live with me, and this is how we do things" attitude. I know a few baby wearing, co-sleeping mothers who found it rather offensive, for obvious reasons. I still remember one dinner with my in-laws where my daughter (maybe 14 months old) was so disruptive that I took her out to the car and buckled her in her car seat and sat with her while the rest of the family finished dinner. They were shocked that I would be so strict with a baby. The thing is, she never ever did it again. All I had to do was ask if she wanted to go sit in the car, and she was "sage" as they say in the book. On the other hand, we're still trying to break our six year old of trying to come in bed with us at night. He's never been allowed, but apparently he's an eternal optimist. :)

Oops, missed a book. Probably there's a reason for that...

#56 Great Aunt Sophia's Lessons for Bombshells - library

Kind of a fun premise. I'll just say I am not and never have been a fan of highly detailed sex scenes. I rather prefer it all left to my imagination. Kind of wrecked the book IMO.

#212 we're still trying to break our six year old of trying to come in bed with us at night - we only ever allowed that once or twice even when J was a baby, and then it had to stop. Not because we were hugely strict but he was the wriggliest child imaginable and neither of us could get a wink of sleep if he was in the bed. When he was a tiny baby I used to get so worried about him getting cold at night as no matter how tight I tucked the sheets in, he escaped completely in about 20 minutes. Then I discovered baby sleeping bags, which he couldn't escape from!

April Reading

Fiction
The Night Circus
The Inn at Rose Harbor
The Beach at Galle Road - ER
Clockwork Angel - OTS
Regeneration
A Summer in Sonoma
Someone Knows My Name
A Week in Winter - OTS
The Secret of Platform 13 - OTS
Great Aunt Sophia's Lessons for Bombshells - kind of a dud
Candide - OTS
Across the Nightingale Floor - OTS
The Third Son - ER
The Fever Tree - ER

Non-Fiction
Dumbing Us Down
Make Money Editing from Home
Born to Run - OTS
Indian Creek Chronicles - OTS
Weapons of Mass Instruction
Bringing Up Bebe

I am kind of impressed with the list for April. Of course, it does help to be sick in bed for 4-5 days. Lots of reading can be done when there's nothing else to do...

7 books OTS
6 Non-fiction
3 ER books

Memorable reads for this month:

Regeneration
Someone Knows My Name
Born to Run
Indian Creek Chronicles

Woot! I'm more than a little impressed with your list of April reads, Jenn. Well done, sick days or no!

It's snowing again at my house. Just thought you'd all want to know that.

Yeesh. April showers brings May... snow?!

Acck! Snow .. in May?! You poor dear .... I guess I shouldn't tell you I had lunch sitting outside on the cafe's terrace today, Jenn.

Jenn, I'm so far behind that there's no catching up, but I wanted to speak anyway. .....and say that by this time Anne has probably read The Night Circus and I'm the very last one at this friendly place who hasn't. *sigh*
I'm sorry about the snow. We're a bit cooler than average for at least the rest of the week, and I won't tell you what that is exactly. It has also been overcast for much of the past week, and I don't see any sign of good sun anytime soon either.
Looks like I need to read Dumbing Us Down.

Hi Jim, Caro and Peggy. The weather man went out on a limb (and let me tell you, it's a risk) to say that this was the last storm. We will believe it when we see it. I am pretty sure it's about the 7th week in a row of snow on Tuesday or Wednesday. I am guessing we got about 6 inches. Didn't stick to the road though.

Caro - please soak up some warm sun for me. :)

Peggy! You probably deserve cooler weather. Night Circus was good. I think it's worth a read, when you don't feel pressured. If you end up reading Dumbing Us Down, do let me know. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

Hi Jenn, Happy spring! :)

Hahaha!

Hi Jenn, I do hope spring will find you soon as well. At least it finally arrived in Europe, so here I send you some warm spring air and spring colours *big smile*
You have done some very impressive reading again this month and looking at your non-fiction category I thought I really ought to read more again.
I used to read much more non-fiction then I do now. Although I started to read The Ghost Map which is quite interesting.

Wow! You did have a great April, Jenn, although I'm sorry you had to be sick. I have a couple of 8 hour flights this month, which I hope will boost my numbers for May! Enjoy the weekend!

Hi Bianca. Thanks for the warm spring air. We had a lovely (57F) day today and I got a little sunburn at my son's soccer game. :) I hope it lasts (the weather, not the sunburn). The 6 inches of snow melted and the grass is very green all of a sudden. Maybe the trees will get brave and daring and throw out some blossoms or even leaves!

Hi Amy, I'm sorry I was sick too. I don't get sick very often, but this has not been a good winter for me. I will be blaming it on my teenager, because why not? He keeps me up late and stresses me out... some days the 4 years we have left with him seem very long, and other days not long enough.
8 hour flights? Are you going somewhere fun?

#57 Wonder - library, 13/13

August was born with several problems, including a cleft lip and palate, that left his face severely disfigured. He is entering 5th grade and attending school for the first time outside of his home. I couldn't help thinking that 5th grade is a pretty rough time to be starting school, even in the best of circumstances. August weathers the social storm and makes friends, and we get to experience it all through his eyes, the eyes of a couple of his friends, his sister, her best friend and her boyfriend. The story is tender and inspiring and well worth the quick read.

Disclaimer: the following is what happens when one of your kids gets the virus you had the previous week and misses a whole week of school, and you send your husband to the library for a fluffy book recommended by a friend. He brings home 4 by the same author. Out of desperation, you read them all...

#58 Love in Bloom - library
Woman recovering from breast cancer and mastectomy finds that it is still possible to be attractive to the opposite sex
#59 The Snow Globe - library
A magical snow globe makes everyone's Christmas wishes come true.
#60 Small Change - library
A group of friends with financial troubles form a support group to help each other mend their ways.
#61 Bikini Season - library
A group of friends with weight troubles form a support group to help each other mend their ways.

The books were fine, if a little preachy and occasionally totally unrealistic. The wedding at the end of Bikini Season comes to mind - when the bride last minute just switches grooms and carries on with the festivities...
The author has definitely found a formula.

Now, IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN MY ER COPY OF THE FEVER TREE? I would be very happy to send it to the first comer.

Jenn - I wouldn't dare send SWMBO to the stores to buy me books. Aside from the fact that I would probably get a bag full of duplications she would definitely choose for herself and not me.
Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Paul. :)

#62 The Shoemaker's Wife - mine

Another fabulous tale of Italian immigrant families by Adriana Trigiani. The sweet love story of a couple who grow up within a few miles of each other in the Italian Alps, immigrate to America separately in the early 1900s, and meet in New York City and eventually get married. Wonderful details of the Metropolitan Opera during the time of Caruso.

I've heard wonderful things about that particular Trigiani book. One of these days I'll get around to reading it.

Please pardon me while I vent for a minute or two...
My son has been picked on by a couple of neighborhood kids for years. We have talked to their parents, we've talked to their scout leaders, we've talked to our son about trying to ignore it, let it go. We've also talked to him about defending himself if it is necessary. This year (8th grade) it has deteriorated to them calling him really inappropriate names on the bus and on the way home from the bus stop and egging other kids who used to be his friends into joining them. We had another talk with the parents, and it's been better for the last few weeks. Well, today, he was sitting on the bus and they started in on another kid, calling him "faggot" and other mean things. When they got home, he got off the bus and shoved one of the bullies and said "what is your problem?" This kid turned around and tackled my son. They are on the ground wrestling, and my son is getting the upper hand when another one of the bullies comes over and kicks my son in the head. He came home completely wound up and bleeding from scrapes on his elbow and shoulder. I'm still checking his eyes to make sure he didn't get hurt really bad from getting kicked in the head.
I am not answering my phone at the moment - not ready to talk to the parents because I am not at all sorry my son got in this fight. It's been years coming. I realize that in today's society fighting is supposedly not OK. You know, if they could have taken their issues out behind the schoolyard in 3rd grade like when I was in school, maybe this would have been solved years ago.
I realize that it isn't necessarily the parents' fault their boys are jerks, and I am friends with the mothers, which makes it a little awkward, but I defend my son's right to stand up for himself and for others. It is so typical that my son, who has put up with their garbage for literally 9 years, only gets worked up enough to fight for someone else. Ai. What a day.

Oh my goodness, Jenn. I commend your son for coming to the aid of the other boy. Kicking somebody in the head is way, way, way beyond something that can be overlooked or excused. I don't know what you're going to do, but I wish you wisdom and patience and whatever else you need to see that this is the end.

Woah, Jenn. Just echoing Peggy's thoughts. I very much commend your son for coming to the aid of another child, especially as he usually is the one who get's bullied. Good on him, that he fought back. I can't see anything wrong with that and I also wish you good luck with whatever may is going to happen. IMO your son was right, reacted right and well, maybe it was about time that these other kids got their fair share?

Good on your son, Jenn. Here in Canada we have anti-bullying campaigns almost ad-nauseum, and I must agree with your thought that: if they could have taken their issues out behind the schoolyard ... maybe this would have been solved years ago. Sounds like it was more than time that someone put the bullies in their places. If a parent or school administrator can't or won't, well then ... good on your son.

Thanks for the back-up. LOL. I am a little calmer today.
We have anti-bullying curriculum, posters, blah blah blah, but in my opinion, it is not so effective.

Sorry for dumping it all here, but I really can't talk about it to anyone. We have too many friends in common...

Oh Jenn, what an awful thing to have happen. And good for him to fight back and defend another child. There always seem to be kids that think they can treat other kids like punching bags and the anti-bullying campaigns don't seem to get through to them. I just don't understand kids like that. And middle school seems to be the worst time for it.

Boys that bully usually end up getting that nonsense knocked out of them. Talking about it just doesn't seem to work. I'm glad Jonah stood up for the other boy, but so sorry he got kicked in the head. In my experience as a teacher, girls that bully can be even more hurtful. They are sneakier and are able to find another girl's weak spot and zone in on it. I don't know what the answer is. And it does make it tougher when you are friends with the parents. Jenn, I hope you find the wisdom to deal with this stressful situation. Sending cyber-hugs to you and Jonah.

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. We're working this out, but it will take a while. Unfortunately, the parents' attitudes are not helpful. One family is saying "boys will be boys" and the other told me that my son makes himself an easy target. Again, speechless. I have no idea how he is making himself an easy target. Maybe because he's the largest target around? Because his face turns red when he's upset? And how does that make the bullying OK? These people live right around the corner from us. Their solution is that the boys should stay away from each other. How? Do we make a schedule when their kid and my kid can ride the bus, go to school, walk down the street? So, maybe I'm not that speechless...
We have involved the school and while we may no longer be friends with these people when we are done, I am past caring about that. These boys need to stop before they injure anyone else. One of them is his mother's golden boy, and she is amazingly defensive of him. He has a completely different reputation at school. If she ever has to come face to face with that reality, it's going to be a rough day for her.

Meanwhile, back to the books...

#63 The Roots of the Olive Tree - library

I really enjoyed this book. I also think that there could be a lot more to it. It ended rather abruptly.
Five generations of women and their secrets inhabit a house on a hill in the middle of an olive grove. What is the secret to their slow aging? What are the stories they are hiding from each other? What will happen if those secrets are revealed?

Jenn, glad you are doing okay and that things are working out, albeit slowly. Thoughts to you and your family. Stopped by to tell you I've got my hands on my first Georgette Heyer and am starting Black Sheep. Excited to try a new author and new genre for me : ).

Hi Nancy! I can't wait to hear what you think of Georgette Heyer. :)

Jenn - kids can be so cruel to each other and the danger is that some of them fail to grow out of it. School helps but it is the parents who should inculcate values into their children to avoid bullying and bigotry. My own boy is extremely big for his age (height wise and how I'm not really sure as I am 5 ft 6 and Hani 3 inches shorter) but he hasn't got a bullying bone in his body. Sometimes when I pick him up from school (with Halim's son having issues this is maybe once a week average) I am always heartened to see him giving his pals, boys and girls, a hug before loping towards the car. His best friend is the shortest in class and he is the tallest and to see them together is comical.

Kudos to your son coming to the aid of others being put upon and I trust these things will work themselves out.

Jenn, I haven't really got any helpful comments to make on your bullying situation, but sending good wishes that you find some resolution. The attitude of the other parents doesn't sound helpful at all: some parents do have a very rose-tinted view of their children.

Hi Paul and Rhian. I really appreciate the kind wishes and you all being patient with my venting over here. I am trying really hard to keep things calm and civil here in my neighborhood. Or rather, at the moment, just not talking to the parents of the mean kids or anyone who would report back to them.

Some of the rats are jumping ship, sort of. My friend Sonia, the mother of the boy who my son was defending, told me about a very awkward conversation she was in yesterday. She was with the mother of one of the bullies and her neighbor (who also has a son the age of our sons) and they were settling in for a nice cozy gossip about my son and the fight, not realizing that her son was also involved. The neighbor brought it up and was asking why my son picked a fight and the other mom basically threw her son's bully friend under the bus saying that her son is just a victim here and he is always getting in trouble because he is hanging out with this other kid. Which is hilarious because the whole neighborhood knows better than that. She brags all the time about how they just let him take care of himself. Her son is a complete pill, and obviously at 15 is capable of choosing his own friends. Sonia was so mad! She is from Paraguay, and she can really get fired up. She told me that last week those same two boys pushed her son down the stairs at school. He wasn't hurt, but she went to the principal. With 5 days of school left, it's hard to know if they will do anything or not. Good to know for sure that we are the subject of gossip in the neighborhood now. :)

I am showing signs of frustration. Can't finish any books, can't sit down to knit, craving chocolate... Hopefully we will reach a resolution soon.

Oh Jenn, that sounds awful, and your kids' problems are such a heartache for the parents! There is so much anti-bullying awareness nowadays, but like you, I find it hard to say it's making a difference. I think perhaps it makes the adults more aware (where was the bus driver?), but it's also easy for any little anything to turn into a bullying complaint. It is so easy for things to escalate so fast, and you didn't even mention social media. I know so many families who are reeling from cyber-bullying.

Good for Jonah for standing up for himself and for the other boy. Poor kiddo, though. It sounds like they've been tormenting him for years. Oh, my heart just aches for you and for him!

Hi Anne. Are there any houses for sale in your neighborhood? :)

No idea what the bus driver hears or ignores. These boys sit way at the back of the bus. My biggest complaint is the parents. They refuse to believe their kids are doing anything all that bad, and of course it's all my kids' fault. Somehow.
I didn't mention social media because Jonah is not on FB anymore. He had a few friends who were posting really inappropriate stuff, so we deleted his page. He also doesn't have a cell phone right now because of a girl who was texting him inappropriately. We need to change his number and block her, etc. Poor kid. You'd think he'd had a really bad year, but it's been pretty good overall. Great teachers, good grades. Sigh. School is out tomorrow.

So, this afternoon, my husband caught two kids squirting Taco Bell sauce all over his car. He talked to them and got their names while they swore someone put them up to it and cried please don't tell my mom... but wouldn't give up who put them up to it. He told them he wasn't going to tell their mom, just file an incident report with the police. Haha
We did a little checking (just another reason to fear facebook folks), and come to find out, they are friends with the bully kids in the neighborhood.

Our neighbor has surveillance cameras around his house because his son was dating a white girl and was targeted last year by a white supremacist group at the high school (holy cow right?). They were writing KKK and swastikas on his cars and other things I can't even type. They actually hit our car too, but we thought it was random stupidity because we didn't know what was going on with the neighbor. Anyway, we asked him to take a look and we are hoping there is some video evidence.

Regarding racist groups at the HS my kid is supposed to attend next year, here in the middle of suburban-ultra-planned-high-income land, is pretty mind boggling. My So. CA upbringing really didn't prepare me for wrapping my brain around that. I guess I had best not move to somewhere further south... What is WRONG with people?

Anne, I'm kind of not joking. We want to move closer to my husband's work anyway. We've been looking around for a year or so, just haven't been ready to sell the house we live in. We're ready now. What schools do your kids go to? PM me if you have a minute. :)

I have not finished one single book in two weeks. Good grief. However, I have painted my fence, planted 5 or 6 new plants in my yard, made a huge mess in the basement in the name of organization and stuff like that. Oh, and I keep having to talk my husband down off a wall over this bullying thing. He is really mild mannered and long suffering, to a point. We have reached the point.

Stopping by to get caught up, Jenn and I am completely stunned by what has been happening with your son, the bully kids, the parents..... good grief! I am not surprised you haven't finished a single book in the past two weeks. I have no advice or helpful words to help you through this but I sincerely hope this business end really soon so normal life can resume.

Hi Lori. :) Life goes on and we just take things one day at a time. There are occasional flashes of hope.

I managed to finish a book, finally!

#64 Heaven's Net is Wide - library

This is the prequel to the Tales of the Otori that I read earlier this year. It explains who Lord Otori is and how many of the other characters came into his life. It was a very slow read for me. Partly due to life, but also just that it was more explanatory than adventurous. There were parts that really started moving, but then it bogged down again. And it was really long.

Later today, I think I will do a summary of the May reading, and wrap up this thread.

Jenn, I am praying that all goes well at school today (it is the last day, right?) and that things will cool off and maybe the boys will mature over the summer. If, however, the parents are not mature, I'm not holding a lot of hope for that last. I'm very sorry all around. Peace to you all!
I'm very glad that you're finally reading a little. It makes such a difference.

May Reading Summary

Fiction
Wonder - library, 13/13
Love in Bloom - library
The Snow Globe - library
Small Change - library
Bikini Season - library
The Shoemaker's Wife - mine, OTS
The Roots of the Olive Tree - library
Heaven's Net is Wide - library
The Unwanteds - mine

Wonder is my favorite read of the month.

Reading Summary for the year so far:

January Reading Summary

Fiction
Wildwood - mine, YA, 13/13
To Kill A Mockingbird - mine
Reckless - library, YA, 13/13
When You Reach Me - library, YA, 13/13
The Time of the Wolf - library 13/13
A Possible Life - mine, ER
Dead End in Norvelt - library, YA, 13/13
Cloud Atlas - mine, 13/13
The Secret of the Nightingale Palace - mine, ER
The Dark is Rising - mine, YA 13/13
Fairy Wings - mine

Non-Fiction
Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes - library, NF, 13/13
The Fat Resistance Diet - library, 13/13
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? - mine, YA, 13/13
My Reading Life - library,13/13

February Reading Summary

Fiction
Anna Karenina
Take A Chance On Me
Nadia Knows Best
Rumor Has It
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Little House on the Prairie

Non-Fiction
Pinterest Savvy: How I Got 1 Million+ Followers
Slow Democracy
the Water is Wide
The 5 Love Languages of Children

March Reading Summary

Fiction
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - library
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - mine
Liar & Spy - library
Leviathan - mine
Behemoth - mine
Deadly Stakes - library
The Light Between Oceans - library
The Name of This Book is Secret - mine
The Grey King - mine

Non-Fiction
The Emperor of All Maladies - mine

April Reading Summary

Fiction
The Night Circus
The Inn at Rose Harbor
The Beach at Galle Road - ER
Clockwork Angel - OTS
Regeneration - library, 13/13
A Summer in Sonoma - library
Someone Knows My Name - mine, book club
A Week in Winter - OTS
The Secret of Platform 13 - OTS
Great Aunt Sophia's Lessons for Bombshells - library - kind of a dud
Candide - OTS. 13/13
Across the Nightingale Floor - OTS
The Third Son - ER
The Fever Tree - ER

Non-Fiction
Dumbing Us Down - library
Make Money Editing from Home - mine
Born to Run - OTS, 13/13
Indian Creek Chronicles - OTS, 13/13
Weapons of Mass Instruction - library
Bringing Up Bebe - library, audio, 13/13

Jenn, delighted you've finished a book AND that it is the last day of school. What a time you've had; must agree with Peggy that it is difficult for boys to mature when parents have yet to do so. Superb reading summary! Thanks for posting : ).

Hi Peggy and Lori. :) Thanks for stopping by.

I'm throwing in one more for May. Maybe I need to read more middle-grade books. About what my brain can handle right now lol.

#65 The Unwanteds - mine

I previewed this for my 9 year old daughter. She is really progressing rapidly with her reading and starting to choose more books on her own. So much fun!

In Quill, there are three groups of people. The Wanted, the Necessary and the Unwanted. The Wanted are the leaders, the Necessary do menial work like garbage pick-up and burying of the dead. The Unwanted are gathered up once a year and eliminated. Or are they? An imaginative and entertaining story.

Hi Jenn, wow- I just returned to your thread -- and just wow. You hear stories on the news and it's hard to imagine how things can get to this point, I mean, all of the (presumably) involved parents here are responsible adults, right? But then something like this happens, or actually, many somethings, and you realize that the veneer of civilization is very, very thin, no matter where you live. And no, nothing is ever my kid's fault. I'm PMing you now.