The_Hibernator Makes a spider-FREE thread

At the request of a few possible arachnophobes, I have decided to make a new-improved NOW SPIDER FREE thread. (If you'd like to continue posting pictures of spiders, you may do so to your heart's content on my previous thread.) As a new theme, I suggest fuzzy bunnies. Note the possibilities:

Books Completed in March:

A Cast of Stones, by Patrick W. Carr

Books Purchased in March:

Currently Reading:

Paradise Lost (Norton Critical Edition), by John Milton
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, by Manning Marable
Something Rotten, by Alan Gratz
The Fairest Beauty, by Melanie Dickerson

March Stats

Books Purchased: 0
Books Read: 1
Books off Shelves: 0
Library Books: 0
Audiobooks: 0
ebooks: 1

Young Adult & Children's: 1
Women Authors: 0
New Authors: 1
Non-Fiction: 0
Pearl Ruled: 0

Year-to-date Stats

Books Purchased: 11
Books Read: 24
Books off Shelves: 5
Library Books: 11
Audiobooks: 8
ebooks: 5

Young Adult & Children's: 17
Women Authors: 11
New Authors: 13
Non-Fiction: 2
Pearl Ruled: 1

2013 Book 9: Midnight Riot

Written by Ben Aaronovitch, Narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Reason for Reading: Real-life Book Club

Review
Peter Grant is a bumbling, easily distracted constable on the fast-track for a paper-pushing job. His luck unexpectedly turns when a ghost approaches him at a murder scene. Apparently Grant does have a talent - he can see dead people. Suddenly, he is adopted as the sole apprentice of Detective Chief Inspector Nightengale, who heads the supernatural division of the police. Grant is up to his ears in weirdness as he tries to solve the murder while learning the ropes in the unexpectedly supernatural world. I mostly enjoyed Midnight Riot for its interesting world-building and a lot of dry humor. The character of Grant was likable enough - even if he was bumbling - and I suspect I'd grow attached to him after a few books in the series. The plot tended to stray a bit more than I prefer, though. Nothing too bad, mind you, but there were a few moments where I wondered if we were still trying to catch the murderer or just enjoy the scenery. I prefer a little more focus. But these passages were never very long, and the book was, for the most part, quite enjoyable. I'm sure I'll pick up the next in the series some day.

As for the narration by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith...I think his cadence, tone, and delivery was done perfectly for our character. He was so dead-pan with the dry humor that I sometimes only caught the humor by delayed reaction. Which made it funnier. On the other hand, he was a rather loud (and wet) breather. I figured at first that this was put on for the character effect - but then I realized that such breathing would be difficult to fake unless he narrator was really congested. So...the loud breathing wasn't enough to put me off, but it might be enough to put SOME people off.

I haven't tried any of Aaronovitch's yet, but this sounds pretty interesting so I'm listing it. I'd take the book over the "wet breather" though, lol.

Rachel congratulations on your new thread and on knocking another decent looking read off.

#3 Fluffy bunnies are much better. I enjoyed Midnight Riot a lot - gave it four stars and a half stars when I read it last year, but I do think it wouldn't work so well if you weren't reasonably familiar with London. Incidentally, the British version is called Rivers of London - I'm a bit at a loss to think why the publishers opted for a different title - I would have thought that either would work just as well in both countries. Personally I prefer Rivers of London purely because that theme runs throughout the book, whereas Midnight Riot just refers to one incident.

The fuzzy bunnies are pretty darn cute, I have to admit.

Love the bunnies instead of creepy crawlies!!

Love the name of your new thread even more!! :)

Oh, now this is MUCH better. Cute little bunnies. What a relief.

I liked Midnight Riot rather more than you did, Rachel, but I completely agree with Rhian that the US publisher should have kept the original name. Much more suitable to the actual book.

I saw rabbits on exhibit at the fair this summer and was surprised at how many breeds there were.

Woah, new and cute thread with lovely, cuddely bunnies. Here is mine :)



Best friends for life :)

>4 mstrust: Jennifer That's probably a wise choice. :)

>5 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul!

>6 norabelle414: Bunny!!!!

>7 SandDune: Rhian Yeah, I don't know why they changed the name. I agree that Rivers of London is more appropriate.

>8 Ape: Stephen Yes, it's a good theme. :)

>9 TinaV95: Tina Glad you approve! ;)

>10 rosalita: Julia Well, I didn't dislike the book...I may have appreciated it better if I'd read it instead of listening to it, though. :)

>11 markon: Ardene Yes, there's quite a remarkable variety of them...

>12 drachenbraut23: Bianca A kitten AND a bunny! Cuteness overdose! :D

Almost 3 years ago I found this Windows 7 background "theme" that was special for Easter, and it just rotates through 8 different pictures of bunnies. I downloaded it immediately and I've used it every day since. It cheers me up.

YAY new thread and adorableness that doesn't make my skin crawl. Many thanks.

>14 norabelle414: Nora That's a nice theme. I don't seem to have that theme on my computer, but I use a cartoon theme which amuses me even if it weirds coworkers/friends out. ;)

>15 leahbird: Leah Welcome!

Ah! Cuteness overload! I should go to bed before I get to 200 posts of bunnies in 1 hour.

If bunnies are cute, bunnies and hedgehogs are even cuter. Bianca will agree with me!

I actually dreamed last night that we got a pet rabbit. I think is must be bunny overload on this thread! All very cute though, especially the ones with kittens.

Rachel, here is my review of Oryx and Crake if you're interested. Bianca got me on the stick.

ETA: and here's my review of The Year of the Flood.

I'm now back Through the Alimentary Canal with Gun and Camera. Today I'll be going up the River Bile to see the Pyramids of Malpighi and Ferrein. I hope to also take in the Islets of Langerhans.

2013 Book 10: Preludes and Nocturnes, by Neil Gaiman

Reason for Reading: Group read on LibraryThing

Review
In this classic graphic novel, Dream (The Sandman) is captured by a sinister magician and remains trapped for decades. While he is gone, his kingdom falls apart and dreams on Earth are disrupted. I'm not very experienced with graphic novels, having only read Satrapi's Persepolis before this, so reading Preludes and Nocturnes took some getting used to. But I'm glad I decided to climb out of my comfort-zone for a while - I was REALLY enjoying the book by the time it ended. Neil Gaiman's mind never ceases to amaze me. He's so darkly creative. There are a few issues I had with this book, though. I thought the tie-in to DC superheroes was a bit cheesy - though I recognize that this cheese was do to the development of the graphic novel as a genre. I hear these elements disappear later in the series to leave only the good stuff. Also, I found one incident at the end of the book darkly depressing. It made me very sad to see the dark insides of humanity (as Gaiman and his illustrators see them)...but I guess my emotional reaction is exactly what Gaiman was going for. So, points to him. Overall, this was a promising beginning, and now that I am more used to the graphic novel style, I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of the series much more - after all, it's only supposed to get better from here!

>18 norabelle414: Nora Oooo! Thanks!

>19 lauralkeet: Laura Bunnies and Hedgehogs! It gets better and better!

>20 SandDune: Rhian Well, I guess bunny dreams are better than spider dreams. :)

>21 patito-de-hule: Dad Yay reviews!

>22 patito-de-hule: Dad Yay Through the Alimentary Canal with Gun and Camera

Hi Rachel, glad to see that you enjoyed the first volume of the Sandman series. I read them when they initially came out and re-read this first volume last year. I got already a couple of the other volumes on my TBR.

BTW: I finished Warm Bodies a couple of days ago. That was a nice fluffy fun read, quite entertaining at times :)

Hi Bianca! Good that you liked Warm Bodies I'll have to read it soon. And then watch the movie. :)

Kitties.... and bunnies.... and even a little bitty hedgehog!!!! cuddly snuggly awe overload!!!!!

.... Hi Rachel, love the new thread and the great Gaiman review. Like you, I started out with some misgivings about Sandman but after the halfway mark, I was hooked enough to keep reading. ;-)

I've just added Warm Bodies to my wish list after seeing both of you enjoyed it!

Hi Lori! I fully expect to enjoy the rest of the Sandman series, as I said, Gaiman never ceases to amaze me. :)

Tina: Actually, I haven't read Warm Bodies yet. Bianca and I were discussing it earlier, but I haven't had time to sit down with it yet. Probably not until after March, at least...I've got a queue. :)

Rachel the bunnies and the kitties and, well, the hedgehogs too all go to demonstrate that creatures of different backgrounds can come together happily - a bit like what we all do. Keep expecting the cat to take a chunk out of the rabbit though I must admit.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Paul! Yes, Mother Nature is amazing. :)

I've heard that if you bond a young dog or cat with a rabbit or guinea pig (or similarly sized rodent) they will always treat them like family. But that doesn't extend to OTHER rabbits or guinea pigs. :)

I like the spider-free thread. Much more cozy! ;)

FWIW, here's my review of Through the Alimentary Canal with Gun and Camera. Three stars.

Nux vomica is strychnine.

Moving on, I am now on page 19 of Francis Fukuyama's The Origins of Political Order, vol. 1. This promises to be an exciting and suspenseful book. At least through Chapter 1.

Rachel, I just wanted to let you know that I will soon be starting The Handmaid's Tale, which means that you will indeed be the only person on the planet who hasn't read anything by Atwood.

Oaw, The Handmaid's Tale is on my TBR as well Stephen.

Hi Rachel, love your review of Preludes and Nocturnes, will have to add to the list.

I haven't read Atwood yet either so you'd be the only other person on the planet.....etc, sorry Stephen :)

Patitio, your book reminds me of the book and movie Fantastic Voyage which I was incredibly in love with in the late 60's when I was in junior high. Arrrghhh--the terror of the WBC's and antibodies trying to crush the little sub! I looked it up to find out it was by Isaac Asimov--which I didn't realize. I would have sworn I had never read anything by Asimov and hadn't thought about that book for years.

Thanks. I never made the connection between Fantastic Voyage and Through the Alimentary Canal with Gun and Camera before.

I'm now looking at Peter Høeg's The Elephant Keepers' Children. I need something light between chapters of Fukuyama's The Origins of Political Order. The latter is interesting to me, but heavy. In Chapter 2, Fukuyama makes distinctions between the thought of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau that I was already aware of, but at a level I had not thought about previously. Peter Høeg's book looks like the kind of light reading I like. :)

Well, I'm glad I decided to visit when it became the cute bunny thread instead of the creepy spider thread.

I ordered a copy of Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex among Apes by Frans de Waal. Sounds like a great book. Francis Fukuyama discusses it in Chapter 2 of The Origins of Political Order. Really looking forward to some good reads on politics.

>32 tymfos: Hi Terri Glad you like the bunnies :) (or at least the lack of spiders)

>33 patito-de-hule: Dad Yay review! :)

>34 patito-de-hule: Dad I'm sure it's very suspenseful

>35 Ape: Stephen I'll have to read something by her QUICK!

>36 drachenbraut23: Bianca I think we set up a group read for it in December, right?

>37 fairywings: Hi Adrienne! Welcome to the thread! I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't read a book by Atwood. :)

>38 streamsong: Janet That's an interesting comparison. I'll have to look it up.

>39 patito-de-hule: Dad I'm interested what you think of The Elephant Keeper's Children. It looks really good, but it doesn't have a good LT rating. Though I'm not sure I trust a rating when there are so few reviewers.

>40 Tanglewood: Hi Michelle! Welcome to the Bunny-thread. :) That's an adorable bunny!

>41 patito-de-hule: Dad Hmmm, chimpanzee politics. :)

Saturday evening Johnny mentioned that he would have no school today because it is Martin Luther King day. I took the occasion to pull out Taylor Branch's monumental 3-vol. biography of MLK in the civil rights days (1954-1968) and discuss it with him. Of course at 8 he's too young to really understand or to read the book.

Today I took out the first of the three volumes, Parting the Waters. I flipped it open and began to read and thinking about how much things have changed. I can well remember the "Whites Only" signs on restrooms and drinking fountains in Arkansas as late as the late 1960's. I lived in California until that time and had never quite fully realized it was in the South. I went to integrated schools, but there were few Blacks in them. I had no strong feelings about it at the time--not until I moved in 1967.

Since I am now reading Fukuyama's The Origins of the Political Order I was also thinking about his comments on the stickiness of cultural institutions. How right he is about that!

I read on page 213 of Parting the Waters that President Eisenhower was in Newport, RI. "On his way out of a church service in which he heard a church sermon on the need for new civil rights laws, Ike shook hands with the navy chaplain and said, 'You can't legislate morality.'" I remembered that I used to, and still do, say the same thing. MLK's reaction was that Eisenhower was correct that racial brotherhood was ultimately an issue of morality and conscience, but you the purpose of law was to establish justice in the lesser realm of ordinary life. King said "A law may not make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me."

How things have changed since the time of MLK. How things changed because of him.

*off my soap box*

Good morning, Rachel! I've enjoyed both of the Aaronovitch books I've read so far. Here's my contribution to the thread.

I just heard on the radio that this is the coldest day here in four years. It's -5 F (-22 C) according to the computer screen.

Several years ago Rachel and I went to a Cross-country ski marathon. When we got back to the chalet, it had fallen to -40. At that temperature, it doesn't make any difference whether you say C or F. In the morning when we got up, it was -54 F.

Mmmmm, how nice to hide in my cozy warm bedroom once I realized it's -11 (-30F) windchill out there this morning.

>43 patito-de-hule: It is difficult for someone of my generation/culture to fully appreciate how much MLK changed things...But at least I can imagine -and I am thankful to MLK.

>44 ronincats: hi Roni Thanks for the bunnies and kitty! :)

>45 patito-de-hule: Dad was that the time our car froze and you flooded the fuel line while trying to get it started? I remember it being VERY cold that day.

28. Duh... sorry. Been skimming lots to try to catch up with all my starred threads and apparently I read wrong.

Keep warm... I cannot imagine how -11 must feel!

MaddAddam is scheduled to be out Sept. 3. I have just pre-ordered my copy. Meanwhile, I suppose I'll stick to Chimpanzee Politics

I cannot contribute to the bunny population, since I am allergic :(

I've made a thread for The Ghost Map group read taking place in February and March. Anyone is welcome to join!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/148855

>47 TinaV95: Tina I do that too! Skimming is necessary around here, I'm afraid.

>48 patito-de-hule: Dad Yay! Just in time for me to read the trilogy as one. ;)

>49 alcottacre: Stasia Awww. What a sad allergy. And one that probably doesn't come up too often.

>52 norabelle414: OMG! CUTE OVERLOAD! *swoons*

YAY CHOLERA!

>52 norabelle414: Nora Wow, that's precious

>53 Morphidae: Morphy Agreed :)

>54 Ape: Stephen Agreed :)

54> Stephen,
Have you read Love in the Time of Cholera El amor en los tiempos del cólera? It may well be his best book.

Not yet, but I've had it on my wishlist for years. Romance and Cholera, what more can a guy ask for?

You should try Memoirs of My Melancholy Whores...

Melancholy whores? I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled!

>56 patito-de-hule: BLASPHEMY! One Hundred Years of Solitude is infinitely superior to Love in the Time of Cholera.

I'm not sure which one Stephen would like best. Memories of my Melancholy Whores has only 514 affairs in it, compared to Love in the Time of Cholera's 622. But, Memories manages to pack all of those affairs into just 115 pages. So more affairs per page.

Ugh. How about this. Remove all the affairs and combine the remaining material into 1 book called Memoirs of Melancholy in the Time of Cholera. Now THAT sounds like a book for me.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez without affairs?! Not sure how that would turn out.

The only one I've read is One Hundred Years of Solitude, but I will certainly read Love in the Time of Cholera someday.

>61 Ape: Marquez without affairs would be about 4 pages long.

2013 Book 11: The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald

Reason for Reading: Group read

Review
This classic fairy-tale-style story is set in a land where the Goblins and Humans have had a "cold war" for many, many years. Long ago, the Goblins threatened that some day they will steal a princess...and their day finally comes when Princess Irene's nurse accidentally keeps the Princess out after sunset. Luckily, they are rescued by a miner's boy, Curdie - but now the Goblins know where the Princess lives and what she looks like. When the Goblins hatch a devious plot, Curdie and Irene become fast-friends as they act in turn as heroes. First and foremost, this is a fairy-tale. But it is also an allegory about faith. Princess Irene has a great-great-grandmother - a mysterious and heavenly woman that only she can see. Irene's very-great grandmother gives the Princess a magical string and tells her to follow the string whenever she's afraid - never doubting it or deviating from it, regardless of where it may take her. Irene must learn to have faith even when she thinks that the string has led her astray. And Curdie must learn to have faith in a very-great grandmother that he has never seen. This is a sweet story, nice for reading aloud to young children.

I've been meaning to read that for a while, so I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Yeah, Princess and a Goblin is a book that I've always meant to read, and never got around to. I'm glad I did. I should read more of MacDonald.

Here's a "real" bunny for your thread: Connor the 9-year-old Holland lop house rabbit.

HI Rachel, just stopping by to wish you and your family a lovely Sunday.
I am still not feeling great, but better :).

I was wondering whether you will set up a thread for the February "Social Injustice Theme" on LT as well, or if this is going to be just on your blog?

I got myself for my kindle another edition of Paradise Lost. It's a book where each paragraph is written in the original English and next to it in modern plain English to simplify the text. Once, I am better I will give it another go and will follow the recommendations your dad made last year. :)

I preferred the spiders.

>67 alsvidur: Thanks Emilie He's adorable. :)

>68 drachenbraut23: Hi Bianca I hope you feel completely recovered soon! :) I was planning on starting an LT thread for the social justice theme. I'll do that very soon and then let everyone know. It sounds like a good idea to get a "modern English" translation of Milton. He's difficult to understand, isn't he?

>69 qebo: Q we can't please everyone, can we? ;)

>67 alsvidur: Look at those adorable furry feet!

I made a thread for a February Social Justice Theme Read.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/148985

If you will be reading any books about social justice or injustice next month, please hop over to my thread and let us know your thoughts! :) Any book is welcome, but I suggested two fiction group reads: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee and Noughts and Crosses, by Marloire Blackman. I figured that would hit both the literature/classics crowd and the YA/dystopia crowd. :)

> 67 - Awe, look at those adorable and BIG back feet! OMG, I want one.... he is just too cute for words, curled up like that! I just want to cuddle him.

Hi Rachel!

#51: My bunny allergy came up when I was a teenager and my sister decided she needed rabbits. She has 8 or so. I could not go anywhere near her room without being miserable. Too bad because they really are cute!

>73 lkernagh: Lori I agree. The feet are adorable. :)

>74 alcottacre: Stasia Well, I guess that makes sense. But I suppose they're USUALLY easy to avoid. :)

2013 Book 12: The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle

Reason for Reading: Group read on Green Dragon

Review
When a unicorn realizes that she may be the last remaining unicorn, she leaves her peaceful home on a quest to find out what happened to all her brothers and sisters. Along the way, she picks up bumbling magician seeking his talent and a dour cook looking for her lost innocence. The unicorn soon discovers that the world has changed since she last ventured out. Humans have lost their youthful innocence, and they are no longer able to see things as they truly are - humans have excelled in the art of deceiving themselves.

When I originally picked up this book, I'd expected a cute young adult tale, but never expected such depth. The Last Unicorn is a multi-layered allegory: about lost innocence, self-fulfilling prophecies, and self-deception. But these cynical themes aren't the main point. The main point is that only in fully understanding humans can the ethereal unicorns save themselves. Only by sacrificing a piece of their ineffable essence can they form a closer bond to humans. And this closer bond can lead humans to do wonderful things.

Yes, it is a Christian allegory by my interpretation. But I think it's amazing the way Beagle didn't just throw in a Christ Figure and be done with it....The allegory of Beagle's unicorn isn't uniquely Christian - it defies religious boundaries. It is a story of love and innocence that mixes cynicism and hope. Quite extraordinary!

I was also a HUGE fan of the bumbling wizard Schmendrick who (in my opinion) was only fooling himself into believing he wasn't a capable wizard. He's like the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz - just the fact that he wanted so badly to be a wizard made him into one. He could laugh at all the people who deceived themselves, as he unconsciously deceived his own self. He reminded me of myself when I'm in a glum mood thinking I'm not capable of anything when, of course, I'm quite capable if I'd stop expecting so little of myself. This book was a good reminder to have faith in yourself and think about the consequences of your beliefs.

So glad you liked it! It's one of my favorites. If you are into graphic novels at all (well, even if you aren't particularly), I HIGHLY recommend the graphic adaptation.

Wow, you got so much more out of The Last Unicorn than I did. All of that went right over my head.

What an interesting review of The Last Unicorn! I left a thumb --and I see it's not the first. If you post it on the group read spoiler thread, maybe we'll get a bit of discussion before January ends.

2013 Book 13: Chi's Sweet Home Volume 1, by Kanata Konami

Reason for Reading: I'm trying to encourage my 9-year-old reluctant-reader nephew to enjoy books more. I thought he might appreciate a graphic novel, and this one is appropriate for young ages. Plus, he's been bonding with my young cat recently, so I thought he'd be able to sympathize with Chi. So far, he hasn't read it - but he says that he will.

Review
Chi is a "newborn" kitten who gets lost in the big, scary world. She is rescued by the Yamada family, who aren't allowed to have cats in their apartment. They search in vain for someone to adopt her, but eventually they fall in love with with chi and decide to keep her. Chi's thoughts, dreams, and fears are all displayed with adorable big-eyed drawings. I had this book read within an hour of its arrival on my doorstep. I was sucked right in to Chi's story because she reminds me so much of my own rescued kitten (both in appearance and attitude). Even if my nephew doesn't ever read this book, I'm SO glad I discovered it.

>77 leahbird: Thanks Leah. Perhaps I'll check it out. I'm not too experienced with graphic novels. I've only read 3, in fact, and two of them were read this month. :) But I'm beginning to get the hang of them. Even if my parents are making fun of my for my new reading habits.

>78 Morphidae: Hi Morpy! I specifically look for "deeper meaning" so I suppose I often find it when it's not really there. ;)

>79 streamsong: Good idea Janet! I've posted it over there. :)

> 80 I've read the first 6 in the Chi's Sweet Home series. They are such sweet stories and really capture the personality of kittens. Glad you enjoyed it :)

Hi there!

Saw your post on another thread, thought I'd wander over your way.

I love bunnies :)

Here's a former bunny of mine. I have another one too... I'll find a picture of her soon.

>82 Tanglewood: Yeah, I'm sure I'll continue with the series. It's pretty adorable.

>83 kcrisell: Hi kcrisell! I actually make interesting posts on other people's threads? Wow. And here I thought I was a hermit. Intriguing news. You know, for some reason my LibraryThing says you don't exist. That's intriguing too.

> 84.

I've broken the system a bit :)

I like to click on the names of people who comment on threads I already follow, especially if the username looks interesting, so you qualified!

81: For shame! No reading habit should be ridiculed, ever, no matter how despicable... :P

Books Completed in January:

The Magician's Nephew, by C. S. Lewis
Losing Christina: Fog, by Caroline B. Cooney
The Last Battle, by C. S. Lewis
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: Risk Taking, Gut Feelings, and Biology of Boom and Bust, by John Coates
Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling
Midnight Riot, by Ben Aaronovitch
Preludes and Nocturnes, by Neil Gaiman
The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald
The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
Chi's Sweet Home, Kanata Konami
Congo Dawn, by Jeanette Windle
Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder
Unnatural Issue, by Mersedies Lackey
The Lesson, by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Books Purchased in January:

Unnatural Issue, by Mersedies Lackey (Audible)
Chi's Sweet Home, Kanata Konami (For Johnny)

January Stats

Books Purchased: 2
Books Read: 18
Books off Shelves: 5
Library Books: 8
Audiobooks: 5
ebooks: 4

Young Adult & Children's: 12
Women Authors: 8
New Authors: 8
Non-Fiction: 2
Pearl Ruled: 1

My plans for February mostly focus on Social Justice, though there are SO many good group reads that I really, really want to participate in right now!!! Must concentrate. Must concentrate. Must concentrate.

>85 Esquiress: You BROKE LibraryThing?!

>86 Ape: I agree. Shame on them. DO YOU FEEL THE SHAME DAD?

> 88

Well, half of my posts were coming up with one username, half with the other... and signals were all crossed all over the place :) It was bad timing when the username change switched, b/c I was in the middle of posting to people's threads and so on.

Yup, I broke it, but I think things are ok now. I'm hoping I didn't lose any of my followers in the changeover process!

Yeah, it just takes a little bit for all the servers to catch up. I think folks have figured it out!

2013 Book 14: Congo Dawn, by Jeanette Windle

Reason for Reading: This is my first (and feature) book for the 2013 Social Justice Theme Read. An ARC was provided by the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. The author will be giving away a copy of this book to one lucky reader (shipping in US and Canada only). If you would like to enter into the giveaway, please send me a PM!

Review

When Robin Duncan takes on a security/translator contract in Democratic Republic of Congo, she doesn't expect all of her old wounds to open. Then she meets a man that she hoped to never see again, and she is reminded not only of her disappointment in humanity but also of the senseless death of her brother. Duncan must struggle inwardly with these issues while she maintains military efficiency in her team's efforts to capture a deadly insurgent leader. Soon, she learns that not all is as it seems - sometimes, good seems evil and evil seems good. Sometimes well-intentioned people can become monsters while fighting monsters.

Most Christian Suspense I've read is fairly fluffy, so I was surprised (and impressed) with the meatiness of this plot. I found the intensity of the mercenary action against the insurgency convincing. Often, I found myself unable to put the book down for suspense. The romantic tension was delicious, and added emotional depth to the characters without distracting from the suspense plot. And, of course, I always find stories about social justice medical personnel heartwarming. I also learned a lot about the Democratic Republic of Congo while reading this book. Windle has done a lot of research to back up all aspects of her plot - and it really shines through.

The only con would be a con ONLY to people who specifically avoid Christian Fiction. At one point, the suspense is, well, suspended by a philosophical discussion about why God allows bad things to happen to good people. This discussion would be interesting to any reader of Christian Fiction (i.e. the target audience), and the philosophy is demonstrated in the story by action. For those of you who generally avoid Christian Fiction because you feel it is "preachy," I recommend that you give this book a try anyway. Yes, there is that short section, but the rest of the book is all philosophy-demonstrated-by-action.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am eager to read more of Windle's works now that I've had this taste.

>88 The_Hibernator: Certainly NOT. I read comic books when I was a kid too. Chi's Sweet Home will be nice for Johnny.

I don't know if you are interested in reading any non-fiction about social justice, but if so I recommend The Bone Woman: A Forensic Anthropologist's Search for Truth in the Mass Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo. It's hard to read at many points because of all the horrible things Koff uncovered in her work, but it's a good look at what is being done to bring about justice.

>93 leahbird: That's a good idea Leah. I once had that book on my gigantor-list of interesting books to think about, but it fell off my radar since then. I'll check it out. :)

Well, today my dad slipped on the ice and broke his hip. :( I've been in the ER all evening. His surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, and I don't foresee any difficulties, but he probably won't be around much for a while.

Oh no! I hope he gets better soon.

Oh my... I hope everything ends up going well. How stressful!

Aaaaaccccckkkkk!!! Tell him LT can't do without him.....you must acquire an ipad for him!

(Hugs for you all. And a prayer)

Is it a bad break?

Thanks Nora, Esquiress, and Janet. The break is in the femoral neck and it looks like it's a complete fracture. They'll screw him back together again tomorrow, though.

As for the ipad, I could try confiscating my sister's. ;) It's mostly used by my nephew to play games. But he loves his grandpa, so he won't mind too very much.

Oh dear! I'm sorry to hear that.

I thought duckies had a low center of gravity. :P

I hope his surgery goes well today!

*Hugs*

Oh dear, the poor man! I hope he knows how many of us are thinking of him!

Oh no! I'm so sorry. Please give him our best and tell him we'll be thinking about him.

Oh dear, give your dear dad my best wishes. I do so enjoy his posts here, Rachel. I hope he has plenty of good books lined up for his recovery.

I love the idea of a social justice month. I'll have to wait until I get back home to see which of my unread books qualify. Thanks for organizing it, Rachel.

I hope your father's surgery goes well and his bones heal quickly. It's hard to see your parents in pain. Those ordeals in the ER can seem endless.

Others have recommended Jeannette Windle's books to me but I haven't managed to try one yet. She sounds like an author I would like. I'll have to see what I can do to bump her up on the TBR list.

I hope your dad heals quickly and completely, Rachel. I enjoy reading his comments and book reviews around LT, and look forward to seeing him return as soon as he is up to it.

I hope your dad's surgery goes well and that he's comfortable. Sending you both good vibes.

My dad shattered his pelvis years ago so I know how insane and scary this stuff can be. Not to mention stressful. Remember to take care of yourself while you take care of him!

Praying your dad will heal quickly.

Thanks everyone! Dad's surgery went fine yesterday. They gave him a hip replacement and he should be hobbling around today. :)

That's good to hear, glad everything went well :)

Glad to hear the surgery went well! Hope the hip heals quickly.

Glad to hear all is well!

Love that little duck! Best wishes for your dad's recovery, Rachel.

Glad he's doing well!

Good to hear your dad's on the mend, Rachel.

95: Oh no!
108: I hope he hobbles back onto LT soon!

>112 streamsong:: I collect rubber ducks... I think I need that one! :)

Sorry to hear about your dad's broken hip, but glad that the surgery went well!

FWUMP! Stainless steel hip.

A bionic duck! Welcome back.

Now to get your revenge! I say you go outside with a hair dryer and show that ice who is boss!

>119 patito-de-hule: Hooray! Welcome back!

#119 by @patito-de-hule> Welcome back! It's good to see you around again.

:) Thanks everyone for your well-wishes for dad! I'm glad he's back, too. Perhaps I'll have more free-time to catch up on LT now. :)

ETA: I haven't made progress in a book since Friday afternoon! *gasp!*

Glad your dad's surgery went well!!

#119 -- congratulations on your new hip!! Be a good patient and read as much as you can! :)

Hi Rachel - I'm caught up! I'm glad to hear your dad's surgery went well. And on a less important note, I'm glad you switched from spiders to rabbits.

I'll have to check out the social justice theme thread, as at least two of my selections this month will fit.

Getting caught up here Rachel and very happy to learn that your dad is back and on the mend from his fall.

Perhaps I'll have more free-time to catch up on LT now.

She says before disappearing for 3 days...

>128 Ape: :p He's in the hospital again, actually. I've been preoccupied.

>Everyone else, thanks for stopping by. I'll be back soon! :)

Awwww, what happened?

Oh, he had chest pains so we called the ambulance again. He didn't have a heart attack, but they held him over the weekend to run some more tests on Monday.

I'm glad it was a false alarm. Something caused by the medication perhaps?

Hmmm. Medication perhaps. Stress as well. My mom and my sister can be...ummm...dramatic people at times - more so during difficult times. They're well meaning, but perhaps not the best people to take care of someone after a surgery.

He might also have some minor complications. We'll see on Monday, I suppose.

Ah, I hope it's a minor issue. *Hugs*

Sending good wishes out to you and your dad, Rachel. Here's hoping it all works out quickly and you can bring him back home with a minimum of drama.

Sending my best wishes as well.

I'm sorry to hear about your father's setback, Rachel; I hope it's only a temporary one. Please keep us posted.

Hi Rachel, please give you dad very good wishes from me as well and I hope he will better soon. Having "seen" how your dad is, I would guess that his stubborness and determination will get him quite quick onto the road of recovery :) Please, give him lots of hugs, tell him that we miss his witt - maybe your sister could borrow him her i-pad? - tell him to behave well and listen to the nurses and doctors and then everything should work out. Rachel, please keep us posted and updated.

However, I still wish you a comfortable remaining Sunday :)

Thanks for the well-wishes everyone! I'll keep you updated. :)

Wishing you all the best, puddin' pop. *sending sparkleness*

Just checking in to see how you guys are doing. I hope things are still improving.

Rachel have you read already the chaos walking trilogy by Patrick Ness? If not, I think that would be something you might enjoy :)

How's the patient?? Sorry to hear he had to go back to the hospital! Hope you are hanging in too Rachel!

Hey everyone! Thanks for your concern. He had two stents put in on Monday and he was released again today. All seems well. :) He's walking around much better than he was last week. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to action on LibraryThing soon!

I'm glad to hear he is okay, and I really hope things start calming down for everyone in your household soon.

Thanks for taking the time to share your dad's good news with us, Rachel. I'm sure you will be glad when things are a bit more back to normal.

Well, last Tuesday I came home with a stainless steel hip. This Tuesday it's home with a stent in a coronary artery. At this rate I really will be bionic duck pretty soon. Hmmm. Patito biónico? My grandson Johnny has been close to me all evening--well mostly on my computer. When I put him to bed this evening, I couldn't go through the entire routine with him. But I could see how happy he was to see things falling into routine again.

Hey Bob, it's good to see you posting again! Routine was always comforting to me as a child, so I'm sure Johnny is glad to have his grandpa back.

Hi patito second Stephen thoughts on the routine. *smile*. Glad to see that you are well enough to get posting again.

Sorry, had to chuckle about your thoughts of the bionic duck *grin* and found this

Patito, great to see you are home and recovering nicely. We've missed you around these parts.

Glad you have the new and improved Dad back home again, Rachel. Hope he's done with improvements and can concentrate on that routine.

Happy People-in-Love-Are-Annoying Day. I went a bit crazy with the great nerdy valentines this year and just made a whole pinboard for them. Check it out here, pick your favorite, and know it came straight from my shriveled heart!

Valentine's day! What a delightful day to be at home!

Rachel took me to the doctor for a post-op evaluation then we had a Chinese dinner (Mongolian chicken for me!) across from the Dr's office. Looking at the papers I got from the doctor, I notice it displays a new diagnosis:
"SOB 193907" Ja! I guess they've got me pegged.

Chinese with Rachel...you definitely had a better Valentine's than I did! Wow, 193907, that sounds like a popular diagnosis with that doctor.

Here you go, just for your dad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh85R-S-dh8

Thanks Stephen, Julia, Nora, Bianca, Donna, Leah, and Morphy! :)

I think my mind is somewhat coming back into normal-function mode, so I'm back! :) Hopefully I'll be around to all your threads again soon.

>146 norabelle414: Bunny!!!!!

>149 drachenbraut23: Bionic Duck!!!!

>152 leahbird: Happy Singles-awareness day to you too Leah! :)

>155 Morphidae: Gasp! Nude Ernie!!!! ;)

Yay to dad / Patito getting to come home and getting back to regular life! Time to take care of yourself, sir! ;)

Hi Rachel, glad to hear that your dad is getting better - did you hear that patito? - However, what about you?

I managed to finish Brief History of Slavery by Jeremy Black for the Social Injustice month which I quite enjoyed. Shall I post my review on your blog?

Hi Bianca! I'm glad you liked Brief History of Slavery! :) I'll run over to your thread to see your review. If you'd like to post a link to the review you can do so in the comments here:

http://rachelreadingnthinking.blogspot.com/2013/01/social-justice-theme-read-201...

Alternatively, I'd be happy to copy-paste it in to my blog as a guest post, if you'd like to do it that way. :) My poor blog is having a very bad month. :( I haven't finished ONE book this month yet!

Hi Rachel,
nice to see you posting. Well, no surprise there, that you didn't finish one single book this month. I can imagine with your dad needing surgery and not feeling that great, that you probably have been quite busy.

Well, I haven't written that much, but if you wouldn't mind to copy and paste me as a guest visitor - I wouldn't mind.

I have read quite a lot of YA and fantasy this month. After being ill for such a long time, my brain cells still need some time to recover. Just finished the Benny Imura books by Jonathan Maberry, which IMO are fab. I didn't realize that the character of Joe Ledger is introduced in these books. I know that you read the Joe Ledger series last year and quite enjoyed them. However, I can't remember whether they are YA as well. Out of all the zombie novels I have read so far (not that many) they are the only ones which actually have a story you can follow and who actually follow a theme.

>160 drachenbraut23: Great! I'll post it on my blog. That will boost my poor post count this month. ;)

I really enjoyed the Benny Imura books, too, and am eager for the next (last?!) one. The Joe Ledger books are definitely NOT YA. They are much more violent and angry than the Benny Imura books. Plus, the Imura books are psychologically deeper. The Joe Ledger books (at least after the first book, which I rather liked) are mainly military/sci-fi pulp fiction. If you are interested, I'd say read only the first one, Patient Zero and skip the rest. But don't expect the same type of book as the Benny Imura ones....

I'm trying to kill my reading slump with Warm Bodies right now. :)

Hooooray zombies! I'm going to go see the movie Warm Bodies this week, I think. I'm looking forward to sitting in a dark room and staring at Nicholas Hoult's pretty, pretty face for 90 minutes.

>162 norabelle414: :) I loved the movie. And Nicholas Hoult made a very pretty zombie. :)

Ok, time to catch up on reviews for books that I finished in January. :p



2013 Book 15: The Lesson, by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Reason for Reading: This is the third book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series. An ARC was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review
Mary Kate (M.K.) has finally reached adulthood and she wants to spread her wings and explore the world. Although she dearly loves her family and friends, she's not sure the Amish life is for her. However, her big plans grind to a halt when she accidentally crashes into the community's school teacher, and she has to teach the kids until the regular teacher has recovered. But she is much more interested in playing detective than teaching. She wants to solve a murder and find out more about the mysterious strangers that moved into town. In this third and final book of the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, M.K. matures, but she is also the same fun-loving M. K. She learns to stay true to her nature while learning (once and for all?) that she should keep her nose out of other people's business. But will she stay in Stoney Ridge, or leave the community to explore the world?

I'm really glad The Lesson gave me the opportunity to tie up all the loose ends on the Lapp family. The book is a quick read, with a light and humorous writing style. M.K. is probably the most complex character in the series, and this exploration of her strengths, weaknesses, and quirks makes for a satisfying conclusion to the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

Well, today I went to the cardiologist and everything is looking pretty good. Tomorrow I go to the orthopedic surgeon and get all the staples taken out of the surgical incision. (At least I hope so!) Rachel has been great about taking me to the doctors and helping me out. I feel a little guilty about interfering with her reading. So far this month, almost all of my reading has been Francis Fukuyama's Origins of Political Order. I rather doubt that anyone here is interested in that, but I've found it an interesting discussion of political philosophy. I'll try to get a little more computer time pretty soon here, but I'm still a little sore to sit in a chair in front of it for long.

I'm sure Rachel is perfectly okay with sacrificing a bit of reading time to help you during a time like this. Obviously books are the single most important thing known to exist, but occasionally family does come first...for a short while.

Though I would be lying if I said I wasn't surprised she hasn't locked you in your room and retreated to her cave to read, with ear plugs in to muffle the sounds of her plaintive father. She must like you a lot!

> 166 What Stephen said LOL!

However, it is great to hear that you start to feel better patito *long distant hug* and yes you are right Origins of Political Order isn't necessary my cup of tea, also I am quite interested in history, but I am glad that you are enjoying it.

>166 Ape: Perfectly ok? Hmmm. :p I guess I gotta do what I gotta do. *sigh*

>167 drachenbraut23: All of dad's nurses in the hospital were pretty interested in Origins of Political Order :)

#165 by @patito-de-hule> Good news from the doctors! It's been quite a start to 2013 for you and Rachel. Hopefully it's all smooth sailing from here to December!

Okay fine, maybe Rachel isn't OKAY with it, but does she really have a choice?

I'm sure Bob is perfectly understanding of Rachel's reading addiction. Obviously her did is the single most important thing known to exist, but occasionally books do come first...for a short while.

:P

You got it! Books first, then people. As a matter of fact, the only time people are interesting is when they talk about books.

Rachel, you didn't tell me your father shares my philosophy on people!

Found and starred!

I just left my review of The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven on your social injustice thread. Feel free to post that one on your blog, too, if you are still looking for more posts this month.....

Hey Rachel & Bob! Glad you are on the mend! :)

Keep taking care of yourselves! It's hard being the patient, but it's also pretty exhausting being the caregiver! So take time for you too, Rachel!

Thanks for all the happy wishes everyone! I'm starting to read again and have been slowly making my rounds through the LT threads, so if I haven't visited you recently, hopefully I'll get to it very soon! :)

I also decided to start training for triathlons again. And maybe I'll make an attempt at the Twin Cities (half) Marathon. We'll see what I can work my way up to. At least I can listen to audiobooks while I'm running or biking. :)

Dad's doing well. He's just gone of his home-bound care and is even driving himself places. :) This is the first week this month where I feel like my time is mostly my own.

Maybe when I one day do a Sprint triathlon, you can be my coach!

Haha, well I could try. I wouldn't put myself up as a professional athlete though. ;) I'm just doing this for fun. But if you mean "give suggestions and encouragement" by coach, I can do that. :)

Well, yeah. My cheerleader!

2013 Book 16: Noughts and Crosses

Written by by Malorie Blackman, Narrated by Syan Blake and Paul Chequer

Reason for Reading: Group read for my Social Justice February theme (which didn't go so well this year due to a month of hospital runs....but things are looking more perky now!)

Review
Callum McGregor and Sephy Hadley have been best friends for as long as they remember. But recently their feelings for each other have begun to develop into something...stronger. Unfortunately, Sephy is a member of the dark-skinned upper class of Cross, and Callum is a pale-skinned, low-class Nought. The teens' romantic problems intensify when Callum's family gets caught up in a terrorist liberation organization that Sephy's father (a politician) has sworn to stamp out. Sephy and Callum must learn to love each other in a tumultuous world of hatred. Does this scream out "star-crossed lover" to you? But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? (I got the same Romeo and Juliet vibe from Warm Bodies, which I just finished reading. I think it's fun when the cosmic net of connected concepts captures me.)

I've heard fantastic things about this book, but I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be. Maybe it's just because I wasn't in the mood to read depressing race-relations books (and they're all a bit depressing, aren't they?), but this book wasn't a slap in the face of my preconceived notions. It was just another book about racism, much like a book written about a white girl and teenaged member of the Black Panthers. The whole skin-color switcharoo seemed like an unnecessary literary device to me. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it was a bad book...I was just expecting more amazingness, that's all. It was a tragically-sweet love story about a very important issue - racism, and the ease with which we can be swept away by other people's causes. But I think the book would have been more powerful if she'd focused on the realism of the story instead of trying to build a new world that was simply too similar to our own to justify the effort of creation.

I can be your coach, Morphy! *Searches Amazon for torture devices.* ...would you say you are 'motivated' by the sharp bite of metal-studded leather...or electrocution?

*snorts* My toy box is bigger than your toy box, Stephen. Don't get me started.

Just trying to help! ;)

Hi Rachel, stopping by for a visit and happy to see that you dad is on the mend!

Just stopping by to say hi! Glad your dad is doing OK now.

Checking in to say hi and make sure all is well.

Are we going to have to post more bunny pictures to lure you back?

>181 Ape: I'm not sure searching the internet for torture devices is really what you want to be doing, Stephen

>182 Morphidae: No argument

>184 lkernagh: &185 Thanks Lori and Terri!

>186 streamsong: Hi Janet! Bunnies might help. :) I think my problem is now I've gotten out of the habit of sitting on the computer every morning and evening, and I feel so far behind that its hard to get started again. But I'm working on it! To help myself out, I'll put my February stats up. :)

Books Completed in February:

Noughts and Crosses, by Malorie Blackman
Warm Bodies, by Isaac Marion
Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn
Skellig, David Almond
Let the Circle Be Unbroken, by Mildred D. Taylor

Books Purchased in February:

Warm Bodies - paperback - trying to kill my reading slump
Stretching, by Bob Anderson - paperback - going to work on my stretch routines
The Blank Slate, by Stephen Pinker - audiobook - looked interesting on a 2 for 1 sale
Something Rotten, by Jasper Fforde - audiobook - Thursday Next Series on a 2 for 1 sale
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment, by Amir Levine - audiobook - free V-day gift
Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn - audiobook - book club
John Dies at the End, by David Wong - audiobook - book club
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl - paperback - for my nephew
How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell - paperback - for my nephew

February Stats

Books Purchased: 9
Books Read: 5
Books off Shelves: 0
Library Books: 3
Audiobooks: 3
ebooks: 0

Young Adult & Children's: 4
Women Authors: 3
New Authors: 4
Non-Fiction: 0
Pearl Ruled: 0

Year-to-date Stats

Books Purchased: 11
Books Read: 23
Books off Shelves: 5 - my goal is to read more "off shelves" than purchased. So far, I'm failing
Library Books: 11
Audiobooks: 8
ebooks: 4

Young Adult & Children's: 16
Women Authors: 11
New Authors: 12
Non-Fiction: 2
Pearl Ruled: 1

Hi Rachel!

I'm so glad your dad is doing better.

Yay for the triathlon and half-marathon training! I've made a deal with myself that if I can successfully complete a century on the bike this season, I can buy myself a new bike next year. We'll see how that goes.

You are still having a very impressive reading year, despite the slump.

read more "off shelves" than purchased. So far, I'm failing

That's never a failure! From a financial standpoint, you might call it an issue with, ummmm, prioritization...but definitely not a failure. :P

So, last night we got several inches of snow and I woke up to discover my nephew quite happily playing his Xbox on his snow day. A shame, really, because I'd spent several hours with him last night sorting his toys - we're making room for his new Xbox Kinect. Gotta get rid of toys! I was looking forward to finishing the last touches of organizing his room while he was at school, so I wouldn't have to deal with his eager "help." Often his help isn't very helpful, but if I suggest that he not help, he gets his feelings hurt. :p Oh well. That's life!

>188 DorsVenabili: Thanks Kerri! I haven't done a century on my bike since I was a teenager. I actually used to be a pretty good bicyclist (though not really the racing type). I'm not a runner or a swimmer, though. I thought the triathlon training would be good for full body workouts. I might try a century on my bike this year, too, since I just moved back to the Twin Cities where they have a really nice set of mostly connected bike trails. I'm not a fan of being killed by bike-hating drivers. My "training" is more "having fun with a goal," I'm not expecting to excel in athletics so much as be healthy and have fun. :) My goals tend to be too scattered for excellence - if I focused on one sport then I'd probably improve faster...but focusing is too much work. ;)

>189 Ape: Well, you're right. I'm trying to be hard-@$$ed about my goal, but if you think about it, three of the 11 books I bought were actually for my nephew. One was free single's-awareness-day giveaway from audible, so I really shouldn't have counted it. And one was a book on stretching, which really shouldn't count, right? So If I can think of just two more books that I can remove from the "purchased" list, then I'll have met my goal so far, right? ;)

>190 norabelle414: A basket of bunnies!!!!!! :D

Of all the people I'd like to hit with my car, bikers are always at the top of the list.

I don't mind bikes as long as they pay attention to traffic laws. For instance, if they want to "take the lane" so that they don't get run over, fine. They have a legal right to do so. But sometimes it takes a lot of effort to pass a bike that's taken the lane because I need to swerve into the other lane of traffic to do so. It ROYALLY pisses me off when I politely wait until I can safely pass a bike and then I stop at a red light and the jerk pulls to the side of the road, passes everyone who's passed them, runs the red light, and takes the lane again.

Those people deserve to be run over.

It's the worst when I get stuck behind bikers on the back roads that I live on, because there is no way to go into the other lane unless I want to risk a head-on collision with a car coming around the next corner, which I usually don't.. They could pull over into a driveway for 3 seconds while I pass them, but they don't.

I don't get angry when I get stuck behind an Amish buggy. I respect their choice of transportation, they don't have the option of pulling over, and their outfits don't annoy me. :P

Hmmm, yeah, curvy backroads are different because you can't see who's coming because of curves, and you crazy backwoods people drive like the devil's chasing you....or is that the crazy city-folk who are joy-riding in the country? Either way, it can get dangerous. I agree that bikes should try to have a little compassion on the cars and pull over sometimes.

ETA: I feel a little uncomfortable biking on those curvy backroads. In my experience, people drive like maniacs on roads like that. And then there's always the occasional biker who's beheaded by the side-view mirror of a slow-moving logging truck.

Funny thing, the general consensus among my family is that people drive ike maniacs in cities. Getting on and off highways is nerve wracking for me, and I don't understand how people can drive like that everyday.

I think it just depends on where you are comfortable driving. People who drive back roads every day and don't have to deal with traffic are more likely to drive fast on back roads, and be cautious in cities...just like city drivers are probably more likely to drive like maniacs in cities and more cautiously on back roads.

I drive the same 2 roads every time I go to Logan, which is a 10-15 minute drive. I'm incredibly familiar with it, so I don't doubt that I could navigate it at a high rate of speed if I wanted to, so you have probably experienced people driving recklessly for that reason. I still drive 5-10mph below the speed limit though because deer are a major issue, plus it saves on gas.

It's almost always locals who crash near my house (I live in the crook of an S curve in the middle of nowhere at the bottom of a mountain...). You'd think these idiots would eventually learn that if the same telephone pole has been hit 10 times in 4 years that maybe it's a good idea to slow down there. But no. They just keep hitting it. The last one caught on fire! Luckily everyone was out of the car when that happened.

I've had maybe 5-6 crashes here over the past decade for the exact opposite reason: I live on the only straight piece of road in the whole countryside (it seems), so everyone floors it as soon as they hit this spot and inevitably go careening into the creek.

Oh, a basket of bunnies... that pleases me :) My bunny has declared it's spring and is molting.

This conversation is why I don't drive. And avoid riding in cars whenever possible.

What pisses me off about bikers is they don't follow traffic rules. Yes, you have to stop at stop signs, too. Moron.

>201 Morphidae: Yeah, that's exactly what gets me, too. They expect us to be respectful of the law (i.e. their space) but they aren't respectful themselves. But when I bike, I'm careful to obey all traffic laws.

I say we all pack into Rachel's car and take turns running over bikers. Who is with me?

This looks like a bad place to try to defend bikers, so I'll skip it. But I can't let it go without saying that just as not all drivers are rude jerks who try to run over bikers on purpose, not all bikers are rude jerks who don't follow the rules of the road. And in a collision between a bicyclist and a car, who do you think will get the worst of it?

I agree Julia. Like I said, when I drive I am polite to the bikers, and when I bike I obey the traffic laws. I hate it just as much when cars are rude to me when I'm biking than I do when bikes are rude when I'm driving. And I tend to avoid biking on the streets simply because cars can be dangerously rude. My complaint is more against rude people in general - and both bikers and drivers can be rude.

I don't think anybody has a right to complain unless they, themselves, follow basic rules of etiquette and law.

I should note that I've obviously been joking, I'm very respectful of others and in no way think of bikers in a condescending way. I think it's great that they are helping conserve the environment, plus I'm jealous of the money they save on gas, and how much healthier they are. I swear I only fantasize about bludgeoning them to death with their own helmets on rare occassions. (Like every time I get stuck behind one.)

As someone who's been hit by cars (yes, with an s) while biking (and someone who's hit cars while biking), it's no fun. Which is why I stopped biking. It only had a little to do with the fact that someone stole my bike and threw it off a roof into a construction zone. Of course, that was all years ago when I lived in a city.

Stephen, I knew you were joking. :)

Leah. Wow. I've only been hit by a car once while biking. She turned left into me. But either I'm getting wiser or the drivers are getting meaner, because I don't like biking on roads anymore.

And what's with getting your bike thrown off a building? That's a little weird, too!

In the drivers' defense, I am not the best biker and I was usually trying to bike down narrow Charleston, SC, streets (which were meant for a horse and buggy, not modern life) with groceries throwing me off balance. And the worst I got hit was being rolled into or sideswiped at low speed.

I won't even go into how I ended up hitting cars because it's just embarrassing.

The whole bike off the roof thing was annoying. Someone in my building stole my bike, which was chained up but apparently not very well, carried it up 3 flights of stairs to our roof, and threw it over into the construction zone. I was 95% sure who did it but I couldn't prove it, especially since I assumed it was stolen stolen and didn't realize it was mangled in the construction zone until a week later when I had friends over and we were bbq-ing on the roof.

I've never been hit by a car, but that probably has something to do with living in a small town. :P

Although I spent an hour or 2 in Columbus to meetup with a young bookish lady recently, I crossed the street 3 times during that time and nearly got hit during 1 of them. *Ahem* Granted, the car had a red light, and though it is legal to turn right on red in Ohio they have to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. I'm pretty sure as I was about to cross the young lady behind me was waving them forward while preparing to shove me forward. She has it out for me, I swear.

Stephen: Somehow, I don't remember you almost getting hit by a car. Must have slipped my mind.

Leah: hitting cars while biking often involves alcohol?

It was when we were walking back to my car, and I was about to walk into the street while you stayed back, and the white car turning right on red was fully prepared to take me out at the knee.

Is there a blood-alcohol limit for riding bikes in public?

#211 by @The_Hibernator> Sometimes. It can also involve biking with an angry cat in one of those froofroo dog purse thingies.

>212 Ape: Hmmm, yeah..now that you mention it. Apparently this traumatized you? Or do you remember our meetup in excruciating detail? ;)

>213 leahbird: Haha, now biking with an angry cat in a purse sounds dangerous.

Well, I talked to a bookish young lady for, like, an hour...so obviously it was traumatizing.

On CNN today:

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2013/02/28/va-cyclist-hits-deer.jeff-plassma...

>216 streamsong: Poor deer!

I broke a birdie's tail while riding my bike once.

New thread! http://www.librarything.com/topic/151170