vancouverdeb ( Deborah) hopes to read 75 in 2013 part two

Spring in Vancouver

A Favourite * O/S- off the shelf L - Library Book.

January
The Factory Voice: A Novel by Jeanette Lynes 3.5 stars O/S
The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb 3.7 stars
Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley 4 stars
Sorry by Gail Jones 4 stars
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle 4 stars O/S
How It All Began: A Novel by Penelope Lively 4.2 stars
Alys, Always: A Novel by Harriet Lane 3.7 stars

February
The Secret River by Kate Grenville 4.5 stars L
Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol 4.2 stars O/S
The Public Confessions Of A Middle-aged Woman by Sue Townsend 3.7 stars
The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle 3.2 stars
The Age of Hope by David Bergen 4.5 stars O/S

March
The Poisoned Pawn by Peggy Blair 3.8 stars

Hi Everyone - welcome to thread Two and Happy February!

Review The Secret River by Kate Grenville.

William Thornhill is born into poverty and the slums of London in the 1880's. In many ways, a good person at heart, William is also a complex character. "He grew up a fighter. By the time he was ten years old the other boys knew to leave him alone. The rage warmed him and filled him up. It was a kind of friend." p. 15

Shortly after marrying his beloved wife, Sal, he is sentenced to death for stealing wood. However , his sentence is commuted to transportation to Australia " for the term of his natural life"

His wife and growing family accompany him to the "sad scrabbling" p75 town of Sydney in 1806. There he labours for " His Majesty's Government " as England colonizes Australia.

As time goes by, William a loving husband and father, wishes for more dignity and patch of land to call his own. Very much against his wife's wishes, William moves his family to a very isolated piece of bush on the side of Hawkesbury River, a spot with which he has become smitten.While the young family tries to eke out a plot of land, slowly they realize that in fact this land is already occupied by aboriginal people. Internally frightened and not really understanding the aboriginal people and their culture , William acts aggressively and angrily with these people.

This is a powerful story, and the climax, in which many white men confront the aboriginal people, evoked anger, sorrow and even rage within me. I felt ashamed to to a part of the white race that has so often attempted to colonize other countries by our own villainous treatment of indigenous people. The Secret River shines a powerful and unflinching light on the clash between the forces of greed and entitlement felt by many colonizers versus the aboriginal people.

Very graphic, grim, unsettling and powerful , The Secret River will stay with me for a long, long time.

4. 5 stars

Am I the first?? Glad you liked both Sorry and The Secret River, both are excellent books.

Look, a new thread, and jumping right into it with a terrific review! I think I have that one on my shelf.

Hi Deborah - Beautiful picture. I'm moving. Wonderful review of The Secret River. I just read my first Grenville, The Idea of Perfection, which I loved. This sounds like another winner.

Beautiful picture to start your thread. Where was it taken?

Deb, thumb up for a wonderful review of The Secret River. Woot! Lovely pic of Vancouver on your new thread : ).

eta: just say your message on your previous thread that you are a recent convert of Downton! Yay!!!

@5 Yes, Tania, you are first! :) Great to see you! I must get up into the " 100's" and make a visit! Yes, I enjoyed Sorry and even more so, The Secret River!

@6 Ohh! Anne, do read The Secret River, what an eye -opener it was to me. Apparently the author traced her background and that plus some " fiction" created The Secret River.

@7Hi Beth!Well, I've just read my first Kate Grenville to, and I'm going to keep my eye out for The Idea of Perfection. Glad that you enjoyed that book!

@8 - Hi Countrylife. Well, I did not personally take that picture, but I would hazard a guess that it was taken at a large city park, known as Stanley Park, looking north to the Mountains, here in Vancouver. I admit, it's been raining quite a bit, so perhaps that picture is a wee bit optimistic as yet!

@9 Morning Nancy. Thanks for the thumb!Indeed I am a recent convert to DA!!! It's most excellent! I can't wait til Season 2 and 3 are delivered. If I seem rather absent from my thread, you'll know I'm having a DA -thon! :)

Spring in Vancouver is a sight for winter-weary eyes, Deb. Lovely review of 'The Secret River' as well.

@ Julia - yes, on a good day, spring is wonderful sight! In reality, we have had a lot of rain!! :) I have to encourage myself with the picture. The day will come when the sun shines again! :) Thanks for your kind words re The Secret River.

Here is my current read Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol - scandi crime written by a Danish woman... I read the first in the new series, Boy in Suitcase and enjoyed . So far a complex tale....off the shelf! :)

I give up, Deborah.....How can I compete with with those pictures, when there's always a snowy mountain sticking forcefully up in the background. It's not really fair you know......

Great thumb-review again. It's so good when we can get involved in a story that reflects back on ourselves. Sounds very effectful.

Enjoy the "DandiCrime" and Nina Borg.

Well, Carsten as a representative of Vancouver Tourism, it is my duty to inform you that you can ski and golf all in one day in Vancouver. LOL! How can I compete with with those pictures, when there's always a snowy mountain sticking forcefully up in the background. Maybe I can find a picture of rainy Vancouver, which disguises the ever present mountains. I don't want you to be depressed living in Denmark with your 400 ft knoll. Hmmm.. will go look...

No luck for the moment, Carsten. Sorry about that.

Hi Deb!
Catching up and loving the opening picture!
I wouldn't mind if Spring started early - as long as Summer doesn't get any similar ideas.
Maybe I will buy some flowers... it's getting a little drab lately.
Though, I am pretty excited I have a blossom starting on one of my indoor plants - forgot its name. Oh... I think Clivia???

Spring in Vancouver --- you might be getting a wee bit ahead of yourself, Deb, but that picture is gorgeous!!

Hi Deb, Invisible Murder and a new author for you? Or, as Carsten has so aptly put it, a new foray into DandiCrime?

Great review of The Secret River. Now it's on my list.

Hi Deb- Congrats on the new thread! Loved your review of The Secret River. Good job!

@17 Yes, I know what you mean about drab lately! We've had so much rain. However if the rain will stop, I might actually see the crocuses and the start of some buds. I've been looking at some winter pansies at the store too, thinking that would brighten up the front of where I live.

@18 Ellen, I know you are correct in saying that I might be getting ahead of myself re spring -but a girl can hope! :)

@19 Hee Hee! No , this is not a new foray into Dandi Crime Nancy :) Scandi Crime, Candi Crime , now Dandi Crime! :) There's no shortage of great names for crime books! I read The Boy in the Suitcase by the same author last year. Department Q, by Jussi Adler- Olsen is another fine example of Dandicrime. He has a new book coming out this spring and I can't wait for it - Carsten tells me that his sister already has a copy of it - in Danish , though- sigh.

@20 Banjo, I hope you enjoy The Secret River. It's a gritty novel - not for the faint of heart - not that I am suggesting that you are that. It really got to me though.

@21 - Always good to see you , L.R. I was looking back at reviews of The Secret River and I noticed that you reviewed it just in January.. Hmmm - was it you who shot me that book bullet! Nice review on your part too!

Hi Deb, great picture to open your thread with! Also a great review for Secret River which has been on my wishlist for far too long. I hope to get to it later this year.

I think Id love Vancouver.
Im going to have to move there one day- or at least visit. Its mainly your fault, Deb :)

Beautiful springtime picture, Deb! I have The Secret River on my nook and hope to get to it this year. So glad you liked it!

Not even close to Spring here yet although after frigid single digit temps, the twenties are going to seem warm!

@23 Hi Judy! You know my love of Vancouver and I cannot wait til the sun comes out! Thanks for your kind words re The Secret River. I will definitely be seeking out The Idea of Perfection and perhaps her non - fiction book that explains her research and family background that led her to writing The Secret River.

@24 Do come on over and live in Vancouver and area, Megan! We'd love to have you! I was looking up the most liveable cities in the world and Vancouver shows up as number 3. Our house prices are very high though. I like to do my bit to advertise my city -but most of all, I truly never get tired of the views and living here! :)

@25 Thanks Joanne! Brace yourself a bit before reading The Secret River - it's wonderful in it's way, but not an easy read, as far as content goes.

@26 Morphy, I'm so Celsius oriented , I had to go look up our current temperature. It is 48.2 F here ! So my dreams of spring are not so far- out! Brrr! We've had nothing as cold as the 20 F - well - maybe a day or two with 29 F or so on our coldest winter days.

I was reading up a bit on The Secret River and apparently it's now a part of grade 11 - 12 curriculum in Australia. I found that very interesting..

My current read is quite fascinating too -in a different way. It's partially dealing with the Roma's ( gypsies) in Hungary and Denmark and the difficulties that they run into, not having a place to call home. I have a good friend whose husband is partly of Roma background, though long ago - perhaps his parents or grandparents - not sure -but I am finding it interesting.

Thanks for your fine review of The Secret River, Deborah. I'm excited that I have a copy of both that and The Lieutenant. Sometimes greed pays!
GORGEOUS spring scene!!!

Hi Countrylife. Well, I did not personally take that picture, but I would hazard a guess that it was taken at a large city park, known as Stanley Park, looking north to the Mountains, here in Vancouver. I admit, it's been raining quite a bit, so perhaps that picture is a wee bit optimistic as yet!

I would agree with that--looks like the near the south entrance--you can see the sailboat masts of Coal Harbour and the edge of the seawall in behind there.

Well, Carsten as a representative of Vancouver Tourism, it is my duty to inform you that you can ski and golf all in one day in Vancouver. LOL! How can I compete with with those pictures, when there's always a snowy mountain sticking forcefully up in the background. Maybe I can find a picture of rainy Vancouver, which disguises the ever present mountains.

Ah, yes, volunteering for Tourism Vancouver--a labour of love, isn't it. I'm doing my part over at Pinterest. Everyday I wake up to see how many people have repinned my pics of Vancouver or started following my Vancouver board. It makes a Vancouverite proud. As for the ski/golf thing, not only that, but you can sail too--my husband gets together with a group of friends once a year and they snow shoe in the morning, golf around mid-day and then go for a late afternoon sail. Mostly just to say they can. And finally, here's a picture on a rainy day:


I don't know who the artist is, but the painting is called "Gloom Becomes Beauty". The location is similar to your blossom photo--this one is looking south and yours is looking north. I think I'm going to have to copy your pic over to my Pinterest board now . . .

-but most of all, I truly never get tired of the views and living here! :)

Me too!

Love Vancouver! We had a bit of trouble getting around in some places, though. Last time we were there (before the olympics), we waited for bus after bus in the down-town area; every one that stopped was packed full - no one could get on. We finally called a cab to take us to Stanley Park. Had the same problem AT the park; unable to get a seat on any of the buses doing the park. We also took a cab to the Bard on the Beach and called for another after the play was over. The first cab that came called out our name, but another party got in and took off. We (my daughter and I) had to wait there in the dark for the last cab to show up. We got to hoping that their transportation issues would be worked out before the olympics!

Neat painting there. From one of those benches, we watched a two-legged, one-footed seagull's antics on the wall. That is such a peaceful place.

#31 - Cindy - that's sounds very frustrating! Sorry you had that experience. I think the city planners just want you to take bikes everywhere. (insert rolling eyes emoticon here).

#4 Great review of The Secret River Deb! I loved it and have been collecting Kate Grenville books ever since. I should really get round to reading some of them...

@29 Ohhh Peggy , that's great that greed sometimes pays! So glad that you have both books byKate Grenville. I've got Downton Abbey, Season 2 and 3 arriving today, so I'm benefiting by greed today! :)

@30 Joyce. I've got a sense that life in Club Read is a bit boring - not much going on there I assume. I'd love it if you would join us in the chatty and friendly 75's - why not join us with a thread of your very own thread! Please join the 75's!!! :)

@31 Cindy, the problem with getting a bus that is not full is a problem across the Downtown area all year round, most especially in summer. I know I've had buses pass me in non - rush hours in the winter even now. The problem with Transit here is a big shortage in funding. Stanley Park is really a big destination here in Vancouver and there is not much parking within Stanley Park. The cab issue I think might - might - have been solved by allowing non Vancouver registered cabs to pick people up within Vancouver. With the size of the population here and the layout of the city - bridges and islands and peninsulas, I'm not sure we'll ever solve our transportation issues. If Bard on the Beach was running, I'm sure if was a busy evening! So sorry that you had such a frustrating time with transportation - I've read lately that next to San Francisco, we have the longest commute times in North America.
Do come back and visit us, Cindy!

@33 Thanks so much Heather - you are so kind! I'm not sure what finally prompted me to pick up a Kate Grenville. I think reading Sorry by Gail Jones got me interested in the history of Australia. Do try a The Secret River but just be warned it is somewhat grim and disturbing at times.

Great to see you!

Yes, I am pretty sure I was the reason you selected the Secret River. Like, Duh! Now, if it you would have gave it less than 4? It wasn't me, missy!

Ha Ha! The jokes on me, Mark! I just looked into your history and I see that you read The Secret River in January 2012! Duh! Well, how I happened to read The Secret River- I think - is that I was looking for a second orange prize winner, which is actually The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville - though The Secret River probably won more prizes. Since it was the library and I had correct author on it Kate Grenville.

Anyway, now I've got quite a good picture of Australia's history. I think I'll keep in mind Searching for the Secret River by Kate Grenville because I'm interested in her real life family history on which The Secret River is based on.

And Season 2 and Season 3 of Downton Abbey arrived today! :)

Terrific review of The Secret River Deb. I have The Lieutenant on my shelf and now that you've reminded me of how much I loved The Secret River I think I might try to squeeze in TL soonish. The Idea of Perfection won the Orange in 2001, I believe. As much as I loved The Secret River I loved The Idea of Perfection even more:-)

If you're looking for something along the lines of The Secret River, look for The Colour by Rose Tremain. New Zealand this time instead of Australia. It too was nominated for the Orange Prize (and also on the 1001 Books list).

I've read lately that next to San Francisco, we have the longest commute times in North America.

Do you remember where you read that? I don't believe it at all. Ever driven through Seattle at rush hour? How about Toronto? LA? All of them are so much worse. I've been in a traffic jam on the freeway in LA at 2:30 AM. Our traffic can be horrible (No. 3 Rd in the afternoon? No thanks!), but I'll take it over a lot of other places.

@Bonnie Do let me know what you think of The Lieutenant when you get to it. I had read that perhaps that The Secret River was the best of the trilogy, but do let me know what you think. I know you have great judgement when it comes to books.

@38 Yes, Joyce, I'm aware of The Colour. Eventually I will get to it. For now I'm having a great time reading Invisible Murder. It's really quite fascinating and I've realized that it written both by an investigative reporter and a long time author. It's like reading real time problems in Denmark, like difficulty with the Roma' people - prejudice, bad treatment and it's touching on subjects like building an Islamic Temple with Minarets which some residents object too. Fascinating book on many levels.

@39 Sorry Joyce, you'll just have to take my word for it. I googled longest commute in North America and can't come up with anything recent. 2010, 2011 etc but nothing current. We get the Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, McLean s Magazine as well as I watch CTV National News - and I read various other publications, so I cannot remember where I got the information , nor the exact criteria. Ask my son, who commutes from the Steveston Area to the "Boot" in Vancouver and you'll soon here how long the commute is! Initially he tried using his car plus the Canada Line and transferring to SKy Train - and that took him about 70 minutes each way. Now he drives and that is faster. But that is not what I am using when I say that Vancouver has the second longest commute times in North America - I either read it or heard it on the news.

Lovely photo up top Deb. Missed your thread renewal as for some reason it has changed order in the group page.

@ 41 - Thanks for finding me, Paul! I'll be sure to visit your shortly!

@ 39 Joyce! I found the study - here is the link and an excerpt - the study was conducted out of Amsterdam and used GPS technology in cars or some such thing..
http://www.globaltvbc.com/vancouver+second+most+traffic+congested+city+in+north+...
Traffic congestion in Vancouver is the second worst in North America after Los Angeles, according to a quarterly report by TomTom, a navigation and map supply company based in Amsterdam.
The congestion index of 26 cities in North America, released Thursday, also says Montreal and Toronto round out the Top 5 worst cities for congestion after San Francisco, in third place.
I'll let you read the rest at the link, Joyce. From what I read, it's a measurement of traffic congestion during peak times versus non -peak times, which is different from actual commute time.

another link - http://www.tomtom.com/lib/doc/congestionindex/2012-0704-TomTom-Congestion-index-...

Okay, let's talk books! :)

Ask my son, who commutes from the Steveston Area to the "Boot" in Vancouver and you'll soon here how long the commute is!

Oh, I used to do that one. Not too much fun. Off to look at the link . . . .

Deb, what a gorgeous photo you have up top! And a lovely review of The Secret River - thumb from me, and I am adding that one to the giant WL.

Ohhhh spring in Vancouver is pretty!! Love the photo!

I thought of you when I finished a book this week. Have you read Galore by Michael Crummey? He is a Canadian author out of Newfoundland and I really enjoyed this book.
I think it would be something that you would really like so you should add it to your wishlist .... go on... do it! :):)

Eta
I'm too tired to write the type of review it deserves so read this review instead

The Toronto rush hour starts at 3 p.m. and goes to about 7 p.m. It's awful in the morning too. Just the sheer volume of traffic, all the way to Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo to the west, Oshawa to the east. We have to go through Toronto to get to the inlaws and avoid those times like the plague. Do you think being squished between the mountains and the ocean makes the Vancouver traffic difficult?

The mountains and various bodies of water make Vancouver difficult (along with no freeways in Vancouver proper except a tiny corner) . . . but I've been in Toronto rush hour many times and it's worse. Maybe because it's unfamiliar to me, but having 5 lanes of stopped traffic stresses me out more than having two or three. The other thing that drives me crazy in TO is all the accordion driving--going 70 k, now 20, now stopped, now 50, stopped, . . . argh! Stress.

Funny, today I read Douglas Coupland's intro to Vancouver Stories, and the first page and a half are all about horrible Vancouver traffic. I laughed.

@ 44 Mamie, thanks for the thumb! Vancouver is lovely , but then so is Pecan Paridiso! :) I know about giant WL! I'm trying hard so far this year to read some of my TBR as well as using the library more!

@55 Hmm - Chelle, I've heard of Michael Crummey but I've not yet looked at your link. I know in the feed on amazon ca Michael Crummey book/s have been "recommended" to me. I'll have a look and get back to you.

@46 Hi Tui! I'd say that rush hour in Vancouver area starts at around 3 and lasts til 6:30 - depending on where you live . Some people come in from as far a Mission and Abbots ford and Langley to work. I think that yes, we have a lot of bottlenecks in Vancouver - tunnels, bridges and by--passes that really back up the traffic in the Vancouver area. Vancouver is kind of hemmed in by the rivers and the Ocean and mountains - and yes, we only have the number 1 highway - no sort of Highway through Vancouver. So, yes I'd say that the area and growing population of the area has created the traffic problems we have now.

@47 -Joyce, agree with re : location and no freeways in Vancouver. My brother lives outside of Toronto, but works out of Pearson Airport. He does not really complain about the commute , but then he only has to make the commute maybe once or twice a week. It seems to me that I am always hearing about dreadful pile ups on the 401 or is it the 409? But then again, think of the Pattullo Bridge -the old one and the now the new one. We've never had to use it , but my brother in law did until he retired a couple of years ago. I can't really comment on the difference on Toronto traffic versus Vancouver simply because I've only visited a couple of times in my youth. I don't like unfamiliar territory for driving either.

I am completely behind, but wantted to at least stake out a wee spot...

I haven't read any Michael Crummey either. *makes mental note to investigate*

I got somewhat behind - but I just have to de-lurk and say that no.1 is a beautiful pic. I would love to have mountains in my life. The closest I have ever even got to visiting mountains is the UK lake district. But someday I am so going to go and find some (when the kids are grown I imagine!).

I have a little "favorite" movie called "Everything's Gone Green", screenplay by Coupland. Not a great movie, but just funny in a quiet sort of way. And it's beautifully shot in Vancouver - whenever I see it I just want to travel to Vancouver. Well, I might do it one day :)

#52 - I'd never heard of that, but the synopsis sounds so very Douglas Coupland. In his books he captures Vancouver better than anyone I've ever read. I will look out for this film. Thanks.

@ Good to see you Kath! I hope that your work is going okay - I need to come and visit your thread and find out!

@ 50 Always good to see you Nancy and your current reads! I was in Chapters last night and saw The Warden and thought of you! I was actually looking for just " something different" as well as checking out books in real life before I order them on line. I'm try hard to read my TBR and use the library more.

@51 Hi Bekkajo! Thanks for de- lurking! Yes it is beautiful. I have to tell you though, I could not live right in the midst of the mountains, like in place like Revelstoke for example. I get claustrophobic right in the midst of the mountains - it's a little too hemmed in for me, and the sun sets behind the mountains to quickly for me. I like it here where I can see the mountains but they are not right over top of me! I checked your profile and I see that you live in the Channel Islands! That sound so romantic to me!

@52 Hey there Carsten! Great to see you as always. Great reviews! I am not familiar with your movie, but I will have a look into it. Carsten, it would be fabulous to have you visit Vancouver! It's is lovely here! I'm still reading my book that takes place in Denmark and I feel that I am visiting you - to a certain extent! :) My sister loves Douglas Coupland and his books. She has an interesting and quirky taste in books. I'm always surprised by what she is reading.

@53 - Well, Joyce, you and my sister would get along fine then. I've got two sisters - and two brothers. Sister 2 is the one with the quirky reading taste - at least compared to what I tend to read. She loves Quentin Terantino movies and that sort of thing too. Which is not to say we don't get along famously! We both have the same earrings and necklace from Macy's - purchased separately. My two sisters really are the best! ( and my brothers too, but both of them live in different provinces.

Sunny day today and so off for nice long walk! Catch you later!

We have relatives in Toronto and we always comment that it doesn't matter when we go there the bottleneck starts in Burlington and goes all the way into the city or out the 401. Many times it starts at the border (Buffalo) and goes right up the 401 or the 427. It's brutal. Absolutely brutal. We do best when we come through around midnight. I can't comment on Vancouver as I've only been there once and that was on the weekend so traffic wasn't bad but the border was like an outpost in the middle of nowhere. Just so small and poorly manned compared to ours. Long backup there.

I have two Michael Crummey's on my shelf including Galore. Since this is the second time I've seen Chelle mention it I think that will be my spontaneous read this month. Woot!!

@55 - Bonnie, I'm not sure what border crossing that you used here in the Vancouver area. The Peace Arch Crossing or the Douglas crossing is really busy! I think generally you could easily have a 2 hour wait, unless you go midweek in the middle of the day, but we do have another border crossing right beside Peace Arch/ Douglas Crossing. All of my family have nexus passes because other wise you wait too long! Next door to the Douglas Crossing we have the Truck Crossing, which other folks can use. I'm sure that there are plenty of "outpost crossing's " in BC too! :) I have heard that the Buffalo Crossing is very busy and I think a Canadian has put up money to create another bridge other than the Ambassador Bridge, but so far it has been rejected by the owner of the Ambassador Bridge.

Well, Bonnie, all I know for certain is that I've got relative in Winnipeg who complain endlessly to me about driving through Winnipeg in rush hour. Seriously! LOL That study heartened me in the face of the complaints of my dear Winnipeg relatives! :)

Woot - glad you have a spontaneous read in Galore thanks to Chelle!

Traffic - I guess no matter where we live , it is frustrating!

Traffic - I guess no matter where we live , it is frustrating!

Isn't that the truth!

Brenzi -- I think Peace Arch is the second busiest crossing in Canada, so you were probably at one of the other crossings. We have 4 within an hour of Vancouver.

>56 vancouverdeb:, 57 I have no idea which crossing I was at. We came from Seattle, if that helps. I thought it unusual at the time, Vancouver being such a large city. And Deb, the Ambassador Bridge is in Detroit/Winnipeg. There is a group that wants to build a private bridge here but I doubt they will ever get authorization. There are three bridges between Buffalo/Erie and 30 miles away Lewiston/Queenston and they are all really busy.

Well, I suppose no matter where we live, we can all agree that traffic is perceived and most of the time traffic is busy and congested.

@58 - Oh Bonnie! I guess neither of us knows our geography!:) I only know that I am one book away from being a hoarder! :) I looked it up and the Ambassador Bridge runs between Detroit and Windsor Ontario. Winnipeg is in the province of Manitoba. On my end I am quite foggy on the Eastern geography of Canada, as you have seen. Sorry about that , Bonnie.

Thanks to you, Deb, Vancouver is on my list of places to visit. As much as I dislike traveling (and backed up traffic), I have a recently renewed passport, and I'm hot to use it. My husband invited me on his upcoming China trip but that doesn't call to me as much as that lovely thread topper you posted.

Books you say? Wonderful review of The Secret River. I knew you would love it!

@60 Yes Donna- I did love The Secret River very much! I guess you know my taste! I have a recently renewed passport, and I'm hot to use it I love that , Donna! Try out Vancouver - the traffic certainly is not as bad as in China - and you can actually see the mountains, because we don't have the air pollution that they have in China..... yes - come this way!

>59 vancouverdeb: Ambassador Bridge runs between Detroit and Windsor Ontario. Winnipeg is in the province of Manitoba.

Hahahahahaha oh God Deb, what is wrong with me? I've actually been in Windsor when we went to Lansing and the best route was through Canada. OMG I can't believe I made that mistake.

I'm just starting best laid plans and it's making me think of you. I see this isn't in your library. Are you thinking of getting to it, or are you avoiding it?

62 @ Bonnie! Ha!LOL! I guess I need to take a remedial course in geography myself! I only know Winnipeg because I lived there for about 4 years of my life - Windsor, Winnipeg, who can can keep it straight! Not me!!:) Great review of Excellent Women... I'm going to have to work on Nancy with that book - between the two of us.... :)

@63 - Joyce, I think I've got The Best Laid Plans somewhere in my TBR pile - or maybe I donated it somewhere. I think I've been turned off The Best Laid Plans for now. Let me know what you think of it. You know how one book can be usurped by another book.

Hi Deb (Wait! Should I call you Deborah? I just noticed that in your thread heading. Have I been screwing up all this time!?)!

Great review of The Secret River. It's already on my wishlist.

I'm looking forward to your comments on Invisible Murder, as I'm always looking for more Scandi-crime.

Lovely Vancouver photos. What are those purple-leaved trees? I'm terrible at tree identification, so I won't even tell you what I think they are, so as not to embarrass myself in front of the LT community.

#65- actually they are pink ( your computer monitor must be a titch off). They are cherry trees in blossom. It's a lovely time but very short. After a week or two they fall off and make a big fluffy pink mess. And then the trees are just green.

@65 - Hi Kerri! You can call me Deb or Deborah. In real life I always go by Deborah, not Deb, and NEVER Debbie, for me! :) No indeed you've not been screwing up -I called myself Vancouverdeb because Vancouverdeborah is very long, at least it seemed that way to me. Glad you have Secret River on your wishlist - I really " enjoyed it" - or learned a lot from it? It was such a sad story saying that I enjoyed it isn't quite the word, but I really enjoyed it.

The purple/ pink leaved trees are cherry blossoms on the trees. My favourite tree in Vancouver are tulip Magnolia's- I think they are extraordinary beautiful, but there blooming season is only a few weeks. Cherry blossoms come in bloom a little later and a little longer. Vancouver has a Cherry Blossom festival in April - here is a link - http://www.tourismvancouver.com/do/explore/sightseeing/cherry_blossoms/ . It is very pretty here at that time ! Not so much today in the rain/ damp! :)

I'm very much enjoying Invisible Murder - should be finished it later today or tommorow - depending on how much Downton Abbey that I watch! :)

I'll visit your thread a little later Kerri!

I think tulip magnolias are my favourite too! We just had to cut down a very sick very old cherry tree (didn't look anything like the ones in your pic anymore), and I was thinking I'd plant a magnolia in its place. My neighbour planted one about 10 years ago and it grew really quickly and some years gets a second bloom later in the year.

We planted a tulip magnolia at an earlier home that we owned, Joyce, and even in the 7 years that we lived there, it really flourished! In fact, a friend of mine warned against planting the tulip magnolia because they had a 20+ tulip magnolia and they felt it took over a large part of the front yard- the roots in particular. If you plant one, just plant it away from the foundation of your home -which is good advice for any tree. But I think magnolias grow perhaps a larger root base than other seemingly ornamental trees. I'm not as keen on star magnolia's - but my husband prefers them- so there you go.

No, I'm with you--tulip magnolias all the way! Good advice, thanks. I will research before planting regardless, but good to know about the root base. It's in the back of our lot, in the south, so I thought it would give us some summer shade.

#66 and 67 - Hi Joyce and Deborah! Thank you for the tree info. See? I told you I was botanically challenged. I suppose every North American should be able to identify a darn cherry tree, right?

#67 - Well I will certainly call you Deborah, as I'm all for calling people what they want to be called.

Morning Debbie! Of course, I call you Tonto, which probably no one else understands. Have a great Sunday.

I get the name preference thing. I love my name... Kathleen. I tolerate Kathy, as it has been what people have called me for years. I do NOT like Katie, but somehow ( my sister and husband are at fault ) all nieces and nephews of all ages call me Aunt Katie. sigh. I HATE being called KATE. The director calls me Kate.. despite having been advised on several occasions that I hate HATE it. I accept Katie, but don't like it. GAH!
As for kath, I adopted it for online, the same reason as you chose yours, brevity.

Anyway, I do get it. I work with a Deborah who prefers Debbie, I try to accomodate, even though Deb is most natural to me, as that is my sisters name. LOL

Anyway, Good morning Deborah!! lol

@71 Kerri, I'm largely botanically challenged too! Let's just say I stick with pre-planted container flowers in the spring and summer. I even rely largely on my husband to pick up the container flowers. He has the truck and the containers etc won't fit into my car. I was reading the there is some sort of variety of container plants called " Proven Winners" that I read about in the newspaper. I think that is what I will look for later this spring. There a lot of kinds of cherry trees here too - ornamental cherry trees, real cherry trees and I know little about them. My only area of expertise is the magnolia trees, which really caught my fancy years ago.

@72 Oh Markie, you are pushing the limits with me.. I am so totally not Debbie!!!!!!! Ohhh watch your step! Of course you may call me Tonto, Kemo Sabe, or L. R! Will have a great Sunday! You too!

@73 Hey Kathleen - do we live in alternate worlds - or something like that? Because I have a sister named Kathleen and she goes strictly by Kathleen. In fact I recall her hanging up her phone because someone called for " Kathy" and she did not realize that someone was shortening her name and so she hung up, not recognizing that as her " name" . Kathleen it shall be, here on in. I know what you mean about adapting a name online for brevity. When I worked in the past , I did come to realize that there were some untrainable people who simply could not fathom the name Deborah and so called me "Debbie." They were few and far between.

Have a good Sunday!

Deb- I will not use that dreaded nickname again. I know when to stop pushing my luck. Can you watch Masterpiece Theater online? I wonder if you could catch up on the 3rd season there?

Mark, I'm glad you take me seriously! :) Debbie is indeed a forbidden name for Deb/ Deborah / Tonto. Actually, I have season three in my DVD arsenal, so I hope to start watching that later on today. I have to see when season four comes out . I'm not sure if I can watch masterpiece theatre online. I'll look into that. I think I'll likely wait for season 4 to be released in DVD form.

Hi Deb, stopping by to check out the new thread! Love the opening pic and very nice review of The Secret River. Even good old sleepy Victoria gets traffic, but not on the scale you and Joyce have to experience on the Lower Mainland! I am happy that I live close enough to work that I can walk - no traffic congestion to deal with that way. ;-) I hope you have been having a lovely weekend and happy Family Day!

Your lovely opening photo makes me realize I really do need to see your part of Canada.

>67 vancouverdeb:/73 name talk!
My good friend Nicola was always called Nic. And then she got a new set of friends when she moved away and they all called her Nikki. I couldnt deal with it. I felt all possessive over my friend :)

Im Megan (with a long e), or Megs, or Megsie, or Mimi to my niece, or Mee Ma to Lenny :) I also have been known to answer to Grub, Pea-brain, Moose and Quarter-pint (mostly courtesy of my dad and his imaginative nick-names).

And as for Mark....how about

The Prince of Markness
Mark (the herald angel sings)
M-Dog
Muck
Marco von Markster
Mark-i-licious
Marky Mark
Marker (as in pen)
Mark-tastic......

Surely one of those fits?

@77 - Lori, I'm not sure if any city does not have a traffic problem! I've experienced a few in Victoria. How fabulous that you can walk to work! "Family Day" was quite confusing for us today! My husband had to work, as did my younger son, but our older son, who stopped in last evening did not have to work today. To my great surprise I also found that I got mail - - so who worked today and who didn't was rather confusing to me!

@78 Linda, I do believe that I live in the most beautiful part of Canada, if I do say so myself! )

@77 Megan, is the long e pronunciation combination common in New Zealand? Here most everyone I know is Megan with a short e - though there a various ways of spelling the name - Meghan, Meagan - you know how it is. As for Mark, I think I would chose " Mark -tastic, but I don't want his head to get any bigger than it already is - but thank you for the many suggestions! :)

The Prince of Markness has a certain regal ring to it, doesn't it? Of course, after the latest episode of Downton Abbey, apparently a true member of the aristocracy would not love beer as much as Mark does. :-)

Review of Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol

Several different story lines combine to create an explosive ending in Invisible Murder by Lene Kaaberbol.

Red Cross nurse Nina Borg works at a refugee facility in Denmark , but also secretly works for an underground network that assists Romas and others who have found their way to Denmark.

Jorgen Skou-Larsen is a retired Danish building inspector , married to a woman some twenty years his junior named Helle. Jorgen is increasing concerned with his naive younger wife as she makes irresponsible financial choices.He is also troubled by the mosque being built close to his home.

Sandor Horvath is a hardworking law student in Budapest, concerned about his upcoming law exams.

Meanwhile, Hungarian Romas Tamas and his friend Pitkin scavenge for items to sell to survive. In so doing, they stumble upon an object both valuable and very dangerous, which they intend to sell on the global black market.

An intriguing read, that includes several topical issues, such as Islam in Denmark, the plight and challenge of the poor and homeless Roma people in Europe and Denmark in particular, combine to make this an intelligent and absorbing thriller.

4.2 stars.

@Julia, The Prince of Markness definitely rings true for dear of Dark Mark. I agree, Mark might be a " downstairs' guy at Downton Abbey, with his love of beer, sad to say, Mark! :) Perhaps I could fit in as the Dowager Countess, or whatever Maggie Smith plays! :)

Next book still auditioning for my full attention ... ;)

Deborah, I am discovering this year that when I am reading books off the shelf I have a terrible time picking one. It's so much easier with library books because you can prioritize them by how soon they have to go back. :-)

Me too, Julia! This was a book off the shelf - the one above and I'm considering another book off the shelf .. that definitely makes a difference - but I am sure finding some " hidden gems." :)

Invisible Murder sounds interesting, Deb. Thanks!

I'll continue to call you Deb if that's OK....I'm a terribly slow typist when I'm home (I'm much faster on my keyboard at work). The keys on my laptop at home are just a tiny bit closer together and that's all I need to miss keys, apparently. :) At work I'm Joanne, with my family Jo, and sometimes, endearingly, Jo-Jo, and friends call me Joanne or Jo. Sometimes people will confuse the name Joanne with Joan which I don't understand at all.

Woot, Deb, Invisible Murder sounds most enticing: intelligent and absorbing thriller Thumb-up!

Interesting combination of thriller and current hot issues from my part of the world, Deborah. I can't ignore Kaaberbøl any longer, thumb-review again - I have to push the Danes :) is it a stand-alone thriller or does it take on from the first one? I think I remember the first one being on child trafficking in Europe.

@87 - Of course you may call me Deb, Joanne! I know how labourious writing out Deborah can be. LOL at people calling you Joan instead of Joanne . I"ve gotten Brenda, Barbara and Deborah - because I guess to some they all sound slightly similar. I have a sister Tannis, and because apparently that is somewhat of an unfamiliar name to some, she gets Janice instead of Tannis at work.

@88 It was a great read indeed, Nancy! I realized that in fact there are two writers at work - the main writer, Lene Kaaberbol as well as her co-writer, Agnete Friiis, who is described as a reporter in Denmark, so I think that is where the book gets in current issues the book covers.

@89 - Carsten it does take from the first one as far the main protagonist goes, Nina Borg. I think that you are correct that the first book was largely about child trafficking -but this book touches on child trafficking again, though it's not the main theme of the book. Nina Borg, the Red Cross nurse has a family and a fair bit goes on there from the first book to the second. You could read Invisible Murder on it's own, but I am glad that I read The Boy in the Suitcase first. It certainly is Danish, Carsten, Nina's husband works on the oil rigs offshore in Denmark. Yes, push the Danes like I push Canadian authors! :)

Deb- Wow, for having such a boring name, it seems I have many variations. My pick would probably be- Mark-i-licious!
You reminded me of a great moment in this week's DA. When Tom's brother orders a beer and Carson & Robert act like he ordered a glass of sludge. These people had no taste. LOL.

I am guilty of of nicknaming others.. First in my own mind and then out in the world.
Terrible for someone who has actual name issues.. lol. To be honest, kath doesn't bother me...feel free to use it, brevity is important online :)
(kate fries my buns. )

LOL at your sister Kathleen hanging up on a call for Kathy. That made me laugh. I used to return/refuse all mail addressed to MRS DANIEL Wagner .. no matter what it was. I haven't seen anything like that in years, though.

Hi Deborah / Deb (but not Debbie!) :)

I'm returning your visit and I've now got you starred! I will do my best to keep up with you!

I love the nickname conversation. For Mark, my vote is .... Mark-tastic! ;-)

>92 mckait: I used to return/refuse all mail addressed to MRS DANIEL Wagner .. no matter what it was
Go Kath(leen)!!! I love that you did that. It is rather an insult.
I like to choose "no title" on forms, as Mrs doenst apply, and I dont gravitate towards being a Ms either. Sometimes I create my own category, or just leave it blank. Why cant I just be my name?

Hi Deb. Your latest read sounds good! (I surprise myself in saying that as am not into crime thriller genre really). Your last paragraph tells me there's more to the book. YAY- glad you enjoyed it.

Well said, Megan. Why can't I just be my name?

@91 Marktastic- I think that I like that name the most, but L.R. we have our own code! :) Turns out I have more episodes of DA to go! Well, if I ever darkened the door of a " Public House" like some sort of peasant, I'm afraid I would not find beer to my taste either . Sniff!

@92 The only one I nickname is my our dog , Daisy. I called her "Goofy" for obvious reasons , but I don't think she can tell the difference! :) We do have a " Mr. Worksafe" that lives behind us, but only because we don't know his last name, but my husband has chatted with him and deduced that he works for " Work Safe" - an government agency here in BC - about working safe. :) I've seen Mr Worksafe commit various unsafe work practices in his backyard , like walking on his roof without a safety harness etc.
I just use my " name" but I've had various old fashioned people, like one of my grandma's send me a cheque or a magazine subscription to Mrs Dave Lastname! Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!

@ 93 I agree with you on the Marktastic, Tina! And there he is , preferring to be Mark- i- licious . Let's call him mark - like a " mark' on a paper. D- , My Markalicious! :) Thanks for the star, Tina!

@94 Megan, we are on the same wavelength. I never use a title, no Mrs. or Ms., just my name thanks! I don't respond to Mrs or Ms Anything. And I'm not an Aunt anyone . It's an Icelandic custom to not use honourifics. My mom is of Icelandic background and that is how we taught to address people. Of course we got the drift that teachers, some peoples parents etc needed the Mr and Mrs part , and we did address our parents and grandparents as mom and dad etc -but everyone else went by a just a first name. Gasp Megan! You don't gravitate to Scandicrime! :) We must rectify that! There is a lot of " sluff" out there, but not the crime/ mystery that I read. We'll leave that to my beloved husband! :) At least he is reading!!!! LOL! Poor dear - I do love him very much.

@Well, Ms.Wild Wild West, why can't you just be your name! :) Indeed, bookworm... I mean Nancy!

My current read is a nonfiction collection of humourous anecdotes/ slices of life/ semi - memoir The Public Confessions Of A Middle-aged Woman by Sue Townsend. I know NOTHING of that sort of life, so I assume this will be a great eye opener - perhaps I will come to understand my mother.... at least that's why I decided to delve into it.. Truthfully, I was looking for something different and humourous, and my sister loves the fiction books by Sue Townsend , so I thought I try out her non- fiction. So far I am really enjoying and getting a lot of laughs -and who can't use a few laughs in February of a long rainy winter!

After my last read, Invisible Murder , I am looking into purchasing some non- fiction about the Romany people in Europe. It's amazing how one book can lead to another.

Hi Deborah - Nice review of Invisible Murder. I read the first book -- is this one as good? I'm anxious to see what you pick up next.

Beth, I think that Invisible Murder was better than The Boy in The Suitcase - I'm looking forward to the next in the series. As for my next read - look above - Confessions of A Middle Aged Woman. :)

Confessions of a Middle Aged Woman sounds fun, Deb. A book about my life? Yours? All of ours? LOL.

Deborah - Good to know. Our library has a copy of Invisible Murder. I'll be anxious to hear what you think of the Townsend book.

I fear that you may be correct, Nancy! I'm getting a lot of laughs out of this one, and that's not often true with books I read! Most enjoyable!

Deborah, the Sue Townsend book does sound like a laugh! I've enjoyed her fiction too, although I lost track of the Adrian Mole books. I'll look out for this one at the library.

@101 - Beth, so glad to know that your library has a copy of Invisible Murder!

@103 I'm really enjoying the Sue Townsend book, Susan. My sister loved The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 and the others in the series, but I never bother to read them as they did not appeal to me. But The Public Confessions of a Middle Aged Woman is affording me a lot of laughs so far!

Deborah - I'm all caught up here now, and boy did I learn a lot about everyone's names! So interesting! I don't like the Mrs. thing either - I'm not Mrs. someone else, I'm just me, and my MIL is like a villain to me, so I do not enjoy sharing a name with her. The title thing seems to be a bigger deal down here in the South, so I am constantly telling people, "It's just Mamie."

Oh Deb,this is what I get for falling 80+ posts behind.....
Invisible Murder has been added to the very obese wishlist and of course I already have The Secret River in the toppling over stack.......

I'm interested in the traffic congestion report since Seattle always gets such a bad rap for traffic. Maybe that's just from folks living in small towns in Oregon, though. :-|

I'm interested in the traffic congestion report since Seattle always gets such a bad rap for traffic.

I think Seattle has terrible traffic! I used to listen to Seattle radio, and they were always reporting "a roll over on the 405" and "three car collision on I-90" every single day. Circumstantial, but my Seattle driving experience has been, let's just say, not fun. I remember when they were building the Seattle freeway system all at one time back in the late 60s--my family used to call it Dr. Suess Land. All those overpasses going off in all sorts of directions--many of them stopped in mid-air. Now Vancouver looks like that too (loving our new improved freeway).

@105, I think I've heard that the Mr/ Mrs thing is bigger in the south, but I've not been there to actually know. I do lnow I that the 60 % of Asians that live in my community , many of whom are friends with my kids - would like to call me " Mrs " or " Aunty" as a term of respect, but I've exhorted them to just call me " Deborah" and that has worked fine. Yes, I can see not wanting to share the last name of your MIL , although mine was lovely! Great to see you Mamie!

@106 Oh it is so difficult to keep up, Ellen, no problem! All I can say about traffic congestion is that my relatives in Winnipeg, a fairly small city in Manitoba complain regularly about the traffic there and the distance between one part of the city and the other - and I think.. what? But I don't actually say it :) Diplomacy I guess.

@107 - Ha , I remember those overpasses that stopped in mid- air, Joyce.

" I've heard that the Mr/ Mrs thing is bigger in the south." What are you people talking about over here? This is a family-orientated place, you know? Many sensitive souls.

I never use my married name unless it is for legal reasons, I use my real name, no prefix.. unless it is a legal doc, or job.

Only 100+ posts behind?! How did that happen?

The Mr./Mrs./Ms. thing is pretty huge here in Georgia based on my experience. I sometimes have to ask people I work with that are my age or older to please not call me Ms. Tina. I'm just Tina, thanks. However, I do the same thing out of respect and use "yes m'am / sir" and "no m'am / sir" to folks much younger than I am. Cultural differences, I think....

However, I do the same thing out of respect and use "yes m'am / sir" and "no m'am / sir" to folks much younger than I am. Cultural differences, I think....

Cultural indeed! We went to Disney World one year and everyone was calling me "m'am" (I was in my late 30s). It really took some getting used to--no one ever says that here (Vancouver, but I've spent a lot of time in California too and never heard it there either. Or anywhere else. Just the south). It made me feel very, very old.

@109 - Watch yourself , Mark- or I'll drop some Downton Abbey spoilers on your thread... and we all know what havoc that can cause.. :)

@110 Ah, Kath, I kept my last name when I married, so I always get to use my name! :)

@111 Stasia , your thread is so busy, you know how it is -- threads! How do we all keep up?

@112 - Tina, Georgia sounds so romantic! Maybe not the sir/ ma'am stuff, but I picture a big plantation house, with a wrap around porch, Georgia Peaches and maybe a swing out on your property. I guess I must have read too much!

@113 Well, Ma'am, perhaps by now you really are olde! :)* she says as her knees creak*

I kept my last name when I married, so I always get to use my name! :)

Me too! :-)

That was just coming into fashion when I married over 40 yrs ago. I did not. I was sorry immediately.

Morning Deb- Yes, please don't start havoc on my thread! You can start it over here, if you would like!
Enjoy your day, my friend.

#112 "yes m'am / sir" and "no m'am / sir" - on our one trip to the United States we went to Virginia and I remember the teenage children of fellow guests where we were staying would say that to us. It just sounded so, so polite. I have to admit that in a work environment it just doesn't feel right to me to call anyone Mr or Mrs - if there's someone who I feel I can't call by their first name I would try to avoid calling them anything at all.

@115 - Good for you, Joyce! Though the whole thing is a matter of personal preference.
@116 Well, Kathleen, no worries. My husband last name is sooooo long he considered taking mine. Our sons are very pleased to have my husband last name.
@117 - Mark-tastic, I promise no havoc on your thread or on mine!
@116 Rhian, to me it does not sound " so polite" as it makes me feel old! I must admit that a few of my friends parents who preferred the Mr/ Mrs thing - well, I still use it.

Well, I grew up in Florida and my mom was from Georgia, her mother was from the Carolinas, her mother was from Georgia, her mother... well, you get the idea. I have no problem with being called "Mrs. or Ms. First Name" or "Ma'am." I've never been called "Aunty" but am sure I would love it. So maybe it is a Southern cultural thing.

@122 - Well, you are a real Southerner, I guess, Morphy. It does sound like it's a very Southern Cultural thing.

Politeness is an interesting one culturally. Over here in Malaysia my staff will always refer to me as Mr. Paul as they would consider it rude and inappropriate to drop the Mr. I have a number of friends who have a Dato' title here in Malaysia which is akin to the British Sir and is awarded by one of the Sultans.
It is most common to call these chaps by their titles but invariably they remain my pals and its Hakim, Jespal or Siva instead of Dato.

Having worked with Germans their formality in the workplace is excruciating among the older staff. My Station manager when I was commerical manager of the power station in Johor was a time served Austrian grandee with a heart of gold and a Colonel Sanders beard. He never once in two years used my first name and I never once used his. It was Mr. Cranswick and Mr. Besmehn strictly between us..

As a child I called my friends parents Mr and Mrs____. All the time. It took me a long time to feel comfortable calling adults of my parents age my their first names, once I became one!

My kids call their friends parents by first names.

@122 - Hi Paul! Yes, I guess courtesy/ politeness are quite cultural. That's interesting that you staff refer to you as " Mr. Paul." Certainly not something that would ever be done in Canada . And adults addressing one another as Mr / and Mr! That's so different too. A lot to get used for you in Malaysia, I suppose.

@123 My parents introduced us to their friends by the first name and that is what we called them. Of course, my dad told us we could call us by his first name rather than " dad " or " daddy" when I was just six or so. I never did so, but he used to sign cards with his name until he got used to being a dad! :)

@63 - Joyce, I think I've got The Best Laid Plans somewhere in my TBR pile - or maybe I donated it somewhere. I think I've been turned off The Best Laid Plans for now. Let me know what you think of it. You know how one book can be usurped by another book.

I'm reading The Best Laid Plans for my book club meeting on Tuesday. Although I owned it, I've never been in the mood to read it. It took me a while to get into it, but yesterday I decided to get the silly thing done so I can at least talk about it. But now I'm really enjoying it! I don't find the humour especially funny, and some of the writing makes me cringe, and it's predictable . . . but many parts are clever, and while the humour isn't laugh out loud, it does make me smile. It's not difficult to read, yet I'm learning about how our country ticks. And best of all . . . I keep looking for opportunities to pick it up, and when I'm reading and need to put it down, I think "one more chapter." (Mind you, I have been putting off some boring things today, but still). So if you haven't tossed it in the charity bin yet, you might actually want to read it some day.

@125 - Joyce, Thanks for getting back to me re The Best Laid Plans. I think it's hit the charity bin! I have seen it often at the library though... so maybe one day I'll try it. Interesting that you are getting the feeling that you know how the country ticks! That sounds interesting!

Hi Deb, interesting conversation over here about manners of address and cultural habits. I've also often seen The Best Laid Plans, but, like you, the jury is presently out as to whether it'll make it to "currently reading" status.

Enjoying this conversation about names and cultural norms. I too kept my own name not only because I'm proud of its history but because I have listened to people mangling my husband's name for almost 40 years. Mine they at least have a chance of getting right. A friend in Mississippi is called Mr. James by his daughter-in-law, which I find very sweet and Southern. (It doesn't have the same effect with a Canadian accent.) When my lads were young, they thought the folks in the South couldn't say Mom properly when they called me ma'am, which took a bit of explaining. My lads' friends call us by our first name which funnily enough felt a bit odd to me as I still call my friends' parents Mr. or Mrs. Like having a foot in each century.

Interesting that you are getting the feeling that you know how the country ticks!

Well I didn't learn as much as I did when I studied Canadian political philosophy at uni, but then The Best Laid Plans wasn't exactly Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, either! Just a little bit easier to read, and more fun.

@ 127 Hi Nancy, yes, for me the jury is still out as to whether The Best Laid Plans will make it to " the currently reading " status". Brilliantly put, Nancy!

@128 Tui, that is so interesting! My husband's name is very easy to mangle too -and I suspect that his family of origin mangled his last name themselves, though it was not my place to say so. His last name is either Dutch or German, depending on the nationality of people I have spoken to - some claim it is Dutch , other claim it is German and since it quite unique, I really have no idea which of the two it really is. The southern accent is quite charming, I agree. That's interesting that you feel that you have one foot in one century and one foot in another. I find it charming that you call your sons " your lads." I often call mine Mr Sunshine Sr and Mr Sunshine Jr , which is nickname I gave to my eldest when he was quite young. I used to sing " You are my Sunshine" to them when they were babes , and they loathe the thought now. My eldest often could get into quite a gloomy mood, so I used Mr Sunshine to counteract his gloomy take on things and it would often get him laughing.

@129 Glad you enjoyed The Best Laid Plans. Joyce, somewhere I was reading about a new fiction book that also goes tries in part to show how Canadian politics work. It's fiction too, but I read that it's more of a take on how Harper and his conservatives run the country, and the " the right" might be offended, but the left would enjoy the humour of the book. Perhaps that's the book for me, if I ever remember the name. I have seen it many times in the bookstores etc but the name escapes me. I did enjoy Harperland: The Politics of Control by Lawrence Martin, so much so that my sister has forbidden me to go onto yet another tirade against Harper :)

Finished up The Public Confessions Of A Middle-aged Woman by Sue Townsend and here are my comments on the book.


Sue Townsend describes the book as representing " a sort of sanitized autobiography" , which I suppose it is. Sue was commissioned by a magazine to write about "800 wise and witty words each month" and essentially that comprises this collection of short essays. Overall it was an enjoyable read, a nice break from the " February Gloomies" that sometimes descend upon me after too many days of rain/overcast here in Vancouver.

Sue writes on a variety of topics, her humourous take on purchasing her first Aga " ... it was love at first sight. The warmth, the classic lines,the strength, the fact that Agas are always hot and ready for action appealed to me. The Aga has many of the qualities that one would like , but so rarely gets, from a lover." She also writes a fair bit about her young adult children in both fun and serious ways. Other topics include travel, writing itself, her increasing loss of sight due to diabetes and many other topics.

Overall, it was a good read, but not fantastic. After some 334 pages of short essays I am looking forward to book with a cohesive plot. 3. 7 stars.

I've just begun reading The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle. Surprisingly I have a slight plan for my Sherlock Holmes " foray." I don't intend to read them all by any means, but I started with the first in the series, A Study in Scarlet In January, and was pleasantly surprised by the dry humour and amazing left turn in the plot. I decided to read the second in the series The Sign of the Four because apparently Mr Watson's is wife to be is introduced. Then my plan is to eventually read The Hound of the Baskervilles , so I can get another 1001 books to read before you die into my colection of reads, but I wanted to make a proper job of reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

My eldest son was a great fan of all the Sherlock Holmes books in his young teen years , ages ? 12 -14 , so I am curious to read what he read. I was quite surprised to discover that Sherlock Holmes uses heroin and also cocaine when he is in between " cases " because his mind suffers from such great boredom . Dr Watson has recently returned from battle in Afghanistan. It makes me think of the old adage " the more the world changes, the more it stays the same" - and also my son was not reading the wholesome classics that I once supposed he was :)

Glad to hear the Sue Townsend was a decent read, Deborah. I've never read any Arthur Conan Doyle, but it's handy to know which one is the first Sherlock Holmes book, as that series is another gaping hole in my literary knowledge!

Yes, it's good with some witty words now and then, Deborah. Thumbing that Townsend-review :) no touchstone-trouble there.....I think that's why I read children's books now and then - they are often very amusing and I often need a dose of that. I bought her famous Adrian Mole book some time ago - but have never got around to it. Maybe I will some day.

You have the right strategy concerning Sherlock Holmes, reading his novels first, as they are all from his earliest career - didn't think of that when I started on his short stories - hmmm....thinking of reading his novels now before I continue - as I haven't read The Sign of Four or The Valley of Fear.

Classics can be dangerous stuff... but I hope your son wasn't too influenced by the "opium-den" in Baker Street :)

>132 vancouverdeb: The cocaine use and conversation that begins The Sign of the Four is quite jarring to modern eyes, isn't it? Watson is concerned about it, but certainly not at the level one would be today if you walked in on your friend shooting up!

#130 - I still hope to come across a copy of Harperland at some point (with so many books on my TBR pile, I'm not going to hunt it out). We have another novel that looks at Canadian politics around someplace called King John of Canada. If I ever get to it I'll let you know how it is.

I love the Sherlock Holmes books despite the use of drugs. I wonder how brilliant he would have been without them? Good conversation about names and such here, ma'am! I grew up with a military father so it was always "yes sir/ma'am" at my house!

Deb, I've happily added a thumb to your Confessions of a Middle Aged Woman. Sounds charming, and I agree that we need to do something about the February gloomies!

Awesome that you are venturing further into Arthur Conan Doyle, and it's great that you have a plan. I like to add books to 1001 when I can, too. I like that your son loved Sherlock Holmes, that you can read the books to see what attracted him at a young age as well as for your own enjoyment.

I was a huge Sherlock fan at the age of 11-ish as well, Deborah. It seems just the right age for it somehow. His use of drugs was completely irrelevant to his twitchy genius and the scariness of the plot.

Re "the lads": my family is Scottish so they were laddies when they were wee but now that they are in their 30s it just wouldn't work! Too many people were calling them "the twins", which I refused to do as they hated it.

Hi Deb, I scanned the cover of The Box of the Dead and uploaded it to the book page : ).

@133, Susan, the gaping holes in my literary knowledge as simply huge! Nothing to worry about there. Like you I had to search up the 1st in the series of Sherlock Holmes before I began. It's on wikipedia - amazing what one can find there!

@134 Carsten, one of my sisters' is a big fan of the Adrian Mole books, so that is how the name Sue Townsend was familiar to me. I've never read Adrian Mole either, but perhaps I'll pass this humourous autobiography onto her. There really are some funny bits about the gardening centre and domestic activities. Indeed, Carsten, as I'm finding out, classics can be dangerous things, what with the opium den in 24 Baker Street as you so aptly put it. No, it seems my son is able to navigate life without turning to heroin/ cocaine - perhaps his mind simply is not a razor sharp as Sherlock Holmes! :)

@135 Ursula, I was surprised at the casual shooting up of heroin on the second page, yes! I do realize that back in the day, it was more common, thinking of Freud etc. Crazy bunch!

@136 Joyce, from what I read you live in a den of books, so I don't blame you for not digging around for Harperland. I read a couple of other non-fiction books about our early government, one being John A: The Man Who Made Us by Richard Gwyn. I'm afraid government was a corrupt business from the beginning. I need to get to the second volume some time...

@137 Donna I got more of a chuckle than anything with the drug use in Sherlock Holmes. It was just so unexpected to me. Ah, a military family, Ma'am! My dad was a commercial airline pilot with a slight rebel streak and if I'd ever called him Sir, I'd have probably gotten a sharp look from him and the question " are you being sarcastic ". Culture and families do differ indeed.

@138 Thank Nancy! Next time I see Daniel I'll ask him some " serious questions" about how the Sherlock Holmes series affected his young brain. I'm sure it will give him a laugh. I'm honestly surprised that the Arthur Conan Doyle books are as interesting and humourous as they are. I would not want to make a steady diet of them, but they are kind of fun.

@139 Tui, that's so fun that you too were a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes series when you were young too. I still think that calling your sons " the lads" is so cute! Twins -that must have been a lot of work all at once. I have a friend who had a set of " lads" when her first two children were still just 3 and 4 , and my goodness, did she ever have her hands full. I have a lot of respect for those that have a set of twins.

@140 Nancy, that is great that you've scanned in the alternate cover of Box of the Dead. You are such a techno marvel !I think your cover is the better of the two choices. Now that you are getting to your copy I'm feeling more of an itch to get to my copy too. Can't wait to see what you think of it.

Hi Deb- Just checking in. I am waiting for "Confessions of a Middle Aged Man". It might be more my cuppa! Hope your day is going well.

Hi Deborah! I know I read The Hound of the Baskervilles when I was a young person, and while I now know that Mr. Holmes was frequently strung out on various drugs, I don't think that registered with me back then. Or maybe he's not taking drugs in that one. I'm not sure. What is my point? I have no idea, as usual.

Anyway, I do the thing where I say "Ms. {insert first name}" all the time. I've been trying to stop though, so there's that, but it's a habit, so it's difficult. And I think I only do it with women. And I have no idea why I do it.

Have a lovely Monday!

#144 by @DorsVenabili> What is my point? I have no idea, as usual.

Ha ha ha. I should have this line tattooed somewhere.

Hello Deborah! Your images of Vancouver are a wonderful reminder that it has been too many years since I last visited your gorgeous city. Definitely on my retirement travel list! Some great reading and I have had to add Galore to the WL - especially as I loved No Great Mischief so much.

I love your idea of Georgia, Deb. It might be more true of Mamie's corner of Georgia, but not so much my neighborhood! I'd love a wrap around porch & porch swing with a hammock in the yard! One day....

You're making me feel guilty that I haven't read any Sherlock Holmes Deb. I have some of them downloaded onto my iPad so I will get to him at some point, right after Agatha Christie maybe. I was a teacher or principal all of my adult life so very used to being called Mrs. and calling colleagues Mr., Miss, Ms., or Mrs. also. We just didn't use first names much in school. Too afraid students would pick up on it I'm afraid. Haha.

I love your idea of Georgia, Deb. It might be more true of Mamie's corner of Georgia, but not so much my neighborhood! I'd love a wrap around porch & porch swing with a hammock in the yard!

Does that porch and swing come with a mint julep? Because it sounds like it should. (I've never had a mint julep, and I'm not very confident that I would like it).

@ 143 Hey there Mark, yes I agree that perhaps Confessions of a Middle Aged Man might be more your cuppa tea - do you not see the romance in the Aga as described??? I know of your penchant for " naughty librarians." LOL! To do justice to Sue Townsend she speaks highly of her husband, for the most part. She is now 64 and blind, due to diabetes complications.

@144 Kerri, I had no idea that Sherlock Holmes was a drug user til now :) I think that it is noted only in some books and with a very light hand. After injecting himself with heroin , he was mildly rebuked by Watson , but immediately as a " case" came up, Holmes was very clear minded. No worries. There is seldom a point to what I am saying , never mind my spelling. No worries there!

@145 Well, Julia, my husband accuses me of wandering off in my speech, but like Holmes, I tell him that is merely the result of my " fast moving brain" that goes from one subject so fast he cannot keep up with me.

@146 Prue, I confess I have not read Galore , nor No Great Mischief, so I cannot take credit for those book bullets! But - I will take credit for you visiting Vancouver on your retirement travel list.

@147 Tina, thanks for letting me know that I am merely fantasizing about Georgia. I would really love that wrap around porch with the porch swing, perhaps a few pecan trees and of course, Georgia Peaches!

@148 Bonnie, don't feel guilty about your one tiny gap in your literary life . I am certain that you more than make up for it in so many other of your reading. As for Agatha Christie, my grandparents must have owned nearly every book that she wrote, so I was introduced to Inspector Hercule Poirot and Mrs Marple probably when I was 11 or so and read many of my grandparents books. If you've worked as a teacher and a Principal in schools, I can see how you would tend to use Ms. or Mrs etc because indeed, kids do pick up on first names - never mind nick names for their teachers.

@149 Joyce, I have never had a mint julep, but yes that does add to the atmosphere we are creating for Georgia! I have a strong feeling I would not care for a mint julep either.

>145 rosalita: /150
Well, Julia, my husband accuses me of wandering off in my speech, but like Holmes, I tell him that is merely the result of my " fast moving brain" that goes from one subject so fast he cannot keep up with me.
That is also my defense.
A valid one, might I add??!

Deb,
Just skimming through, trying to "catch up."
I read A Study in Scarlet last year and loved it, more than I expected. It was actually one of my few audiobooks.
And I read The Hound of the Baskervilles when I was a teenager and I have been thinking I would like to re-read it. My memory is that it was very eerie and suspenseful!

@ 151 Megan, I can completely understand that your mind works ever so much faster then your husband's does. I'm sure Sherlock Holmes would agree with us, and who are we to argue with Sherlock Holmes?

@152 Great to see you, Ellen. Like you , A Study in Scarlet was much more than I expected and that is what has kept me reading Sign of the Four. My next Arthur Conan Doyle will be The Hound of Baskervilles which I hope will be very creepy as you remember!

I must correct myself re Sherlock Holmes drug use . He does not use heroin, no, a 7 % solution of morphine , alternating with cocaine. And according to Watson, he is a 3 x times a day user, with an arm riddled with injection marks and scars. :) But it part of his everyday routine and is not often mentioned I take it.

Phew....the rapid deductions and thought processes on this thread makes me all dizzy. Can't keep up, have to lie down now and rest my brain for a while. It's just too much for me.

Wow, great book discussion here... and now I am craving a mint julep which I have also never had!
Just popping in to keep up with you Deborah!

#154 Perfect response, Carsten. LOL!! (I'll be chuckling all day about that!)

@ 154 Carsten, just have a shot of morphine or cocaine, like good old Sherlock Holmes and you should be just fine and able to keep us with us!:)

@155 Hi Kath. I looked up the ingredients in a mint julep and it doesn't sound like much of a treat to me!Bourbon and spearmint and sugar are part of the recipe. I don't drink in the first place - those ingredients sound - well - not very refreshing at all. Perhaps stomach turning.

@156 Nancy, try to keep up, have you got a case of the vapours from this fast moving thread? :)

I've not quite finished Sign of the Four but I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of Poisoned Pawn by Peggy Blair which is supposed to arrive today from amazon. I read and enjoyed her debut novel last year , The Beggar's Opera - get the correct touchstone there.... and just recently Peggy Blair's first mystery was released here on LT as an ER . I think it was quite well received. Then I read in the paper about the release of her second book Feb 5th and I knew , as a patron of Canadian Writers, okay, only some of them, that I had to have it right away.

I think maybe Canadian Writers should pay me a royalty for advertising and purchasing their books . :)

I think you are onto something, Deb. You should definitely be getting a royalty for your Canadian promotions! You've certainly added a few Canadian authors to my wishlist.

@158 Thanks Judy! Now, if I could only convince the book sellers in Canada, or the authors that I deserve a royalty for my Canadian promotions.. :) Glad to add a few Canadian authors to your wish list!

Well, I finished up The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle. I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed in it. The 1st in the series The Scarlet Letter had such an unexpected plot turn and I enjoyed it much more than The Sign of the Four. Really the only particuarly interesting in The Sign of Four was that I learned the Sherlock Holmes was a regular user of cocaine and morphine , and Dr Watson found himself a wife. The plot itself was nothing special - so 3 stars.



I still plan to read The Hounds of Baskerville later this year.

I am currently reading The Age of Hope by David Bergen. The Age of Hope was a Canada Reads Nominee, but February by Lisa Moore won. However , I purchased The Age of Hope a few months back and so I am about 55 pages into it. I think it's going to be a sad sort of a read.

Hmm, too bad your Sherlock adventure was not more enjoyable, Deb. Glad you will still read the next, The Hounds of Baskerville later in the year. Will be following along to see what you think of The Age of Hope. I loved February, so it was a deserving win! Have you read it?

Having never read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Im sure I dont know what ratio of morphine/cocaine or whatever. ;)

Ah, well - some drug addiction and a wedding. There are modern novels where less is happening, so you could have done a lot worse :) Hope you will enjoy The Hound of Baskerville - I think you will.

At least the Canadian publishers could send you the new books for free - it would be a good investment - wonder if they ever look around on sites like LT? it's great to follow the Canadian book scene on you and Nancy's threads.

@162 Nancy, you win some, you lose some. That said, at least The Sign of Four was mercifully short, or it may have lost further stars. But yes, I will continue with my plan to read The Hounds of the Baskerville later this year. No, I have not yet read February by Lisa Moore , but I did look at again when it won this year's Canada Reads. I did purchase another Canada Reads Nominee, Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese which is waiting for me on kindle. I was looking at some reviews of The Age of Hope and it seems to get mixed reviews, but I'll see for myself. As I've mentioned I think it will be somewhat of a sad read.

@163 LOL Megan, I would never know the " ins and outs" of morphine and cocaine use, except it was spelled out for me on page 1 or 2 of The Sign of Four.

@164 Well , Carsten , you make an excellent point. Only trouble is Watson is only promises to marry his wife to be, and I'm sure that he will - but I have a feeling it will happen " off stage" - I don't think romance or marriage scene set ups are Arthur Doyle Conan cup of tea.
Thanks Carsten for your kind words re Nancy and my Canadian reads! I'm afraid don't know of any scheme by which I could get the books for free, but I wish I did! I have seen a few authors here on LT giving away Canadian books, but after the fact. A couple of them were The Beggar's Opera, a debut crime/ mystery novel set in Havana , Cuba . The author just had a ER giveaway here on LT, I think to promote it to the US market - and meanwhile I just got her second mystery novel Poisoned Pawn which I am planning to read next.

The other Canadian book which I have read and seen promoted here on LT was Our Daily Bread, a great read, but quite dark!

I'm sure there must be others, but those are the two that I have noticed.

I'm sure the marriage will only be briefly mentioned, Deborah - in fact I think it is in one of the short stories I read. Nothing that interests Holmes of course.

- Married, Watson? Well, good for you..now look at this interesting case....

Hmmm. See, a mint julep sounds yummy to me! Heavy on the mint!
All of that blue text must mean that you are not sharing my current reading struggles... they persist.
Keep up the good reading :)

So it sounds like you are reading the Arthur Conan Doyles in order. I must go look at the collected works that I have. I would like to join you for The Hound of the Baskervilles later this year but it might be worth reading The Sign of Four first. I wonder if I could skip it and just glean the information about Holmes from you. Heh.

Married, Watson? Well, good for you..now look at this interesting case.... Well said, Carsten! Appreciate the chuckle : ).

I have not yet read February by Lisa Moore , but I did look at again when it won this year's Canada Reads.

February was one of my favourite books the year I read it. It's a wonderful book. However, I'm not sure it's the book that every Canadian needs to read. It's sophisticated and nuanced, and a lot of readers don't have the skill or the interest in that sort of reading. It's one of those books that rewards you when you reflect on what you're reading--it's not one that you can just sit back and expect to entertain you. So definitely not for everyone, but really fabulous for those who like that sort of thing. It was also nominated for the Booker prize.

@166 LOL I appreciate your insight and wit, Carsten! You are correct, Sherlock Holmes is pretty ego centric! :) You know Holmes well - I bet you get together with him, working on " Dandicrime" ;)

@167 Honestly Ellen, I think you could just glean the info from me and go straight to Hounds of the Baskerville :) I did enjoy the A Study in Scarlet though.

@168 Likewise, Nancy, I appreciate the chuckle!

@169 - Yes, maybe one day I'll get to February, Joyce.

Hi Deb- So when are we reading Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Late, next month? Of course, I have to track a copy down.

@172 - Hey Mark. hmmmm... ah - oh , I may be backed into a corner - maybe even a fist - fight with you!! I see if I can locate a copy of Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. I hope that you are scared, Kemosabe, very scared!

Hi Deb
Hope you enjoy your current read. I was taking a look at the Canada Reads finalists and I realized that none of them appealed to me at all. I was a little surprised at that

Chelle, me too.

@174 - Chelle, I am enjoying The Age of Hope much more than I initially expected. I purchased it some months ago, before it was a Canada Reads finalist, because I was interested in the topics in the book and the area - Manitoba, a small town which could represent Steinbach MB quite easily and I knew that the author was well regarded. Initially I was not sure how keen I was going to be about the book -but now that I am about 200 pages of 280 pages, I am really finding the book to be engaging. I have in mind to eventually read Indian Horse , which is on my kindle.

Truthfully Chelle, I really don't think there is one book or author that "every Canadian should read " or a " Canadian Book that represents Canada . " The country is to big and to diverse and also - is there any book that anyone " needs to read." I really think that books are a matter of personal taste and I applaud those who read any and all books! Although I have the book 1001 books everyone should read before they die, truly, I don't anyone on their deathbed is concerned about did I read that book? Kind of silly, but I guess lists and prizes give us some sort of guidance and help sell books! :)

@175 - I am with you Tui, as I said above.

Be back later!

Good to hear good things about The Age of Hope. My sister-in-law, who reads everything, really dislikes David Bergen, so I haven't been in a hurry to read him, but some of his books do sound interesting and I will get to them eventually.

I agree with you about books everyone should read, and the "1001 ____ before you die" is just a marketing thing--like you said, who's on their deathbed thinking "darn, I haven't read Silk yet!"? (btw, no one needs to read Silk). However, the 1001 lists are fun, and I have discovered many, many wonderful books there.

1001 Books is the most gorgeous smelling book I have ever come across! So, if I'm on my deathbed and I haven't had the opportunity to read one single more book from 1001 Books, I can appease myself by sniffing it!

LOL - a comforting thought, Nancy. Although one might have lost the sense of smell at that point :)

1001 Books is my favorite list book - and yes, Deborah - it's fun to flick through - but of course there are titles I know I will never read, because some novels are not my taste at all. Also there tends to be too many titles for some authors - they could have included more authors easily for a greater variety. (I have the 2006 edition).

@177 - I've finished up The Age of Hope , Joyce and I really enjoyed it. Initially it did not seem to have some of the depth I was hoping for - but as I read further I quite changed my mind. I haven't had a particular like/ dislike of David Bergen, but now I've read two books of his that I have appreciated. In December 2012 I read The Time In Between by David Bergen and I think I gave it 3. 5 stars and that was led me onto my " Vietnam " reading spree. I feel like this was a very worthwhile and interesting read - maybe 4 - 4. 5 stars for me. Though Hope Koop was born in 1930 , and my mom in the early 1940's, to a certain extent I could see my mom in Hope Koop. It will take me a while to try to review the book. I think as a mom myself and looking at my parents marriage, and as I get older, understanding more what old age is like - this book spans 50 years of Hope Koop's life, I appreciate that which I identify with in the book. I think it's well done.

@178 Goodness sakes, Nancy! If sniffing the pages 1001 books will comfort you on your death bed, I personally will hold the pages open for you!:)

@ 179 Carsten, such bracing realism is appreciated! :) From what I have seen, one does tend to lose their sense of smell etc on their deathbed. Now, just how did my thread get so morbid? LOL! I agree with you Carsten - 1001 books is a fun book to flip through and yes, I use it as somewhat of a guide -but I don't take too much to heart.

But, you and I will hold the pages open for Nancy to sniff - if it should come to it! After all, what are LT friends for?

Aw, thanks Deb and Carsten. A girl couldn't ask for better friends!! Sniff, sniff ...

*Sniff sniff, tears pouring down my face as I contemplate holding up pages for Nancy to sniff on her deathbed * And Nancy, you are on the hot review page! Seems my sorrow was premature! :)

:) Always hot it seems, Deborah. Love the fun on this thread - stay well for many years, Nancy...grow so old That we can't even hold the old book up...I mean 1001 Books of course. :)

1001 Books is a book I cant believe I dont own yet! Maybe Ill put it on my wishlist for my birthday. Or just issue a direct request to my lovely other.

That's our joint plan, then: we'll all live long enough and read long enough that nary a one of us will have the strength to hold up 1001 Books. Sniffers are out of luck! I love the fun on this thread, too!

Deb I agree that there is not one book that everyone should read before they die, or every Canadian should read. I enjoy going through the 1001 books list just because there are great book suggestions there that I wouldn't have thought about without someone nudging me towards them. Rather like LT suggestions! :)

I was disappointed with the Canada Reads finalists and even more so when I went to look at the longlist and saw books like Galore and Alias Grace there. I had been planning on making an effort to read the winners (like I do with the Bookers and the Orange Prize) but I've reconsidered and won't be.

I had been planning on making an effort to read the winners (like I do with the Bookers and the Orange Prize) but I've reconsidered and won't be.

I'm not planning on reading them all, but there have been some fabulous winners--February, Lullabies for Little Criminals, and A Complicated Kindness were all 5 star reads for me, and I haven't found time for The Book of Negroes yet, but I expect it to be excellent too.

The times that I've listened to the debates, I've seen that it's a game and sometimes a strategy backfires on the panelist. And sometimes it's not about the best book winning, but instead making sure a book that really shouldn't win, doesn't.

@186 Chelle, I totally agree that there is no one particular book that everyone needs to read, or every Canadian needs to read. Like you, I just enjoy flipping through the pages and if some of the books look agreeable to me - then maybe I'll give it a look- see.

No worries about not wanting to read any of the Canada Reads finalists. I think one can judge for oneself. At least they bring the books to one's attention I suppose and then one can decide if any of the reads are suited to them. A couple of days ago I was in Indigo/ Chapters looking at the Canada Reads book section and one of the Chapters employees said to me " I'm not Canadian, so I don't have to read any of the books." He and discussed how often Can Lit is quite depressing and he put his finger on Away by Jane Urquhart. And I think his perspective as a Canadian immigrant is one to consider. I know my son's girlfriend, who immigrated from Hong Kong, took Canadian Studies at UBC, and the Can Lit that most appealed to her was that from an immigrants perspective.

Truthfully I think any reading is good reading. I'm just happy to see my husband become an avid reader after all of these years and what appeals to him is his business.

Hmmm.... I've never had a mint julep either. I'm with y'all who aren't sure if you'd like it. It does sound like a very Southern drink. I'd prefer a glass of sweet tea while I lounge on the porch swing!

Hi Deborah - You are a wonderful proponent for Canadian lit; my wishlist is filled with your recommendations. I just finished another Atwood -- Alias Grace, which is a historical novel based on a true story of a murder. I would recommend it.

Morning Deb- Yes, Kemosabe is very scared! I am glad you are enjoying your mild weather. I wish we could get back to it. Cold all next week too! I requested Lone Ranger, so I should be able to get to it next month.

@189 Tina, I don't care for mint, nor bourbon, and the thought of adding sugar to the mix is revolting to me. I think most of the time I would stick with a nice cold glass of water on the porch swing!

@190 Thanks Beth, I enjoy Canadian Literature, so it's quite easy for me to promote it! :) Alias Grace is in my TBR piles somewhere, and someday I will get to it. Thanks for the recommendation.

@191 Good, you are scared! It was nice to see daffodils in bloom yesterday at my neighbours a couple of doors down. It's pretty overcast with light rain today, so it's not like it's all good.

Review of The Age of Hope.

I'm going to preface this book review by saying that I know that the book sounds quite boring, but for me, it was a wonderful read and I turned the pages quickly. So bear with me as I attempt to review the book. It is a quiet , reflective narrative.

In 1930, Hope Plett is born, only child of a Scottish mother and a fallen away Mennonite father. Ernie Plett enjoys the drink and the pleasures of the flesh. Born in the fictional town of Eden, Manitoba, ( a thinly disguised Steinbach Manitoba) Hope quickly realizes that her status in this small Mennonite town is different from the majority of the towns' people. She differs in matters of faith , ethnic background, language as well as finances and status. Her family of origin is not a prosperous one. Hope is both an interesting yet very ordinary person who is somewhat passive and tries to blend into the community.

We meet Hope in 1949 as her mother encourages her to pursue a career in nursing, to ensure that Hope does not have to endure the life that her mother has ,financially trapped with an alcoholic husband. While training at a hospital in Winnipeg, Hope meets Roy Koop. Roy Koop is 4 years older, teaches Sunday School in Mennonite Church in Eden, and works for his father at a GM dealership in Eden. Roy is a respectable, kind man, but not especially given to deep communication. Hope drops out of nursing school to marry Roy, but within 6 months of marriage Hope is " already wearied by domestic duties and not given to joining women's groups" ( p. 35.), so she begins to travel from Eden to Winnipeg to shop and lunch on her own.

In time Hope has her first child, Judith. " She did not breastfeed Judith. It was not promoted nor encouraged."(p43). Hope goes on to have three more children, the last of whom is unwanted by Hope . Hope ends up with a bad postpartum depression and spends time getting electroshock therapy in a mental institution following the birth of her fourth and last child.

On one hand Hope is very passive and tries to maintain the status quo, but her best and only friend is Mrs Emily Schroeder, who encourages Hope to expand her reading to books like Lady Chatterly's Lover, Lolita and the like. Through Emily Schroeder, Hope is introduced to the age of feminism, but never fully subscribes. Meantime, Hope's husband Roy remains steadfast, prosperous, encouraging, but he is not an emotional man , and Hope finds that she and her husband have little meaningful communication. While Hope experiences various disappointments and challenges with their four children, Roy seems immune to worry about the children. We follow Hope even after her husband passes away, her life as a widow, and we come to know her rather unconventional adult children .

While I realize that The Age of Hope sounds boring, I found it to be compelling and absorbing reading . Not much action happens in the book, yet many of Hope's experiences resonated with me, and I could also see my own mother in Hope.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys character development, a reflective read with many strands, and to those who have/ had mother's and those who are mothers.

Well done, David Bergen. I'm still pondering on Hope Koop, that seemingly ordinary woman and all that she represents.

4. 25 stars.

The Age of Hope sounds like my sort of thing, Deborah. Thanks for the great review.

Wow, great review of The Age of Hope, Deb. Happy to thumb-up!

*delurking* smile - wonderful review of The Age of Hope it does sound like something I would enjoy as well.

In regards to the 1001 Books before you die - well, I think it is definitely a great reference book.

@ Great to see you , Dee! I think that you would enjoy The Age of Hope which you might have trouble finding in the UK, but is was a Canada Reads Finalist - so you never know - it might grow in popularity in the Canadian Lit category- we can hope! :)

@195 Thanks Nancy. It took me a couple of days and a couple of false starts to come up with that review. There is more that happens but for me it was definitely one of my more challenging reviews. But I did love the book, much more than I expected by far!

@196 Bianca - thanks for delurking! Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I agree that 1001 books is good reference book - perhaps you enjoy the smell of the pages too ?

Oh it certainly is windy out this morning! I had a brief walk with the dog already and it was so windy I could not tell if I was hearing a siren or it was just the sound of the wind howling. After a couple of minutes the siren got closer and I got distinguish from the sound of the wind. At least it is sunny outside!

De-lurking to add to the 1,001 love-in :) My current theory is that, as long as the keep adding to (it's what 1,294 or so now?) none of us addicts can ever die cos we'll never be done. 1,001 does become an obsession really easily - but somehow I've never smelled mine...

*wanders off to sniff her books*

Great thumb-review, Deborah - Being trapped or feeling trapped in life is an experience shared by many - at least in some degrees, I think - sounds like there's a lot to ponder upon in this novel. A great feeling when you "connect" with the main character!

Take care - in windy Vancouver.

@198 Bekka, thanks for de- lurking and sharing in the love- in for 1001 books. I love your theory of adding books until so that we will never die! Enjoy your sniffing! :)

@199 Carsten, thanks for your kind words. I'm not sure if trapped is the word that comes to mind with regards to Hope. Yes, perhaps somewhat, but more that she lacked a strong sense of self , and was uncertain of her what her convictions were. I'd say poor Hope just wanted to fit in and was not entirely certain of what she believed in. Indeed, for me a lot to ponder on in this novel. I think it helped me understand my mom more. It is a great feeling as you say when you can connect with the main character - even if she / he is quite unlike you!

Yes it is very windy this am. I'm glad it's daytime and not scary nighttime where the lights might go out on me in the night - all by myself as Dave is at work. I think it may have calmed down now. The clouds are blowing in!sigh

thumbs up for your review of The Age of Hope.

Hi Deborah!

#193 - The Age of Hope doesn't sound boring at all! In fact, I think I'll put it on my list.

I have fun with the book lists as well - I'm terribly list-oriented and neurotic, as I think you know : ) - including the 1001 list, but I try not to get too caught up in them. That being said, I recently came across an old book called 500 Great Books by Women (thanks to a fellow LTer - CammyKitty), and I'm really enjoying it. There are a lot of the usual suspects, but many of the books I'd never heard of, so it's been a wonderful discovery tool. It was published in the 1990s and a lot of the choices reflect that, but it's still fun to go through. And it's not just fiction - a lot of memoir and non-fiction is included. I believe it's out-of-print, but I found a cheap used copy.

Good review of The Age of Hope! I am not sure it's my cuppa but I do like good writing and I did have a mother, so you never know.

I am a fan of Can Lit so I have found Hooked on Canadian Books by T.F. Rigelhof a great place to start making a list of books to read. I'm not dedicating myself to reading everything he mentions but am certainly making an effort to read more widely than I already have in this genre. Worth a look.

@201 Thanks so much Linda and thanks for stopping by!

@202 I'm glad that The Age of Hope doesn't sound boring via my review. It is a quiet read, but there is definitely a few jarring events in the book, though they are far and few between. I did not want to give away any spoilers - but it's mainly a thoughtful reflective sort of a fictional memoir. I'm going to have to look into the 500 Great Books by Women. That sounds interesting, Kerri!

@203 Hey thanks Mark. You are quite the Renaissance Man, so Age of Hope just might be your cuppa, and it's written by a MAN - one who has written books about Vietnam as well.

@204 Hi Jen! Age of Hope is definitely Can Lit and David Bergen , the author may has won various Canadian Literary awards for his other books. I'll have to keep a look out for Hooked on Canadian Books. I see it's books since 1984, so it will be fairly new Canadian books. Sounds like a great resource. Thanks for that!

Age of Hope looks great. I've added it to my wish list.

Age of Hope sounds wonderful Deb and your review is thumb worthy. I usually like books that sound boring to others and you know I am a fan of Canadian literature. Hmmm, I wonder when Joseph Boyden will publish a new book?

I thoroughly enjoyed your review of 'The Age of Hope', Deborah! In the right mood I think I would find a so-called boring book like that quite absorbing.

@206 Rhian, I certainly hope that you can find The Age of Hope. It was finalist in the Canada Reads Contest, one of five books, so perhaps it will become popular outside of Canada? Always difficult to say.

@207 Thanks for the thumb, Bonnie. The book is definitely slow paced and nothing really exciting at all happens, but somehow I never felt bored. I enjoy so called " boring books " too. There was really no climax - or if there was it was so small I think I missed it. Essentially it's Hope's life , punctuated with interesting sign posts along the way. I really enjoyed it!
P.S. I answered your Joseph Boyden question on your thread. Nothing new on the horizon that I am aware of right now.

@208 Thank Julia. Yes, I'm sure being in the right mood helps. I think for me, the fact that am familiar with Steinbach and Winnipeg, made the book all the more interesting to me. That said, I think it really spoke to me on many levels. It took me a day or two for the book to settle , so that I could write a review.

Lovely review... glad you loved the book :)

I too enjoy a "boring" book at certain times :) It looks like all is well in our little circle of the world !

I checked out the list of books in 500 Great Books by Women but couldn't really find anything of interest. Lists of Bests had them all listed. I either read them, never heard of them, or they are already on my massive TBR database.

Deborah, I can't hope to catch up, but I can say that I am devoted off-and-on to Canadian writers. Did anybody mention Margaret Laurence??? She's the BEST!

@210 Thanks Kath! It's actually not a boring book, it just sounds like it when I wrote out the review. I never found myself impatient or bored, but when it came to writing the review, there was nothing exciting to say. Hope lived a usual life, with the usual problems but somehow that made for a great read.

211 Well, Morphy, I've not read the 500 Great books by Women but I am interested in having a look at it. With the Orange Prize ( I know the name has changed ), there are lot of excellent female readers in the last ? years . Oh yes, Morphy - I forget about that huge data base that you have. That is amazing stuff!

@212 Peggy I don't blame for not catching up, just glad that you stopped by. I've read either The Stone Angel or The Diviners or both - somewhere back in highschool. You can't get through to Grade 12 - at least I didn't without running across Canada's authors! :)

I checked out the list of books in 500 Great Books by Women but couldn't really find anything of interest. Lists of Bests had them all listed. I either read them, never heard of them, or they are already on my massive TBR database.

Thanks for pointing out that that book is on Lists of Bests. What a very odd list! Interesting though, and I really appreciate how many non-US & non-UK books are included.

You can't get through to Grade 12 - at least I didn't without running across Canada's authors! :)

I wish I could say that--I read exactly one Canadian author in my 13 years of elementary and high school. It was The Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton in grade 5. I asked a friend who teaches high school English if they have any sort of CanLit requirement and she says the Canadianess or non-Canadianess of a work never comes up. My daughter is in grade 11 now and hasn't done any CanLit in high school. So consider yourself lucky that you had a teacher who put some Canada in the curriculum. ;-)

I'm the same with regard to Canadian Lit. Other than maybe a Farley Mowat or two, I don't remember a single Canadian author being taught or read in school. We moved around a bit but the bulk of my high school years were spent in B.C. and Ontario.

We had a CanLit course at my high school, where we did Black Robe, The Wars and probably some other books I can't quite recall. I took it instead of the normal Gr. 12 English, I think.

@215 Well, Joyce , I read The Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton in grade 2 or so. I was such an avid reader, that when I was 5 , I told my mom I want to learn how to read - I'm serious - it makes me laugh now! So she got me all kinds of workbooks - don't ask me where and her old readers - Run Spot Run etc .So I was a very " good reader" early on. I learned all of the " facts of Life " from Dear Ann Landers from the news paper, reading Doctor Spock under the sheets , thinking it might be forbidden. Just thinking of it all makes me laugh. I read lots of books , but my mom got a lot of magazines - like Womans Journal, Redbook etc and I read them all even in Grade School . I'll never forget my favourite feature in Women's Journal - "Can This Marriage Be Saved?". Anyway, it really makes me laugh to think back. But yes, we had Margaret Lawrence, among CanLit that I remember in school. That and dystopian novels like Lord of the Flies, Catch 22, Fahrenheit 451, the poet T.S.Eliot - ,We are the Hollow Men among other poetry. We even had to watch Cool Hand Luke and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I had a very good English teacher for Grades 11 - 12 - and he really liked " existentialism". And then I did have year and a bit at UBC ( I became very ill in 2nd year at UBC and had to leave .) But we did read and watch controversial books and films in highschool English, I realize now. I remember later on, some people parents marching to the school, over either The Handmaiden's Tale or or some other Can Lit. When I took English Lit courses later on at Kwantlan College just for interest, I don't recall such an emphasis on Can Lit - but then I did not chose Can Lit. I spent my Grade 1 to Grade 12 years with with the same bunch of kids. My parents moved once, but not much out of the school catchment area.

@216 - Judy, I can't remember anyone teaching us Can Lit in elementary school, but high school yes! And we learned a lot about the Coastal Salish and other BC Indian Tribes til it came out of my ears in grade school. I even remember listening to music on CBC in grade 3 as part of our " music curriculum" and watching " battles that small plastic soldiers being re-enacted " on a small tv in the gym in Grade 7. Oh that was lame! Oh the memories are sweet. The plastic soldiers were moved by hand on the tv with a droning narrator. Oh it was boring.

Okay , I must confess to one hilarious mistake. I recall when I was just in Grade 2 or 3 the book called Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. I had no idea what it was about, but since my dad was a commercial airline pilot I was sure he would find it interesting , so I bought it for him. He was actually quite prudish, but he accepted it from me with a muted " thanks". Likely he was dumbstruck. I think maybe later I read the back of the book and realized my mistake. My parents always encouraged reading and university for one and all. It just makes me laugh a lot now.

@217 - Cool, Cynara! A friend of mine transferred to a different high school for Grades 11 and 12 - but still lived in my area. She said she felt that English Coures were really well done in that students could pick a themed Lit class every semester. So she was able to choose her area's of interest in Grades 11 and 12 ( within limits of course).

#218 I learned all of the " facts of Life " from Dear Ann Landers from the news paper

I was a precocious early reader too, but that's probably not uncommon around these parts. And I too read Ann Landers--religiously! By the time I was 12 I was on to adult books only (back in the stone age, there wasn't the rich array of YA that's available now). Looking for Mr Goodbar set my dating strategy before every going on a date (that strategy being: never go home with strangers).

Yes, I agree, most kids can read when they start kindergarten nowadays. I know my two boys could both read fluently by kindergarten, but I did spend a fair bit of time with them and they both had two years of good pre-school. I had a January birthday and so I was eager to read and go to school like my November of best friend of the year earlier than me.I was so jealous of Jane when she started grade 1. I did go to kindergarten -but my parents had to pay for it then - I'm a few years older than you. I think maybe by the time sibling number 3 or 4 of 5 went to school, kindergarten was part of regular school.

You are correct in saying that there was not so much YA reading back in " the day." I remember my grandparents had a basement full of Agatha Christie's and lots of other books including old issues of the Saturday Evening Post, so I read lots of Agatha Christie. My mom was really keen that I read everything by L. M. Montgomery and I enjoyed those books too. By grade 8, my dad was sharing some of his mystery and sci fi books with me - if I was interested. And of course, who's young teen years were not complete without laughing through Harlequin romances? I know me and my friends used to read those and laugh ourselves silly. I confess I never read Looking for Mr Goodbar. My dating strategy was to never date a stranger.

I have to admit Joyce, that my sons have never had an interest in the newspaper, except for the eldest started reading the sports section in grade 6 or 7. Very disappointing!!!!!!!My younger son, though graduated from university in computer science and gainfully employeed in his field does not do read for leisure. Sad, sad ! But I figure that just out of university, working f/t , having a girlfriend -and his job is more like 10 hours a day - plus he hung on to his Saturday job at UBC keeps him to busy to read beyond what he needs for work.

At least I've managed to turn my husband into a book worm this past few years. It's never hopeless.

Okay - they really should pay me for hyping up Canadian books. LOL!! Last year I read The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair. It's a new Canadian Mystery Crime series. It was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association for Debut Dagger award, and a couple of Canadian awards. The Beggar's Opera was also recently an Early Reviewer's book here on LT. If that's not shameless enough advertising, here is a you - tube book trailer for The Beggar's Opera. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=55oVtqWocAo

I love you- tube book trailers, when I can find them, which is not often.

Anyway, without any further advertising, I'm reading the recently released second in the series , Poisoned Pawn. It features the Cuban Detective Ricardo Ramirez , as well as Canadian Ottawa Policeman Mike Ellis . First we have begun in Havana Cuba, then onto Ottawa and I think there is going to be a trip to the Vatican over the corruption and depravity of the Catholic Church. So far we have a few poisoned bodies lying about in .... that's all I can tell you....

Currently reading The Poisoned Pawn by Peggy Blair

I'm giggling. You gave your father Fear of Flying?!?!? That's great!

Oh I know Peggy! I was only 7 or 8 and that's the first and last time I judged a book by it's title! My dad never said anything to me about it being inappropriate and I did not realize at the time. I think he was terribly embarrassed but understood my misguided good intentions. I was just at a drugstore, looking at magazines - Mad Magazine and comics and I saw it -and thought - yes, that's a book my dad will like , based on the title.

I made another mistake later on in life. In my late teens or so, I went with my boyfriend to " Topgun" with Tom Cruise. Once again, since my dad was a pilot I raved to him about the fabulous fighter jet stuff and how he'd enjoy the movie. I forgot all about the sex stuff and my dad was really quite prudish. Anyway, my dad went to the movie with my mom and my two then 10 and 12 year old brothers - not sure exactly how old my brothers were. When he returned from Top Gun, he was red in the face and frowned at me . Forever after that my dad refused to see any movie with Tom Cruise.

I giggled too, Peggy!

LOL - your poor dad - If Topgun had too much sex for him, I'm not sure how he survived Fear of Flying. I haven't read it, but for awhile there was one passage from it quoted in a lot of writing books on how not to write about sex.

All this sex talk over here. Starting to make me a little uncomfortable...

@224 Tui, I'm giggling remembering the whole thing!

@225 Katy I'm pretty sure that my dad did not read Fear of Flying. I sure he quickly deposited into the nearest private garbage can. I thought it was a thriller sort of book when I gave it to him - Fear of Flying - get it? ;)

@ Sorry, Lone Ranger, that my thread has taken an offbeat turn - Mr Sexy Librarian thread! :)

Deborah, your mistakes with your Dad reminded me of an incident with mine. As an adult, I noticed that Excalibur was on the TV that week and mentioned that I liked the music (Orff's Carmina Burana). Unfortunately, from that he took away the impression that it was a musical, and recommended it to a friend of his with a young family. And then held me responsible when his friend objected to the sex scene at the beginning!

Just pretending to catch up... really just stopping to say HELLO DEBORAH!

Morning, Deb, crazy busy week here but enjoying The Secret River when I have a moment. It was a great rec!

Deborah, I love the stories of buying Fear of Flying for your dad, and encouraging him to see the movie Top Gun. Sigmund Freud would have a hay day with your recommending these two sexual content things for him to read and see. I'm laughing out loud.

Like your father, my mother was also prudish -- extremely so. She carefully monitored my boyfriends and they had to come to the house many times before I was allowed to "date" them.

When I finally had her approval to go to the drive in with my friend, when I got home, she was waiting up for me. She asked what movie I saw and I said "Grand Pricks". I thought that was the way to pronounce Grand Prix.

@228 Rhian, it's good to know that I'm not the only one that accidentally " referred" my dad too something that was embarrassing, although in my case, the 1st incident I was so young, that that time it did not dawn on me til quite a bit later. Everything is good for a laugh after time has gone by! LOL at your dad!

@229 KATHLEEN , great to see you and I hope you have a great day at work - if this is a day that you work!

@230 Morning, Nancy! So glad that you are finding Secret River enjoyable! I'm always glad when a rec works out!!

@231 Sigmund Freud would have a hay day with your recommending these two sexual content things for him to read and see. I'm laughing out loud.. I never thought of that, Linda!I laughing at your pronunciation of Grand Prix. I'll bet that I that's how I thought it pronounced was when I was younger too. Truly I was glad to leave my dad with my mom!!! As much as I loved my dad - I always knew I'd like the opposite to him in a husband . That was my dad - carefully monitoring my boyfriends too - but he was much worse with my one of my sisters. I remember him chasing boys of the front yard when my so called " boy crazy " younger sister was only in grade 6. In our house, no boys were allowed any further into the house than the living/ kitchen / family room area. Oh I can't believe that that you told your mom that you were going to see Grand Pricks. I can only imagine the look I would have gotten from my parents LOL. You have me laughing!

#220 You'd be surprised at how little some have when they start! My duaghter is in reception this year - UK equivalent (I think - September after they are 4 - so they'll all be 5 during the year). Proud Mummy hat on, she is one of the top three in the class but several don't even have their alphabet sounds yet which I kinda find horrifying. I know her school has a large number of non English speakers but still!

On the film side, I watched Robin Hood Prince of Thieves for the first time with my grandparents. I was not really old enough and during the attempted rape sat there bobbing up and down going 'what's he doing???'

@233 Yes it's amazing how young kids start reading! That it is great that she is in the top three of her class! I know levels of reading/ alphabet knowledge etc can really vary from child to child. In my area, we have about a 60 % non English as a first language speaking, but those children really excel at school, due to parents who really have great expectations of their children and put them into private English / education etc classes. I think we've got a very excellent ESL - that is english as a second language programme in the schools. So much depends how much parents value education, or the social/economic situation of the parents. My son's girlfriend purposely chose to do her elementary school practicum at an inner city school, that is rife with poverty and she says it's really heartbreaking how little the kindergarten's at her school know. She say many don't know the alphabet, have never seen an a computer and are still learning their colours. I admire her very much that she wants to " make a difference" as she says. She herself is an immigrant from Hong Kong. That said, I think many teachers want to make a difference, no matter what school they are at.

LOL about the your film experience! I think back in my stone - age youngster hood TV was still pretty clean. :)

I am just pretending to catch up too and hoping there isn't anymore yucky sex talk...L.R. is a sensitive and wholesome guy.

229 & 235 - Ditto on pretending to catch up :)

Hi Deborah/Deb :) I just wanted to say hi and pretend to catch up, too...but now I hear that there's sex talk...maybe I should read more carefully... :)

Hi Deb, just passing through, noting the smutty talk, and being shocked, especially at you recommending Fear of Flying to your Dad;-)

@235 Well, L.R. aka Book Porn Thread, I hope my thread is not too HOT for your tastes :) Put your blinders on for all this wild talk!!!

@236 Ah, Tina, pretending to catch up :) I understand! Between Mark's Book Porn/ Naughty Librarian thread and Joe's Cafe, I had to do something to liven up my thread :) I hear that " SEX" sells.

@ Hi Joanne! I need to get by your thread soon! Enjoy the company and chat on my thread!

@238 Hmm, Bonnie, did you not read the depraved Geek Love and now How to Get Filthy Rich? Pot to Kettle! :) My poor old prudish dad, I can only imagine what went through his mind when I gave him Fear of Flying , when I was 7 or so, thinking it a thriller about flying that he would love. In retrospect I give him great props for just accepting it with a quiet thanks, in the spirit the gift was intended! :)

Well - I've learned how to attract a crowd, that's for sure! Never mind reading a good book or writing a good review! LOL! Thanks for visiting, my dear old LT friends!

Hi Deb,
You said up there that they should pay you for hyping Canadian authors. Indeed, they should!
And it's not quite the same thing, but I did see Canada by Richard Ford in the airport bookstore today and I thought about you. It actually looks pretty good.

@240 Elllen, I am so flattered that you thought of me while you saw the book Canada by Richard Ford. I have not read it, but I'm quite sure that Mark has read it, so you might ask him.

You are, after all, one of my primary Canadian literature info sources. :-)

Deb - are you enjoying our pineapple express? Or do you just want to scream?