Ellen/EBT1002 reads 75+ in '13 - July continued

Francine Van Hove
(thanks to Mark for introducing me to this wonderful artist)

COMPLETED IN JANUARY

1. Howl by Allen Ginsberg (library)
2. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Off the Shelves)
3. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (Off the Shelves)
4. The Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz (owned)
5. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman (library)
6. How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden (library)
7. 420 Characters by Lou Beach (library)
8. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (library)
9. The Line by Olga Grushin (Off the Shelves)

COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY

10. Stay Awake by Dan Chaon (L)
11. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (OtS)
12. A Grain of Truth by Zygmunt Miloszewski (L)
13. The Hill Bachelors by William Trevor (L)
14. Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
15. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (L)

COMPLETED IN MARCH

16. The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor (OtS)
17. Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin (OtS)
18. Ethel & Ernest by Raymond Briggs (L)
19. Swimming Home by Deborah Levy (OtS)
20. Pow! by Mo Yan (L)
21. The Door by Magda Szabo (OtS)
22. Brothers and Keepers by John Edgar Wideman (OtS)
23. This Way to the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Tadeusz Borowski (OtS)
24. The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri (OtS)

COMPLETED IN APRIL

25. Dog On It by Spencer Quinn (OtS)
26. Old Filth by Jane Gardam (OtS)
27. The Lighthouse by Alison Moore (OtS)
28. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (OtS)
29. Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule (OtS)
30. Raj, the Bookstore Tiger by Kathleen T. Pelley (L)
31. Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 by Joe Sacco (OtS)
32. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

COMPLETED IN MAY

33. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (L)
34. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (L)
35. Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
36. Marbles by Ellen Forney
37. Slow River by Nicola Griffith
38. Calling Dr. Laura by Nicole J. Georges
39. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

COMPLETED IN JUNE

40. The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison
41. Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
42. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker
43. The Likeness by Tana French
44. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
45. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
46. Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri
47. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
48. The Waitress Was New by Dominique Fabre
49. Escape to Gold Mountain by David H.T. Wong
50. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin
51. That Mad Ache (also La Chamade) by Francoise Sagan

COMPLETED IN JULY

52. Cop Hater by Ed McBain
53. The Three-Arched Bridge by Ismail Kadare
54. The Mugger by Ed McBain
55. The Bat by Jo Nesbo
56. Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin
57. Pusher by Ed McBain
58. Night Soldiers by Alan Furst
59. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
60. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

COMPLETED IN AUGUST

61. Hide & Seek by Ian Rankin

Books Acquired in 2013

1. Call It What You Want by Keith Lee Morris
2. Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956 by Anne Applebaum
3. Writing in the Dark: Essays on Literature & Politics by David Grossman
4. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (sale table)
5. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (sale table)
6. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
7. The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño
8. The Waitress Was New by Dominique Fabre (purchased in Los Angeles)
9. The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín (purchased in Los Angeles)
10. The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch
11. The Belly of Paris by Émile Zola
12. Gulag: A History by Anne Applebaum
13. Germinal by Émile Zola
14. The Door by Magda Szabo (Book Depository)
15. Tokyo Fiancee by Amélie Nothomb
16. The Glass Ocean by Lori Baker (gift from Benita, to be released in August 2013)
17. Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-95 by Joe Sacco
18. This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen by Tadeusz Borowski
19. Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
20. My Century by Aleksander Wat
21. The Lighthouse by Alison Moore
22. The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor (used copy)
23. knots and crosses by Ian Rankin (used copy)
24. Swimming Home by Deborah Levy
25. Proud Beggars by Albert Cossery
26. Sandalwood Death by Mo Yan
27. Felicia's Journey by William Trevor (used copy)
28. Love and Summer by William Trevor (used copy)
29. My House in Umbria by William Trevor (used copy)
30. April Fool's Day by Josip Novakovich
31. Samuel Johnson is Indignant by Lydia Davis
32. A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch
33. Brothers and Keepers by John Edgar Wideman
34. Philadelphia Fire by John Edgar Wideman
35. The Quick Red Fox by John D MacDonald
36. Ten White Geese by Gerbrand Bakker
37. Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yoko Ogawa
38. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
39. The Cat by edeet ravel
40. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker
41. The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison
42. Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin
42. Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule
43. How It All Began by Penelope Lively
44. An Unsuitable Attachment by Barbara Pym
45. South Riding by Winifred Holtby (Virago Modern Classic)
46. The Man in the Wooden Hat by Jane Gardam
47. Fortunes of War: The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning
48. Spoon River Anthology by Edward Lee Masters
49. The Threads of the Heart by Carole Martinez (lovely Europa Edition)
50. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
51. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
52. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
53. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
54. The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron
55. Cheating at Canasta by William Trevor
56. A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
57. Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner
58. Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst
59. Dark Voyage by Alan Furst
60. Exodus by Leon Uris

CURRENTLY READING:

. .

More acquired in 2013:

61. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin
62. The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill
63. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
64. The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley
65. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
66. The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
67. Last Friends by Jane Gardam
68. The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich
69. Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler
70. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
71. The Big Sky by A.B. Guthrie, Jr.
72. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
73. Me and Mr. Booker by Cory Taylor
74. Calling Dr. Laura by Nicole J. Georges
75. The Road Home by Rose Tremain (gift from Paul)
76. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
77. In One Person by John Irving
78. On Sal Mal Lane by Ru Freeman (Booktopia)
79. A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers
80. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
81. The Goodbye Look by Ross MacDonald
82. That Mad Ache by Francoise Sagan
83. Privileged Conversation by Evan Hunter (total trash, I acknowledge)
84. A Deadly Shade of Gold by John D. MacDonald
85. Cop Hater by Ed McBain
86. The Mugger by Ed McBain
87. The Pusher by Ed McBain
88. The Con Man by Ed McBain
89. Killer's Choice by Ed McBain
90. Killer's Payoff by Ed McBain
91. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
92. A Fairly Honorable Defeat by Iris Murdoch
93. The Bat by Jo Nesbo
94. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
95. Light in August by William Faulkner
96. The Cry of the Owl by Patricia Highsmith
97. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
98. The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper by John D MacDonald
99. Pale Gray for Guilt by John D MacDonald
100. King's Ransom by Ed McBain
101. Killer's Wedge by Ed McBain
102. Lady Killer by Ed McBain
103. As Long as You Both Shall Live by Ed McBain
104. Bread by Ed McBain
105. Let's Hear it for the Deaf Man by Ed McBain
106. Sadie When She Died by Ed McBain
107. Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here! by Ed McBain
108. Shotgun by Ed McBain
109. He Who Hesitates by Ed McBain
110. Ax by Ed McBain
111. Like Love by Ed McBain
112. The Empty Hours by Ed McBain
113. Lady, Lady, I Did It! by Ed McBain
114. See Them Die by Ed McBain
115. The Heckler by Ed McBain
116. Falling to Earth by Kate Southwood
117. The Bone People by Keri Hulme
118. Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
119. The Art of Losing by Rebecca Connell
120. The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
121. Two or Three Things I Know for Sure by Dorothy Allison
122. Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

Ellen what a lovely new thread topper. I thought "Mark would love this." when I saw it. :)

I don't know why the touchstones in #5 are not working. They look like they're working but when I click on "save message" they don't come through. Oh well.

#7- Roberta, I agree completely. Mark introduced me to this wonderful artist: women, cats, books, wine..... she captures so many things that I love in life. :-)

Ellen - Congratulations on another new thread.
To get the touchstones to work you should open the post back for edit and then wait a while whilst it searches and adds all the touchstones. I figured that one from trial and error. 117 entries is a bit unwieldy too so it will take a short while to do it.

Ellen go back in and erase the first set of brackets and then save your message. For some reason when you copy & paste a large amount of touchstones LT is finicky. I thought they fixed this but perhaps they haven't.

ETA: I hadn't thought of doing it Paul's way. I am so impatient. LOL

#11- Hi Paul. Yes, I did that twice and twice it seemed to have filled in all the touchstones. I will try again when I'm feeling more patient. Meanwhile, folks can tell that I've bought a few books this year (although not as many as some, ahem).

#12- Roberta, okay, that I have not tried. I will do it.

Maybe I need to divide my acquired books into two posts. I do have an extra.....

Look at you, fixing the problem with post #5!! WahHOO for you, sister! Lovely new thread. I'm glad you made it home safe and sound - but what a horrible airline experience! Sorry for that!

Hi Ellen, happy Monday and many many more United flights to savor in your future!

No, seriously, have a good week and may you discover and read only 4-star plus books. *smooch*

Sorry to hear about your hellish flight on United, Ellen. I don't fly that airline often (since I live in Atlanta you get one guess which carrier is my one of choice), but I haven't had any problems the few times I've taken it.

Hi Ellen - Happy Monday and New Thread Day. Welcome home. I love the picture at the top.

She's just out of the shower, couldn't wait to read the next chapter. I can relate.

#14- Mamie, I like successfully solving a problem. Very satisfying. :-)

#15- Richard, thank you, dear sir. I am almost done with one that will get 4.5 stars, I believe!

#16- Darryl, um, let's see. Might your airline of choice be Delta?? Living in Seattle, mine is definitely Alaska Air but some east coast cities are a bit challenging to get to on that one.

#17- Beth, I love that picture. It's perhaps not as revealing as some of her works but I love the mood it evokes.

#18- Morphy, perfect story. And I can also relate.

Just back from an excellent 28-minute run into which I integrated some good hill work at the end. Powering up a hill is the best medicine for stress. :-)

I have an appointment at 10am today so I'm not going to work until after that. I'm hoping to do a little reading after my shower (kind of like in the painting!). Tonight we have two friends coming over to help us with (gulp) wedding planning. Of course, I thought we'd done all the planning we needed to do but apparently there are details to which we must attend.

I much prefer the planning for Scotland in 2014. :-|

Happy Monday, everyone!

Happy Monday back to you. I like friends who will help with the planning.

I love that thread-topper, too, Ellen. Kudos to you and Mark.

I gave up on United, too. What a lousy experience for you. Glad you're safely home and running in excellence.

Of course, I thought we'd done all the planning we needed to do but apparently there are details to which we must attend.
lol- I'd be like you Ellen. "It'll be fiiiine!" It will be fine, but you may have a tad more to do yet :)

That's a great picture up top, Ellen. Sorry you had so much trouble getting home.

Hi Ellen, been a while since I visited, so thought it'd say hello. I obviously missed something to explain why suddenly a bunch of people are reading The Wasp Factory. Somehow, based on Darryl's comments about it, I doubt you must be enjoying it much....

Hi Ellen - Have fun with the planning. I'm headed for the gym for a little cardio later. Great stress reliever -- unfortunately I can't run.

I have to go back and see what I've missed by not flying anywhere with anybody!
Happy new thread!
Running up hills: either a kill or a cure. I MUCH prefer to swim my laps.
Planning for Scotland in 2014 - YAY!
Wasp Factory sheesh I'm trying to push myself to read a little every day for the rest of the month. It's so short that I can surely read 20 pp a day. I just don't want to. But I said I would. And now there's no time to start something else. We'll see. --- So what do you think?

Happy new thread, Ellen! I too LOVE the picture you have chosen and give Mark a hearty THANK YOU for introducing this lovely art to you (and me!).

I shuddered at the story of your United flight on your last thread. I cannot imagine going through all that. I'm sure I would have lost my cool by the end of that delay. You're a good gal, as I didn't hear of any pilot / flight attendant deaths on United lately. ;)

Hi Ellen- Congrats on the new thread! And hooray for Van Hove! Any thoughts yet, on Life After Life?

57. Night Soldiers by Alan Furst
4.5 stars

I loved this novel about ordinary people caught up in WWII espionage. Full of wonderful characters whose lives intersect, diverge, and intersect again, the story most closely follows Khristo, a young Bulgarian man who is driven to passion in the service of his homeland after watching his younger brother be beaten to death by fascist militiamen. We follow him through shifting political landscapes (who is an ally and who is the enemy?), across Eastern Europe to Moscow, on to Paris, and finally, hopefully but with little actual hope, toward home again as the war is wrapping up. Furst's tale is almost always suspenseful, at times romantic, frequently heartbreaking, and persistently honest. I highly recommend it.

#21- Karen, yes, we have wonderful friends who are being helpful without being pushy.

#22- Joe, thank you. And it's sort of heartening and sort of disappointing to hear that so many others have also been turned off by United.

#23- Megan, the truth is that I still wish we were just going down to the courthouse, but I have to admit that, as we plan, I'm finding myself more clearly looking forward to the celebration. It's a bit weird to be doing this after 17+ years together.

#24- Roni, I'm glad you like the thread topper. I do believe that Van Hove has become one of my favorite modern realist artists.

#25- Ilana, good to see you here! I am only getting started with The Wasp Factory so it's too soon to comment. I hope I like it more than some have done.

You know what you're gonna get with Alan Furst - great period espionage thrillers.

Trust that you have a great week and don't get to repulsed by The Wasp Factory

#26- Beth, sorry you can't run but a good cardio workout serves the same purpose. For me, running soothes my anxiety and anger more than anything else (when I need such soothing), but I know that someday I'll have to find a replacement.

#27- Peggy, I used to be an avid swimmer. There is a pool not too far from my house but getting there when I'm a bus commuter is less than convenient. Still, I anticipate that I'll return to swimming for exercise one of these years.

I'm very much enjoying the Scotland planning. We do need to start going for actual hikes a bit more often, I think.

Hmm, The Wasp Factory is getting some mixed reviews.... Well, I'll have it on the bus with me tomorrow and I have several legs of bus-riding (see below) so I'll be forced to get into it.

#28- Tina, LOL, as there were certainly moments when I thought I might completely lose my cool. I think the too-dim reading light was the last straw.

#29- Hi Mark! As you can see, your introducing Van Hove to me (and a few others) has turned out to be one of your finest contributions. And that is saying something, my friend.

I must admit that I haven't actually started Life After Life yet. I expected to complete Night Soldiers a couple of days ago, but RL has been a bit of a bear and I didn't get as much reading time in as I would have liked. I'll keep you posted, though.

Work has kicked my butt this week and RL has been a bit stressful, but I think things are settling down now. I hope so, anyway. On Wednesday evening, P and I are going to see Pirates of Penzance at the 5th Avenue Theater and I'm looking forward to that. It means an extra bus ride which means extra reading time. That's not really why I'm looking forward to the show, but it is a bonus. We'll start with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants where the bartender makes a wonderful Old Fashioned. :-)

Ellen - I haven't read Furst yet, but it sounds like a good read. I'll look for him. I hope you enjoyed the play. G&S is always fun. I look forward to your Life After Life comments. I hope work calms down for you.

I am glad you enjoyed the Furst book. He is definitely one of my very favorite authors and I expect that is in part because I've met him. He was on LT chat with authors once and I was able to remind him of his early days in Seattle and he seemed to remember them fondly.

End to Stress! We must do something to end it! Reading Gaiman might help... hint hint hint

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

#36- Beth, I have now read two by Furst and I liked this one the better. I've never been much of a "spy novel" reader but this one was really excellent.

#37- Karen, isn't it interesting how meeting an author can influence your reactions to their work? As you know, I really want to get to On Sal Mal Lane because I was so taken with Ru Freeman. And, of course, I'm anxious to read Falling to Earth, having consumed Irish whiskey with Kate Southwood in my graduate school days..... heh.

Thanks for the support, folks, around my work- (and life-) related stress. I should know by now that this is just what it is.

Started The Wasp Factory in earnest last night. What a compelling (and creepy) narrative!

traipsing through warbling greetings

warbling through traipsing greetings

oh, my, this is testing my thesaurus-like heart! I think I'll stroll through, dispensing a delusory wave, as it is a tad warm this afternoon.

Richard, Joe, and Karen, YOU DO MY HEART GOOD!!!!

I have read several of Alan Furst's books and Night Soldiers is one of his best. Spies of the Balkans was good too. I like that he works with some obscure countries and locals that we don't normally think of when thinking of The Big One. Bulgaria - was that country part of WWII? Hungary? Boats getting bombed on the Danube? Surely there wasn't that much action in the nether parts of Europe. He also points out that it wasn't all shoot'em up, bang-bang. There was diplomacy and subtle espionage as well and these stories are interesting.

You will also have to read some of David Downing's books about Jack Russell. They are more of a cohesive series (need to read in order) and because they are about the same length as is Furst's books they make great books to take when you travel.

Sorry you are stressed! I was having a crappy day too until I sat down to chat on LT. The threads have cheered me up!
Hugs to you!

I had a terrible day too! I wonder. I simply could not find anything or be organized. Then I got very depressed by how many unfinished projects I have. Ugh.

Past that now, winding down - your July looks like mine, weirdly less time for reading than some other months.

HRH Prince George of Cambridge. :-)

Not Ryan? Or Logan?? Or Taylor???

I still think they missed a bog chance by passing up Aethelbert.

Hi Ellen: #47 - great minds -- I was thinking Travis...

Three more books purchased.
Two were on super-duper sale:

Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
The Art of Losing by Rebecca Connell

Of course, I read and loved Bastard Out of Carolina way back when but Dorothy Allison is an author I have not otherwise explored much and I do like southern lit. The other simply caught my eye on the sale table (and I'm a bit of a sucker for the Europa Editions).

And one for which I payed full price:

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

I own a couple of other by Greene which I've not yet read, but I'm in kind of a WWII thing lately, so I'd like to read this one in the next couple of months.

That makes 120 books acquired in 2013. I think I'd better put a rigid full-stop on book-buying until, say, September.

Good luck with that, Ellen. You live in a book-centric world. How will you resist through all of August's wonderful summer reading days?

I'm back to reading a bunch all at once. However, I did just now find the lost key ring with all my keys so I feel much more on top of the world. Happy Thursday!

I can't believe this is my first trip to your new thread! I hope things settle down for you soon.

Anyway, based on your enthusiasm, I'm going to put Night Soldiers on my wishlist, even though I'm not typically into spies either.

I thought Cavedweller was good, although certainly not as good as Bastard Out of Carolina. She's been having a new book coming out for the last three years or so, but then it never comes out. I do wish she were a tad more prolific. Just a tad.

#52- Karen, congratulations on finding the key ring! I imagine that is a huge relief.
I'm not sure August is going to bring me too many "summer reading days," but I do appreciate the sentiment. I'll hopefully keep the pace at which I'm currently reading.

#53- Hi Kerri. I hope you like Night Soldiers. It's definitely not the usual spy fare.
I don't know when I'll get to read Cavedweller but the price was perfect (marked down to $6.99 plus 50% off!), so I had to nab it. I want to read some of her essays. BOoC is the only thing I've read by her.

Hi Ellen - Some nice purchases. I think I am even with you as to book purchases this year. I agree with Kerri about Cavedweller -- good but not as good as Bastard out of Carolina. But you're correct -- the price is right.

Hi Ellen. I really liked the 2 Alan Fursts I've read so far (both Paris ones) and have Night Soldiers here on the bookshelves.

Hope RL is improving and your stress level's going down.

Hi Ellen,
I wonder how many books I have bought this year - but not enough to count them! lol
I know I have not kept up with you though - in book buying, reading, or threads. What did you say you eat for breakfast???? I need some ;-)

LALALALALALA --- I'm not counting. I'm not looking. If there's any breakfast food left over when Cee finishes, you might shove a bit my way, please.

I am happily a part of the "I'm not counting" tribe! Love the weather! Nice to have you home, and I hope the professional stresses are just a tad less crazy than they are during the academic year.

I like Alan Furst's novels; went to a small meeting at the New York Society Library, that I used to belong to when I could afford it (!) to listen to him talk. He's a fascinating person; very focused on the 1930s/early 40s, when everything is so ... ambiguous. Makes for great espionage novels!!

Re Bulgaria: It was pretty much the last Balkan territory to be owned by the Ottoman Empire/Turks. It was a relatively small country from the 1880s or so until WW1, then a much larger one afterward. Independent at the time Furst set his novel.

There is a short miniseries available based on The Spies of Warsaw that I intend to watch quite soon!

I forgot to record my excellent 28-minute run from this morning. :-)

Well, crap, I just lost a whole post responding to Beth, Cushla, Peggy, Cee, Karen, and Suz. I will try to recreate it but I'm pissed at LT for logging me out.

Meanwhile, I had copied part of my post (I'm guessing I took too long to write the post and that's why LT kicked me out).

Back further up, I missed posts by:

Benita, yes, the Furst novels nicely illustrate some of the less "mainstream" areas of activity during WWII. I like that.

I read one by David Downing (Zoo Station -- same guy?) and liked it, but perhaps less than the Furst novels I've read so far.

Chelle, I agree that LT can cheer one up. I wish I could more reliably find time to "play" here.

Lucy, sorry to hear that you (as well as Chelle!) had a crappy day. I do hope today was better and that we both get more reading time as the summer progresses!

Okay, I'm over being mad. I'll try again.

Beth, I'm looking forward to reading Cavedweller but also thinking I need to do a re-read of Bastard Out of Carolina. I read it when it was first published, 21 years ago!

Cushla, I think I need to settle into the current stress level. I don't anticipate it changing much anytime soon. And I own at least three more by Alan Furst and I will definitely be reading them.

Cee, my breakfast regimen is not all that impressive. This morning I ate a granola bar during my drive to work. Of course, yesterday I had flakes with blueberries, so that's probably better. I think my "energy" is a combination of genetics and anxiety. I wouldn't mind living with less anxiety, but when I can manage it effectively it does work to my advantage.

Peggy, you and Cee with your not counting!
Actually, this is the first year I've counted book acquisitions and I don't think it's had a reductive effect on my purchasing behavior.

Karen, glad you like your spot in the not-counting tribe. I may join you again next year.
And yes to this weather!!!!! It has been the loveliest summer I have yet experienced in Seattle and that is definitely saying something.

Suz, you are the second person to enthusiastically describe an in-person encounter with Alan Furst. Based on your endorsement, along with that of Karen, I will certainly watch for an author event with him.

And I will be watching for that miniseries! Having visited/lived in Poland for a few months in 1981, I'm very interested in that part of the world.

Friday *smooch*

Thank you, Richard!

I'm taking Friday morning off so that P and I can go to the courthouse (I know, I'm supposed to be excited about this) and now I'm thinking I'll call in and take the afternoon off, as well. If I do, I will hopefully get some reading time in although our nephew is coming over sometime in the afternoon to help us build a hand railing for our back steps. :-|

I know I'm in the minority in caring about baseball, but the hapless Mariners have won nine out of their last ten games. Nice.

Someone has probably already posted this, but...

>67 EBT1002: I'm taking Friday morning off so that P and I can go to the courthouse
Huh!? Surely not a cheeky registry wedding? ;)

Wasp Factory....compelling and creepy? That just about is it in a nutshell! I definitely found it both of those things.

Ellen - Have a lovely Friday off. I know I have a Furst around here somewhere. Maybe I'll fit it in this year... It's been a while since I read Bastard out of Carolina, too. 21 years? Wow, time flies.

Good Morning, Ellen! I hope you're able to take the whole day off to relax after your courthouse business. That sounds like it would be lovely!

And Yay! for the run!

Morning Ellen! Sounds as if a nice long soak in a bubble bath would be just what you need today, followed by uninterrupted reading time. Have a great day and a relaxing weekend.

Happy Friday, Ellen. I am so enjoying the Furst discussions. I'm glad to see he gets good marks from most people. I did see a reviewer muse that perhaps he would become "old" to readers for being stuck in one era, with one general locale. I can tell the reviewer had not read many of Alan's works, as they are frequently quite different one from the next.

I'm enjoying The Ocean at the End of the Lane greatly! Hope to finish it this weekend. Then, I'll return to Empty Mansions which is really not so much about the eccentric old lady, more a romp through American history in the late 19th Century and early 20th.

I am glad for you that your Mariners have been winning. Must be a nice feeling ;-p. Blue Jays finally won last night after a 7 game losing streak! At least Jose Bautista has been hitting well as he is 75% of the reason I even watch the game! Mmmmm! lol

So why were you at the courthouse today?? Could Megan be right??

Ha! I like >69 EBT1002:, Ellen. We're readers in our family, so we still manage to ignore each other with smartphones and books. Something to be proud of, right?

I'm glad somebody's baseball team is winning. We're thinking about giving up the sport in Chicago - both teams are simultaneously lousy. Lots of football and basketball and hockey articles in the sports pages already in July, as it's painful to read about the Cubs and Sox.

I'm enjoying the Furst discussions, too. Good to hear he's a prince in person.

Hooray for winning baseball teams! My Yankees are plagued by injuries, which I'm sure makes everyone else happy, if only for the Karmic value of it...

58. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
4 stars

Our first-person narrator is sociopathic 16-year-old Frank who lives with his father on an island just off the mainland near a town in Scotland. Frank is a creepy, meticulous, morally warped, creative, delusional young man. His brother, who has escaped from jail may be making his way "home" and the narrative ostensibly centers around Frank's management of the implications of his brother's potential return. But, of course, the real story is Frank's growing up years, including his very creative murders of three children. He portrays himself as certain and confident:

I know who I am and I know my limitations. I restrict my horizons for my own good reasons; fear -- oh yes, I admit it -- and a need for reassurance and safety in a world which just so happened to treat me very cruelly at an age before I had any real chance of affecting it.

Right.

It's hard to write much about this novel without spoiling it, so I'll just say that I think it's a brilliant depiction of the mind and soul of a sociopath, as well as an interesting exploration of the eternal nurture/nature debate on human development. And there's the thread of fate vs. destiny vs. random life paths (is there a greater being putting obstacles in our way and watching as we navigate the terrain?). As I read the last page, the old Jethro Tull song made its way into my mind: "And he who made kittens put snakes in the grass, he's a lover of life but a player of pawns....." I'm not a believer, but that line has always resonated deeply for me.

This book is not for the squeamish (and I would usually count myself among them, especially when animals are the victims, but for some reason I was able to numb myself to the brutality depicted herein) and there are those who will think it reprehensible. But I give Iain Banks great credit for this courageous novel.

70 Megan, oh no, this is just to give our $64 to the county for a license. The "event" is scheduled for August 10. My preference, in truth, would have been a cheeky registry wedding, though.

71 Beth, I think you would enjoy Furst's novels. And thank you, I'm already enjoying my Friday off! :-)

72 Kerri, thank you! I have, indeed, decided to take the whole day off. It's quite sunny out (and I did decide to forego this morning's run since I'm horribly sore after yesterday's "therapeutic massage"). Seattle is always lovely in the summer but I must say that this summer has been particularly perfect.

73 Lynda, I like the way you think! I'll probably skip the bathtub soak but I can guarantee that you'll find me sitting on our back patio later today with a book in my hand.

Yikes! Good review - but not my cuppa by a long shot.

" And there's the thread of fate vs. destiny vs. random life paths (is there a greater being putting obstacles in our way and watching as we navigate the terrain?)"
As interesting as THIS statement/question is, I would not read this particular book to ponder that...
Thanks for the warning. I will pass on this one.

Yay! for the Mariners. I have no idea how the Red Sox are doing. Can't be that good or Ron would have mentioned it. Or maybe he finally realizes I only care when it gets to be the final game of the World Series.

74 Karen, having read only two of the Furst novels, I could see that someone might expect his territory to become stale. But I am confident in his ability to develop character and create setting; I will certainly keep reading his works!

You're definitely not the first to enjoy The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I don't know if I'll get around to reading it, but I'm tempted.

75 Chelle, it's been a great joy to be a Mariners fan for the past fortnight. Of course, the first half of the season was so bad that they are still under .500 but it's fun to watch them winning some games. It's a young team so we're foolishly building hope for next year. Ha!

Megan is not quite correct, but in the ballpark. :-)
After I stop playing on LT and get cleaned up, we'll be going to the courthouse to get the license. Kind of cool that we can legally do so in Washington, but you all know about my ambivalence regarding commitment. It's not about P; it's just hard-wired in me.

76 Joe, ah yes, the White Sox and the Cubbies. I am a bit of a Cubs fan, but I know better than to invest any real energy into it. Of course, here in Seattle, there is much anticipation of the coming football season. I hope we're not just going to get our hearts broken. Again.

I agree. It's nice to know that a good writer is also a congenial person.

77 Katie, well, like you though I do, if you're a Yankees fan I have no sympathy for you. None. Not one bit. My dear friends Sarah and Cath (who are flying out here from New York for our ceremony next month) are huge Yankees fans and I do give them grief when they whine about their team ("oh poor souls, your team only made it to the playoffs this year; they didn't win the whole freaking thing like you're used to!!"). Sorry, my mean streak comes out when it's the Yankees.

80 Cee, I respect your discernment. This book is definitely not for everyone. And yes, there are plenty of other options for pondering the meaning of life! :-)

Hmm.... I don't know how the Red Sox are doing, either. That's unusual as they are usually vying with the Yankees for the top spot in the East this time of year. On the whole, the Mariners are having a lousy year but July has been good.

It's ok, I'm used to it :-P (I do like to point out, however, that I am a true-blue Yankees fan and continuing a generations-long devotion to the team. They were the home team of five (four?) generations of my Irish/Irish-American ancestors who lived in The Bronx. SO it's not like I'm some random lout hitching my star to a winning team :)

FYI, the Red Sox are actually in first place in the division (gag!), followed by Tampa Bay (WTH?), the Orioles, and then the not-so mighty Yankees. Toronto remains reliably in last place (sorry, Chelle!).

Ok, back to book talk...

I'll echo what Cee said, Ellen. Good review of The Wasp Factory, but I'll take a pass. Not my cuppa, and there are so many others out there I want to get to.

I'm unqualified to talk about baseball, as our teams don't know how to play it.

Once you've read Zombie you'll need to compare it to The Wasp Factory for me since they both are narrated by sociopaths.

All caught up here, sister! I liked your review of The Wasp Factory, but like Cee and Joe, it is not for me. I am not squeamish, but I just don't want to read about certain things. So, um...no. Just no for me.

Hoping that today goes well for you and that your weekend is full of fabulous!

Joe's comment about baseball in #84 made me snort my drink!

Oddly, I can tolerate cruelty to humans (sometimes, at least in fiction) more than I can cruelty to animals? I just look at the resident felines and can't imagine anyone ever hurting them, and yet it happens so frequently. Of course, I can't imagine being a sociopath (vs just selfish) and taking pleasure in causing pain to other humans, either, but perhaps as a human I can intellectualize? Whereas when I look at an animal in pain or suffering, it is so clear to me that it doesn't understand WHY it is in pain. I'm not sure I'm being coherent, but...

Happy license day!

Oh yay, another fan of the Wasp Factory!
:)

Okay, I acquired one more book, bringing me up to 121 for the year. But I didn't buy this one. We sold a big stack of books to Twice Sold Tales and used our resulting credit for a couple of items. I chose

Two or Three Things I Know for Sure by Dorothy Allison. It's a short memoir that looks quite interesting.

Hi Ellen - I have the Allison memoir -- you have Allison on your mind these days. :)

83 Katie, well, since you put it like that, I'll give you a break. When I went to New York for my friends' wedding a few years ago, they did greet me at the airport with a Yankees ball cap. :-)

Book talk. I started reading Life After Life on the bus back from downtown this morning. It's too soon to issue even a tentative opinion.

84 Joe, well, at least you liked my review! :-)

85 Morphy, well, now I really want to get my hands on a copy of Zombie. I did look at Twice Sold Tales this morning and they didn't have a copy. It seems to be one of her less popular novels. It's at least one of her least available!

86 Mamie, another passer on The Wasp Factory. Like Cee and Joe, it's probably best to listen to your instincts.
So far, my weekend has been pretty good (taking a Friday off is delightful -- I do recommend it!). Our nephew is supposed to come over this afternoon to help with a project but in the meantime, as soon as I can wrap up here, I'm going to sit and read a bit.

87 Katie, I know. Poor Joe. I didn't even bother to respond to him this time because it just seems cruel.

88 Suz, I am exactly like you on that. I can tolerate all kinds of tragedy occurring to humans (even to children!) much more than I can usually tolerate cruelty to animals. It's not that I'm not affected by the human stories, but I can more effectively compartmentalize. And then, I am a psychologist and, even though I'm no longer explicitly practicing, I have heard my share of stories. Cruelty to animals usually gets under my skin and I have a hard time blocking out the images. I don't know why I was able to handle it in The Wasp Factory.

Getting the license was pretty cool. More about that in a moment.

89 Megan, oh good. I'm not completely alone on this one.

Okay, so here is a bit of the story of our trip to the county offices to get our marriage license. Really, the trip itself is not interesting, but here is the cool part:

We walk into the marriages office and there is a middle-aged hetero couple at the counter and two 30-ish hetero couples waiting in line, and P and I joined them. No one blinked. No one reacted at all. The woman in one of the young couples cheered as they departed, license in hand - how cute is that? Anyway, we wrote the check and filled out the paperwork (sitting at an oval table along with one of the other young hetero couples) and then, as we got back in line for stage two, a couple of middle-aged men came in to get their license. It was all so normal!!!!!

So, though I may be ambivalent about committing to one person for the rest of my life, I'm not at all ambivalent about the political and societal stance that the state of Washington's voters took last fall. Those young hetero couples are just growing up with this diversity of marriage partners and they clearly thought nothing of it. How cool is that.

Those young hetero couples are just growing up with this diversity of marriage partners and they clearly thought nothing of it. How cool is that.

It's very cool Ellen.

Hi Ellen!

#94 - That is a lovely story. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case everywhere in the U.S., but things are definitely going in the right direction.

Two or Three Things I Know for Sure is great! It feels like I wrote a paper on it at some point.

Have a lovely weekend!

>94 EBT1002: What a heartening story. Maybe all of humanity isn't made up of scum, sleazeballs, and swine.

de-lurking to say:

97> Of course not, think of all the lovely people here :-).

94> What a great story. How wonderful for your experience to be so... ordinary. Heterosexism is dying a very slow death.

* shoots off another confetti cannon * I like happy stories of civilization progressing.

Happy Weekend!

CONGRAT on getting the license. It sounds like a good experience. There definitely is a lot of hope for the future if you look at the younger generation.

Ellen- I loved your review of The Wasp Factory. I did not review it and sadly haven't participated in the Group Read but we felt very similar about it and it's good to see some positives. I know Megan liked it too, one of the reasons I read it in the first place.
Have a great weekend, my friend.

One of my good friends, part of a gay couple, is getting married on August 1st, the first day that they can get legally wed in Minnesota. I'm just thrilled for them! And I'm thrilled for you too!

How lovely that it can be so matter-of-fact. That's precisely the way it should be, really. A big move for the people themselves, but just another couple in the eyes of the rest of us. Because really, isn't that what it's about? Honestly, I never thought that I would see in my lifetime that gay couples can not only have children (whether themselves or adopt) and marry, but then I never thought I'd see the Berlin Wall come down either. In neither case does it affect my life personally, but in both cases, it leaves me feeling festive and, yes, relieved that while we still display an unpleasant propensity to enjoy blowing each other up, we can still show signs of progress.

Marriage is a big step, and even though I have never engaged in it, I can understand the hesitation. however, there is no denying that, in this society, there are certain benefits that come with it. You and P deserve those monetary and civil benefits as much as any other couple. So enjoy them.

As for The Wasp Factory, I often have trouble reading about gruesome cruelty, so either skip those parts of books or don't read them. I just can't take it. That is why, even though the stories interest me and I like the plots, I stopped reading the Jo Nesbo books. It is nice to know that I am not alone in my reactions to some things.

>94 EBT1002: How cool is that?

Very cool! :)

#103 Beautifully said

Yes, very cool. Great story. Congratulations.

Happy Saturday, everyone!
Just a quick book update:

I've been reading and enjoying Life After Life but the hardcover library copy is too big to read while riding my stationary bike and I needed that exercise this morning (having slept too late to go for a run before it got too warm). So, I started Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin. Now I'm reading and enjoying two books. :-)

Oh! Just YAY for an experience of normal-type acceptance!
That was a great story - and so very "cool"!
Congrats on your license and upcoming marriage :-D

And yay! The Red Sox are #1! HA! I didn't have a clue.
oh, and, Katie - my Irish-American ancestors lived in Boston. So.... of course, I am cheering for the Sox (regardless of how they are doing)... when I'm aware of baseball at all that is. lol

Hi Ellen. I loved your story of what it was like to get your marriage license. There's hope for this world yet.

And I also thought you wrote a great review of The Wasp Factory but it's the cruelty towards animals that's making me avoid it. Like many others, that hits me hard whereas cruelty to other people in a book is somehow "easier" to read about.

That's a wonderful place you live in! Congratulations to you and your P.

95 Roberta, yes, it's cool. I'm glad to have experienced it.

96 Kerri, so true that this would not have happened everywhere and, perhaps, not even in most places. But I choose to be optimistic that Seattle, liberal though it is, may be paving the path for progress. (Have I mentioned that I can be pathologically optimistic?)

97 Richard, well, as I told Kerri, I choose to believe that the world has good within. Call me mad. I probably am so.

98 MDGentleReader, Heterosexism is dying a very slow death. Let's hope so!

99 Karen, thanks for the confetti canon!

100 Rhonda, thank you. It was a great experience and I am glad to look to our 20-somethings and 30-somethings for future better things.

101 Mark, I'm glad you liked my review of The Wasp Factory. It was a challenging read, I admit, but I found it to be worthwhile.

102 Morphy, thanks for your good vibes. It's been an interesting road, that's for sure.

103 Suz, A big move for the people themselves, but just another couple in the eyes of the rest of us. Thanks for acknowledging that it's still a big deal for the couple involved. :-)
It certainly is so.

104 Benita, thanks for your kind words. Marriage is kind of a big deal. :-|
I didn't realize that the Jo Nesbo series was going to get me into cruelty to animals territory? I have only read The Bat and I definitely plan to read The Redbreast based on a large number of endorsements. But it sounds like the series, as a whole, gets difficult?

105 Joanne, thank you for chiming in. :-)

106 Roberta, I agree that Benita captured the essence of the issue very nicely.
And thank you for stopping by.

107 Beth, thanks. It was a cool experience.

109 Cee, thanks for your kind words. And I give you full credit for being a multi-generational Red Sox fan. Some things just come with the territory of being oneself. :-)

110 Pat, thanks for your support. And I fully appreciate and respect your decision not to read The Wasp Factory. Like you, I generally avoid novels that involve cruelty to animals (cruelty to humans I seem to be able to handle - go figure), but this one struck me just a bit differently.

111 Peggy, thanks. I feel very lucky to live in Seattle where two middle-aged women applying for a marriage license can be so ordinary. I know it's not that way everywhere, but I hope someday it is, for every young person who is coming behind us.

Such a lot to catch up with Ellen as I am not usually so far behind.
Like your "marriage licence" story. It is encouraging that prejudice in many quarters seems to be on the decline. I too am hetero as you put it, in fact as some of my exes would put probably a little overly hetero; but I profoundly recognise every ones right to choose how they life their life and to do so unmolested and without being put upon. I am very much of the view that someones sexuality has nothing to do with their merit or otherwise as friends and it can never be a factor in determining such.
My own SIL has had tremendous difficulties in her life in this conservative country with her own sexuality and my home has been a haven for her on a number of occasions. She is living with us presently and is very happy with her life, though at the moment single- she is working in my support-group of an office and gets along really well with all her co-workers all of whom are "straight". She once told me that she would happily get married to a man if she could find one exactly like me - I am not exactly sure but I think she was paying me a compliment!

Have a lovely Sunday Sis.

Thanks for sharing that lovely story regarding obtaining marriage licenses!

Oh no! I have missed a lot of posts... skimming though I see that you and P have your marriage license :) I am pretty sure that once the actual marriage takes place, you will be more comfortable with the whole thing. I hope so anyway.

I have been working and reading and thus LT-ing has suffered.

It looks like all is mostly well here, and that is a good thing.. hope whats left of your weekend is soft and pleasant!

Have a happy sunny day! And stay home if you can. Too many cars driving around Seattle this weekend, I think.

Good morning, Ms. Ellen!

#78 - I forgot to comment on your wonderful review of The Wasp Factory. It does make me want to check it out, although I'm not quite in the mood for it right now. I can handle that sort of thing if there's a purpose, and it seems like there is in this case.

I hope you're having a lovely Sunday!

Sunday *smooch*

So glad to see that you had a good experience getting your licence! So happy for you!
August 10th eh :)

115 Paul, I think she was paying me a compliment!
Absolutely, she was, my friend! It sounds like you are an important member of the family for your SIL and I'm glad you have so warmly opened your home and heart to her. I'm very lucky to live in a place where I can be who I am without fear.

116 Linda, you are welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

117 Kath, I think I'm more comfortable with the impending marriage now that we are clear with our officiant about what we'll say and what she'll say ---- and what we won't say. It feels important to me to be making vows that feel 100% true. That's a bit dodgy when you really think about it.

I have been working and reading and thus LT-ing has suffered. Well, perhaps that is a good thing, at least the reading bit!

118 Karen, it was a wild weekend in Seattle, was it not? However, we did drive up to Swanson's nursery and bought two lovely purple pots and lots of plants to put in them. They will go very nicely on either side of the back steps which I virtuously painted yesterday afternoon!

119 Kerri, hello! Thanks for the praise of my review of The Wasp Factory. There have been so many mixed reviews of it and many people choosing to give it a pass. I worry that my review may be misleading, but it reflects my experience, so I guess that is what it is. I think what I'm saying is that, while I liked it a lot, I am not confident in recommending it as I would be with some other 4-star reads. The responses to this one are so idiosyncratic.

My Sunday was rather nice, thank you! I assume you spent yours recovering from that bike ride!

120 Richard, Monday *smooches* back at you (I didn't even check my own thread on Sunday - that's a rarity).

121 Chelle, thank you! And yes, August 10. Less than two weeks.....
We're almost into the range wherein the 10-day weather forecast will be meaningful. :-D

Congratulations on your decision to marry! I'm very happy for you and P. And I love the story of your experience at the license bureau. It reminds me of why I like living in Seattle so much.

I want a piece of wedding cake.

124 Deborah, yes, I'm feeling very lucky about living in Seattle. I keep having conversations about things (how nice folks are to the bus drivers, how ordinary it is for two women or two men to seek a marriage license, how there is a very large and active ethical polyamorous community here --- not all of that is my cup of tea, but how wonderful to live in such a vibrant, accepting, and diverse community!).

125 Richard, actually, my dear, we are doing small cupcakes in rainbow colors, made by one of the local cupcakeries. I will at least post a photo when the time comes. :-)

In book news, I am almost done with Life After Life which I am loving, and I'm starting to plan my August reads.

In August I'll start with completing Hide & Seek by Ian Rankin. Others on the possibilities list include

Light in August by Faulkner (I'll commit to this one)
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
The Road Home by Rose Tremain
The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín
The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch
Among Others by Jo Walton
Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song by Frank Young

Of course, there is no way on Earth I'm getting to all of these in August. This is just a tentative list, based partly on TIOLI challenges, partly on what I have coming soon from the library, and (what is it Kerri called it?) a tra-la-la approach to reading selections. :-)

Wow that is quite a list -- I find the minute I make a potential list I veer off into other books..... it happens when I am trying to choose books for a trip too.

^ LOL, that happens to me, too, Lucy. I'm still not sure why I make the lists (except for the intrinsic fun of making lists!).

Hi Ellen, returning your visit with a visit, and starring this fine thread!

Also, message #94 was just the most wonderful thing, I'm so happy to see attitudes changing.

Soooo what wedding details would you like to share? ;-P

Hi Ellen - I am up for Light in August and I have Testament of Mary from the library right now. I read Among Others last year and loved it -- it's different from what I usually read, but I really liked it.

And it is fun to make lists.

Whatever you read ( or don't read ) I do hope that you read Among Others, especially if you have ever been a reader of sci fi :)

Lists, lists, lisssssssssssts, must have lisssssssssts...

130 Laura, thank you for visiting. And I'm glad my marriage license story landed well. :-)

131 Chelle, well, I suppose I will share a few things in a post later today. It's going to be a relatively low-key affair (although, as I think many can attest happens with these things, it has grown a bit beyond my original vision). I'm feeling good about where we're landing with it and the folks we've invited to be present.

132 Beth, I think I'll try to create a GR thread for Light in August today. I can't remember everyone who said they'd like to read it in August, but it will enable some discussion (whichI think will be very helpful, especially since it will be my first Faulkner in adult memory).

And yes, the list-making is fun, even though I've already thought of some adjustments I may make in my August reading. Ha.

133 Kath, I've not been much of a Science Fiction reader, so we'll see if Among Others captures my attention.

134 Morphy, ha! LT is List Central, I do believe.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm working from home today (really!) and will take a couple of LT breaks in between writing annual reviews and polishing up the consultation report. I completed Life After Life last night and I'll try to get a review done today. I loved it.

And here's a thing: in my list at the top of my thread, I have counted 59 completed reads in 2013, but in my "Read in 2013" collection, I have 60. Guess I have some list-checking to do. :-|

Ha. Found the mistake. I had not recorded Plague of Doves in my Completed in February list.
I've added it now which means that when I review Life After Life later today I will be reviewing my 60th completed book for 2013.

In football news, Percy Harvin needs hip surgery.

Bummer.

Homebound *smooch* for Ellen!

135 Oh yes, it's rare that weddings actually becoming smaller than we plan. We had originally planned for about 20-40 people to join us in Jamaica and we ended up with 60 in Nova Scotia ... so not even close to our original plan, not even the same country ;-P

#108 -- Only reading two books at once?? You can do better than that... *grin*

138 Richard, thank you so much for the *smooch*. Sending it right back your way (and one for Stella, too, of course).

139 Chelle, yes that is what I have heard and it turns out to be true. We had invited some dear friends (Kathy has known P since they were born) and in conversation with them we said something about their parents (in their 80s) coming and Kathy noted that her father had said "we can't possibly come; we were not invited." Yikes!! Of course we want them here!!! Invitation is now duly sent.

It's so complicated.

140 Suz, well, perhaps, but reading two at once is an advance for me. I used to be a strict one-book-at-a-time reader. LT has changed my life in so many ways. :-)

I forgot to record that on Sunday I went for a lovely 44-minute run.
Now I'm back from this morning's 38-minute run and it's time to get to work!

I'll be back later, though. :-)

Good running, Ellen!

I'm near the end of Life After Life, too, and I've liked it a lot. This is an unusual one that I think I would've liked better in print. The audio reader is fine, but it's a long book, and I read print much faster than I listen. I'd have preferred plunging into the print if I had known. This was 12 discs; I don't think I'll go that long again with a book like this.

I like your list of August possibilities, Ellen! And WOOT WOOT about the run! Hoping that the wedding plans go smoothly and are as stress free as possible. I loved your story about going to the license branch - so cool! Hugs to you, sister.

143 Joe, I have only listened to a couple of audio books and I don't know how Life After Life would translate to that medium. Ursula's voice is, for me, so distinctive. But I'm glad you're enjoying it! And thank you for the pat on the back for my running. It feels good to be going for runs longer than 30 minutes.

144 Mamie, oh my, I love that cat!! Thank you, sister!
And thank you for the woot woot and the well-wishes for the wedding. On this morning's run, I did some good thinking about the two speaking parts I have for the ceremony. I'm feeling good about how it's developing. :-)

Sorry to have been away so long, dear Ellen. I do SOSOSO love your license story in #94. I am hopeful that times are a-changin'. ;0)

I'm glad you and P have been able to individualize your vows into something that makes sense for you two. I can't wait to hear more details as we get closer!!

Are we going to get to see pictures of the beautiful couple??

146 Tina, if I end up with a good picture, I promise to post it. We haven't made official photography arrangements but P's sister is quite a good photographer and we're hoping she will oblige us. There will certainly be any number of smart phones at the event. :-)

Ellen - I'm probably going to be the last person to read The Wasp Factory. I have it in my TBR Tower, but have been distracted by other books.
Still, I'm so glad it's received so many good reviews. I can look forward to the read when I do get to it.

60. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
4.5 stars

How different might my life be if I had not decided to bail on my senior year in college and join my father for a sabbatical in Poland in 1981? It was a close call. I almost didn't go. That spring of 1982 living in the little converted garage behind the Jenkins' home would not have occurred (I would have stayed in the dorms), my relationship with Egor would have developed differently, the fellowship I won for my first year of graduate school would not have been available and I would likely have gone somewhere other than Illinois, which means I would never have met a whole slew of people, and.....

Of course, we all know that our lives take unseen paths because of choices along the way, but I tend not to think too much about "what if." This novel explores those "what if"s of history through one woman's possible, parallel lives.

And what a wonderful novel this is. In 1910, Ursula is born and then she dies. Many times. The third child of a well-off family living in the English countryside, Ursula is a delightful protagonist with a distinctive voice (the novel is told in 3rd person, but her voice emerges perfectly through the dialogue). The novel rambles through the 20th Century, stopping briefly in WWI and spending a fair amount of time in WWII, as Ursula's many possible lives unfold. This novel beautifully explores the nuanced implications of minor choices, exploring the nearly infinite ways in which one's life can be impacted by single and apparently trivial decisions (as well as by some coincidences, of course). And while Ursula is Ursula no matter which path she takes, Atkinson does a lovely job of illustrating subtle differences in her personality depending on the path. She also invokes other literature to good effect. Shakespeare, of course:

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage. They were all walking shadows in Berlin. Life had mattered so much once and now it was the cheapest thing on offer.

And a good amount of John Donne.

But this is all Atkinson. Her wry humor is tone-perfect.

That was the problem with time travel, of course (apart from the impossibility) -- one would always be a Cassandra, spreading doom with one's foreknowledge of events. It was quite wearyingly relentless but the only way that one could go was forward.

Well. Maybe.

I found myself particularly enjoying Nietzsche's occasional appearance. Amor fati.

It means acceptance. Whatever happens to you, embrace it, the good and the bad equally. Death is just one more thing to be embraced, I suppose.

I'm a big believer in acceptance but this is a tall order and Atkinson's novel highlights the passion we tend to feel for life, the desire to make it last as long as possible, and the unquenchable (and futile) longing to get a redo now and then. Would a redo really matter?

To quote the last two sentences of the novel would be inappropriate, but I will say that they are the finest closing lines I have read in a very long time.

148 Caro, I hope you enjoy The Wasp Factory when you get to it. There have been a variety of strong reactions to it (and many have chosen not to read it). The Group Read thread has been very active and interesting.

I hope you are getting some runs in these days!

*grumble*grouse*bitch*

*trudges off to Amazon*

*sulphrous mutterings and bitter vituperations trailing through Washington*

^ Poor Richard.

*smooch*

:-)

Oh yeah yuk it up cry them crocodile tears *grumble*

Ellen - Wonderful review of Life After Life-- you highlighted many of the reasons I loved this book. You make me want to read it again. So, what's next? Tomorrow is August. :)

154 Beth, I'm almost done with Hide & Seek, the second in the Rebus series set in Edinburgh. It will be my first completed book in August as I won't finish it tonight (I really am supposed to be working and I'll likely have to do some work this evening, and P & I are talking about going out for dinner). I also have two books to pick up at the library.... Let's see, what do they have waiting for me?

Oh yeah, Among Others and Zombie, and The Testament of Mary is in transit.....

I want to start Light in August. I will at least make a GR Thread for it before midnight tonight, I promise.

So, the answer to your provocative question is "I have no idea."
Or maybe it's "I have several ideas." Ha. :-)

As promised, I have created a DISCUSSION THREAD for Light in August.

oh lord. Kate Atkinson! one of my all time favorite authors. will be upgethumbing your review. i've only read two of hers. read Case histories 3 times in audio and have high hopes of reading it in LP as well. i'm presently trying to reread Behind the scenes at the museum in LP. she is truly to be wondered at.

great story in >94 EBT1002:. i wouldn't expect it in TN yet but how lovely and, to me, still quite unbelievable.

>eta thanks for the Nietsche bit. i went to the longer quote and it's an amen kind of statement. oh, if only i could . . .

158 Ellie, yes, Kate is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I have the second in the mystery series (One Good Turn) on the shelf, hope to get to it this fall, perhaps. I'd also like to go back and read one or two of her other non-mystery works like Human Croquet, Abandonment, and Emotionally Weird.

Yeah, my cousins (and the wonderful dog Boo) are Tennesseeans and it's a different world. Still, things are gonna change so fast.....
(sorry, digressed into Tori Amos lyrics there.....).

Loved your review of Life After Life, Ellen. I really enjoyed that book, too.

Ellen- I loved your review of Life After Life. A Big Thumb! I really liked this book too! Have you read her Brodie series?

I got Life After Life for my birthday. Can't wait to read it. Fine reviewing. Of course, anything can happen to change a life at any moment, but when I look at mine (so far) there are some choices feel almost haunted as if in some other life I did go in that direction and I can feel the difference.....

*waving* "hi" *tricycles through the threads, slowly and carefully*

I am with "colander" over my left eye but amazingly I am becoming increasingly able to read, especially when I enlargen the font! Your running, reading, working and planning all seem to be progressing well. Congratulations. Loved July, here comes August!! August is traditionally the best month for no rain, but I think we already had that month in July, eh?

160 Laura, I'm so glad you liked my comments. It is an amazing novel.

161 Mark, I've only read the first in the Brodie series; I have One Good Turn on the TBR shelves. I also read and liked Behind the Scenes at the Museum although not nearly as much as Life After Life.

162 Lucy, you are going to love Life After Life. I didn't go into it, and I want to be careful here, but Ursula has a lot of deja vu experiences and I think she would say that some of her choices -- or paths -- feel haunted by something.....

163 Karen, I'm so glad you are resting and taking care of yourself --- and apparently feeling pretty perky. :-)
This July has been one of the driest on record and that's been lovely. Of course, with people coming to hang out in our back yard on August 10, we are watering like mad to keep things green-ish. Luckily, no lawn back there so we can let the front lawn just go brown like it's supposed to.

I suppose I'll have to read Life After Life one day....but do I have to just cos everyone else has? I don't want to be that person, so maybe I'll go with my gut and just not read it, even in the face of such great reviews as yours.

*sitting on fence*

Wedding invitation lists must be a nightmare. I foresaw my MiL getting involved heavily in our hypothetical wedding, and it turned me right back to my original idea that I would never get married.
Upon news of our first (and as it turned out, not long lasting) pregnancy 7 years ago now, she let it be known that she was "disappointed" that we weren't going to be getting married....she still has that gap on the wall for where our wedding photo should be! Even showed me the empty frame in the hall drawer....sheesh.

I hope you get to do your wedding your way, surely it's one of the perks of being an adult?

165 Megan, I think you absolutely get to choose not to read Life After Life. If it's not your thing, it's not your thing.

Ugh to the empty space on the wall for your hypothetical wedding photo! And an empty frame?? That is over the top. I swear, if it were not for the financial aspects (social security and "inheritance" of a home we are purchasing together), I would not be getting married. I think it's an archaic institution, but it's what we have and I want the next generation of same-sex partners to have the same rights and benefits as their straight friends. So, here we go. I'm definitely doing it my way (and P's way, of course) and that feels good. I'm rather pleased how similarly she and I feel about some things -- like leaving out words like "until death do us part." I mean, that's our intention, but who can absolutely vow something like that?

*steps down off soapbox and gets ready to go earn the Science Diet for Abby*

I read and liked very much your review of Life After Life, Ellen. I hesitated to read it because I haven't finished the book yet - I'm close, and almost gave work a toss today so I could finish the audio. Looking forward to those last two lines! Right now she's cozying up to the tedious hot air you-know-who.

Ellen, how can you read with a wedding to plan? I wish you and P all the happiness you have come to know in your time together. I doubt that your day-to-day life will change all that much except for another special bond between you. A big "Yay" for rights and benefits for all!

I forget, when is the wedding scheduled for? Lots of work to do to get prepared--I'm glad we just get to be an audience.

Who's that darling woman sitting on a fence, in that yoga garb? Hope she's okay!

167 Joe, I tried hard not to provide spoilers although I understand that I'm not always 100% perfect at that. Still, I'm glad you're enjoying Life After Life.

168 Donna, ha! I'm in denial, my friend.
No, really, the wedding is going to be a low-key affair and we have wonderful friends who are helping. I'm planning to wear a skort, if that gives you any idea of the degree of casualness we're aiming for. I think you're right that, after 17+ years, our day-to-day life will change little but we'll feel more financially secure. And the difficult conversations involved in the planning have brought us closer. That's a nice side effect. :-)

169 Roni, the wedding is August 10. Next Saturday!! This will be our last weekend with which to do yard work and other planning.

170 Mark, I do believe that is Megan, our fence-sitting yogi. :-)

Good morning, Ellen. I'm visiting for the first time, and find you on the brink of two amazing life experiences---marriage and reading Faulkner! Both of these have brought me great pleasure (and challenges, of course) over the years, and I wish the same for you.

I'm going to carry the image of your oh-so-ordinary marriage license experience around with me for a while. Thanks so much for sharing it.

Ellen - Don't work too hard this weekend. I'm counting the days until I'm a grandma. Lots of good karma coming...

*smooch* for the nervous marital participant.

Very nice review of Life After Life - thumb from me. I also starred the discussion thread for Light in August, and I am really hoping that I like this one more than the previous Faulkner that I have read. This might be his last chance from me. Thanks for setting up the thread. Hoping that you are headed into a weekend full of fabulous!

Weddings and Faulkner and yard work oh my!

Here I am descaling the Keurig. How boring of me.

Enjoy your weekend Ellen.

Lots going on in your life... big stuff! Throwing the confetti of happiness all over you and P.

"our fence-sitting yogi." I love it, Ellen. I think we found a new topic heading for her. May the Force Be With Her!

Hi Ellen!

#137 - That is a bummer, especially because they've paid him so much money, but I do feel good about Sidney Rice (who just had a knee treatment, but is supposedly fine), Golden Tate (especially him), and Doug Baldwin. Also Jermaine Kearse, who is supposedly having a wonderful training camp. It's not like we have a bunch of crap wide receivers, so there's that.

#149 - Excellent review! I have this on my TBR pile, but I'm not exactly sure when I'll get to it. I do love her.

#171 - Looking forward to a photo of Ellen in a skort! (Although, I'm still not exactly sure what that is, even after a Google image search.)

Have a lovely weekend!

Well, I don't feel quite so bad about the bone-headed move of our only receiver. :)

Excellent review of Life After Life. I've added it to my burgeoning wish list and added my thumbs up to the other 7 you've earned!

Off to earn the Science Diet for Abby LOL!!!

I love that you are wearing a skort and doing what feels most natural to you! I do "get" your view of marriage as archaic but also love that you are part of history for future generations. Here's hoping one day I can legally join you in that regard!

I have Life After Life on my shelves and have read all of the Jackson Brodie books. Now after reading that review I had better get that one off the shelves and start on it.

I am attending a wedding this afternoon of one of my many cousins and am looking forward to it. Since I have never married i won't give you any advice, except to enjoy the day.

Saturday *smooch* for the busy, busy, busy Ellen and a hearty smiling wave for the scary genial P!

I am working my way through a limited number of threads with my newly acute eyesight, in one eye only. It is trying to read so I am not doing much of it. Other stuff is getting done, which is a good thing.

I wanted to stop by and say "happy, happy" to you and P. It will be a good party, no doubt, and afterwards I imagine you both will be able to indulge in a little relaxation, and gladness that it is done, an accomplishment to just do it. Congratulations.

I'm just so excited for any friends of mine that can get married. Here's my friend who got married on 8/1, the first day they could get legally wed in Minnesota:

I am grumpy to live in a state that has steadfastly refused to consider a marriage equality move. BUT, our new attorney general has publicly stated that she won't defend the state ban on gay marriage in any legal challenges brought to it, and one county clerk has been issuing marriage licenses to gay couples, with the obvious intent of forcing the issue into the courts, so MAYBE we're on a path to some sanity here.

#186 -- how wonderful! I really think this is how it starts -- individuals acting as their conscience dictates and forcing other people to confront a question that they have never had to really address because it hasn't affected them personally.

Good luck with the last push to W-day! Oh, and I think it's the intent that matters. If you intend for it to last forever, and you work as hard as you can to make sure it does, then that vow is completely legit. I just can't understand people who go into marriage thinking that divorce is always there as an opt-out clause. Those are the folks who should question why they are getting married at all.

Amusingly (sorta), a friend of mine has been with her (opposite sex) partner for 30 odd years now. Their son was in his 20s when he twigged that they weren't married. (Yes, he's a little slow; and talk about the power of assumptions, right?) He threw a fit, because he didn't want to be a "bastard". WTF??? I've known this kid since he was small enough to lie stretched out on a single sofa cushion, so I got handed the job of talking him into common sense.

Dear Chatterbox, did you succeed? Sometimes "children" can be very attached to their own judgments. Perhaps his parents can practice acceptance that he thinks as he does, and he can practeice acceptance that they are who they are. Big step into adulthood when that lesson is learned, eh?

Sorry to snatch a soap box in the middle of your thread, Ellen, but I like thinking about these issues out loud, so to speak.

I wish I could get on a plane (on the presumptious assumption that I'd be welcome) and be there to share your formalising. I will be there in spirit and wishing you both every happiness.
Ladies do change after they get married - you know that right?!

172 Linda, I'm glad you decided to visit my thread! And I love thinking of both getting married and reading Faulkner as life-changing endeavors! :-)

173 Beth, about how many days until you're a grandma? And aren't you too young to be a grandma????

174 Richard, something tells me you understand (and honor) my ambivalence about as well as anyone. I wonder why I have that impression..... ??
Actually, my ambivalence has tempered considerably in the past couple of weeks. Whew.

Not that I expect anyone here to care much about this level of personal detail, but I have figured out some family-of-origin roots for my resistance to commitment (give me a break, I am a psychologist!), having mostly to do with my mother's desperate dependence and tendency to smother. Hence, I am quick to feel, well, smothered or trapped. It is what it is.

175 Mamie, so far my weekend has been pretty good. We got some good rain yesterday and it was nice not to have to water our flowers today! I am thinking I will start Light in August after all the hullabaloo next weekend, so perhaps around the 13th or 14th of the month....

176 Roberta LOL! Well, descaling is important, too, right?

177 Kath, thank you for the confetti. Totally decomposable, right? :-)

178 Mark, we need the LT Force to be with all of us all the time!

179 Kerri, I'm worried that all the hype about the Seahawks having a stellar year has set off all the bad karma. Yes, I can be superstitious about these things. It comes of being a sports fan. Still, I have heard hints that I might get a Kam Chancellor jersey for my birthday in a couple of weeks.... oh boy.

I'm glad you liked my review of Life After Life. Since I know you like Atkinson, your approval means a lot to me.

Um, a skort. It's not complicated. It's a skirt with shorts underneath (and attached).



But mine will look more like this:

180 Beth, are you an Eagles fan, I take it? Definitely boneheaded, then. :-(

181 Tina, glad you liked my review (I do recommend Life After Life) and my little Abby joke. She really appreciates that P and I work so hard to keep her life comfortable, but she doesn't understand why we're not wearing tuxedos for the wedding. Ha.

I feel good to be making a statement for the next generation, although our 30-somethings are already looking around to say "what is the big deal??" And I absolutely look forward to the day when you and Lisa can legally tie the knot. Our cousins, Rick and Richard, partners for 30 years, went to Georgia, VT to get married, figuring it was "the only way they'd ever get married in Georgia."

182 Benita, read Life After Life.
Enjoying the day is advice I can take to heart. :-)

183 Richard, she is, perhaps, both scary and genial!! :-)

184 Karen, thank you for including my thread among the few you can stand to read while you heal from the surgery. And thank you for the happy happy wishes. It really is going to turn out to be a great party, I do believe.

185 Morphy!!, thank you for posting the photo of your newlywed Minnesota friend! They look quite pleased. P and I will be somewhat less dressed up on our day. :-)

The snowball is rolling down that hill......

186 Linda, I agree with Suzanne that your county clerk is doing an awesome civil disobedience move. Back in 2004, Multnomah County (Portland, OR) issued licenses to same-sex couples. P and I obtained one and were married in our dining room; it was later annulled by the state supreme court. But in the meantime, Benton County, where we lived, did a very cool thing. The state prohibited them from issuing licenses to same-sex couples, so the county refused to issue them to any couple for several months (until forced to by said supreme court). I was proud to live in that county.

187 Suz, yep, intentions matter. I just can't "vow" that something won't change before I die. Interesting that your friends' son was so bent out of shape by his parents' lack of marriage. I wonder what that is really about for him? Sometimes kids turn out to be more liberal than their parents, sometimes more conservative. And it sounds like he feels somehow de-legitimized by the whole thing.

188 Karen, I'm happy to loan out my soapbox now and then. You know I have a tendency to get upon it myself. :-)

189 Paul, you would be absolutely welcome!! And I will happily accept that you'll think about us one week from today (gulp).

Ladies do change after they get married - you know that right?!
Um, no. They do? Really??
Uh oh.

I'm a little late, but I gave an enthusiastic thumb (is that even possible?) to your excellent review of Life After Life! So glad you liked it!

61. Hide & Seek by Ian Rankin
3 stars

This was a re-read and it explained why I shelved the John Rebus series for as long as I did, having started with this (second in the series) my first time around. I will read the next one, Tooth and Nail, but this one fell short of my expectations. It was still a good, solid mystery read but Rebus' character didn't quite hold together. Rankin was still figuring out how to develop and expand this hard-edged, excessively drinking, romantic but injured man. How to make him believable (perhaps more real than Travis McGee, but with similarities)? His deep motivations are yet unclear.

Currently reading:

.

The first story in Colm Tóibín's collection was excellent!

194 Joanne, of course it is possible! And thank you!

#188 -- Karen, I think I defused some of the anger. But obviously his reaction wasn't based on anything logical, so there wasn't much that I could say that derailed it. What I tried to point out was that his parents clearly loved and supported each other, and both him and his sister as well, and had stayed together in spite of the lack of a legal "requirement" to do so, and surely that was what mattered most of all. After all -- and I noted this, too -- my own parents finally divorced when I was in my early 20s and I recall overhearing bitter arguments and some truly nasty stuff between them going back to when I was about 8 or so that just intensified over time, and when my father finally made the call, it was a few months after they had sold their home in Canada and had moved to the US. (I'm the only US citizen in the family, having been born here.) So my mother had to live the marital home, the country she had just moved to (her visa was based on being a diplomatic spouse) and had literally nowhere to go, so she ended up living in my house for the next 8 months. I won't get into the nastiness that followed. I pointed out, however, that my parents had been married, making me 'legitimate', but that I'd argue that in some ways he was better off, having parents who may not be legally married but honored and respected each other. I hope that as he gets older and realizes how complicated human relationships can be, he'll realize how he overreacted and focus on what is important. He's a sweet kid and thoughtful; not intolerant or judgmental by nature, so I'm not that worried about him. What was startling is that it took him that long to realize! The parents had never misled or lied to him; there are no wedding photos, no wedding anniversary, etc. It just literally never came up for discussion! Which I suppose is a great argument for being up front with kids from day one.

Oh yeah, I forgot to remark upon my lovely 30-minute run this morning. It was still cool from yesterday's rain and I stopped at the top of the ridge and watched the hydroplanes for a minute or so.

We did a bit of yard work (it is the wedding venue), rented plates and champagne flutes, got a case of everyday wine (plus three good Rieslings for my sister, who arrives from NC on Thursday), did a bit of shopping, and continued developing our wedding playlist.

Time to read!

198 Suz, I've always been struck by the use of the word 'legitimate' (which you so appropriately put in quotation marks) to label a human being. I guess my real point is that the notion that a human born "out of wedlock" could be 'illegitimate' is so absurd. What? They are less legitimately human because their biological parents had not said wedding vows? Now, that is a crazy notion!

My own parents divorced (well, separated; the divorce took a while) after 32 years of unhappy marriage. When they finally split, when I was 13, I was relieved. I'm not saying things really got much better, but at least the fighting between the two of them ended. Marriage can be a wonderful thing, but too many of us have seen its dark side.

And it sounds like you were able to help your friend's son wrap his head around what this detail means -- and what it does not mean ..... Sometimes young folks can hear things from adults other than their parents so much more effectively than from their own parents. That was certainly true of me.

#191-192 - I'm not remotely superstitious, but all the attention does make me a bit uncomfortable. I do like to keep a positive attitude (especially in public) though when it comes to my team, so I'm looking forward to what the season brings. I think we'll be fine. Very excited about your upcoming Kam Chancellor jersey acquisition!! (Also, Ms. Beth is a Vikings fan.)

Skorts. Got it. Wow. Option one is delightful, but option two is probably more appropriate for a wedding. Ha!

Have a lovely Sunday!

The confetti of happiness is magic, it sparkles for 44 minutes and slowly fades away, leaving only the faint uplifted feeling that stays forever wherever it has fallen. So... no worries!

Morning Ellen- I had mixed feelings about the Empty Family but there was some terrific stories in that collection. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on among Others.
Cute skort!

Thanks to Kerri for pointing out that my allegiance belongs to the Vikings, even though they do boneheaded things like getting rid of their best players.

Even though I am not a big science fiction fan, I enjoyed Among Others. I'll be interested to hear what you think. And Toibin, for me, is usually a winner. I haven't read Empty Family yet although I think I have a copy around here somewhere... I might have to rethink my shelving organization (none) so that I can actually find books.

Have an enjoyable Sunday.

Kids are just oblivious period. It took me until I was 17 to realize my parents were married in December and I was born in June. "Mooooom!" "What!??!"

#200 As the product of one long and happy marriage, and a participant in another, I can totally understand that anyone who did not have that experience of the institution would hesitate to commit to it. I don't think it is for everybody, but expecting and wanting it to work goes a long way toward making it work. Self-fulfilling prophecy, and all that. (I'll take off my crone hat now!)

I'm also very happy for you and P. I'll be thinking of you next Saturday and will have a glass of wine in your honor. :-)

201 Kerri, hello, my dear. Okay, so my general ignorance about the details of football back-stories showed right through. I don't know what the Vikings may have done that was boneheaded....

And what, you don't think the first example of a skort is appropriate for a wedding? I did get my toenails painted purple today, so I'm all ready for the big event! Ha! :-D

202 Keth, well, a faint uplifting feeling that lasts forever seems like enough to hope for. Thank you!

203 Mark, I've only yet read the first story in The Empty Family and I thought it was stellar. Among Others is enjoyable, even for a non-SF-reader like myself (and I'm ever grateful that Kerri encouraged me to read The Dispossessed earlier this summer, as it gets a lot of play in the narrative). I'm about 2/3 through it and ready to be done, though. I'm not sure Jo Walton got a 15-year-old voice just right.

204 Beth, okay, now I know what the Vikings did and I can track them through the season with your well-being in mind! Of course, I lived in Wisconsin for three years in the early 90s and I did drink that green & gold kool-aid......

The Empty Family is my first Tóibín although I did pick up The Testament of Mary from the library today.

205 Morphy, I love: "Mooooom!" "What!??!"
No matter the specific content, that is a familiar refrain for any parent!

206 Linda, I love your reference to the self-fulfilling prophecy. I admit to a streak of cynicism but I also do believe we have a tremendous influence on the path our lives take (Life After Life notwithstanding).

207 Janet, thank you! I hope everyone on LT raises a glass, whether it hold wine, beer, bourbon, or Perrier, on Saturday the 10th in our honor!