Ellen reads 75+ in '13 - September it is

Metolius River in Central Oregon
This is one of my favorite places on Earth.

COMPLETED IN JANUARY

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

COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY

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

COMPLETED IN MARCH

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

COMPLETED IN APRIL

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

COMPLETED IN MAY

33. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
34. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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
62. Among Others by Jo Walton
63. The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
64. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates
65. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
66. The Carter Family: Don't Forget this Song by Frank M. Young & David Lasky
67. Light in August by William Faulkner
68. The Empty Family by Colm Tóibín
69. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER

70. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
71. The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith (writing as Claire Morgan)
72. The Road Home by Rose Tremain (gift from Paul)
73. The Foreign Correspondent by Alan Furst
74. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
75. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
76. Harvest by Jim Crace
77. Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani
78. Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger

COMPLETED IN OCTOBER

79. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

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

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 (gift from Kerri)
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
123. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead
124. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo (sale book!)
125. A Curtain of Green by Eudora Welty (sale book!)
126. The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin

First?!?! Go me!

ETA: Hi Ellen! Have fun at that Seahawks game on Sunday!

Autumn is here. The students were moving into the residence halls this week. Classes start next Wednesday. I hope I find time for reading!

Currently reading:

#7 - Hi Katie! You are first! It's supposed to be raining and in the 50s (Fahrenheit). Rain gear and fleece, I guess. Still, I expect to have a blast!

The touchstones are really slow tonight and I'm just not patient enough to wait, so I'll fix that tomorrow or another day.

Meanwhile, here I am starting another thread. I am one book shy of 75 for the year and really hoping to keep my goal of 100 in sight for the year. September has been so busy and so stressful, I hope things calm down a bit in the last quarter of the year.

Ohhhh the temptation...but no...I shall resist. I shall.

Thank you, Richard. I knew I was laying temptation at your doorstep.....

Congrats on the new thread! Nice to see you still have some energy for harassing everyone here. But be careful, Richard can go beyond the pale....

BTW, I don't mind getting rid of the useless stuff, but she also wanted me to get rid of chairs. You know, those things people sit on when they come to visit....

We shall see. Progress has been made, and there is more to come.

I'm still reading Night Soldiers and loving it. I really like Alan Furst's skill. He takes the story to a point where you think you know the next step, and then he does a trick and goes elsewhere. Always believable, but not predictable. I love it.

Karen, I'm chuckling. Chairs seem like something to keep. I mean, if they are comfy.....

I'm glad you're enjoying Night Soldiers. I'm enjoying The Dark Horse but anxious to move onto something else (of course, if I mess around on LT all evening, I'll never be able to move onto other things). My brain capacity has been taxed with work of late, so it is what it is.

The LAST thing a home-selling agent wants is places for people to park themselves, and items for the potential buyers to discuss instead of the amazing *house* they need to buy.

My stepmother taught me that. She sold like a zillion houses.

A zillion is a rather large number. I guess she knew what she was talking about.

P and I occasionally discuss the possibility of moving. We'd both like an easier commute, and there are a couple of neighborhoods to which I am drawn. Then we remember that we'd have to sell our house. And buy another house (or condo). And move.
Then our current home seems just fine. And, truly, fine it is. And since I've learned to think of the commute (on the bus) as reading time, it's really not so bad. It's some of the best Ellen-time I get in my week.

Tomorrow is college football day.

Yeah, I've always hated and dreaded moving! I wonder how many zeroes are in a zillion.

I wonder how many zeroes are in a zillion.
LOL --- probably best to stop wondering and just wander into the kitchen for another bourbon.

Go Huskies!

I'm selling and moving to consolidate my collection of gold coins. I want lots of them. I want to sit in the middle of the floor and play with them.

BTW, I'll probably move back to Bothell in February and it will be so much easier for me to get to TPB. And other Seattle centric places.

Have a great and restful weekend, Ellen.

Go Huskies! Go Seahawks!

Beautiful pic up top, Ellen.

We watched the Longmire season finale last night, and it was a doozy. I need to get back to the Craig Johnson books at some point.

Great pic Ellen. I just finished my fourth week of class! Good luck with your school year. I know you'll make it to 100.

Have a great weekend. I hope all the team you are cheering for win. I might have to come over and become a Seahawks fan -- the Vikings have nothing to cheer about. And you do have some of our good players: Syndney Rice, Percy Harvin, ...

What a lovely photograph at the top, I did that quick inhale you do when something surprises you! (In a good way!)

75. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
4 stars

Another installment in the Walt Longmire series. Wonderful fun, good suspense, and an unlikely hero (and I don't mean Sherrif Longmire, but I don't want to do a spoiler. Those who have read it will likely know to whom I am referring).

I had insomnia last night but at least it meant I sat up reading and finished my 75th book for the year.

Currently reading:

#20 - Karen, you're cracking me up. It's the Green Dragon on her pile of gold coins. Love it.
It will be great having you closer to Seattle.

#21 - Joe, thanks for cheering for my teams. This week the Dawgs play Idaho State and the Seahawks play the Jaguars. One pundit said it is a record for the most combined point-spread in the city's history (and drastically in our favor in both instances).

I haven't watched the telly series of Longmire, but I'd like to do so.

#22 - Beth, I think I'll make it to 100. Part of me thinks it's cheating to count some of the books I read, but they are legitimate books, so......

And, um, And you do have some of our good players: Syndney Rice, Percy Harvin, ...
They are our good players, now. But, in any case, come on over! It's fun being a Seahawks fan!

#23 - Lucy, I'm glad you like the thread topper. I miss being a 2-hour drive from that spot, but it's still within reach for a long weekend.

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

I'm at the office, must work for a couple of focused hours, then it's home to start my real weekend. I'll start reading Harvest on the bus ride home.

Congrats on hitting the 75 mark Ellen.

I wished I lived in area with public transportation. My choice came down to public transportation and far from family & work or no public transportation and close to family & work.

I don't know, Roberta. Close to family & work sounds like a good choice.

In the end it has been the best choice. Especially with my Mom living with me now.

Enjoy your weekend sweet Ellen.

Congratulations on surpassing your 75th book, Ellen. I hope you enjoy your football game, but try not to get too wet!

Ellen, I'm hoping your seats tomorrow are under cover. Any way, a little rain never stopped any of us nor'westerners, did it?

Congrats on 75 books, I have no idea how you do it, but you do deserve a pat on the back. Great job. Good luck at hitting the next goal.... 25 more books in 3.5 months. Seems like it could be done.

Ellen- I might start Harvest next. I borrowed a friend's brand new copy awhile back and want to get to it. The Dark horse would be my next Longmire, (it might be a couple months). I am glad you loved it. It is such a great series.

Good luck with reading Harvest! It is a very nicely put together piece of work. And you know my thoughts on the last 1/4, so.
Reading on the bus is fun! I read in the car too, but sometimes feel sick if it is windy. (as in winding roads, not windy weather).
eta correct touchstone

Sorry to digress away from books and reading folks (like that's a surprise to my friends here) but UW beat the hapless Idaho State Bengals 56-0 today. Dubs was happy.

#29 - I hear ya about the best choice, Roberta. It matters.
And thank you for the weekend wishes. The weather forecast for tomorrow's Seahawks game is wet, but I am undaunted. And I have rain pants. :-|

#30 - Thanks, Judy! I'm pleased to reach 75 before the end of the third quarter (and right on the autumn equinox!) as it bodes well for my real goal of 100 in 2013.

#31 - Karen, yes, we nor'westerners have the saying: "I won't melt or rust." And there will be hot toddies if necessary upon returning home after pounding the Jaguars.

Regarding the 75 so far, I feel like I cheat but others tell me the occasional Graphic Novel, YA novel (really not my thing, as you know), and even a children's book or two (no more than that, mind you) count toward one's total. I'm a bit hard on myself; part of me thinks it's cheating to count Ed McBain and Craig Johnson!

#32 - Mark, so far I am liking Harvest. My concentration is not great right now, for a variety of RL reasons, but the writing is lovely.

#33 - Megan! I am hoping the last 1/4 of Harvest doesn't let me down. The first 30 pages have been very nicely put together, indeed. I can't read in the car but I can read on the bus. Go figure.

This is from a chilly football game about three years ago, but it's still a favorite pic of me and my buddy, Dubs.

Okay, enough about Dubs (adorable though he is). Time to cheer for the Seahawks!!!!!!

Yay for a good Longmire book being #75!

Congrats on your 75th book Ellen!

Dear Ellen - I have been struggling and behind for more than a week but I have finally caught up with your thread and am just in time to congratulate you on passing 75 books. xx

Have a lovely weekend.

Congrats!

I count everything including children's books and graphic novels. I figure I read enough 400+ page books to make up for the occasional shorty.

I say: Count 'em as you read 'em. If you read a book, it counts. Period. Full Stop. No debates.

Of course, bottom line you do it the way you want to do it and that is the joy of LT.

Congrats on 75 Ellen, dear :)

I am with you in not counting short books.. they go so fast, I don't feel right counting them :P
But one of the tenets of the 75ers is that we each do it our own way, and that is OKAY!

Beautiful thread topper, and photos. I think I'm in love with Dubs...

Congratulations on hitting the 75 books mark, Ellen!

Nice win by the Dawgs yesterday. I lost a few months off of my life while watching the Pitt-Duke game yesterday. Pitt scored at will, and its QB tied an ACC record with six TD passes, but the Panthers had to hold on to beat the Blue Devils 58-55 (football, not basketball). My other alma mater also had an exciting win; Rutgers trailed Arkansas 24-7 late in the 3rd quarter before scoring the last three TDs of the game to win 28-24.

Hopefully the Jags will give the Seahawks a better game than Idaho State gave UW. The Giants should get their first win of the year this afternoon against the Panthers.

I don't think I have read 75 books this year so I think this is quite an accomplishment. Especially since you work full time and often more than full time.

I like to think of my commutes as book time. Whether I am listening or reading it is time to move my mind away from other things and off into a different world. Maybe if more people thought of commute time as reading time the world would be a better place.

This weekend was the first home football weekend at UA and as usual people went crazy. It was a rainy day. We haven't had rain in a full month so the rain was welcome. Plus it puts a damper on the party on the Quad prior to games. This was a late game (6:30 p.m.) and later games mean that people have more time to drink before the game starts. That in turn usually means more work for the UAPD and the city police. If I were scheduling games they would all start at 12:00 - either a.m. or p.m.

I stayed home and baked. The University Women's Club is having their Welcome Back Reception today and they needed finger foods. I made chocolate rum balls and olive balls. Something savory and something sweet. It was raining and so baking was a great way to pass the day.

Lovely new thread, Ellen! And congrats on reaching 75!! WaHOO for you!

Hi everybody! Thanks for all the congratulations for reaching 75.
And, just for clarity, I DO count every book regardless of its length or complexity. I only feel mildly guilty about it because, as folks are saying here, it's MY count. :-)

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

Meanwhile, I'm loving Harvest by Jim Crace. I am sure I have never before read a book in which the word "gleaning" is so frequently used. Heh.

75!! Whoohoo!!

>48 EBT1002: And, just for clarity, I DO count every book regardless of its length or complexity.

Same here, Ellen. I read enough tomes (The Luminaries: 832 pages; The Kills: 1024 pages consisting of four separately published novels, but I only counted it as one book) as it is, so I feel no compunction about counting a novella as a book. IMO if a book, or even a Kindle Single, is sold as a single work and has a unique ISBN or ASIN number then it counts.

Hi Ellen! I thought I would try to catch up with a relatively short thread today and yours was at the top of my list of starred threads just now.

That picture of the Metolius River is gorgeous and I think I'm going to have to plan a trip to see it in RL. It doesn't look like it's too far from Portland and we're usually over there at least once a year to see my brother-in-law.

I must say the Huskies have been killing the Idaho teams this year. The Broncos have done so well since we've lived here the last six years but were trounced by the Huskies a couple of weeks ago although not quite as badly as Idaho State was. Not being a huge sports fan, I take it all in stride. At least it makes the games a little more interesting. In the past, the Broncos always seemed to win every game. They also lost to Fresno State on Friday.

Hope you're not working too hard!

Hi Ellen, firstly congrats on 75. I'm glad you're enjoying Harvest. I read it last week and really loved it, even took the time to review it, which is something I haven't done much this year. I count everything I read too. One year I went on a children's illustrated books bender and even counted those. Why not?

Hi, Ellen. I am not sure I saw you at the game.... but I am sure I heard you. Good crowd noise. I got a kick out of one sign I saw, "welcome to false start country".

It is fun to have a really good Seattle team. Although I think the Sounders are doing well, too. But, on the other hand, I do like football and it has been a long time since I've had a reason to watch it. So, now that the Storm are finished with regular play, I guess I'll become a Seahawks fan!!

oh, my: 45 to 17.

#50 - I agree. Every book counts. Ditto all the football stuff.

Congratulations on hitting the 75 mark, with months left of the year! And MORE DUBS, PLEASE!!! What a honey.

>48 EBT1002: now you will see the word 'gleaning' everywhere you go :)
I was helping edit my dads new book and I crossed out the word 'literally' about 4 times, as I figured that one usage was plenty. I am not sure what the author thought about that though :|

I too agree that every book counts, Stasia coached me on that early on, saying that for her "if it is between two covers, it's a book"! I liked that. But I did have to draw the line at a graphic novel that had no words. I need at least some words to count it.

You DID it!! You reached 75 already!!!!

A big ol' WhooP WhOOp to you!!!!!

Yay Ellen!! Congratulations to you for reaching your goal so soon!!!!

(I'm kinda' jealous of you overachievers!) :)

76. Harvest by Jim Crace
4.5 stars

I loved this novel but, as is so often the case, it lost half a star in the last quarter or so. It must be as difficult as they say it is to end a novel as well as one starts it.

The first person narrator of Harvest, Walter Thirsk ("Water! Thirst!"), tells the story of a tiny early 18th century (?) village displaced by the heir who is second cousin (by marriage) to the longstanding master. An indictment of capitalist progress at the expense of humanitarian community values, it is also an exploration of belonging and displacement, guilt and redemption. The prose is beautiful. The narrator's voice is exquisite although I agree with another reviewer who commented upon Walter's flat emotion. This didn't bother me, as it felt congruent with the stoic cultural expectations of the place and time (I mean, an agrarian village in Olde England -- what emotion would we expect to hear expressed?).

At one point, about halfway through, I did wish I had an e-reader so that I could do a count of the number of times the word "gleaning" had been used. The answer is: a lot. And, while I have too much respect for Jim Crace to believe this was anything but conscious, it was also distracting.
From Merriam-Webster.com: Full Definition of GLEAN

intransitive verb
1
: to gather grain or other produce left by reapers
2
: to gather information or material bit by bit
transitive verb
1
a : to pick up after a reaper
b : to strip (as a field) of the leavings of reapers
2
a : to gather (as information) bit by bit
b : to pick over in search of relevant material

Okay, I get it as it relates to this novel, and "to pick up after a reaper", well, the man with the scythe may be either grim or otherwise. In Walter's case, he is both.

This novel is a pleasure to read despite a somewhat odd plot and almost-magical digressions that don't quite work.

Richard, Rhian, Paul, Jim, Morphy, Karen, Kath, Darryl, Benita, Mamie ---
Thank you all for the congrats, as well as various opinions about counting, or not counting, books. In the final analysis, as long as I'm reading, everything else is just messing about with an abacus. It's the reading that matters.

Darryl, the Dawgs are looking strong this year although the real tests come in the next few weeks as they face strong opponents in the Pac-12. It would be wonderful for them to beat Arizona and then upset either Stanford or Oregon (preferably the latter).

The Jags didn't give the Hawks much resistance, but we had a great time at the game. I don't know that I would again spend that kind of money for one afternoon when I can watch it on television and actually see some of the action better, but it was a great experience. I'm glad we went.
Sorry your Giants fell short; I was surprised, but it seems that Eli is having a hard time getting his groove this year.

#49 - thanks, Kim!

#50 - I agree, Darryl. I've not yet read The Luminaries, but I plan to do so and I figure works like Anna Karenina and The Grapes of Wrath keep it even.

#51 - Pat, thanks for stopping by! I highly recommend a trip to the Metolius River. There are some charming little lodges in Camp Sherman that we very much like and the area is so peaceful and breathtaking. It's one of my favorite places to hike, read, and reconnect with myself.

Yeah, the Idaho schools are having a tough year, although the truth is that the Huskies are having the best year they've had in a very long time. I'm enjoying it.

#52 - Ilana! Hello! I saw your review of Harvest and appreciated your comments. I wrote a review, as well, after giving my reactions some time to settle.
And... One year I went on a children's illustrated books bender and even counted those. Why not? Yep, that's what I've decided. It's still a work into which an author presumably dedicated much time, creativity, and care. They all count, even the ones we don't like.

#53 - Karen, yes, that was me you heard! I had earplugs in for some of the game, but took them out to get the full experience (and just covered my ears when it got really, really loud). I'm reveling in having two good football teams in Seattle this fall! You're right that the Sounders are also doing well and I suppose we may have to see about going to a match sometime, but it's lower on my bucket list.

#54 - Yeah, it was quite a final score. :-)

#55 - Beth, you're cracking me up! I'm glad you agree about both books and football. :-)

#56 - Linda, you like that dog? I actually do think he is a very handsome mascot, even if he is actually an Alaskan Malamute instead of a Husky. But those markings!

#57 - Megan, I think Crace's (over)use of the word "gleaning" at least had a point. I try hard not to use the word "literally" unless I am literally trying to emphasize that I'm being, well, literal. Ha! I think it's an very overused word in daily conversation. Hopefully your dad took it well. :-)

#58 - Why, thank you for the whoop whoop, Tina. Much appreciated!

#59 - Joanne, thank you and please don't be jealous. You know it's all about choices and life circumstances, and choosing one thing means letting go of something else.

Okay, here is the question. What to read next? I have Boneshaker to read for real life book group, but Children of the Jacaranda Tree is due back at the library sooner (and can't be renewed), and today I purchased another book, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, which is calling to me.

Perhaps I'll visit a few threads while I make up my mind.

That is a gorgeous mascot!

^ Joanne, I agree. I'm sometimes a bit nervous about "live" mascots for sports teams, but Dubs is a very well-cared for critter. And gorgeous he is!

And here is Dubs in a library. :-)

Congrats on reaching 75, Ellen!!!
What a beautiful favorite place on earth!

Ellen, you posted over in my thread that you had a little trouble sleeping and I wrote a longish response, thinking I was here in your thread. So, I copied and brough it over here (my words are so golden, don't you know?)....

Yay for bedtime tea!

When I lived through some hugely stressful times in my working life, I would remind myself that it was not brain surgery, hoping to gain perspective. It is tempting to think every deadline is a "end of the earth" type of thing. I don't know if those "get a grip" type comments are of any help, but I do hope you can make the work worries back down a bit and your sleep will do what it needs to do - refresh you! *hugs*

Melatonin is a good natural remedy for sleeplessness, too. Have you tried it? I take 3 mg every evening, and my sleep improved markedly.

***Have a great day today, and we are inching closer to the weekend!****

Hi Ellen- Hump Day, check in! Hope the week is going well. I am glad you loved Harvest. I have a 100 pages left in Children of God and then I will start that one next.
Dubs is a fine looking pooch!

I'm a pushover for a book-reading dog, Ellen. Dubs looks like a great pal.

#69 - Lynda, thank you and I agree - the Metolius River is lovely.

#70 - Karen, thank you for your kind golden words. Having been an insomniac off and on for my entire life, I have tried many things. What helps at 3pm tends not to help at 3am, but I have learned to breathe into it and trust that, when push comes to shove, I will sleep. I function remarkably well on limited hours of sleep.

I did try Melatonin when I was in Tennessee back in early July, as I was experiencing a severe spell of sleeplessness. 2mg didn't work, but maybe 3mg would.....

In any case, thank you for the hugs, too!

#71 - Mark, TGIHD!!! Today shouldn't be too bad for me. I have a chunk of time set aside to review the task force report (current draft) as well as some changes to my department's Policies & Procedures Manual. Doesn't my life sound terribly exciting? Not so much, but that's okay with me.

I'll be interested in your reactions to Harvest. I predict you will like it.

Dubs is a fine looking pooch! Yep.

#72 - Joe, hello!! I agree that book-reading dogs are the very best kind. :-)
Just like book-reading people!

Currently reading:

My advice on what to read next - pick up whatever is calling to you the loudest. Read what you want. Don't feel guilty about returning books to the library that you haven't read. It doesn't hurt anybody, and you can always keep a list here on LT of the books you want to read. Plus, it isn't like you never visit the library so are unable to check them out again on another visit.

I have had Boneshaker on my TBR list for some time. My real live book club is reading Master Butcher's Singing Club so I am going to have to put Boneshaker and Revelation off for a little while. If you read Boneshaker you can let me know how much you like it. ... or hate it.

I take library books back unread quite often. Sometimes by the time my name comes up, I'm not that interested in it anymore. More often, there is a long wait list and I don't have time to read it.

Right now I think I have four books out that I won't be able to renew. I may get to one of them. The others will go back and I'll put my name on the list again.

I love the cover on Children of the Jacaranda Tree. I haven't heard anything about that book, so I await your comments.

Nice review of Harvest -- there are a wide variety of views on it; I'll wait on that one.

Dubs in the library is too cute!!! Such a handsome guy!

Hope you're happy with the one you picked! I hate it when I have multiple books calling to me all at once!

Dubs is the mascot, right? Who takes care of him when he's not doing his mascot job (or relaxing at the Library)?

I think that's funny that Dubs is not actually a Husky. In any event, he's a very good looking dog and a great mascot and I'm liking the Huskies as a team more than before because of him!

So, then it is: Go Alaskan Malamutes! Go Malamutes!

They are beautiful dogs. Here's the AKA page on them: http://www.akc.org/breeds/alaskan_malamute/index.cfm

and oh, yeah, hi Ellen. Hope your Thursday and Friday slip by quickly. Kids are in classes, now, aren't they. I loved being a University Student although I think in retro I wasted a lot of time there, walking around and enjoying how beautiful the campus is.

Once when we were looking for a dog to adopt at the Humane Society, we came very close to adopting a Malamute cross named King. He was such a gentle, affectionate dog and we fell in love with him. But he was huge and we have a very small home without a fenced yard. It wouldn't have been a good place for him. I still remember him more than a fifteen years later.

Malamute's are beautiful dogs, but shouldn't the mascot for the WSU Huskies actually be a Huskey? What if the University of Colorado had a Musk Ox instead of a Buffalo? Wouldn't that put them in the same class as Auburn University Tigers whose mascot is a Golden Eagle?

I step away from the computer for a week or so, and I'm hopelessly behind!! Hope you are getting some sleep, Ellen. One of the best things about being retired is that when those nights happen, you know you can sleep in the next day. Hang in there!

My alma mater's unofficial mascot is LycoDog, a border collie who retrieves the T after kickoff of home football games. This is Folly, the original LycoDog; she has gone now, and I've lost track of the current one, but I think his name is Solo.

Here's my Mascot, for my House! Benny epitomizes the commitment in This House to Taking It Easy (House Motto).

Benny is cute!

Oh...he is just so adorable, Karen!! What a sweet photo!

Ellen, I am missing you! Hope all is well.

Dubs is soooo beauteous!

Did I tell you happy 75? Dunno, but just in case, there it is... I like the cover on the tree book, too.

Way behind... sigh... Hope your weekend is good !

Ellen - Canine heaven over here. In Malaysia dogs are not kept as house pets by the Malays as they are a tad phobic about them and in any event we live in a Condo so it would not be allowed by the house rules. It is a shame because I grew up around and with dogs and they are a splendid addition to any family.

Have a lovely weekend.

Lovely picture - the back of the sofa is Daisy's favourite spot too so that she can look out of the window, but as she's a tad heavier than Benny it's getting the cushions a bit squashed!

Things move fast here or something! You also are reading Crace, a writer I haven't tried yet. Sigh.....

Congratulations on reaching 75!

77. Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani
3 stars

This is the story of several members of an extended family impacted by the Revolution in Iran in the 1980s and, specifically, the Evin prison in Tehran. It provides an honest and poignant view into Iran, "...this country where life overwhelms you, submerges you completely with its unflinching, unpredictable, ruthless reality." With occasional breathtaking passages, the author, who was herself born in Evin prison in 1983, explores the fear associated with political imprisonment and the tidal waves of fear and sorrow that can overtake an entire family when a father or a mother or an aunt is carted away to prison, possibly never to be seen or heard from again. For example: "Life inside the prison walls was no different from existence beyond. Everyone carried fear, like a chain, carrying it in the streets, under the familiar shadow of the sad, glorious mountains. And in carrying it, they no longer spoke of it. The fear became intangible, unspeakable. And it ruled over them, invisible and omnipotent."

The novel also explores, rather exquisitely, the relationships between mothers and daughters who have been torn apart by the war, imprisonment, and survival. Two decades later, as one daughter finally, angrily, forces her way through the silence her mother has wrapped around their father/husband's death in Evin prison, she gazes at

...the tears rushing down her mother's face, at her face twisted with pain, with the jagged scars of memories. They terrify Sheida. Those tears. Those words. They crush something inside her like an empty soda can. She wanted to avenge herself. She didn't think of the tsunami breaking her mother's body open.

In this debut novel, we get a peak at Delijani's potential as an author, and it is considerable. Her use of language and her ability to communicate the emotional terrain of terror are both lovely. Her characters, however, never gain that critical third dimension, never become fully realized in the reader's lexicon of characters. Delijani inconsistently vacillates between oversimplified, emotionally flat dialogue and beautiful prose expressing gut-wrenching loss, longing, and terror.

Still, despite its shortcomings, I recommend this book. And I certainly recommend keeping an eye on this author. I predict that we will hear more from her and that her craft will develop into something in which readers can rejoice.

#75 - Benita, I hear you. I don't feel at all guilty about returning books to the library unread, but I do have a hard time choosing what to read next, sometimes. To suggest that I should "read what I want" would work if there were only one thing that I wanted to read! :-D
I chose Children of the Jacaranda Tree and it was a good, though not great, read.

#76 - Beth, yes, I take books back unread frequently, too. I'll do the same as you describe: put something on hold and then lose interest in it between that day and the day I receive it. Sometimes I don't even know what prompted me to put it on hold! I figure the library saves me oodles of money through this mechanism.

The cover of The Jacaranda Tree is quite nice. See my review above. I failed to mention the metaphor of the tree in my review. Oh well.

#77 - Tina! I'm glad you like "my" Dubs. :-)
And --- "I hate it when I have multiple books calling to me all at once!"
But isn't this almost always the case?

#78 - Deborah, yes, Dubs is the mascot for the UW. He lives with a person who is his keeper somewhere in the Seattle area. He also has students "handlers" who escort him to games, take him for walks on campus, etc. Students apply for this position and go through extensive training with Dubs each year. He has a good life.

#79 - Pat, I'm glad Dubs has persuaded you to like the Huskies a bit more..... They won again yesterday in a monsoon at Husky Stadium. The next two games will be very tough - on the road at Stanford and here at home against the loathed Oregon Ducks.

#80 - Karen, you're cracking me up!
Thursday and Friday flew by. I was in a totally wonderful mood all day Friday; the task force report is moving along quite nicely and I seem to have pushed through my anxiety about it (for the most part). I went into the office again yesterday (my third consecutive Saturday at the office) but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it appears to be daylight, not an oncoming train!

>92 EBT1002: Quite the encomium, Ellen. Recommended in spite of the shortcomings makes it a lot more appealing than the subject matter on its face would do.

Happy Sunday!

^ Richard, I had to go look up "encomium," I have to admit. I'm glad my praise came through and outweighed my careful application of three stars.

YAY for Sunday!!! I'm still lounging in my pajamas and drinking coffee, which is one of life's greatest luxury combinations.

I agree, Ellen. The only bad thing about Sunday is that I realize all I still have to do to get ready for Monday. Have a great, relaxing day. Good luck to the Seahawks. Maybe the Vikings can finally win a game...

Nice review of the Jacaranda Tree book. I'm always looking for new authors for my world lit class. I'll check this one out.

#81 - Morphy, it sounds like you made the best decision. I love that you still remember the sweet canine.

#82 - Benita, you really must learn to suspend your disbelief, or allow for flights of fancy, or just accept that the world is full of paradox. :-)

#83 - Roni, the same thing happens to me (a week away and I'm hopelessly behind). I'm learning to accept it. And you have named one of the things that most appeals to me about retirement: the reduction of stress associated with chronic insomnia. Still, this week has been better as my anxiety has dropped considerable. Thank goodness.

#84 - Linda, LycoDog is adorable!!!! And I love that s/he actually works at the football games. Of course, being a Border Collie, that would be necessary.

#85 - It's Benny!!! Abby upholds the same motto at our house (she is stretched out on P's lap as I type, which also means that I have to do the coffee refills). Give Benny a scritch on the head for me.

#86 - Lori, I agree! I have met Benny (he came with Karen to Booktopia!, although I had met him prior to that) and he is just as cute in person.

#87 - Mamie, thanks for missing me. Things are going quite well, but I have been outrageously busy. Yesterday was the third consecutive Saturday on which I went to the office for several hours. This will not continue....

#88 - Kath, I clearly agree as I'm Dubs' #1 fan. And I don't know if you said "happy 75," but you have said it now. Thank you. I'm still holding out hope that I can make it to 100 this year. We'll see.

#89 - Paul, I know that many cultures have such different relationships with dogs (and cats and other animals) than ours. It's one of the more interesting things about traveling to different parts of the world, I think. I know my attachment to animals is on the high side, even within my own culture. Since you like dogs, I'm glad you visited my September canine heaven. :-)

My weekend has been quite lovely despite going to work yesterday. Actually, a few extremely productive hours at the office, when no one else is around, tends to boost my mood.

Last evening we went to the penultimate game of the Mariners' dismal 2013 season. Today we will watch the Seahawks in the hopes that they can go 4-0.

#90 - Rhian - I have had cats in the past who also liked to occupy the back of the sofa. Abby prefers (and demands) a human lap.

#91 - Hi Lucy! Thanks for the congrats and I do recommend reading Jim Crace. I personally liked Being Dead better than Harvest.

I just think that when people/institutions, and problaby institutions more so than people, write something down it ought to mean close to what it says.

Most people attending a UW game will see a dog as the mascot. The fact that it isn't the right breed won't matter, and it doesn't matter to me. A dog is a dog and I agree that saying go Sled Dogs or Go Working Dogs doesn't make for a catchy or easily shouted slogan. (it would make as much sense as Nebraska fans shouting Go Crimson and Cream - the official colors of the UofN0 but, In the case of Auburn University - the official mascot is the tiger, but the animal on the field is a Golden Eagle. Does that make any sense at all? Correct me if I am wrong, but that isn't even the same species, or family in Linneas' chart as the Golden Eagle isn't striped and doesn't have fur.

Ellen, glad to hear that the anxiety is down and the sleep is up!

Happy Sunday. I'm spending a quiet morning but need to go attend to the photography show. Several fell off the wall. Dang it! but that is all I'm doing today. I may not even make my bed today. I could try to finish Night Soldiers.

Benny enjoyed the scratch on his head. He likes to sit next to me, up close, when I'm on the computer in the living room. Sweet doggie.

Great Greta Garbo is sitting at the other end of the sofa on one big soft pillow. She likes being alone, as did her name sake.

Hi Ellen. Glad you're having a relaxing Sunday. I'm hoping though that your weather isn't headed our way. It's overcast and we're supposed to get rain but a monsoon I could do without. Hope those mountains that separate us do their job of calming things down.

I heard the author of Children of the Jacaranda Tree interviewed on NPR about a month ago. I'll have to see if my library has this one yet.

I agree that taking books out of the library has saved me a lot of money. It's so much fun to take home a stack of books with no obligation to read them. Most of the time, I'm lucky if I manage to read a couple of pages of each book I take out. If it really captures my attention, I'm apt to just buy a copy so I can read it later when I feel like it.

78. Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger

Okay. Whatever. Charming new fairy tale.

#99 - Benita, lol! Yep, I agree that the Tiger and the Golden Eagle seem, well, several species apart! I wonder what the back story is. In any case, it makes no sense at all!

#100 - Roni, me too! :-)

#101 - Karen! That sounds like a perfect Sunday -- for all three of you! Mine was lovely. We watched the Seahawks play miserably but come from behind to win in OverTime. It was an amazing game. Then we went to Dick's for decadent lunch, dropped off and picked up books at the library, and went to the wine shop for P to get some Scotch. Most of the day was spent happily ensconced in the house. I did go for a 32-minute run before the football game.

#102 - Pat, I would think Delijani would be interesting to hear interviewed. I don't think she has hit her stride yet, but she is worth reading and worth watching.

I. Love. Libraries.

That is all.

Currently reading:



This is something I would never have thought to read were it not for my Real Life book group. It's Steampunk, set in late 19th Century Seattle. I started it last night, read a chapter with my coffee this morning. If I didn't have to go earn Abby's Science Diet, I would stay in bed and read it all day today.

Morning Ellen- Yes, I am back in the saddle. Booktopia, once again, surpassed expectations. I am so glad Sue, joined me on this one. She, admittedly, did poor on her reading homework but still managed to have a terrific time. She promised to be much better prepared next time, so she could contribute more.
Good review of Children of the Jacaranda Tree. I wish you could have liked it more, since a copy sits forlornly on a nearby shelf.

I liked that review of Children of the Jacaranda Tree, Ellen. Thumb from me. It sounds a bit like my recent experience with A Bit of a Difference - talented writer at the outset of her career, some insightful, lovely passages, but a degree of emotional flatness that made it a good rather than great read.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

Yay! I'm glad Boneshaker has grabbed you. I thought you might enjoy it.

Dubs is a doll. Most people can't tell a Husky from a Malamute anyway. And he looks more like a tough linebacker than a husky would!

Hmmmm must investigate Boneshaker... Glad to see that all seems well here :) My week seems sidays somehow as my days off have been so weird lately..

Ellen - Just catching up and glad to see you are not quite as busy and under the cosh as before.

#107 - Hello Mark and welcome back to Real Life! I'm so glad you and Sue had a good time at Booktopia! I'm not, of course, surprised. I am in the same boat with Sue --- next time (I really hope there is a next time) I will do more of my reading homework.
Mark, give Children of the Jacaranda Tree a go. You may like it more than I did and please know that three stars is still good on my mental Likert scale.

#108 - Joe, thank you for the thumb. It sounds like our experiences were very similar so I will keep an eye on the career of Sefi Atta as I will watch that of Delijani. I'm sorry my only-three-stars is putting folks off because I do still think Children of the Jacaranda Tree is a worthwhile read.

#109 - Karen, I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Book Group is good for me. :-)

#110 - Joanne, I agree! Dubs is a great linebacker mascot! I think a "real" Husky would be more like a cornerback, wouldn't he?

#111 - Kath, I think you would like Boneshaker. I'm only about 1/4 into it, but it's a fun read.

#112 - Hi Paul! Thanks for stopping by even though I have been dismally absent from your (and everyone else's) thread!

I am SO excited to be closing in on completing this task force report. I promise to catch up on folks' threads once I can really bask in that daylight at the end of the tunnel. Probably this coming weekend. Of course, then my two amazing football teams will distract me, but.....

It is so much fun to have two winning teams. As a Husky alumnus, I of course want the boys to win as often as they can, right up to and including the Rose Bowl on New Years Day!

Mark sent me his Early Reviewers copy of Jamie Ford's new book, Songs of Willow Frost and as soon as I can read it, I'll pass it along, if you'd like.

Have a great week, Ellen. And I hope the light at the end of the tunnel is precisely what you want.

^ as soon as I can read it, I'll pass it along, if you'd like
That would be wonderful, Karen. Thank you for the offer!

I hate people.

Especially Teahadist Rethuglican Congresspeople.

That is all.

Ellen- Sue may have not done her homework but Booktopia did pump her up. She's nearly finished with Tom Thumb and then wants to move on to the Dog Stars. She also wants to read the first Ford book too.

>106 EBT1002: I tried to read Boneshaker a few years back, I could not get into it at all. I was too confused by the setting (time and place). I hope you can enlighten me!

Book group is good for me too. It makes me consider reading some thing other than what I want to. Consider.

Good Wednesday morning! I see you have until October 14 to finish Boneshaker. Shouldn't be too much of a "job". I think I might look up the sequel and look at it.

Next book is Clementine and I think I'll think about whether I want it on the Nook or on the Kindle. I'll let it wait and I'll read the Jamie Ford book first. Sooooo many books.... (you know)

The weather is supposed to dry up for a little bit later this week. I'm glad cuz I must do the lawn!

A REal Life Book Club does tend to stretch your reading habits, change from your usual fare, or climb out of your box . I agree - it makes you read things you would not ordinarily pick up. I read Gravedigger's Daughter earlier this year and it turned out to be a really good book and may make my best of the year reads simply because 8 months later I am still thinking about it.

Hi Ellen!! Just dropping in to catch up. Nothing intelligent or even remotely thought provoking to add to the conversation as of now.

Oh, except that Jim recommended Boneshaker to me when I was asking for an example of steampunk. I've yet to read it, but it's on the list.

I have my new glasses! Whoo hoo! Can watch TV and read LT at the same time without taking glasses off my nose. Whooopeee! So the whole cataract thing is complete!

I requested Boneshaker... I will read it soon. I have a few books I need to read soon. Now Benita has me thinking about Gravediggers Daughter..

There is danger here... LOL

Loved the Niffenegger review!

Still reading Boneshaker when I have time, but also reading:



In preparation for a presentation in San Diego at the end of this month.

Hi Ellen - I hope your report is getting written, your presentation prepared and all is good in your life. (I have to admit that Boneshaker sounds better than Strengths Based Leadership).

Hi Ellen - I've been out of town and am just now catching up on threads. Hope you can catch your breath soon!

See you next week, and until then (RL book group, Monday the 14th) I hope your work is going smoothly and the extras you need to do go easily ! Your talents are greatly appreciated.

Happy weekend, Ellen!

Hi Ellen!
I confess I don't care a hoot about football - or any other kind of ball for that matter. But I love the doggy pictures! They are all adorable ;-)
Benny can be my mascot any day. So sweet.

Congrats on go over 75 and on your way to 100! I don't know how you do it with your very busy RL. Great job!!!

Your LIBRARY is open on Sunday???? WOW!

Love the pics of Dubs, especially in a library. Wonder what he reads?

And swooning over the pic of Benny. All my life I have wanted a Cavalier King Charles spaniel.... I adore their big eyes, and their soft floppy ears...

Football? A friend tried to explain it to me. It still hasn't worked. Not really. Although I know a few more things than I did this time last month. Maybe it will come in useful one decade.

Re Harvest; I really enjoyed it to. I'm not sure when it was set and loved that Crace was never precise about that. I set it somewhere between 1550 and 1640 -- that's when a lot of land enclosure was going on; there was a lot of emphasis on witchcraft (more than previously, even), and the book contained very few references to religion. Before the break with Rome, there would have been something -- a reference to a crucifix or rosary beads, a roaming friar, a nearby monastery -- to tell us. The absence of such references tells me, at least, that it was set post 1536. But in a way, I kinda like not knowing. A bit like not knowing the name of the narrator in Rebecca, the second Mrs. de Winter.

>60 EBT1002:: Yay! Another Harvest fan. This book is not for everybody but I liked the way it made me think about how quickly things can change.

Dubs is a very handsome mascot and a lucky dog to get to go to the library. He has an eye on a certain book. I wonder which one it is? I love your thread topper, Ellen. I can see why that beautiful spot holds a special place in your heart. I hope that you and P have a wonderful week end!

HAPPY SATURDAY, ELLEN! Just catching up here - sorry that things have been so busy. I see that you are reading Boneshaker - I liked that one when I read it last year. Steampunk is a fun genre, I think. And I LOVED your review of Raven Girl! Since neither of us managed to get to Their Eyes Were Watching God last month, I hopefully entered it in the banned book challenge this month. Maybe this time we'll make it.

yeah... what Cee said.

79. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
2.5 stars

I probably shouldn't give this novel a rating since it's outside my usual genres, but I can't help it. Interesting ideas: yes. But flat characters. And a story that took 100 more pages than needed to tell it well.

Onward.

Ellen - I grew up loving tea. Then you 'murrikans' (thanks RD) went and named a party after it and made the beverage indigestible.

Have a lovely weekend.

>136 EBT1002: Hopefully upward too.

Oh my, we are being blamed for ruining tea!

Well it is only fair Karen, I mean you through the last lot we sent you into the harbour at Boston. xx

ANYthing that decreases the popularity of boiled Chinese hedge-trimmings is a good thing. Nasty stuff.

#141
Richard, you and I may have our first disagreement. I like tea. I even like tea parties. The kind that are held at 3:00 p.m. and involved crumpets. But it wasn't always so. There was a time that I did not like tea. I still can't stomach the sweet tea that they serve around here. More like tea syrup.

Tea is shuddersome sludge. Sweet tea is flat-out horrifying! No one's pancreas should have to deal with the assault of tea (bad) AND high-fructose corn syrup (worse)! (That's all sweet tea is...tea and Karo, dark Karo if they want to make the tea a little weaker to save money.)

Shuddersome sludge? That's going a bit far. I may have to call out my wordsmithing thesaurus and prepare to do battle with you. However, your stance is mitigated, somewhat, because, in parsing your statement, it appears that you really don't like sweet tea, calling it an assault of tea, meaning that it is much more aggressive than is tea, which is merely shuddersome. Therefore, I am prepared to tolerate your uninformed palate and opinion on the grounds that I somewhat agree with you.

Richard can never make his mind up whether or not he likes summat. Shuddersome sludge? Is that good or no? Did you never knock back a hot pot of Yorkshire tea dear fellow? You 'Murrikans would never have thrown that stuff away and you'd now have no tea party or GOP.

I've had all the tea I ever plan to drink. I've been to a fancy cream tea someplace in London. I've had tea foisted on me when I felt unwell as it was in Bath. Countless unavailing "no thank you"s to iced tea in Texas and the South.

Tea tastes the way a dirty litterbox in an unmopped bathroom smells.

Well, hello everyone! I love when whole conversations proceed while I'm away watching football. :-)

It's halftime and the Seahawks are up by a tense two over the Colts. Thought I would check in ---- I'm so far behind that catching up isn't even in the realm of possible. But I will try.

Okay, to start with, after finishing Boneshaker, I had a hard time deciding what to read next. I felt like I was in a mild book funk. Finally found one and I'm now totally engaged. SO ----

Currently reading:

Just to acknowledge everyone who stopped by while I was so busy finalizing that damn report (did I mention that I got it turned in??). I know I'll have some edits to implement after the VPs review it, before I put it on the President's desk, but it's essentially DONE. HOORAY!!!!!

So, belated greetings to Richard, Mark, Megan, Karen, Richard, Cee, Suz, Donna, Mamie, Kath, Paul, Richard, Karen, Paul, Richard, Benita, Richard, Benita, Paul, Richard......

I grew up in the south, so I do like sweet tea but I don't much drink it. I drink coffee in the morning, water all day long, and wine or beer or bourbon or tequila or gin in the evening..... Heh.

I will say that on a cold gray Seattle day in January, a cup of Yorkshire Gold with a splash of 2% milk and a couple of sugar cubes can be just what the doctor ordered.

I may need some help getting to 200 posts on this thread so I can start my October thread.....
September was a slow LT month for me. But did I mention that I completed that dang report?????
:-)

Mamie, I'll go add Their Eyes Were Watching God to the Banned Books challenge and try to get to it (with you) this month.

Hi Ellen. Just delurking to help your thread count. But hey guess what, the LT gods have now changed the threshold from 200 to 150. Go for it!

Hi, Ellen! I have a somewhat similar drinking schedule: two cups of coffee with cream in the am, then brewed iced tea with no extras until evening, when usually a glass of wine but occasionally margaritas, and on chilly evenings, it's back to tea, but hot tea this time.

Congrats on getting your report down on paper. I remember how that is!

And yes, now you can continue after 150 messages!

^ I didn't know that, but will take advantage of this rule change. :-)

I am happy to drink my strong coffee in the morning, and then tea in the afternoon. I like tea with milk, or without. Depends on the tea. I like jasmine tea. I also like Iced Tea as I had when a child in the hot hot summers of central Idaho!

Glad you finished your Report! Good for you.

Tough football weekend for Seattleites. Huskies lost a tough road game yesterday at #5 Stanford, now the Seahawks are looking to lose a tough road game to Indianapolis. It's not over yet but it doesn't look good down by 3 points late in the fourth quarter.

On the upside, College GameDay is reportedly coming to Seattle for next week's game against the evil Oregon Ducks. I am working that game; it should be a good one!

Okay, back to reading.

Ellen- I like the Seahawks but the Colts played a good game today! I don't know if you are still joining me on 2666 but I plan on starting it, about mid-week. I decided to read Five Days at Memorial first and it's been terrific.

>136 EBT1002: I see that were unable to enlighten me on the merit of Boneshaker. ;)
Ah well, looks like I am not the only one then.

>150 EBT1002: and wine or beer or bourbon or tequila or gin in the evening.....
haha, sounds like me, only its red wine from 4pm 6pm (*ahem*) in winter, and same times but fizzy wine (sparkling sav blanc, champagne style but not the real deal) in summer. Or beer.
All day long I dream about coffee.

Ellen - Sorry about the football woes, but YOU FINISHED YOUR REPORT. Hooray.

A cup of tea on a cloudy afternoon is a nice treat.

I have the Ferrante book; I'll be anxious to hear what you think of it.

P and I have decided to do a two-week "clear out," starting tomorrow. No refined sugars, no refined carbs, no alcohol. It's a thing we do now and then; it always feels good (though it is difficult at first).

#157- Mark, I'm disappointed by the football outcome but Luck and Hilton were amazing. It was an exciting game.
I will put 2666 on the stack for October.

#158- nope, Megan, I'm not going to be the one to turn you around on Boneshaker. I just got bored.

I make it sound like I'm a lush. I'm really not but I talk a good game. :-)

#159- Beth! Yes! And I got an email today from the Chief of Staff saying really good things about the report. I'm SO pleased (and relieved).

So far, I'm enjoying My Brilliant Friend. I'll let you know if it holds up. I can be a tough customer when it comes to the last quarter of a novel.

No refined sugars, no refined carbs, no alcohol.

So you only eat bacon? Hmmm. Nope, can't do without my scotch, nope.

I also have My Brilliant Friend in my book shelves. I will be watching to see what you think of it. Just because you and Karen were reading Boneshaker I moved it up on the pile, but then moved it back down after I listened to a Nancy Pearl podcast interview with G. Willow Wilson regarding her book Alif the Unseen. Went and got that one of the shelf and moved it to the bedside. Currently I am reading Master Butcher's Singing Club and enjoying it very much. Of course, that reading is in between reading for my class. For that one I am reading Michel Foucault. That is tough going.

I still can't believe that Richard called tea shuddersome sludge! I think that is so creative. Even if I disagree. Why can't I think of words like that?

Just so you know - ESPN Game Day is a b___h. Especially if you have to work right across the street from where they set up. They start setting up on Wednesday, and act like they own the campus. Perhaps, they do? Most of all, those trucks with the generators make a huge amount of noise ... and they smell bad. On the plus side - they bring some money into the town.

And I have to admit that they put on a good show. It is fun to watch all the spectators watching them. Just for that reason I am sorry that the library now closes on game days. It was fun to sit inside the building and watch all that activity.

#162 - Richard, it will be interesting to see how I do for these two weeks. Usually, once I make the decision, I'm pretty good at sticking with it. I will miss my wine each evening, though.

#163 - Hi Benita! You have quite an assortment of books going there..... I think Karen enjoyed Boneshaker more than I.

#164 - Well, I have to admit that I'm a huge fan of College GameDay. I watch it every Saturday morning with my coffee. One of my favorite things is the WSU Cougar flag: The Cougs decided that the show will never, and I mean never go to Pullman, WA, so they (the Cougs) would go to College GameDay. Every week, no matter from where the show is broadcast, there is always a WSU Cougars flag (or two) in the background audience. Clever, I say.

I think you & P are quite brave for trying any type of detox. Good luck to you!

good luck on the detox, sounds a lot like the plan I was sort of following.

I love Janis Joplin's song that Richard dropped off here!

have a great week!

You confirmed my suspicions on Boneshaker, Ellen, so I'll give that one a pass. Unless I'm actually flying in a dirigible, I'm not much of a steampunk guy anyway.

I did like Their Eyes Are Watching God, so I hope you enjoy that one.

My Brilliant Friend - wasn't a good movie made out of that? Nope. I'm mixing it up with "My Brilliant Career."

I used to be a huge sweet tea drinker. But then I needed to swear off caffeine. (Did wonders for my panic attacks.) Now I drink, well, it's CALLED tea but it's based on hibiscus leaf. It's a strawberry citrus mix from Teavana which I absolutely love.

Hi Ellen! Sorry I haven't been over in a while. Your rapidly moving thread can be daunting. Added Children of the Jacaranda Tree to my wishlist.

I had to cut out caffeine too, and now drink herbal teas as a substitute for coffee. I discovered Rooibos tea, which is quite yummy considering it's made out of this:




Edited to size down the photos

Thanks to a generous mailing from Kerri (DorsVenabili), I added the following to my acqisitions for the year.

More Books Acquired in 2013:

127. The Red House by Mark Haddon
128. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham
129. Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
130. Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
131. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
132. The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon
133. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
134. Hild by Nicola Griffith

Thanks, Kerri!

#166 - Tina, I don't know about brave, but we are determined. It's been a bit of a tough first day. The cravings are intense and I've been practically hallucinating about Swedish Fish!

#167 - Thanks for the good luck wishes, Karen. I can do anything for two weeks. :-)

#168 - Hi Joe! I'm glad I could steer you appropriately on Boneshaker. If one loves steampunk, it's probably a good one. I'm looking forward to reading Their Eyes Were Watching God. I've been wanting to read it forever!

#169 - Morphy, I've never been much of an herbal tea drinker. I'm glad I don't have to stay away from the caffeine as my two mugs in the morning are a pleasure I'd hate to forego.

#170 - Hi Lisa! I think my thread has been slowing down of late due to my excessively busy life.
And I love the pictures of whatever that is from which your tea is brewed! Flowers and twigs? :-)

Time for a new thread!