Sibyx (Lucy) keeps reading in January!

It's January! Must be time to curl up and snooze or read! Actually it is International Read on the Sofa Month Known informally as InReSoMo. I'm afraid this bear ate his book instead of reading it. Join us!

1. newWigs on the Green Nancy Mitford contemp f ***
2. new Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors Nicholas Wade science*****
3. ✔The Sparrow Mary Doria Russell sf ***
4. New Yorker - September
5. new The Widower's Tale Julia Glass contemp f ***1/2
6. ✔Mistborn Brandon Sanderson fantasy ***1/2
7. Catch the Lightning Catherine Asaro sf (book 2 Skolian Empire) sf ***1/2
8. new Good Daughters Mary Hocking ****1/2
9. Read It or... Jennifer Government Max Barry sf/near future ***1/2
10. Read It or... The Saliva Tree Brian Aldiss sf/ss
11. new Indifferent Heroes Mary Hocking contemp f ****1/2
12. ♬ Death of a Snob M.C. Beaton ***
13. Watchtower Elizabeth Lynn fantasy ****

***January Current Reads***
The Dancers of Arun Elizabeth Lynn fantasy
The Well of Ascension Brandon Sanderson bk 2 fantasy ON HOLD WHILE SPOUSE READS
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language David Anthony archaeology/linguistics
VMC Read new Welcome Strangers bk 3, Good Daughters
Monthly Murdoch: next up: The Unicorn
IM readers group is HERE
Read It or Get Rid of It TBA
Ongoing The New Yorker October Oct 7, Oct 14, Oct 21, Oct 28 Read my reviews here: New Yorkers 2013

♬car audio book♬
Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

Guide to symbols
♬ audio
✔ On Shelf Over One Year
VMC Virago-of-the-month

Landscape of 2014
I'm going to continue reading Iris Murdoch's oeuvre, probably alternating monthly with a Virago.
Otherwise, I suspect my obsession with fan/sf will continue although I hope to read a little more non-fiction, which was only 23 to 128 fiction which seems a bit skewed even to me! Otherwise I'm happy with my overall mix of some planning and plenty of randomness.

More mundane goals: My reading goal will be to reach 150 again, which is reasonable and could really help alleviate the pressure in my shelves if I can continue to be sensible and restrained about acquisitions. I did come out slightly ahead this year in that regard: 123 acquired versus 152 read, putting me ahead by 29! It was an improvement over 2012 when I fell behind by acquiring 38 MORE books than I got around to reading..... I think that is a net improvement of..... 67! Not bad! In other stat collecting news, I think I have to re-examine some of my categories as they feel unwieldy. I won't make a distinction anymore between wallflowers and 1-3 years on shelf, for example. It's too cumbersome.

Totals for 2013
123 Acquired
152 READ
64 From Off My Shelves

COMPARE TO:
Totals for 2012:
171 acquired.
133 READ.
71 From Off My Shelves

A Few More 2013 Particulars
Men - 41
Women - 85
Fiction - 128
Non-Fiction- 23
sf - 33
fantasy - 25
Viragos - 8
magazine 'books' - 9
ditched - 6
Off Shelves - 64

Reflections 2013
The concentration on Iris Murdoch, Viragos, and women sf/f writers led to a preponderance of women writers - almost double the men. I'm happy about that! Less happy with the non-fiction - I barely read any biography or history, for example. I've had a lot of fun delving into the 'new' hybrid genres - particularly the urban fantasy detective and near-future detective type tales. It's to venture into unknown territory and find it so very fresh and fun.

Best of the Best 2013
Fiction - (non-Murdoch) - The Land of Spices Kate O'Brien Virago
SF - The City & The City China Mieville
Non-Fiction - Arctic Dreams Barry Lopez
Best/most read author this year: Iris Murdoch. I read 8 novels: An Unofficial Rose,The Book and the Brotherhood, The Nice and the Good, The Sandcastle, The Black Prince, The Good Apprentice, A Severed Head, The Bell. In Dec 2012 I read my first Murdoch The Sea, the Sea for a total of 9 Murdochs. An extraordinary, challenging and worthwhile writer.

OTHER STUFF 2014
Read it or Get Rid of it! TBR clearing out!
1. A Mirror For Witches Esther Forbes see comment 155, thread one. DNF
2. Jennifer Government Finished. See review page. READ
3. The Saliva Tree Brian Aldiss sf/ss See review page. READ

Series started in 2014
1.Mistborn Brandon Sanderson 1 of 3, 2 The well of Ascension READING
2. Good Daughters Mary Hocking 2 of 3, 3 Welcome Strangers READING

Series continued in 2014
1. The Skolian Empire (1 of 9) Bk 2Catch the Lightning reading, next up: The Last Hawk

Series completed or caught up with in 2014
Nuttin' so far!

Ongoing Series started or continued in 2013
1. The Seven Kingdoms Kristin Cashore (2 of 3) Next up: Bitterblue
2.Liaden Universe Sharon Lee Steve Miller Let's say I've read 11 of 19!
3. Quantum Gravity Justina Robson (4 of 5) Next up: book 5 of 5
4. Rivers of London 2 of 5. Next up:
5. The Crystal Gryphon Andre Norton- one in the nearly infinite series of Witchworld books!
6. Flavia de Luce Alan Bradley (5 of 6) The Dead in their Vaulted Arches audio only!
7. Green Rider Kristen Britain (4 of 4) (Mirror Sight out May 2014
8. KingKiller Chronicles Patrick Rothfuss 2 of 3. Doors of Stone forthcoming (undeclared)

Hi Lucy!

Hi, Lucy! Starred you.

Starred! (you purist, you...)

Hi cuz. Savin' my seat.

Starred you Lucy!

You are totally starred, Lucy.

Lucy, since Jim put up his wonderful threadbook I don't do stars anymore as I can find everyone through that. I will be following your melodic take on all things as always in 2014.

I don't do stars anymore as I can find everyone through that Yes, but you have to remember who you want to find. I cannot possibly follow everyone, so the stars are essential to me.

Snagging a good spot.

An early hello, Lucy. I might officially start my thread on December 31, but not before. I admire your stickler qualities.

Welcome back!

Starred!

*runs into thread*

*tosses handfuls of star confetti*

*runs away giggling*

Happy New Year, Lucy! I'll be checking back when you are up and running in 2014.

Hi Lucy, Happy Reading in 2014!

Thank you all for stopping by and pasting stars all around.


FYI This is a real photo from Hubble!!!

Wow! Beautiful! A sign of lovely things to come, I have no doubt....

Okay. That is too cool!

Hi Lucy!

Hi Lucy, I'm going to try and do a better job of keeping up with your thread in 2014.

Lucy - wishing you a wonderful 2014.

Linda - it is easy to find people on Jim's threadbook, if he remembers everone that is! I like to use it so that I rarely forget to call on my pals.

Nice nuts! Happy New Year and good reading in 2014!

Happy New Year Lucy!

Happy New Year to you!

Great photo! Happy New Year!

I'm slowly getting started on various statistics - these are ALL Christmas books - mostly that I GAVE to husband and daughter, a few they gave me or I received from others.

I goofed up and didn't reserve some spots at the top - so I guess I'll cram as many of my stats as possible into that first slot - that would be the place to look if you like that sort of thing. I hope to put in a few comparative stats too.

December Books IN
1.Alien Emergencies James White
2. Another Insane Devotion Peter Trachtenberg
3.Archangel Andrea Barrett
4.Beginning Operations James White
5. Before the Dawn Nicholas Wade READING
6. Black Irish Stephen Talty
7. The Circle Dave Eggers
8. Connections James Burke
9. The Crimson Crown Chima Cinda Williams
10. Darwinia Robert Charles Wilson
11. Doc Mary Doria Russell
12. Double Contact James White
13. The Exiled Queen Chima Cinda Williams
14. Flashback Dan Simmons
15. General Practice James White
16. Glass Houses Laura Mixon
17. Good Daughters Mary Hocking
18. The Gray Wolf Throne Chima Cinda Williams
19. The Humans Matt Haig
20. Indifferent Heroes Mary Hocking
21. The Last Family in England Matt Haig
22. Love, Dishonor, Die, Cherish, Perish David Rakoff
23. Love Star Andri Snaer Magnason
24. Medicus Ruth Downie
25. The Ocean at the End of the Road Neil Gaiman
26. Planet of Adventure Jack Vance
27. Tales of Sector General James White
28. Telegraph Avenue Michael Chabon
29. Welcome Strangers Mary Hocking
30. Whispers Underground Ben Aaronovitch
31. Zoo City Lauren Beukes


Total Out the door = 7
2 - HPL
2 - SWAP
2 - PBS
1 - ? somehow!

Happy New Year to everyone! House guests just pushed off and I am mired in my 'stats' for 2013. Hope to visit everyone soon!

When you stop by, do browse Comment #1 where I have been assembling various stats and reflections!

A very Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, Lucy!
I am burning with curiosity about your header picture! Was this handsome young gentleman having a sleep in the woods around your house???

We have no brown bears here in the Eastern US, only black bears, I liked that photo best as I was browsing around.

Our bears look like this:


They'll leave you alone if you leave them alone and don't leave food available around your house - which includes no bird feeding between April and December. I've seen plenty of sign. (Scratch marks on trees at bear height). Mamas will park a baby bear in a tree when they go off to feed sometimes. I've seen that! You betcha I got out of there fast!

I'm partial to the photo of the bear hibernating. All it needs is a book, LOL.

I love the picture of the hibernating bear! And, congratulations on reading more books last year than you acquired. That's quite a feat.

Love the bears. We've had them visit our neighborhood (which is really quite a rural spot, although we have a number of houses clumped together in a late 1960's development) from time to time over the years. Mostly we see evidence in the wooded lot next to ours (scat as well as scratched tree bark) or garbage scattered about on pick-up day, but occasionally we get a glimpse of one browsing around.

Dear Lucy, I wish you a happy, smooth, productive, satisfying 2014 --- and .....

Here's wishing you a wonderful 2014!!

Happy New Year, Lucy!

Happy New Year Lucy!

1.
Wigs on the Green Nancy Mitford ***

An early novel which Mitford chose not to reissue after ww2. It's an affectionate send-up of her sister Unity, who was infatuated with Hitler and fascism, but there is an unsettling ambiguity and ambivalence to it given the outcome. It's quite understandable she wanted it suppressed for while it is clear she is making fun of the 'Jackshirts' there is no doubt in my mind had she had the least idea of the outcome of the war, the seriousness of Nazi violence and aims, she never would have written a book so 'light-hearted'. Plus ole Nancy was kind of a snob - it's muffled in her later books somewhat - but here it is front and center, creating an odd vibration between the fascists, the Hons, and well, everyone else, as a mad Duke at the exclusive residence Peersmont (modelled on the House of Lords) for mad titled persons, says to a nephew, "It appears that every year a few thousand totally unimportant persons are killed on the roads, and that lunatic Gunnersbury, supported by some squeamish asses on the Labour benches* brought in a bill to abolish all motor transport. These Socialists put a perfectly exaggerated value on human life, you know. Ridiculous." It was a bit like looking at one of those flat pictures that if you tip it one way it is funny, tip it another and it is thoughtless and even offensive. Nonetheless Mitford's cleverness and wit are everywhere evident and it is an interesting novel. By a coincidence I have been listening to a book on poisonous plants and the author mentions Mussolini's men tracking downn 'leftists' and to pour castor oil down their throats as a punishment. Mitford had evidently picked up on this and there are many mentions of castor oil or ex-lax, that I would not have known the significance (reference to Mussolini) until now. It sounds so teen-aged prankish and idiotic. ***
* in this pseudo House of Lords, the Hons spend their time putting forward bills and voting and etc.

Just reminding everyone that it is International Read on the Sofa Month - informally known as InReSoMo.

I like this sofa, although it is a bit small, perhaps, I usually sit up to read (otherwise I just go to sleep!)

Hi Lucy!
Looks like a comfy, warm thread for January... especially considering the snow and below zero temps right now. Love the sofa nook.

Happy 2014!

I'd have to throw a row of cushions off to skooch in there properly. But I do like the quilt and cabbage roses.

I forgot about InReSoMo - thanks for the reminder! I would like to read here (or do you think it's more of a day bed and thus disqualified?)

How cold is it, Lucy? I'm not sure I want to know. It's sunny and blowy here and going down into the low twenties tonight. Believe me, that's cold enough for all practical purposes. Be warm and safe.
Thumb for the Mitford with thanks!
Humph. I see that I can't thumb it because it's not there.

Katie - I'm dying to see your sofa but it is presently a big square with a question mark in the middle.

Peggy - I will fix that. It was -10 F(-23 C) this morning and I took the dog out at -3. It isn't going to get any better than that, apparently. I'm trying to work up my courage to take the car down to the P.O. I really don't want to go out again. I bundled up really well, including covering my nose etc. and set off and after a couple of minutes I said to myself, 'Oh this isn't too bad." Then a couple more minutes went by. Then I suddenly thought, 'Oh my god!" I couldn't have been more than an eighth or tenth of a mile from my own front door but as I chugged homeward I thought, "Will I ever get there?" Posey, btw, normally would have a fit about such a short walk ran ahead of me, straight for the door. She was happy to be out, but happier to go back in.

The LD wanted to go to Burlington after school for a haircut and to see a friend and come home around 8-9 and we said, no, too cold. It will be wayyyyy minus by then and I don't think she has a clue yet how dangerous that can be if your car fails you in any way. I didn't make it a tenth of a mile down the road and I had on EVERYTHING - she of course dresses to look good. I did say much earlier to her that Jan and Feb, as always, would be super-weather contingent and not to argue with us ever when we said no. We will consider driving her to anything super-important but that's the limit.

Lucy I can't really imagine how cold -23C is!

It's very cold, Rhian. I have been skiing in weather that cold, but that was when I was young and foolish and living in Canada. I'm too old for that now! -10 C is about where I turn into a bona fide wimp.

Perfect sofa for InReSoMo. Got such a chuckle out of Suz's comment above young and foolish and living in Canada, LOL. I endured -23 often in all of the years I lived in Ottawa, but I'm completely spoiled here in southern BC. I wimp out about -10 too!

Ah, well, stupid pictures. I can see it just fine. I suspect if I looked at it on my iPad, it wouldn't be there. I don't understand why they show up or don't depending on devices and/or operating systems...

I know - I have an Apple laptop - but I think I'm a bit behind on loading up the latest software for pictures - that's probably the problem - Adobe or whatever. I'm being punished! That'll teach me!

Katie, I have a Mac as well and can't see the photo. I'm all up to date on software, though, so it's not that.

Change Suz' comment slightly to read young and foolish and living in Alberta and that would be my experiences of crazy sub zero temps with nasty wind chill factors! Of course, I then woke up, moved to Vancouver Island and have over time become a total wimp when it comes to weather. My family is embarrassed when I visit them in Calgary in the winter months because I spend the entire time freezing while they are all walking around in jackets I wear during the more temperate spring/fall season, except for the one February I visited and the temperatures never rose above -30C the whole time I was there. They then admitted that it was a bit cold outside, even for them. I am a weather wimp and proud of it! ;-)

I don't feel the least bit wimpish about fearing cold. So there. As I've said before, +8° is the coldest I've ever seen, and I did walk across campus at UNC-CH for a class that day. So there again. On the other hand, I've also dragged around in 113° getting ready for a camping trip, so that makes me feel pretty doggone intrepid.
Meanwhile, y'all be careful!!!!!!!

Peggy - Many Vermont folks just about die when the temperature goes above about 85 - especially when that is accompanied by humidity. In Florida I often need the A/C at night even when Floridians are delighting in how 'cool' s. Not so much the temperature as I need drier air to sleep well.

The good news is the cold is moderating, the sun is shining. Kind of funny when 15 F seems balmy! But I'll take it. I think I can even try skiing again now - maddening to have snow and have it be to cold to even try it. It's going up to 20 and looks to be sunny most of the day! yay!

The bad news is that our generator didn't like the cold yesterday and is refusing to start. We have sun right now, but it won't be enough to run things on 'normal'. We are trying things - the oil gets viscous when it gets too cold, so we are using some heated cement blocks and an actual old-fashioned iron footwarmer we happen to have lying around (!) to try and warm things up in there. We have pretty much decided that next spring-summer we will finish extended the line to a utility pole (when we put in a regular phone line we put in the tube that can carry electricity too - but we didn't quite finish.... I'm not sure where the phone line goes at the stopping point, but it is different from what the power line needs to do). Anyhow - these things should be only very rare occurences after that - although there is always worst case where everything fails..... but we are gradually increasing forms of redundancy, and that is all to the good.

I started the latest Julia Glass called The Widower's Tale and am not sure what I think so far. The first person protagonist is kind of a prig and a snob and I'm not sure I want to be in his head for four hundred plus pages - plus I have a feeling he is riding for some kind of fall - that bad things will happen. Her other books have had a lighter tone, somehow than this one has, right at the outset and I'm not sure I'm in the mood. I picked it thinking, oh this will be fun. The Sparrow is not exactly upbeat and the only other book I am reading at present, while fantastic, is non-fiction - the Nicholas Wade Before the Dawn. Sigh. I just want to lie on the sofa and sink into something fun, frankly. So shallow of me, eh? I'm reading the Wade..... It's fine for a writer to shift gears and try something different, but often it catches you unexpectedly, takes an adjustment.

I came over here to see how you're doing with the storm and am so sorry to hear you're having generator problems again!! Redundancy is indeed good, even necessary when you live as you do. I assume you have a wood or pellet stove in the house to help keep the temp there livable? It sounds so beautiful but also challenging to deal with. We'll be thinking of you.

P.S. I must be a Vermonter at heart -- I get really grumpy if the temp goes over 85, especially if it's humid too. I like cool enough to wear sweaters and/or jackets and up to about 75 with dry temps -- good thing I live in San Diego :-)

I found this on my facebook page today, and this seems the right place for it.
Warning: Cute Overload!!! Which Corgi Puppy Is Cutest?

OMG, I am getting a heart attack induced by puppy cuteness! Fortunately my notebook overheated as always when I start videos and I had to pause after half of the video.

Lucy, I am crossing my fingers for the generator coming to life again and soon. And for a temperature increase.

I keep wanting to put a load of straw or something over that bear.

Cold

COLD

even *reading* -23° makes my nails ache and my hair fall out.

*runs to kitchen for stew*

Yes 'tis cold. But I'd rather have too cold than too hot, honestly. I can always toss on another layer of clothing or drape a cat around my neck. They purr, and they're warm. Too hot is trickier. I'd say 70 F is probably my ideal temperature, all around, indoors or out. Anything north of 80, and I'm whimpering.

Hello! I have to say one thing about the -23oC and colder temperatures, is it makes for great book reading weather (says the person living in Alberta).

Heh! Things moderated today and we had a wonderful x-country ski in very fine dense snow - sunshine and not too much wind, much less than they had predicted. The mid-twenties felt positively balmy. I was so happy to get out on my skis again - you can skip a few days but after that you start losing your newfound balance and etc and have to work up to it again.

I don't know what I think, heat vs cold. Overall I think I am better cold-adapted than heat adapted, but I think the age factor is beginning to shift things a little. My skin just doesn't have the elasticity or whatever it is that it used to.

2. science/evolution*****
Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of our Ancestors Nicholas Wade

Seldom have I encountered better writing on such a complex and baggage-laden subject - human evolution. Wade succeeds in putting before the reader a synthesis of what is known about several aspects of our development from when and where modern humans originated, when and where migrations occured in relation to changes in environment (drought, cold etc.) when and where language probably occurred, domestication of animals, the beginnings of agriculture. His main point is that study of DNA - of both matrilineal mitochondria to the male Y chromosome has made it possible to track the timing and location of many of these changes to a remarkable degree. Of course, scientific inquiry moves so swiftly now that even I, essentially a science ignoramous, know of a couple of recent discoveries that have been made and confirmed in the seven years since this book first came out - the first a definite albeit very small genetic link between Neandertals and the basic European stock of modern humans and for a second, some earlier dates for the presence of the domesticated dog in Europe and I expect there are several more in the field of paleo-linguistics, or whatever, you want to call it! I am intrigued by the idea too, that we have been gradually 'domesticating' ourselves and are likely continue to do so. The linguistic furor over language origins and the idea of an original proto language were, for me, the most fascinating chapters. In short, I can't recommend it more highly! *****

62: It would leap onto my wishlist if it weren't already there.

Hi Lucy! Before the Dawn sounds fascinating. I am impressed that you've read two books already this year.

Our weather is supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow and I am hoping to get out on my cross country skis for the first time this winter.

I did start both of them back in 2013!!!!!!!!

And I keep meaning to say I know what you mean, Tui, I want to cover that bear back up with something nice and cosy!

I thought that Before the Dawn looked familiar. It is on my bookshelf and, after reading your review, it sounds like something that I would enjoy reading. Thanks.

Pretty sofa Lucy, I can see why your reading has started off so well.

Mitford's books haven't aged that well IMO.

Glad you had a nice day. I never did x-country (or any skiing actually) but it always appealed to me. Stay warm.

I do love it, Reba, the most mundane reason being that it is one of the most calorie-intensive-burning ways to exercise. Snowy winters I can eat a lot and still sometimes lose a pound or two so it's all good! Really why I love it, of course, is just being out there.

I've started what might be the perfect complement to Before the Dawn called The Horse, The Wheel, and Language - mainly a book about the origins of Proto-Indo-European. Perfect! One of my fascinations in general is our relationship with animals, domesticating, observing, imitating, worshipping.....

I'm past the half-way mark with The Sparrow - making significant progress, hope to chew up half of what's left today. I admire it, and I am interested, and I certainly care a great deal about Emilio, but I don't love it. In part, am so horrified by their lack of preparation and precautions.....
I am also more absorbed in the Glass book now, so that's better. I do wish I was reading something I could disappear into. But that is rare, innit?

Peggy - I sent the corgi puppy vid to my family and I could hear groaning and protesting and giggling all over the house. I titled it "The Borgi: Incoming." Appropriate. Plus I think I loved the tenderness on the faces of the young'uns playing with the puppies almost as much as the puppies. You don't get to see that on a teenaged boy's face all that often.

69: The Horse, The Wheel, and Language
Stooop! I come here for intelligent commentary on books I won't read, not BBs...

Hehehehehe, stroking my long villainous black moustachios, you are doomed! Doomed!!!!

*62 I should really read that one...thanks for the review! My one reservation is that it was published in 2006 which is a long time ago in the world of science.

Re the video: I was thinking how a box full of puppies would be the perfect thing to take in to a stressed out dorm during exam period. All of those kids were so gentle with them and seemed to just relax into the puppyness.

I'm still making my rounds of 2014 threads and trying to catch up. Happy belated new year! Before the Dawn sounds great--excellent review.

Time to get off the computer and hit the Sofa.

Yes, Rachel - there are bits and pieces that have been superceded by new information, but nothing that shakes up the big picture that is really Wade's purpose. Working in his favor too is that it can take an incredibly long time for other academics/scientists to accept new methodologies, new conclusions so there is a kind of time lag. (An example would be linguists accepting the use of the DNA 'trees' to make language trees.)

I've been out skiing so now I'm swilling coffee and getting pumped to lie about on the sofa!

InReSoMo? I can do that. I read on my sofa most of the time, either sitting up or lying down .. in fact, for me it's probably Read on the Sofa Year.

I went out for a bit of xcountry skiing yesterday but it was just too cold because I had forgotten to bring my ski goggles and face mask with me, so my face was in danger of falling off after just 10 mins in the whipping wind. It was much better this morning and the snow was still in great condition, so I went out and skied for 2 hours early this morning. It was great .. more so because there was just 2 other people I met along the trail.

Before the Dawn just leapt onto my wishlist, Lucy. I should keep track of how many BBs hit me as I futilely try to catch up on the threads.

Roni - I'm only to HAPPY to send you a BB after the thousands you have sent me!!!!!

Caro - I find that putting on the 'right' clothes for the outing to often be the most challenging piece of it. Today I had on too much - a coat instead of layers of sweater/sweatshirt and vest, so I nearly expired of heat, then had to stop, take off hat, scarf, coat, then I froze when I turned in a different direction so I had to put some of it back on..... it was ridiculous! But I still had fun. And nice to see you here, I love it that you are a skier too! You have more snow than we do - and ours is going to go kapla tonight and tomorrow and then no new stuff for a week. So annoying!

Lots of snow fell last night, covering the ice from the ice storm which went through, so I am hoping to get up to the nordic trails with number one son (who will have to classic ski because his aging mother doesn't skate ski).

#74> At the university where I work, they always bring therapy dogs to the library or student union during finals week to help students de-stress. It's a very popular program!

>74 tiffin:, 81: a box full of puppies would be the perfect thing to take in to a stressed out dorm during exam period
Similarly at my daughter's school, students can schedule appointments with a staff member's dog (it's a very small school, only 1600 students, so that's not the logistical nightmare it seems).

3. sf ***
The Sparrow Mary Doria Russell

Many readers whose taste and judgement I highly respect loved The Sparrow, which I started two previous times and dropped. This time I persisted, but I felt frustrated and alienated the entire time completely unable to understand the attitude of the Jesuits toward Sandoz except as a contrivance to 'make' the story keep going up to the 'terrible' revelation which was far too long in coming. Their assumption that Sandoz might have voluntarily become what he had become when found was absurd to me. That said I was nonetheless more engaged by the story in the 'present' - the gradual revelation of what happened than I was by the story of the mission itself which was often tedious, witty repartee between characters, and so on. I wish I could have loved it as so many of my friends have, but taste is a mystery. The three stars are really out of respect for all of you; I might have missed something somehow. ***

Dear Richard noticed and reminded me that today is my 4th Thingaversary!!!!! How exciting is that!

All caught up here, Lucy, and I had a lovely time doing it. Always something to entertain here. And of course, I love how you talk about books, and about life. Happy Thingaversary, dear friend.

Happy Thingaversary!

Lucy, Good Grief! Katie beat me to it!!! It is our Thingaversary, and I haven't congratulated you or put one book on my Kindle. I'm going to correct that oversight right now.

So I made a little list of some books I badly want...... that's going to have to be it for the moment!!! Surely I will treat myself to five books before the month is out!

The Sparrow didn't speak to you, well it's not the end of the world.

It is, however, the end of our acquaintance. I shall think of you as "the former Cousine Lucy".

;-P~~~~~~~

I think the parts you found tedious were probably the ones I most appreciated in the book's context. Social relationships are often missing from more action-oriented SF, and the in-flight portions of the book were antidotes to that from my point of view.

It's always struck me as curious why these religiosifiers made the judgment of Emilio that they did. I found it, however, very much in keeping with the nature of the judgmental religion they espouse.

Apparently the next blast of Arctic cold is a-comin' early next week. Oh whee. I so look forward to it. *sigh*

83: Their assumption that Sandoz might have voluntarily become what he had become when found was absurd to me.
Yes. My opinion was maybe midway between yours and the rave reviews. I cared enough to read the sequel.

88: So I made a little list of some books I badly want
A cruise through the threads with "best of 2013" lists should fill your quota.

Happy Thingaversary, Lucy!!

One thing I've noticed is that quite a few folks who normally don't care for 'regular' sf liked The Sparrow. Not sure what that means, just an observation. One of my hitherto unexpressed thoughts was that the story didn't really need to take place off planet.

Weirdly that Arctic blast is, so far, not really impacting us here, go figure. It's going to slam the mid-section and then sidle East, but last time I looked anyway, we were in a sort of weird little dip that was more 'seasonal' - cold but not ridiculous.

::envy::

Happy Thingaversary, Lucy! I think I've known you for most of your four years, but can't believe it's been that long. Oddly enough, although we "met" here on LT I think of you -- and describe you to my family -- as "the woman who told me about those great used bookshops in Philly". And for that I am ever grateful!

Happy Thingaversary, Lucy! It was interesting to read your review of The Sparrow. I went into it with very high expectations and never really took to it. Oh well. There's bound to be differences of opinion on any given book.

For no reason!

Great picture of Posey, Lucy. I think it's so cute when dogs lie under the Christmas tree.

And here is the sofa I mostly sit on to read (for NaReSoMo):

Happy Thingaversary, Lucy and thank you for reaffirming for me that I don't 'have' to read The Sparrow. ;-)

Love the pic of Posey under the Christmas tree!

Posey under the tree is a heart melter, Lucy!

Great photos! Posey is so sweet under the tree; my sister's little Dachshund loves to sleep under there! Comfy couch; just what the doctor ordered for InReSoMo.

Awww ... Posey. Love her. Does she sit on the sofa with you as well?

Posey spends hours lying under the tree - the cats too. Sometimes they are all there, but it's hard to get a pic. Po not so much on the sofa (it's pretty small) but Ernie, the tux cat, often lurks on the back or finds a spot. The day light in this spot is excellent; one reason I love it so. A winter, not a summer location.

Too bad you weren't thrilled with The Sparrow. I've heard such fantastic things about it. I've really wanted to read it for a while, but I have so many books on my queue!

I actually have never read The Sparrow. I keep thinking I will get around to it someday.

I think it's one of those books that you just have to try for yourself, I really do.

Caption for Posey under the tree: "Why would you need room to put any gift-wrapped packages here? You have ME!" Cue much tail wagging.

English news full of stories of the record low temps in 'Merica. My thoughts turned to you immediately - hope everything is OK, and the solar panels are working well!

It's cold here, but somehow we dodged the cold bullet - or - I think it is just normal cold for us - the real cold is west and south where they aren't used to it going down so low! We do have SHEETS of ice however. For the first time ever BOTH of our cars have studded tires. Talking to the garage guy (just got the second set put on today after my scary slide last week) he said our winters have changed, the temperature never stays low for more than, say, a week, and so we have these thaws. This last one was the kind that was ON TOP of frozen ground so many things flooded and those were skateable smooth sheets of ice, some of them.

Way too much info I'm sure.

I did chores and errands pretty much all day. Very little reading.... grrrrrrrr

What a handsome-looking dog you have!

105 Roni: I think that you would in fact quite like The Sparrow, but of course I could be completely wrong...

Ok, I have to break down and ask: what the heck is NaReSoMo? And I keep sneaking peeks at Pose under the tree...it's the way her back paws go together just so.

Oh Tui! So glad you asked. ! It's International Read on the Sofa Month So really it should be InReSoMo - when we (peggy and me) thought of it, geniuses that we are, we started with Na for National, and I do occasionally forget to get it right!

Posey does align her paws generally, it's all part of being a princess.

Sorry you didn't like The sparrow better, though I understand your criticisms of it.

I have just read my first two C. J. Cherryh novels, the two Gene Wars books (Hammerfall & Forge of heaven). I liked them just fine, although I hope her other series need less explanation to get them going than Forge of heaven did. Now the question is, how many can I get from the library (without buying them).

Cherryh always creates very 'dense' environments - although in some of her books you kind of flounder around not knowing what's going on, just like the protagonist!

>112 sibylline:: I hope an chair and ottoman will do because that's my favourite reading spot, out in the porch by the gas stove.

I am sorry you did not get on with The Sparrow. I count it as one of the best books I've ever read. Of course to each his/her own...that's what makes bookish conversations so interesting.

I'm sorry too - so many people got so much out of it!

Tui, I've signed you up for InReSoMo - chair and ottoman work just fine.
Ardene, I'm among the great number who finds Cherryh a lot more rewarding than frustrating. My quarrel with her is that she explains at length things that I understand (or is it that I only think I understand them?) and glosses over things that I have real questions about. She's still well worth the reading!
Hi, Lucy!!!!

Sorry I missed your Thingaversary, Lucy! Mine is less than a month away; must start preparing my book-list... Posey looks very regal (yet relaxed) under the tree. I enjoyed The Sparrow but had some misgivings along the lines of some of yours: the terrible thing when revealed did not seem worthy of the protracted build up to the reveal. But it has a special place in my affection because my father recommended it and gave me my copy - he's a sci-fi lover but he doesn't usually dare to suggest sci-fi to me. I think he thought i'd like it because of the religious element.

Man, I've had a busy couple of days, so one and a two and a three hee hee - and I'm launching myself at my sofa!

I was dying to stop at the local B&N to pick up the first of my Thinga treats - the new Pynchon..... but I simply did not have time! Grrrrrrr.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the new Pynchon--you mean Bleeding Edge right? Beth (BLBera) was posting quotes from it recently and it sounds good to me. I've always been too intimidated to read Pynchon but this one I'm going to try.

Have a wonderful weekend, Lucy!

Thanks Diana, I am hoping to put in some serious InReSoMo time this weekend.

I'm trying to decide whether to 'remove the bookmark' (book equiv of 'throw in the towel') on the Julia Glass I'm currently reading, The Widower's Tale. I think it's me that is the problem, I just don't feel like reading it, but if I stop I won't pick this one up again. I enjoyed Glass's other novels very much, so I don't know what to do - I'm at p 113. I think I'll give it one more go. I came close to getting into it the last time I read it - one problem is that I have a feeling I know what is going to happen - it feels a little obvious. I could be surprised, of course, but..... sometimes it's a bad idea to read the blurb as in 'through making bad choices that look disastrous a family finds itself again' or something like that.

How many pages are there altogether? 113 is a fairly good proportion, unless it's a real chunkster - it would be a shame if you had to give up at this stage. On the other hand, if it's really not grabbing you, there are plenty more books on the shelves...

I agree, if you've invested time for 113 pages it seems a shame to give it up...but then, I'm so obsessive I pretty much always finish a book once I've started it.

Well, I don't know. I don't know Julia Glass, but I was amused at the top review here that says, "It felt to me like the well-mannered sibling of "The Corrections." I think I'm off to investigate that reviewer.

That's very funny and somewhat apt, I think and does touch on what I don't like about it - simplification of current socio-economic issues and problems..... and just not quite believable, I guess..... Well..... I'm going to stick with it, reading-at-a-clip, getting the gist.... slowing down here and there when it seems necessary, and not getting too involved..... when I really like a book I inhabit the characters. I had to read The Sparrow this way too. I got my flu shot yesterday and for some reason I am a mess today. I don't remember having a reaction to it in the past, but I suppose the shot is different every year, anyhow, I am getting off the sofa and into bed pronto!

Stopping by to wish you a happy "International Read on the Sofa Month" kind of weekend, Lucy!

Lucy, I'm having similar feelings about my current read. I, too, am on page 113 (imagine that!), out of 342 pages, and I'm just not wild about it. It's an ER book so I feel obligated to finish but should I?

That is noteworthy, Laura! You are over a third of the way there! My book goes on and on for 466 pages..... I did slog myself to almost exactly halfway last night. It's too bad, I almost care.

Worst reading feeling in the world, to me, is ambivalence. A book that's not actively terrible but which one never looks forward to picking up. Blerg.

Oh I like that word! Blerg it is. I am past 2/3 approaching 3/4 and hope to finish it tomorrow and move on!

Go Lucy go!!!

Blerg is a great sound.

130: Blerg indeed; almost makes it difficult to abandon without regret. And yet a shame to slog for precious days of InReSoMo. Have a book to move on to?

I see you're still plugging away at those New Yorkers. I haven't figured out what I'm doing about magazines in 2014, and it's getting to be time to make decisions.

Lucy isn't the ide of a flu jab to ensure you continue to feel well?

Hope it doesn't spoil your weekend. xx

Full disclosure: I stole "blerg" from Liz Lemon/Tina Fey of "30 Rock" :)

5. contemp f ***1/2
The Widower's Tale Julia Glass

I'm glad I persisted with this one - at first I was not at all taken with it, and I never was fully engaged with the characters, but I think the story gained strength and momentum as it continued and the resolution was well done. I would say that perhaps there was just a tad too much going on, too many stories, but I am not inclined to be critical about that at this point as I think Glass was careful to take each story thread to logical setting down place. My main criticism remains though, that the central premise was a bit too fanciful - I won't beat that to death either as it certainly came to a fiery climax. Finally, I had already noted a couple of resemblances to an Iris Murdochian structure (lots of swimming, a formal narrator, a beautiful old house as a focal point) when lo and behold, my formal narrator starts reading Iris Murdoch. That pleased me, and yes, made me like the book better. It is a noble aim to reach for the Murdochian Empyrean, it's a long long way up, but worth trying for. ***1/2

Katie - that is an excellent place to steal something from!

Yes, the that is the flu shot's promise. I wonder if this year's concoction was something my immune system had to work a little harder to adapt to? Like, it's a good thing I did get it? Anyhow I feel fine now, and that's the main thing!

We had bizarre warmth yesterday - up into the 50's, flood warnings and all that, and there was water running over our endless road in a couple of places but it never got to be more than a couple of inches deep, thank goodness. The rain stopped around 5:30 and if it had gone on even an hour or two more, the river and everything else might have flooded.

Q - I am finding that I can handle the New Yorker. We get Parabola which comes out quarterly and is therefore not too hard to manage, and we have been given a gift subscription to Archaeology for the last couple of years which we all tear through spell bound, I must admit. I read Northern Woodlands (devoted to North Woods issues, duh) and Science News, and The Week..... The only one I count as a book is the NYer although I could count the four Parabolas as one book, I suppose. They take a long time to read as they often give one a lot to think about and essays and interviews have to be reread.

And now I get to mull over what to read next????????

I had a Murdoch lined up as my next 'contemp f' The Unicorn I think, but I am veering toward something lighter, maybe a Hocking????? We'll see. I do love this moment of choosing!

Nice review of The Widower's Tale, Lucy. Love the Iris Muroch connection: sounds like it made this one worth sticking with.

Blerg is a fabulous word!

I'm glad that the Glass turned out better than you had thought for most of it. And isn't it a joy to get to choose!?!?!
Hocking is good, no doubt about it.

Lucy, I love that it's InReSoMo. I do a fair amount of reading in bed, too, but otherwise my favorite place is on the sofa with a book and a cat. I do still think about getting one of those Eckornes chair-ottoman combos. It would look kind of like this:

Lucy it looks like we both stuck with, and finished, our "blerg" books this weekend. Woo hoo! I'm just glad to be moving on!

>142 EBT1002:: Oi! That's my InReSoMo...just posted a pic on my thread.

OK, I've been mulling over how to deal with all the books in my TBR shelves, more than a few of which I am pretty sure I don't actually want to read. I've cobbled together a modest goal and therefore, I hope, a doable one. I will call this attempt R or GR(Read or Get Rid of). If there is sufficient interest perhaps a thread could be begun. It goes quite well, I think, with InReSoMo - as in, you can tell yourself that , in between the books you are reading for pure enjoyment, you are getting some real work done!

RESOLVED

1) I will pick 'at least' one book a month to 'read or get rid of' from my TBR shelves.
2) It will be one of the books that when my eye passes over it I feel slightly crazy - the internal dialogue going like this: "OH WHY IS THAT BOOK STILL HERE???? OH WHY WON'T IT GO AWAY?? (AND. NEVER. COME. BACK.) Why did I ever think I wanted to read it? Why do I feel guilty that I don't want to read it anymore if I ever did?"
3) 50 page rule will be IRON CLAD.
4) If after 50 pages I am still miserable the book will leave house ASAP for library, PBS, or swap shop, depending on condition, so I can't change my mind
5) If I reject a book I should seriously consider trying another one as soon as possible.
6) This process will only stop when I no longer have the response of resolve #2 when I look at my tbr shelves.

I am trying a more modest version of this. I created a collection that is a subset of my TBR collection. I have entitled it 'Books that should be read (fairly) soon' (originally 'must be read' but I decided that was unrealistic) but when I had finished choosing the books that should go in it I found that I intend to read 154 within the year...

#142 I've got an Ekornes Stressless Chair, which is my reading spot. Ohhhhhhh ... highly recommended!

Lucy, I have a somewhat more inchoate form of your bold resolution: neither written nor even whispered under my breath. But it's there. How well you describe that glance at the shelves, the trigger for that nagging dialogue. So the first two books I have begun for January are from those shelves. Despite my usual case of the Januaries, I am determined. I do like your fierceness about the 50 page rule.

Kerry - 154!! Oh ouch! That's why my goals are so modest - and it has to be, of all the books, one of these ones that just makes me feel like whingeing.

Tui, Let's just see how I do!!!!!!

Nancy Ooooo that stressless chair..... Nice!

145: International Resolve on the Sofa Month? Doesn’t have entirely the same ring...

You know about the TBR Challenge group?

Hi Lucy, glad you're feeling better and that you're glad to finished the Glass. I'm impressed by your proposed read-it-or-lose-it rule. I don't know if I could do that.

Q - that's very interesting - but it looks like you are supposed to actually stick with the book and your pre-chosen list......a little too regimented .... I'd rather not know ahead of time what is in store for me..... the whole idea is to catch myself off guard, so to speak. And from what the other members are choosing, it is more books they are daunted by, one way or the other, but want to read.

I know what the first book is. By Esther Forbes (who wrote the sublime Johnny Tremain called A Mirror for Witches. It was written in 1928 and reprinted in 2006, and I am pretty sure I bought it then and almost immediately wondered why. It's spin-off story from the Salem Witch madness; other towns had incidents after Salem's, so Forbes writes of one fictional such. The mercy is that it is a short book. I don't know why, but every time I see its read cover I feel totally depressed. Anyhow, I hope fervently to be surprised.

One irony of it all now is that it is suspected that the girls who started it may have had ergot poisoning.

Anyway, I pulled it off the shelf and I am looking at it, filled with trepidation.

Oh the delicate balance of resolution and reality.
Note that I'm not in that group either. 12, yes. 12 specified now, no.

> 152 "you are supposed to actually stick with the book and your program" ----- Oh! I read that as "stick with your pogrom," and I'm afraid that's a little how it feels to me. So ---- I'll get rid of a few but no concerted effort and nothing but gloating when I look at my packed shelves.

Those eye-brain glitches with words are fascinating..... I am learning a waltz by a band called Sourgrass and Granite (weird name...and I've made it weirder) and I keep thinking of them as Sourdough and ...well... anything, I can never remember the Granite part.... I had to go to my tune bank and look it up just to write this fascinating anecdote.

I am ALREADY DONE with the Forbes. In order to appease my conscience I will explain why. Only read on if you feel like it!

Read It or Get Rid of It #1!
A Mirror for Witches Esther Forbes
WHY I AM NOT GOING TO READ IT:
The novel is, advertised, a pitch perfect rendition of the attitudes and diction of the 17th century (made easy for us, spelling-wise etc.). Yet, I have rarely liked books written in that kind of ye olde vernacular unless it was actually written then. Forbes wrote the classic Johnny Tremain a great favorite of mine. The story is of 'Doll' Bilby as strange little girl that a sea captain adopts on a voyage, whose parents have been burned, in Brittany, in a bonfire meant for witches and warlocks. She is brought home and, predictibly, since she is different, no one likes her and in particular Bilby's barren wife. She is blamed, soon, by the wife, who has finally gotten pregnant (or appears to be) for a miscarriage and it goes downhill from there. I will hand it to Forbes, it's quite readable and I have no doubt she researched it diligently and there is something intense about the novel, but I don't know what I was thinking when I acquired it and put it on my shelves. Be advised, this is not a condemnation of the novel, it simply isn't going to be read by me. DONE!

I'm not going to rush out and do another one of these for at least a week. Emotionally gruelling!

>145 sibylline:: I love this idea, and it sounds like the perfect excuse to finally ease some of the stress that comes when looking at our bookshelves! I certainly have a number of books that cause distress when my eye passes over them, and I never know what to do about it. I know I'll never read them and I feel horribly guilty about it, but I can't seem to let them go just in case. A 50-page rule + resolution sounds fantastic!

I'm nominally doing the TBR challenge this year, and I deliberately decided not to go with daunting books this time: I tried instead just to make a list of books that I really wanted to read, to remind myself that there are some great options on my shelves already. But at least one old ER book did sneak onto the list as well.

Anyway, my real goal is actually more like yours: I just want to read a book a month off my shelves, any book. But I'm addicted to lists, so it seemed harmless to join the challenge as well ;)

I think the TBR challenge does look like a lot of fun - and I might do it sometime after I take care of the 'pulp paper'. I'd like to use that challenge to help read some of the books that I look at and say, "Oh, I want to read you, but not this time."

Why I think this might work for me, anyway, is that it's not like just ripping the book off the shelf and dumping it unceremoniously out the door, this way I make a record of what I am doing and why, and that pleases me and feels fair to the book. I can't tell you what a pleasure it was to put the Forbes on the shelf in the Swap Shop at our transfer station this morning!

6. fantasy ***1/2
Mistborn Brandon Sanderson (book one)

I'm leaving some room to boost these up to four stars. The world-building is excellent and the unfolding of an ever more complex situation as well - choices being made without full understanding of the situation and consequences are very well set up for the next two books. The Lord Ruler has been running the show for a thousand years, having divided his subjects into skaa and nobles.... neither one very free. A class of servants, with special privileges and powers, the Obligators and Inquisitors do his bidding. There are rumours that once trees had green leaves, the grass was green and the sky blue, and ash didn't constantly fall from the sky. There is some mystery in the Deepness that, supposedly, the Lord Ruler has 'saved' them all from being destroyed by, yet the life they all are forced to lead hardly seems worth it.... I liked the characters - the most effective part of the book is the cooperation and camaraderie between the 'gang' working to change things and overthrow the Lord Ruler. However, for me the Allomancy, the metal magic that the 'mistborn' and 'mistings' can perform, is cumbersome and the fight scenes, with meticulously choreographed uses of bronze and tin and etc, and Pushing and Pulling on this and that were tedious. The exactitude feels like a 'gaming' requirement - do this, win that, you get extra potion if you succeed, proceed to the next level and it was boring. At the end of one of these fights suddenly everyone would be interacting again and that jarred me too - romantic banter starting up practically in the middle of a dangerous fight - that is too 'movie-ish'. Both conventions that are fine in their respective mediums, but not in fiction. It's a quibble perhaps, but it affected my enjoyment and the book is at least 100 pages longer than it needed to be.
If you like fantasy, you will likely like or even love it - the quality is very high. It's more that Sanderson makes a choice to do things that way, and I don't see it as being necessary or even all that workable in the fiction mode in such large doses. ***1/2

The Mistborn books are probably my least favourite of everything Sanderson's written. I waited several years before reading the second one, and still haven't gotten around to the third. But I've enjoyed everything else of his that I've read.

That's good to know - my daughter was all excited about it and read the first one very quickly and begged to get the next two, but hasn't 'gotten to' them yet. I hope to keep on with it just to see.

I love the approach you've come up with for dealing with your TBR, Lucy. In recent years I've made a concerted effort to read books I already own, and I there are definitely books that I'm now avoiding. I'm considering doing some ruthless culling -- meaning not even reading a few pages first -- but using the 50 page rule would be a good next step.

Delurking just to say "Szia!" (Hi in Hungarian! Sounds pleasingly like "See Ya!"). I admire your steely determination re the TBR pile! I currently have the opposite problem, seeing as most of my TBR pile is currently in boxes in my uncle's house, I'm scratching around trying to find things to read. Luckily I went to a friends house this weekend, and she had The City and the City just hanging around looking for a new reader; result!

That TBR Challenge looks a little too stringent for me (You may not change your list once you've made it public? I'd be doomed to failure.) I did the ROOTS (Read Our Own Tomes) Challenge last year, and it's much more individual and flexible. You set a goal for yourself of reading a certain number of books from your own shelves during the year, and keep track of them with the group. Any other rules are up to you.

164: I did ROOTs last year too, but after a promising start I didn't update my thread until the end of the year. I did meet the goal though. Of books read. I went a tad over on books acquired. This year I've increased the goal, but have the ROOTs ticker right in front of me on my 75er thread.

I'm doing ROOTs.

I like the plan in message 145 is also similar to one I'm doing.
If have a local church bazaar I'll give books to by August. So I'm walking by the shelves and pulling of the ones that cause that conflicting thought like "why is that still here" :-)
I like the 50 page rule too.

I agree with the comments about Mistborn, but didn't feel quite as strongly about the cons, so I read right on through the whole trilogy.
I have enjoyed other Sanderson books better.

Many folks seem to say that Laura - that some (most/all?) of the others are better. I have the next two books and I know I will read them. ***1/2 stars is pretty good from me, as in, full intent to read them all, with some reservations!

Yes.... ROOTS looks more my speed, but I think I will stick to just reporting here for now. It's nice to have it all in one place.

I am envious of all youse with yer tickers, I never have stumbled over the directions I need for those, I suppose I could go LOOK IT UP, he?? So I did do that - Goodreads actually has very lucid directions, but I can't really think of how I want to use them..... so I'll let it be for now.

All it has done here is rain all day long and fog and rain. Very hard to keep my head together. I did a lot of InReSoMo..... there are days like this I guess.

I joined the ROOTS group last year, and managed to update my thread there for 2 or 3 months, but then neglected it entirely. I'm with you Lucy, it's easier keeping everthing in one place.

Good luck with your Resolve. One down already and we're not quite half way through the month!

And I didn't say Szia! back, I love that.

Lucy, the easiest way I've found to do a ticker is to use this site http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/ticker_designer.php?type=14

It walks you through designing your ticker, and then you just copy and paste the code it gives you. You double click on your ticker wherever you put it, and update your numbers as needed. Easy peasy.

Lucy, I love your Read or Get Rid of idea. I am trying a different version of it by reading one book per month off my library shelves in order AND getting rid of one off of the same shelf. It's been a few years since my last library purge and I haven't missed any of the books I donated.

Lucy! Darling cuz! You haven't made your will yet, have you? Because a certain long-lost fifth cousin *winning dimple* would simply *adore* to be remembered with a certain set of Angela Thirkell novels! Oh, and no need to check your brakes. I'm sure they'll continue to work just fine.

Oh Richard! Did I know you were a fan too???? I just poked around a bit and you can still get quite a few of the older ones for quite reasonable prices although it's uneven, some have a wide range. Why would anyone pay 99 dollars for EXACTLY the same book, same condition, available for 10?

I love all things Barsetshire. I liked the Trollope novels, found Thirkell on my mother's shelves and devoured them, and am sad that no one has yet brought Barsetshire into the 21st century.

The answer to your last question is, some people are terrible shoppers.

172: a certain long-lost fifth cousin
Is this what has been established? I keep seeing mention but I missed the details.

#175: I thought the same thing!

Q - We share the name 'Delano' - in the US pretty much all Delanos hark back to the same fella, came over on the Speedwell or the Mayflower (there appears to be some confusion) - Phillipe de Lannoy.

Late in the day I put in some serious InReSoMo time! (Results below)

sf ***1/2
Catch the Lightning Catherine Asaro

This is a classic example of a book being very good, but I can't give it a four for reasons that are a bit hard to explain and may not even be fair. I read the first installment of the Skolian Empire series a year or two ago and liked it - and somewhere along the way acquired this one, the second. It has everything good sf should have - some fun theoretical stuff , a good messy galaxy-wide plot, Mayan telepaths, and romance too - but the spunky protagonist is just a bit too young for my comfort (17). There's a big age gap between the 'love interest' pair and we're supposed to accept this his culture 'matures' more slowly and hers, well, even though it's 20th century, she's someone who had to grow up fast, and so on. I don't know why Asaro couldn't have made her 19 or 20. But, it is clear she was intent on that and aware that some wouldn't like it as it is mentioned often in various contexts. The other plaint is less easily described - Asaro stops and has the character fill in some detail about something we need to know and you think, hunh? How does she know this? After Cherryh's meticulous attention to the 'deer in the headlights' character who is thrown into a new situation, it jars. Together, those are not huge complaints, are they? It's really a thumping good read as was #1. The theoretical physics is really fun. She's done her homework. Not that I get any of it, but I've surely struggled to understand many of the concepts she mentions! ***1/2

I just came back from posting the review on the book page, and I read a couple of the reviews - I'm not alone with either plaint - some expressed it better than me. But I seem to be spot on, always reassuring.

Szia once again! : )
Hmm, I hear where you're coming from on both, they would probably bug me too. But on the other hand, it sounds like good fun… might keep half and eye out for it and its predecessor.
Hello! (That's goodbye informally in Hungarian - funny huh?)

Seriously? hello is informal good-bye?! Is it from another word that just sounds like hello?

Yes, I think the Asaro books are totally worth reading. Better than many other 3 1/2 star sf books.

Hi Lucy! I love your resolutions in #145. I need to do something like this as well. I definitely have books on the TBR that make me flinch when they catch my eye. Why do we find it so difficult to get rid of books we don't wish to read anymore? I like your idea of "being fair" to the book by reading a little bit first too.

Your review of Mistborn echoes my feelings about it. I don't think I will read anymore in that series.

Hi Lucy! I have nothing useful to add but wanted to wish you a good weekend.

Hi Heidi and Katie, Here's to the weekend, eh?

My current "Read it or Get Rid of It"Jennifer Government is going to be hard to decide about. It's a little bit like the book I really loved last fall - Love Minus Eighty, written by an Australian - so I'm not sure why I'm not more engaged. I honestly think it's because it sat for too long on my bookshelf. E.G. it's pretty good if you like this sort of thing, which I normally do! Oi!

Hope you have a lovely weekend...even if difficult choice must be made.

Love the TBR challenge and am impressed you were able to follow your 50pages rule with the first book. I don't know if I could. I've got countless books "on temporary hold" which I all want to finish eventually, and only a handful were ever moved over to "permanent hold".

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

That first book was surely one of the ones that has given me that sinking feeling for a long long time. The one I'm reading now, I expect I'll read the whole thing as my aversion didn't make any sense at all! The first was a book I bought expecting something else..... I don't mind at all if I decide to read the whole thing. What is letting me off the hook is that I can come here and explain (to myself, at the very least, my decision!). Now my dilemma is going to be what to call a Read/Get Rid etc. book once I've decided I like it fine and plan to finish it! Do I take it off the Read/Get Rid list and put it in with regular reads?????? I think maybe yes, and make room for another???

Of course, any book I pick up can turn out to be a disappointment and I'll only read 50-100 pages of that, I guess it has to do with intentions and (if you can believe it!) and emotional history with a book that I haven't read that is sitting on my shelf!!!

"emotional history with a book that I haven't read that is sitting on my shelf!!!" I love this place! Where else could you write that and expect instant understanding and empathy? Where else could you hope to see such a sentiment expressed?

All caught up here, Lucy! I like your plan for getting books off of your shelves that have been sitting there for years. When we moved, it gave me a good excuse to go through absolutely all of the books, and we ended up getting rid of a nice number of them. If I had not have moved, I don't know that I would have tackled them all at the same time. Now that we are settled in, I should go back through the shelves and really look at what I kept and why because there are still a few sitting there I think that I might never read. I like the idea of starting with the ones that nag at you!

Nice review of Mistborn. I have that one on the shelves and both Abby and I have been wanting to read it, but now I am thinking that it can wait a bit longer. No need to rush.

Wishing you a weekend full of fabulous, dear!

The ones that have been there too long are the books that it is difficult to shift methinks Lucy. I have a category challenge for books that have been on the shelves since December 31st 2012 which are more than 1,600 books and I haven't read any so far this year.

Hope you have a little more luck than I am having with that particular one.

Have a wonderful weekend in any event.

Nuh-uh! If it is originally classified as a read/get rid book, then it stays there, just on the read side of the equation. Otherwise, you have a moving target and could get to the end of the year looking like you haven't accomplished anything at all if you decide to read most of them. You've accomplished your objective, which is deciding which to do with the most bothersome books!

Peggy, that is a most wonderful phrase, isn't it!

Oh.....yes! You're right, Roni. I hadn't thought of that angle. The list should reflect my hard work and grit!

In other news I managed to run over my phone today (don't ask) right after I'd put my daughter on the Megabus to visit a friend who is at Hampshire. On the highway I was thinking, well, I'm getting better at this letting go business, and then bingo between market and gas station stops. So instead of luxuriating having the house to myself tomorrow I'll be heading off to get a new phone first thing.

>191 sibylline:: oh dear Lucy, that's awful! Last summer I lost my balance and fell on my butt while gardening and wouldn't you know the phone was in my back pocket? It was totally shattered. I felt so stupid, it's not like I even needed the phone with me, I just hadn't thought about it. Hope you can get yours replaced quickly.

8. contemp f ****1/2
Good Daughters Mary Hocking

I'm moving right on to Book Two in the trilogy of the story of the Fairley family (for it really is about more than the daughters). Book One was set in the late 1930's and culminates with several events that show how the world is about to change - an internal family matter and then an external event - both seem to push every one of the Fairleys into a new and often uncomfortable paradigm. Among the many aspects to love - Hocking weaves a story that is both plotless and full of momentum, she creates rounded characters who do unexpected things, which are, upon reflection, very much in character, there are quiet moments out of time, when one character or another experiences a moment of transcendence. ****1/2

Phone shopping -- UGH! Hope it goes quickly and you get some of that lovely time for yourself.

Sheesh, I was wondering how come your thread wasn't showing up on my Talk list. I had somehow missed it, but it's safely starred now. I'll have to come back and see what you've been about here, but wanted at least to mark my presence in the meantime. This weekend just wan't meant to be, though I do look forward to seeing you again. I've been on cortisone—day 4 of a 15 day 'cure' now—and no luck so far. I actually woke up in the middle of the night from sheer pain. I think that was a first. Or maybe not. After three months of this, I'm actually really looking forward to hitting menopause...

I'm assuming you didn't take those bear photos yourself...

Have you unwrapped the books yet? I'm dying to hear what you think of my Chekhov set!

emotional history with a book that I haven't read that is sitting on my shelf - as Peggy says - we can relate!

I've not read any Hocking yet, nor do I even have any in my VMC TBR collection... A story that is plotless and full of momentum (and rounded characters) sounds good.

I'm very relieved that my TBR list doesn't make me as hyper & emotional as yours does you!! That said, it does leave me bemused. Also, I have to say that I worry what will happen should I ever read it all the way through. I have, in my life, been in places where i have run out of books completely, and it's been dire. Living in cities with few (or no) English language bookstores and/or no libraries, with only a handful of books. That's why books I read in my teens I can read and literally bring back to mind clearly entire pages of dialog. They have been re-read so often that I'm amazed there are still words on the page... Right through to the 1990s, I remember going into bookshops and desperately hunting for SOMETHING new to read on the weekend. My weekend wasn't complete without a stop at Barnes & Noble or Strand in Union Square as recently as 2006 or 2007. And I was sooooo relieved to find a second hand English bookstore in northern Thailand around Xmas 2006, when I had run out of books yet again, despite schlepping a suitcase half-full of paperbacks all the way across China. That's why I bought a Kindle...

Ilana - Glad you found me, don't worry about catching up. The books look perfect and you may even get them by mid-February as my sister is coming down around then.

Oh Genny - you WANT to put Hocking on your list, you really really do!! Actually you want to dash out and get them, or find them on-line. I don't have the Viragos, maybe they are hard to find? Don't know - an elf here at LT, the darling, gave me the Abacus set for Christmas!

I CAN relate to your anxiety about not enough books or no books. At different times in my life I have found myself in situations and places where I had 'nothing' in to read in English or basically nothing to read at all..... The anecdote on my 'page' here about reading the Pony Club Manual is autobiographical. We broke down in the horse van on the way to somewhere to get a horse and HAD NOTHING ELSE TO READ for a day. Truly, it was a nightmare! Want to know about bits? Snaffle, curb, Pelham Kimberwick? Proper use of a martingale? Proper use of a hoofpick? Detecting thrush in the hoof? And we had to know it all anyway for Pony Club, but I ended up really really knowing..... In another instance I was driven to read a shelf of Simenon's. Not the end of the world but.....

A horse can get thrush in the hoof? Who knew?

I sometimes forgot to take a book with me when I went to my piano lesson after school. I had to wait an hour while other people had lessons first. I was stuck in a younger child's bedroom waiting upstairs, obviously not a reading child, as there was just one ancient copy of a girls' comic to read - I think it was something like 'Bunty', anyway it contained serialised stories of plucky young orphan girls being mistreated by cruel foster parents, and girls from poor backgrounds who turned out to be brilliant at ballet, and boarding-school stories with very dull adventures - and there was only ever this one copy, so I had to read it again every week when I forgot my book, and never discovered how any of the stories finished, not that they were at all interesting to start with. I can still almost taste the dullness of that room and that hour long wait with that dull, dull, frequently read comic. I wish I'd had the Pony Club Manual!

Thrush *shudder* poor horse.

They can pick it up if they hang about in dirty stalls mainly, although there are other instances, - horses need their hooves looked after consistently and constantly: trimmed, the underside/inside cleaned out (which is where they get it) etc. I don't ride at all anymore, but I grew up very involved, through my mid-twenties, and, like anything you did in childhood, certain things are stapled into my brain. When I'm demented I'll still know how to pick out a hoof or put on a bridle!

Ooh, Brandon Sanderson - my husband has been reading a lot of his stuff, and has been trying to encourage me. But I've been burnt a few times recently with his recommendations, so I hadn't been feeling too keen.

Well, if a neutral party helps... I loved all the Sanderson books I've read so far.

I don't ride at all anymore, but I grew up very involved, through my mid-twenties, and, like anything you did in childhood, certain things are stapled into my brain. When I'm demented I'll still know how to pick out a hoof or put on a bridle! That made me chuckle. I share this experience with you -- here's to picking hooves in dementia, LOL.

9.
Jennifer Government Max Barry

When I chose this off my TBR shelves for the second in my "Read It or Get Rid of It" program, I didn't have the same sense of trepidation that I had with my first one, in fact, I knew it was the kind of book I generally enjoy - smart, funny but not entirely without some bite at the core - and that is just what it is. In fact, I don't quite know what my problem was. The name? The cover? Who knows. Amyhow, I did enjoy it, so I did finish it. In this world you take on, as your last name, the name of the company you work for. Two giant credit card firms, each having cornered all the 'best' companies, so that the consumer gets points for everything they buy if they are loyal..... and.... there are no taxes, you have to pay for everything - including pulling out a credit card when you need an ambulance!! Jennifer Government opted out of all that and is working now for a pretty enfeebled organization (yeah, you have to pay to get even your government to do anything since there are no taxes anymore). A Nike merchadnizing exec. gets the idea that the way to ensure sales of a new sneaker would be to have the first ten people who buy them (in different malls around USA Australia) killed, apparently by other kids who want the sneakers that bad..... The parents of one of those victims pays Jennifer to find out who did it..... Jennifer has a little bit of a Thursday Next feeling about her. Anyhow, if you like this kind of thing, you'll enjoy it. ***1/2

206: I don't think that one would make it onto my shelves. :-) Now that you've read, do you keep?

Ah you're sharp, Q. I've given it to our library! It would be a fine book to bring home from a library, I think.

Our thermometer says it is -21 F this morning (that's about -30 C). Brilliant blue sky and happily the photons don't care, they fall on the solar panels regardless of temperature.

Yesterday, I tried to ski, but the big lower field, though covered with 4-5 inches of snow was not frozen underneath so I immediately iced up. Also realized that it was too cold for Po (she lay down and started pathetically raising first one paw then the other) so we trudged home as fast as we could. It was about 6 F but not windy. So then in the afternoon I thought, OK, forget the skis let's try the snowshoes. I haven't worn them yet so that required endless adjusting (I don't know why this is as I wear the same boots with them always) and by the time I got that worked out Po was obviously not going to last long - so we took a very short trudge, more or less around the house in a wide circle....... but she didn't complain, ran right for the door. I don't even know what to do today. I think maybe I'll just forget about the outdoors as it isn't supposed to go above -1.

The spousal unit has been out of town working and will be home end o'the week, weather permitting....The good news is the generator kicked right on - I've decided I should run it a little first and last thing when it is this cold, even when it's going to be sunny...... so far so good. We are replacing it in a couple of weeks about which I am quite relieved.

It has been so cold here that we've had to resort to putting bootie thingummies on Esme. It made enough of a difference that she was able to have a decent walk...she also wears a puffy blue and red plaid mock down coat as she's getting to be an old girl. My fingers were freezing through my warmest gloves in about ten minutes, so I know her ears etc., will be feeling it. We've cut out walk times down to safe margins because of it. -30C here.

So we're about the same! Ugh. I think Posey actually could use the booties right now! We last about ten minutes today and then I heard myself going, 'oh, oh oh,' and thought, whoa, time to scuttle back indoors!

I can't imagine such cold! And here's me having only bothered to put gloves on once so far this winter (when I was cycling for more than a few minutes). And living in an over-heated house (unsophisticated heating system which is all or nothing, and very definitely in 'all' mode currently) so in my small room my window is pretty well permanently open at least a few inches to keep it cool enough.

Oh my...sounds like good weather to look out at from a nice warm room.

Poor Miss Po, having to resort to such dramatic tactics!

I enjoyed Jennifer Government to a reasonable degree when I read it, and have an ARC of Lexicon, his latest book, kicking around the place somewhere.

Genny, I used to walk up to WHSmith on Sloane Street in London every Saturday to buy my comics. "Tammy" was a favorite, if I recall correctly. Then it was off to Harrod's book department with the rest of my pocket money, and if my mother was in a good mood, onto the bus to Kensington High Street and the library there. I quite enjoyed the serials of poor orphans, and school girls and similar tripe! We'd often be loaded into the car on Sundays and driven off to the countryside (brass rubbing in Kent; visiting stately homes or whatever else was on the agenda) and I needed something to read, clearly...

#213 Suzanne, I'm sure that I would have felt far more kindly towards 'Tammy' if I could have read the occasional new edition rather than the same one over and over again!

Lucy, I hope Posey and you are managing to get some walks without freezing your paws to the ground.

Sounds like such fun, Suz.

Genny - Every apartment I've ever visited in NYC has had the same problem - overenthusiastic heating so that one has to prop windows open. Crazy!!!! Not the case here, I assure you!

Reba It is wretchedly cold yet - I had generator problems last night and this morning and frontier woman that I am I got it running (heated it up with cement block).

I'm really here to apologize for not visiting threads. The generator issue made me kind of frantic, today was wildly busy, I play harp at the hospital, tonight is the 5th anniversary of my Irish music session AND somehow the cold is playing havoc with my eyes - I don't think they water properly any more and being out in these bitter temps exacerbates it - so it's just as well I've been too busy to read. They really hurt! I drink lots of water and put drops in them constantly and that keeps it bearable. Tomorrow I may have to just...... not walk the dog. The air makes my nose and my lungs hurt also.

Oh whine whine, where did frontier woman go???

I think she ran away

Yoo-hoo, come back!

215: where did frontier woman go
She's right there. She dealt with the problem.

I'm a comparative wimp, trying to gear up to walk to the library in 17F and dropping. I could just renew the books but I need the exercise.

Hearing about your cold makes me feel I should stop bitching about our heat. :)

I hear you, Lucy. I can't walk Esme in these temps (-30C) so the poor old thing has just been popped out the back door. I feel like my whole body has pulled in and gone all stiff and tight. Walking on all the residual ice from that wicked ice storm we had in Ontario only adds to the gestalt of the little old lady thing. Well, only February to go and then the back of winter will be broken. March can be wild and unpredictable but it's generally warmer, right?

Hi Lucy! I wish I had a nice firm "read or get rid of" goal, but I'm afraid it wouldn't work for me. I just don't have that sort of will-power. *sigh* Happy weekend!

Hi Lucy. Sorry to hear how cold it is there. We're having a colder than normal winter but it doesn't compare to yours. Luckily we got rid of our snow and ice so walking the dog is more enjoyable.

Hope you get some more humid weather soon and that your eyes feel better.

Lovely to find visitors here! I've been overwhelmed with various RL projects while the spousal unit is out of town -- it is so much easier to do certain things when he isn't here to 'be helpful'. When we moved, we put a lot of files in boxes although we also took the opportunity to seriously clean up all the papers that we didn't need to save any more - we had so many boxes that it was worth hiring one of those shredder trucks to come around to take it all. It ate the 15 or so boxes in about ten minutes!! Impressive! We took pictures and the guy said a lot of people do that, they are so happy and thrilled with themselves for cleaning up.

Anyway, then we moved here and set up our desks etc and then the spousal unit did this thing he does which is 'colonizing' - he sort of oozes out of his own designated area into 'desirable real estate' and creates a kind of fortification around him of boxes etc of projects 'he's going to get to' - anyway, I ended up not being able to even get to my desk anymore without moving other furniture (and boxes) so I decamped and set up in a different area, basically my music 'room' downstairs. Fussing and fretting and scheming I finally figured out a new place for me and my desk and business affairs to go upstairs and so this week I moved my desk and rearranged his area (and yes, conceded my old ranch to him). What I have done, in effect, is create a new piece of desirable real estate, however it is cleverly quite inaccessible to him, truly. He cannot colonize it. I am right near our row of filing cabinets which are in a 'closet - almost the only one in the house) cabinets we haven't actually utilized in the four years we've been here due to...... inability to figure out how we want to use them, I guess.

The problem is that I have three different sets of filing arrangements that need to be combined into one and I also need to rethink the annual process from the opening of a bill to the final filing of it. I pretty much stuff receipts etc in a to be filed file which I attend to well, um, once a year???? The problem with that is that at least once a month I need to find something ... which works ok until about April and then it gets hard and eventually impossible. What I am realizing too is that whatever system I come with has to be very simple and has to truly work with the way I do things; it can't be some way that I think it 'should' be or I'll just revert to my old ways.

It was also an intense music week - lots of commitments, a session, a gig practice - the practice involved a long drive too.... ugh..... in the snow.

In generator news - it has been behaving itself since its crisis earlier this week and it is on right now. It has been cold, but not impossibly cold - around 0 F right now - too cold to do much of anything out there, but not immediately life-threatening! Plus it has been unusually sunny as it often is when it is this cold. I hope to get out skiing today, later on, of course.

The spousal unit got home last night with an awful cold, poor thing. That is the one positive up here of the cold - keeps those colds at bay.

221: I'm imagining amoebas stretching through your house, amorphous so the extent is never quite clear...
I have a file drawer that is supposed to be for to-be-filed items, which mostly get dropped in and remain until, a year or two or three later I have to find something crucial and go into an organizing frenzy. One problem is that the other drawers are not easily accessible, too much stuff piled in front of them. OTOH, the file cabinet is a step up from the cardboard box I used for years.

Okay. I use three-ring binders instead of files, but I have a system that works for me. One binder holds all the monthly bills (in page protectors) - I have the household stuff in front (electric, gas, water, etc.) in alphabetical order. In the back half of the binder are the credit card bills, again in alphabetical order. Each month as the bills come in, I pay the bill and then swap out last month's statement or this month's and shred the old one. That way, I always have the most recently paid bill at my fingertips. Another binder holds the insurance stuff - auto, house, medical (this is separated into vision, dental, regular medical) - I put the actual policy in front and then the most recent paid bill behind for the auto and home. The medical stuff is a bit more organized as we hang onto that for the entire year, so it is by month. I like this system because it is easy to find anything at a moment's notice, and I just set the binders into the filing cabinet drawer, which has no files in it. We like this system so much that we keep a binder in each room of the house, and that binder contains all the paperwork for the items in that room - receipts, manuals, warranty, etc. When we had that tree come through out house several years ago, the insurance people couldn't believe how quickly I could get them the receipts for all the damaged items.

Three ring binders work for me, too. I manage affairs for an elderly relative, so I need to keep those records meticulously, as well as my own. I have a row of binders standing on my desk, labeled on the spines. Putting anything out of sight only tempts me to stick things somewhere "temporarily" and then not get around to filing until it's all out of control. Having the binders in view combines neatness and accessibility for me. Older records that I need to hang onto are put away in file drawers.

I like the 3-ring binder system, too. Another option that has worked for bills that accumulate through the year is an accordion file with slots for each month. Then you can just drop the bill into that month's slot and forget about it. And if you need to dig back through, at least you are only looking through one month's stack.

I pay most of our bills online so I have a tray beside the computer where bills to be paid are put. Once they are paid, they are filed in the household filing cabinet under their respective headings. Every January I have a shred fest to bring the files up to date. I look after Himself's files as he couldn't file his way out of a wet paper bag. I'm no good with binders; need a file folder system.

Really like the idea of a three-ring binder. I pay my bills online, too, but I only do a pay-day once a week. So bills that have come in that particular week are always sitting about in the dining room waiting on pay-day. I don't keep bill stubs once they're paid, but I do keep permanent records of all my financial transactions in Excel: I've got a spreadsheet for Savings, Chequing, Visa, Line of Credit, etc.

We have two-ring not three-ring binders over here! I had a semi-chaotic system of binders, loose folders and files in the cabinet. When I moved I had to empty a four-drawer filing cabinet packed full of mostly very out of date stuff - lots of shredding went on for weeks... Now I just have two cardboard boxes, which I'm currently frantically sorting in order to do my tax return. I hate paperwork!

Thank you all for stopping by and I'm in fascinated AWE and deeply admiring of you three-ring binder folks! I'm embarassed to admit, but feel I have to that I had to read your description three times Mamie, it was that hard for my brain to hold onto, it just wanders off...... but it sounds so wonderful, golly,..... usually by the time I've paid the bills I'm ready to rip all the hair out of my head and run around screaming..... I don't think I could take that next step to organize those paid bills..... I am, however thinking of doing something like that monthly accordion file..... a series of simple steps that I can perform quickly.... so, say, once a month I would at least sort that month into categories that would make finding things easier. That I might be able to manage..... I hate all this stuff so much that I have to bribe myself to do any of it, with treats and so on and I never do all of it at once, but in increments. So for me the trick is to figure out increments that don't hurt too much!

And I finished a book this morning, a Read It Or...!

*lurk--also in awe and admiration of some of the schemes above*

Duplicate post!

10. sf/ss ***1/2
The Saliva Tree Brian Aldiss

"Magic!" Thrash said. "Beastly magic, you symmetrical super-sausage!"

With prose like this, what is not to enjoy? Despite the seriously unprepossessing title of this elderly book of short stories, I'm reading it as part of my 'history of s.f.' program, it's mostly fun. Indeed there is a precious naivete to many of the stories - precious in that there is still that 'anything could be possible' wonderment in many of them - which the advancements in our understanding of the cosmos and its physical laws and likelihoods have rendered silliness, ultimately. The title story was creepy indeed, about invisible aliens taking over a farm, but it's set in the late 19th century with that sensibility - the protagonist writes to H.G. Wells about what is happening.... The funniest story 'Legends of Smith's Burst' dumps a swindler/adventurer on a planet with three suns - one of them a 'black sun' made of antimatter that eats all the light...... and the planet itself is composed of matter and anti-matter with a third force called 'Nogox' - the space between matter and anti-matter that serves as the 'glue' for this bizarre planet. Anyhow our hero survives on his wits, escapes all his predicaments using various jokes and strategems.... The final story is a sweet meditation on the pointlessness of writing science fiction when there is the Now all around in all its wonder.... There was also a strange, non sf story about the Turkish invasion of Eastern Europe, no idea why it was included. And yes there are the usual shortcomings of this generation of sf writers which I have come to expect, but can't quite get over how angry it makes me ever time - these men who are unable to imagine women as anything but convenient for sex or for putting together picnic hampers. That attitude, more than the science, dates it irretrievably. Only worth reading if you are into studying the genre and its development over time. I rate it ***1/2 because - well - because it is written with such energy.

This was #3 in my Read it or Get Rid of It program. I think I was avoiding it mainly because the title is sort of nauseating. The book itself is dated, but energetic and naive in the way of the sf of the fifties and sixties and therefore endearing. Anyhow, I will be glad to not have to look at this title anymore. Apparently it is a rarish book and therefore this edition is worth a little something. That's a bonus.

Stopping by to get caught up and love your R or GR (Read or Gret Rid of) challenge. Jennifer Government is the kind of book that would make it onto my TBR bookcase and then sit there. Your review has me intrigued all over again, but luckily my local library has a copy so I don't have to rush out and purchase my own copy. *Whew!*

Some great filing system idea here. I tend to collect bills, pay them electronically on a Friday (or Saturday) and write down the the tracking number assigned to the payment on the bill, along with the payment date, and then throw all paid bills into the desk drawer. Where the drawer starts to get difficult to close, I have a 'shredding party' and shred everything older than 6 months. Not exactly methodical, but works for me!

Happy Sunday, Lucy!

Lucy, I love your G or GR plan and your resolve. Your description of the internal dialogue when glancing at the shelves, seeing that book there, the one that nags at you and generates guilt and resentment -- so spot on. I have some of those books! And you're so right, one can get rid of them! One doesn't have to keep them! I like the idea of giving it a try and, "if I'm still miserable," sending it off to the used bookstore or even to GoodWill (sometimes that is just easier).

I don't even know what to say about Mamie's 3-ring binders. It sounds wonderful and it would not ever happen in my life. No way. I would get no further than purchasing the binders.

I hope you got out for some skiing today!

Thank you Ellen - I suppose it will be a Sisyphean task, I'm sure there are always going to be books sneaking into my shelves to sit and sulk and glare at me when I overlook them time and again! But it feels wonderful to even have disposed of three books that have that effect on me! Somehow, labelling it, and being able to write about it here is helping hugely, like I am, at least, giving the books a chance.

Mamie if I ever visit you I will have to examine these binders!!!!!! I am not in the least bit flippant, I hope you understand, I am truly in awe. Perhaps if I could see them I would have an epiphany of some kind and 'get' it.

Spent the day sorting a year's worth of bills.... but I'm making real headway. I've figured out my approach to tackling this mess, which is to work backwards. So I'll start with 2013 and work backward through all the scattered files, rounding them up, then putting them in their new places.

On a lighter front, I had a terrific ski and a less terrific snowshoe (just too much snow for comfortable walking, not enough for good shoeing), but a funny thing happened on the way back. I was still a couple hundred yards from the house (far end of the pond, for those of you who might remember the moose photo taken from back porch - or the one of Simon stalking the turkey, for that matter) when I heard a strange noise - Posey had flushed a grouse only a few minutes before, so I was alert..... well..... I stopped and listened and listened and then I heard....... VERY LOUD SNEEZING!!!! It was my poor spousal unit inside the house - still quite a mess with his cold. But I was quite startled and a bit nervous after the first noise before I knew what it was!

Oh dear, that is quite a sneeze if you could hear it all the way outdoors! With the bill organizing, just remember that ANY organizing that you do is better than doing nothing. Thinking that way sometimes keeps me from getting overwhelmed with those seemingly endless tasks.

He nearly burst my eardrums back in the beginning when we had one of those tiny Subaru wagons. If I saw he was going to sneeze I would quickly roll down my window and covered my ears as fast as I could - it made all the difference! He is renowned for his very loud sneezes, our daughter reprimands him about it, asks him if he couldn't please make an effort to be less loud. But he believes in full unfettered sneezing, so it is hopeless.

Spent the day sorting a year's worth of bills.... but I'm making real headway. I had a very similar day - working through a year's worth of bank statements and receipts. My tax consultant is calling me at 10 am tomorrow and I need to have collated all the necessary information for him by then. One more long evening's effort (and possibly half the night) and I should just about be ready in time!

I don't envy you the extreme cold, but I do like the idea of taking a break from paperwork by going for a ski outside my own back door. Fat chance of that in urban Birmingham! (though we did briefly have drifts of hail on the street corners after a short heavy storm on Saturday). I'm glad the mysterious noises turned out to be nothing more alarming than a sneezing spousal unit...

Well, I'm glad it was your spousal unit sneezing and not another moose!

Genny - it's nice to know I'm in good company! Good luck with your accountant today.

Speaking of moose, I did see tracks nearby during the thaw a couple of weeks ago!! It is always thrilling to know that a moose has clomped so close by.

Tax return all done bar the printing!! My accountant has sent me the PDF form to print and sign - but I don't have my own printer at present so am having to ask someone else to print it as a favour. But once that's done I can truly celebrate. I hope you are winning your paperwork battle too.

Do moose (is that the plural of moose?) sneeze?

I have no idea! I think they make a calling sound that is sort of roarish sounding but I've never heard it in RL. (I think I would be terrified.)

Yes, moose is one of those words that doesn't change one moose, one hundred moose. Around here we like to call more than one moose, meese, but that is just for fun.

11. contemp f ****1/2
Indifferent Heroes Mary Hocking

Now we follow the experiences of the Fairley family, the daughters and parents and friends into and through the war.

One of Hocking's gifts is to switch easily and clearly from one mind to another in this close third person narrative, even in the same paragraph there can be a switch and only once or twice have I needed to stop and check. This is because the way each character thinks and perceives the world is sufficiently different to be distinguishable. Louise, the eldest daughter, lives through her senses and emotions; Alice tends to stand back and watch; Claire, with the most nervous disposition, tends to either panic or intellectualize - she's the 'smartest' but also the least reliable and most difficult of the three. Hocking doesn't judge at all, but approaches these three women and their differing ways of apprehending and being in the world with such clear eyes and so much compassion without turning sappy. We also follow the parents' experiences, I have become very very attached to Judith, the girls' mother, and will simply say, I am so happy for her capacity for happiness! There is Ben, another of my favorites, who enlists as a soldier and becomes a pow of the Japanese. I can't think what I've read, but I have some vivid memories of scenes from some novel or other about this, and Hocking does an excellent job conveying the isolated hopelessness and futility of it.

An aside, having read Coventry I was fascinated by the scene in which Alice and friend are driven by a mad Major through the burning city - it's a still point in the novel, a core around which everything else turns, I think. One of the themes of the book, emerging more strongly now, is about.... steadfastness? I suppose you could trivialize it to the 'keep calm and carry on' theme, so weirdly popular nowadays, but it goes a lot deeper than that here.

Certainly I am curious how everyone will adjust to the post-war period - even the usually light Angela Thirkell's novels had an exhausted aura about them during this time - a let-down, but with so many things still not available, housing shortages, endless rationing, damaged soldiers emotionally and physically to care for - no respite - but the messy business of recuperation. ****1/2

Hi Lucy! Just catching up. I cringed a little reading your comments about your husband's colonizing of house space and his loud sneezes. I'm guilty of both! I often forget that I sneeze loudly--I don't think I'd know if I didn't see and hear people's reactions when I do. If I remember, I do try and tone it down but I often startle my husband at home when I'm less apt to worry about it.

Good review of Indifferent Heroes. I gave it a thumb!

My other half is a loud sneezer. Of course, he is the first to deny any such accusation... ;-)

I am awed by all the book-keeping talent in evidence here, and that includes you, Lucy. I am also ashamed to say that my DH took over the bills and the taxes about 25 years ago when I went back to teaching full time, so I am able to dodge all these problems. What a lazy person I am!
I am delighted that you are delighted with Indifferent Heroes, Lucy. That's a wonderful review, and I have added my thumb!

Wow! Thumbs! I haven't gotten too many of those of late! Thanks.

Pat - you had me laughing. A loud sneezer, eh? Just don't let me get in a small car, windows closed with you and we'll be fine!!!! And isn't the internet grand? You can sneeze all you want and we won't say a thing!

My SU gets quite annoyed when we give him grief about it - I don't think he sees himself that way at all. Thus, he really was astonished that I could hear his sneeze hundreds of feet from a closed up house!!! That gave him something to think about.

I'm still muddling with bills. Big quilt covering them up at night on the dining room table where I have half of them still spread out..... to keep the cats off. Nothing more fun for a cat that wallowing around in papers. I've almost got 2013 in hand, but then I have to move up to the little alcove, closet area where the real files are and start tackling that. After that there are boxes and boxes and boxes of photographs. Scary! Not this year I don't think. Goal for this year will be simply to reduce the number of boxes, containers etc. they are in.

I'm giving my thumb to your review of Indifferent Heroes, as well, Lucy. It sounds like a good series to check out. Not much info on her page on LT.

I'm sneezing a lot today so I'm glad the internet is silent. :-|

Lucy, your review of Indifferent Heroes is fabulous! I've given it a thumb, too. We'll get you on the HOT list, no problem, hehe!

^ Exactly!

I'm finding that the author touchstones for Brandon Sanderson are a serious mess - does anyone know exactly who you report that sort of thing to???

Oh - and this was all started when the spousal because I magnanimously let the spousal unit scarper of with the 2nd in the Mistborn trilogy because he still has that cold and he's pretty good at making a 'puppy face' (you know what that is all of you with dogs.....the "I know you already fed me, but it would make you even happier if you fed me again") - I noticed that The Well of Ascension wouldn't (up on my first comment) turn blue - here it will, of course, perversely, turn blue no doubt. But nothing I do can change it up there.

Oh and I really can't say that I won't be thrilled to put this January behind me. Not a bad month just so cold that I have gotten to dread every trip outside.

In fact I am sorely tempted to start February early - I mean, it's a very short month!!!! Gotta get it started, right?

12. mystery ***

As I was doing my housekeeping on this book over on its page, I noticed that some folks have a tag 'cozy mystery' - well - that is exactly what the Beaton mysteries are. As such, I feel no need to review!!! Cozy about sums it up. I wouldn't read these, but they're fine to listen to. This reader is Australian, which is strange indeed, but he labored on valiantly with his Scottish accent. It does seem an odd choice though!!

251: February is short so we don't all commit suicide before March. I'd advise don't drag it out.
Re touchstone messes: Combiners.

In fact I am sorely tempted to start February early

Hahaha one day at a time, Lucy.

Oh golly, I had no idea you guys were such sticklers!!!!

Hi Lucy. I'm trying hard to catch up this morning. I love the idea that you had a moose near you.

*smooch*

>232 sibylline: It took me three tries to understand why the title was nauseating. I read "The SALVIA Tree" every time.

>243 sibylline: Additional upgethumbing.

I see nothing wrong with starting February right now. I mean, January has hardly made a case for keeping it around.

Oh THANK YOU Ellen, for telling me what I want to hear!

And I am excited because the temperature is to be 32 tomorrow with sun. How pathetic is that?

32 and sun sounds practically like July give what you've been having. You'll be sitting outside in shorts with a book and a mint julep.

I consider myself a fairly organized person but Mamie's bill filing system has me in awe! I am also impressed with your efforts Lucy in getting your paperwork under control, as well as your books. Such a difficult thing to do.

We may make it above freezing tomorrow...I am so excited!!

13. fantasy ****
Watchtower Elizabeth Lynn

Fast-moving and hard-hitting, and not without character development and reasonably good world-developing, high marks to the first of three in the Chronicles of Tornor trilogy. Ryke is spared in battle and he soon learns why, the new Lord needs him and can hold him, by promising not to kill the son of his former Lord, albeit he has turned the young man into his jester. When two members of the Green Clan, neutral messengers of neutral gender show up, stuff starts to happen. I should have read these thirty years ago, and I've been eyeing them on the spousal units shelves for at least that long. Almost no magic and a sweet datedness - just a bit of that excited'back-to-the-earthiness of the seventies - when it still seemed kind of amazing to bake your own bread or grow your own herbs. I'm impressed too by the unflinching toughness toward assigned gender roles - there are some who break out of it but it is hard - life in general is hard for these northerners. I also appreciate the brevity at 220 pages, the good old days! ****

Squeezing in one last book today. Turns out I feel crappy, so I more or less got back into bed where I have more or less been reading most of the day. Very appropriate way to spend the last day 'International Read on the Sofa Month' I'd say!

Stay comfy and enjoy your reading (hope you feel better tomorrow)

I do so hate to see InReSoMo end, and I napped on the sofa rather than reading when I finally got there. Glad that you were able to end it with a good one, Lucy! (But I'm sorry that you feel crappy.)

I've been in bed much of the time since Tuesday, so have seen InReSoMo out in fine style: with a virus but reading. I have that Watchtower series packed away in my fantasy boxes. Can't for the life of me remember it. Kind of cringing at Hamish MacBeth being read by an Australian with a fake Scottish accent.

Very appropriate way to spend the last day 'International Read on the Sofa Month' I'd say! I couldn't agree more, Lucy.

I am sneaking in at the final hour of this thread (maybe) just in time to pretend it is still January and that I am not woefully late and offensive in being so!

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well- me too! I try to go to bed and read as soon as the young'uns are tucked up, but when I do that I fall asleep prematurely. Cant win. Cant read. Gr.

>243 sibylline: in your review of Indifferent Heroes Mary Hocking you headed it "contemp f****1/2" I thought this was a swear word in code!
LOL

It was a brilliant end to InReSoMo and I feel much better today.

So many of us are not feeling great now at the end of January, in the north country it has been a rugged winter so far.

Oh that's very funny! I went and put space between the f and the stars, but it still looks a little peculiar..... I hear you about falling asleep. When mine was little I barely read anything for several years, as I recall. (For some reason I wanted badly to write, 'when my bairn was wee,' what do you think that means?????

Off to start my February thread! See you all there.