Prop2gether's One Act

This year, I resolve to be more consistent and vigilent with my recording of my reading. That said, there will be two grandchildren, several birthdays of note in the family, and I really want to get to London to see my mother. This may be the easiest of them all!

This is the 2014 list. . . .

August

Joyland (Hard Case Crime) (2014)
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (2014)
Scratch One (Hard Case Crime) (2014)
The Soulkeepers (2014, Nook)
Unenchanted (2014, Nook)
Seduction of the Innocent (Hard Case Crime)(2014

July

Crochet Cool: Fun Designs for Kids Ages 1 to 6
Lucky Jim (2014, 1001)
Quatrain (2014)
Now and Forever (2014)
Borderline (Hard Case Crime) (2014)
Solaris (2014, 1001)
Rites of Passage (2014, 1001)
Remembering Babylon (2014, 1001)
Eugene Onegin (2014, 1001)
Embers (2014, 1001)
Dust Lands: Rebel Heart (2014)
Jungle Tales of Tarzan (2014)
Acqua Alta (2014)
Monument 14 (2014)
William Shakespeare's Star Wars (2014)
Everwild (2014)
Miramar (2014, 1001)

June

Beauty and the Wolf (2014, Nook)
Erasmus Hobart and the Golden Arrow (2014, Nook)
The Bronte Myth (2014)
All He Saw Was The Girl (2014, Nook)
Thieves of Book Row (2014)
The Normans: From Raiders to King (2014, Nook)
The Red Queen (2014, 1001)
Ragged Dick (2014)
Soldiers of Salamis (2014, 1001)

May

Zero Cool (Hard Case Crime) (2014)
Period. 8 (2014)
Baby Love: Knitted Booties for Tiny Feet
Mothers and Daughters
Knit in a Day for Baby
The Ice Princess (2014)
Invisible (2014, 1001)
Children of the Street (2014)
Strong Poison (2014)
Moon Over Manifest (2014)
If He Had Been With Me (2014)

April

Gertrude and Claudius (2014, LT)
S: A Novel About the Balkans (aka As If I'm Not There)(2014, 1001, LT)
Mr. Chartwell (2014, LT)
Burning Girls
Dover Beach (Book 1)(The Last P.I.) (2014)
The Iron Traitor (2014)
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (2014, 1001)
The Boy Who Would Be Shakespeare (2014, LT)
The Immortal Rules (2014)
The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution (2014, 1001)
A Girl of the Limberlost (2014, LT)
The King's Speech (2014)
Now Panic and Freak Out
Me and You (2014)
Complicity (2014, 1001)
The Woodlanders (2014, 1001)
Specials (Uglies) (2014)
Kokoro (2014, 1001)

March

Pretties (Uglies) (2014)
Beautiful Chaos (Beautiful) (2014)
The Path to the Nest of Spiders (2014, 1001)
The Beatles Are Here! (2014, ER)
Requiem for a Dream (2014, 1001)
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson (2014, ER)
Inside Divergent: The Initiate's World (2014)
Agnes Grey (2014, 1001)
Songs of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of the Norse Myths (2014, ER)
Green Lantern (2014)
Superman (2014)
The Good Braider (2014)
October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard (2014)

February

While the Dormouse Slept (2014)
Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel (2014)
The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls (2014)
Six Easy Pieces (2014)
Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am (2014)
Q is for Quarry (2014)
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children (2014)

January

Code Name Verity (2014)
Waking Up Screaming (2014-CO)
The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (2014, 1001)
The Accidental Law Librarian (2014, ER)
VWars (2014)
Clear Light of Day (2014, 1001)
Dude, You're a Dad! (2014)
The Green Man (2014, 1001)
We're Going to the Farm (2014, Nook)
25 Languages Phrasebook (2014, Nook)
Tragically, I was an Only Twin: The Complete Peter Cook (2014)

This is for the 75er Recommendations. . . .

I keep reading books from this list and missed keeping up in 2013, but somehow this list never gets shorter! You all read so many great books! Let's see how 2014 works out.

alcottacre: My Wars are Laid Away in Books
blackdogbooks: all the rest of Stephen King
TadAD: Random Harvest
TheTortoise: Who Moved My Blackberry?
mamachunk: Triangle
alcottacre: The Climb
ThePam: Now the Drum of War
TheTortoise: Heavy Weather
dfreeman2809: Click.....
missylc: Book of Lost Things
aethercowboy: The Mac is Not a Typewriter
Severn: Dancing in a Distant Place
LisaLynne: The Spanish Bow
Cait86: Hitler's Willing Executioners
fannyprice: The Anglo Files
TadAD: Three Day Road
nancywhite: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
kiwidoc: The Grass Arena
kiwidoc: Kate's Klassics
mlake: Never Heave Your Bosum in a Front Hook Bra
ronicats: Speed of Dark
paghababian: The Lost Painting
TadAd via drneutron: Holmes on the Range
rebeccanyc: The Book of Chameleons
porch_reader: A Thread of Grace
drneutron: Ending an Ending
TheTortoise via kiwidoc: Oscar's Books
fannyprice: The Female Malady
Kat32: The Good Ghouls' Guide to Getting Even
fantasia655: A Girl of the Lumberlost (April)
kiwidoc via kidzdoc: A Journey Round My Skull
LisaLynne: Down to a Sunless Sea
lindsacl: The Road Home
Kat32: Real Vampires Have Curves
Kat32: High Stakes
gregtmills: The Ayatollah Begs to Differ
sanddancer: The Boy Who Kicked Pigs
rebeccanyc: Freedom From Fear
kethonna: Luna
enheduanna: Thus Was Adonis Murdered
kidzdoc: Mishima's Sword
Pummzie: The Mischief
cjji955: The House on the Strand
shewhowearsred: Predictably Irrational
mckait: Society of S
mckait: Skeletons at the Feast
drneutron: The Various Haunts of Men
gregtmills: Catapult: Harry and I ....
tokyoadam: The Forever War
seasonsof love: Dying by the Sword
Deedledee: Every Man Dies Alone
RebeccaAnn: The Lies of Locke Lamora
amarie: The Box...
Trystorp: Pandora's Star
kiwidoc: The Great Crash
kidzdoc: Golpes Bajos
kidzdoc: The Fat Man and Infinity
kidzdoc: Plants Don't Drink Coffee
laytonwoman3d: In the Fall
meanderer: If Pirate I Must Be
FlossieT: The Gone-Away World
tututhefirst: Plato and a Platypus Walk...
LT: Mistress of the Art of Death
Bridget770: The Plague of Doves
TadAD: Battle Cry of Freedom
whisper: The Adoration of Jenny Fox
aquascum: The Very Bloody History of Britain
sjmcreary: Code Black
SqueakyChu: What the Deaf-Mute Heard
Landshark5: Red Thunder
laytonwoman3rd: The Hero's Walk
tiffin: Georgiana....
loriephillips: Little Bee
mamachunk: Our Guys
davidw: Epileptic
saraslibrary: While You're Down There
porch_reader: The Rope Walk
saraslibrary: Frankenstein Moved in on the Fourth Floor
RebeccaAnn: Captain Francis Crozier
daddygoth: The Infected
gregtmills: An Utterly Impartial History of Britain
TheTortoise: Lincoln's Melancholy
drneutron: Johannes Cabal the Necromancer
Banoo: Salmonella Men on Planet Porno
whisper1: The Day the Falls Stood Still
booksontrial: The Brain That Changes Itself
boekenwijs: Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade
kiwidoc: Skating to Antarctica
laytonwoman3rd: Jenny Wren
torontoc: Galore
drneutron: The Book of William
alaskabookworm: The Magicians
alaskabookworm: Emily's Ghost
Loosha: Dancing With Rose
Banoo: Magnetic Fields
booksontrial: Losing My Virginity
suslyn: Gremlins Go Home
laytonwoman3rd: The Bird Artist
avatiakh: Dear Alison
judylou: The Year of the Flood
marise: The Incredible Charlie Crewe
snat: The Order of Odd Fish
judylou: After the Fire, A Small Voice
cyderra: His Majesty's Dragon
womansheart: The Earth Hums in B Flat
avatiakh: Tender Morsels
girlunderglass: Dawn of the Dumb
cushla: The Dark Room
TadAD: Children of the New World
TadAD: The Ivankiad
lbucci3: Wolf Hall
jbeast: The Phoenix and the Carpet
jbeast: Miss Happiness and Miss Flower
beserene: The Sorceress of Karressc
ALK982: Tough Guide to Fantasyland
stanleybalsky: The Boy Who Would be Shakespeare (April)
bohannon: Majestie:....
susanj67: Wedlock . . .
bell7: My Reading Life
tututhefirst: Room
drneutron: Atlantic: The Biography
TadAD: From the Land of the Moon
TadAD: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy
beserene: Mr Chartwell (April)
beserene: Reckless
beserene: Pale Blue Eye
TadAD: So Long a Letter
TadAD: The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
TadAD: Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill
TadAD: Wedding of Zein
TadAD: Dogs of the Perimeter
TadAD: Henrietta's War
TadAD: Random Violence
TadAD: Richard Kadrey series
TadAD: Saving Savannah
TadAD: Dervish House
TadAD: Autumn Rounds
aviatiakh: The Night of Wishes
beserene: Hounded
dk_phoenix: Plugged
dk_phoenix: Behind the Beautiful Forevers
lunacat: The Guide to Women's Country
lunacat: Shards of Honor
arubabookwoman: Viper's Tangle
drneutron: Bad Glass
arubabookwoman: Pierre and Jean
Esquiress: White Lines
beserene: Me Who Dove Into the Heart of the World
beserene: The One and Only Ivan
drneutron: The Mole People
dk_phoenix: Tigana
beserene: Jumping the Scratch
Esquiress: Gertrude & Claudius (April)
Esquiress: The Gilded Chamber
drneutron: Ex-Heroes
arubabookwoman: The Issa Valley
avatiakh: A Journey to the End of the Millennium
beserene: The Princess Curse
avatiakh: The Orphan Master's Son
beserene: Horns and Wrinkles
drneutron: Hood
drneutron: Mind's Eye
avatiakh: Drama
avatiakh: Cloud Hunters

This is for the over-the-top "999" list I'm creating, which, on review, may be my entire book list for the year because there are 14 books in each of 16 categories. Any "CO" reference means it is a carryover from earlier years when my goals exceeded my reading! (Hmm. Probably true this year as well.)

Note: I added one more category (why? don't ask!) for Nook books.

UNFINISHED 2009-2013

Tragically I was an Only Twin: The Complete Peter Cook by Peter Cook
What the Dormouse Said by John Markoff
Needful Things by Stephen King

1001-FROM MY STASH

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
Kokoro by Natsume Sosoki
Remembering Babylon by David Malouf

BOOKS-IN-BOOKS

The Bronte Myth by Lucasta Miller (Agnes Grey)

YOUNG ADULT/CHILDREN COMPLETED MAY

Dustlands: Rebel Heart by Moira Young
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Uglies: Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Beautiful Creatures: Beautiful Chaos by Garcia/Stohl
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
The Good Braider by Terry Farish
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Peter Lerangis/Harry Mazer
Skinjacker: Everwild by Neal Shusterman
October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman
The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

75ER RECOMMENDATIONS

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Station-Porter
The Boy Who Would be Shakespeare by Doug Stewart
Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
Gertrude and Claudius by John Updike

EARLY REVIEWERS

The Beatles Are Here! by Penelope Rowlands
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn
The Accidental Law Librarian by Anthony Adcock
Song of the Vikings by Nancy Marie Brown

MYSTERIES: NEXT-IN-SERIES

Acqua Vitae (Commissario Brunetti) by Donna Leon
Q is for Quarry (Kinsey Millhone) by Sue Grafton
Six Easy Pieces (Easy Rollins) by Walter Mosley
Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel (Sister Pelagia) by Boris Akunin
Children of the Street (Darko Dawson) by Kwei Quartey
Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey) by Dorothy Sayers

STRIKES MY FANCY

Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger Jr.
Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury
Quatrain by Sharon Shinn
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi
Period. 8 by Chris Crutcher
The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg
Thieves of Book Row by Travis McDade

POTPOURRI

Tarzan: Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Dude, You're a Dad! by John Pfeiffer
S: A Novel of the Balkans by Slavenka Drakulic
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Tobias Smollett
Me and You by Niccolo Ammanti
Uglies: Specials by Scott Westerfeld
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem

1001 MUST READ/LIBRARY COMPLETED AUGUST

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams
Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai
The Green Man by Kingsley Amis
Miramar by Naguib Mahfouz
The Path to the Nest of Spiders by Italo Calvino
Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr.
Invisible by Paul Auster
The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela
Complicity by Iain Banks
Embers by Sandor Marai
The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble
Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas
Rites of Passage by William Golding
Deep River by Shusaku Endo

HALLOWEEN/HOLIDAY

Waking Up Screaming by H. P. Lovecraft
VWars (editor) Jonathan Maberry

HARD CASE CRIME

Joyland by Stephen King
Zero Cool by Michael Crichton
Borderline by Lawrence Block
Scratch One by Michael Crichton
Seduction of the Innocent by Max Allan Collins

ROMANCE/WESTERN

Payback at Morning Rock by Gene Hackman
Beauty and the Wolf by Marina Myles (Nook)
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick

NOOK

We're Going to the Farm by Nancy Strenga
Dover Beach (Book 1) (The Last P.I.) by Richard Bowker
The Normans: From Raiders to Kings by Lars Brownworth
Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn
25 Languages Phrasebook edited by Mobile Reference
The Soulkeepers by G. P. Ching
Erasmus Hobart and the Golden Arrow by Andrew Fish
Superman by John Byrne
All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard
Green Lantern
The Enemy by Charles Higson
Inside Divergent: The Initiate's World by Veronica Roth

1001 MUST READ/LIBRARY 2

Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

See you all in the very beginning of the new year!

Welcome back!

Argh! Lost my message and it's only January 3rd!

Notes:

Read 140 books/novellas in 2013

Read more Nook than I ever thought I would

Missed a bunch of 75er recommendations last year (resolving to do better this year)

Currently reading:

Waking Up Screaming by H. P. Lovecraft (from Halloween, of course)

The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul by Douglas Adams (from 1001 Must Read list)

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (from 2014 "999" list in Young Adult category)

See you soon!

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is a YA novel I picked up about a month before I found it on all sorts of prize lists for teen/young adult books. It's an epistolary novel told in two parts: Queenie tells the first and Maddie tells the second. These two young women meet because they are working for the war effort in England--in normal life, their paths would never have crossed. It is extremely difficult to discuss the story which is told without spoilers, but Queenie's section starts when she identifies herself as a prisoner of war in France. There are plot twists and turns which make this novel unique and worth the reading. I would tag it as YA mature reader because while there is no sex, it is war and war topics are graphically described. I very much enjoyed the book and will be passing it on to friends.

Waking Up Screaming is a series of H. P. Lovecraft stories and the collection was on my 2013 Halloween 999 list. This set includes a novella and "Re-Animator." The latter was made into a film, which I watched last week because it was on television. OMG, if it is possible to make terror a laughing matter, that's what this now cult film does to perfection. A love story was introduced and the end does serious injustice to Lovecraft's well-known one-line endings. That said, I only read Lovecraft during the day because he scares the willies out of me and each of these stories is scary--maybe some more than others, but he really is the best.

Wow, that is one heck of a list in message two, Laurie!

I agree with Roni - wow! I wish I had been keeping track of who has recommended what - I just randomly add things to the wishlist. I may have to change that.

Well, I lurk a lot through threads, although sadly I didn't so last year. And not all the books are listed because of rave reviews. Some of these piqued my interest because of what was written about the author or style. I started keeping a separate list (on a notepad) of what interested me and who recommended it so I can use it at the library. Both of you have been on the list several times. :)

Whoa, no pressure or anything. I'm always nervous when someone reads something on my recommendation - what if they hate it and therein ends the friendship?! Ha!

Doesn't happen that way for me. :)

I lurk, I read, occasionally I comment, and I return to threads where I've found books that interest me for whatever reason. I only stop reading threads where the genres or writer selections are extremely limited or the commentary is always polemic. I look for discussions of books or authors and the 75ers have almost always had the best threads in this regard. In other groups, participants often veer way off the topic of the group and I do get cranky about that sort of thing. I'm looking for reading materials.

Three more for January. . .

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams is another from the 1001 Must Read list and the sequel to Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. This time around Dirk is investigating transmuting objects, a Norse god or two, and his previous secretary--not necessarily in that order or for any particular purpose. I enjoyed Adams' work in the first couple of "Hitchhiker" novels, but the joke got weary long before the suicide of a robot and I have yet to finish the series. However, I did enjoy Dirk's adventure and tried again. This one is even more disjointed than the first, but that's Adams at his confounding best. I do love Dirk's method of driving when he's lost--he follows a driver who seems to know where he or she is going. He might not end up where he was headed, but he finds himself where he should be when he arrives.

The Accidental Law Librarian by Anthony Adcock is an Early Reviewer book which I marked because I work in a law firm and have for many years. The "Accidental" series is similar to the "Dummies" series in that both series are written for the novice to the field--in this case, being a law librarian when you started off headed somewhere else. (Kind of like Dirk!) The book was basic, easily read, and certainly recommended for someone new to the field or suddenly forced to maintain a law library.

VWars is edited by Jonathan Maberry and features a series of stories (some broken into parts) about the vampires who live among us. Maberry and seven other writers have created a "what if" universe that is fascinating, almost seems possible, and highly readable. Maberry has the task of interconnecting the stories with his own narrative, and it all works very well.

I liked the Dirk Gently books way more than the Hitchhiker ones - heresy for a physics geek, I know! One day I want to hand NASA a bill for laying on the beach contemplating the interconnectedness of everything. :)

Yep, definitely prefer Dirk Gently over the universe.

Excitement here--my son called and his wife's in serious pre-labor, so this weekend may be a thriller!

Still waiting for the baby, but, in the meantime, my daughter in New York is watching the snow fall as she enters her 34th week of her pregnancy. This will be quite a year.

Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai is from the 1001 Must Read list and, while I found Desai's language and imagery beautiful, the story was unremarkable. Set against the partition of Pakistan from India, it is a family story which is familiar--two sisters and two brothers who pretty much go their separate ways. One sister has stayed home with the older family members who die off during the story, and her younger special needs brother who listens to records. They live in the family home which is slowly disintegrating. The younger sister and older brother have moved out with their respective spouses---she married a diplomat and he married across religious lines. There is resentment, love, need, and all the basic ingredients of a family torn apart. Again, I loved the writing, but I wish the story had been more than a retelling of classic themes.

I *need* to read the Dirk Gently books someday.

And, wow, you *do* have an exciting, baby-ful year ahead!

Although I read the Hitchhiker books in my teens, I had never read any of the Dirk Gently books until last year. I need to read the second one now.

I'm with the Doctor here--I enjoyed the Dirk Gently books more--in general and in toto-- than the Hitchhiker series. I do plan to finish the Hitchhiker "trilogy" (I have read the first three, but there are more), but it will sometime in the future.

Currently finishing two books which have been on my "999" lists since the beginning: Tragically I Was an Only Twin and What the Dormouse Said. I started both a couple of years ago, but got wooed away by more energetic works. Maybe I was just not in the right mindset, because both are holding my interest this time around. Plus I get to work on finishing a carryover category. Hopefully, both will be finished this week and I will review them.

As for the baby front, I am now trying to finish the several projects for wee people I have been working on--I actually finished a complete layette set (knitted) and never, in my wildest dreams, would have thought I be making things that had to be assembled again. I swore years ago that I wouldn't be caught doing them. Just goes to show you that you can never say never. My daughter-in-law was "due" last Wednesday, and so, they are anxiously awaiting the event itself. My daughter keeps sending me pictures from Pinterest of cute booties and caps she finds. *sigh* Maybe, with the six week spread between babies, I do a couple of these.

Oh FUBAR, another list I'm intrigued by--I'm in.

So here's my list so far this year:

More than 500 pages: The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Forgotten Classic: The Green Man
Book that became a movie: The King's Speech
Published this year:
Number in the title: 25 Languages Phrasebook
Written by someone under 30:
Book with non-human characters:
Funny Book:
Female Author: S.: A Novel About the Balkans
Book with a mystery: Q is for Quarry
One-Word Title: VWars
Book of short stories: Six Easy Pieces
Set on a different continent: Clear Light of Day
Non-Fiction: The Boy Who Would Be Shakespeare
First book by a favourite author:
Heard about online:
Best-selling book:
Based on a true story: What the Dormouse Said
Book at the bottom of TBR pile: Tragically I was an Only Twin
Book my friend loves:
Book that scares me: Waking Up Screaming
More than 10 years old:
Second book in a series: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
Blue cover: The Ice Princess

YA Bingo Card:

Book with female heroine: Code Name Verity
Book set in a high school: Period. 8
Last of a trilogy: Specials
Book with 'color' in the title:
First book in series: The Immortal Rules
Book set in the future:
Book with a break-up:
Book without a love triangle: The Good Braider
Book that became a movie:
Book set in Paris:
Book set in the past:
Book with magic:
Book set in summer: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls
Book with a dragon:
Book that made you cry:
Graphic novel:
Book based on a myth:
Classic YA:
Book with a Lion, Witch or Wardrobe:
Book with an incredible fight scene:
Book heard about online:
Book set in another world:
Book with epic love story:
Book with music: Beautiful Music for Ugly Children

It may take a while, but getting there!

June 6-Yep, being kinda choosy to fill in the blanks, but this is fun.

Okay, the following are complete (even after I've been hooked into BINGO and, possibly, TIOLI):

Dude, You're a Dad by John Pfeiffer (2014)
The Green Man by Kingsley Amis (2014, 1001)
We're Going to the Farm by Nancy Strenza (2014, Nook)
25 Languages Phrasebook edited by Mobile Reference (2014, Nook)
Tragically, I was an Only Twin: The Complete Peter Cook by Peter Cook (2014)

Dude, You're a Dad by John Pfeiffer--okay, quite obvious here, since it was a gift to my son. Cute, mostly straightforward advice to new dads.

The Green Man by Kingsley Amis is from the 1001 Must Read list and, from the jacket blurb, involves mystery, supernatural, and possibly murderous events. It was a fun romp with the alcoholic owner/manager of an inn that has a ghost who's never been seen who was killed long ago by townspeople for his "unnatural" predilictions. It was a fun read, nothing too substantive, but enjoyable.

We're Going to the Farm by Nancy Streza was a Free Friday Nook offering, a children's book which allows you to record the story for reading, and which I was willing to explore for new grandbabies coming this year. The illustrations by Adam Pryce are cute, the story is real basic (basically naming animals which you'll find on a farm, sung to Old MacDonald's Farm). Not amazing, but certainly okay for its intended audience.

25 Languages Phrasebook by Mobile Reference was a Free Friday Nook offering, and I will definitely use this at some future point. You can get an upgrade with more stuff, buth the editors are not kidding about it being a reference for 25 (mostly European) languages. They offer pronunciation guides, basic vocabulary, and travel phrases in, yes, 25 different languages.

Tragically, I was an Only Twin: The Complete Peter Cook by Peter Cook, edited by his brother, William Cook, who also wrote the short chapter introductions. This is NOT a biography of Cook, but rather his writings from the start of his career to the end. It's highly praised in jacket blurbs, and I've always enjoyed watching Cook and (being a Shakespearean fan) know how to read scripts, which are the bulk of these writings. However, I got bogged down for nearly three years in the section with Cook's Wisty character, who was part and parcel of some of the worst times in Cook's personal life. Cook's humor was topical, and severely satiric, but sometimes---well, I finally abandoned that chapter and carried on. I enjoyed most of the balance of the book (Cook calls Carter a Martian and he wasn't too keen on Thatcher), but this is a book for diehard fans of the writing. I'd rather watch him perform (the Archbishop in Ladyhawke comes to mind, for some reason).

On to more reading. . . .

Finished January with a book that has been sitting on my coffee table for years--literally. Started February with another (What the Dormouse Said by John Markoff), but everything's on hold while I head tomorrow to Wausau to see my new granddaughter. Wasn't going to be able to go (flights are sooooo expensive), but my boss gifted me with a flight from his frequent flyer account, so it's on! Only thing is, it's a bit chilly--all negative Fahrenheit numbers!

Oooh, NICE boss! What fun to see the new baby, but don't freeze anything off, okay?

How wonderful that you are going to be able to visit with your new granddaughter. Stay snug and warm.

Well, my trip to Wausau was quite the event. After being ill on the flight itself, I fainted on the plane after it landed in Chicago and ended up in a Chicago ER, released to spend a night in a hotel, and arriving a day late in Wausau. It was a fabulous visit with my then week-old granddaughter, my son and his wife, and when I returned, I followed instructions and saw my regular doctor. Seems I have iron deficient anemia (which occurred between October and now), and the doctors suspect an ulcer. So tomorrow I have an endoscopy to answer that question. In the meantime, iron supplements, antacids, NO aspirin or pain products, and lots of iron-rich foods (not always my favorite choice).

But I have read, and will comment in a few days on:

What the Dormouse Said by John Markoff
Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel by Boris Akunin
The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley
Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis
Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton
Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirsten Cronn-Mills

and I'm listening to an Early Reviewer version of Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn

See you all next week.

Oh my, what an eventful trip! Glad to hear that you're okay, though and hoping for good test results!

Feel better soon...

Oh gracious, a second granddaughter, one endoscopy and one colonoscopy later, plus two trips, and it's suddenly over two months later than my last post. I have lots of books to review (and will do so) and will try to post some pictures as well. Hope you are all having a great spring going into summer and will start lurking through posts again.

My goodness, you *have* been busy! Looking forward to those granddaughter photos...

Thanks for the good thoughts and kind wishes. Whew! I just updated my reading lists in the beginning of this thread and there were more books than I remembered!

Just added books to my "collection" list on the home page--took three days! Next are the earlier reviews.

Okay, first batch of reviews:

What the Dormouse Said by John Markoff has been on my “999” lists for a couple of years. I started it several times before I was actually in the right frame of mind to read it through. A study of the development of the personal computer, specifically in the 1960s, and the split of commercial versus free access web design. It is a detailed work but sections are incredibly dry and not for everyone. Worth the read if you have the interest in connecting the dots.

Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel by Boris Akunin is the third (and apparently last) in the Sister Pelagia mysteries by Russian Boris Akunin. This is his “alternate” series to the Erast Fandorin mysteries, and, in many ways, the series are counterpoints to each other. I like Sister Pelagia and her instincts in solving murders and crime. This novel starts in Russia, but travels all over the place, eventually ending in the Middle East. I wish there were more to read.

The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Shumacher is on several websites touting teen angst novels. The premise here is that four girls and their mothers have formed a summer book club, featuring works by women writers. The girls are stereotypical teens, and their mothers don’t fare much better in character descriptions. The story is also typical teen angst fare. However, it was a fast read and, while the ending is a bit jolting, I would recommend for high school readers.

Six Easy Pieces by Walter Mosley is the next-in-series for the Easy Rollins mysteries and is actually six short stories about Easy in the period between two of the novels about his work. They were entertaining and it was fun to have Easy chasing the ghost of Mouse from story to story to find a truth.

Somebody Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis, again found on various award sites is a for this era teen book about the affect and effect of war on our society. Ben has it all, and people have great hopes and plans for him, but he proposes to his girlfriend and then enlists immediately upon graduation, goes to Iraq, and returns. The story is extremely succinct and well told, and I highly recommend it.

Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton is the next-in-series for the Kinsey Millhone mysteries, which, by the title involves a quarry near Kinsey’s home and also ties in to the mysteries of her family. I love the Kinsey Millhone series and it’s been a fairly long absence from her cases for me. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary for the series, but I really enjoy Grafton’s work.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirten Cronn-Mills is right off those web award pages for teen lit. The story of a transgender teen who is a music geek and local DJ. His radio work gets him involved with raves and a talent contest and clashes with “his” fans who discover “he” is physically a “she.” It is beautifully written and recommended.

March reading is next. . .

MARCH

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld is the second in the Uglies trilogy (now something like five books). While it picks up the storyline from Uglies and moves fast and furiously to a another hanging conclusion, the story seemed to lose a lot of steam for me. I’ll complete the trilogy, mostly hoping for a story arc which is a complete work, but Westerfeld keeps writing addendum books which I’ll probably ignore.

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (plus the short story “Dream Dark”) is the next-in-series and the storyline is getting a bit stale, although this time around Ethan is the character to take action. If this were the final book in the series, I would be seriously disappointed, but I’m interested in seeing how this all plays out.

The Path to the Nest of Spiders by Calvin Italo is a 1001 Must Read, a story told by a young Italian boy about the pistol he stole from his sister’s Nazi lover and then hid in a nest of spiders. The politics of war and partisanship are beyond the boy’s understanding, but he relates what he sees in his own terms. It’s an interesting POV story about how children view a world gone upside down.

The Beatles Are Here! by Penelope Rowlands was an Early Reviewer memoir which was great fun to read. Rowlands was one of four girls holding a sign welcoming the Beatles to New York which was photographed around the world. From an “I remember when I . . .” beginning, Rowlands has combined remembrances of famous and infamous, celebrity and plain folk, of the arrival and impact of the Beatles on individual lives. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr. is a 1001 Must Read is an extremely difficult read (and I’m leery of seeing the film) about addiction in several forms. Focusing on only four characters, it details the enchantment of drugs, followed by the enslavement to drugs, ending with the very unpretty consequences of such addictions. It is harsh, it is direct, and it is totally unnerving. It is also very much recommended.

Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson by Jeff Guinn was an Early Reviewer biography on disk, read by Jim Frangione, was one of the most comprehensive histories of Manson and the times he grew out of that I’ve read. Frangione is an excellent narrator and I recommend this version to readers who “listen” to their books.

Inside Divergent: The Initiate’s World by Veronica Roth, designed by Victor Ochoa, was a Nook Free Friday download and is a tie-in to the movie picture and story book. Lots of pictures, not too much substance, but helpful to following the movie if you didn’t read the book.

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte is a 1001 Must Read which I absolutely loved. The “lesser” sister was certainly by no means the least capable writer of the trio of Bronte sisters. Her novel, also about a governess, is more realistic than Jane Eyre and, consequently, it was more intriguing for me. I was intrigued enough to read one of the “further reading” recommendations The Bronte Myth by Lucasta Miller (later review), which, while focusing on Charlotte, was a modern reconstruction of the sisters of the parsonage. I highly recommend Agnes Grey—it is worth every moment spent reading it.

The Songs of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths by Nancy Marie Brown was an Early Reviewer which detailed the life and times of Snorri Sturluson, the Icelandic poet, soldier, politician, and historian whose Prose Edda is the main resource for Norse mythology today. Thor, Odin, and all the Viking gods which we follow today find their written beginnings in Snorri’s work. This was a fascinating history of early Iceland as well, with its intricate ties to the Norse countries. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, but . . .the only caveat I give is that you need to follow the names and genealogies which are given in the beginning. Similar names and the intermingling of families through marriage are often confusing. However, still a recommendation if the history of that era and this subject interest you.

Green Lantern and Superman are graphic novels, which were Nook Free Friday downloads. Exactly what you think—comic books in bright colors with fast storylines. I collected comics as a teenager and these were two of my favorites.

The Good Braider by Terry Falish is Viola, emigrated from South Sudan, who has lived through war and its consequences, and now faces hardships in her newly-adopted home in the US. It is a teen book, but it has seriously harsh scenes between combatants, mother and daughter, and neighbors, which makes it more appropriate for a high schooler than a middle schooler. It was very well presented and worth the read.

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman is a YA recommendation on various award sites, and is a fascinating (sometimes chilling, sometimes heartbreaking) collection of poems about the murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming. The author wrote the poems from various perspectives: the fence Matthew was tied to, the field the fence enclosed, the accused, the attorneys, the bartender, and others. The poems are carefully styled (and the poetic forms are explained) to show the range and depth of emotions about Matthew and his death. It is recommended.

On to April (oh man, I'm soooo far behind!) . . .

And the beginning of April's reading:

APRIL

Gertrude and Claudius by John Updike was found in Esquiress’s thread, and, as a Shakespearean fan (although not such an Updike fan), I was intrigued. Esquiress’s review was not exactly “warm and fuzzy,” but it interested me in reading this version of the back story to Hamlet’s mother and uncle/stepfather. Told in three segments, using original source material names as well back stories (Polonius here has not only another name, but much more involvement in the background of the play written by Shakespeare. I can’t say I enjoyed all of it, but it was interesting to “compare” notes between each section and the play as we know it.

S: A Novel About the Balkans (also known as As If I’m Not There by Slavenka Drakulic is a 1001 Must Read, story of a Croatian young woman in the Serbo-Croatian war who is a schoolteacher. One day she is told to pack a bag and she is carted off, with many of her neighbors to a camp, where brutality and ethnicity go arm-in-arm. She is repeatedly raped and brutalized, and, on release, finds herself adrift in the “free” world and pregnant. Told from her perspective, this story is powerful and terrifying, and, like Requiem for a Dream last night, a story that is haunting in its horror.

Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt was found on beserene’s thread and I greatly enjoyed reading this book. This is a book about Winston Churchill, the “black dog” he called his depression, and a young woman who has experienced devastating trauma in her life. It’s a very fine line to walk (or write) about depression and make it funny, tragic, interpretative, and open. Hunt succeeds on all levels, and I was very glad I’ve read this book.

Burning Girls by Veronica Schanoes is a short story about witches and the Triangle Shirt Factory fire, which was a Nook Free Friday bonus download. Having read a couple of books about the fire, which were, as this story is, geared for teen readers, this story is not the best of choices.

Dover Beach by Richard Bowker was a Nook Free Friday download and is subtitled “The Last P.I.” in which a doctor who believes he is a clone hires a detective in post-apocalyptic Boston. The doctor wants to find his “father,” and the trail leads from Boston, where living is a daily challenge, to London, where things are much more copasetic and familiar. It was interesting enough to think about reading the next installment, and entertaining, but oh, so full of personal angst!

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa is the next-in-series of the Iron Fey series, and it was a serious disappointment, plot and character-wise. Kagawa is a talented writer and I really enjoyed the initial trilogy, but this entry seems tacked on to keep the series running and then leaves a big question about whether there will be another book to end storylines left hanging in this one. Kagawa is more involved in her vampire series and I think this series suffers from a lack of attention. I do, however, recommend the initial trilogy. It was fun.

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Tobias Smollett is a 1001 Must Read and I listened to a Libravox version with multiple readers while following a Gutenberg Press text. The book, a series of letters from various writers on an “expedition,” proved to be very well served by having different readers who consistently read the letters from individual writers. Humphry, who is not even in the first third or so of the novel as a character, becomes the catalyst for the resolution of several storylines. He is also the only non-correspondent of the characters, which adds to his importance as the novel continues. I enjoyed this far more than I believed I would, but that is also partially result of having readers be the characters.

The Boy Who Would Be Shakespeare: A Tale of Forgery and Folly by Doug Stewart is a fascinating study of a young man who, attempting to please his father, an avid Shakespeare enthusiast, “becomes” Shakespeare, and creates writings, including an entire play, to prove the point. That fact that the story is true is astonishing in that the charade maintained itself for some time. Very entertaining and certainly recommended for fans of the Bard.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is the first in her Blood of Eden series about vampires. I’m not as entertained by this series as I am by Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, but she writes well. I have the second in series ready to start and hope that the series will engage me more as it continues.

So it looks like you're at 60 at the end of May. Good pace!

Working at it. This has been a strange and exciting year--two granddaughters, one month basically doctor visits and tests, and now just getting back into the swing of things. I hope to post the rest of April's notes by day's end.

Well, you made a good run at the reviews there. I hope you are getting some good reading in.

Oh, yeah, I have been able to read. And, finally, here's the end of April:

The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution by Mariano Azuela is a 1001 Must Read, and I read the translation by E. Munguia Jr, with notes by Beth E. Jorgensen, and an introduction by Ilan Stavans. More of a character study than any kind of real historical novel, this short novel has a lot compacted into a small number of pages. The “underdogs” are the Mexican people who, no matter who leads them or what else happens, always bear the brunt of revolutionary leaders. I’m not sure I’d reread it, but it was worth the time spent reading this classic of Latin writing.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter was found on fantasia655’s thread, a favorite of many readers from childhood/teen reading according the various threads commenting on it. It is the story of a young girl living near the Limberlost Swamp in Indiana and, for today’s young readers engrossed in apocalyptic future novels, is probably very slow going. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story of Elnora and her moths, growing from high school to young adulthood in a noble fashion.

The King’s Speech aka “How One Man Saved the British Monarchy” by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi was found on TadAO’s thread. I was looking for this, being a fan of the film featuring Colin Firth (*be still my beating heart—Darcy on the British throne!*), and listened to a version read by Simon Vance. It was a fascinating recap of what appeared on screen (with none of the “adaptations” made for the screen version). Vance’s narration was excellent and I do recommend this version if you are a “books on tape reader.”

Now Panic and Freak Out by Andrews McNeal Publishing is a small gift book aimed at the skewed side of the “be calm” aphorisms. It was cute and a good gift for my friend.

Me and You by Niccolo Ammaniti, translated by Kylee Doust, is an off-center novel about Lorenzo, who is fourteen, a loner, unhappy with his home life, his school life, and, generally, anything outside his diagnosis narcissistic personality. He “runs away” from home into the building basement, only to be discovered there by his half-sister. He’s told his parents he’s on a skiing trip with school friends and Olivia acts as the “friend’s” mother in phone calls. Together they spend the vacation period and learn more about each other and their parents. There are consequences to their actions, and the book ends with an epilogue set years later, which apparently jarred some readers. I have enjoyed Ammaniti’s work thus far, including this novel, but I don’t think I’d like to spend more time with Lorenzo.

Complicity by Iain Banks is a 1001 Must Read is a thriller set in the UK. Cameron Colley is a journalist, a little too fond of cocaine and alcohol, who is chasing a killer who “deals with” people who have managed to evade justice in the legal system. Colley finds himself more involved with the killer than he realized as he tries to unveil the killer. A tight thriller with a smart ending, I enjoyed it.

The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy is a 1001 Must Read and, after three attempts, I finally finished this book because I had downloaded a Libravox recording (with various readers) and listened as I was visiting my newborn granddaughter in New York. My daughter and son-in-law have a small apartment with no television and so I listened to the story as I knitted or crocheted items for Waverly. I have seen the movie version with Rufus Sewall, and very much enjoyed it, but in my reading attempts, I found Hardy’s language very dense. Thus—perfect solution—listen to the book. I found it tragic, funny, and worth the efforts it took to get through the text. Recommended, although Hardy fans already know that.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld is the “final” third of the trilogy of seemingly endless Uglies series. Sarcastic comment? You bet, because the storyline is certainly not as strong now, and the characters are drifting into situations which are more and more, well, ridiculous. I enjoyed the first book, thought the second was okay, but I’m tired of the “Uglies” now. I may return to the additional books Westerfeld has published with enough time, but it won’t be in the near future.

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki, translated by Meredith McKinney, is a 1001 Must Read was sensational. Soseki was writing between cultural earthquakes in Japan and Kokoro is one long love letter (the last part of the novel is actually a letter) to Japan and cultural way of life that was disappearing. I loved reading this novel.

Oh look April's done, now I have May, June, July, and August to go! Some fascinating stuff to comment about is coming up.

May is done!!!

MAY

Zero Cool by Michael Crichton, writing as John Lange, is a Hard Case Crime novel. HCC features noir and noir-style thrillers and I enjoy reading these as “fillers.” Others might read romance or western novels for the same purpose. However, in this case, HCC has released the novels Crichton wrote when he was a medical student at Harvard. In this instance, an American doctor vacationing in Spain is drawn into an improbable situation with a “do it or die” villain. The story is fast-paced, but not very deep, and certainly not meant to be great literature. It is, however, a fun read for the beach or winter vacation.

Period. 8 by Chris Crutcher is another of his fabulous novels about teens and teen angst. The Period. 8 of the title refers to the lunch break sessions held by a high school teacher where “what happens here, stays here.” It’s no-holds-barred, no harm no foul, period for the participants who cover the range high school students. Then it’s discovered that someone is talking outside of the room and things take an ugly bend. Crutcher’s works are one of my favorite reading experiences, and I recommend just about everything he ever wrote to friends and family.

Baby Love: Knitted Booties for Tiny Feet by Catherine Bouquerel and Knit in a Day for Baby by Candi Jensen are self-explanatory—more books of stuff to make for my granddaughters.

Mothers and Daughters by Meredith R. Katz is a gift picture book, for Mother’s Day. Needless to say, both my daughter and daughter-in-law each received one for their first Mother’s Day this year.

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg, translated by Steven T. Murray, is a mystery that I was surprised by. Initially, I was scoping out the discount section of my local B&N for a teen book that would not require too much brain strain, and the cover looked very much like a fantasy novel. Not so. This is another nicely turned mystery by a Swedish writer, and I will be looking for more. Beginning with a body frozen into a bathtub, set in a small town, it evokes much of the settings of Mankell and other Swedish mystery/police procedural novels, and it held my interest. Recommended.

Invisible by Paul Auster is a 1001 Must Read, a tale told in four parts by three narrators. It’s well written but I found it a bit off-putting because of the story itself which may or may not involve murder, but does involve various deceptions. I like Auster’s work and this was a nicely turned novel, but it’s not my favorite.

Children of the Street by Kwei Quartey is the second Darko Dawson police thriller, set in Ghana. The inspector gets involved with homeless street children when a murder occurs and, contrary to expectations, he attempts to solve it. The first mystery thriller was good; this one is as well.

Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers is the next-in-series of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. In this one, he is trying to clear his true love of a murder charge. It was fun.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool is another prize winner from teen/children prize lists. A storyline with two historical references, one in WWI and the other 1939 Depression Manifest, Abilene Tucker finds herself deep in a mystery involving her absent father, his friend, her friends, and the hunt for a spy. It was sometimes irritating to switch time periods in the narrative, but the story was nicely turned.

If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin is the story of Finny (Phineas) and Autumn, whose mothers have been best friends forever, and who, themselves, best friends until a middle school kiss. The story follows the relationship from that point with respective boy and girl friends until the bittersweet ending. Some reviewers have been surprised by the ending, but, in fact, it’s all in the beginning paragraph. Well told, but for older teens.

June is coming. . . .

Oh look! June reviews in August!

JUNE

Beauty and the Wolf by Marina Myles is a Nook Free Friday download, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, having the beast under a gypsy curse which will result in a permanent werewolf life. This was fine for a fluff read, but nothing new or especially intriguing—and it was free.

Erasmus Hobart and the Golden Arrow by Andrew Fish is a Nook Free Friday download, a time travel story where our hero returns to Sherwood and a new interpretation of the stories of Robin Hood and Marian. A teacher who is covering the tale of Robin Hood creates the equivalent of a “way back” machine and finds himself in the middle of the tale—only it’s not quite how he recalls reading about the characters and time. This was cute, pretty well written, and perfect for middle/high schoolers who might be reluctant readers.

The Bronte Myth by Lucasta Miller was a source listed in Agnes Grey (which I loved reading) and is a study of mostly Charlotte and how she worked to perpetrate the mythical background of her life and that of her sisters. Anne is pretty much a non-person in this work, but it was fascinating to follow how the girls’ personal background evolved over the years of their publishing, and then, as Charlotte acted as caretaker. Miller makes sure that the reader follows where the myth started in fact and then carried forward through literary history. It was interesting.

All He Saw Was The Girl by Peter Leonard is a Nook Free Friday download and this is one of the better-written ones that show up on the “free” list. It starts with two friends in a stolen taxi in Italy, involves the spoiled rich kid and the smart friend misidentified, a kidnapping, and eventual resolution. Not overly original plotting, but nicely turned as a thriller. This is getting excellent reviews on Amazon.com, and I did enjoy it.

Thieves of Book Row by Travis McDade was on the “new” shelves at my local library and I had a blast reading how books were (and are) stolen from public and educational libraries and then resold. The time period is the early Twentieth Century, long pre-computerized book cataloguing, and involves the rings of book thieves operating mostly in the New York/Boston area. The entire process, from casing the libraries, taking the books, the “cleaning” of marked books for resale, and then the systems which were finally put in place to prevent or considerably slow down this process, was fascinating to me. The writing is somewhat dry and probably of more interest to those who read about books, but I do recommend it.

The Normans: From Raiders to Kings by Lars Brownworth is a Nook Free Friday download and was a fairly simplistic, but readable, history of the Normans from Viking days through the last of the Norman kings. It’s a great historical read for teens because of the style and because so many of the Norman kings had such descriptive names.

The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble is a 1001 Must Read, and I was fascinated by this two-part story of the Korean crown princess and the woman who is sent the crown princess’s diaries. The crown princess “half” was more interesting to me, but the whole of the story makes a statement which was intriguing. Highly recommended.

Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, Jr. is the ultimate “Horatio Alger story,” written by Alger in his typical style, the story of a boy/young man who improves his lot in life by perservance and dedication to a strong work ethic. The storyline is pure “poor boy makes good,” and Alger’s works were extremely popular for that message. The back story of Alger himself is covered in an introductory comment and makes for an unexpected contrast. The story is probably too serendipitous for today’s teen boy, but I found it a quick read.

Soldiers of Salamis by Javier Cercas is a 1001 Must Read of the end days of the Spanish Civil War during which a political prisoner escapes death twice in one day and then helps to spread the story of his escape and courage for the remainder of his life. That is a totally dreary opening, but the story is the unweaving of this story by a Spanish journalist years later. It was intriguing to follow the journalist as he tries to find the elusive threads of this story which are factual. Are they facts or imagined? That is the question.

I may even get July's in the system before the end of August!

And here's part of July (I can't believe I actually got this far):

JULY

Crochet Cool: Fun Designs for Kids Ages 1 to 6 by Tanya Bernard is yet the latest pattern book I’m exploring for stuff to make for my children and grandchildren.

Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis is a 1001 Must Read, Amis’s first published work about a young lecturer in medieval history at a Midlands university. Jim is not wild about his status, his future, or his goals when he is asked to spend a weekend at his department head’s home and to present a paper on a medieval topic. Murphy’s Law prevails—as everything that can go wrong, does go wrong for Jim, although it all seems to finally untangle in his best interests. I enjoyed The Green Man more, but it is a later, more polished work. Lucky Jim is entertaining on its own, but some may find its convoluted plot a bit hard to keep track of while reading.

Quatrain by Sharon Stone is a quartet of stories (“Flight,” “Blood,” “Gold,” and “Flame”) by a favorite author which I enjoyed very much. Stone’s writing draws you in, and this collection was no exception. Each novella features a character who doesn’t quite fit into the world around him or her, but manages to grow into a mature individual. Recommended, but fans already know that.

Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury is two novellas: “Somewhere a Band is Playing” and “Leviathan 99” are two stories Bradbury has been mulling through for years. The first is a fantasy written by a writer for writers, sweet and gentle, and very inviting. The second is a rewrite of Moby Dick and is set in space, with a blind Captain pursuing his “white whale.” It’s intense, sometimes compelling, but I found it less satisfying than I thought it would be, considering how long Bradbury took to write and rewrite it. I like Bradbury’s work, and these are as good as most and better than many of his works. I’m glad I read them.

Borderline by Lawrence Block is a Hard Case Crime novel is one of the series of reissues by the publishers and it includes some short stories. Block is well known for his mysteries and this thriller is an early example of the genre—full of action and sex and not wildly memorable except for the fact that was a fun read.

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem is a 1001 Must Read and, curiously, is an English translation of a French translation of the original Polish novel by Lem, there not having been a direct Polish to English translation. However, the novel retains the fascination that fans and reviewers have enjoyed. The concept of how we interpret what we see and “know” is the heart (as it were) of this story. Kelvin arrives at a planetary laboratory where strange things have been reported. His fellow scientists are less than forthcoming—in fact, one refuses to leave his rooms at all. Kelvin soon finds himself involved in his own “strange” behavior, and questioning whether or not the planet itself is a thinking being. I’m not sure I’d like the film version of this story (it’s one of the 1001 Must See Films) because the core of the story involves interpretation of what is reality. However, I found myself increasingly engaged in the story and am glad it was “on the list.”

Now if I can just finish July before August ends!

I made it by September 30--getting the rest of July in--

Rites of Passage by William Golding is a 1001 Must Read and is a fascinating study of class aboard a sailing ship. Told in two parts, beginning as a journal kept by a priggish young man for his uncle, which is meant to prove his worthiness for succession, and then as the private journal of the parson who dies, it succeeds admirably in engaging the reader. I found both characters unlikeable, but warmed to them as they discovered their own biases and attempted to work through the voyage’s storms, physical and personal. There are some very funny moments, and some very serious self-examinations, and I recommend the novel.

Remembering Babylon by David Malouf is a 1001 Must Read and a fascinating retelling “based on a true story” of a young English boy, wrecked on the Australian coast, who is raised by aborigines. In his early adulthood, he returns to “civilization” and Jemmy has great trouble adapting to a culture he has long forgotten and which often treats him as even less human than the aborigines known by these settlers. An intense study of racism and the struggles of early Australian settlers, it was well worth the read.

Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin is a 1001 Must Read which I listened to in the Libravox recording of the complete novel. Pushkin is revered in Russia for his poetic works, and this novel in verse leaves no question as to why that reverence is well earned. A basic boy meets girl, fights a friend, loses girl, finds girl and cannot keep her story, it is in this presentation by Libravox exciting and vibrant.

Embers by Sandor Marai is a 1001 Must Readin which Konrad and Henrik ("the General") once the closest of friends, meet in 1940, at the General’s home. The two men parted forty years earlier and the General has nursed a grudge for all that time. He tells the story as a monologue to his guest, about what he feels caused the rift, his marriage and its falling apart, his anger and suspicions, and his plans for the evening’s end. It’s a taut novel, with some unexpected revelations, and highly recommended. Originally written in Hungarian, this version was translated to English from the German translation, and yet you feel Marai would have approved of this version. It’s clear and precise and unsettling.

Dusk Lands: Rebel Heart by Moira Young is the second in the Dusk Lands series and I was disappointed to read another “bridging” novel in a teen series which sort of advances the story and sort of enhances the character, and is really a filler to the next-in-series. Some reviewers have absolutely loved the “more adult” themes of the book, but I did not find them compelling enough to care. I enjoyed the first book very much and hope the third will meet my expectations.

Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs in the next-in-order and is a collection of short stories about the young Tarzan (before he discovers his Lord Greystoke identity). Rollicking fun for the fan of the series.

Acqua Alta by Donna Leon is the next-in-order (for me) Commissario Brunetti mysteries/thrillers set in Venice. It’s been a long spell since I spent time with the Commissario and this reminded me I need to return for more murder/mysteries. The setting (Venice) is unique, the food and wine are divinely described, and oh, yes, a murder or two is solved.

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne is a dystopian teen novel (how many have been published lately?) and the beginning of yet another series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Fourteen children, aged from elementary to high school, find themselves in a superstore (think Walmart or Target) when disaster strikes their community. Dean, narrator of the story, has to deal with family, girl friends, really scared young children, and the outside world which has become dangerous for many reasons (adults, hailstones, virus?), and survival is dependent on the group dynamic. I have the sequel on my bookshelf and look forward to the next chapter.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher is a very funny take on the Star Wars Episode 4 movie (the first one for those who remember), written in iambic pentameter (even R2D2 gets his asides in verse). The second and third films have been released and I certainly intend to find them. I had a great time reading this play.

Everwild is Book 2 of the Skinjacker series by Neal Shusterman is the continuing story of Allie and Nick as they pursue their after-death goals. Shusterman can be great, and he can be just above average. This is just above average, as the story redefines its characters in Everlost. The novel goes farther abroad and deeper into self-discovery than many other teen novels in a similar genre. I’ll hold my opinion in check until I get to the next-in-series.

Miramar by Naguib Mahfouz is a 1001 Must Read and is based in Alexandria at the Pension Miramar. A series of guests at the pension include a young girl who has fled a forced marriage, the landlady, a gentleman seeking peace in retirement, and several others. Mahfouz’s novels are exceptional reading and this one, including a murder, the ongoing political struggles of Egypt, and cultural biases, is well worth the reading.

Working on August and September, I am soooooo far behind!

Well, you are not nearly as far behind as you were before! Only one month, really, because you have until tomorrow before September is behind.

:) Still behind, but having fun writing up the reviews!

It's Chrismas Eve's eve, and so I am starting the rounds of wishing my 75er friends the merriest of Christmases or whatever the solstice celebration of their choice is.

Happy Holidays!